Deuce Knight made quite an impression in his first career start.
Interim head coach DJ Durkin was among those impressed. Knight threw for 239 yards, ran for another 162, and totaled six touchdowns, tying a program record.
Knight started in place of Ashton Daniels, who sat out against Mercer to maintain his redshirt. When Durkin spoke with the media on Monday, he was asked if Knight’s showing was enough to earn him a larger role—either as the starter or in specific packages.
“That’s a great idea. I’ll take that back upstairs,” Durkin joked. “We’ll see if we can get that done.”
Aside from that lighthearted remark, Durkin offered no real hints about Auburn’s quarterback plan for the upcoming week.
Daniels had started the two games prior to Auburn’s win over Mercer. He shined in the Tigers’ overtime loss to Vanderbilt, throwing for 353 yards, rushing for 89, and scoring four total touchdowns.
Given that performance against an SEC defense, it’s hard to dismiss him. Still, Knight showed on Saturday that he can be a dynamic asset in Auburn’s offense.