Auburn will turn to freshman five-star quarterback Deuce Knight when it hosts Mercer on Saturday, according to a report by On3. This marks Knight’s first career start as the Tigers navigate late-season roster changes under interim coach DJ Durkin.
Auburn elects to redshirt Ashton Daniels, who started the past two games and helped spark a win over Arkansas. However, that was three weeks ago and the Tigers have dropped two straight.
With Daniels sidelined, the Tigers chose Knight over veteran Jackson Arnold. The Oklahoma transfer opened the season as the starter before being benched in Week 9. He fell out of favor with the coaching staff and hasn't been given another opportunity after Hugh Freeze was fired.
Knight has appeared in just one game this season, completing 2-of-5 passes for 40 yards in a Week 2 win over Ball State. He arrived on The Plains as the No. 25 overall prospect in the 2025 class.
Durkin said Knight has taken a noticeable leap in recent practices. “He’s just lit up at practice,” Durkin said via On3. “The challenge for him is to let it loose and go play.”
Auburn faces Mercer at 2 p.m. ET on SEC Network+.
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