Auburn Tigers head coach Hugh Freeze has made it clear: if he wasn’t confident in Payton Thorne, he wouldn’t be starting him as quarterback this season.
The Auburn Tigers’ success this season will largely hinge on the performance of their quarterback. Payton Thorne, who completed 162 of 265 passes for 1,755 yards, 16 touchdowns, and 10 interceptions last season, will once again lead Auburn’s offense. However, Thorne had a few underwhelming performances last year, throwing for fewer than 100 yards in five games, including a disappointing 44-yard outing in a loss to Texas A&M.
This season, Thorne is expected to benefit from a stronger supporting cast, especially at the wide receiver position.
Hugh Freeze is optimistic that Thorne will take a significant step forward this season.
“I’m very confident sitting here today,” Freeze stated. “But I’ve said since spring practice that, ultimately, he’s got to deliver. I wouldn’t be going with him if I wasn’t confident in his abilities.”
Freeze elaborated on what has given him more confidence in Thorne as they head into 2024.
“I’ve always believed in Payton, and today, I’m even more confident than I was in January because of what I’ve observed and heard in meetings and film sessions,” Freeze said. “I think he’s eager to prove himself to a lot of people as well.”
With a retooled wide receiver corps, Thorne will have more weapons at his disposal. Last season, tight end Rivaldo Fairweather led the team in receiving yards (394) and touchdowns (6), while no Auburn wide receiver surpassed 350 receiving yards.
Thorne will also be playing behind an offensive line that’s expected to be an improvement over recent seasons.
Auburn kicks off its season at home against Alabama A&M on Saturday at 6:30 p.m. CT, with the game being broadcast on ESPN+/SEC Network+.
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