Auburn football: Lack of experience puts Robby Ashford behind in QB battle

One of the most interesting storylines for Auburn football during this offseason is who will lead the Tigers’ offense in head coach Bryan Harsin’s second year on the Plains. Between the departures of Bo Nix and Dee Davis and the additions of Zach Calzada, Robby Ashford, and Holden Geriner, there has been strong competition for the coveted position of QB1.

With the beginning of fall practices right around the corner, it seems like the battle for QB1 is mostly between Zach Calzada and T.J. Finley. As a true freshman, it’s highly unlikely that Holden Geriner sees the field this season, but Robby Ashford is a different story.

Ashford did not see any game action during his two years with the Oregon Ducks, but has been praised for his athletic ability ever since arriving on the Plains. With an MVP performance in the Tigers’ spring A-Day game, it’s clear that Ashford has talent, and it’s possible it will be utilized on the field this fall.

Auburn football may have packages designed for Robby Ashford.

Although Ashford likely won’t win the starting job in 2022, Harsin has hinted several times that there may be special packages designed to utilize the transfer’s ability to move on his feet, per Auburn Undercover:

"It’s been repeated a few times this offseason by Harsin, but even if Ashford doesn’t win the starting job for the season opener against Mercer, he could still be a part of Auburn’s offense — with packages on the goal-line, short-yardage situations, trick plays and more. Similar to how Joey Gatewood was handled when he became Bo Nix’s backup in 2019, Ashford’s athletic skills are too enticing to stay on the bench all year."

Robby Ashford has worked hard to show that he’s capable of being an SEC quarterback, and even if he isn’t the Tigers’ starter he has the potential to make big waves on the offense.