Former South Carolina quarterback Tanner Bailey has come out of retirement, announcing his commitment to Auburn football on Wednesday.
The 6-foot-1, 215-pound quarterback originally retired from football in January 2024, coming out of retirement a year later to join Hugh Freeze and the Tigers.
“Everybody that knows me, I’m a lifelong, die-hard Auburn fan,” Bailey said. “For me, if you ask the 5-year-old Tanner: ‘What’s your lifelong dream?’, this is probably what it is. It’s awesome, I’m super excited.”
A four-star prospect out of Gordo High School, Bailey was originally an Oregon commit before decommitting in December 2021 after coach Mario Cristobal left for the same position at Miami. Bailey committed to South Carolina shortly thereafter, signing with the Gamecocks on Dec. 18, 2021, as part of their 2022 class.
Bailey spent two years at South Carolina, serving as backup quarterback for the Gamecocks. He appeared in one game for South Carolina during the 2023 season.
Bailey initially announced his intentions to enter the transfer portal in December 2023 before announcing his retirement from football a month later on Jan. 10, 2024.
At Gordo, Bailey led the Greenwave to the 2020 AHSAA state championship game and two region championships. He finished his senior season completing 131 of 217 passes for 2,401 yards and 33 touchdowns while being intercepted nine times. He was tabbed as the No. 15 quarterback in the nation, according to the 247Sports Composite.
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Following his retirement, Bailey enrolled at Auburn, spending the past year pursuing a degree in criminal justice. He graduated December 2024 and it was around that time Auburn coaches reached out to him to see his interest in playing.
“I wanted to take time off to know personal development, personal growth,” Bailey said. “Then, the coaches hit me up early December, just seeing if I’ll be interested. We’ve been talking the last few weeks. I was super optimistic. So I was hoping it all fall through, and it did. I’m super excited.”
Bailey grew up a lifelong Auburn fan, he said, with some of his best memories as a child involving orange and navy. His father, Lance, played quarterback for the Tigers in the 1980s, and Tanner grew up going to Auburn games with his father and his father’s former Auburn teammate, Clark Cook, and his son, Brock.
Furthermore, Bailey’s grandfather, Ken Bailey, served as a role model for Tanner, playing football at the University of Alabama for Paul “Bear” Bryant.
“I am so grateful for my support system,” Tanner said. “The guidance and support from my mom, Nichole, my dad, Lance, and my brother, Parker and my two best friends, Haeden (Pate) and Wells (Perrigin), who have been with me through everything.”
With Freeze getting presumably the fourth and final scholarship quarterback for his 2025 roster, Bailey comes in as an unconventional choice, but one that could be of value.
Bailey’s background as a blue-chip recruit now gives Auburn a room with three quarterbacks who were at least considered four-stars in high school, and Ashton Daniels arrives as one of two Power Four starters with loads of experience.
Undoubtedly, there will be a learning curve for Bailey in returning to the football field. But as far as fourth options go, he’s an intriguing get.
Anna Snyder covers high school sports, Alabama football recruiting and Alabama softball for The Tuscaloosa News. She can be reached by email at asnyder@gannett.com.
Adam Cole is the Auburn athletics beat writer for the Montgomery Advertiser. He can be reached via email atacole@gannett.com or on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter,@colereporter.
