From the outside looking in, it would seem that Jeremy Johnson has the quarterback position all but locked up.
While that is likely the case, head coach Gus Malzahn said that every quarterback on Auburn’s roster will have a fair shot at the job this spring.
“Jeremy Johnson will be our first quarterback to take snaps,” Malzahn said. “Sean White, Tyler Queen and Jason Smith will all get reps. Coach Lashlee has a plan. The first few days of spring when you’re installing the base offense, you want to make sure you’re giving each one of these guys enough reps to feel comfortable.”
Malzahn said that, among other things, experience may be what finally makes it official for Johnson.
“It’s very valuable, the fact that he’s been in our program for two years,” Malzahn said. “He ran a very similar offense in high school, so he understands everything that goes with it. He got a lot of practice reps the last two seasons. We have a lot of confidence in Jeremy, but he’s going to have to go out there and win the starting job.”
Smith, one of Johnson’s challengers for the job, was formerly the nation’s No.1 JUCO prospect prior to signing with Auburn. Listed as an athlete, Smith has the ability to play multiple positions, but Malzahn said he will be given his chance to play quarterback.
“We’re going to give him an opportunity to try and win that job,” Malzahn said. “That’s what we recruited him to do, and he seemed very excited about it. We’re going to give him a fair shot, and we’ll see how that goes.”
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