Auburn Tigers head coach Hugh Freeze has recently addressed the performance of quarterback Payton Thorne, particularly following a critical fourth-down play during the team’s 31-13 loss to the Georgia Bulldogs on October 5, 2024.
In the game, Auburn faced a 4th-and-4 situation on their own 44-yard line as the third quarter ended. During the break between quarters, Freeze decided to attempt the fourth-down conversion. However, the ensuing play was unsuccessful, appearing disorganized and resulting in a turnover on downs. Post-game, Freeze revealed that Thorne had deviated from the called play. “He absolutely didn’t go with what we had called,” Freeze commented, noting that Thorne opted for a zone-read play instead. Freeze acknowledged the confusion and took partial responsibility, stating, “I should have used one of our timeouts there when I saw things were going awry.”
This incident has intensified scrutiny of Thorne’s decision-making and overall performance. Throughout the season, Thorne has faced challenges, including a game against the California Golden Bears where he threw four interceptions.
In response to these struggles, Freeze has not dismissed the possibility of a quarterback change. He has considered other options, such as Hank Brown and Holden Geriner, but has thus far chosen to continue with Thorne as the starter.
The situation has led to criticism of Freeze’s management of the quarterback position. Some analysts argue that the team has not secured a significant upgrade over Thorne, questioning the effectiveness of the current strategy.
As the season progresses, both Freeze and Thorne are under pressure to improve the team’s offensive performance and decision-making to achieve better results in future games.