Spring Preview: 5 storylines to follow
We are less than a week away from the start of Auburn's 2024 spring practice, and just as there were heading into Hugh Freeze's first year in charge of the Tigers, there are a lot of question marks heading in.
And, with every spring, not everything will ultimately be decided, but it will give Freeze and the coaching staff an idea of what needs to be done going into the summer and fall.
There are a lot of storylines heading into the 15 days of practices, but let's break it down to five main ones.
1. Will a quarterback separate himself from the pack?
Following Auburn's disappointing performance in the bowl game, Freeze sat at the podium and said that the quarterback competition is wide open despite Payton Thorne returning for another season. That makes sense, considering Thorne's roller-coaster first year on the Plains.
Bryan Matthews wrote about this earlier on Wednesday, but the competition will be a doozy.
Who is the guy that steps up and challenges Thorne? Hank Brown looked good in mop-up duty against Maryland, so he comes in with some momentum and a lot of praise from Freeze. Can Walker White turn it up in his first 15 college practices and be impressive? And what about Holden Geriner as he enters his third year at Auburn? If I had a guess right now, the competition will come down to Thorne, Brown and White, but it won't be decided until the fall.
2. How will the much-hyped freshmen class perform?
As I wrote on Tuesday, a lot is expected from the eighth-ranked class in the country, and many of them will be counted on from the beginning. The early signing period has made the adjustment to college a tad easier as they can now go through spring practice and have an entire semester to acclimate themselves to collegiate life. Cam Coleman, Amaris Williams and White, among many others, are taking advantage of that.
3. Adjusting to yet another defense
For the fifth straight season, Auburn has a new defensive coordinator. This time, it is a combination of D.J. Durkin and Charles Kelly who will helm up that side of the ball. A lot comes with learning a new scheme and terminology and adjusting to how a coach coaches on the field. Add the fact that there's a new defensive line coach in Vontrell King-Williams, and Wesley McGriff has returned to an on-field position; the change will take some time for the players.
4. The revamped secondary
Losing four of your five starters in the secondary is never good. Only Keionte Scott returns from last season, and then there are a lot of question marks. The good news is the addition of Laquan Robinson, the top-ranked JUCO safety, and Jerrin Thompson, a transfer from Texas, who bring experience to the group.
After them, the Tigers will depend on Kayin Lee, J.D. Rhym, Caleb Wooden, and others who saw playing time last season to step their game up.
5. Freeze offense? Freeze offense
After a first season in which he gave up play-calling duties only to put his foot down halfway through it and take more control, Freeze will be calling plays again. Sure, Derrick Nix is the de-facto offensive coordinator, but we all know the deal. These two worked together at Ole Miss, making the Rebels an offensive force.
Now, how will they do back together at Auburn with the current roster they have? If anything, it should be more fun to watch.