Auburn head coach Hugh Freeze took to the podium Monday afternoon following the Tigers’ fourth win of the season over ULM 48-14 to preview the upcoming matchup with No. 15 Texas A&M. Below are highlights of Freeze’s time with the media in anticipation of Saturday night’s contest with the Aggies.
Final thoughts on ULM win:
“Didn't get any takeaways so that was disappointing but I think six of the 12 drives were like three and out. Just thought our defense played really, really solid outside of the first possession of the third quarter. Thought both offense and defense started the third quarter lackadaisical. The good thing was they recognized it and owned it and quickly bounced back. So I thought that was a positive. We can't do that in the future. We got to learn from that.”
Turning the page to Texas A&M:
“We did some things that hopefully give us confidence heading into these last two SEC games, which will be against two of the better teams in the country. A&M is loaded, loaded with NFL talent on defense and really, really a problem for you, unless you have just the mobility to escape them. They're constantly putting you under pressure and it's an issue for us…This A&M team, I hadn't even watched their offense yet, but defensively, they are a handful.”
What can translate offensively after a successful outing against ULM:
“Well, we need to get our playmakers involved early, and we need to win first down. I think when we've done those two things, we've been able to kind of get in a rhythm that gave us some confidence. And I think that showed Saturday and kind of continued throughout the game…think our kids play a lot better when they feel comfortable.”
Will walk-on Ian Vachon continue to start at kicker:
“Yeah, it'd be hard to take it from him at this point. I think towns is going to be outstanding. I think he's just, he's a young freshman, and all of our freshmen are making mistakes.”
Will Auburn be able to contain Texas A&M quarterback Marcel Reed’s mobility:
“There's something that we were pretty awful at at the beginning of the year, and I think we've consistently gotten better at containing those dynamic guys. And I think stats show that. I think the games prove that, and hopefully that those experiences are something that we can draw upon.”
Difference Demarcus Riddick has made on Auburn’s defense:
“We changed when we started playing him, and not that others weren't playing well in spots, but without someone that has the the ability that can run and tackle those dual threat guys in open field, it's a problem. And, you know, we had that all last year and part of this year, and he's made a difference in that because he has length and can run.”
Continued fight of the team despite disappointing results:
“Our kids have kept fighting. They've kept coming to practice and working with our staff, and we've continued to try to make changes that give these young kids more and more confidence. I think you saw our young receivers played with a little more confidence Saturday, and some of it was we limited some of the things we're asking them to do. And hopefully that success will breed over into a great week of practice and prep for an outstanding A&M team.”
Do you like this story? The Plainsman doesn't accept money from tuition or student fees, and we don't charge a subscription fee. But you can donate to support The Plainsman.
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
