Auburn QB Deuce Knight got his first taste of playing in Jordan-Hare Stadium, on Saturday afternoon in the annual A-Day practice.
With QB Jackson Arnold sidelined today due to a minor hamstring injury, Knight was forced into the starting role. He had an up-and-down day, which you would expect from a true freshman.
“He did okay. He threw a couple late picks in the skelly period. He hasn’t done that all spring,” said head coach Hugh Freeze.
The five-star QB, who was sharp all spring according to Freeze, committed multiple turnovers today. Of those picked off, Auburn’s young safeties Eric Winters and AnQuon Fegans were among those on the receiving end.
All of the diehard Auburn fans who filled the bleachers at Jordan-Hare for the first time in 2025 were surprised to see Knight with a couple of mental errors, as was Hugh Freeze.
“He and Jackson [Arnold] both have taken care of the ball well. So that was a little out of character form… I just hadn’t seen that,” Freeze said.
Knight doesn’t seem fazed by a couple of mishaps, and neither should the Auburn family.
“I don’t think it was anything different. Just got to play a little faster. That’s the whole point of practice. I’d rather get them out of the way during practice, then in a game,” said Knight on if the lights were too bright this afternoon.
The freshman from Lucedale, MS. one day hopes to return Auburn to college football glory and be enshrined with the likes of Cam Newton outside the hallowed grounds of Jordan-Hare.
Obviously, there is a long road ahead, but you saw flashes from Knight today that proved he belongs. Among those flashes were a jump-ball TD to rising star WR Cam Coleman, and a 35-yard strike to WR Perry Thompson that found the end zone. Two sights Auburn fans hope to see for a long time.
“I'll probably be back to work soon,” Knight said. "It don't stop. … Just steady grinding the playbook and watching tape. Get with my coaches and see what I can get better with. It's really not a long way until the season. It's going to be here before you know it. I was just in high school coming to these games. Now I'm just finishing my first spring. It's going to be here quick. Just getting in the room, getting with my receivers and just getting a better connection.
Knight will look to continue his momentum from a great spring into the fall where he will continue to compete with Jackson Arnold.
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Rory is a freshman majoring in journalism sports production. He started with The Plainsman in the spring of 2025.
You can follow him on X (Twitter) at @RorymGarvin
