[autotag]Payton Thorne[/autotag] transferred to Auburn from Michigan State in hopes of taking the starting quarterback role, thus easing the minds of Auburn fans.
However, he has yet to win the job over incumbent quarterback [autotag]Robby Ashford[/autotag] and redshirt freshman [autotag]Holden Geriner[/autotag]. His presence has ramped up the battle, however, as head coach [autotag]Hugh Freeze[/autotag] is still evaluating each candidate.
“Yesterday, I had my mind made up. After today, I need to watch the film before I say (who wins),” Freeze said Saturday following Auburn’s first scrimmage of fall camp.
All three quarterbacks had great scrimmages, with Ashford and Geriner throwing touchdown passes. Thorne nearly had two scores, but both were wiped off by officials according to Freeze.
When it comes to preseason quarterback rankings, most outlets have taken the safe route by choosing Ashford as Auburn’s representative. USA TODAY Sports’ Blake Toppmeyer has gone another route by selecting Thorne for his personal SEC ranking.
Does replacing Ashford with Thorne help Auburn’s case? Here’s a look at Toppmeyer’s preseason SEC quarterback rankings, featuring Payton Thorne.