Auburn football QB Ashton Daniels gets starting nod vs. Vanderbilt, DJ Durkin says

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AUBURN — There won’t be a quarterback change when Auburn football faces Vanderbilt this weekend in its first game under interim head coach DJ Durkin.

Durkin announced Wednesday, Nov. 5, that Ashton Daniels will get the starting nod against the 16th-ranked Commodores on Saturday, Nov. 8.

“He gives us the best opportunity to win the game,” Durkin said on the SEC teleconference. “Our team, our coaches are all 100% behind him.”

It’ll be Daniels’ second consecutive start. Hugh Freeze picked the Stanford transfer over incumbent starter Jackson Arnold for the Tigers’ eventual loss to Kentucky last weekend after Daniels helped Auburn to a comeback victory against Arkansas the week prior.

Daniels was 13-for-28 passing against Kentucky with 108 yards through the air and 48 yards on the ground, but Freeze kept him on a short leash. Daniels was pulled after the first drive of the second half for Arnold, which amounted to a pair of measly possessions. Freeze returned to his starter for the game’s final drive, a 15-play, 46-yard possession that ended in a game-sealing heave of an interception.

“He’s done a really good job preparing this week,” Durkin said of Daniels. “He’ll be the guy we go with, and I think we have a good plan for him.”

Adam Cole is the Auburn athletics beat writer for the Montgomery Advertiser. He can be reached via email at acole@gannett.com or on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, @colereporter.To support Adam’s work, please subscribe to the Montgomery Advertiser.

This article originally appeared on Montgomery Advertiser: Auburn football QB Ashton Daniels gets start against Vanderbilt

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