Auburn Football: Offensive Depth Chart Projections – Quarterback

Nicholas Ian Allen

Aug 30, 2014; Auburn, AL, USA; Auburn Tigers quarterback Jeremy Johnson (6) passes the ball during the first half against the Arkansas Razorbacks at Jordan Hare Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Shanna Lockwood-USA TODAY Sports

Looking ahead to the 2015 Auburn football season, we’ve gone through the depth chart projections for every defensive position, as well as running back and wide receiver on offense. Now it’s time to look at the players that will compete to become Auburn’s new starting quarterback.

For the past two seasons, head coach Gus Malzahn has relied on dual threat quarterback Nick Marshall to lead his offense.

Jeremy Johnson

For most teams, replacing a two-year starter like Nick Marshall would be extremely difficult. But most teams don’t have a player like Jeremy Johnson ready to step in.

Simply put, Johnson is one of the most talented quarterbacks in the SEC – if not the nation. The 6-foot-5, 230-pound, rocket-armed signal caller isn’t as fast as Marshall, but he’s not a statue and has more touch on his passes than Marshall did.

Johnson is also more experienced than most QBs that served as a backup for the past two seasons. The Montgomery, Alabama native had plenty of opportunities to play as a freshman and sophomore and has even started three games for the Tigers.

Interestingly enough, Johnson is likely to become the first quarterback to start back-to-back season openers behind center for Malzahn since he became a college coach in 2006.

Across two seasons, Johnson has 858 passing yards with nine touchdowns and two interceptions and has completed 73.1% of his 70 career passes. As a sophomore in 2014, Johnson completed 28 of 37 (75.7%) passing attempts for 436 yards and three touchdowns without an interception.

UPDATE: Is Jeremy Johnson a 2015 Heisman Trophy Candidate?

And as smooth as the transition should be with Johnson taking over for Nick Marshall, the offense could look a lot different in 2015.

“We’re definitely going to emphasize the pass game more,” co-offensive coordinator and wide receivers coach Dameyune Craig said in January. “That means the ball will be spread out a little bit more than it has in the past. I think the receivers will prosper from Jeremy Johnson’s emergence as quarterback next year. I’m excited about it, the receivers are excited about it and I think the fans are excited about this new era in Auburn football.”

At Tulsa in 2007, Malzahn helped quarterback Paul Smith amass 5,065 passing yards and 47 touchdowns. The following season David Johnson threw for 4,059 yards for the Golden Hurricane.

Auburn has a lot of talent at the running back position, so it’s not likely that Jeremy Johnson puts up video game numbers quite like Smith and David Johnson did for Tulsa, but it’s very possible that the rising junior breaks a few school records and emerges as one of the best quarterbacks in college football.

Next: Sean White

Jan 2, 2014; St. Petersburg, FL, USA; Team Highlight quarterback Sean White (13) throws the ball against Team Nitro during the first half of the Under Armour All America football game at Tropicana Field. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports

Sean White

The top candidate to become Jeremy Johnson’s backup in 2015 is redshirt freshman Sean White. Of course, he’s also Johnson’s top competition for the starting spot.

In December, offensive coordinator Rhett Lashlee hesitated to name Johnson the heir apparent to Nick Marshall, and mentioned that while Johnson will have a “leg up” in the quarterback completion, there will, in fact, be a competition.

Jonathan Wallace

One of everyone’s favorite Auburn football players is backup quarterback – and potentially wide receiver – Jonathan Wallace.

“Jonathan Wallace is one of the biggest winners on our football team,” Gus Malzahn said in January. “He has nothing but winner in him – his attitude, he’s a competitor.”

Wallace won two of the four games he started as a freshman in 2012 – 42-7 over New Mexico State and 51-7 over Alabama A&M, but the Tigers were no match for Georgia (38-0) and Alabama (49-0) in the other two, marking a disappointing end to a disappointing 3-9 season in Gene Chizik’s last year as head coach of the Tigers.

Wallace completed 46 of his 80 (57.5%) passing attempts in 2012 for 753 yards, four touchdowns and four interceptions, but he hasn’t played much since after Nick Marshall won the starting role in 2013 and Jeremy Johnson emerged as Marshall’s backup.

Wallace even fell behind Sean White in the pecking order prior to the 2014 season.

“He really doesn’t get to play much,” Malzahn said. “But you never see any frown, any negativity. He’s always encouraging, and that’s hard to do. Guys like him – and specifically him – is the reason we are here.”

Wallace completed the only pass he attempted last season for 17 yards. The 6-foot-2, 207-pound Phenix City, Alabama native played some special teams in 2014 and even saw time late in the season at wide receiver. He caught one pass for 18 yards.

“I love being a quarterback,” Wallace said in a January interview with Chuck Williams of the Ledger-Enquirer. “It is what I have been playing my whole life and I will continue to fight.”

Of course, for Williams to see more playing time as a senior, a full-time switch to receiver may be necessary – though the coaching staff won’t force him to do so.

And he won’t transfer just to play quarterback. Why?

“I am an Auburn man,” he said.

Next: Jason Smith and Tyler Queen

Nov 8, 2014; Auburn, AL, USA; Auburn Tiger fans shake hands with Auburn Tigers running back Corey Grant (20) as he goes through Tiger Walk prior to the game against the Texas A&M Aggies at Jordan Hare Stadium. Mandatory Credit: John Reed-USA TODAY Sports

Jason Smith and Tyler Queen

A 6-foot-1, 180-pound signal caller from Mobile, Alabama, Jason Smith signed with the Auburn football program for the second time and finally made it to campus.

A member of the 2013 recruiting class, Smith did not qualify coming out of high school and spent two years at Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College. In 2014, the dual threat signal caller threw for 1,566 yards and 18 touchdowns with just two interceptions and added 424 yards and ten touchdowns on the ground.

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Nicholas Ian Allen