AUBURN, Ala. – With poise and precision, Hank Brown came within one touchdown pass of tying Auburn’s record for a quarterback making his first start.
Aided by nine consecutive second-half completions, Brown finished 17 for 25 for 235 yards and four touchdowns, one shy of Daniel Cobb’s record of five TD passes in his first career start in 2001.
“Our playmakers being able to get open and win on their DBs was a huge factor,” Brown said. “The coaches put me in good situations to be able to make those completions. Not getting greedy and coming back down to my checkdowns.
“A great debut and an exciting game. We put up a lot of points but I don’t believe I played my best brand of football. There’s a lot of room to grow. I’m excited to get in the film room tomorrow, watch it and grow from it.”
Rivaldo Fairweather, who caught Brown’s fourth touchdown pass Saturday in Auburn’s 45-19 win over New Mexico, described Brown’s performance as “teach tape” – video so sound it could be used to instruct.
“He played a great game and made the right reads,” said Fairweather, whose 26-yard touchdown reception gave Auburn a 19-point lead in the fourth quarter. “We knew Hank could do that. He’s done it in practice multiple times. He got his shot and took off with it. He was very calm and composed. He’s going to be a great quarterback for this team."
Brown attributes that composure to his faith, allowing him to remain calm amid the fanfare associated with his first start.
“I don’t understand how people can play this game, specifically at the quarterback position, not being grounded in their faith,” he said. “That’s one thing I cling to in moments like this. Being able to be in God’s presence and sit in prayer and constant communication with Him, even throughout the game. I’m a man of my faith and I love to stay grounded through that.
“As a leader, one thing that I always strive to do is just be a servant to my teammates. However I can be there for them, motivating and encouraging them. That’s something that comes with time and throughout the offseason, spending time with them and learning their story. That’s obviously a big part of being a leader –building relationships with teammates and growing alongside them.”
With Auburn leading 17-13 early in the third quarter, Brown displayed his mobility, rolling to his right and throwing on the run while avoiding a pass rusher, hitting tight end Micah Riley for a 3-yard touchdown.
“I love getting on the move and being able to get in my rhythm that way,” Brown said.
The redshirt freshman gets to write another chapter this Saturday when Auburn hosts Arkansas at 2:30 p.m. CT, his first taste of Southeastern Conference competition.
“I love competition,” he said. “I’m excited to get into this SEC play, prepare for Arkansas this week and get after them.”
Jeff Shearer is a Senior Writer at AuburnTigers.com. Follow him on X: @jeff_shearer