Auburn's Iron Bowl Loss to Alabama Summed Up 2024 Season Well

Repeatedly failing to capitalize on multiple turnovers and convert in the red zone is systemic to the entire Hugh Freeze football operation, and so are the same old excuses which have invariably spilled from the Auburn Tigers head coach this season.

"It could have been a different game, for sure," Freeze lamented post-game about Auburn's missed chances in the first half. "The difference in the game was their third-down conversions... their ability to stay on the field and us not being able to score touchdowns in the red zone."

By losing 28-14 in the Iron Bowl, the Tigers faint hopes of extending the season were finally extinguished in a collective whine and a whimper, and Bama converting on 12 of their 18 third down attempts.

If Tigers fans were to really search their souls, extending the 2024 season would only stretch out the misery which has been laid on them by some dreadful coaching and on-field execution.

The more cynical amongst us might venture to suggest that when Freeze immediately shifted the emphasis of the program onto recruitment, and working the portal, he's hell-bent on self-preservation.

"We have one top-10 class and hopefully we can land another next week," Freeze declared on Saturday. "We have to go back and try to finish it, then hit the portal to make sure we aren't feeling this way next year."

That's not to say that he's incorrect with his general overview; this current incarnation of the Tigers is lacking in far too many areas to truly go toe-to-toe with Alabama and a host of other stronger programs just yet.

While most would agree with that assessment, the baffling decision Freeze made to abandon the previous transfer portal to ride with a quite clearly out of his depth Payton Thorne as his starting quarterback, was stunning incompetence on the head coach's part.

Truth is, Thorne was put in a hopeless position by a head coach who either seriously misjudged his skill set, or had the hubris to believe he could get miracles out of him.

Or both.

Thorne's abject inability to read the game in the most crucial situations was something that red flagged so badly that running the offense through him became utterly mad.

When Freeze said "hit the portal to make sure we aren't feeling this way next year," he didn't necessarily say "quarterback", but he may as well have. Auburn has no proven commodity on the roster, and high school recruit Deuce Knight, if he sticks with the Tigers, won't be the answer.

Cleaning up the three-headed monster that is the Tigers' play calling should be next on the list. It's no surprise with three voices on game days that Auburn looked discombobulated and out of sorts when the pressure ramped up... like in the red zone and end of halves.

As the dust settles and bragging rights remain in Tuscaloosa once again, many will lament over the failure to use the legs of running back Jarquez Hunter and the hands of explosive freshman wide receiver Cam Coleman more frequently.

"Disappointing to end the season like we did," Freeze admitted. "A lot to build on, for sure, with those young guys and hopefully the class we can sign next week. Nonetheless, the hurt is still there."

Freeze inherited a talent-poor roster when he took over. There's no questions he's improving the personnel. But he must get better quarterback play and improve in-game decision making in 2025. if he wants to see 2026.

The clock starts now.