Payton Thorne’s season is expected to improve for the Auburn Tigers, and they have surrounded him with more skilled playmakers.
Last season, Thorne’s lackluster passing stats, inconsistent target selection, and occasionally shoddy pass protection contributed to the Tigers’ third consecutive losing campaign. After joining last summer, the Michigan State transfer and Naperville Central High School alumnus now has a complete year under his belt.
In addition, his group of receivers should facilitate the process of enhancing a passing offense that was among the least effective in the country the previous campaign. The Tigers play Alabama A&M on August 31st.
For any QB, the supporting cast is important. Thorne is pleased with the team Auburn has put together for him this year.
He declared, “It truly is the ultimate team game. People say that all the time.” It’s difficult. You’ve seen excellent quarterbacks in the NFL; even if everything around them falters, they remain talented. However, they have changed since they acquired all of their parts.
“You just have to deal with what you’ve got at times, and it’s definitely a tough situation.”
That is not to argue that Thorne’s play may use a good polish. Last season, he completed 16 touchdown passes for 1,755 yards with 10 interceptions while being completely shut down in the bowl game.
After spring practice, Auburn coach Hugh Freeze said that Thorne was in the “pole position” to start over Hank Brown and Holden Geriner, but he did not say that Thorne would start. Looking ahead to the season, Brown seems to be Thorne’s backup.
Freeze replaced a group of receivers without a wideout with a 350-yard reach with an excellent group of receivers. The only important target to return was tight end Rivaldo Fairweather, who led the team with 38 receptions for 394 yards.
Three transfers and four freshmen receivers were added by Auburn. Five-star freshman Cam Coleman and transfers KeAndre Lambert-Smith (Penn State) and Robert Lewis (Georgia State) seem to be surefire starters from the start.
Thorne remarked, “I feel really good about where we’re at right now.” “We still have youthful men. There are still four freshmen on our roster who could play. That isn’t precisely one, typical. Additionally, kids are still youthful at the end of the day. You can’t assume that they will be these seasoned receivers with endless knowledge when you walk out there.
There will still be moments when you ask yourself, “What the heck? However, keep in mind that this child played high school basketball the previous year.
Coleman claimed to have experienced few such moments.
The Tigers are hoping Thorne can at least match his numbers from Michigan State with all those extra targets.
In 29 games, going 16–10 as a starter for the Spartans, he passed for 6,494 yards.
He’s not learning Freeze’s offense via trial and error anymore.
“Compared to last year, we’ve completely changed,” Freeze declared. “Since the spring, he has made significant progress in comprehending the expectations placed on him. Right now, he is doing certain things that I’m quite proud of.
However, Thorne had two of his worst games towards the end of the previous season. He completed 18 of 43 passes for 175 yards in total, although three of those passes were intercepted in season-ending defeats to Alabama and Maryland in the Music City Bowl.
Thorne remarked, “There’s more talent out there, obviously.” “So, these past few months of work have been quite enjoyable. And that is, of course, the team we currently have. This is the person we will be traveling with.
And Thorne is riding with the Tigers.
