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DALLAS -- Hugh Freeze knew he would be facing a rebuild when he took the head coaching job at Auburn in 2023. As far as he's concerned, the rebuild is on schedule.
:There's a great excitement in our building right now. I think it's a combination of things. One, I think our players sense that there is a chemistry among our staff that's pretty special right now, I feel, that provides a confidence and an energy to our players and the way they go about chasing the standards that we've set for each other," he said at SEC Media Days. "Secondly, I think we've upgraded our roster."
Just how much the roster has been upgraded and how quickly those upgrades take effect, he said, is still to be determined.
"A lot of that roster is young kids," he said. "(You) certainly can't predict exactly how they'll adapt to playing in this difficult conference."
In classic SEC style, Freeze said he hopes Auburn's running game will be the most improved part of the team in 2024. Even though he said he's looking for a balanced offense, Freeze indicated that the running game will have to carry its weight and then some.
"I love our running back room. I'm fine with nobody talking about them. I really am. But Jarquez (Hunter) and Damari (Alston) and (Jeremiah) Cobb I think are three really, really good backs," he said. "Damari is kind of the leader of that group. But Jarquez is very quiet. I love that about him. He works his tail off. Damari, if you need something to be said to the team from that room, it would come from him, and people would listen."
Even though Freeze put the onus on the running backs, he was clearly excited about the new group of wide receivers the Tigers will have this season. That group includes former 5-star Cam Coleman, who had been committed to Texas A&M until the firing of Jimbo Fisher in November 2023.
"(I'm) xcited about the upgrades to that room, whether it's in the transfer world with Dre (Keandre Lambert-Smith) and Robert Lewis and Sam Jackson. We felt like we had maybe the top wide receiver class in the country with Cam and Perry (Thompson) and Bryce (Cain) and Malcolm (Simmons)," he said. "Cam was able to be there and go through spring, so obviously we have had more time with him. Payton (Thorne) has had more time with him. We were very excited and thrilled with what we saw. He's going to have to play. I think the others have the capacity to do the same. They look the right part."
One position that didn't see a change was quarterback, where Thorne struggled mightily in his first season at Auburn. He threw for just 1,755 yards, 16 touchdowns and 10 interceptions as teams like the Aggies sacked him repeatedly. Still, Freeze gave him a strong note of support.
"I just felt like we could put some pieces around him that would allow him to reach his potential. I've seen it on film," Freeze said. "I think he was really, really solid in another Power Five conference. I think he's proven he can use his feet to move the chains when we need to."
Even though the Tigers ended last year 6-7, Freeze thinks his team will be ready to give a fight to whoever they come across in the SEC this fall.
"I don't mind being the underdog. I enjoy going to places that have great programs," he said. "I let it be known to our players that I enjoy it, and you better, too, you better enjoy it."
Auburn's 2024 schedule
Aug. 31: Alabama A&M
Sept. 7: Cal
Sept. 14: New Mexico
Sept. 21: Arkansas
Sept. 28: Oklahoma
Oct. 5: @Georgia
Oct. 12: BYE
Oct. 19: @Missouri
Oct. 26: @Kentucky
Nov. 2: Vanderbilt
Nov. 9: BYE
Nov. 16: Louisiana-Monroe
Nov. 23: TEXAS A&M
Nov. 30: @Alabama
Auburn projected two-deep
QB: Payton Thorne (RS-Sr.-TR.)/Hank Brown (RS-Fr.)
RB: Jarquez Hunter (Sr.)/Damari Alston (Jr.)
TE: Rivaldo Fairweather (Sr.-TR.)/Luke Deal (RS-Sr.)
WR (X): Cam Coleman (Fr.)/Camden Brown (Jr.)
WR (Z): Keandre Lambert-Smith (SR-Tr.)/Perry Thompson (Fr.)
WR (H): Robert Lewis (RS-Sr.-TR.)/Sam Jackson (RS-Sr.)
LT: Percy Lewis (Sr.-TR.)/Ronan Chambers (Sr.-TR.)
LG: Dillon Wade (RS-Sr.-TR.)/Jaden Muskrat (RS-Sr.-TR.)
C: Conner Lew (So.)/Tate Johnson (RS-Sr.)
RG: Jeremiah Wright (RS-Sr.)/Dylan Send (RS-Fr.-TR.)
RT: Izavion Miller (Sr.-TR.)/Tyler Johnson (RS-Fr.)
DE: Keldric Faulk (So.)/Phillip Blidi (Sr.-TR.)
NT: Jayson Jones (RS-Sr.-TR.)/Trill Carter (RS-Sr.-TR.)
DT: Isaiah Raikes (RS-Sr.-TR.)/Gage Keys (RS-Jr.-TR.)
BUCK: Jalen McLeod (Sr-TR.)/Keyron Crawford (Jr.-TR.)
MIKE: Austin Keys (RS-Sr.-TR.)/Daurian Mausi Jr. (Sr.-TR.)
WILL: Eugene Asante(Sr.-TR.)/Fa'Najae Gotay (RS-Sr.-TR.)
STAR: Champ Anthony (Jr.-TR.)/Kensley Louidor-Faustin (Fr.)
FCB: Kaylin Lee (So.)/Jay Crawford (Fr.)
WS: Jerrin Thompson (Sr.-TR.)/Laquan Robinson (Jr.-TR.)
FS: Sylvester Smith (RS-Fr.)/Caleb Wooden (Jr.)
BCB: Keionte Scott (Sr.-TR.)/Antonio Kite (RS-So.-TR.)
