The Texas A&M Aggies wrapped up another disappointing season with a 19-7 loss at LSU on the final weekend of November. The month of December hasn’t been any kinder to them with a handful of key losses off the field at the most important position on it. Here is a look at the quarterback carousel that has taken place in college football this month with the spotlight on A&M’s evolving passer situation.
Kyle Allen Leaves College Station
The rough month of December began when Kyle Allen decided to leave College Station, becoming the second Aggies’ quarterback to go from starter to transferring to another program in as many years. Allen certainly had his low points at A&M this season but he is still a five-star prospect with an outstanding skillset that has the potential to play at a much higher level than he did this season. There is no doubt that Aggies’ fans were disappointed with Allen’s overall performance this year but they will be that much more bitter if he ends up becoming a top NFL Draft prospect playing in a different uniform moving forward. The good news is that the Aggies shouldn’t bump into him again as he isn’t allowed to transfer to an opponent the Aggies face in the next three seasons. Unless they meet him in a bowl game, he shouldn’t be burning them again.
Murray Follows Him Out Of Town
Allen’s departure was met with a quiet optimism among Aggies’ fans that Kyler Murray would be able to step in as their starter next year and play above the level that Allen played at this season. However, it didn’t take long for that idea to get crushed with the news that Murray intends to transfer. Losing one five-star prospect hurt A&M enough but losing a second five-star prospect left the Aggies with sophomore Jake Hubenak as the team’s only option for the Franklin American Mortgage Music City Bowl game with Louisville. It’s left the team with major question marks moving forward to next season.
A&M Pursues Oklahoma’s Knight
Texas A&M’s quarterback carousel will not end until they find their man at quarterback and the latest reports have the Aggies as the favorite to land a potential rising star in Oklahoma Sooners’ senior quarterback Trevor Knight. Knight stole the starting job late in 2013 and went on to beat Alabama in the Sugar Bowl that season but he wasn’t consistent enough to hold down the starting job this year at Oklahoma. They opted to go with Baker Mayfield and that’s paid off well for them. With Mayfield coming back next season, Knight wants out of town. Knight has the potential to enroll in another FBS program and become eligible right away because of his graduate transfer status and that makes him the perfect fit to become the Aggies’ next starting quarterback.
Grier Exits Florida
Texas A&M has dealt with the biggest quarterback concerns in the SEC but they aren’t the only team from that conference to take a ride on the quarterback carousel this month. The news out of Florida is that Will Grier will transfer out. Grier was one of the key ingredients to Florida’s rise up the rankings this season but he was unexpectedly suspended for use of a banned substance. After having his appeal denied, he won’t be able to play in a game until midway through October of 2016. His situation could become even more complicated based on his transfer request with the potential for him to be banned from playing at least one more year. The fact that Grier wouldn’t be able to play until October 2017 is obviously a major problem but he is a strong talent with plenty of potential. It won’t be a surprise when he lands somewhere with at least one team willing to take a chance on that he will eventually deliver for them at some point down the road.
