Auburn Fans Get Wish: Hank Brown in, Payton Thorne out

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The Auburn faithful have been groaning about quarterback Payton Thorne's performance on the field since early 2023. That belly-aching rose to an extremely high decibel when the Tigers lost to the California Golden Bears 21-14. In that game, Thorne threw 4 interceptions.

Tiger fans have been begging for a change since somewhere around Thorne's second interception. It appears head coach Hugh Freeze will grant the Auburn family their wish. Many credible sources, including On3.com's Justin Hokanson, reported that redshirt freshman Hank Brown would be under center when Auburn (1-1) takes on the New Mexico Lobos (0-2) in Jordan-Hare Stadium on Sept. 14.

What it Means for Auburn

Brown has seen limited snaps in his time on the Plains, seeing action in the 2023 Music City Bowl and Week 1 against Alabama A&M. Brown threw for 132 yards in the bowl game. Against Alabama A&M, he threw for 96 yards and 2 touchdowns. He completed 71.4 percent of his passes through those two games. If he can continue that efficiency, then it will be a substantial upgrade over Thorne. Thorne is a career 62 percent passer.

Auburn brought in a bevy of new talent in the offseason, specifically at the receiver position. The hype around the Freeze Four, four high-caliber freshman receivers, and a wealth of Transfer Portal additions had Auburn fans anticipating a plethora of touchdowns through the air. So far, the Tigers have fallen well below expectations. Perhaps Brown will be the piece that gets the offense rolling.

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The Potential Downside

There are numerous pitfalls in this situation. If Brown succeeds, great. The Tiger offense trends upwards. But what if he falls on his face? Does it mean that Thorne was the only answer on the roster? Tiger fans surely hope not. In 2023, Alabama sat Jalen Milroe against South Florida and proved that Milroe was the best man for the job. If this is a similar situation, then that is bad news for the Tigers. There is no Milroe in that quarterback room.

Only time will tell. Auburn hosts New Mexico in Jordan-Hare Stadium at 7:30 p.m. EST on Sept. 14.