10.3.23 Football Articles

aubiefifty · October 3, 2023

247sports.com

Freeze: 'All facets' of Auburn's passing game need improvement during bye week

Nathan King

4–5 minutes

Auburn’s passing game was under a big microscope heading into Saturday’s matchup with No. 1 Georgia.

And although Hugh Freeze saw a smattering of improvements, it’s still a group that’s very much a work in progress — and one that Freeze and his staff will continue to tinker away with during the bye week.

Auburn relied on its ground game, rushing for 219 yards against the Bulldogs in Saturday’s 27-20 loss. Quarterback Payton Thorne contributed 92 yards to that total but failed to reach 100 yards passing for the third time in as many Power Five games this season. The Michigan State transfer went 10-of-19 for 82 yards, plus an interception on Auburn’s final play of the game.

The play of Thorne and the other pieces of Auburn’s passing game certainly were not as large of a detriment to the team as they were the previous game against Texas A&M, when Thorne completed only six passes and was sacked five times. But Freeze is still making that aspect of his offense a major focus during the bye week.

And against Georgia, the shortcomings were on more than just Thorne, Freeze said.

“All facets of it need to improve,” Freeze said Monday at the Monday Morning Quarterback Club in Birmingham, Alabama, via The Next Round radio program. “The protections, the routes. I think (Thorne) had six drops after watching the film that could have easily been caught. They were balls thrown in the right place. Give their defensive backs credit for good punchouts, but our guys have to finish those plays to help our quarterback also.”

Auburn’s official stats tallied only one drop on the game — when running back Jarquez Hunter bobbled the ball on the Tigers’ final drive — while Pro Football Focus also tagged only Hunter with a drop. But Freeze is referencing several throws where Auburn’s receivers got their hands on the ball but couldn’t pry it away from Georgia’s defenders. Thorne seemed to have an accurate day and was on the money with most of his throws. Redshirt junior receiver Malcolm Johnson Jr. in particular had a couple targets that could be qualified as catchable.

Thorne was sacked three times, bringing Auburn’s total to 15 this season, the fourth-worst mark in the SEC through Week 5. Freeze said last week Thorne has complete control to change protections and shift players at the line of scrimmage before the snap.

“There were a few protections that he set wrong that probably cost us negative plays,” Freeze said. “You’ve got to take it all in and go back to work and try to get it corrected.”

Auburn was able to muster some improvement on offense but still left points on the board in a major upset attempt. The Tigers’ two touchdowns came off turnovers — starting at midfield in the first half, then Georgia’s 32-yard line in the second half — and the team’s three longest drives of the game, yards-wise, resulted in two field goals and a turnover on downs.

Of Auburn’s five punts, four were drives that went three-and-out. When Auburn was able to get off the ground on a given possession, it found some decent success.

Freeze knows the passing game has to become a more dynamic complement in order to compete with the best teams on Auburn’s upcoming schedule. The Tigers’ next two opponents, after all — LSU and Ole Miss — boast the two best scoring offenses in the SEC. The Tigers’ defense has been strong through five games, but they’ll have to score to keep up, too.

“There were some steps in the right direction in the passing game,” Freeze said. “We didn’t complete them all. But they were thrown in the right spot, our receivers were in the right spot, and we just didn’t make the play. My message to them is, ‘Man, we’re close.’”

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aubiefifty · October 3, 2023

auburnwire.usatoday.com

Alabama DL commit Jeremiah Beaman has 'amazing' official visit to Auburn

JD McCarthy

~2 minutes

Jeremiah Beaman is one of the top defensive linemen in the country and despite being committed to Alabama, he is a major Auburn target. The Birmingham product was in Auburn over the weekend to watch Auburn take on the No. 1 Georgia Bulldogs and the official visit left quite an impression.

“It was amazing,” Beaman told Auburn Undercover’s Jason Caldwell. “Just the love and the amount of support they have around the facility to make me feel like I’m a wanted prospect.”

He is the No. 66 overall player and No. 9 defensive lineman in the 247Sports composite ranking. He is also the No. 6 player from Alabama.

Checking in at 6-foot-4 and 265 pounds, he is an ideal fit for Auburn’s defensive line, something defensive line coach Jeremy Garrett has let him know.

“They need defensive linemen like me with my size and athleticism,” he said of Auburn’s pitch. “They want big ends on the edge like myself.”

Beaman has enjoyed a strong start to his senior season for Parker High School, making 25 tackles, 5.0 for loss and 5.0 sacks.

Contact/Follow us @TheAuburnWire on X (Twitter), and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Auburn news, notes, and opinions. You can also follow JD on Twitter @jdmccarthy15

aubiefifty · October 3, 2023

si.com

Who will finish the 2023 season as Auburn's leading receiver?

Daniel Locke

2–3 minutes

Many different players have caught passes for Auburn so far this season. Who is trending up and who might finish the season as Auburn's leading receiver?

Auburn has hit the bye-week. The Tigers have five games under their belt and have surely learned a lot and made some adjustments as the season has gone along.

The passing game has been a huge question surrounding Auburn all season. Quarterback Payton Thorne has gone 59-94 for 643 yards, four touchdowns and four interceptions.

15 different players have caught a pass for Auburn so far this season.

Wide receiver Jay Fair has the triple crown for Auburn so far; leading the team in receptions with 18, yards with 196 and touchdowns with two.

Tight end Rivaldo Fairweather is following closely with 145 yards and a touchdown off of 15 receptions.

Wide receiver Shane Hooks comes in at a distant No. 3 with 106 yards and a touchdown off of eight catches.

The fact of the matter is Auburn is not throwing the ball much. It has been a significantly run-heavy offense.

In Auburn's last two games, Thorne has thrown for 82 and 44 yards respectively.

Fair already has a solid lead on the competition and it will take a lot to pass up to him since he is reliable on short routes which account for a lot of his receptions.

Fairweather could make a play for it as well, particularly if Thorne gets more comfortable in the pocket and needs fewer check-downs.

The most likely scenario is Fair leading the team in receiving in 2023.

aubiefifty · October 3, 2023

saturdaydownsouth.com

Hugh Freeze addresses Auburn’s lousy 3rd down performance

Andrew Peters | 9 hours ago

~3 minutes

Auburn came just short of getting a massive upset over Georgia on Saturday, and one of the weakest areas of the game for the Tigers was their 3rd down execution.

Auburn was just 2-for-12 on 3rd downs, with several of those failures coming late in the game. They also only converted on 1 fourth down conversion out of 3 attempts.

Moving forward, converting 3rd downs is going to be a point of emphasis for the Tigers.

“We’ve got to have a better 3rd down plan,” Auburn head coach Hugh Freeze said at the Monday Morning Quarterback Club. “Some of the time, you give credit to the defense, they won. They’re national champions 2 years in a row and they beat you in a 1-on-1. But I think our plan could’ve been better. I’m always the hardest critic on myself and the staff if I think we could’ve done more things, and I think we had better options on those critical 3rd downs and we’ve got to make sure the ball is touching our best players’ hands. And they have to execute it obviously, the 1 4th down, we had a really high snap that our back never got on track, and those things happen sometimes too, but I do think our plan needs to be better.”

In SEC football, everything counts, and Auburn will need a better 3rd down plan moving forward.

Luckily, the Tigers will get a chance to regroup during the bye week, but they’ll have a tough matchup against LSU waiting for them on the other side.

aubiefifty · October 3, 2023

247sports.com

Exit Survey Parting thoughts on Auburns 2720 loss to Georgia

Nathan King

9–11 minutes

Dive in for our plays of the game, helmet stickers, areas of concern and exiting analysis on the loss at Jordan-Hare Stadium

There are no moral victories in college football, but Auburn certainly showed it's capable of competing with any team when it executes — and maybe forces a turnover or two. Auburn led 10-0 early and had No. 1 Georgia on the ropes for four quarters before the Bulldogs scored 17 of the game's final 24 points and escaped with a 27-20 win.

Two of our football reporters — Jason Caldwell and Nathan King — took another look at Auburn's loss to the with some superlatives and final thoughts from the game in the Auburn Undercover Exit Survey.

Dive in for our plays of the game, helmet stickers, areas of concern and exiting analysis on the loss at Jordan-Hare Stadium — and what our observations could mean for the Tigers moving forward into their bye week and six more SEC games.

PLAY OF THE GAME (OFFENSE)

Jason: "There’s a play that I have been coming back to since yesterday. Auburn was leading Georgia 17-10 in the third quarter and had a third and 16 from the 42 of the Bulldogs. Payton Thorne threw a perfect back shoulder to Malcolm Johnson Jr., but the Georgia DB knocked it out of Johnson’s hands right after the catch. It’s exactly the type of play this team needs to make if it wants to win games like that."

Nathan: "It feels cheap to go with Auburn's single longest play from scrimmage, but Thorne's 61-yard gallop down the sideline on Auburn's second possession felt like a significant catalyst for the offense as a whole. Arguably the most important aspect of this game, assuming Auburn's defense played well, was going to be Thorne and his confidence, and an exhilarating play early in the game gave the quarterback an early boost. He didn't have a strong performance through the air by any means, but the threat of Thorne's running ability existed for Georgia's defense throughout the game."

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PLAY OF THE GAME (DEFENSE)

Jason: "I’m going with Jaylin Simpson again because he’s been outstanding this season. He jumped the route over the middle and picked up his fourth interception of the season. There may not be a more important player on defense than Simpson."

Nathan: "Simpson continues to be an extremely impressive playmaker from the safety spot. He now has the most interceptions by an Auburn player in a season since 2014, and he did so in highlight-reel fashion by winning a jump ball against Georgia's best receiver recruit on the roster. Entering the bye week, Simpson is the SEC's takeaways leader with five on the year."

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HELMET STICKER (OFFENSE)

Jason: "I have to go with Thorne. On a day when the Tigers again struggled to get things going with the passing game, he looked like he threw the ball well. Throw in his 92 yards rushing and it was a solid day for the Auburn quarterback."

Nathan: "It feels strange to pick Thorne after he failed to efficiently throw the ball for the third time in as many Power Five games this season, but there were a number of passes that felt extremely close to being completed, and some of that might fall on the play of the wide receivers. And, again, Thorne's dual-threat prowess was a massive key for Auburn's offense. The offense still had trouble getting off the ground at plenty of points, though, as four of the Tigers' five punting drives in the game were three-and-outs."

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HELMET STICKER (DEFENSE)

Jason: "Marcus Harris had his best game in an Auburn uniform on Saturday against Georgia. Harris was credited with seven tackles, two tackles for a loss, and also added a forced fumble. Harris was one of the bright spots for the Tigers."

Nathan: "On a big stage where the press box's front row was filled with NFL scouts, Harris may have made himself some money. Two tackles for loss don't tell the story of his affect on Georgia's offensive line, where the Tigers surprisingly won a large chunk of their battles. Harris also came crashing in from behind to force the turnover on Georgia's first play of the second half. His presence was missed when Harris missed some time in the fourth quarter with an injury."

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HELMET STICKER (SPECIAL TEAMS)

Jason: "There is no doubt that Saturday was the best day in an Auburn uniform for punter Oscar Chapman. He averaged over 51 yards per punt and had a huge 71-yarder as part of his massive day. Chapman was special and probably earned himself some money with that performance."

Nathan: "Speaking of NFL attention, how about Chapman? He not only had a 71-yard bomb, but also had two other punts downed at the 9- and 2-yard line of Georgia. McPherson also deserves a nod here for cashing in on a high-pressure, tying field goal in the fourth quarter. The redshirt freshman is now 5-of-5 kicking this season."

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WHERE AUBURN TOOK A STEP FORWARD

Jason: "I think it was just the program in general. That’s kind of a cop-out, but I saw improvement in every area on Saturday. There’s still a long way to go, but I thought it was a huge step in the right direction."

Nathan: "Confidence. This is a team Hugh Freeze knew needed to keep its head up and improve and failing to score an offensive touchdown against Texas A&M, and the bounce-back on both sides of the ball was impressive. I think Auburn sent a clear message Saturday that it, like most Freeze teams of the past, is capable of beating anyone in the country — especially at home — when it executes and is able to grab turnovers."

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WHERE AUBURN TOOK A STEP BACK

Jason: "As I just said, I don’t think there’s one area that was a step back. The wide receivers probably stayed right where they were and are probably the weakest link at the moment, but I don’t think it was a step back for them."

Nathan: "I didn't see any big movement backwards for any particular area of this team against Georgia, as the passing game — which still remains weak and inconsistent — was already under a big microscope entering this game. Still, with the Bulldogs knowing the run was coming, Auburn still racked up 219 rushing yards. Auburn's lack of a passing game is one of the reasons it lost, though, as the Tigers couldn't finish all their drives when the field was tightened in the red zone and Georgia was able to pack it in defensively and focus on stopping the run. A 2-of-12 mark on third down is also reflective of a lack of consistent connection between quarterback and receivers."

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BIGGEST SURPRISE?

Jason: "I think it’s probably Auburn having twice as many rushing yards as Georgia on Saturday. That hasn’t happened in quite a while and it’s one of the biggest reasons why the Tigers had a shot to win against the No. 1 team in the country."

Nathan: "I expected Auburn to play better offensively and do well in its game plan after the Texas A&M debacle — albeit there were still plenty of issues for a team that only scored touchdowns off the two turnovers it was handed. And Auburn's defense continued to play well, until Brock Bowers became too much to handle against a dinged-up secondary. I would say the biggest surprise was how well not only Auburn ran the ball — becoming the first team to cross the 200-yard mark on the ground against Georgia since 2018 — but also how well the Bulldogs were stuffed at the line of scrimmage. Granted, Carson Beck was dicing up Auburn well into the second half to the tune of 313 yards, but Georgia's 3.6 yards per rush were still a positive sign for an Auburn defensive front that's had some question marks early in the season."

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Did this outcome affect your thoughts on this Auburn team?

Jason: "Saturday probably showed me what I have thought all along. If this team can create a few turnovers and make a few plays on offense, they can play with anyone. Can you make a few more plays that you need to win? That’s the next step."

Nathan: "This is exactly the type of performance you wanted to see from Auburn to confirm that the Texas A&M performance on offense was not the end of the world — short of a win, of course. Are there still plenty of problems on this team? Absolutely. I think the passing game will continue to hold Auburn back against the better teams on its schedule until significant improvements are found — and maybe the bye week is the time to do it. But there are plenty of positives to take away, and the Tigers certainly look like a team capable of not only returning to a bowl game in Year 1 under Freeze, but possibly punching above their weight class when things are clicking. Probable ranked opponents Ole Miss and Alabama coming to Jordan-Hare Stadium later in the season likely represent more opportunities for Auburn to replicate the fire it showed Saturday, and maybe pull out a victory next time."

aubiefifty · October 3, 2023

al.com

Auburn-LSU football kickoff, broadcast information announced

Published: Oct. 02, 2023, 12:03 p.m.

~2 minutes

"It hurts," says Hugh Freeze after Auburn falls to Georgia

After Auburn held its own against the No. 1-ranked Georgia Bulldogs on Saturday at Jordan-Hare Stadium, Hugh Freeze said that he hopes his team takes a bit of confidence out of the game, despite the heartbreaking loss.

“Hopefully what’s revealed from that is they see that they can go toe to toe with some of the nation’s best,” Freeze said. “Because we’ve got some more of those coming.”

Coming off a much-needed bye week this week, Auburn draws Brian Kelly and the 23rd-ranked LSU Tigers next.

Auburn has yet to string together a road performance that has impressed in the slightest. And that task doesn’t get any easier as the Tigers head to LSU’s Death Valley on Oct. 14 for a game under the lights that will kickoff at either 6 p.m. or 6:30 p.m., the SEC announced Monday.

The game will be broadcasted on either ESPN or SEC Network.

The SEC will cement both the kickoff time and broadcast information after this weekend’s games.

LSU won a tight 21-17 game over Auburn on The Plains last fall.

When Auburn visits LSU next week, Kelly and the Tigers will hope to have rebounded with a win over No. 21 Missouri this Saturday after falling to Ole Miss on the road. LSU’s game against Missouri is set to kickoff at 11 a.m. and will be broadcasted by ESPN.

aubiefifty · October 3, 2023

whnt.com

Freeze: I’ll miss playing Georgia every year

Josiah Elmore

2–3 minutes

(WHNT) — Saturday’s 128th installment of the Deep South’s Oldest Rivalry added another classic chapter to the storied rivalry between Auburn and Georgia but with the everchanging landscape of college football comes the question — will the two schools continue to meet annually?

The Tigers’ Head Coach Hugh Freeze may have slipped out that the annual rivalry could become a casualty as a result of Texas and Oklahoma joining the SEC.

Freeze spoke to the media on Monday at the Monday Morning Quarterback Club, a charity organization that provides funds to fulfill medical needs and support for Alabama children and young adults. Freeze was asked about the changes coming next year and the future of college football.

“Obviously, the conference realignment has happened within our conference and I’m pretty confident that the SEC is pretty solid on where we are,” Freeze said. “I think they’ll enjoy the new rivalries when they get to see Texas and Oklahoma, among the great rivalries we have in our conference. I’ll miss playing Georgia every year cause I just got to experience it for my first time and I loved every minute of it other than the outcome.”

While the SEC has yet to confirm how the scheduling model will look with the two new additions, the conference did announce an eight-game conference schedule for the 2024 season in June.

In that eight-game model, the conference said it weighed traditional opponents and balance of schedule strength as the two factors to determine each school’s schedule.

It was also previously announced the SEC will eliminate divisional standings beginning in 2024, meaning the SEC Championship Game will feature the two top teams in the conference standings at the end of the regular season.

Auburn is still scheduled to play Georgia in 2024 but with no official schedule for the 2025 season, Freeze’s comments may be the writing on the wall for the annual rivalry.

aubiefifty · October 3, 2023

247sports.com

Jason Caldwells Monday morning quarterback column

Jason Caldwell

~4 minutes

Taking a deep breath

Like everything, you have to start at the quarterback position when talking about this Auburn team through five games. While it hasn’t been consistent, Saturday was a big step in the right direction for the position and especially for Payton Thorne. Talking with people inside the program, Thorne made some good throws against Georgia and could have had a few big plays with a little help from his wide receivers. It’s still a long way from what the potential is for this group, but the Auburn offense has something to build on heading into the bye week after the performance against Georgia.

Running it up

On Saturday, Auburn ran for 219 yards while limiting Georgia to just 107. To say that’s a different story from the recent meetings in this rivalry would be an understatement. In the last three games between the Tigers and Bulldogs, Georgia had outgained Auburn by 517 yards on the ground. That’s an average of 172.2 yards per game. If you want to look at maybe the biggest positive coming out of Saturday it’s watching the Tigers win the line of scrimmage battle against a team that hasn’t lost very many of those since Kirby Smart arrived in Athens. With the way the rest of the league has looked so far this season, if Auburn can keep running the football then this team is going to have some good opportunities the rest of the 2023 season.

Good news on the horizon?

The bye week comes at a great time for this Auburn team and it should mean getting some guys back on the field and others back closer to full speed. Running back Damari Alston’s shoulder kept him out of the Georgia game, but he could be back in time for LSU if he continues to progress the way he’s done. While he would still likely need to wear a shoulder brace, Alston looks like he could be back much sooner than originally thought.

Another good piece of positive news is that Jaylin Simpson just suffered a bruised calf in the loss to Georgia and should be fine for the LSU game following a bye week. Kicked during a play, Simpson was slowed against the Bulldogs in the second half and wasn’t able to get the burst to the ball. Getting him healthy is vital for the Auburn defense.

Fall baseball time

Monday is the first day of fall practice for Butch Thompson and the Auburn Tigers and it begins a tough process of cutting down the roster for the staff. That won’t be easy with a talented group of newcomers on campus along with a strong group of returning players. One of the returning guys that has been impressive in workouts so far has been sophomore outfielder Chris Stanfield. After a good first year with the Tigers, Stanfield has gained some muscle and looks like he’ll have more pop at the plate this season.

A newcomer that has already made a positive impression is Miami (Ohio) transfer infielder Cooper Weiss. One of several players in the mix for the shortstop position, Weiss has been steady and shown some pop at the plate. Another newcomer on the infield that has been very good so far is true freshman Eric Guevara. Originally from Panama, the 5-11, 204 Guevara is reminding people of Ryan Bliss early in his career because of how quickly he’s picking up the college game. Another true freshman that has shown some skill early is Auburn High outfielder Cade Belyeu. At 6-4, 209, he’s a player that has plenty of pop at the plate, but is also a smooth defensive outfielder.

aubiefifty · October 3, 2023

247sports.com

PMARSHONAU Dyes words still ring true after emotional loss to Georgia

Phillip Marshall

3–4 minutes

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On Nov. 13, 1982, No. 1 Georgia visited Jordan-Hare Stadium. Georgia was undefeated. In Pat Dye’s second season, Auburn had two losses. One of them was a 41-7 blowout at the hands of Nebraska on that same field.

But on that day, Auburn came spoiling for a fight. The Tigers took a 14-13 lead in the fourth quarter when Lionel “Little Train” James broke free for an 89-yard touchdown run. Georgia answered. Auburn was threatening, throwing into the end zone in the final seconds. But Georgia escaped with a 19-14 win.

From there, Auburn won 14 of its next 15 games, won the 1983 SEC championship and should have been declared the national champion.

Some 15 months earlier in 1981, Dye’s first season, Auburn went to Tennessee after a disheartening loss at home to Wake Forest. The Tigers were a yard away from winning, but they fumbled at the goal line and lost 10-7. It was after that game that Dye addressed his team with words still not forgotten. As players around him fought back tears, here were his words:

“There are going to be lots of days when you lay your guts on the line and come away empty-handed. There ain’t a damned thing you can do about it but go back and lay them on the line again, and again and again. I’m glad to be associated with you. If you keep fighting like you did today, if you keep playing like that, you will build a foundation that we can live a long, long time on at Auburn.”

Those words from 42 years ago still ring true today.

Hardly anybody gave the Tigers of 2023 a chance to beat No. 1 Georgia last Saturday, but they went to fight and to win. They were oh so close to pulling it off. A pass not caught, a mistake in pass coverage, a high snap at a crucial time. Change any one of those things and it might have been different.

You can’t change anything, obviously. Georgia made just enough plays to end the game, and like their counterparts now mostly in their 60s, it was an emotionally crushing day for Auburn players and coaches.

An Auburn victory would have been so much fun for the men who play, so much fun for the 88,000-plus who jammed Jordan-Hare Stadium and created an electric atmosphere, so much fun for the former Auburn greats who came to show their support. It didn’t happen, but it could have. And that matters.

Much work remains to be done for this team, Hugh Freeze’s first as Auburn’s head coach. The game is different now in many ways than it was in 1981 or 1982. But in some ways, it is not so different. It remains an emotional and demanding game played by young adults. What happens one week doesn’t automatically carry over to the next.

After an open date, can Auburn players go to LSU and lay their guts on the line again and then do it again and again in the weeks that follow? Can they use a near-miss against the nation’s No. 1 team as a springboard for good, even great, times ahead?

It has happened before.

aubiefifty · October 3, 2023

In loss to No. 1 Georgia, did the Auburn Tigers find a recruiting win?

Updated: Oct. 02, 2023, 9:05 a.m.|Published: Oct. 02, 2023, 6:30 a.m.

6–8 minutes

The potential future filed out one by one from the doors of the Harbert Family Recruiting Center and lined the inside of the plastic orange fencing. The high schoolers and their families seemed to just keep coming, filling the sidewalk from the doors all the way down to the intersection of South Donahue Drive and Heisman Drive.

It was just after noon, about 20 minutes before the Auburn football team would walked in those doors and into Jordan-Hare Stadium as part of the traditional Tiger Walk.

Some of the recruits had already announced commitments to Auburn. Five-star rated wide receiver Perry Thompson was already a celebrity, hearing his name called and fans pleading for photos almost a year before he’ll play a down for Auburn.

The recruits weren’t taking part in the walk themselves but were surrounded by thousands of Auburn fans covered in orange outfits. This wasn’t the recruits’ Tiger Walk yet, but instead an experience of a tradition that could very well become theirs.

Waiting at the end of the walk, the recruits heard the cheers descend down the road and toward them like a wave. Auburn’s mascot Aubie came first before the cheer team and then head coach Hugh Freeze, the man asking them all to play for him.

Freeze often wears an Auburn pullover or sweats for these walks into the stadium. This Saturday held so much more gravity against the No. 1 team because of a much bigger-picture focus on recruiting, Freeze dressed up. He high-fived recruits and hugged mothers in a plaid sports coat, white collared shirt and gray pants. Other players like tight end Tyler Fromm and running back Damari Alston joined in.

“I feel like in order for us to get to where we want to be which is winning SEC championships, winning national championships, we have to get the top recruits in the nation,” Alston said during fall camp. “Like we have to get them. I think we’re on a good start right now, we just have to keep it going.”

But on a day this important, Freeze’s work had already begun hours earlier.

Freeze said there would be around 70 recruits on campus. In reality, that number was a little below 60. That group included nine five-star rated players between the Class of 2024 and 2025 recruits on campus. Dozens of four-star rated recruits were on campus, too.

Freeze met with the six recruits there on official visits at their hotel at 8 a.m. Saturday. After that, he shifted his focus to the dozens on unofficial visits as they arrived to the in-stadium recruiting facility hours before kickoff.

This weekend was about trying to beat the No. 1 team in the nation — which Auburn almost did in a 27-20 loss.

But more importantly, it was about Auburn’s long-term plan. It isn’t about winning now, albeit that wouldn’t hurt. It’s about competing seriously with a comparable roster three to four years down the road. The building for that starts on weekends like this.

Auburn competed with the best team in America with a roster that wasn’t entirely put together by the current coaching staff. So the message is clear.

“Come help us build it, we can do it,” Freeze said after the loss to Georgia. “It doesn’t take long. We just need people that buy into coming and being a part of the Auburn culture, the Auburn family. Our fans were incredible today. I think it’s exciting to play here, and I think it’s attractive to a lot of recruits. There were a ton here today who could help us feel like we have the same rosters as some of the others in our league are playing.”

For the last two weeks, Freeze has discussed Auburn’s talent gap with regard to the rest of the SEC. And he’s right. When Auburn played Texas A&M, it was facing a roster that landed 14 five-star recruits in the time between Auburn’s previous most recent five-star commitment from Owen Pappoe in 2019 and then five-star linebacker Demarcus Riddick announcing his decision to come to Auburn in July. Thompson came just days after.

The way to catch up is in recruiting, and this was Auburn’s most important recruiting weekend to date under Freeze.

“You’re playing the best recruits in the nation,” Freeze two weeks ago before playing Texas A&M about Auburn’s talent gap. “We’re going to be there soon, and that doesn’t mean you can’t compete and win the game.”

What those recruits heard inside the facility was a pitch to Freeze’s resume and development. One flier handed out showed the progressively improving stats for a handful of quarterbacks he’d coach. There were also papers passed around on Freeze’s ability to consistently bring in highly-ranked recruiting classes each year.

The high schoolers played Madden on televisions near cases containing the Heisman trophies from Auburn’s three winners of the award.

Freeze and other coaches stopped by for their role as recruiters throughout the afternoon before shifting to focus on the players Auburn has already.

Then the recruits took the field. They stood on the same sidelines as Auburn legends like gymnast Suni Lee, former NBA Hall of Famer Charles Barkley, MLB Hall of Famer Frank Thomas and NFL quarterback Cam Newton.

They watched a game that wound up being far more exciting and competitive than most expected.

It’s not a coincidence Auburn picked this weekend to show off the school. It was a chance for a larger group of potential Auburn players to meet in one place, to see a sold-out, amped-up Jordan-Hare Stadium. Getting a game as thrilling as the near Auburn upset that occurred was just icing.

Knowing Auburn was largely expected to lose the game, Auburn coaches could point to what went wrong and tell the highly rated players how they could fix those shortcomings. If Auburn pulled off the upset, then the recruits would have seen a celebration and showcase of Auburn fans more than they already saw.

In a way, it was a win-win regardless of the game’s result.

“Our place is incredible to watch a game at, the atmosphere,” Freeze said on Monday before the Georgia game. “Now we’ve got to make sure they see what Auburn is really about while they’re here for a game of this magnitude.”

And reviews on the weekend from recruiting experts appear positive.

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

aubiefifty · October 3, 2023

aubiefifty · October 3, 2023

SaltyTiger · October 3, 2023

Good stuff again Fiddy. One thing I was reminded of Saturday. Not by design, trying to get through the Tiger Walk crowd and got trapped in the “recruits” area. Big and healthy looking bunch but we seem to forget these guys are just big children. Realize it when seeing them in person.

bostic up the middle · October 3, 2023

1 hour ago, SaltyTiger said:

Good stuff again Fiddy. One thing I was reminded of Saturday. Not by design, trying to get through the Tiger Walk crowd and got trapped in the “recruits” area. Big and healthy looking bunch but we seem to forget these guys are just big children. Realize it when seeing them in person.

so right @SaltyTiger. We forget sometimes, that these are kids with big dreams and talent that they want to show off. They want to be great, they want to win and they want to be in a place that will support them - even when they lose. I am so grateful our family showed up this weekend for these kids and not our fans.

aubiefifty · October 3, 2023

al.com

Hugh Freeze on playing Georgia close: ‘There’s no moral victories in the SEC’

Published: Oct. 02, 2023, 8:43 p.m.

6–7 minutes

Auburn football coach Hugh Freeze isn’t taking any sort of victory lap just because his team played Georgia closer than many believed was possible this past Saturday.

The Tigers led the two-time defending national champions for much of the game at Jordan-Hare Stadium, before losing 27-20 to the top-ranked Bulldogs. A loss is still a loss no matter the circumstances, Freeze told reporters prior to a speech at the C Spire 1st & 10 Club in Mobile on Monday.

RELATED: Freeze walks back earlier comment on future games vs. Georgia

“There’s no moral victories in the SEC,” Freeze said. “Does it mean we’re that we’re a little closer to closing the gap? Maybe, but that’s one Saturday and you’ve got to do it for a long stretch in this league and we’re not very deep. I think that showed in the fourth quarter and it’s concerning when you start talking about stacking the whole schedule together in the 12 games.

“I look forward to the day where we have a full recruiting class … to join our team to give us some depth. We played a very good quality football team really, really close and there’s a lot of positives you can take from that, but that one Saturday in and of itself probably doesn’t qualify for us to say we’ve arrived at some benchmark yet.”

Auburn is 3-2 overall and 0-2 in the SEC heading into its open date, a break that allowed Freeze to get out among the public on Monday. He also spoke in Birmingham earlier in the day and made a number of recruiting visits at high schools around the state.

Speaking of recruiting, Auburn has made plenty of headway in that department in Freeze’s short time on the job. The Tigers currently have the 14th ranked class in the country for 2024 according to 247 Sports, something Freeze said the entire Auburn fan base can take pride in.

“The way that they have embraced our new staff and our players and my family … it’s just been overwhelming and humbling, truthfully,” Freeze said. “We sold more season tickets than ever before in the history of the program, which is amazing to me. It just tells me of their passion for Auburn football and I haven’t experienced a greater fan base than what I’ve experienced here. I think they’re just the best.

“Jordan-Hare is an incredible place to play and our people are super supportive and I think it helps in recruiting. We had a great recruiting weekend even though we lost the game, and a lot of that goes to the energy that is being felt from our people.”

Freeze addressed a number of other topics in speaking with reporters. Among those were:

• The shared play-calling arrangement between himself and offensive coordinator Philip Montgomery

“It’s a constant evolving thing. Obviously, there’s strengths to Monty’s play-calling and I’ve done it for a long time. So we collaborate really well together and we’re still kind of searching for what is best for our football team to win games.

“This week, a lot of discussions will take place. But every game plan, I know what’s on the call sheet and certainly have the freedom to step in and make a call if I want. I approve that. He’s made some good calls. We haven’t executed a lot of calls that were really good. … He’s awesome to work with. I think it will be a good collaboration moving forward.”

• Auburn’s quarterback play through five games

“Inconsistent. We’re still searching a bit, not so much in the running game, but in the pass game as to what we really look like and who we’re really going to be. … When I say that, I do not say that that’s all on the quarterback. A lot of it is on receiver play, coaches. Is it a combination of protections and the quarterback?

“I thought Payton (Thorne), of his nine incompletions Saturday, I really felt like five of those should have been caught, and that makes a difference in those games and it makes a difference in how you perceive the play of a quarterback. And so it’s a combination and we’re still searching some. I’ve been honest about that, and we’ve got to improve.”

• Auburn rushing for 200-plus yards vs. Georgia, something no opponent had done in nearly 5 years

“That means we had a good plan and our kids executed it somewhat, in a good way. So we can build upon it. It means you rushed (for 219 yards) against one of the best defenses in the country and (so) we should be able to do that week-in, week-out, if we can clean up, the third-and-threes and -fours that really cost us in the fourth quarter.

“Those third downs on both sides, I think that was the difference in the game. Our defense couldn’t get off the field on third-and-longs and we couldn’t convert the third-and-mediums-to-shorts. And I think that was the difference in the game. But you take, again, the fact that we did rush the ball on a good defense and let’s build upon it.”

• Auburn’s overall defensive performance this season

“I’m very pleased other than the few breakdowns we tend to have that cost us. If we could play a complete game like we played the first and second quarter against (Texas) A&M and against Georgia, that would be nice.

“I do think part of that is depth. We get gassed because we’re not playing many people on that side of the football, but boy, they played extremely well for two quarters. I think we’re the first team to hold Georgia under 100 yards rushing — you guys can figure out how long — but it’s been a while. So they’re playing really well.”

Auburn will practice Tuesday and Wednesday, Freeze said, with a lighter workout Thursday before coaches hit the road recruiting that afternoon and Friday. The Tigers travel to LSU on Oct. 14 in a game that will kick off at either 6 p.m. or 6:30 p.m. on ESPN or the SEC Network.

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aubiefifty · October 3, 2023

al.com

Should a near-miss against Georgia make you believe in Hugh Freeze and Auburn?

Updated: Oct. 02, 2023, 10:04 a.m.|Published: Oct. 02, 2023, 7:02 a.m.

2–3 minutes

By

Kevin Scarbinsky | Special to AL.com

This is an opinion column.

Hugh Freeze is not Pat Dye. It seems important to make that point right at the top, no matter how obvious it may be. After what happened Saturday in Jordan-Hare Stadium, another comparison between them is in order, but no one should misunderstand.

This is about their first big games at Auburn, not about them as coaches or men. This is about what Dye made happen from there and what Freeze made the fan base think may be possible from here.

Sometimes a game is just a game, and its impact ends when the wounds heal. Dye’s first big game at Auburn was not one of those games. Even 42 years later, it still stands as a pillar of the program he built. Even for a man whose postgame talks are the stuff of legend, his words that day haven’t lost their power to give you chills.

Only time can tell whether Freeze’s first big game on the Plains will have legs, but there’s no denying that for 60 minutes on the last Saturday in September, his first team had everyone on their feet.

First, if you didn’t live through it, or relive it through the “Mighty” life story produced by his trusty friend and Auburn trustee Jimmy Rane, a few words on the coach who looked Bear Bryant and Alabama in the eye and made them blink. Dye’s name is on the field. His aura’s in the air, his spirit in the soil, his presence all about the place. His legacy didn’t need that statue outside the stadium. It has roots too deep to die.

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aubiefifty · October 3, 2023

Freeze walks back comment on future games vs. Georgia

Updated: Oct. 02, 2023, 8:48 p.m.|Published: Oct. 02, 2023, 6:35 p.m.

~3 minutes

Auburn Football

Hugh Freeze walks back earlier comment on future Auburn games vs. Georgia

Hugh Freeze clarifies comment on Auburn/Georgia rivalry, discusses where Tigers stand entering bye

By

Creg Stephenson | cstephenson@al.com

Auburn football coach Hugh Freeze on Monday evening walked back comments from earlier in the day, when he said ”I’ll miss playing Georgia every year” during a speaking engagement in Birmingham.

Speaking to reporters some six hours later before an appearance at the C Spire 1st and 10 Club meeting in Mobile, Freeze said in fact he has “no clue” what the SEC’s future scheduling plans are beyond 2024. The league is still trying to work out whether or not it will go from eight conference games to nine beginning in 2025, which would allow the Tigers to play both Alabama and Georgia every season.

RELATED: Hugh Freeze on playing Georgia close: ‘There’s no moral victories in the SEC’

“Let’s really clarify that,” Freeze said. “I have no clue what’s going on with future schedules and that hasn’t come to the coaches (for review) at all. What I totally meant by that was, there’s a lot of great rivalries in our conference and there’s new teams coming and I think it’s going to be an exciting brand of football for people to see Texas (and Oklahoma).

“But should there be years where you’re not playing some (traditional opponents) that would be, I’m sure, disappointing to some people in certain years. But I have no clue what the future scheduling is, nor has it been discussed with us as coaches. I know what next year’s (schedule) is, and that’s as far as I know. So I was using a hypothetical and certainly hope everybody clears that up.”

Auburn (3-2, 0-2 SEC) has an open date this week before returning to action on Oct. 14 at LSU. In addition to speaking engagements in Birmingham and Mobile, Freeze was also on the recruiting trail Monday, visiting various high schools around the state.

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aubiefifty · October 3, 2023

al.com

Auburn-LSU football kickoff, broadcast information announced

Published: Oct. 02, 2023, 12:03 p.m.

~2 minutes

"It hurts," says Hugh Freeze after Auburn falls to Georgia

After Auburn held its own against the No. 1-ranked Georgia Bulldogs on Saturday at Jordan-Hare Stadium, Hugh Freeze said that he hopes his team takes a bit of confidence out of the game, despite the heartbreaking loss.

“Hopefully what’s revealed from that is they see that they can go toe to toe with some of the nation’s best,” Freeze said. “Because we’ve got some more of those coming.”

Coming off a much-needed bye week this week, Auburn draws Brian Kelly and the 23rd-ranked LSU Tigers next.

Auburn has yet to string together a road performance that has impressed in the slightest. And that task doesn’t get any easier as the Tigers head to LSU’s Death Valley on Oct. 14 for a game under the lights that will kickoff at either 6 p.m. or 6:30 p.m., the SEC announced Monday.

The game will be broadcasted on either ESPN or SEC Network.

The SEC will cement both the kickoff time and broadcast information after this weekend’s games.

LSU won a tight 21-17 game over Auburn on The Plains last fall.

When Auburn visits LSU next week, Kelly and the Tigers will hope to have rebounded with a win over No. 21 Missouri this Saturday after falling to Ole Miss on the road. LSU’s game against Missouri is set to kickoff at 11 a.m. and will be broadcasted by ESPN.

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aubiefifty · October 3, 2023