There's a new kid in town

Or at least in the loveliest of villages. Jonathan Wallace is rising from the ashes of Chizik's dumpster fire. Granted this is based on snaps that mostly came against New Mexico State.

Wallace threw deep several times, and though he didn't connect on most of those attempts, he stretched the field to help tailbacks Tre Mason and Onterio McCalebb combine on 30 carries for 265 yards.

"It was a lot of fun," Wallace said after the game. "We had a rough start, but we put things together. I thought I did some good things and some bad things, but we've got a big game this week."

A three-star signee out of Phenix City, Ala., the 6-foot-2, 205-pounder is Auburn's third starting quarterback this season. Wallace made his debut in the fourth game against LSU in the Wildcat formation, and he remained in that role until playing the second half of the 63-21 debacle against Texas A&M on Oct. 27.

Wallace has completed 16 of 26 passes this season for 297 yards with three touchdowns and one interception. His touchdown tally equals the combined count of former starters Kiehl Frazier and Clint Moseley, who combined on 11 interceptions.

Wow. Yes, it's that bad. And working in the Dawgs' favor is that Wallace is similar to several of the quarterbacks they've faced this season in that he's a dual threat that should be contained while also being pressured. The Phenix City star averaged over five yards a carry against Texas A&M, but mostly helped opened things up for his running backs this past Saturday. Something his predecessors could not do.