Hugh Freeze comments on Auburn’s QB situation after Week 2 loss

Hugh Freeze and the Auburn Tigers have a quarterback situation on their hands, as do other teams in the SEC, now just a couple of games into the season.

There was some intrigue surrounding starting signal-caller Payton Thorne heading into the season, but that doesn’t necessarily seem to be the case anymore, as Thorne has sputtered at times throughout the first pair of contests into 2024.

During Wednesday’s SEC coaches teleconference, Freeze fielded questions about the position and the decision he may be ultimately forced to make, saying that he both wakes up and goes to bed thinking about it when asked if he had given thoughts to the possible benefit of allowing Hank Brown to have more playing time early on in the season.

"I wake up thinking about it, I go to bed thinking about it," Hugh Freeze said when asked if he's given thought to the possible benefits of getting Hank Brown some playtime early in the season.

— Ainslie Lee (@ainslielee_) September 11, 2024

Hugh Freeze on Auburn's QB situation: "There's a very, very short leash on us playing as poorly as we did at that position."

— Ainslie Lee (@ainslielee_) September 11, 2024

More from Hugh Freeze on the QB situation: "I am Payton's biggest fan because I've chosen to believe in him. There are plays he should get right, and there are ones that aren't his fault."

— Justin Hokanson (@_JHokanson) September 11, 2024

Thorne has some fixing to do after he finished out the 21-14 Week 2 upset loss to the California Golden Bears 14-for-27 passing with 1 touchdown and a hard to ignore 4 interceptions that were largely on him.

If Thorne is able to redeem himself in Week 3 as the Tigers go up against the New Mexico Lobos will be something to watch, even with it coming against a lesser opponent. It’s hard to say Cal wasn’t originally deemed that too, though.

Crissy Froyd

Crissy covers SEC football news for Saturday Down South.