Hugh Freeze Era at Auburn

[jbcarol]

Who will replace Cadillac at Auburn?

Hugh Freeze may have his man.

By Matt Cohen

His sudden resignation removes a fan favorite from his alma mater. His five-season tenure as a coach at Auburn included a four-game stint in 2022 as the interim head coach after previous coach Bryan Harsin was fired.

Who's next?

Last week, it was reported Freeze will return to calling plays after passing off the duty in the 2023 season to former offensive coordinator Philip Montgomery. Montgomery was fired on Jan. 5.

In addition to being in charge of the offense, Montgomery was also Auburn's quarterbacks coach.

In addition to Freeze returning to playcalling, reports have suggested Kent Austin — Freeze's former offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at Liberty who is currently a special assistant to the head coach at Auburn — will take over the quarterbacks coach role

That leaves the running backs position, Williams' old job.

Derrick Nix, the current wide receivers coach and assistant head coach at Ole Miss, has been widely linked to Auburn.

How Auburn will divide out the offensive coordinator title could be fluid. Freeze has options.

[jbcarol]

Auburn officially hires former Colorado DC, Auburn player Charles Kelly as co-DC

By Ainslie

Reports that Auburn might hire former Colorado defensive coordinator Charles Kelly first surfaced Dec. 30, just before Auburn's Music City Bowl matchup against Maryland.

However, official word of Kelly's hiring didn't come until Jan. 12, when Hugh Freeze and the Auburn football program publicly announced the addition of Kelly, who is a native of Ozark

[jbcarol]

O'Gara: Hugh Freeze taking over play-calling duties is equal parts intriguing yet daunting

When Hugh Freeze fired Philip Montgomery and announced that he was taking over play-calling duties, I had deja vu. I'm sure plenty of Auburn fans did.

This is the Gus play-calling debate all over again.

I have no idea the physical toll it takes on Auburn fans to have a head coach constantly going back and forth with calling offensive plays. It can't be pleasant. Everyone needs a place to funnel their anger. If you can't even settle on that, you'll go crazy.

What's not crazy is that Freeze is back to calling plays.

At SEC Media Days in July, I applauded how Freeze was transparent and self-aware on that subject.

"I think once upon a time I was probably one of the better play-callers in college football. Obviously better players make you a better play-caller. I don't know that I was the greatest play-caller or one of the best play-callers the last few years at Liberty," Freeze said in July. "I managed the game really well and gave our kids a chance to obviously win some huge games, and we were really good on defense, and I kind of played to that.

"But coming back knowing what was all-encompassing to bring Auburn back, sitting in the chair that I have to sit in, I needed help."

At the time of that decision, Freeze had a ton on his plate. He had to assemble a new coaching staff, mostly sign a new recruiting class, persuade his own roster to stay, be aggressive in the transfer portal, attend functions that Bryan Harsin blew off, etc. It's understandable why Freeze felt that heading into Year 1, he needed to focus on his role as Auburn CEO.

It's also understandable why Freeze cringed watching his 2023 offense without total control of it. In FBS, it ranked:

No. 72 in scoring
No. 79 in yards/play
No. 90 in QB rating
No. 94 in 20-yard scrimmage plays
No. 105 in 20-yard passing plays
No. 106 in sacks allowed
No. 117 in 3rd-down conversion percentage
No. 124 in passing

[jbcarol]

Freeze called continuity 'invaluable'

Yet Auburn has only faced change

By Matt Cohen

A man who was soon to be fired and another about to leave waited outside the interview room set up at the Gaylord Opryland resort in Nashville, Tennessee. On the other side of the doors, Auburn head coach Hugh Freeze told reporters how continuity on a coaching staff is "invaluable." A reporter had asked Freeze about keeping his staff together because — as of that Dec. 29 afternoon fewer than 24 hours before the Music City Bowl —

"We live in times where I doubt very seriously that all of the coaching changes are over,' Freeze said on Dec. 29. "It's probably just now getting ready to pick up. Who knows exactly what everybody's staff will look like in a month from now."

Auburn's offense put up one of its worst performances of the season in a 31-13 loss to Maryland in the Music City Bowl. Payton Throne threw for 84 yards and re-opened a quarterbacks competition Freeze thought he'd closed.

It left Freeze with a clear decision. After a season sputtering out like that, continuity wasn't going to be an option.

So he fired offensive coordinator Philip Montgomery on Jan. 5, one of the men waiting outside that door. Soon after, it was reported defensive coordinator Ron Roberts would leave for Florida after what was regarded to be a personal fit that just didn't work.

Auburn's new offensive coordinator will be its seventh in seven years. The new defensive coordinator with be the fifth in five years. It will be five consecutive seasons where Auburn has a first-year offensive coordinator and first-year defensive coordinator.

Continuity may be invaluable, but Auburn has been nowhere close to it.

"I don't know that I ever feel like I took over a program and I got every single hire in the whole building right the first time because you're just so crazy with recruiting,' Freeze said before the Music City Bowl. "So I think there's always the evaluation from our chair of can we improve ourselves some way."

Former running backs coach Cadillac Williams, who was brought back under former head coach Gus Malzahn, resigned on Jan. 11. Former defensive backs coach Zac Etheridge, hired by the Bryan Harsin staff, resigned on Jan. 12.

Williams and Etheridge and Auburn alumni. Both are gonna after one year of Freeze's tenure.On Friday, Auburn announced the hire of Charles Kelly as Auburn's co-defensive coordinator who will help with the defensive backs. Secondaries coach Wesley McGriff is back listed on Auburn's coaching staff after being announced by Texas A&M as taking a job with new head coach Mike Elko's staff.

Hiring Kelly as a "co-defensive coordinator" implies Auburn will have someone teamed up with him. It isn't clear exactly who that will be just yet.

Auburn has also yet to make a hire to fill Montgomery's spot. Ole Miss associate head coach Derrick Nix, Freeze's former running backs coach at Ole Miss, has been reportedly linked to the job.

But the lack of continuity has stretched into hires Freeze didn't make, too.

Auburn has had five head coaches since 2020 including Williams' interim stretch and a one-game under Kevin Steele. Auburn hasn't won a bowl game since 2018. It has had three consecutive losing seasons. It hasn't been ranked since 2021. It hasn't had a double-digit win season since 2017.

[jbcarol]

With the hire of Derrick Nix, who will call plays for Auburn  

These problems matter

Matt Cohen

Nix's contract at Ole Miss leaves a very specific provision when looking toward whatever his next job might have been.

His buyout clause states that Nix would owe 100% of his annual salary — which is $625,000 — as a payment to Ole Miss in order to breach his contract and leave for another job, with one exception. Should Nix leave for a "full-time head football coach position or primary offensive/defensive coordinator position with primary play-calling duties" at another school? Then he is exempt from paying the fee.

That makes the wording of an Ole Miss letter posted on X, formerly known as Twitter, on Wednesday morning to be quite notable:



"Acknowledging the opportunity to become a first-time playcaller with full-time playcalling duties as Offensive Coordinator at Auburn University," the letter signed by Ole Miss head coach Lane Kiffin...

But how exactly will the play-calling job to shake out?

[jbcarol]

Derrick Nix officially announced as Auburn's new offensive coordinator
Keith Farner | 4 minutes ago

Nix was officially announced as Auburn's new offensive coordinator, a move first mentioned by Ole Miss' Lane Kiffin, as Hugh Freeze found a new play caller.

A native of Attalla, Alabama, Nix spent the previous 16 years at Ole Miss, 12 as running backs coach and the last 4 as the Rebels' wide receivers coach. For the last 2 seasons, Nix was assistant head coach. At Auburn, he'll also be the running backs coach.

[jbcarol]

First and 10: Good motives plus no controls equals transfer portal chaos
Matt Hayes | 51 minutes ago

8. Ask and you shall receive
Matt: Do you see another Missouri-type jump from any teams in the SEC next season?

It's still early, and we still need to see how the spring transfer portal shakes out. But Auburn — with the right addition at quarterback — could be a team that makes a significant move.

Too many people will focus on the loss at home to New Mexico State in November and the bowl game loss to Maryland — and they're looking at the wrong thing. Those down games are typical of teams still learning to win games they should — and avoid the danger of playing down to competition.

Focus more on this: Auburn was 7 points from Georgia without a legit quarterback, and 7 from Ole Miss. And a 4th-and-31 from beating Alabama.

All without a pass game that could consistently move the sticks and stress a defense. When coach Hugh Freeze gets a quarterback — or develops a quarterback —

[jbcarol]

Auburn expected to hire LSU staffer Will Redmond as director of player personnel

by:
Dan Morrison
•

Auburn Tigers are set to hire LSU's Will Redmond as the director of player personnel, according to a report by Pete Thamel.

Redmond has been with the LSU staff since 2021. There, his primary job has been to identify prospects across the country and maintain the team's recruiting board. He has also been in charge of evaluating prospects throughout the recruiting cycles.

During that time, the LSU Tigers have put up several incredible recruiting classes.

When LSU head coach Brian Kelly got to Baton Rouge, the Tigers were down to fewer than 40 players on scholarship. Will Redmond became a key piece in finding players and rebuilding that roster to make it competitive in the SEC.

[jbcarol]

Ainslie: Statistically speaking, what did Auburn's offense lose and gain in the transfer portal?

When Hugh Freeze first arrived at Auburn, he had no choice but to hit the transfer portal hard as he set out to strengthen Auburn football's roster, which had been neglected by his predecessor for two seasons.

So Freeze and the Tigers welcomed in more than 20 new faces last offseason.

This time around, however, between what he retained and what he brought in from the high school ranks, Freeze and Auburn's staff didn't need to do as much work in the portal. However, he and the Tigers still made a few moves

On the offensive side of the football, Auburn lost six players to the portal and added four.

Here's a look at the statistical impacts of Auburn's transfer portal moves on the offensive side of the ball:

Who and what did Auburn lose?
QB Robby Ashford
2023 stats: 14-for-27 passing, 145 passing yards, 2 passing touchdowns, 2 interceptions, 46 carries, 217 rushing yards, 5 rushing touchdowns

WR Ja'Varrius Johnson
2023 stats: 19 receptions, 347 yards, 3 touchdowns

Career stats: 64 receptions, 1,114 yards, 8 touchdowns

WR Omari Kelly
2023 stats: 2 receptions, 45 yards

WR Jyaire Shorter
2023 stats: 1 reception, 10 yards

TE Tyler Fromm
2023 stats: 3 receptions, 21 yards

Who and what did Auburn gain?
Georgia State WR Robert Lewis
2023 stats: 70 receptions, 877 yards, 7 touchdowns

Cal QB Sam Jackson V
2023 stats: 51-for-96 passing, 556 passing yards, 5 touchdowns, 2 interceptions, 26 carries, 59 rushing yards, 1 touchdown

Note: Jackson will transition to wide receiver for the first time since high schoo

Mississippi State OL Percy Lewis
2023 stats: 7 starts, 12 game appearances

How does it all add up?
With what's come and gone on the offensive side of the football, looking at stats from the 2023 season, Auburn is gaining...

411 passing yards
3 passing touchdowns
49 receptions
481 receiving yards
4 receiving touchdowns
7 starts along the offensive line

[jbcarol]

FOIA: Auburn football staff: Salary details of new coordinator hires revealed in report
Andrew Olson | 5 minutes ago

Auburn football has undergone some significant staff changes for Hugh Freeze's second season. On Monday, Matt Cohen of AL.com broke down contract details:

Charles Kelly's on contract through Jan. 31, 2027. His annual salary starts at $875,000, with a raise to $950,000 on Feb. 1, 2026. If Kelly breaks his contract to leave, he will owe Auburn.

Nix's deal also runs through Jan. 31, 2027. He has a starting salary of $800,000 with raises of $100,000 on Feb. 1, 2025 and Feb. 1, 2026. Nix is also eligible to receive retention bonuses of $100,000 on July 1, 2025 and July 1, 2026.

Nix would owe Auburn $2 million if he breaks his contract before Dec. 20, 2024. The amount drops to $1 million on Dec. 20, 2025.

[jbcarol]

Hugh Freeze shares excitement level over flipping recruits

by:
Griffin McVeigh
•

Freeze was asked to describe the emotions of flipping a recruit, with the reporter wondering if it's an exciting moment.

"It's more of a relief," Freeze said. "You're excited when you're watching and you're like 'Thank you, Lord.' Because some of them, they go quiet on you sometimes and you wonder."

Auburn was able to pull off a flip on National Signing Day, taking Amaris Williams away from Florida right at the buzzer. One of the top edge rushers in the class, adding somebody of Williams' capability is a huge gain for the Tigers.

"I mean, to get Amaris... that's pretty big," Freeze said. "I think he's one heck of an athlete and loved getting to know him. My in-home visit with him and his Mom was incredible. We were behind, obviously, but Coach Garrett did a great job staying in it, staying in it, staying in it. That's a difference-maker type of kid."

Auburn experiences rough side of recruiting and being unable to pull off flip...

[jbcarol]

Hugh Freeze addresses not taking a QB from transfer portal for Year 2
Andrew Olson | 35 minutes ago

Freeze turned to the transfer portal before his first season to fill out Auburn's quarterback room. Many fans are surprised that Freeze's staff has not added a transfer QB for Year 2.

"I guess that's the hot thing to do now. If a quarterback went in the portal, I started immediately getting messages, 'This is the one!'

"I really like our room," Freeze continued. "I wanted to try to build with high school kids like Hank (Brown) and Walker (White) and us try to develop those guys along with, obviously, the experience Payton (Thorne) brings. I kinda wanna see that through."

[jbcarol]

Ainslie: Hugh Freeze and Auburn's defensive staff is set for 2024. Here's a look at the final product

After the departure of Ron Roberts, who went on to take a job a Florida after serving as Auburn's defensive coordinator in 2023, and the resignation of defensive backs coach Zac Etheridge, who took a similar role at Houston, Auburn head coach Hugh Freeze was forced to make some staff changes on the defensive side of the ball.

And with Wednesday's news of Freeze and the Tigers adding D.J. Durkin as Auburn's second defensive coordinator, Freeze and the Tigers' defensive on-field staff (seems to be) set for the 2024 season.

Defensive coordinator: D.J. Durkin
Former Texas A&M defensive coordinator and Maryland head coach D.J. Durkin was officially brought aboard Freeze's staff at Auburn on Jan. 31, joining Charles Kelly as defensive coordinator.

Durkin joins Auburn's staff after spending the last two seasons in College Station, where he served as Texas A&M's defensive coordinator and linebackers coach. Prior to his time with Aggies, Durkin had also served assistant coaching stints at Ole Miss, Michigan and Florida.

The addition of Durkin to Auburn's staff means the Tigers' defensive coordinator will come with head coaching experience after Durkin spent two seasons at the helm of the Maryland football program in 2016 and 2017. Durkin's time with the Terrapins ended in controversy following the death of Maryland offensive lineman Jordan McNair, who collapsed during a workout and later died.

Co-Defensive coordinator: Charles Kelly
Auburn officially announced the addition of Charles Kelly on Jan. 12 — less than two weeks after Kelly was initially linked to the job on Dec. 30.

Kelly joins the Tigers after spending last season at Colorado, where he served as the Buffaloes' defensive coordinator. Kelly has also served coaching stints at Alabama, Tennessee and Florida State and comes with a remarkable recruiting track record.

A native of Ozark...

Linebackers coach: Josh Aldridge
Hired in late December of 2022, Josh Aldridge was a member of Freeze's inaugural staff at Auburn, jumping down to The Plains after working with Freeze at Liberty.

Secondary coach: Wesley McGriff
After briefly flirting with a job at Texas A&M, Auburn secondary coach Wesley McGriff is set to return to Auburn for his second season as the Tigers' secondary coach under Freeze. McGriff also coached at Auburn in 2016 and from 2019-20.

Defensive line coach: Jeremy Garrett
Introduced as the Tigers' defensive line coach in December of 2022, Jeremy Garrett also jumped down to Auburn after working with Freeze at Liberty for one season.

Prior to joining Freeze's staff in 2022, Garrett worked in the professional ranks, serving as an assistant defensive line coach for the Cleveland Browns. Before his jump to the NFL, Garrett got his start as defensive quality control assistant at Vanderbilt.

As a player, Garrett played at Ole Miss from 2004-07.

This just in:

Report: Jacksonville Jaguars hiring away Auburn defensive line coach Jeremy Garrett

[jbcarol]

Auburn's expectations change

Nick Saban's retirement
by:
Griffin McVeigh
•

Jan. 10 was a day of shock and sadness in Tuscaloosa, with Alabama head coach Nick Saban announcing his retirement. Across the state, Auburn was full of joy, feeling like the boogyman was finally gone. Years of watching Alabama dominate on the national stage, the man behind it all was stepping away from the program.

On3's Phillip Dukes now feels like if there was a time for Auburn to make a push in the SEC, it would be now. Hugh Freeze has been in the conference before and is already recruiting at a high level. The Tigers have been rebuilding but are certainly trending in the right direction.

Alabama hired Kalen DeBoer, a coach well-known for his scheme and on-field winning. However, can he recruiting in the South against fellow national powers?

[jbcarol]

Ainslie Reports: Auburn to elevate Vontrell King-Williams to defensive line coach

It seems it didn't take long for Hugh Freeze to land on who Auburn's next defensive line coach would be be after reports that Jeremy Garrett would be hired away by the Jacksonville Jaguars surfaced on Feb. 2.

Five days later, it appears Freeze will be promoting from inside the program, elevating Vontrell King-Williams from defensive analyst to defensive line coach.

[jbcarol]

FOIA: Newly promoted Auburn QB coach Kent Austin to receive $150,000 raise

By Matt Cohen | 

Kent Austin, who was promoted to Auburn's quarterbacks coach from his previous role as an analyst, will receive a $150,000 raise as part of his new contract, according to a copy of the agreement acquired by AL.com in a public records request.

His salary for the 2024 season will be $400,000. The new deal began on Jan. 15 and will expire on Jan. 27, 2027.

Austin's previous contract, which expired on Jan. 31, paid him a $250,000 base salary and did not include any endorsement rights payment or personal appearances fee.

[jbcarol]

How much will Auburn pay its full football coaching staff in 2024?

By Matt Cohen | 

With the promotion of Vontrell King-Williams to defensive tackles coach, Auburn appears to have finalized its on-field staff for the 2024 season. Auburn has five new faces on the coaching staff after several departures from the 2023 season due to firings, resignations or acceptance of a new job.

Head coach: Hugh Freeze
Offensive coordinator/running backs coach: Derrick Nix
Defensive coordinator/linebackers coach: D.J. Durkin
Co-defensive coordinator/safeties coach: Charles Kelly
Quarterbacks coach: Kent Austin
Wide receivers coach: Marcus Davis
Tight ends coach: Ben Aigamaua
Offensive line coach: Jake Thornton
Defensive tackles coach: Vontrell King-Williams.
Edge rushers coach: Josh Aldridge
Cornerbacks coach: Wesley McGriff

The total amount Auburn will pay its assistant coaches is down from 2023. Auburn will pay its assistant coaches $6.425 million in 2024 after paying $6.91 million in 2023. That's a $485,000 decrease.

The decline in cost, in part, comes from the departure of Auburn's four most expensive assistant coaches in 2023: defensive coordinator Ron Roberts, offensive coordinator Philip Montgomery, running backs coach Cadillac Williams and safeties coach Zac Etheridge.

[jbcarol]

Goodman: No more excuses for Auburn coach Hugh Freeze

This is an opinion column.

______________________

Here's the bare-knuckle truth for Auburn football starting this spring.

No one hired Hugh Freeze, and all of his baggage, to putz around in the Music City Bowl.

[jbcarol]

Goodman: Hugh Freeze has a question, 'Why not Auburn?'

By Joseph Goodman |

The long winter is over for teams in the SEC. For the first time in 18 years, spring football is here without Nick Saban coaching the Crimson Tide.

In the state of Alabama, it means different things to different people. For Auburn coach Hugh Freeze, life has never been better.

Freeze is friends with Saban. They share the same sports agent. Nearly a decade ago, Saban wanted to hire Freeze after Freeze was forced to step down at Ole Miss. On Thursday, which was Auburn's second day of spring practice, Freeze began his day with a phone call to his old rival.

"I actually talked to him this morning because next week is spring break and we're trying to arrange a little golf match," Freeze said.

When Saban retired, Freeze apparently gained a golfing buddy.

Hopefully Georgia coach Kirby Smart and Ole Miss coach Lane Kiffin join the group to celebrate Saban's retirement. Saban shaped college football in about 100 different ways. One of the biggest was his impact on coaching throughout the SEC. His influence on the game is going to last a long time.

What does that mean for the power dynamic in the SEC?

It's going to be different, and there is an opportunity for Freeze's Tigers to take advantage of the power vacuum.

Give Freeze credit for not shying away from the moment. He understands what's at stake this spring and he addressed it head-on when I asked him about how the toughest league in sports is different without Saban on the sidelines. It's not just the Iron Bowl rivalry, but the biggest game of all is already on Freeze's mind this spring.

"I've known Kalen a long time," Freeze said. "We were both in NAIA together. I was at Lambuth and he was at Sioux Falls, so I've known him for a long time and he's a great human being and a great football coach that has some big shoes to fill. But I respect him and the job that he'll do.

"You definitely feel like it could all be fool's gold without hard work and success, but you do feel like there might be an opening to capitalize on why not Auburn right now. And that will be our message and I'm sure they will have a strong message, too. Both will still get good players.  ..."

[jbcarol]

First and 10: If the Head Ball Coach is concerned about Billy Napier, you probably should be, too
Matt Hayes | 21 minutes ago

Quote to Note

"I've been really pleased with the leadership I'm seeing from that group. That's the biggest difference I've seen so far. There's a different energy that comes with that. There's no compromise. We hold each other accountable."

--Auburn coach Hugh Freeze on the team's culture council

[jbcarol]

Ainslie: How is Hugh Freeze trying to cure the 'disease of me' in Auburn's locker room?

The diagnosis came on a cold December evening in a room tucked away somewhere in the depths of Nashville's Nissan Stadium.

In front of an SEC- and Big 10-branded backdrop, Auburn head coach Hugh Freeze sat at the center of a table — arms crossed —

In the hours leading up to the somber conversation, signs of what had been plaguing the Auburn football team all season were put on display for all to see as Freeze and the Tigers were beat wire-to-wire by the Maryland Terrapins in the TransPerfect Music City Bowl.

"I don't need anyone to tell me when we don't measure up," Freeze said to open his press conference following Auburn's 31-13 loss.

Freeze continued.

"I think our staff and our young men — starting with our staff, starting with me — have got to create a standard of the way we consistently work, consistently compete, and figure out how to be a true team," Freeze said. "That is my goal in 2024."

Throughout the 2023 season, there were consistent undertones that suggested Auburn's locker room wasn't as connected as Freeze would like

And on that chilly Nashville evening, Freeze issued his official diagnosis. He called it the "disease of me."

"I don't know that this is just a case for Auburn, but it's certainly something that we're battling now. It's just the disease of me," Freeze explained. "I think that's in a lot of areas of life now. And we're not exempt to it in our locker room."

In his book "The Winner Within: A Life Plan for Team Players," former NBA head coach Pat Riley diagnoses those who "put their personal agendas before organizational success" with the disease of me.

That's what Freeze believed to be ailing the Auburn locker room in 2023.

"I think we've got to face it head on," Freeze said, indicating that he'd be taking an aggressive approach to curing the disease.

And with spring football, which got underway Feb. 27, currently in full swing on The Plains, so is the treatment plan.

[jbcarol]

Ainslie: Freeze hopes to learn from Bruce Pearl golf

He's not quite sure when — and he hopes it won't be possible in the coming weeks as Auburn's men's basketball team hunts for an NCAA title — but eventually, Hugh Freeze wants to take Bruce Pearl golfing.

"I called Bruce yesterday and it was his birthday also," Freeze said Tuesday during his press conference. "I said, 'Man, when we get time, me and you are going on a two-night golf trip.'"

Sure, Freeze wants to enjoy a little time away with Pearl, who he calls a "dear friend."

"The appearance is that they really enjoyed playing together, accepting their role, whatever it was," Freeze said of Auburn's NCAA Tournament-bound men's basketball team. "This day and time, you don't see that all the time. He's done something very right along with, I'm sure the leadership of the team, to get them to that point."

As Freeze continued, he singled out Auburn senior center Dylan Cardwell.

"The guy just enjoys every minute he has on the court. I'm sure he would want more, but every minute he got you could just see his enjoyment of that," Freeze said of Cardwell. "Bruce has done something right."

Throughout last season, Freeze made mentions of wanting to see a greater sense of togetherness inside Auburn football's locker room.

"Man, this new world of we talk to each other through text and we date through Snapchat and all of that world, I think you miss that element of true community," Freeze said back on Nov. 27. "The culture has gotten better. The standard has gotten better. The accountability has gotten better. I'm hopeful I can continue to build the community aspect of what a team really is."

[jbcarol]

Ainslie: Freeze gives update on Auburn's spring QB race

Observations from practice

"Payton's have been pretty good," Freeze said of Thorne's decision-making. "The other three are, you know, there is new to a lot of them. They're getting thrown into the fire against a lot of different looks that our defense is presenting."

And Freeze's comments were supported during the media's viewing opportunity during Tuesday's practice.

While all four quarterbacks took reps in individual, 7-on-7 and 11-on-11 drills, Thorne appeared to be most comfortable —

Meanwhile, on the other end of the spectrum, it's easy to see that White is still trying to grasp a lot of what's being thrown at him.

During Tuesday's practice, you could sense a bit of hesitancy from the early enrollee when going through pass plays. There were a few overthrows from White, but he also tossed a few good balls —

"Walker is obviously swimming," Freeze said. "Everything's brand new to him, but boy, shows flashes — as does Hank (Brown) and Holden (Geriner) too at times."

Nonetheless, some of the decision-making aside, Freeze says he's been pleased with the way Auburn's quarterbacks are approaching the spring, which also features the installation of a new offense with first-year offensive coordinator Derrick Nix

"I love the way they're approaching it. They can't get enough meeting time. They want to learn. They want to be effective at it," Freeze said. "We've got some improvement to do there, but fairly pleased to this point, really, with all four of them."

[jbcarol]

Ainslie: Auburn took a 'risk' on Sam Jackson V.
 
How is the QB-turned-WR experiment coming along?

Cal quarterback Sam Jackson V signing to Auburn... as a wide receiver.


Auburn Football
@AuburnFootball
·

𝐒𝐢𝐠𝐧𝐞𝐝 and officially an Auburn Tiger 🖊️

Samuel Jackson V is headed to The Plains!
🏠 Chicago, Illinois
🏈 Wide Receiver

Days later, in his press conference previewing Auburn's Music City Bowl matchup with Maryland, Auburn head coach Hugh Freeze addressed the fascinating, out-of-left-field addition to the Tigers' wide receiver room.

"It's a risk, probably," Freeze admitted. "But I think he's one heck of an athlete. I watched all of his high school receiving stuff and he caught all those balls from Payton Thorne. There's chemistry there."

Having both attended the same high school in Naperville, Illinois — a western suburb of Chicago — Jackson and Auburn quarterback Payton Thorne

[jbcarol]

Ainslie: Why senior DB Keionte Scott returned to Auburn after flirting with the transfer portal

The news came late in the evening on Jan. 5 — Auburn defensive back Keionte Scott, a leader both on the field and off the field for the Tigers, was expected to enter the transfer portal.

The reports came less than a month after Scott announced he'd be returning to Auburn for his senior season.

At the time, the prospective loss of Scott would've been the biggest hit Auburn took from the transfer portal.

"Thankful for the patience and the honest opinions but the REAL know where home is for me #WDE," Scott posted Jan. 8.

On Thursday afternoon, Scott met with the media for the first time:

"I love this place at the end of the day," Scott said when asked about him briefly flirting with transferring. "(I) Just had to really sit down and focus on everything, look everything through and Auburn is the place I wanted to be."

Whether of significance or a coincidence, Scott's decision not to transfer came just hours after it was reported that former Auburn defensive coordinator Ron Roberts would be leaving The Plains for a similar role at Florida.

At the same time Scott was entertaining the ides of playing elsewhere, his position coach, Auburn secondary coach Wesley McGriff was doing the same.

McGriff ended up taking a few more steps out the door as he went was far as being introduced as a hire at Texas A&M, but eventually backpedaled his way back to Auburn — a decision (or prospective decision, at the time) that undoubtedly impacted Scott's return.

[jbcarol]

Hugh Freeze says 'no traction' for spring scrimmage against in-state school

by:
Griffin McVeigh
•

At A-Day on Saturday, 11 Auburn players will line up against 11 Auburn players. Hugh Freeze is pitting the offense against the defense, giving the latter a 24-point advantage heading in. Not a format we are used to seeing in spring games.

But if Freeze were able to pick who lines up against his players for a spring game, he would pick a different opponent. For years, Freeze has promoted playing a lower-level in-state program instead of scrimmaging yourself. Not just while at Auburn but dating back to his days at Ole Miss.

Freeze says no progress has been made on the idea

[jbcarol]

Ainslie: storylines to watch during Auburn football's A-Day spring game

It's a busy weekend on The Plains as Auburn hosts its A-Day Weekend, which is packed with events spanning from baseball and softball games to four Auburn greats being added the Tiger Trail of Auburn.

Of course, the main event comes Saturday afternoon as the Auburn football team takes the field at Jordan-Hare Stadium for the second A-Day spring game of the Hugh Freeze era.

All eyes on the pass catchers
Freeze long maintained the need for more talent in Auburn's wide receiver room last season.

Has Auburn really reloaded in the defensive secondary?
Freeze says he hopes it's not "fool's gold," but he's been pleased with the progress Auburn's defensive backfield has made since losing a ton of production

What will Auburn's offense look like?
It'll be tough to take anything seen in Saturday's spring game as the gospel.

"It's typically a day you try to get out of healthy and don't show too much on either side and play a lot of these young kids," said Freeze

[jbcarol]

Hugh Freeze on Cam: He Completes Us

by Kaiden Smith

True freshman wide receiver Cam Coleman has been the talk of the town in Auburn after enrolling early and making some serious noise during this year's spring practice for the Tigers. Dazzling the 33,526 Auburn fans in attendance for A-Day:

"Well I think he changes us," Freeze said. "We need more, anxious to get the other signees here like Perry [Thompson] and Malcolm [Simmons] to join with that group. But I am glad our fans got to see that, I'm quite sure that they were very excited to see that. He just tracks the ball and thinks every ball is catchable.

"And I know he made a couple great ones, but there's one he didn't that I honestly thought might have been his best effort of the day. He was kind of like, I don't know how to describe it, behind the back?" Freexe asked. "He honestly had that for a second, and I'm not sure it wasn't interference but they didn't call many of those today."

[jbcarol]

Ainslie: How a bit of urgency has helped Hugh Freeze and Auburn's approach to the transfer portal

Freeze's wife had heard enough of her husband's griping:

"My wife has made me promise I'm through complaining," Freeze said in early April. "But it's just difficult. It's difficult to manage."

Freeze has long maintained his desire to build Auburn's football roster through high school recruiting, even if that's now considered dated (like those girls on the road/rode).

"Idealistically I'd love to just sign a bunch of high school and build great relationships with them and never lose them," Freeze said in December. "I don't know — that may be in dream land."

Freeze and the Tigers' coaching staff, for the most part, did just that as they landed a top 10 recruiting class, which featured a historic crop of wide receivers and the last-minute, signing-day flip of 4-star defensive lineman Amaris Williams.

None of that came easy.

During his national signing day press conference on Dec. 20, Freeze recalled having to "stay up all night and play video games" in an effort to fend off some of the "late-night pushes".

Keeping those high school players in the fold was Freeze's priority and it showed —

"I don't think I have done very well, truthfully," Freeze said of Auburn's success in the transfer portal during his press conference on Dec. 16. "It's difficult."

At the time, Auburn had added just two transfers in Georgia State transfer wide receiver Robert Lewis and Kansas transfer defensive lineman Gage Keys, all while having seen a dozen Auburn players enter their names into the transfer portal.

And while the Tigers went on to add seven more transfers before the transfer portal window closed on Jan. 2, Freeze felt he and his staff left opportunities on the table.

"We've had many visits set and they never even get to campus and they've already decided where they're going before we ever get to ever get in front of them," Freeze said. "Maybe I need to change our approach some to that, but before we get really serious with someone, I'd love to get in front of them and have some conversations."

@StevenSBNation