Through two games this season, the Auburn Tigers have used six different running backs and three different quarterbacks. And while having depth at those spots is nothing you’ll hear a coach gripe about, it does sometimes present challenges.

At Auburn, we’ve seen such be the case at the quarterback spot as first-year head coach Hugh Freeze has used a two-quarterback approach in the Tigers’ first two contests. While junior Michigan State transfer Payton Thorne has started both games under center, sophomore Robby Ashford has seen his fair share of snaps, too.

The two-quarterback dance worked against UMass on Sept. 2. However, when Auburn was playing Cal in Berkeley last Saturday, the Tigers’ offense sputtered and couldn’t get anything going — regardless of who was under center.

“The other night was not something I’m okay with,” Freeze said of the QB rotation during the SEC’s weekly teleconference on Wednesday. “I think we’ve got to decide who is the guy and obviously I’ve said — and I mean this — Robby needs to get touches. But the shuffling in and out, I don’t think is healthy for anyone.”

Freeze went on to say during Wednesday’s teleconference that everyone within Auburn’s football facility understands that they’ve got to earn the right to maintain their playing time — and that doesn’t stop at the quarterback spot.

Thorne gives Auburn its best chance to run the entire offense, Freeze says. But the transfer quarterback has yet to put that on full display.

“Hopefully he’ll start taking hold of that and showing that and improving that,” Freeze said. “But at the same time, Holden (Geriner) and Robby are sure nipping at his heels wanting their chance too. I think these next few weeks will play out and we’ll kinda know where we are for sure.”

Meanwhile, it’s a completely different story in the running back room.

Unlike the quarterback room, the running back room doesn’t lack surefooted talent. Instead, it’s got too much of it.

Coming into the season, junior Jarquez Hunter was primed to be Auburn’s bellcow at running back. Hunter played his first snaps for the Tigers last Saturday after missing Game 1 against UMass. Hunter tallied 11 carries for 53 yards in a performance that looked “rusty” to Freeze.

Meanwhile, sophomore Damari Alston and freshman Jeremiah Cobb have both seen plenty of action through two games.

Alston has totaled 94 yards on 16 carries and a touchdown, while Cobb has added 77 yards on eight attempts with a touchdown.

Given the running back room’s depth and Cobb’s freshman status, it was unclear whether Freeze might redshirt him. However, that doesn’t sound like it’ll be the case.

“I love it every time he has the ball in his hands,” Freeze said Wednesday. “The problem is I like Jarquez, and I like Damari and I like (Brian) Battie also. But Jeremiah has got something different to him and the stage, to this point, doesn’t appear too big for him. So I would only see his involvement growing, for sure. Not diminishing.”

Brian Battie, Justin Jones and Sean Jackson are three other running backs that have taken the field already this fall, rounding out the deepest running backs room Cadillac Williams has coached since returning to Auburn as the Tigers’ running backs coach in 2019.

It’s the deepest room Freeze has ever been around, too, he said Wednesday.

“Truthfully I’ve never had as deep of a running back room as we have here,” Freeze said. So it’s a challenge… I hope we can find a way to keep them all involved for sure because I think they all add something to us that can help us win. But it is a challenge.”