Auburn football has found new hope in redshirt freshman quarterback Hank Brown, who will start in the Tigers’ SEC opener against Arkansas after an impressive debut performance. Brown stepped up last week to lead the Tigers to a 45-19 victory over New Mexico, throwing four touchdown passes to different receivers—a stark contrast to the four interceptions thrown by senior Payton Thorne the previous week against California.
Coach Hugh Freeze confirmed that Brown will remain the starting quarterback for Auburn’s matchup against the Razorbacks, stating that if Brown continues to perform well, the role could become permanent. “If he keeps playing well, it’ll be a permanent fix,” Freeze said. “If not, maybe it will wake everyone else up.”
Brown, who transferred his commitment from Liberty to Auburn after Freeze was hired, made a statement in his first SEC start by completing 17 of 25 passes for 235 yards, all without an interception. Auburn fans were pleased to see the redshirt freshman step up, and Brown himself is eager for the challenge ahead. “It’s definitely an uptick in competition,” he said about facing Arkansas. “I think the team’s ready, and we’re going to go out and execute.”
Coach Freeze, who recruited Brown since he was in the 10th grade, has always believed in the quarterback’s potential. “I’ve always felt like he had this ‘it’ factor,” Freeze said, praising Brown’s natural ability to lead.
While the transition hasn’t been without challenges, including managing the play clock and avoiding penalties, Brown’s overall decision-making and execution have impressed Freeze. As Auburn prepares for a tougher SEC test, Freeze remains cautiously optimistic about his new starting quarterback. “This week will be a bigger test for him,” he acknowledged.
As Auburn seeks to build momentum, all eyes will be on Brown to see if he can rise to the occasion against Arkansas and potentially cement his role as the Tigers’ long-term quarterback.
