Former Auburn QB shares his opinion on Tigers' QB battle before season opener against Baylor
Just a few days ago, Auburn Head Coach Hugh Freeze revealed that the Tigers could use all three of their quarterbacks - Jackson Arnold, Ashton Daniels and Deuce Knight - in the season opener against the Baylor Bears. This could suggest that Freeze and the rest of the Auburn coaching staff aren't quite satisfied with Arnold's performance in camp, and want to see what they have in their other two QBs in a game situation.
In light of this news, former Auburn QB Jason Campbell met with Bears Illustrated to discuss his thoughts on Auburn's QB battle.
"I think (Freeze) is talking about situational packages, maybe implementing guys into the game plan. You have to remember, some of these guys haven't taken a snap for Auburn yet," Campbell said. "Sometimes coaches use multiple quarterbacks to highlight different skill sets. If you can pull it off, go for it."
Ashton Daniels has proven to be one of the more mobile QBs in college football after rushing for 669 yards and three touchdowns last season. It's very easy to see a world where Auburn puts him in for designed QB runs or option plays.
What I find the most interesting about Freeze's comments is where Knight fits into it all. He's an athlete, but they wouldn't put him in over Daniels for designed runs or options. If he comes in, it's to throw the ball, and that could mean Auburn's QB battle could continue into the season.
Many thought Arnold was going to win this battle pretty easily. The former five-star played 10 games last year and came to Auburn hoping to start. Even though he hasn't been confirmed as the full-time starter, Campbell believes the opener against Baylor is Arnold's chance to completely close it out.
"I always tell people that you can be named the starter in camp, but you really win the quarterback battle in live game action," Campbell said. "To keep your job, you have to play well in games. Arnold's first test is Baylor. Dave Aranda's defense has a lot of returning starters. He can't try to win the game on his own—his job is to prove he can take the reins."
I would expect to see Jackson Arnold for the majority of the opener, but don't be surprised if Ashton Daniels and Deuce Knight see some playing time as well. This is a big opportunity for Arnold to secure his spot as Auburn's starter. Baylor's defense really struggled against the pass last year, but should be better this time around. We'll see if he can do enough to show Freeze he's his guy for the whole season.
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Luke is a writer for the Baylor Bears On SI. He's an LSU graduate and previously covered the Tigers for two years. He also covers the New Orleans Saints and Formula 1. Luke's passion for sports and storytelling led him to become a sports writer.