OK, at least publicly there’s not.
As everyone knows by now, Auburn will have to replace 37 of their 22 starters -- OK, technically 18 -- from last year’s BcS-winning squad. Most eyes, though, are mainly trained on just one position: quarterback and who will replace last year’s Heisman Trophy winner.
After eight days of practice and the first scrimmage of summer camp Wednesday, it doesn’t appear there’s a leader -- again, at least publicly -- among the trio of contenders: Barrett Trotter, Clint Moseley and Kiehl Frazier (pictured, left to right). The junior Trotter is perceived by some to have the best shot at exiting the fray with the starting job, although others believe the true freshman Frazier will at least play a prominent role in his first year on The Plains.
If either of those are the case, or if it’s actually Moseley with the inside track, Gus Malzahn isn’t letting on. All the offensive coordinator would allow following the scrimmage yesterday was that, when it comes to all of the starters in general, “we have to identify those guys as quick as we can.” He also acknowledged the Tigers are “in a real crunch time now”, perhaps intimating that a decision on offensive starters in general and the QB position specifically could be coming sooner rather than later; that tack would make sense, of course, as the first game of the 2011 season is just over three weeks away.
Either way, the scrimmage, which was closed to both the media and fans, could provide a few additional data points after the staff dives into the tape.
“Once we evaluate the film, obviously it’s going to help us narrow things down,” Malzahn said. “How much? I don’t know. Ideally, we’re at a time crunch, and we’d like to move as fast as possible. And scrimmages tell us a little more than a regular practice.”
All three of the contenders split reps evenly according to Malzahn, with all three throwing touchdown passes as well. By all appearances, there looks to be no separation among the trio, which won’t make it any easier on the decision makers regardless of how soon the trigger is pulled.
“I know it’s going to be tough for the coaches, I’ll just put it like that,” Moseley said. “We all had a pretty good day today.”