Auburn Football: Where the Tigers ranks on Athlon’s SEC QB room list
One of the uncertainties surrounding Auburn football this season is the quarterback position.
Auburn lost Bo Nix to the transfer portal, leaving the door open for several players to take over the leading role. tj Finley will have the most experience working with Auburn’s offense, as he started the final three games of the 2021 season after Nix suffered an ankle injury against Mississippi State on Nov. 13.
Joining Finley in the quarterback battle is Texas A&M transfer Zach Calzada, who made 10 starts during his sophomore season with the Aggies in 2021, where he completed 56% of his passes for 2,185 yards and 17 touchdowns. His most notable game was against Alabama on Oct. 9, where he threw for a career-high 285 yards and three touchdowns in Texas A&M’s 41-38 upset win over the Crimson Tide at Kyle Field.
Athlon Sports recently released their annual preseason magazine, where they took a deep dive into the quarterback rooms of the Southeastern Conference. With so much uncertainty at this point in the offseason, Athlon ranks Auburn’s QB room towards the bottom of the list, placing them at No. 12.
Athlon reveals their intentions behind giving Auburn the low ranking:
Auburn’s starting quarterback will be either T.J. Finley or Texas A&M transfer Zach Calzada this season unless Oregon transfer Robby Ashford really impresses in August. Ashford had a couple notable scrimmages, but Finley is the more experienced option on the Plains and Calzada arrives with great intrigue after performing much of the 2021 campaign as Jimbo Fisher’s No. 1 following an early-season injury to Haynes King. After two quarterbacks left the program and entered the portal after the season, that left Bryan Harsin with a limited outlook before he picked up two signal callers in the aftermath.
Here is a look at where Athlon ranks the remaining SEC quarterback situations heading into the 2022 season:
Vanderbilt
Vanderbilt quarterback Ken Seals (8) throws a pass against ETSU during the fourth quarter of the game at Vanderbilt Stadium Saturday, Sept. 4, 2021 in Nashville, Tenn.
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Missouri
Sep 4, 2021; Columbia, Missouri, USA; Missouri Tigers quarterback Tyler Macon (10) warms up against the Central Michigan Chippewas before the game at Faurot Field at Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports
Auburn
Apr 9, 2022; Auburn, AL, USA; Auburn Tigers offensive coordinator Eric Kiesau watches quarterback Zach Calzada (10) warm up before the Spring game at Jordan-Hare Stadium. Mandatory Credit: John Reed-USA TODAY Sports
LSU
Oct 10, 2020; Columbia, Missouri, USA; LSU Tigers quarterback Myles Brennan (15) throws a pass against the Missouri Tigers during the second half at Faurot Field at Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jay Biggerstaff-USA TODAY Sports
Texas A&M
Sep 11, 2021; Denver, Colorado, USA; Texas A&M Aggies quarterback Haynes King (13) prepares to pass the ball in the first quarter against the Colorado Buffaloes at Empower Field at Mile High. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports
Ole Miss
Jan 1, 2022; New Orleans, LA, USA; Mississippi Rebels quarterback Luke Altmyer (7) warms up before the 2022 Sugar Bowl at the Caesars Superdome. Mandatory Credit: Chuck Cook-USA TODAY Sports
Florida
Florida Gators quarterback Anthony Richardson (15) injures his hamstring during the fourth quarter against the South Florida Bulls at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, FL on Saturday, September 11, 2021. [Matt Pendleton/Special to Sun]
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Kentucky
ORLANDO, FLORIDA – JANUARY 01: Will Levis #7 of the Kentucky Wildcats scrambles with the ball as Zach VanValkenburg #97 of the Iowa Hawkeyes defends during the first quarter in the Citrus Bowl at Camping World Stadium on January 01, 2022 in Orlando, Florida. (Photo by Douglas P. DeFelice/Getty Images)
Georgia
Jan 10, 2022; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Georgia Bulldogs quarterback Stetson Bennett (13) is reacts after defeating the Alabama Crimson Tide in the 2022 CFP college football national championship game at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
South Carolina
Photo Credit: South Carolina Athletics
Mississippi State
Sep 18, 2021; Memphis, Tennessee, USA; Mississippi State Bulldogs quarterback Will Rogers (2) looks to pass during the first half against the Memphis Tigers at Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Justin Ford-USA TODAY Sports
Arkansas
Sep 18, 2021; Fayetteville, Arkansas, USA; Arkansas Razorbacks quarterback KJ Jefferson (1) passes in the second quarter as Georgia Southern Eagles linebacker Reid Dedman (39) defends at Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Nelson Chenault-USA TODAY Sports
Tennessee
Dec 30, 2021; Nashville, TN, USA; Tennessee Volunteers quarterback Hendon Hooker (5) against the Purdue Boilermakers during the second half at Nissan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Steve Roberts-USA TODAY Sports
Alabama
Jan 10, 2022; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Alabama Crimson Tide quarterback Bryce Young (9) reacts during the third quarter after the game in the 2022 CFP college football national championship game at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
