Calzada anxious to prove value with Tigers

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Auburn football: Zach Calzada anxious to prove value with Tigers, QB trainer says

Brad Crawford

3-4 minutes

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Auburn quarterback Zach Calzada welcomes the undervalued label among other SEC signal-callers heading into the 2022 college football season, his first with the Tigers after transferring from Texas A&M. Ray Isaac, Calzada's personal quarterback trainer, expects a fierce competition during fall camp with T.J. Finley and believes his client has something to prove now that he's fully-recovered from shoulder surgery this offseason.

“Zach played in 12 football games last year … beat Alabama, beat Auburn, beat Missouri … he’s battle-tested,” Isaac told 247Sports this month from Raleigh, N.C. “I think, for sure, this is the right landing spot because (Bryan) Harsin’s offense is a precision offense. If you look at Zach’s stats, if he doesn’t have 19 drops, his complete rate goes to 62%. He's a strong quarterback."

Calzada arrived at Auburn in January following the departure of last season's starter Bo Nix, who's now at Oregon. Limited in the spring with the shoulder issue, Calzada was still able to throw in individual drills, participate in position group meetings and take mental reps behind Finley and Auburn's other scholarship quarterbacks throughout practice.

Finley started Auburn's final three games last fall, but the Tigers needed additional options this season since two quarterbacks left the program and Calzada was an ideal fit. 

Rated by Auburn Undercover as one of the team's most important players this season, Calzada finished with 17 touchdowns passes last fall, three coming during Texas A&M's upset win over Alabama.

Hobbled with a rolled ankle after throwing a game-tying touchdown pass late in the fourth quarter, Calzada trotted out from the medical tent and converted three times on third down in the final moments to set up the Aggies' game-winning field goal as time expired.

“Harsin’s offense is tailor-made for Zach. He’s a precision passer, quick passer and accurate passer," Isaac said. "Go look at the LSU and Auburn (film). In the Bama game, he played the best of any quarterback in America.”

Isaac will work with Calzada at his "Sniper School" for three days later this month, before his quarterback begins prep for the start of fall camp on The Plains.

"He knows I'm going to work him, hard," Isaac said.

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Auburn will be in attendance at SEC Media Days to close this week's event on Thursday with Harsin and three players set to speak.

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