Auburn quarterback Hank Brown loving transition to college, workouts with receivers

Auburn freshman QB Hank Brown is enjoying his move to campus.

Lance Dawe | Jun 9, 2023

Auburn quarterback Hank Brown loving transition to college, workouts with receivers /

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Auburn Tigers

The Tigers' 2023 class is making its way onto campus for the summer.

No player is more excited to be here than quarterback Hank Brown, who is moved in and beginning summer workouts with Auburn.

Zac Blackerby of the Locked On Auburn podcast brought Brown onto the show to talk about how how getting to campus has been.

"It's been a great transition," Brown said "There's been a lot of things that have been getting thrown at me, a lot of new things, but I've loved getting to know all the people and just building relationships and getting used to all the workouts and whatnot. So, it's been a good transition."

Brown was one of 12 freshmen in the Tigers' 2023 class that waited past the spring to get on campus. Now that he's here, Brown is already starting to get into rhythm with Auburn's receivers.

Getting those first workouts in was sort of a shock for Brown, who is still wrapping his mind around the fact that he's an SEC quarterback.

"The first throwing session, it was kind of like, ‘Wow, like I'm finally here, getting thrown in with those boys,’" Brown said. "Like this morning, we'll split up the tight ends and slots and then the outside receivers. This morning I was able to throw with those outside guys and you know kind of learn how they work and kind of start building that relationship with those guys."

College football as a whole is a step up from the high school game, but practice in the SEC is even more detailed work. Blackerby asked Brown how much more elaborate are the conversations and executions of routes and plays.

"It's definitely a deeper conversation," Brown said. "Especially here for the receivers, you really have to be on the same page as them. And as far as knowing what they're doing, they have different options and choices on every different route. That's huge in building that chemistry, especially here."

Brown also noted that while the conversations may be more detailed and more chemistry dependent, Auburn's receivers are already top notch in terms of execution and technique.

"It's awesome to see how smart these receivers are and see like how detailed all the different techniques that they're using," Brown said. "So that was something that even just this morning, I was able to talk with them and see kind of how their mind is working through it so we can be on the same page."

As far as individual development goes, Brown is trying to bulk up and get himself up to speed with the collegiate game.

"I'm really just trying to work on getting bigger, building my frame, quickening up my feet and then RPO game, getting twitchier," Brown said. "But this is, you know, after I finish my lift later today, it'll be my first full week. So kind of just getting in the flow of things, understanding and learning the playbook is a big one. You know, every day I'm trying to take time out of my day just to really master that and, and trying to work on that stuff."

How extreme have the workouts been so far?

"They've definitely been intense," Brown said. "The strength and conditioning staff here is awesome and everything they do and how detailed they are, it's been cool to see. Obviously it's super intense, but they also are smart with how they do it and they're not trying to wear us down, but they're trying to really build us and make us stronger so it's been it's been great."

Brown will continue to prepare this summer for the beginning of fall camp in August, where he will work with fellow Auburn signal-callers Robby Ashford, Payton Thorne, and Holden Geriner.

Auburn kicks off the 2023 season on September 2nd vs UMass at 2 p.m. CT on ESPN.

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