During a Wednesday morning interview with ESPN 97.5 in Houston, coach Jimbo Fisher announced that the redshirt freshman would succeed Kellen Mond as the starter in the season opener Sept. 4 against Kent State.

The announcement was not a surprise, as King has been the odds-on favorite to win the job for several months. Still, the improved play of Zach Calzada during training camp made the decision a little tougher than expected.

King served as Mond's backup last year and played in two games, at Alabama and at South Carolina. He was 2-4 for 42 yards, 1 touchdown and 1 interception passing, and carried 5 times for 43 yards.

The former Longview Lobo checked many of the boxes Fisher wants in a quarterback: he has mastered the offense, has command of the huddle and keeps mistakes to a minimum. He also brings another asset -- exceptional speed. King runs the 40-yard dash in around 4.5 seconds and is one of the fastest players on the team.