The Auburn Tigers made a big statement on Friday by firing one of their coordinators following a disappointing 6-7 season. According to Justin Hokanson of On3 Sports, the Tigers have parted company with offensive coordinator Philip Montgomery.
Montgomery joined Auburn this season following eight years as head coach at Tulsa. He also spent time calling plays for the Baylor Bears and the Houston Cougars. However, his time with the Tigers comes to an end after only one season.
The 2023 Auburn Tigers are a mess offensively.
The Tigers underperformed in 2022, prompting the program to restructure and hire Liberty head coach Hugh Freeze. Despite a significant improvement on defense, Auburn’s offensive struggles continued. Freeze signed former Michigan State Spartans quarterback Payton Thorne via the transfer channel, but the team averaged only 26.2 points per game, ranking 74th in college football. Thorne finished the year with 1,755 passing yards, 16 touchdowns, and 10 interceptions.
Auburn ranked dead last in the SEC in passing yards per game and tied for second in turnovers committed. Only Mississippi State, Vanderbilt, and Arkansas had fewer yards per play.
Auburn Tigers’ 2024 Outlook
Hugh Freeze remains the Tigers’ head coach, and last week hinted at an open quarterback competition. Payton Thorne, last year’s starter, will be joined by Holden Geriner, Hank Brown, and incoming for-star quarterback Walker White. Thorne, Geriner, and Brown all appeared in the team’s 31-13 Music City Bowl loss against the Maryland Terrapins. Throne struggled mightily, finishing 13-of-27 for 84 yards and a touchdown, with an interception. Geriner did not fare much better, completing only one of his six throws for eight yards and an interception. However, Brown performed admirably, going 7-of-9 for 132 yards. Brown is a true freshman and a former three-star recruit from the previous year’s class.
Next season, White will attend Auburn as a highly regarded recruit. The Arkansas native is the seventh-rated quarterback in the 2018 class, per 247Sports. He chose the Tigers over Alabama’s Crimson Tide and the Arkansas Razorbacks. The dual-threat quarterback might earn the job as early as next season.
