Auburn tigers quarterback has decided to leave auburn
auburn tigers quarterback has decided to leave auburn due
Source: Auburn quarterback Woody Barrett leaving program
Buried on the depth chart, quaterback Woody Barrett has decided to leave Auburn.
Woody Barrett’s brief stint at Auburn is over.
The backup quarterback is planning to leave Auburn, a source familiar with the decision tells AuburnUndercover. Barrett slid down the depth chart in the spring and did not receive a single snap in the second half of the A-Day game.
Barrett is expected to transfer to a junior college for a semester before rejoining a Division I program, a source close to Barrett told AUC.
Barrett’s development has been slow while on campus. He injured his ankle shortly after arriving on campus, missed several practices in August and was slow to learn the system and process information throughout his redshirt season. Newcomer Malik Willis, a freshman, then leapfrogged him on the depth chart this spring, leaving Barrett fourth on the depth chart.
The former four-star recruit was rated the nation’s No. 6 dual-threat quarterback, according to the 247Sports Composite.
Sources tell AuburnUndercover.com that Auburn’s offseason change at offensive coordinator/quarterback coach (Rhett Lashlee left and was replaced by Chip Lindsey) also was a factor in Barrett’s decision to leave because he hadn’t felt comfortable in the new offense.
Auburn coaches were also surprised at his lack of progress. When asked specifically about Barrett’s position on the team, Auburn coach Gus Malzahn was not high on the quarterback.
“Yeah, you know, we’ll have to see,” Malzahn said Thursday outside the Tampa Auburn Club. “He’s kind of toward the bottom of the depth chart right there but he’s got a lot of winner in him and he’s got a lot of competitiveness in him and we’ll just have to see.”
Barrett attempted — and completed — only two passes, the lowest amount among all quarterbacks at the A-Day scrimmage. Walkon quarterback Devin Adams played more than Barrett and was 3 of 4 passing for 73 yards and one touchdown, the lone throwing score of the scrimmage. Barrett’s completions went for 12 and two yards.
Barrett is the second quarterback to leave the program since the spring. Backup Tyler Queen left for Division II West Georgia in March.
Former quarterback John Franklin III was moved from quarterback to receiver in the spring.
Auburn is down to three scholarship quarterbacks for 2017 — Jarrett Stidham, 2016 starter Sean White and Willis.
The Tigers have one class-of-2018 quarterback commitment — Joey Gatewood — and would like to add another. Five-star recruit Justin Fields of Kennesaw (Ga.) Harrison probably is Auburn’s top target, but he currently is committed to Penn State.