What Alabama Sees In Auburn's Star Freshman Receiver

The Tigers enter the 2024 Iron Bowl with numerous threats in passing game.

Nov 23, 2024; Auburn, Alabama, USA; Auburn Tigers wide receiver Cam Coleman (8) celebrates after scoring a touchdown against the Texas A&M Aggies during the third quarter at Jordan-Hare Stadium. Mandatory Credit: John Reed-Imagn Images / John Reed-Imagn Images

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. -- The 2024 Iron Bowl is underway this Saturday and the stakes couldn't be higher for the No. 13 Alabama Crimson Tide and the Auburn Tigers. The Crimson Tide's College Football Playoff chances are hanging by a thread and need a victory and some help to make the postseason, while the Tigers enter needing a win to make a bowl game for the second straight season under Hugh Freeze.

While the two programs are in different places in the hierarchy of college football they still share many similarities, including both offenses heavily featuring freshman wide receivers. Alabama's Ryan Williams is widely known after earning a spot as a Biletnikoff Award semifinalist as a freshman, but the Tigers also have a freshman in Cam Coleman who's made a difference offensively.

"Yeah, he's definitely a vertical threat," Alabama safety Malachi Moore said. "He's a big time, big play type of guy and they look to him to kind of get their offense going and get the momentum, so he's a key part of their offense."

Cam Coleman is a superstar in the making🗣️

pic.twitter.com/yFSx7i96Ck

— PFF College (@PFF_College) November 24, 2024

Coleman's hauled in 30 receptions for 520 yards and seven touchdowns across 10 games of action this season. He's taken his game to a new level in the last two weeks as he recorded 15 receptions for 228 yards and five touchdowns leading to two Auburn wins over Lousina-Monroe and the Texas A&M Aggies.

"Yeah, he's one of the more exciting players when you look at young players that are making good plays and bringing good juice and energy, you're seeing that from him on tape," Alabama cornerbacks coach Maurice Linguist said. "He's got a natural skillset, natural ability. I think they've done a really good job of developing him throughout the season. His play's been consistent and steady. I think he's a confident young player that believes in his ability, that believes in himself and I think they have a lot of trust in him in what they're asking him to do because they're giving him a lot of opportunities to make plays. So he's been a really good complimentary piece and he's been for them, and he's been a good playmaker for them and we know we've got to do a great job against them."

WHAT A CATCH, ARE YOU SERIOUS 😱

Cam Coleman with his third TD of the day 😤 @SECNetwork pic.twitter.com/8cc0EqCrRS

— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) November 16, 2024

Coleman's not the only Auburn newcomer to make noise in the passing game as he's mirrored by senior Penn State transfer Keandre Lambert-Smith. Smith's 42 receptions for 865 and eight touchdowns lead the Tigers in all categories in his first season on the Plains. Lambert-Smith also had nice numbers the last two weeks on only eight receptions going for 208 yards and one touchdown to ensure defenses can't cheat to one receiver or the other.

"You see two athletic receivers on the outside that can make plays," Linguist said. "They do a really good job of trying to isolate them at times and give them an opportunity to make plays with the ball in the air. You see some of the 'wow' type plays, I mean, you see the Texas A&M game, they really came alive, being able to push the ball down the field and took care of the ball a lot better than probably they had earlier in the season. You've got to think they probably feel good about what they were able to do the last two weeks, putting up their most explosive plays, and their most amount of points. So we know we've got our job cut out for us with a really good team coming into town that's probably confident and playing really good football coming into the stadium."