Auburn is experiencing the winds of change as Hugh Freeze, the head coach, is reconstructing the Tigers’ roster and coaching staff. Nonetheless, the focus has recently been taken away from Jackson Arnold, who seems to be stuck in an early disrespect storm in his Auburn career. With Freeze making calculated moves such as hiring ex-head coach Chad Lunsford to boost the special teams, queries about Jackson Arnold’s role and performance have buoyed to the topmost.

Meanwhile, Auburn’s running back room seems to be stable, and there are probably going to be a lot of guys coming in at this position. The Tigers’ road with Freeze is still a little bit complicated, with a lot of hopes for success, but which co-stars are around and are still in question?

Auburn has rewritten the story of college football this fall with the arrival of new team members and the new tactical changes in special teams. It will be interesting to see how the story is panning out as the season progresses.

Ben Taylor shared his thoughts about the Jackson Auburn transfer on a YouTube channel called “Locked On Auburn.” He said, “You’ve got more running backs that are going to be headed to the Auburn locker room more than likely. We also still don’t know, second transfer portal, if any decide that they may not be as much.” This goes well along with head coach Hugh Freeze’s approach of filling the roster, and that too, in the most impactful offensive positions. The transfer portal triumphs of Auburn’s past, i.e., securing Brian Battie from USF as well as Damari Alston, a four-star recruit, are proof of the program’s commitment to a competitive depth chart.

Furthermore, Taylor said, “I do look at the ahead of him, and I kind of wonder after looking at his numbers if they may have gotten it right or gotten it wrong.” But that’s not where he ended this conversation; he kept saying, “I think he probably could have snuck in the top just because I see some of the other teams represented in there, and I just look at some of the competition they may have played.”

Even though Auburn contends in a very competitive SEC, some people believe that the players from less competitive teams often get more recognition, as is shown by, “But then again, some people may say the same thing about Yukon. I don’t know.” Jackson Arnold is listed as the 13th-best quarterback in the SEC by Fansided, just ahead of Missouri Beau Pribula/Sam Horn, Kentucky Zach Calzada, and Mississippi State Blake Shapen. The hosts, Ben Taylor and Zac Blackerby talked about the top 10 as Darell Robinson was excluded from the top 10 rankings. With that being said, the ex-head coach is also coming.

Lunsford returns as special teams coach

Chad Lunsford is coming home, but is it official? According to a source who spoke to AuburnSports.com, the former administrative assistant at Auburn is going back to coaching the Tigers’ special teams. How has Lunsford’s journey been?

Lunsford had been a tight end and special teams coach at Florida Atlantic for the previous four seasons. In November 2024, he became interim head coach after being promoted to associate head coach in 2023.

Earlier this month, Tanner Burns, the former special teams coordinator for the Tigers, announced his departure to take a position at Texas State as an associate head coach, special teams coordinator, and defensive analyst. Chad Lunsford has been appointed as the Tigers’ new special teams coordinator by head coach Hugh Freeze in his wake.

His tenure at FAU showcased his ability to elevate teams, and now he’s tasked with improving a crucial part of Auburn’s game that often goes underappreciated: special teams. Lunsford’s return is also about familiarity and continuity for the Tigers. Having a coach who knows Auburn’s culture and traditions while also bringing a fresh perspective from his time at FAU should prove beneficial for Freeze’s coaching staff.