Hugh Freeze Pleased with Defensive Effort in Practice Heading Into A-Day

The Auburn Tigers head coach had his guys to highlight when evaluating the defense ahead of A Day

Freeze has his guys to highlight ahead of A Day | Jake Crandall/ Advertiser / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Auburn Tigers A-Day, which includes their spring football game, is this upcoming Saturday. It will be the final day of pads for the team before the end of spring. 

Tigers’ head coach Hugh Freeze was impressed with things as they headed into the scrimmage, particularly on defense defensive line. 

“These defensive linemen are going to be really good,” Freeze said.  “You are talking about true freshmen, and in a league where there are a lot of 23-year-olds playing, we’re going to have to depend on some of those guys for sure.  But for sure, we signed a solid class.”

Edge Jared Smith and defensive linemen Jourdin Crawford, Malik Autry and Darion Smith were members of the defensive line that he highlighted. 

It’s not just the defensive lineman that Freeze was impressed with. Much of the secondary is young, including new recruits from the 2025 class this season. Despite their age, Freeze feels he’s seen quite a bit from Smith’s high school and now Auburn teammates, safety AnQuon Fegans and safety Eric Winters. 

“I thought Fegans and [Eric] Winters flashed in the secondary,” Freeze said. “I said on signing day that I thought we signed two of the better safeties in the country, and think that showed today.” 

Per the Montgomery Advertiser, Fegans in 53 career games for Thompson High made 168 total tackles, 14 tackles for loss, 23 interceptions, 31 pass deflections, 11 forced fumbles and three fumble recoveries.  

Winters was a top-10 player from Alabama in his recruiting class and was ranked the No. 11 safety in the country, according to 247 Sports. 

This 2025 recruiting class will completely revamp the Tigers’ defense, especially the defensive line and secondary that coach Freeze alluded to. It will continue to be rebuilt in 2026 as many of their commits in that class are on the defensive side of the ball. If recruits continue to see that younger players are playing if they are good enough, it could certainly attract them to the Plains.