Alabama Football: 5 Best SEC Quarterbacks not named Jalen Hurts
By Ronald Evans
Auburn QB Jarrett Stidham
Gus Malzahn’s past run-heavy offenses were predicated on two conditions: playing fast and a having a true dual-threat quarterback. Going back to 2010, the only Auburn quarterback not named Superman who could engineer Gus’ offense has been Nick Marshall.
Even the athletically gifted Marshall failed to consistently deliver in 2014. The Tigers were inept offensively in an embarrassing 34-7 loss to Georgia. Against Alabama, Marshall torched the Tide with 456 passing yards, but the Tide defense contained the normally potent Tigers rushing attack. After the game, Malzahn whined per al.com,
"“We didn’t score touchdowns in the red zone. We should have put 60 on them, and we didn’t”"
The Tigers have played Alabama twice since they “should have put 60” and scored a total of 25 points in two more losses.
Jarrett Stidham is the young man who will change the Tigers fortunes. Most Auburn fans believe Stidham is a potential Heisman winner who will lead the Tigers to the CFB Playoff. Of course, some of those fans also believed Jeremy Johnson was a potential Heisman finalist.
Stidham’s 16 for 20 passing performance in Auburn’s spring game has the Tigers’ faithful at a fever pitch. Stidham has the arm and the accuracy to deliver the long ball. It remains to be seen if Stidham has the rushing skills to fully execute Malzahn’s offense.
An even bigger question is whose offense will the Tigers rely on. Will it be a new offense concocted by new offensive coordinator Chip Lindsey or the standard Gus offense? Gus has pledged to be hands-off with his new OC. Lindsey is respected as a bright offensive mind.
Is there enough ego space on the Plains for two offensive wizards? Is Stidham the answer to all known Auburn offensive flaws? Will the 2017 Tigers defense be a step down from last year?
Auburn’s offense will be better with Stidham at quarterback. How much better is the big question. Joseph Goodman of al.com stated:
"The new kid from Texas can throw it, and Auburn looks like a complete football team for the first time since 2013. It’s only spring, but Alabama, no doubt, is already taking notice. Auburn is back, and with an offense perhaps better than the one in Tuscaloosa."
Better than the one in Tuscaloosa, hmmm – we shall see.