Ole Miss Rebels Week 8 Opponent Preview: Auburn Tigers Offensive Players to Watch
Despite Hugh Freeze now being their head coach, the Auburn Tigers offense has struggled in 2023.
Against Power Five opponents this season, the Tigers have averaged 15.5 PPG, and compared to the Ole Miss Rebels' mark of 35 PPG in the same category, that's not getting the job done. Still, Auburn has some playmakers on offense, and Freeze will likely pull out all the stops to try and knock off his former team this weekend on The Plains.
What can fans expect from the Tigers offense? Here are some key playmakers to watch on Saturday.
Auburn Tigers quarterback Payton Thorne (1) and quarterback Robby Ashford (9) warm up before Auburn Tigers take on Georgia Bulldogs at Jordan-Hare Stadium in Auburn, Ala., on Saturday, Sept. 30, 2023.
© Jake Crandall / USA TODAY NETWORK
QUARTERBACKS: Payton Thorne and Robby Ashford
Thorne: 745 passing yards, 4 TDs, 4 INTs; 225 rushing yards, 2 TDs
Ashford: 123 passing yards, 2 TDs, 0 INTs; 153 rushing yards, 5 TDs
"If you have two quarterbacks, you have none," or so they say. Hugh Freeze isn't living by that mantra this season, having played both Thorne and Ashford in significant spots all year to this point. Ashford, despite having fewer rushing yards, is viewed as the more "running" quarterback, and Thorne is viewed as more of a passer.
If that sounds familiar, it kind of is. It's similar to how Freeze dealt with Bo Wallace and Barry Brunetti during his time in Oxford, although these two really seem to split snaps more evenly than those two did.
RUNNING BACK: Jarquez Hunter
Hunter: 218 rushing yards, 3 TDs
Hunter is the primary back for Auburn, but both quarterbacks are also very active in the rushing department, as well, hence the yardage totals. Ironically, Hunter is a Mississippi native, having spent his high school days at Neshoba Central High School in Philadelphia, Miss.
WIDE RECEIVER: Jay Fair
Fair: 232 receiving yards, 11.05 YPC, 2 TDs
Fair is the leading receiver for an Auburn offense that has struggled through the air so far in 2023. Difficulties in the pass game are not usually indicative of a Hugh Freeze offense, but that has been a trait for the Tigers thus far.
