Auburn Tigers quarterback Payton Thorne shares that his relationship with head coach Hugh Freeze has strengthened after spending a year together.
During Auburn’s commanding 73-3 victory over Alabama A&M, a notable moment occurred when Hugh Freeze delivered some intense coaching to Thorne after a touchdown pass. Thorne acknowledged that their bond and mutual trust were strong enough to handle such emotional exchanges on the sideline.
“It’s great having last year’s experience with Coach Freeze,” Thorne said. “Our relationship has grown, and we’ve spent more time together, making things smoother. I focus on the message he’s giving rather than the tone.”
Thorne described how their sideline conversations typically go.
“I just listen to what Coach Freeze says, share my perspective, and we work to get on the same page,” Thorne explained. “Being around coaches my whole life has really helped with that.”
The new helmet communication system in college football this season has enhanced the way coaches and players connect on the field. Thorne highlighted how it worked for him and Freeze in the season opener.
“I could hear Coach clearly,” Thorne noted. “Our equipment staff did an excellent job setting everything up, and the reps during camp made me comfortable with it.”
Thorne also pointed out a specific advantage of the helmet communication system.
“With helmet communication, if there’s more than 15 seconds on the clock and Coach Freeze notices something, he can relay it directly without extra signals,” Thorne said. “That happened once during the game, allowing me to make adjustments at the line of scrimmage comfortably, thanks to Coach’s trust in me.”
Effective communication between a head coach and quarterback is crucial, and it’s clear that Freeze and Thorne have developed a strong connection, benefiting the Tigers this season.
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