Payton Thorne has received the Auburn inauguration quarterback task, schoolteacher Hugh Freeze introduced on Thursday.

Thorne, a switch from Michigan Situation, beat out Robby Ashford and can get started for the Tigers of their Sept. 2 opener in opposition to UMass.

Thorne was once a two-year starter for the Spartans, and Freeze mentioned that his management and potency throwing the ball have been obese elements in his successful the task at Auburn upcoming arriving on campus in June.

“The reason that Payton is getting the nod is the leadership ability and the understanding of the offense,” Freeze mentioned. “He’s been in some really good battles. He’s been more efficient in the decision-making to this point.”

Ashford, who transferred from Oregon upcoming the 2021 season, was once Auburn’s starter for many of endmost season and performed in all 12 video games. He’s a dynamic runner who completed with 710 yards and 7 touchdowns speeding however handed for simply seven touchdowns and threw seven interceptions. He’s going to proceed to compete for enjoying moment and may just regain the inauguration task some time.

Auburn completed 119th nationally in passing offense endmost season (172.7 YPG), and bettering the passing sport was once a concern for Freeze in his first season because the Tigers’ schoolteacher.

Thorne, coming into his 5th season of faculty soccer, had his best possible season with Michigan Situation in 2021 when he handed for three,240 yards and 27 touchdowns life serving to manage the Spartans to 11 wins in Mel Tucker’s first 12 months as schoolteacher. Thorne entered his title into the switch portal following spring apply previous this 12 months. He have been competing for the Michigan Situation inauguration task with sophomore Noah Kim.

Auburn has shuffled via quarterbacks the month few years. Bo Nix, now a Heisman Trophy candidate at Oregon, was once Auburn’s starter from 2019 to 2021, however he was once in brief benched in 2021 and after returned because the starter ahead of having his season scale down cut through an ankle trauma and after retirement to attach the Geese. TJ Finley, who started his occupation at LSU, was once Auburn’s starter to perceptible the 2022 season ahead of giving approach to Ashford. Finley has since transferred to Texas Situation.