It's no surprise that Auburn football head coach Hugh Freeze is expected to win games this year. After two years on the Plains and results that are less than great, a lot is riding on the Tigers' success in the 2025 season.
A major difference in the team heading into Freeze's third year is the personnel in the quarterback room. After two years with Payton Thorne, the Freeze recruited former Oklahoma starter Jackson Arnold from the transfer portal, and with all the other QBs hitting the portal, the room is completely different from last season. True freshman Deuce Knight and Stanford transfer Ashton Daniels will back up Arnold.
With Arnold at the helm of the offense and possibly the best group of wide receivers the Tigers have ever had, the stage is set for the team to vastly improve after years of losing records. According to Missouri journalist Calum McAndrew, Arnold must be successful in order for Freeze to keep his job on the Plains:
"Hugh Freeze, in his third year running the program, has to get the offense — and the quarterback — right this year, or it may be his head. Patience isn’t an abundant commodity in Auburn, Alabama.
"His major moves in the transfer portal reflect that. Beyond Arnold and Singleton, two of Auburn’s biggest signings were highly ranked offensive linemen. Chaplin and Murphy are the Tigers’ projected left and right tackles, respectively, and were both top-250 transfer portal additions, per On3’s ratings.
"Arnold should have weapons to work with behind them. Partnering Singleton as starting pass-catchers will be Cam Coleman and Malcolm Simmons, who combined for 1,049 yards and 11 touchdowns as true freshmen last season. That, on paper, is as strong of a trio as you’ll find anywhere."
The Tigers will kick off their season on August 29 against the Baylor Bears in Waco, Texas.