Auburn’s shocking 21-14 home loss to Cal over the weekend is largely being blamed on quarterback Payton Thorne’s four interceptions.
However, ESPN’s Paul Finebaum joined “McElroy and Cubelic in the Morning” and insisted that the main blame finger be pointed at the top.
“There’s no one to blame but Hugh Freeze,” Finebaum stated. “Sure, you can criticize Payton Thorne all you want, but he’s Hugh Freeze’s choice. Freeze is supposed to be the offensive mastermind. He’s the head coach. He put the season in Thorne’s hands.”
Despite the Tigers’ dominant 73-3 victory over Alabama A&M the previous week, that performance didn’t carry over to Saturday’s game. Finebaum insists that Auburn’s struggles are not an isolated incident.
“This is a pattern,” he said. “It’s not a fluke or a one-off. This is where the program is right now under Hugh Freeze.”
Finebaum referenced last year’s underwhelming 14-10 win over Cal and the shocking 31-10 loss to New Mexico State as further evidence of Auburn’s current trajectory.
“Hugh Freeze sometimes looks disconnected,” Finebaum added. “I’m not concerned about his demeanor during press conferences, but I am worried about how he’s preparing this team during the week.”
While the season is far from over for Auburn, both Freeze and Thorne are facing extreme criticism for the inexplicable loss to Cal.
The interesting thing is it was just a few weeks ago that many college football experts, including ESPN’s Nick Saban and Kirk Herbstreit, were raining praise down on the Tigers.
“There’s going to be a lot of Alabama folks that don’t like what I’m going to say here, but I think Hugh Freeze is going to do an outstanding job at Auburn. I think they’re going to be one of the most improved teams in the SEC,” Saban said.
The legendary ex-coach went on to praise Auburn’s offensive talent, noting the firepower Freeze has assembled.
“I really think they’re going to make a huge impact, especially with the explosive players that they’ve added to their offense. They’re going to be somebody that everybody has to reckon with,” Saban said.
As mentioned, Saban wasn’t the only one to offer high praise for Auburn. Herbstreit also had plenty of positive things to say about the Tigers during Saturday’s College GameDay.
“I think people looked at Payton Thorne last year, coming over from Michigan State, and they were lukewarm on him. The offense now, that’s going to be decided by what Hugh Freeze can do as a play caller. You know better than anybody, his abilities,” Herbstreit said.
“He’s got a veteran quarterback in Payton Thorne, who can run just enough in that offense, you know, like a Bo Wallace type of guy, and then Cam Coleman, the true freshman, the group of receivers you’re talking about, they’ve got four guys.
“I think Auburn is a surprise team in the entire SEC, and I think Payton Thorne has a chance to have a big year this year.”
Call it a jinx. Call it bad luck. Call it whatever you want … The fact of the matter is the positive momentum that both Freeze and Thorne were riding came to a screeching halt on Saturday.
“There’s different situations that happen throughout the game. Obviously, no matter how a turnover happens or occurs, you don’t want thosem” Thorne said of his four-interception performance.
“We’ve got to do a better job of protecting the ball, and that starts with me. I touch the ball every single play. So, got to do that, back to the drawing board a little bit. We’re not going to abandon our offense, but it’s got to be sharper.”
What are your thoughts on Auburn’s nightmare loss to Cal?
Were you beginning to buy the hype on the Tigers? … Do you think they’re capable to turning things around and getting back on track?
What’s your realistic expectations for the rest of the season???