Auburn has not played a game under [autotag]Hugh Freeze[/autotag] to this point, but the overall attitude of the program has undergone a complete overhaul.
Auburn fans definitely feel the change, but has it spread throughout the nation? According to ESPN analyst Jesse Palmer, it has.
The former Florida quarterback spoke with media members on a conference call this week ahead of this weekend’s season-opening slate. When discussing Auburn, Palmer says that he likes the trajectory that Auburn is currently on. Which, in turn, will change college football for the better.
“College football, to me, is better when Auburn is good,” Palmer said.
How quickly can Auburn return to championship contender status? Palmer says it will all hinge on quarterback play, citing the correlation between Auburn’s most successful seasons and the quarterbacks that led them.
“Special seasons generally revolve around great quarterback play there — and really throughout the SEC, when you think about it,” Palmer said. “But obviously Cam Newton, Nick Marshall, and what he was able to do was special and unique.”
Palmer went on to say that quarterback play was crucial, and that Auburn was in good hands with Hugh Freeze leading the way, as he is considered to be “quarterback-friendly.” Auburn starter [autotag]Payton Thorne[/autotag] is known to be more of a passer than a dual-threat. Freeze has led a plethora of quarterbacks to 2,500-plus yard seasons, which seems to work in Thorne’s favor.
Auburn’s ability to compete is great for the SEC. For the last several seasons, teams such as Alabama and Georgia have dominated the conference. However, with the emergence of LSU and Tennessee, as well as a possible uprising by Auburn, an SEC that is filled with parity is usually the conference’s strongest form.
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