Hugh Freeze disappointed in lack of 'juice' from Auburn in scrimmage

Auburn has not been performing to Hugh Freeze’s standard so far during fall camp scrimmages. Citing a lack on energy on both sides of the ball — he can’t put his finger on why his Tigers continue to struggle during in-game simulations.

“The two [scrimmages] we’ve played in the stadium — in my eyes — and maybe it’s just the size of the stadium, but we seem flat,” Freeze said after Saturday’s scrimmage, the second of the preseason. “Practices this week were really, really good. [The media] got to see one and I thought the energy was good. I didn’t sense that same energy. Maybe that changes when the stadium is full, I don’t know.

“When we get a chance to go in that stadium and play, there’s got to be some juice.”

Auburn will be needing some sort of motivation when it comes to playing winning football — something that has been lacking over the past two years. Freeze is known to be that jolt of electricity programs need to become successful and has proven that he can turn things around quickly at any level of college football.

Prior to being named head coach Auburn, Arkansas State was 4-8 before Freeze arrived as their head coach. He turned things around right away, finishing 10-2 in his one and only season at the helm. Ole Miss won two games lost every conference game in 2011 before winning seven games along with a bowl victory the following year in Freeze’s first season in 2012.

The Tigers have logged three-straight seasons of winning six games or less prior to Freeze’s arrival. You would have to turn time back to the mid-1970s to find another streak like that in Auburn football history.

Since he’s taken over — Freeze’s main goal has been to revamp his roster. He has done so mightily on both sides of the football.

Freeze nabbed a couple of defenders with SEC experience in LB Austin Keys and DL Justin Rogers — not to mention former Michigan State QB Payton Thorne have joined the team. Keys and Rogers were both productive in their roles at Ole Miss and Kentucky, respectively, but Thorne has already proven his worth within the program being named day-one starting quarterback ahead of the season.

Thorne comes into the program with 6,496 passing yards and 49 passing touchdowns during his Michigan State career. He went 16-9 as the starter there, and Freeze expects similar, if not more success under his guide in 2023.