Three men entered the competition, but there can only be one voice in the huddle.

Whose voice will it be?

That remains a key question at Auburn, which didn’t learn enough about its quarterback competition this spring to name a starter.

Coach Gus Malzahn opened spring practice by telling reporters he was going to chart every throw, every decision, every everything, hoping competition would produce a clear winner.

Instead, the spring and spring game produced more of what we already knew:

Sean White, when given time, throws a pretty ball but isn’t a threat in the zone read game, a core part of Auburn’s attack.

Jeremy Johnson is wildly inconsistent but has a big arm and the ability to make plays.

John Franklin III is fast and certainly someone defenses must respect in the zone read, but as a passer he’s closer to Treon Harris than Chad Kelly.

The answer to whose voice will be in the huddle ultimately comes down to which type of offense Malzahn wants to run.

“Can they be successful running our offense?” Malzahn told AL.com before camp opened in March. “That’s really the bottom line and everything that goes with it from on the field, off the field, leadership, making your teammates better, the unique thing about our offense (is) our quarterback’s got a chance to really influence the rest of his teammates. That’s what we’ll be looking for.”

As a passer, White can play in the SEC. But can he play in Auburn’s offense, which typically passes only after the alarm sounds?

Nick Marshall attempted just 239 passes in 2013 — and his best pass was the hard rollout that he sold as a run, only to pull up at the last second and flip a lob pass to Sammie Coates for the game-tying score in the final minute against Alabama.

Cam Newton attempted just 280 passes in Auburn’s 2010 championship season.

Auburn has attempted fewer passes than every other SEC team over the past six seasons, and it’s been remarkably consistent in doing so: 296 in 2010, then 292, 257, 285, 332 and 306 last season.

Only once in that span — in 2012 — did the Tigers run fewer than 536 times. Three seasons, they topped 600 carries.

That offensive imbalance explains the fascination with Franklin, who has the speed to burn crashing defensive ends and then outrun linebackers.

We saw the possibilities of 500-yard rushing days Saturday. There were times — especially when H-backs Kamryn Pettway and Chandler Cox turned simple one-cut reads into long runs — that it was fair to wonder why Auburn would ever throw the ball.

The question usually grew louder each time they did. Miscommunication on routes, overthrows and underthrows seemed to rule the day.

You got the sense that Malzahn was hoping Franklin would steal the show, much like Brandon McIlwain did for South Carolina, with quick, correct decisions and accurate throws.

Instead, Franklin’s best pass should have been intercepted, an underthrown rainbow into double coverage. Marcus Davis caught it and walked into the end zone, a case of the box score covering up a questionable decision.

White made several nice throws but committed a turnover in the red zone. He again looked like a capable pro-style passer who picked the wrong offense. Johnson was wild at times but threw two strikes in the fourth quarter — one for a touchdown and another deep ball that should have been.

If you were looking for answers, separation, clarification, none was provided.

Same recipe, same ingredients, same taste.

White looked like the best passer, but not the best fit. Franklin looked like a sprinter who would excel in 7-on-7, but maybe not 3rd-and-7. And Johnson appeared to be the closest to providing a little bit of both.

Afterward, White told reporters it was “his job to lose.” Franklin told reporters he believes he’ll be the starter on opening day. And Johnson told reporters he’s going to keep competing for the starting job.

All three voices were heard.

But only one can be in the huddle.

Which one? We won’t know that until Malzahn figures out which way he wants this offense to operate.