AUBURN | On Saturday night, Cam Coleman will attend his high school prom. But on Saturday afternoon, he had some things to prove in Jordan-Hare Stadium.
Sure, it was the A-Day game, and players not near Coleman's talent level have had big days, notching MVP honors as the freshman did on Saturday, but for an offense needing a big-time receiver who can create explosive plays, it was a good sign for things to come. He finished with four catches for 92 yards and a touchdown.
"Really just experiencing the whole thing, the fans," Coleman said. "I love the fans and really just a great atmosphere. Even though stadium wasn't full, it was still great energy around and it was just a great experience overall."
Coleman showed his ability early, streaking down the middle of the field, catching a Hank Brown pass over his shoulder for a 49-yard gain. In the fourth quarter, the Phenix City, Ala., native fell but was still able to catch a pass from Payton Thorne on the sideline for eight yards.
His best was coming up. Three plays later, Thorne launched a deep ball to the left side of the north end zone, where Coleman was well-defended. No matter, as the 6-foot-3 receiver went up and above the defender to come down with the first of what should be many touchdown catches in his Auburn career.
"Oh man, I can't even describe it because it happened so fast," Coleman said of the touchdown. "But it was just an abundance of joy, and it was just fun. It was just a great, great feeling."
Thorne is happy to have the talented receiver on his side.
"It’s nice," the quarterback said. "It’s really nice. And you love playing with a confident receiver, and he’s confident and backs it up too. He’s just going to keep getting better and better and I’m just excited to watch his journey. I’ll only be with him for one year but he’s going to be a special player."
On Tuesday, Hugh Freeze called Cam Coleman "a different cat." The Auburn coach wasn't calling the freshman wide receiver weird, but he is just a different player compared to most on the football field.
In his first opportunity to show Auburn fans why Freeze labeled him that, Coleman more than succeeded.
"I think he changes us," Freeze said Saturday. "We need more. Just anxious to get the other signees here like Perry and Malcolm to join with that group. But I am glad our fans got to see that. I'm quite sure that they were very excited to see that.
"He just tracks the ball and thinks every ball is catchable. I know he made a couple of great ones, but there's one he didn't that I honestly thought might have been his best effort of the day."
Now, the freshman will travel back to Phenix City, put on his tuxedo (black with a silver tie, for those wondering), and be a high-school kid one more time.
