Payton Thorne named starting quarterback for Auburn

Coach, there's been reports today that you were uh gonna announce *** starting quarterback today and Payne Thorne. Is that true? Do you want to announce that I was, I was, I was going to, you guys seem to uh know everything before it happens. So I don't, that's uh interesting to me because only four people knew that and uh I didn't even tell the staff. So it's interesting to how every, everything works today, but i it's just *** different day and time, but yeah, I've decided to uh uh start Peyton uh Thorn and, um let me say this first. I totally believe that Robbie and Holden, uh we can win games with, with any of the three. Um *** lot of that would depend upon, you know, how we play defensively and, and how the supporting cast play. Uh I believe in all three of those guys and there are days that there's been very little separation. Uh I just believe, man, my gut is usually right and usually when I follow my gut. Um and I'm not saying my gut is right that Peyton is the guy for all 12 games or, but my gut is saying it's the time to do this, uh to get us best prepared for the opening of the season. Um I'm hoping that all three will handle that news, uh extremely well and to continue to work because I believe with all my heart, uh, Robbie Ashford gives us an absolute better chance to win the game if he accepts, um, this, this news and continues to work and develops himself because he might be the most freakish athlete I've ever had *** quarterback. But to this point, I think the separation, uh the reason Peyton is getting the nod is just um the, the leadership ability and uh understanding uh of the offense. And um he's been in some really good battles and um it just seems like he was more efficient in the decision making uh to this point, not that the others were terrible by any means. It was not just *** slam dunk. And so I hope um that everyone will handle it right? And this is, this is, uh I mean, this is happening in *** lot of places NFL here you compete and you continue to compete and trust me. Um once someone gets that job, they gotta hold on to it and hopefully, uh the others continue to work every day to press to, to make me feel like I need to second guess that that's, that's the hope.