Auburn HC Hugh Freeze reveals new plan at quarterback for Week 3 vs. New Mexico

A change could be coming at quarterback for the Auburn Tigers. Now sitting 1-1 on the heels of an ugly 21-14 loss at home against Cal, Auburn head coach Hugh Freeze was asked on Monday about his plan at quarterback. Freeze admitted he's rethinking his approach with senior Payton Thorne.

Thorne, who Freeze described as the best quarterback in the building daily, has been struggling on Saturdays. Thorne has tried to push the ball downfield more than ever, completing only 56.3 percent of his passes for 487 yards, five touchdowns, and four interceptions. Should Freeze make a change with Hank Brown?

“It’s really hard to not play a young man, whether it’s Payton or whoever, that consistently is the best performer in practice over and over and over again… However, you have to carry that over in games,” Hugh Freeze said .

Freeze added that Brown, a former 3-star in the 2023 class, is the team's second-string option. Brown will get "his share of reps this week."

Thorne transferred to Auburn from Michigan State before the start of the 2023 season, where he had previously served as a team captain and experienced success with the Spartans. However, his journey with Auburn has seen fluctuating performances in his role as the starting quarterback.

Auburn’s defeat to Cal on Saturday resulted in only 14 points. Thorne's performance was a factor in the offensive challenges, as he succeeded in only 14 of his 27 pass attempts, totaling 165 yards and a single touchdown.

Additionally, turnovers were a significant issue for him in the match, with four interceptions thrown. These turnovers were likely pivotal in the Tigers' narrow loss.

On the other hand, Hank Brown joined Auburn as a three-star recruit from the Class of 2023, as per the On3 Industry Ratings. Ranked as the 55th quarterback of his recruiting class and the 1,107th player overall, Brown saw playtime in the opener, achieving 96 yards and two touchdowns through his throws.

Looking ahead, Auburn is set to play against the New Mexico Lobos next week, followed by the commencement of SEC play in the fourth week. Strengthening their quarterback situation will be a critical target for the Tigers as they head into conference play.