Hugh Freeze explains why he does not see battles at other positions outside of quarterback

Now that the starting quarterback has been decided, Auburn head coach Hugh Freeze isn’t really concerned about position battles throughout the rest of the roster.

That was his attitude when asked how close the team was to figuring out its first-teamers across the roster. Per Freeze, he knows that every position on the field aside from quarterback will provide the opportunity for backups to play. So to him, it’s not a huge deal who starts because the Tigers will need to rotate multiple guys in at each spot.

However, the QB is a different story, as the team has settled on Payton Thorne as the opening day starter, and Freeze says that’s one position where he doesn’t expect to rotate guys — unless forced to.

“Well, the quarterback situation is set going into UMass, unless something happens,” said Freeze. “I mean, it’s set, it’s done and he’ll get all the reps with the ones and Robby will get most of the reps with the twos. Holden will get his share some, but I feel like that’s that’s where we are and that’s not going to change unless injuries or something happens.”

Hugh Freeze then explained his philosophy on why he’s not very concerned with other position battles.

“I don’t see the other positions as battles. There is no first team, second team in my mind,” says the Auburn coach. “We need two and three deep at every one of those spots.”

“And so, I just guess if you had to say there’s battles, it’s who’s going to be on that 70-man travel squad, you know, or that 75, if you go on the road to non-conference whatever. There’s probably some of those, but you’re trying to get those two-deep secondary, those three-deep d-line and those two deep linebackers and those two deep O-line. You’re trying to get every one of them ready.”

In his eyes, there’s no battle for playing time because there’s plenty enough to go around.

“I don’t see it as a battle. Yeah all right somebody plays well and we roll him out there the first huddle. That’s great. He had a better week of practice, but come series three, the other guy’s gonna be out there too. So I just don’t see it as ‘hey, y’all are competing to to see who plays and who doesn’t.’ It’s… we got to get them all ready.”

Whether a starter or backup, Hugh Freeze says the difference is negligible, since the team will need all hands on deck throughout the year.

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