quarterback order takes shape

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Bo Nix, Joey Gatewood on the first-team as Auburn quarterback order takes shape

Today 7:04 PM

Josh Bean | jbean@al.com

Auburn QB Joey Gatewood fires a pass during the 2019 Auburn A-Day scrimmage at Jordan-Hare Stadium in Auburn on April 13, 2019.

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By Sam Blum | SBlum@al.com

For many of the 41,000-plus in attendance at Jordan-Hare Stadium on Saturday, the biggest question was answered at the very outset of the game.

Joey Gatewood was the first quarterback to enter with the first team. He finished 7-of-10 passing with two touchdowns and 123 yards, including a pass on the very first drive of the A-Day spring game.

Bo Nix was also on the first team, though he was the third quarterback to enter, after Malik Willis, whose day included a 41-yard Hail Mary-esque touchdown to Matthew Hill.

Cord Sandberg and Wil Appleton also took snaps.

“What we’ll do next week, is we’ll be able to assess the whole 15 days of practice as a whole, and we’ll look at it from there," said head coach Gus Malzahn. "And like I said, hopefully we’ll get some kind of order for our quarterbacks after spring.”

As has been the case the whole spring, Auburn didn’t make its quarterbacks available to the media.

But other players were and Auburn’s go-to wide receiver Seth Williams said Gatewood is a “baby Cam Newton. He’s another Cam Newton.”

Malzahn has kept his quarterback order close to the vest, even saying he wasn’t quite ready to sit down and have a conversation with each quarterback. He didn’t deny the significance of Willis being on the second team. but said offensive coordinator Kenny Dillingham chooses the order, and that it’s fluctuated on a day-to-day basis throughout the spring.

Running back Kam Martin said the quarterbacks got to show more of their running ability in the live scrimmage than in this game. Gatewood ran the ball one time, NIx three times and Willis just four times. All three have the ability to do so at a much higher rate.

Malzahn said he didn’t want to put much on tape, and kept the offense fairly simple in this game.

It did appear that Gatewood is the frontrunner, based both on the current order, and the way he’s being talked about.

“He’s a different quarterback than he was last year," Malzahn said. "He has a lot more confidence and is really focused and has been desperate to win the quarterback job. He’s had a really good spring, and he made some explosive plays today. When you let him go live, he looks a little bit different, too.”

Malzahn did add that Nix showed a big improvement over the last 15 practices, adding that it was “to be expected” for an inexperienced quarterback who could still be in high school right now. Nix threw for 155 yards and was 11-of-16 throwing, but did have an interception when he switched over to the second-team in the second half. Willis threw 7-of-8 for 63 yards and a TD.

So while Auburn’s coaching staff hasn’t decided on an order heading into the summer, it will hope to have one next week. Whether or not those coaches decide to share it with the media and fans is another story, but they are committing to determining an order themselves.

“They’re all a little bit different, too," Malzahn said. "... But we’re not ready to say right now, anything other than, you know, we got good information and next week we’ll assess everything, and see where we we’re at. We want some kind of order after spring, and I think we’ll be able to get to that point.”

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