Auburn adds top transfer portal get under Hugh Freeze

Auburn football added the top transfer portal get of the Hugh Freeze era on May 5 with the addition of Michigan State quarterback Payton Thorne — this, at least, according to On3’s Justin Hokanson.

“Thorne, who is transferring from Michigan State, announced his commitment to the Tigers on Friday,” Hokanson prefaced before saying, “He’s arguably the biggest transfer addition for Auburn under new coach Hugh Freeze.”

Since Freeze took over in late November following the conclusion of the 2022 regular season, Auburn has added numerous playmaking skill position players (Brian Battie, Rivaldo Fairweather), graduate offensive linemen (Gunner Britton, Dillon Wade, Avery Jones), defensive linemen (Justin Rogers, Mosiah Nasili-Kite, Elijah McAllister) and linebackers (DeMario Tolan, Austin Keys) to replace NFL-bound difference-makers from a season ago. Thorne’s presence supersedes all of them, though, since no team will ever make noise in the SEC without a capable play-caller under center.

Auburn football is in a better spot under center than Alabama

In truth, Alabama has had a better quarterback than Auburn since Nick Marshall was under center. Bo Nix should’ve been better than Mac Jones, but that’s not how things played out.

Finally, though, the Plains features the best passer in the Yellowhammer State once more.

Alabama’s most accomplished quarterback right now is Tyler Buchner, who couldn’t win the quarterback battle at Notre Dame. Jalen Milroe and Ty Simpson were so unimpressive running new Crimson Tide offensive coordinator Tommy Rees’ schemes that Nick Saban and co. needed to make a post-A-Day QB room addition.

Of course, so did Auburn. Here’s the difference, though.

In Bryan Harsin’s last season in 2022, the Boise native took on an inexperienced project in Robby Ashford and an injured incumbent SEC starter in Zach Calzada — and it was the latter who was expected to compete with TJ Finley. Ashford ended up becoming the guy on the Plains, but he is still a project even at this point. Freeze now has his guy, and it was someone brought in specifically to be the man since Thorne has already been the man elsewhere. (See: Michigan State’s 2021 season).

Saban was looking for Milroe or (and especially) Simpson to be that guy following the end of a dominant run of QBs that featured Jalen Hurts, Tua Tagovailoa, Jones, and Bryce Young. Neither proved to be at A-Day. Buchner looks like the Crimson Tide’s best shot, but he’s far less proven than Thorne.