GAME PREVIEW:
Auburn vs New Mexico
When: Saturday, September 14. 6:30 PM (Central)
Where: Jordan-Hare
TV: ESPN 2
Season so far, I am 1-1 (Last week...well...we all saw....)
There isn’t a great deal to be gained from previewing this game. Our Tigers welcome in the New Mexico Lobos and will give them a big check for the damages. The Lobos, coming off an incredibly early bye-week, have not won a game yet this season, with losses to Montana State and Arizona already on their tally. They haven’t been able to stop the run or the pass this year. They are scoring at a good clip, but they haven't faced a defense like they will see Saturday. This leads to them being over four touchdown underdogs going into this one. I will make a pick at the end. However, I am sure you can guess what that pick will be. So, let’s talk about the real story. The quarterback saga at Auburn.
Forty-four. 44. I am going to let that number sit there for a moment and come back to it at the appropriate time. Time for a confession: I have been a Payton Thorne apologist since the day he was announced. Watching film of his early career at Michigan State and, despite what the Michigan State reporters told me, one had to think he would be the next best thing for Auburn. I was wrong. The first part of healing is admitting you are wrong. Those reporters, to a man, told me he was going to give us about as many good plays as bad. He would throw for around 55% and his touchdowns and interceptions would be fairly equal. He barely exceeded that last year and is on par for that this year after two games. One of which was against what would be a good 6A high school team in Alabama.
Time for a reality check. He started/played 44 games in his collegiate career. He has ten left. It might be time we all started realizing he has hit his peak. Against weak competition he is a serviceable quarterback. Beyond that, he is allergic to any kind of pressure. Be it from a defense, a big game, or situational. This is just who he is. This is not going to be corrected in the final ten games this man will ever play of this sport. He says all the right things, he is adequate in all the physical areas, he just isn’t a “gamer”. That is not being down on Auburn or on Thorne, it is just a reality. I have had the privilege of meeting the man, he is a great person and wish nothing but the best for him. He is an Auburn man now. That doesn’t mean he should be QB1.
All that said, will he be? Hugh Freeze, on his teleconference Wednesday, said a couple of things of interest. He was honest about sitting down with both quarterbacks to go over film and established that they both know what they are being taught. Interesting. Coach also stated that Thorne was on “a very short leash". Also, interesting. He spoke about more reps given to Hank Brown and was curious how both quarterbacks would respond to that. This was prior to practice Wednesday. Interest is piqued.
A decision was made to reach out to people that I have interviewed before. Much to my surprise, I got a few answers. So, this is not a hot take, this is intel: Brown has taken more snaps with the first string in all practices this week. There are players who are convinced that Brown gives them a better chance to win and would be "less rattled” on game-day. Thorne hasn’t lost the locker-room, but he has lost enough players that it is noticeable. I will leave those statements hanging there.
No one seems to think Freeze knows what he is going to do. That isn't a knock on Coach Freeze, It is an incredibly difficult situation when a player is NFL caliber in practice and then junior high level when he goes live against a real team. It must be incredibly difficult to let go of that knowledge and push back your own ego enough to make a change.
I am confident at some point this season they will go to Brown. I would bet on it. If one is considering the 2025 season, one would think that now would be that time. The Lobos coming to town followed by Arkansas. If you don’t make the change now you are going to run into the gauntlet of the Sooners, Dawgs, and Mizzou. Do you want to make your first start against any of those teams? Is it wise to even try that? It would have to be now. If not, you are staring at easily 4-5 more losses if the offense continues to flounder. That is horrible for the fanbase and the upperclassmen on this team. At least if you put Brown in you can recruit off that and gain some useful experience too the person who most likely will be starting next season. Unless you burn the process Freeze preaches and head into the portal for another quarterback.
The arguments have been made that Thorne gives better advantages in the run game. There are those that say with the O-line questions, that might be needed. I say look at your stopwatch. They have mostly given Thorne the time to get to his second read and get the ball out or throw it away. If we want someone running, wouldn't you rather have one of the stud running -backs do it anyway?
Overall, Thorne’s ceiling is bumping against Brown’s floor. All indicators say the coaching staff might be ready to pull the trigger on that thought as well. The real tricky part is the fact that changing quarterbacks probably gives you the same win/loss record at the end of the season. Yet, making the change COULD give you more wins. Seeing Thorne and his version of this offense took me from thinking 10-2 to 7-5, at best. Freeze said they were going to have to narrow down the playbook. If you are doing that for Thorne after 44 games, you might as well give it to the Baby Goat now and see what happens. If we are going to watch freshman mistakes, it might as well actually be a freshman.
Will that happen this week? Who knows? There should be opportunities for both to get in the game as Auburn will be able to pull away by at LEAST the four-touchdown spread. The weather gives me pause, but with every passing forecast trending drier and in the 70’s during the game, I still say the Tigers win this one, 45-10.
Now, the real question is: Do you want to watch the Baby Goat throw his next touchdown in some dingy old crappy gear? No, of course not. Why not just stay on this page and pick up some amazing Barner Stuff? Easy on the eyes and easy on the wallet. Grab a new cap and a matching polo shirt. Show everyone you are a Barner! Make sure to keep sending in those pics of y'all in the gear to @BarnerSupply on 𝕏. We all love seeing them.
Matthew Jacobs is an experienced sportswriter who has joined Barner Supply as the managing editor, bringing with him a rich background in sports journalism. With a career spanning major outlets like Sports Illustrated and ESPN, Matthew has built a reputation for insightful coverage of teams across the Southeast. His deep dives into the Auburn Tigers, Atlanta Braves, Memphis Grizzlies, and Tennessee Titans have earned him a loyal following, known for his sharp analysis and engaging storytelling. At Barner Supply, Matthew looks forward to continuing his tradition of excellence, delivering compelling stories and expert commentary to a more focused audience. He can be found on 𝕏 @Mindful_Legacy
