Hugh Freeze believes QB Walker White will be a star at Auburn

After the first season of Hugh Freeze’s tenure at Auburn, the passing game is one area that they could use improvement in. The program is addressing that, though, including with the signing of Walker White, a Top-15 quarterback in the class out of Little Rock.

Freeze spoke about what it means for the Tigers to bring someone of White’s caliber in during his press conference on National Signing Day last week. In his opinion, White’s projection as a player has him thinking it’ll be a major deal in the end.

“Walker White, I think, is going to be a star,” said Freeze. “I think he has got all the attributes of what a quarterback should look like. I think he’s a true Auburn man.”

“Obviously, you don’t know how quick he will adjust to this game. But I think he has got all the skillsets to do that,” said Freeze.

Auburn’s pass attack did what it could but clearly wasn’t the best part of the team’s offense this year. Whether Payton Thorne or Robby Ashford, neither was truly proficient in that area. That hurt the receiving corps too as none finished with 350 or more yards in 2023.

That’s where White could come in as the prospect that was the most highly-rated coming into college.

White played high school football at Little Rock Christian Academy (AR) where he was a four-star prospect. He was the No. 158 overall recruit in the 2024 cycle. That’s according to the On3 Industry Ranking, a weighted average that utilizes all four major recruiting media companies. He finished as the No. 11 QB and the No. 3 player out of Arkansas in the class.

White is the seventh highest-rated player in Auburn’s class, which finished at No. 7, as one of the 11 four-stars. However, he is the lone quarterback signature of it’s 22 members at the moment, which makes him all the more important to the future of the team.

Recruiting, whether in high school or through the portal, is where a team can make enough of a difference to build something great of themselves. To Freeze, Auburn got a player who could do exactly that for them if White is who they all think he is down on The Plains.

Freeze explains mindset of staying on recruits

Coaches across the country have been vocal about recruits making last-second commitment flips. None more so than Hugh Freeze when it came to offers by last-second bidders.

Freeze wasn’t shy about giving a first-hand account on what it was like to lose one of his top guys. He was then even more so about hanging on to the guys that kept their word through signing day.

“I think relationships are always key,” Freeze said during an appearance on the SEC Network on Wednesday. “I know there are other factors in this day and time. But I think probably, for a head coach, I don’t know. I certainly don’t claim to be better than others. But I do think I’m probably as consistent, if not more consistent, in being active in a certain group of kids’ recruitment. I can’t do it for everybody but I’m really involved in that, along with key staff members.”

“Hopefully, over the course of time, if you pick a certain number — 24 guys or something. If you can just win out on 10-12 of those guys that are difference makers? Then you’ve got to get in some of those battles and win a few to be competitive with the elite in this conference. That’s represented and you need to be around that Top-10 every year, if not a little higher, to truthfully get this done.”

“I made a concerted effort this year to really try to build this through the high school recruiting,” Freeze continued. “I don’t know that that’s the right answer but certainly that’s my intent right now.”