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Published Sep 21, 2024
Turnover problem 'sickening' to Freeze
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Henry Patton  •  AuburnSports
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@Henry_patton23

Auburn has a massive turnover problem.

Heading into Saturday, the Tigers had an average turnover margin of -2.33, which ranked No. 131 in the country.

And on Saturday, the Tigers turned it over five times in a 24-14 loss to Arkansas. It's the second game that Auburn has had five turnovers this season.

"I don't have the words," said Hugh Freeze postgame. "It is just sickening. Sickening that we can't take care of the football on offense."

Against Cal, Payton Thorne was intercepted four times. Against Arkansas, it was Hank Brown's turn to throw picks as he threw three of them and was benched after the first half.

Auburn quarterbacks have combined for seven interceptions on the season.

"We've got to find a guy that won't throw it to the other team," Freeze said after the loss.

It's not just interceptions plaguing Auburn as the Tigers lost another fumble against Arkansas, their sixth of the season.

"We've got to find running backs that hold onto it," Freeze said. That's a huge play there, we were going in to score."

It's not just that Auburn is turning it over, it's the fact that it is turning it over while they're deep in enemy territory.

On Saturday, the Tigers turned it over on the Arkansas 27 and 29-yard line while also losing a fumble at the goal line.

For the season, Auburn has turned it over 14 times and has a turnover margin of -10.

If Auburn wants to be a serious football team, the turnovers have to drop significantly. And the team knows that.

"Everybody has to protect the ball as a team," said Keandre Lambert-Smith postgame. "Quarterback, running backs, receivers, whoever has possession of the ball at the time. I think we can all get better at that. We have to look at the corrections and go back to work."

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