The saying “If you have two quarterbacks, you have none,” is not always accurate and the Tigers proved that Saturday in their blowout win over UMass in Jordan-Hare Stadium.
[autotag]Hugh Freeze[/autotag] named [autotag]Payton Thorne[/autotag] Auburn’s starting quarterback back on Aug. 17, but the plan has always been for [autotag]Robby Ashford[/autotag] to play. While Thorne can run, he is a proven passer while Ashford is working to improve his accuracy and decision-making but is a dynamic runner.
Thorne started the game for Auburn and marched Auburn right down the field for the touchdown. He completed 1-of-3 passes for nine yards and rushed for 16 yards.
He started the next drive as well but Ashford subbed in when the Tigers approached the red zone. Ashford rushed for eight yards and completed a pass but a holding penalty caused the drive to stall out and Auburn was forced to kick a field goal.
He once again came in when Auburn entered the red zone on their ensuing drive and this time it worked perfectly. He took the designed carry around the left side and into the endzone to give Auburnt the 17-7 lead early in the second quarter.
“Every press conference that I’ve been in I’ve said Robby Ashford is vital to us winning football games and I don’t know how else to say it,” Freeze said after the game. “He is vital to us winning football games. I don’t know what that looks like week-to-week, but I know that he’s vital to us winning football games and we need him.”
This week that meant that Thorne would lead the Tigers into the red zone where Ashford would take over and give Auburn a numbers advantage in the running game. It worked to perfection as he rushed for touchdowns on their next two drives to give Auburn a 31-7 lead and put the game away.
“It was good,” Thorne said of the rotation. “When Robby (Ashford) is running out there, I’m obviously running off. Also, when he gets in the endzone, I’m obviously excited. I don’t really care how we get into the end zone as long as we are scoring points, so that’s exciting. As far as the future, that’s up to Coach (Freeze), not me. But, if that’s how we roll, then I’m cool with that as long as we are scoring points. It was great today.”
Ashford finished the first half with six carries for 36 yards and three touchdowns as well as one completion.
“Obviously you always want to be the starter but Payton’s done a great job,” Ashford said after the game. “I look at him like a brother and we come out there every day and just know we are out here to get each other better and do whatever we can to help this team win.”
While Ashford did his damage on the ground, Thorne did his through the air. The Michigan State transfer completed 10-of-17 passes for 141 yards and one touchdown, a perfect pass to a wide-open [autotag]Jay Fair[/autotag] to give Auburn the 45-7 lead early in the third quarter.
Thorne’s day was done after the touchdown pass as Ashford took over for the next three series before giving control of the offense to Holden Geriner.
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