The word’s been buzzing around College Station, but nobody’s really been able to pin down what’s going on with this QB. And when we say “this QB,” we are talking about a former five-star quarterback with a rocket arm and a chip on his shoulder the size of Kyle Field. You know, the type of kid that makes scouts drool and rival coaches nervous. But ever since he dipped from Texas A&M and went ghost, everybody’s been playing the guessing game about whether he’s cooked or cooking up a comeback. Now, the rumors are finally hitting the surface, and man, Mike Elko might be low-key sweating.

Because if this comeback tour goes as planned, the Aggies might be looking at one hell of a “what if” situation. The former 5-star Conner Weigman had it all. That 5-star glow, the hype, the potential to be Texas A&M’s golden boy under Jimbo Fisher. The kid was dropping dimes and carving up defenses with a PFF grade that had him sitting fourth—averaging 300 yards a game, completing 70.5% of his passes in the country early in 2023. But fate had other plans.

A nasty foot fracture—nine breaks in the talus bone, screws needed to put him back together. Like a damn Humpty Dumpty situation. His Aggies crashed to a 7-6 record, and Jimbo got canned before the year even wrapped. Saturdays were pure torture for him. “I love being out with my guys. I just love it. Not being out there was tough,” Weigman admitted.

When Mike Elko took the reins, Weigman snagged the starting job again, but his body had other plans. In the first game of the season against Notre Dame, he takes a hit that messes up his throwing shoulder. And it’s not like a minor sprain you walk off. It’s an AC joint injury. The man was taking Toradol shots just to get on the field and keep throwing, overcompensating so much that his whole throwing motion went out of whack. When you’re fighting your own body just to stay on the field, something’s got to give. And it did. Marcel Reed snatched his job while he was fighting just to stay functional.

Turns out, Conner Weigman has been busy rebuilding himself after a series of injuries that had him surviving games off Toradol shots like some wild west gunslinger. Weigman ain’t folding. The guy’s on some straight-up comeback tour vibes. He transferred back home to Houston, where he grew up idolizing Case Keenum tearing it up for the Cougars. And now? He’s on a mission. He’s shredded 10 pounds, gotten himself right physically, and has that kind of quiet rage where you just know he’s going to make some noise.

“I’m just getting back to the way I know I can play. That top quarterback in the class. I’m going to prove it this year,” he said. And with Houston coming off a rough 4-8 season, he’s got all the room he needs to run the show. But for Elko? It might be a bit of a regret, as he could’ve had a solid backup behind Marcel Reed, if injuries hadn’t messed things up. Weigman, after all, was one of A&M’s top-rated QBs since Johnny Manziel. Word on the street is, though, Mike Elko probably ain’t sweating over this. The Aggies HC believes they are moving in the right direction.

Mike Elko and Texas A&M heading in the right direction?

Meanwhile, Mike Elko’s trying to do his own thing back in College Station. The man came in and dragged the Aggies to an 8-5 record, which, let’s be real, ain’t exactly championship material, but it’s a start. He’s been hustling in the transfer portal, pulling in names like wide receiver KC Concepcion and cornerback Julian Humphrey. Plus, he’s managed to keep key players like offensive linemen Trey Zuhn and Ar’maj Reed-Adams, defensive back Will Lee III, and linebacker Scooby Williams from jumping ship. That’s saying something, right? Especially in a conference like the SEC. As Elko put it, “It speaks to how the kids feel about the direction of the program.”

The problem is, while Elko’s trying to build this team into something respectable, the QB room’s looking like a coin toss. Redshirt freshman Marcel Reed’s holding down the starting spot, but they brought in Jacob Zeno from UAB—yeah, the QB who threw for over 3,100 yards in 2023 before his shoulder gave out. And with both Conner Weigman and Jaylen Henderson bouncing from the program, the depth chart is looking about as reliable as Texas weather. Elko’s banking on true freshman Miles O’Neill as a potential future playmaker, but that’s a long-term project.

Elko’s hyped about the progress, but he’s also sounding like he’s trying to convince himself as much as everyone else. “You want kids to feel valued in what you do and in your program. That’s important,” Elko said. “When you look at a kid’s willingness to stay and be a part of this and not test the waters… it speaks to where we are at and where we are going.”

But here’s the kicker—if Weigman balls out in Houston while Elko’s crew is still trying to get its act together, that “where we are going” narrative might start looking pretty shaky. For now, it’s all talk and potential. But with Weigman on his revenge tour, it might just be a ticking time bomb for the Aggies’ reputation.