Cam Coleman is emerging as a potential game-breaker for Auburn
Auburn’s offense needed a spark last season, but one never really arrived.
The Tigers struggled to move the ball, particularly through the air, last season en route to a 6-7 campaign. They lost their final 3 games of the regular season, including a heartbreaker at home to Alabama and a blowout defeat to Maryland in the Music City Bowl.
But in 2024, things are already trending upward for Auburn’s offense.
Freshman phenom Cam Coleman is already establishing himself as a potential difference-maker from Day 1 of his collegiate career. Ranked as the No. 3 overall player in the country for the class of 2024, per 247Sports Composite rankings, Coleman is the type of player who can transform an offense like Auburn’s.
And to be clear: Auburn’s offense needs a transformation. Last season, the Tigers ranked 11th in the SEC in yards per play and 13th in passer efficiency rating.
How much can a true freshman wide receiver impact those numbers remains to be seen — especially with an experienced-but-limited quarterback in Payton Thorne set to return next season.
But to his credit, Hugh Freeze sounds like he’s ready to let Coleman take the Tigers as far as he can. In an interview with On3’s J.D. PicKell earlier this spring, Freeze compared Coleman to some of the best wide receivers he’s had during his coaching career. That list includes NFL vets such as Laquon Treadwell, Mike Wallace, DK Metcalf and AJ Brown, amongst others.
“Boy, I’m every bit as excited about [Coleman] as I was [for those guys],” Freeze said. “There’s something to him.”
Freeze went on to talk about Coleman’s character and work ethic in addition to his athletic gifts.
“He is the most humble, coachable kid,” Freeze added. “And that’s rare in today’s time … he’s just humble. So you’ve got to give credit to his mom and dad and his family.
“Obviously there’s a lot of things he doesn’t know. You see it on film. I can see it out there before the ball is snapped. ‘Uh oh, he’s unsure.’ But that’s to be expected. When he’s sure, he’s really, really, really good.”
While it’s good to hear that Coleman is locked-in mentally as well, his physical traits are also elite. He’s listed at 6-foot-3, 188 pounds. Per Reel Analytics, Coleman showed off an impressive in-game athleticism score of 80.5.
Cam Coleman’s has an IN-GAME ATHLETICISM™ Score of 80.5, signaling his upside potential. Coleman has the traits to make an immediate impact for the Tigers. #IGAScore
? https://t.co/UFKB2eWAzCpic.twitter.com/B3a4CPnmjY
— Reel Analytics (@RAanalytics) April 9, 2024
Here’s video of one of Coleman’s biggest plays during A-Day last week:
Welcome to college football, @CamColeman12 ? pic.twitter.com/VYrR4H4UpJ
— Auburn Football (@AuburnFootball) April 6, 2024
At the risk of putting too many expectations on a true freshman, Coleman has the potential to break through at a program that has struggled to produce wide receivers for generations. Auburn has exactly 2 1,000-yard receiving seasons in program history, and zero since 1999 when Ronney Daniels accomplished that feat.
As Saturday Down South’s Connor O’Gara noted this week, Auburn hasn’t had a receiver drafted in the top 2 rounds of the NFL Draft since 2002 (Tim Carter). It hasn’t had a 1st round wide receiver (excluding supplemental drafts) since Terry Beasley in 1972.
Also from O’Gara — and perhaps more relevant to Auburn in 2024 — the Tigers have not had a top-40 passing offense since 1997. Auburn has also ranked in the bottom half of the SEC in passer efficiency rating in each of the past 6 seasons.
After the spring game last week, Freeze spoke about how important wide receiver talent is to increasing offensive efficiency.
“The more talented receivers we get, the better our passing game is going to be,” Freeze said. “I’m confident that we can move the football if we continue to add pieces to the talent of the roster. And I think we’ve done that some, but we need to continue to do that.”
That quote certainly points toward the possibility that Auburn will look to add more WR reinforcements in the portal this spring, but it also speaks to the importance of having a player as talented as Coleman on your roster.
Regardless of what happens around Coleman in Auburn’s WR room, it’s becoming clear that he’s going to be crucial to the Tigers’ success in 2024.
Auburn will open its 2024 regular season against Alabama A&M on Aug. 31. If you want to bet on the Tigers during the offseason, you can place a wager on Auburn’s regular season win total at an online sports book like bet365. Auburn’s win total for 2024 is currently set at 7.5.
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“Auburn’s offense needed a spark last season, but one never really arrived.”
They also needed a head coach to show up and not make stupid coaching decisions.
Dang Ronnie Tijuana. I did not know you are not a Hugh Freeze fan? Are you leaning towards Cadillac?
I’m not a Hugh Freeze fan.
Ronnie the Re Re isn’t a fan of anyone (other than himself – he waves that fan flag loud and proud). After AU’s offense is putting up school record numbers, he’ll be in the comment section praising Freeze and touting how he always knew he’d build a powerhouse offense. Anyone that criticizes Ronitia will be called “ma’am” and be asked for a copy of their diploma. In short: he has a tiny pee pee and is a joke. Auburn doesn’t claim him.
AU hasn’t put up record numbers since Gus left town, Shat.
But please, continue to ramble on if it makes you feel better.
If you like getting blown out by NMS and Maryland, Hugh Freeze is your man.
” In short: he has a tiny pee pee and is a joke. Auburn doesn’t claim him.
Your obsession with my d!ck is noted, pedo.
Oh, and tell AU to quit asking me for money if you think they “don’t claim me.”
Coach should have called everyone names like pe-dos and told everyone to quit liking kissing their sisters and supposed fans like Ron would have thought way more of him.
Your weird obsession with me is noted, creep.
Ronnie Tijuana. With your snazzy quotation repeat postings you have turned yourself into a bit of a rock star poster. People like you Ronnie Tijuana.
With stalkers like you, who needs enemies.
When you crave negative attention you get it.
Oh also, Coach Freeze made some horrible coaching decisions but hey, it’s my fault right, creep?
It’s amazing how some fake AU alumni get their thongs in a wad over any criticism of ANY AU coach.
Have a nice day, creep.
You are about as easy as they come!!! You love to jump folks with your little crude name calling while never actually discussing the sport of football. Then when someone says something back to you that shows maybe you did not finish close to the top or middle of the class you can’t handle it. Hahahahaha
“You are about as easy as they come!!! You love to jump folks with your little crude name calling ”
Weird, I didn’t call anyone a name. You should take remedial English. Learn to read.
Also, go stalk someone else, creep.
“hen when someone says something back to you that shows maybe you did not finish close to the top or middle of the class you can’t handle it. Hahahahaha”
Creepy stalker, I made a comment about how bad of a coaching job Hugh Freeze has done. You show up and then make it about me.
YOU
ARE
A
CREEPY
STALKER.
GET.
HELP.
My football side says auburns need a QB to go with its WRs.
Maybe, but Thorne threw for 3800+ yards a few seasons ago. Maybe our QB just needs some decent WRs.
“Maybe our QB just needs some decent WRs.”
You need LASIK.
You got me there. I am not well informed on the QB. Auburn currently went out and got some highly rated WRs this recruiting cycle. Freeze has always been a good recruiter.