For what feels like the millionth year in a row, the biggest storyline emerging from the Auburn football fall camp is the question of who will be the Tigers’ starting quarterback during head coach Hugh Freeze’s first season on the Plains.
It has been a three-way battle for most of the offseason, with TJ Finley transferring out after spring practice and former Michigan State QB Payton Thorne taking his place to go up against redshirt freshman Holden Geriner and incumbent starter Robby Ashford.
The plan was for the three QB options to rotate through reps equally at the beginning of fall camp, and then ultimately cutting it down to two guys. Freeze even stated that we may see the battle continue on into the season with multiple quarterbacks taking the field.
Now, nearing the end of fall camp, it seems that Coach Freeze and the staff have chosen their starter for the 2023 season, and they will give the responsibility to Payton Thorne. While both Geriner and Ashford made the QB battle interesting, it’s hard to be surprised that the guy who was handpicked by Freeze from the transfer portal is ending up as the starter.
Fans on Twitter reacted to the former Spartan taking the lead in the quarterback battle on the Plains:
Whoever is running the offense the best, that’s the guy. No ego. I love the grit and fight in Robby, but it is a job to be won. I’m not gonna lie, kinda pumped the job was competed for so hard and the choice was apparently difficult due to huge effort. War Eagle
— Blake Bowman ( 🦅🦚 🐅) (@attblake) August 17, 2023
As long as Ashford gets his touches I’m more than OK w this. Thorne has proven experience but Robby is too electric to keep sidelined https://t.co/fMe5rUi19d
— Preston Battle (@battles_customs) August 17, 2023
I can't wait to hear the "why" after it's officially announced. #WFE🦅
— Takeo Spikes, M.B.A (@TakeoSpikes51) August 17, 2023
Payton Thorne expected to be named Auburn football's starting QB. https://t.co/RM7xziTqG3
Though there is a lot of love for both Ashford and Geriner, it seems that fans are excited to see someone new on the Plains, and I expect we’ll see Ashford maintaining some sort of role on the offense despite not being named the starter.