It’s a new era on The Plains, and the Auburn faithful can’t wait to get it started.

Hugh Freeze brings new hope to a downtrodden program that hasn’t had a winning season since the COVID year of 2020. That seems like a long time ago. Two long years of struggles were a painful reminder of just how tough things can get in the SEC if you’re not at the top of your game.

How long it will take Freeze to bring Auburn back to the top of its game remains to be seen, but here are 5 areas where the Tigers will be better, and worse, in 2023:

5 areas the Tigers will be better

1. Coaching

Hugh Freeze knows how to win. More importantly, he knows how to win in the SEC. He’s proven it, and conventional thinking is that he will continue to do so on The Plains. He’s already restructured a depleted roster by feverishly working the transfer portal. Now we’ll see if he can bring those new faces together in a cohesive group for the upcoming season.

2. Passing game

The addition of transfer quarterback Payton Thorne from Michigan State gives the Tigers a viable pocket passer with the experience and ability to consistently move the ball downfield. He threw for more than 6,000 yards and had 46 touchdowns with 21 interceptions over the past 2 seasons for the Spartans. He’ll elevate an Auburn passing game that finished last in the SEC a year ago.

3. Atmosphere

Disjointed doesn’t begin to describe the attitude around the Auburn football program the past couple of seasons. Fractured by administration and boosters pulling in opposite directions made for an uncomfortable situation for former head coach Bryan Harsin. But that’s all seemingly changed, and once again there’s a positive vibe around The Plains with the arrival of Freeze.

4. Special teams

The Tigers may very well have the SEC’s top punter and placekicker on their roster. Aussie punter Oscar Chapman is among the conference’s best and will only improve in 2023 on his 43.4 yards-per-punt average.

Placekicker Alex McPherson takes over for the Carlson brothers. As a freshman last season, McPherson connected on 6 of 7 field-goal attempts and was perfect on 9 PAT tries. The kicking game is in good hands.

5. Receiving corps

The addition of a couple of transfers with experience gives the Auburn WR room a much-needed major boost. Jyaire Shorter (North Texas) gives the Tigers a big-play option. He led the Football Bowl Subdivision with 27.2 yards per reception last season.

Shane Hooks (Jackson State, Ohio) comes to Auburn with a plethora of experience. Over the past 4 seasons, Hooks has piled up 116 receptions for 1,609 yards and 18 TDs.

5 areas the Tigers will be worse

1. Offensive line

This will be a very interesting situation to keep an eye on. What may start out as a liability, with 3 new transfers plugged into the offensive line, could turn out to be 1 of the team’s top strengths depending on how quickly they jell. The offensive line has been somewhat of a problem in recent years, and we’ll assume it starts out that way again in 2023, until proven otherwise.

2. Tight end

How do you replace a legend like John Samuel Shenker? A guy who played in more games (62) than any other in Auburn’s storied history, caught more passes than any other tight end in program history and finished 2nd all-time in career receiving yards among tight ends.

The answer — you don’t.

But Hugh Freeze is hoping that in 6-5 transfer Rivaldo Fairweather (FIU) he has an Evan Engram-type tight end to work with. In 3 seasons with the Panthers, Fairweather had 54 receptions for 838 yards and 5 TDs.

3. Defensive line

As with the offensive line, it won’t be known if this is an area of liability or strength until the new faces, fresh from the transfer portal, jell. The Tigers lost stalwarts Colby Wooden and Derick Hall, the team’s sack and tackle-for-loss leaders. That’s a lot of production to replace. Freeze is hoping that a plethora of transfers will help fill the roles and provide depth along the defensive front.

4. Linebackers

Owen Pappoe is gone to the NFL and Freeze once again turned to the transfer portal to try to find some production there. It appears that transfers Jalen McLeod (Appalachian State), Austin Keys (Ole Miss) and Larry Nixon III (North Texas) will be tasked with picking up the slack at the linebacker position.

5. Brutal SEC beginning

Freeze faces a grueling start within conference play to his tenure at Auburn. A 4-game stretch as challenging as any in college football, the Tigers start out at Texas A&M before hosting 2-time defending national champions Georgia in the South’s Oldest Rivalry. It doesn’t get any easier after that. Auburn visits defending West Division champion LSU and closes out the brutal run with Ole Miss at Jordan-Hare.

Welcome back to the SEC, Hugh Freeze.