"Only four people knew that": Auburn HC Hugh Freeze sounds annoyed as Payton Thorne's news leaks before official announcement
Auburn coach Hugh Freeze was unhappy with the news about the Tigers' starting quarterback being leaked to the public before he made an official announcement. The 53-year-old joined Auburn from Liberty last year after the Tigers fired Bryan Harsin in Oct. 2022.
Freeze announced Thursday that Michigan State transfer Payton Thorne is gearing up to take the gridiron as a starting player on the roster, beating out Robby Ashford for the QB1 job.
However, he wasn't impressed that the media got hold of the news before others, including his staff members.
"Only four people knew that. I didn't even tell the staff," Freeze said.
Payton Thorne was a starter for Michigan State for two years before transferring to Auburn in June. According to Hugh Freeze, Thorne's football IQ, ability to make game-changing passes, and impeccable leadership skills made him the ideal candidate for the job.
"The reason Payton is getting the nod is just the leadership ability and the understanding of the offense," Freeze said. "He's been in some really good battles and just seems like he was more efficient in the decision-making."
Coach Freeze also stated that Payton Thorne will be a part of all the first-team repetitions ahead of their season opener.
Robby Ashford was the starter for most of Auburn's games last season after transferring from Oregon in 2021. And now, he will have to compete for the starting QB job, which Freeze might reconsider if Payton fails to impress.
"I believe with all my heart that Robby Ashford gives us an absolute better chance to win the game if he accepts this news and continues to work and develop himself," Freeze told the assembled media. "He might be the most freakish athlete I've ever had at quarterback."
Hugh Freeze is putting in efforts to revive the Auburn football program
The Tigers have not had a good season in the past two years. Bryan Harsin led the team to place sixth in the SEC West in 2022 and 2021, which was a rather unfamiliar sight for fans of the Auburn Tigers.
Coaches before Harsin had successfully led the team to national championship games and clinched the title in 2010. Now, with Harsin's firing and Freeze's hiring, the team is on the road to improving its roster and performance.
The Tigers are hopeful Hugh Freeze can showcase the same proficiency he did with the Liberty Flames during his four-year stint from 2019- 2022. He led the Flames to four bowl games and a 34-15 record. Now, Freeze is gearing up for his debut season with Auburn.
After Hugh Freeze signed as the coach, he went on a mission to restructure the current roster of players. He went on to bring in a number of transfers in the NCAA transfer portal while also picking up note-worthy commitments for 2024.
The transfer portal saw almost 20 new players join the Tigers. This mainly included offensive linemen and wide receivers, two positions where the team needed a boost.
Now, fans will be hopeful Hugh Freeze can lead the Tigers to glory and success like his other successful tenures with Liberty and Ole Miss.
Auburn starts its 2023 college football campaign at home on Sept. 2 against UMass.