Auburn Tigers quarterback Jackson Arnold (11) was seen throwing passes during spring practice at the Woltosz Football Performance Center in Auburn, Alabama, on Thursday, April 10, 2025. As the 2025 college football season approaches, Auburn head coach Hugh Freeze is entering a crucial third year with rising expectations and mounting pressure. Despite two seasons at the helm, Freeze has yet to guide the Tigers to a winning record, and fans are eager for a turnaround.
One significant change this season is the departure of quarterback Payton Thorne. For the first time under Freeze, Auburn will enter a season with a completely new quarterback lineup. The coaching staff responded by rebuilding the quarterback room through the transfer portal and recruiting. Auburn added former Oklahoma quarterback Jackson Arnold and ex-Stanford signal-caller Ashton Daniels, along with highly-touted freshman Deuce Knight.
Jackson Arnold has already been named the starting quarterback, but Freeze has expressed satisfaction with the overall performance of the entire group. He noted that both Arnold and Knight showed promise throughout the spring, and he’s confident that the competition among them will remain strong as the season nears.
In fact, Freeze made a bold statement about his confidence in the quarterbacks on Auburn’s roster. Speaking to reporters last week before the Jimmy Rane Charity Scholarship Banquet in Montgomery, Freeze said, “I’d match our quarterback room with any in the SEC. Between Jackson, Deuce, and Ashton, that’s three really talented guys. Deuce hasn’t had a chance to show what he can do in games yet, but the other two were big-time recruits out of the portal.”
This year, Auburn will carry only three scholarship quarterbacks—Arnold, Daniels, and Knight—a shift from Freeze’s usual preference for having four. Despite the smaller group, Freeze feels good about the talent and depth at the position.
“Until we prove it on the field, my words won’t mean much,” Freeze admitted. “But I feel confident in those three guys and what they bring to the table.”
With high-caliber recruits and new leadership under center, Auburn is hoping this season marks the turning point under Hugh Freeze.
