The past week has seen significant media buzz after Auburn head coach Hugh Freeze mentioned during a teleconference last Wednesday that he was “considering” stepping away from Payton Thorne as the starting quarterback for the Tigers.
In his November 11 press conference, Coach Freeze provided more context on the situation.
Hugh Freeze Discusses Payton Thorne’s Injury and Starting Options Against ULM
“Payton (Thorne) has been performing solidly. Last week, he couldn’t practice due to a shoulder issue, so we’ll monitor his progress this week along with others getting practice reps,” Freeze explained. “This isn’t a reflection of his recent play, which has been solid. But we’re thinking long-term, which isn’t always easy because you care about your players and want the best for them. We’re assessing the situation with the remaining three games in mind, and health will be a priority.”
Hugh Freeze on Practice Reps for Walker White, Hank Brown, and Holden Geriner
“During the second open week, we gave the other quarterbacks more reps across three practices, ending with a scrimmage—offense versus defense. It was great to see Walker (White) connect with a young receiver on a pass play to win for the offense. We also got Holden (Geriner) and Hank (Brown) a good amount of reps,” said Freeze.
Freeze Opens Up QB Competition
Coach Freeze appears to have gone from considering a change to actively creating a quarterback competition, with each player needing to prove themselves for playing time. Notably, Hank Brown, who is redshirting this year, is also getting practice reps, indicating Freeze is considering his future quarterback options.