AMBUSH: Joey Gatewood, Bo Nix to compete for starting QB job, Gus Malzahn says

AMBUSH: Joey Gatewood, Bo Nix to compete for starting QB job, Gus Malzahn saysAMBUSH: Joey Gatewood, Bo Nix to compete for starting QB job, Gus Malzahn says

DOTHAN, Ala. – Auburn's quarterback competition enters the summer with two leading contenders, redshirt freshman Joey Gatewood and true freshman Bo Nix.

"One of those two guys will be our starting quarterback for our first game," said Gus Malzahn Wednesday at the first AMBUSH Auburn Alumni Association engagement tour stop. "They'll compete during the summer and during fall camp, we'll make a decision. Those two guys really separated themselves. Looking forward to seeing who wins the job."

Gatewood and Nix each threw a pair of touchdown passes in Auburn's A-Day game. Gatewood completed 7 of 10 passes for 123 yards while Nix was 11-for-16 for 155 yards.

"You've got a chance to narrow things down, let those guys go at it. Start working this summer," Malzahn said. "Summer is critical as far as receiver-quarterback development, and really probably leadership development. Really looking forward to those guys from a leadership standpoint."

Reducing the race to two candidates will allow Gatewood and Nix more practice reps during preseason camp.

"They can start getting the majority of the reps with the No. 1 receivers. It's extremely hard to develop any kind of timing, chemistry when you're rotating a bunch of quarterbacks. We were rotating four," Malzahn said. "We got great information during the spring. We let them go live one time, we had a lot of scrimmage reps, a lot of different scenarios.

"Feel like both of those guys have a chance to really zero in. The more reps they get, obviously the better they're going to be, but they showed that they can lead our offense, and both of them have a chance to be a very successful quarterback here at Auburn.

Cord Sandberg and Malik Willis will compete for the No. 3 quarterback position.

"Cord Sandberg, we felt like did some really good things. We really think he's going to get better and better," Malzahn said. "Malik Willis competed well. He's a competitor, and he wants to keep improving and keep getting better.

Nix graduated a semester early from Pinson Valley High School northeast of Birmingham, enrolling at Auburn in January so he could participate in spring practice. He'll begin his first preseason camp on the Plains with a chance to start the season opener in Dallas against Oregon on Aug. 31.

"He's earned it," Malzahn said. "We went into the spring with a very open mind and wanted to put in a lot of different scenarios and situations. He's earned it, as well Joey Gatewood. He really improved from the fall. Both of those guys were very desperate to win the position, and that's really what stood out to our coaches."

The AMBUSH Tour continues Thursday in Decatur, Alabama with stops in Columbus, Georgia on June 17 and Mobile on June 18.

"We're excited about next season," Malzahn said. "We had a very good spring as far as leadership goes and chemistry. Looking forward to getting back out there in fall camp and coaching this football team."

Jeff Shearer is a Senior Writer at AuburnTigers.com. Follow him on Twitter: @jeff_shearer