Former South Carolina QB Tanner Bailey commits: 'I want to see Auburn win really bad'
AUBURN — Former South Carolina quarterback Tanner Bailey will come out of retirement to join Auburn’s football roster. Bailey, who is originally from Gordo, Ala., was a four-star recruit in the class of 2022. He enrolled at South Carolina where he spent one year as a reserve quarterback.
Bailey enrolled at Auburn as a student and decided to retire from football in 2024. He will now return as a walk-on with Auburn, giving the Tigers another quarterback option to go along with Jackson Arnold and Deuce Knight in the spring. Quarterback signee Ashton Daniels will arrive to Auburn in the summer.
Bailey was the No. 347 overall player in the class of 2022, the No. 19 quarterback, and the No. 14 player in the state of Alabama according to the On3 Industry Ranking. Bailey did not record any stats in his one year at South Carolina.
Bailey says he has two years of eligibility remaining, “maybe more.”
Bailey talks decision
via Justin Hokanson
When Auburn Live caught up with Bailey on Wednesday, he talked about his decision to retire, and why he chose Auburn as the place to return to the field.
“Personal reasons,” Bailey said of leaving football last year. “Ball was a lot. I enjoyed South Carolina, but felt like a lot of things wanted to get straight personal wise. The last year of my life was the best mentally, maturity, spiritually, physically. The stars aligned. (Jesse Stone) hit me up in mid-December, so it worked out perfect.”
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Tanner’s dad, Lance, played for Auburn in the mid-80’s. Tanner grew up an Auburn fan, so joining the program is literally a dream come true.
“If you ask five-year-old Tanner what’s his dream? This would definitely be it,” he said.
With Oklahoma transfer Arnold coming in, along with freshman Knight and Stanford transfer Daniels (after the spring), Bailey helps round out a full quarterback room. And while Bailey wants to compete and play well, he’s equally focused on helping elevate a football program he’s rooted for his whole life.
“The main thing for me is I want Auburn to win and I want to make Auburn better,” Bailey said. “Leading, following, but it’s not like I’m going to go in and accept some other role. I want to compete and if things happen…I’ll make the most of it. For me, I want to make the room better and me personally, I want to see Auburn win really bad.”
