Auburn coach Gus Malzahn names Nick Marshall as starting quarterback

Auburn coach Gus Malzahn called junior college transfer Nick Marshall "a playmaker with big upside." (Craig Mitchelldyer/Getty Images)

Auburn University head football coach Gus Malzahn has named Nick Marshall the Tigers' starting quarterback, according to an official statement released on Saturday.

Marshall, a former Georgia defensive back who played quarterback at Garden City Community College (Kan.) last season, began practicing with Auburn on Aug. 2 and won the job in a competition that lasted through 18 workouts.

The 6-foot-1, 210-pound Georgia native beat out freshman Jeremy Johnson and sophomore Jonathan Wallace for the position.

https://twitter.com/CoachGusMalzahn/status/368838693282271232

Kiehl Frazier, who started the first five games for the Tigers last season, was moved to safety earlier this month. Wallace started the final four games of the season.

From the university's official press release:

"Nick Marshall has emerged and earned the right to be our starting quarterback,” Malzahn said. "As I’ve said, we wanted to go with the guy that gives us the best opportunity to win football games and Nick is that guy. He has caught on quickly in the short period of time he has been with us. He is a playmaker with a big upside, and once he becomes more comfortable with the offense, he has the chance to improve each week."

Marshall was one of the nation's most coveted junior college quarterbacks, drawing interest from Kansas State and Baylor, according to AL.com's Joel A. Erickson. He was kicked off the team at Georgia in February of his freshman year for an undisclosed violation of team rules that reportedly involved stealing money from other students.

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