Jeremy Johnson named Auburn's starting quarterback

AUBURN -- The Future is finally The Present.

Jeremy Johnson , the heir apparent Auburn quarterback for the past two years, is officially the Tigers' starter.

Auburn coach Gus Malzahn announced the decision, widely considered a formality, following Monday's practice, Auburn's last of spring.

"We just named Jeremy Johnson our starting QB for 2015," Malzahn tweeted. "Everyone in our program has 100 percent confidence in him! War Eagle!"

Johnson was 14 for 22 for 252 yards with two touchdowns, all with the first-team offense, and led four scoring drives during the first half of Saturday's A-Day game. By comparison, Sean White, a redshirt-freshman, was 15 for 19 for 109 yards and led just one scoring drive while exclusively with second-team offense.

Both Johnson and White pleaded ignorance as to their presumptive roles following Saturday's scrimmage, deferring to Malzahn, whose decision ended what had been a charade of a "competition" at quarterback this spring.

"I want them both to raise their level, just like I want everybody on offense to," offensive coordinator Rhett Lashlee said of Johnson and White two weeks ago. "I think they're in a good direction. That may or may not have any bearing. We'll know. We'll know, hey, when this is the right guy for now.

"It's kind alike last year. We felt like we could win with Nick (Marshall) and we felt like we could win with Jeremy. That's the way I want it to be this year."

But the Montgomery native's spot atop the depth chart was obvious from the day Auburn opened spring practice on March 10 and was never seriously challenged

Junior college transfer Jason Smith dropped out of the race to switch to receiver before even getting to the first scrimmage, true freshman Tyler Queen was the only scholarship signal caller to be live this spring, and White's second-team only A-Day outing was particularly telling.

The 6-foot-5 230 pound Johnson was being groomed for this role while serving as Nick Marshall's backup the past two years. The former G.W. Carver star wants to throw for " at least throw for 3,000 yards and also rush for 1,000," which would be the greatest season ever, at least statistically, by an Auburn quarterback.

Johnson is in line to be Auburn's first returning starting quarterback for the season opener since Brandon Cox (2006-07).

In his first two seasons Johnson is 57 for 78 for 858 yards with nine touchdowns and two interceptions, starting against Western Carolina as a true freshman in 2013 and the 2014 season opener against Arkansas, with his only other significant time coming in three quarters of action against Florida Atlantic in 2013.

With the offense expected to emphasize the passing game much more in the fall, Johnson believes the Tigers can challenge anyone in the SEC.

"I'm very confident," Johnson said. "As long as we make plays down the field vertically, at least eight down-the-field plays (per game), we are going to be very successful."