Much of the excitement surrounding Auburn football heading into 2026 has been driven by starting quarterback Byrum Brown, and understandably so. But if Brown were to miss time, as he did in 2024, the Tigers appear to be gaining a better understanding of who could take over.
Auburn head coach Alex Golesh provided an important update Friday, revealing that Tristan Ti’a has handled the majority of the second-team quarterback reps during fall camp.
Golesh praised Ti’a’s performance while also emphasizing that the young quarterback still has plenty of room to develop. Locklan Hewlett and Rhys Brush have been working with the third team, while Ti’a has continued to receive the bulk of the No. 2 opportunities.
Ti’a emerging as Auburn’s QB2 isn’t necessarily a surprise. He has been viewed as the leading candidate for the backup role since spring practices. That became even clearer during A-Day, when Ti’a delivered an impressive performance highlighted by two touchdown passes.
Like Byrum Brown, Tristan Ti’a joined Auburn through the transfer portal this offseason. The sophomore quarterback spent the 2025 season at Oregon State, where he completed 70% of his passes and recorded a 142 passer rating. Although he attempted only 53 passes, his efficiency provided encouraging signs of what he could bring to Auburn.
Before arriving at Oregon State, Ti’a was a three-star dual-threat quarterback at Amador Valley High School in Pleasanton, California. He received scholarship offers from several programs, including Utah, Boston College and UNLV, but ultimately decided to continue his career with the Beavers.
Now at Auburn, Ti’a appears to be establishing himself as the Tigers’ leading option behind Brown on the quarterback depth chart.
Quarterbacks on the same page
Ti’a is currently the only quarterback on Auburn’s roster who doesn’t have a previous connection to USF. Even so, he appears to have established a clear advantage over former Bulls third-string quarterback Locklan Hewlett and former USF commit Rhys Brush.
Head coach Alex Golesh also appears comfortable with the quarterback depth chart, and there is plenty of continuity within the group. Brown is entering his fourth season in the system, while Hewlett is preparing for his second year. Although true freshman Rhys Brush has yet to take a regular-season snap, Golesh recruited him and clearly believes he fits the offensive system.
For now, Ti’a seems to have positioned himself as the clear No. 2 option behind Brown.
Because of the continuity within Auburn’s quarterback room, Tristan Ti’a finds himself in an excellent position to develop. He is still young and isn’t being forced into action, allowing him to learn the system while working alongside quarterbacks who already understand Alex Golesh’s offense.
Although the 2027 season is still a long way off and isn’t the immediate priority, Ti’a’s progress during fall camp is certainly encouraging. Continued development in practice should give him valuable experience with the offensive scheme before he is eventually asked to take on a larger role.
Ideally, Auburn won’t need Ti’a to play significant snaps this season, which would mean Byrum Brown remains healthy. Still, having a promising young backup developing behind him provides some much-needed stability at quarterback.
After several years of uncertainty at the position, the Tigers finally appear to have a more settled and promising quarterback situation heading into the future.
