Will Auburn turn the page at quarterback this week?

Payton Thorne missed all of practice last week, and the Tigers used that time to rep the rest of the QBs. But does that mean it'll happen vs. ULM?

HC Hugh Freeze and QB Payton Thorne (Austin Perryman/Auburn Tigers)

AUBURN — Auburn football didn’t expect to be 2-4 at the first off week, and it surely didn’t expect to be 3-6 at the second one.

A disappointing Year 2 under Hugh Freeze that has been marked by offensive regression and missed opportunities has three more guaranteed games left: ULM this week, followed by a home game against Texas A&M and a road Iron Bowl.

Technically, Auburn still has a chance to get bowl eligible. But that would take beating a Texas A&M team that’s currently 7-2 — and Auburn hasn’t gotten a win over a power-conference opponent that won more than six games since Ole Miss in 2021.

Then, after that, Auburn would have to be the first team of Tigers to win an Iron Bowl in Tuscaloosa since Cam Newton and company in 2010. The 2014 shootout is arguably the only one of those visits that has been competitive since that comeback.

It’s possible, but it’s extremely improbable.

So, what does that mean for Auburn in the final three games? An off week, followed by a home matchup against a Sun Belt team, feels like it would be the perfect time to start spinning things more toward the future.

“I think it’s vital that we compete,” Freeze said Monday. “That’s the expectation and certainly that’s the goal. Give ourselves a chance to win these football games against good football teams we have to play to help build momentum and confidence in everybody that we’re headed in the right direction, regardless of the record.

“Recruiting is big, too. Trying to finish strong and continue to get the ‘25 class to understand that we’re not far off, and we need their help to come in and help us continue this build.”

On the field, for the rest of the year, it makes sense that Auburn would prioritize players who have a chance to be on the team next season. Considering that it would take a pair of major upsets to get to .500, should the Tigers focus more on the guys that still have eligibility remaining?

“I think we're already playing them all,” Freeze said. “For the most part, all the young kids that haven't redshirted, they're all they're playing in some form or facet, whether special teams or significant snaps.”

The notable exception, though, is the most high-profile position on the roster.

Here’s a look at what Auburn is working through this week at quarterback — along with some other post-off week updates on the Tigers from Freeze’s Monday press conference for ULM week.

QB Walker White (Austin Perryman/Auburn Tigers)

Payton Thorne’s injury opened a door, but will it stay that way?

Auburn starting quarterback Payton Thorne was noticeably dealing with a shoulder injury late in the Tigers’ low-scoring home loss against Vanderbilt two weeks ago.

While Thorne said after the game that he would be “fine” moving forward, that obviously wasn’t the case last week. During the open week, Thorne didn’t practice at all.