Perry Thompson – Page 2 – Syndication Server

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.

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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.

Where does Auburn land in CBS Sports’ post-spring SEC power rankings?

Will Backus of CBS Sports says that there is one giant question facing Auburn heading into the summer session.

A-Day provided a disappointing ending to Auburn’s spring practice session as the offense failed to score more than one touchdown in the game.

The touchdown, however, was exciting. Quarterback [autotag]Payton Thorne[/autotag] connected with freshman wide receiver [autotag]Cam Coleman[/autotag] for a 34-yard score in the 4th quarter, which could be seen as foreshadowing for what could be the 1-2 punch on Auburn’s offense this season.

Still, Auburn’s offense has work to do in order to find success in 2024. Following the spring session, CBS Sports’ Will Backus revealed his post-spring SEC rankings, where he placed Auburn at No. 12. Backus says that Auburn has the potential to rise, but Thorne holds the key to overall success.

Hugh Freeze has spent a lot of time and effort upgrading his team around the quarterback. Now it’s up to Payton Thorne to take that next step. The former Michigan State transfer failed to impress in his first season on The Plains. Whether that was due to a lack of talent to spread the ball to — no longer an issue now that former five stars like WR Cam Coleman are on the team — or Thorne’s own limitations, he has to be a whole lot better if the Tigers want to avoid embarrassments like losing to New Mexico State.

In addition to Coleman, Auburn has added three other highly touted freshman wide receivers [autotag]Perry Thompson[/autotag], [autotag]Bryce Cain[/autotag], and [autotag]Malcolm Simmons[/autotag] to its roster. [autotag]KeAndre Lambert-Smith[/autotag] and [autotag]Robert Lewis[/autotag] also provide the room with experience from the transfer portal. Expect Thorne to take a step forward this season and to play a major role in Auburn moving up CBS Sports’ rankings once the season gets underway.

Hugh Freeze: ‘I believe in our quarterback room’

Auburn’s head coach believes that he has the offensive pieces to make Payton Thorne and all Auburn quarterbacks successful.

Auburn football handled several needs this offseason, especially at wide receiver.

Following the additions of [autotag]Cam Coleman[/autotag], [autotag]Perry Thompson[/autotag], [autotag]Bryce Cain[/autotag], and [autotag]Malcolm Simmons[/autotag] from high school and [autotag]KeAndre Lambert-Smith[/autotag] and [autotag]Robert Lewis[/autotag] from the transfer portal, Auburn fans and media members alike began to wonder if Auburn’s quarterback room would allow the new receivers to reach their full potential.

Hugh Freeze pondered that question also. When weighing the options, he decided to subscribe to the “bloom where you are planted” method and develop the stable of quarterbacks that are already on the roster. In a recent interview with Jox 94.5’s McElroy and Cubelic in the Morning, Freeze broke down his thought process when deciding to develop or go to the transfer portal this offseason.

“The options that you’re presented with: develop Payton (Thorne), develop Holden (Geriner), develop Hank (Brown), develop Walker (White), or go spend a million dollars on this guy, I just couldn’t bring myself to doing that, because I wanted to put all the pieces together,” Freeze said.

Following A-Day, Freeze made it apparent that Thorne will get the first nod at the position this season. Following a disappointing season in which he passed for 1,755 yards and 16 touchdowns with 10 interceptions, Freeze believes that the recent receiver additions will boost his production, citing his Michigan State targets Keon Coleman and Jalen Nailor as examples.

“I’ve watched (Thorne’s) Michigan State stuff 1,000 times, he had two NFL receivers and he was pretty danged good,” Freeze said. “There’s a lot of things that should be 50-50 balls and you’ve got to have a guy that can do that. I think Dre Lambert, he’s a 50-50 pass-catcher. And obviously, we’re excited about the ones we signed.”

Outside of receivers, Freeze says that newly-appointed quarterbacks coach [autotag]Kent Austin[/autotag] will get Thorne, and every Auburn quarterback, to the right level.

“I believe in our quarterback room. I believe in Kent Austin,” Freeze said. “I believe if you have the right pieces around Payton that we can have success. I think you saw some glimpses of that, and I don’t think we had a total package around him really.”

In three seasons at Michigan State, Thorne passed for 6,501 yards and 49 touchdowns. In 2022, Thorne passed for 3,240 yards and 27 touchdowns with Buffalo Bills wide receiver Keon Coleman and Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Jalen Nailor as his top targets. It will be interesting to see how much of a step forward Thorne takes with a revamped wide-receiving corps.