Why Auburn can surprise a lot of people in 2024.
Auburn has been below average for the past 4 seasons and hasn't had a 10 win season since 2017 but Hugh Freeze has brought a lot of hope and excitement back into this program. Starting with a #8 recruiting class in 2023 including 5 star WR Cam Coleman who was a Top 10 player nationally in the 2023 class, Coleman has already been named a Pre-Season All-American by On3 Sports. Freeze also has his 2024 class sitting at #5 in the nation and could potentially be better.
Let’s talk about Payton Thorne. He struggled last season at Auburn recording 1,755 passing yards, 16 TDs, and 10 Int’s. Although none of those are impressive numbers Thorne didn't have much help at the receiver spot beside TE Rivaldo Fairweather who had 350 receiving yards and 6 TDs. Over the offseason Auburn brought in 1 5 star and 3 4 star WRs in 2023 class as well as 3 transfers including KeAndre Lambert-Smith from Penn St. and Robert Lewis from Georgia St. who had 877 receiving yards last season. Thorne also has gone through spring practice this year which he didn't last year since he transferred after the spring. He had 3,232 yards passing and 31 total TDs in 2021 at Michigan St. Could he return to that form in 2024? I think it’s very possible with more experience under his belt and upgrades at receiver.
Auburn lost to Georgia and Alabama last season by 7 and 3 points, yes those were both home games but Freeze proved he can go toe to toe with the best in College Football. We have to realize Auburns roster was decimated by Bryan Harsin’s lack of recruiting in 2021 and 2022. Let’s take a look at their schedule for 2024. They don't play Ole Miss or LSU which they have every year for the past 15 seasons, Home games are Alabama A&M, Cal, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Vanderbilt, ULM, and Texas A&M which are all winnable games. Away games are Georgia, Mizzou, Kentucky, and Alabama. I think the Mizzou and Kentucky games are very winnable and Auburn could win one out of the UGA-Alabama games.
Auburn has upgraded it’s entire coaching staff from last year from Offensive and Defensive coordinator to Quarterbacks coach. Including Derrick Nix as the OC who was at Ole Miss for the past 16 years as the running backs and wide receivers coach. Nix coached under Freeze during his tenure at Ole Miss. The Tigers also brought DJ Durkin as defensive coordinator, his defense at Texas A&M ranked Top 20 nationally in several categories.
Freeze could easily lead the Tigers to 8-9 wins and even 10 wins are very attainable for them in 2024. Let’s leave the 6-6 record last year and the New Mexico St in the past, Hugh Freeze went 7-6 his first year at Ole Miss, Nick Saban went 6-6 his first year at Alabama in 2007 including a loss to ULM. The first year for a head coach shouldn't be a determining factor on how they will perform long term at that school. With the way Freeze is recruiting and has recruited (including flipping players from Both Georgia and Alabama) Auburn will be a force to be reckoned with in the next year or 2.
