Auburn Tigers head coach Hugh Freeze brought in a top-10 recruiting class last year, and he’s already reaping the benefits from his young players.
When Hugh Freeze took over the Auburn Tigers before last season, it was clear that the team needed an influx of talent. With the addition of players from Freeze’s highly ranked recruiting class, growing pains were expected.
This was evident as the Tigers lost their third close game on Saturday to the Oklahoma Sooners, 27-21. However, there were some encouraging signs for Auburn.
One bright spot was the performance of their young players, many of them freshmen.
Freeze believes that the early contributions from these young players will help accelerate the program’s rebuild.
“The process is moving forward,” Freeze said. “I can see it, even though the record doesn’t show it yet. Out of the 49 players that played on Saturday, 24 of them were freshmen and sophomores, including our kicker. I use that as part of my recruiting pitch—if you come here, you’ll play early. Now, we need to finish this 2025 class and add the depth we need to compete in this tough conference.”
Freeze highlighted some of the standout freshmen from the game against Oklahoma.
“Demarcus Riddick led us in tackles,” Freeze noted. “True freshmen Malcolm Simmons and Cam Coleman combined for nearly 150 yards receiving. The offense had 26 first downs and almost 500 total yards. The defense held Oklahoma to 290 yards and just 2-for-11 on third downs, which is a huge improvement from previous weeks. It’s frustrating to share these positives when the results aren’t there.”
Freeze understands it can be tough for the young players, but he’s focused on bringing in athletes who can make an immediate impact.
“These guys had no experience,” Freeze said. “There’s nothing like game reps. You start to see that we’re recruiting kids who can make a difference. They can run, and they can tackle. We hadn’t been able to chase down a scrambling quarterback in a while, and then Riddick comes in and does it. He doesn’t even know all the plays yet, but when you’re an athlete, you make plays. That’s the type of recruiting we need, and we’re adding more like him soon.”
Wide receiver Malcolm Simmons has been one of the most impactful freshmen this season, with 14 catches for 214 yards, second only to senior KeAndre Lambert-Smith. While Simmons has areas to improve, Freeze recognizes his value to the offense.
“They’re young, and it takes time,” Freeze said. “Development is a process, and while some are ready right away, most take a little longer. Simmons is starting to figure things out, but there’s more for him to learn. He still needs to adjust, like on those bubble screens. In high school, he could outrun everyone to the sideline, but here it’s different. If he plants his foot and cuts upfield, those could be 10-yard gains.”
Freeze also emphasized that Auburn isn’t far from being a contender again in the SEC, and the young players are a big part of that potential.
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