SEC Media Days: Auburn's Hugh Freeze 'on the right track'

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by Jeff Shearer
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Austin Perryman

DALLAS – Before Hugh Freeze took questions or talked about the players who represented Auburn in Dallas at SEC Media Days, he mentioned Michael Wiliams from Montgomery, the fan who purchased the last season ticket package to secure a second straight season sellout. 

“We just can’t thank our Auburn family enough for their faithfulness in supporting us in all the ways they do, and supporting our players,” Freeze said Thursday at the Omni Dallas Hotel, a first-time host of the event that’s long marked the unofficial start of Southeastern Conference football season. “We’re thankful for him coming through for us at the end.”

Auburn equaled its program record of 63,500 season tickets purchased, a number that will grow to 80,000 once the ongoing student season ticket process concludes.  

“It’s been the greatest family environment and support that I’ve experienced,” Freeze said. “We’re very grateful for that.”

Heading into his second season, Freeze expressed optimism.  

“There’s great excitement in our building right now,” he said. “I think our players sense that there’s a chemistry among our staff that’s pretty special. 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. Secondly, I think we’ve upgraded our roster.” 

Auburn begins the season Aug. 31 at Jordan-Hare Stadium against Alabama A&M for Kickoff on The Plains, the first of five straight home games to start the season.

“Jordan-Hare is a difficult place to play,” Freeze said of the opening month in which the Tigers also host California, New Mexico, Arkansas and Oklahoma. “We’ve got to have that environment. That five-game stretch is critical to our success. All of those are vital.” 

Freeze selected linebacker Eugene Asante, defensive lineman Keldric Faulk and quarterback Payton Thorne to represent Auburn at Media Days, confident that Thorne will thrive in his second season with an upgraded receiving corps.

“I felt like we could put some pieces around him that would allow him to reach his potential and I’ve seen it on film,” Freeze said. “He’s proven he can use his feet to move the chains when we need to. You combine those two things, the confidence he feels in year two with us. 

“Anytime you give a quarterback weapons that have the ability to win in tight coverage, he has a confidence that he can let go of it on time and not worry so much about the pressure, it’s going to help his confidence.

“It’s going to provide him the tools to have a successful year. He knows he’s got to produce, and we don’t run from that.”

First-year defensive coordinator DJ Durkin impressed Freeze with his organizational ability. 

“I love what DJ Dukin and (co-defensive coordinator) Charles Kelly are bringing to the defensive side in experience, organization, energy and structure,” Freeze said. “The organization has been phenomenal."
 
Auburn begins preseason camp Aug. 1, bolstered by an influx of talented transfers and freshmen, familiarity among the coaching staff – especially on offense, and an offseason in which Freeze delegated some leadership components to a group of leaders known as the Tigers’ culture council.

“All of those things have led to a higher accountability in our building,” he said. “That’s one of the reasons we’re optimistic that we’re on the right track to returning Auburn to its rightful place in being one of the top programs in college football.”

Jeff Shearer is a Senior Writer at AuburnTigers.com. Follow him on Twitter: @jeff_shearer