Auburn football wide receiver explains dropped passes against Vandy
![Auburn footballAuburn wide receiver Jay Fair (5) receives a pass against Vanderbilt during the first quarter at FirstBank Stadium in Nashville, Tenn., Saturday, Nov. 4, 2023. Auburn footballAuburn wide receiver Jay Fair (5) receives a pass against Vanderbilt during the first quarter at FirstBank Stadium in Nashville, Tenn., Saturday, Nov. 4, 2023.](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_fill,w_720,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/shape/cover/sport/51a5546548079fc976018a63fc7715cd95587ace74a25641a5cd2fa91862ca63.jpg)
The Auburn football program played a good game against Vanderbilt last weekend, but there is room for major improvement in some areas of the Tigers’ game. The quarterback situation seems to have been resolved with Payton Thorne getting most, if not all, of the snaps, but now the attention has turned to another position group.
For the past few years, Auburn football has lacked a major playmaker in the wide receiver room. There is plenty of potential, but for the most part it has yet to transfer onto the playing field. In past games this season, head coach Hugh Freeze has mentioned that passing mistakes have not all been Thorne’s fault—there are receivers running wrong routes and missing passes.
But the major issue this past weekend was dropped catches. Freeze said in his Monday presser that if the Tigers had made a few more plays the game would have been out of hand and that he isn’t sure the team can make those mistakes and still come out on top against the Arkansas Razorbacks this weekend.
According to wide receiver Jay Fair, the Tigers’ wide receivers are completely capable and it was just a lack of focus when it comes to the fundamentals, per Auburn Rivals:
"“I think as receivers we make a lot of the harder catches. Just a lack of focus on the ones we don’t make,” said receiver Jay Fair. “I’m sure this week it will probably be a little more emphasis on it. Moving forward I feel like we can make all the plays that come our way.”"
They’ll certainly need to make all the plays that come their way, especially with the Tigers on the verge of achieving bowl eligibility. With the defense firing on all cylinders and the offense beginning to click, things could be looking up for the Auburn football program.
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