Analyst’s on only way Auburn’s offense can ‘threaten anybody’ at Power Five level

The Auburn football program’s 27-10 Week 4 loss to Texas A&M — one in which the Tigers failed to score a single touchdown on the offensive side of the ball — is one that has CBS Sports’s Barrett Sallee believing that a complete overhaul of AU’s offensive gameplan is the only way the unit can “threaten anybody” at the Power Five level.

“It’s time for Hugh Freeze to roll with Robby Ashford on a permanent basis,” Sallee prefaced before saying, “The offense was terrible against the Tigers’ two games against Power Five opponents, and there’s nothing to suggest that it will change. Let Ashford run more of a triple option offense out of the shotgun. It really is the only way this offense can threaten anybody at this level.”

Think Army, Navy, or Air Force’s offensive system: minimum passing but unpredictability with a savvy RPO signal-caller; something Robby Ashford would more likely be than Payton Thorne — with, ideally, the execution level of Air Force.

Payton Thorne has shown ‘no reason’ he can be the man with Auburn football

Rivals’s Brian Stultz believes that Thorne has shown “no reason” he can be the man, but struck a worried tone about the rest of the Auburn football QB room in the process.

“Payton Thorne has shown no reason he can be the man,” Stultz said. “Robby Ashford is limited in the passing game. And Holden Geriner? Well, we don’t know. So what will Auburn do at the QB position going forward? Pressure is on Hugh Freeze and staff to figure it out.”

Hugh Freeze’s upcoming stretch to figure it out includes Georgia, a bye week, LSU, and Ole Miss; not exactly the most conducive period for calm reflection.