Finley, Bo Nix pushing each other

[aubiefifty 18,231]

T.J. Finley, Bo Nix pushing each other at quarterback in fall camp

By Tom Green | tgreen@al.com

6-7 minutes

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There’s something different about Auburn’s quarterback room this fall, and it has been evident during the first week of preseason camp.

For the first time in several seasons, Auburn has quality depth at quarterback, and Bo Nix has someone at the position to push him to perform at a high level day in and day out. That’s thanks largely to the offseason addition of LSU transfer T.J. Finley, who arrived this summer and has already firmly established himself as QB2 during the first week of practices.

“There’s really not chemistry between quarterbacks; you don’t need to have that because they’re not out there playing with each other,” head coach Bryan Harsin said. “They get along. They support each other. At that position, that’s what’s most important. They get in the room, they prepare, they push each other. They’re both competitive, and that’s something that we’ve been able to see.”

The 6-foot-7 sophomore has brought a new level of competitiveness to the quarterback room after arriving from LSU, where he started five games last season as a true freshman.

When Finley committed to Auburn during the summer, it was in part because Harsin and offensive coordinator Mike Bobo sold him on the chance to compete with Nix for the starting job this season. Nix hasn’t faced real competition at quarterback since before being named the Tigers’ starter as a true freshman two years ago — when he beat out Malik Willis and Joey Gatewood for the job — and adding another quarterback with starting experience in the SEC has apparently raised the level of play at the position in practices.

That much, at least, has been apparent during the first five days of fall camp, including the last two media viewing windows, when Nix and Finley have gone shot for shot during passing drills while making some impressive throws to Auburn’s receivers, tight ends and running backs.

“Pressure is what I’m all about,” Finley told AL.com last month, prior to the start of fall camp. “Me and Bo are very good friends since I’ve gotten to know him, and he understands we’re going to compete every day, and may the best man win.”

While Finley will have a difficult time unseating Nix, who has started all 24 games at quarterback during his career, as Auburn’s QB1, his presence this fall has helped bring out the best in Nix. That competition has likewise benefited Finley, who completed 57.1 percent of his passes for 941 yards, five touchdowns and five interceptions as a true freshman at LSU last season.

That’s precisely what Harsin hoped would happen, too, after saying in May -- when asked about the situation at quarterback -- that “competition keeps you focused.”

“As a quarterback, you don’t have a lot of opportunities to have even bad moments, let alone bad days, at practice,” Harsin said. “…There’s really no days off at that position. And that’s where I think these quarterbacks are learning that right now: It’s just, it’s got to be from when you get up in the morning and you show up to practice and the first throw you take or the handoff or the cadence. You can’t just show up out there and then use the wrong cadence. The old, ‘My bad.’ That’s not what we want.”

Finley opened fall camp working with Auburn’s newcomers during the team’s split-squad practice, but since the team has taken to full-roster sessions, he has been right there behind Nix in the quarterback pecking order. During the portions of practice this week that have been open to media, the two have put on a show during passing drills. Nix’s technique and accuracy has been noticeably improved while making several impressive throws downfield, while Finley has showcased his remarkable arm strength and ability to put good touch on a variety of balls to receivers. On Wednesday, he had multiple beautifully thrown deep balls to receiver Malcolm Johnson Jr., and thanks to his 6-foot-7 frame and long arms, he has made some of those longer passes look effortless at times.

“Him coming in was a great change-up,” offensive lineman Brandon Council said. “He works well with the offense. He picked up everything real quick. He can move and he can throw. He’s a great asset for this team.”

Nix has shown improved consistency at the position, too, with Bobo lauding him for his work ethic in the offseason and for being more “vulnerable” in how he takes coaching. That has apparently paid off in practices, as he has looked comfortable so far in commanding the Tigers’ new pro-style offense. Finley, meanwhile, has proven to be a quick study with Auburn’s playbook, saying last month that he was “working my butt off” to prepare for fall camp while getting an assist from Nix this summer in learning the new offense.

It’s still early in fall camp, though, and neither quarterback is a finished product. Both are still learning the ins and outs of the offense and what it takes to play quarterback in Harsin and Bobo’s system—but Nix and Finley appear to be feeding off each other’s presence this fall, and the competition has produced a necessary rise in the level of play from Auburn’s quarterbacks.

“Those guys are learning, they’re learning what it takes, and we still have a ways to go from that standpoint, but what I like about them is they’re a lot more positive out there on the field in a good way,” Harsin said. “We make a mistake, correct it and let’s not make it twice. they come back and they’ll make the play the next time. Very rarely have I seen so far that we’ve had back-to-back negative plays, and that’s a key component to that group, those players in particular, and how we’re developing those guys.”

Tom Green is an Auburn beat reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter @Tomas_Verde.

[aubiefifty 18,231]

we need a scrimmage to mull over. all these fluff pieces are similar.

[woodford 3,732]

Hope it’s true. We need them wanting to kick each other’s ass every single day. Healthy competition is everything. 

[AUApostle 7,759]

4 hours ago, aubiefifty said:

we need a scrimmage to mull over. all these fluff pieces are similar.

Excuse me sir, can I interest you in some WR drops?