Hugh Freeze Explains Substitution on Muffed Punt Return vs Alabama

The Tigers made a change at punt returner that ended up proving costly.

We have an explanation as to why Auburn decided to sub out their punt returner for the backup late in the game against Alabama.

Keionte Scott, a defensive back and punt returner for the Tigers, has been the primary returner for Auburn all season. Backup Koy Moore has had the chance to return seven punts of his own, but hasn't seen as much action as Scott has.

After Keionte had handled punt return duties all afternoon against Alabama, Moore was subbed in to return the final punt of the day. He muffed it, giving the Tide prime field position eventually leading to a fourth-and-goal touchdown from the 31-yard line.

Obviously, the Hail Mary touchdown left everyone stunned. But what about the muffed punt? Why was Moore back there to begin with, especially considering Scott was returning punts the whole game?

Freeze gave an explanation during Monday's press conference following the game.

"The punt, I don’t know what discussion you can have, Keionte (Scott) dings his shoulder on third down, goes to the training room, so you put your backup in. which Koy has been solid all year at doing that," Freeze said. "I didn’t know that in the moment, but you have to play back up sometimes, and the last thing you want to do in the moment is let them pin us back on the five-yard line with their three timeouts, and Koy has been solid all year at catching punts, something happened with his footing it looked like there, and it’s one of those awful plays that I think we win the game if we catch that punt. Koy has been as dependable as can be. So there’s no discussion there, I mean if Keionte is out then you put your next guy in there, and we trust Koy to do his job."

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