In a recent phone conversation with his dad, Auburn quarterback Payton Thorne revealed he was feeling awfully confident as spring camp continued to unfold.

“I was just telling him these last couple of weeks my confidence has been really rising. Just seeing it all come together right now — I’m seeing familiar guys, hearing familiar things from coach (Derrick) Nix and what he preaches,” Thorne said of the conversation Thursday.

“I’m feeling the best I’ve felt, honestly, since 2021 right now. I feel extremely confident.”

Thorne was still at Michigan State in 2021, when he helped lead the Spartans to an 11-2 record, which was capped off by a win over Pitt in the Chick-Fil-A Peach Bowl.

For Thorne, who is entering his sixth year of playing college football, 2021 was his best showing as he logged more than 3,200 passing yards, 27 touchdowns and 10 interceptions on 60% passing.

So for Thorne to say Thursday that he’s feeling the best he has since that 2021 season is good news for Auburn considering the struggles Thorne and the Tigers’ offense encountered last fall.

But what changed? What’s gone into this sudden rise in Thorne’s confidence?

There are a few factors, Thorne says, with the broader one being Auburn’s offseason change at offensive coordinator.

After Auburn head coach Hugh Freeze announced he wouldn’t be retaining former offensive coordinator Philip Montgomery, longtime Ole Miss assistant Derrick Nix was quickly targeted as Auburn’s next offensive coordinator.

Together, Freeze and Nix — who previously coached together at Ole Miss — have co-piloted changes within Auburn’s offense.

“Those two are taking charge and the way we practice is a lot different,” Thorne said. “I feel a ton better, we’re more efficient, we are faster, we’re paying more attention to detail — that’s a word that keeps coming up a lot.”

In an interview with The Next Round Tuesday, Thorne alluded to a lack-of-detail last season.

“The detail is huge. We had no detail last year, that’s just being frank,” Thorne said. “This year that’s being emphasized and I think guys are really latching onto that.”

In addition to the change at offensive coordinator, Thorne says Freeze called for a tweak in Auburn’s run-pass-option offensive scheme — of which will be the bread and butter for the Tigers in 2024.

And that change has had a positive impact on Auburn’s incumbent starting quarterback.

“We changed it about halfway through spring ball. Coach Freeze made a change and did what he’s comfortable with and what he really wants it what I’m most comfortable with as well,” Thorne said. “So I was super happy to see that. And since that day, I feel like the RPO game has been really efficient and I’m really excited about it. I feel very comfortable with it and everything that’s being called right now.”

Thorne added that what Freeze and Nix are dialing up together has similarities to what he did at Michigan State, as well as what Thorne did in high school.

As such, Thorne attests that he’s got “a ton of reps at that and seeing it.”

While he didn’t dive into the details of the adjustment, Thorne made it clear it was for the best.

And all of this comes just two days after Freeze hinted at Thorne being Auburn’s guy under center heading into fall camp.

“Payton will still be in the lead, pole position come fall camp,” Freeze said Tuesday.

Freeze added that Hank Brown and Holden Geriner continue to nip at Thorne’s heels for the starting job.

Thorne was asked about his job security Thursday afternoon. His answer circles right back to the phone call he had with his dad a few weeks back.

“Yeah, I’m comfortable,” Thorne said. “Like I said, I’m very confident right now.”