Auburn quarterback Payton Thorne 'living the dream'

AUBURN, Ala. – Six years after they teamed up for 14 touchdowns in high school football in Illinois, Auburn quarterback Payton Thorne and receiver Sam Jackson V are reunited on the Plains. 

If you’re looking for insight into Auburn’s QB, ask his roommate. 

“Best roommate I’ve ever had,” said Jackson, who stayed at the Thornes’ home after games on Fridays in the fall of 2018, when Payton was a senior and Sam was a sophomore. “If you really get to know Payton, you’ll love him.”

“One of the best people I’ve ever met,” Thorne said of Jackson, who returns to receiver this season after five years as a quarterback in high school and college. “An awesome guy with a great heart and a desire to win. He wants to win desperately.

“Seeing the progress he’s made the past few months is crazy. I’m extremely excited that he’s here and I’m going to have a chance to throw him the ball this year.”

Thorne lived alone last season after arriving at Auburn in the summer following his transfer from Michigan State. Jackson joined the program this season after transferring from the University of California. 

“It never gets boring,” said Jackson, who reminisced this summer with Thorne about their glory days at Naperville Central in suburban Chicago. “We have super deep talks. We would go to the stadium, then stay up till 3 or 4 a.m., talking about us living the dream.

“Everybody doesn’t get to do what we do on a daily basis. Having Payton as a roommate is crazy. That’s a great guy.”

In his first season at Auburn, Thorne threw for 16 touchdowns and 1,755 yards while adding a career-high 519 yards rushing.

Still, says Jackson, that “wasn’t Payton.” 

Three years ago, as a sophomore at Michigan State, Thorne tossed 27 touchdown passes and threw for 3,233 yards.

“You go back to 2021,” Jackson said. “That’s how Payton is playing now.”

Why the change? Several factors, including an upgraded arsenal of receivers, a retooled offense that matches Thorne’s strengths and experience, and a second season with many of his Auburn teammates.  

“This is what I’ve done before that I believe in, too, and I know our other coaches do as well,” Thorne said. “I really don’t look much at last year and obviously our personnel is a ton different, too.”

Said Jackson, “We didn’t have a lot of juice in the room. Now we’ve got those guys and you see Payton flourishing. His cerebral part overrides all of the talent. Don’t get me wrong. He’s very talented. Payton knows where he’s going with the ball every single time.”

Thorne’s command of the playbook, decision-making and leadership impressed Auburn head coach Hugh Freeze, who named Payton QB1 for the second straight season.

“I’ve always believed in him,” Freeze said Monday in his first weekly press conference of the 2024 season. “I believe in him even more today than I did in January because of what I’ve witnessed and what I hear in meeting rooms and film rooms. He’s excited to prove that to a lot of people.”

A full offseason – winter workouts, spring practice, summer conditioning and self-directed passing sessions with Auburn’s receivers – increased Thorne’s confidence about what lies ahead. 

“A huge difference,” Thorne said. “Last year getting here in the middle of summer, obviously that's not ideal going into a new offense, a new team, a new atmosphere.

“Now we have a set plan. You're familiar with everything. There's going to be more confidence that comes with that. I think that good things are coming because of that. We want to take it to that next level as a unit.

“My confidence comes from the preparation that we've put in. I think it's been a really good offseason. I'm excited for what we have to come. We've got some new weapons.”

Those weapons include KeAndre Lambert-Smith, like Thorne a former Big Ten standout, and five-star freshman Cam Coleman, one of four in-state newcomers at receiver. 

“I trust the guys we have out there and they’re making plays,” Thorne said. 

Coleman, the 6-foot-3 A-Day MVP, has impressed since enrolling in January as a 17-year-old.

“He’s going to make a lot of plays for us this year, and Auburn is going to love him,” Thorne said. “He gives the ability to spread the field, both horizontally and vertically. Teams are going to have to respect that, and I can't wait to be on the field with him.”

After one throwing session with Coleman this summer, Thorne called his friend and former high school and college teammate Jayden Reed, who starred for Green Bay last season as a rookie, comparing Coleman’s leaping ability to that of Keon Coleman, a teammate of theirs at Michigan State, now an NFL rookie.

“I think he can jump higher than Keon can,” Thorne told his former teammate, who responded with skepticism. 

Thorne doubled down. 

“I’m pretty sure he can,” Thorne told Reed. “I’ve never seen somebody jump as high as he jumps in football. It’s honestly majestic. There are not many guys who can do what he does.

“Keon had an elite mindset – I think Cam does, too. It’s going to be fun playing with Cam and seeing what he’s got.”

Last season, Thorne frequently targeted Rivaldo Fairweather, who set Auburn’s tight end record with 38 receptions. 

“I never threw to the tight end as much as I did last year,” Thorne said. “We’ll carry that over into this year. Now they can’t double-team him anymore. That will open up more of our passing game.”

Working with offensive coordinator Derrick Nix and quarterbacks coach Kent Austin, Thorne feels empowered to change plays at the line of scrimmage based on the defensive alignment. 

“I have a really good understanding of what Coach Freeze and Coach Nix are trying to do, and what Coach Austin sees,” Thorne said. “If we’re on the same page, Coach is going to have confidence in me to change things up if I need to, because that’s what he would do.

“It’s been great. It’s been really fun. It’s a part of my game I didn’t get to use very much last year. I think we’re going to have that as a weapon this year.”

Thorne begins his college football finale season Saturday at 6:30 p.m. CT when Alabama A&M visits Jordan-Hare Stadium for Kickoff on The Plains.

“We have incredible fans,” Thorne said. “It starts with our fans and how they pack the stadium and the energy they bring. They understand the impact they can make, and they do it. Our fans are outstanding.

“When that third and fourth quarter comes around, it’s jumping, and it’s going to be loud. I love our stadium, I love playing in front of our fans, and you can expect more of that this year.

“I'm just excited for what’s to come this year. I'm excited for the fanbase and for this program.”

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