Hugh Freeze explains decision to name Hank Brown as Auburn's starting quarterback

Hugh Freeze made the switch last week at quarterback with Hank Brown as Auburn’s starter now in place of Payton Thorne. Following his first collegiate start this weekend, their head coach further explained his thinking in choosing that.

Freeze broke down the change from Thorne to Brown after the 45-19 homecoming win for the Tigers over New Mexico on Saturday. He said that he alone made the choice to begin this past week after seeing what all the offense didn’t do on the tape from their loss last weekend to Cal. With that, it led him to give Brown the chance in thinking it was right for Auburn.

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“I mean, I made the decision,” said Freeze postgame. “I decided on Monday after watching the film. I just didn’t tell them until Thursday.”

“It just felt like we left so many plays out there – winning football plays that could win a game for us. I couldn’t put my finger on why because I know (Thorne) has the understanding of it,” Freeze said. “I just felt like this is what was best for our team.”

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In that opportunity against the Lobos, Brown went 17-25 (68%) for 235 yards and four touchdowns. That was the most scoring throws for a first-time starter for their program in over a decade.

As for Thorne, he too had to adjust to a new role on the sideline rather on the field. Still, he seemed to handle it well according to Freeze with how the fifth-year senior was trying to help the redshirt freshman.

“You know, again, I’ve stood with Payton and still believe that he’s a good football player. You never know if his number gets called again,” said Freeze. “He’s handled it, the disappointment very well.”

“He was a good teammate tonight and talking about things he saw,” Freeze added. “Hank checked to a man-beater on one of the third downs and it was not man. Payton said this is how, you know, I think you can see it’s not man. So I heard that conversation, thought he handled it well.”

There’s no certainty in this being the final decision of the season at quarterback for Auburn. That’s now up to Brown’s play and how ready that the reserves behind him, including Thorne now, are from here.

“I don’t know if it’s, you know – we’ll see,” said Freeze. “If he keeps playing well, it’ll be a permanent fix. If not, maybe it wakes everybody else up and spurs them to be better prepared and make better decisions.”