Freshman Deuce Knight gets the starting nod vs. Mercer

Auburn is turning to its youngest quarterback to start on Saturday. Freshman Deuce Knight will make his first career start on Saturday against Mercer sources tell AuburnSports, giving the Tigers a new look under center for at least part of the game.

Interim head coach DJ Durkin said on Monday that both Knight and Jackson Arnold would take snaps in the game.

Knight, a highly regarded 5-star recruit with dynamic potential, only played a handful of snaps against Ball State earlier this season. He finished 2-of-5 passing for 20 yards, with 16 yards rushing.

Durkin addressed Knight’s preparation earlier in the week, making clear the staff’s focus was on supporting the freshman rather than placing unrealistic weight on his shoulders.

“Both quarterbacks are going to play in the game,” Durkin said at the time.

“I think with Deuce, it’s like any other guy. You give him a plan, and you give him the right tools to help him that suit his strengths. I think, again, it’s about the teammates around you. The quarterback position gets the spotlight, obviously. They often get more credit than they deserve and definitely get more blame than they deserve, but it’s about the guys around you. I think Deuce understands that, too. He’s got great players around him, and his job is to be the distributor of the ball to those guys, and that’s what we’re going to ask him to do.”

Saturday will test Knight’s poise and Auburn’s ability to elevate a young quarterback without overwhelming him. It’s an important moment and an opportunity for Knight to show he may be part of the answer moving forward.