A look at the offseason quarterback battle
An early look at the 2021 quarterback battle. By: The Hammer
For the first time since 2018, Jimbo’s first season, the Aggies have an offseason quarterback battle on their hands. Kellen Mond ended his career with a plethora of Aggie records, so despite the amount of criticism he got during his time under center, he leaves big shoes to fill. Massive shoes really, especially after the way he played this year. So who will be the man next year? QB1 at Texas A&M is a big time job and I'm confident we have the guys on campus to step up.
Photo: Bailey Orr, Texas A&M Athletics
Thinking back to the last Aggie QB battle in 2018 is a fun exercise as well. Kellen Mond and Nick Starkel battled it out with Mond ultimately winning the job. At the time, I thought Starkel would get the job. He originally won the starting gig in 2017 before getting hurt in “the game that shall not be named.” You know the one... Mond stepped in as a true freshman and played admirably but didn’t look special. Down the stretch after Starkel had recovered, both QBs saw some time (a staple of the Sumlin era: not being able to settle on a starting QB). After Sumlin was fired, Starkel started the bowl game and had an absolute monster game, throwing for 499 yards and 4 touchdowns, albiet in a losing effort - hence why I felt like he would win the job the following year. Then Jimbo came in with a clean slate, ultimately went with Mond and never looked back.
The reason I bring the last battle up is because Jimbo isn’t always predictable. Hayseed Haynes King was the only other QB to see playing time this season, playing mop up in a blowout loss to Alabama and in a blowout win against South Carolina. So he’ll be the next guy right? He was the backup last year so it’s his job. Well, as our old pal Lee Corso says, “not so fast my friend.” Not only will this competition be close, I don't think we can rely on what Jimbo did this past year like it's set in stone. Jimbo will do what he thinks is best for the 2021 team, regardless of what happened last year and regardless of what anyone else thinks.
The Aggie quarterback room is full of talented players and while King may be the betting favorite, don’t count out Zach Calzada or Eli Stowers. While not the athlete that King or Stowers is, Calzada can sling the pigskin. I’m talking about a rocket arm like Uncle Rico from Napoleon Dynamite. Plus, as we have seen with Jimbo’s offense over the last three seasons, he does not want to rely on the quarterback run game. I wish Mond would have run more honestly, but it never seemed to be a big part of the game plan. Jimbo seemed content to hand off to running backs and throw from the pocket, which I believe Calzada can do. He also saw some action his freshman year in blowouts so he’s not totally green, despite not playing in 2020.
Zach Calzada practicing back home in Buford, GA.
Eli Stowers is the wild card here. Having never seen him play a collegiate game because he is a true freshman means we don’t know what to expect. He was a very highly touted recruit so it’s possible he could come in, surprise us all, and win the job. I would not bet on this but it would be foolish to count the Denton Guyer product out completely. If he shows out during spring ball and camp and Jimbo thinks he gives the team the best chance to win, you bet he’ll start.
And lastly, we have the favorite, the pride of Longview, state champion Hayseed Haynes King. Everything you hear about this kid screams Fightin’ Texas Aggie quarterback. He reminds me of Stephen McGee in a lot of ways. He can run, he’s tough, coaches son, hard worker, all the intangibles you hope for. Probably throws in a hammer of Red Man each morning in lieu of coffee. As I said before, King is the odds on favorite because he saw time this past season. There’s no doubt he’ll work his ass off during the off season and be ready to step in if his number is called. But if there is one thing I’m not sure about yet, it is his arm talent. He’s more athletic than Calzada and can hurt teams with his legs, but can he make all the throws Calzada can? I’m not quite sure. I think he can but I guess we’ll see.
Haynes King on his official visit back in 2019.
My gut tells me King will be the guy next fall, but I’m not ready to bet my house on it. Jimbo has said that what King did this past year in his limited time won’t have any bearing on who plays next year. It’s a clean slate and the best man will play. The Maroon and White game should give us a glimpse into how the quarterbacks stack up. I don’t know about y’all, but I’m excited to see how this QB battle shakes out. It’s a bit nerve racking but also exciting to have a new face under center. The 2021 team has a chance to be very special and whoever our signal caller ends up being will have a great opportunity for a special season.
#BTHOOffseason
