When Auburn Tigers running back Jarquez Hunter sent out a group message this week apologizing for not carrying his team on his back, it turned out he was planning on setting the record straight.

Talk was cheap on the Plains this season, but when he talked on the field where it really mattered, the Tigers' star runner delivered an explosive 278 yards.

“To be honest, I was tired of losing,” Hunter said after the game. “I told Coach, ‘We’re going to find a way to win this game. No matter how we do it or how it is done, we will find a way.' I try to do my best for my teammates and coaches. I tried to take advantage of my opportunities today and I tried to exhaust them.

Freeze battled a bout of illness but still returned to calling the shots on the sidelines.
Hunter proved to be the perfect pick-me-up and solution to the lack of a cohesive offensive attack, but why did it take so long for the penny to drop?

Long lamented to Coach Freeze about not being able to get touchdowns to his All-SEC running back like he was hard to find. He had to point the finger at himself for such puzzling omissions.

Better late than never, the magical benchmark of 20+ transmissions was finally reached. If he manages more than 20 carries for the first time, he will rush for 278 yards. Football is not rocket science, even if many coaches would like to believe it is. Hunter's successful career now places him at No. 4 on Auburn's all-time single-game rushing list.

Some will argue that the Tigers faced the struggling Wildcats at just the right time, but the early recovery from a 10-point deficit is a sign that this team can indeed overcome adversity, especially after several disastrous implosions.

Insert freeze.

“We obviously had our chance to win a lot of football games this year and for whatever reason – lack of confidence or not making the right decision or not making the right play – things just didn't go our way,” Freeze said after Victory.

Tigers quarterback Payton Thorne has also proven he can be a solid game manager when Freeze releases him a bit – both with the game plan and verbally.

Playing power football has breathed some life back into the Tigers, and after a month of playing on the road, some home comforts will come in handy next week.

As much as Freeze will breathe a sigh of relief this morning, the question certainly arises as to why he hasn't fed the trusted Hunter long ago.

Hunter has made it clear that he will be this team's offensive player in the future – which will undoubtedly pique the interest of NFL scouts. You'll be happy to know that his body shows no signs of wear and tear, much to the dismay of Auburn fans.

From now on, it's a must for Freeze to repeat the newfound winning formula, but to be fair, it would be madness to do anything else.