Auburn football is getting a major boost as star quarterback Ashton Daniels has reversed his earlier decision to enter the NCAA transfer portal and will return to the Tigers for the upcoming season. Reports indicate that Daniels did not receive offers from other programs, prompting him to stay and reclaim his role as Auburn’s starting quarterback.
Daniels, who played at Stanford from 2022–2024 before joining Auburn, appeared in four games during the 2025 season, starting three. He threw for 797 yards with three touchdowns and two interceptions, completing 57.1 percent of his passes. Auburn went 0–3 in games Daniels started, but his experience and familiarity with the team are expected to be invaluable for new head coach Alex Golesh as he works to rebuild the roster.
With Daniels’ return, Auburn’s quarterback room now has a proven starter leading the offense, alongside rising sophomore Deuce Knight and incoming three-star signee Rhys Brush. This reversal brings stability to a position that saw significant turnover last season, including the departure of Jackson Arnold to the transfer portal.
Golesh, who took over as head coach on Nov. 30 after three successful seasons at South Florida, emphasized that Daniels’ decision to stay is a positive step for the program as it aims to end a stretch of seasons without a winning record—the Tigers’ last winning campaign was in 2020 (6–5).
Fans will be looking to Daniels to provide leadership and consistency at quarterback, giving Auburn hope for a stronger 2026 season under Golesh’s guidance.