Analyst thinks Auburn transfer still in lead for QB1 role
Auburn football transfer quarterback Payton Thorne out of Michigan State is still in the lead for the Tigers’ starting quarterback position as far as Birmingham-area radio host and former Alabama QB Greg McElroy is concerned.
“Me personally, I don’t think this reshuffles the order of quarterbacks,” McElroy said of Holden Geriner getting first-team reps and Robby Ashford getting second-team reps on August 12 (h/t Saturday Down South). “I don’t think this means that Holden Geriner is No. 1 or Robby Ashford is now No. 1.” Hugh Freeze himself admitted nothing is set in stone and that he himself has had to reconsider the position (h/t Auburn Wire).
“Yesterday, I had my mind made up,” Freeze prefaced before saying, “After today, I need to watch the film before I say (who wins). I think all three did that fairly well today. Robby threw a touchdown pass, Holden did also. Payton did not. (Thorne) had two, and I can’t see from where I was standing out on the field, the official ruled the receiver out of bounds both times. They did not turn the ball over, that is priority number one in offensive football, that was good. I thought all three looked good at times today.”
Analyst still believes the Auburn football QB1 role is Payton Thorne’s to lose
Auburn Daily’s Jack Singley is convinced that despite recent reports claiming that Thorne has been the worst quarterback in the room thus far in fall camp, the starting job is still his to lose by the home opener against UMass on September 2.
“Auburn held its first fall scrimmage under Hugh Freeze last Saturday, and the reports are that despite some drops from wide receivers and some miscalculations on routes Thorne performed well,” Singley wrote. “The decision for who Freeze wants at the helm for his first year will not be an easy decision, but Thorne is doing everything in his power to make himself the only viable option heading into September. Assuming the veteran transfer can get the playbook down, combined with his hard work forming chemistry the job looks to be his.”
Thorne has experience leading Michigan State to College Football Playoff status, having had the Spartans as high as No. 3 in the polls in 2021. He has the intangibles in tow and simply needs to add mastering the playbook to his repertoire to lock down the QB1 job.