Aug. 25, 2016
By Charles Goldberg
AuburnTigers.com
AUBURN, Ala. - Responsibility comes with this job. Sean White says he's ready for it.
White was named Auburn's starting quarterback Thursday by coach Gus Malzahn in a move that squarely puts the sophomore in the headlines. Indeed, White was reminded Thursday that Malzahn has said the starting quarterback is the face of the program.
"Coach Malzahn talks about it. My dad back home talks about it," White said. "You have to use your influence in a positive way."
White said he'll reach out to kids. But he'll also play a tough brand of football, Malzahn said. That's one of the reasons Malzahn chose White over Jeremy Johnson and John Franklin III in a quarterback race that began in the spring and continued through three weeks of fall practice.
White started for Auburn last season as well, but that was after the third game, a move that lasted five games before injuries sidelined him until he could start the bowl game. White said being named a starter before the season-opener against Clemson on Sept. 3 feels different.
"It's a night-and-day difference for me," White said.
"This year I have had all spring and all preseason to prepare to be the starter. I think that has been a huge difference as far as timing with receivers and just be able to just go out there and run the plays and not think and being able to lead everybody.
"Now, I feel comfortable out there where I feel like I can lead the offense and lead the team."
White said establishing leadership has been a "conscious effort for sure."
"It's also been kind of natural. I'm more comfortable and I'm older. I just go out there and take control because you feel like you are out there you are the older guy, the quarterback. You got your receivers and offensive line looking to you."
White said it was a good race and "I have so much respect for the other two quarterbacks. None of us have any hard feelings. If one of us makes a good throw, we're the first ones to jump up and say, 'Hey, what a play.' For them for me, for me for them. And I think that's made us all better during camp. I think it's an honor to be picked out of the three to start the game."
White, who hit 83 of 143 passes for 1,166 yards with one touchdown pass and four interceptions last season, said he was happy that he was able to show what he could do this fall.
"Our team motto this year was 'earn it' so everything had to be earned. It felt good that I felt like I earned my spot. Definitely, it's more than if they tell you that you're the starter early on. You don't have to earn it and compete against two other great quarterbacks. I believe Jeremy and John are really good quarterbacks and I learn from them every single day. To be able to compete with them and it has made me better, no doubt."
White replaced Johnson as the starter last season, but a knee and foot injury slowed him so that Johnson started the final four games of the regular season. White said the injuries "bothered me, but that's no excuse.
"I should have played better at the end of the season. If you're going to play, you have to go in there and play well. That's the object. My focus this year is to stay healthy and build momentum on what I did the first half of last year.
"I still don't believe I played as well as I could have, not even close. I feel like I'm ready to go and I'm 100 percent healthy."
Malzahn said White is a mobile quarterback when healthy. White said he's grateful for a second chance.
"It feels really good. I feel blessed to be in this position and I feel responsible to lead this team against Clemson," White said. "I'm happy that Coach put that responsibility on me and my teammates believe in me. I feel like they have a reason to believe in me. I think we'll be ready to go come Saturday."
White also said he wasn't upset when Franklin, a junior college transfer, was brought into the race in the spring.
"It's the coach's job to bring in somebody better than you every year. That's their job, that's why they get paid to put the best players they can find on the field.
"It was for me to just go out and prove I was the best quarterback for the team."
Charles Goldberg is a Senior Writer at AuburnTigers.com. Follow him on Twitter: Follow @AUGoldMine