Hugh Freeze’s hand was forced just enough.
After Payton Thorne’s four-interception performance against Cal in Week 2, the Auburn head coach was weary of making a change, citing Thorne’s impressive performances throughout practice and fall camp.
However, he did say that continued poor play in games could force him to make a change, and it seems like that will happen.
Hank Brown was named Auburn’s starter on Friday, according to multiple reports. The news was first reported by Justin Hokanson of On3.
With Brown now getting the nod, here’s a timeline of what led to this point.
Dec. 20, 2022: Brown commits to Auburn
Brown was the only freshman quarterback Auburn signed in its 2023 recruiting class, a class that Freeze had to scramble to complete just weeks after becoming the Auburn head coach.
There was already familiarity between Brown and Freeze, though. Prior to Freeze accepting the Auburn job, Brown was committed to playing for him at Liberty. Brown decommitted after Freeze made the move and soon followed him to the plains.
Brown wasn’t the most highly recruited player out of high school either. Playing for now UAB head coach Trent Dilfer at Lipscomb Academy in Nashville, Tennessee, Brown was a three-star prospect, and the lowest ranked recruit in Auburn’s 2023 class, according to 247Sports.
Dec. 30, 2023: Brown features in 2023 Music City Bowl
As a true freshman, Brown’s only action of the season came in Auburn’s Music City Bowl loss to Maryland.
Brown was Auburn’s leading passer in that game, despite having 18 less pass attempts than Thorne, who started that game. Brown threw for 132 yards on 7-of-9 passing.
His playing time didn’t come until Auburn was already trailing 31-7, but he had the best performance of the three Auburn quarterbacks that played in the game.
Following that game, Freeze said Auburn’s quarterback battle was “wide open” going into 2024.
Aug 19., 2024: Brown is named Auburn backup quarterback
Going into fall camp, Thorne had locked up the starting quarterback job, but there was still a decision to make regarding who is backup would be.
The competition was primarily between Brown and redshirt sophomore Holden Geriner. During the first episode of Tiger Talk, Auburn’s weekly radio show featuring Freeze, the head coach announced that Brown had earned the nod at backup quarterback over Geriner.
“He’s just, when you grade all the reps, man, he has been really, really good throwing the football in camp. He’s thrown some really good balls,” Freeze said on the show.
With the backup job, Brown started the second half of Auburn’s 73-3 win over Alabama A&M in Week 1, throwing for 96 yards and two touchdowns on 3-of-5 passing.
Sept. 7, 2024: Thorne throws four interceptions in loss to Cal
The biggest turning point in Brown’s path to becoming the starter came in Auburn’s 21-14 loss to Cal last Saturday.
Thorne threw a career high four interceptions and Auburn’s offense struggled throughout the game to consistently move the ball. Brown didn’t play at all in the game, but Thorne’s performance put the outlook at quarterback for Auburn in question.
When speaking to reporters the following Monday, Freeze said that a change at quarterback “could” happen, but said he wanted to see how the week of practice went first.
“Hank will definitely get his share of reps this week, for sure,” Freeze said Monday.
On Wednesday of that week, Freeze gave another update on the SEC coaches teleconference, saying he met with both Thorne and Brown on Monday to go over the Cal film. Freeze said he learned “quite a bit” from that meeting, but still didn’t indicate that he was leaning one way or another.
Sept. 13, 2024: Brown is named Auburn starting quarterback
Brown was named Auburn’s starting quarterback on Friday, according to multiple reports.
The decision came a day before Auburn’s Week 3 matchup with New Mexico.
“After watching the film, there is a very, very short leash on us playing as poorly as we did at that position,” Freeze said of the quarterback situation on Wednesday.
The New Mexico game is Auburn’s final nonconference matchup before six straight SEC games.
Peter Rauterkus covers Auburn sports for AL.com. You can follow him on X at @peter_rauterkus or email him at [email protected]m
