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?

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Will Rogers re-enters transfer portal, Auburn named a potential landing spot

The former Mississippi State QB transferred to Washington but is on the move again following the departure of head coach Kalen DeBoer.

After Auburn’s loss to Maryland in the TransPerfect Music City Bowl last December, head coach [autotag]Hugh Freeze[/autotag] said that the quarterback competition for the 2024 season is “wide open.”

Following the departure of Washington head coach Kalen DeBoer to Alabama, one of the best quarterbacks in the nation is back on the market.

[autotag]Will Rogers[/autotag], who passed for 12,315 yards in four seasons at Mississippi State, committed to Washington following the 2023 regular season. He was also spotted at the College Football Playoff National Championship Game on the sidelines wearing a Washington jersey. However, Huskies head coach Kalen Deboer fled to Tuscaloosa to become Nick Saban’s replacement at Alabama. Because of this, Rogers has elected to dip back into the transfer portal.

Following the announcement, Ryan Haley of College Sports Wire revealed the top six transfer destinations for Rogers and included Auburn on the list. Haley cites [autotag]Payton Thorn[/autotag]e’s 2023 struggles as a reason for Auburn to pursue the gunslinger.

If Rogers is going to circle back to the south, he’s going to team up with head coach Hugh Freeze in Auburn. The Tigers finished 6-7 last year and finished one play from beating Alabama, but former Michigan State quarterback Payton Thorne was not a high point for the offense. Auburn finished with 162.2 yards per game through the air, almost 20 yards behind any other SEC offense, and PFF credited Thorne with the third-most turnover-worthy plays in the conference despite him ranking 11th in total dropbacks. Only Kentucky’s Devin Leary threw more interceptions than Thorne’s 10. Rogers, despite reaching 600 attempts as a sophomore and a junior, has never thrown more than nine interceptions in a single campaign.

As it stands, Rogers is second all-time in SEC career passing yards behind former Georgia star Aaron Murray. If he were to join Auburn’s roster, or any other roster in the SEC, he would have a chance to break Murray’s record of 13,166 yards.

Auburn’s revamped wide receiver room would also benefit from having a quarterback like Rogers, who is known as a great passer. Haley also suggested a possible reunion with DeBoer in Tuscaloosa, but with Jalen Milroe expected to return, Rogers may have a better shot at earning adequate playing time on the Plains in Freeze’s offense.

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