Auburn football: 2 essential Tigers returning from injury for summer workouts
Auburn football was missing a few key pieces during A-Day, but that won’t be the case this summer.
Two major skill positions will be getting the primary backup, or in the QB room’s case, the possible starter, back soon with no restrictions after injuries kept them out of the spring exhibition.
Auburn football QB Zach Calzada will be a ‘full go’ for summer workouts
T.J. Finley didn’t do enough to separate himself from the pack on April 9th as the incumbent starter (following Bo Nix’s transfer portal departure) and Robby Ashford doesn’t fit the Bryan Harsin mold of a starter, so Zach Calzada is the name to watch in the coming months.
Calzada will reportedly be limitless this summer as Harsin allows the Texas A&M transfer to get as many reps as it takes to get a feel for the position:
"“He’s good. He’s really been pushing himself and studying and preparing, so now it’s just a matter of letting him get out there this summer. There’s going to be no contact, there’s no helmets, no pads, anything like that, so he’s going to get all the reps he needs in the summertime.”"
According to AL.com’s Tom Green, Calzada was seen receiving some reps with the first-team OL and RB Tank Bigsby during the spring’s 10th practice.
There’s ‘no doubt’ Auburn football RB Jarquez Hunter will be healthy for summer workouts
Behind Tank Bigbsy will be the RB breakout star of the non-conference portion of last year’s slate (and in Baton Rouge), Jarquez Hunter. The cowboy hat-sporting Hunter will be back in action full-time this summer as well.
Apparently, there’s no doubt he’ll be a speedy presence in summer workouts. Harsin confirmed Hunter’s availability and said that he could have played through the pain had there been more at stakes than spring game bragging rights:
"“There’s no doubt with him. First of all, he’s a tough kid, phenomenally strong; that guy can push weight, so we’ll get him back really quickly. And he’s determined. I think the best thing we did was get that cleaned up. He probably could have played through it, but it was the best thing for him to make sure he’s all 100 percent ready to go in the summer.”"
With Calzada and Hunter back in the fold, Auburn will get a realistic look at the 2022 Tigers’ final product before the September 3rd dress rehearsal opener against FCS Mercer.