Echoing a message from his Monday press conference, Auburn head coach Hugh Freeze said during Wednesday’s SEC teleconference that he and the rest of Auburn’s offense have to get Payton Thorne some help.

That help is on the field certainly, but it also includes helping him be confident before he gets on the field.

“We’re asked to be psychologists along with being a coach,” Freeze said Wednesday. “We had a good meeting Sunday night and obviously, I feel like there’s things that our staff has let him down on also. And some of it is him and he knows that, he owns it. But I promised him we would do a better job coaching him this week and preparing him.”

Thorne has struggled so far this season in four games as Auburn’s starter. He has thrown for 561 yards, four touchdowns and three interceptions.

He’s been at his worst in games against Power 5 opponents. He was 9-of-14 for 94 yards, two touchdowns and one interception against Cal. Texas A&M was his worst game yet, completing only six of his 12 passes for 44 yards. He was sacked five times. The day was rough enough that it warranted Freeze to be not fully committed to ensuring Thorne would be the starter against Georgia in his Monday press conference.

On Wednesday, Freeze said the focus on working with Throne this week also includes preparing other position groups on the offense. During a period of practice open to reporters Tuesday evening, Freeze spent significant attention with the wide receiver group and where exactly they were lining up.

He has frequently mentioned receivers running the wrong routes, but there are plays Freeze still notes — like the wide-open wheel route Jay Fair ran in the first half against Texas A&M — that have not been completed.

“He understands the game from the mental perspective and when the ball is snapped, he knows ‘Man, this dig should be the throw,” Freeze said. “And if it’s not the right time from the receivers or whatever, you know, it throws him off, and obviously that leads to sacks.”

Freeze said Thorne has appeared distracted in the pocket, so his pocket presence has been a focus on practice, too.

All the while, Freeze said Thorne still has the autonomy to make checks and change protections himself at the line of scrimmage. Freeze said because of his mental understanding of the game, he can try to line up receivers or routes as he sees best on the field when necessary or when the play allows.

“Things gonna have to turn to a positive vibe somehow and it takes some mental toughness to do that on his part and our part,” Freeze said. “In the coming weeks, we need to see we need to see some progress.”

Matt Cohen covers Auburn sports for AL.com. You can follow him on Twitter at @Matt_Cohen_ or email him at [email protected]