Hugh Freeze Employs KISS Strategy to Jumpstart Auburn Tigers Offense

Texas A&M presents a far different challenge than ULM, but Auburn Tigers head Hugh Freeze is determined to play the game on his own terms.

Auburn Tigers quarterback Payton Thorne had a five-touchdown performance against ULM, but Texas A&M presents a stiffer challenge. / Jake Crandall/ Advertiser / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Auburn Tigers got a much-needed confidence boost by stat-padding against ULM in a 48-14 win that saw quarterback Payton Thorne throw for five touchdowns. 

Increased levels of confidence are one thing, but head coach Hugh Freeze was quick to concede this week that the Texas A&M Aggies will prevent a far greater challenge on defense as they are stocked with talent across the board.

"A&M is loaded, loaded with NFL talent on defense and really, really a problem for you unless you have just the mobility to escape them because they're constantly putting you under pressure," Freeze said. "It's an issue for us."

All told, it's going to mean plenty of heat is going to get applied on Thorne - this one is going to look a lot different than facing ULM.

Freeze has freely admitted that they've slimmed things down a little in terms of what the young Tigers team have been asked to do for them.

While that can be navigated against lesser teams, the Aggies will present a whole different kettle of fish to deal with this Saturday. 

Therefore, Freeze is doubling down on not getting drawn into getting more exotic with his schemes just because it's Texas A&M he's facing.

Trying to play to their own strengths is about keeping his players more comfortable, and not overloading them with additional detail is crucial and sticking with the KISS philosophy is the best bet - keep it simple, stupid.

"The temptation when you're playing a really good defense like (Texas) A&M is that we have to do a lot of things to try to keep them guessing on what kind of block scheme is coming, and then all of a sudden you're not playing with great confidence in what you're doing," Freeze admitted.

"We've been guilty of that some this year, and our kids play a lot better when they feel comfortable then let's go execute who we are."

Another area of improvement throughout the season has come on defense. Given the struggles when the Tigers have faced dual-threat quarterbacks this season, Freeze feels they've turned a corner prior to facing mobile Aggies passer, Marcel Reed.

"That's something that we were pretty awful at the beginning of the year, and I think we've consistently gotten better at containing those dynamic guys," Freeze insisted. "I think the stats show that, and I think the games prove that. 

“Hopefully, those experiences are something that we can draw upon, and these guys are really balanced. I do know that."

While defending against Reed will offer a standard conundrum for Freeze and Co., the Tigers defense is well equipped to get after the Aggies athletic signal caller. The Tigers have 23 sacks on the season and are actually ahead of the Aggies who have 21.