Tag: Phillip Montgomery

Hugh Freeze likely to take over play calling for Auburn in 2024

Hugh Freeze likely to take over play calling for Auburn in 2024

Auburn Football’s major staff shakeup has continued.

Just a day after parting ways with offensive coordinator [autotag]Phillip Montgomery[/autotag], head coach [autotag]Hugh Freeze[/autotag] will reportedly be taking over the play-calling for the Tigers in 2024.

Freeze took a more hands-on approach to the offense after Auburn started the 2023 SEC season 0-4. [autotag]Payton Thorne[/autotag] and the running game immediately took a step forward, winning three straight games while averaging over 35 points per contest.

Auburn’s offense was also great in the Iron Bowl loss as the trio of running backs [autotag]Jarquez Hunter,[/autotag] [autotag]Damari Alston[/autotag], and quarterback Thorne combined to rush for just under 250 yards.

The Tigers’ head coach decided to take a step back from play-calling for the Music City Bowl to focus on recruiting.

The offense was anemic in Nashville.

Scoring only 10 points against a Maryland defense that didn’t have a great season, Auburn brass decided to ultimately part ways with Montgomery.

Auburn’s head coach is also expected to promote analyst Kent Austin to the quarterbacks coach. Austin was the co-offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach under Freeze at Liberty.

While Freeze is set to take over the play-calling, Auburn will surely be looking for a new offensive coordinator over the coming weeks.

With the transfer portal still heating up and the new recruiting class slowly finding their way to the Plains, it would help the Tigers if they could find one sooner than later.

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Auburn Tigers Snapshot Profile: No. 63 Jaden Muskrat

He is yet another transfer looking to help turn around Auburn offensive line.

Going into the 2023 football season, Auburn Wire will be looking at each scholarship player listed on the Tigers’ roster.

Over the preseason, each profile will cover where the player is from, how recruiting websites rated them coming out of high school, and what role they will play for [autotag]Hugh Freeze[/autotag] in his first season on the Plains.

Up next is transfer offensive lineman [autotag]Jaden Muskrat[/autotag]. The veteran was a late addition from the portal and can play several spots along the offensive line for the Tigers.

Preseason Player Profile

Hometown: Berryhill, Oklahoma

Height: 6-3

Weight: 302

Previous School: Tulsa

Class in 2023: Junior

247Sports Composite Ranking

Two-Star / No. 22 in Arkansas / No. 206 DT

Career Stats

Year G
2020 (Tulsa) 2
2021 (Tulsa) 4
2022 (Tulsa) 12

PFF Grades

Year Offense Pass Blocking Run Blocking
2020 52.4 23.7 58.8
2021 60.3 33.7 71.5
2022 61.2 61.8 61.3

Depth Chart Overview

He spent the last three seasons at Tulsa and his familiarity with offensive coordinator [autotag]Phillip Montgomery[/autotag] will help the Tigers get adjusted to the new system.

Muskrat played right tackle for Tulsa last season but he has the ability to play tackle or guard for the Tigers and while he may not win a starting battle at either spot, he provides essential depth and is someone the coaches can plug in if needed.

Jaden Muskrat’s Photo Gallery

Auburn Tigers Snapshot Profile: No. 52 Dillon Wade

He is looking to help turn around Auburn’s offensive line.

Going into the 2023 football season, Auburn Wire will be looking at each scholarship player listed on the Tigers’ roster.

Over the preseason, each profile will cover where the player is from, how recruiting websites rated them coming out of high school, and what role they will play for [autotag]Hugh Freeze[/autotag] in his first season on the Plains.

Up next is transfer offensive tackle [autotag]Dillon Wade[/autotag]. He followed offensive coordinator [autotag]Phillip Montgomery[/autotag] from Tulsa and looks to have locked down the starting left tackle spot.

Preseason Player Profile

Hometown: Houston, Texas

Height: 6-3

Weight: 307

Previous School: Tulsa

Class in 2023: Junior

247Sports Composite Ranking

Three-Star / No. 329 in Texas / No. 174 OG

Career Stats

Year G
2021 (Tulsa) 4
2022 (Tulsa) 12

PFF Grades

Year Offense Pass Blocking Run Blocking
2021 53.0 36.1 67.1
2022 66.9 66.7 68.1

Depth Chart Overview

Wade was one of Auburn’s biggest gets from the transfer portal and has already cemented himself as Auburn’s starting left tackle. As an added bonus, he is already familiar with Montgomery’s offense and should be able to help the rest of the offensive line get up to speed.

That could be critical as Auburn is also expected to start transfers [autotag]Avery Jones[/autotag] and [autotag]Gunner Britton[/autotag] at center and right tackle, respectively. The trio is at the core of Auburn’s offensive line overhaul and if they can give Auburn solid line play, it will give the rest of the offense a chance.

Dillon Wade’s Photo Gallery

Auburn offensive lineman makes 247Sports’ All-Name Team

Jaden Muskrat has been named to one of the top groups in college football.

It hasn’t been determined yet if offensive lineman [autotag]Jaden Muskrat[/autotag] will be a starter for Auburn this season but he was just named to one of the top groups in college football, the 247Sports’ All-Name Team.

Muskrat is entering his first season at Auburn after spending the past three seasons at Tulsa. He entered the portal after the season and decided to reunite with Auburn offensive coordinator [autotag]Phillip Montgomery[/autotag], who was his head coach at Tusla.

The 6-foot-3, 302-pounder is in contention to be Auburn’s starting guard, battling [autotag]Kameron Stutts[/autotag], [autotag]Tate Johnson[/autotag], [autotag]Jeremiah Wright[/autotag] and [autotag]Connor Lew[/autotag] for the two spots.

Muskrat played 18 games at tackle for Tulsa and could slide back outside for Auburn if needed, but he profiles more as a guard in the SEC and that is his path to playing time.

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Elite 2025 QB Deuce Knight puts Auburn in top 10

The Tigers are looking to land another elite quarterback.

Auburn already has its quarterback in the 2024 recruiting class in [autotag]Walker White[/autotag] and they are now working on landing one in the 2025 cycle.

They got good news Friday as four-star prospect [autotag]Deuce Knight[/autotag] announced his top 10 schools and included the Tigers.

The Lucedale, Mississippi, native also included Ole Miss, Tennessee, Georgia, Texas A&M, Notre Dame, Oregon, South Carolina, Washington and TCU.

Auburn offered Knight a scholarship back on Jan. 17 and he took an unofficial visit to the Plains on March 29. He is being recruited by offensive coordinator [autotag]Phillip Montgomery[/autotag].

Knight is the No. 133 overall player and No. 7 quarterback in the 247Sports Composite ranking, He is also the No. 6 player from Mississippi. The 6-foot-4, 185-pounder is one of seven quarterbacks in the 2025 class that Auburn has offered.

He completed 61.7% of his passes for 1,929 yards, 11 touchdowns and four interceptions as a sophomore last season. He added 488 yards and 12 touchdowns on the ground to lead George County High School in both categories.

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Contact/Follow us @TheAuburnWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Auburn news, notes, and opinion. You can also follow JD on Twitter @jdmccarthy15.

New faces have strengthened offensive line throughout spring practice

The new staff is enhancing one of Auburn’s biggest weaknesses.

A-Day is one week away and there is a renewed sense of energy and purpose surrounding the Auburn Tigers Football Program. New head football coach [autotag]Hugh Freeze[/autotag] has wasted no time improving areas of need for the team.

The offensive line has consistently been a weakness for Auburn since 2017. Freeze wasted no time improving the position since his arrival in Auburn.

An article from AL.com written by Tom Green highlighted the improvement made to the position.

[autotag]Phillip Montgomery[/autotag], the former head coach of Tulsa who Freeze hired to fill the offensive coordinator role, has high expectations for the group.

“Offensive line, I think, has been a real positive surprise throughout the spring,” offensive coordinator Philip Montgomery said. “I think the guys that we’ve been able to add to that room have made an impact.”

The Tigers landed three offensive linemen in the transfer portal. [autotag]Avery Jones[/autotag] from ECU, [autotag]Dillon Wade[/autotag] from Tulsa, and [autotag]Gunner Britton[/autotag] from Western Kentucky.

Auburn also brought in [autotag]Connor Lew[/autotag], a four-star recruit from Acworth, Georgia. Lew is the No. 20 ranked interior offensive lineman in the 2023 recruiting class according to 247Sports.

The Tiger’s biggest offensive line grab in the 2023 recruiting class was [autotag]Clay Wedin[/autotag], the No. 37 ranked interior offensive lineman in the 2023 recruiting class according to 247Sports.

With an improved offensive line, Auburn’s offense will be able to make a lot more happen this season.

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Dillon Wade ranked among top underrated SEC transfers

The Tulsa transfer has the potential to turn heads at tackle this season for Auburn.

Offensive lineman [autotag]Dillon Wade[/autotag] announced his decision to transfer from Tulsa to Auburn on early signing day. [autotag]Hugh Freeze[/autotag] hiring [autotag]Phillip Montgomery[/autotag], the former head coach of the Golden Hurricane, played a role in landing the four-star offensive tackle.

An article from Mike Farrell Sports titled “Top 5 Under-the-Radar Transfer Portal Additions in the SEC” was written by Mark Pszonak and included Wade on the list. The other names were defensive back Duce Chestnut who transferred from Syracuse to LSU, tight end McCallan Castles who transferred from Cal-Davis to Tennessee, wide receiver Tre Harris who transferred from Louisiana Tech to Ole Miss and offensive lineman Marques Cox who transferred from Northern Illinois to Kentucky.

Upon his arrival, new head coach Hugh Freeze knew that he had to revamp the offensive line. He has done so by adding several interesting pieces through the portal, including Wade, who looks likely to start at tackle this fall. Fellow transfer [autotag]Gunner Britton[/autotag] (Western Kentucky) may very well start at the other tackle spot, but the current thought is that Wade is the one who will make a more powerful immediate impact.

Wade is the No. 26 ranked player in this year’s transfer class and the No. 4 ranked offensive lineman according to 247Sports. [autotag]Avery Jones[/autotag], an offensive lineman transferring from East Carolina to Auburn, is also among the top transfers, ranking No. 12 according to 247Sports.

Improving the offensive line has been perhaps the biggest recruiting focus for the Tigers and Wade will help check that box in 2023.

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