Hugh Freeze may face the same issue in 2024 that he faced heading into his first season as the head coach of Auburn football: the Tigers' starting quarterback may not be on the roster ahead of the A-Day spring game.
"It seems as if the 'is this year’s quarterback currently on the roster' trend will continue into 2024," Auburn Wire's Taylor Jones wrote. "Last season, neither Robby Ashford nor TJ Finley impressed Hugh Freeze during spring practice, so he reeled in Michigan State transfer Payton Thorne following the spring session to compete for the job that he ultimately won.
"There are plenty of questions surrounding the quarterback position this spring, and many of them may not be answered by the time A-Day concludes."
Jones did predict a strong battle from the four-deep quarterback room, and this writer thinks the answer is likely one of Payton Thorne, Holden Geriner, Hank Brown, and Walker White.
I mean, at least there's not some half-baked two-quarterback system being pitched this time around, too.
Auburn football has 2024 starter in QB room already
It's Thorne's job to lose, but every Auburn arm in the QB room has a shot to outwork the rest to grab the brass ring. Geriner and Thorne have a lot of improvements to make to inspire confidence from fans, while Brown needs to continue his brilliance from the Music City Bowl to fend off White.
White may just have the most talent in the room, and he has support and confidence from Bo Nix. The Freeze Four (Cam Coleman, Perry Thompson, Bryce Cain, Malcolm Simmons) committed to the program knowing White was going to grow up with them.
While he's the least experienced and youngest player in the running, White is knowing the playbook away from being the QB1 dark horse.
No transfer portal QB necessary.