New Auburn QB Byrum Brown Struggled in Weekend Spring Game

April 21, 2026 Michael Brauner Auburn, Auburn, Featured News
GAINESVILLE, FL - SEPTEMBER 06:South Florida Bulls head coach Alex Golesh talks with South Florida Bulls quarterback Byrum Brown (17) before they take the field during a college football game between the South Florida Bulls and Florida Gators on September 6th, 2025 at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium in Gainesville, FL. (Photo by Chris Leduc/Icon Sportswire)

The Auburn Tigers held their annual A-Day event this past Saturday in Jordan-Hare Stadium, the first under new head coach Alex Golesh with an offense led by new quarterback Byrum Brown.

Despite arriving to The Plains amidst a ton of fanfare following his transfer from South Florida to continue playing for Golesh, it was not all pretty in Auburn’s first look at their new QB in a Tigers uniform.

Brown completed just 50 percent of his passes (7-for-14) for 85 yards and two interceptions, not the start either he or fans wanted to see. Notably, backup quarterback Tristan Ti’a — a fellow transfer — completed 15 of his 20 attempts for close to 200 yards with a touchdown and an interception as well.

It should be noted that spring game stats should be taken with a massive grain of salt, and many Auburn fans were quick to point to Cam Newton’s 2010 A-Day performance, when he went 3-for-8 for just 61 yards before going on to deliver one of the greatest individual seasons in the sport’s history.

“To be honest with you, I didn’t think Byrum saw it great today,” Golesh said after the game while talking to media. “I said it on the headset, I really didn’t, where his game has come in the last 15 practices. I thought he was efficient in what he needed to do, but I don’t think he saw it great in the middle of the field…It’s hard to move around; it’s going to be quick-whistled every time. He missed the two deep balls early. He reset and he was fine, mentally he was fine, composure-wise, but I just don’t think he saw it great.”

It does not sound like Golesh is concerned at all, but it does seem Brown clearly has some more work to do in order to be ready for the start of the season.