‘Long way to go’: OC Philip Montgomery gives early returns in Auburn’s QB battle

Auburn’s quarterback battle was something Hugh Freeze said he wanted to whittle down to two within the first 10 days of the program’s fall camp.
But the program’s at the halfway point of that 10-day mark, and Freeze’s offensive coordinator said there’s been little in the way of a breakout passer.
“I just want to see somebody take control and take a step forward,” Philip Montgomery said Monday. “Separate themselves. That's what you're looking for in your quarterback position, a guy that's going to lead, guy that's going to make plays. He doesn't have to be Superman, but he does have to be consistent in his play in his decision making and taking care of the football, and then moving us down the field and staying ahead of chains. When we do that then we're always going to be effective.”
He also added: "We've still got a long way to go before we figure out who's going to be our starting quarterback, but I think all of them have shown flashes."
Montgomery gave a full rundown of the battle, with insights on Holden Geriner, Robby Ashford and Michigan State transfer Payton Thorne. Here’s a rundown of his assessments.
Payton Thorne
Junior quarterback Payton Thorne (1) throws a pass during the Auburn football team’s first day of fall practice at the Woltosz Center on Thursday, Aug. 3, 2023 in Auburn.
One of the oft-disclosed things about Thorne this early in his Auburn tenure has been, well, his texting habits.
It’s something Freeze mentioned last week — “I’m in my phone every day (and Payton says), ‘Hey coach, you got any free time today? Hey coach, you got any free time today?’ — and Montgomery added to it Tuesday.
“You want to talk about a guy who is professional about the way he goes after his work?” Montgomery said. “He's another guy you have to run out of the building. He's always watching tape. He's always studying. He'll text me, 'Hey, what do I read on this? What do I read on that? I saw this on tape, how are we progressing through this?' He wants to be on top of every detail that is involved in our offense.”
He’s more than just detail-oriented, though. Montgomery said Thorne’s “seeing things right now at a really good rate,” and that for as recent of an addition as he is, he’s catching up quickly.
“You've got to remember, he wasn't here in the spring,” Montgomery said. “Some of the things that he's picked up on, we've gotta get everybody else around that to be on the same page with him. But I think he's done a great job with his leadership. He's disciplined, and he's professional about what he does.”
Robby Ashford
Auburn football practice - Aug. 3
Sophomore quarterback Robby Ashford (9) carries during a drill during the Auburn football team’s first day of fall practice at the Woltosz Center on Thursday, Aug. 3, 2023 in Auburn.
Adam Sparks /
After struggling through the air statistically last season, Montgomery said it's where Ashford has made the biggest strides to this point.
“He's hit a good sum of deep balls,” Montgomery said. “He's been a little more consistent on his underneath stuff. And that's an area where he wants to improve. He's got a big arm, but it's the consistency of the fundamentals that kind of go into that part of it. He's worked really hard on that. I think he's really operated.”
Ashford finished the 2022 season completing less than 50% of his passes, and while he threw for 1,613 yards, he also tossed as many interceptions (7) as he did touchdowns. He played in 12 contests, but stepped into the program’s starting role against Missouri and finished out the season at QB1. He also battled through injury down the stretch, playing with as many as three injuries in his throwing shoulder at one point.
“He does a really good job of trying to lead and be positive and do the things that we're asking him to do,” Montgomery added. “When he pulls it down, you better hold on, because he can do some things with it, but I think his biggest progression has been in the throwing side of it.”
Holden Geriner
Auburn football practice - Aug. 4
Redshirt freshman quarterback Holden Geriner (12) throws a pass during Auburn's football practice on Friday, Aug. 4, 2023 at the Woltosz Center in Auburn.
Adam Sparks /
Bryan Harsin said it. Freeze has said it, too. And now Montgomery can be added to that list — Geriner has a natural throwing ability, and that’s shone through early.
“The ball just zips off of his hands,” Montgomery said. “He stands tall in the pocket. I think he’s doing a really good job of working through his progression, putting his eyes in the right spot and not hanging too long. I think he has the ability to do some things with his feet (and) be able to get outside when things break down. But the best part of his game is mentally being on point with what he’s got.
“Again, his arm is really natural when it comes off. He spins it tight. He can hit small windows. He can push the ball down the field. I think he does a great job of that.”