What We Learned About Auburn at A-Day

The time has finally come for the Auburn faithful to get a look at the work Alex Golesh and the Auburn Tigers have put in over the last few weeks, as on Saturday, the team showed out in front of Jordan-Hare Stadium for the university’s annual “A-Day.”

Of course, A-Day was more of a scrimmage than a full-contact game, though both sides clearly came out with a desire to win. When the dust settled, Auburn’s offense, through a unique scoring format, emerged victorious by a final score of 30-6.

So, what did we learn from Auburn’s offense in such a dominant win? Auburn Tigers on SI is examining three major takeaways from the spring game and analyzing what they mean for the future of the program.

The QB Battle Could Be More Competitive Than We Thought

Headed into A-Day, the general consensus was that Byrum Brown, a new transfer from USF, would be the team’s starter just about no matter what. However, the spring game told a different story.

Brown completed just half of his 14 passes for 85 yards while throwing two interceptions and only rushing for six yards, a far cry from the dominant performance many expected of him. Conversely, Tristan Ti’a, another new transfer from Oregon State, dominated in his time on the field, completing 15 of his 20 passes for 179 yards, one passing touchdown and an interception. Ti’a also rushed for a touchdown late in the game.

Of course, a performance in a scrimmage is rarely indicative of what the team will look like come September, but it is certainly worth keeping an eye on the battle between Ti’a and Brown as the offseason moves into the summer.

Auburn’s Young Receivers are Seriously Dominant

Despite a bit of shaky quarterback play from the Tigers’ expected starter, Auburn’s youngest receivers had an incredibly impressive day across the board, though one name emerged above the rest: DeShawn Spencer. The true freshman seems to have stepped right into the role that Cam Coleman and company left behind, reeling in nine of 10 passes for 93 yards.

Spencer averaged over 10 yards per completion in his collegiate debut, though he was not the leader in yards per reception. That honor goes to Duke Smith, another true freshman who averaged 28 yards per reception. Smith pulled in three of five passes thrown his way for a total of 84 yards, including a 28-yard touchdown reception that opened scoring for the Auburn offense.

Now, the Tigers utilized a lot of younger talent in the spring game, but that does not necessarily mean that they will be the starters come September. However, performances like this against a DJ Durkin-led defense certainly bode well for their chances, whether in this year or in years to come.

Kicking Woes Seem to Be Over

Over the last few seasons, the Auburn Tigers have struggled immensely to find a consistent kicking option, as their starter, Alex McPherson, has been sidelined with a severe case of ulcerative colitis. However, he seems to be back to full strength, as he made both of his two field goal attempts at A-Day, including a 55-yarder that would be a career-high for him if it were in a regular-season game.

In spring games, though, the pressure on kicking is much different, as only the long snapper, holder and kicker are on the field for an attempt, so it may not be as reasonable to assume that he will be making kicks from this distance in regular season games.

However, McPherson has shown he has the leg for kicks like his 55-yarder, and this chance to build confidence should bode well for his future in his senior year with the Tigers.

Sign up for our free Auburn Tigers newsletter and follow us on Facebook and X for the latest news!

Add us as a preferred source on Google