The Auburn Tigers head into 2025 with clear eyes and full hearts as Hugh and his team aim to turn things around on the Plains amongst a talented transfer class, some solid players back in the fold along with some touted freshmen, part of the 8th best class in the country and the 8th best transfer class nationally.

It starts for the Tigers this Friday Night with a game @Baylor at 7 CT on FOX. The question for the Tigers is similar to the question for the Crimson Tide: Can Jackson Arnold be the guy that the Auburn offensive coaching staff thinks he can be? Arnold was a 5-star out of Guyer-Denton (TX) High School, in Denton, Texas, 40 miles northwest of the Big D. Speaking of the Big D, I’m watching a phenomenal Netflix Documentary on the Dallas Cowboys of the 90’s up to today called, “America’s Team.” It’s about Jerry, Jimmy, Troy, Emmitt, Michael, etc… Really terrific. Back to Arnold. According to The Dallas Morning News, per AL.com., in his senior year in 2023 at Guyer-Denton, Arnold threw for 3,476 yards and 33 TDs, and rushed for 921 yards and 24 TDs. He was a 99, 5 star. He then played at Oklahoma for two years. In 2023, as a true freshman, he was 44 of 69, 64%, for 563 yards, 4 TDs against 3 ints. In 2024, he completed 154 of 246, 63%, for 1,421 yards, 12 TDs and 3 ints. In 2024, he rushed for 444 yards and 4 TDs on 150 totes, 3.1 yard per rush. But he saved his best running game for the Crimson Tide as he rushed for 131 yards on 25 carries, leading the Sooners to a 24-3 victory over the Tide on November 23rd @Norman. So the talent is definitely there. And there is talent all around him on offense. The defense is relatively young, experience-wise, but talented. Here’s a look at the 2025 Tigers.

On the Headset

Danny Hugh Freeze enters his fourth season at Auburn University where he has posted an 11-14 record in his first three seasons. He has not lived up to expectations so far, mainly due to poor quarterback play. The 55-year old Freeze is 87-61 in 15 years calling the shots on the sideline. He had 27 victories vacated at Ole Miss for a recruiting scandal along with multiple calls to an “escort service.” Nice, Hugh. But I still think the guy is a good football coach despite his past personal flaws. This is a critical year for Hugh. If he can’t make major strides in the win-loss column, he’ll be in piping hot water. A record of 9-3 would show progress. Even 8-4, which would need to include key victories, particularly over the team from across the state, would most likely work if 2026 recruiting finishes strongly. Right now, the Tigers sit at 35th nationally in the recruiting rankings according to 247 Sports, but landed a commitment from 98, 5 star safety Bralan Womack from Flowood, Mississippi last Wednesday to enhance the class. But the pressure is on Hugh. He’ll need to respond.

Offense

Arnold, the junior, has serious weapons on the perimeter. Former 5-star sophomore Cam Coleman, from perennial powerhouse Central-Phenix City High School, caught 37 balls for 598 yards and 8, sixes in his freshman season in 2024. He is a force out wide. He’ll catch the short pass and turn it into a house call. He’ll catch a 15 or 20 yarder. And he’s an explosive deep threat. Cam has it all. He’ll be joined by three other studs along with depth. Malcolm Simmons, who has created controversy off the field, returns after hauling in 40 passes for 451 yards and 3, sixes in 2024. Simmons was alleged to have assaulted his girlfriend this summer as the Opelika Police found bruises on his girlfriend’s neck. The defense attorneys have asked to have him tried as a “Youthful Offender,” meaning the only people who would be in on the trial are the attorneys. No decision yet, and he’s playing Friday at Baylor. I guess the facts may not ever come out, and Simmons may be free to play football without any consequences. As Pat Forde of SI.com said of Auburn when they hired Hugh four years ago in a controversial decision given his reputation, “Auburn gonna Auburn.” Simmons is highly talented though. The Tigers also brought in Wake Forest transfer Horatio Fields, who caught 39 passes for 463 yards and 4 TDs in 2024. And maybe the coup of the 2024 transfer class, anywhere, is Georgia Tech transfer Eric Singleton, who pledged to Hugh and Auburn last December. Singleton caught 48 passes for 714 and 6, sixes in 2023, and 56 for 754 and 3, sixes last season. Against Georgia on Friday, 11/29/24, in Clean Old Fashioned Hate, he caught 8 passes for 86 yards and a six in the wildest game of 2024, a Georgia 44-42, 8-overtime victory. He’s one of the fastest receivers in the country. Pairing Singleton with the three already mentioned, if Arnold can get the ball to those guys, is dynamic.There are some talented, youthful guys behind this Fantastic Foursome. At tight end, Brandon Frazier returns for his senior season. He only caught one pass for 16 yards, but he’s 6’7″, 282! Preston Howard, 6’5″, 236, will back up Frazier. Howard, the transfer from Maryland, caught 24 passes for 189 yards for Mike Locksley at College Park in 2024. Locksley is feeling the heat this year once again too. In the backfield, it’s also an impressive group. Demari Alston rushed for 276 yards and 3 TDs in 2024 playing behind Jarquez Hunter, who was a fourth round pick by the LA Rams and is third on their depth chart, and who rushed for 1,201 yards last season along with 8 TDs. Alston gets his shot along with Jeremiah Cobb or Durrell Robinson. Alston looks good to me and so does Cobb, a former 2023 92, four-star signee out of Montgomery Catholic Preparatory School in Montgomery, AL. Alston was an 88, 3 star out of Georgia in 2022. Robinson is a transfer from Charlotte, who rushed for 731 yards and 8 TDs in 2024. So, good stuff around Arnold. Like the O lines’ size, also. Junior center Connor Lew is 6’3″, 303. Left guard Dillon Wade is 6’4″, 315, is a transfer from Tulsa. Left tackle Xavier Chaplin, a transfer from VA Tech, is 6’7″, 348. Right guard is Jeremiah Wright is 6’5″, 348. And right tackle is Mason Murphy, a 6’5″, 319 transfer from USC (LA’s USC).. There is depth, but Hugh said yesterday in his press conference that he wants to stick with his starting five most of the game against Baylor. Still, the depth is developing and the size and physicality are there.

Defense

Veteran D.J. Durkin returns for his second season as Auburn Defensive Coordinator and linebackers coach. I like Durkin a lot. He knows how to put pressure on an offense, and his defenses always tackle well. Auburn was in the 120’s in turnovers gained last season, so I know Durkin wants to improve that. It starts with junior defensive end Keldric Faulk, who is looking to have a potential All-America season. Faulk posted 11 tackles for loss, and 7 sacks in 2024. He’s massive at 6’6″, 288. A definite first round draft pick possibility in 2026, which will be held in Pittsburgh on April 23rd-25th, 2026, the 91st edition. Bobby Jamison-Travis is at the nose tackle at 6’4″, 293. Zykeivous Walker is 6’4″, 291 is the other bookend up front. From what I’ve read and studied, the coaches feel great about their talent and depth on the d line. They think they can go 8 of 9 deep upfront in their 3-3-5 defensive alignment under Durkin. Robert Woodyard, 6’0″, 220, is the middle linebacker. Demarcus Riddick (6’2″, 217), Xavier Atkins (6’0″, 210), and Keyron Crawford (6’4″, 255) are some other key players on the second level. The Tigers’ coaching staff feels very good about their secondary led by secondary coach Wesley “Crime Dog” McGriff, a tremendous motivator and recruiter. McGriff coached under James Franklin at Vanderbilt and was known for his non-stop energy earning him that moniker. He’s been around a long time coaching the secondary at multiple SEC schools. Sophomore right corner Jay Crawford is the leader. McGriff and Hugh are ecstatic about Crawford. Kayin Lee is left corner, and he’s highly thought of. Kaleb Harris is strong safety, Champ Anthony is free safety and Sylvester Smith will play nickelback. Good depth back there too.

So there’s a lot to like about this Tigers team. Singleton is the starter at punt returner, so get ready for a couple of house calls there. But he’s been a little banged up. Hugh says he’ll be close to 100 percent for Baylor, but Rayshwn Pleasant might be the punt returner in Waco. Jeremiah Cobb and Simmons are the kick returners, so there will be electricity in the return game. Kicker Alex McPherson has battled with injury, he’s had a stomach disorder that kept him out of last season, and is questionable for Baylor. If McPherson’s not available, then Towns McGough will kick. Hudson Kaak is listed as the starting punter. He’s a transfer from OK. State and averaged 43.1 yards per punt on 30 punts in Stillwater in 2024.

Schedule

@Baylor, Friday. 8/29, 7 CT; FOX. Huge game in Waco to kickoff the season. Will preview Thursday.

Saturday, 9/6-vs. Ball State-Jordan-Hare, 6:30 P.M. CT; duh U.

Saturday, 9/13-vs South Alabama-Jordan-Hare, 11:45 A.M. CT; SEC Network

Saturday, 9/20 @Oklahoma-interesting game for Jackson Arnold. TBD

Saturday, 9/27 @Texas A&M, 5 or 7 P.M. CT. Network TBD.

Saturday, 10/4, Off

Saturday, 10/11, (Bama Golf’s birthday), vs “Dem Dawgs,” Jordan-Hare. “The Deep South’s Oldest Rivalry.” The 134th edition. Should be tremendous. TV/ Time TBD.

Saturday, 10/18, vs. Missouri-Jordan-Hare, TBD

Saturday, 10/25, @Arkansas, TBD.

Saturday, 11/1, vs. Kentucky-Jordan-Hare. TBD.

Saturday, 11/8, @ Vandy. Will Diego Pavia have Auburn’s number again? He’s beaten them two years in a row, once at New Mexico State, and last season at Vanderbilt, with both games played at Jordan-Hare. TBD.

Saturday, 11/15, Off.

Saturday, 11/22, vs. Mercer, Jordan-Hare.

Saturday, 11/29, Crimson Tide, Iron Bowl, at Jordan-Hare.

This opener at Baylor is for gigantic for the Tigers. They HAVE to get off to a good start in their opening game and come away with the victory. Jackson Arnold will be tasked with not only clearly taking care of the football, but, as importantly, making plays with his arm and his feet. He’s certainly capable. And with the arsenal around him, it makes it more likely that he’ll be successful. The Auburn defense will set its sights on neutraaizing a pretty explosive Baylor offense led by quarterback Sawyer Robertson, who completed 279 of 368 passes (62%), for 3,071 yards, 28 TDs against 8 ints in 2024 for the Bears. He rushed for 230 yards on 63 carries, 3.7 YPC, with 4 TDs, so while he’s no Arnold running the ball, he’s capable. I just don’t think the Tigers can look any further ahead than Baylor. They need to be laser focused on Friday Night. Games @ OU and @A&M back to back are crucial tests and victories over those two teams are vital to the team’s success this season. Georgia is Georgia. Always massive. It’s at Jordan-Hare, where the miraculous happens, so that certainly gives the Tigers a shot. The Crimson Tide on November 29th is what is talked about every day, all year. A top 5 rivalry in sports along with Ohio State-Michigan, Texas-Oklahoma, the Yankees/ Red Sox, and the Cowboys versus anybody. You’d be hard pressed to find anybody in this state who doesn’t think this is the numero uno rivalry in all of sports.

Analysis

These Tigers have a ton of talent and can do damage this season. I still believe in Hugh as a coach. He’s got a guy under center who is trustable and is a playmaker and is NOT going to turn the ball over so much like what happened the last two years. The talent around Arnold is vast. If Durkin and can get his defense to step up, this could be a 9 or 10 win season. The SEC is so loaded this season, but, interestingly, every team between the likes of Georgia, Texas, Alabama, Auburn, LSU, Ole Miss, Texas A&M, Florida, South Carolina and I’ll still throw Tennessee in there, though they lost a lot, can win or lose week to week.So it will be an absolute slugfest on Saturdays in the SEC. I like the Tigers, barring major injuries, to have good success in 2025. The Playoff is what everybody seems to care about, and I’m as guilty about it as anybody else, but it’s certainly the goal. All you want to do is make it there and give yourself a shot. With strength of schedule playing a much more important role in the Selection Committee’s decisions this season, if the Tigers can win their key games @ A&M and @OU, and pull off an upset over Georgia at home, and vs Alabama, which will be riveting as always, they’ve got a shot to play in January and “matriculate.”