AUBURN, Ala. – With names on the back of jerseys so coaches can quickly discern who's who, the new-look Auburn Tigers kicked off preseason camp Thursday, the first at the new Woltosz Football Performance Center.
"We're excited to see how we handle all the mental and physical toughness that we must pledge to each other," said first-year head coach Hugh Freeze, who hopes to use preseason camp to teach the Tigers about the commitment required to succeed in the SEC.
"My favorite definition of commitment is an obligation that restrains my freedom of action. People don't like that but that's what true commitment is, from a football team to your family. If we handle it the right way, it restricts our freedom of action because we are concerned with what is best for the other."
The Tigers have continually bolstered their roster since Freeze's arrival, adding more than 40 transfers and signees, including quarterback Payton Thorne after spring practice and transfer offensive lineman Dylan Senda this week.
"Everybody's asking, 'What do you think?' I have no idea," Freeze said of the players he's yet to coach. "I feel like I may be behind in our evaluation of who we are and what we can do. I'm ready to get on the field and see what's accurate. Are we really behind in our evaluation because we have so many new faces and they're learning a new system, or is it okay and we're on track?
"It's an uncomfortable feeling but I think with the new rules as they are to rebuild a roster, we did the right thing. Now we've got to hurry up and catch up if we are behind in our evaluation of everything."
Speaking to reporters before Auburn's first practice, Freeze addressed the quarterback battle between Thorne, Robby Ashford, Holden Geriner and true freshman Hank Brown.
"I'm excited about the competition. I think it's going to make them all better," said Freeze, who wants to turn up the heat on the candidates. "Create pressure and adverse situations and see how they respond. Are they evaluating coverages correctly? Is the ball going to the right spot? Is the decision to stay with the run or get into the RPO? All those things will be evaluated. Who does the team really rally around?"
Auburn takes momentum into preseason camp after a productive recruiting period that culminated with Big Cat weekend.
"I'm not really shocked," Freeze said. "I think it's easy to recruit to Auburn. This is one of the elite programs in the country."
Freeze and the Tigers have four weeks to prepare for Kickoff on the Plains, the Sept. 2 season opener vs. Massachusetts at 2:30 p.m. CT at Jordan-Hare Stadium.
"I believe we have improved the Auburn football team through recruiting," Freeze said. "What does that mean as far as closing the gap on the guys in this conference, I don't know yet. But we're excited to find out."
Nearing the end of his media session, within minutes of the start of his first preseason practice at Auburn, Freeze returned to his theme of commitment.
"The commitment it takes to win today," he said. "Do we have the mental and physical toughness to win today? Then stack the days from today to tomorrow to the next day. That is the secret sauce. You have to behave as a champion before you become one."
'You have to behave as a champion before you become one'
Jeff Shearer is a Senior Writer at AuburnTigers.com. Follow him on Twitter: @jeff_shearer