Tag: Quarterback Battle

Early LSU offensive depth chart prediction for 2023 season

Here’s what LSU’s offense could look like in the fall.

It’s January. The 2023 kickoff is nowhere near, and we’re still months away from spring practice.

But early signing day is in the rearview, as is the bulk of the transfer portal action. The deadline to declare for the NFL draft has come and gone, and we’re starting to get an idea of what rosters will look like in the fall.

That means it’s time to take a stab at a depth-chart prediction.

LSU is returning a lot, but that doesn’t make this easy. Every offseason is filled with breakouts and it’s tough to predict who will progress and who will regress.

The quarterback spot will be talked about a lot, so let’s jump right in.

What can Auburn fans expect from Holden Geriner?

True freshman Holden Geriner could take his first collegiate snap on Saturday against Missouri. What style of play does he bring to the field?

Auburn head coach [autotag]Bryan Harsin[/autotag]’s appearance on the weekly radio show “Tiger Talk” was… rather interesting.

News broke earlier this week that starting quarterback [autotag]T.J. Finley[/autotag] would not play in Saturday’s game against Missouri after suffering a shoulder injury in last week’s loss to Penn State. Then, on Thursday, it was reported that third-string quarterback [autotag]Zach Calzada[/autotag] has elected to have season-ending surgery on his non-throwing shoulder.

Despite the breaking news, Harsin did not discuss Finley or Calzada’s status with the team but told Andy Burcham, the voice of the Auburn Tigers, that his policy regarding injuries is not to talk about them publically unless it is season-ending and that he wishes his team’s privacy was respected.

Although Harsin offered zero insight into the quarterback situation, it has been reported by Justin Hokanson of Auburn Live that [autotag]Robby Ashford[/autotag] will get the start at quarterback and that true freshman [autotag]Holden Geriner[/autotag] could see playing time as well.

What can Auburn fans expect to see from Geriner as he prepares to potentially see his first college action?

Geriner was the No. 18 overall quarterback for the 2022 class out of Benedictine Military Academy in Savannah, Georgia. Andrew Ivens of 247Sports says that Geriner is an intriguing quarterback prospect that has a quick release, is sound in the decision-making process and has the ability to push the ball down the field.

According to his current teammates, he is already showing potential to be a great college quarterback.

“(Geriner) can zip it,” Auburn pass rusher Marcus Harris said Monday during Auburn’s weekly media availability. “The first week he was on the scout team and he was just dotting up receivers, and he’s a pretty good quarterback. As his time goes on at Auburn, I feel he’s going to be great. He has one of the best balls I’ve seen and I think he’s going to be great.”

Geriner not only has shown potential, but he continuously works to perfect his craft.

“He carries himself like a pro already,” Harris said. “He’s staying after practice with guys and different receivers and passing the ball. Even after practice, even though he’s not playing right now, he still does those types of things.”

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Bryan Harsin reveals quarterback game plan for San Jose State game

Both T.J. Finley and Robby Ashford got equal reps in Saturday’s win over Mercer. How does each performance factor into week two’s game plan?

Auburn head football coach [autotag]Bryan Harsin[/autotag] elected to use both [autotag]T.J. Finley[/autotag] and [autotag]Robby Ashford[/autotag] to lead the offense in the Tigers’ 42-16 win over Mercer last Saturday.

Finley completed 9-of-14 passes for 112 yards, while Ashford was 4-of-7 for 100 yards. Both quarterbacks had a chance to separate themselves as well. Ashford recorded the team’s second-highest rushing total with 68 yards. Finley, though, would go on to throw two interceptions in an otherwise respectable performance.

Harsin shared his thoughts on the quarterback situation during Monday’s press conference. He says that using the rotation of Finley and Ashford was always in last week’s game plan.

“We knew that was going to happen. Not everybody else did,” Harsin said in a release. “But we knew that back and forth would happen… and we got a chance to keep Robby in there because we were winning the game.”

How does week one’s showing affect the game plan for Saturday’s game with San Jose State? Not at all, in Harsin’s eyes. According to this week’s depth chart, Finley is still considered to be the starter, but Harsin says that he expects Ashford to be thrown into the mix as well.

Will there be an even split? Or will one quarterback see more snaps than the other? Harsin partially alluded to that question as well. He was asked about his decision to use only Ashford following Finley’s second interception early in the 3rd quarter. To that, he says that Finley’s playing time in the San Jose State game will not be dictated by what happened last week and that he had another idea in mind.

“(Finley) had played well up to that point, and then he had the two turnovers… We wanted to get (Ashford) some more reps.”

Auburn welcomes San Jose State to Jordan-Hare Stadium on Saturday evening at 6:30 p.m. CT. The game can be seen on ESPNU.

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T.J. Finley is not satisfied with just being the starting quarterback

Finley was ecstatic to learn that he had won the starting quarterback job. But, he understands that the “job isn’t done.”

Since he arrived on Auburn’s campus as a transfer student-athlete from rival LSU, quarterback [autotag]T.J. Finley[/autotag] has had goals of winning three achievements.

Win the starting quarterback job, win an SEC Championship, and win a National Championship.

He has officially crossed one item off the list, as he was named Auburn’s starting quarterback ahead of the season opener against Mercer on Saturday night.

Now that he has won the starting job, he knows that it is just a small stepping stone on the path to achieving greater goals.

“I didn’t come here just to win a starting job. I came here to lead this team and win an SEC championship and a national championship,” Finley said during Monday’s press conference. “As soon as I found out the news yesterday, my dad actually punched me in the chest and told me, ‘Son, the job isn’t done. You can be happy now that you won the job and that it’s released, but the job isn’t done.’ I plan on doing my best to lead this team to an SEC championship and a national championship.”

Finley was technically the incumbent in the starting quarterback race after taking over for the final three games of the 2021 season, but with the addition of [autotag]Robby Ashford[/autotag] and [autotag]Zach Calzada[/autotag] from the transfer portal, he was hit with the challenge of showcasing his unique qualities in an effort to create separation.

He did just that, not only by doing the right things on the practice field but by continuing to improve off it as well.

“I’m a big guy, so just following through on my release and being pinpoint accurate on most of my throws and really dissecting the offense and meeting with Coach Kiesau and Coach Harsin on what the little things are what we want to accomplish this season to take this offense to the next level,” Finley said. “My maturity has allowed me to get to that level within the offense to where I understand every aspect of the offense. I understand what we want to do on first-and-10, second-and-7, or more.”

Finley admittedly said that he was not mentally prepared to take over the offense for the final three games of last season following Bo Nix’s ankle injury. But now that he has his coach’s trust and has worked hard to fix issues from last season, Finley enters the 2022 campaign with newfound confidence.

“When your head coach tells you that you’re the guy we’re rolling the carpet out with, it definitely brings a level of confidence that nobody wants to see later in the season,” Finley said. “I did some observations after the season, and mentally I wasn’t where I needed to be to lead this team to finish the season out strong. But I strongly believe I’m there this year.”

Finley appeared in nine games last season for Auburn. He completed 70 passes for 827 yards and six touchdowns while throwing only one interception.

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Photo Gallery: T.J. Finley’s time as an Auburn Tiger

As T.J. Finley prepares to lead the offense, here’s a look at the best images from his appearances from the 2021 season.

The Auburn football community is buzzing following the announcement that T.J. Finley has won the quarterback battle, beating out Oregon transfer [autotag]Robby Ashford[/autotag] and Texas A&M transfer [autotag]Zach Calzada[/autotag] for the job.

Finley has been praised recently by head coach [autotag]Bryan Harsin[/autotag] for his ability to lead the offense in a smooth manner, which is believed to have been the deciding factor in being named the starting quarterback for Auburn’s opener against Mercer this Saturday.

He also has the most experience under Harsin’s offensive scheme, as he appeared in nine games last season for the Tigers, starting the final three contests after Bo Nix’s season ended prematurely due to an ankle injury that he suffered against Mississippi State. In nine games, Finley completed 70-of-128 passes for 827 yards and six touchdowns, throwing just one interception.

Like Ashford and Calzada, Finley came to Auburn via the transfer portal. He spent one season playing for his home-state school, LSU. He signed with coach Ed Orgeron during the 2020 recruiting cycle and would go on to appear in five games for the Tigers during the shortened season due to the COVID-19 pandemic. He threw for 941 yards and five touchdowns in 2020.

He also appeared in LSU’s game at Auburn that season. He completed 13-of-24 passes for 143 yards, and he threw two interceptions in the 48-11 loss at Jordan-Hare Stadium.

As Auburn prepares for the new season under Finley’s leadership, here’s a look at the best images from Finley’s first season as a Tiger in 2021:

Auburn quarterback T.J. Finley wins quarterback job

The Tigers have their leading man for 2022.

Auburn has its answer at quarterback.

The team announced on social media after weeks of speculation that quarterback [autotag]T.J. Finley[/autotag] will start for the Auburn Tigers. Finley played for the Tigers last year and was competing against both Texas A&M transfer Zach Calzada and Oregon transfer Robby Ashford.

Calzada and Ashford both transferred to Auburn in an effort to win the job from Finley, who played in the stead of Bo Nix in the 2021 season. Last year, Finley completed 54.7 percent of his passes for 827 yards, six touchdowns and one interception. He’ll get the chance to improve on those numbers this year after besting both of his opponents in the Tigers’ offseason camp.

Coach [autotag]Bryan Harsin[/autotag] is on a bit of a hot seat after an attempted coup on his job failed over the offseason. Finley could bring consistency and uniformity to the position that he likely believes will help his squad pick up wins and secure his position as head coach on the Plains.

Finley will get his first starting reps on Sept. 3, when the Tigers face off against the Mercer Bears to open up their 2022 season on home turf.

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Calzada was the expected front runner for the starting QB job, what changed?

Zach Calzada’s chances of taking the first snap in the season opener appear to be dwindling. What has changed about his role in the starting QB race?

The starting quarterback battle at Auburn has been a whirlwind from the beginning.

Before fall camp, it was believed that Texas A&M transfer [autotag]Zach Calzada[/autotag] would win the job due to the struggles that T.J. Finley went through to end last season and Oregon transfer [autotag]Robby Ashford[/autotag]’s lack of starting experience.

However, now that fall camp has concluded, it would appear that Finley will get the nod for Auburn’s season-opener on September 3 against Mercer. Head coach Bryan Harsin says that he likes the way that Finley directs the offense, which gives him comfort for the first game of the season.

With the perception that Finley has won the job, the next question that Auburn fans are asking is, “what changed with Zach Calzada?” One Auburn beat writer has weighed in.

Jason Caldwell of Inside the Auburn Tigers was recently a guest on the local radio program “Sportscall” on Tiger 95.9 in Auburn to talk about the latest happenings surrounding Auburn football. While there, the quarterback battle was discussed. The media has been granted a small window to watch practice on select days during camp, which has provided Auburn’s most trusted sources to make their own evaluations and form their own conclusions.

According to Caldwell, there was not anything in particular that Calzada did to lose the job, but he did not stand out during fall camp, either.

“(Calzada) hasn’t played so bad that he’s lost (the starting quarterback job), but he hasn’t played well enough to go get it,” Caldwell said.

When describing the expected winner, T.J. Finley, he echoed what Harsin has said recently about Finley’s consistency and his experience of working with Harsin for a season really making a difference.

“T.J. Finley has been more consistent, that’s not really a surprise,” Caldwell said. “He’s a guy that’s got experience in this offense, (he’s) been in this offense for a year, and it is essentially the same thing that they did last year in terminology wise, and everything. That’s a big advantage.” 

Caldwell has also gone on record to say that he believes that Ashford will get snaps as well during the season-opener as well. However, he may need more time to truly develop into the quarterback that he has the potential to be.

“Robby Ashford’s development, we are hearing words like “clicking”, it’s starting to click,” Caldwell said. “That is a really good sign because he’s really athletic, he’s really talented.”

To listen to the complete interview with Jason Caldwell, click here.

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Analyst says eventual Auburn starter must be ‘like a pilot’

One College Football analyst says that Auburn needs a “pilot” at quarterback in order to produce the best results.

All three contenders for Auburn’s starting quarterback job each possess a skill that could help the offense become successful in 2022.

Outside of skill, head coach [autotag]Bryan Harsin[/autotag] has said that he wants to trust his starter to execute, as well as set up the play.

“I mean, I know everybody wants to see these guys go out there and just make plays,” Harsin said following last Friday’s scrimmage. “But you have to get the call from the sideline, you got to communicate it, you got to operate.”

Harsin went on to say that [autotag]T.J Finley[/autotag] has exhibited that well recently. That, along with Harsin complimenting Finley’s experience in the system, has led many to believe Finley will get the starting nod on September 3 against Mercer.

Host of “The Hard Count” podcast from On3, J.D. PicKell, has also recently weighed in on the dwindling battle, echoing Harsin’s need for a quarterback to operate the offense as smoothly as possible, saying that the eventual winning candidate needs to possess skills similar to those of a pilot.

“As an airplane pilot, you are tasked with a couple of things. At the most basic level that is a smooth takeoff getting us going the right direction in a smooth landing,” PicKell said. “We don’t need you to go Top Gun: Maverick Tom Cruise doing loop-de-loops, get us out of a jam flying high and doing all these acrobatics. We’re not asking (you) to be Johnny Manziel. We’re not going to go five-wide, have you run around back there and make a play. You don’t need to be a game breaker but you do need to be a pilot.”

PicKell also shares his opinion on who best shows that type of leadership, and it is the quarterback with the most experience under Harsin.

“You do need to, like I said, get lined up. Get all our guys organized. Get the playing — you have to be able to effectively move this offense and make good decisions kind of get us to the right place. Similar to an airplane pilot,” PicKell said. “So that’s why I think right now the lean is T.J. Finley. Because, if you remember correctly, he is the most experienced guy in this group.”

Finley, as well as Zach Calzada and Robby Ashford, will continue battling for the top spot on the quarterback depth chart as they prepare for Auburn’s season opener against Mercer on September 3 at Jordan-Hare Stadium.

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Robby Ashford will have chance to prove himself in Auburn’s season opener

No matter who takes the first snap against Mercer on Sept. 3, expect Robby Ashford to earn valuable snaps in the season opener.

The drama-filled quarterback saga at Auburn could soon come to an end, as it is expected that [autotag]T.J. Finley[/autotag] will take the reins of the offense for the Tigers season-opener against Mercer on Sept. 3.

But, will he play the entire game? Or even be the starter for week two against San Jose State? If Auburn truly wants to succeed, it would be best practice to allow another quarterback to get reps at some point during the Mercer game.

That lucky candidate could be Oregon transfer, [autotag]Robby Ashford[/autotag].

Ashford has received praise all summer, as well as fall camp due to his quick decision-making and speed. One teammate even called Ashford “a pain in the butt” due to how fast he runs through the defense.

As week one preparations continue, expect Ashford to still receive reps with the first team offense, as well as get valuable playing time during the Mercer game says Auburn Undercover’s Jason Caldwell.

Getting his feet wet in the spring, Ashford has continued to improve and it has come quickly during the camp session. He has improved so much that the coaches want to continue to get him work with the first team, which is why we’ll see him in the game and maybe early against Mercer.

The first two weeks will be crucial for Auburn’s offense, as the quarterbacks will earn two games of in-game experience before facing Penn State on Sept. 17. By then, each quarterback will have had a chance to prove themselves in live situations and will allow [autotag]Bryan Harsin[/autotag] to make a decision that best benefits the team.

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Previous experience gives T.J. Finley an advantage in Auburn’s QB race

Finley took over the starting QB job late last season, and his experience could give him an advantage to winning the job this year.

Each player competing for the starting quarterback position brings unique factors with them to the offense, but it appears that one candidate may have a slight advantage over his fellow competitors.

When discussing quarterbacks following Auburn’s scrimmage last Friday, head coach [autotag]Bryan Harsin[/autotag] took the time to share with the media what makes a quarterback an ideal fit in his style.

“You can tell who your quarterback is when you walk into a room, I think,” Harsin said. “That guy is sitting there and has his notebook out and he’s dialed in. He sits in the meeting room and knows the answers. He’s flowing with the coach. He’s one of the first guys out there on the field getting warmed up. He’s got command of what’s going on. It’s every single thing.”

Is there a contender that matches that description step-by-step? Look no further than incumbent [autotag]T.J. Finley[/autotag].

Finley, who has the most experience in Harsin’s system, has a “coach’s mentality,” Harsin says.

“(Finley) sees things out there. Not everybody conceptually picks things up very quickly. It takes a little bit of time. He’s got that mentality,” Harsin said. “Some guys have it. It takes some time for others and you’ll figure it out. But we’re all good at something, and some guys are really good at football and just seeing it.”

Harsin shared an example of Finley showcasing that mentality during Friday’s scrimmage, which was a testament to his extra experience with Harsin’s system.

“We get the play in late, the clock’s running down, it’s going to be a timeout situation. Well, he’s getting everybody lined up and getting the snap count to what it needs to be so we can get the snap up and get the play what we need to be,” Harsin said. “There’s no panic, he’s just doing it with urgency. He gets everybody lined up then bang, we convert a third down and nine. So those are things, to me, I think he does a really good job of.”

Finley’s first notable appearance came on Sept. 25 against Georgia State. Auburn was struggling against a lower-tier program and needed a shot in the arm. Finley relieved [autotag]Bo Nix[/autotag], and would ultimately throw the go-ahead touchdown pass to [autotag]Shedrick Jackson[/autotag] with 0:45 remaining to give Auburn the 27-24 lead, which erased a 12-point halftime deficit.

He then took over the offense for good late in the season following an ankle injury to Nix in the Mississippi State game. He would go on to start in Auburn’s final three games, which all ended in defeat as part of Auburn’s five-straight losses to close the season.

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