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Can Jeremy Johnson have Cam Newton-like impact at Auburn?

By Patrick Schmidt

Apr 18, 2015; Auburn, AL, USA; Auburn Tigers quarterback Jeremy Johnson (6) drops back to pass during the A-Day game at Jordan-Hare Stadium. Mandatory Credit: John Reed-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 18, 2015; Auburn, AL, USA; Auburn Tigers quarterback Jeremy Johnson (6) drops back to pass during the A-Day game at Jordan-Hare Stadium. Mandatory Credit: John Reed-USA TODAY Sports /
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The Auburn Tigers officially named Jeremy Johnson as the team’s starting quarterback.

Two days after the Auburn Tigers ended their spring practice with the team’s annual spring game at A-Day on Saturday, head coach Gus Malzahn named Jeremy Johnson the team’s starting quarterback.

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The news doesn’t come as any sort of surprise as Johnson was the assumed starter for the last two years after arriving as Mr. Alabama Football and a highly touted recruit. With Nick Marshall leading the team to the BCS Championship Game in his freshman year, Johnson got to watch and learn from him to and soak up as much knowledge until his time came.

He had his chance to show the Auburn coaching staff and the Auburn fan base what he was capable of in a start against Western Carolina his freshman year when he was 17-of-21 passing for 201 yards and four touchdowns in a 62-3 rout over the FCS opponent with Marshall out with a knee injury.

Johnson will start his second straight season opener when the Tigers open the season on Sept. 5 in Atlanta against Louisville after he started the opener against Arkansas with Marshall suspended for the first half after he was cited for marijuana possession.

In that game, Johnson showed the coaching staff and Auburn fans that he was more than ready to lead the Tigers last year if his number was called when he threw for 243 yards and two touchdowns on 12-of-16 passing. Johnson would only get 21 more pass attempts in five games the rest of the season, but in his limited experience he has shown he has the tools to be the next great quarterback at Auburn.

The 6-5, 230-pound Johnson is a better pure thrower than Marshall and fans are expecting a Cam Newton-like first season for him on The Plains. I think that’s overzealous to compare a player with 88 career pass attempts on his resume to the best quarterback in program history who won the Heisman Trophy and national championship in his lone season at Auburn, but that’s the type of excitement he brings to the offense.

With wide receiver Duke Williams bypassing the NFL Draft and returning this season, the two could form the best QB-WR combination in the SEC and they showed chemistry in the Arkansas game last year when he had nine catches for 154 yards in his team debut. Most impressive of the nine catches were the 62-yard bomb and the 18-yard catch that went for touchdowns from Johnson.

Malzahn is one of the best offensive-oriented coaches in college and offensive coordinator Rhett Lashell is a rising star and future head coach so the potential is there for Johnson do have a special year for Auburn this year and next.

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