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al.com Hugh Freeze addresses Auburn’s QB battle, whose it is to lose and who’s making strides Updated: Feb. 29, 2024, 3:37 p.m.|Published: Feb. 29, 2024, 2:51 p.m. 4–5 minutes Auburn head coach Hugh Freeze was minutes removed from he and the Tigers’ 31-13 loss to Maryland in the Music City Bowl when he said Auburn’s quarterback battle would be “wide open” come the spring. And in his first media appearance of spring camp Thursday, Freeze reiterated that in saying “every spot is wide open.” In the case of the quarterback race, Freeze said he’s got a four-man battle consisting of incumbent starter Payton Thorne, sophomore Holden Geriner, redshirt freshman Hank Brown and true freshman Walker White. “The hardest thing is when you’ve got four guys you want to get looks at is getting them all quality reps. We would chart every single rep. In individual, every single rep, on footwork — I’ve got a team of three guys that are charged with that, the decision-making, execution and getting them quality reps.” During the team’s first practice of spring camp Tuesday, the Tigers’ quartet of quarterbacks were faced with some unfavorable conditions as winds whipped across the field on a cloudy Auburn afternoon. “That was a very challenging day for quarterbacks, for sure,” said Freeze. Given the circumstances, Freeze left Tuesday’s practice impressed with Brown, who “threw it extremely well in those conditions.” Meanwhile, in his first real look at White, Freeze walked away happy with what he saw. “Obviously, you’re gonna get really good looks at Payton and Holden and Hank, and then you want to get Walker some, because I think he’s so talented,” Freeze said. “I mean, his arm strength is phenomenal. He made throws the other day that take great arm strength to make.” That said, Freeze says White is “swimming” while everything continues to come at him quick. “We’ve got to find a way to slow that down and give him quality reps, too. It’s a challenge to do that,” Freeze said. But at the end of the day, signs continue to point at Auburn’s incumbent starter in Thorne, the fifth-year senior who transferred in from Michigan State a year ago. “Let me clear: I think Payton has done an incredible job since January of taking a leadership role and setting the standard. Do I think it’s his to lose? Yes. But he’s gotta go earn it every day,” Freeze said of Thorne, who logged 1,755 passing yards, 16 passing touchdowns and 10 interceptions in 2023. “We’re not in a position where we can just say that it’s given to somebody.” Last fall, Auburn’s passing offense finished near the bottom of the barrel as it finished the year ranked 121st in passing offense — leaving just nine teams in the FBS with a worse showing. Now, with a new offensive coordinator in Derrick Nix, Freeze hopes Auburn’s offense can return to the likes of what he and Nix used to run at Ole Miss. “I want to get back to the only thing I’ve known that has given us success everywhere we’ve been, the RPO-driven run game and the play-action passes off of it,” Freeze said. “In order to do that you’ve got to have a receiver or three that can win in some one-on-ones and quarterbacks that can execute it. I do think our quarterbacks can do that.” Which quarterback will be the one to do it come the fall season? That seems to be a question that only time will solve, especially since there’s a new offensive install happening with Nix now on The Plains. “We’re changing our whole verbiage, our whole system, to what I’m comfortable with,” Freeze said. “I need to see who has the best grasp on that.” In the meantime, Freeze will be grading Auburn’s quarterbacks out on three main factors: who can take care of the ball best, who has the best decision-making and accuracy — in that order. “We’re gonna find out who grades out the best at leading our football team and executing the plan that we’re putting in place,” Freeze said. If you purchase a product or register for an account through a link on our site, we may receive compensation. By using this site, you consent to our User Agreement and agree that your clicks, interactions, and personal information may be collected, recorded, and/or stored by us and social media and other third-party partners in accordance with our Privacy Policy.

al.com Hugh Freeze addresses Auburn’s QB battle, whose it is to lose and who’s making strides Updated: Feb. 29, 2024, 3:37 p.m.|Published: Feb. 29, 2024, 2:51 p.m. 4–5 minutes Auburn head coach Hugh Freeze was minutes removed from he and the Tigers’ 31-13 loss to Maryland in the Music City Bowl when he said Auburn’s quarterback battle would be “wide open” come the spring. And in his first media appearance of spring camp Thursday, Freeze reiterated that in saying “every spot is wide open.” In the case of the quarterback race, Freeze said he’s got a four-man battle consisting of incumbent starter Payton Thorne, sophomore Holden Geriner, redshirt freshman Hank Brown and true freshman Walker White. “The hardest thing is when you’ve got four guys you want to get looks at is getting them all quality reps. We would chart every single rep. In individual, every single rep, on footwork — I’ve got a team of three guys that are charged with that, the decision-making, execution and getting them quality reps.” During the team’s first practice of spring camp Tuesday, the Tigers’ quartet of quarterbacks were faced with some unfavorable conditions as winds whipped across the field on a cloudy Auburn afternoon. “That was a very challenging day for quarterbacks, for sure,” said Freeze. Given the circumstances, Freeze left Tuesday’s practice impressed with Brown, who “threw it extremely well in those conditions.” Meanwhile, in his first real look at White, Freeze walked away happy with what he saw. “Obviously, you’re gonna get really good looks at Payton and Holden and Hank, and then you want to get Walker some, because I think he’s so talented,” Freeze said. “I mean, his arm strength is phenomenal. He made throws the other day that take great arm strength to make.” That said, Freeze says White is “swimming” while everything continues to come at him quick. “We’ve got to find a way to slow that down and give him quality reps, too. It’s a challenge to do that,” Freeze said. But at the end of the day, signs continue to point at Auburn’s incumbent starter in Thorne, the fifth-year senior who transferred in from Michigan State a year ago. “Let me clear: I think Payton has done an incredible job since January of taking a leadership role and setting the standard. Do I think it’s his to lose? Yes. But he’s gotta go earn it every day,” Freeze said of Thorne, who logged 1,755 passing yards, 16 passing touchdowns and 10 interceptions in 2023. “We’re not in a position where we can just say that it’s given to somebody.” Last fall, Auburn’s passing offense finished near the bottom of the barrel as it finished the year ranked 121st in passing offense — leaving just nine teams in the FBS with a worse showing. Now, with a new offensive coordinator in Derrick Nix, Freeze hopes Auburn’s offense can return to the likes of what he and Nix used to run at Ole Miss. “I want to get back to the only thing I’ve known that has given us success everywhere we’ve been, the RPO-driven run game and the play-action passes off of it,” Freeze said. “In order to do that you’ve got to have a receiver or three that can win in some one-on-ones and quarterbacks that can execute it. I do think our quarterbacks can do that.” Which quarterback will be the one to do it come the fall season? That seems to be a question that only time will solve, especially since there’s a new offensive install happening with Nix now on The Plains. “We’re changing our whole verbiage, our whole system, to what I’m comfortable with,” Freeze said. “I need to see who has the best grasp on that.” In the meantime, Freeze will be grading Auburn’s quarterbacks out on three main factors: who can take care of the ball best, who has the best decision-making and accuracy — in that order. “We’re gonna find out who grades out the best at leading our football team and executing the plan that we’re putting in place,” Freeze said. If you purchase a product or register for an account through a link on our site, we may receive compensation. By using this site, you consent to our User Agreement and agree that your clicks, interactions, and personal information may be collected, recorded, and/or stored by us and social media and other third-party partners in accordance with our Privacy Policy.

al.com Hugh Freeze addresses Auburn’s QB battle, whose it is to lose and who’s making strides Updated: Feb. 29, 2024, 3:37 p.m.|Published: Feb. 29, 2024, 2:51 p.m. 4–5 minutes Auburn head coach Hugh Freeze was minutes removed from he and the Tigers’ 31-13 loss to Maryland in the Music City Bowl when he said Auburn’s quarterback battle would be “wide open” come the spring. And in his first media appearance of spring camp Thursday, Freeze reiterated that in saying “every spot is wide open.” In the case of the quarterback race, Freeze said he’s got a four-man battle consisting of incumbent starter Payton Thorne, sophomore Holden Geriner, redshirt freshman Hank Brown and true freshman Walker White. “The hardest thing is when you’ve got four guys you want to get looks at is getting them all quality reps. We would chart every single rep. In individual, every single rep, on footwork — I’ve got a team of three guys that are charged with that, the decision-making, execution and getting them quality reps.” During the team’s first practice of spring camp Tuesday, the Tigers’ quartet of quarterbacks were faced with some unfavorable conditions as winds whipped across the field on a cloudy Auburn afternoon. “That was a very challenging day for quarterbacks, for sure,” said Freeze. Given the circumstances, Freeze left Tuesday’s practice impressed with Brown, who “threw it extremely well in those conditions.” Meanwhile, in his first real look at White, Freeze walked away happy with what he saw. “Obviously, you’re gonna get really good looks at Payton and Holden and Hank, and then you want to get Walker some, because I think he’s so talented,” Freeze said. “I mean, his arm strength is phenomenal. He made throws the other day that take great arm strength to make.” That said, Freeze says White is “swimming” while everything continues to come at him quick. “We’ve got to find a way to slow that down and give him quality reps, too. It’s a challenge to do that,” Freeze said. But at the end of the day, signs continue to point at Auburn’s incumbent starter in Thorne, the fifth-year senior who transferred in from Michigan State a year ago. “Let me clear: I think Payton has done an incredible job since January of taking a leadership role and setting the standard. Do I think it’s his to lose? Yes. But he’s gotta go earn it every day,” Freeze said of Thorne, who logged 1,755 passing yards, 16 passing touchdowns and 10 interceptions in 2023. “We’re not in a position where we can just say that it’s given to somebody.” Last fall, Auburn’s passing offense finished near the bottom of the barrel as it finished the year ranked 121st in passing offense — leaving just nine teams in the FBS with a worse showing. Now, with a new offensive coordinator in Derrick Nix, Freeze hopes Auburn’s offense can return to the likes of what he and Nix used to run at Ole Miss. “I want to get back to the only thing I’ve known that has given us success everywhere we’ve been, the RPO-driven run game and the play-action passes off of it,” Freeze said. “In order to do that you’ve got to have a receiver or three that can win in some one-on-ones and quarterbacks that can execute it. I do think our quarterbacks can do that.” Which quarterback will be the one to do it come the fall season? That seems to be a question that only time will solve, especially since there’s a new offensive install happening with Nix now on The Plains. “We’re changing our whole verbiage, our whole system, to what I’m comfortable with,” Freeze said. “I need to see who has the best grasp on that.” In the meantime, Freeze will be grading Auburn’s quarterbacks out on three main factors: who can take care of the ball best, who has the best decision-making and accuracy — in that order. “We’re gonna find out who grades out the best at leading our football team and executing the plan that we’re putting in place,” Freeze said. If you purchase a product or register for an account through a link on our site, we may receive compensation. By using this site, you consent to our User Agreement and agree that your clicks, interactions, and personal information may be collected, recorded, and/or stored by us and social media and other third-party partners in accordance with our Privacy Policy.

Quick Quotes Hugh Freeze opens Auburn spring practice Nathan King 7–8 minutes Auburn began spring ball earlier this week Football (practice) is back at Auburn, as the Tigers enter their second spring of the Hugh Freeze era. Auburn began practices Tuesday and will return to the field Thursday. There will only be those two practices before the team is off for the university's spring break next week. In addition to the newcomers from Auburn's 2024 class and the transfer additions, Freeze also has five new assistant coaches on the field with him this spring. Follow along here for live updates from Freeze on Auburn's opening week of spring ball. * When Auburn gets back to practice after spring break, they'll "get down to business" and go in pads. * Says the team-led leadership has been admirable over the past couple months. * What's the big difference from last year's start to spring? "Accountability. The little things." Says the team was "way too casual about our approach" last season. * Freeze on the open quarterback competition this spring: "The hardest thing with four guys you want to get looks at is getting quality reps." Every throw will be charted, and the QBs who "grade out" the best will continue in the competition. * Freeze says on QB Payton Thorne, says the job is "his to lose," but reiterates that the competition will be "wide open." * Freeze says last season was "frustrating" because he wasn't able to coach the team to be consistent every practice and every game. * Freeze: "We should have won a few more games last year." * Freeze reiterates that he's "really comfortable" with Derrick Nix and Kent Austin on the offensive staff. * Freeze "hated to lose" defensive line coach Jeremy Garrett, but he's "really excited" to promote Vontrell King-Williams: "He's who the kids really wanted." * Freeze on new Auburn DC D.J. Durkin: "He was the first guy I interviewed where I felt like he coached defense like I coach offense." * Freeze: "Everybody knows Charles Kelly. What a great mentor and coach he is." * Freeze says he talked with Nick Saban this morning to arrange a golf trip over spring break. He's excited to see what sort of leadership role Saban can fill in the world of college football, even outside of coaching. * Freeze on Saban's retirement: "Maybe it's fools' gold without hard work. But there might be an opening to capitalize on — why not Auburn right now?" * Freshman receiver Cam Coleman "just makes us look different." * Freeze touches on Texas transfer defensive back Jerrin Thompson and says he's already settled into a vocal leadership role. * Freeze on the defensive line: "We need Jayson Jones to come on and be the guy." * Sophomore defensive end Keldric Faulk has taken on a large leadership role within the defense. * Freeze reiterates that he believes this quarterback room is capable of throwing with the type of precision needed to succeed in an RPO offense. * What will be different on defense under Durkin? Freeze touches on limiting explosive plays and how that's a major emphasis for Durkin. * Freeze says he's mostly out of the loop when it comes to the Lane Kiffin-Derrick Nix saga on Twitter when Auburn was in the process of hiring him as OC. "Well, I hired him first (back at Ole Miss), so I guess I have a right to him." * Freeze: "I believe in our administration here. I think they're going to give us time to build it the right way."

247sports.com A different culture surrounding Auburn football in Year 2 under Freeze Jason Caldwell 4–5 minutes Auburn coaches and players say there's a different feel around the program this spring. AUBURN, Alabama—It has been around 15 months since Hugh Freeze was hired to be the head coach of the Auburn Tigers. There have been a lot of changes since then with Derrick Nix taking over as offensive coordinator and D.J. Durkin now running the defense. Auburn has also had to replace Cadillac Williams on offense and Zac Etheridge on defense. Through all of that, Freeze said the biggest changes he’s seen have been with the players and their expectations of the program. Now knowing what to expect on and off the field, he said it all starts with the leadership council and how they have set the standard for what this program wants to be. There's one word that stands out above all others for Freeze and that's where it starts. "Accountability," Freeze said. "No question. It's to the little things. It seemed that we were just way too casual about our approach and a lot of things, to me, and that's an indication of staff, players, all of us. I think the kids sensed it, I think we sensed it, and it was part of our meetings in January that we can't take that approach. And if it's not addressed, things tend to be repeated. "I need everyone to be accountable to whatever we say the standard is, and truthfully, the older I get, the more I probably need players to help me see, 'Alright, maybe that's an unreasonable standard, coach.' Because things change some. So it was really big for me that the players would sit down and I would say, 'I want you to present to me: What do you think the standard should be?' If I think y'all are way, way off, I'm going to say it, and you do the same for me. We just had some really good conversations. They came up with the presentation, and I just approved it because I did agree with their approach, and then presented it to the team. I think that's the biggest difference I've seen thus far." It’s something that tight end Rivaldo Fairweather says he’s felt since the moment they got back together following the bowl game loss in Nashville. “Yeah, I just feel like it's a different culture in here now,” Fairweather said. “From the first day we came in, we had a players meeting and we set the standard of how this team is going to operate and just how we're going to do stuff around here. From day one we just set that forth and we had some leaders taking care of the accountability and stuff. When you're not supposed to be doing stuff that you're doing, you get punished for it. That makes everybody lock in and not try to mess around.” Last spring, Freeze talked about the lists being brought to his attention and how long they were. Whether it was being late for meetings, missing classes or late to study hall, Freeze said there were things that had to start being done as a program. Those set the tone for the overall health of a program. Now heading into year two, Freeze singled out guys on both sides of the ball that have taken on leadership roles for this team and that are demanding accountability for their teammates. He believes it’s another step in the right direction for the program. “Those are guys that really have taken the leadership in saying, you know, if one of our guys has to need some enrichment for not meeting the standard, then we want to handle it,” Freeze said. “It’s an agreement we have with our positions and I’ve been really pleased with the leadership. “That’s probably the most improvement when I say accountability… these lists are way down. There’s nobody turning an eye to them anymore. And even not the lists, but as simple as the locker. This is the picture of our locker and this is how it should look every single day and we should be accountable to that. It’s not too big of an expectation.”

al.com How Auburn alum Joe Hortiz is settling into new job as Chargers GM Published: Feb. 29, 2024, 6:37 a.m. 5–6 minutes New Chargers general manager and Auburn alum Joe Hortiz speaks to reporters at the NFL Combine in Indianapolis on Feb. 27, 2024.Matt Cohen | mcohen@al.com Asked to think back to his time at Auburn, new Los Angeles Chargers general manager Joe Hortiz didn’t seem focused on getting to where he sat Tuesday. An Auburn alum with a degree in accounting and an Auburn football graduate assistant from 1995-1997, Hortiz wasn’t thinking about being underneath the lights of the NFL Combine with dozens of reporters shouting questions over each other trying to reach him perched on his podium. Back then, on the field at Jordan-Hare Stadium, he wasn’t thinking about the pressure he has now in command of an NFL franchise. He said he just wanted to make sure he got a good cup of coffee. “Man, I think about that young me,” Hortiz told AL.com Tuesday at the NFL Combine. “I wanted to be the best student assistant I could be at Auburn, I really did, man. Make sure the coffee was ready. They gave me something to make copies, do it. And then I got hired in Baltimore, I wanted to be the best personnel assistant I could be. That’s how I’ve approached it. Right now, I just want to help the Chargers win. Honestly, I don’t think about the role.” Hortiz was hired as the Chargers general manager in January. He had been in several roles with the Baltimore Ravens from 1998 until he was hired by the Chargers. Most notably, he was the Ravens director of player personnel from 2019 until his departure. “Buckle up,” Ravens head coach John Harbaugh said of Hortiz starting with the Chargers, but going on to exude confidence that the long-time member of the Ravens office is ready for this step. And now, in the biggest responsibility of his career thus far, he’s stepping into a situation he described as being as good as a GM could ask for. He has his quarterback in Justin Herbert, and he has a head coach he already knows well in Jim Harbaugh. “That’s a unique opportunity for a first-time GM, especially for a first-time GM at a new organization,” Hortiz said. “You don’t get those chances very often.” His situation is in contrast to several other first-year general managers this week in Indianapolis who are at the NFL Combine in fervent search of a new quarterback. There’s Adam Peters with the Washington Commanders and Tom Telesco with the Las Vegas Raiders both in their first year with a new team and both could potentially draft one of the quarterbacks in attendance this week. Hortiz has Herbert, an entrenched and respected starter. He does have a new head coach in Jim Harbaugh, but after spending more than two decades with John Harbaugh in Baltimore, he’s gotten to know both brothers well. It’s two familiar faces arriving together in a new location. “Being with John for so long, I’ve certainly gotten to know Jim very well just as brothers,” Hortiz said. “Jim coming into Baltimore when he was at Stanford and Michigan. Me going to visit him there. I think John believes that we’re going to be a great pair knowing us both. He’s told me that. He’s happy the two of us are together. I was looking forward to getting started with Jim and it’s been awesome.” Instead, just a few weeks into his new job, Hortiz has quickly spent time learning and evaluating his roster and staff as he approaches not just the 2024 NFL Draft but also free agency. He has decisions to make including at running back with starter Austin Ekeler expected to hit free agency and possible changes coming on the offensive line. His focuses at the draft are likely to include what he called a deep offensive line class, wide receivers and several defensive holes. Hortiz said he’s been impressed with a wide receiver class that is polished coming out of college. It’s all to chase his divisional opponent: the two-time defending Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs. As Hortiz learns how to navigate his new job, he’s taking the approach exactly the same as how he evaluates his roster and maybe even how he approached his time at Auburn — a true day-by-day style that emphasizes no matter what he has, it could always be improved. “The roster should never be where you want it,” Hortiz said. Matt Cohen covers Auburn sports for AL.com. You can follow him on X at @Matt_Cohen_ or email him at mcohen@al.com

What Auburn’s former DBs are saying about Wesley McGriff’s return Published: Feb. 29, 2024, 11:43 a.m. 3–4 minutes Auburn's DJ James at the podium at 2024 NFL Combine Auburn got cornerbacks coach Wesley McGriff — often referred to by his players as “Crime Dawg” — back on staff in January after a whirlwind two weeks that saw him leave Auburn for Texas A&M and then return to Auburn. McGriff was reported to be leaving Auburn on Dec. 31, then announced as a hire at Texas A&M on Jan. 3, and on Jan. 12, was reportedly coming back to Auburn. Cleveland Cavaliers, Zach Wilson and CFP Highlight Sports Illustrated Today AL.com confirmed McGriff signed a new two-year contract with Auburn that included a $50,000 raise in 2024. At the NFL Combine this week in Indianapolis, AL.com asked McGriff’s former players about what it means to have him back. “Everybody was very excited, man,” former Auburn cornerback D.J. James said Thursday. “Everybody loves Crime Dawg, Coach Crime McGriff. Great coach, great guy. Great spirit to be around. Everybody is excited to have him back, very motivated as well.” “Everybody was sad when Coach Crime Dawg left,” former Auburn cornerback Nehemiah Pritchett said Thursday. “But it’s great news for them, especially for the freshman that had just came in, just to get Crime Dawg back and having someone they worked with in the past.” McGriff is one piece of continuity on an Auburn defensive staff that has seen significant change after the first year of head coach Hugh Freeze’s tenure. Auburn brought in a new defensive coordinator in D.J. Durkin and a new partner in the secondary for McGriff in Charles Kelly as the co-defensive coordinator and in charge of the safeties. Auburn also promoted Vontrell King-Williams to an on-field assistant coach role after the departure of Jeremy Garrett to the NFL. “I know they’re pushing them really hard, those guys ready to attack,” James said. “The new staff that came in, the Auburn players are very excited for it. Excited for a new start as well.” In total, Auburn has five new assistant coaches after the 2023 season, adding Durkin, King-Williams, Kelly, offensive coordinator Derrick Nix and quarterbacks coach Kent Austin. Freeze has stated several times that he feels he doesn’t always get his hires correct in year one of a coaching staff, so this new crop of assistants must work. And Freeze’s former players still believe in the direction the program is headed. “I feel like Coach Freeze is a really down-to-earth guy,” Pritchett said. “He is a man of Christ. He’s recruiting his tail off to get some of the best guys in there to help them win games. I think he’s got it going in the right direction.” Matt Cohen covers Auburn sports for AL.com. You can follow him on X at @Matt_Cohen_ or email him at mcohen@al.com If you purchase a product or register for an account through a link on our site, we may receive compensation. By using this site, you consent to our User Agreement and agree that your clicks, interactions, and personal information may be collected, recorded, and/or stored by us and social media and other third-party partners in accordance with our Privacy Policy.