AUBURN, Ala. — Every time coach Gus Malzahn talked about Auburn’s quarterback situation at SEC Media Days he made a point to include Malik Willis.

Willis is a serious long shot to win the starting job — Jarrett Stidham is the frontrunner with the coaching staff promising a healthy Sean White a chance in the competition during fall camp — but Malzahn comments are a clear indication that he sees the true freshman as a viable option in the future.

“The positive is we have two guys we feel really good about,” Malzahn said in a session with local reporters. “We (also) got Malik Willis, really think he’s a young guy that has a chance to be really good too.”

Malzahn brought up Willis unprompted three times during a pair of interviews last week in Hoover.

“I’m going to throw in Malik one more time,” Malzahn said later in the conversation. “I think everybody saw on A-Day the guy has got something to him.”

New offensive coordinator Chip Lindsey gave the first-year quarterback an extended look in the Auburn’s annual spring game. Willis was 11 of 18 attempts for 157 yards in the exhibition. Auburn coaches and players raved about the young quarterback’s performance as an early enrollee.

“Malik Willis is a baller, a straight baller.” Auburn running back Kam Martin said.

Malzahn agrees.

“I feel like, and we got a young one in Malik Willis,” Malzahn said at the podium. “That is a freshman that really caught my eye in the spring.”

Malzahn's confidence in Auburn’s quarterback situation is tied directly to the 6-foot-1, 202-pounder’s natural talent and the way he's quickly picked up the offense.

“From a head coach’s standpoint, the biggest comfort I have right now is the quality depth aspect going into the season,” Malzahn said. “It was our achilles heel last two year, everybody knows that. We got that solved.”

Malzahn stopped short of promising Willis playing time in the fall, but he isn’t ruling it out either.

“I’m not ready to say that yet other than I was very impressed with him during the spring,” Malzahn said. “He’s a talented young man. We will see how the season goes.”

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