It’s no stretch to say that Auburn needs to see improvements on offense after managing just 177 total yards in its most recent loss to Texas A&M.
And one of the most apparent ways to do so is to get the ball in your best playmaker’s hands.
Insert Cam Coleman.
Coleman, a star-studded sophomore, is undoubtedly one of the best players on the field at all times. The second-highest rated recruit in program history, per 247Sports, has caught a pass in 11 consecutive games. He posted 598 yards and eight touchdowns as a freshman. In Auburn’s final three games of 2024 he hauled in 306 yards – the sixth-best mark in the country during that span. His six touchdowns in that stretch led the nation.
Through Auburn’s first five games this season, Coleman recorded 255 yards, highlighted by 88 against Oklahoma that included several miraculous grabs. Simply put, the Sooners had no answer when he was targeted. Not many teams do.
In the midst of Auburn’s offensive struggles, head coach Hugh Freeze says getting the ball in Coleman’s hands must be a priority.
“One hundred percent. Without a shadow of a doubt,” Freeze said when asked if he planned on using Coleman more down the stretch, and utilizing him downfield.
However, that does come with a caveat. In simple terms – although he typically prevails – Auburn’s opponents are going to scheme against Coleman and try to eliminate him from the Tigers’ game plan entirely. Freeze noted that Oklahoma and Texas A&M did a lot of “shadowing” and “bracketing” to try to prevent Coleman from getting the ball.
“Defenses plan for him, so I can only control so many things,” Freeze said. “But we have to give him every chance and opportunity to make plays.”
Having a guy on the outside with the pedigree of Coleman brings a lot of attention. But it also alleviates pressure off the other receivers, allowing them to play freely and take control of some advantageous matchups.
“Somebody else has got to make those plays when that happens,” Freeze said. “And then we’ve got to try, as coaches, to figure out a way to put him (Coleman) in positions where maybe that’s harder for defenses to do.”
Needless to say, whether defenses are shading over the top or doubling him at the line of scrimmage, Auburn must find some creative ways to get Coleman out in space.
“One-hundred percent,” Freeze said. “We have to do a better job of getting him, somehow, some way, more opportunities.”