Auburn football's biggest question mark during the 2024 season is whether or not Jackson Arnold can reach his ceiling on the Plains after struggling to reach it in Oklahoma. 247 Sports' Cody Nagel loves the Tigers' offensive weapons but puts the season's success on the shoulders of Hugh Freeze clicking with Arnold.
"The playmakers for Auburn should stack up with the best in the SEC next season, especially with transfer additions like Eric Singleton Jr. bolstering the offensive arsenal. The big question is whether former five-star quarterback Jackson Arnold can regain his confidence under coach Hugh Freeze after transferring in from Oklahoma," Nagel wrote.
This isn't the first time Freeze's confidence in Arnold has been brought up. On SI's Keith Cummings in January.
"Moving on from the distinctly average Payton Thorne might well give Freeze a real bolt of energy, but he will have to show more flexibility and patience toward Arnold than he ever did his former quarterback," Cummings wrote.
"Therein lies the rub for Freeze - he can’t afford patience in 2025. If he fails to show significant improvement with Arnold, then the path toward quarterback in waiting Deuce Knight will also get more complicated for Freeze."
Arnold cannot continue taking to the air less often than not. Auburn's WR room has the chance to be among the best in the country and the RB room isn't strong enough to run an academy-esque RPO offense.
If the Tigers reach their ceiling, it'll be because Arnold broke out of his collegiate comfort zone and found arm confidence via Freeze, Derrick Nix, and Kent Austin's coaching.
If that happens, there are expectations of a jump into the College Football Playoff conversation. Tiger fans set themselves up for failure year in and year out thinking AU will pull another 2010 or 2013, but Auburn is the Loveliest Village on the Plains because hope always springs eternal due to those breakout runs.
Auburn is a college town built to win. Fans know it and want to see key alignment for the winning to return.