There is no doubt that the quarterback position is the unit that has experienced the most struggle through the first four games of the 2023 season.
Auburn’s Payton Thorne has thrown for over 100 yards just twice this season, and zero Auburn quarterbacks have thrown for over 100 yards against a Power Five opponent since the loss to Arkansas on Oct. 29 of last season.
The strain of quarterback play to Auburn’s success has called for one of the University’s most beloved alumni to share his take on the matter.
Charles Barkley, former NBA star and current analyst for NBA broadcasts on TNT, joined Birmingham sports talk show The Next Round to discuss his thoughts on Auburn football to this point of the season.
He referenced Hugh Freeze’s role in a mass baptism that took place on campus two weeks ago when discussing his alma mater’s quarterback play.
“If y’all gonna be down there baptizing people, please pray for better quarterback play,” Barkley said. “Let’s get these three quarterbacks and baptize them and maybe the Lord can make them play better.”
Barkley went on to provide an honest analysis of Auburn’s quarterbacks and declared what he would do if he were in Freeze’s shoes.
“Because the one thing you can’t do as a coach, you can’t have your quarterback playing scared,” Barkley said. “You can’t have your quarterback playing scared or looking over his shoulders. You can’t play three quarterbacks, you can’t play two quarterbacks. Because that’s the most important position in sports, but the number one thing you have to have as a player is confidence in yourself to make good plays and bad plays. If you are scared to make bad plays you can’t make good plays, and right now they are in no man’s land.”
Auburn quarterbacks [autotag]Payton Thorne[/autotag], [autotag]Robby Ashford[/autotag], and [autotag]Holden Geriner[/autotag] have combined to complete 60-of-101 passes for 693 yards and five touchdowns with three interceptions. The next opportunity for them to improve their numbers will be Saturday afternoon at 2:30 p.m. CT against Georgia at Jordan-Hare Stadium.
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