Hugh Freeze is in at Auburn. The tumultuous culture of the past is being flushed out, and after a great recruiting cycle, everyone is looking towards the spring. Some are looking forward with Optimism. Others have a bit of reluctance, due to all the new faces. Both are valid stances. It won’t be proven until after the spring, though. With that said, which Auburn Football players need a big Spring? Some players want to be significant contributors in the fall. To do that, they will need to step up in the Spring. Let’s take a look at a few of those players.
Robby Ashford
Without a doubt, Robby Ashford has to have the best spring. I think he has been underrated since Hugh got to Auburn by many Auburn Fans. He, by no means, was a great passer. However, his Dual Threat capabilities kept Auburn in almost every game they won. He ended the season throwing, 1,613 yards and 7 touchdowns and 7 picks. The stats paint Robby in a bad light and there is no ignoring it. There were many times he missed easy check downs and completions that could’ve kept Auburn in some of their closer losses (e.g. Mississippi State). At this point, I don’t really see Holden Geriner as a threat to him, but once again, an elite spring will put off the rumors of Robby losing his job. If he doesn’t perform, I expect Freeze to look for another option in the portal, but in reality I think Robby is the best option.
Jeremiah Wright
Jeremiah Wright, in the minds of some Auburn fans, has been almost completely forgotten about. He made the offensive line, at least somewhat, challenging for opposing defenses last year. He’s mean. He’s nasty. He’s a true Guard. My issue with him is the extra curricular plays (from blocking past the whistle to a few unnecessary roughness calls). It’s a small issue that can be resolved, but it certainly isn’t helping him with the quality and quantity of the revamped line that is coming in. I expect him to be a starter in the fall but he needs a spring full of big plays where he open gaps for Jarquez Hunter and gives Robby time in the pocket. If he routinely does those two things, I have no doubt he’ll be a starter in September.
Landen King
Finally, there’s Landen King, without a doubt is the best playmaker on the roster. I assume something was going on behind the scenes last year, because every time he made a big play ( which was every time he was thrown the ball ) it felt like he would never get back on the field. Never the less, the Tight End position is wide open. Possibly the most reliable player ever at the position, John Samuel Shenker is gone. I think if he ends up at the TE the position, it is his to lose, but we still need to see him make big plays in the spring, as well as show competence in the blocking aspect of the position. I’m nowhere near as worried about Landen as I am the other two guys on the list but he still needs a good spring this year.
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