Mizzou opponent preview: Auburn

By: Billy Jones

Auburn makes the trip to Columbia for Missouri’s homecoming game as Eli Drinkwitz’s team will look to do something Missouri has not done since joining the conference: beat the Tigers that wear blue and orange.

Hugh Freeze is in his second year at the helm out on The Plains and will look to jumpstart a stagnant offense from last year that finished last in the conference in passing yards.

In Freeze’s first season in charge, Auburn finished 6-7 with an extremely mixed bag in terms of results, including narrow losses to Alabama and Georgia and blowout defeats to New Mexico State and Maryland. Freeze and Auburn hope to turn the page as the 2024 campaign begins.

Offense

Hugh Freeze hired former Ole Miss wide reciever and associate head coach Derrick Nix, who worked with Freeze during his time in Oxford. 

Freeze has insisted that he will be more involved with offensive play-calling than last year which many think will involve a sharing of play-calling duty down-to-down.

While last year’s offense finished fourth in rushing yards with 189 yards per game, the offense managed a measly 162 yards per game through the air. Auburn hit the transfer portal aggressively to find new weapons for returning quarterback Peyton Thorne.

Thorne won the job last season after transferring from Michigan State. While he was able to manage games, he never found a consistent connection with his targets outside of tight end Rivaldo Fairweather, who caught 38 balls for 394 yards which led to an impotent passing attack.

So who will Thorne look to this season outside of Fairweather? 

Many are counting on Cam Coleman, who comes in as the highest rated freshman receiver in the country. His 6’3″ frame combined with his game-breaking speed could make him a nightmare for opposing defenses if he is ready for the SEC this year.

Two transfers should also factor into the passing game as Robert Lewis transfers in from Georgia State where he had 70 catches for 877 yards last season. Joining him from the opposite coast is Sam Jackson, who was a quarterback last season at Cal but took reps with the ones as a wide receiver during spring practice at Auburn.

The returning wide receiver trio of Jay Fair, Caleb Burton, and Cam Brown combined for a measly 655 yards last season. None made an impact last season but with a full year alongside Thorne, they could be poised for a jump.

For all the questions about the passing game, the running game should be dangerous this season. Jarquez Hunter returns at tailback where he ran for over 900 yards and averaged a whopping 5.7 yards per carry. Hunter is not a massive back but he is powerful and speedy.

Thorne pitched in another 515 yards on the ground and they will both run behind an offensive line that Freeze feels great about.

Cannon Law returns at center, Izavian Miller returns at right tackle, and Dillion Wade will move to guard after starting at tackle. Percy Lewis will be protecting Thorne’s blindside after starting at Mississippi State last season and Jeremiah Wright, a 5th-year senior who will finally get his shot, rounds out the offensive line at the guard position.

Optimism is high for this offense but it will hinge on their ability to progress in the passing game. While the rushing attack was formidable last year and should be again, the lack of respect opponents needed to show for the passing game allowed them to contain the Auburn offense. 

Unless it improves, it might be much of the same this season.

Defense

DJ Durkin coaches a third different SEC defense in as many years as he jumps from Texas A&M to Auburn ahead of this season. 

The linebacking core will anchor this Auburn defense headlined by the return of Euegene Asante, a certified star at middle linebacker, and Jalen McLeon who racked up 10.5 sacks along with 48 tackles last season from the EDGE spot. 

Austin Keys was a rotation piece last season but will compete for a starting spot against Duke transfer Darian Mausi who has 93 tackles over the last two seasons.

Up front, Keldrick Faulk will headline the defensive line. He was a consistent part of last year’s team and after being named to the SEC All-Freshman team at the defensive end spot, Durkin will expect a lot from him.

The interior of the defensive line will be a pair of transfers, both heavy participants but not starters. Gage Keys (6’4″ 279) transfers in from Kansas, and Trill Carter (6’2″ 300) joins from Texas. Auburn has been known for its dominance on the interior of the defensive line. That likely will not be the case this year, but if the two are effective enough at plugging run gaps, the defense could still be tough to run against.

The secondary is where the questions really begin for Durkin’s defense. The depth is extremely questionable.

Jerrin Thompson was the prized addition via the portal after starting for Texas at safety last season where he came away with 38 tackles and three interceptions. Caleb Wooden will play alongside him on the back end after serving in a rotation role last season.

Keonte Scott will move to the outside after starting at nickel last season where he was excellent, but will have a much tougher assignment this season trying to lock down the best receivers in the SEC. 

Kaylin Lee will mirror him after spending multiple years waiting in the wings while Champ Anthony and Jay Crawford will also look to help out a secondary that will need all hands on deck.

Prediction

Auburn will have a bye week before they head to the Show Me State to take on Missouri. The kickoff time of 11 a.m. may also dull the atmosphere inside Faurot Field to some extent, allowing visitors to hang around. Hugh Freeze is brilliant offensively especially if given an extra week to prepare.

Auburn should keep this game relatively close, but I still think their passing game will not be as dynamic as some people hope. The questions remain on the back end and against a team like Missouri, that could spell disaster.

I think Missouri’s offense starts to explode in the second half. While early on, Auburn will be able to rely on a strong running game offensively, I think Peyton Thorne will be forced into passing situations where Mizzou can start to pin their ears back.

Ultimately, Missouri grabs control of the game in the fourth quarter but it never feels completely comfortable; however, they will hold on to win the game and make for a festive Homecoming.

Missouri 31, Auburn 23