Auburn QB Byrum Brown struggles in A-Day scrimmage

New Tigers QB had three turnovers and no touchdowns in first spring game

Apr. 18, 2026 at 10:51pm

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A fragmented, geometric painting depicting a football quarterback in the midst of a passing attempt, with sharp planes of color representing the chaotic nature of the play.A cubist interpretation of Auburn's new quarterback Byrum Brown struggling to find his rhythm in the team's spring scrimmage.Auburn Today

Former South Florida quarterback Byrum Brown, the biggest addition to Auburn's roster this offseason, struggled in his first public performance for the Tigers. Brown completed just 7-of-14 passes for 85 yards with two interceptions and also lost a fumbled snap during the A-Day spring scrimmage. Head coach Alex Golesh said Brown 'didn't see it great' and had trouble getting into a rhythm with plays being blown dead due to the non-contact jerseys worn by quarterbacks.

Why it matters

As the new face of Auburn's offense under Golesh, Brown's performance in the spring game was highly anticipated by fans eager to see the impact of the transfer quarterback. While the struggles were unexpected, it's still very early in Brown's transition to the SEC, and the coaching staff remains confident in his abilities ahead of the season opener.

The details

Brown finished the A-Day scrimmage with three turnovers - two interceptions and a lost fumble on a bad snap. His first interception came when linebacker Jared Smith jumped a screen pass, and the second was on an overthrow over the middle that was picked off by middle linebacker Bryce Deas. Brown also missed on a few deep ball attempts early, which Golesh said may have impacted his rhythm. The coach noted that with the quarterbacks in non-contact jerseys, it was difficult for Brown to get comfortable running the offense the way he normally would.

  • The A-Day spring scrimmage took place on April 15, 2026.

The players

Byrum Brown

The former South Florida quarterback is the new starting QB for Auburn after transferring in this offseason.

Alex Golesh

The head coach of the Auburn football team, in his first season leading the Tigers.

Jared Smith

Auburn linebacker who intercepted a pass from Brown during the A-Day scrimmage.

Bryce Deas

Auburn middle linebacker who intercepted a pass from Brown during the A-Day scrimmage.

Keshaun Singleton

Auburn wide receiver who was Brown's top target, catching 3 passes for 58 yards in the scrimmage.

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What they’re saying

“To be honest with you, I didn't think Byrum saw it great today. I thought he was efficient in what he needed to do, but I don't think he saw it great in the middle of the field.”

— Alex Golesh, Head Coach

“Hard to get in a rhythm when you're not fully live. So that's a part of it, but I'll be fine. Looking forward to the first game, to be honest.”

— Byrum Brown

“I thought he was efficient. I just didn't think he saw it great today.”

— Alex Golesh, Head Coach

What’s next

Brown and the Auburn offense will have the summer to continue working on timing and chemistry ahead of the season opener against Baylor on September 5.

The takeaway

While Brown's A-Day performance was underwhelming, the coaching staff remains confident in his abilities and sees it as an early growing pain in his transition to the SEC. With more live reps and time to develop chemistry with his receivers, Brown should be primed to make a strong debut when the games start to count.