My goodness, is it possible that we’re already nearing the halfway point in the season? It seems like only yesterday that the anticipation of Hugh Freeze’s arrival on The Plains reached a fever pitch. And now, according to the 2023 football schedule, we’re basically at the midway point in Freeze’s first campaign at Auburn.

The Tigers head into their bye week at 3-2 but still looking for that first SEC win under Freeze. They nearly pulled off the miracle last Saturday at Jordan-Hare against No. 1 Georgia. A 27-20 loss showed just how far they’ve come and just how close they are to competing in the SEC West.

There’s still a lot of football to be played, including the bulk of the conference matchups beginning with an Oct. 14 date at LSU. Then it’s full steam ahead with consecutive home games against Ole Miss and Mississippi State, followed by road contests at Vanderbilt and Arkansas before closing against New Mexico State and the Iron Bowl at Jordan-Hare.

As the Tigers hit pause, let’s take a look at how the Tigers have done so far in Freeze’s first season on The Plains.

Quarterback: C-

We knew this would be an issue in Year 1. Quarterback play could be better, but it hasn’t been bad. It’s better than the statistics would indicate. Auburn is last in the SEC in passing offense, producing just 156.2 passing yards per game. Yes, that is atrocious, especially when you consider the next-worse passing team in the conference is averaging nearly 40 more yards per game. And that team is Alabama at 195.4 passing yards per game, also with QB questions.

Take into consideration that in its current state, Auburn is not a pass-oriented team. Neither is Alabama and they seem to be doing just fine with it. Within their system, the Auburn QB tandem of Payton Thorne and Robby Ashford have performed fairly well for the most part with the only real stinker coming against Texas A&M. Auburn has thrown just 5 TD passes thus far — none in SEC play, but that will come.

There obviously is room for improvement, but the pair have done an overall decent job of managing the offense, particularly relative to the preseason expectations.

Running back: B

Auburn ranks 2nd in the SEC in rushing offense, averaging 202 yards per game. Only Tennessee (231.2) averages more. They’ve also rushed for 12 TDs — tied for 19th nationally.

But for the Tigers, a good chunk of that comes from QB rushing. Thorne and Ashford have combined to average 66.4 rushing yards per game. Ashford has 5 TDs and Thorne has added 2.

As for Auburn’s RBs, Jarquez Hunter and Brian Battie are good ones. They have combined for an average of 81 yards per game and that number only looks to increase as the season wears on. The Tigers rushed for 219 yards against Georgia, the 3rd 200-plus yard game this season. Look for the Auburn run game to remain one of the best in the SEC.

Receivers: D

The passing game just hasn’t clicked. Receivers aren’t separating on a consistent basis, and when they do, the QBs aren’t getting them the ball. But there’s still time to get on the same page. Jay Fair is a young WR with talent. His team-leading 18 catches for 196 yards and 2 TDs aren’t numbers that strike fear in opponents, but it’s a starting point for Auburn.

Tight end Rivaldo Fairweather is really the only other target the Tigers have employed. His 15 catches for 145 yards and 1 TD rank among the best in the conference for tight ends.

Offensive line: B+

Numbers can be deceiving. Auburn has allowed 15 sacks, but that’s due largely in part to the nature of their quarterbacks trying to make a play rather than throwing it away.

Overall, this unit has been a bright spot. And that’s a tribute to the players, Freeze and OL coach Jake Thornton considering all the new faces that have been employed this season through the transfer portal. Meshing that group together so quickly is no small task and this group has accomplished the feat.

Defensive line: B+

Games are won and lost in the trenches and that’s where Freeze is building. Marcus Harris is a beast on the DL, and Jayson Jones and Mosiah Nasili-Kite have performed admirably.

Linebacker: B

Eugene Asante and Larry Nixon III have been leaders at their respective LB positions. Asante has already racked up a team-high 35 tackles, including 24 solo and 2 sacks. Nixon has added 23 tackles (13 solo).

Secondary: B+

Auburn is 1 of 3 SEC teams that have more interceptions (6) than TD passes allowed (5).

Among the bright spots in the secondary is Jaylin Simpson. The ball-hawk leads the SEC with 4 interceptions. including 1 pick-6.

Special teams: B

Place-kicker Alex McPherson hasn’t missed yet. He’s 5-for-5 in FG attempts and 18-for-18 on PAT attempts. Punter Oscar Chapman ranks 5th in the SEC, averaging 42.2 yards per punt. He was particularly effective against Georgia, averaging more than 50 yards per punt and twice pinning the Dawgs inside their 10-yard line.