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Auburn football is entering a make-or-break season for Hugh Freeze. The Tigers have been uninspiring during their first two seasons. Still, this year, they spent a lot, bringing over a loaded transfer portal class to add an influx of talent, highlighted by the addition of Jackson Arnold at quarterback after he came over from Oklahoma after being benched by the Sooners.
The Auburn football quarterback room looks much different this season than last year. They added Jackson Arnold and another transfer, Ashton Daniels, from Stanford. They also added five-star quarterback Deuce Knight, who might be the position's future. Quarterback coach Kent Austin talked to Adam Cole at the Montgomery Adviser about the quarterbacks on the roster, and he had an eye-opening take about Arnold. He said that he's pretty fast and that they might use him in the quarterback run game.
“He's a lot faster than you realize, and he's pretty strong, so we'll be able to utilize him in the QB run game,” Austin said.
He was also not shying away from the circumstances that led Arnold to Auburn.
“Sometimes things don't work out. That's not necessarily indicative, in any way, of an individual's personality, or sometimes a fresh start is a good thing, right?” Austin said. “Jackson's highly competitive and wants to be good, and wants and wants to be good here. He chose us because he felt he could excel here, with the team around him, the skill around winning.”
Jackson Arnold was a former five-star recruit out of Texas, and there were massive expectations for him coming out of high school. He struggled in his first game against Arizona in the 2023 Alamo Bowl, throwing three interceptions to only two touchdowns.
In 2024, Arnold played in 10 games, throwing for 1,421 yards and 12 touchdowns compared to three interceptions on a 62.6% completion percentage. The Oklahoma offense was a mess and dealt with many injuries, so Arnold's struggles were not all on him. The Sooners benched him, and the minute they did, it was only a matter of time before he entered the transfer portal.
Arnold is likely the starter, but after transferring from Stanford, Ashton Daniels has added athleticism that Arnold does not, which might help him come into the season and play in a few spots in different packages. It's similar to Deuce Knight, too, where either one's athleticism might have them come into the game for specific packages and keep the defense honest.
Auburn football is in for a massive season in 2025, and if they unlock the quarterback run game like Kent Austin hinted at with Arnold, then their potential is through the roof.
