Hugh Freeze, the head coach of the Auburn Tigers, will find out how well his fifth-year senior quarterback handles pressure.
The Auburn Tigers’ early-season loss to Cal, while disappointing, offers the silver lining of ample opportunities ahead to showcase their potential. However, senior quarterback Payton Thorne may be running out of time to prove himself, as head coach Hugh Freeze has put his starting quarterback on notice.
During the SEC head coaches teleconference, Freeze expressed that despite the frustration from the loss, the team is eager to bounce back.
“I thought their [Cal’s] kids played extremely hard and were well-coached, but it’s disappointing for sure,” Freeze said. “It makes us very excited to have another opportunity to get out and get better.”
Freeze acknowledged the challenges Auburn will face against New Mexico, a team that recently scored 39 points against No. 21 Arizona.
“This New Mexico team is scary,” Freeze said. “They put up a ton of points against both opponents they played, and one was a top-20 team in Arizona. It’ll be a good challenge to see how the leadership of our team handles adversity.”
A key issue in the Cal game was quarterback play, as Thorne struggled, throwing four interceptions. Freeze made it clear that he won’t tolerate another poor performance from that position.
“After watching the film, there’s a very short leash for playing as poorly as we did in certain moments at that position,” Freeze explained. “The quarterbacks always get a ton of criticism, and it’s not always their fault, but there were plays Thorne was expected to make, and he didn’t in critical moments. He’s got to produce, for sure.”
Refocusing after a tough loss is always a challenge for a head coach, and Freeze recognizes the difficulty.
“That seems to get harder and harder in today’s times, but as a head coach, it’s part of the job,” Freeze said. “You hope the leadership of your team is your biggest asset, understanding that adversity reveals your character and how you respond to it.
“The good thing is we’ve got a lot of young kids who just want to play and improve. We’re counting on many of them.”
Although Auburn is still in a rebuilding phase, losses like this are unacceptable to Freeze.
“I’ve said it’s going to take patience to build this program, but that doesn’t excuse our performance on Saturday,” Freeze said. “We’re excited about where we’re headed with recruiting and the young kids we’re playing, but how we respond to disappointment will be critical this season.”
Auburn will look to rebound against New Mexico on Saturday at 6:30 p.m. CT, with the game broadcast on ESPN2.
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