Youth or experience? 5 position battles to monitor at spring practice for Auburn football
AUBURN — Auburn football has experienced plenty of turnover since Hugh Freeze was hired in November 2022.
The Tigers currently have 81 players on scholarship − they'll get to a full 85 when the second portal window opens toward the end of April − and only 24 of those athletes are players that Freeze inherited. Of the 57 players that have come in under Freeze's watch, 18 are true freshman in the Class of 2024.
A handful of those newcomers appear talented enough to compete for starting reps in Year 1. It's rarely ideal to start a freshman, but Freeze lamented throughout his first season on the Plains that Auburn's roster wasn't up to par with the rest of the conference, often citing a talent gap.
Does he roll with his talented freshmen in hopes of remedying that immediately? Does he instead opt to rely on his veterans, hoping they can hold things down long enough for the youth to accilmate?
Answers to those questions will arrive in the coming months. For now, here are five position battles to keep an eye when spring practice begins in about a month:
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Payton Thorne or youth at QB for Auburn football?
Quarterback is the position everyone wants to talk about. Sixth-year senior Payton Thorne started all but one game last season, and results varied. There were moments like the Arkansas blowout, where he accounted for four touchdowns and added 88 rushing yards. There were also moments like the Texas A&M contest, where Thorne completed just six passes for 44 yards.
Thorne is a seasoned veteran with 42 appearances in his career. Younger, less experienced options include redshirt freshman Hank Brown, who threw for 132 yards in the Music City Bowl vs. Maryland, and four-star freshman Walker White, ranked by the 247Sports Composite as the No. 106 player in the nation.
Who's the fourth linebacker?
The Tigers will have a new defensive coordinator this season − DJ Durkin has replaced Ron Roberts − so things may be different in 2024, but it'd make sense for Auburn to continue its two-deep rotation at both off-ball linebacker spots. Those roles were occupied in 2023 by Eugene Asante, Austin Keys, Larry Nixon III and Cam Riley.
Nixon III and Riley are both gone, and Duke transfer Dorian Mausi has been added. That leaves one spot remaining. It could be claimed by a veteran such as Wesley Steiner or Robert Woodyard Jr. or a freshman like DJ Barber or Demarcus Riddick.
Freshman or veteran at wide receiver?
Freshmen receivers Perry Thompson and Malcolm Simmons aren't early enrollees, so the Tigers will be shorthanded at the position during spring practice with just eight WRs. Two freshmen − Bryce Cain and Cam Coleman − should have a chance to compete with returners such as Camden Brown and Jay Fair for starting reps.
How does the secondary take shape?
Keionte Scott said in December he'd be moving from nickel CB to the outside, and he figures to be paired up with sophomore Kayin Lee on the opposite side of him. Everywhere else in the secondary has at least some bit of question surrounding it, namely who will replace Scott in the slot.
Names to watch for that role include Champ Anthony − a former junior-college prospect entering Year 2 with the Tigers − and Sylvester Smith, a former four-star recruit in the Class of 2023.
Battle for the last starting OL spot
With Mississippi State transfer Percy Lewis on board, it makes sense for him to become the starting left tackle. That would allow Dillon Wade to kick inside to left guard, and there's no reason to expect center Connor Lew and right tackle Izavion Miller to not return to their starting roles.
That means only one spot remains: right guard. The top contenders there look to be Jeremiah Wright and Jaden Muskrat, with others like Dylan Senda and Tate Johnson in the mix, as well.
Richard Silva is the Auburn athletics beat writer for the Montgomery Advertiser. He can be reached via email at rsilva@gannett.com or on X, formerly known as Twitter, @rich_silva18.
This article originally appeared on Montgomery Advertiser: Auburn football position battles to watch at spring practice. QB? WR?
