Quotes of Note: Auburn football players on Oklahoma quarterback Michael Hawkins Jr.

What Auburn football players are saying about the freshman quarterback expected to start for the Sooners this weekend

This weekend, the Auburn football team will host Oklahoma in Jordan-Hare Stadium for the first time in the Sooners' inaugural season in the SEC. The Tigers have struggled in the early part of the season with a glaring issue at the quarterback position, and the same problem seems to be plaguing Oklahoma.

Sooners head coach Brent Venables announced earlier this week that true freshman quarterback Michael Hawkins Jr. is expected to get his first start against the Auburn Tigers after taking over from Jackson Arnold in last weekend's loss to Tennessee.

Below is what the Auburn football players had to say about the true freshman dual-threat QB, per Auburn Undercover.

Eugene Asante on the challenge provided by Hawkins Jr.:

"Hawkins is a dynamic quarterback," he said. "He's certainly somebody that is dynamic with his legs. He's extremely fast and extremely talented. As a linebacker, I'm excited to get the challenge to go against him. He's certainly somebody you must key in all forms of the game — throwing the ball and running the ball. 

"He's certainly a player we've been watching and continuing to study on film. They've got dynamic playmakers at the wide receiver position and a dynamic running back. So I'm excited and I embrace that challenge. I'm trying to get the defense to embrace that challenge as well."

Jerrin Thompson about how to beat the young QB:

"I feel like he wants to tuck the ball," Thompson said. "He's a pretty good quarterback. He has a good arm. He can throw it. I'm very familiar with this offense and what they like to do. So as a defense, if we can disguise looks and give him some hard time reading the defense, it'd be an exciting night."

Keldric Faulk talks about the Tigers' practice:

"We've practiced against that type of quarterback," Faulk said. "I feel like our quarterback has the ability to run, so we've been practicing against it the whole spring, fall and throughout the beginning of the season. We've been practicing against it. I feel like we've been handling it pretty well. I just think, with this quarterback, he's really talented. We need to keep eyes on him while we rush him, just to make sure we don't let him leak out of the pocket. He can be dangerous leaking out of it."

The Tigers will take on the Sooners on the Plains this Saturday at 2:30 p.m.