If Auburn fans weren't all in on Bo Nix as their quarterback for the remainder of this season, they've essentially got no choice now.

Backup Joey Gatewood left the Auburn program this week after not attending practice Tuesday evening, sources told AuburnSports.com.

After Nix was named the starter before the season opener against Oregon, head coach Gus Malzahn found a useful role for Gatewood as a run-first, change-of-pace option for the offense. The redshirt freshman QB scored five touchdowns through six games, including a rushing TD that brought Auburn within a point during its comeback win over Oregon, and a passing TD that put Auburn up two touchdowns late in the first quarter at Texas A&M.

But in Auburn's two losses to Florida and LSU — Nix's two worst games of the season — Gatewood touched the ball just once combined.

Malzahn said on Wednesday's SEC teleconference that he and Gatewood met before practice Tuesday, and the QB told his coach he had been mulling over the idea of transferring since after the LSU game.

"He felt strongly he needed the time to find the right spot," Malzahn said.

Malzahn said that Gatewood has officially entered the transfer portal as of Wednesday.

"I really appreciated Joey," Malzahn said. "When you think about it, when he didn't win the job earlier, he chose to stick around. Most quarterbacks this day and time wouldn't do that. He's just at a point now where he wants to be a starting quarterback and just feels like he needs to start looking for schools now so he can find the right spot, and I respect that.

"He's a fine young man, and I really appreciate everything Joey has done for our program. Everyone in our program will be rooting for him moving forward."

The seventh-year head coach also confirmed that 24-year-old redshirt freshman Cord Sandberg will move up to QB2, while senior walk-on Wil Appleton is now the Tigers' No. 3 option.

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