Tag: Holden Geriner

Gallery: Pregame sights ahead of Auburn’s season-opener with UMass

Here is a look at the best pregame images ahead of Hugh Freeze’s Auburn debut.

The Hugh Freeze era is officially underway.

Freeze has just experienced his first Tiger Walk and the Tigers are on the field warming up ahead of their season-opener with UMass.

Today marks a new era for the Auburn offense, as [autotag]Payton Thorne[/autotag] is set to take over the starting quarterback role for the Tigers following a preseason battle with [autotag]Robby Ashford[/autotag] and [autotag]Holden Geriner[/autotag]. However, Auburn will be missing several players.

Richard Silva of the Montgomery Advertiser reports that Jarquez Hunter, Nehemiah Pritchett, Nick Mardner, Caleb Wooden, and JD Rhym are not dressed out for today’s game.

Here is a look at Hugh Freeze’s first Tiger Walk as Auburn’s head coach.

How Payton Thorne can win the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award (and maybe the Heisman)

Is a special season brewing for Payton Thorne?

The Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award Foundation released its preseason watch list on Wednesday. Among the quarterbacks listed was recently named Auburn starting signal caller [autotag]Payton Thorne[/autotag]. 

After coming to Auburn as the favorite to quarterback the team in 2023, Thorne struggled a bit in spring and fall camp, allowing [autotag]Robby Ashford[/autotag] and [autotag]Holden Geriner[/autotag] to push the quarterback competition all the way up to mid-August before he eventually won the job last Thursday.

Thorne spoke to the media for the first time since being named QB1 on Wednesday. He seems confident in his growth within the offense. 

“I think I’m an accurate quarterback… I feel like when we’ve been going fast in my past [in the] two-minute drill, I feel like we were efficient doing that,” Thorne said. “With the up-tempo stuff, I feel like that was a plus in my game the last two years. Just seeing defenses, being able to think quick and process quickly is definitely something you have to do in this offense and I feel like I’m able to do that. Now [it’s] about going out and executing.”

Thorne will need to go out and execute at a high rate frequently this year if he hopes to win the Golden Arm Award, which is given to the top upperclassman quarterback in college football. The watchlist includes 47 other names from across the NCAA, including Heisman favorites like [autotag]Caleb Williams[/autotag], [autotag]Quinn Ewers[/autotag], and old friend [autotag]Bo Nix[/autotag]. 

Thorne’s path to winning the Golden Arm will undoubtedly be difficult (he is currently +20000 to win the Heisman on Fanduel), but as NBA legend Kevin Garnett once said, “anything is possible.” If he can accomplish these four things, he’s got a chance.

Hugh Freeze explains reasoning behind naming Payton Thorne the starting quarterback

Freeze says that one factor seperated the Michigan State transfer from the rest of the pack.

The news that Auburn fans have been waiting to hear for months was finally delivered on Thursday, as head coach [autotag]Hugh Freeze[/autotag] officially named Payton Thorne as the Tigers’ starting quarterback for their season opener on Sept. 2 against UMass.

Freeze mentioned Saturday that he would need to review the film of last Saturday’s scrimmage before officially naming a starting quarterback. Thursday, he revealed that he trusted his instincts when picking the right candidate for the open job.

“I believe in all three of those guys. There are days where there has been very little separation,” Freeze said Thursday. “I just believe, man, my gut is usually right, and usually when I follow my gut? And I’m not saying my gut is right that Payton is the guy for all 12 games. But my gut is saying it’s the time to do this, to get us best prepared for the opening of the season.”

The race for the quarterback job was a tight one, but Freeze says that there was one factor that led to Thorne separating himself from the rest of the pack.

“To this point, I think the separation? The reason Payton is getting the nod is just the leadership ability and the understanding of the offense,” Freeze said. “He’s been in some really good battles. It just seems like he was more efficient in the decision-making to this point. Not that the others were terrible by any means. It was not just a slam dunk.”

What is next for [autotag]Robby Ashford[/autotag] and [autotag]Holden Geriner[/autotag]? Ashford is deemed the team’s second-string quarterback, with Geriner wrapping up the third-string slot. Freeze confirmed Auburn fans’ suspicions that if Ashford were to lose out on winning the starting quarterback job, he would still find a way to get on the field.

“I believe with all my heart Robby Ashford gives us an absolute better chance to win the game if he accepts this news and continues to work and develops himself,” Freeze said. “Because he might be the most freakish athlete I’ve ever had at quarterback.”

Watch the entirety of Freeze’s Thursday presser below.

https://www.youtube.com/live/-oZlHRPh0PA?feature=shared

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Social media reacts to Hugh Freeze naming Payton Thorne Auburn’s starting QB

He beat out Robby Ashford and Holden Geriner for the starting job.

Auburn’s quarterback battle has come to an end with [autotag]Hugh Freeze[/autotag] naming Michigan State transfer [autotag]Payton Thorne[/autotag] the starter

Thorne beat out [autotag]Robby Ashford[/autotag] and [autotag]Holden Geriner[/autotag] for the job and will have two weeks as the clear No. 1 ahead of the season-opener against UMass on Sept. 2.

Thorne started 26 games for the Spartans over the past three seasons and completed 61.4% of his passes for 6,493 yards and 49 touchdowns. He will look to take advantage of a rebuilt offensive line and wide receiver group while leaning on Auburn’s talented and deep stable of running backs.

After months of waiting, the Auburn faithful had plenty to say after finding out who their starting quarterback will be, here are the top reactions.

Report: Payton Thorne to be named Auburn’s starting quarterback

The Michigan State transfer has played in 29 games over the last three seasons.

After weeks of waiting, a decision has been made regarding Auburn’s starting quarterback job.

The three-person race of [autotag]Robby Ashford[/autotag], [autotag]Holden Geriner[/autotag], and Michigan State transfer [autotag]Payton Thorne[/autotag] has been decided. On3 and 247Sports are reporting that Thorne is expected to be named the starting quarterback this season.

Since arriving on campus, Thorne has worked tirelessly to study Auburn’s schemes. So much so, that offensive coordinator [autotag]Philip Montgomery[/autotag] has called Thorne a “guy that you’ve got to run out of the building.”

Montgomery says that he likes what he sees in Thorne.

“He’s seeing things right now at a really good rate,” Montgomery said last week. “You’ve gotta remember, he wasn’t here in the spring. Some of the things that he’s picked up on, we’ve gotta get everybody else around that to be on the same page with him. But I think he’s done a great job with his leadership. He’s disciplined, and he’s professional about what he does.”

The news could be made official this afternoon as [autotag]Hugh Freeze[/autotag] is set to speak with the media at 3 p.m. CT.

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Where does USA TODAY Sports place Payton Thorne in its preseason QB rankings?

If Thorne wins the starting quarterback job, he will need to prove himself in a hurry.

[autotag]Payton Thorne[/autotag] transferred to Auburn from Michigan State in hopes of taking the starting quarterback role, thus easing the minds of Auburn fans.

However, he has yet to win the job over incumbent quarterback [autotag]Robby Ashford[/autotag] and redshirt freshman [autotag]Holden Geriner[/autotag]. His presence has ramped up the battle, however, as head coach [autotag]Hugh Freeze[/autotag] is still evaluating each candidate.

“Yesterday, I had my mind made up. After today, I need to watch the film before I say (who wins),” Freeze said Saturday following Auburn’s first scrimmage of fall camp.

All three quarterbacks had great scrimmages, with Ashford and Geriner throwing touchdown passes. Thorne nearly had two scores, but both were wiped off by officials according to Freeze.

When it comes to preseason quarterback rankings, most outlets have taken the safe route by choosing Ashford as Auburn’s representative. USA TODAY Sports’ Blake Toppmeyer has gone another route by selecting Thorne for his personal SEC ranking.

Does replacing Ashford with Thorne help Auburn’s case? Here’s a look at Toppmeyer’s preseason SEC quarterback rankings, featuring Payton Thorne.

Hugh Freeze provides QB battle update following first fall scrimmage

All three quarterbacks performed well in Saturday’s scrimmage. How does their performance affect the quarterback competition?

Auburn offensive coordinator Philip Montgomery told reporters earlier this week that he had hoped to cut the quarterback competition from three candidates to two following Saturday’s scrimmage.

Head coach [autotag]Hugh Freeze[/autotag] also wanted to make that decision, but he now has some thinking to do.

“Yesterday, I had my mind made up. After today, I need to watch the film before I say (who wins),” Freeze said Saturday.

Freeze did not confirm if the competition had been cut, but he did say that [autotag]Robby Ashford[/autotag], [autotag]Holden Geriner[/autotag], and [autotag]Payton Thorne[/autotag] had good days. Two of the three quarterbacks in the competition threw touchdown passes.

“I think all three did that fairly well today,” Freeze said. “Robby threw a touchdown pass, Holden did also. Payton did not. (Thorne) had two, and I can’t see from where I was standing out on the field, the official ruled the receiver out of bounds both times. They did not turn the ball over, that is priority number one in offensive football, that was good. I thought all three looked good at times today.”

Auburn will have three more practices this week before competing in a final scrimmage next Saturday at Jordan-Hare Stadium.

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In Photos: Auburn’s first scrimmage of fall camp

The Tigers had their first scrimmage of fall camp saturday, here are the top photos.

[autotag]Hugh Freeze[/autotag]’s first fall camp at Auburn is in full swing and the Tigers completed their first scrimmage Saturday in Jordan-Hare Stadium.

Freeze met with the media after the scrimmage and admitted that it has caused him to reevaluate some things about the battle between [autotag]Payton Thorne[/autotag], [autotag]Holden Geriner[/autotag] and [autotag]Robby Ashford[/autotag] to become Auburn’s starting quarterback.

“Yesterday, I had my mind made up,” Freeze said. “And after today I need to watch the film before I say.”

In addition, [autotag]Koy Moore[/autotag] is limited due to an ankle injury and [autotag]Malcolm Johnson Jr.[/autotag] is dealing with a shoulder injury.

The Tigers will be off tomorrow before getting back into camp Monday as they get closer to the season opener on Saturday, Sept. 2 against UMass. Here is a look at the best photos from Auburn’s first scrimmage of fall camp.

Where Robby Ashford falls in 247Sports’ Power Five QB rankings

247Sports dropped their Power Five quarterback rankings, and has given Ashford a less-than-ideal outlook.

Auburn, like several other programs across the SEC, has a quarterback issue that needs to be resolved.

[autotag]Robby Ashford[/autotag] took over the starting quarterback role in week four of the 2022 season after previous starter [autotag]T.J. Finley[/autotag] exited Auburn’s loss to Penn State after suffering a shoulder injury. Ashford would go on to pass for 1,613 yards and rush for an additional 849.

As a passer, Ashford completed 49.2% of his passes. His intended targets dropped 16 passes, and Ashford himself threw 15 passes that were deemed “turnover worthy” by Pro Football Focus.

He hopes to redeem himself this season but will need to battle Michigan State transfer [autotag]Payton Thorne[/autotag] and redshirt freshman [autotag]Holden Geriner[/autotag] for the starting quarterback role.

If Ashford were to win the starting quarterback job, where would he stack up against the remainder of the Power Five’s best? 247Sports has provided an answer.

247Sports’ Clint Brewster has ranked all 64 projected starting quarterbacks from Power Five programs ahead of the 2023 season, where he listed Ashford as Auburn’s representative. If Ashford does win the job, he will have an opportunity to prove that he is worth more than his low ranking.

Here is a rundown of where each SEC quarterback is placed in 247Sports’ Power Five quarterback rankings.

Saturday’s scrimmage will provide a turning point in quarterback battle

The quarterback race is still wide open. That could change this weekend.

One of Auburn football’s most important questions heading into the fall may soon have an answer.

After spring practice, the quarterback battle appeared to be decided as [autotag]TJ Finley[/autotag] elected to transfer to Texas State. However, the race took an interesting turn in May as Michigan State transfer [autotag]Payton Thorne[/autotag] announced that he would be transferring into the program to compete with incumbent [autotag]Robby Ashford[/autotag].

Since then, the competition has turned up a notch. Even dark horse contender [autotag]Holden Geriner[/autotag] is trying to make a splash in the decision.

Offensive coordinator [autotag]Philip Montgomery[/autotag] provided an update regarding quarterbacks with the media on Monday. He says that he hopes Saturday’s scrimmage will provide more clarity on the battle.

“I just want to see somebody take control and take a step forward. Separate themselves. That’s what you’re looking for in your quarterback position — a guy that’s gonna lead, guy that’s gonna make plays,” Montgomery said. “He doesn’t have to be Superman, but he does have to be consistent in his play in his decision making and taking care of the football, and then moving us down the field and staying ahead of chains.”

He went on to say that the quarterback who remains the most consistent in making plays will win the job. But what does each quarterback bring to the table? He began by describing Thorne and his “student of the game” mentality. Thorne has done well at getting up to speed with the new system.

“He’s seeing things right now at a really good rate,” Montgomery said. “You’ve gotta remember, he wasn’t here in the spring. Some of the things that he’s picked up on, we’ve gotta get everybody else around that to be on the same page with him. But I think he’s done a great job with his leadership. He’s disciplined, and he’s professional about what he does.”

When it comes to Ashford, Montgomery says that he has become more consistent over the fall.

“(Ashford has) got a big arm. But it’s the consistency of the fundamentals that kind of go into that part of it. He’s worked really hard on that,” Montgomery said. “I think he’s really operated. He does a really good job of trying to lead and be positive and do the things that we’re asking him to do.”

The Tigers will continue fall camp until Saturday, Aug. 19. As part of fall camp, Auburn will have two scrimmages at Jordan-Hare Stadium.

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