The longest quarterback battle in Gus Malzahn’s college coaching career has come to an end.
When Auburn takes the field against Clemson on Sept. 3, Sean White will take the field with the offense, as Malzahn named him the starter Thursday.
“It was a very good race, I feel like all three guys competed at a very high level,” Malzahn said. “I just felt like it was time to name a starter, and Sean won the job...we’ve got three guys that can run our offense, but Sean White’s the first one that will be out there. We’re excited for Sean, he’s earned it.”
White had been in a months-long battle with Jeremy Johnson and John Franklin III, with Malzahn saying he’d wait to name a starter until “we’re 100 percent certain.”
White began the 2015 season as Johnson’s backup, but took over before Auburn’s game against Mississippi State after Johnson had performed poorly through his first three games.
In his first three games as the starting quarterback in 2015, White amassed 551 passing yards, with no touchdowns and an interception on a 64.8 percent completion percentage. In the Tigers’ next game against Arkansas, he set a season and career-high in passing yards with 258, but he suffered knee and foot injuries that hobbled him the rest of the season. He struggled through Auburn’s game against Ole Miss, clearly bothered by injuries, and as a result he completed just 42.9 percent of his passes in the Tigers’ loss to the Rebels. Malzahn held him out of the trip to Texas A&M, so Johnson regained the starting job and held onto it until the Birmingham Bowl.
Now, White insists he is fully healthy and ready to lead his team.
“I feel blessed to be in this position, and I feel responsible for this team against Clemson,” White said. “...for me to get back to 100 percent and not even have to worry about any injuries from last season has been great.”
With just over a week to prepare for the No. 2 team in the country, ending the uncertainty about who is going to lead them gives everyone on the team a peace of mind, something they could use plenty of as Deshaun Watson and the Tigers prepare to come to Jordan-Hare Stadium.
“It’s a little bit of a relief, now everybody doesn’t have to keep asking the questions, and we all know who it is,” said running back Kerryon Johnson. “At the same time, it’s the guy who’s going to lead us and we’re going to all have trust in.”
According to Malzahn and Co., White has all the tools they need to effectively run their offense. He reportedly ran a 4.6 40-yard dash in the spring, and he’s supposedly hiding something else under the cool, calm, collected exterior.
“I think Sean’s got a little mean streak to him,” Johnson said. “He’s not going to back down from anybody. He’s a spicy player, and he loves competition.”
“Spicy” isn’t a prototypical trait coaches look for in a quarterback, but it could’ve helped sway the decision in White’s favor.
Now, the ball’s in his court, and he’ll take the reins under the lights for Auburn against a Clemson team that was a couple of bounces away from a national championship, and will undoubtedly be looking to right that in 2016.
But Malzahn has his man, and the only thing left to do is prepare.
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