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al.com How Payton Thorne and Robby Ashford’s relationship at Auburn has faired since QB decision Published: Aug. 23, 2023, 4:12 p.m. 4–5 minutes Auburn quarterbacks from left, Jackson Barkley (18), Robby Ashford (9), Payton Thorne (1) and Sawyer Pate (17) throw the ball during first day of practices, Thursday, Aug. 3, 2023 in Auburn, Ala. (AL.com Photo/Stew Milne)Stew Milne In one respect, it was a relief for Payton Thorne to finally have the weeks-long quarterback competition and the months of discussion come to a close. It allows him to focus on Auburn’s season and to know where he’s lining up every day without thoughts of the quarterback rotation Auburn had been using. But it doesn’t mean Thorne is relaxing, either. “I’m focused on playing well for our team to win games,” Thorne said. “I’m not trying to play well to keep my job. If you’re looking at it like that, it’s like, why are you playing? You’re not playing just to keep your job. You play to win.” The competition for the starting spot between Thorne, Robby Ashford and Holden Geriner brought together a transfer from Michigan State who had already started 29 games and didn’t arrive on campus until after spring practices, Auburn’s incumbent starter and a talented redshirt freshman who played briefly in 2022. Thorne generally appeared as the leader throughout fall camp, though his struggles in Auburn’s first scrimmage seemed to open the door to Ashford and Geriner. Thorne ultimately sealed the starting spot by proving to be the best leader of the trio, and while maybe not the most talented, he was the most reliable. But that didn’t mean a battle that caused internal divides, Thorne said. “I don’t think it was anything that was toxic like sometimes quarterback competitions can be,” Thorne said. “I have a lot of respect for Robby. We’re still obviously talking and everything is still good. But it was a good competition.” The relationship between the two matters to head coach Hugh Freeze because in his eyes, while Thorne may be the starter now, that isn’t cemented anywhere. In the days after Freeze announced Thorne would be Auburn’s starting quarterback last week, he said Ashford had his best three practices in a row of the preseason. Freeze said Ashford is going to push Thorne is he keeps practicing like that. And Thorne is going to have a role on the offense too. Freeze has called Ashford the most talented athlete he’s worked with at the quarterback position. “I’ve said: Robby, if he handles things the right way, he has to get on that field some, he’s just different,” Freeze said. “If he continues to play like this, Payton’s going to have to play really well.” It’s not exactly clear what Ashford’s role will look like on the offense. While starting for Auburn last season, Ashford was dynamic as a runner. But Freeze and offensive coordinator Philip Montgomery won’t want inserting Ashford on the field to signify to everyone in the stadium that Auburn is going to run the ball on that play. Thorne said any conversation about Ashford’s role is something he is leaving to the coaches. Freeze said “the game dictates a lot of that,” after Auburn’s second scrimmage. But that all leads to the question of if Thorne is looking over his shoulder. “Yeah, I don’t think that matters, personally, because you’re already thinking that yourself,” Thorne said when asked if Ashford would push him. “It’s not like you get the job and you’re like, ‘Whew, now I can relax and do nothing.’” Matt Cohen covers Auburn sports for AL.com. You can follow him on Twitter at @Matt_Cohen_ or email him at mcohen@al.com

247sports.com Exit Survey What we learned about Auburns offense in preseason camp Nathan King 10–12 minutes The bow has been tied on Hugh Freeze’s first preseason camp at Auburn, and that means the clock is ticking faster toward kickoff in Jordan-Hare Stadium. We’re now just 10 days out from the Tigers opening their 2023 season at home against UMass (2:30 p.m. CST, ESPN), following three-plus weeks of camp. Auburn is obviously still practicing this preseason, as lineups are solidified and game prep begins, but camp concluded in earnest last Saturday. Programs are allowed only two true scrimmages in the preseason, though Auburn will conduct a walkthrough practice in the stadium this Saturday. In this exit survey from camp, three of our reporters — Jason Caldwell, Nathan King and Christian Clemente — examine some of the trends from preseason practices, and assess what those mean for the Tigers moving into the season. We’ll start with offense, then discuss defense Thursday. 1. POSITION GROUP THAT GREW THE MOST DURING CAMP? Jason: “Even though the offensive line took some big strides during the spring, the additions of Jaden Muskrat and Dylan Senda along with the development of Izavion Miller have pushed the group to another level in the preseason. Staying healthy is still important, but this group is in much, much better shape than it was just a few months ago.” Christian: “I'm going to go with the quarterback room here. Inserting Michigan State transfer Payton Thorne pushed the room to a higher level as a whole. Both Robby Ashford and Holden Geriner seemed to have taken steps forward during the competition. And after Thorne was named the starter, Ashford returned by providing some of the best practices he's had in an Auburn uniform. Auburn will be at its best when Ashford continues to compete and push Thorne, along with his contributions in specialty packages.” Nathan: “As Auburn hoped, adding Thorne not only gave the Tigers a capable and experienced passer to contend — and ultimately win — the starting job, but it elevated the entire room in the process. Ashford stepped up as a passer and has, by all accounts, improved in that area in his second year with the program, while Geriner had a strong camp, too. Not that Auburn suddenly has one of the top QB rooms in the SEC, but I do believe the way the competition transpired gave this coaching staff even more confidence that the Tigers can go out and win a bunch of games with either Thorne or Ashford at the controls.” 2. GROUP THAT STILL NEEDS SOME WORK? Jason: “I think it’s safe to say that the wide receivers are the biggest work in progress on offense. With injuries to returning guys like Koy Moore and Camden Brown along with new transfers Shane Hooks, Caleb Burton and Jyaire Shorter, Marcus Davis has had his hands full in the preseason trying to get everyone up to speed. The good news is, this is a talented group and should continue to improve.” Christian: “While the room has a ton of new talent infused and the potential to be really solid, it's pretty clear to me the receivers room is still a work in progress. Now, that's not totally unexpected with the change in the offense and some guys just getting their first Auburn practices in this fall, but it still needs to improve. Jackson State transfer Shane Hooks seems to have solidified his role as the top dog and quite a few others have generated buzz or should now that they're getting healthier — i.e. Camden Brown — but a true secondary receiver is still up in the air.” Nathan: “The receiving corps still needs to get healthy, and in turn, it still has a handful of questions to answer in terms of how its rotation will play out. The group was strong in practice settings but had more than its fair share of struggles in scrimmages. They seemed to close things out on a high note in the second scrimmage, but it’s still a group that consistently had two or three players injured throughout camp.” 3. WILL PAYTON THORNE BE AUBURN’S STARTING QB ALL SEASON? Jason: “This is a very interesting question because this is an Auburn team that has a chance to really run the football well. Because of that, if Ashford continues to play the way he has in the last week, I think he could work his way into a starting role before the year is out.” Christian: “I do, obviously barring an injury or something unforeseen. With Auburn's strong running game, this staff doesn't need a quarterback that wins them football games, just someone to not lose games. Thorne is the most balanced of the three and should give you enough comfortability week in and week out to hold onto that job.” Nathan: “As electric as Ashford is — and as much as I think he’ll play this season and have a true opportunity to make a significant impact on this offense — I have a tough time seeing Thorne relinquish the starting job in an official capacity. At this point, I’ll still need to see Ashford make consistent, high-level throws in a game setting in order to believe he’ll unseat a player with the experience and apparent command of Auburn’s offense that Thorne has. If Auburn’s running back room is to continue to be touted as one of the team’s strengths, it should be noted that Thorne’s best games at Michigan State were, unsurprisingly, when he was complemented by a consistent rushing attack. That should be the case once again in 2023.” (Austin Perryman / Auburn Athletics) 4. NAME A COUPLE STANDOUT PLAYERS FROM CAMP Jason: “The list has to start with Hooks and Damari Alston for me. Both were really good in camp and I think are going to play big roles for this offense. Another guy for me was Muskrat. He’s not going to get a whole lot of talk, but he’s a valuable guy because he can play multiple positions.” Christian: “Jay Fair is No. 1 far and away for me. A guy that I liked coming out of high school, it looked like he might be buried some on the depth chart. Instead, he generated some of the most buzz out of anybody on the whole team. Second is the tight end transfer Rivaldo Fairweather. I actually voted Fairweather as an All-SEC tight end at Media Days predicting somewhat of who he could be for this team, and this fall camp only increased my belief. The day where we got to watch over an hour and a half of practice was filled with Fairweather highlights and he should bring a special dynamic and a security blanket for Auburn's offense.” Nathan: “How about ‘Too Tall’ Miller? I remember offensive line coach Jake Thornton raving about the JUCO tackle shortly after he arrived, and explaining how excited he was that Miller followed him from Ole Miss. Now he’s positioned to start at right tackle. The other biggest riser on offense was probably Fair, who had just two catches last season but is now in serious contention with fifth-year senior Ja'Varrius Johnson for the starting spot at slot receiver. He’s one of a few major beneficiaries on this team of the blank slate that comes with a new coaching staff. Alston has also continued his strides from the spring and has established himself as a go-to member of the running game.” 5. PREDICT AUBURN’S RUNNING BACK ROTATION Jason: “I think Jarquez Hunter will be Auburn’s top running back option, but Alston and Brian Battie are going to get their touches in this offense because of what they bring to the table. I don’t see any back being a consistent 20-carry guy because of the depth. It won’t surprise me to see Jeremiah Cobb get a few plays here or there as well.” Christian: “This has the potential to be one of the best rushing attacks that Freeze has ever coached. Typically known for his passing attacks, Auburn has three experienced guys ready to go along with a freshman who can do a little bit of everything. While all the focus is on 1,000-yard rushers, I'm not sure if a single back reaches that milestone. That's more so due to the fact that it seems like it'll be a committee approach with Hunter, Alston and Battie all getting a ton of reps, mixing in Cobb some. My hot take here is that Alston ends the year as the most productive of the bunch.” Nathan: “It wouldn’t surprise me to see Hunter and Alston’s work loads end up comparable by the end of the season. Hunter is a consistent veteran, sure, but Alston has been arguably the most impressive player in the room this preseason, and I think he’ll benefit more than any other ball-carrier from Auburn’s improvements along the offensive line. Battie shouldn’t be far behind in terms of carries per game, but I do think he’ll be No. 3 in that category; he’s probably not as much of an every down back, but that doesn’t diminish his value at all. Cobb should be in position to receive a few touches per game, as Auburn needs to give the freshman an opportunity to test his talents against SEC competition.” 6. PREDICT AUBURN’S TOP PASS-CATCHERS Jason: “I can’t go with anyone but Hooks and Fairweather here. I do think you’ll see a lot of other guys involved in the passing game, but it’s Hooks and Fairweather for me in terms of the top production guys.” Christian: “Two guys I've already mentioned are at the top for me in Hooks and Fairweather. Those should be your bonafide studs catching the ball. As for a third, I'll go with the hot hand and give it to Fair but Brown is a strong candidate, as isJohnson and once Jyaire Shorter settles in just a little bit more he could also make a run for that third spot. There are plenty of options for Auburn, which was not the case a year ago.” Nathan: “Perhaps the clearest trend from Auburn’s offense over the past week in practice has been that jerseys 11 (Hooks) and 13 (Fairweather) will be targeted plenty this season, as Hooks, I believe, has settled into a lead receiver role. Next in line in terms of targets could be Brown, Johnson, Fair, Shorter and maybe Caleb Burton if he can find a consistent role. Truthfully, almost every scholarship receiver has a legitimate case to contribute this season, but even the most diverse passing games have difficulty spreading the ball consistently to more than five or six wideouts." *** Subscribe to Auburn Undercover for the latest news and intel, podcasts, recruiting coverage and more *** *** Get Auburn news straight to your inbox with the Auburn Undercover newsletter ***

al.com Goodman: Auburn’s We-agle Thorne Birds being overlooked Updated: Aug. 23, 2023, 9:53 a.m.|Published: Aug. 23, 2023, 9:22 a.m. 5–6 minutes After the latest preseason practice game down Lee County way, I’m torn between two nicknames for Hugh Freeze’s first Auburn football team. The leaders out of fall camp are the We-agles and the Thorne Birds. Just based upon literary heft, I’m partial to the Thorne Birds in honor of new Auburn starting quarterback Payton Thorne. As I mentioned in my weekly newsletter, Thorne is the first quarterback in Auburn history from the great state of Illinois. That makes him unique, and also demonstrates the ability of Freeze to recruit talented quarterbacks to Auburn like maybe never before. While the bookworms on campus might already be printing up Thorne Birds T-shirts for game day, the traditionalists at Auburn will prefer We-agles. We-agles works for a couple reasons, but this latest reference to a familiar Auburn turn of phrase comes from something Freeze said over the weekend. It was after the final scrimmage of fall camp. Auburn opens the season on Sept. 2 against UMass, and game prep is already underway. First things first, though. Freeze is preaching unity above all else. RELATED: New Auburn receiver delivering highlight plays RELATED: Auburn’s Payton Thorne gets ‘rare’ praise RELATED: Injuries during preseason shifting depth charts at AU “I told them in the team meeting this morning, man it’s now time to — whether you just got here, whether you’ve been here four years or whatever, it is we,” Freeze said after last Saturday’s closed practice. “It ain’t no old and new. It is we.” The We-agles. The Thorne Birds. The season will show us a path to a more perfect truth. Personally, I’m just hoping that Auburn wins so many games this season that all the Lee County Wal-Marts run out of toilet paper. What is football? That’s a complicated question. Freeze gave us his personal definition after Auburn’s two-week-long camp. I loved it. “A football game to me is a bunch of individual plays … and it’s the culmination of how well you’re able to put the last one behind you and play the next one,” Freeze said. “Are we mentally tough enough to play the whole composition of the 80-play game without the last play affecting us good or bad, so I think that’s where we still have work to do.” But what about the good news for these We-agle Thorne Birds? “Positive?” Freeze said. “We’ve been able to run the football, and if you’re able to do that then you’ve got a fighting chance.” Freeze went on to say that he didn’t know “if that means we’re pretty good at running it, or we’re not very good at stopping it. We’ll see soon.” Let me end the suspense. Auburn is going to be great at running the ball, and maybe the best in the SEC. This prediction is based on several factors. One, and most importantly, running backs coach Carnell Williams was retained after the team set a series of rushing records while he served as interim head coach to end the 2022 season. Let’s not forget that Auburn ran over everyone with Cadillac calling the shots, and that included Alabama. The Tigers gashed the Crimson Tide for 318 yards rushing in the Iron Bowl. It was the most yards given up on the ground for an Alabama team coached by Nick Saban. Furthermore, Auburn had two 100-yard rushers in each of its final three games of 2022. That had never happened before in the history of Auburn football. Auburn was picked to finish sixth in the SEC West at SEC Media Days. This team seems better than that. The We-agle Thorne Birds are being overlooked, but it wouldn’t surprise me one bit if Auburn’s offense ends up being better than Alabama’s in Freeze’s first season. Freeze offered keen observers of Auburn football a good laugh after the Tigers’ latest scrimmage. Auburn’s new coach feigned surprise by his team’s ability to run the football. The scrimmage was closed off to fans and reporters, but Freeze offered some insight when he said that freshman Jeremiah Cobb of Montgomery led in carries. That’s a strong sign knowing Cobb isn’t the projected starter at running back. Jarquez Hunter is a phenomenal back who can carry a team, but there’s also this to consider. Is Auburn’s backup quarterback better than whoever is going to start for Alabama? Saban is taking his time in Tuscaloosa. Quarterback Jalen Milroe is the frontrunner based on experience, but we’re now hearing that true freshman Dylan Lonergan might be making some moves. At Auburn, backup quarterback Robby Ashford accounted for three touchdowns against Alabama in the 2022 Iron Bowl, but couldn’t hold onto the starting role after Thorne transferred from Michigan State. Everyone is talking up Alabama’s running game, but Auburn’s will probably be better. The We-agle Thorne Birds are coming, and they’re bringing a broken family back together. Joseph Goodman is the lead sports columnist for the Alabama Media Group, and author of “We Want Bama”, a book about togetherness, hope and rum. You can find him on Twitter @JoeGoodmanJr. If you purchase a product or register for an account through one of the links on our site, we may receive compensation. By browsing this site, we may share your information with our social media partners in accordance with our Privacy Policy.

247sports.com Why transfer to Auburn was 'a no-brainer' for Payton Thorne Nathan King 5–7 minutes When Payton Thorne decided to transfer at the end of April — the morning the portal closed April 30 — it was a decision only a few days coming. A two-year starter at Michigan State, Thorne exited spring practices ready for another offseason with Mel Tucker’s program. He had no designs on departing. But as the transfer deadline drew closer, “It was a quick thing that happened,” Thorne said Wednesday of leaving Michigan State. “If you had asked me a week before I committed or a week before I got in the portal if I was transferring, I would have been like, ‘What are you talking about?’ There were a few things that happened — way in the past in the whole offseason. When I entered the portal, talking to Coach Freeze and the coaches here, I thought it was a no-brainer to come here.” Despite his 26 games of starting experience, Tucker decided to create a QB competition in spring practice, offering first-team reps to players other than Thorne. Noah Kim appeared in four games during the 2022 season, including a few instances where Thorne was sidelined in the second half of a decisive win for the opposition. Thorne was never benched as the starter, per se, but after a season where he was also hampered by an injury, Michigan State’s staff was keeping its options open. “This spring, (Tucker) opened it up to some competition with the younger guys,” Michigan State offensive line coach Chris Kapilovic told Auburn Undercover this offseason. “I think coming out of the spring and not naming a starter probably had something to do with (Thorne leaving).” Thorne visited Auburn with his father after entering the portal, and the Tigers’ newly minted starting quarterback said almost all of the nine hours in the facility were spent watching film, breaking down Hugh Freeze’s offensive scheme and dissecting the personnel Thorne would have to work with in the passing game. “It was very encouraging,” Thorne said. “Obviously, Coach Freeze’s offenses, obviously he’s had a lot of success with all types of quarterbacks. Last year I think they got to their fourth-string quarterback (at Liberty) and they were still winning games. Seeing that and seeing how he game-plans — just hearing about him as a play-caller. Coach Montgomery as well, you just look at his track record and his time at Baylor and Tulsa.” Thorne said he was impressed not only with Freeze and Philip Montgomery’s quarterback track record, but also the support staff that Freeze has dedicated to the position. Freeze’s offensive coordinator at Liberty, Kent Austin, is an analyst at Auburn, while analyst Jesse Stone also came over from Liberty. “It’s fun for me to be able to play for an offensive head coach, and have so many people devoted to quarterbacks and quarterback development,” Thorne said. Thorne arrived on campus a week after committing in early May, and wasted no time developing a rapport with his new teammates. "Man, he didn't wait," Freeze said two weeks after Thorne committed. "He's already in there watching film on his own and learning stuff. He's anxious to get with the team and start working out." After 10 practices in preseason camp, Freeze named Thorne the starting quarterback for Auburn last Thursday. The grad transfer beat out the incumbent Robby Ashford, who started nine games last season. Thorne won the job on the field, of course, but Freeze also noted how Thorne carries himself within the offense, and how “there’s this look the other guys have when he’s in the huddle.” Thorne credits that back to his efforts in the offseason, getting to know his new teammates and the program he’ll call home for the next two years. “I think the biggest thing that I wanted to do is just be myself,” Thorne said. “I didn't want to come down here and try to be somebody else. Obviously it's a different part of the country, a different conference. But I think if you go into a new place and try to be something you're not, everybody can tell that. I've just tried to come down here and do what I do and work hard and try to prove myself in our workouts first. And then just getting to know guys. I feel like I've been able to do that and to build some relationships, which has been great. But just trying to be me and keep doing what I've been doing my whole life and what got me here.” Continued Thorne: “I think it goes back to just being me and not trying to do too much. Some guys hear the word leadership and feel like they have to go yell at everybody or do something crazy. Leadership comes in a lot of different shapes and sizes. There’s a lot of different ways of doing it. Sometimes you do have to get on guys. Sometimes you’ve just got to put your arm around a guy and whisper something to him. But in terms of command, I think command comes back to knowing your stuff. I don’t think you can command a room if you don’t know what you’re doing and you don’t know the offense and you don’t know how hard you’re working and all that stuff. So just showing up everyday being consistent while also striving to be the best I can be and pushing myself first. I feel like if I just focus on those things, the leadership aspect is a whole different thing than command in my eyes.” *** Subscribe to Auburn Undercover for the latest news and intel, podcasts, recruiting coverage and more *** *** Get Auburn news straight to your inbox with the Auburn Undercover newsletter ***

saturdaydownsouth.com Auburn football: 5 areas where the Tigers will be better … and worse in 2023 Glenn Sattell Glenn Sattell is an award-winning freelance writer for Saturday Down South. 5–6 minutes It’s a new era on The Plains, and the Auburn faithful can’t wait to get it started. Hugh Freeze brings new hope to a downtrodden program that hasn’t had a winning season since the COVID year of 2020. That seems like a long time ago. Two long years of struggles were a painful reminder of just how tough things can get in the SEC if you’re not at the top of your game. How long it will take Freeze to bring Auburn back to the top of its game remains to be seen, but here are 5 areas where the Tigers will be better, and worse, in 2023: 5 areas the Tigers will be better 1. Coaching Hugh Freeze knows how to win. More importantly, he knows how to win in the SEC. He’s proven it, and conventional thinking is that he will continue to do so on The Plains. He’s already restructured a depleted roster by feverishly working the transfer portal. Now we’ll see if he can bring those new faces together in a cohesive group for the upcoming season. 2. Passing game The addition of transfer quarterback Payton Thorne from Michigan State gives the Tigers a viable pocket passer with the experience and ability to consistently move the ball downfield. He threw for more than 6,000 yards and had 46 touchdowns with 21 interceptions over the past 2 seasons for the Spartans. He’ll elevate an Auburn passing game that finished last in the SEC a year ago. 3. Atmosphere Disjointed doesn’t begin to describe the attitude around the Auburn football program the past couple of seasons. Fractured by administration and boosters pulling in opposite directions made for an uncomfortable situation for former head coach Bryan Harsin. But that’s all seemingly changed, and once again there’s a positive vibe around The Plains with the arrival of Freeze. 4. Special teams The Tigers may very well have the SEC’s top punter and placekicker on their roster. Aussie punter Oscar Chapman is among the conference’s best and will only improve in 2023 on his 43.4 yards-per-punt average. Placekicker Alex McPherson takes over for the Carlson brothers. As a freshman last season, McPherson connected on 6 of 7 field-goal attempts and was perfect on 9 PAT tries. The kicking game is in good hands. 5. Receiving corps The addition of a couple of transfers with experience gives the Auburn WR room a much-needed major boost. Jyaire Shorter (North Texas) gives the Tigers a big-play option. He led the Football Bowl Subdivision with 27.2 yards per reception last season. Shane Hooks (Jackson State, Ohio) comes to Auburn with a plethora of experience. Over the past 4 seasons, Hooks has piled up 116 receptions for 1,609 yards and 18 TDs. 5 areas the Tigers will be worse 1. Offensive line This will be a very interesting situation to keep an eye on. What may start out as a liability, with 3 new transfers plugged into the offensive line, could turn out to be 1 of the team’s top strengths depending on how quickly they jell. The offensive line has been somewhat of a problem in recent years, and we’ll assume it starts out that way again in 2023, until proven otherwise. 2. Tight end How do you replace a legend like John Samuel Shenker? A guy who played in more games (62) than any other in Auburn’s storied history, caught more passes than any other tight end in program history and finished 2nd all-time in career receiving yards among tight ends. The answer — you don’t. But Hugh Freeze is hoping that in 6-5 transfer Rivaldo Fairweather (FIU) he has an Evan Engram-type tight end to work with. In 3 seasons with the Panthers, Fairweather had 54 receptions for 838 yards and 5 TDs. 3. Defensive line As with the offensive line, it won’t be known if this is an area of liability or strength until the new faces, fresh from the transfer portal, jell. The Tigers lost stalwarts Colby Wooden and Derick Hall, the team’s sack and tackle-for-loss leaders. That’s a lot of production to replace. Freeze is hoping that a plethora of transfers will help fill the roles and provide depth along the defensive front. 4. Linebackers Owen Pappoe is gone to the NFL and Freeze once again turned to the transfer portal to try to find some production there. It appears that transfers Jalen McLeod (Appalachian State), Austin Keys (Ole Miss) and Larry Nixon III (North Texas) will be tasked with picking up the slack at the linebacker position. 5. Brutal SEC beginning Freeze faces a grueling start within conference play to his tenure at Auburn. A 4-game stretch as challenging as any in college football, the Tigers start out at Texas A&M before hosting 2-time defending national champions Georgia in the South’s Oldest Rivalry. It doesn’t get any easier after that. Auburn visits defending West Division champion LSU and closes out the brutal run with Ole Miss at Jordan-Hare. Welcome back to the SEC, Hugh Freeze.

si.com Hank Brown: 'There's not a game this year we should be counted out of' Andrew Stefaniak ~2 minutes Hank Brown discusses his excitement to be a part of the Iron Bowl. Auburn true freshman quarterback Hank Brown joined the Village Vice Podcast to discuss the upcoming football season on the Plains. Co-host Zac Blackerby asked Brown about what game he is excited to be a part of this season. Brown responded, "Yeah, this might be a very common answer, but I haven't been able to see an Iron Bowl in person. That game is going to be one I am very excited for. Everybody counts us out, and I think there's not a game we should be counted out of this year. We have a great team, a good coaching staff that every game we're going to compete." I love hearing that from Brown as he and his teammates share this mentality that they can beat anyone, and with the talent and heart on this team, the ceiling is through the roof. Coach Freeze is building a culture that likes to win and isn't satisfied with anything else. Hearing things like this from Brown shows me the Auburn football program will be back sooner rather than later. Other Stories Five-star wide receiver Perry Thompson flips from Alabama, commits to Auburn Who will be Auburn's leading pass catcher this season? Coach Hugh Freeze is making some accountability adjustments on The Plains What does the future look like for Auburn at quarterback? Auburn lands four-star edge rusher Jakaleb Faulk Auburn's 2024 linebacker class is tops in the country Engage with Auburn Daily on Socials!

auburnwire.usatoday.com Can Auburn pull off the Highland Home trifecta? Taylor Jones ~2 minutes The 2022 Highland Home Flying Squadron had one of the best defenses in small-school Alabama football last season thanks to the efforts of three stout defenders. If you were to combine the average heights and weights of Keldric Faulk, Jakaleb Faulk, and CJ May…. you would get a 6-4, 231-pound dual-threat beast. Buy Tigers Tickets As the calendar turns to 2023, Keldric Faulk is on Auburn’s campus and Jakaleb Faulk has announced his intention to come to Auburn. However, May is enjoying the fact that his recruitment is starting to unfold. May is a four-star EDGE from the 2025 class and will have two more seasons to compete alongside Jakaleb Faulk on the high school level. Last week, May included Auburn in his top ten. In a recent interview with Jason Caldwell of 247Sports, May says that he is impressed at how quickly Hugh Freeze has changed the outlook of Auburn football. “They’ve definitely turned the whole program around,” May said. “I love everything about the whole staff, especially coach (Jeremy) Garrett and coach (Vontrell King-Williams). Those are my guys. It’s more of a brother connection than a coach connection. I have a great thing with them.” May says that he is taking his time with his recruitment, and does not have a timetable for committing to a program. However, On3 has forecasted a 25.6% chance that Auburn lands him. He plans to make a few visits to the Plains this season as well. Contact/Follow us @TheAuburnWire on X (Twitter), and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Auburn news, notes, and opinion. You can also follow Taylor on Twitter @TaylorJones__

247sports.com Depth a strength for Auburn wide receivers heading into 2023 season Jason Caldwell 5–7 minutes VIDEO: Highlights of Auburn commit Jakaleb ""JJ" Faulk from Highland Home's jamboree game When Payton Thorne decided to transfer at the end of April — the morning the portal closed April 30 — it was a decision only a few days coming. A two-year starter at Michigan State, Thorne exited spring practices ready for another offseason with Mel Tucker’s program. He had no designs on departing. But as the transfer deadline drew closer, “It was a quick thing that happened,” Thorne said Wednesday of leaving Michigan State. “If you had asked me a week before I committed or a week before I got in the portal if I was transferring, I would have been like, ‘What are you talking about?’ There were a few things that happened — way in the past in the whole offseason. When I entered the portal, talking to Coach Freeze and the coaches here, I thought it was a no-brainer to come here.” Despite his 26 games of starting experience, Tucker decided to create a QB competition in spring practice, offering first-team reps to players other than Thorne. Noah Kim appeared in four games during the 2022 season, including a few instances where Thorne was sidelined in the second half of a decisive win for the opposition. Thorne was never benched as the starter, per se, but after a season where he was also hampered by an injury, Michigan State’s staff was keeping its options open. “This spring, (Tucker) opened it up to some competition with the younger guys,” Michigan State offensive line coach Chris Kapilovic told Auburn Undercover this offseason. “I think coming out of the spring and not naming a starter probably had something to do with (Thorne leaving).” Thorne visited Auburn with his father after entering the portal, and the Tigers’ newly minted starting quarterback said almost all of the nine hours in the facility were spent watching film, breaking down Hugh Freeze’s offensive scheme and dissecting the personnel Thorne would have to work with in the passing game. “It was very encouraging,” Thorne said. “Obviously, Coach Freeze’s offenses, obviously he’s had a lot of success with all types of quarterbacks. Last year I think they got to their fourth-string quarterback (at Liberty) and they were still winning games. Seeing that and seeing how he game-plans — just hearing about him as a play-caller. Coach Montgomery as well, you just look at his track record and his time at Baylor and Tulsa.” Thorne said he was impressed not only with Freeze and Philip Montgomery’s quarterback track record, but also the support staff that Freeze has dedicated to the position. Freeze’s offensive coordinator at Liberty, Kent Austin, is an analyst at Auburn, while analyst Jesse Stone also came over from Liberty. “It’s fun for me to be able to play for an offensive head coach, and have so many people devoted to quarterbacks and quarterback development,” Thorne said. Thorne arrived on campus a week after committing in early May, and wasted no time developing a rapport with his new teammates. "Man, he didn't wait," Freeze said two weeks after Thorne committed. "He's already in there watching film on his own and learning stuff. He's anxious to get with the team and start working out." After 10 practices in preseason camp, Freeze named Thorne the starting quarterback for Auburn last Thursday. The grad transfer beat out the incumbent Robby Ashford, who started nine games last season. Thorne won the job on the field, of course, but Freeze also noted how Thorne carries himself within the offense, and how “there’s this look the other guys have when he’s in the huddle.” Thorne credits that back to his efforts in the offseason, getting to know his new teammates and the program he’ll call home for the next two years. “I think the biggest thing that I wanted to do is just be myself,” Thorne said. “I didn't want to come down here and try to be somebody else. Obviously it's a different part of the country, a different conference. But I think if you go into a new place and try to be something you're not, everybody can tell that. I've just tried to come down here and do what I do and work hard and try to prove myself in our workouts first. And then just getting to know guys. I feel like I've been able to do that and to build some relationships, which has been great. But just trying to be me and keep doing what I've been doing my whole life and what got me here.” Continued Thorne: “I think it goes back to just being me and not trying to do too much. Some guys hear the word leadership and feel like they have to go yell at everybody or do something crazy. Leadership comes in a lot of different shapes and sizes. There’s a lot of different ways of doing it. Sometimes you do have to get on guys. Sometimes you’ve just got to put your arm around a guy and whisper something to him. But in terms of command, I think command comes back to knowing your stuff. I don’t think you can command a room if you don’t know what you’re doing and you don’t know the offense and you don’t know how hard you’re working and all that stuff. So just showing up everyday being consistent while also striving to be the best I can be and pushing myself first. I feel like if I just focus on those things, the leadership aspect is a whole different thing than command in my eyes.” *** Subscribe to Auburn Undercover for the latest news and intel, podcasts, recruiting coverage and more *** *** Get Auburn news straight to your inbox with the Auburn Undercover newsletter ***

yahoo.com Fourteen Tigers named to Reese’s Senior Bowl watch list JD McCarthyWed, August 23, 2023 at 3:30 PM CDT·1 min read0Link Copied 1–2 minutes Auburn has struggled to produce draft picks over the past few NFL drafts but that could be changing soon. The Reese’s Senior Bowl revealed its annual watch list on Wednesday and the Tigers are well represented with 14 players making the list. The group includes six offensive players and eight defensive players. The offensive group consists of quarterback Payton Thorne, left tackle Dillon Wade, tight end Rivaldo Fairweather and wide receivers Jyaire Shorter, Ja'Varrius Johnson and Shane Hooks. Auburn’s secondary is full of players to monitor with cornerbacks DJ James, Nehemiah Pritchett, Keionte Scott and safety Jaylin Simpson making the list. They are joined by defensive linemen Justin Rogers and Elijah McAllister as well as linebackers Larry Nixon III and Jalen McLeod. The 2024 Reese’s Senior Bowl will be played on Feb. 3, 2024, and will be shown on the NFL Network. Contact/Follow us @TheAuburnWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Auburn news, notes, and opinion. You can also follow JD on Twitter @jdmccarthy15. Story originally appeared on Auburn Wire

dang gummys.i have edited three times......

please check on your outside critters in this heat.they need water and shade. it would be nice if you set out water out for any creatures. we have pets dying in calhoun county and sometimes people forget. thanx

on what we can all agree on together collectively? i just wonder if we discussed what we could agree on it might give folks a different look at each other. i am sure some will think it is silly. are we so far gone as a country we cannot do this? at the end of the day we all want what we think is best for america. i expect crickets for the record.

you know i said what i said because i was jealous?lol it is the truth. you helping homer and leaving me out in the cold.........and in this heat! 68 year old kid. i have known you are good people from the other sections on the fam for a long time.

i was picking with you some lp. one of my best friends is a pastor and he tells me i will be going to heaven regardlessof my worries and doubts. part of that is i was baptised. i have known him for almost fiftyfive years so i assume he knows me well.

that makes me sad. but we get angry and sometimes say things we regret. i believe homer would tellyou he does not want you to hurt or suffer. right homer?