Auburn’s slide against Georgia may have done more than dent its SEC record; it might have cracked the foundation of its quarterback room. The Tigers fell to 0–3 in conference play after a 27–13 loss to Georgia, and once again, the passing game drew the heat. Jackson Arnold surged toward the end zone against Georgia, appearing to give Auburn a much-needed boost until disaster struck. In a split second, the ball slipped free, and Georgia’s Kyron Jones scooped it up, racing the other way as officials ruled it a fumble. Arnold looked visibly frustrated after the fumble, but the damage had already been done. And HC Hugh Freeze is now prepared to make a change under center.

Given Arnold’s recent struggles, Hugh Freeze and his staff are now preparing to give Ashton Daniels an opportunity to showcase his ability. The plan was already in motion against Georgia, but Arnold’s strong first-half performance temporarily postponed the change. It won’t be the case now, as, quoting Freeze’s words, Taylor Korn hits X, saying, “Last week we had him ready, but the first half was outstanding by Jackson… Ashton is ready. Deuce stands ready, too. If we’re struggling to create positive vibes offensively because of QB play, we wouldn’t hesitate to try Ashton. I believe in him strongly.”

After ending the season with a 1700-yard score, 10 touchdowns, and 12 interceptions, Daniels moved from the Stanford Cardinals to the Auburn Tigers, and if he gets a chance, he might shift the dynamics of the game. No one can deny the fact that Jackson Arnold’s performance was exceptional in the first half, where he completed 19 of 31 passes for 137 yards and 14 of 19 for 107 yards. But the keyword is the first half; things went south in the second half. That’s exactly what Hugh Freeze is pointing at: “When you look at the first half, you’re in love with what you see. When you look at parts of the second half, you question why not the same throws, why not the same accuracy. All of that is certainly worth looking at.”

Freeze made it clear he is not taking any more setbacks. “I hope Jackson comes out and plays like he did in the first half last week and it carries over, but we can’t afford to, in close games, continue to miss throws that are there. We wouldn’t hesitate to give [Ashton] a shot.” It’s evident that Hugh Freeze is prepared to make changes to the roster, a stance further highlighted by his bold decision to part ways with the team captain.

Hugh Freeze takes bold step to save his team

Hugh Freeze’s team started strong in their game against Georgia, leading 10-0 until the second quarter, but then fell to a 20-10 score. Now, their offense looked strong in the first half, but messed up in the second. That’s exactly why Georgia took over them, as after that, the Tigers just gained 10 yards on the ground in the second half after rushing for 130 in the first. All these led to one thing: Damari Alston’s escalation from the team.

But what made it so evident? Well, Justin Ferguson hits X with this news, putting out the real reason behind it. “Auburn HC Hugh Freeze said RB and team captain Damari Alston “failed to meet the expectations and standard of our program” and is no longer on the team. Alston only played in four games this season and could receive a redshirt for another year of eligibility.”

It makes sense when Hugh Freeze said Alston failed to meet expectations, as he rushed for 84 yards on 16 carries against Baylor but had to sit out after that because of a shoulder injury. And then after that, in Auburn’s three losses, Alston has just carried for less than 25 yards. But it’s still surprising to see their three-star recruit going out of the team in his fourth season. Yet it’s all about the game, and even Freeze highlights it: “We love him. Wish him the best. But that’s where it’s at.”

However, this decision makes Auburn’s running back room thin, as it only has transfer running back Durrell Robinson, who’s still recovering from a freak injury that even required an emergency operation back in September. That brings all the pressure to Jeremiah Cobb. Now with all these changes, let’s wait and see how the team responds in the upcoming games and whether the adjustments at quarterback can stabilize the offense.