Hugh Freeze had seemingly finished answering the question about quarterback Payton Thorne’s play in the Georgia game and how to build forward from it. The microphone was passed over to the next reporter at Freeze’s press conference Monday. But Freeze took a breath, seemingly sighed and kept going.

“Oh nevermind, I don’t want to belabor the point,” Freeze began.

Freeze does this frequently, continuing his answers while another reporter gets ready for their turn to ask a question. It’s often where he makes his most revealing comments. On Monday, it was a release of frustration from what he saw on film.

“I’m trying to get over that,” Freeze continued. “I’m trying to put it in the past but you guys keep bringing it up. But I mean—”

He paused and in an apparent combination of frustration and expasperation over a mistake he wishes Auburn could have back continued on.

“I wish you could see the film,” Freeze said. “You got Rivaldo (Fairweather) running wide open for a touchdown if we just set the protection.”

This has been a recurring issue for Auburn. A series of seemingly small technical or schematic errors have led to larger failures. Missing open receivers has consistently been one of them, whether that be on protections or the quarterback itself.

That mistake came against No. 1 Georgia, a game Auburn lost but put up one of its best fights against a team it was greatly overmatched by. Thorne was inconsistent, but he began to make better decisions on run-pass-option plays by Freeze’s own view. It’s a process that has taken time for Thorne to adjust to having not begun practicing with Auburn until just over two months ago and a scheme he’s never piloted before.

“We’re trying hard to build upon it,” Freeze said Monday of Thorne’s play against Georgia. “I thought he made some really good throws.”

And while Thorne certainly isn’t where Freeze wants him to be or Auburn needs him to be, the matchup at 6 p.m. Saturday night against No. 22 LSU in Baton Rouge, Louisiana will pit each team’s weakness against each other.

Auburn can’t pass the ball. LSU can’t defend the pass.

LSU is outside the top 100 nationally and among the bottom two in the SEC in passing yards allowed per game and passing efficiency allowed.

Meanwhile, Auburn is 119th nationally and last in the SEC in passing offense. It is also outside the top 100 and last in the SEC in passing efficiency. It is second to last in the league in yards per completion.

LSU’s defensive issues stretch far beyond just the passing game. It has allowed at least 30 points in four of its five games against Power 5 teams — giving up just 14 to Mississippi State. LSU is 121st in the nation out of 130 teams in total defense and last in the SEC. It is last in the SEC against the run, second to last in scoring defense, second to last in third-down defense and outside the top 100 nationally in all of those categories. LSU has the second-worst red zone defense in the nation.

Thorne still is yet to throw for more than 100 yards against a Power 5 opponent. But his performance against Georgia did show promise of steps forward — albeit the majority coming from his legs.

The box score doesn’t show it, but Freeze believes his quarterback is taking steps forward. The steps come slowly and they do not come simultaneously, but Freeze’s responses to film studies have shown gradual improvement from Thorne.

In his press conference Monday, Freeze detailed that even amidst Thorne’s overall struggles, he hasn’t necessarily gotten much help. He took the blame for protection mishaps that have occurred both against Georgia and throughout the season, but he also noted six plays — all incompletions — where Thorne’s pass catchers didn’t make a play for him.

“He had nine incompletions, and I literally think six of them could have gone either way,” Freeze said. “But there are chances for us to make plays that, again, put us in position to get points or convert the chains and keep our defense off the field. And we’re gonna have to start making our share of those. The balls, though, were in the right spot. I mean, some of them were really good throws. So I do think there are some things you can build upon there.”

It’s a balance of Thorne’s own improvement, pocket presence and confidence along with getting help from his pass catchers. Auburn’s wide receiver group has done almost nothing this season. An LSU defense that has struggled mightily — even though the game is on the road — could help.

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