Auburn football HC Hugh Freeze is asking for more from this QB

Since the Auburn football program did not get a transfer quarterback from the portal during the first window after Hugh Freeze was hired on as the head coach, there are three guys on the roster who have been truly competing for the starting job.

Redshirt freshman Holden Geriner has shown a lot of potential, but is the least experienced and has the least amount of coaching at the college level. TJ Finley has had experience leading the offenses of two different SEC teams, but has failed to do anything remarkable or even show much promise in real-game situations. Robby Ashford became the unexpected starter last season and showed his raw athleticism while still making simple errors that led to many questions about his abilities.

While Ashford may have had a lack of coaching, he made up for it in heart. Despite some inexcusable mistakes and moments of immaturity, it was clear throughout the whole season that Ashford wanted to be successful, wanted to win, and wanted to do it for the Auburn family.

Whether or not he is able to prove himself and ultimately become the starter for the 2023 season, it’s clear that Hugh Freeze has seen the desire to be great in Ashford, and is challenging him to play a bigger role on the team than just QB1, per The Montgomery Advertiser:

"“He challenged me to be that guy, that leader,” Ashford explained after A-Day. “If I feel like I’m getting in a down space, come to him. … Just to hear that from him means a lot because he’s a coach that cares. He has challenged me every single day.”"

Ashford also noted after A-Day that he feels like the coaching he received last year was “not as good as it could’ve been” and that things are very different with the new offensive staff. While the QB1 position may not be for Ashford this year, it’s clear that he is going to have a big impact on the Auburn football team no matter what.