8.18.23 Football Articles

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Payton Thorne named starting quarterback for Auburn

Ryan Hennessy

5–6 minutes

Payton Thorne named starting quarterback for Auburn

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Coach, there's been reports today that you were uh gonna announce *** starting quarterback today and Payne Thorne. Is that true? Do you want to announce that I was, I was, I was going to, you guys seem to uh know everything before it happens. So I don't, that's uh interesting to me because only four people knew that and uh I didn't even tell the staff. So it's interesting to how every, everything works today, but i it's just *** different day and time, but yeah, I've decided to uh uh start Peyton uh Thorn and, um let me say this first. I totally believe that Robbie and Holden, uh we can win games with, with any of the three. Um *** lot of that would depend upon, you know, how we play defensively and, and how the supporting cast play. Uh I believe in all three of those guys and there are days that there's been very little separation. Uh I just believe, man, my gut is usually right and usually when I follow my gut. Um and I'm not saying my gut is right that Peyton is the guy for all 12 games or, but my gut is saying it's the time to do this, uh to get us best prepared for the opening of the season. Um I'm hoping that all three will handle that news, uh extremely well and to continue to work because I believe with all my heart, uh, Robbie Ashford gives us an absolute better chance to win the game if he accepts, um, this, this news and continues to work and develops himself because he might be the most freakish athlete I've ever had *** quarterback. But to this point, I think the separation, uh the reason Peyton is getting the nod is just um the, the leadership ability and uh understanding uh of the offense. And um he's been in some really good battles and um it just seems like he was more efficient in the decision making uh to this point, not that the others were terrible by any means. It was not just *** slam dunk. And so I hope um that everyone will handle it right? And this is, this is, uh I mean, this is happening in *** lot of places NFL here you compete and you continue to compete and trust me. Um once someone gets that job, they gotta hold on to it and hopefully, uh the others continue to work every day to press to, to make me feel like I need to second guess that that's, that's the hope.

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Payton Thorne named starting quarterback for Auburn

Auburn University football head coach Hugh Freeze has named Payton Thorne as the Tigers' new starting quarterback."The reason Payton is getting the nod is just the leadership ability and the understanding of the offense," said coach Freeze. "He's been in some really good battles and just seems like he was more efficient in the decision-making."Thorne comes to Auburn from Michigan State University, where he started for the Spartans.In 2022, Thorne threw for 2,679 yards with 19 touchdowns and 11 interceptions.Thorne beat out Hoover graduate Robby Ashford for the starting job. Ashford started most of the season last year for Auburn."I believe with all my heart that Robby Ashford gives us an absolute better chance to win the game if he accepts this news and continues to work and develop himself," said coach Freeze. "He might be the most freakish athlete I've ever had at quarterback."The Tigers open up their season at home on Sept. 2 against the University of Massachusetts. Stay updated on the latest sports updates with the WVTM 13 app. You can download it here.

AUBURN, Ala. —

Auburn University football head coach Hugh Freeze has named Payton Thorne as the Tigers' new starting quarterback.

"The reason Payton is getting the nod is just the leadership ability and the understanding of the offense," said coach Freeze. "He's been in some really good battles and just seems like he was more efficient in the decision-making."

This content is imported from Twitter. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site.

Thorne comes to Auburn from Michigan State University, where he started for the Spartans.

In 2022, Thorne threw for 2,679 yards with 19 touchdowns and 11 interceptions.

Thorne beat out Hoover graduate Robby Ashford for the starting job. Ashford started most of the season last year for Auburn.

"I believe with all my heart that Robby Ashford gives us an absolute better chance to win the game if he accepts this news and continues to work and develop himself," said coach Freeze. "He might be the most freakish athlete I've ever had at quarterback."

The Tigers open up their season at home on Sept. 2 against the University of Massachusetts.

Stay updated on the latest sports updates with the WVTM 13 app. You can download it here.

Edited August 18, 2023 by aubiefifty

[aubiefifty 18,259]

247sports.com

Stutts leading the way as guard rotation taking shape for Tigers

Jason Caldwell

4–5 minutes

Senior Kam Stutts is having a strong camp for the Auburn Tigers.

AUBURN, Alabama — In this day and age of play me or I'm leaving, Auburn senior guard Kam Stutts has been the exception to the rule, but it's always been that way.

Earning an offer from the Tigers during a summer camp, Stutts worked to become a player the coaches couldn't pass up. Now he's doing the same things heading into his final season on the Plains, with Jake Thornton and a new coaching staff seeing exactly what the big guard is all about.

"Stutts means a lot to me," Thornton said. "And in today's world where it's so easy to leave and go other places, he stuck it out. He's been through good and bad here. And in our room, man, there's not a bigger presence for what it means to be an Auburn offensive lineman. Every day when he gets in there, he's the first one in, last one to leave, taking care of his body. The trials that he's been through, the injuries, the coaching changes and trying to find his way, for him to stick it out and still be here, that alone means the world to me as a coach and to the rest of those guys. And it's setting a great example to the younger players. Like hey, if you don't get what you want in year one? You don't get what you want in year two? Stick it out and keep working. And it's going to fall in your lap if you work hard enough for it so he's been a big time factor for us on and off the field."

It's more than just his presence in the meeting room that has earned Stutts the respect of his coaches and teammates. Seeing his playing time increase last season, the Killen, Alabama native continued that in the spring with Hugh Freeze taking over the Tigers. Putting in the work over the summer that earned him a spot at SEC Media Days representing Auburn, Stutts has continued that early in the preseason and it's rubbing off on the guys around him.

"I think Stutts has had a great camp, just like in spring," Thornton said. "I think he's done a really good job stepping in there, you know, a big dude, 340 pounds. He's experienced, he's smart, his football IQ is really high. So he's done a really nice job."

Stutts has put himself in a great position to be the starter at right guard while fellow fifth-year senior Jalil Irvin has moved from center to guard and has stepped up his play to give the Tigers another experienced player in a reserve role. With the offensive line group starting to come together with Dillon Wade at left tackle, Gunner Britton at right tackle and Avery Jones at center, the biggest question is what will happen at left guard. Both Jeremiah Wright and Tate Johnson continue to get reps on the left side and Thornton said it has turned into a fun battle.

"They've both done really good things," Thornton said. "They're both competitors, and the toughness level is there for both of them so they're both growing as well. Jeremiah having not practiced in the spring and not getting any reps there and then Tate getting hurt in practice five and not getting a ton of reps there, you know, both of those guys are starting to gel and are starting to figure it out. I'm certainly excited about the depth that we've created at those two positions."

Auburn will practice on Thursday and Friday before heading back to Jordan-Hare Stadium for the second scrimmage of the preseason on Saturday.

[aubiefifty 18,259]

 

al.com

 

Alabama, Auburn take wildly different paths settling QB battles

Published: Aug. 17, 2023, 6:38 p.m.

5–7 minutes

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Two schools.

Two QB battles.

Two completely different strategies for finding a resolution.

That’s the short version of the contrasting dynamics between the ongoing competition in Tuscaloosa and Auburn where white smoke was spotted Thursday.

Michigan State transfer Payton Thorne was declared the winner of the derby by first-year coach Hugh Freeze. News of the verdict leaked Thursday afternoon -- a few hours before Freeze confirmed it in a previously-scheduled news conference. Even the way he noted the information puncture with a folksy smile differed greatly from a hypothetically mirrored scenario to the northwest.

But in mid-August, it’s all about the psychology of competition. Freeze and Nick Saban simply take different paths to Sept. 2 openers against Group-of-5 visitors.

At Auburn, Freeze considered the performance from last Saturday’s scrimmage. The logic almost sounded counterintuitive until you consider the mental side of things. Returning starter Robby Ashford actually out-performed Thorne, Freeze said Thursday, but it’s not that simple.

“I felt like it was Payton going into the scrimmage and then in the scrimmage, I thought he pressed too much and I didn’t like that,” Freeze said. “I can’t have the guy -- and I think that’s one of the reasons I’m at this point -- I want to see now what he does now (knowing) ‘I’m the guy and I can go back to relaxing and playing within the system.’”

Freeze made it clear, Thorne has no reason to feel the hook could be coming from the dugout.

“The quarterback situation is set going into UMass,” Freeze said. “I mean, it’s set. It’s done. (Thorne) will get all the reps with the 1s, Robby will get most of the reps with the 2s and Holden (Geriner) will get his share some. I feel like that’s where we are and that stuff doesn’t change unless injuries happen.”

Sounds settled.

In Tuscaloosa, not quite. And that’s hardly news if you’ve followed any Saban quarterback battle. In his orbit, the competition never ends.

Even the winner isn’t necessarily the winner. Never forget Blake Barnett took the first snap of the 2016 season. He played the first two possessions that night against USC before a true freshman named Jalen Hurts entered the game.

That’s another difference. With Freeze, there’s a history of how he handled competitions elsewhere but Saban has a well-established precedent for how things go. Two years after Hurts claimed the job as a true freshman, Saban’s first official declaration of Tua Tagovailoa winning the job over the incumbent came after the season-opening win over Louisville. That said, it was clear where that situation was headed in August even if the words were never spoken.

Mac Jones being named QB1 before the 2020 opener was the exception in the upside down of the 2020 season.

At least publicly, little has been said to differentiate the status of Jalen Milroe, Ty Simpson and Tyler Buchner. Milroe, the fill-in starter when Bryce Young got hurt last fall, was getting the first-team snaps at the only practice observed by outside eyes at Fan Day. But that was Aug. 5 in the third practice of the preseason so there’s plenty of room for evolution since.

Alabama quarterback Jalen Milroe (4) drops back to pass against Texas A&M during the second half of an NCAA college football game, Saturday, Oct. 8, 2022, in Tuscaloosa, Ala. (AP Photo/Vasha Hunt)AP

Familiar talking points have dotted the August practice routine as Saban continues to implore participants in the three-man race to “take the bull by the horns.”

His Tuesday comments were the most illustrative of his feelings and the difference in approach from Auburn’s.

“You know, what I tell the quarterbacks, it’s not up to the coaches,” Saban said. “You’re looking over your shoulder to see if the coach is going to do this or that. How about you forcing me to play you, force us to play you. When you get your reps and you get a chance to play, you play so good we don’t have any choice but to play you, rather than worrying about all this other stuff.”

The schedule structure also allows for more experimentation deeper into the calendar. Before last year, Alabama played a high-profile Power 5 team every Labor Day weekend so there was more of a backstop to making that call. This year, no disrespect to Middle Tennessee State, but that holiday weekend visitor will afford Saban and new offensive coordinator Tommy Rees a live-action audition before No. 11 Texas comes to town a week later.

The Blue Raiders enter the season No. 93 in the CBS Sports ranking of all 133 FBS teams. UMass, the first visitor to Auburn, is 133rd coming off a 1-11 season with the lone win coming over an FCS Stony Brook that finished 2-9.

So there’s room to experiment before Texas comes to Tuscaloosa and Auburn heads west for a 9:30 p.m. CT howl-at-the-moon kickoff at Cal.

Both will start a quarterback that evening. That’s a certainty.

How they arrive at that point exemplifies the contrast in approach between the two coaches and programs that share little more than a state and conference.

Michael Casagrande is a reporter for the Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter @ByCasagrande or on Facebook.

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al.com

‘I know what I witnessed’: Auburn’s Freeze on Michael Oher’s petition against Tuohys

Updated: Aug. 17, 2023, 4:43 p.m.|Published: Aug. 17, 2023, 4:07 p.m.

3–4 minutes

Auburn head coach Hugh Freeze officially names Payton Thorne starting quarterback

Michael Oher, who was famously featured in the Oscar award-winning film “The Blind Side” and had successful playing careers in the NFL and at Ole Miss, alleged Monday that he was never adopted by Sean and Leigh Anne Tuohy.

Instead, in a 14-page petition filed in probate court in Shelby County, Tennessee, Oher claims that three months after he turned 18 in 2004, the Tuohy family tricked him into signing a document making them his conservators.

The petition claims that the Tuohy family used their status as Oher’s conservators to make millions in royalties off of the 2009 film, which Oher says “would not have existed without him.”

The start of it all comes from just outside of Memphis at Briarcrest Christian School, where current Auburn head coach Hugh Freeze was the head coach of the Saints’ football program, where Oher’s playing career as an offensive lineman got underway.

“I love Michael Oher,” Freeze said in a press conference Thursday. “He’s like part of our family. And I love the Tuohys. I think it’s sad. “I certainly don’t claim to understand all the ins and outs of adoption, conservatory, all of that. But I know what I witnessed, and I witnessed a family that totally took in a young man. And I think without that, there is no story.”

Hours after the news broke that Oher filed the petition, Sean Tuohy called the allegations “insulting.”

“We’re devastated,” Tuohy told The Daily Memphian. “It’s upsetting to think we would make money off any of our children. But we’re going to love Michael at 37 just like we loved him at 16.”

Per Oher’s petition, the Tuohy’s negotiated the film deal, which paid the Tuohy’s and their pair of birth children $225,000, in addition to 2.5% of the movie’s “defined net proceeds.”

“The Blind Side” went on to rake in more than $300 million in the box office.

Meanwhile, Oher’s attorney, J. Gerard Stranch IV, said Oher was never compensated for the movie, despite suspecting others might be profiting.

An official statement co-authored by the Tuohy’s and their legal team called Oher’s allegations “outlandish” and the latest attempt at a “shakedown” for money.

“The evidence – documented in profit participation checks and studio accounting statements – is clear: over the years, the Tuohys have given Mr. Oher an equal cut of every penny received from ‘The Blind Side,’ " the statement read.

Given his ties to the situation, Freeze feels for both sides of the allegations.

“I know this, I know if Michael called Sean right now and said, ‘Let’s work this out,’ Sean and Leigh Anne would be there in a hurry to hug his neck and tell him he’s loved. I hope he feels that,” said Freeze, who coached at Briarcrest from 1992-04.

“Sean and Leigh Anne Tuohy did something that most families... a lot of us talk about doing things, but they actually put the shoes on and pulled the boots up and got in the arena and did something. I think that’s admirable.”

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al.com

Observations from practice No. 11: Payton Thorne’s official first reps as the starter

Updated: Aug. 17, 2023, 11:35 p.m.|Published: Aug. 17, 2023, 7:09 p.m.

7–9 minutes

After making the biggest announcement of fall camp — tabbing Payton Thorne as Auburn’s starter — head coach Hugh Freeze allowed media members to stay on the field for the final hour-and-a-half of practice.

It was by far the longest media viewing period of the fall, and the first time reporters have seen the quarterbacks throw the ball with a live defense during camp.

So that led to a significant number of notebook pages full of observations, depth charts and quirky things as Auburn draws closer to its second scrimmage and the regular season.

Below are five key notes from Auburn’s 11th practice.

Auburn, Payton Thorne end the quarterback rotation

This wasn’t news by the time Auburn took the practice field. Hugh Freeze officially announced Payton Thorne as Auburn’s starting quarterback during his Thursday press conference.

It finally puts to end two weeks of quarterback battle and rotation to leave Thorne has the solidified top guy. As expected, Robby Ashford took reps with the second-team offensive line and broke off a number of big runs during practice, showing the role he can still have in this offense if he accepts it.

Thorne had a number of effective scrambles, too. Though those were often times a product of the offensive line. More on that below.

His passing catchers shuffled as has been the case

And then there was Rivaldo Fairweather...

Rivaldo Fairweather is going to be a weapon

Well, then.

It was one practice, sure, but in this wider window of media viewing, no star shined brighter than Auburn’s transfer tight end from FIU.

Add this chance to see Fairweather play against a defense and he showed to be an absolute mismatch for Auburn’s cornerbacks.

Early on when practicing one-on-one drills, Fairweather ran a deep corner route toward the right side of the endzone, and made a spinning, one-handed catch while falling out of bounds on a pass that was behind him.

It was the type of catch a wide receiver makes, not usually a tight end.

Fairweather projects to be a big-time mismatch come the regular season. He’s 6-foot-4, 251 pounds. And he can run. There aren’t many cornerbacks or safeties big enough to cover him or linebackers fast enough.

Fairweather was a favorite target of Thorne’s. He looked like a reliable, strong, big target in the middle of the field who clearly has the athleticism to make bigger plays down the field, too.

The only one who seemed able to stop him was safety Jaylin Simpson.

When the offense got down to the goal line in a two minutes drill, Thorne was looking for his tight end to get the final yard into the endzone.

Fairweather came over the middle with tight coverage from Simpson. When the pass came, Simpson had to leap over Fairweather to even have a play on the ball against the bigger player. But he made the play, batting the ball away.

Fairweather asked for a flag for pass interference, and frankly, he may have gotten one in the game. But the call could have gone either way.

Regardless, for all the talk about wide receivers, Auburn’s biggest weapon may literally be its biggest weapon.

A new look on the offensive line

Throughout the first drills media members saw, the offensive line was the same as in previous practices. More on that below with the depth chart.

Later in practice, when there was a two-minute drill scrimmage, the offensive line changed its look.

Instead of Gunner Britton as the right tackle, as he has always been so far in practice, he moved inside to left guard. Izavion Miller, who had been the second-team right tackle, started on the first-team group in that spot. And instead of the left guard battle between Jeremiah Wright and Tate Johnson, Wright started with the second team at left guard and Johnson across from him at right guard.

Now in that drill, the different look on the offensive line struggled. Elijah McAllister was a force against that group, blowing up the pocket multiple time times. The interior of that offensive line — including Britton who is use to playing tackle — was beaten frequently by Jayson Jones and Marcus Harris.

It’s not exactly clear why Aubrun tried this different unit. There hasn’t been much conversation about swinging Britton inside during fall camp. It’s possible Auburn was experimenting if it doesn’t feel comfortable with its left-guard competition and wants to have Miller on the first team.

It’s likely something that will come up in future media availabilities.

Checking in on the depth chart

Offensive starters

QB: Payton Thorne

RB: Jarquez Hunter

LT: Dillon Wade

LG: Kam Stutts

😄 Avery Jones

RG: Jeremiah Wright

RT: Gunner Britton

TE: Rivaldo Fairweather

WR: Omari Kelly, Jay Fair, Shane Hooks

Defensive starters

DL: Jayson Jones, Marcus Harris

DE: Mosiah Nasili-Kite

Jack LB: Elijah McAllister

Middle LB: Larry Nixon III, Eugene Asante

CB: Nehemiah Pritchett, D.J. James, Keionte Scott

S: Jaylin Simpson, Zion Puckett

Though as has been the case throughout the preseason, the initial starters when reporters first were taken to the practice field had some rotation. Wide receivers Nick Mardner, Ja’Varrius Johnson, Jyaire Shorter and Camden Brown all worked in with the first team, too. So did tight end Luke Deal in certain packages.

The jack linebacker spot rotated with McAllister and Stephen Sings V and at some points, both were on the field together. There was one package during drills that featured McAllister, Sings and Nosili-Kite all at the same time.

The middle linebacker spot also saw rotation with Eugene Asante and Cam Riley. Nixon started in the spot presumably that would be filled by Austin Keys when healthy.

As Freeze said during his press conference, outside of quarterback he has enough rotation where he doesn’t necessarily view it as first, second and third teams.

Others who saw time on the second-team defense without much rotation into the first team include Justin Rogers and Lawrence Johnson on the interior defensive line. Brenton Williams played as the defensive end. Kayin Lee, Sylvester Smith, Colton Hood, Donovan Kaufman and Marquise Gilbert all saw action in the second secondary group.

The second team’s offensive line had left tackle Jaden Muskrat, left guard Tate Johnson, center Connor Lew, right guard Jalil Irvin and right tackle Izavion Miller. Damari Alston was largely the second-team running back with Robby Ashford as the quarterback. Luke Deal primarily was the second-team tight end.

Injury report

Injuries have certainly had an impact on that depth chart.

Austin Keys (shoulder) was still in a yellow injury uniform and did not practice. Linebacker Wesley Steiner (shoulder) was no longer in the yellow jersey.

Defensive end Keldric Faulk was in the yellow uniform, too. This was the first time he had been seen not practicing, and there was no indication on what held him out.

Wide receiver Malcolm Johnson Jr. (shoulder) also did not practice, still wearing the yellow jersey, too. Same goes for Koy Moore (ankle).

Camden Brown did practice again, as Freeze discussed in his press conference. So did Ja’Varrius Johnson who was dealing with pain from stitches in his mouth.

The most notable absence was jack linebacker Jalen McLeod. Soon after reporters came on the field partway through practice, McLeod ran onto the field with a trainer and a wrapped right ankle. He was not wearing a yellow jersey, but he did not participate in the final 90 minutes of practice.

Matt Cohen covers Auburn sports for AL.com. You can follow him on Twitter at @Matt_Cohen_ or email him at mcohen@al.com

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al.com

 

What does Payton Thorne being named the starter mean for the rest of Auburn's QB room?

Published: Aug. 17, 2023, 6:18 p.m.

5–6 minutes

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Thursday’s news out of Auburn that junior Michigan State transfer Payton Thorne was named the Tigers’ starting quarterback didn’t come as a jarring surprise.

If anything, it always felt like Thorne’s separation from the rest of the quarterback room wasn’t so much a matter of ‘if’, but a matter of ‘when’.

Even when incumbent starter Robby Ashford had a “really good Saturday” during Auburn’s first scrimmage of the fall, which might’ve led to the comments questioning his initial thoughts about the quarterback race, Freeze said he still “felt like it was Payton”.

And it was Payton.

After confirming the buzz about naming Thorne the starter, Freeze went on to double down on Thorne getting the nod.

“The quarterback situation is set going into UMass unless something happens,” Freeze said. “It’s set, it’s done. He’ll (Thorne) get all the reps with the 1s.”

But where does that leave Ashford and Holden Geriner — the redshirt freshman who made what many believed would be a two-man race a three-man race?

First, in true coach speak, Freeze wasn’t going to shut the door on Ashford and Geriner completely.

“Let me say this first: I totally believe that Robby (Ashford) and Holden (Geriner) — we can win games with any of the three. A lot of that would depend upon, you know, how we play defensively and how the supporting cast play. I believe in all three of those guys, and there are days that there’s been very little separation,” Freeze said.

“I’m not saying my gut is right that Payton is the guy for all 12 games, but my gut is saying it’s the time to do this to get us best prepared for the opening of the season.”

But just as there’s gotta be a starting quarterback to jog out onto the field in with the starting offense in Week 1, there’s gotta be a guy Auburn will turn to in the event Thorne isn’t available.

And by the sounds of it, Freeze is once again set to give the nod to the more experienced of the two.

“Robby (Ashford) will get most of work with the 2s,” Freeze said Thursday. “Holden (Geriner) will get his share some, but I feel like that’s where we are and that’s not going to change unless injury or something happens.”

Ashford started nine games for the Tigers in 2022, after eventually beating out Week 1 starter TJ Finley.

During his freshman campaign on The Plains last fall, Ashford passed for more than 1,600 yards, seven touchdowns and seven interceptions. He added 710 yards on the ground with seven more scores. Ashford’s seven touchdowns put him at No. 3 in Auburn football history for the most passing touchdowns from a freshman.

However, struggles with accuracy and ball security left Freeze feeling unsettled on Ashford.

Ashford completed just 49% of his throws in 2022, which is quite a dip from Thorne’s 63% rating at Michigan State last season.

But it’s Ashford’s ability to create and extend plays with his legs that gives him an upside that begs not to be ignored.

“I believe with all my heart Robby Ashford gives us an absolute better chance to win the game if he accepts this news and continues to work and develops himself,” Freeze said. “Because he might be the most freakish athlete I’ve ever had at quarterback.”

That said, when asked about the prospect of Ashford having his own designed packages with the Auburn offense, Freeze responded in the affirmative.

“I want to say this about Robby he will always have a package,” Freeze said.

“Robby is not just a runner — he’s a dynamic runner, but he can throw. Certain things, he throws better. Hopefully, his consistency in that will continue to improve to where if we, whatever package he is in, they have to respect the pass off of it as well.”

With it sounding like Ashford has locked in the backup spot at Auburn, it leaves Geriner as the likely No. 3 guy.

Prior to redshirting last season, Geriner came to Auburn as a 4-star prospect out of Savannah, Ga., where he passed for more than 7,000 yards and 71 touchdowns in high school. He also won a state title his senior season.

“Holden’s the most natural passer of all of them, truthfully, in my opinion,” Freeze said. He’s still absorbing. There’s a lot of times where he’s not made the right decision, maybe, in the RPO game or in his reads or if the protection is set the right way. But he’s just a young kid. He’s got a bright future; there’s no doubt in my mind.”

But as everyone is aware, cementing the decision on a starter in a crowded quarterback room can lead to guys entering the bustling transfer portal in today’s college football landscape.

As of Thursday, Freeze hadn’t heard any grumblings of guys leaving the program. And he surely hopes it stays that way.

“Everyone doesn’t always gets the prize that they want,” Freeze said. “But how you respond to that is going to really determine more about you and probably play more dividends for you longer term in life and in football. If you just accept it, don’t like it, but go back to work.”

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[aubiefifty 18,259]

 

[aucanucktiger 1,892]

Thanks for posting these, 50 - bright & early. 

[aubiefifty 18,259]

3 minutes ago, aucanucktiger said:

Thanks for posting these, 50 - bright & early. 

my pleasure..........or pain. i actually got up at two because i could not sleep. lol not much out there right now but a lot of stuff hits around eight and even nine on podcasts. but i will update if i do not nap all day.

[aubiefifty 18,259]

does anyone follow robby on twitter? i read where some of his fans hope auburn tanks now because he was not named  starter. it rings true and it blows my mind the way some folks are. are you an auburn fan or a robby fan?

[SaltyTiger 8,579]

2 hours ago, aubiefifty said:

does anyone follow robby on twitter? i read where some of his fans hope auburn tanks now because he was not named  starter. it rings true and it blows my mind the way some folks are. are you an auburn fan or a robby fan?

Good stuff again Fiddy. Feel sure Robby will have opportunities to shine this year. 

[aubiefifty 18,259]

3 hours ago, SaltyTiger said:

Good stuff again Fiddy. Feel sure Robby will have opportunities to shine this year. 

he will if he does not hurt himself with his attitude. i am fond of robby.

[aubiefifty 18,259]

yahoo.com

Mosiah Nasili-Kite makes Polynesian Player of the Year watch list

JD McCarthyFri, August 18, 2023 at 8:00 AM CDT·1 min read1Link Copied

1–2 minutes

Auburn defensive lineman Mosiah Nasili-Kite has been named to the Polynesian Player of the Year watch list, the Polynesian Football Hall of Fame announced Thursday.

Nasili-Kite is entering his first year on the Plains after spending his past three seasons at Maryland, making 83 tackles, 14.5 tackles for loss and 9.0 sacks.

He is looking to help the depth along Auburn’s defensive line and has the ability to play defensive end or kick inside to tackle when needed.

The senior is one of 85 players across the country to make the watchlist. the winner will be chosen by the Polynesian Football Hall of Fame Selection Committee with a final group of five players unveiled on Nov. 30 and the winner will be revealed on Dec. 14.

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

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saturdaydownsouth.com

Robby Ashford will have role in Auburn offense, Hugh Freeze says after QB decision

Bryce Lazenby

3–4 minutes

Robby Ashford will enter the 2023 season as Auburn’s backup quarterback, but Hugh Freeze wants him to be ready to play regularly.

Ashford started the final 9 games of the 2022 season for the Auburn Tigers. The results were mixed, with Ashford impressing with his feet, but putting up pedestrian numbers through the air.

Ashford finished the season with 1,613 passing yards, 7 passing touchdowns, and 7 interceptions. The young QB did contribute over 700 rushing yards and 7 rushing touchdowns as well.

Freeze announced that Michigan State transfer Payton Thorne has won the QB job to start the 2023 season. Thorne was the Spartans’ starter for 2 seasons before transferring in the spring.

While Ashford has been relegated to backup duties, Freeze stated that the athletic QB will still see the field.

“Robby, he will always have a package,” Freeze told reporters Thursday. “If he handles all of this the right way, he will always have a package because he has an element to us that’s just a little different.”

Freeze clearly does not want Ashford to transfer. Instead, Freeze emphasized the importance of having multiple quality options.

“I believe with all my heart Robby Ashford gives us an absolute better chance to win the game if he accepts this news and continues to work and develops himself, because he might be the most freakish athlete I’ve ever had at quarterback,” said Freeze.

Thorne will be under center to open the season on September 2 against UMass.

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Bryce Lazenby covers college football for Saturday Down South. A Nashville native, his previous stops include FanSided, Dimers, and The Leaf-Chronicle.

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auburnwire.usatoday.com

 

Four questions heading Into Auburn's final scrimmage on Saturday

Taylor Jones

4–5 minutes

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Auburn head coach Hugh Freeze finally chose his team’s starting quarterback for the 2023 season on Thursday, ending a long, and at times nauseating, process that started when Freeze took over in November of 2022. 

Transfer Payton Thorne officially unseated incumbent starter Robby Ashford for the role of the Tigers’ signal caller after a strong camp in which he demonstrated “strong leadership and understanding of the offense” according to Freeze. 

Buy Tigers Tickets

Despite the Quarterback competition finally coming to an end, coach Freeze and the Auburn staff have some important decisions to make in the coming days before the team hosts UMass to open the season. Four major question marks still stand.

Austin Perryman/Auburn Athletics

The last time Auburn had a receiver eclipse 900 yards Apple’s newest phone was the 5s, the nation’s number one single was a song about Macklemore shopping for discounted clothing, and the college football decided its championship game through a flawed computer algorithm. 10 years later, Apple is up to its 15th iPhone, Macklemore has dropped off the face of the earth, college football decides its championship game through a flawed committee system, and Auburn has still not had a receiver eclipse 900 yards (although Seth Williams did come close a few times).

Auburn has always been a run-first offense, but the inability to find consistency at a premium position in the pass-heavy modern football landscape is alarming. This year’s group of pass catchers will look to change that, and each individual has the opportunity to do so. 

The current depth chart is jumbled, and Saturday’s scrimmage provides a final opportunity for guys like Jyaire Shorter and Shane Hooks to stand out and command a large snap share come September 2. 

© Jake Crandall / USA TODAY NETWORK

While wide receiver production has been the Tiger’s biggest offensive pitfall over the last decade, the inability of the offensive line to play at a high level has been an even bigger issue recently. This year Auburn will start three transfers on the unit, with Dillon Wade (LT) and Gunner Britton (RT) providing the bookends and Avery Jones (C) beefing up the middle. 

Jones comes over from East Carolina where he helped the Pirates rush for the 54th-highest YPG in D1 last year. Britton’s former school, Western Kentucky, was 2nd in all of D1 in Pass YPG a season ago. 

The two guard spots will be taken by players that were on the roster in 2022. Kam Stutts, who had a PFF grade of 60.8 in 2022, will most likely man the right guard spot. The battle for left guard could be decided after Saturday’s scrimmage, with tate johnson and Jeremiah Wright competing for the final spot. 

AP Photo/Thomas Graning

When Austin Keys transferred from Ole Miss to Auburn there was plenty to be excited about for Tigers fans. The former highly touted recruit made plenty of impactful plays from multiple positions when he was on the field. 

The key part of that statement is “when he was on the field”.

Keys’ is good enough to play every down, but past injuries and his inability to stand out among a crowder linebacker room have made the coaching staff weary of handing him the keys (bad pun alert) to Auburn’s defense. If Keys doesn’t stand out in Saturday’s scrimmage, a good showing from Larry Nixon III or Cam Riley could complicate things.

© Jake Crandall / USA TODAY NETWORK

It is pretty clear Auburn’s best players on the offensive side of the ball through camp have been their running backs Jarquez Hunter and Brian Battie are both going to be major parts of the offense in 2023.

While Hunter is going to be the starter and see the majority of the snaps, Battie, Damari Alston, and Jeremiah Cobb all possess different skill sets that should get them on the field. Saturday’s scrimmage should provide some further clarity on how the offense will look.

Follow all your favorite Alabama teams at Auburn Wire and Roll Tide Wire!

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lindyssports.com

 

Michigan State transfer Payton Thorne named QB1 at Auburn | Lindy's Sports

 

~2 minutes

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Field Level Media

August 17, 2023 at 8:24 pm.

Transfer Payton Thorne will start the season at quarterback for Auburn, head coach Hugh Freeze said Thursday.

Thorne, formerly of Michigan State, was competing with returning starter Robby Ashford and redshirt freshman Holden Geriner.

“I’m excited to start Payton Thorne,” Freeze said, noting the information about Thorne being the starter being released earlier in the day was interesting.

“Only four of us knew,” said Freeze, in his first year at Auburn. “I believe that Robby and Holden, we can win games with any of the three.”

The Tigers open their season on Sept. 2 against visiting UMass.

Thorne, 22, was the starting quarterback for two seasons at Michigan State. In 29 career games with the Spartans (2020-22), he threw for 6,494 yards, 49 touchdowns and 24 interceptions with a 60.9 percent completion rate.

The Spartans won 16 games with Thorne as the starter. He was 11-1 with 31 total touchdowns in 2021.

That experience helped Thorne establish himself as the No. 1 quarterback for the Tigers, Freeze said, but he made it clear the decision wasn’t a commitment to a certain depth chart or pecking order for the duration of the season.

“The leadership ability, the understanding of the offense,” Freeze said. “He’s been in some really good battles. It seems like he was more efficient in decision making.”

Thorne announced his transfer to Auburn in May, after the Spartans’ spring game.

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auburntigers.com

 

On The Plains with Nehemiah Pritchett: ‘Never stop chasing your dreams’

Auburn University Athletics

5–6 minutes

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AUBURN, Ala. – Nehemiah Pritchett enters the 2023 season having taken the field for the Tigers in more games than any other player on this year’s roster. He’s experienced Auburn football game days firsthand since 2019, but some of the same emotions he’s felt since day one still arise every Saturday on The Plains.

“The traditions definitely don’t get old,” Pritchett said. “Just seeing all the kids, everyone packed out down the road for Tiger Walk, it never gets old. Knowing you have people rooting for you, it feels good.”

Pritchett will begin his fifth season in an Auburn uniform come Kickoff on The Plains September 2, nearly four years to the day removed from making his collegiate debut vs. Kent State on September 14, 2019. He credits players before him -- current NFL defensive backs Roger McCreary, Noah Igbinoghene and Daniel Thomas, among others -- for how far he’s come.

“Auburn has definitely helped me grow as a man, both on and off the field, each and every day,” Pritchett said. “Just being around other players, coaches like Coach Crime (Wesley McGriff) and Coach Zac (Etheridge), we’re learning and growing every day.”

A two-year starter at cornerback, Pritchett doesn’t consider himself one of the team’s vocal leaders but instead leads by example and is a guy the younger players can go to off the field.

“Oh, it was definitely a big thing,” Pritchett said of receiving guidance from veteran players when he was a freshman. “The coach is not going to give you everything you need all the time. It's critical for the older guys to be able to teach the younger guys and help them through things.”

Playing for three different coaching staffs while also navigating the covid pandemic in 2020, Pritchett’s path might not have been as smooth as he initially envisioned when he signed with the Tigers out of Jackson (Ala.) High School in 2018. However, he has been unwavering in his commitment to not only the football program, but the campus and community as well.

“Auburn is going to be Auburn at the end of the day,” Pritchett said. “No matter who the coach is, it’s still going to be a family atmosphere like it was when I first got here. That doesn’t change at all.

“Loyalty is definitely big,” Pritchett added. “I know coaches come and go and people have to do what’s best for them, but loyalty is a characteristic I take a lot of pride in.”

Pritchett’s loyalty has resulted in a five-year career during which some of his favorite memories include beating Alabama in the 2019 Iron Bowl and intercepting his first pass and returning it 48 yards to set up a score in a win vs. LSU in 2020.

Through all the highs and lows, the biggest thing he has learned is to stay consistent.

“You have to stay the course,” Pritchett said. “You're going to have good days and you're going to have bad days. You just try to maintain, stay consistent and go about your day like a professional.”

In displaying that consistency both on and off the field, Pritchett has already earned a bachelor’s degree in exercise science and is working toward a second undergraduate degree in the College of Liberal Arts. Though football reigns supreme in the South, he ultimately hopes his legacy extends beyond the gridiron.

“Just that I was a respectful young man who went about his business the right way, someone who, day in and day out, went about their day like a professional,” Pritchett said of how he hopes to be remembered.

From his fondest memories of playing catch with his dad in the front yard of his childhood home to excelling at the highest level of college football in the Southeastern Conference, Pritchett has always tried to bring that same excitement he had as a kid to the game.

“Never stop chasing your dreams,” Pritchett said. “Whatever your dreams are, go get them. Do whatever is in your power to reach the level you want to be. Nothing can stop you. You can do anything you put your mind to.

“You have to have fun with what you're doing or else it isn’t going to work for you.”

The energy and excitement surrounding the program is as high as it has been in recent years, and the veteran cornerback and his teammates are chomping at the bit for the real thing to roll around.

“You can feel it in the room. Everybody is coming together to be one team,” Pritchett said. “This is what we've been practicing for since the spring, what we’ve been preparing for. Coach (Hugh) Freeze came in, we've been working hard, and we just can't wait to display it on September 2.”

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247sports.com

Crunch time Auburn receivers ready for the next challenge in Saturday scrimmage

Nathan King

8–11 minutes

Nearly every scholarship receiver on Auburn's roster is still garnering first-team reps in practice

Hugh Freeze couldn’t have been much more blunt Thursday about Auburn’s wide receivers.

Nearly a week from the position group’s issues in the team’s first scrimmage last Saturday, Freeze was asked whether the group had shown a strong response in the practices that followed. They did. But that still doesn’t excuse their performance last weekend in Jordan-Hare Stadium.

“Truthfully, I didn’t think — when I watched the film after the scrimmage, it made me sick,” Freeze said Thursday. “I didn’t think we competed. It was almost like we just melted under that heat. … I just didn’t think we handled it extremely well. I’m excited for another opportunity this Saturday to see how we handle it.”

First-year coach Marcus Davis’ room will have another opportunity Saturday morning. The heat will be a factor once again, beating against the metal bleachers surrounding Pat Dye Field.

But if the practice habits and improvements this week were any indication, Freeze expects the wideouts to take advantage of their next opportunity.

“It was about 88 loafs on Saturday,” Freeze said. “That’s an exaggeration, but there were a lot. They had a really good week last week and they’ve had a better week this week. … We had our best practice Tuesday night and I think they’re improving. Still way too many MAs. When I say MAs, the route is truncated. If it’s supposed to be a 12, it’s a 10. We have to get all of that cleaned up. We’ve got two weeks to do that. But we’ve had a solid week.”

As Freeze mentioned, the issues for Auburn’s receivers primarily stemmed from option routes, and the pass-catcher making an incorrect decision on where to split his route, leading to an errant pass from the quarterback. Davis, who’s still utilizing most of the scholarship players in his room with just over two weeks until the season kicks off, said this week that continual repetitions with the Tigers’ QBs is the only concrete way to improve.

That could be simplified with a clear quarterback pecking order as of Thursday: Payton Thorne the starter, followed by Robby Ashford and Holden Geriner.

Auburn was also down three returning players — Camden Brown (hamstring), Koy Moore (ankle), Ja'Varrius Johnson (mouth) and Malcolm Johnson Jr. (shoulder) — in the first scrimmage, giving more reps to inexperienced names, or transfers who weren’t here in spring practice.

“I thought they did a good job of communicating, but when you're in the first scrimmage, you still are teaching them how you want things done,” Davis said. “... It's just giving different looks on it. Stuff like that, when you've got choices in routes, it takes reps. The more reps you get, the better you're going to get at it.”

Added Davis: “Some of it is just with some of the option routes that we have — just getting a better understanding of those coverages and everything. But it's nothing that reps can't fix. The more they get those reps, the better they can get at it. That's just like with anything that you have an option on — the more you do it, the better you get at it.”

With the quarterback competition decided, the team’s second preseason scrimmage will go a long way in ironing out rotations elsewhere on offense. At receiver, Davis and Freeze have some tough decisions to make. As of Thursday’s practice, nine players took reps with the first-team offense.

Freeze named off all of them when asked which players are close to solidifying themselves in the rotation. Jay Fair and Johnson are still competing in the slot. Caleb Burton can play a couple different spots. Brown has returned to full-speed practice this week. Freeze expects Brown, Nick Mardner, Shane Hooks and Jyaire Shorter to all play on the outside. He also “feels good” about Omari Kelly. Moore and Malcolm Johnson Jr. may have been stunted a bit because of their injuries

Needless to say, there isn’t much room for error for the members of Auburn’s receiving corps right now, with barely any separation between the names at every position. Freeze and Davis will be watching closely on Saturday morning to see which players carry the strong week of practice into a scrimmage setting most efificently.

“We all know that we want to be the best we can be, so we take it as a challenge to get better and to really hone in on the things we need to get better at,” Davis said. “We don't take it as a negative, by no stretch. We've got a clear understanding of what we need to get better at. Once we get better at that, we're on for the next challenge.”

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What's next for Holden Geriner as Auburn's third-string QB?

"He's just a young kid. He's got a bright future; there's no doubt in my mind.”

VIDEO: Kamarion Franklin's announcement approaching closer | College Football Recruiting Show

Holden Geriner entered the preseason with likely the longest odds to become Auburn’s starting quarterback, but he still, by most accounts, progressed as a player and passer entering his second year with the program.

Now that Geriner is No. 3 on the depth chart, Freeze hopes those improvements are able to continue.

With Hugh Freeze’s announcement Thursday that Payton Thorne will be Auburn's starting quarterback for the season opener against UMass, the redshirt freshman Geriner was slated as the third-stringer, as Robby Ashford, who started nine games last season, will look to push Thorne for the rest of preseason practice and into the season.

“Holden's the most natural passer of all of them, truthfully, in my opinion,” Freeze said Thursday. “He's still absorbing — there's a lot of times where he's not made the right decision, maybe, in the RPO game or in his reads or if the protection is set the right way. But he's just a young kid. He's got a bright future; there's no doubt in my mind.”

A former 4-star recruit from Georgia, Geriner seemed to take to Freeze’s and coordinator Philip Montgomery’s offense well this offseason, hoping to take advantage of equal first-team reps across all three quarterbacks through the first couple weeks of camp.

As was the case with the previous staff, Geriner was complimented for his arm talent. He’s even added some speed in his second offseason with the strength program.

“Heck, just from the offseason and summer and stuff, Holden Geriner has been getting some wheels,” tight end Tyler Fromm said earlier this preseason. “He's a lot faster than you think he is. I think he will surprise people with that.”

But on Wednesday in Freeze’s office, Geriner learned he has a steep hill to climb to run Auburn’s offense in the 2023 season.

As Freeze was sure to note, though, a quarterback room’s outlook can change rapidly. Not only was Zach Calzada widely expected to be Auburn’s starter last offseason, but when he had a poor showing in the preseason, T.J. Finley won the job before Ashford took over a few games into the season after an injury to Finley. It could be easily argued that on the day Auburn added Calzada in the portal last year, Ashford was the team’s No. 3 quarterback. Then he started nine games.

“Last year at Liberty I played four quarterbacks because of injuries,” Freeze said. “We lost our starter the first series of the first game to a broken hand. You put another one in, he gets hurt and you’re down to number three. And there was one game where I had to play number four. And so you never know when your time is coming and what you’re going to do with it when it comes. And if you make the most of that, you might never see the bench again.”

Ashford is the only quarterback left from last year’s three-man competition. Calzada was shut down during the season due to injury, then transferred to Incarnate Word. Finley transferred to Texas State.

When Freeze was asked whether he thinks his two backup quarterbacks will stick around, he smiled and shook his head: “What a world.”

“This idea that you've got some difficult news you should consider bolting on your team and all that? That ain't the world I come from,” Freeze said. “That's not how I was raised with a team. I sure hope that that's not the case. I haven't heard any of that. So I hope that's not the case. I hope they go to work and compete.”

Auburn’s second scrimmage is set for Saturday morning in Jordan-Hare Stadium. The Tigers kick off the Freeze era Sept. 2 against UMass (2:30 p.m. CST, ESPN).

*** Subscribe to Auburn Undercover for the latest news and intel, podcasts, recruiting coverage and more ***

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247sports.com

 

What's next for Holden Geriner as Auburn's third-string QB?

Nathan King

4–5 minutes

---

Holden Geriner entered the preseason with likely the longest odds to become Auburn’s starting quarterback, but he still, by most accounts, progressed as a player and passer entering his second year with the program.

Now that Geriner is No. 3 on the depth chart, Freeze hopes those improvements are able to continue.

With Hugh Freeze’s announcement Thursday that Payton Thorne will be Auburn's starting quarterback for the season opener against UMass, the redshirt freshman Geriner was slated as the third-stringer, as Robby Ashford, who started nine games last season, will look to push Thorne for the rest of preseason practice and into the season.

“Holden's the most natural passer of all of them, truthfully, in my opinion,” Freeze said Thursday. “He's still absorbing — there's a lot of times where he's not made the right decision, maybe, in the RPO game or in his reads or if the protection is set the right way. But he's just a young kid. He's got a bright future; there's no doubt in my mind.”

A former 4-star recruit from Georgia, Geriner seemed to take to Freeze’s and coordinator Philip Montgomery’s offense well this offseason, hoping to take advantage of equal first-team reps across all three quarterbacks through the first couple weeks of camp.

As was the case with the previous staff, Geriner was complimented for his arm talent. He’s even added some speed in his second offseason with the strength program.

“Heck, just from the offseason and summer and stuff, Holden Geriner has been getting some wheels,” tight end Tyler Fromm said earlier this preseason. “He's a lot faster than you think he is. I think he will surprise people with that.”

But on Wednesday in Freeze’s office, Geriner learned he has a steep hill to climb to run Auburn’s offense in the 2023 season.

As Freeze was sure to note, though, a quarterback room’s outlook can change rapidly. Not only was Zach Calzada widely expected to be Auburn’s starter last offseason, but when he had a poor showing in the preseason, T.J. Finley won the job before Ashford took over a few games into the season after an injury to Finley. It could be easily argued that on the day Auburn added Calzada in the portal last year, Ashford was the team’s No. 3 quarterback. Then he started nine games.

“Last year at Liberty I played four quarterbacks because of injuries,” Freeze said. “We lost our starter the first series of the first game to a broken hand. You put another one in, he gets hurt and you’re down to number three. And there was one game where I had to play number four. And so you never know when your time is coming and what you’re going to do with it when it comes. And if you make the most of that, you might never see the bench again.”

Ashford is the only quarterback left from last year’s three-man competition. Calzada was shut down during the season due to injury, then transferred to Incarnate Word. Finley transferred to Texas State.

When Freeze was asked whether he thinks his two backup quarterbacks will stick around, he smiled and shook his head: “What a world.”

“This idea that you've got some difficult news you should consider bolting on your team and all that? That ain't the world I come from,” Freeze said. “That's not how I was raised with a team. I sure hope that that's not the case. I haven't heard any of that. So I hope that's not the case. I hope they go to work and compete.”

Auburn’s second scrimmage is set for Saturday morning in Jordan-Hare Stadium. The Tigers kick off the Freeze era Sept. 2 against UMass (2:30 p.m. CST, ESPN).

*** Subscribe to Auburn Undercover for the latest news and intel, podcasts, recruiting coverage and more ***

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al.com

 

‘That’s a really good comparison’: Auburn’s Freeze compares Payton Thorne to his past QBs

Published: Aug. 18, 2023, 11:05 a.m.

3–4 minutes

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Auburn head coach Hugh Freeze officially names Payton Thorne starting quarterback

The quarterback talk continued Friday morning as Auburn head coach Hugh Freeze jumped on the air with former Auburn offensive lineman Cole Cubelic and former Alabama quarterback Greg McElroy on Birmingham’s WJOX 94.5 FM.

Freeze first fielded a question from Cubelic, who asked what ultimately led to Thorne being named Auburn’s QB1.

“We track everything,” Freeze said. “Every decision, every protection, the accuracy of the throw, was it thrown to the right read... we track all of that. And (Thorne) does have a slight edge there. But really it just came down to me and I think his understanding of what we’re trying to do offensively, he gets it.”

And while surely Freeze’s offensive schemes have changed some since his time at Ole Miss, where he was the Rebels’ head coach from 2012-16, there’s bound to be some surviving principles.

So it wasn’t a surprise when McElroy asked Freeze to compare his first starter at Auburn to the likes of Bo Wallace and Chad Kelly — two Ole Miss quarterbacks who helped define Freeze’s tenure in Oxford.

“I really like his game. I think he throws a nice ball, a catchable ball and is a cerebral player. Understands how he fits and understands, maybe, his own physical limitations and is very self aware,” McElroy said. “I was looking back kinda of your days back at Ole Miss the last time you were in the league. You know, comparable in skillset, in competitiveness to a Bo Wallace or to a Chad Kelly. Seems like he kinda fits that mold?”

Wallace was the quarterback at Ole Miss from 2012-14 and tallied more than 9,500 passing yards with 62 touchdowns and 41 interceptions in three seasons. He added just less than 950 rushing yards and 19 rushing touchdowns in the same span.

In 2015 and 2016, Kelly was the guy at Ole Miss, tallying 6,800 passing yards, 50 passing touchdowns and 21 interceptions. On the ground, Kelly was good for 841 rushing yards and 15 touchdowns.

And in Thorne, Freeze sees a little of both.

“I think that’s a really good comparison,” Freeze told McElroy. “He’s gonna run better than you give him credit for. I think people will be shocked that he does some good things with his legs when he needs to. He’s not Robby (Ashford), but he is very similar to Chad (Kelly) in the fact that I think he runs a little better than Bo (Wallace) and about as good as Chad (Kelly).”

But as most know, not having an athletic quarterback wasn’t Auburn’s problem.

Sophomore Robby Ashford, who started nine of Auburn’s 12 games in 2022, is still on the Tigers’ roster. And Freeze calls him the most “freakish athlete” he’s coached at the quarterback position.

Instead, Auburn needed to find someone to elevate the passing game. And Freeze is hoping he’s found that in Thorne.

“He doesn’t have the arm strength that Chad (Kelly) had, but it’s not bad. It’s not far off,” Freeze said. “But he has the football IQ that Chad (Kelly) had. He has a really sharp football IQ.”

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al.com

 

So who will Payton Thorne be throwing the ball to as Auburn’s starting QB

Updated: Aug. 18, 2023, 9:59 a.m.|Published: Aug. 18, 2023, 9:55 a.m.

7–9 minutes

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Auburn football thinks it has a good problem.

Throughout preseason practices, there has been a wide-ranging and constant rotation, especially among the wide receivers in practice. It’s because head coach Hugh Freeze and Auburn believe they have more options that can make an impact from a position group that has traditionally not produced many stars in Auburn’s history.

Freeze’s long-term answer to Auburn’s 1,000-yard receiver drought is recruiting, but top prospects like 5-star Auburn commit Perry Thompson aren’t here yet.

So for now it’s a rotation, and Freeze named eight wide receivers he expects to be a part of that group. Injuries have made his evaluations harder, Freeze said, and his rotation could expand further once players like Koy Moore and Malcolm Johnson Jr. get healthy.

Below is a breakdown of who Freeze and Auburn see as the targets newly named starting quarterback Payton Thorne will be working with.

Wide receivers

Ja’Varrius Johnson

Johnson was Auburn’s leading receiver last year with 493 yards. Freeze is expecting a much higher number than that this season. Johnson is going to have a role again as a slot receiver, but his camp has been made more difficult by injuries. After Auburn’s first scrimmage, Freeze said Johnson dealt with some sort of incident in practice that caused him to need stitches in his mouth. That made it difficult for Johnson to put on a chin strap and practice in full. He looks to be back over the last few days of practice, and will be one of the more reliable targets for the fourth starting quarterback he’s worked with at Auburn.

Jay Fair

One of the biggest risers of fall camp, Fair has consistently been among the first three wide receivers to take the field in practice. He had two catches last season. He’s going to have a lot more this year. The sophomore has been among the most talked about receivers throughout this fall and depending on Johnson’s health, has a very realistic chance to start in the slot come the game against UMass.

Omari Kelly

Similar to Fair, Kelly is a returning wide receiver who has been a popular talking point around Auburn this preseason. Kelly has lined up both in the slot and outside and like Fair, has frequently been in the first trio of wide receivers out during drills. And similar to Fair, he had only three catches last season for Auburn. Kelly could be another week-one starter, though a player like Koy Moore eventually returning from injuries could move him on the depth chart. Coaches and teammates have spoken highly of him and he too will see a big jump this year.

Shane Hooks

The Jackson State transfer is huge. Hooks is 6-foot-4, 191 pounds and looks like quite the mismatch when lined up outside. He had just under 1,000 yards with Deion Sanders’ bunch. Running a two-minute drill, Hooks was one of Thorne’s favorite options. His size is going to make him a favorite target. Hooks has been another riser, and at times looked the part of a starting wide receiver. He and Nick Mardner have both lined up as the first outside receiver during different drills throughout practice. Hooks may have the higher potential of those two.

Jyaire Shorter

The North Texas transfer has spent most of the preseason rotating between the first-team and second-team groups. He’s going to line up outside at 6-foot-2, 209 pounds, and led the nation in yards per reception last season. It’s hard to quite define what his role will look like based on what has been seen in practice. He projects as a deep-threat option for Thorne.

Camden Brown

Auburn loves Camden Brown. One problem: he hasn’t gotten to play much. He broke the 100-yard receiving mark last season as a true freshman last season. Freeze said Brown has dealt with a string of “bad luck” during fall camp and has finally gotten to see him practice in full over the last few days. Now healthy, he has a chance to work his way up the depth chart, but it’s certainly too early to judge what his share of the rotation could look like. Brown is 6-foot-3 and work up to being a starter in the Mississippi State game last season. Once he’s at full strength, his role will increase.

Caleb Burton

Burton is immensely talented. He originally committed to Ohio State out of high school and Freeze said Burton has some of the best high school tape he’s ever seen. He immediately caused some buzz with two touchdown catches during offensive drills in Auburn’s first practice. He has the potential to create big plays out of the slot, but will likely be a rotational piece and not a starter early on with Auburn. Make some big plays, and his role will increase.

Nick Mardner

Like Hooks, Auburn loves Mardner’s size. He’s even taller than Hooks at 6-foot-6. Generally, he and Hooks are fairly similar players. Neither have top-end speed, but instead win with their size and strength. Hooks may have the higher ceiling, but Mardner’s best year as a collegiate receiver came when he had Marcus Davis as his coach at Hawaii. Davis, a former Auburn receiver himself, is now the wide receivers coach at Auburn. He hopes to bring Mardner back to that previous form.

Tight ends

Rivaldo Fairweather

Fairweather was the star on offensive Auburn’s 11th practice. Fairweather is a unique athlete. He’s a 6-foot-4, 251-pound tight end and certainly looks the part. The FIU transfer has made the tough over-the-middle catches that will make him a trusted target at Payton Thorne, but also has the speed and athletics to make a big play further down the field. Fairweather hasn’t dealt with much rotation as the steadfast tight-end starter. It would not come as a surprise at all if Fairweather is among Auburn’s leader in targets this fall.

Running backs

Jarquez Hunter

Hunter’s role on this team isn’t prioritizing pass-catching. He’ll be Auburn’s top running back. But with that position will come some short screen passes. He had over 200 receiving yards last season. Thorne has more pass-catching options than Robby Ashford had as Auburn’s starter last year, and running backs coach Cadillac Williams said Hunter has improved as a pass-catcher.

Damari Alston

Same goes for Alston. His primary role is as a runner, but he too has improved drastically as a pass catcher, according to Williams. He is the clear second-team running back behind Hunter, but he brings much more speed. Alston will tell you as much. Of Auburn’s top three running backs, he may have the fewest receptions, but he could have the most yards per catch.

Brian Battie

Battie’s biggest role on this offense may be as a pass catcher. He did that effectively at USF last season. Battie seems behind Hunter and Alston in the pecking order for carries, but he may be the best receiving back of the bunch. He can create big plays as he has shown both on offense and special teams. Auburn will want the ball in his hands as a safe check-down option for Thorne.

Matt Cohen covers Auburn sports for AL.com. You can follow him on Twitter at @Matt_Cohen_ or email him at mcohen@al.com

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al.com

 

How Payton Thorne could succeed as Auburn’s QB, and how he could fail

Published: Aug. 18, 2023, 6:30 a.m.

6–8 minutes

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At a Thursday press conference, Auburn head coach Hugh Freeze announced Payton Thorne as Auburn’s starting quarterback to open the 2023 season against UMass.

It’s the expected outcome of a three-way battle that extended longer than anticipated over the summer and at the beginning of fall camp. Thorne transferred to Auburn from Michigan State at the beginning of May — after spring practices had already concluded.

He will be the second straight transfer quarterback to open the season for Auburn after LSU transfer T.J. Finley started last season. Auburn switched from Finley to another transfer — Robby Ashford — part way through last season and Thorne beat Ashford for the starting job this year.

Head coach Hugh Freeze has not necessarily ruled out using a two-quarterback system at Auburn. And while Thorne is at the helm, his time at Michigan State may actually provide a blueprint to why we could succeed, or not, as Auburn’s starter.

Why Thorne will succeed as Auburn’s starter

Thorne has one clear thing none of the other quarterback options have: experience.

He started 26 games at Michigan State and played in 29. Over the course of his career, Thorne has completed 61% of his passes for 6,493 yards. He had 49 touchdowns and 49 interceptions.

Certainly, his best year as a starter came in 2021 where he led Michigan State to an 11-2 final record and a Peach Bowl win.

Thorne threw for 3,232 yards in 2021 along with 27 touchdowns and 10 interceptions.

But what allowed Thorne to be so successful? It starts with the guy he handed the ball off to.

Kenneth Walker III transferred to Michigan State for that season from Wake Forest. Walker became a superstar as a dominant rusher, winning the Doak Walker award given to the nation’s top running back. He rushed for more than 1,600 yards and then went on to the NFL with the Seattle Seahawks and rushed for more than 1,000 yards as a rookie in 2022.

Walker opened up the entire Michigan State offense has defenses had to focus on him and even when they did, Walker kept putting up gaudy stats.

His shoulders took quite the weight of Thorne’s in his first year as the full-time starter.

And as a result, Jayden Reed had over 1,000 receiving yards. Jalen Nailor had nearly 700 himself.

Give Payton Thorne a running game he can rely on, and he’s proven to be an effective passer — and a winner.

That could certainly happen at Auburn this fall. The Tigers have lots of options. Jarquez Hunter appears in line for a breakout year after working behind Tank Bigsby most of last season and playing very well at the end of the 2022 season.

There are other options too, with Damari Alston and Brian Battie to add speed out of the backfield behind Hunter’s all-around skillset.

Auburn’s offensive line could be significantly improved from a year ago. Three transfers — Gunner Britton from Western Kentucky, Avery Jones from East Carolina and Dillon Wade from Tulsa — have made immediate impacts and received lots of praise from their teammates and coaches.

Thorne doesn’t have to be “Superman” as offensive coordinator Philip Montgomery said. He doesn’t have the same high ceiling as other top quarterbacks in the SEC. Frankly he might not have the highest ceiling on his own team.

But he’s reliable and experienced. Give him the help of a running game and he’s shown he can be effective.

Why Thorne will fail as Auburn’s starter

Well, Auburn’s got a deep running back room. But it doesn’t seem likely that a Kenneth Walker-type player is walking through that door any time soon.

And when Michigan State didn’t have a running game, Thorne regressed.

After Walker went on to the NFL, Michigan State didn’t have the same type of running game that propelled it to a New Year’s Six bowl the year prior.

Walker had more than 1,600 yards in 2021. Michigan State’s leading rusher in 2022, Jalen Berger, had 683.

Without a particularly effective running game, Thorne had 2,679 passing yards in 2022. He threw eight fewer touchdowns than 2021 and threw one more interception.

Michigan State went 5-7 in 2022.

Thorne stayed in East Lansing through spring practices before entering the transfer portal in late April and coming to Auburn in late May, soon after T.J. Finley transferred to Texas State.

Thorne is not going to be a quarterback to win games on his own. Auburn picked him over the two higher ceiling options in Robby Ashford and Holden Geriner because he’s the one they can rely on to make fewer mistakes than the other two.

But when Thorne doesn’t get much help, he struggled.

Outside of Jarquez Hunter and tight end Rivaldo Fairweather, Auburn has many questions on offense. Frankly, Hunter still has questions as he’s never had a full season as the top running back.

The running game could include Robby Ashford too, in whatever role Auburn formulates for him.

The new offensive line has gotten positive reviews, but the collection of transfers is still yet to play a game together.

The wide receiver room has been a constant rotation of around six-to-seven players — and potentially more coming later on due to injuries. Freeze is happy with his wide receiver group, but it doesn’t have the look of a unit that will produce Auburn’s first 1,000-yard receiver in more than a decade.

Thorne seems to have a reliable target in Fairweather, but he’ll need one of the wide receivers to step up as a go-to option. It isn’t clear exactly who that will be.

If those options don’t materialize, Throne will have a lot more to do on his own. If the offensive line struggles, it doesn’t really matter who is playing quarterback.

If the running game struggles, whether it’s Hunter, Alston, Ashford of even Thorne’s own legs, it could mean another situation where he struggles.

Auburn will likely have to put Thorne in a position to succeed and less so Thorne putting Auburn in a position to win. On paper, Auburn has the pieces to do that.

Should that not pan-out? Thorne isn’t cleaning up that mess by himself.

Matt Cohen covers Auburn sports for AL.com. You can follow him on Twitter at @Matt_Cohen_ or email him at mcohen@al.com