5.11.23 Foootball Articles

[aubiefifty 18,259]

saturdaydownsouth.com

 

Hugh Freeze to Robby Ashford on Auburn QB competition: ‘Life is not easy’

Ginny Boulton

~3 minutes

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Hugh Freeze makes no apologies for creating a culture of competition at Auburn. In fact, the head coach is quite straightforward when it comes to competition between the players for positions.

After a poor showing in the spring game, Auburn recently added former Michigan State quarterback Payton Thorne from the transfer portal. It was a surprising move for some, especially incumbent Tiger QB Robby Ashford. Ashford had one pass for 29 yards alone in the spring game for the Tigers. The QB took the addition in stride, posting on social media: “Let’s work. Iron sharpens iron!! War Eagle.”

For his part, Freeze is focused on the good of the team and not the feelings of individual players. When asked by the media how Ashford might feel about another player being added to the room, Freeze was direct in doling out some life advice.

“Life is not easy,” he said, per WVTM 13’s Ryan Hennessy. “It’s an unrealistic expectation if you think you’re not going to have 4 quarterbacks. Obviously, with TJ leaving, we had to get another one. I’m not going to go into the season, nor will I next year or the year after (without 4). We’re going to sign 4 quarterbacks, and every single year it’s going to be a competition.”

"Life is not easy"- Auburn HC Hugh Freeze on adding QB Payton Thorne to the roster pic.twitter.com/eKb4F9BU2P

— Ryan Hennessy (@RyanWVTM13) May 10, 2023

Edited May 11, 2023 by aubiefifty

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si.com

 

Auburn is getting a high upside wideout in Caleb Burton

Andrew Stefaniak

~3 minutes

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Caleb Burton could develop into a monster on the Plains.

Auburn recently landed former Ohio State Buckeye Caleb Burton in the transfer portal. 

This is an excellent addition for the Tigers as Burton was a highly touted recruit out of high school but was held down by injuries his first year in college. 

Jay Stephens, host of the Locked On Buckeyes Podcast, joined the Locked on Auburn Podcast to discuss Burton. 

Locked on, Auburn host Zac Blackerby asked Stephens his thoughts on Burton's skill on the field, and this was his response, "The slot role is where Burton is best suited. Especially when you weigh at what is it, five-foot-eleven 169-pounds at Ohio State? Very slender frame. So even if he's going to be playing the slot, you want him to beef up a little bit and gain at least at minimum ten pounds; to kind of be able to withstand the hits from the linebackers during the catches he makes over the middle cause if he doesn't, he could get broken in half because those hits are going to be pretty brutal. I think he's going to be a slot guy. One thing I love when I watch him play is how good he is at high-pointing the ball, catching the ball in traffic, and using two hands to bring the ball down. I do believe that at 169-pounds, if he wasn't able to do that, he probably wouldn't have gone to Ohio State; just being honest with you. Because if you're small like that, you have to have some really exceptional traits, and that's one of the ones he has. He's just a slot guy. If he gains enough weight, he could be outside, but I don't think it's going to happen. Probably a slot guy going forward. Probably a really good one in a couple of years."

It sounds like Burton has a high upside and could really help out this Auburn football team. 

Burton has a ton of eligibility left, so he has a few years to develop, but he could potentially be an upgrade to the Auburn receiver room right now. 

Ohio State has a knack for recruiting stud wideouts, so we know the potential Burton has; he just had to find it, and hopefully, the Auburn coaching staff can help him.

It will be exciting to watch the former high four-star recruit revive his college football career on the Plains. 

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auburnwire.usatoday.com

 

247Sports has an early bowl prediction for Auburn

Daniel Locke

~2 minutes

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In a 247Sports article written by Brad Crawford, a bowl game prediction was made for every college football team and he has Auburn returning to bowl season after missing out last season.

Crawford predicted the Auburn Tigers to take on the Memphis Tigers in the Birmingham Bowl. The two teams faced off in the same game in 2015 and Auburn took on the Houston Cougars in the first edition of the game played at Protective Stadium in 2021.

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The Tigers crushed Memphis 31-10 in their previous meeting but came up short in 2021, losing 17-13 to the Cougars.

Despite hiring a new coach and bringing in new faces at key positions such as quarterback, wide receiver, offensive and defensive line and defensive back, a lot of skepticism still surrounds the Auburn program.

After having back-to-back losing seasons for the first time since 1998-99, Auburn has turned the page and is looking to reclaim its spot as a perennial contender in the SEC.

Memphis has gone 6-6 and 7-6 respectively in the last two seasons.

Contact/Follow us @TheAuburnWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Auburn news, notes, and opinion

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Looking at Auburn’s quarterback competition following spring ball

• Updated: May. 10, 2023, 8:07 p.m.|
• Published: May. 10, 2023, 7:38 p.m.

Auburn football coach Hugh Freeze talks QB battle at Regions Tradition

By

• Nubyjas Wilborn | nwilborn@al.com

A recurring theme since late November when Hugh Freeze became the Auburn football coach is that when he identifies an issue, he does his best to address it quickly.

As discussed on Wednesday, Hugh Freeze used the transfer portal and high school recruiting to add nine linemen to an offensive line group.

Freeze was open to signing an experienced quarterback from the portal if there was a proper fit. The first-year Tiger coach landed a potential starting quarterback for those linemen to protect when Payton Thorne left Michigan State to commit to Auburn. Thorne arrived two days after former quarterback T.J. Finley entered the transfer portal.

Robby Ashford welcomed the change to compete in the fall for the starting role, reacting to Thorne’s signing. Ashford tweeted, “Iron sharpens Iron,” less than 20 minutes after Thorne tweeted about his commitment to Auburn. Freeze told reporters at Tuesday’s 2023 Regions Pro-Am fundraiser in Birmingham that he valued how Ashford handled the situation while praising Thorne.

“His (Thorne) leadership, experience, toughness, and football IQ impressed our staff. He has won football games in a very good conference, and I think it elevates that room,” Freeze told reporters before he teed off with golf partner Ernie Els. “I’ve said it’s all about competition, and again, I want to say: I’m excited about Robby. I’m excited about Holden Geriner. I look forward to the competition that will make us all the better if handled correctly.”

It’s easy to assume that Thorne will win the starting competition with his 5,911 yards, 46 touchdowns, and 21 interceptions during three seasons at Michigan State. Ashford completed 49.2% of his passes last season compared to a career 61.5% for Thorne. Ashford threw for 1,613 yards while struggling with accuracy on seven touchdowns and seven interceptions.

Ashford’s passing numbers and experience don’t compare with Thorne’s. However, Ashford rushed for over 700 yards last season with seven touchdowns. Ashford’s dual-threat ability gives him a chance to make the potential camp battle one to watch.

Can Ashford stave off Thorne and upcoming redshirt freshman Geriner? We won’t find out until the end of fall camp. Ashford seems confident and ready to take control of the offense if called upon.

“I feel more comfortable in the pocket. I feel more relaxed,” Ashford said after A-Day at Jordan-Hare. “Last year, I was kind of uptight, playing off raw ability. I feel like every single day; I found something to get better at. And Coach Freeze definitely challenged me, and I appreciate that because he’s taught me so much already in such a short time. Just being able to go out there and just him challenging me, it’s been really good for me.”

Nubyjas Wilborn covers Auburn for Alabama Media Group.

 

 

 

 

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auburnwire.usatoday.com

 

Auburn's campus 'feels like home' to 5-star WR Perry Thompson

JD McCarthy

~2 minutes

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Five-star wide receiver Perry Thompson may be committed to the Alabama Crimson Tide but the Tigers have not stopped recruiting him.

In a recent interview with Christian Clemente of Auburn Undercover, he spoke about Auburn’s continued efforts to recruit him.

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“Really the coaches building a bond with me and making me feel like family,” Thompson said about Auburn. “Everything on campus just feels like home, it feels good. Oh yeah, we built a strong bond. Every day I come up to campus we can just connect and there’s a strong relationship there.”

When Thompson committed to the Crimson Tide back in June the old staff has not extended him an offer. Hugh Freeze and Co. quickly changed that, extending him an offer in January and making him a priority target.

Since then he has visited four times and is set to return to the Plains on June 16 for an official visit. He’s hoping it will give him a chance to see Auburn on a “day-to-day basis” and the coaches “outside of football.”

While Auburn is making a push, Alabama will not let him go easily, he has been to Tuscaloosa numerous times since committing and has an official visit with them set up for June 2.

It’s easy to see why both programs are prioritizing the 6-foot-3, 202-pounder out of Foley, Alabama. He caught 87 passes for 1,059 yards and nine touchdowns last season.

Thompson is the No. 28 overall player and No. 6 wide receiver in the 247Sports Composite ranking. He is also the No. 3 player from Alabama.

Contact/Follow us @TheAuburnWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Auburn news, notes, and opinion

[aubiefifty 18,259]

si.com

 

CFB Expert: 'I think Jarquez Hunter is a star'

Zac Blackerby

2–3 minutes

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College football experts expect Jarquez Hunter to have an incredible season.

Almost everyone close to the Auburn football program expects running back Jarquez Hunter to have a solid season in the first year of Hugh Freeze's system.

Now, his name and the excitement to watch him play have spread to national media.

PFF College football analyst Max Chadwick spoke highly of what he expects out of Hunter this season with a better system and a revamped offensive line when he appeared on the Locked On Auburn Podcast.

"The bread and butter of this Auburn offense could be the run game and I know it sounds a little bit weird saying that when tank Bigsby was just drafted by the Jacksonville Jaguars but I think Jarquez Hunter is a star and is a guy that has been a little bit overshadowed obviously with Bigbsy there," Chadwick said. "I'm really excited to see what he can do next year."

Hunter scored an offensive PFF grade of 79.8 during the 2022 season. his run grade was 82.7. With another year of development, paired with a larger role, his production could take a huge jump.

"A lot like what you see with Robby Ashford, the ceiling with this guy is absurd," Chadwick said. "He made some Georgia defenders look stupid on some plays."

Hunter will lead a talented room with guys like Damari Alston, Brian Battie, and Jeremiah Cobb.

Chadwick said, "Jarquez Hunter is a guy that could easily become one of the superstar running backs in college football."

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saturdaydownsouth.com

 

Hugh Freeze talks up new Auburn QB Payton Thorne, compares him to former Ole Miss QB

Spenser Davis

~3 minutes

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Hugh Freeze is extremely excited about the addition of transfer quarterback Payton Thorne.

In a radio interview on Wednesday morning, Freeze called out some of the traits that Auburn was pursuing when it went after Thorne in the portal. He also compared Thorne to former Ole Miss quarterback Bo Wallace.

“I loved his maturity. I think he brings a level of leadership to that room that is needed,” Freeze said on McElroy and Cubelic In The Morning. “I kind of relate him to when I got to Ole Miss the first time and we signed Bo Wallace. He wasn’t just the most flashiest, but boy he could run the RPOs and make good decisions and run it when he needed to a little bit.

Freeze also said he remains excited about Robby Ashford and Holden Geriner. He indicated Auburn would have a 3-man quarterback competition this offseason.

Thorne joins Auburn after starting for Michigan State for the past 2 seasons. Thorne had a better 2021 than he did in 2022. The Spartans offense sputtered as a whole last season as they struggled to replace Kenneth Walker in the back field.

Auburn will be hoping Thorne can re-capture his 2021 form this upcoming season. That year, he threw for 3,232 yards and 27 touchdowns. He also averaged 8.7 yards per attempt.

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apologies for screwing up the title. dang gummies kickin my behind this morning.

[aubiefifty 18,259]

al.com

 

Trent Dilfer: Auburn's Hank Brown 'has all the skills' to develop into NFL QB

Published: May. 11, 2023, 7:05 a.m.

4–5 minutes

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Trent Dilfer pulled Hank Brown aside last fall, before the start of Lipscomb Academy’s season, and delivered a message to his starting quarterback.

Dilfer had seen firsthand the type of quarterback Brown was and how he was progressing at the position throughout his high school career. So, he wanted to make sure Brown knew what he was capable of if he continued on his trajectory as a signal-caller.

Read more Auburn football: Hugh Freeze discusses Auburn’s newest transfers, which positions he still wants to address this offseason

Payton Thorne “more proven” than any transfer quarterback Hugh Freeze has coached

What the addition of Payton Thorne means for Auburn at quarterback

“I told him right before his senior year that if he continued to progress on the track we’re progressing him on, he’ll get drafted,” Dilfer, now the coach at UAB, said Wednesday morning before teeing off at the Regions Tradition Pro-Am in Hoover.

It was a lofty perch for Dilfer to hoist Brown — at the time committed to Liberty as a three-star prospect — upon, but few coaches have the experience and eye for quarterback evaluations that Dilfer has. He was, after all, the longtime head quarterback coach of the prestigious Elite 11 camp and spent years mentoring and assessing high school quarterbacks.

Brown seemingly took Dilfer’s message to heart, and he followed through with a prolific senior season. He led Lipscomb Academy to a 13-0 record and a Tennessee D2-AA state title while passing for 3,264 yards and 47 touchdowns with a 73.3 percent completion rate last fall.

“He’s phenomenal,” Dilfer said. “His instincts are second to none. This is not about me, but that football team last year in Tennessee is the finest football team to ever play Tennessee high school football. And Hank is a huge reason for that. His ability to solve problems, his ability to distribute the football, handle critical situations, handle a week of pressure and high expectations was just phenomenal.”

After Hugh Freeze left Liberty and took over as Auburn’s coach in late November, Brown backed off his commitment to Liberty. Freeze then wasted little time in extending a scholarship offer to Brown to come to Auburn. Brown visited campus in December and committed to Auburn on the eve of the early signing period, giving the Tigers their quarterback for the 2023 class.

“They got a great recruit,” Dilfer said. “He’s a very talented player, but he’s a better human. He’s one of the finest humans I’ve ever been around; his family is incredible. Work ethic is second to none.”

Brown’s name has hardly been mentioned since Freeze’s early signing day press conference on Dec. 21, since Brown was not an early enrollee and much of the discourse over the last several months has been on the Tigers’ returning quarterbacks — Robby Ashford, Holden Geriner and T.J. Finley (who has since decided to transfer) — and their newest transfer addition, former Michigan State starter Payton Thorne. Considering what Auburn has at quarterback heading into next season, and the fact Brown will arrive this summer, it’s safe to assume he’s on track for a redshirt season this fall.

Just because the focus will be on Auburn’s other quarterbacks, though, Dilfer believes it won’t take Brown long to get noticed upon his arrival on the Plains.

“He’ll know that offense as well as any person in that building after a couple months there,” Dilfer said. “He’ll do the lonely work — the stuff that doesn’t get celebrated, so that he’s prepared.”

Dilfer, who took over at UAB at the end of November, steadfastly believes Brown has a bright future ahead of him and NFL potential. He’s also confident Auburn will help get Brown there, though it’s going to take time, and the 6-foot-4, 195-pounder will need to grow into his frame to have a chance to reach his full potential as a passer.

“He does need to get bigger and stronger, and he knows that,” Dilfer said. “But Auburn has great resources to do that. He’ll get bigger, stronger and fast. He’ll become more of a man here shortly. He has all the skills it takes to become an NFL quarterback.”

Tom Green is an Auburn beat reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter @Tomas_Verde.

[AuburnNTexas 7,329]

1 hour ago, aubiefifty said:

al.com

 

Trent Dilfer: Auburn's Hank Brown 'has all the skills' to develop into NFL QB

Published: May. 11, 2023, 7:05 a.m.

4–5 minutes

---

Trent Dilfer pulled Hank Brown aside last fall, before the start of Lipscomb Academy’s season, and delivered a message to his starting quarterback.

Dilfer had seen firsthand the type of quarterback Brown was and how he was progressing at the position throughout his high school career. So, he wanted to make sure Brown knew what he was capable of if he continued on his trajectory as a signal-caller.

Read more Auburn football: Hugh Freeze discusses Auburn’s newest transfers, which positions he still wants to address this offseason

Payton Thorne “more proven” than any transfer quarterback Hugh Freeze has coached

What the addition of Payton Thorne means for Auburn at quarterback

“I told him right before his senior year that if he continued to progress on the track we’re progressing him on, he’ll get drafted,” Dilfer, now the coach at UAB, said Wednesday morning before teeing off at the Regions Tradition Pro-Am in Hoover.

It was a lofty perch for Dilfer to hoist Brown — at the time committed to Liberty as a three-star prospect — upon, but few coaches have the experience and eye for quarterback evaluations that Dilfer has. He was, after all, the longtime head quarterback coach of the prestigious Elite 11 camp and spent years mentoring and assessing high school quarterbacks.

Brown seemingly took Dilfer’s message to heart, and he followed through with a prolific senior season. He led Lipscomb Academy to a 13-0 record and a Tennessee D2-AA state title while passing for 3,264 yards and 47 touchdowns with a 73.3 percent completion rate last fall.

“He’s phenomenal,” Dilfer said. “His instincts are second to none. This is not about me, but that football team last year in Tennessee is the finest football team to ever play Tennessee high school football. And Hank is a huge reason for that. His ability to solve problems, his ability to distribute the football, handle critical situations, handle a week of pressure and high expectations was just phenomenal.”

After Hugh Freeze left Liberty and took over as Auburn’s coach in late November, Brown backed off his commitment to Liberty. Freeze then wasted little time in extending a scholarship offer to Brown to come to Auburn. Brown visited campus in December and committed to Auburn on the eve of the early signing period, giving the Tigers their quarterback for the 2023 class.

“They got a great recruit,” Dilfer said. “He’s a very talented player, but he’s a better human. He’s one of the finest humans I’ve ever been around; his family is incredible. Work ethic is second to none.”

Brown’s name has hardly been mentioned since Freeze’s early signing day press conference on Dec. 21, since Brown was not an early enrollee and much of the discourse over the last several months has been on the Tigers’ returning quarterbacks — Robby Ashford, Holden Geriner and T.J. Finley (who has since decided to transfer) — and their newest transfer addition, former Michigan State starter Payton Thorne. Considering what Auburn has at quarterback heading into next season, and the fact Brown will arrive this summer, it’s safe to assume he’s on track for a redshirt season this fall.

Just because the focus will be on Auburn’s other quarterbacks, though, Dilfer believes it won’t take Brown long to get noticed upon his arrival on the Plains.

“He’ll know that offense as well as any person in that building after a couple months there,” Dilfer said. “He’ll do the lonely work — the stuff that doesn’t get celebrated, so that he’s prepared.”

Dilfer, who took over at UAB at the end of November, steadfastly believes Brown has a bright future ahead of him and NFL potential. He’s also confident Auburn will help get Brown there, though it’s going to take time, and the 6-foot-4, 195-pounder will need to grow into his frame to have a chance to reach his full potential as a passer.

“He does need to get bigger and stronger, and he knows that,” Dilfer said. “But Auburn has great resources to do that. He’ll get bigger, stronger and fast. He’ll become more of a man here shortly. He has all the skills it takes to become an NFL quarterback.”

Tom Green is an Auburn beat reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter @Tomas_Verde.

Many on here seem to think this young man was an after thought and have down played his skill set. I Trust Dilfer's evaluation and if he thinks this young man has NFL level talent in a year or two assuming nobody leaves we could have a real competition for the QB position.

[Hank2020 3,358]

3 hours ago, aubiefifty said:

apologies for screwing up the title. dang gummies kickin my behind this morning.

Chew or not to chew. Ultimate question!!! Lol

[WarTim 3,525]

Thanks Fifty. Appreciate you. 

[aubiefifty 18,259]

43 minutes ago, WarTim said:

Thanks Fifty. Appreciate you. 

thanx for putting up with me tim! you mod work hard for little glory but i see it and i appreciate you guys as well.