This is one of the many mysteries of this Auburn football season.
Zach Calzada started 10 games for Texas A&M last season. After Haynes-King broke his leg in the season-ending first quarter, Calzada got his chance against Colorado in Week 2 of the 2021 season.
Led by new starting quarterback Calzada, Texas A&M quickly went 0-2 in SEC play after being knocked off at a no. 16 Arkansas and unranked Mississippi have a difficult start, throwing just one touchdown pass in both games and an interception in both. I cut Things didn’t look so good for Texas A&M and its new quarterback.
After that, we all know Calzada led the Aggies to the biggest upset of the season. One Alabama at home. Calzada became one of only two quarterbacks in college football when he joined the Knicks after defeating Alabama. (Later in the season, Stetson-Bennett would be third.) Texas A&M would end the season 8-4 and 4-4 in conference play. Calzada finished the season with a 56.1 completion percentage, 2,185 passing yards and 17 touchdowns in 11 games.
Auburn’s starting quarterback Bo Knicks said he was transferred after it was rumored that head coach Brian Hershin was unable to meet the list of demands given to him by the Knicks and his father. He announced that he would enter the portal.
Calzada entered the transfer portal knowing that Hanes King would be back in the offseason and reclaiming his first job.
Calzada and Oregon transfer lobby Ashford has arrived on the plains for the 2022 season through the transfer portal.
Quarterback position uncertainty continued through spring through fall camp and into the first game.
Finley was named the Tigers’ starting quarterback, but was not well received by many fans. We had previously seen Finley throughout the 2021 season. He, like Calzada, started the season as a backup and was eventually handed over the job after quarterback Bohe Knicks suffered a season-ending ankle injury. Finley said in his 2021 he threw for 827 yards, 6 touchdowns and 1 interception.
Entering the first week of the season, speculation began to mount. A lot of people, myself included, didn’t think he was right for the job. Personally, I didn’t find him impressive in 2021. He made bad decisions, wasn’t mobile at all, and was inaccurate. But my opinion, like yours, doesn’t matter. Brian Hershin is going to trot the best man, right?
We saw Finley and Ashford’s two-quarterback system throughout the first two games.
Mercer’s game gave me hope that it might work.
Finley made a 9-14 throw for 112 yards with one touchdown pass and an interception.
Ashford went 4-7 with 100 yards of throwing and 68 yards of rushing on six attempts.
The second week was a different story.
Auburn struggled against five school groups offensively and defensively.
Finley finished with 13 completions on 20 attempts, a 167-yard throw, and two interceptions against SJSU.
Ashford finished with one completion, a 1-yard throw, and an interception on three attempts.
By the third week the wheel was completely off.
Auburn played the first real test of the season against Penn State at home.
Finley finished with 11 completions on 19 attempts, throwing for 152 yards, one interception, and three fumbles.
Hershin pulled Finley out of the game in the third quarter and Ashford got the chance.
Ashford finished 19-10, throwing for 144 yards and having one interception.
Through three games, Finley alone threw four interceptions and fumbled the ball three times, but only threw one touchdown pass. I threw two interceptions. In all this, we have yet to see Calzada. Auburn didn’t even see him in the fourth quarter against Penn State, though he lost 41-12. If Auburn continues to play like this, he may not win a game in the conference this season. This program, Trash Fire, will continue to burn as long as no changes are made.
What more does Hershin need to see from Finley and Ashford before challenging anyone else? No performance was seen. Calzada have already proven they can weather this league and conference better than Finley. So why not give him a try? Is there anything they do that we don’t know? Where is Zach Calzada?
Is Brian Hershin going to trot the best man? He has to, right?
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