'Legitimate competition’; Malzahn says QB isn't decided

HOOVER, Ala. – Auburn head coach Gus Malzahn is doing everything he can to present the quarterback position with his football team as a competition instead of a foregone conclusion.

Despite the SEC Network claiming this week during its media day coverage that Auburn’s starting quarterback has been decided and nearly all media outlets stating Baylor transfer Jarrett Stidham has won the job, the Tigers fifth-year head coach claims that is not the case.

“If you ask our team, they know it’s a legitimate competition,” Malzahn said. “We can’t control outside. I know our team respects Sean (White). He’s earned that. They respect Jarrett. He’s come in from a leadership standpoint and work ethic standpoint. It’s that comfort that we feel really, really good about.”

Without any surprise, Malzahn declined to name a starting quarterback in his appearance at Southeastern Conference media days Thursday morning but did say the decision would be “earlier than last year” when Auburn played three different quarterbacks in a 19-13 loss to Clemson in the 2016 season opener.

Malzahn continues to boast about his team’s depth at the position that currently consists of Stidham, junior and incumbent starter Sean White and early enrollee freshman Malik Willis on the depth chart.

“We’ll have the plan set out and we’ve already got that strategically mapped out,” Malzahn said. “I just want to say we depth at the quarterback position and I think that’s been our Achilles heel so we’re going to fall camp with a plan. Chip has a plan but we really don’t have a set time but the earlier the better.”

White was made inactive for the A-Day spring game but the 6-foot quarterback was in pads to contribute to pre-game 7-on-7 drills. However, Malzahn did not want the incumbent starting quarterback in scrimmages or the A-Day spring game in order to avoid any contact to the injured right arm that was fractured in the 2017 Sugar Bowl loss to Oklahoma.

“It doesn't bother me at all,” White said following watching the A-Day spring game in April. “The only reason is they just don't want something to re-aggravate in the spring. It hasn't bothered me in a while.”

Stidham, who started three games at Baylor before suffering an injury and ultimately deciding to transfer, finished the spring game 16 of 20 for 267 yards in route to receiving Offensive Most Valuable Player honors by hitting completions of four passes of at least 33 yards. Stidham, who has led the first-team offense for the entire spring season, led his unit to five scoring drives in six first-half possessions.

“There's so many intangibles that go into being the guy,” Stidham said after the A-Day spring game. “I'm just going to take it day to day and just get better.”

Auburn players will officially report on July 30 with practice starting the following day. Malzahn said the first five preseason practices will include mostly install but the Tigers fifth-year head coach said Thursday morning that quarterback performance will be charted during individual, 7-on-7 and team drills. Malzahn hinted that a preseason scrimmage will be either the sixth or seventh practice, which will include both Stidham and White taking first-team reps.

“We’ll make sure we’re right,” Malzahn said. “The positive is we’ve got two guys we feel very good about and we’ve got Malik Willis, a young guy that has a chance to be very good too."