Perry Thompson – Page 2 – Syndication Server

What does Payton Thorne think about Cam Coleman’s skills?

Thorne comments on the highly-ranked freshmen’s skills ahead of the 2024 season.

Auburn football kicks off its 2024 campaign in just a matter of weeks and the hype around the season is building as the days go by. Many fans have high expectations for some of the newcomers they will season, and for good reason.

The main topic of conversation in that regard will be on wide receiver [autotag]Cam Coleman[/autotag], who is being seen as a player that will be a force on the Plains.

As if he does not have enough good things being said about him, quarterback [autotag]Payton Thorne[/autotag] added on to it when talking to his former Michigan State teammate, Jayden Reed.

Coleman’s ability to catch the ball in unique ways is one thing that stands out to many, and a lot of that comes from his phenomenal leaping ability. It is so phenomenal, that Thorne believes Coleman can jump higher than his former Michigan State teammate, Keon Coleman.

“I’ve never seen somebody who can jump as high as (Cam) can. It’s honestly majestic,” Thorne said.

Coleman makes his way to the Plains after finishing his high school career with a Class 7A state championship at Central-Phenix City in Alabama and looks to turn some heads in the early going.

He will be seen along with other new wide receivers like [autotag]Bryce Cain[/autotag], [autotag]Malcolm Simmons[/autotag], and [autotag]Perry Thompson[/autotag] when the Tigers take the field for their week one game against the Alabama A&M Bulldogs on Aug. 31 at 6:30 p.m. CST.

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Is Jarquez Hunter Auburn’s offensive MVP?

ESPN’s Bill Connelly explains why Auburn’s offense will thrive as long as Hunter is heavily involved.

Auburn’s offense was less than spectacular last season as it finished No. 11 in the SEC with an average of 351 yards per game. Scoring-wise, the Tigers also finished No. 11 in the conference by scoring 26.1 points per contest.

The only consistent aspect of Auburn’s offense was running back [autotag]Jarquez Hunter[/autotag], who ended the season with 909 rushing yards and seven touchdowns. Despite Auburn’s additions to its receiver room, Auburn’s success will still depend heavily on Hunter.

ESPN’s Bill Connelly revealed that Hunter is his favorite Auburn player in his SEC preview, and explained just how valuable Hunter was to the Tigers’ offense in 2023.

When Hunter got rolling, Auburn had a chance. Not counting games against UMass and Samford, when Hunter averaged at least 6.0 yards per carry, the Tigers averaged 30.2 points per game and went 3-2; when he didn’t, they averaged 14.2 PPG and went 1-5. He averaged 3.6 yards per carry after contact and ground out 6.4 yards per carry between the tackles. Just imagine what he could have done if Auburn could throw even a little.

Connelly also expects Auburn’s passing game to be upgraded this season due to transfers [autotag]KeAndre Lambert-Smith[/autotag] and [autotag]Robert Lewis[/autotag], as well as incoming freshmen [autotag]Cam Coleman[/autotag] and [autotag]Perry Thompson[/autotag]. Auburn will look to improve upon its No. 102 ranked passing success rate in 2024 with an improved offensive line and revamped targets for quarterback [autotag]Payton Thorne[/autotag] to pass to.

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Hugh Freeze breaks down Auburn’s most notable position battles ahead of season

Rotations will be key for the Tigers this season, and Freeze wants the best players possible to be involved.

Hugh Freeze and the Auburn Tigers took the stage at SEC Media Days Thursday and one of the many topics up for discussion was position battles within the program.

The most notable battle, at least in the eyes of those outside of the program, is at wide receiver. The Tigers have a revamped wide receiver room which will feature three transfers, four true freshmen, and two returners. However, the most contested battle is on the other side of the line.

Freeze told reporters Thursday that the defensive line will feature a steady rotation this season.

“The most contested, we have six guys on defensive line you might say it’s contested, but I think we need to rotate all six of them,” Freeze said.

Auburn’s defensive line will be experienced as [autotag]Jayson Jones[/autotag] and [autotag]Keldric Faulk[/autotag] returning with the additions of [autotag]Trill Carter[/autotag], [autotag]Philip Blidi[/autotag], [autotag]Isaiah Raikes[/autotag], and [autotag]Gage Keys[/autotag] joining the program from the transfer portal. Experience will not be an issue, but it will be up to Freeze and defensive line coach [autotag]Vontrell King-Williams[/autotag] to find the perfect combination to give the Tigers the best chance to succeed.

Another position group of concern is at safety, which was ravaged by the NFL draft. [autotag]Jaylin Simpson[/autotag] is out, meaning Auburn will need to look to transfers and new faces to fill the role.

“I’d probably say safety. You are going to have Keionte (Scott) and Kayin (Lee) getting the bulk of reps at corner, but we really need (Antonio) Kite and (Jaylin) Crawford, Amon Lane (Ganus), some of these younger guys to get ready to play there,” Freeze said. “(Jerrin) Thompson is the vocal leader there, but we need other pieces to give us depth there.”

Freeze went on to mention that [autotag]Payton Thorne[/autotag] will get the nod at quarterback and that the rotation of running backs will feature [autotag]Jarquez Hunter[/autotag], [autotag]Damari Alston[/autotag], and [autotag]Jeremiah Cobb[/autotag]. At receiver, Freeze calls for six receivers to step into the rotation. Freshmen [autotag]Cam Coleman[/autotag] and [autotag]Perry Thompson[/autotag], as well as transfers [autotag]KeAndre Lambert-Smith[/autotag] and [autotag]Robert Lewis[/autotag], look to be prime candidates to earn steady playing time at the position.

Hugh Freeze wants to be ‘patient’ with new star receivers

Auburn’s coach made sure to temper expectations for his highly touted freshman.

Auburn head coach [autotag]Hugh Freeze[/autotag] is well aware that his top two offensive recruits, receivers [autotag]Cam Coleman[/autotag] and [autotag]Perry Thompson[/autotag] have received plenty of hype from analysts and fans a like. The second-year head coach spent some time tampering with the expectations that come with the hype, at least for the immediate future.

The Tigers leader opened up specifically about Thompson, who is “a little behind” in learning the playbook. Even with the former five-star recruit needing “to spend a lot more time on his own studying the installs”, Freeze pointed out how he would like his coveted receiving prospect to make an impact this season. Freeze cited Thompson’s talent before adding, “he’s going to be heck of a player. I hope he does it in year one.

Coleman is more likely to make an immediate impact on the Plains, at least according to his head coach. While Auburn’s leader let media members know Coleman has “earned” the right to play right away, he also tempered expectations, suffixing his comments by saying “I want everyone to give him a little patience, too, as he grows up and learns the game and plays in SEC environments.”

It’s clear Coleman, who was recently rated the Tigers sixth best offensive player in EA College Football 25, is likely to have a huge impact in year one on the Plains. While his friend and fellow five-star Thompson may take a little longer to achieve “impact player” status, Freeze believes both could be scoring plenty of touchdowns on the Plains before too long.

As is the case with most freshman, there will be growing pains along the way. We’ll see how much of an impression the young receiving duo can make on the Auburn offense when the Tigers kick off on August 31.

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Auburn target Jared Smith sets commitment date

Alabama’s No. 2 prospect from the 2025 class will announce his commitment a few days after visiting Auburn for Big Cat Weekend.

The Auburn coaching staff has done a wonderful job this recruiting cycle by securing the commitment of their home state’s top talent. Auburn’s commitment list includes four of Alabama’s top-10 recruits from the 2025 cycle and six commits overall from the state’s top-40 players.

In Vegas, it is hard to walk away from the table when your luck is good, which is why Auburn is continuing to make a push to land more of the state’s best prospects.

[autotag]Jared Smith[/autotag], the state’s No. 2 recruit from the 2025 cycle from Thompson High School in Alabaster, announced this week that he will announce his commitment on Aug. 3, ahead of the high school football season. Auburn remains in contention to land his commitment, alongside South Carolina, Georgia, Ole Miss, Florida State, and USC.

Smith took a brief visit to the Plains ahead of the recruiting dead period, where he ran into 2025 Auburn commit [autotag]Jourdin Crawford[/autotag]. Smith told Christian Clemente of Auburn Undercover that Crawford is recruiting Smith just as hard as the Auburn coaching staff.

“It was a huge opportunity for me to get down here today just to get a feel for the players who might come to Auburn,” Smith said in an interview with 247Sports. “Jourdin Crawford was here, and just talking with him about how this place could change with just a few people that could commit.”

According to On3, the battle for Smith is between Auburn and South Carolina. The good news for Auburn is that Smith will commit just after visiting Auburn for Big Cat Weekend. Last season, five-star wide receiver [autotag]Perry Thompson[/autotag] flipped his pledge from Alabama to Auburn during the weekend event, could a potential commitment from Smith be the most notable headline from this year’s Big Cat Weekend?

Two weeks after official visit, five-star WR Caleb Cunningham still lists Auburn as his top school

Cunningham has two more visits lined up this summer. Will Auburn end the cycle with his signature?

Five-star wide receiver [autotag]Caleb Cunningham[/autotag] told Auburn coaches that the Tigers stand “No. 1” after his official visit earlier this month.

Two weeks removed from the visit, and the statement remains true.

Grace Raynor of The Athletic caught up with Cunningham this week to grab an update of his recruitment. Auburn remains at the top of Cunningham’s list as school “1A”, but another program to watch out for is the Florida Gators. The Gators are Auburn’s top competitor for Cunningham following a recent visit to Gainesville.

“(Florida) was telling me that I’m a great fit for them,” Cunningham said in a recent interview with The Athletic. “And then of course getting to spend time with (quarterback) DJ Lagway. He’s recruiting me hard. They definitely want me on that team.”

Auburn fits the mold for what Cunningham is looking for. He tells Raynor that he wants to develop surrounded by great players. Auburn football has worked wonders in a year’s time by landing talented wide receivers including [autotag]Cam Coleman[/autotag] and [autotag]Perry Thompson[/autotag] recently, and adding Cunningham to next season’s roster will only progress the Tigers to a future position within the College Football Playoff.

In addition to the talented that would surround Cunningham should he sign with Auburn, he enjoys the vibe surrounding Auburn’s program and campus.

“Just the culture and how they treat me like family. It’s great people and I want to be around great people. It’s just a vibe here. It’s just great being here,” Cunningham said following his visit to Auburn on June 2. “I told them I don’t want to leave.”

Cunningham is a 6-2, 180-pound wide receiver from Choctaw County High School in Ackerman, Mississippi. He is the top recruit from Mississippi according to all four major recruiting outlets, and ranks as high as the No. 2 overall wide receiver from the 2025 cycle. He is currently visiting Tennessee, and will wrap up his official visit tour next week when he stops by Tuscaloosa to check out Alabama.

How does Auburn’s skill players stack up with the SEC’s best?

Auburn’s skill players are talented, but young. Can they produce numbers to rival the SEC’s best offenses?

Auburn football’s skill players are incredibly talented despite their youth.

Auburn returns a veteran running back room led by [autotag]Jarquez Hunter[/autotag] and [autotag]Damari Alston[/autotag], and Michigan State transfer [autotag]Payton Thorne[/autotag] enters his second season as the Tigers’ starting quarterback.

The headliners on offense are the wide receivers. Auburn signed a quartet of impressive wide receivers such as [autotag]Cam Coleman[/autotag] and [autotag]Perry Thompson[/autotag]. [autotag]Robert Lewis[/autotag] and [autotag]KeAndre Lambert-Smith[/autotag] bring experience from the FBS level and tight end [autotag]Rivaldo Fairweather[/autotag] returns after hauling in a team-leading 394 yards on 38 catches with a career-high six touchdown receptions in 2023.

It is easy to see why the hype surrounding Auburn’s offense is growing, but how does it stack up with the rest of the SEC? Brad Crawford of 247Sports digs deep to find the answer.

In his early SEC football power rankings, Crawford examined each SEC programs’ skill lineup. He determined that Auburn ranks No. 9 out of 16 SEC teams. His biggest question surrounding Auburn football this season is the play of Thorne.

Can Thorne be a difference-making quarterback in the SEC? That’s the major question concerning this offensive arsenal for the Tigers, who landed a couple high-end wideouts this cycle in the portal and recruiting its 2024 freshman class. Coleman is a future superstar at the position and the post-spring addition of Lambert-Smith from Penn State was a major development.

Auburn looks to take a giant step forward in year two under [autotag]Hugh Freeze[/autotag]. In 2023, Auburn finished No. 10 in yards per game (351.2), No. 14 in passing yards per game (162.2), and No. 11 in points per game (26.2).

Auburn had the SEC’s fourth-best rushing offense last season by averaging 189 yards per game on the ground, but premier back Jarquez Hunter failed to reach the 1,000-yard mark. If Hunter reaches the goal of 1,000 yards, and Auburn improves in the passing department, the Tigers could easily climb into top-five territory within the SEC in yards and improve drastically from last season’s six-win campaign.

KeAndre Lambert-Smith brings ‘consistency’ and ‘experience’ to Auburn football’s receiver room

The Penn State transfer is the final piece to correcting Auburn’s passing woes.

Hugh Freeze and his staff revamped Auburn’s wide receiver room this offseason by adding talented in-state freshmen receivers including [autotag]Cam Coleman[/autotag] and [autotag]Perry Thompson[/autotag].

The transfer portal was kind to Auburn in this regard as they added Georgia State’s [autotag]Robert Lewis[/autotag], Maryland’s [autotag]Rico Walker[/autotag], and former Cal quarterback [autotag]Sam Jackson V[/autotag] in addition to “the Freeze four.” However, there was still a missing piece that Auburn needed to fill, and they were able to fill the void by adding former Penn State wide receiver [autotag]KeAndre Lambert-Smith[/autotag].

Lambert-Smith hauled in 1,721 yards on 126 catches and 11 touchdowns during his four-year career in Happy Valley, which is understandable that he was one of the most sought-after wide receivers in the spring transfer portal window. ESPN ranked Lambert-Smith as the No. 13 overall available player in the transfer portal before being scooped by Auburn due to his potential role of being a solid No. 2 or No. 3 receiver.

Auburn is getting that in Lambert-Smith says ESPN’s Billy Tucker. Lambert-Smith provides a presence that Auburn desperately needs on offense.

This is a much-needed shot in the arm as Auburn finished 121st in passing offense last year and the returning unit lacks experience and proven game-breakers. While the Tigers are bringing an impressive 2024 receiver class, they will be freshmen and adjusting to the speed of the SEC.

Lambert-Smith might not step in and be the go-to target, but he will bring consistency and experience to a complex offense as a No. 2 or 3 target. He will also bring a veteran presence to young receiver room, and that is important as well.

Auburn finished last in passing offense last season by passing for just 2,109 yards and 18 touchdowns. [autotag]Payton Thorne[/autotag] is expected to return to Auburn’s starting quarterback role, and should be more comfortable heading into the 2024 season with a new-look wide receiver room.

Four-star Alabama commit locks in official visit to Auburn

Auburn is looking to flip one of the state’s top recruits from the 2025 cycle.

[autotag]Hugh Freeze[/autotag] and the Auburn coaching staff have successfully recruited in-state talent as three of the state’s top 10 2025 recruits have pledged to the Tigers.

Auburn’s pursuit of the state’s top players continues as Alabama’s No. 7 recruit for the 2025 cycle has scheduled a summer visit to the Plains.

[autotag]Derick Smith[/autotag], a four-star wide receiver from Selma, tells On3 that he will visit Auburn the first weekend in June. Smith, an Alabama commitment, will visit Tuscaloosa a week before his Auburn visit on May 31.

Like so many other offensive recruits, Smith has developed a sturdy relationship with Auburn wide receivers coach [autotag]Marcus Davis[/autotag]. Smith tells On3’s Jeffrey Lee that Davis makes him feel like a priority.

“(Davis) wants me here bad. He wants me real bad,” Smith said in a March interview with On3. “We’re getting a real good connection with each other, the relationship getting stronger and stronger every time I visit.”

Smith is a four-star wide receiver and each recruiting outlet considers him a top-10 overall recruit from Alabama. Outside of his relationship with Davis, he says that Auburn’s recent haul of [autotag]Cam Coleman[/autotag] and [autotag]Perry Thompson[/autotag] sparks his interest in the Tigers.

Where does Hugh Freeze rank among top head coaches by CBS Sports?

Freeze will look to boost his stock in 2024.

The first season under [autotag]Hugh Freeze[/autotag] did not boast well for the Auburn Tigers.

Auburn closed the 2023 season by losing seven of its final 10 games and finishing dead last in the SEC in passing yards per game. The disappointing first season under Freeze has caused his stock to drop heading into the 2024 season.

CBS Sports recently dropped its head coach rankings ahead of the 2024 season and placed Freeze at the No. 33 slot, a seven-spot decrease from last season. CBS Sports’ Tom Fornelli says that despite Freeze’s slide, Auburn fans should expect a better season from him in year two.

The Auburn coach was ranked 26th last season upon his return to the SEC, but it looks like our voters weren’t overly impressed with the Tigers’ 6-7 season as he drops seven spots this year. I wouldn’t worry about it too much if I’m an Auburn fan, though, because Freeze’s track record suggests there will be improvement. His team’s win total has improved in his second season at every stop.

Freeze has worked this offseason to improve Auburn’s offensive output, especially in the passing game. The Tigers added four talented high school wide receivers including [autotag]Cam Coleman[/autotag] and [autotag]Perry Thompson[/autotag], and have secured two experienced wide receivers from the transfer portal such as [autotag]KeAndre Lambert-Smith[/autotag] and [autotag]Robert Lewis[/autotag]. Time will tell, but the ingredients are there for Auburn to find more success this season.