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Auburn quarterback Jonathan Wallace (12) greets quarterback Nick Marshall (14) Tuesday, March 25, 2014, during spring football practice at the Auburn Athletic Complex in Auburn, Ala. (Julie Bennett/jbennett@al.com)

-- A different

Nick Marshall

is roaming Auburn's practice fields this spring.

Marshall is no longer a newcomer, no longer the inexperienced quarterback trying to learn the offense on the fly and get the game plan down pat week to week in the SEC.

Auburn's starting quarterback is completely comfortable now, an established presence taking full control of his offense as the Tigers prepare for his second season as a starter.

"It's just the way he's carrying himself," head coach

Gus Malzahn

said. "You can tell he's getting more comfortable, and the game's a lot slower for him."

Marshall has something of a magnetism about him, a quality that allowed him to lead even while he learned last season. A quiet personality naturally, Marshall's ability to lead by example played key role in the quarterback race last August.

"With his presence, our guys want to follow him," Auburn offensive coordinator

Rhett Lashlee

said. "I mean, that was evident, last fall camp, we didn't know what he was doing, but they were drawn to him."

Back in September of last season, Marshall directed his first fourth-quarter comeback against Mississippi State, his first opportunity to lead under duress.

In the locker room after the game, receiver after receiver said Marshall kept the offense going, calming players after mistakes, telling guys after drops that he'd come right back to them.

For the most part, Marshall led by example, his cool under pressure a steadying force for a team that found itself in a lot of pressure situations.

Now Marshall is starting to speak up.

"The first two days, he's been more vocal than he was last year, in a positive way," Lashlee said. "When things are good, when things are bad, whether he needs to encourage other people, whether he needs to get on them and motivate them, I think he's already starting to show signs of that."

When Marshall was first named the starter last season, he had been on campus less than two months, meaning he still had to build relationships with most of the offense.

Off the field, Marshall largely

, focusing on classes and playing video games with his brother during his free time, but a year in the program and a miracle season means Marshall has earned the respect of his teammates.

"It has changed a lot because he knows everybody and we know him," receiver

Quan Bray

said. "He’s to the point now where everything is clicking."

By the nature of the position, the quarterback is always a team leader, particularly for the offense.

Marshall has taken his rightful place next to center

Reese Dismukes

, a team captain last season, at the head of the offense.

"You’ve always got to have a connection with the leader of your offense, and Nick is the unquestioned leader of our offense," running back

Cameron Artis-Payne

said. "Everybody is trying to build a strong bond with Nick — especially with the zone read being a big part of our offense. We’ve got to get that down pat."

Auburn quarterback Nick Marshall (14) stretches Tuesday, March 25, 2014, during spring football practice at the Auburn Athletic Complex in Auburn, Ala. (Julie Bennett/jbennett@al.com)

Marshall understands the responsibility.

Now that he's comfortable in the offense, it's his job -- by the nature of the position, the quarterback is always a leader -- to be a more vocal presence on and off the field.

"I did some last year, but it wasn’t a whole lot," Marshall said. "If I speak up more to the team, they’ll follow my lead and we’ll be better off from there."

The first starting quarterback

Gus Malzahn

has coached for more than one season at the college level, Marshall heads into his senior season as a likely choice to join Dismukes as a team captain.

Despite his quiet nature, Marshall is embracing the possibility of that role.

"I’m expecting to be one," Marshall said. "If I’m not, I’ll still lead by example."