It’s finally game week for the Auburn Tigers, and they will get the chance to lace up their cleats and take the field on Friday night against the Baylor Bears.
They’ll do so under a brighter microscope than they usually would during a traditional Saturday gameday.
With a new season comes a renewed hope that the failures of the last several years are all going to be corrected this year, and Auburn certainly has the roster to make that happen. Hugh Freeze has spent his two and a half years as the program’s head coach rebuilding the talent essentially from the ground up, and it seems he feels like he finally has the team he needs to compete.
The first test as to whether or not that is actually the case is a solid Big 12 team in Baylor who is coached by one of the brighter minds of the nation in Dave Aranda.
During his preview press conference, Freeze expressed his excitement for the season with the unique Friday opener.
“We’re excited. It’s finally here. Our kids are excited, and our fans are,” Freeze said.
“Obviously there’s still work to do, but we’re excited that, at the end of this week, it’s not a scrimmage or a mock game or anything. It’s where you really get tested. I know everyone’s feeling that way, and so are the opponents. I know Baylor will be extremely excited. Coach (Dave) Aranda will have his team ready to compete at a high level. Just watching games from the kickoff in the early week, it’s a stark reminder that mistakes cost you in these games. Hopefully we can play as mistake-free and clean on things that we do to ourselves in game one that give us the best chance to win against a very talented team returning – depends how you look at their depth chart – up to six guys on defense.”
He spoke specifically about the game being on Friday and how that has changed things in terms of the team’s preparation.
“Being game one, you have time to plan. So we actually formulated the last two weeks just like it was a Friday game. It is a little different for sure. You have to remind yourself that today is really a Tuesday and you’re not normally on that same schedule. On a normal week, where you’re practicing hard on a Monday or a Sunday. Having it be the first game has helped with that.”
Freeze also addressed his new quarterback specifically in Jackson Arnold, telling fans what they can expect as the program hits the reset button on the position following what was ultimately a rough two seasons in terms of throwing the ball.
“Jackson, I think, is progressing every practice,” Freeze said. “I was excited to see him compete in our mock game that we had. I thought his decision making was really good. I wish he would hang in the pocket a little more and go through his progressions. We’re working on that with him. But at the same time, he’s an athlete that creates some things, too, when he does escape the pocket. You have to balance that as a coach, I think. He made good decisions. We’ve got to make sure that we’re not doing too much with the receivers. We want them in the right spots at the right time. I think we’re athletic enough there to win. Just be sure we’re not making stuff up on any given play because you think you see something. Just do what the play is designed to do and I think we’re good enough there to win and get open. That will help our quarterbacks. It will be interesting how we protect in this game with all the different, exotic blitzes that they have. We’ve got a good plan for that, I think. But Jackson, I’m pleased with his progression.”
The game kicks off on Friday night at 7:00 p.m. CST on FOX.
Michael Brauner is a Senior Sports Analyst and Contributing Writer for Yellowhammer News. You can follow him on Twitter @MBraunerWNSP and hear him every weekday morning from 6 to 9 a.m. on “The Opening Kickoff” on WNSP-FM 105.5, available free online.
