Auburn's Malzahn says QB job wide open

AUBURN — Gus Malzahn has liked some things he has seen on film and had nothing but great things to say about the personalities of Auburn’s quarterbacks.

He just isn’t ready to hand over the keys to his high-octane, speed-based offense until one stands out among the rest at spring practice.

“It’s going to be wide open,” Malzahn said Wednesday in his first meeting with the media since his introductory press conference in late December. “We’re coming into this thing new and everybody’s starting new, and they’re going to have to earn it.”

Malzahn said he had no pecking order whatsoever heading into Auburn’s spring practice, which is set to begin March 24. A-Day, the end-of-practice, intrasquad scrimmage, is set for April 18 at Jordan-Hare Stadium.

Best-case scenario, Malzahn will have his guy by then, he said.

“But that’s hard,” Malzahn said. “I can’t say that now for sure. You’ve got to have somebody that earns it, that separates himself from the rest of them. So we’ll just have to see.”

The Tigers currently have four quarterbacks on scholarship and will have two more when Clint Moseley (Leroy) and Tyrik Rollison (Sulphur Springs, Texas) arrive for fall camp.

Junior Kodi Burns would be considered the presumptive front-runner if Malzahn had a pecking order. Burns opened 2008 as the Tigers’ starter and started the final six games of the season after Chris Todd fell out of favor and was permanently shelved with shoulder trouble.

Burns went 2-5 as a starter, with the two wins coming against Louisiana-Monroe and UT-Martin.

“He’s got a great attitude right now,” Malzahn said. “I know he’s been working extremely hard, as well as the other quarterbacks have. He’s ready to get to spring.”

At the start, Burns will take equal repetitions with Todd (senior), Neil Caudle (junior) and Barrett Trotter (redshirt freshman). As soon as possible, though, Malzahn said he will narrow the field.

Malzahn will be Burns’ and Caudle’s fourth offensive coordinator in three years. Before he was fired, former offensive coordinator Al Borges recruited Trotter.

“It’s been a wild few years for me at Auburn,” Burns said.

All of the candidates have the ability to pick up yards with their feet, particularly Burns, who was just two yards shy of the all-time record for an Auburn quarterback when he ran for 158 against UT-Martin.

Malzahn’s offense, which is tough to categorize because of its uniqueness, is based off speed, but doesn’t necessarily require a fleet-footed quarterback.

“I think it’s important enough to take what they give you and run it at times,” Malzahn said. “We don’t have to have a 4.4-4.5 guy but we need to have a good operator.”

Todd went 3-2 as a starter in 2008 but lost noticeable velocity on his throws as the season progressed, underwent shoulder surgery following the season. It appears he will be ready for spring practice, Malzahn said.

“He started throwing and it’s hard to say exactly where he’ll be,” Malzahn said. “I know he’s planning on going through spring, but we’ll have to see where he’s at.”

Malzahn said he wasn’t very familiar with Trotter, but has “heard good things.” He is familiar with Caudle, however, as Malzahn was able to meet him back when he was a high school coach in Springdale, Ark.

Malzahn and his quarterback at the time, USC’s Mitch Mustain, traveled to Hoover for the annual seven-on-seven camps. Mustain and Caudle, a Spain Park product, became good friends, Malzahn said.

“He’s a rhythm quarterback and has a very good arm,” Malzahn said. “He seems like a super kid. He’s that type of kid that has the characteristics you look for in a quarterback, so I’m looking forward to seeing what he can do.”