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Redshirt freshman deemed ‘forgotten man’ in Auburn football QB competition

By Andrew Hughes

A redshirt freshman recruited during the Bryan Harsin era was deemed the 'forgotten man' in the 2023 Auburn football quarterback competition Mandatory Credit: The Montgomery Advertiser
A redshirt freshman recruited during the Bryan Harsin era was deemed the 'forgotten man' in the 2023 Auburn football quarterback competition Mandatory Credit: The Montgomery Advertiser /
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With so many new changes coming to the Auburn football program, it’s easy to forget about some of the underclassmen who will be undergoing a change from the only collegiate regime they ever knew under Bryan Harsin to something completely different with Hugh Freeze.

Under the former Liberty and Ole Miss head coach, AU will have higher expectations. That is not good news for many of the young players who were never properly developed under Harsin’s staff and who will be facing off in position competitions against guys the new staff has recruited.

Count redshirt freshman quarterback Holden Geriner in that group. Geriner was held well below the redshirt appearance limit in 2022, getting one drive during the Tigers’ September 24 win against Missouri. He completed two of his three attempts but will face competition over the next several years with Hank Brown, a Freeze flip from Liberty, once the Lipscomb Academy arrives in the summer. He’s also solidly behind 2022 starter Robby Ashford on the depth chart as of right now. Because of that, the War Rapport discussed the possibility/reality that he’s being overlooked in the 2023 Auburn football QB competition:

Auburn football not getting a top transfer portal QB means the answer under center is already in the room

With Auburn football whiffing on Virginia’s Brennan Armstrong, who committed to NC State, NC State’s Devin Leary, who committed to Kentucky, and Coastal Carolina’s Grayson McCall staying in Conway, South Carolina because AU didn’t have his major, the Tigers are now seemingly committed to the options already in the room.

Robby Ashford, the incumbent starter, is projected to be QB1 with the support of associate head coach Carnell “Cadillac” Williams, and he’s been tabbed as a dark horse Heisman candidate by The Warr Report. Hank Brown, the incoming gunslinger from Nashville, had a historic season under former Lipscomb Academy and current UAB head coach Trent Dilfer.

Then there’s Holden Geriner, whose arm has been touted and whose attitude never waivered despite all the in-house controversy his short college career has seen. And T.J. Finley, who is still technically on the roster.

One of the aforementioned gunslingers is likely to start for the Auburn Tigers in 2023.

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