Texas A&M football: Zach Calzada stuck with Jimbo, and that is huge
By Jeff Shull
When Zach Calzada chose to stick with Jimbo Fisher and sign with Texas A&M football, it meant more than just getting a 2019 quarterback.
Sometimes things are far deeper than they appear on the surface. This is how one should qualify 247 Sports Composite 3-star quarterback Zach Calzada‘s commitment to Texas A&M football. He is not just the only quarterback in the Aggies’ 2019 class. He is not just a player who chose Jimbo Fisher like 22 others have so far in the early signing period.
It sounds like I’m making much ado about nothing, but hear me out.
2018 No. 2 overall prospect Justin Fields sent ripples through the college football world when he made it known he might seek a transfer from the Georgia Bulldogs. Some, like Florida State, Oklahoma, and Ohio State, were on the surface as likely landing spots for Fields. He is a fantastically talented quarterback, but will be a backup for at least one more season, if not two.
For Texas A&M, though, Fields’ decision caused some uncertainty with Calzada, who had been a long time verbal commit for Fisher. He is from Georgia, and with the Bulldogs scrambling to make sure they had a backup plan to Fields, Calzada was their target.
4-star dual threat quarterback John Rhys Plumlee is a Georgia commit but has wavered as Georgia asked him to “blue-shirt.” He’s still verbally committed, but his crystal ball projections have him at 75 percent to Ole Miss and 25 percent undecided.
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No one would have blamed Calzada for flipping to Georgia. They had the No. 1 recruiting class in 2018 and are currently No. 2 with five 5-star prospects committed. Calzada is from Georgia, so he could have stayed close to home and joined a national contender with the opportunity to play in one, maybe two years.
However, early this morning, Calzada reaffirmed his commitment to Texas A&M by signing his national letter of intent. In doing so, he cemented the proof of high school players buying into the direction of the Texas A&M program.
Players believe in Jimbo Fisher. They want to play for him. If the No. 3 2019 recruiting class wasn’t enough evidence, a quarterback choosing to honor his commitment to a team with a sophomore 4-star quarterback starting and a freshman 4-star quarterback waiting over taking the easier road on a title contender is plenty of evidence.
Georgia wound up flipping Ohio State quarterback Dwan Mathis, but Calzada was their first choice and for good reason. He might be one of the most underrated prospects in this year’s class. Remember the name.
Jeff Shull is the Site Expert for the Gig Em Gazette on FanSided. Follow him on Twitter, and be sure to follow the Gig Em Gazette on Facebook and Twitter.