What follows is a rough transcript of Hugh Freeze's appearance on "Tiger Talk" Monday night. This is not meant to be a comprehensive transcript. We try to have fun with it.
• ANDY is Andy Burcham, the official Voice of The Auburn Tigers.
• NOT ANDY is Brad Law, who is not the Official Voice of the Auburn Tigers yet is terrific in his own right.
They're getting right to it tonight. That's terrific.
NOT ANDY wants to know about how things are going with 12 days to go before the game. "I like this team. I'm having fun coaching them. I feel good about where we are after two weeks of camp. I couldn't ask for more out of them. There's a hunger."
"With the '24 class, there's no doubt that we've bettered ourselves."
ANDY asks about the GRATITUDE thing Hugh has been talking about. "It's easy in the world ... we look at this challenge or these circumstances and then our minds are telling us things that are not necessarily true. When you have gratitude ... you show up to work differently."
"We'll get our gratitude tested this week for sure."
NOT ANDY asks about Hugh being a straight shooter with people. "So many people attach their value as a human being through results ... on the field. (He loathes that approach.) Everybody's role is so vital."
ANDY asks about the scrimmage last weekend. Hugh says the offense was excellent early. He said the tackling was not great -- especially in the secondary. "We're losing some one-on-ones in the pass-rushing game."
(He mentions that they're moving Wade outside and moving Percy Lewis inside. He mentions that the team needs Wade at tackle.)
(He says Amaris Williams was outstanding last week.)
****COMMERCIAL BREAK****
He's asked about which rooms have impressed him. Freeze says WR room first. Then he says DLs. "We've got six that can play (inside) and maybe four or five on the edge."
"My biggest concern is the secondary and the depth there. We're very thin back there, truthfully. Losing T-Scott was tough; he was going to play a lot for us."
ANDY asks about some top defensive guys (J-Mac and Keys) being healthy this season. (Keys got hurt in the first scrimmage -- a sprained MCL -- and Freeze says he "hopes" Keys will be ready for the first game.)
NOT ANDY asks about the new defensive coaches. "I desperately needed some juice over there. If I have to prove it for both sides all the time ... it's a struggled for me. DJ -- he's got energy and he's so detailed. (This group of coaches) really have the kids' attention."
ANDY asks about new coaches on offense -- Kent Austin and Derrick Nix. "The comfort level is really, really nice right now. It's the system I want to run. I've got a lot of good minds in there first. And they're good people. We have it now to what I'm used to. I hate talking like that because people think I'm putting others down. I can't go through another year where I'm not comfortable offensively."
NOT ANDY asks if there's a position where depth is making a big difference. "This past week, it's been the receivers. They're elevating each other's play. Competition has been good for that room."
****COMMERICAL BREAK*****
ANDY asks about QB2. (It'll be Hank Brown.) "He's been really, really good throwing the ball in camp. Strong arm. That's not a knock on Holden. I wouldn't be afraid to him in either. You have to settle in and get somebody prepared. That's going to be Hank."
ANDY asks how practice changes with classes in session. "I wish we were a morning camp team. I think the kids are so much better (that way). We'll be (practicing) in the afternoon."
NOT ANDY asks about Payton and Freeze's expectations for him this season. "I expect him to get it right. The system is what he has to understand. He has to get us out of bad plays. I love what I see from Payton right now. I think people are going to be pleased."
"I'm just thankful for the Auburn fans. We're grateful. I know everybody wants to win it all right now. We're headed there. We have to stack a few classes and then we'll have a roster like ... these other teams have."
Hugh ends with a steely WAR EAGLE.
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