Following a 6-7 year one campaign in Auburn, Hugh Freeze spent the offseason leaning into his strengths and the traits that ultimately helped land him in this position to begin with; high-level recruiting and his offensive philosophy and staff.
“I've had to change some. I've had to learn to listen more, that I don't have all the answers, and maybe our players are on to a few things that can help me be a better coach,” said Auburn head coach Hugh Freeze at SEC Media Days in Dallas. “But all of those things have led to a higher accountability in our building. Again, I think that's one of the reasons that we're optimistic that we're on the right track to returning Auburn to its rightful place, being one of the top football programs in college football.”
After a 2023 season that saw consistent struggles and miscommunication on the offensive side of the ball, Freeze centered around his scheme and terminology bringing in his former Ole Miss assistant coach Derrick Nix to be the offensive coordinator. And while it’s still to be determined throughout the preseason how the play calling duties will exactly be shared, Freeze continues to point to his newfound comfortability in his old offensive partners.
“The one thing I do know is every single person in that offensive room has been with me before and the entire verbiage is back to being very comfortable. And I honestly think that has bred confidence into Payton. I think he senses that there's a chemistry in that room now that maybe he didn't sense last year or maybe it was my fault and I couldn't help him with the adjustments,” Freeze said.
When asked directly if he’s noticed a greater sense of comfortability in his head coach, second year quarterback Payton Thorne simply said,”I would say so…In the offseason he's been around a little bit more. I think obviously he is more involved in the offense, and this is a big difference in that standpoint.”
Thorne, after being thrust into the starting role a year ago, has been able to spend the entire spring and offseason alongside Freeze and his long time quarterback coach Kent Austin.
“He [Thorne] senses there's a comfortableness, a chemistry, in that offensive room that has bred a confidence in him,” Freeze said. “Now, you combine that with feeling a little better about this guy out there, whether it's 'dre or whether it's Cam or whether it's Perry or whether it's Robert or Sam or Camden, I think he feels like he can turn it loose on time and have a chance to win.”
Freeze’s overhaul at the wide receiver position this past offseason started by bringing in five-stars Cam Coleman and Perry Thompson along with four-stars Bryce Cain and Malcolm Simmons. It's a group that has the potential to provide an instant impact alongside portal additions Robert Lewis, Sam Jackson V and Keiondre Lambert-Smith.
The receiver room renovation solidifies an offense Freeze is ready to take the helm of this fall.
“So I think we're pretty set. As far as how do I feel? I think we've improved our roster, both in recruiting high school kids and the guys we brought in from the portal,” Freeze said. “So I mean, what does that mean for us? I don't know. But I know, we're certainly more confident in our roster than we were this time last year.”
As the Tigers sit just 13 days from the start of fall camp, Freeze is confidently betting on his people and his players to bring Auburn back to its first winning season in four years.
“I think if you look at my track record from everywhere; from Lambeth, to Arkansas State, to Ole Miss, to Liberty, we've had pretty good jumps from year one to year two,” Freeze said. “But, I just sense there's a more confident football team. And there's no doubt I'm more comfortable. And again, I've told y'all this 100 times and I'm not being negative toward anyone but I'm more comfortable with the building. I think that hopefully breeds confidence in our team and we can play really well in critical positions and in critical downs and we see that improvement that we're talking about.”
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Patrick is a junior from Auburn, Alabama, double majoring in journalism and marketing. He started with The Plainsman in the fall of 2022.
You can follow him on X (Twitter) at @patrickabingham
