9.3.23 Football Articles

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Rewinding Auburn’s 59-14 season-opening win over UMass

Updated: Sep. 02, 2023, 6:29 p.m.|Published: Sep. 02, 2023, 1:53 p.m.

8–10 minutes

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After a long, long wait, shoe finally met leather and Auburn not only kicked off the start of the 2023 football season, but the start of the Hugh Freeze era, too.

Saturday’s matchup against UMass was Auburn’s “reveal party” for Freeze, his new-look offense and more than 40 new players on the Tigers’ roster.

And it couldn’t have gone much better as Auburn dusted UMass 59-14, giving Freeze and the Tigers win No. 1 of the 2023 football season.

Here’s a look back at how it shook out:

1:45 p.m. | Auburn RB Jarquez Hunter, others in street clothes

There was no shortage of speculation about whether Auburn junior running back Jarquez Hunter would see the field on Saturday after a controversial offseason.

Given Hunter emerged from the tunnel in sweatpants during Auburn’s pregame warmups, it’s safe to say Hunter won’t be taking the field against UMass today.

Also in street clothes during pregame warmups were WR Nick Mardner and defensive backs Nehemiah Pritchett, Caleb Wooden and JD Rhym.

Meanwhile, backup quarterback Robby Ashford, who Freeze said suffered an oblique strain earlier in the week, was dressed and warming up for the Tigers.

2:19 p.m. | Independence takes flight

The first eagle flight of the 2023 season went off without a hitch as Independence The Eagle circled Jordan-Hare Stadium and touched down at midfield.

2:35 p.m. | Kickoff

UMass kicker Cameron Carson puts shoe to leather and kicks of Auburn’s football season.

Auburn’s Brian Battie received the kick deep inside the Tigers’ endzone before ripping off a 38-yard return to bring Payton Thorne and the Auburn offense out to their own 38-yard line.

2:41 p.m. | Touchdown, Tigers! Auburn leads UMass 7-0

With a 2-yard rush up the gut from running back Damari Alston, the Auburn Tigers score their first touchdown of the season after marching 62 yards down the field. Alex McPherson’s PAT is good.

Auburn leads UMass 7-0 with 11:28 to play in the first quarter.

2:51 p.m. | UMass strikes back, ties Auburn 7-7

UMass quarterback Taisun Phommachanh and the Minutemen run game gave the Tigers’ defense a fit in their first trip onto the field.

Phommachanh rushed for 50 yards on four carries to help pilot the UMass offense 89 yards down field before punching it in from 1-yard out. Cameron Carson’s PAT is good.

Auburn and UMass are tied at 7-7 with 7:20 to play in the first quarter.

3:09 p.m. | Auburn retakes the lead with a 37-yard FG

After starting their drive at their own 30-yard line, the Tigers moved their way down to the UMass 19, where the drive stalled.

On 4th and 6, Auburn settled on a 37-yard field goal off the foot of Alex McPherson, putting the Tigers back on top.

10-7, Auburn over UMass with 2:11 to play in the first quarter.

3:13 p.m. | Keionte Scott’s 56-yard punt return sets the table nicely for Auburn

Auburn defensive back Keionte Scott rips off a 56-yard punt return to give the ball back to Payton Thorne and Co. at the UMass 16-yard line.

The Tigers get off one play — a 6-yard rush from Damari Alston — before the first quarter comes to a close.

Auburn will start the second quarter with a 2nd and 4 on the UMass 10-yard line.

3:19 p.m. | Robby Ashford scores with his legs, puts Auburn ahead 17-7

Robby Ashford might not have won the starting quarterback job, but Hugh Freeze assured he’d still have a place in the offense.

That proved true early in the second quarter as Ashford rushed in for a 10-yard touchdown to extend the Tigers’ lead. Alex McPherson’s PAT is good.

Auburn leads UMass 17-7 with 14:55 to play in the second quarter.

3:33 p.m. | Robby Ashford adds a second rushing touchdown for the Tigers

It was never kept a secret that Hugh Freeze was high on Robby Ashford’s athleticism, which was put on full display during the second quarter on Saturday.

Following up his 10-yard scamper to start the second quarter, Ashford added a second rushing touchdown to his day from 1-yard out to stretch the Tigers’ lead. Alex McPherson’s PAT is good.

Auburn leads UMass 24-7 with 10:11 to play in the second quarter.

3:42 p.m. | Donovan Kaufman, Auburn defense forces a turnover

Coming off a nickel back blitz, Auburn defensive back Donovan Kaufman swallowed up UMass quarterback Taisun Phommachanh and forced a fumble which was recovered by Auburn’s Jaylin Simpson.

Following the turnover, the Auburn offense took over at the UMass 35-yard line.

3:48 p.m. | Robby Ashford notches hattrick, scores another for Auburn

If it were soccer or lacrosse, Auburn quarterback Robby Ashford would’ve said to have notched a hattrick after rushing for his third touchdown of the afternoon.

With a 4-yard rush, Ashford added to Auburn’s lead while Alex McPherson once again split the uprights for the point after.

Auburn leads UMass 31-7 with 4:42 to play in the second quarter.

4:04 p.m. | Auburn heads to halftime with a 31-7 lead

At the half, Auburn has outgained UMass 237-170 behind 121 rushing yards and 116 passing yards.

While quarterback Robby Ashford leads scoring for the Tigers with three rushing touchdowns, running back Damari Alston leads in rushing yards with 43 yards on eight carries with a touchdown.

Junior quarterback Payton Thorne leads Auburn’s passing efforts and is 9-for-16 for 112 yards.

4:27 p.m. | Jaylin Simpson’s interception helps Auburn pick up where it left off

After Auburn tried for a questionable onside kick to open the second half, the UMass offense was primed with decent field position, taking over at its own 44-yard line.

The Minutemen, however, wouldn’t use the field position to their advantage as Taisun Phommachanh tossed a pass that was sniffed out by Auburn safety Jaylin Simpson and returned 50 yards for a touchdown.

Auburn leads UMass 38-7 with 14:43 to play in the third quarter.

4:37 p.m. | Payton Thorne connects with Jay Fair for 29-yard touchdown

Junior quarterback Payton Thorne wasn’t going to miss out on the scoring onslaught in his first game as an Auburn Tiger.

On a 29-yard pass play, Thorne connected with receiver Jay Fair for his touchdown in an Auburn uniform. Thorne’s touchdown tacked on another seven points to Auburn’s lead, which now sits at 45-7 over UMass with 12:52 to play in the third quarter.

4:45 p.m. | Auburn officially announces record-breaking crowd

Hugh Freeze said earlier in the week that he expected Saturday’s crowd to be the largest in Jordan-Hare history after Auburn increased the stadium’s capacity via premium field-level suites and later sold out its season opener against UMass.

The Auburn Family came through Saturday as 88,043 fans packed into Jordan-Hare Stadium, making for a the largest crowd in stadium history.

4:59 p.m. | Freshman RB Jeremiah Cobb scores his first touchdown

Auburn’s true freshman running back Jeremiah Cobb was a guy we heard a lot about throughout fall camp and for good reason, as we saw late in the third quarter.

With his second carry of the game, Cobb sprinted ahead for a 42-yard touchdown rush.

Auburn leads UMass 52-7 with 5:13 to play in the third quarter.

5:28 p.m. | UMass adds a late touchdown

UMass backup quarterback Carlos Davis checked into the game for the Minutemen and connected with Anthony Simpson for a 58-yard touchdown.

Auburn leads UMass 52-14 with 8:50 to play in the game.

5:34 p.m. | Auburn keeps pouring it on courtesy of Sean Jackson

The late touchdown the Auburn defense gave up to UMass? The Tigers got it right back thanks to a 45-yard rush from Sean Jackson midway through the fourth quarter.

Auburn leads UMass 59-14 with 7:02 to play in the game.

5:49 p.m. | Final

Auburn opens the 2023 season with a convincing 59-14 win over UMass as Holden Geriner and the Tigers’ offense end the game in victory formation.

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Why not both? Auburn QBs Robby Ashford and Payton Thorne share the driver’s seat Saturday

Updated: Sep. 02, 2023, 8:24 p.m.|Published: Sep. 02, 2023, 7:43 p.m.

5–6 minutes

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Auburn sophomore quarterback Robby Ashford had just rushed for his first touchdown of Auburn’s 59-14 win over UMass on Saturday — a 10-yard scamper towards a juiced up Auburn student section — when he hustled his way back to the Tigers’ sideline.

The first one to meet him there? Payton Thorne — the junior Michigan State transfer who arrived at Auburn in May and eventually won the starting quarterback job. Thorne’s appointment as starter meant Ashford, who started at quarterback a majority of the 2022 season, would be demoted.

“The first few days after I found out, it was hard. I was kinda down on myself, kinda like, ‘Am I good enough?’ It didn’t feel like I was good enough,” Ashford admitted. “Had a few rough days.”

But Ashford brushed off those rough days and continued to compete and push Thorne.

“Payton’s done a great job, and I look at him like a brother. We come out there every day and just know we’re out here to make each other better and do whatever we can to help this team win,” Ashford said.

He and Ashford’s leaping sideline celebration in the second quarter was proof of each other’s “win at all costs” mentality.

Ashford continued on a tear through the second quarter, taking another pair of carries into the south endzone, much to the delight of the nearby Auburn student section.

Some might say Ashford spoiled Thorne’s debut or stole his thunder.

But did Ashford spoil it? Or did he show that he can be the fan-favorite side dish to the main entrée?

After Saturday’s showing it might be worth considering the latter.

“Every press conference I’ve been in, I’ve said that Robby Ashford is vital to us winning football games,” Freeze said following Auburn’s win over UMass. “I don’t know how else to say it. He’s vital to us winning football games. And I don’t know exactly what that looks like week to week, but he’s vital to us winning football game and we need him.”

In Week 1, as the Tigers were gifted with short field after short field, Ashford’s role was simple: command the Auburn offense in the red zone. It’s the perfect task for Ashford, whose skillset demands he be respected as a runner and a passer.

Ashford rushed for 51 yards on nine attempts with three touchdowns — one from 10 yards out, one from 1 yard out and one from 4 yards out.

But by no means did Ashford’s breakout point to struggles from Thorne.

In his debut with the Tigers, Thorne went 10-for-17 through the air with 141 yards and a passing touchdown. Thorne also displayed a willingness to run and move about the pocket, which is something his private quarterback trainer Will Hewlett said he’s never gotten enough credit for.

“He made three decisions that were not good, but I thought he played really solid and protected the football,” Freeze said of Thorne. “We didn’t ask him to do a whole lot in the passing game, truthfully. I thought he was really solid, and I know he’ll be ready to improve off of what he sees.”

Thorne’s lone touchdown pass — the first of his career at Auburn — came early in the third quarter as he made a 29-yard connection with sophomore wide receiver Jay Fair, who was the favorite target among Auburn’s rotating receivers.

“Right on the money,” Fair said of the Thorne’s pass. “Couldn’t ask for a better throw.”

With both Ashford and Thorne showcasing their different but complimentary skillsets, it begs the question if the Auburn offense might actually utilize a two-quarterback system down the stretch.

It wouldn’t be the first time Freeze ran an offense using two different guys under center.

In Freeze’s first year at Ole Miss in 2012, Bo Wallace was the Rebels’ main guy at quarterback. But Barry Brunetti also had a role, tallying 60 carries for 277 yards and three touchdowns. Brunetti also added another 196 passing yards and a passing touchdown.

But Ashford is probably three times the athlete Brunetti was and Freeze would agree with that. After naming Thorne the starter, Freeze went on to call Ashford the “most freakish athlete” he’s ever coached at the quarterback spot.

The season is young. And with all due respect to UMass, the Minutemen defense was from from the stingiest group the Tigers will see this season.

Yet Saturday’s showing on offense points to the realistic possibility of Ashford getting a nice share of the snaps at quarterback.

Regardless, Ashford assured that both he and Thorne will be ready.

“It’s just going out there and doing what coach tells us to do... going out there and executing the game plan, whether it’s me coming in there for a few plays, I’ve gotta go do that to the best of my ability,” Ashford said.

“We know we can do it. We’ve just gotta keep working. I mean, me and him are going to keep doing that. We’re going to keep being there for each other and keep building our relationship”

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Robby Ashford thought about quitting. Then he accepted his new role.

Published: Sep. 02, 2023, 8:05 p.m.

5–6 minutes

In the days after he lost Auburn’s starting quarterback job to Payton Thorne, Robby Ashford questioned if he belonged here.

‘Am I good enough,” Ashford said he asked himself.

He had been Auburn’s starter to end last season. He watched Auburn brought in Thorne through the portal and watched him take his job. Ashford said he was down on himself, so much so that he thought about just giving up.

“It didn’t feel like I was good enough, had a few rough days,” Ashford said. “I was just sitting at home and almost just felt like I needed to give up.”

It’s hardly been two weeks since Auburn named Thorne as the starter on Aug. 17. And here was Ashford, leading his teammates over to the Auburn student section after a 59-14 win over UMass because those fans wanted to see him. Ashford scored three rushing touchdowns in the first half.

After the game he gave high-fives to the dozens of students calling his name, and threw his towel into the stands. That came after a performance where his speed fueled Auburn’s separation from a UMass team it was favored to win by more than 30 points.

This was cathartic for Ashford after all it took to fit in this new space. After an offseason that was an emotional roller coaster, he had his moment.

He became Redzone Robby.

In the first half, Ashford’s further touch away from the endzone was the UMass 23-yard line. He ran the ball six times for 36 yards in the first half. Three of those carries ended up as touchdowns.

“I’m like, ‘Yeah, we’re finna score,’” Ashford said of his first score. “Then I saw the end zone, saw the student section, those eyes got big. I’m like, ‘Yeah, there’s no way I’m not scoring.’”

He was the story of the game for Auburn. His role fit in with Thorne’s to give Auburn a dynamic athlete down in the tightest part of the field where throwing is complicated. Ashford even said the UMass defenders weren’t able to keep up with his speed.

What it took was Ashford to accept this part of the offense. When Thorne won the job, head coach Hugh Freeze wasn’t sure if Ashford would. It’s hard to lose a competition and shift a mindset immediately. Ashford said it took him days.

“I’m hoping that all three will handle that news extremely well and continue to work, because 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,” Freeze said after naming Thorne the starter.

And for the two weeks since that press conference, Freeze continued to emphasize Ashford would have a role in the offense. He just didn’t state what it would be.

“I have said Robby Ashford is vital to us winning football games,” Freeze said after beating UMass. “I don’t know how else to say it. He is vital to us winning football games. I don’t know exactly what that’s going to look like from week to week, but he’s vital to us winning football games and we need him.”

Auburn showed to have a stellar running game all around, even in the absence of starter Jarquez Hunter. Auburn did not state why Hunter was absent. Auburn had 289 rushing yards and scored six of eight touchdowns in the win on the ground.

Ashford’s role on Saturday was as a redzone runner. To be dynamic and get into the endzone from nearby. It worked.

Ashford just had to work to the point of accepting it.

“Who knows if I’ll start this year? But I’ve just gotta prepare like I’m gonna be the starter,” Ashford said.

Part of accepting that role too means handling the label that gets put on quarterbacks who primarily run the ball: that instead of being a quarterback, he’s just a running back who can occasionally throw.

That’s been another mental battle he’s faced. Ashford feels he’s improved as a thrower and his coaches would agree. Freeze said Ashford had his best practices of the fall after Thorne was named the starter — both with his arms and legs.

But it’s Ashford’s legs that make him valuable, and he knows that. So he said he doesn’t care if people call him a running back.

“I mean, it was hard, but now, just knowing, ‘OK, I have the threat of my legs — don’t be afraid to use it because of what people are gonna say about me,’” Ashford said. “At the end of the day, I know I’m a quarterback. Coach Freeze believes that I’m a quarterback, and this whole team does. Whatever anybody else has to say, I don’t look at it. I think God blessed me with an ability to be able to use my legs. I mean, he blessed me with that. I can’t help that.”

Exactly how Ashford will be used may change from week to week. Redzone Robby is clearly a dynamic piece of Auburn’s offense, but Freeze seemed to indicate that his packages may not always be consistent.

At this point, because he’s not Auburn’s starter, Ashford just wants to play.

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

 

Auburn earns commitment from 2025 in-state OL

Updated: Sep. 02, 2023, 6:35 p.m.|Published: Sep. 02, 2023, 6:31 p.m.

1–2 minutes

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1. Sports

Auburn earns commitment from in-state 2025 offensive lineman

Auburn head coach Hugh Freeze celebrates a 59-14 win over the University of Massachusetts Saturday, Sept. 2, 2023, in Auburn, Alabama. (Julie Bennett | preps@al.com) Julie Bennett | preps@al.comJulie Bennett | preps@al.com

Athens High 2025 offensive lineman Spencer Dowland committed to Auburn on Saturday.

The 6-foot-6, 290-pound Dowland is a 3-star prospect.

Dowland is the third commitment for Hugh Freeze’s Class of 2025, joining Highland Home LB Jakaleb Faulk and Opelika DL Malik Autry.

He is ranked as the No. 21 junior prospect in the state, according to 247 Sports.

“It’s unlike any other place I’ve ever been so I felt like I knew this was right for me. I get that home feeling,” Dowland told Auburn Undercover.

His other offers included Arkansas, Florida State, Ole Miss and Tennessee.

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3 takeaways from Auburn football’s blowout win over UMass

Updated: Sep. 02, 2023, 6:25 p.m.|Published: Sep. 02, 2023, 5:55 p.m.

4–6 minutes

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It was the expected dominant start for Auburn football in its season-opening blowout win against UMass.

Auburn dominated on the offensive ball enough to take Payton Throne out of the game entirely midway through the third quarter. Auburn had over 300 yards of offense and had the rotation that was widely expected.

Nine offensive linemen played for Auburn and four offensive line combinations. Six different players had carries and five had receptions. Auburn had over 20 players register on the stat sheet for the defense. Auburn had more than 10 starters who weren’t on the team last year.

So, this was always going to have hiccups. It too, showed flashes.

Here are our three top takeaways.

Redzone Robby

If this is the Robby Ashford role in Auburn’s offense, Auburn may have found itself a weapon.

In the first half, Ashford was on the field for fewer than 10 plays, taking Payton Thorne’s place at quarterback. Of those plays, the furthest away from the endzone was the UMass 23-yard line.

In the second half, Ashford was used for a full drive with Auburn up by such a large margin.

Inside the red zone, Ashford kept the ball himself for six carries and scored three times. He had 36 rushing yards.

UMass couldn’t match his speed, and that allowed Ashford to get to the outside and find the pylon for his third rushing score.

But what may have been more notable is that even after it became clear how Auburn was going to use Ashford, UMass couldn’t stop it. It didn’t take any fancy scouting to guess Auburn was going to run the ball with Ashford on the field and it didn’t matter. Ashford did throw one incomplete pass and hand the ball off to Damari Alston once.

It did come against a UMass defense was poor against the run last season, but this seems to provide a blueprint.

Auburn wasn’t sure if it had a run offense or bad run defense. Both might be true.

The question rang out throughout the lead-up to Auburn’s first game: was Auburn’s hype in the running back room a result of a bad run defense?

Auburn’s running game was spectacular, with over 200 yards on the ground.

But if Auburn’s first game proved anything, it’s that those two things may not be mutually exclusive.

On UMass’ first possession, the Minutemen had 72 rushing yards on an 89-yard scoring drive. The Minutemen finished with ___ rushing yards and before backups entered the game, UMass averaged nearly 7 yards per carry.

That’s about two yards more per rush than Auburn had at that time, on a day when it ran the ball well too.

When UMass did run the ball, its offense was far more effective. But as Auburn got up by such a wide margin, UMass was forced to throw the ball more, otherwise the rushing total would likely be higher.

Adjust the rushing yards for sacks, and UMass’ total was above 150 yards on the ground.

Auburn was able to generate a lot of pressure against UMass’ pass, but the same didn’t hold true for the running game. This is a continuing issue for Auburn to clean up.

Secondary stands out

Start with Donovan Kaufman. He hadn’t received much buzz in the preseason, but was absolutely stellar as a nickel getting into the backfield.

Kaufman was unlucky to only have one sack. He was very close to bringing down UMass quarterback Taisun Phommachanh multiple more times.

But the pressure and broken plays he caused led to stops for Auburn’s defense. He finished the game with a sack, two tackles for loss and a forced fumble.

Speaking of which, the guy who recovered that fumble was Jaylin Simpson, who had a great game in his own right. Simpson’s highlight came from a 50-yard interception return for a touchdown.

Cornerbacks Kayin Lee and Keionte Scott each got hits on the quarterback too.

There aren’t many stats of pass breakups or other interceptions on top of Simpson, but that’s largely because Auburn had such solid coverage in the secondary, and enough pressure that the secondary helped create, UMass didn’t surpass 100 passing yards until late in the 4th quarter.

And that was done with without Nehemiah Pritchett, who did not play due to an injury.

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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TJ Finley accounts for 4 TDs as Texas State stuns Baylor for first win over Power 5 foe

Published: Sep. 02, 2023, 10:34 p.m.

2–3 minutes

Texas State quarterback TJ Finley celebrates after a touchdown pass over Baylor in the first half of an NCAA college football game, Saturday, Sept. 2, 2023, in Waco, Texas. (Chris Jones/Waco Tribune-Herald, via AP)AP

TJ Finley threw for 298 and three scores and ran for another touchdown to lead Texas State over Baylor 42-31 on Saturday.

The former Auburn quarterback led Texas State to its first win over a Power 5 Conference opponent.

Joey Hobert was the beneficiary of Finley’s aerial attack, hauling in six receptions for 105 yards and a score. Finley’s rushing touchdown gave Texas State a 35-21 lead in the third quarter. Baylor, a 27.5-point favorite, took a 3-0 lead early then played from behind the rest of the game.

The Bobcats have posted just one winning season in 11 years at the FBS level and haven’t won more than four games in a season in any of the last nine seasons.

The Bobcats had 448 total yards and scored touchdowns on six of their next eight possessions after the initial drive. That included two first-quarter scores from Ismail Mahdi, on a 10-yard reception and 65-yard run, after they trailed for the only time at 3-0. They led 28-13 at halftime.

Mahdi was the Bobcats’ leading rusher with 83 yards on six carries.

Blake Shapen threw for 304 yards and two touchdowns for Baylor, despite missing parts of the second half with an injury. Mississippi State transfer Sawyer Robertson added 113 yards through the air in relief but was intercepted and fumbled on Baylor’s final two possessions.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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Auburn fans deliver record-breaking crowd in Hugh Freeze's debut

Updated: Sep. 02, 2023, 10:17 p.m.|Published: Sep. 02, 2023, 9:40 p.m.

4–5 minutes

Auburn Football

Hugh Freeze predicted a ‘magical experience’ and Jordan-Hare delivered a record-breaking crowd

Follow Hugh Freeze off the field after his first win at Auburn

Auburn first-year head coach Hugh Freeze knew Saturday would be special.

“I’m really excited about my first experience running out in Jordan-Hare Stadium. I think that’s going to be phenomenal and exciting,” Freeze said Monday. “It’s going to be a magical experience in that stadium, provided that we play well.”

Freeze’s Tigers played to the tune of a 59-14 win over UMass Saturday.

While it might only be UMass, which doesn’t stack up as Auburn’s stiffest opponent, the Tigers played well, and the magical experience Freeze predicted followed.

Auburn’s season-opener against UMass was announced a sellout on Aug. 23. The very next day, Auburn announced that Jordan-Hare Stadium’s capacity had grown, paving the way for the possibility of Saturday bringing in a record-breaking crowd.

And Auburn fans didn’t let their new ball coach down.

With an announced attendance of 88,043, Saturday’s crowd was the largest in Jordan-Hare Stadium history, eclipsing the previous record mark of 87,451.

“To see our largest student crowd ever and largest crowd ever, it’s just quite humbling,” said Freeze following Auburn’s 59-14 win over UMass. “I just can’t say enough about their support and what that means to our players, our staff, our administration, everybody here at Auburn.”

For players like starting quarterback Payton Thorne and starting Jack linebacker Elijah McAllister, Saturday’s crowd was the first they’d played in front of in Jordan-Hare Stadium, giving the pair of recent transfers lofty expectations moving forward.

“I heard so much about it and it was everything I could imagine and some,” said McAllister, who transferred in from Vanderbilt in the offseason.

And while Thorne, a transfer from Michigan State, echoed McAllister’s sentiment, he also knows there’s likely an additional gear to Jordan-Hare Stadium when the stakes are a bit larger than what they were against UMass Saturday.

“I’ve played in some pretty big stadiums and some pretty loud stadiums. Today was great. I loved today,” Thorne said. “When we get into conference play and some of the big plays I’m sure it’s going to be rocking. It got loud a couple times today, but it didn’t have to get crazy loud today.”

Freeze said Monday that he was expecting more of his family members at his Auburn debut than any other game he’s ever coached. From his wife and daughters to uncles and aunts, the Freeze family — including his mother and father — played their part in the record-setting atmosphere.

“Then after the game with a win, just to see your mom and dad — and my mom doesn’t get around real well anymore — but I was going to make her way down to see her,” Freeze said. “Just sharing special moments with people that you care about, and want to serve and please, those are pretty special times.”

It’s that same sentiment that led to Freeze playing so many different guys on Saturday.

With the game well in hand, Freeze dug a little deeper in the depth chart, giving play time opportunities to some players who might not see the field much down the road.

“It’s valuable because their parents are here and their girlfriends are here and they practice their tail off and there’s no guarantee they get any snaps,” Freeze said. “We got a lot of kids in today.”

And those kids — both the ones who experienced Jordan-Hare Stadium for the first time and those who were around last season — were gifted one heck of an experience Saturday.

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auburnwire.usatoday.com

 

Winners and losers from Auburn's win over UMass

Taylor Jones

4–5 minutes

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Auburn fans have plenty to smile about following Saturday’s 59-14 win over UMass.

The Tigers gained 492 yards of offense, with a majority of that total coming from the run game. Seven players recorded a carry for Auburn, with Sean Jackson leading the way by recording 64 yards and a touchdown in the second half. Carries were evenly distributed, as neither back recorded more than nine. Three players also produced 50 or more yards.

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Defensively, Jaylin Simpson made noise by recovering a fumble and hauling in a pick-six. The Tigers also sacked UMass quarterbacks four times.

What were some of the other noteworthy moments of Auburn’s season-opening win? Here is a look at the winners and losers from Auburn’s victory over UMass.

Austin Perryman/Auburn Tigers

The duo of Brian Battie and Keionte Scott proved to be lethal in Auburn’s season-opening win. Battie began the game with a 38-yard kickoff return that began deep in Auburn’s own endzone. Keionte Scott also had a 56-yard punt return in the game. Combined, Scott and Battie accumulated 156 return yards.

John Reed-USA TODAY Sports

All-in-all, Michigan State transfer Payton Thorne did not have a bad game. He passed for 141 yards and a touchdown, but he only completed 58% of his passes, going 10-of-17. There were also four receivers who recorded a target but failed to make a catch.

Hugh Freeze said after the game that Thorne made “three bad decisions.” The season is young, so Thorne will have time to make adjustments as the season goes along.

Zach Bland/Auburn Tigers

Auburn’s pass defense was extremely disruptive in the win over UMass. Minutemen starting quarterback Taisun Phommachanh went 8-of-16 for just 55 yards, was sacked four times, and was hurried six times. Donovan Kaufman, Marcus Harris, and Elijah McAllister all recorded individual sacks while freshman Keldric Faulk and Eugene Asante teamed up to add another.

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The UMass running game was definitely its strong suit. The Minutemen rushed for 162 yards and had six rushing plays of 10 or more yards. Cal rushed for 346 yards in their 58-21 win over North Texas on Saturday, so the need to slow down the run will need to be addressed this upcoming week.

Jamie Holt/Auburn Tigers

The coaching staff praised wide receiver Jay Fair throughout fall camp, and he delivered a big-time performance on Saturday. He hauled in five passes for 56 yards and a touchdown, which was a 29-yard pass from Thorne in the 3rd quarter. He gained an additional 28 yards after contact.

Zach Bland/Auburn Tigers

“Robby Ashford will be a vital part of this offense” is the sentiment that Hugh Freeze expressed Saturday following the UMass game. Ashford appeared in several red zone plays and ended the game with three scores. If Auburn can find a way to use Ashford without becoming too predictable, they will become one of the nation’s best.

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How many of you dug out your old “HUNH” t-shirt from the bottom of the closet? Shades of the Gus Malzahn trademark returned to Jordan-Hare Stadium on Saturday. The Tigers were moving so fast, that the Auburn University Marching Band could not complete the traditional “first down song” on multiple occasions. Auburn ended the game by running 69 plays.

Zach Bland/Auburn Tigers

If you were in attendance for Saturday’s game, then you are a part of history. The announced attendance today was 88,043, which was the largest in Jordan-Hare Stadium history.

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auburn.rivals.com

 

AuburnSports - Pick six a 'great feeling' for Simpson

Henry Patton

~3 minutes

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In his first game of his final season on the Plains, Jaylin Simpson racked up three tackles, recovered a fumble returned an interception for a touchdown.

The pick six was memorable for everyone watching, but Simpson’s memory of it after catching the ball is hazy.

“I don’t even know if I saw the grass,” Simpson said. “All I saw was white, just straight student section. It was beautiful, man. I keep replaying it in my head. It was a great feeling. I gave y’all a little somersault at the end. I don’t even remember doing it. I kind of just blacked out. But yeah it was great. It was fun.”

Auburn DB Jaylin Simpson (Robin Conn/AuburnSports)

Returning an interception for a touchdown is a big deal for most, but for Simpson, it was just business as usual.

“The interception was just doing my job,” he said. “I’m in man-to-man. I read the receiver. I could just tell where he was running from his first step. I knew he was counting his steps and usually when receivers count steps, they ain’t really going deep. So I seen him counting his steps, and I just had a feel for the lean—I just had a feel for it, and the formation and everything. I kind of knew what was going on. And just doing my job, doing what I’m coached, ball hits you in the hands.”

When he was sure he was going to score, Simpson somersaulted across the goal line and proceeded to dance like NBA Youngboy in the end zone before handing the ball to Hugh Freeze.

Auburn DB Jaylin Simpson (Robin Conn/AuburnSports)

The somersaults and dance weren’t planned, but handing the ball to his coach was.

“It was either Tuesday or Wednesday I told him I was going to bring him the ball this week, by the way. I told him that,” Simpson said. “And so we made up the dance. I told him what dance I wanted to do. I’m surprised he remembered that, honestly.”

Simpson liked his own execution of the dance, but thinks Freeze could’ve been better.

“Yeah, he’s got a ways to go on it but next time we’re going to have a different dance," Simpson said. "We’re not even going to worry about that one. Different dance every time.”

His pick six was the fourth interception of his career, but he ranked it as the best of his career for a simple reason.

“I got my first college touchdown,” he said. “I’m so excited about that. But the way it happened, it’s probably definitely top on my list. Yeah, that was definitely the best one, because it went for six. That was the best one”

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auburnwire.usatoday.com

 

Tigers of the Game: Ashford's big day helps Auburn sail to victory

Taylor Jones

2–3 minutes

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The Auburn Tigers earned a massive 59-14 win over UMass on Saturday, and there were several key players that played a role in the victory.

On the offensive side of the football, two players stood out. Jay Fair was one of six receivers to haul in a pass on Saturday, which served as a coming-out party for him. Quarterback Robby Ashford also made the most of his situation after losing out on the starting quarterback battle.

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Defensively, the Tigers produced four sacks and limited UMass’ pass-making ability.

Following the game, the staff at Auburn Wire, as well as fans on social media, made their picks for “Tiger of the Game,” and it was a close decision due to having so many worthy candidates.

Here’s a look at who Taylor Jones, JD McCarthy, and Brian Hauch, as well as Auburn fans, chose for their “Tiger of the Game” pick.

Jamie Holt/Auburn Tigers

After Hugh Freeze announced Payton Thorne as Auburn’s starting quarterback, no one knew how Robby Ashford would be used. Turns out, the red zone is the perfect opportunity for Ashford to enter the game. He rushed for 51 yards on 9 carries and scored three times.

John Reed-USA TODAY Sports

Jaylin Simpson made three stops, but that is not the story here. He recovered a fumble as the result of a sack by Donovan Kaufman, and scored on a pick-six from 50 yards out.

Jamie Holt/Auburn Tigers

Fair caught the attention of Auburn’s staff during fall camp, and the rest of the Auburn fan base got to see why on Saturday. He reeled in five catches for 56 yards and a touchdown.

© Mickey Welsh / Advertiser / USA TODAY NETWORK

In a tight race, Ashford is the Tiger of the Game by receiving 50% from fans on X (formerly Twitter). Jaylin Simpson was next with 28.3% of the vote, with Jay Fair and Eugene Asante next in line.

To vote for the Tiger of the Game, visit @TheAuburnWire following every game.

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Photos: Auburn rolls to season-opening win over UMass

Justin Hokanson•about 11 hours

Article written by:Justin Hokanson

_JHokanson

Donovan Kaufman (Photo by Matt Rudolph/Auburn Live)

AUBURN — Auburn Live photographer Matt Rudolph delivers with some outstanding photos from the day’s action, all culminating in Auburn’s 59-14 win over UMass.

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al.com

 

Simpson’s takeaways, Freeze’s bad dance moves point to progress in two key areas for Auburn

Published: Sep. 03, 2023, 6:30 a.m.

5–6 minutes

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Auburn first-year head coach Hugh Freeze has a rule about dancing: If you’re going to do it after a touchdown, you do it on the Auburn sideline – not in the end zone.

In fact, Freeze goes as far to invite his player to come dance with him on the sideline.

And while most players might not take Freeze up on his invitation, senior cornerback Jaylin Simpson was willing – but only if he and Freeze choreographed the dance together.

Freeze obliged.

“I’m old school a little bit, so I promised them, if you just come to the sideline, I’ll do whatever dance you want me to do and look like a fool. Let’s just do it on the sideline and do it together,” Freeze explained after the game. “That was a promise that Jaylin Simpson — he made me do some kind of little deal I probably screwed up.”

Freeze’s “little deal” was one he learned from Simpson earlier in the week after the veteran cornerback promised Freeze a turnover on Saturday.

“It was either Tuesday or Wednesday I told him I was going to bring him the ball this week, by the way. I told him that,” Simpson said. “And so we made up the dance. I told him what dance I wanted to do.”

Simpson went on to tally a pair of takeaways in Saturday’s win — the biggest of which came in the shape of a 50-yard Pick 6 in the third quarter.

And while Freeze might’ve remembered he and Simpson’s dance for the most part, that doesn’t necessarily mean his jig was any good. Simpson went on to say that if his dance was rated a 10, he’s rate Freeze’s execution a five.

But Freeze couldn’t care less about how he executed the dance move.

Instead, he hopes to keep dancing as he watches the Tigers’ defense execute Ron Roberts’ game plan – which includes a heavy emphasis on creating turnovers – while also playing a clean football game with minimal penalties.

In Saturday’s win over 59-14 win over UMass on Saturday, the Tigers did both.

“We won the turnover battle, which is a goal of ours every week,” Freeze said following the win. “And we won the penalty battle, so those are two things that we want to win every single week. When you win those two, your percentage chances of winning goes way up.”

Auburn collecting wins in both the turnover and penalty categories should be a relief to Tigers’ fans who watched their team struggle in both categories last fall.

In 2022, the Tigers averaged more than 57 penalty yards per game. On Saturday, Auburn played a game that featured just three penalties, which equaled 35 penalty yards.

In terms of the turnover battle, Auburn was abysmal last fall.

Of the 133 FBS programs in 2022, Auburn ranked 122nd in turnover margin, finishing the season 10 turnovers in the hole. While the Tigers were able to force 13 turnovers in 2022, they gave up 23 — 12 interceptions and 11 fumbles.

Thanks to Simpson’s 50-yard Pick 6 and his fumble recovery — as well as the Auburn offense’s ability to take care of the football on Saturday — the Tigers are already two turnovers in the green, which is a good foundation to build on moving forward.

On Saturday specifically, the pair of turnovers Auburn forced was an encouraging sign after its defense was punched in the mouth by a touchdown on UMass’ opening drive of the game.

And though guys like Simpson and those in the Tigers’ secondary might get the credit for Saturday’s turnovers, the first domino to fall came from the defensive front.

“I thought we got better as the game went on. We crushed the pocket some, which was very good to see,” Freeze said. “It was good to see our defense play hard. I thought we played harder than we have in the scrimmages and than we did in the first possession. I thought we started to show a little passion.”

While the season is still young, you can tell Simpson is already planning for more dance celebrations with Freeze.

“He’s got a ways to go on it, but next time we’re going to have a different dance,” Simpson said of Freeze. “We’re not even going to worry about that one. Different dance every time.”

And so long as it means the Tigers are scoring and the officials are keeping their flags in their pockets, Freeze doesn’t mind the dance parties – no matter how much of a fool he might look like.

“I’ll do that as long as they don’t do that crazy stuff on the field that might hurt us,” Freeze said.

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Thanx! War Eagle Fiddy

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Appreciate it, @aubiefifty

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247sports.com

 

Game overview Auburn offense defense team up to blow out UMass

Phillip Marshall

8–10 minutes

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• 

• 

Offense starts fast. Defense puts an end to early nonsense.

Payton Thorne started his Auburn career in style on Saturday. (Photo: Jason Caldwell, Auburn Undercover)

With a new head coach, new offensive coordinator, new quarterback and multiple others playing at Jordan-Hare Stadium for the first time Saturday, Auburn’s offense made it look easy on the game’s opening drive against UMass.

Quarterback Payton Thorne led the Tigers, playing at hyper speed, on a 62-yard march in 11 plays. Running back Damari Alston, starting in place of Jarquez Hunter, got the touchdown from the 2. Auburn led 7-0 and seemed ready to make short work of the Minutemen.

But then UMass got the ball and made it look even easier, driving 89 yards in eight plays without having a third down. On the sideline, there was concern but no panic. Auburn’s offense answered with a field goal to make it 10-7, and the defense said there would be no more nonsense.

The Minutemen did not score again until the final minutes of the game when Auburn had cleared its bench. By then, the game was long decided. Auburn began the Hugh Freeze era with a 59-14 romp before a record Jordan-Hare crowd of 88,043.

Safeties coach Zac Etheridge didn’t like anything he saw on the first drive. He expected the defense to get better, and it did.

“Tip your hat to them and their coaches,” Etheridge said. “They had an outstanding game plan early.. We were anxious. … That first drive was ugly. That’s not the way we play defense, but once the guys settled down and got into the game, they executed at a high level.”

Meanwhile, the offense continued to beat the Minutemen into submission. Coordinator Philip Montgomery said it was a gratifying day.

“I thought our offensive line did a great job of setting the tone, opening up holes,” Montgomery said. “I thought our running backs were running extremely hard. I thought our quarterbacks had their eyes in the right spots. We’ll look at the tape and see things we want to improve on, for sure. But for Game 1, I liked the way we came out of the gate.”

Despite a lineup with so many new faces, the Tigers had no turnovers and no presnap penalties.

“I thought they did a great job of communicating,” Montgomery said. “I thought our quarterbacks did a nice job of controlling the tempo parts of it. We have been preaching that all through fall camp. I was proud of our group for not having those self-inflicted penalties.”

Backup quarterback Robby Ashford used his elite athleticism to run for three consecutive Auburn touchdowns and put the Minutemen down for the count. Later, Throne threw a 29-yard touchdown pass to Jay Fair. Freshman Jeremiah Cobb had a 42-yard touchdown run. Former walk-on Sean Jackson had a 45-yard touchdown run.

Safety Jaylin Simpson returned an interception 50 yards for a touchdown and returned a fumble forced by Donovon Kaufman’s strip sack to set up another. Keonte Scott’s 56-yard punt return to the 16 set up a touchdown. Quarterback Holden Geriner led a touchdown drive and completed both passes he threw.

Montgomery liked what he saw from all three quarterbacks.

“I thought they all came in and operated well,” Montgomery said. “They have different skill sets. Payton did a nice job early of coming in and leading us down the field. Robby came in and, obviously, ran the ball well. I thought he had a couple of really good throws that had the potential of being caught. Holden comes in and operates our offense. Made two really good throws and made good decisions on them.”

After playing at hyper speed in the first half, running 42 plays en route to a 31-7 lead, the Tigers slowed it down and ran 27 plays in the second half, scoring 28 points.

Auburn will travel across the country to Cal next Saturday in search of a second win. UMass, a 41-30 winner at New Mexico State last Saturday, fell to 1-1.

Jaylin Simpson dances with Freeze, shows ball-hawk potential

"I'll do whatever dance you want me to do and look like a fool. Let's just do it on the sideline and do it together. That was a promise that Jaylin Simpson — he made me do some kind of little deal I probably screwed up.”

VIDEO: Highlights: No. 3 Ohio State at Indiana

Jaylin Simpson wasn’t crazy about Hugh Freeze’s execution. But it’s only Week 1; there’s plenty of time for growth.

The Tigers’ fifth-year senior safety is, of course, referring to his dance with Hugh Freeze on the sideline during Auburn’s 59-14 win over UMass in Saturday afternoon’s season opener.

In the second quarter, Simpson scooped up a loose ball that was stripped by Donovan Kaufman, and returned it 13 yards to the UMass 35-yard line, setting up Robby Ashford's third rushing touchdown of the first half alone.

The first thing Simpson wanted to do was find his head coach on the sideline.

Freeze wants his players to celebrate. That began in the spring in Freeze’s first practices at the helm, when he would literally include celebration as part of pace drills. “Celebrate, celebrate,” Freeze would yell from the sidelines, making sure his players knew how to do so efficiently and without drawing penalties.

He’s an old-school coach, he admits, but that doesn’t mean he’s a grump. Freeze prides himself on having players who enjoy themselves and have fun with their coaches and teammates on game days.

“I told our kids in there, and I mean this: In life, in football, whatever, I think we all fail to celebrate victories,” Freeze said postgame. “I've made up my mind for the rest of my career, dadgummit, I'm going to enjoy at least for a few hours, the fact that our team, our staff found a way to win a football game in college. They're not easy. I don't care who you play, it's just not easy to win football games. I want to enjoy that, and I want our kids to, and I want them to do that in life with their families, and celebrate each other when that happens.”

Freeze tzld the Tigers they’re allowed to do whatever sort of celebration they want, as long as it’s on the sideline.

“If you just come to the sideline, I'll do whatever dance you want me to do and look like a fool,” Freeze said. “Let's just do it on the sideline and do it together. That was a promise that Jaylin Simpson — he made me do some kind of little deal I probably screwed up.”

Simpson’s request to Freeze this week, should the safety find himself in need of celebration — “I told him I was going to bring him a ball, by the way” — was a dance made popular in a music video by NBA YoungBoy, Simpson’s favorite rapper.

So when Simpson came to the sideline after his fumble recovery, he danced with Freeze, and “was surprised he remembered it, honestly.”

How’d his head coach do?

“Umm, I mean if mine’s a 10, his was a five,” Simpson said. “He’s got a ways to go on it. Next time we’ll have a different dance; we won’t even worry about that one.”

Freeze doesn’t mind his poor execution if it means the Tigers avoided a penalty.

“I'll do that as long as they don't do that crazy stuff on the field that might hurt us,” Freeze said.

Yeah, about that. Later in the game, that rule slipped Simpson’s mind. He may or may not have somersaulted into the end zone at the end of his 50-yard pick-six on the second play of the third quarter.

“I kind of forgot about that,” Simpson said while jokingly looking around the room.

Simpson, who moved to safety in the final weeks of last season, was one of, if not the top playmaker for an Auburn defense that settled in nicely after giving up an 89-yard touchdown drive on its first series. UMass didn’t find the end zone again until Auburn was playing mostly walk-ons in the fourth quarter. After their opening-drive touchdown, the Minutemen’s next nine drives featured two turnovers, two turnovers on downs, a trio of three-and-outs and a missed field goal.

“It was good to see our defense play hard,” Freeze said. “I thought we played harder than we have in the scrimmages and than we did in the first possession. I thought we started to show a little passion.”

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