Former Texas A&M QB Zach Calzada announces transfer to Auburn

Zach Calzada is switching SEC West allegiances by transferring from Texas A&M to Auburn.

Zach Calzada is the latest SEC West quarterback to change teams in-division, as the former Texas A&M signal-caller is transferring to Auburn.

The former three-star recruit out of Buford, Georgia is playing a big closer to home for Bryan Harsin down on The Plains. Auburn is roughly three hours away from Metro Atlanta, so this move makes sense geographically. Calzada will also be competing for the starting job with former LSU transfer T.J. Finley after long-time starter Bo Nix opted to transfer to Oregon.

Calzada joins Finley and former LSU starter Max Johnson, who replaces Calzada at Texas A&M, as SEC West starting quarterbacks who ultimately decided to switch allegiances in-division.

Zach Calzada transfers from Texas A&M to Auburn to play for Bryan Harsin

While Johnson transferring from LSU to Texas A&M was telling so that he could play with his younger brother, it was a bit odd to see Calzada hit the transfer portal in the first place. Though he started the year as the backup behind Haynes King, it was Calzada who quarterbacked the Aggies to an impressive home victory over SEC West foe Alabama. It was Alabama’s only defeat this year.

So perhaps Harsin wants to go all-in on a quarterback who has experience beating Alabama?

The Crimson Tide are the Tigers’ biggest rival and their only hope of getting to Atlanta in a given year is by winning the Iron Bowl. While there are no guarantees that Calzada will end up winning the starting job over Finley, competition may be exactly what Harsin wants at quarterback this spring.

This is a critical year for Harsin and the Auburn football team to make some noise in the SEC West.

For more NCAA football news, analysis, opinion and unique coverage by FanSided, including Heisman Trophy and College Football Playoff rankings, be sure to bookmark these pages.