SEC Network analyst Roman Harper said Wednesday he’s been impressed with Auburn’s progress under first-year head coach Hugh Freeze.

Harper, also a former Alabama and NFL safety, appeared Wednesday along with ESPN colleagues Matt Stinchcomb and Taylor Zarzour at the “Passion for Prichard” fundraiser for Prichard Prep Academy at Mobile’s GulfQuest Museum. He said Freeze has done a good coaching job with the Tigers this season, and that quarterback Payton Thorne’s performance in last week’s 27-13 win over Mississippi State could be a sign of things to come.

“I actually really like what Auburn’s doing, especially on the coaching staff,” Harper said. “I think they’re getting a lot out of their players. Payton Thorne played better. He completed some passes, he let the ball go, he let his wide receivers have one-on-one situations. I thought Mississippi State was a little bit more friendly on defense than I would have liked, but hey, they won the game. They did a great job.

“I think also getting (running back) Jarquez Hunter the ball as much as possible is also gonna help that offense out. You’re not gonna go out there if you’re Auburn and win games when you’re throwing the ball 40 times. That’s just not who this offense needs to be. But if they can run the football effectively, then Payton Thorne throw the ball effectively — and he also uses his own legs because he’s sneaky athletic — Auburn will be able to compete.”

Though Auburn is 4-4 overall and 1-4 in the SEC, Harper said their record is probably a true measure of where the program is in Freeze’s first season. Freeze will be able to make up the difference in the next offseason, he said.

Harper noted that Auburn’s schedule the next three weeks — at Vanderbilt Saturday, at Arkansas Nov. 11 and at home for New Mexico State on Nov. 18 — sets up nicely for the Tigers to gain some confidence going into the Nov. 25 Iron Bowl vs. Alabama.

“I’m looking at the schedule, they should be 7-4 going into the Iron Bowl,” Harper said. “And if they’re not, it’s a little bit disappointing. But as of right now, I wouldn’t say they’ve lost the game that anybody didn’t anticipate them losing already before the season. So they’re kind of right on schedule.

“Sometimes I look at them, I think they’re ahead of schedule. They’re just missing a couple of pieces. … I really like what Hugh Freeze has done in that whole staff. Overall, Auburn’s right on target. They’ve got a big Iron Bowl at the end of the year that can really just seal them a great season or not. That’s kind of a determining factor for them.”

Stinchcomb, a former Georgia and NFL offensive lineman who also calls games for ESPN in addition to studio work, is taking a more “wait and see” approach on Auburn. He said it’s possible the Tigers have underachieved, particularly on offense.

But as Harper also noted, Auburn’s schedule the next three weeks perhaps points toward a bit of a winning streak.

“They’re a team that, I think from a personnel standpoint, has been challenged,” Stinchcomb said. “They passing offense has not, as yet, been what I think many would have hoped it could be. But you’d think that perhaps (the upcoming schedule) is a chance for them to build on some success.”