Tag: Hank Brown

Freshman QB wants to have a say in Auburn’s ongoing battle

Freshman Hank Brown will be ready to compete once he arrives on campus this summer.

Now that spring practice has concluded, one thing is apparent about Auburn football’s quarterback battle… it is far from over.

Quarterbacks [autotag]Robby Ashford[/autotag], [autotag]T.J. Finley[/autotag], and [autotag]Holden Geriner[/autotag] each played adequate snaps in the abbreviated A-Day game back on April 8. But due to the cold, rainy conditions on that dreary Saturday at Jordan-Hare Stadium, neither player was able to showcase exactly what they needed to do in order to separate themselves.

“I think you saw today that (Ashford) got the capability of making some plays. I thought he threw a really good seam ball in those conditions. I thought Holden (Geriner) threw some good balls. He missed a couple of reads on some RPOs I think, T.J. (Finley) did too,” Freeze said following Auburn’s A-Day game. “It’s kind of been that way all spring. Some real positives one day and some inconsistencies the next day. We’ve still got some time to help them improve, hopefully.”

Freeze has suggested that he is willing to dip into the transfer portal to find the right quarterback, but there is one player that is ready to have his shot at winning the quarterback battle.

[autotag]Hank Brown[/autotag], a three-star quarterback from Nashville that signed with Auburn as part of the 2023 signing class, has yet to arrive on campus. However, the ongoing quarterback battle has him excited to be able to show off what he can add to the Tigers’ offense.

“It’s definitely more motivation just for me to be ready,” Brown said in a recent interview with Jason Caldwell of Auburn Undercover. “When that time comes, to be able to compete with them, I’m super excited. I’m going to do whatever I can to help out.”

Brown is already familiar with [autotag]Hugh Freeze[/autotag], as well as quality control coach [autotag]Kent Austin[/autotag], as he was once committed to Liberty before Freeze made the move to Auburn. He spent time on campus earlier this spring watching practice and says that he is impressed with what each quarterback brings to the table, and how they can help him become a better signal caller.

“It was really awesome to see how three or four different quarterback guys are able to help us,” Brown said. “They all have different strengths, so it’s going to be such a blessing to be able to get feedback from them at all times. Being able to work with them and help me get through the playbook and working with my mechanics, it’s going to be awesome.”

Brown completed 73% of his passes for 3,264 yards during Lipscomb Academy’s 13-0 championship run in 2022, tossing 47 touchdown passes. He was led by former Super Bowl-winning quarterback and current UAB head coach, Trent Dilfer.

Brown signed with Auburn during the early signing period as the No. 59 quarterback in the country, and the No. 34 player from Tennessee for the 2023 class.

Check out some of Brown’s senior year highlights here

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

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Could Robby Ashford be the SEC’s most surprising player in 2023?

One analyst says ‘I think Robby Ashford is going to be a pretty good football player this year.’

Freshman transfer quarterback [autotag]Robby Ashford[/autotag] was thrown into the fire in 2022 and made the most of the hand he was dealt.

Filling in for an injured [autotag]T.J. Finley[/autotag] after Auburn’s loss to Penn State, Ashford ultimately took over the starting quarterback role and passed for 1,613 yards and seven touchdowns in his initial college season.

Heading into 2023, Ashford will need to prove to his new head coach that he is worthy of taking over the starting quarterback spot again. While many are doubtful of his abilities, one national college football analyst has high hopes for Ashford.

Josh Pate, the host of The Late Kick from 247Sports, says that Ashford is a winner and that he will have the chance to showcase that trait this season.

“I happen to think Robby Ashford has winning football inside of him. I don’t know whether it’s seven wins or 10 wins, I think he got the right head coach at the right time. My suspicion is that we will be watching the SEC come November if he’s healthy and say ‘I had no clue Robby Ashford was this good.’ …I think Robby Ashford is going to be a pretty good football player this year. He’s still going to have to prove it.”

Ashford is in a quarterback battle with [autotag]Holden Geriner[/autotag] and T.J. Finley this spring and will compete with incoming freshman [autotag]Hank Brown[/autotag] once he arrives on campus this summer. Hugh Freeze’s initial reaction to the quarterback room suggests that Ashford, and every Auburn quarterback, will have an uphill battle this spring.

“I thought our quarterbacks threw some decent balls, at times, and other times where our mechanics were really bad. But I kind of expected that,” Freeze said on the opening day of spring practice on Feb. 27.

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The possibility remains for Auburn to add transfer quarterback

Spring practice will be a vital time for Auburn’s QB room.

Auburn Football and head coach [autotag]Hugh Freeze[/autotag] filled several holes during the transfer portal window, especially at offensive line. However, there’s one area that still has questions.

Auburn was in the market for several quarterbacks during the 45-day period that spanned from Dec. 5 until Jan. 18, including Oklahoma State’s Spencer Sanders, NC State’s Devin Leary, and Coastal Carolina’s Grayson McCall. Auburn missed out on those targets…so what does that mean going forward?

Auburn will for sure begin the spring with the four current quarterbacks on the current– [autotag]Robby Ashford[/autotag], [autotag]T.J. Finley[/autotag], [autotag]Holden Geriner[/autotag], and [autotag]Hank Brown[/autotag]. Those four will be evaluated, and the decision to add another quarterback will be made before the second window opens on May 1.

“I think I’ll know a lot more after spring practice,” Freeze said when asked about possibly adding a quarterback during the second transfer portal window during a recent press conference.

Spring practice will be vital for Auburn’s quarterback room, as Freeze will examine how well each candidate not only progresses under the new scheme but also how well they perform with more protection from Auburn’s revamped offensive line.

“Truthfully when I watched the cut-ups that I’ve watched, it’s hard. It’s hard for me to adequately judge quarterbacks if they’re not afforded the opportunity to stand in the pocket and make reads and make different throws for a decent percentage of time,” Freeze said. “The sample size for that is pretty small if they weren’t under some type of duress, or maybe it was more of a move-the-pocket scheme.”

Auburn will begin spring workouts on Friday, Feb. 27, and the annual A-Day game is set for Saturday, April 8 at Jordan-Hare Stadium.

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Former Oklahoma State QB announces transfer decision

Spencer Sanders is heading to the SEC West, but it is not the decision Auburn fans hoped that he would make.

Hugh Freeze has made a splash in the transfer portal since taking over the Auburn Football program in late November by signing the nation’s No. 2 class according to 247Sports.

Auburn has met several needs thanks to the transfer portal, including those on the offensive line and at linebacker. Freeze and company were hoping to bring in a quarterback from the portal, but their main target has elected to sign with an SEC Western Division rival.

Spencer Sanders, the former Oklahoma State quarterback who passed for over 9,000 yards as a four-year starter for the Cowboys, has committed to Ole Miss according to a report by ESPN’s Chris Low.

Sanders becomes the second quarterback to commit to Ole Miss in as many days, joining former LSU quarterback Walker Howard. Sanders and Howard will have to battle Jaxson Dart for the starting quarterback role in Oxford.

According to a report in December, Sanders and Freeze were in contact with one another, although it was never known if Sanders visited campus, or was offered the option to transfer to the Plains. Unless more options become available following spring practice, it looks as if Auburn will hold a battle between incumbent [autotag]Robby Ashford[/autotag], returners [autotag]T.J. Finley[/autotag] and [autotag]Holden Geriner[/autotag], and freshman [autotag]Hank Brown[/autotag] for the starting quarterback job.

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T.J. Finley to the Big Ten? A social media post speculates the possibility

Quarterback T.J. Finley’s status with Auburn has been uncertain for quite some time. Could he be on the move to a Big Ten program?

Following a season that ended with a shoulder injury, Auburn quarterback T.J. Finley’s status with the program has been in question for quite some time.

Finley’s season was considered a disappointment, as he completed 33-of-53 passes for 431 yards and one touchdown to four interceptions. His time on the Plains may be over, and a new chapter in his career could begin in the Big Ten according to a recent tweet.

In a vague Instagram story, Finley posted the eyeballs emoji as well as his location at Ohio State University. His post has sparked wild rumors amongst Ohio State fans and media that Ryan Day could be interested in his talents.

While it is unknown if Finley’s visit to Columbus is for recruiting purposes, The Ohio State fanbase is not entirely excited about the possibility of adding Finley to the roster. Ohio State fan account Buckeyes Insider says that Finley would be welcomed only if it were for depth purposes, while Buckeyes Wire writer Josh Keatley does not see Finley being a viable replacement for the outgoing quarterback and Heisman finalist C.J. Stroud.

It is extremely hard for me to envision the Buckeyes having any interest in Finley. His college career has been disappointing and I don’t see him as a better option than either Kyle McCord or Devin Brown. It is understandable for there to be a drop-off from C.J. Stroud to whoever is next in line, but Finley seems like a nose-dive.

Though he has not officially announced his intentions, it has been rumored that Finley will enter the transfer portal during the offseason. Auburn returns [autotag]Robby Ashford[/autotag] and [autotag]Holden Geriner[/autotag] from last season’s roster and added three-star [autotag]Hank Brown[/autotag] to its quarterback room during the early signing period. It is also no secret that Hugh Freeze is looking to add a quarterback from the transfer portal before next season, with Oklahoma State’s Spencer Sanders and Virginia’s Brennan Armstrong being the most popular names at the time of this post.

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Auburn lands walk-on quarterback John Colvin

Hugh Freeze is working to shore up Auburn’s depth at the most important position on the field.

[autotag]Hugh Freeze[/autotag] and Co. are working to replenish the depth on Auburn’s roster and on Wednesday they landed a quarterback who will do just that.

[autotag]John Colvin[/autotag], a Birmingham, Alabama, native, announced his commitment to Auburn as a preferred walk-on at quarterback. Freeze extended the offer to him in December and he is officially a Tiger now.

The 6-foot-3, 185-pounder has not reported any scholarship offers but has had a decorated high school career. He threw for 2,450 yards and 21 touchdowns and led Mountain Book High School to the 6A state title game as a senior. He finished his high school career with a 25-5 record, completing 65% of his passes for 4,350 yards and 50 touchdowns.

He is the second quarterback for Auburn to land in the 2023 recruiting cycle, three-star [autotag]Hank Brown[/autotag] signed with Auburn during the early signing period.

The addition of Brown and Colvin helps keep the depth of Auburn’s quarterback room healthy after Zach Calzada and Trey Lindsey both entered the transfer portal.

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Auburn among top schools in sweepstakes for Brennan Armstrong

Auburn is one of three schools that is in the hunt to land the former Virginia quarterback.

Auburn has been a hot name in the transfer portal market since its opening on Dec. 5, especially at the quarterback position.

The first quarterback portal battle for Auburn was between NC State’s [autotag]Devin Leary[/autotag] and Coastal Carolina’s [autotag]Grayson McCall[/autotag]. However, Leary elected to sign with SEC foe Kentucky, and McCall recently decided to remove his name from the transfer portal.

Now that the fate of those two quarterbacks has been sealed, Auburn appears to have two more names within its sights.

Reports surfaced on Dec. 23 that Auburn and head coach Hugh Freeze had been in contact with Oklahoma State quarterback Spencer Sanders about possibly earning his signature. There appears to be another name in the race, Virginia’s [autotag]Brennan Armstrong[/autotag].

ESPN’s Pete Thamel shared Monday during a segment on College Gameday that the Virginia field general has been contacted by Auburn, as well as NC State and Oklahoma State.

Thamel is led to believe that Armstrong is leaning towards staying in the ACC, and will be reunited with his former offensive coordinator.

“Brennan Armstrong had a down year with the departure of Robert Anae, his offensive coordinator (from Virginia),” Thamel said. “I was told (Monday), ‘Don’t be surprised if Armstrong reunites with him at NC State.’ Auburn and Oklahoma State are also in the mix there.”

Armstrong had his strongest season in 2021 under the direction of Anae. Despite Virginia finishing with a 6-6 record, Armstrong completed 326-of-500 passes for 4,449 yards and 31 touchdowns.

[autotag]Robby Ashford[/autotag], [autotag]Holden Geriner[/autotag], and [autotag]T.J. Finley[/autotag] return to the quarterback room from last season’s roster. Auburn also added three-star [autotag]Hank Brown[/autotag] to its’ 2023 signing class. However, Freeze is looking for experience at the position in his first season at Auburn. Quarterbacks such as Sanders and Armstrong fit the mold of what Freeze is looking for.

“Yes, we are (going to seek a transfer QB),” Auburn head coach Hugh Freeze said during his early signing period press conference on Dec. 21. “If it’s the right one, that we believe we can win games with.”

Sanders and Armstrong are among the top quarterbacks that remain in the transfer portal, joining Arkansas‘ Malik Hornsby.

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Hugh Freeze, Spencer Sanders reportedly in contact

After NC State QB Devin Leary signed with Kentucky, Hugh Freeze is seeking another quarterback option from the transfer portal.

Auburn enters the offseason with a lack of depth at the quarterback position.

[autotag]Robby Ashford[/autotag] and [autotag]Holden Geriner[/autotag] remain from last season’s roster following the departures of [autotag]Zach Calzada[/autotag] and [autotag]Trey Lindsey[/autotag] to the transfer portal. Mix that in with the mysterious future of [autotag]T.J. Finley[/autotag], and the freshness of 2023 signee [autotag]Hank Brown[/autotag], and Auburn will need to add a quarterback with some sort of experience.

“Yes, we are (going to seek a transfer QB),” Auburn head coach Hugh Freeze said during his early signing period press conference on Wednesday. “If it’s the right one, that we believe we can win games with.”

The next biggest name tied to Auburn is former Oklahoma State quarterback [autotag]Spencer Sanders[/autotag] according to Nathan King of Auburn Undercover.

Sanders, who entered the transfer portal in early December, would be a solid fit in Freeze’s system due to his success as a passer. In four seasons at Oklahoma State, Sanders passed for 9,553 yards and 67 TD. He is also a threat with his feet, as he has added 1,956 rushing yards and 18 touchdowns to his career total.

Sanders is the next name to watch following former NC State quarterback [autotag]Devin Leary[/autotag]’s signing with Kentucky. Leary visited Auburn prior to the start of the early signing period but elected to sign with the Wildcats. Coastal Carolina’s [autotag]Grayson McCall[/autotag] has also been a hot name to follow, however, he canceled a trip to Auburn due to an “academic snag” according to Jeffrey Lee of Auburn Live.

Auburn has inked two additions from the transfer portal since Dec. 5, former Vanderbilt EDGE rusher [autotag]Elijah McAllister[/autotag] and former FIU tight end [autotag]Rivaldo Fairweather[/autotag].

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Three-star quarterback from Tennessee commits to Auburn

One of Hugh Freeze’s Liberty recruits has made his way to Auburn.

Auburn may have missed on its quarterback transfer targets, but it will get a new recruit at the position for the 2023 class.

[autotag]Hank Brown[/autotag], a three-star quarterback prospect out of Nashville, Tennessee, announced on Tuesday he has committed to play for the Auburn Tigers under new head coach [autotag]Hugh Freeze[/autotag]. Brown is the second three-star quarterback in Auburn’s 2023 class. The first is Keyone Jenkins out of Miami.

Brown’s move should come as no surprise. He committed to the Liberty Flames on June 16 when Freeze was the head coach there. Brown decommitted from Liberty in the aftermath of Freeze’s hiring on the Plains. He was offered by UAB on Dec. 12, but wasn’t enough to sway him. Brown will commit to the Tigers despite not having visited campus and only being offered on Monday.

With Brown’s commitment, Auburn is 23rd in 247Sports’ official rankings, up multiple spots from where the class was at when coach Bryan Harsin was fired.

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