AUBURN — A strong showing on A-Day doesn't mean Auburn football players will be stars when the lights come on in the fall and the games get into full swing.
But building momentum isn't a bad thing.
The Tigers concluded spring practice with a red-and-white scrimmage on Saturday. The offense outscored the defense 28-27, but struggled at first, making five straight field goals and ending with a 39-yard toss from quarterback Peyton Thorne to five-star receiver Cam Coleman in the fourth quarter. He finally reached the end zone.
Kicker Towns McGough sank a 58-yard shot at the final whistle, giving the offense the lead for good.
Here are the five offensive and defensive players (not including McGough) who had the best A-Day results heading into the summer that's just around the corner.
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WR Cam Coleman
Of course, no one was more exciting than Coleman. The early enrollee was targeted five times and caught four of those passes for 92 yards and one score. His effort, reaching behind cornerback Colton Hood and nearly corralling the ball, may have been his best effort.
Coach Hugh Freeze said of Coleman: “Today he made a few MAs (misassignments) in tight red zones on balls that we were expecting him to throw in there.” Ta. “In a way, he put us in a corner and forced us to kick a field goal. That's on us. We cleaned it up and made sure he understood the whole system and what he could do. But when he knows what to do, he does it.'' He's really, really talented. ”
S Jaelyn Thompson
Jaelin Thompson, a transfer from Texas, has played on the first-team defense all spring, earning Home Defensive MVP honors at A-Day. He finished with three tackles, including a sack that saved what would have been a likely touchdown.
“I love playing this defense,” Thompson said. “…He's very DB-friendly. He's just aggressive and makes the D-line work.”
WR Robert Lewis
Nothing caused as much positive ripples as Coleman's 39-yard TD and 49-yard bomb early in the game, but Thorn's 40-yard pass to Georgia State transfer Robert Lewis was a respectable third score. Lewis, a 5-foot-10 receiver with inside and outside versatility, had a game-high five catches for 73 receiving yards.
“I think we’re getting there,” Thorne said of the passing offense as a whole. “I think we made progress here in the spring and I think things are going in the direction we want them to be. I know that's the case. Things will continue to get better and better throughout the summer. On the air. Running routes, meetings, work. If it's 7-on-7, it's going to be player-driven.”
DL Bobby Jamison Travis
Auburn needs players to step up their defense, and Bobby Jamison-Travis did just that. Jamison Travis, a junior who spent the 2022 season at Iowa Western before joining the Tigers for the 2023 season, had three tackles for loss, including two sacks.
“The biggest step I took was to study theater,” Jamison Travis said. “Last season I was playing on and off, but I didn't really know the plays. This season, the playbook is a lot easier. I'm learning. It's coming.”
QB Peyton Thorne
Thorne started in the spring as a potential starter and left in the same way. He completed 9 of 13 passes on A-day for 133 yards and one touchdown. His lackluster performance last season may make some fans never want to see him again, but he's the most consistent QB on the roster.
“I'll have to watch the film to know 100%, but I felt pretty confident in my decision,” Thorne said. “I'd probably like to get one back. It wasn't even a really bad pitch. It could have been better, maybe two or three. But other than that, I think our decision-making today was good. ”
Richard Silva is the Auburn Athletics beat writer for the Montgomery Advertiser. He can be reached via email at rsilva@gannett.com or at X (formerly Twitter name @rich_silva18).
