Auburn Tigers News: Alex McPherson could return, Hugh Freeze on playing to win
In today's edition of Auburn Tigers News, the return of Alex McPherson could happen this week, and Hugh Freeze discusses playing to win
According to Auburn football head coach Hugh Freeze, freshman kicker Towns McGough is currently in "a kicker's slump." After an impressive start earlier this season, McGough has struggled the past few games and has missed four of his last seven attempts.
Of course, McGough was never supposed to play this season, and was supposed to back up Alex McPherson. Due to major gastrointestinal issues, McPherson has been out all season, but has been slowly working his way back up to being ready to play. Freeze told the media after this weekend's loss that there's a chance he could return in the Kentucky matchup.
"Should we have another opportunity within the 35-yard range we were going to give Alex that shot, he told me he felt like he could do that," Freeze said of last week at Missouri, per Auburn Undercover. "We're close to thinking on that, we'll see how the week goes. Again, we're excited about Towns and his future and his talent, but we need to make those. Those are critical moments that keep our momentum up and us feeling good and us feeling like, 'Man, we're finding ways to win the game.' He did feel like he could've participated if we had that situation again Saturday."
Hugh Freeze discusses playing to win
It's been one of the most frustrating, disappointing seasons in recent history for the Auburn football program, and every weekend Hugh Freeze is forced to look for answers in his address to the media. Why can't the team execute? Why are turnovers plaguing the offense? Why can't the Tigers hold onto a comfortable lead in the fourth quarter?
Freeze told the press on Monday that the players are starting to feel the pressure of a four-game losing streak, and he is concerned that the Tigers are playing not to lose rather than playing to win the game.
"We have a young team, and they’re learning and they’re growing, but I do think we still play not to lose instead of ‘Man, let’s play to win.’ Truthfully, we probably are coaching that way some, too. I feel the pressure of those calls and not being free to do what I’ve done for years. And, ‘Oh man, we could screw this up,’ or, ‘We could not execute this correctly.' Those are all feelings that are real and legitimate and probably have an effect on us not finishing games really well," Freeze said, per The Montgomery Advertiser. "There's no question that you feel the pressure of those moments of 'Do I just be free and loose like most of my life and coaching has been' or 'Man, we're so desperate that our kids deserve to win one of these games, don't do anything that's going to put them in jeopardy of doing that.' "
The Tigers will get a shot at picking up their first conference win this weekend on the road against Kentucky.