Robby Ashford – Page 7 – Syndication Server

In Photos: Auburn’s first scrimmage of fall camp

The Tigers had their first scrimmage of fall camp saturday, here are the top photos.

[autotag]Hugh Freeze[/autotag]’s first fall camp at Auburn is in full swing and the Tigers completed their first scrimmage Saturday in Jordan-Hare Stadium.

Freeze met with the media after the scrimmage and admitted that it has caused him to reevaluate some things about the battle between [autotag]Payton Thorne[/autotag], [autotag]Holden Geriner[/autotag] and [autotag]Robby Ashford[/autotag] to become Auburn’s starting quarterback.

“Yesterday, I had my mind made up,” Freeze said. “And after today I need to watch the film before I say.”

Freeze also provided an updated injury report and the wide receiver group is currently down several expected contributors. [autotag]Ja’Varrius Johnson[/autotag] and [autotag]Camden Brown[/autotag] were both unable to play in the scrimmage due to Johnson needing stitches in his mouth and Brown battling a hamstring injury.

In addition, [autotag]Koy Moore[/autotag] is limited due to an ankle injury and [autotag]Malcolm Johnson Jr.[/autotag] is dealing with a shoulder injury.

The Tigers will be off tomorrow before getting back into camp Monday as they get closer to the season opener on Saturday, Sept. 2 against UMass. Here is a look at the best photos from Auburn’s first scrimmage of fall camp.

Where Robby Ashford falls in 247Sports’ Power Five QB rankings

247Sports dropped their Power Five quarterback rankings, and has given Ashford a less-than-ideal outlook.

Auburn, like several other programs across the SEC, has a quarterback issue that needs to be resolved.

[autotag]Robby Ashford[/autotag] took over the starting quarterback role in week four of the 2022 season after previous starter [autotag]T.J. Finley[/autotag] exited Auburn’s loss to Penn State after suffering a shoulder injury. Ashford would go on to pass for 1,613 yards and rush for an additional 849.

As a passer, Ashford completed 49.2% of his passes. His intended targets dropped 16 passes, and Ashford himself threw 15 passes that were deemed “turnover worthy” by Pro Football Focus.

He hopes to redeem himself this season but will need to battle Michigan State transfer [autotag]Payton Thorne[/autotag] and redshirt freshman [autotag]Holden Geriner[/autotag] for the starting quarterback role.

If Ashford were to win the starting quarterback job, where would he stack up against the remainder of the Power Five’s best? 247Sports has provided an answer.

247Sports’ Clint Brewster has ranked all 64 projected starting quarterbacks from Power Five programs ahead of the 2023 season, where he listed Ashford as Auburn’s representative. If Ashford does win the job, he will have an opportunity to prove that he is worth more than his low ranking.

Here is a rundown of where each SEC quarterback is placed in 247Sports’ Power Five quarterback rankings.

Saturday’s scrimmage will provide a turning point in quarterback battle

The quarterback race is still wide open. That could change this weekend.

One of Auburn football’s most important questions heading into the fall may soon have an answer.

After spring practice, the quarterback battle appeared to be decided as [autotag]TJ Finley[/autotag] elected to transfer to Texas State. However, the race took an interesting turn in May as Michigan State transfer [autotag]Payton Thorne[/autotag] announced that he would be transferring into the program to compete with incumbent [autotag]Robby Ashford[/autotag].

Since then, the competition has turned up a notch. Even dark horse contender [autotag]Holden Geriner[/autotag] is trying to make a splash in the decision.

Offensive coordinator [autotag]Philip Montgomery[/autotag] provided an update regarding quarterbacks with the media on Monday. He says that he hopes Saturday’s scrimmage will provide more clarity on the battle.

“I just want to see somebody take control and take a step forward. Separate themselves. That’s what you’re looking for in your quarterback position — a guy that’s gonna lead, guy that’s gonna make plays,” Montgomery said. “He doesn’t have to be Superman, but he does have to be consistent in his play in his decision making and taking care of the football, and then moving us down the field and staying ahead of chains.”

He went on to say that the quarterback who remains the most consistent in making plays will win the job. But what does each quarterback bring to the table? He began by describing Thorne and his “student of the game” mentality. Thorne has done well at getting up to speed with the new system.

“He’s seeing things right now at a really good rate,” Montgomery said. “You’ve gotta remember, he wasn’t here in the spring. Some of the things that he’s picked up on, we’ve gotta get everybody else around that to be on the same page with him. But I think he’s done a great job with his leadership. He’s disciplined, and he’s professional about what he does.”

When it comes to Ashford, Montgomery says that he has become more consistent over the fall.

“(Ashford has) got a big arm. But it’s the consistency of the fundamentals that kind of go into that part of it. He’s worked really hard on that,” Montgomery said. “I think he’s really operated. He does a really good job of trying to lead and be positive and do the things that we’re asking him to do.”

The Tigers will continue fall camp until Saturday, Aug. 19. As part of fall camp, Auburn will have two scrimmages at Jordan-Hare Stadium.

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Watch: A look at Payton Thorne’s first day at fall camp

Michigan State transfer Payton Thorne finally gets the chance to compete for the starting quarterback job at his new school.

As Auburn football begins fall camp, most fans are curious to see how the quarterback battle will shake out.

[autotag]Payton Thorne[/autotag] kicked off Thursday’s opening practice by taking snaps with the first team while [autotag]Robby Ashford[/autotag] was surprisingly participating with the third string. Redshirt freshman [autotag]Holden Geriner[/autotag] took reps with the second string.

That lineup should not concern Auburn fans, as [autotag]Hugh Freeze[/autotag] mentioned during his introductory press conference that each quarterback will rotate reps with each unit throughout the spring.

How long will this competition last? Freeze says that he hopes to name a starter before week three, but says that the battle could spill into Auburn’s game with Samford on Sept. 16.

“I am cautiously optimistic that we can win some football games with several of those guys,” Freeze said Thursday. “It may be three games into the season before we know this is absolutely the guy. I hope that’s not the case, but it could be.”

Ashford and Geriner have a year under their belt, but Thorne is still new to the Auburn scene. He was able to hit the practice field for the first time in his Auburn career on Thursday.

While we wait for the competition to unfold, here is a look at Thorne’s first day of fall camp compliments of AL.com:

First look at new Auburn QB Payton Thorne as the Tigers open fall camp. Who will start for Auburn this year? #auburntigers #auburnfootball #wareagle #wde #foryou #hughfreeze pic.twitter.com/meIZTYIbEG

— Auburn Tigers | AL.com (@aldotcomTigers) August 3, 2023

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Payton Thorne takes snaps with first team offense in day one of camp

Thorne is battling incumbent starter Robby Ashford for the starting quarterback job.

The Auburn Tigers took the practice field on Thursday to open fall camp, and there were several notable items to take away.

One of which concerns the quarterback battle. Richard Silva of the Montgomery Advertiser reports that Michigan State transfer [autotag]Payton Thorne[/autotag] opened camp by working with the first-team offense during the media viewing period. Moreover, [autotag]Robby Ashford[/autotag] took snaps with the third team while redshirt freshman [autotag]Holden Geriner[/autotag] participated with the second team.

While this is possibly preliminary and is not an indication of what the depth chart will permanently look like, it is surprising to see Ashford working with the third team. Head coach [autotag]Hugh Freeze[/autotag] spoke about the quarterback battle earlier Thursday and says that it is all a part of the plan.

“I think we have a really good plan of the rotation between those three guys,” Freeze said. “They’re all going to rotate through the first five practices really evenly amongst the 1s and 2s and 3s. We’ll evaluate all of those reps and kind of recalibrate and sit down and kind of go through there after the first five.”

Fall camp will continue through Saturday, Aug. 19 with a scrimmage at Jordan-Hare Stadium.

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On3 takes a crack at predicting Auburn’s QB competition

There is a month remaining until the Tigers kick off the 2023 season. Who will be QB1?

The calendar has turned to August, which means that the Auburn Tigers will be playing football within a month’s time.

Because it is close to kickoff, it is time to start discussing the impending quarterback battle between incumbent starter [autotag]Robby Ashford[/autotag] and Michigan State transfer [autotag]Payton Thorne[/autotag].

Both quarterbacks bring exciting qualities to the table. Thorne is a three-year starter and has led the Spartans to a New Year’s Six bowl win. As for Ashford, he brings a dual-threat skillset to the field and has spent a few months longer in Freeze’s system.

While the race is still too early to call, On3 has taken the time to predict who will win Auburn’s quarterback battle.

On3’s Jesse Simonton has taken the time to predict nine of the country’s top quarterback battles heading into fall camp. As for Auburn, Simonton predicts that the new kid on the block will take the reigns of the offense this season, but thinks that Ashford will find his way onto the field.

Hugh Freeze wasn’t crazy about Auburn’s quarterback situation exiting spring practice, bringing in former Michigan State starter Payton Thorne to battle with Ashford in fall camp. Thorne doesn’t have a tremendous ceiling, but he did help the Spartans win 11 games in 2021 (3,200 passing yards and 27 touchdowns) and has ample game experience (2,679 yards and 19 touchdowns last season).

In all likelihood both with play, as Ashford is too dynamic of an athlete (709 rushing yards and seven touchdowns in 2022) to simply hold the QB2 role.

Other battles that Simonton predicts include Alabama, Georgia, Florida, and Texas A&M.

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Payton Thorne is a ‘trusted’ addition to Auburn’s program

Auburn tight end Luke Deal shared his impression of the Michigan State transfer during SEC Media Days this week.

The talk surrounding transfer quarterback [autotag]Payton Thorne[/autotag] to this point has been either hypothetical or statistical. During Auburn’s time at SEC Media Days on Tuesday, college football fans got a new perspective on the addition from Michigan State.

Tight end [autotag]Luke Deal[/autotag] spoke with reporters Tuesday in Nashville, where the topic of Thorne was brought up. What does Thorne bring to the table? Deal says that he has the “it factor” when it comes to being a leader within the program.

“He’s what, a two-time captain at Michigan State? And rightfully so,” Deal said Tuesday. “I think a lot of the guys trust him, and that’s the main thing on a new team, especially a team with some older guys on it. He’s got that savvy quarterback demeanor that you look for in a quarterback. He’s somebody that I think will help us. One way or another, he’ll help us in our strides this year.”

The competition will be strong between Thorne and incumbent starter [autotag]Robby Ashford[/autotag] heading into fall camp. There has not been a set date for when a starter will be named, but Hugh Freeze shared a timetable on Tuesday.

“We’ve got to have a 10-day plan with three guys getting some reps and then it’s got to go down to two guys, and hopefully all of them will handle the competition aspects of it well, but that’ll tell us a lot about that,” Freeze said.

Auburn fall camp will begin on Thursday, Aug. 3.

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QB update: Is there a frontrunner?

Hugh Freeze provided an update on his program’s ongoing quarterback battle during his time at SEC Media Days on Tuesday.

When a new head coach enters the SEC, his first appearance at SEC Media Days is usually filled with plenty of exciting questions.

[autotag]Hugh Freeze[/autotag]’s experience was no different as he took the stage for the first time as Auburn’s head coach on Tuesday at Grand Hyatt in Nashville. One topic of discussion was the ongoing quarterback battle between incumbent [autotag]Robby Ashford[/autotag] and Michigan State transfer [autotag]Payton Thorne[/autotag].

Freeze admitted that he has not seen Thorne throw with his own eyes yet, but is pleased with the competition he brings to the room, as well as his exhibited leadership.

“Obviously, we want to create competition in the room. That’s why we brought in Payton (Thorne), who’s had great experiences,” Freeze said Tuesday. “I think what he adds to that room right now is incredible leadership. One of the first things he did was come in and say, ‘Coach, is there any way someone can give me a sheet of paper that has a picture of everyone that works in this building because I want to learn everyone’s name? That’s the type of leader he is.”

On the other side, Freeze says that Ashford is valuable to the program and has responded well to the competition.

“We’ve challenged Robby (Ashford) since I’ve been here to elevate what comes with being the quarterback at Auburn,” Freeze said. “And I think he’s responding, mostly positive with that.”

It is clear that the competition will be between Ashford and Thorne, but when will the competition be decided? Freeze documents the plan that he, offensive coordinator [autotag]Philip Montgomery,[/autotag] and offensive analyst [autotag]Kent Austin[/autotag] are orchestrating.

Thorne joins the program after a three-year stint at Michigan State, where he passed for 49 touchdowns. Ashford returns for his second season at Auburn after throwing for 1,613 yards and seven touchdowns in 2022.

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Auburn Tigers Snapshot Profile: No. 15 Hank Brown

Here’s what you need to know about Brown ahead of his freshman season.

Going into the 2023 football season, Auburn Wire will be looking at each scholarship player listed on the Tigers’ roster.

Over the preseason, each profile will cover where the player is from, how recruiting websites rated them coming out of high school, and what role they will play for [autotag]Hugh Freeze[/autotag] in his first season on the Plains.

Up next is true freshman quarterback [autotag]Hank Brown[/autotag]. Auburn’s youngest quarterback appears headed for a redshirt.

Preseason Player Profile

Hometown: Nashville, Tennessee

Height: 6-4

Weight: 201

Class in 2023: True Freshman

247Sports Composite Ranking

Three-Star / No. 40 in Tennessee / No. 71 QB

High School Stats

Year	G	Completion Percentage	Yards	TDs
2022 (Lipscomb Academy)	13	73.3%	3,264	47

Depth Chart Overview

Brown was committed to Freeze when he was at Liberty and decided to follow him to the Plains, spurning an offer by UAB and Trent Diler, who was his coach in high school.

He is behind [autotag]Robby Ashford[/autotag], [autotag]Peyton Thorne[/autotag] and [autotag]Holden Geriner[/autotag] who have all spent time in a college program. With him being fourth on the depth chart he appears headed for a redshirt.

Hank Brown’s Photo Gallery

A look at Lindy’s Sports preseason SEC QB rankings

How much does the addition of Payton Thorne boost Auburn’s QB room?

Auburn hopes to improve enough in to earn a bowl bid in 2023. In order to do so, quarterback play must be at a high level.

The quarterback situation on the Plains has improved, as two experienced quarterbacks headline the competition. Michigan State transfer [autotag]Payton Thorne[/autotag] has three seasons’ worth of starting experience while incumbent starter [autotag]Robby Ashford[/autotag] has one full season of experience with the program, and has gone through spring practice under [autotag]Hugh Freeze[/autotag].

Who wins the battle? It may be some time before we know, but Lindy’s Sports has taken the time to predict the winner of the starting quarterback race and has given the honor to Ashford. However, the addition of Thorne has given the Tigers a bump in the preseason publication’s SEC QB rankings.

Here’s a look at SEC QB rankings according to Lindy’s Sports