AUBURN — It went by just as quickly as it came.
Auburn football's second spring practice under coach Hugh Freeze is scheduled, and Saturday's A-Day wrapped up five weeks of practice. The game started slowly, and after making five straight field goals, the offense narrowly outscored the defense, 28-27, and eventually broke through with a touchdown.
Some good things were that five-star freshman Cam Coleman lived up to the hype, and some good things were that the run game still left a lot to be desired, but that's the nature of the spring game. Considering it was a Red and White match, it was impossible to go home 100% satisfied with the result.
Here are some of the biggest questions surrounding the Tigers as the team heads into a serious offseason lull. Things won't start looking up again until August, when fall camp begins before the season opener against Alabama A&M.
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How many players will Auburn football add up front?
The worst kept secret throughout spring practice was the coaching staff's desire to add more players to the defensive line through the transfer portal, which officially reopens on April 15th. Freeze and defensive coordinator DJ Durkin repeated that at times Saturday, but the current batch of defensive linemen did a good job of containing the offensive run game.
Auburn's running backs gained a combined 40 yards on 23 rushing attempts. This gives him just over 1.7 yards per pop.
“I felt like they won at the line of scrimmage,” Freese said of the DL. “That's a very positive thing. I like the players and the effort they're putting in there. I don't think we can ever have enough of them. We have a few more spots on our roster. That's left. Let's fill that in. Let's fill it with the D-line and receiver. I think we need to add a little more depth there.
“I thought they played well today. We need young guys like DJ Reed and Bobby (Jamieson-Travis) to step in. I thought DJ made some plays in the backfield. TJ Lindsey showed up.”
What are realistic expectations for Cam Coleman?
Apparently the hype was justified.
Coleman, the highest-rated offensive rookie ever signed by the Tigers, shined in his first chance in a game-like environment at Jordan-Hare Stadium. A 6-foot-3 receiver who is only 17 years old, Coleman had four catches for 92 yards and a touchdown, adding to the hype already surrounding him.
But at the end of the day, he's still a freshman. He should help the offensive line, but expectations need to take into account his lack of experience. The most productive freshman receiver in the nation last season was North Carolina State's Kevin Concepcion with 838 receiving yards.
USC Zachariah Branch, the No. 1 receiver in the 2023 class, had 320 receiving yards as a freshman.
Is there any real competition in kicker?
Freshman kicker Towns McGough is competitive, but also pragmatic. His impressive 7-for-7 performance on A-Day, including the game-winning shot from 58 yards out, caught the attention of fans. However, the starting spot goes to Alex McPherson, who is sidelined due to injury.
McPherson didn't miss a kick last season.
“I really came here to learn from him and redshirt,” McGuff said when asked if he's aiming to be the starter. “With him currently nursing his hamstring, I had to step up and play my role. Coach Freeze and Coach (Tanner) Burns now trust me to play that role. I’m so glad he did it, let’s see what happens.’ He’s a great kicker to learn from, whether I redshirt or not.
“I think he was perfect last year. Best kicker in the country. Definitely a good player to learn from.”
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).
