Auburn’s quarterback situation took a dramatic turn, moving from a starter who threw four interceptions in a loss to California to one who tossed four touchdown passes in a win over New Mexico.
As they gear up for their SEC opener against the University of Arkansas, coach Hugh Freeze confirmed that redshirt freshman Hank Brown will start after his impressive performance in the 45-19 victory over New Mexico.
“If he keeps playing well, it’ll be a permanent fix,” Freeze said. “If not, maybe it will wake everyone else up.” Brown stepped in for senior Payton Thorne, who didn’t play against New Mexico following the loss to California.
“I’m really looking forward to it,” Brown said about his first SEC start. “It’s definitely going to be tougher competition. Arkansas has a fundamentally sound defense, and I’m excited to execute our game plan.”
Brown, who stands 6-4 and weighs 208 pounds, played for Trent Dilfer at Lipscomb Academy in Nashville. Dilfer, now coaching at Alabama-Birmingham, has kept in touch and could provide insight on Arkansas, who recently defeated his team.
Brown committed to Liberty before switching to Auburn after Freeze took the job there. He expressed confidence about his starting opportunity.
In his start against New Mexico, Brown completed 17 of 25 passes for 235 yards and four touchdowns. This performance marked the first time an Auburn quarterback threw four touchdown passes in his debut since Jeremy Johnson in 2013.
Previously, Brown had played sparingly, including in the Music City Bowl loss to Maryland and a dominant win over Alabama A&M this season. Freeze has been a long-time supporter of Brown, having recruited him since high school.
Thorne, who transferred from Michigan State, was supportive on the sidelines, helping Brown with coverages. “He’s awesome and a great leader,” Brown said of Thorne.
Although Freeze made the decision to start Brown earlier in the week, he kept it a secret until Thursday. “I’ve prepared like a starter from the first week,” Brown noted, emphasizing the need for the team to treat each game as crucial.
Arkansas coach Sam Pittman recognized Brown as more of a pocket passer compared to Thorne, noting his impressive ability to throw the ball. Brown was not sacked during the New Mexico game, thanks to strong protection from the offensive line.
“Brown looked really comfortable, and if you didn’t know he was a redshirt freshman, you wouldn’t have guessed it,” Pittman remarked.
Thorne had previously performed well against Arkansas last season, but Freeze remains confident in him, acknowledging his potential to contribute again. He also mentioned that Brown needs to improve his awareness of the play clock but praised his overall decision-making and execution.
“This week will be a bigger test for him,” Freeze concluded.
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