Hugh Freeze, Hank Brown Partnership for Auburn Humming Along

Hank Brown strums the tune, and Hugh Freeze writes the lyrics, but could it really prove to be a fruitful long-term partnership for the Auburn Tigers?

Auburn Tigers head coach Hugh Freeze talks with quarterback Hank Brown (15) during the fourth quarter against the New Mexico Lobos / John Reed-Imagn Images

New Auburn Tigers starting quarterback Hank Brown has the ideal country music name for somebody who hails from the entertainment mecca of Nashville, Tenn.

Given the fact that Brown still requires some measured coaching before we can truly announce that a star is born, he still did more than enough to get another gig from head coach Hugh Freeze for next week's visit of the Arkansas Razorbacks.

In his first-career start, Brown threw four touchdown passes with no interceptions in an efficient 45-19 win against the New Mexico Lobos.

Freeze admitted post-game that things weren't "permanent" under center just yet, but in Brown, he's suddenly got an extremely willing student of the game under his wing.

"I think a lot of people are saying it was a great performance; I think it was a good debut, but there's a lot of things I need to clean up," Brown said after the game. "Me and coach obviously talked throughout the game. There's definitely a lot of things I need to clean up and not allow those mistakes to happen next week."

On his starting debut, most observers will have been shocked to see just how tall, fresh faced, and of course accurate, Brown was as he successfully replaced Payton Thorne.

After Thorne's hugely frustrating four interception meltdown against Cal cost himself the starting job, undoubtedly, the most impressive stat-line from Saturday night was that Brown wasn't picked off even once.

For periods in the first half, the New Mexico Lobos proved pretty nifty competition for the Tigers defense, a unit which will have to tighten its belt significantly ahead of more competitive SEC battles soon to commence..

Brown is similarly aware that the tougher challenges are now here starting with Arkansas next week. Understandably, he's intent on doubling down on making the necessary improvements as he goes, but tossing four scores on Saturday is a decent basecamp.

"It's encouraging, definitely," Brown declared after his first win. "But at no point am I going to be satisfied. I'm going to go out there and work my butt off and get those mistakes out of my system so we can come back better."

As the Tigers faithful chanted his name as he left the field, you just felt deep down that Brown has somehow managed to re-energize a fan base in the matter of days - yet he was singing how he can't get no satisfaction.

Make no bones about it, Freeze is still taking a huge gamble with blooding the fairly-raw redshirt freshman this early, and we can fully expect that there will be plenty of moments when they're going to hit some bum notes.

It's important to remember that Brown followed his head coach from Liberty to Auburn, therefore, they've got a genuine mutual interest in what they can give to each other.

Thankfully, going with the young guy with the music city name has struck a particularly pleasing melodic chord - now it's time to see if they can write a few good tunes together.