Freeze's mistake-prone Auburn Tigers head to No. 5 Georgia after rocky home stand

Updated Oct. 2, 2024 2:47 p.m. ET

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The Auburn Tigers opened with five straight home games and high hopes of using a strong start to show progress under second-year coach Hugh Freeze.

They limped away from Jordan-Hare Stadium with a mistake-plagued 2-3 record and the Tigers’ biggest challenge yet awaiting: A visit to No. 5 Georgia on Saturday.

So far, it’s been pretty much the same old Auburn that has posted three straight losing seasons with shaky quarterback play and other maladies.

“We’re judged on results, and it’s my responsibility to bring results to this program that restores glory,” Freeze said.

Freeze repeatedly touts recruiting successes with talented freshmen like wide receiver Cam Coleman. But the Tigers (2-3, 0-2 Southeastern Conference) clearly have a long way to go.

The frustrating losses have started to pile up.

— Auburn fell 21-14 to California after Payton Thorne was intercepted four times.

— Two weeks later, replacement Hank Brown was picked off three times before halftime and Auburn lost 24-14 to Arkansas.

— After another quarterback change back to Thorne, Auburn blew an 11-point fourth quarter lead and succumbed 27-21 to No. 19 Oklahoma. The back-breaking blow: Kip Lewis’s pick-six off a pass from Thorne.

Freeze, who is having to preach patience instead of touting progress on the field, called “not being 5-0 very hard to swallow.”

“And we certainly had our chances to do that,” he said. “My ask is to stick with us through our growing pains and support our guys and efforts and our recruiting efforts, because the results are going to come. We’re not that far off.

"I hope the ’25 recruiting class sees that, knows they have a chance to come in and immediately impact this program just like the ‘24 class is currently doing. But building does take time.”

Freeze points to lackluster recruiting efforts under predecessor Bryan Harsin and the loss of 57 transfers over three years in emphasizing the roster challenges he inherited. Harsin was fired before even making it to the end of a second season, going 9-12 overall and 4-9 in SEC games.

Freeze, who signed a six-year deal worth $6.5 million annually, is now 8-10 overall and 3-7 in the SEC with five straight losses to Power 4 conference opponents.

Freeze has already made Auburn more competitive with rivals like Alabama, Georgia and LSU on the recruiting trail. He pulled in the No. 10 recruiting class this year and the upcoming class is currently rated fourth.

But the Tigers are still plagued by poor quarterback play after failing to land one in the transfer portal. Freeze is sticking with Thorne for the Georgia game.

“It’s hard to say he’s not the starter in these kinds of games,” the Tigers coach said. “I think he gives us the best chance to win as long as he keeps taking care of the football like he did.”

Freeze also points out his team's youth, when about half the players who saw action are freshmen or sophomores.

But the team has had 11 turnovers in three losses after a home stretch where a winning record seemed a modest goal. The remaining schedule after Georgia includes visits to No. 9 Missouri and top-ranked Alabama.

“We can play with any team in the country if we play the way we've been playing, minus a few mistakes,” Auburn tight end Luke Deal said.

Now, a bowl bid is far from assured but Freeze is hoping his team builds off the early issues instead of going on a downward spiral.

“I’m going to teach on it and give some real-life examples from myself and how at times in life you’ve got to draw the line on ‘What am I really in this for? What did I really sign up for?’ What happens when you sign up for a job, and it doesn’t go the way you want?” Freeze said. “Do you spiral? I don’t know.”

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