Sean White Replaces Jeremy Johnson as Auburn Starting QB

Auburn head coach Gus Malzahn announced Tuesday that quarterback Sean White will replace Jeremy Johnson in the starting lineup for the team's clash with Mississippi State on Saturday.

Tom Green of the Opelika-Auburn News confirmed the coach's decision. Brandon Marcello of AL.com noted Malzahn wasn't prepared to make a long-term commitment to the switch, but he wanted to see what the redshirt freshman could do in game action.

"I'll say this from a coach's standpoint and player's standpoint, you take it one game at a time and that's the way we're doing it," Malzahn said. "We're thinking about nothing but Mississippi State."

He also wouldn't completely rule out Johnson getting some time against the Bulldogs, simply stating: "Right now, Sean White is our starter."

Johnson tossed nine touchdowns with just two interceptions in limited duty over the past two years for the Tigers. He had more interceptions (six) than touchdowns (five) over the first three games this season, however, prompting Malzahn to see if White can provide a spark following a blowout loss to LSU.

White sat out all of last season as a redshirt. He arrived to Auburn as a 4-star prospect and the No. 8 pro-style quarterback in the 2014 class, according to 247Sports' composite rankings. Now, he'll get a chance to live up to that high billing.

The Tigers feature a talented set of players at the skill positions. It's a group that includes Peyton Barber, Ricardo Louis and D'haquille Williams. But their overall impact will be limited if the quarterback can't protect the football.

If White can limit turnovers, he'll have every opportunity to take the job on a full-time basis. That said, there's usually a transition period for a quarterback getting his first snaps at the collegiate level. The Tigers can't expect him to play flawlessly.

In turn, Johnson should get an opportunity to get his spot back. This move is definitely a wake-up call, though. Johnson still has plenty of upside, but he must start making better decisions to reclaim the starting job.