After starting quarterback Jackson Arnold gave way to an Arkansas 89-yard pick-six on Saturday near the first half's end, which gave the Razorbacks an 11-point lead, Auburn head coach Hugh Freeze opted to insert backup Ashton Daniels, who remained under center for the entirety of the game.
Auburn went on to win 33-24, with Daniels leading the Tigers to five scoring drives – although their only touchdown came on the opening drive under Arnold’s guidance.
However, Freeze was reluctant to name a for-sure starter at the position as the Tigers return home on Saturday against Kentucky.
“I don't think there's any greater motivator than competition, and that's what it is,” Freeze said of the quarterback position during practice this week. “It's an open competition to see who prepares and plays the best. They both will split reps, and then we'll make a decision.”
For Arnold, it's the second consecutive season he has been benched for less-than-stellar play. Freeze noted that after the two spoke, Arnold came to work on Monday “ready to roll.”
“I gave him the example of whatever happens Saturday, you've got to be ready, man. Whether you roll out the first possession or the third possession, or after the half… Whatever that ends up being, you owe it to yourself and to this team to be ready,” Freeze said.
Freeze was asked on Monday whether or not freshman quarterback Deuce Knight would garner some snaps in the midst of the open competition under center this week. Knight played in one game against Ball State this season and was 2-for-5 through the air with 20 yards, adding 16 yards on the ground.
“I think Deuce is the future of this program,” Freeze said. “I don't know that it's fair to throw him in that right now; he probably would handle it great. And I'm certainly not saying we won't. He'll get a few reps too. But it's really hard to try to do that with three guys right now. But I do firmly believe there aren't many arms like Deuce Knight. He's got an elite one.”
Auburn will look to replicate some of its second-half offensive success against Arkansas this week against Kentucky, which Freeze believes has a dominant defense. Freeze said the Tigers will be looking for a “spark,” and whoever provides that will, obviously, get the bulk of the reps.
“Obviously, quarterbacks and head coaches get the primary blame, and rightfully so in some cases. But it's not always the quarterback. You know, there are other things that take place that are out of his control sometimes,” Freeze said. “But the bottom line is, we get judged on winning football games, and we've had a stretch where we've had a chance to beat some really good teams, and we did not get that done. And so, we're just searching for… ‘is there a spark out there?’”
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