The 2025 Auburn football season has spiraled far more than anyone expected, ultimately leading to the dismissal of head coach Hugh Freeze. The Tigers have battled offensive inconsistency all year, cycling through multiple quarterbacks and still unable to find a rhythm. Going into their matchup with Mercer, they plan to use two quarterbacks—along with an unexpected twist.
On3’s Justin Hokanson reported Monday that interim head coach D.J. Durkin told the media both Jackson Arnold and true freshman Deuce Knight will take snaps against Mercer. Stanford transfer Ashton Daniels, meanwhile, will sit out to preserve his redshirt and return for the Alabama game. Durkin also declined to name a starter for Saturday.
Daniels, a senior transfer from Stanford, has already appeared in three games this season and can only play once more if he wants to maintain his redshirt and keep an additional year of eligibility.
With Auburn closing the season at home against No. 10 Alabama, Durkin chose to hold Daniels out until the Iron Bowl—a game where the Tigers could potentially derail Alabama’s playoff hopes.
“As head coach, you’re responsible for doing what’s best for your team and your program,” Durkin said. “But you also owe it to your players and their families to do what’s best for them. When those goals line up, that’s the ideal situation, and I believe that’s where we are now. Preserving Ashton’s redshirt so he can return for another season is the right move.”
Daniels made his first appearance against Arkansas, replacing Jackson Arnold and guiding Auburn to a win. He later played in the 10–3 loss to Kentucky and delivered a standout performance versus Vanderbilt, totaling 442 yards and four touchdowns in a 45–38 overtime defeat.
The Mercer game gives Arnold a chance to reset after a season of uneven play and provides Auburn fans their first real look at highly touted freshman Deuce Knight.