The Manning Passing Academy concluded this past Sunday the 26th at Nicholls State University in Thibodaux, Louisiana. The annual summer football camp, founded by Ole Miss and New Orleans QB Archie Manning in 1996, is touted as the place to be for high school QBs, RBs, WRs, and TEs who want to learn the sport and compete against other players.
LSU transfer and current Texas A&M QB Max Johnson attended the camp as one of 45 college counselors, helping to teach the young players and compete in a competition of his own. The counselors engaged in an Air it Out competition on Friday night, throwing passes at moving targets on golf carts for points.
Johnson managed to find his way into the finals of the contest, which featured arm talent from across the country including many SEC arms such as South Carolina’s Spencer Rattler, Kentucky’s Will Levis, Florida’s Anthony Richardson, and Alabama QB and Heisman Trophy winner Brice Young. Even among this competition, On3 Sports recognized Johnson as one of the standouts of the camp.
2022 Manning Passing Academy Standouts🎯https://t.co/Mzc9pEj70M pic.twitter.com/3KGmbatuE4
— On3 (@On3sports) June 25, 2022
Johnson is vying for the starting QB for the Aggies this fall, going up against Haynes King, who started last season for Texas A&M before suffering a season-ending leg injury against Colorado, and Conner Weigman, the 5-Star from Bridgeland High School. The job seems to be still very much up in the air, none of the 3 standing out enough from the pack during spring practices, but it will likely come down to Johnson and King.
That being said, don’t count Weigman out. Despite the lack of experience, the true freshman has the arm talent and wherewithal to sneak up on the others if they’re not careful. In any case, Aggie fans should feel comfortable that, no matter who wins the job, A&M will have a QB who can get the job done.
