Jason Caldwell, from Auburn Undercover, tells McElroy & Cubelic what he wants to see from Auburn during their fall camp & why Payton Thorne's decision making is the key to Auburn's season
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Welcome back in McElroy and Kubelik in the morning. August 1st right here on jocks 94.5 Thursday. Appreciate you tuning in at 822 a.m. Going to talk some Auburn football as they hit the practice field today in just a moment with Jason Caldwell. By the way, the Bill Smith Buick GMC jocks kickoff party is Wednesday, August 14th at Regents Field. And the only way to win tickets is

is by texting in the keyword jocks and your full name to 205-834-9450 that's the keyword jocks and your full name to 205-834-9450 for your chance to win those tickets winners are drawn daily and for more information log on to jocksfm.com all right jason caldwell of inside the auburn tigers joining us now on the buyer's right hotline uh talk auburn opening camp today and jason

obviously been covering the team for a while knows the team well you can follow him on twitter at itat jason auburnundercover.com is the website as we head into this camp what is your confidence level of Peyton Thorne actually taking a big step and proving a lot of the naysayers wrong as to him being a successful SEC maybe more successful SEC quarterback this year

Yeah, I think it's a lot more because of the pieces around him. He's already done it at Michigan State when he had some pretty high-level pieces around him. I think Auburn has significantly upgraded a wide receiver. Obviously, the running back room should be strong again. I think the offensive line piece,

is in as good a shape as Auburn's been probably since 2017 in terms of, you know, frontline guys and depth and that, that factors into. So I think the surrounding pieces and year two, um, that should make him, I believe a much better quarterback heading into the season. What about the upgraded personnel around him? Uh, I know it's so early, uh, but based on the returns of the summer, has there been a decent rapport created between him and the new looking wide receivers? Uh,

Yeah, I think, you know, the good thing was it started some in the spring when you had Robert Lewis and obviously Cam Coleman already in. Sam Jackson, those guys played high school football together and he threw to him as a wide receiver before he was quarterback. And now you've added in Keiondre Lambert, some different Penn State, and we've heard good things about him. And so those guys, see which –

the true freshman Perry Thompson, Malcolm Simmons can make an impact. But I think it started in the spring and I think they've had some really good workouts this summer from what I've been told. So you know how important those things are for a quarterback, wide receiver, from a timing standpoint, all those things. And so I think it's gone pretty well. And now can you find guys that are consistent playmakers and heck just,

The first step is catch the football. If they catch the football consistently last year, he's probably a 65%, 67% completion percentage and a few more numbers even as the struggles they had. So I think if they can do those things just consistently, then they'll be playmakers there with obviously Cam Coleman jumping out. There are a lot of folks, Jason, including me, that thinks this offensive line can take a step. I'm just...

I'm not sold that it can take the massive step that I think some other people are. Uh, how do you view that group heading into fall camp? Yeah. Like I said, I, I don't know that it's that, that you're ready to go out and, and become a, an offensive line that, you know, looks like Nebraska in 1994. Um, but I think you can be a group that is significantly better. And, um,

I think it starts in the middle with Connor Lue coming back as a second-year guy, a guy that has kind of earned his stripes at the end of the year last year as a true freshman and now steps into the role of being a guy that I feel like can take on a leadership role. So I think it starts there. But Jeremiah Wright is probably a guy that –

this thing may hinge on him as much as anyone. There's never been a doubt about his physical skills, but I think you look at him now and he's, he's really taking on a leadership role this summer in recruiting and doing a bunch of things. And you have him and Dylan Wade sliding inside the guard. Um, I think the interior line can be really good. How, how well can Percy Lewis, um, step in and play it as a left tackle, uh,

Tyler Johnson's a guy that's registered last year that they think is really talented, just hasn't played much. And then you've got two tall millers that's out there, too. So I think they have the pieces. You're right. Can you and do you have to be that dominant or you just have to be improved and give yourself a chance? And I think that's where it starts.

When you look at that group and their improvements, you've got to assume they're still going to lean heavily on the run game. I just can't imagine a scenario in which they...

They aren't a 60-40 run-pass team unless situationally the game kind of determines that they've got to be more aggressive through the year. So when you look at balance at the end of the year, now that Hugh Freeze is taking back over the play calling duties, I know they haven't said that, but it sounds like that's the direction they're heading. What do you think the balance is going to look like for this offense?

I think it all hinges on Peyton Thorne's decision-making because it's going to be RPO. And if you can run the football, then obviously it opens up a little more of the passing game and that RPO stuff with Rivaldo Fairweather and the tight ends. So I think that success running the football will then allow him to dictate based on what the defense does. And that –

that's where the decision-making comes in. And so, yeah, they're still going to run it, and you have to run it to be able to be an RPO team. But I think it'll be, you know, you're right, there'll be some teams that go, look, we're not going to let you run it, and you're going to have to throw a little bit more. And can this team be more successful in doing those types of things? That's how you take the next step, and we'll find that out.

Jason Caldwell joining us on the Buyers Rite Hotline at ITAT. Jason, you can follow him. Greg and I have shared our concerns about the defense, specifically the defensive line. The numbers have been bolstered, but is there a player that you feel like could sort of break out and become dominant, could be a legitimate force to be reckoned with week in, week out inside this group?

Yeah, I mean, you have to start with Keldrick Falk. Second year, can he take the next step and become that guy that is a playmaker? There's no secret when you start talking about it, how quickly and how much can you create penetration in the middle of a defense, and that impacts quarterback as much as anything, and can you find those types of guys? I think Isaiah Rakes,

He's a guy that can do those things coming from Texas A&M. Kelsey Falk is a guy that you look at at almost 290 pounds now. We'll still play defensive end, but I think we'll slide inside and play some three and give them a different look. The other one I'm kind of waiting on a little bit because it happens sometimes with junior colleges is Quintrell, Jameson, Travis, Bobby Jameson, Travis came from junior college last year, only got on campus two days before they started the fall. Now you've had a year.

how quickly can he come out and make an impact? Cause he's really talented. He's physical athletic. Um, you're right. They got numbers, but can you find a legit playmaker or two out of the group? Um,

If not, it's just – and it's going to be a rotation. They're going to play a lot more guys than they've played really probably since 2019, 2020 on that defensive line. So they'll keep guys fresh. But do you have somebody that can take over a game? I would say Kielce Falk is probably the guy to watch first.

Feel decent about the front seven. I think they've added some good pieces this offseason. I'm not going to sit here and suggest that they're a top group in the league, but I don't think they're going to be in the bottom tier. I think they're probably middle of the pack until proven otherwise. But the back end, I do have a couple of questions there knowing some of the offenses that they'll face. Look at their schedule. They're going to face a lot of teams that can throw it all over the yard. So how do you anticipate their victory being able to hold up against some of the wide receiver crews that they'll see?

Yeah, I think they're more talented than they've been, but they just lack experience, and that's a big deal. Obviously, you look and, you know, Keontae Scott's back. That's a big one. You add Jared Thompson at safety from Texas. He's played a ton of football. So you've got two guys that have played a whole lot. Kay and Lee started some games last year, played as a true freshman. So you've got some pieces there. Caleb Wooden at safety is another one. They've got some talented young guys.

You know, Sylvester Smith, red chartered last year, I think is a good player. Caleb Harris from Thompson High School is going to play as a true freshman at safety. But it's the corner nickel spot. You're just going to have to stay healthy because there's not a ton of experience. J.C. Hart, really talented, Jamel Dean type of guy, 6'2 1⁄2", 210 pounds, and probably in the low 4'4". He is really athletic. Antonio Kite, really athletic.

But how quickly can those guys get ready to play in this league? And can you stay healthy? I think that's the case for a lot of teams, but I think it is for that Auburn secondary.

Hey, Jason, I'm just interested in what you want to see. What are you watching day one? What do you want to try to learn? What sort of has your interest peaked the most for day one of fall practice? Yeah, I think the thing about it now is it's so different than it used to be. When you guys were playing, Cole, when you played, the day one, day two was the first time we'd really seen or talked to anybody in months. And now there's so much information. We get so much information at times that you kind of have an idea. The thing will be is

It's like, what are those summer guys look like? You know, Keandre Lambert-Smith, Isaiah Rakes, Phillip Leedy, the new linebacker that comes in. What do those guys look like physically? That's probably the first thing because there's not a whole lot to be learned on day one. You'll see a few rotations, but...

Every coach will say there's no depth chart on day one, but you'll get an idea of who they think might be some guys that will be up there coming out of the spring and summer. So that's probably it. There's not a whole lot to take from Hiss until probably get four or five days in, start to put on some pads, and then you start to see maybe a few guys start to separate some. Jason, appreciate the time. Always good catching up. Enjoy the start of practice today. We'll get you back soon.

Thanks, guys. Appreciate it. Jason Caldwell covers the Auburn Tigers. Joining us on the Buyer's Right Hotline for all your insurance needs. Look to Buyer's Right Insurance, member of the WRM group where relationships matter. Mention you can follow Jason on Twitter at ITATJason. And go find his work, everything Auburn related, auburnundercover.com. A little bit more follow-up what Jason said on Auburn when we come back.

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