“We have let him down”: Hugh Freeze breaks silence on starting QB Payton Thorne’s struggles with Auburn coaching staff

Auburn Tigers coach Hugh Freeze has said that the team has let QB Payton Thorne down amid their quarterback struggles this season.

Even with the Michigan State transfer in the mix, the Tigers are not getting the results from their quarterback department. They may have just one loss this season, with the quarterback position seeing a rotation between Thorne, Robby Ashford and Holden Gernier.

Thorne was named the starting QB for Auburn heading into the 2023 season but is yet to perform at the level that's expected. Last week against Texas A&M, he completed only six out of 12 passes and put up 44 passing yards.

During the SEC teleconference on Wednesday,Freeze said that the team has to share a better responsibility of coaching their quarterback and helping him out of his struggles. They need to ensure that Thorne does not feel overwhelmed considering his start to the season.

"We had a good meeting on Sunday night. And obviously I feel like there's a lot that our staff has let him down on also. And some of it is him and he knows that and he owns it", Freeze said.

The coach also spoke about how the coaching staff can help him prepare better for the upcoming weeks and for the future.

"I promised him we would do a better job coaching him this week and preparing him. And when you say coaching him, it means also the positions that need to be in the right spots at the right time for him."

The Auburn Tigers have a mammoth task this week, as they go up against the No.1 Georiga Bulldogs. They will need Payton Thorne at the top of his game to beat the back-to-back national champions.

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A look at Payton Thorne's numbers in Auburn

After playing for Michigan State from 2019 to 2022, Payton Thorne transferred to play under Hugh Freeze this offseason.

He was the starting QB for the Spartans in 2021 and 2022, making him the favorite to be the QB1 in Auburn as well.

However, Payton Thorne has not had the debut in Auburn he would have hoped for. In four games, he has only managed 561 passing yards and four passing touchdowns and has had three interceptions. He has his work cut out to prove himself as the starting QB for Auburn.