After all the discussion and expert analysis of JJ's performance to date, this piece by Wesley Sinor is exactly where I'm at with the Johnson. dot I am a gay twerker that has no balls!!!! I also have no idea how to use the quote function to post stories, so I annoy the piss out of others. I like male genatalia in and around my mouth. of #uknow
Every week I dip into my e-mails and the comments on AL.com for fan questions to submit to "Tiger Talk," Gus Malzahn's weekly radio appearance.
After Auburn's Jeremy Johnson threw three terrible interceptions against Louisville and two more against FCS foe Jacksonville State, interest surrounding backup quarterback Sean White has been on a steady rise.
"Will you be willing to try another QB? I understand that White has had a very good fall?"
"Sean White would get the offense out of third gear and into overdrive."
"We must replace Jeremy Johnson with Sean White to save the season. Why is it so difficult for you to see this?"
The backup quarterback is always the most popular guy on campus when the starter is playing poorly, but folks, I'm here to tell you playing White at this point in the season is a bad idea.
To put it bluntly, Johnson gives Auburn its best chance to succeed offensively this season. If that weren't the case, Malzahn would not have named him the starting quarterback immediately after the A-Day spring game.
The 6-foot-5, 240-pounder from Montgomery has obviously struggled with his decision making thus far, but I can assure you talent is not the issue. You may not believe it if you've only seen him play this season, but Johnson is more athletic, has a stronger arm and can spin the football tightly and accurately.
It's probably fair to chalk up some of Johnson's mistakes against Louisville to first-game jitters. He entered the season with 12/1 odds to win the Heisman Trophy (odds that have since dropped to 50/1) and was expected to lead the Tigers into contention for a College Football Playoff spot. That's certainly a lot of pressure to put on a 20-year-old, but there's simply no excuse for his interceptions against JSU.
At this point, Johnson's biggest hurdle is the mental aspect of his game. When asked about confidence, Johnson, his coaches and his teammates are all saying the right things. But I would be shocked if Johnson's poise hasn't taken a hit.
The Tigers are about to enter their biggest test of the season at LSU, where they have not won a game since 1999. What would happen if Malzahn pulled the plug on Johnson in favor of a redshirt freshman in front of all those rowdy fans in Death Valley, considered one of the toughest and loudest environments in all of college football? I'll tell you what would happen — they'd eat him up quicker than the gumbo at the pregame tailgate.
The fact is, White has never thrown a pass in his college career while Johnson has been groomed for two seasons to lead Malzahn's offense. If Johnson were to be benched, any remaining confidence he has would likely be thrown out the window.
This is not intended to be a knock on White. The 6-foot, 200-pounder from Hollywood, Fla., is a fine signal-caller who won Nike's Elite 11 competition in Oregon in 2013. His accuracy has been praised by coaches since he's been on campus and he may very well be Auburn's quarterback of the future.
But he's simply not ready right now. His first game experience shouldn't be on the road in a hostile stadium, it should be during a blowout when there's little consequence for failure.
Of course, I could be completely wrong about everything you've read above. Johnson could stink it up again on Saturday and White could come in and save the day, but I just don't see it happening.
Auburn is 2-0. It's an ugly 2-0, but 2-0 nonetheless. Until the Tigers trail by two or more scores in a game, I'd stick with Johnson.