Texas Longhorns quarterback Arch Manning recently revealed the extent to which Auburn Tigers transfer receiver Cam Coleman has locked in since arriving in Austin this past January via the portal. And Tiger fans should take offense, quite frankly.
Per Manning during a Wednesday press conference, "He's an elite player ... And he wants to be good, which is the most encouraging thing. He's a hard worker. I'm excited." Where was that energy in Auburn?
As On3's Jake Crain told me about Coleman after his transfer, the receiver never practiced hard during his nearly two years under Hugh Freeze. Per Crain, "It's easy to see it because Auburn collapsed in every big moment, basically, during his tenure. And that's not a coincidence. That's not by accident. That is something that is cultivated, and that's why when you see these guys reading, like, I've never, and I'm not saying Cam Coleman isn't talented. He's talented, but he didn't practice hard. Like, these guys, it doesn't work in this sport."
Hugh Freeze cannot be fully blamed for Cam Coleman's failures
Had Coleman continued being the same way he was with his new team, it would've been easy to write the receiver off as someone who didn't translate to the college game, something that happens to many talented 5-star recruits.
Coleman excelling in Central Texas doesn't mean it was fully Freeze's fault on the Plains either. Many Tigers stuck around when Alex Golesh came aboard. For Coleman, though, no amount on a blank check would've brought him back to the Plains.
Maybe Coleman simply needed to experience what's out there. Committing to the Texas A&M Aggies the first go-round is stone-cold proof that the Lone Star State was on his radar. This offseason, TAMU came back around, but the ability to play with Manning was a big deal to Coleman and ultimately led him to the Longhorns.
It was easy for Coleman to leave Auburn, as the Phenix City product admitted on Wednesday. That isn't the product of one man souring him on the major university within 40 miles of his home. It may be the product of a player realizing that staying home might have been a hindrance to his career. Whether Freeze was in the coaching seat or not.
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