CBS Sports shares top question surrounding Auburn ahead of spring practice

USA Today

13-03-2025

CBS Sports shares top question surrounding Auburn ahead of spring practice Will Backus of CBS Sports says that he is keeping an eye on Auburn's offense this spring.
Auburn football begins its spring practice period later this month with plenty of juicy storylines to follow.
Auburn will enter the season with the same offensive and defensive coordinator as last season for the first time in several years, there will be a battle for the right tackle spot that will include two experienced transfers, and a transfer wide receiver has joined the Tigers' receiving room to provide adequate support to sophomore Cam Coleman. Which storyline is the most intriguing? Will Backus of CBS Sports says that the quarterback situation has his attention.
Backus revealed the top question for every SEC program ahead of spring practice, with transfer quarterback Jackson Arnold at the forefront for the Auburn Tigers. Backus will watch Arnold to see if he is the "answer" for the Tigers' offense.
Auburn needs stable quarterback play this season, and Backus feels that Arnold has the potential to be the answer.
"(Arnold) was actually benched midway through the 2024 season before returning later and, notably, leading Oklahoma to a huge upset win against Alabama. He finished his sophomore campaign with a respectable 1,421 yards and 12 touchdowns to just three interceptions. Arnold is also a legitimate rushing threat, adding an extra dimension to Auburn's offense. Maybe Freeze has the key to fully unlock Arnold's potential. The next month will provide some indication as to how he fits."
As a high school recruit, Arnold was a five-star quarterback from Denton, Texas from the class of 2023. He was the No. 4 quarterback from the cycle, trailing just Arch Manning from Texas, Nico Iamaleava from Tennessee, and Dante Moore, who signed with UCLA originally before transferring to Oregon. Arnold won Gatorade Player of the Year for Texas in 2023 after completing 69% of passes for 3,496 yards and 33 touchdowns during his senior season at Guyer High School.
Arnold will compete with Stanford transfer Ashton Daniels, South Carolina transfer Tanner Bailey, and four-star signee Deuce Knight for the starting quarterback job this spring. Auburn begins spring practice on March 25 and will conclude on April 12 with the annual A-Day game.