Auburn football fans react to AthlonSports’ No. 12 QB room ranking in the SEC
Auburn football fans are sick and tired of publications writing the Tigers’ eulogy ahead of any games on the 2022 schedule being played. Unfortunately, with the season still just under two months away, there will be plenty more of that ahead of the September 3rd opener at Jordan-Hare Stadium vs. the FCS’ Mercer.
AthlonSports decided to chime in with more anti-Auburn rhetoric with their latest QB room rankings. The Tigers QB triad of presumed starter Zach Calzada, last year’s starter T.J. Finley, and Oregon transfer Robby Ashford was ranked as the No. 12 QB room in the entire SEC.
For those looking for some silver-lining, the Tigers signal-callers were at least projected above Week 4 opponent Missouri’s, which includes Mississippi State transfer Jack Abraham, Brady Cook, Tyler Macon, and freshman Sam Horn.
Auburn football fans had varied responses to this ranking. On one hand, this fan wonders if there is actual quality within the quantity the Tigers possess in their QB room:
Tough to say. We probably have as much depth as anyone, but also no guarantee of a quality starter either.
— Bad Freeze Puns (@Jonny_Dent) July 11, 2022
As for these fans, there’s confusion as to why Zach Calzada (and to a lesser extent Robby Ashford) is being slept on:
Soooo misleading man!! Has Robbie and Zach regressed that much as QBs?? Is Finley not making any strides?? I refuse to believe this is of any certainty….#WDE
— War Ready81 (@WReady81) July 11, 2022
This one fan had questions about the entire list, not just Auburn’s low ranking on it:
This fan, meanwhile, questioned the list-maker altogether:
Let’s be honest. Athlon Sports has a strong anti-Auburn bias.
— Infinite Auburn (@InfiniteAuburn) July 11, 2022
Auburn football is in good hands with Zach Calzada
Zach Calzada was put in the same quarterback tier as Kentucky’s Will Levis, UCLA’s Dorian Thompson-Robinson, and Louisville’s Malik Cunningham by Pro Football Focus’ Seth Gazinaa. Every single one of those other QB’s fanbases is heading into the 2022 season with hope and optimism.
The difference is that the Tigers play in the SEC, the same conference in which Calzada had both unmatched triumphs (being the only team to knock off Alabama in the regular season) and severe struggles (E.g. vs. Arkansas and Ole Miss) while starting as an emergency stand-in for the injured Haynes King on the Texas A&M Aggies.
Until Calzada proves that his shoulder injury woes are insurmountable, being this bearish on the Auburn football offense is not supported by much other than preordained doubt.