Continuity is Key for Hugh Freeze and Auburn Tigers

Amid the burgeoning youth movement on the Auburn Tigers, head coach Hugh Freeze doubles down on continuity.

Auburn Tigers head coach Hugh Freeze turned to a familiar face with his offensive coordinator hire in January. / Jake Crandall / USA TODAY NETWORK

For as much as Auburn Tigers head coach Hugh Freeze is intent on infusing the program with fresh-new talent, consistency is also a prevailing buzz word.

Having foundational building blocks in place is far more difficult on the playing side of things, and for obvious reasons, but continuity between head coach and offensive coordinator Derrick Nix rumbles on-and-on.

"Of course, Nix was with me for five seasons," Freeze said at his press conference earlier this week. "And so I think he is very comfortable with me. I'm very comfortable with him. The verbiage is the same and I don't think he has to wonder what Coach really expects with this.

"I was just sitting in his meeting with he and Kent (Austin) in there listening and trying not to talk as much as let them talk, but he's saying exactly what he should be saying. And if you're talking about the concept screen, seeing it the exact same way I see it, and telling that to the players just gives me this kind of fuzzy feeling like, this is exactly what I would have said.

"And that's what we're getting in Derrick Nix."

One thing for sure, Nix won't be short of offensive spark plugs in 2024, especially with the dynamic duo wide receivers, Cam Coleman and Perry Thompson set to breakout.

Furthermore, all-six running backs return to the fold for Auburn this season, but getting the most out of starting quarterback Payton Thorne moving forward will hold the real key to success for coach Freeze. 

"We've had great conversations all summer," Freeze said of his starting quarterback. "I think he is starting to learn my mindset. It's like in this morning's meeting we've got a concept going on. There's one look that I don't this concept has an answer for and not many people would see it that way probably or know it within our building. But because of our meetings, I'm getting ready to say it - whoa, whoa, this one right here, this is the one, and Payton's like we've already talked about it.

"I'm gonna check right there. Good. I'm golden. I expect to see him at this stage of his career to know my mind and to know the adjustments to get us in the best possible scenario where there's pass or run and to know situational football."

In fairness to Thorne, he just didn't have enough time to really bed into the new offensive system he was tasked with running last year and the talent at wide receiver was less than optimal. That was reflected in an anemic overall passing game - one which faltered badly when attempting to execute elements of the RPO.

While it's understandable that Freeze wants to turn the page on failure, the lessons which need to be learnt remain immovable obstacles, well at least until he works out a method of bulldozing them away.

"I don't want to talk about last year anymore, truthfully," Freeze declared in sincere terms.

"I want it to be on my shoulders that it was my fault. I'm not a blame guy. This spring I think we put more tools in the toolbox and made a commitment to fix the issues that come up in the RPO. There are really three main issues if you know RPO offense that that can happen that you better have answers for, and you better not have the same answer every single time.

"I think if you sat down and talked with him right now he knows very clearly what my three answers are and hopefully they'll start learning situationally which one of those he should go to. And I think that's why he's feeling more comfortable coming out of spring practice."

Obviously, the synchronization required to really run the RPO side of things with any great degree of success is pretty complex at times. But at least with Thorne at the controls, it has the elements of familiarity required to succeed.

That being said, patience and extra rations of perseverance will be needed by all concerned, especially if Freeze is going to turn the Tigers back into a force to be reckoned with in the passing game.