Hugh Freeze, the head coach of Auburn, has already stated that Jackson Arnold will start at quarterback for Auburn in 2025, but it is unclear what will happen after Arnold.
Freeze was questioned Wednesday morning about how Deuce Knight and Ashton Daniels, the two guys vying for the backup quarterback position, would manage the position.
Right now, the answer at backup quarterback isn’t clear-cut; according to Freeze, it will probably depend on the circumstances.
“I believe there are two distinct deals going on when you look at specific roles or situations,” Freeze stated. Deuce might be a better choice there if I need someone to throw a vertical route. I believe that everything there is situational.
He went on to say that he would rather use Daniels, who rushed for 669 yards and three scores at Samford last season, in a quarterback run scenario.
Despite having the highest upside in the room, Knight, a true freshman and former five-star prospect, has the least amount of experience going into the season.
“I don’t really want to call quarterback runs and throw Deuce out there,” Freeze stated. You want him to be prepared for all of that, not that he can’t.
It implies that the backup quarterback position may change during the season. The circumstances, rather than a predetermined depth chart at the start of the season, will probably decide who takes Arnold’s position if he ever has to leave a game.
Although the Tigers hope they won’t have to cope with Arnold’s loss for a long time, they appear to have the kind of mobility that gets a squad ready if it does happen.
Auburn will open the 2025 season against Baylor on August 29 and will have its first fall camp practice Wednesday afternoon.
For AL.com, Peter Rauterkus writes about Auburn athletics. You may email him at [email protected] or follow him on X at @peter_rauterkus.
