Auburn football fans, it’s okay to be a little frustrated at the latest QB battle update from AL.com’s Nubyjas Wilborn.
Despite stealing the show at A-Day and winning the spring game offensive MVP, Robby Ashford is still not QB1 on the Tigers depth chart right now. Instead, the incumbent QB who inspired less confidence than even the freshman third-stringer on A-Day would start under center if the season began today.
That’s right, Bryan Harsin currently plans to run it back with T.J. Finley to kick off the 2022 campaign.
Seemingly, the only thing stopping that from being the case would be Zach Calzada coming back and showing that he has shaken his left shoulder troubles after injuring it as the Texas A&M signal-caller in a 20-3 win over Auburn football at Kyle Field:
"Finley is likely to be the starter if the season starts today. However, it’s imperative to remember that Texas A&M transfer Zac Calzada is recovering from an injury to his non-throwing shoulder. Calzada could wind up as the starter, depending on how healthy he is once fall comes around."
Auburn football fans want to see Robby Ashford get a chance at quarterback.
Fans won’t revolt with T.J. Finley under center. Even Cam Newton struggled during his lone spring game on the Plains back in 2010.
That said, Finley’s leash cannot possibly be long in 2022 after the lack of separation–and quite frankly, the opposite of such–from the rest of the QBs during A-Day. Going winless in the 2021 Tigers’ final three games (including the Birmingham Bowl against Houston) as starter cost him goodwill with plenty of fans.
Zach Calzada is an unknown for the most part, showing noticeable improvement in his lone season starting last year after Haynes King went down with an injury for Texas A&M. Still, if he can’t recover in time, or worse, doesn’t look the same post-shoulder surgery, a scarier known entity to many Tiger fans could return to the forefront of the offense for Auburn football.