Can Hugh Freeze Really Resurrect Robby Ashford?
Can Hugh Freeze turns lemons into lemonade? That’s the question heading into year one of his tenure at Auburn. You can certainly make the argument that Auburn is the toughest job in college football right now. You’re stuck in a loaded SEC conference and the rumor on the street is their yearly opponents are about to be Alabama, LSU, and Georgia. Yeah…
It’s totally not fair but given what the transfer portal has done for other first year coaches, Freeze is going to be expected to win right away. We’re talking about win right away with Robby Ashford under center who nobody looks at as a legitimate NFL prospect.
Of course, it’s easy to forget that Freeze is the one that got Malik Willis drafted. You have seen what Willis looked like as a rookie in the NFL. It’s not pretty. Freeze got Willis drafted three rounds higher than he otherwise should have been picked. Except for this time he has to do it again while playing an SEC schedule.
Crazier things have happened. Michael Penix Jr. was somehow productive last year after Kalen DeBoer took over Washington. Fair or not, Freeze is going to be expected to do the same with Ashford. It will be Auburn’s way of knowing they made the right hire. I’m just not sure Ashford is fixable regardless of who’s coaching him.
Ashford, 20, posted a 7 to 7 touchdown to interception ratio last year. On 250 total attempts, Ashford completed 49.2% of his throws. Yes, Ashford can run but Freeze will be dealing with the Willis dilemma again. A quarterback who isn’t accurate with very little functional quarterback talent outside of being able to move around a little.
Have I mentioned that TJ Finley is still the back up? If you don’t know who that is, think Jamarcus Russell with less talent and somehow less motivation. It should be a rough year one for Hugh Freeze at Auburn but what if he’s able to work miracles again? The losses to Georgia and Alabama will be expected. When Freeze be able to stand toe to toe with someone like Lane Kiffin while being years behind? That will be the true test to see if this will end up working out eventually.
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