Hugh Freeze's efforts on the Plains seem to be finally paying off. All the work Freeze has put in the past two years is coming to fruition in the form of an incredibly improved offense and overall team.
Their prone to turn the ball over was one of their fatal flaws last season, one that heavily impacted the outcome of games and even cost them some wins.
This season seems much better from that front, with the Tigers having just one interception two weeks into the season. And that is with a quarterback who was very much turnover prone himself the last season.
Freeze hopes it continues that way.
"Yeah, you just keep preaching ball security and working on it. I don't know another thing," he said. "I just know that we're fortunate to just have one at this point. Hopefully, that continues, and the ball bounces our way. If we do put it on the ground, hopefully, it's not on the ground as much."
Although it is too early to compare, Auburn had 22 fumbles, six of them lost in 2024, as compared to 6 fumbles this year in two games, with just one lost.
The number is not too bad, but if the squad doesn't dial them down soon, they will be at 22 in no time.
Or, as Coach Freeze puts it, the offense just needs to "strain it more."
"Offensively, I did not think we strained very well, up front, particularly. I know we averaged nine yards a rush. Giving up the two sacks was disappointing, but we’ve got to make sure the pocket is where it needs to be, also as coaches, and that’s on us," Freeze said on Monday.
The silver lining is Jackson Arnold's undeniable improvement with zero interceptions this season. Continuing that and improving on the fumbles slowly during the season should be the goal.
Auburn hosts South Alabama at Jordan-Hare this Saturday.