Hugh Freeze can find Auburn football's next starting QB on team that just beat Tigers

Oklahoma QB Jackson Arnold was floated as a potential transfer portal option for Hugh Freeze's Auburn football program over the offseason by Saturday Blitz's Sam Fariss -- who sees Arnold's skillset as a glove fit for the Tigers' offensive attack.

Arnold was on the bench during OU's come-from-behind 27-21 win at Jordan-Hare Stadium after being benched by Brent Venables for freshman Michael Hawkins Jr.

"Jackson Arnold is young and relatively inexperienced but he was one of the most highly recruited quarterbacks coming out of high school in 2023," Farris wrote. "While Arnold has been benched since being named the starting QB for the Oklahoma Sooners this season, the young quarterback has the exact skillset the Tigers are in need of.

"Over his 10 appearances at the collegiate level (most coming as Dillon Gabriel's backup), Arnold has amassed 1,101 passing yards, 254 rushing yards, and 14 total touchdowns. Arnold's dual-threat capabilities and apparent knowledge of the game make him a great candidate to fill the gaping hole that Auburn currently has at quarterback."

Hugh Freeze doesn't have a QB capable of replacing Payton Thorne in 2025

For all the issues Payton Thorne has under center, it's clear through the first five weeks of the 2024 season that he's the most capable QB on Auburn's depth chart. After being benched before the New Mexico game, Thorne replaced a struggling Hank Brown (7/13, three interceptions) against Arkansas and earned his starting job back. Outside of the final three possessions against Oklahoma, Thorne was capably leading the offense; repeatedly finding receivers downfield, including KeAndre Lambert-Smith and Malcolm Simmons for touchdowns.

For better or for worse, Thorne is QB1 moving forward. But after him? There's no suitable replacement on AU's roster right now. Brown proved ineffective against one of the SEC's lesser defenses, Holden Geriner has mobility issues that have held him back for three years, and Walker White doesn't look close to taking the reins just yet.

Maybe they land 2025 recruiting target Deuce Knight, but even then, landing a more established option could be the only way Freeze saves his job next year if things continue getting worse on the Plains.