Hugh Freeze is in the ninth month of being the head coach of the Auburn football program, and over those months the program has already leaps and bounds ahead of where it was last year. Freeze has spent most of his time so far recruiting, but that changed with fall camp.
This set of preseason practices is the first time that the coaching staff gets to see their whole 2023 team and begin evaluating a depth chart for the upcoming season. It’s the first time the coaching staff gets to see the players that joined the roster after spring practice in action.
One of the things that has been stressed by various players over the offseason is the change in tempo at practice. During spring practice several months ago, sophomore wide receiver Cam Brown hinted at the return of “Auburn fast” from the Gus Malzahn regime, and things have been kicked up a notch during fall camp according to veteran offensive lineman Tate Johnson, per Auburn Undercover:
"“It’s definitely faster than what we’ve had before,” offensive guard Tate Johnsonsaid. “Previous years we’ve been more of a slow, pro-style offense, huddle-up, get a play, get the ball, run the play. But this is run a play, get the ball, run a play, get the ball, run the play. Coach Freeze is really pushing that tempo, and I feel like it’s going really well. That’s the biggest adjustment, playing with the speed Coach Freeze wants to play with.”"
The Tigers’ new strength and conditioning coach Dominic Studzinski has been praised by the coaches and players alike for his work in making the team bigger and stronger, and that preparation is paying off when the players are asked to play with Freeze’s level of speed in practice.
Again, everything is pointing to vast improvements for the Auburn football team when they hit the field on September 2.