Auburn closes in on end of spring with no QB decision

AUBURN, Ala. (AP) Auburn coach Gus Malzahn isn't naming a starting quarterback yet. The Tigers, who held their spring game on Saturday, have one more practice

AUBURN, Ala. (AP) Auburn coach Gus Malzahn isn't naming a starting quarterback yet.

The Tigers, who held their spring game on Saturday, have one more practice to evaluate the competition between returnees Jeremy Johnson and Sean White and junior college transfer John Franklin III.

Malzahn said he's ''not comfortable'' with naming a starter at quarterback, where Auburn struggled last season. He'll evaluate the position battles after Tuesday's final practice,.

''We have a full body of spring evaluations,'' he said. ''We have gone live a couple of days and that was great. John Franklin III and a couple of those guys went live twice. So, it's good for us in those settings to evaluate. A-Day is a chance to get out there and show what they can do, but also have fun with it.

''I'm not worried about it or concerned that nobody has separated themselves on a day like this.''

The Tigers rotated all three quarterbacks with both the first and second team offense in the annual A-Day spring game at Jordan-Hare Stadium. Malzahn pointed out that it was days after spring concluded before he named Cam Newton the starter in 2010, and Newton went on to lead Auburn to a national championship and win the Heisman Trophy.

Franklin put up solid numbers in his debut before Auburn fans. He was 6-of-6 passing for 61 yards, including a 40-yard touchdown pass to Marcus Davis.

Johnson was 6 of 13 for 35 yards and threw an 8-yard touchdown to Roc Thomas. White went 4 of 8 for 73 yards.

Quarterback struggles were a big reason the Tigers fell well short of expectations.