Auburn football gets crucial update on injury return of star freshman
Auburn football is likely getting one of their top weapons back on the outside on Saturday when they play Arkansas . Star true freshman wideout Cam Coleman, who missed last week's game with a shoulder injury, is on track to return this weekend, according to Pete Thamel of ESPN.
"," Thamel reported on X, formerly Twitter. "He missed last week against New Mexico with a shoulder injury, which happened against Cal."
Coleman was a five-star recruit in the class of 2024, and was one of the most highly-coveted prospects around the nation. He chose Auburn over offers from Alabama, Georgia, Texas and others.
Coleman is off to a hot start in his true freshman season. He has just four catches so far this season, but has been an explosive play machine, generating 115 yards on those four catches. He also scored his first career touchdown in Auburn's season opener against Alabama A&M.
Where does Auburn stand in loaded SEC?
The SEC has unquestionably been the best conference in college football so far in 2024, as their elite teams have repeatedly dominated top competition from other league in non-conference play. The Week 4 AP poll reflects that, as the SEC occupies six of the top seven spots in the rankings and has nine ranked teams in the conference overall.
Auburn is one of the teams currently sitting outside of the rankings after a 2-1 start that included a disappointing home loss against Cal . While the Tigers' offense was rolling in blowout wins over Alabama A&M and New Mexico, they struggled mightily in the loss against Cal, scoring just 14 points and managing just 286 total yards.
That is the side of the ball that needs to get fixed for Auburn, who has looked great so far this season on defense. While they may not have the tools to be an explosive offense that scores a ton of points each week, they have the playmakers to create big plays that can complement the consistency of their defense.
One way forward for Auburn is to lean on the running game and the legs of star running back Jarquez Hunter. Hunter has proven in past years that he has the ability to be one of the best backs in the SEC. but he has just 36 carries so far this season through three games. If they can control the clock on the ground more, it will help their defense stay fresh.
