Texas A&M Football: Haynes King or Zach Calzada for QB1 in 2021?

The Texas A&M football offense will look very different in 2021 as Kellen Mond is moving on. Who will start at quarterback for the Aggies?

For the first time in the Jimbo Fisher era, there’s some serious uncertainty at the quarterback position heading into a season.

Kellen Mond has exhausted his eligibility after four years of starting for the Aggies and he just had arguably his best season in College Station, leading Texas A&M to an 9-1 record and a near College Football Playoff berth. Some, including myself, believe that the Aggies probably should have made the playoff over Notre Dame, but Mond had to settle for an Orange Bowl win.

Now Fisher faces one of the toughest tests of his Texas A&M career: replacing Mond.

The Aggies have a couple of solid options in Haynes King and Zach Calzada. The former is entering his second year with the program after coming in as a highly-rated dual-threat quarterback from Longview, Texas, and Calzada is a more veteran presence, entering his third year, and while he may not have been as highly-touted as a recruit, he’s a strong passer.

So who should replace Mond in 2021 if the Aggies want to contend for an SEC title and a potential College Football Playoff berth?

The ceiling of this team is high and that of the offense will be at its highest, in my opinion, if King is under center. He’s built from the same cloth as Johnny Manziel on the field which is exactly what the Aggies have been missing for years. Mond was a strong dual-threat, no doubt, but King will be a better passer, in my opinion.

Calzada is a decent option, but there’s a reason only two quarterbacks attempted a pass for Texas A&M last season and one was the true freshman King. He may have already passed Calzada on the depth chart.

If Texas A&M wants to remain in the playoff hunt, I think King needs to be the starter.