3 Biggest Disappointments for the Auburn Tigers This Season

Several Auburn Tigers have failed to meet expectations in 2024, much like the 2-4 Tigers themselves.

Auburn Tigers quarterback Payton Thorne / Austin Perryman, Auburn University Athletics

The Auburn Tigers are far from where they hoped to be at the season’s halfway point.

The Tigers find themselves 2-4, winless in SEC play and on a three-game losing streak with their next two games taking place on the road.

Some of Auburn’s struggles can be attributed to certain players not producing at the level they were expected to. Who have been some of the biggest disappointments for the Tigers so far this season?

Payton Thorne, QB

The fifth-year senior from Naperville, Ill. has struggled to deliver in his second season as the Tigers’ signal caller.

Thorne threw four interceptions in Auburn’s loss against Cal, a performance that resulted in him losing the starting job. He won it back after redshirt freshman Hank Brown struggled to take care of the ball in the first half against Arkansas.

He has the most interceptions in the SEC despite only having the sixth most passing attempts.

Thorne appeared to have figured things out against Oklahoma, finishing that game 21 of 32 for 338 yards and three touchdowns. One costly pick-six resulted in that game slipping away from the Tigers, however.

Cam Coleman, WR

Coleman, the 6-foot-3 true freshman from Phenix City, Ala and the crown jewel of Auburn’s 2024 recruiting class, has not had the start to his college career that he was hoping for.

The fifth-ranked prospect nationally and the highest-rated offensive prospect in program history has caught nine passes for 212 yards and one touchdown so far this season. Coleman hasn't looked the same since he injured his shoulder the second week of the season against Cal.

It's no surprise the freshman receiver has struggled with the quarterback problems the Tigers have had in 2024.

Which brings us to...

Perry Thompson, WR

Thompson, a true freshman from Foley, Ala., was also expected to make an immediate impact in Auburn’s overhauled wide receiver room.

That has not been the case, however, as Thompson has caught just four passes for 123 yards and a touchdown.

The opportunities have not been there for Thompson like they have been for some of the Tigers’ other wide receivers. He has capitalized on the opportunities he has been given and will aim to climb up the depth chart in the second half of the season.

Auburn returns to action on Saturday, Oct. 19 to take on the No. 21 Missouri Tigers on the road at Memorial Stadium. Kickoff is set for either 11:00-45 a.m. CT and the television broadcast can be found on either ESPN or SEC Network.