What to Expect from Auburn Tigers Freshman-Phenom Cam Coleman

Is the hype too much for Cam Coleman? How he can live up to it in his Auburn Tigers debut.

Auburn Tigers Wide Receiver Cam Coleman makes a one-handed catch during a fall camp practice. / Austin Perryman, Auburn University Athletics

Sitting just 37-minutes away by car, Phenix City and Auburn could not look any more different. For Auburn Tigers wide receiver Cam Coleman, those two locations represent different chapters in his football career.

On Saturday, Coleman will walk onto the field at Jordan-Hare looking to carve his own legacy at Auburn. 

Alabama A&M represents the opponent, regardless of whether people believe that AAMU stands as a quality opposition. You can only play who they line up in front of you. In his first sixty minutes, Coleman can take big steps forward in order to justify the high praise. The time for talking up the high school standout ended.

The future of Auburn wideouts starts on Saturday against AAMU.

Early Go

For Coleman, an ideal scenario starts off with an aggressive series that would simultaneously energize the freshman and shift the dynamic of the game. In throwing a vertical route to Coleman in the first quarter, Auburn allows Coleman to rely on his athleticism. 

We can get used to this 🍿@CamColeman12 pic.twitter.com/u5VoeTJEpo

— Auburn Football (@AuburnFootball) April 8, 2024

Whether he makes the catch or not, that early deep ball establishes a seed of thought in the defense's head. That early shot down the field, opens up other patterns at all three levels. For example, if the freshman can sell the vertical route by driving the route to look like a go, breaking the pattern off generates separation and an easier catch.

Axioms state that good cornerbacks forget about surrendering big plays. However, if you open the playbook up early, they will remember that. Some will give extra cushion. Others will attempt the inverse, playing too physically, which should bring an excessive number of flags.

Muscle Up

As wide receivers go, the freshman presents with an athletic profile that lends itself to physicality. That will immediately pay off at various times and aspects during this game. First, on boundary running plays, Coleman needs to make sure that the cornerback in front of him does not surf through the trash and makes the play. 

In fact, the 6'3 and 200-pound Coleman needs to eliminate that threat by manhandling the smaller defender. In modern parlance, they call it "throwing someone out the club." Next, on contested balls, despite his age (Coleman just turned 18 last week), the freshman needs to use his grown man strength to outmuscle defenders.

With his frame and ceiling, without a doubt, the potential-Auburn star needs to wear secondaries down and attack them, highpoint the ball and ensure that the corners know that covering him will require an all-day effort.