The Auburn Tigers head into Mercer week with big storylines swirling — and D.J. Durkin just cleared the air. In this week’s presser, Durkin confirmed that Ashton Daniels will redshirt, setting the stage for Deuce Hogan and Hank Brown to share the spotlight at quarterback. This decision shapes not just Mercer prep, but the next chapter of Auburn football heading toward the Iron Bowl. Durkin praised the team’s bye week focus and emphasized how the staff used that time to sharpen all three phases of the game. The message was simple: control what’s in front of you. Mercer comes in 9-1, boasting the nation’s top-ranked offense and a pass-happy system that’s lighting up scoreboards. Durkin made it clear — Auburn’s not looking ahead to Alabama. The focus is on Mercer, 1:00 PM Saturday, period. Durkin’s handling of the quarterback situation was all business. Preserving Ashton’s redshirt protects Auburn’s long-term future while giving Deuce and Hank a real shot to prove themselves. That’s a smart move from a coach who’s still auditioning for the permanent job but clearly knows how to build buy-in.

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