AUBURN | The first big test in Auburn’s starting quarterback battle is just days away.
The Tigers will hold their first preseason scrimmage at Jordan-Hare Stadium Saturday morning. Sometime afterwards, a three-horse race is expected to be cut to two.
Hugh Freeze has mentioned a 5-10 practice timetable to narrow the competition and the scrimmage will be the eighth of fall camp.
“I just want to see somebody take control and take a step forward. Separate themselves,” said offensive coordinator Philip Montgomery. “That's what you're looking for in your quarterback position — a guy that's gonna lead, guy that's gonna make plays. He doesn't have to be Superman, but he does have to be consistent in his play in his decision making and taking care of the football, and then moving us down the field and staying ahead of chains.
“When we do that then we're always going to be effective. And so the quarterback that does those things at a more consistent pace will be the guy that's gonna win the job. Right now it's too early to call it.”
Auburn has been rotating three quarterbacks relatively equally through the first week of fall camp in junior Payton Thorne, sophomore Robby Ashford and redshirt freshman Holden Geriner.
Thorne arrived this summer after throwing for 6,494 yards and 49 touchdowns in 29 career games at Michigan State.
“You want to talk about a guy who is professional about the way he goes after his work? He's another guy you have to run out of the building,” said Montgomery. “He's always watching tape. He's always studying. He'll text me, 'Hey, what do I read on this? What do I read on that? I saw this on tape, how are we progressing through this?' He wants to be on top of every detail that is involved in our offense.
"And he's seeing things right now at a really good rate. You've gotta remember, he wasn't here in the spring. Some of the things that he's picked up on, we've gotta get everybody else around that to be on the same page with him. But I think he's done a great job with his leadership. He's disciplined, and he's professional about what he does.”
Ashford, who transferred from Oregon last year, started the Tigers’ final nine games of the season in 2022, totaling 2,323 yards passing and rushing and 14 touchdowns.
“I honestly think Robby has thrown the ball better this fall camp,” said Montgomery. “I've seen him progress in that manner. He's hit a good sum of deep balls. He's been a little more consistent on his underneath stuff. And that's an area where he wants to improve.
“He's got a big arm. But it's the consistency of the fundamentals that kind of go into that part of it. He's worked really hard on that. I think he's really operated. He does a really good job of trying to lead and be positive and do the things that we're asking him to do.”
Geriner appeared in just one game last season and entered the competition this fall as a bit of a darkhorse candidate.
“I think he is a natural thrower,” said Montgomery. “The ball just zips off of his hands. He stands tall in the pocket. I think he’s doing a really good job of working through his progression, putting his eyes in the right spot and not hanging too long. I think he has the ability to do some things with his feet (and) be able to get outside when things break down.
“But the best part of his game is mentally being on point with what he’s got. Again, his arm is really natural when it comes off. He spins it tight. He can hit small windows. He can push the ball down the field. I think he does a great job of that.”
Auburn completed its fourth workout of the fall Monday morning and will be back on the practice fields Tuesday afternoon.
