Getty Image / Michael Wade
It’s officially college football spring game season. Nearly every FBS programs holds what amounts to an open practice to cap off their fifteen practices in the spring allowed by the NCAA. And, Auburn has a long-standing tradition of “A Day” for their spring football scrimmage. Droves show up on The Plains to get a glimpse of the upcoming season’s Tigers, and the record crowd is over 83,000, set in 2013. That season, Auburn came within seconds of a national championship.
And, this year, Auburn fans were going to see a new coach on the sidelines for the first time in embattled, scandal-ridden, sitcom villain come to life, Hugh Freeze. There’s no doubt that Freeze can coach football, having won at every coach stop he’s been at, most notably at Ole Miss and Liberty. But, scandals, like hiring escorts on a university-issued phone, or message rape victims to tell them to stop talking about former Baylor Ian McCaw has followed him everywhere.
The Tigers even used a new format for the spring game this year, with some interesting prizes for the winners. Here are some details, courtesy of Auburn’s athletics official website.
Auburn’s defense will start the scrimmage with a 24-0 lead. The offense, starting from various distances, will have 60 minutes on a running clock to try to catch and surpass the defense’s total.
“If the defense can hold the offenses to under that number of points the defense wins the spring game and they’ll get to eat steak and the losers will eat a hot dog,” said Freeze, indicating the defense would begin with a point total in the 20s. “That’s the best format I know.”
Of course, the game ended in a 24-24 tie,
Auburn hits a FG at the buzzer to tie Auburn in the Auburn Spring Game. Very Auburn. pic.twitter.com/XThpRUTsWW
— Jon Tweets Sports (@jontweetssports) April 8, 2023
But, the real story was terrible quarterback play. Yes, the conditions were bad, but quarterbacks Robby Ashford, T.J. Finley, and Holden Greiner were downright awful.
Hugh Freeze on his quarterbacks after Auburn A-Day
“From this point, now until the end of fall camp, there’s so much that needs to happen for somebody to solidify being ‘the guy.’ I think all have improved. I think all are still inconsistent”
QBs hit 5-of-12 passes for 60 yards pic.twitter.com/yaZYKhyfb1
— Auburn Gold Mine (@AUGoldMine) April 9, 2023
Good luck Auburn fans. You’re going to need it in the SEC West.