Everything Hugh Freeze said, wishing the Auburn QBs were 'further along'
AUBURN — Hugh Freeze didn’t mince words on Monday when talking about the situation at quarterback after six spring camp practices.
We all know the situation as T.J. Finley, Robby Ashford and Holden Geriner battle during the spring. Finley is 2-3 as Auburn’s starting quarterback. Ashford is 3-6, but has SEC wins under his belt. Geriner has three total college attempts.
So, without making it more complicated than it needs to be, here’s everything Freeze said about the position on Monday afternoon.
First, he was asked for a synopsis of the position after the scrimmage on Friday.
“They’re very coachable. It’s very new, what we’re asking them to do and truthfully I wish we were further along after watching Friday’s tape,” Freeze said. “It’s certainly not from a lack of want to and I’m not even sure it’s a lack of can do. We just, I think we’ve got to coach it better, hopefully we’ll see a turn towards a better understanding of what we’re trying to do this week. Again I’ve been very encouraged by their willingness to listen and to be coached. We met for a good while yesterday, just me kind of making sure we’re all saying the same things about what we’re wanting to do- whether it’s our RPO offense or our progressions and reads. So, hopefully we can coach it a little better this week and see practice 7, 8, 9 this week, hopefully we elevate the play there.”
Freeze continued about his quarterbacks.
“I’ve liked their attitude and I’ve liked their work ethic, and I’ve liked that they have a desire to be coached,” he said. “I don’t like the inconsistencies that I have continued to see through six practices and again, I want to say that I think part of that is on us, the staff, to get fixed. I’ve challenged myself and the quarterback coaches to, let’s get some of this fixed, the inconsistencies, and see if it’s the- I don’t want those inconsistencies to be because of indecisiveness or lack of understanding. That falls in our lap. So, we’ve got to figure out and make sure that’s not it first. Hopefully by the end of the week we see it being more consistent.”
It’s important to note that in nearly every answer about the quarterbacks, Freeze made sure and mention the opportunity for the coaching staff, including coordinator Philip Montgomery and analyst Kent Austin, to coach the position better.
“It’s a process. I really like- I think it’s going well. I just wish we were further along with our quarterbacks and their inconsistencies with some of the RPO games and I think maybe we should teach it a little differently and that’s what we’ll begin today,” Freeze said. “It’s going great though. Neither one of us (Montgomery and Freeze) has an ego, it’s just like ‘man, how do we get them better?’ It’s been fun to work with him.”
Freeze ended the discussion on the position by talking about the process of he and Montgomery installing the new offense while quarterback struggles are ongoing.
“Oh yeah, we’re not, we weren’t planning to install a ton because it’s so new and I wanted us to get really good at our base stuff,” Freeze said. ”But, I am hoping by the end of this week we feel like their eyes are in the right spot, their decision was really good. Now, did they execute it? And, we’ve got to handle the first two. We’ve got to have their eyes in the right spot whatever the progression and decision making has to be done correctly.
“I mean, the quarterback should be making the correct decision, if he’s going to be your guy, 85-95% of the time. Then, you judge the execution and then you start knowing who your quarterback is based off those. Right now, we’re having too many of the eyes in the wrong spot and decision making is not exactly what it should be.”
The Tigers will practice every Monday, Wednesday and Friday for the most part leading into the April 8 spring game inside Jordan-Hare Stadium. Here’s the schedule of practices: February 27, March 1, 3, 13, 15, 17, 20, 22, 24, 27, 29, April 3, 5, 7 and 8. Auburn took the week of March 5-11 off for spring break.
