The Auburn Tigers: Forever the bridesmaids, never quite the bride. Not just in the grand scheme of the national landscape or even the SEC. Auburn hasn’t perennially been subject to the shadows within its state. Bluebloods Alabama have experienced dynastic success in close proximity and continue to be a thorn in their side. Meanwhile, the Loveliest Village on the Plains hasn’t seen much love in reciprocation. But the one thing about sports is that it’s not linear. There are opportunities for the inferiors to become imperious. Especially in College Football, where hitting on a quarterback can make a substantial difference. Auburn knows this better than most, courtesy of Cam Newton. It seems like Hugh Freeze’s Tigers finally have a capable successor in the building, a la Deuce Knight. But it’s spawning more problems than solutions.
5-star true freshman QB Deuce Knight comes to Auburn as a bit of a messiah. Someone whom the school and HC Hugh Freeze will lean on to alter their fortunes. The Tigers have been drifting in the abyss of mediocrity for a while, and this is a knight in shining armor who can salvage things(pun intended!). However, it’s a true freshman after all. As talented as he is, it’s unwise to throw Knight to the deep end in the treacherous Southeastern Conference just yet. Just too much pressure that could be counterproductive to both results and his individual development. That said, Deuce Knight has been gaining traction as a potential QB1. His uber-impressive showing in spring camp has fanned the flames of this. But there’s a Jackson Arnold-shaped cloud looming over this situation. Which makes Auburn GM Will Redmond’s words on his QB room a precious commodity.
Auburn only just onboarded former 5-star Jackson Arnold from conference contemporaries Oklahoma. Arnold came over with an underlying expectation, almost a foregone conclusion, that he’d be the starter next year. For good reason, too. He fits the archetype of QB Hugh Freeze wants to deploy within his system. Something Redmond acknowledges in his interview with J.D PicKell over the On3 YouTube channel. But Arnold may be becoming a victim of Deuce Knight’s ascension. There is much more of a QB battle in Auburn than initially suspected. So, to get insight into this conundrum, let’s walk through what the GM said about the pair. No prizes for guessing he’s waxing lyrical, but there is a subtle hint to suggest Knight really is in the conversation.
Auburn GM Will Redmond knows the Tigers got a good one in QB Deuce Knight
“You spend any time with Deuce Knight, you realize very quickly that you’re dealing with a highly capable and mature individual.”
GM All-Access is powered by @Teamworks https://t.co/xbnq22fJgJ pic.twitter.com/iKVVpcbsXw
— J.D. PicKell (@jdpickell) May 2, 2025
“You spend any time with Deuce Knight and you realize very quickly that you’re dealing with a highly capable and mature individual,” remarked Will Redmond. Right off the bat, this quells concerns about inexperience being a factor in the against column. Redmond proceeded to say, “Any room that he walks in, he can meet with folks. He can hold conversations. He’s confident, he’s poised. I love the cerebral nature of that for him as a quarterback.” Clearly, this is somebody Redmond views as a player who can guide Auburn to the upper echelons of the sport. Someone who possesses the requisite intangibles.
“[Knight] has the football character that we believed he had throughout the recruiting process…Who he is as a person, people naturally are drawn to,” added Redmond. The case for Knight overthrowing Jackson Arnold only strengthens with these comments. So what did he say about Arnold, and where does Hugh Freeze land at the end of this dilemma?
Will Redmond’s Jackson Arnold comments suppress Deuce Knight’s building hype
Let’s get one thing straight: Jackson Arnold very likely still has one hand on that QB1 shirt. The rationale is quite simple. If not for seniority or the fact Auburn fended off a lot of competition to get him through the portal, but because he’s tailor-made for Hugh Freeze’s offense schematically. “You look at what Coach Freeze wants to do offensively, right? The RPO system. The ability to throw the deep b–l, the ability to run, scramble [and] to create on the move,” said Remond when asked about what makes Jackson Arnold the right fit for the Tigers. “Jackson has an ‘It’ factor to him as well that you can’t deny,” he added.
Redmond elaborated on Arnold’s fit offensively. “You don’t become the national Gatorade POTY for no reason. We think, by providing him our ecosystem and allowing him to grow and thrive, he’s going to have the opportunity to flourish in a big way,” he said. This all but confirms Arnold does indeed have a stronghold atop the depth chart. Can things change between now and fall? Possible. The more Hugh Freeze sees of Deuce Knight, the more probable it becomes.
Jackson Arnold will likely start in Week 1. But keep in mind, Hugh Freeze is in a precarious position and needs results, pronto. If things don’t go to plan, it wouldn’t be a surprise if Deuce Knight gets the nod before the end of the campaign. Coach Freeze will hope he doesn’t need to be throwing darts, hoping for something to stick. A seamless season under center, sans any chaos, would go a long way. If Jackson Arnold does win the job, he has also received a directive of what his MO needs to be. J.D PicKell contextualized the offense, including Auburn’s stacked receiving corps. to come to a fascinating conclusion about Arnold.
The post Auburn GM Clears Stance on Jackson Arnold & Deuce Knight Amid Growing Dilemma on Hugh Freeze’s QB1 appeared first on EssentiallySports.