TJ Finley replaces Robby Ashford at quarterback for Auburn
Auburn has made a change at quarterback after a slow start for the Tigers on offense vs. No. 9 Ole Miss. Robby Ashford has been replaced by former starter TJ Finley after the Tigers’ first three drives ended with two punts and an interception.
Update:
After a turnover on his first drive, Finley was sent back to the bench in favor of Ashford. Auburn is averaging just 1.8 yards per play with 13:08 to go in the second quarter.
Saturday is the first time Finley has been made available for Auburn since suffering a shoulder injury three weeks ago. He was considered day-by-day heading into the game, but was cleared after going through warmups.
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With less than 30 yards of offense with Ashford under center, head coach Bryan Harsin made the call to switch signal callers before the end of the first quarter. Finley was strip sacked on third down on his first drive entering the game, good for the Tigers’ second turnover of the quarter.
Bryan Harsin details how Auburn can fix second-half issues
Since Bryan Harsin got to Auburn, the Tigers have struggled in the second halves of games. In Auburn’s last nine games against Power 5 schools, they’ve been outscored in the second half of games 132-31. This inability to adjust or succeed in the second half is how the Tigers have done things like blow leads to LSU. It’s also why Auburn is just 2-7 against its last nine P5 opponents.
While speaking to the media, Bryan Harsin was asked about how he and the team can fix these second-half issues. His answer was less than inspiring.
“I don’t know,” Bryan Harsin said. “We have to work on that. That remains to be seen. I wish I could sit up here and tell you.”
“Until we actually go out there and prove it, it’s just a matter of us going back and looking at those things, which we have. It’s a continuation of us needing to get better at it. I need to look at everything that we’re doing — everything we’re doing on a Sunday and a Monday and a Tuesday. Just our preparation, every single thing that we do. If it’s not working, you don’t want to go back and continue to try and do the same things over and over and over again.”