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Hugh Freeze is beginning his third season as the head coach of the Auburn football team. Freeze brought in Jackson Arnold to be the new quarterback for the team this offseason. This may be a make-or-break season for the head coach after two subpar seasons for the Tigers. It means every decision takes on a higher level of importance, including their position battles.
Auburn had been a consistent SEC contender dating back to the tenure of Pat Dye in 1981 through 1992. In recent years, this has not been the same quality team. They have not played in the SEC title game since 2017. Further, they have not won over seven games since 2019. Freeze took the team to a bowl game in his first year, going 6-6 before losing in the Music City Bowl to finish 6-7.
Then, in 2024, Auburn struggled heavily early on. The Tigers would start the year 2-5, with wins over Alabama A&M and New Mexico. They would win three of their last five games, including a four-overtime thriller over Texas A&M. Regardless, it was a losing season for Freeze and the Tigers. While the team has a new quarterback, they have multiple position battles to figure out to avoid another losing season.
Who will be behind Arnold in the backfield?
Arnold has taken all the first-team reps at quarterback and will be under center for the Tigers in Week 1. As the team takes on Baylor on August 29th, it needs to decide who will be behind the QB toting the rock. Jarquez Hunter had been consistent in his last two seasons for Freeze. In 2023, he ran for 909 yards with seven touchdowns. Then, in 2024, he would amass 1,201 yards on the ground while finishing in the endzone eight times.
With Hunter now with the Los Angeles Rams, there will be a new man running the football. Damari Alston has the inside track. He has played in 34 games with two starts in his career at the school over three seasons. In that time, he has gained 681 rushing yards and scored five touchdowns. Meanwhile, Jeremiah Cobb is also returning to the roster and is the other favorite to start Week 1. He has picked up 314 yards on the round and two scores, while also finding the end zone twice in the receiving game.
The Tigers also have newcomers fighting for the spot. Durell Robinson transferred to Auburn after spending 2023 at Charlotte and then 2024 at UConn. In 2024, he ran for 731 yards and eight touchdowns. Omar Mabson II is also seen as a potential solution in the backfield. He enrolled at Auburn in January of 2025 and was a three-star recruit by Freeze. His physical presence makes him an attractive option, but as someone who reclassified to join this class, he may not be ready to take the field.
The running game has been a major part of the offense the last two seasons for Auburn, and while there will most likely be a rotation of backs, Auburn needs to decide who will get the bulk of the work.
The defensive line will have new starters
Auburn ranks 21st in all of college football and fourth in the SEC in terms of returning production. The defense was solid in 2024, ranking 18th in SP+, as opposed to the 63rd ranking of the offense. The team was eighth in the SEC in points against per game, while sitting ninth against the pass and sixth against the run in the conference.
A major part of the defense was a strong defensive line, but Auburn star lineman Keldric Faulk is the only starter returning on the line. One of the major spots on the defense is the defensive tackle position, which needs to be not only strong against the run, but also pass rush well in the DJ Durkin defense. Malik Blocton is the favorite in this battle. Blocton saw action in nine games as a freshman, coming away with 15 total tackles and 1.5 sacks.
Jay Hardy also joins the team, coming in as a senior from Liberty University. He played for Freeze at Liberty in 2022 and showed progress in 2023. Injuries would derail his season in 2024, though. With his familiarity with Freeze, he will see time in the rotation, but he does not have the skill of a player like Blocton.
Jamed Ash is also a transfer, coming in from Florida A&M. He was a two-year starter and improved on the pass rush in 2024, coming away with 2.5 sacks. He has also broken up two passes and has an interception in his career. While his raw skill is there, Ash has not played at this level before.
Who will start in the linebacking core in Week 1?
Defensive line is not the only position on defense that will have new starters. The team will return four defensive backs, including Auburn star defensive back Sylvester Smith. They do not return any of their starting linebackers. Demarcus Riddick and Keyron Crawford both have experience and will be taking starting positions, but the team still needs a starter on the inside.
The race is seen as a three-man competition between two transfers and one returning player. Robert Woodyard saw action in nine games in 2024, coming away with 17 tackles and one pass breakup. Caleb Wheatland has been a starter for Maryland the past two campaigns. He had 83 tackles with 7.5 sacks in two seasons with the Terps. Further, he is solid in pass defense and has three pass breakups in the past two seasons.
Xavier Atiks was a three-star recruit who spent 2024 with LSU. He would play in just seven games for the SEC rival, recording three tackles. He does not have the same level of experience as the other two, but he does have raw talent, which can be tapped into.
The strong spot of this team last year was the defense. If Auburn is going to improve on a poor campaign in 2024, the defense will need to lead them. This makes the two defensive position battles very important. Further, the offense has relied on the ground game, and while they will use a rotation in the backfield, they need to figure out who the bellcow will be.
