10.1.24 Football Articles -player videos added

[aubiefifty 18,395]

al.com

Casagrande: Auburn’s Hugh Freeze is outsmarting us all

Published: Sep. 30, 2024, 4:18 p.m.

5–7 minutes

This is an opinion column.

Hugh Freeze is a genius.

Credit must go to Auburn’s head football coach/master communicator because he’s a cook in the kitchen these days.

Bravo.

Digesting the last week or so of his word salads leads me to a simple conclusion: This is all the plan -- a diversion straight out of a 90s-era kid adventure movie.

Steal the headlines saying a bunch of things dumb media guys—like this one—will leach onto, and we’ll leave the players alone.

Look over here, not over there. Shiny object. Here’s a toy. Enjoy a halftime hot dog.

It’s brilliant.

Freeze’s regularly scheduled Monday morning news conference (seen above or here) was a greatest hits of the easily mocked sound bites that have dotted this season on the brink. There were several comments of note that came in response to questions but Freeze also came out firing with his prepared opening statement.

Casagrande: Alabama still owns Georgia, should be No. 1 in polls

Bonus notes, observations from a second viewing of Alabama win over Georgia

The moments that defined an Alabama win, Auburn loss played on razor’s edge

Starting off by thanking the fans, students, band and cheerleaders for their support, Freeze acknowledged they must be hurting because the team is “gutted.” He spoke about restoring “the glory” and the need to “build up Auburn men.”

He got to the good stuff soon after.

“I think you all are aware of what we inherited,” he said, summoning the spirit of Bryan Harsin from the mountains of Idaho.

Freeze never mentioned the name of his predecessor but, buddy, did he ever go there.

“Our AD has done a marvelous job of explaining that,” Freeze continued. “He did to me before I took the job, with the previous recruiting classes not being what you need to compete at a high level. And 57 transfers out in the previous three years before my arrival.”

See, not his fault.

He had numbers in the holster if you didn’t believe him.

“So building takes time,” he said. “But our process, when complete, is going to make everyone very, very proud to wear the orange and blue. It’s making ground, the process is. I see it.”

Who doesn’t?

Asked later about realistic expectations from fans given what he inherited, Freeze encouraged them to do their own research.

“I won’t comment on what happened before I was here,” he said. “The roster was what it was. Everybody can make their own determination on that, on how many people left and the recruiting rankings and what was brought in.”

And it’s not that he’s wrong. The Harsin era was among the most disastrous in recent SEC memory -- a horrible fit from the beginning. But the Freeze critics who say he spends too much time blaming others don’t understand how a diversion works.

And it’s working.

We’re this deep into the column and I haven’t even mentioned Auburn’s 2-3 after playing five straight home games -- all of which the Tigers entered as the betting favorite.

Details!

It takes time to build talent, though. Auburn must not have much so let’s look at the 247Sports team talent composite based on the recruiting rankings of its current roster. Auburn is No. 18. Here are the Tigers opponents from September, their talent rankings and Auburn’s results.

7. Oklahoma, 27-21 loss

26. Arkansas, 24-14 loss

47. Cal, 21-14 loss

118. New Mexico, 45-19 win

Eh, whatever.

Coaching is another important factor and Freeze took responsibility for not always putting his players in the best situations. He praised the team for their effort in the fall-from-ahead loss to Oklahoma that couldn’t be blamed on the scheme.

“And I told our staff that honestly, it’s one of the better game plans that a staff has put together in my time,” Freeze said.

RELATED: The mockery of Auburn football

What fan wouldn’t want to hear the perfect game plan ended in a six-point home loss in a game it led 21-10 in the fourth quarter?

On the expectations, Freeze understands the concern. He didn’t say they would beat Oklahoma nine out of the next nine times and blame is for everybody.

“Should the fans expect more in than a 2-3 start? Absolutely,” he said. “We could easily, like I said in my opening statement sitting here, be 5-0. But we didn’t get it done. We can point to the coaching errors, and we can point to the 11 turnovers and all those things. It’s a mixture. We could point to our youth.”

It’s like Oprah giving away cars, except it’s blame.

And Freeze is hip to those who say he does that too much. Asked about specific failures in short-yardage situations, Freeze acknowledged the haters (like his former QB at Ole Miss) who say he assigns the guilt more to others than himself.

“Everybody seems to think that when I tell you what really happened - that I throw somebody under the bus,” Freeze said. “I’m not.”

He’s just honest.

And possibly only doing it to take the attention away from the players by making everyone mad at him. It only sounds like he’s saying wild and contradictory things because it’s all a trap and Freeze is holding the net.

Checkers vs. chess.

And that’s a checkmate.

Michael Casagrande is a reporter for the Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter @ByCasagrande or on Facebook.

If you purchase a product or register for an account through a link on our site, we may receive compensation. By using this site, you consent to our User Agreement and agree that your clicks, interactions, and personal information may be collected, recorded, and/or stored by us and social media and other third-party partners in accordance with our Privacy Policy.

Edited Tuesday at 07:27 PM by aubiefifty

[aubiefifty 18,395]

al.com

Payton Thorne remains Auburn starting QB after Oklahoma loss: 'He really laid it on the line'

Updated: Sep. 30, 2024, 3:32 p.m.|Published: Sep. 30, 2024, 2:58 p.m.

~3 minutes

By

Peter Rauterkus | prauterkus@al.com

For about 55 minutes of Auburn’s game against Oklahoma Saturday, quarterback Payton Thorne looked like the MVP.

He made big throws when needed, running the ball well and most importantly, taking care of the ball. That was until disaster struck in the final five minutes. That disaster being a pick-six gave Oklahoma a lead for good.

“I shouldn’t have put him in that position and have him have that option,” Hugh Freeze said after the game.

When reflecting on Thorne’s performance during his Monday news conference, Freeze gave his quarterback a lot of credit. His words shut down the idea of any ongoing quarterback competition, after Hank Brown started the previous two games before last Saturday.

“It’s hard to say he’s not the starter in these kinds of games,” Freeze said. “I think he gives us the best chance to win as long as he keeps taking care of the football like he did.”

Freeze was especially happy with the plays Thorne made running the ball, He finished with just 23 yards on 17 carries, mainly due to sack yardage bringing his rushing total down.

Thorne had 57 yards when taking out lost yardage and wasn’t afraid to take hits while scrambling.

“I thought he laid it on the line for our kids, our team, our program. He sacrificed his body, he gave himself up many times to give us first downs,” Freeze said. “Obviously, he wishes he had one throw back, as everybody does. But man, I thought he really laid it on the line for us and our team.”

Having clarity at quarterback is much needed for Auburn as it enters a stretch of three Southeastern Conference road games.

Saturday’s matchup with Georgia is a rematch of Auburn’s near upset win last season, a game where Thorne had the longest rush of his career on a 61-yard run early in the game.

Freeze hopes that Thorne can continue to keep the turnovers down and give the offense a spark with his legs as it prepares to play one of the best defenses in the country.

“It’s kind of what we expect out of him at the start of the season and moving forward,” Freeze said.

Peter Rauterkus covers Auburn sports for AL.com. You can follow him on X at @peter_rauterkus or email him at prauterkus@al.com

If you purchase a product or register for an account through a link on our site, we may receive compensation. By using this site, you consent to our User Agreement and agree that your clicks, interactions, and personal information may be collected, recorded, and/or stored by us and social media and other third-party partners in accordance with our Privacy Policy.

[aubiefifty 18,395]

al.com

Goodman: Can Auburn football climb out of the abyss?

Updated: Sep. 30, 2024, 12:23 p.m.|Published: Sep. 30, 2024, 8:06 a.m.

9–12 minutes

The Monday morning mailbag runeth over. Auburn is spiraling into the depths of the unknown, but we have answers. Let’s get to it …

Jim in Scottsboro writes…

When I was a junior at Auburn, Pink Floyd came out with the “Dark Side of the Moon.” Then during my prime working years, the movie “Wall Street” came out with Hal Holbrook making that famous speech of staring into the abyss. So the question: Has Auburn fallen into the abyss where there is no coming back, or are they merely just on the dark side of the moon where there is a chance of coming around to the light?

P.S.: The talk of Lane Kiffin going to Florida and Billy Napier coming to Auburn is absurd. Why would Napier succeed at Auburn if he can’t at Florida? Lane Kiffin has been around the SEC more times than a rented mule.

ANSWER: Rented mules don’t get enough credit. I’ve known a lot of rented mules over the years. They’re certainly made of tougher stuff than Kiffin. Take for example the mules at the bottom of the Grand Canyon. Every day, they wake up in the morning and walk up and down an enormous hole in the earth with someone else’s problems strapped to their backs.

There is a path out of every great chasm, but it takes persistent work one step at a time. Hugh Freeze at Auburn and Kiffin at Ole Miss both find themselves in abysmal shape after Week 5 losses. Auburn gave away an 11-point lead to Oklahoma and Ole Miss, ranked No.6 in the country, fell into a deep blue sea of despair against Kentucky.

Goodman: The nightmare grows darker in Auburn

Goodman: UNLV is poor and so the Rebels are without a quarterback

College football geniuses, make your Week 5 picks

Goodman: Scott Cochran says one team has edge in ‘Battle for the SEC’

Week 5 is here for Joe vs. the Pro and the Hero

Consider this: At the height of its powers, Ole Miss can’t even beat Kentucky at home. Yes, Kiffin would definitely leave for Florida if given a chance. As for Napier to Auburn, that’s not happening unless it’s to be an assistant next season for Freeze.

I’m no science nerd, but stuff at the bottom of the abyss might have a better chance of rising to the surface than any of us ever seeing the dark side of the moon. The mailbag appreciates any and all Rock & Roll references, so we’ll try to answer the question with some of our own. While Auburn is “Learning to Fly,” it’s important to note that “Money” will be required to repair every “Brick in the Wall.”

I continue to have faith in Auburn’s Freeze despite all evidence to the contrary on the scoreboard at the end of games. Auburn isn’t as far away as it seems. There was a point early in the fourth quarter against Oklahoma when I thought I would be writing a column about Auburn playing its best football in years. Then OU scored 17-straight points. Welp. What happened?

First of all, Auburn needs to finish its scoring chances. The Tigers left a lot of points on the field in the first half, and it came back to hurt the Tigers in the end. There’s no easy or overnight fix at Auburn, but Freeze is making progress. Considering his ability as a recruiter, Auburn is still moving in the right direction despite the string of consecutive losses to Power 4 teams. We’re up to five in a row dating back to last season, but who’s really counting at this point?

Maybe Auburn would be better off had it hired Kiffin. Auburn fans have been critical of this opinion in the past, but I continue to believe that Coach Prime would have been the best hire. That doesn’t mean Freeze is a bad coach, though. I’ve been doing some work behind the scenes at Auburn, and I’ll have a column on Wednesday explaining why Freeze is on a path to redemption on the Plains.

Matt in Dothan writes …

Hugh goes out and recruits a stud in Walker White and refuses to play him? I’d understand if this was 10 or 20 years ago, but with the transfer portal, the Freeze Five are likely to not be there next year after these performances, and saving a quarterback as a redshirt doesn’t seem to have any upside. Why wouldn’t you try to right the ship by playing the freshman?

ANSWER: We love Monday morning quarterbacking, and Matt makes a strong point. There were plenty of people who thought Freeze should have gone with quarterback White from the beginning of the season and just used this season as a teaching moment for 2025. Let me just say this, though. If Freeze is going to hit the reset button with White, then it doesn’t need to be the week of the Georgia game.

Auburn opened up as a 24-point underdog in the Deep South’s Oldest Rivalry. The last thing Auburn needs is White getting injured against the Bulldogs. At that point, all of those young receivers might actually consider leaving.

Freeze has a plan for White, who prepped at a small school in Arkansas as a high schooler. If Freeze doesn’t think White is ready, then we’re going to have to trust that Auburn’s coach still knows a thing or two about football. Freeze already tried to use backup Hank Brown, and Brown tossed three interceptions in the first half against Arkansas.

Thorne did enough to keep the job against OU, and I can’t see Freeze making any more changes at the position until later in the season. If Auburn makes a bowl game — and that’s a long shot at this point — then perhaps White will make his debut in that game. Tennessee’s Nico Iamaleava played in the Vols’ bowl game last season, and that experience helped prepare him for his redshirt freshman breakout. White seems to be on a similar timetable.

Rasta in L.A. writes … (Note: Rasta is a dog from the curious geographical vortex known as “Lower Alabama”)

Apparently, the Sooners were waiting for the interception that would win the game (didn’t want to get Thorne benched too early in the game, I reckon). My human is going to start a new drinking game during Auburn games … Everyone has to take a shot when they hear “miscommunication” after a bad pass from Thorne. Bad clock management at the end of the first half, missed field goals and goofy quarterback changes on the goal line left 13 points on the field. But with the game in hand, and all you need to do is run the rock down their throat, you throw three bad passes?

As we head to Dawg Town next week, we will see if the UGA quarterback looks more like Thorne or an owner of a Lamborghini. If he loses to us next week, then he’ll be trading it in for a Prius.

One of my favorite poets, Mr. James T. Buffett (RIP), cut an Album (“A1A”) that has a tune that is very pertinent: ”Trying to Reason With Hurricane Season.” My doghouse dodged this latest one, but our thoughts are with those who didn’t. Keep the faith, fellow Tigers!!! WDE!!!

ANSWER: Most importantly, we’re glad that Rasta is safe and sound after Hurricane Helene. Our thoughts are with everyone who was in the path of the storm as it moved up to North Carolina and Virginia.

It’s a dangerous game matching shots of brown water with Auburn turnovers. Auburn is ranked second to last nationally in that category after five weeks of the season. Thorne’s moment of truth ended in a pick-six against Oklahoma, and it’s like the Sooners knew what was coming. There’s plenty of blame to go around.

Jeff west of Montgomery writes …

On Auburn, your constant negativity towards my school is obnoxious. How in the world is Auburn supposed to rebuild with media types’ constant “growing darkness“ type articles that damage recruiting. AU always has the higher hill to climb in this state. Always will.

ANSWER: I’ve been more than fair with Freeze over the past two years. I’ve been critical, sure, but continue to write that things aren’t as bad as they appear. Maybe try reading past the headlines. As for hills, I’d say that Auburn is about halfway up the slope at this point in the journey. I think we can both agree that firing Freeze would do more harm than good. He’ll still be held accountable after games, though.

Rusty in Rankin County, Miss., writes …

Coach Saban had it right a few years ago when he said there is a difference in winning a game and defeating an opponent. If Auburn had won the last three games, they would have simply won some games, but not really defeated their opponents even though they would be 5-0 and probably have a lock on a bowl game.

If Auburn wants to have years of significant winning football and be a playoff contender, it’s going to take some time and fans need to stop the incessant insulting of players and coaches. It drains energy and focus.

ANSWER: Wise words from Rankin County, Mississippi. Maybe I’m crazy, but I think Freeze is making progress at Auburn despite being 0-2 to begin SEC play here in his second season. Ultimately, it’s about positioning the team for 2025. Freeze could have used the microwave to cook the chicken, but he’s got the bird on the smoker.

A strong showing against Georgia will tell us a lot about Freeze’s ability to keep this team focused and motivated. The Tigers don’t have to win, but Georgia needs to know that Auburn is rising from the depths.

MAILBAG

Got a question for Joe? Want to get something off your chest? Send Joe an email about what’s on your mind. Let your voice be heard. Ask him anything.

Joseph Goodman is the lead sports columnist for the Alabama Media Group, and author of the book “We Want Bama: A Season of Hope and the Making of Nick Saban’s Ultimate Team.”

If you purchase a product or register for an account through a link on our site, we may receive compensation. By using this site, you consent to our User Agreement and agree that your clicks, interactions, and personal information may be collected, recorded, and/or stored by us and social media and other third-party partners in accordance with our Privacy Policy.

[aubiefifty 18,395]

al.com

Hugh Freeze downplays idea of Auburn spiraling after third loss in four games

Updated: Sep. 30, 2024, 3:08 p.m.|Published: Sep. 30, 2024, 2:01 p.m.

4–5 minutes

By

Peter Rauterkus | prauterkus@al.com

Through five home games where it was favored at kickoff, Auburn sits 2-3 and now enters a three-game stretch where it likely won’t be favored in any.

It’s a position no one within the program expected to be in through a five-game homestand to start the season. While the start is hugely disappointing for players, coaches and fans, the season goes on.

In the age of college football where transfers and opt-outs are more common than ever, falling short of expectations early in the season can cost teams in the long term just as much as the short term.

Hugh Freeze was asked during his weekly news conference Monday whether he had to do anything different this week to keep the team from spiraling after a bad start to the season.

He gave a long response, but the second-year Auburn coach downplayed the idea of a spiral being a possibility.

“Media is into this ‘spiraling’ and ‘keep them together,’” Freeze said Monday. “If that is a question about your team, then you’re probably not gonna have a whole lot of success.”

Despite trying to downplay the idea at first, the question prompted him to give some insight into what his lesson to the team would be on Monday.

“In life, you don’t get the chance to spiral and then have success. It’s the same way in football. That’ll be my lesson today, one that I have had planned, obviously, since back in the summer,” Freeze said. “I’m gonna teach on it and give some real-life examples from myself and how, at times in life, you’ve got to draw the line on ‘What am I really in this for? What did I really sign up for?’ What happens when you sign up for a job, and it doesn’t go the way you want? Do you spiral?’”

Freeze is right about Auburn not having much time to spiral. The Tigers’ next game is a date with Georgia, the No. 5 ranked team in the country who’s coming off its first regular season loss since 2020.

“We get another opportunity this week to go and play one of the top teams in the country with a young, young team that is building. We see it as another great opportunity,” Freeze said.

Not only is the Georgia game a major challenge, but it’s also the start of a three-game road stretch where Auburn plays Georgia, Missouri and Kentucky.

The Tigers have a bye week after Georgia, but that doesn’t make the two road games that follow much easier. Missouri is ranked in the top 10 and Kentucky is coming off a road upset win over Ole Miss and a near upset over Georgia.

For Freeze, the bigger task is keeping a young team together that has the talent to be better than it currently is. To do that, his message remains one of consistency.

“Maybe we can be example of, during difficult times and when everybody wants to tear you down or beat you up or praise you or either one, you still go to work,” Freeze said. “You still do the same thing with the same enthusiasm, the same passion, the same energy, because you love what you do and you love who you do it with. And, most importantly, you love who you do it for.”

Peter Rauterkus covers Auburn sports for AL.com. You can follow him on X at @peter_rauterkus or email him at prauterkus@al.com

If you purchase a product or register for an account through a link on our site, we may receive compensation. By using this site, you consent to our User Agreement and agree that your clicks, interactions, and personal information may be collected, recorded, and/or stored by us and social media and other third-party partners in accordance with our Privacy Policy.

[aubiefifty 18,395]

 

[aubiefifty 18,395]

 

[aubiefifty 18,395]

kinda slow this morning. tigerland had nothing new. i will check back later

[SaltyTiger 8,631]

2 hours ago, aubiefifty said:

kinda slow this morning. tigerland had nothing new. i will check back later

Good. Only so much that can be said and only so much that folks want to read, hear, or see. This team and program need a big time win. Think I have hit maximum frustration. 

[autigeremt 7,251]

Posting AL.COM articles is like feeding sodium hydroxide to HCL. It's rat poison. That group of bammers is after one thing and one thing only.......the demise of Auburn. 

Enjoy

[aubiefifty 18,395]

21 minutes ago, autigeremt said:

Posting AL.COM articles is like feeding sodium hydroxide to HCL. It's rat poison. That group of bammers is after one thing and one thing only.......the demise of Auburn. 

Enjoy

really? they were the only game in town this morning. well i get up every single day trying to help this site. i spend a lot of my time trying to help out. what do you do  other than bitch at folks?

[TitanTiger 21,489]

59 minutes ago, autigeremt said:

Posting AL.COM articles is like feeding sodium hydroxide to HCL. It's rat poison. That group of bammers is after one thing and one thing only.......the demise of Auburn. 

Enjoy

fiddy is doing us a service posting these articles in a daily thread each day.  And by him doing it, you don't have to give them any clicks!  Win-win, imo.

[aubiefifty 18,395]

 

[aubiefifty 18,395]

 

[aubiefifty 18,395]

 

[aubiefifty 18,395]

 

[aubiefifty 18,395]

 

[aubiefifty 18,395]

 

[aubiefifty 18,395]

 

[aubiefifty 18,395]

 

[aubiefifty 18,395]

 

[aubiefifty 18,395]

4 hours ago, TitanTiger said:

fiddy is doing us a service posting these articles in a daily thread each day.  And by him doing it, you don't have to give them any clicks!  Win-win, imo.

thank you T. i do not ask for special favors other than maybe a love pat on me buttocks. . i know some got nothing for me but i post for everyone...even the haters because i have a special love for auburn and i cannot donate so this lets me feel like i am giving a tiny bit back............

Edited Tuesday at 07:53 PM by aubiefifty

[TitanTiger 21,489]

41 minutes ago, aubiefifty said:

thank you T. i do not ask for special favors other than maybe a love pat on me buttocks. .\

How 'bout a "good job" handshake instead? 🤝

[aubiefifty 18,395]

Just now, TitanTiger said:

How 'bout a "good job" handshake instead? 🤝

but i got a fine butt.............grins. but yes a handshake is awesome!

[aubiefifty 18,395]

 

[Hank2020 3,406]

7 hours ago, aubiefifty said:

really? they were the only game in town this morning. well i get up every single day trying to help this site. i spend a lot of my time trying to help out. what do you do  other than bitch at folks?

I took it , the denigration was pointed at AL.com, not at the poster. Thats just my though!!

Edited Tuesday at 10:07 PM by Hank2020