Auburn head coach Gus Malzahn says a decision on who will start at quarterback for the Tigers this weekend against Western carolina will not be made until later in the week. Starter Nick Marshall injured his knee last week against Ole Miss, putting his status for this weekend’s game in jeopardy.
“We’ll make that decision either tomorrow or Friday,” Malzahn said, according to AL.com. “He’s getting better, a lot better.”
Per the report, Marshall has been at practice this week but there is no suggestion one way or the other he will be ready to play a game this coming weekend. Fortunately, for Auburn, they should be able to afford sitting out and resting their starting quarterback if needed against FCS Western Carolina. The Catamounts enter the weekend with a record of 1-5 with all but one of those losses coming by at least 21 points. That includes a 45-3 loss at Virginia Tech and a 45-24 loss at Middle Tennessee in the first two weeks of the season.
“I would say there’s a chance that could happen,” Malzahn said of the chance Marshall may sit out the game. “Not a good one, but that could happen.”
Malzahn said Jonathan Wallace or Jeremy Johnson would make the start in place of Marshall if needed. Wallace has appeared in two games this season. Johnson, a four-star recruit in the Class of 2013 has yet to take the field for Auburn.