Philip Montgomery – Page 2 – Syndication Server

Hugh Freeze has assembled one of the most impressive staffs in college football

Auburn is trending upward thanks to the efforts of Freeze and his staff.

On paper, the coaching staff that Hugh Freeze assembled appears to be top-notch.

While this staff has yet to coach a game on the field, the experience that they bring to the Plains is deemed worthy of honor. FootballScoop.com has ranked every “new” staff in college football and has listed Auburn at No. 3 on the list.

Football Scoop’s Doug Samuels highlighted the hires of [autotag]Philip Montgomery[/autotag] and [autotag]Ron Roberts[/autotag] but gives Montgomery the nod as Freeze’s “biggest hire” due to the electric offense that the two offensive masterminds can potentially produce.

I think one of the most intriguing scheme storylines in college football is what the Auburn offense will look like with the combination of Freeze and Montgomery.

One thing is certain – the new-look Auburn offense will definitely push the tempo.

Freeze has had explosive and efficient offenses wherever he has been, and Montgomery’s best offenses have stretched the field vertically about as good as any college football teams in recent memory with gap scheme runs dominating on the ground.

How can this coaching staff reach its full potential? It starts on defense. The pendulum in the SEC has swung away from solid defensive play and is now trending toward high-power offenses. Roberts and the Tigers’ defense must find a way to limit the conference’s top offenses.

To win, and compete for national titles like their fan base expects, Ron Roberts and Auburn are going to have to get the defense to play at a higher level than the previous staff, as the offensive gauntlet of the SEC West should be upgraded in a number of areas.

Auburn’s staff is ahead of Nebraska, Purdue, and Colorado in Football Scoops’ rankings.

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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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QB update: Is there a frontrunner?

Hugh Freeze provided an update on his program’s ongoing quarterback battle during his time at SEC Media Days on Tuesday.

When a new head coach enters the SEC, his first appearance at SEC Media Days is usually filled with plenty of exciting questions.

[autotag]Hugh Freeze[/autotag]’s experience was no different as he took the stage for the first time as Auburn’s head coach on Tuesday at Grand Hyatt in Nashville. One topic of discussion was the ongoing quarterback battle between incumbent [autotag]Robby Ashford[/autotag] and Michigan State transfer [autotag]Payton Thorne[/autotag].

Freeze admitted that he has not seen Thorne throw with his own eyes yet, but is pleased with the competition he brings to the room, as well as his exhibited leadership.

“Obviously, we want to create competition in the room. That’s why we brought in Payton (Thorne), who’s had great experiences,” Freeze said Tuesday. “I think what he adds to that room right now is incredible leadership. One of the first things he did was come in and say, ‘Coach, is there any way someone can give me a sheet of paper that has a picture of everyone that works in this building because I want to learn everyone’s name? That’s the type of leader he is.”

On the other side, Freeze says that Ashford is valuable to the program and has responded well to the competition.

“We’ve challenged Robby (Ashford) since I’ve been here to elevate what comes with being the quarterback at Auburn,” Freeze said. “And I think he’s responding, mostly positive with that.”

It is clear that the competition will be between Ashford and Thorne, but when will the competition be decided? Freeze documents the plan that he, offensive coordinator [autotag]Philip Montgomery,[/autotag] and offensive analyst [autotag]Kent Austin[/autotag] are orchestrating.

“We’ve got to have a 10-day plan with three guys getting some reps and then it’s got to go down to two guys, and hopefully all of them will handle the competition aspects of it well, but that’ll tell us a lot about that,” Freeze said.

Thorne joins the program after a three-year stint at Michigan State, where he passed for 49 touchdowns. Ashford returns for his second season at Auburn after throwing for 1,613 yards and seven touchdowns in 2022.

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Payton Thorne will need time to adjust suggests one analyst

The competition between Robby Ashford and Payton Thorne may be closer than most think.

Auburn fans felt that the program’s need for a quarterback disappeared when Michigan State transfer [autotag]Payton Thorne[/autotag] committed to the program.

Thorne arrived on campus quickly and began learning the system. However, he is inexperienced when it comes to working with [autotag]Hugh Freeze[/autotag], [autotag]Philip Montgomery[/autotag], and even his new offensive line and wide receivers.

Because of this, Thorne will need time to reach his full potential on the Plains suggests one college football analyst.

On a recent episode of The Hard Count, On3’s JD PicKell discussed Thorne’s adjustment to Auburn. PicKell says that Thorne’s late arrival may delay his journey to reach his full potential and that Auburn fans may need to exercise patience.

“Payton Thorne is showing up and this is going to be a brand new offense to him, a brand new staff, brand new teammates,” PicKell said. “It takes some time to mesh at any position if you miss spring practice, let alone as the quarterback. And this offense is going to go through the quarterback.”

Not only does he need to take time to mesh with his new teammates, but he will need to learn to be nearly flawless in an RPO system.

“The RPO scheme you put a lot on the quarterback’s plate,” PicKell said. “Whether or not you’re asking him to do a ton physically, you’re asking him to do a ton mentally from being up to speed with the scheme and knowing where to go with the football.”

PicKell goes on to suggest that if Thorne needs more time to adjust to Auburn, it is a good thing to have a player like [autotag]Robby Ashford[/autotag] in the chamber. Ashford has a year under his belt on the Plains and worked with Freeze in spring practice.

In conclusion, the competition between Ashford and Thorne may be closer than we think. Thorne’s ability to grasp the new system, and how quickly he can do so, will make the difference at quarterback this season.

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Where Auburn lands in Athlon Sports’ preseason SEC RB rankings

The trio of Jarquez Hunter, Damari Alston, and Brian Battie could lead Auburn to the top of the SEC rushing ranks this season.

The 2023 season is upon us, and one position group that appears to have the least amount of questions is the running back unit.

Auburn football has experienced a program overhaul thanks to incoming transfer portal talent, with quarterback, offensive line, and wide receiver all expected to be affected by this change. The one constant, however, is running back.

[autotag]Jarquez Hunter[/autotag] is expected to be the team’s premier back this season, and has made quite the impression on [autotag]Hugh Freeze[/autotag].

“I think Jarquez (Hunter) is the best that I’ve coached thus far,” Freeze said during spring practice. “(I’m) excited about his demeanor and the way he goes about his work. He keeps his mouth shut and just goes to work.”

Following Hunter’s lead is expected to be USF transfer [autotag]Brian Battie[/autotag]. Battie rushed for 1,186 yards and eight touchdowns last season, and his speed will definitely aid Auburn in the return game as well.

Those two names are the most popular around the Plains, but it is worth keeping an eye on Damari Alston as well. Alston only recorded 14 touches last season but his versatility impressed offensive coordinator [autotag]Philip Montgomery[/autotag] in the spring.

“From Day 1, I thought (Alston) had a pretty good feel with what we were trying to do in the run game, with seeing it, setting up blocks, and still had that physicality about him,” Montgomery said. “But the speed that he brings… man, he’s got gears in there.”

The three-headed monster that Auburn will bring into the season sure seems impressive, but does the national media see it that way? Athlon Sports ranked each SEC program’s running back situation in its preseason magazine, and believes that the Tigers have one of the best units in the conference.

Here’s a rundown of Athlon Sports’ running back unit rankings ahead of the 2023 season.

Auburn named a spring transfer portal winner

The Tigers have added eight transfers during the spring window, including quarterback Payton Thorne.

[autotag]Hugh Freeze[/autotag] inherited a roster that needed a massive injection of talent if the Auburn Tigers were going to compete in the SEC in his first year on the Plains.

Well, he went out and got the talent and on Thursday the Tigers were named a winner of the spring transfer portal by Ralph D. Russo of the Associated Press.

Auburn has brought in quarterback [autotag]Payton Thorne[/autotag] (Michigan State) and wide receivers [autotag]Shane Hooks[/autotag] (Jackson State), [autotag]Caleb Burton[/autotag] (Ohio State) and [autotag]Jyaire Shorter[/autotag] (North Texas) to fix a passing attack that was one of the worst in the SEC last season.

While Thorne struggled last season, Russo points out that his 19 touchdown passes were over double the nine that Auburn managed.

The Tigers also added offensive lineman [autotag]Jaden Muskrat[/autotag], who started for offensive coordinator [autotag]Philip Montgomery[/autotag] at Tulsa last season.

It wasn’t just the offense that got reinforcements though, they added linebackers [autotag]Jalen McLeod[/autotag] (App State) and [autotag]Larry Nixon III[/autotag] (North Texas) and defensive end [autotag]Stephen Sings V[/autotag] (Liberty) to shore up the front seven on defense.

McLeod and Sings are both expected to help rush the passer at the Jack linebacker spot as defensive coordinator [autotag]Rob Roberts[/autotag] looks to create more “havoc” plays.

Nixon, who made 105 tackles last season, will help shore up the middle of the defense.

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Auburn lands Tulsa lineman Jaden Muskrat from transfer portal

Jaden Muskrat joins former Tulsa teammate Dillon Wade in reuniting with former head coach, Philip Montgomery.

It’s just like old times at Auburn football, as a second former Tulsa lineman has reunited with his former head coach.

Auburn offensive coordinator [autotag]Philip Montgomery[/autotag], who previously led the Tulsa Golden Hurricane as head coach from 2015-2022, brought tackle, [autotag]Dillon Wade[/autotag], with him to the Plains from the transfer portal. On Monday night, it was announced that a second tackle will also join him in Auburn.

[autotag]Jaden Muskrat[/autotag], Tulsa’s starting right tackle during the 2022 season, shared Monday night that Auburn will be his next destination.

Muskrat makes the decision after spending last weekend visiting Arkansas, which was his second-known official visit outside of visiting Auburn during the weekend of April 22.

Muskrat participated in 848 snaps last season for Tulsa according to Pro Football Focus, with all but two of those snaps being at right tackle. He started opposite Wade, who played 816 snaps at left tackle for the Golden Hurricane.

Auburn has now signed four players from the spring transfer portal window, joining Appalachian State LB [autotag]Jaden McLeod[/autotag], Michigan State QB [autotag]Payton Thorne[/autotag], and Ohio State WR [autotag]Caleb Burton[/autotag].

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Auburn transfer target Jaden Muskrat to announce decision soon

Could another former Tulsa player follow Philip Montgomery to Auburn?

After a successful week of landing three new players from the transfer portal, Auburn could receive good news from another target in the upcoming days.

[autotag]Jaden Muskrat[/autotag], an offensive lineman who entered the transfer portal last month from Tulsa, says that he is close to making a transfer decision.

Last weekend, the Bentonville, Arkansas native visited his in-state school, Arkansas. While on his visit, he told Otis Kirk of Pig Trail Nation that after visiting Auburn and Arkansas, he is unsure of where, or when, his next visit will be.

“I’m not for sure,” Muskrat said. “The time frame is pretty short in this.”

Muskrat received an offer from Auburn on April 15 and was on campus for a visit during the weekend of April 22 alongside former Cincinnati linebacker Jaheim Bell, who recently committed to Arkansas.

Muskrat’s ties to Auburn involve one member of the current coaching staff, as well as a new member of Auburn’s roster. Muskrat played for new Auburn offensive coordinator and former Tulsa head coach [autotag]Philip Montgomery[/autotag] and played alongside Tulsa transfer [autotag]Dillon Wade[/autotag] on the Golden Hurricane offensive line last season.

Muskrat played 848 snaps last season at Tulsa, primarily at right tackle, opposite Wade. He allowed just three sacks and four quarterback hits in 2022.

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Payton Thorne commits to Auburn

Hugh Freeze has his quarterback.

The news that Auburn fans have been eagerly awaiting to hear this week has finally arrived… [autotag]Payton Thorne[/autotag] is an Auburn Tiger.

The highly-touted quarterback entered the transfer portal on April 30, the final day to declare for the spring transfer portal window. Since he arrived, he was heavily tied to Auburn, who had been on the hunt for a transfer portal quarterback that fit the new scheme set up by head coach [autotag]Hugh Freeze[/autotag] and offensive coordinator [autotag]Philip Montgomery[/autotag].

On Friday, those suspicisions were put to bed as Thorne announced his commitment to Auburn.

Thorne threw for 6,493 yards and 49 touchdowns in three seasons at Michigan State. Last season, he threw for 200+ yards in nine games for the Spartans, and has 18 total games there he has passed for more than 200 yards.

Thorne will now enter the quarterback competiton with incumbent starter [autotag]Robby Ashford[/autotag], redshirt freshman [autotag]Holden Geriner[/autotag], and incoming freshman [autotag]Hank Brown[/autotag]. He has two season’s of eligibility remaining.

Here’s a look at some of Thorne’s key moments from the 2022 season:

WAR. DAMN. EAGLE. 🦅 Thank You Lord! @AuburnFootball pic.twitter.com/3GqFvWhP75

— Payton Thorne (@payton15thorne) May 5, 2023

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Auburn football ranks bottom-tier in USA TODAY’s post-spring power rankings

How quickly can Hugh Freeze right the ship at Auburn?

The spring season has come to a close, and now head coaches around the country can begin putting pieces together for the upcoming season that is set to kick off in just over four months.

How much did each SEC team impress Paul Myerberg of USA TODAY Sports this spring? He revealed his picks, as well as each question surrounding each SEC program on Monday.

Auburn has gone through a rough patch over the last several seasons, and this season’s abbreviated A-Day game did not do any favors to the team, who wants to show signs of improvement under new head coach, [autotag]Hugh Freeze[/autotag]. Due to recent history, and the lack of performance at A-Day, Myerberg has ranked the Tigers near the bottom of the conference at No. 12.

Here’s a look at Myerberg’s power rankings now that spring practice has concluded around the conference:

Georgia
Alabama
Tennessee
LSU
Texas A&M
Ole Miss
Kentucky
Arkansas
South Carolina
Mississippi State
Florida
Auburn
Missouri
Vanderbilt

When it comes to Myerberg’s one question surrounding Auburn, he looks to offense. Auburn improved its offensive coaching staff by adding [autotag]Philip Montgomery[/autotag] and [autotag]Kent Austin[/autotag] to the staff, as well as keeping [autotag]Cadillac Williams[/autotag] on. But the Tigers have not had a top-five offense since 2014. Can [autotag]Hugh Freeze[/autotag] push the offense in the right direction?

There’s going to be a learning curve and some growing pains as the Tigers transition to a third coaching staff in four seasons. Unlike the hire of Bryan Harsin, however, Auburn’s decision to tap former Mississippi and Liberty coach Hugh Freeze seems to work on multiple levels. The question this spring is how quickly he can turn around an offense that hasn’t ranked in the top five of the SEC in yards per play since 2014.

Auburn will continue working towards building a successful 2023 campaign, starting on Saturday, Sept. 2 when they host UMass to kickoff the season.

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