PRESS PICKS (Week 3): A quarterback controversy is hatched on the Plains
STAFF REPORT
Payton Thorne has more memes this week than Taylor Swift.
Don’t believe it? Ask an Auburn fan which one made the biggest mistake of their life in the course of the last few days.
Yeah, this is not about politics but the word is the pop diva officially endorsed a presidential candidate after Tuesday’s debate and may lose a couple of mil for it.
Taylor still has millions. And Travis Kelce.
Payton? Well….
Thorne’s loss? The complete trust of a fan base that has supported him throughout the preseason.
Now, some want their money back from multifarious bets made (illegal ones at that) on Auburn’s expected sure-fire victory over those bleeding-heart liberals from California. (Could you believe that band? They must be stuck in the ‘60s.)
Thorne is suddenly a disaster as a quarterback, even if Hugh Freeze deemed him otherwise. At least he did all summer long, saying Thorne was doing what the head coach wanted him to do. That’s why he was named the starting quarterback long before fall workouts began.
Now, the second-year coach, deflecting all criticism meant for him and his staff, is pin-pricking the mistakes of his signal caller and doing it in public view.
Rather noble of the man, isn’t it?
But we must not gather too many stones since the decision was made well before the season that no transfer would be brought in to challenge last year’s starter. It was Thorne’s job to lose.
And now, it looks like he has. Freeze didn’t come right out and say it but in a matter of words, he is considering all ideas of what he will do at the quarterback position when big, bad New Mexico comes to the Plains this weekend.
Thorne has to be feeling the pressure now. His biggest fan (Freeze) and critic (Freeze) has turned into Joe “Q” Public and is plastering his thoughts on the Internet, although not directly. Reports are that both the starter and second-team QB, Hank Brown, are taking equal snaps in workouts. At least that’s the rumor.
YouTube gurus and keyboard cowboys are all over this and have made the executive decision for the coach that Brown is the choice.
Freeze, at least through interpretation of his thoughts all week, seems to be on the same page.
Which leads to the obvious question - who is making the decision - somebody sitting in their underwear in the basement or the guy making a few of million dollars with a 7 handicap?
It won’t matter who takes snaps Saturday, or at least it shouldn’t. New Mexico isn’t New Mexico State so don’t let the two confuse or scare you. You can relax and enjoy another 60-point blowout and talk good about your quarterbacks again around 10:30 Saturday evening.
2024 Standings (Last Week)
1. Michael Butler 32-13 (13-3) .711
2. Tim Gayle 31-14 (11-5) .690
3. Wesley Lyle 30-15 (9-7) .667
Graham Dunn 30-15 (11-5) .667
5. Rosie Langello 29-16 (11-5) .645
Barry McKnight 29-16 (11-5) .645
7. Lindsey Bonner 28-17 (10-6) .622
Mike Peacock 28-17 (11-5) .622
Doug Amos 28-17 (12-4) .622
10. Rick Hendrick 27-18 (10-6) .600
Michael Butler (WTLS 106.9&94.7 FM/1300 AM/Tallassee Times)
32-13 (13-3) .711
Russell Co at P. Julian (Thur) - Julian
Tuscaloosa Co at Prattville - Prattville
Alabama Christian at Trinity - Trinity
Wetumpka at Pike Road - Pike Road
Holtville at Elmore Co - Elmore Co
Alabama at Wisconsin - Alabama
New Mexico at Auburn - Auburn
LSU at South Carolina - LSU
Texas A&M at Florida - Texas A&M
Georgia at Kentucky - Georgia
Boston College at Missouri - Missouri
Memphis at Florida St - Florida St
Notre Dame at Purdue - Notre Dame
Oregon at Oregon State - Oregon
Arizona at Kansas State (Fri) - Kansas St
Tim Gayle (River Region Sports/Montgomery Independent)
31-14 (11-5) .690
Russell Co at P. Julian (Thur) - Julian
Tuscaloosa Co at Prattville - Prattville
Alabama Christian at Trinity - Trinity
Wetumpka at Pike Road - Pike Road
Holtville at Elmore Co - Elmore Co
Alabama at Wisconsin - Alabama
New Mexico at Auburn - Auburn
LSU at South Carolina - LSU
Texas A&M at Florida -Florida
Georgia at Kentucky - Georgia
Boston College at Missouri - Missouri
Memphis at Florida St - Florida St
Notre Dame at Purdue - Notre Dame
Oregon at Oregon State - Oregon
Arizona at Kansas State (Fri) - Kansas St
Wesley Lyle (River Region Sports & al.com)
30-15 (9-7) .667
Russell Co at P. Julian (Thur) - Julian
Tuscaloosa Co at Prattville - Prattville
Alabama Christian at Trinity - Trinity
Wetumpka at Pike Road - Pike Road
Holtville at Elmore Co - Elmore Co
Alabama at Wisconsin - Alabama
New Mexico at Auburn - Auburn
LSU at South Carolina - LSU
Texas A&M at Florida - Texas A&M
Georgia at Kentucky - Georgia
Boston College at Missouri - Missouri
Memphis at Florida St - Florida St
Notre Dame at Purdue - Notre Dame
Oregon at Oregon State - Oregon
Arizona at Kansas State (Fri) - Kansas St
Graham Dunn (River Region Sports/WTLS/Voice of Alabama State Hornets)
30-15 (11-5) .667
Russell Co at P. Julian (Thur) - Julian
Tuscaloosa Co at Prattville - Prattville
Alabama Christian at Trinity - Trinity
Wetumpka at Pike Road - Pike Road
Holtville at Elmore Co - Elmore Co
Alabama at Wisconsin - Alabama
New Mexico at Auburn - Auburn
LSU at South Carolina - South Carolina
Texas A&M at Florida - Florida
Georgia at Kentucky - Georgia
Boston College at Missouri - Missouri
Memphis at Florida St - Florida St
Notre Dame at Purdue - Notre Dame
Oregon at Oregon State - Oregon St
Arizona at Kansas State (Fri) - Kansas St
Rosie Langello (Sports Director - WSFA Ch. 12)
29-16 (11-5) .645
Russell Co at P. Julian (Thur) - Julian
Tuscaloosa Co at Prattville - Prattville
Alabama Christian at Trinity - Trinity
Wetumpka at Pike Road - Pike Road
Holtville at Elmore Co - Elmore Co
Alabama at Wisconsin - Alabama
New Mexico at Auburn - Auburn
LSU at South Carolina - LSU
Texas A&M at Florida - Texas A&M
Georgia at Kentucky - Georgia
Boston College at Missouri - Missouri
Memphis at Florida St - Memphis
Notre Dame at Purdue - Notre Dame
Oregon at Oregon State - Oregon
Arizona at Kansas State (Fri) - Kansas St
Barry McKnight (Voice of Troy Trojans)
29-16 (11-5) .645
Russell Co at P. Julian (Thur) - Russell Co
Tuscaloosa Co at Prattville - Tuscaloosa Co
Alabama Christian at Trinity - Trinity
Wetumpka at Pike Road - Pike Road
Holtville at Elmore Co - Holtville
Alabama at Wisconsin - Wisconsin
New Mexico at Auburn - Auburn
LSU at South Carolina - South Carolina
Texas A&M at Florida - Texas A&M
Georgia at Kentucky - Georgia
Boston College at Missouri - Missouri
Memphis at Florida St - Florida St
Notre Dame at Purdue - Notre Dame
Oregon at Oregon State - Oregon
Arizona at Kansas State (Fri) - Arizona
Lindsey Bonner (Sports Director - WAKA Ch. 8)
28-17 (10-6) .622
Russell Co at P. Julian (Thur) -
Tuscaloosa Co at Prattville -
Alabama Christian at Trinity -
Wetumpka at Pike Road -
Holtville at Elmore Co -
Alabama at Wisconsin -
New Mexico at Auburn -
LSU at South Carolina -
Texas A&M at Florida -
Georgia at Kentucky -
Boston College at Missouri -
Memphis at Florida St -
Notre Dame at Purdue -
Oregon at Oregon State -
Arizona at Kansas State (Fri) -
Doug Amos (ESPN The Ticket)
28-17 (12-4) .622
Russell Co at P. Julian (Thur) - Russell Co
Tuscaloosa Co at Prattville - Prattville
Alabama Christian at Trinity - Trinity
Wetumpka at Pike Road - Pike Road
Holtville at Elmore Co - Elmore Co
Alabama at Wisconsin - Alabama
New Mexico at Auburn - Auburn
LSU at South Carolina - LSU
Texas A&M at Florida - Florida
Georgia at Kentucky - Georgia
Boston College at Missouri - Missouri
Memphis at Florida St - Florida St
Notre Dame at Purdue - Notre Dame
Oregon at Oregon State - Oregon
Arizona at Kansas State (Fri) - Kansas St
Mike Peacock (River Region Sports)
28-17 (11-5) .622
Russell Co at P. Julian (Thur) - Russell Co
Tuscaloosa Co at Prattville - Prattville
Alabama Christian at Trinity - ACA
Wetumpka at Pike Road - Pike Road
Holtville at Elmore Co - Elmore Co
Alabama at Wisconsin - Alabama
New Mexico at Auburn - Auburn
LSU at South Carolina - LSU
Texas A&M at Florida - Texas A&M
Georgia at Kentucky - Georgia
Boston College at Missouri - Missouri
Memphis at Florida St - Florida St
Notre Dame at Purdue - Notre Dame
Oregon at Oregon State - Oregon
Arizona at Kansas State (Fri) - Kansas St
Rick Hendrick (WXFS 95.1 The Fox/PA Montgomery Biscuits)
27-18 (10-6) .600
Russell Co at P. Julian (Thur) - Julian
Tuscaloosa Co at Prattville - Tuscaloosa Co
Alabama Christian at Trinity - Trinity
Wetumpka at Pike Road - Wetumpka
Holtville at Elmore Co - Holtville
Alabama at Wisconsin - Alabama
New Mexico at Auburn - Auburn
LSU at South Carolina - South Carolina
Texas A&M at Florida - Florida
Georgia at Kentucky - Georgia
Boston College at Missouri - Missouri
Memphis at Florida St - Florida St
Notre Dame at Purdue - Notre Dame
Oregon at Oregon State - Oregon
Arizona at Kansas State (Fri) - Kansas St