With one game left on Auburn’s regular-season schedule, the question on everyone’s mind shouldn’t be one that still has to be answered. Yet, it’s the one that looms largest as the Tigers prepare for the Iron Bowl against No. 1 Alabama.
Who will start at quarterback for the Tigers on Saturday?
Nothing’s set in stone right now. Offensive coordinator Rhett Lashlee said he wouldn’t ‘rule anyone out yet.’ That comes on the heels of Jeremy Johnson’s 14-of-19 performance against Alabama A&M while Sean White sat out to nurse the shoulder injury he aggravated in the loss to Georgia a week prior.
White started every game except for Saturday’s win but hasn’t thrown a pass in practice in three weeks. He soldiered through his original injury to come into the game after halftime and help propel Auburn past Vanderbilt, but he was limited and ineffective a week later in Athens.
To give him the green light to start, Lashlee said he’d need to see White practice at a ‘high level’ this week.
“It’s one thing to say, ‘Okay, he can throw the ball; but can he play at a level we need him to be able to play at and that he needs to be able to play at to be at his best,’” Lashlee said. “I think the second thing is, he’s got to be able to protect himself.”
If White — who will assuredly be the starter if he's healthy — can't play, John Franklin III likely steps into the starting role. He’s repped as the No. 2 quarterback all season, and he started the game against Vanderbilt. Johnson’s start over him on against Alabama A&M was largely a product of it being Senior Day and Johnson — a senior — deserved one more shot.
“We felt like Jeremy had prepared well and, being senior day, had earned the opportunity to start,” Lashlee said. “I thought he, probably take two plays away, I thought he played really well. John has obviously been repping in the backup spot all year.”
But, should circumstances call for it, Johnson will be prepared if his time comes.
“We’ll see what happens next week,” Johnson said after the game. “We’ll see how (White) is feeling. If I’m called upon, I’ll be ready.”
Regardless, each quarterback will have a full week free from classes to prepare for a tenacious Alabama defense that presents a myriad of unique challenges for an offense to combat.
“(The break) gives you an opportunity to heal up as best you can, which at of times guys find ways to do that when they’re really hurt for a big game anyways,” Lashlee said. “But most importantly it gives those guys more time to watch film and try to mentally prepare for what they know it’s going to be, it’s the greatest rivalry in college football so they’re ready for that every year.”
“They’re different. It’s the best defense in college football. I think that’s pretty obvious. Statistically it’s proven and just the way they’ve performed has proven that.”
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