Hank Brown – Page 3 – Syndication Server

Hugh Freeze reveals who will start at quarterback for Arkansas game

Did Hank Brown do enough against New Mexico to earn another start? Hugh Freeze shared his answer on Saturday night.

Auburn enters SEC play this week with confidence after defeating New Mexico, 45-19 on Saturday at Jordan-Hare Stadium.

Most of its confidence comes from quarterback play. Redshirt freshman [autotag]Hank Brown[/autotag] earned his first career start on Saturday, taking over for previous starter [autotag]Payton Thorne[/autotag]. Brown passed his first test by completing 17-of-25 passes for 235 yards and four touchdowns. He completed a pass to 10 different receivers including [autotag]Camden Brown[/autotag], [autotag]Sam Jackson V[/autotag], and [autotag]Malcolm Simmons[/autotag].

Brown has won the respect of his teammates outside of the gridiron, and it was great for players such as tight end [autotag]Micah Riley[/autotag] to watch Brown finally get his chance to shine.

“He balled out man,” Riley said of Brown’s performance postgame. “The way that he carries himself is great. He always has his Bible. Reading it and talking to guys. He always keeps his spirits up. I’m proud of him and can’t wait for him to ball out his next game.”

Brown checked most of the boxes head coach [autotag]Hugh Freeze[/autotag] was hoping to accomplish on Saturday. Because of his performance, Brown has earned another start. He will get the nod for Auburn’s SEC opener next Saturday against Arkansas at Jordan-Hare Stadium according to Freeze, citing that he wants to see how Brown competes against a tougher opponent.

According to a report from Justin Hokanson of Auburn Live, Freeze is not ready to say that Brown is Auburn’s permanent fixture at quarterback, but he hopes to see every player at the position to practice better in the event that their number is called.

“I don’t know if it’s, if he keeps playing well, it’ll be a permanent fix,” Freeze said of Brown’s hold on the QB1 spot. “If not, maybe it wakes everybody else up, spurs them to be better prepared and make better decisions.”

Following Saturday’s performance, Brown has now passed for 463 yards and six touchdowns while completing 69.2% of his passes with zero interceptions. So far in 2024, he has completed 20-of-30 passes for 331 yards. The biggest test of his young career will unfold next Saturday as Auburn welcomes Arkansas to Jordan-Hare Stadium to open SEC play. Kickoff is scheduled for 2:30 p.m. CT and can be seen on ESPN.

Contact/Follow us @TheAuburnWire on X (Twitter), and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Auburn news, notes, and opinions. You can also follow Taylor on Twitter @TaylorJones__

The best photos from a rain-soaked Tiger Walk

Auburn fans battled the elements as they welcomed their favorite team into Jordan-Hare Stadium.

The Auburn Tigers are less than an hour away from kicking off their third game of the season live from Jordan-Hare Stadium.

Auburn will see some changes during its homecoming contest against New Mexico, especially on offense. [autotag]Hank Brown[/autotag] will get the chance to show off his skills for the first time as a starter as he gets the nod over [autotag]Payton Thorne[/autotag] as the Tigers starting quarterback.

Pregame reports from Justin Hokanson of Auburn Live also show that freshman wide receiver [autotag]Cam Coleman[/autotag] is not dressing out for Saturday’s game due to a shoulder injury.

Before Saturday’s game, Auburn fans were out in full force cheering on their favorite team as they entered the gates of Jordan-Hare Stadium. Here are the best images from Auburn’s Tiger Walk ahead of the New Mexico game.

Brian’s Column: Auburn’s program needs a direction and it starts with a change at quarterback.

Auburn has an opportunity to discover a quarterback on the current roster that can lead what should be a much more talented team next season and beyond

“Every Rose Has Its Thorne.”

The 1988 song by Poison still rings true in many aspects of life today. Unfortunately for the Auburn Tigers, the sentiment of the metaphor has become much more literal than [autotag]Hugh Freeze[/autotag] and his coaching staff would have liked. Auburn’s head coach has spent his first year-plus on the Plains recruiting, and bringing in, flashy weapons that inherently should give his offense the ability to blossom in a very competitive SEC.

That has not happened. Much like a rose needs a strong stem to become an ascetically pleasing product, an offense needs a strong quarterback. Payton Thorne has the talent and experience to be the stem that supports players like [autotag]Cam Coleman[/autotag], [autotag]Rivaldo Fairweather[/autotag], and [autotag]KeAndre Lambert-Smith[/autotag] but for whatever reason, it has not happened.

Auburn’s “QB1” was given a long leash in 2023. It was the first year for not only him, but for Hugh Freeze and his contingent of transfer portal plug-ins and coaching staff hold overs as well. Freeze is now in year two. Many of the Tigers playing every Saturday were brought in by him, or kept by him. Excuses are running thin.

This football team should not be losing as near-two-touchdown favorites at home in the second game of the season. The talent is there. While fingers can be pointed, small problems can be “duct-taped”, and low expectations can be used to justify poor performance, at some point, Auburn’s football program needs to be moving in an upward trajectory. One can argue it’s been almost five years since the figurative graph describing the Tiger program has pointed skyward.

Hugh Freeze’s recruiting prowess cannot be discarded. Auburn has a top seven class coming to the Loveliest Village next season and a top three on the way in 2026. There is no denying the realizable significant impact those classes could have on this football team. The issue is, as it continues to be with Hugh Freeze, none of the 30+ high schoolers currently committed to wear orange and blue during their college years play the quarterback position.

The Tigers do have an affluence of highly-touted signal-callers on the current roster however, and while Auburn’s leading man has continuously clamored that none have out performed his transfer portal senior in practice, at some point games have to matter. Redshirt freshmen Hank Brown, true freshman Walker White, and sophomore Holden Geriner have years of eligibility left and the ability to learn this Auburn offense through game action as soon as this week against New Mexico.

All three members of the trio may not be a better option than Payton Thorne, at least in the immediate future, but they have youth and upside on their side which the current starting quarterback simply does not have. Auburn’s coaching staff knows what Payton Thorne is and what he is going to be. The 23-year-old is a solid quarterback that is plagued by inconsistency reading a defense and below-average pocket presence.

It’s very possible Hank Brown could end up being the same player, or a worse player, than Payton Thorne. Now is the time to find out. Continuously trotting out a senior in an already somewhat lost season doesn’t do anything for the Auburn program but keep it in limbo.

Auburn has an opportunity to discover a quarterback on the current roster who can lead what should be a much more talented team next season and beyond. Payton Thorne will not be a Tiger in 2025. It’s time to find out what you have in Brown, White, and Geriner before this same situation arises a year from now.

Contact/Follow us @TheAuburnWire on X (Twitter), and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Auburn news, notes, and opinion. You can also follow Brian on Twitter @TheRealBHauch

Hank Brown to start at quarterback against New Mexico

Head coach Hugh Freeze has opted to start redshirt freshman Hank Brown in week three against New Mexico.

Auburn has made a change at the quarterback position. After senior [autotag]Payton Thorne[/autotag] struggled mightily in week two’s home loss against Cal, head coach [autotag]Hugh Freeze[/autotag] has opted to start redshirt freshman [autotag]Hank Brown[/autotag] in week three against New Mexico.

Freeze suggested he was reluctant to make a change at the quarterback position because of Thorne’s continued dominance in practice, but mentioned in Monday’s press conference he would “watch the film and then talk about it” regarding who he would start at quarterback. The Tigers head coach must have seen enough on the film and in practice this week, as he reportedly told both Thorne and Brown about his plan to change starters on Friday morning.

While Brown has played minimally in an Auburn uniform, the Nashville, Tennessee native has been impressive in limited opportunities. The freshman made his collegiate debut in the Music City Bowl against Maryland last season. In front of a hometown crowd, Brown threw for 132 yards while throwing only two incompletions in nine attempts.

The redshirt freshman was equally impressive in the 2024 opener against Alabama A&M when he threw for 2 touchdowns and 96 yards on just five attempts. Brown will head into his first Auburn start with 228 passing yards and two touchdowns under his belt. A former three-star recruit, Brown was the No. 60 quarterback in the 2022 class according to 247sports.

As for Thorne, his time as a starter on the Plains could be all but over. If his is the end for the senior, he’ll finish his Tiger career with 2,242 passing yards, 21 passing touchdowns, 14 interceptions, and 5 rushing touchdowns in 15 games.

Contact/Follow us @TheAuburnWire on X (Twitter), and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Auburn news, notes, and opinion. You can also follow Brian on Twitter @TheRealBHauch

The best images from Auburn football’s 73-3 win over Alabama A&M

Auburn football kicked off the 2024 season with a massive win over the Alabama A&M Bulldogs on Saturday

Auburn football kicked off the 2024 campaign with a strong 73-3 win over Alabama A&M at Jordan-Hare Stadium.

The Tigers set the tone of the game early thanks to a 34-yard touchdown rush by [autotag]Jarquez Hunter[/autotag] with 14:13 remaining in the 1st quarter. Auburn would score three more times in the opening stanza, all via the pass from quarterback [autotag]Payton Thorne[/autotag].

Passing was the name of the game for Auburn as Thorne and backup [autotag]Hank Brown[/autotag] combined to complete 64% of their passes for 451 yards and six touchdowns. A total of 10 different receivers recorded a reception in the win, with freshman [autotag]Malcolm Simmons[/autotag] leading the charge with three catches for 91 yards and a score. Penn State transfer [autotag]KeAndre Lambert-Smith[/autotag] led the team in receiving touchdowns with two.

There were many memorable moments in Auburn’s season-opening win, take a look back at some of the best by checking out this photo gallery.

Tigers of the Game: Shades of ‘vintage’ Thorne graced Jordan-Hare Stadium on Saturday

Auburn football grabbed the season-opening win over Alabama A&M due in part to Thorne’s great passing.

Auburn quarterback [autotag]Payton Thorne[/autotag] had a disappointing season in 2023 where he passed for just 1,755 yards and 16 touchdowns. [autotag]Hugh Freeze[/autotag] overhauled the receiving unit during the offseason in hopes of giving Thorne the opportunity to replicate his 2021 success when he passed for over 3,000 yards and led Michigan State to 11 wins and a Peach Bowl win.

It is still too early to tell if Thorne can bring Auburn similar success in 2024, but he has gotten off to a great start.

Thorne passed for 322 yards and four touchdowns in Auburn’s season-opening win over Alabama A&M on Saturday. Thorne eclipsed the 300-yard mark for the first time as a Tiger and his four touchdown passes are the most he has thrown since the 2022 season in Michigan State’s season-opening win over Western Michigan. It was his best performance in an Auburn uniform since he passed for 230 yards and three touchdowns against Mississippi State last October.

After the game, Thorne discussed his excitement of being able to connect on multiple deep passes.

“It was great, nice to see that we were able to take some shots down the field and connect on them and then obviously finish it the rest of the way and get in the endzone. It means a lot. You know it’s good to get out here and do it against another team and see it happen and it’s something we have to build on.”

Who are some other players that are worthy of a “Tiger of the Game” nod? Here are the players that caught the eyes of Auburn Wire writers Taylor Jones, Brian Hauch, Tyler Raley, and Auburn fans for their performance against Alabama A&M.

Following a strong scoring output, it is easy to see why the Auburn offense is earning a bulk of the attention. However, limiting Alabama A&M to three points and 242 yards can not go unnoticed. Jalen McLeod was Auburn’s top defensive player on Saturday after recording five tackles with two tackles for loss and a sack.

The “Freeze Four” had a stellar debut as [autotag]Malcolm Simmons[/autotag], [autotag]Perry Thompson[/autotag], [autotag]Bryce Cain[/autotag], and [autotag]Cam Coleman[/autotag] all logging at least one reception, with three of them finding the endzone.

However, it was Simmons that had the most impressive debut. Simmons hauled in a team-leading 91 receiving yards with an offensive touchdown. His first score came in the 3rd quarter when he recovered a blocked put in the end zone and earned his first receiving touchdown seven minutes later when he brought in a 57-yard pass from [autotag]Hank Brown[/autotag].

The debut of “Big Play Dre” was memorable. Penn State’s leading receiver from a year ago ended his first game in orange and blue with three catches for 80 yards and a team-leading two touchdowns. Look for Lambert-Smith to be a life force for Payton Thorne this season.

Auburn fans have spoken, and they have chosen quarterback Payton Thorne as the “Tiger of the Game” after his performance against Alabama A&M. To have a say in who wins next week’s “Tiger of the Game” award, visit Auburn Wire on X (formerly Twitter) after every game to cast your vote.

Here’s an updated look at how many “Tiger of the Game” honors each Auburn player has earned this season:

KeAndre Lambert-Smith (1)
Payton Thorne (1)
Malcolm Simmons (1)
Jalen McLeod (1)

Instant analysis: Revamped passing game shines in Auburn’s season-opening win over Alabama A&M

Auburn receivers lived up to expectations in the Tigers 73-3 win over Alabama A&M on Saturday.

Auburn football fans entered the 2024 season hoping to see new life within the passing game.

Through one game, it is safe to say that quarterback [autotag]Payton Thorne[/autotag] and the Tigers’ receivers lived up to fans’ expectations.

Thorne and backup quarterback [autotag]Hank Brown[/autotag] combined to complete 18-of-28 passes for 451 yards and six touchdowns in Auburn’s 73-3 victory over Alabama A&M. The duo combined to connect with 10 different receivers.

After [autotag]Jarquez Hunter[/autotag]’s 34-yard touchdown run with 14:13 in the 1st quarter, Auburn went on to record four receiving touchdowns over its next six drives. On the Tigers’ ensuing possession, Thorne connected with Penn State transfer [autotag]KeAndre Lambert-Smith[/autotag] on a 67-yard pass to push Auburn ahead, 14-0 with 12:47 remaining in the opening quarter. Thorne and Lambert-Smith hooked up again later in the quarter on a 4-yard touchdown pass. In-between Thorne and Lambert-Smith’s connections, freshman [autotag]Cam Coleman[/autotag] hauled in his first collegiate pass for a 44-yard touchdown to push the Tigers ahead, 21-0.

Thorne’s final passing score of the night came with 10:10 remaining in the first half when he found another true freshman, [autotag]Perry Thompson[/autotag], for a 70-yard touchdown pass to extend the lead to 38-0. Thorne passed the torch to Brown after calling his own number for a four-yard rush to give Auburn the 45-3 lead with 3:22 in the 2nd quarter.

Brown picked up where Thorne left off by throwing two touchdown passes of over 35 yards. He found freshman [autotag]Malcolm Simmons[/autotag] for a 57 yard score and later connected with Cal transfer [autotag]Sam Jackson V[/autotag] from 37 yards out. Brown’s home debut concluded after passing for 96 yards and two scores.

[autotag]Holden Geriner[/autotag] finished the game by leading Auburn’s final drive that lasted five plays, 36 yards. However, it resulted in a lost fumble.

Three Auburn receivers recorded over 80 yards of receptions: Malcolm Simmons (91 yards), Perry Thompson (82), and KeAndre Lambert-Smith (80). Cam Coleman logged 62 yards on two catches with a touchdown in his highly-anticipated debut.

Auburn football kicks off the 2024 season with a 1-0 record. Next week, the Tigers will look to remain unbeaten by hosting Cal at Jordan-Hare Stadium for a 2:30 p.m. CT kickoff.

Hugh Freeze names Hank Brown as QB2 for Auburn

After a hard-fought quarterback battle, Auburn head coach Hugh Freeze names Hank Brown as the backup to starter Payton Thorne

Auburn football looks to make a large improvement after last year marked its third straight losing season. A huge part of that process needs to be seen from the performance of the players, which fans seem to be excited about for the fall.

That does concerns not only the starters, but the backups as well, and head coach [autotag]Hugh Freeze[/autotag] announced on Monday during Tiger Talk that redshirt freshman [autotag]Hank Brown[/autotag] will sit behind [autotag]Payton Thorne[/autotag] in the quarterback room as the official second man.

The Tigers have a lot of young talent on the team, which exposes a lack of crucial experience. While Auburn attempts to load up in the quarterback rotation, it is imperative that it has a guy on deck should Thorne go down.

Brown enters his second full season with the team after seeing minimal playing time last year, that being in the 31-13 loss at the TransPerfect Music City Bowl against Maryland.

In that game, Brown entered in garbage time, but went 7-for-9 and threw for 132 yards, showing signs of potential in what he can do should he be called into the game.

The highly touted passer out of Nashville, Tennessee might be seen in the early going of the 2024 season should the Tigers build a big enough lead on any of their opponents.

Auburn opens up its campaign on Aug. 31 when it takes on the Alabama A&M Bulldogs at 6:30 p.m. CST in Jordan-Hare Stadium.

Contact/Follow us @TheAuburnWire on X (Twitter), and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Auburn news, notes, and opinions. You can also follow Tyler on Twitter @traley34

Hugh Freeze updates QB competition as preseason camp continues

Incumbent QB Payton Thorne is expected to be QB1 for Auburn’s season opener. What’s the pecking order following him?

Several position groups remain undecided as fall camp continues at Auburn, including at quarterback.

Incumbent starter [autotag]Payton Thorn[/autotag]e is expected to resume the role as QB1 this season, but who is behind him? Many Auburn fans and college experts are curious about who would step up in the unfortunate event of an injury to Thorne or possible struggles. Head coach [autotag]Hugh Freeze[/autotag] says that he is close to establishing the pecking order.

“Yeah, I haven’t told the quarterbacks yet, so I won’t say, but I kind of know in my mind where we’re headed next week, but I’d rather tell them before I say it,” Freeze said during his media availability on Friday.

Freeze followed by saying that he, offensive coordinator Derrick Nix, and quarterbacks coach Kent Austin are on the same page when it comes to [autotag]Hank Brown[/autotag], [autotag]Holden Geriner[/autotag], and [autotag]Walker White[/autotag] and their position within the depth chart.

As for Thorne, Freeze says that he continues to develop and mold into a quarterback that fits into the current system.

“From spring until now, his understanding of what the expectations are for him have grown leaps and bounds,” Freeze said. “He does some things out there that I’m really proud of. That doesn’t mean he always executes it exactly right, but he’s thinking the right way.”

Each quarterback provides a solid case for QB2. Geriner is the veteran of the group and holds more experience, Brown had a strong showing in last season’s Music City Bowl, and the true freshman White has the tools to be one of the best quarterbacks in the SEC. Who will win the race for second place?

On3’s Jesse Simonton shares thoughts on Auburn’s QB competition

Thorne appears to be the favorite to win the job, but how long will it be his?

Although not officially decided, [autotag]Payton Thorne[/autotag] is expected to lead Auburn’s offense as QB1 for the season-opener with Alabama A&M and beyond, but how long will he keep his spot?

On3’s Jesse Simonton shared his take on college football’s top quarterback competitions including Auburn’s. He gives the nod to Thorne citing Hugh Freeze’s offseason improvements in recruiting.

“Thorne is the incumbent starter and exited spring practice in “pole position,” and all indications are Thorne has continued to separate himself in fall camp,” Simonton said. “Freeze has been flip-floppy with Throne, but Auburn has done a great job this offseason making sure its quarterback is supported by a much stronger cast of playmakers (5-star freshman wideout Cam Coleman, Georgia State transfer Robert Lewis, and Penn State transfer KeAndre Lambert-Smith.)”

However, Simonton questions how long Thorne will last as the starter. Last season, Auburn finished No. 14 in the SEC with 175.9 yards per game, 20 yards fewer than the next-highest team, Mississippi State. Simonton says that “one of the youngsters could get a look” if Thorne shows signs of struggle early. [autotag]Holden Geriner[/autotag] and [autotag]Hank Brown[/autotag] return to the QB room while Freeze prepares to develop freshman [autotag]Walker White[/autotag] for a chance to start after this season.

Auburn wide receiver [autotag]Sam Jackson V[/autotag] expects Thorne to return to his 2021 form this season. In 2021 at Michigan State, Thorne passed for over 3,000 yards and led the Spartans to a Peach Bowl win. Will Thorne reach that level again in 2024?