Hugh Freeze dishes highest order of compliment to biggest AU transfer
Auburn football head coach Hugh Freeze dished out a compliment of the highest order to the Tigers’ biggest transfer, Payton Thorne, during AU’s SEC Media Days 2023 on July 18 — saying he has leadership qualities with the bright lights and cameras watching from around the SEC-watching world.
“What I’ve been impressed with is his attention to detail, his desire to learn the systems, to be a leader, to have position group meetings,” said Freeze (h/t Rivals’ Bryan Matthews). “He definitely has those leadership qualities. He’s just got some intrinsic things about him that you really like that I know is going to enhance that room. But like I said, I haven’t coached him a single practice yet. So it would be unfair for me to even act like I knew where everybody stood at. But absolutely love what I’ve seen from him in the leadership world.”
The former Michigan State quarterback was the guy Freeze waited for in the portal, with the ex-Liberty and Ole Miss play-caller reportedly passing on offers for eventual Florida Atlantic commit Casey Thompson, North Carolina State addition Brennan Armstrong, and ex-Wolfpack star-turned-Kentucky signal-caller Devin Leary before choosing Thorne as the Plains’ pick under center.
Payton Thorne’s Auburn football teammates are complimentary of QB as well
Thorne didn’t only receive Freeze’s strong vote of confidence, but equally importantly, he got it from pass-catching tight end teammate Luke Deal.
“He’s throwing really good,” said Deal. “He’s just such a savvy quarterback. He’s a savvy guy. He is a veteran quarterback and you can tell. He’s got the swagger to him. He’s got that it factor when it comes down to experience and he’s got a lot of it, which I’m excited for.”
With all of the key people around Thorne being sky-high on what he can do in 2023, it’s hard not to think that the second half-master Freeze — who hoped that it was Nick Saban who said that when AL.com’s Joseph Goodman told him a coach had said that — and the fifth-year signal-caller.
If Jarquez Hunter isn’t playing, Thorne’s leadership will be even more essential given the playmaking that’d be lost. You don’t want a man not associated with that word to be the one you’re relying on if Hunter is out.
Luckily that doesn’t seem to be the case.