Getting to know new USC QB Ashford

Carolina landed what just might be its next starting quarterback Tuesday when coach Shane Beamer and his staff picked up a commitment from Auburn transfer Robby Ashford.

Ashford has been well-traveled at the college level, with the Gamecocks becoming the third stop in a career that began in 2020. Before Auburn, Ashford started his college career at Oregon. He transferred to Auburn after the 2021 season, the same time former Auburn

QB Bo Nix transferred to Oregon.

Ashford's arrival in Columbia will come at an opportune time. South Carolina entered the offseason in search of a new starting quarterback after Spencer Rattler, its starter the past two seasons, announced he was declaring for the NFL Draft. With Ashford, South Carolina gets a seasoned player with SEC experience to at least compete for the starting spot at what might be the most important position on the field.

Whether the 6-foot-3, 218-pound Ashford ultimately claims that honor remains to be seen, but for the time beSouth ing, there are questions about someone who, for those around South Carolina, is a brand-new face.

Here's everything you need to know about Ashford following his commitment to the Gamecocks:

Auburn career

Ashford comes to South Carolina from Auburn, where he spent the past two seasons.

He was the Tigers' primary starting quarterback in 2022, starting in nine of their 12 games en route to a 5-7 record that led to the ouster of coach Bryan Harsin with four games remaining in the regular season. That year, Ashford threw for 1,613 yards, seven touchdowns and seven interceptions while rushing for 710 yards and seven touchdowns on 153 attempts (an average of 4.6 yards per rush). He completed just 49.2% of his passes.

Under new coach Hugh Freeze in 2023, Ashford saw his role diminish after the addition of Michigan State transfer Payton Thorne in the offseason. He