How Auburn is Working to Fix its Drop Issues

This week, head coach Hugh Freeze made a suggestion that seems obvious on its face but could pay dividends.

“Continue to get on the jugs. They’ll be on them every day," he said. "It’s really hard to explain, and that’s, you know, as a coach, there are some days that just set you off, and you want to go off on kids at times at quarterback or receiver.

“But it’s really hard to do that to the guys that you know care, and they have the capability of making those plays that change the game.”

Catching footballs from the machine to get reps sounds logical. Yet, it does come with one drawback. You cannot simulate certain conditions relying on the machine. Fatigue, timing, and contact cannot be replicated by machine use.

For five yards, defenders can jostle wideouts to throw off their timing. Players will not be overwhelmingly exhausted, but being a little tired affects hand-eye coordination, perhaps the lack of concentration in seeing the ball into their hands. While you don't want to tax the arms of the quarterbacks on the depth chart, finding a couple of winning throwers to throw passes could help with sharpness.

Luckily for the Tigers, Arkansas features the 115th-ranked pass defense in FBS. They will enjoy plenty of opportunities during Saturday's game. Moreover, the Hogs' secondary issues should lead to big plays.

In turn, quarterback Jackson Arnold looks better, and the team could win a game because Arkansas' best chance to win resides with an offense that will face a stingy Auburn defense.

Drops continue to plague Auburn. Yet, they remain a part of the game. Conquering them could mean the Tigers notch their first conference victory. With bowl eligibility within their grasp, Auburn's receivers can't let games slip through their fingers.

Likewise, Freeze cannot afford anymore losses as his seat continues to heat up

“The disappointment from Saturday night can’t linger. We’ve got to move on," he said. "We know our past four opponents have a combined record of 25-3 and are really, really good football teams. Which, when you look at how close we are to winning each of those games, it gives me great hope. And I think that’s what you hold onto in times like these, the fact that you’re really, really close."

Kickoff between Auburn and Arkansas is at 11:45 a.m. with television coverage on SEC Network.

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