Hugh Freeze Makes Late-Shock Decision with Auburn Tigers QB Payton Thorne

Auburn Tigers head coach Hugh Freeze had indicated starting quarterback Payton Thorne would be on a short leash. It might have been even shorter than expected.

Auburn Tigers quarterback Payton Thorne (1) walks off the field after the game as Auburn Tigers take on California Golden Bears. / Jake Crandall/ Advertiser / USA TODAY NETWORK

Where there was smoke on the Plains, we now find a raging inferno.

After a week where Auburn Tigers Hugh Freeze indulged in a serious game of quarterback saber rattling, he ultimately did lampoon his starting quarterback Payton Thorne to the bench.

Redshirt Freshman Hank Brown was informed on Friday morning by Freeze that he would be replacing Thorne under center for Saturday's visit of New Mexico to Jordan-Hare Stadium according to Justin Hokanson.

"Sources: Redshirt freshman Hank Brown is slated to start at QB for Auburn against New Mexico on Saturday," Hokandon reported on X. "For now, Brown replaces starter and team captain Payton Thorne in the starting lineup."

All this week, the Auburn boss had suggested that whoever performed better in practice would prevail, so we can presume Brown won out.

Turning the page this early on Thorne as the QB.1 is bound to divide opinion, but it's abundantly clear that Freeze is desperate to light a fire under a team that slept walked into a shock defeat against Cal.

While it might appear particularly tough on Thorne, the four picks he threw last week ultimately sealed his fate. Brown might be able to give the Tigers an immediate jump, and he has significant recruitment history with his head coach, but he is still largely an unknown quantity for Tigers fans.

New Mexico could well provide a decent sized springboard for Brown to launch his tenure as the new starter due to their porous defense, but especially after last week's complete debacle, absolutely nobody will be counting their chickens.

It's never dull in the topsy-turvy world of Auburn football, so hold on tight for the Hank Brown era to begin.