New list of quarterback battles has Auburn as team to watch
As the season draws nearer, quarterback battles in camp among teams without a clear answer at the position have been heating up. This year, Auburn happens to be one of those teams, and the seemingly three-way contest for the starting job has people in the college football world paying attention.
A new list of quarterback battles by On3 has Auburn as one of 10 camp contests to watch before the start of the season. They aren’t the only SEC school to be mentioned — Missouri, LSU and Texas A&M were also listed as battles to watch as the season draws nearer.
Here’s what the list had to say about Auburn’s quarterback battle:
Ashford (from Oregon) and Calzada (from Texas A&M) transferred in during the offseason, though Ashford – an Alabama native with dual-threat ability – seems like longest shot in the race because of a lack of experience. Calzada started the final nine games for the Aggies last season and led them to an upset of top-ranked Alabama. But he also was the starter in losses to LSU and Mississippi State. Calzada threw nine picks and completed 56.1 percent of his passes; in short, he’s adequate – but that may be enough to win the job. Finley, who transferred in from LSU after the 2020 season, started Auburn’s final three games last season; he avoided mistakes but wasn’t that accurate as a passer. He is a physically imposing guy (6 feet 6, 245 pounds) but isn’t mobile.
It appears at the moment that Calzada is set to win the job, and that’s the outcome our staff at Auburn Wire predicted as well. Nonetheless, coach Bryan Harsin has yet to name a starter for the upcoming season, and it could be interesting to see if a surprise candidate ends up winning the job through their performance in camp.
Whoever emerges victorious will get their first start on Sept. 3 when the Tigers kick off the season against the Mercer Bears.
List
Spring Preview: A look at the Auburn quarterback battle
