Auburn football HC Bryan Harsin had very interesting comments regarding the quarterbacks that will be getting snaps this coming Saturday as the Tigers host the Mercer Bears at Jordan-Hare Stadium for the first game of the 2022 season.
Of course, he addressed the announced starter, T.J. Finley, saying that he thinks anybody that was at our practices knew that he would win the job. “I don’t think there was any shock whatsoever,” said the second-year head coach.
Addressing QB2 Robby Ashford, the first-year transfer from Oregon who has yet to take a snap but was the offensive A-Day MVP and impressed all throughout fall camp, Harsin said ‘we’ll see, when we get this game plan really honed in for Mercer, how he goes out there and executes it.’
By far the most interesting comment came when expanding upon wanting to see both Finley and Ashford — Bryan Harsin mentioned wanting to see both guys, not ‘all three guys’ including Zach Calzada (h/t 247Sports):
"“He’s one play away, right, to be out there. So he’s going to get plenty of reps, plenty of opportunities to keep proving himself and, you know, he’s got to get that mentality down. That’s the hardest thing about being a backup quarterback is you’ve got to prepare like the starter. You don’t get all the reps. … I’m excited to see both of those guys — T.J. and Robby — this week, and see how they operate. Just really dial into the game plan and see what that looks like at the end of the week going into the game.”"
Bryan Harsin gives Zach Calzada hope in encouraging statement to backups
Fear not, Auburn quarterback backups: Bryan Harsin is not writing you off despite slotting T.J. Finley into the starting slot for the opener against Mercer. His encouraging message to Robby Ashford and Zach Calzada was a simple one:
"“For all the guys that aren’t in the starting role, keep your head up. Because it changes so quickly.”"
Harsin said that Calzada’s specific message is being shared to him by Auburn offensive coordinator Eric Kiesau. In Kiesau’s first season as Harsin’s play-calling right-hand man, he’ll be tasked with keeping the once heavy favorite Calzada motivated should Finley and Ashford prove not to be the best man for the starting job.