Hugh Freeze, Payton Thorne, and the Auburn Tigers MUST get on the same page

Auburn Tigers fans, get ready for a deep dive into the latest drama surrounding your team! Discover the truth behind the controversial fourth-and-one play against Georgia and the ongoing communication issues between head coach Hugh Freeze and quarterback Payton Thorne. Can Auburn turn their season around, or is it a culture problem under Freeze's leadership?
Join Zac Blackerby and guest Jake Crane from Crane and Company as they dissect Auburn's recent struggles and explore the dynamics between the coach and quarterback. With Auburn heading to Missouri, will they finally clutch a win, or continue to stumble? How does the transfer portal and NIL deals impact team chemistry and player-coach relationships?
Explore the challenges Auburn faces in the SEC and the potential for a turnaround. Don't miss out on this candid discussion about the Tigers' season and what lies ahead. Watch or listen now to get the full scoop on Auburn's path forward!
Payton Thorne and Hugh Freeze said different things; Can Auburn turn the season around?
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[@nickbryan217]

Thorne is 1000% wrong, the alignment and actions of the other 10 guys jives with what CHF said….. the alignment and blocking they ran clearly showed dive left was the play…. Thorne changed the protection and then moved Jarquez and told him to block because Thorne wanted to play hero and run it into the teeth of the defense…. Sometimes I wonder if he was dropped on his head…..

[@enderwiggins8483]

Thorne wanted to make sure we did not win. It's called payola. No one is that stupid to change to a play with no chance to work.

[@Lordbigtime]

Why tf would you believe Payton? Everyone was confused except him.. so to me that tells me he was doing something wrong.

[@davidwilliams2722]

Tell me about a top-whatever recruiting class, and I'll tell you about Jimbo Fisher.

[@masonwilson7910]

Right!

[@LuciouseCarter-b4y]

Freeze must win next yr. At least 9-10 games. I'm just tired of hearing and talking about the same thing. Thorne and Freeze! Freeze just needs to move on from Thorne, it is what it is.

[@ToomersCorner]

Let’s see the younger guys… play Walker white we going lose 9 games anyways

[@GracieSkywalker]

Auburn can go 12-0 next year the only 2 games I see Auburn losing next year is @ A&M and @ OU next year Auburn will beat Bama and Georgia they don’t worry me they at home it all comes down who Auburn gets in the portal at QB

[@scuffd3542]

Nah - we keep putting these artificial bars out there for Freeze. He's clearly building the program. The best players on the team are the freshmen. There's no doubt he's building something huge. Would love to see the fans shut up about these rando "must do more than x" scenarios. Let him get the talent in place, then you can begin to condemn every move he makes that you don't approve of. Our fan base is our worst enemy.

[@parkerhyde9559]

If only Auburn had a coach that would usually win 9 games a year and could occasionally beat our rival. Nah let’s fire him and hire a dude from Boise.

[@GracieSkywalker]

@@parkerhyde9559 Auburn will fire coach after coach until we start winning national championships and making the playoffs every year

[@foddersfollies7494]

Payton was wrong on his check, which he obviously did, and he's lying when he says that he didn't check it down. I don't know if he had an option to check it at the line or not, but he definitely checked it (changing blocking for the RT, moving Hunter, etc...). Then, if you watch the way the play went down, had he just ran the play as designed, "hand the ball off on a C gap dive", it's a first down. Instead, he takes a TFL and UGA subsequently scored a TD to go up 18.

[@danielcollins9333]

I love it when Jake comes on the show!!!

[@kingjay1524]

Brings more objectivity

[@kowaskijones1127]

Yeahhh I like Jake he keeps it real!!

[@stephenbowden1142]

Zack knows exactly what happened C-5 broke it down this was totally on Payton doing what Payton wanted. Payton was worried about his side being unblocked and brought it up to an assistant. The assistant let it die right then. It never went any further. So Payton apparently thinks oh nobody told me no so I'll do it my way. While the entire team went an lined up for the dive left. When Hugh is honest he is throwing players under the bus when he takes all the blame its coach speak. Ridiculous

[@Loudpax4]

The money changed the respect level of the players

[@jamesbarnette1672]

Jake, you are spot on about having no Fear as it relates to the Coach. Back when i played Sports, if you did something like that, you would be giving out water on the sideline! SMH.

[@Big_homielander]

What Auburn needs to do during the bye week is get Hank ready and move on.

[@Ronniepillsap]

Hank is UAB next year if he’s lucky. Move on

[@nickbryan217]

@@RonniepillsapHank is better than that… he had 1 week of practice with the 1s to get ready for an SEC game…. Don’t think it’s fair to judge him off that one game.

[@jvilletiger]

@@RonniepillsapPT is DIII level

[@kendralackey4093]

Agree with u Ronnie , and that’s if he’s lucky and they keep TDilf

[@masonwilson7910]

Facts!

[@Loudpax4]

Sometimes I think Thorne is sabotaging us on purpose smh

[@keatondaw7132]

Makes a mean spaghetti 🤣😂 Jake and Zac are a dynamic duo!

[@ToomersCorner]

This is why you start Walker White and get though these growing pains…. Run the ball 70% of the time….

[@johnbronco8678]

Just don't get the take that you believe what Thorne is selling. We all saw the changes that he started with Hunter and the line. No way he didn't check it. How are you buying this?

[@Iceman24424]

Auburn will not win another game with PT as QB except for LA Monroe!! Time to move on from him….

[@davidkim5310]

Why waste experience for younger qb vs thorn? Results can’t be anticipated worst than losing with thorn

[@badfish7562]

I love jake’s energy! Dap is still my favorite guest tho

[@LeoBHart]

That’s the play we all remember from that game because of the anger it stirred up

[@justcurious6776]

The fact that Thorne is a 5th year senior and still getting an opportunity to start at Auburn after his play is diabolical. Auburn doesn't deserve to win another game with Thorne. There I said it

[@WilliamWalsh-k5f]

Peyton Thorne is not Cam Newton but he's serviceable. The game planning and play calling needs to take PT into account and, so far, it has not. We have a sub par QB but a world class RB. Why don't we lean on 27? That MIGHT make the QB play better. If Jarquez gains 250, the composure will take are of itself. I'll be at the Missou game, with my sons. War Eagle!

[@DarronRoulaine]

Is Jake high or what???

[@successful_manager3837]

Leadership builds accountability. Accountability builds culture. Culture builds confidence. All these builds a team

[@ToomersCorner]

We need Walker White and them Freshman WR to stand out and rcknrol

[@annedeegan9764]

If you think freeze’s Mississippi qb punished him, wait a couple years till Thorne is gone.

[@RobertHall-mq7ze]

You are what your record says you are. Football isn't a complicated game. Whoever has the best players usually win, and whoever has the players that make the plays, always wins. Jake is the only guy that tells it like it is and I love it! And Zac, it's a bye week, so you actually have 2 weeks to fix it.

[@FlawpyTawpy]

So much hinged on the Alabama loss last year, mentally, for the upper classman. Losing that game confirmed the loser mentality they have, as it's all most of them have known. Totally agree with Jake. Until the players win a game on the field, all these close games, which are the majority of our losses, will just keep stacking up as Ls.

[@jackthanhauser9575]

First off Oswald didn't kill Kennedy

[@ericbutts334]

War Eagle! Support the Coaches and Team

[@caintiger]

It’s toothpaste flavored….might be he funniest thing I’ve heard all week😂😂😂😂

[@karensteed4658]

I CAN DO WITHOUT THE LIBERAL SCAMALA ADDS PLEASE UGHHHH

[@RobMackay-nb4yn]

HF v PT Which one got sued for lying about another coach?? Which one put PT in the game??

[@Boomertiger]

I don’t even think most people have a clue what u are talking about but u are SPOT ON. And all HF had to do was apologize for lying about CHN! But he was too hard headed and got himself sued! That’s when all the salacious stuff came out in discovery! Stuff that would not have seen the light of day! Stuff that cost HF his job and his buyout!! PT may not b a good qb, but by all accounts, he is a high integrity person.

[@WhoaBo]

Has no one watched the actual play? Theres no argument as to what happened. Thorne checked out of the play and he shifted Jarquez to the right. Every single lineman blocked left for a dive left, which was the designed play. This isnt rocket science folks.

[@rsk3286]

I dont have us beating mizzou, kentuckt, atm, bama, or vandy. Until this team doesn't choke at the end of the game, I can't get us over 3 wins. I KNOW we have the talent to win all of those games, yes, ALL of those games. But Crain is right. The upperclassmen have a culture of expecting to lose. That has to change or this will continue.

[@wiliamhazzard9780]

From what I have heard Peyton did not run the designated play . I would bench him forever.

[@lancemorgan9903]

Zac apparently other offensive players said it was a dive left as well PT is the only one that has a different story.

[@reggiecook8923]

This is the problem with the RPO. I’m surprised nobody has called it out yet

[@joebago1679]

Don’t over complicate things. You win football games by wining the next play, then the play after that, then the play after that. It’s all about focus and execution.

[@tobyotts7453]

5 & 1/2 😂😂makes a mean spaghetti!!! So funny

[@unclegene5372]

Maybe somebody is lying. A year and a half and we have this???

[@justinthomas7313]

Zac does not think 4th and 1 is big deal then proceeds to talk about it every day. Great show tho

[@jasonrichardson3080]

I do disagree that it was not a critical play in the game. Start of 4th quarter down by 11 score a fg or td and its a 1 possesion game and who knows what might have happen instead we give ball back at midfield.

[@justinthomas7313]

@@jasonrichardson3080 especially at the point that gave them a short feild to score as well

[@joebago1679]

I’m surprised people are still talking about this.

[@waraj7740]

I've heard Zac is a huge Pasta fan

[@ChrisCrowe-rs1oz]

It’s kind of shocking…Thorne doesn’t want it all to fall on his shoulders and rightfully so. He’s messed some things up, but Cadillac had these guys playing well the week he took over…we hired the wrong guy…

[@HughRailey]

Payton clearly changed the play the blocking was to the left side, how in the heck can he say hr didn't? Well, he threw a ball into a crowd falling backward and said he would do it 10 times , that's arrogant as heck. He's got Hugh over a barrel and knows it, he is not going to NFL period. Hugh's system has worked several places, but here. What's different ? He has a QB that wants to theoretically fix Hugh's plays. C'mon! He is the problem for only a few critical plays a game, that's all. Hugh screwed up with that one, now he's stuck

[@dmeek20]

You hit the nail on the head, and contradicted yourself at the same time. You said, “I know he’s a good coach…” and went on to say that they are unorganized and undisciplined. The evidence is piling up. He does not appear to be a good coach. I’m not saying he’s a bad coach. I’m saying that, so far, his teams show a consistent theme in not being consistent. That’s coaching. Not lining up right. Not taking responsibility. Not giving effort. Not knowing assignments. Critical mistakes at crucial points in games. Terrible in-game decision making and management. It’s concerning. And everyone says, “Oh I love how open and real he is.” That’s not what you want in a HC. You want a leader who takes responsibility for everyone beneath him. Coach speak is a good thing. The locker room matters… not your public image. (Edited)… you circled back around to it later

[@angieledbetter7382]

It is not toothpaste flavor. It tastes like Andes candies . I LOVE Mint Chocolate Chip

[@Dave339w]

Jake is funny

[@GracieSkywalker]

Freeze needs to hire Charlie Weis Jr to be OC/QB coach

[@danielteer4471]

Auburn is a slump buster unfortunately

[@auvet1986]

We were, are and always will be…no matter who the coach is.

[@enderwiggins8483]

Classic signs of a team paid to lose.

[@BASEDSAKRI]

thats what Ive been thinking. nfl has been rigged, listed as an entertainment company like wwe. whats to stop college?

[@cchandler81]

THANK YOU. Mint chocolate chip is toothpaste flavored trash. Don't even get me started on Thin Mints.

[@Popeye67]

I’d be fired for doing less. I know he inherited a dumpster fire, but the program should be trending up this year, not where it appears to be right now. QB matters! Refer to Vandy if you have a rebuttal. He’s literally on the Titanic Thorne cruise ship .

[@bixxaudio863]

More of the same. It has gotten worse since last year. Freeze is too close to the situation to understand how bad it is. Plus he is in denial which makes it worse.

[@harrisonronald5332]

I don’t know why everyone is surprised about the year,coach Freeze said 2025 will be the season,everyone just wants to just talk stupid and next year you same guys will be trying to pick at something else,what ever happened on that play IT DOESNT MATTER!!!!!!

[@dwaynelyles75]

This is about Coaching and Culture, "Period" that is troubling. CHF gets paid 6.7 Million a year and so far we are not seeing a return on investment. Sure recruiting is far better and the stats are better but the win/losses are no different than BH. We fired him because of his lack of improvement. We keep getting Coach Speak. Next year CHF needs a 9 win season or he is in trouble. CHF needs to get control of the locker room.

[@cycloneyou]

Move on the play did not cost the Ga game. The Oklahoma play cost us the game.

[@eliottplayer5481]

Zac u right. Mint chocolate chip is DISGUSTINGLY aka Aubs lol

[@RandyTinney-j2y]

I don't trust Thorne. A player should never talk back to a coach. That is the problem these kids think they are smarter than everybody else. Given his past F ed up decisions I trust FREEZE more than I do Thorne.

[@larrywhitt1649]

Thorne is a liar. He does not belong on the team. I'm done with Thorne.

[@ToomersCorner]

We are the worst team in the sec this year. It’s on PT and Freeze

[@danielteer4471]

Hes right

[@kennysponto6568]

And not even sound in the kicking game!!!!!

[@thedarknate08]

Um it's a little too late for that

[@moeller013]

Rocky Road lol

[@Dave339w]

I don’t be.I’ve in Hugh freeze anymore

[@80smusicproducer]

Boycott all Crain shows

[@harleymcelwain7636]

Thorne is the worst qb we have ever had can't wait till he is gone

[@jcurtis12]

Why are we still talking about this stupid play? Move on

[@GracieSkywalker]

Auburn should be 5-1

[@davidrutledge9126]

Man I'm so tired of auburn

[@mariocannon6953]

Why did he ise that Kennedy analogy? That was a little harsh.