The Auburn Tigers enter spring practice for the second year under head coach Hugh Freeze, and the quarterback position for the Tigers was pretty dreadful last year. The good news is at least Payton Thorne now has a full season under his belt, and red zone target Rivaldo Fairweather returns along with running back Jarquez Hunter. However, leading wide receiver Ja’Varrius Johnson is gone, and leading returning receivers Jay Fair and Caleb Burton only combined for just 550 yards receiving in 2023.
Auburn Tigers Productiveness Will Likely Hinge Upon The Success Of Its Wide Receivers
Enter true freshman Cam Coleman, who is one of the most highly-touted recruits to attend Auburn. The six-foot-four wideout was the number five overall prospect in last year’s class. You also can’t overlook another in-state product in fellow freshman Bryce Cain. The Tigers also added transfer Robert Lewis from Georgia State, along with former Cal quarterback Sam Jackson. Lewis snagged 70 passes for 877 yards and seven touchdowns in 2023. The Auburn offense can’t be worse than it was last season and needed better downfield targets for Thorne to work with.
Speaking of Payton Thorne, head coach Hugh Freeze has confirmed that Thorne is Auburn’s starting quarterback. With that being said, there’s still room for improvement considering Payton Thorne has only started all but one game and three quarters, he finished with 1,755 yards passing and posted 6.6 yards per throw. Now who’s behind him on the depth chart? Well considering former Auburn quarterback Robby Ashford transferred to South Carolina, that leaves Walker White, Hank Brown, and Holden Gernier as possible QB2 options. None of these quarterbacks even have a career touchdown pass, so if Thorne doesn’t step up Auburn could take another look into the portal.
White, the expected QB2 by many, has been leading throwing sessions since he arrived on campus with his fellow incoming freshman and returning players like Damari Alston. Thorne has been doing the same, stepping up and leading the upperclassmen in meetings and throwing sessions since the semester began. Thorne has the experience and should have the starting job locked down, but White is eager to lead this team as well and if Thorne can’t get the job done it’s very possible we could see Walker White taking his spot. Auburn has to figure out who needs to be at the quarterback position to maximize the potential of these wide receivers to get this offense going in 2024.
Taking A Look At This Auburn Tigers Defense Under New Defensive Coordinator DJ Durkin
DJ Durkin, who has been a head coach in the Power Five and has been a coordinator in the SEC three different times adds both a technical and recruiting improvement compared to former defensive coordinator Ron Roberts who left to become the Florida linebackers coach. The utilization of new front-seven talent will be key for Durkin as well as the depth along the secondary that the Auburn Tigers have been able to maintain. The linebacker room will be coached directly by Durkin and will be interesting to watch both on the field and on the recruiting trail considering he has been in the top-five recruiter rankings many times.
Durkin will attack the quarterback and the ball carrier as his Texas A&M defense last year led the SEC in run defense, and sacks, and was top five in points per game, defensive passing efficiency, and tackles for loss. Now the Tigers didn’t really pursue the portal very heavily like they did last year under Hugh Freeze and that selectivity looks to have worked in their favor. Only taking nine players, they attacked secondary depth with Antonio Kite and Jerrin Thompson who are both primed and ready to start. Defensive linemen Trill Carter and Gage Keys will be integral for a Durkin defense that often rotates its three-down lineman.
Duke linebacker transfer Dorian Mausi should be a rotational piece on the second team as well. The Spring practice session is a time for Auburn to show off this incredible young talent coming in and new coaches across the board, and is a critical time to build chemistry and learn. The question, if this Tigers team can turn things around, will soon be answered and even more will pop up, as spring practice concludes and we start preparing more for the upcoming 2024 season.