Since joining ESPN as a college football analyst in 2007, Jesse Palmer has seen the rise and fall of Auburn football as the Tigers’ program has coursed though the end of the Tommy Tuberville era, the Gene Chizik years, the ride with Gus Malzahn, the brief Bryan Harsin adventure and now the start of Hugh Freeze’s tenure.

If Palmer had one takeaway from it all, it’s this: “College football, to me, is better when Auburn is good.”

Those were some of Palmer’s comments on the Tigers during a media availability ESPN hosted Wednesday morning.

And according to Palmer, Auburn’s ascension back towards the top of the college football ranks hinges on one key piece.

“I think the quarterback position is obviously massive,” Palmer said. “It’s critical.”

Palmer’s emphasis on Auburn’s quarterback play shouldn’t come as a surprise. A former SEC quarterback himself, Palmer remembers how important the position was from his time playing under Steve Spurrier at Florida in the late 1990s.

But perhaps more than that, Palmer has watched how dangerous Auburn can be when piloted by efficient quarterback play.

“Special seasons generally revolve around great quarterback play there — and really throughout the SEC, when you think about it — but obviously Cam Newton, Nick Marshall and what he was able to do was special and unique,” Palmer said.

Earlier this month, Freeze named junior Michigan State transfer Payton Thorne Auburn’s starting quarterback. Thorne’s appointment came after a lengthy, three-man race that also featured incumbent starter Robby Ashford and redshirt freshman Holden Geriner.

While it’s too early to tell if Thorne can be the great quarterback for a special season can revolve around, Palmer is confident in Freeze being the guy to elevate the quarterback situation on The Plains.

“I think Hugh Freeze’s scheme is very quarterback friendly,” Palmer said. “I think you’ve seen that anywhere he’s been throughout all of his stops through college football.”

When describing a Freeze-led program, Palmer used things like “up and down the field”, “explosive plays”, “tempo” and “the scoreboard lighting up” as his descriptors.

And if those things prove to be true in 2023, Palmer knows what lies ahead.

When Palmer was a true freshman in 1997, he and the Florida Gators traveled to Auburn’s Jordan-Hare Stadium for a mid-October matchup. Palmer started the game and helped the Gators to a 24-10 win. But Florida’s win is far from the only thing he remembers about the game.

“Jordan-Hare is a scary place. I started there as a true freshman, I know what it feels like firsthand. I’ve called a lot of games there. Homefield advantage is a real thing,” Palmer said.

“And it doesn’t take much. You get a few wins and Jordan-Hare starts rolling… You guys are allowed to do Toomer’s Corner again, right? I mean this is awesome. This is good for college football. College football, to me, is better when Auburn’s good. I don’t think it’s too, too far away. I think there are going to be really good things on the horizon.”