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What Hugh Freeze said after Auburn's A-Day spring game

Justin Hokansonby:Justin Hokanson•04/08/23•

_JHokanson

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(Photo by Auburn Athletics)

AUBURN — The first A-day spring game under new Auburn football head coach Hugh Freeze has come and gone. Freeze met the media afterwards to discuss all the happenings on a rainy and chilly day inside Jordan-Hare Stadium.

The defense started with a 24-0 lead, with the offense and Alex McPherson kicking a 33-yard field goal as time expired to end the game in a 24-24 tie.

The offense rushed the ball 51 times for 280 yards, while passing for 60 yards on five completions. The rain made it nearly impossible to get anything done in the passing game.

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Here’s all the high points from Freeze’s postgame press conference on Saturday afternoon:

— Freeze thanks everyone for coming out in the rain.

— “It was a solid day. Some good things and not good things, of course. It was great energy and effort and we took the right step towards building some foundational things we’re going to need to compete next year,” Freeze said.

— Everyone gets steaks, apparently, Freeze said after the tie. “Both sides are undefeated.”

— “I feel better than I did 15 practices ago,” Freeze said of the QBs. “All have improved, all are inconsistent in some things.” Mentions really wanting to throw the ball around today, but the rain killed those plans.

— Freeze said he feels like Ashford improved, saying he didn’t feel like Ashford had been challenged before like he was this spring.

— “We have to stop the run. You can’t win in this league if you can’t stop the run.” Freeze not pleased with the 280 yards rushing the offense put up.

— “Damari Alston I didn’t give enough credit to” when he took the job, but said Alston had a great spring.

— Hugh Freeze says what he’s said over and over, and that’s Auburn is open to the transfer portal and quarterback is a position they are looking at. “Do I think we can win some games with what we have? Yes. But I don’t want to be put in a box where I say something and we do something different.”

— “I’m cautiously optimistic” we’re going to have a decent offensive line, Freeze said.

— Hugh Freeze adds the team is “closer” to having the type of culture they desire at Auburn. “I think if you can get a team that’s close to 80 percent or so, the other 20 percent become insignificant” when it comes to their voice and making a negative impact.

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