'I'm his guy'

AUBURN | Gus Malzahn had a simple message for Tray Bishop Saturday and it’s exactly what the dual-threat quarterback from Terrell in Dawson, Ga., wanted to hear.

“I'm his guy,” said Bishop of what Malzahn told him. “From a head coach, that's pretty big for me. I say that from the heart.”

Bishop, 6-foot-3 and 190 pounds, is listed as one of the nation’s top athletes but Auburn is recruiting him exclusively as a quarterback.

“It's pretty big due to the fact that I always wanted to play quarterback,” Bishop said. “Auburn first recruited me and I see myself playing quarterback here.”

Bishop, who is being recruited by other schools to play wide receiver or defensive back, believes he’s a perfect fit in Auburn’s offense, which has won two SEC Championships and one National Championship with talented dual-threat quarterbacks Cam Newton and Nick Marshall leading the way.

“I can throw and run so I can hurt you either way,” Bishop said.

Bishop had to take the SAT Saturday and was late to Big Cat, but he spent Saturday afternoon and evening along with most of Sunday hanging out with Auburn’s coaches and players and several other visiting recruits.

“I missed all the fun at Big Cat,” he said. “but talking to the coaches again, you know that's always fun, and getting to hang out John Franklin and a few other guys later on that night was pretty interesting too.”

Bishop has Auburn, Georgia and Florida at the top of his list with no leader among the three. He plans to have a decision later this fall in September or October.

“The way I look at things, am I going to be happy here for four years or however long I stay,” said Bishop of the most important factor in choosing a school.

Bishop plans to visit Florida next weekend and Georgia soon after. He also said there’s a good chance he’ll be back in Auburn before the end of summer.