Auburn football HC Hugh Freeze on running a two-quarterback system

For a lot of Auburn football fans, the words “two-quarterback system” aren’t exactly music to their ears. It’s more like a callback to the beginning of the 2022 season, when Bryan Harsin struggled to conduct a quarterback competition and ended up playing both TJ Finley and Robby Ashford before Finley bowed out later in the year.

However, like most things have been since the end of last November, it’s different with head coach Hugh Freeze. Recent transfer Payton Thorne was named the official QB1 before the end of fall camp, and in game one it was clearly Thorne who was in the driver’s seat on offense.

Ashford, now better known as Red Zone Robby, came in at key moments while the starters were on the field and scored three rushing touchdowns for the Tigers this past weekend before getting to take the reins in the third quarter.

While Ashford may not be ready to be QB1 in the new, fast moving offense of the Freeze coaching staff, it’s clear that he has a role and that his legs continue to be a threat to opponent defenses. But will this trend continue on throughout the season? According to Auburn Undercover, Freeze isn’t sure:

"“Well, I don’t know,” Freeze said when asked if Ashford’s red-zone role will continue against Cal and beyond. “I think every game plan is different. I just think he’s super talented, and I think there’s a lot of things we can do with him. I know people in this world and day in time, you know, you can’t play two quarterbacks. Well, I don’t know, maybe they’re right.“But we’re 1-0, and if we go 2-0 doing it, we’ll keep doing it.”"

For Hugh Freeze, it’s clear that these first few games will be about finding what works for Auburn football and continuing to improve upon that.