Breaking down every Hank Brown throw in the Music City Bowl

True freshman quarterback Hank Brown got his first game action against Maryland in the Music City Bowl. Auburn lost the game 31-13, but Brown’s late-game performance was intriguing to watch.

Brown entered the game following backup Holden Geriner, who went 1-8 with an interception. Starter Payton Thorne finished 13-27 for 84 yards, one touchdown and one interception.

Hugh Freeze said postgame that the race for QB1 was “wide open” heading into the offseason.

Brown threw the ball 10 times, he completed seven of those throws for 132 yards. Brown connected with Caleb Burton on a 53-yard pass play that led to Auburn’s second touchdown of the game.

Auburn’s offense was a mess for most of the game, but Brown’s appearance was a silver lining.

If you’d like to watch the video breakdown, you can find it on YouTube here. Below is a written play-by-play breakdown of Brown’s throws.

Throw 1

This play looks to be a spot route of sorts. It is an angled hitch for the outside receiver (Camden Brown). Then, an out route by the inside receiver (Jay Fair). This is similar to some of the spacing concepts and hitches Auburn has run all year.

The corner is playing with a lot of cushion against Brown and is backing up quickly. The safety on that side seems to be drawn in by the tight end hitch over the middle (Micah Riley).

When Camden Brown hitches up, there is a small window. Hank Brown throws a somewhat low, but catchable, ball into the window and on target. This was the right read when the alley defender turned to run with the out route. Good, easy, throw.

Throw 2 (:11)

On the field side, the outside receiver (Caleb Burton) runs a deep post. The inside receiver hitches up at about 10 yards. Maryland starts with a two safety look. The field safety steps down to cover the hitch leaving the deep post free at the top. There is no one in the middle of the field.

Good job here by Brown recognizing this in time. That is the design of the play. He put the ball out in the middle of the field and allowed Burton to run under it with the corner trailing. Great throw. Maryland only brought three on a rush and there was plenty of time for Brown, so that helps a lot. Great throw.

Throw 3 (:23)

This is a slot fade all the way meaning there is not going to be much of a read here if any at all I assume. The slant by Camden Brown might have been a nice idea, but it looks like Hank is told to throw the fade to Fairweather. Brown puts it high on purpose as Fairweather is manned up. It may be a touch high, but this is not the easiest throw. This throw probably needs a little bit more air under at to have a chance. It’s a shot play, so no harm, no foul.

Throw 4 (:30)

Without being able to see the full picture for all routes, it looks as if Maryland sinks back in a zone to the sticks taking away the in breaking routes. So, Brown wastes no time and hits the check down to Jeremiah Cobb.

The check down was easy here as there is no flat defender, but I like the quick decision by Brown. There is no pressing or forcing, just check it down and keep things moving. I like that. Watch his eyes snap to the outlet right as he throws. This is good. He knows its there when he needs it. He does not have to look at it to throw it.

Throw 5 (:39)

This play is a product of the defense Maryland is in. They are all dropping in a zone across the board, so Auburn runs a clear out with a backside drag. The drag is the main route here and where he needs to go with it. It’s another easy one due to the defense playing back. Still, good poise and good throw to keep things rolling. It looks like he looks at the deeper routes and lets the drag come into view rather than staring at the drag the whole way. That is good.

Throw 6 (:48)

This is another spot/spacing type of play. Brown has Micah Riley early but decides to go to the back on the flare instead. Either way is fine as Maryland is backed off in this same sink zone. Not much to break down here as I cannot really see what he is looking at down field. He’s just taking what is there at the moment which is all good.

Throw 7 (:58)

These are all in routes here by the three receivers on the trips side. Brown throws it quickly here as he knows Fair will be open with the backer being on the inside of Micah Riley’s in. So, a quick ball results in an easy throw to Fair.

This one is a little more complicated than the others. If the ball had come out any later, this could have been picked. So, great job here to get the ball out and put it in front of Fair with the backer being in the area. You just have to trust your throw in this situation and Brown had no problem firing it in there. Very nice run after the catch by Fair.

Throw 8 (1:09)

Once again, Maryland brings three and it is a lazy rush by them. That is important to note on some of these plays. Brown hangs in the pocket nicely while the play develops. This looks like maybe a cover 3 type of defense. Both safety and corner on the side of the throw back up pretty deep.

Shane Hooks has either a deep hitch or a comeback here and is all alone in a zone hole above the backers and in front of the corner. Brown puts a ball toward the sideline and it looks good enough for the completion. Hooks has to reach some, but the throw looks fine. More than anything, I love the confidence of the throw. No pass rush helps, but it’s his first time ever doing it. Both things should be considered.

Throw 9 (1:17)

I think this one is going down in the stats as a rush because it was a backwards pass. Great job by Cobb to make this catch, or this is a fumble. The only really bad throw of the day here by Brown. It was just behind Cobb. The throw was supposed to go here as it is a screen.

Throw 10 (1:30)

This is a bunch chase concept. Both Micah Riley and Shane Hooks are covered up on the first two routes. Then, Koy Moore comes across on his underneath chase route. He gets inside of the defender, so Brown goes to it and puts it right on Moore’s facemask.

Maryland brings five this time with a late backer blitz. So there is a little bit of heat this time. I think this, besides the post throw, was Browns best throw. It will go down as an incompletion, but this was a drop by Moore. Brown stands in well and throws a really good ball here. He doesn’t drift off of his spot with the blitz and stays sound in his throw. This was a good play.

Throw 11 (1:39)

Another bunch concept here. This time, Micah Riley runs the whip route to take the overhang backer out of the middle of the field. Shane Hooks runs the in route behind it and it comes open. Moore runs more of a vertical to open up a hole for the in route.

Brown throws what I would call a medium-power throw over the middle. The ball tapered down at the end of the throw, so he did not rocket the ball in the hole. I think the ball could have had a little more heat on it, but I think Hooks probably needs to keep moving on his route. So, both of those things lead to an incompletion. Either way, I do think Brown is putting this ball where the receiver should be.