Much of the excitement surrounding Auburn football entering the 2026 season is centered on quarterback Byrum Brown, and there is plenty of reason for that optimism. Brown is expected to give the Tigers a much-needed spark under first-year head coach Alex Golesh, but Auburn is also beginning to develop a clearer picture of what could happen behind its starting quarterback.
If Brown were to miss time, as he did in 2024, sophomore transfer Tristan Ti’a appears increasingly likely to be the player Auburn turns to.
Golesh provided an update on the quarterback competition, saying Ti’a has been firmly entrenched as the second option during fall camp.
“Tristan Ti’a has taken a majority of the two reps in fall camp so far. He did some really good things today…. He’s still young, uber talented, but still young,” Golesh told reporters. “We rolled [Locklan Hewlett] and Rhys [Brush] with the threes today… We’ll reassess today and see, but so far up until this point in camp, Tristan’s taken all the two reps.”
Ti’a Continues to Separate Himself
Ti’a holding the QB2 position has been the expectation since spring practice, particularly after A-Day, when he delivered two touchdown passes during an impressive performance.
Like Brown, Ti’a arrived on the Plains through the transfer portal this offseason. He spent the previous season at Oregon State, completing 70% of his passes and posting a 142 passer rating. Although his sample size was limited to just 53 attempts, the numbers provided an encouraging glimpse of what he could eventually bring to Auburn.
Before Oregon State, Ti’a was a three-star dual-threat quarterback at Amador Valley High School in Pleasanton, California. He also held offers from Utah, Boston College, UNLV and several other programs before ultimately choosing the Beavers.
Paul Finebaum’s Assessment of Auburn’s Quarterback Situation
While Brown remains the centerpiece of Auburn’s offense, ESPN analyst Paul Finebaum has also highlighted why the quarterback position could determine just how far the Tigers go in 2026.
Finebaum has pointed to Brown’s proven production as one of the biggest reasons for optimism. Brown followed Golesh from South Florida after throwing for 3,158 yards, 28 touchdowns and seven interceptions while adding 1,008 rushing yards and 14 touchdowns in 2025.
Finebaum has also acknowledged the major question facing Brown: whether that production can translate against SEC competition.
“Fix the quarterback position, and everything else becomes easier,” Finebaum said in an assessment of Auburn’s situation. “Fail to do so, and no amount of coaching changes will be enough to reverse the trend.”
That assessment puts additional importance on Auburn’s depth behind Brown. The Tigers are not simply hoping their new quarterback succeeds; they are also trying to establish enough stability at the position to avoid another season being derailed by injuries or inconsistency.
Auburn’s Quarterbacks Are Building Continuity
Ti’a is the only quarterback on the roster without previous ties to South Florida, but for now, he appears to be clearly ahead of former Bulls third-string quarterback Locklan Hewlett and former USF commit Rhys Brush.
Golesh has plenty of continuity in his quarterback room. Brown is entering his fourth season in the system, while Hewlett is heading into his second. Brush, a true freshman who has yet to play a regular-season snap, was recruited by Golesh and fits the offensive system the coach is installing at Auburn.
That familiarity gives Ti’a an advantageous environment in which to develop.
He is young and does not appear to be under immediate pressure to take over the offense, while also having the benefit of working alongside quarterbacks who already understand Golesh’s system. That should give him valuable time to learn, develop and become increasingly comfortable with the offense.
Auburn Finally Has Stability at Quarterback
There is still a long way to go before 2027, and Auburn’s immediate attention remains firmly on the 2026 season. Still, Ti’a’s progress provides another encouraging development for a program that has experienced considerable uncertainty at quarterback in recent years.
Ideally, Auburn will not need Ti’a to take many meaningful snaps this season. If Brown remains healthy and performs as expected, the sophomore can continue developing behind him.
But should Auburn need its backup quarterback, the early signs suggest the Tigers are in a much better position than they have been in recent years.
After so much instability at the position, having a clear starter, an emerging No. 2 and a developing young quarterback behind them is a refreshing development on the Plains.