When we broke down the quarterback situation for the Auburn Tigers, we had a three-horse race at the top. Zach Calzada (Texas A&M) and Robby Ashford (Oregon) transfered in and are expected to battle former LSU transfer TJ Finley for the starting job. They should have an intriguing battle, to say the least.
All three have something to prove under center. Let’s take an objective view of each. None of the three really gives you a lot of confidence with a relatively young wide receiver corps.
Calzada has the most experience among the trio at the top. He won six for the Aggies in 2021, including the upset win over the No. 1 Alabama Crimson Tide.
In his four losses, he passed for 4.2, 6.8, 5.8 and 6.9 yards per attempt. He didn’t really challenge defenders down the field. Calzada’s season average was 6.7 yards per attempt. He also is prone to turnovers.
Finley is best remembered for the comeback victory over Georgia State. That gave the staff confidence he could get the job when called upon. Finley was the starter over the final three games after the Nix injury. He went 0-3 as a starter with the four overtime loss to Alabama, a loss to South Carolina and then to Houston in the bowl game.
While the team was close in all three games, the offense struggled to score in each. Perhaps a full offseason and fall camp would help Finley’s development. It is just hard to have a lot of confidence in the offense with Finley or Calzada at the helm.
You can file Robby Ashford and Dematrius Davis in the same category. Neither have any playing experience though Ashford has tremendous upside. The negative aspect: Everything is a projection. The former four-star quarterback couldn’t sniff the field in Eugene, but perhaps returning to his home state will help.
The newcomer here is Holden Geriner. The four-star signee led his high school team to a state championship as a junior. In two seasons, Geriner threw for more than 7,100 passing yards and 71 touchdowns in his high school career in Georgia.
As a senior, Geriner threw for 3,377 yards and 36 touchdowns. He isn’t just a passer. He can run when he needs to in RPO or zone-read concepts. Geriner is physical enough to withstand the punishment or fight off would-be tacklers. In the pocket, he can navigate to avoid the rush while keeping his eyes down the field.
When it comes to the quarterback position battle, Geriner should be the dark horse.
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