Hugh Freeze calls Auburn quarterback room 'wide open', believes Hank Brown has something to him

Quarterback got plenty of questions at Auburn throughout this season with an up and down pass game. As they head into the offseason on The Plains following a loss in the Music City Bowl, Hugh Freeze knows those thoughts aren’t going anywhere.

Freeze discussed the quarterback position after the Tigers’ 18-point defeat to Maryland this weekend in Nashville. As the program heads into a new year, he says the competition at that spot will be there as they evaluate it like every other aspect of their team.

“It’s wide open,” said Freeze. “There’s something to that. I’m constantly evaluating players, staff, everything. If we see that my evaluation has been wrong? Then we have to change gears and reevaluate to make us better. That’s the steps we should make.”

“That position should be an interesting one, certainly in spring practice,” Freeze said.

Payton Thorne was the starter for Auburn this fall where he posted nearly 2,300 total yards and 19 touchdowns overall in his first season with the team. That included his performance against the Terrapins where he went 13-27 (48.1%) for 84 yards, a touchdown, and an interception to give him 10 total on the year.

With Robby Ashford in the transfer portal, that left Holden Geriner and Hank Brown as the backups for the bowl game. Geriner, the redshirt freshman, went 1-6 for eight yards and a pick against the Terps while Brown, the true freshman, impressed as the day’s leading passer by going 7-9 for 132 yards.

With the position up for grabs, Freeze said Brown’s praises after the loss in Music City. The young quarterback showed him something that they already knew he had in his first real collegiate action.

“Hank has incredible poise,” said Freeze. “I saw it every day when he was running the scout team. He has very little protection, he stands in there, and makes throw after throw after throw. I think he has incredible poise for a freshman, for sure.”

“He has great humility. Wants to be taught, wants to learn. Has a good IQ for the game. Understands timing,” Freeze noted. “Even the last throw that I thought the receivers should have kept coming? That’s kind of what Hank anticipated. But he anticipates throws really well and he’s got great poise for a freshman.”

Auburn’s query at quarterback seems more unresolved now than it did heading into their postseason. Now, over the next few months, especially in the spring, it’s on one of those players to step into the role for Freeze and the Tigers before kickoff next fall.