Freeze: Not calling plays impacted team chemistry

• Heather Dinich, ESPN Senior Citizen WriterJul 18, 2024, 05:38 PM ET

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  • College football press reporter
  • Signed up with ESPN.com in 2007
  • Graduate of Indiana University

DALLAS– Auburn coach Hugh Freeze conceded Thursday that giving up playcalling duties for the very first time in his career last season was “so dang uncomfortable” that he needed to make a change.

“I do not imply this to state I’m some offensive master or anything,” Freeze informed ESPN, “but I felt like I took one of my strengths off the table.”

It was shown in the Tigers’ offense, which completed 11th in the SEC in scoring (26.2 points per game) under former offending coordinator Philip Montgomery, who was fired following the 6-7 season.

“For the very first time ever, [I] let someone else style it– and I’m sure they’re really good at it– but it was so dang uncomfortable for me that it affected the confidence of the kids and the chemistry,” Freeze stated. “… Just knew I couldn’t go another year and I didn’t believe we had the answers [quarterback] Payton [Thorne] required. That was problematic to me.”

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Freeze worked with long time Ole Miss assistant Derrick Nix as his new offending coordinator and stated that because the two formerly worked together for about five years, there’s a familiarity with his offense that will permit either one of them to call the plays.

“I’m not stating I’m calling it all,” Freeze said. “Nix understands it. However I understand I can, which offers me a comfort level, ‘All right, we’re struggling, let me have this for a minute. I understand what I want to do,’ and a head coach has that top priority to do that.”

Thorne said there were times in 2015 when “that wasn’t [Freeze’s] play,” and the quarterback could not remain in consistent communication with his head coach.

“I do not even wish to discuss that,” stated Thorne, who began 12 of Auburn’s 13 games in 2015 after transferring from Michigan State.

“It wasn’t Coach Freeze’s offense in 2015. Now that it is his offense, it’s going to be a lot more enjoyable.”

With Freeze calling the plays, his offenses at Arkansas State, Ole Miss and Liberty combined to average 32.8 points and over 450 yards per game. Thorne, a fifth-year senior, struggled last season, throwing 16 goal passes and 10 interceptions. His Overall QBR score was simply under 58 out of 100, with 50 being typical. Freeze’s previous starting quarterbacks integrated for a 68 Overall QBR with 218 goal passes and 112 interceptions.

“We’re going to understand what we’re doing and why we’re doing it,” Thorne said. “We’re going to understand this is where you’re supposed to be. This is when you’re supposed to be there. This is how you’re supposed to get there. This is where your eyes are expected to be at quarterback.

“… All that things is winning football,” Thorne continued. “That’s how you are great on offense. And those are going to be the things that we’re doing this year, and I’m going to play quick, too. So this is going to be a lot more efficient offense, a lot more detailed offense. So I’m really delighted about that.”