There's something special happening in Auburn.
Deuce Knight just flipped his commitment from Notre Dame to the Tigers.
The No. 2 dual-threat quarterback in the country had been committed to Notre Dame since September of last year before announcing a change in plans Wednesday. Instead of heading to South Bend, he's heading to the Plains to play for Hugh Freeze and the Auburn Tigers.
"It's Coach Freeze," Knight told Rivals. "He's a straight-up, honest guy. He's from Mississippi. He was honest with me from the jump. I was his top target from the jump," he said. "When I committed to Notre Dame, things fell of...We talked it out. He came back around and he's always been a great guy."
Auburn began making a strong push in mid-June, as the Tigers were relentless in their efforts to flip the four-star quarterback. It was a full-scale effort — Auburn's coaching staff stayed on top of things, but so did members of the Tigers' 2025 class. Not to mention the signees from the 2024 class.
"I like the idea of coming in and competing for a job," Knight explained. "That's a big thing for me. The guys like Cam Coleman, Perry Thompson, Bryce Cain, Malcolm Simmons...those guys want me to come there. They hit me up...Cam Coleman is gonna be a first-round pick. Throwing to those guys will be cool."
Originally from Lucedale, Miss., Knight transferred to Lipscomb Academy in Nashville for three games last season before electing to return home. Once regaining his eligibility, Knight appeared seven games for George County.
In those seven games last season, he completed 50% of his passes for 1,420 yards passing, 15 touchdowns and three interceptions. On the ground, he tallied 340 yards rushing, averaging 5.3 yards per carry while scoring eight rushing touchdowns.
Knight, 6-foot-4 and 190 pounds, is the second-highest rated commit in Auburn's 2025 class. In terms of high school quarterbacks that signed with Auburn, only Bo Nix was rated higher than Knight coming out of high school.
"The communication with Coach Freeze -- that's the biggest thing for a play-caller and a quarterback -- to be on the same page. Coach Freeze always reaches out. Same with everybody, Coach (Derrick) Nix, all those guys," he noted. "Coach Freeze sends me clips or Coach Nix will hop on a zoom call with me, show me how I fit in this offense with the young receivers."
Freeze's history in developing quarterbacks was another factor in his decision.
"Any quarterback he's had has put up crazy numbers," Knight said. "That's what he's preached to me. The guys they brought in the 2024 class -- he wants me to come in and throw to those guys."
He's played in three games this season for George County, completing 65% of his passes for 516 yards and seven touchdowns with no interceptions. On the ground, he's carried the ball 14 times for 134 yards.
He's the 25th commitment in the Tigers' 2025 class, which is rated No. 4 in the country.
The last time that an Auburn recruiting class finished that high? 2010.
