Auburn Tigers football coach Hugh Freeze has made his decision on the team's QB1, definitively naming Jackson Arnold when asked by the War Rapport's Mike Gittens about his plans at the position.
"Yeah, he is," Freeze said without skipping a beat.
But what Freeze said immediately after spoke to Freeze, Derrick Nix, and Kent Austin's plans beyond the starting spot.
"Deuce Knight is going to be phenomenal. He had a great spring and it was a joy working with him. He is one of the more accountable freshmen. No excuse making, wants to learn, wants you to coach him and has a big time arm and talent."
Freeze went on to speak at length about what he sees in Arnold at QB1 coming from a less-than-ideal situation in Seth Littrell and Joe Jon Finley's offense at Oklahoma last year. But his comments also shut the door on another transfer's chances to see snaps this coming season.
Deuce Knight, not Ashton Daniels, will be Jackson Arnold's primary backup QB for Auburn
Ashton Daniels, a transfer from Stanford, will remain on the bench this coming fall; barring an injury to Arnold and/or Knight or unpreparedness from them both.
The latter doesn't seem particularly likely given how well-prepared Arnold and Knight were the last few months, at least before the former's leg injury during spring practice. Arnold missed A-Day because of that injury. The former is possible, but both Arnold and Knight going down would be a freak thing.
Daniels has one more season of eligibility left and a redshirt. At this point, it's difficult not to predict him using that redshirt and playing his final season elsewhere in 2026. The transfer portal window closed on April 25. Daniels wouldn't be able to transfer in-conference to another SEC school per portal rules.