Auburn spring camp wrap-up: Position-by-position positives + questions or concerns

AUBURN — The second spring camp under Hugh Freeze has come and gone. Auburn Live analyst Cole Pinkston and myself are here to provide some thoughts on each position group after 15 practices, as Freeze and Co. prepare to build on an initial 6-6 regular season.

Payton Thorne (Photo by Matt Rudolph/Auburn Live)

Quarterback

Positive thought:

Hokanson — The best thing I heard from Freeze was that from the beginning of spring until after A-Day, he said the quarterback decision making improved. In the beginning of spring, we heard that was an issue. Freeze and Kent Austin wanted quicker decisions and more correct decisions. Fast forward to the spring game in which Freeze said he was fairly pleased with the decision making of Payton Thorne, Holden Geriner and Hank Brown. I think without question, that room got better this spring. That’s a good thing.

Pinkston — The offense had an identity with Payton Thorne behind center: The RPO game. I think that’s a good place to start. There were good moments for each quarterback throughout spring. I think there is somewhat of a mix of styles in the room and that is never a bad thing. If Thorne was unable to separate himself quickly, I would have been pretty concerned. So far, it seems he is leading the pack pretty comfortable and that is probably a good sign.

Question/concern remaining:

Hokanson — Will Freeze still target a portal quarterback in the spring portal window? I’m a bit exhausted with this question, but here we are again. Those who cover the team on a daily basis have seen all the ins and outs of this QB race. It’s up to Freeze on whether he wants to bring someone else in. Our opinion sure doesn’t matter. Anyway, the window opens on April 15 and closes on April 30. Freeze seems somewhat optimistic about the direction of the room now, but nothing is ever off the table these days. I would imagine we’d hear rumblings about targeting a portal quarterback fairly quickly when the portal window opens, if that’s part of the plan.

Pinkston — Is the rest of the offensive roster good enough to make up for some of the inefficiencies at quarterback? Auburn, with Thorne as its starter, is not going to be substantially better unless the supporting cast is significantly upgraded. Thorne has limitations as a passer and being able to push it down field. I don’t think the other quarterbacks can move the ball as consistently as Thorne can either. So, do resources go to adding more weapons in the portal, or is there still a look at upgrading or adding someone else to compete at quarterback? I think that is probably going to be discussed with the dust settling from spring.

Jarquez Hunter (Photo by Matt Rudolph/Auburn Live)

Running back

Positive thought:

Hokanson — We really heard very little about the running backs during spring camp, and maybe that’s a good thing. You know what you’re getting with Jarquez Hunter, Damari Alston, Brian Battie and Jeremiah Cobb. There were no serious injuries and nothing concerning from the coaches. One positive thought would be, and I mentioned it a few times in other writings, is I’m hopeful the running backs will be used more in the passing game, or at least as check down options in the passing game. All have the ability to catch the ball, and with a developing passing game, it sure would be nice to have the backs as more of an option for the quarterbacks to check down to and keep the chains moving, when possible.

Pinkston — The running back room is very solid and can be a strength of the team moving forward. At one time, I thought this group was the best unit on the team.. Now I believe other groups have caught up, but running back is experienced and very effective. Is there a superstar in the room? I don’t think so, but it doesn’t matter. This room is good enough to be leaned on in times of need and that was still the case in the spring from what I have heard.

Question/concern remaining:

Hokanson — What is Cobb’s role going to be? The true sophomore might be the best all-around back on the roster. He was used in specific situations last season, but will his role expand? Hunter and Alston are good backs, so where does Cobb fit in? His speed is elite and he possesses really good vision. Cobb can be an asset, but will his role expand beyond what it was last season? I’m not sure we have that answer yet.

Pinkston — Who will not be around for fall camp? I think this is a tight-knit group, but the law of averages in college football dictates that someone will look for a better opportunity. Keep in mind, averages can be wrong, too. Still, if Auburn loses any of the four main backs–Hunter, Alston, Cobb, Battie–then what? Does Auburn just roll with three? Is four too crowded as it is? I’m not sure what either answer is there.

Robert Lewis (Photo by Matt Rudolph/Auburn Live)

Wide receiver

Positive thought:

Hokanson — Everyone will focus on Cam Coleman and I get that. I love the fact that he’s lived up to the hype early on, but there’s something else I saw in the spring game that I really liked: receivers coming back to the football and making a play. I watched Coleman do it, Robert Lewis, Camden Brown — on multiple occasions I watched receivers help their quarterbacks by coming back to the football. That shows an improved football IQ and some instincts that I didn’t see last year. I also loved the flashes I saw from Sam Jackson. He’s lightning in a bottle. I just think overall, I saw some focused efforts and more crisp play from that group in the little things and hope that continues. Coleman can’t do it all by himself.

Pinkston — Based on watching practice and A-Day, a few of the small details seem to be better. There were a few passes in the A-Day game that would have been incompletions a year ago. Instead, they were caught and plays were made. It made the entire offensive operation and everyone involved better and more smooth just like that. There seems to be four guys taking the reigns in this group: Cam Coleman, Camden Brown, Robert Lewis, and Sam Jackson. That is encouraging moving forward. I don’t remember anyone being overly encouraging last spring or last fall for that matter.

Question/concern remaining:

Hokanson — What will Perry Thompson bring to the table? I think Thompson is forgotten about a bit because he’s not on campus yet, but there’s an argument to be made that he’ll be the most physically gifted receiver on the roster, including Coleman. Thompson is a beast, but what type of impact will he make after arriving this summer? Can he learn the offense and insert himself into the mix from game one? If so, this offense will take another huge step forward. Even if it’s not the first game, if Thompson camp get comfortable by the time Oklahoma comes to town, that would be fine, too.

Pinkston — Can Perry Thompson and Malcolm Simmons complete what Auburn needs from a pass-catcher/playmaker standpoint for 2024 specifically? Nobody, including the Auburn staff, knows the answer to that yet. Does the staff wait to find out or go get another contributor from the portal? I am intrigued and excited to say how the coaches handle filling out this room. I think there is plenty of room for upgrade in the next portal window. This room can really improve the ceiling of the offense, but I don’t know if it is doing that just yet.

Rivaldo Fairweather (Photo by Matt Rudolph/Auburn Live)

Tight end

Positive thought:

Hokanson — This position is a lot like the running backs. Rivaldo Fairweather, Luke Deal, Brandon Frazier and Micah Riley, there’s a lot of proven commodities there in both the run-blocking and passing game. I’ve also mentioned a few times during spring, but I really like the physical tools transfer Rico Walker brings to the table. I’m not sure he will break though in the regular rotation, but I love his potential. But if I had to choose one positive, it’s the continued development of Riley. I love his skill set, his aggression, all of it. If that room wasn’t so crowded, I think Riley would be an exciting prospect. I’m curious to see if he can break through as the second pass-catching option behind Fairweather, and maybe even a different type of target across the middle.

Pinkston — No news is good news when there is a veteran group. We know exactly what to expect from this crew with Fairweather being the outlier who could go off at any moment. Rico Walker was a nice, quiet addition for this room with his best years ahead of him and probably not in 2024. Deal, Frazier, and Riley will all play and help Auburn formationally in 2024.

Question/concern remaining:

Hokanson — How much better is Fairweather? We didn’t see much of Fairweather in the spring game and that’s OK. Tight ends coach Ben Aigamaua wants more consistency (six drops last season) and improved blocking in the box. Will Fairweather provide that? If he does, that alone will be a huge development for the offense. The more Fairweather can stay on the field, the more effective and diverse Auburn’s offense can be.

Pinkston — It’s hard to be concerned with anything in this room, really. It seems like the one guy you’d hate to lose is Micah Riley, and his situation lends itself to looking around (having multiple years but still behind veterans). There is no indication that he will look around, but if he were to do so, it would be a big blow for the future of the room.

Izavion Miller (72) and Percy Lewis (73) (Photo by Matt Rudolph/Auburn Live)

Offensive line

Positive thought:

Hokanson — I like what I heard about the development of redshirt freshman tackle Tyler Johnson. Offensive line coach Jake Thornton said Johnson is like a completely different person and player from when he arrived last year. Johnson worked with the first team at times at left and right tackle during the spring. He currently projects as the backup probably on both sides behind Percy Lewis and Izavion Miller, but those two better play well, because it sounds like Johnson is learning and growing quickly. Auburn continues to rebuild the offensive line and develop depth, and Johnson has quickly become an important part of that.

Pinkston — We have seen enough of the first team offensive line to know they can be good. The biggest positive is Percy Lewis grabbing that starting left tackle spot and holding it pretty firmly. He seems consistent and can make the offensive line as a whole better. Then, having a couple of rotational pieces in Tyler Johnson, Jaden Muskrat, and a few others that fill out the two-deep is a big deal. There are some legitimate contributors in this group for 2024 and moving forward, it seems. This room has been managed very well and it showed in the spring.

Question/concern remaining:

Hokanson — I didn’t love that Auburn’s defensive line seemingly controlled the line of scrimmage during the spring game according to Freeze. The defensive line is supposed to be one of the bigger question marks on the team to the point that Freeze plans to target portal players at the position. Connor Lew, Dillon Wade, Jeremiah Wright, Miller, Lewis, Johnson and others, there’s experience and talent there, so I would have expected some better rushing numbers in the spring game than what we witnessed. We also heard all spring about how the defense and DJ Durkin was consistently putting pressure on the quarterback. The O-line can be good, but there’s still plenty of work to do.

Pinkston — I still worry about pass protection. Better pass protection is a key piece in fixing the quarterback play and offensive operation. I didn’t see or hear anything that leads me to believe that the pass protection has taken a leap forward. Yes, the offensive line didn’t look great in the run game at A-Day, but I put very little stock into that. Dillon Wade, Connor Lew, TooTall Miller, and Jeremiah Wright are the same guys who pushed Alabama and Georgia around up front. Now you add Percy Lewis to the mix and things should be in good shape. But, I want to see improvement in pass protection.. It is still suspect.

TJ Lindsey (Photo by Matt Rudolph/Auburn Live)

Defensive line/Buck

Positive thought:

Hokanson — The opposite of the spring game for the offensive line, the defensive line controlled the line of scrimmage during the spring game and that was nice to see from a group that most considered the biggest question mark entering the spring. Positive things have been said about TJ Lindsey, Brenton Williams, Keldric Faulk, Jalen McLeod, Trill Carter, Gage Keys and others. The development of Amaris Williams and Jamonta Waller is huge, as well as Bobby Travis. It sounds like the spring brought about some good things, and while Freeze and Co. will likely to add to the position group in the portal because you can never have enough depth along the D-line, it sounds like this position group took steps forward this spring. And I’m really intrigued about Lindsey, he might be the “surprise” of the group heading into the summer.

Pinkston — It was good for confidence to string together some wins in the A-Day game. I think the room as a whole has a lot of promise for the future. Several players flash continuously: Bobby Travis, Darron Reed, Trill Carter, Gage Keys, Malik Blocton, TJ Lindsey, and Jayson Jones have all had moments in the spring. It looks as though Keldric Faulk has taken a big step forward, and that is crucial for Auburn in 2024. The pass rush is promising with Jalen McLeod looking healthy and the young Bucks (pun intended) looking ready to roll.

Question/concern remaining:

Hokanson — To be honest, I still don’t know what Carter, Keys, Travis and others will look like against the SEC’s best offensive lines. There’s potential, but until we see the Auburn defensive line against elite offensive lines in the conference, the jury remains out. Portal depth will help, maybe Auburn will land a portal sleeper that will arrive and contribute immediately, but this position group, while improved, remains a big question mark. I think players like Faulk, Brenton Williams and Travis are critical x-factors. Their continued development could really elevate Auburn’s D-line and most importantly, they have the room to develop going into the summer and during fall camp.

Pinkston — When looking at the interior defensive line, I don’t see a dominant player. I don’t think a defensive line lacking a dominant player can survive the SEC gauntlet. Right now, I think that is a detriment to the team. From both big time player and depth standpoints, I still think this defensive line has a long way to go. The portal will be of high importance here. Auburn’s floor as a team in 2024 can really be elevated depending on how this room is managed in the next window. The edge room must have one more veteran. If there is an injury here, it can be disastrous. The margin for error is small and worrisome.

Robert Woodyard Jr. (Photo by Matt Rudolph/Auburn Live)

Linebacker

Positive thought:

Hokanson — There wasn’t a ton said about veterans Eugene Asante and Austin Keys this spring, but that’s to be expected. They are proven commodities to a degree. From a positive perspective, my focus is on Robert Woodyard. We continue to wait on Woodyard to breakthrough. Josh Aldridge said last year Woodyard had the skills, but was still trying to figure out the defense. Could Durkin’s defense provide a better opportunity for Woodyard to “get it” and take big steps forward? There were good things said off the record about Woodyard this spring and he flashed his ability in the spring game with three tackles and one tackle for loss. He has all the tools, if he can put it together, what a lift that would be for this defense.

Pinkston — I love the way this room has shaped up. There is a good mix of veterans with up and comers and freshman talent. Spring proved that there is enough in this room to allow the young talent to develop without being thrown into the fire. The top three of Asante, Keys, and Mausi are solid. I think Asante is primed to be better in 2025 than in 2024, too. Robert Woodyard seems to be in better shape playing the Will role rather than Mike. DJ Barber looks like he can contribute.

Question/concern remaining:

Hokanson — What will the depth look like this fall? Asante and Keys, sure, then you hope Dorian Mausi is a reliable veteran, hopefully Woodyard develops — then what does Demarcus Riddick look like? DJ Barber? Can they be relied upon heavily in big games immediately? Will Wesley Steiner transfer? There just isn’t much depth at linebacker and I’m not sure Auburn is going to target the position in the portal. This group better stay healthy and Woodyard, Riddick and Barber have to continue to take big leaps forward during the summer.

Pinkston — Once again, an injury in this room can send all of the positives into a negative spiral. Injuries aren’t good no matter how much depth there is, to be fair, but again the margin of error seems to be rather small. Auburn is still trying to fix that for this unit. Overall, I don’t have many concerns for this room for the upcoming season at this time IF it remains healthy.

Kayin Lee (4), Jerrin Thompson (1) and Caleb Wooden (21) (Photo by Matt Rudolph/Auburn Live)

Secondary

Positive thought:

Hokanson — Freeze really seems high on the entire secondary and I tend to climb on board with that assessment. There is tons of talent, tons of potential. Keionte Scott and Kayin Lee will lead the way, but Caleb Wooden, Jerrin Thompson, Antonio Kite, Champ Anthony, Colton Hood, Terrance Love, Sylvester Smith, JC Hart, Kaleb Harris, Kensley Faustin, Tyler Scott — we’ve heard positive comments made about all these guys this spring. Freeze feels like they really hit on the freshman defensive backs across the board. The big-game experience might not be there yet, but this might be the most talented bodies Auburn has possessed in the secondary in recent memory. If they stay healthy, there are viable options across the board with this group to help get the job done in Durkin’s defense.

Pinkston — I think the corner and safety rooms hold the most talent potential on the team. And, depth is really nice at the moment. While experience will be an issue, there is talent all around ready to break out. At corner, there are multiple options who could be really effective in a game. At safety and nickel, Jerrin Thompson is the key to bringing up the young talent while also upgrading the position from a year ago. What can Antonio Kite be? That is fun to speculate about as well. Champ Anthony has come on strong to give another option with playing experience.

Question/concern remaining:

Hokanson — Who is the third-best cornerback? I think most would agree that Scott and Lee are the primary corners, with Scott playing on the outside and obviously capable of playing the nickel. If Scott moves inside to nickel at times, who is the corner that lines up on the outside opposite Lee? If Scott stays on the outside, who can be counted upon at the nickel? That’s what I’m wondering. Offenses these days require plenty of depth in the secondary to line up against spread formations, so who is Auburn’s third -best corner? Is it Hart? Anthony? Tyler Scott? Hood? I’m intrigued to see that play out when the season starts.

Pinkston — Can the talent outshine the experience? The lack of experience will bring mistakes–there is no way around it. You don’t want it to be boom or bust in the secondary. That can be really costly to this team if the offense is still not lighting it up. However, if the talent can turn into more big plays than mistakes, this group can really be a strength of the defense. Right now, even though oozing with talent, there is concern that this group can rise to the occasion come game time. Then, of course, with so much depth, will someone really talented skip out? It would be unfortunate to lose a young talent in this room.

The post Auburn spring camp wrap-up: Position-by-position positives + questions or concerns appeared first on On3.