Each Monday during the 2023 Texas A&M football season, we’ll identify a first or second-year Aggie player who delivered an exceptional performance over the weekend and earned the distinction of being the week’s ‘Overnight Sensation.’
Poised.
In a 48-33 loss to unranked Miami, it is quite difficult to point out positives in what was Texas A&M's seventh straight road loss.
Like it or not, Conner Weigman gave the Aggies a chance.
In the second road game of his career and sixth start overall, Weigman threw for 336 yards and two touchdowns. Those numbers aren’t shabby, but they were spoiled by a catastrophic defensive effort from Texas A&M.
Weigman helped the Aggies put together a 10-0 start. Once the Canes responded with a touchdown of their own, A&M capitalized on Edgerinn Cooper’s special team play and found the end zone shortly after to go up 17-7.
What looked like a hopeful beginning was washed away as Miami’s offense began to click and the Aggies’ miscues began to surface.
The Hurricanes took the lead just before the half, but that didn’t prevent Weigman from marching 59 yards downfield to get the score within one, 21-20.
Following a 98-yard kickoff return that wounded the Maroon & White, Weigman intended to throw to Ainias Smith, but #0 slipped and fell on the wet turf, and Kamren Kinchens was there to make a play.
Weigman threw his first interception of his career on his 157th pass attempt.
His 157th attempt.
Weigman’s perfect streak went longer than two of Aggies football's most beloved quarterbacks. Kellen Mond threw his first pick on attempt #46. Johnny Manziel threw his first on his 134th.
After making his first significant mistake as QB1, Weigman remained unphased and delivered a much-needed 75-yard drive to put the Aggies within reach, 31-26.
Though, Weigman’s most impressive feat may have been his ability to stay calm under duress. Per PFF, Weigman was blitzed on 33 of his 57 dropbacks and pressured on 26 of them.
No quarterback in the nation was pressured more in Week 2.
“#15 brought us back. He played his tail off,” A&M head coach Jimbo Fisher said. “I thought he did a great job of keeping the game alive and kept on going and making some drives down there.”
The Aggies’ offensive line did the sophomore no favors, and Miami’s sack total of zero speaks to Weigman’s ability to escape the pocket and make something out of nothing.
The game became out of reach in the fourth quarter as the Canes exposed A&M’s secondary, but the sophomore did not relent. A&M added a touchdown drive late in the game, but an embarrassing defensive effort from the Aggies prevented this drive from meaning anything.
Weigman was not perfect. The incompletions piled up. He threw a pair of interceptions, but Miami delivered the punches that should have knocked Weigman off of two feet.
Weigman’s effort kept the Aggies alive. A&M’s defense didn’t let them survive.
Weigman's stats vs. Miami
Completions: 31
Attempts: 53
Passing Yards: 336
Touchdowns: 2
Interceptions: 2
Weigman’s 2023 stats
Completions: 49
Attempts: 76
Passing Yards: 572
Touchdowns: 7
Interceptions: 2
