Hugh Freeze addresses QB shuffling: Not healthy, will play out in upcoming games

In an often clunky offensive performance in Week 2 against Cal — a 14-10 road victory — Auburn head coach Hugh Freeze did not like what he saw from his quarterbacks consistently. And part of it is needing to find the right balance between starter Payton Thorne and change-of-pace option Robby Ashford.

Freeze, speaking on the SEC coaches teleconference on Wednesday, said he doesn’t think the flipping between quarterbacks without a clearly plan and purpose for putting them in has hamstrung the offense right now. He’s hopeful Thorne or Ashford — or even third-stringer Holden Geriner — can make a definitive case to be QB1.

“But the shuffling in and out is not, I don’t think, healthy for anyone. So exactly what that looks like, we’re still learning. But, you know, I do believe that everyone in this building understands that you’ve got to earn the right to maintain your playing time. And that’s every position. That’s not just quarterback,” Freeze said. “And I think as we move into these next few weeks, the picture will become clearer as to — I think Payton, obviously, I’ve said this, I think he give us our best chance to run the entire offense and hopefully he’ll start taking hold of that and showing that, improving that. But at the same time, Holden and Robby are nipping at his heels, wanting their chance, too. I think these next few weeks it will play out where we kind of know where we are, for sure.”

So far, Thorne and Ashford have served as a sort of 1-2 punch for Auburn at quarterback, with Thorne starting and playing the majority of the snaps while Ashford spells for series and brings a distinct dual-threat option at the position.

Through two games, both wins, Thorne is 19-of-31 passing for 235 yards, three touchdowns and an interception. Ashford is 3-for-9 passing for three yards, but has been an effective runner, mostly. He has 13 carries for 59 yards and a trio of touchdowns, all scored in the opener.

Geriner, who Freeze has said might be the best pure thrower of the trio, lags behind in playing time. He’s 2-for-2 for 59 yards passing this year.

Against Cal, in particular, the quarterbacks struggled. Thorne didn’t surpass 100 passing yards — though he did have the two touchdowns — and Ashford mustered just four carries for eight yards.

“The other night was not something that I’m OK with. And I think we’ve got to figure out, and I said it in my opening and I mean this: We’re still a work in progress in trying to learn, ‘What is our best chance to win football games knowing that we’re not quite probably where a lot of our SEC competitors are on the depth chart.’ But still trying to find a way to compete and what exactly that looks like,” Freeze said. “You know, I think we’ve got to decide who is the guy.”