50 Auburn players fans should know: Tristan Ti’a secures backup QB spot with A-Day showing
Tristan Ti'a misfired on just five passes during A-Day, demonstrating the mobility and accuracy that have coach Alex Golesh excited about his potential.
Olivia Bennett 
EDITOR’S NOTE: As we count down to the SEC Media Days on July 20, 205focus.com is spotlighting one key Auburn football player each day. Today, we turn our attention to backup quarterback Tristan Ti’a.
6-foot-2, 205 pounds, Livermore, California
The Auburn football A-Day spring game provided a clear look at the team’s current quarterback situation. While the debut for Byrum Brown was a struggle, Tristan Ti’a shined, orchestrating the Tigers’ scoring drives with precision and poise.
A Standout A-Day Performance
Ti’a was surgical throughout the contest, misfiring on only five pass attempts. He wrapped up the game with 179 passing yards and two total touchdowns. In contrast, Byrum Brown recorded 85 passing yards and two interceptions, highlighting the gap between the two performances on the day.
The redshirt freshman, who transferred from Oregon State, brings valuable experience to the roster. During his lone season with the Beavers, he completed 37 of 53 passes for 385 yards, tallying three passing touchdowns against two interceptions.
Golesh High on Ti'a's Potential
Head coach Alex Golesh walked away from the scrimmage impressed by his young signal-caller’s development. "It was good to see Tristan operate. He’s had his ups and downs," Golesh noted. "His ceiling -- like, he’s a baby. He’s a freshman. He played five games in the fall. There’s so many traits there. He’s highly, highly intelligent. He’s got a pretty ball, he’s highly, highly accurate."
Ti’a’s impact was immediate, as he opened his first drive by connecting on all four of his passes for 67 yards, culminating in a touchdown strike to wide receiver Duke Smith. Although he did experience an interception on his second series, the young quarterback maintained his composure and accuracy for the rest of the game.
"You saw him run around a little bit today -- that was good to see," Golesh added. "The cool thing about Tristan is that he’s going to be the best version of himself. What his ceiling is, he’s gotten to it really, really quickly... We’re going to force-feed; we’re going to force him to continue to learn and grow. I would tell you we got out of Tristan what we were hoping to get."
While Byrum Brown remains the projected starter for the fall, Ti’a’s commanding performance at A-Day firmly establishes him as the Tigers’ primary backup option.
