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al.com From an Auburn football mom’s point of view: ‘I know they’re going to care for my son’ Updated: Dec. 18, 2023, 8:41 a.m.|Published: Dec. 18, 2023, 8:30 a.m. 5–6 minutes Amy White has four sons – two of which played sports for the University of Arkansas, which is less than three hours from the White residence in Little Rock. So when her fourth son, Walker White, received an offer from Arkansas to play football, it felt familiar. It also left her feeling a bit hopeful that she’d be keeping her youngest boy close to home throughout his college years. “Obviously, a mom always wants her kids close,” Amy White said in an interview with AL.com. That said, White, like most moms, also wants to see her kids make whatever decision they believe is best for them – even if it means traveling all over the country to visit different college campuses for their child to come to that decision. On the heels of the holidays back in January of 2023, in the span of just 12 days, Walker White and his family visited four different college campuses: Auburn on Jan. 16, Arkansas on Jan. 21, Baylor on Jan. 22 and Clemson on Jan. 28. “I remember I was only home like 11 days last January because we were gone so much,” Amy White said. But all the running around paid off. By the end of January, Walker White was ready to make his decision. Unlike his two older brothers and father, all who played sports at Arkansas, Walker White wasn’t going to play for the Hogs. He wanted to be an Auburn Tiger. And once Walker White came to that decision, his family was right behind him with 10 toes down. When Walker White was ready to announce his commitment, his mother first had to pay a visit to a friend’s house, as they were Auburn fans and had Tigers gear the Whites could borrow for the occasion. “I grabbed like eight t-shirts,” Amy White said. Now, 10 months later, Walker White is approaching the day he’ll sign his name on the dotted line of his national letter of intent, locking in the decision he announced this past February. And while excited, as Wednesday’s signing day approaches, so does the reality that Amy White’s youngest son is about to move more than seven hours away from home. “I mean, to be honest, that’s been kind of hard for me,” Amy White said. But the likes of head coach Hugh Freeze, offensive coordinator Philip Montgomery and the rest of Auburn’s coaching staff have done all they can to assure Walker White’s family that he’s in good hands. It started during the White family’s first visit Auburn in January of 2023, and it continues with each interaction. Freeze, Montgomery and Auburn’s defensive line coach Jeremy Garrett paid Walker and the rest of the White family an in-home visit for dinner on Dec. 13. “It’s just like your best friend coming over for dinner,” Amy White said of Freeze and his assistant coaches visiting. “I mean, it’s like anybody you’d want to come over. It’s so laid back.” While dinner was being prepared, Auburn’s coaches sat around the fire pit in the White family’s backyard with Walker and his siblings. “We all just visited, talked Auburn football, talked about Walker and what to expect for Walker,” Amy White said. “Walker was asking questions about how to be as a team member. He wants to be the best team member.” When it came time for Auburn’s coaches to leave, however, Walker White had one request for Freeze. A member of the same family of Auburn fans who let the Whites borrow t-shirts for Walker’s commitment was celebrating a birthday that evening. So Walker asked if Freeze would mind hopping on a FaceTime call with him to wish him a happy birthday. Freeze did. But before Auburn’s head coach could hang up, the fan jokingly asked if Freeze would sing him “Happy Birthday,” to which Freeze said he’d only do if Walker’s parents joined in. “So we sang ‘Happy Birthday’,” Amy White said. And while little things like that might not seem like much, they stick out to a mom who’s getting ready to send her youngest son several states away. “I know that I’ve developed a relationship with these guys who are likeminded like us,” Amy White said. “So I can trust them. They love the Lord like we love the Lord. And I know they’re going to care for my son.” Walker White is set to sign his letter intent on Wednesday. He’ll then go play in the 2024 All-American Bowl in San Antonio Texas on Jan. 6. And come Jan. 8, he’ll be moving in at Auburn. “I will tell you this: I would not choose anything else for him,” Amy White said. “It’s a perfect fit. Hugh Freeze, (Philip) Montgomery, they are just so down to Earth and they love my boy – and they love all these boys. They have a heart for all these players. They’re not just a number, they’re a person.” If you purchase a product or register for an account through a link on our site, we may receive compensation. By using this site, you consent to our User Agreement and agree that your clicks, interactions, and personal information may be collected, recorded, and/or stored by us and social media and other third-party partners in accordance with our Privacy Policy.

al.com With Hugh Freeze’s vote of confidence, Auburn QB Payton Thorne is looking to 2024 Updated: Dec. 18, 2023, 1:04 p.m.|Published: Dec. 18, 2023, 12:58 p.m. 6–7 minutes Auburn's Hugh Freeze previews Music City Bowl against Maryland Payton Thorne transferred to Auburn in May with two years of eligibility and was uncertain whether he would use them both. Auburn’s starting quarterback wanted to finish his first season in the SEC with the ability to decide whether to stay or leave again now as a graduate transfer. But when Auburn’s offense struggled through the 2023 season — it was the worst in the SEC and 8th worst nationally by passing yards per game — it convinced him that he wanted to stay here and make things work — not jump ship to somewhere that might be easier. And when Auburn head coach sat down with Thorne “a few weeks ago,” it cemented Thorne’s choice to stay. Freeze was committing to him as his quarterback going into the 2024 season. As Freeze said Saturday, he doesn’t plan on bringing in a transfer portal quarterback to supplant Thorne. “We’re on the same page, and I think things are going well right now,” Thorne said Monday. “I really enjoy playing for Coach Freeze, and I’m excited for what the future’s going to hold. I want to come back another year, and that’s what I told him. We had a good talk and I’m excited for where we’re headed.” Thorne’s road at Auburn began truly at the beginning of fall camp — his first time practicing with Auburn. He was quickly thrust into the new playbook and with new receivers, many of which were still inexperienced, too. He earned the starting quarterback job in a competition with Robby Ashford, who has entered the transfer portal since the end of the 2023 regular season. But Thorne and Ashford were stuck in a quarterback rotation throughout Auburn’s first seven games of the season which ultimately culminated in Ashford starting against Ole Miss. But it was after the Ole Miss loss, Auburn’s fourth in a row, where Freeze stepped into a larger role in game-planning with the offense and in turn eliminated the two-QB system. That decision led to the best stretch of offense Auburn had all year. “I think toward the second half of the year, you got a glimpse of what we could be,” Thorne said. “It still wasn’t perfect; we can still be a lot better than what we were. I think that’s what we’re going to be next year. I can say there are different pieces at receiver, guys that got here the same time I did, not a ton of experience in that area. I think we’re going to clean things up a lot, and it’s going to be a lot better for a lot of us.” The improvement Auburn had under Throne despite an underwhelming group of receivers is why Freeze has decided to gamble on Thorne one more time going into next season. Freeze believes if he can get improved talent around Thorne, the offense will take the next step. Auburn is expecting to sign a high-profile class of receivers headlined by five-star recruits Cam Coleman and Perry Thompson. Thorne said he met with the receiver recruits who were on campus Sunday at Auburn’s practice and for the basketball game against USC. That group included 5-star Alabama commit Ryan Williams. Getting those guys on campus and in Aubrun uniforms will help his confidence, Thorne said. He said he will have receivers he can confidently throw the ball up to and know they can make a play. He said it reminds him of his 2021 Michigan State offense where he could throw the ball up to now Green Bay Packers receiver Jayden Reed and future first-round pick Keon Coleman. Thorne threw for more than 3,000 yards that season in what was the best year of his collegiate career. “I think we’re going to have some guys that can run next year,” Throne said. “Take the top off. I won’t know until January, February when we really get these guys here. Gotta finish up Signing Day to know 100% who we got here. We’ll see, probably taking another transfer I would assume. Get those guys here. See what their skills are, what their strengths are and move from them. I’d love to throw the ball downfield and get some big plays like that year as well. I’m sure we will.” Thorne’s only concern comes with the inexperience of the freshman group. As he said approaching his 39th college start in the Music City Bowl against Maryland on Dec. 30, he has seen almost everything college football can bring. That’s why he mentioned Auburn bringing in another wide receiver transfer on top of former Georgia State receiver Robert Lewis. Yet no matter which receivers Thorne has, he’ll go into next season with the confidence of knowing he’s the starter — something he didn’t truly have this fall. It makes it easier to become a leader of the offense, to gain a broad, detailed sense of the playbook and to have the rest of his offense look to him without question of who will be calling the shots. “Just to take charge and act like I am the guy,” Thorne said. “That’s what I had thought, and what ended up coming to be. I think that helps more for the other guys that there’s no questioning. There’s not ‘Oh, is this guy this, this, or this?’ and I don’t know how much of that there way or not, but going into the offseason, when I say something to a receiver, he knows ‘Hey, I should probably get on the same page with this guy.’” Matt Cohen covers Auburn sports for AL.com. You can follow him on X at @Matt_Cohen_ or email him at mcohen@al.com If you purchase a product or register for an account through a link on our site, we may receive compensation. By using this site, you consent to our User Agreement and agree that your clicks, interactions, and personal information may be collected, recorded, and/or stored by us and social media and other third-party partners in accordance with our Privacy Policy.

247sports.com Auburns top passcatcher Rivaldo Fairweather to return next season Nathan King 3–4 minutes Auburn is getting its top pass-catcher back for its 2024 offense. Tight end Rivaldo Fairweather will return for his final college season next year in favor of the NFL draft, he told local reporters Monday. The FIU transfer became the top target for Payton Thorne and the Auburn passing game, finishing the regular season as the team's leader in catches (33), yards (349) and touchdowns (six). He had five of his touchdowns in the last six games of the season, and was named second team All-SEC by the Associated Press. "Next year obviously the goal is to be first team and be the No. 1 tight end in the nation," Fairweather said. Fairweather had one of Auburn's most important plays of the season — one that, in hindsight, may be the reason Auburn is going to a bowl game — when he broke an offensive dry spell for the Tigers at Cal by catching the go-ahead touchdown with 6:31 remaining in the 14-10 win. Auburn's receiving corps was inconsistent most of the year, but Fairweather was able to help, playing 68.7 of his snaps split out separate from the line of scrimmage, per Pro Football Focus. The 6-foot-4, 251-pounder did not report a Senior Bowl invite. Fairweather does not appear on many NFL draft boards, and he's currently rated by ESPN's Mel Kiper Jr. as the No. 7 fullback/upback, not tight end. "I just felt like I left a lot of food on the table," Fairweather said. "It's unfinished business here. I know Coach Freeze has a great plan for us here and that we will be way better than we were last year. Last year was just the first step and this year I feel like we're going to take a second step and definitely make that 12-team playoff for next year." Fairweather joins defensive back Keionte Scott and linebacker Eugene Asante as potential NFL declarations to announce their return to Auburn next season. "Me and Payton, we only had like what, the spring together?" Fairweather said. "We just had the fall together so we didn't really have a lot of time to talk about the small little details and how Payton likes — the top of his routes sometimes he wants to roll into it or just give him a move. We're going to have that connection next year because I know Payton is going to be great and I'm not worried about bringing a transfer in or whatever. When we get all these other small pieces like what's coming in at receiver and build around this team, it's going to be great for us. We're going to be really good in the passing game." *** Subscribe to Auburn Undercover for the latest news and intel, podcasts, recruiting coverage and more *** *** Get Auburn news straight to your inbox with the Auburn Undercover newsletter ***

theplainsman.com Auburn lands transfer defensive lineman from Kansas ~2 minutes Auburn added to its 2024 roster as Gage Keys, a transfer defensive lineman from the University of Kansas, committed to the Tigers. Keys, a 6-foot-5-inch, 290-pounder, hails from Hilliard, Ohio. Auburn will be his third college, following Minnesota and Kansas. Keys played in 12 games for the Jayhawks in 2023, totaling 21 tackles with 13 solo tackles. Keys also had four quarterback hurries for the Jayhawks. Auburn defensive lineman Marcus Harris, now headed to the NFL Draft, also came to the Tigers from Kansas. Keys, a graduate transfer, has two seasons of eligibility remaining. Do you like this story? The Plainsman doesn't accept money from tuition or student fees, and we don't charge a subscription fee. But you can donate to support The Plainsman. Share and discuss “Auburn lands transfer defensive lineman from Kansas” on social media.

auburnwire.usatoday.com Miami transfer TE Jaleel Skinner 'really enjoyed' his visit to Auburn JD McCarthy ~2 minutes With it looking unlikely that Auburn will sign a high school tight end in the 2024 recruiting cycle, they have decided to dip into the transfer portal to add some youth to the position. Former Miami Hurricane Jaleel Skinner has become the top target and he took an official visit to the Plains over the weekend. The trip reminded him of his hometown and made quite an impression on him. “It’s been fun,” Skinner told Auburn Undercover’s Christian Clemente. “Auburn, this is the first time I’ve ever been down here and I was like telling my dad riding around and experiencing it all it looks like Greer (South Carolina) to me. It looks like home. I really enjoyed my time here.” Skinner spent two seasons in Miami and after redshirting his sophomore season will have three seasons of eligibility at his next stop, making him an ideal fit for a room that will feature three seniors (Rivaldo Fairweather, luke deal, Brandon Frazier) and one redshirt sophomore (Micah Riley) next season. Auburn is Skinner’s only visit so far but he was willing to name then his early leader. “Auburn’s up there at the top by itself,” he said. Contact/Follow us @TheAuburnWire on X (Twitter), and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Auburn news, notes, and opinions. You can also follow JD on Twitter @jdmccarthy15

247sports.com Asante coming back in 2024 and ready to work Jason Caldwell 7–8 minutes Auburn's Eugene Asante talks about returning next year and what went into the decision. AUBURN, Alabama˜--’Let’s work’ has been the mantra of the Auburn football program since they took the field for the first time under Hugh Freeze and that will continue with Eugene Asante’s announcement that he’s returning for the 2024 season. The guy that got that saying started this season, Asante is excited about finishing strong in a bowl game and about what’s next for the Auburn program. “The biggest thing was I want to build something special here,” Asante said. “The biggest thing to me was we seen those historic teams, the 2010 team. That 2004 team with coach Cadillac. I really do believe we can do something like that. I’m working towards that, personally, (and) I’m going to demand that out of the team. This offseason, we’re going to put our best foot forward and be the best we can be for Auburn. “This place deserves that, the fans deserve it. A lot of people interact with me on social media, and I actually like to respond and let them know how I feel. A lot of people truly do believe in us and believe in what we’re building, so I want to put my best foot forward for them. I feel like they deserve that. That was the biggest thing for me coming back, trying to build something special.” Playing sparingly while also working on the scout teams last season, Asante had a breakout season for the Tigers in 2023 with 84 tackles, 5.0 sacks and 8.5 tackles for a loss in 12 games. In the first year of Ron Roberts’ aggressive scheme, Asante said he feels like another year in the system will allow him and the defense to take the next step. “The way coach Roberts calls it, he wants his backers coming downhill and attacking,” Asante said. “We’re not flat-footed sitting there and just waiting for offensive linemen to run up to us. We’re engaging and striking offensive linemen and striking tight ends and blitzing and coming from anywhere. It’s certainly something I really do enjoy. He’s unique in how he calls it. He’s a unique defensive coordinator and he’s one of the best in the business.” Saying that he wants to improve in every area as a player between now and next season, Asante said year two of the defense is something that should help everyone as they try to keep progressing. “I felt that growing throughout the season,” Asante said of the familiarity needed to be comfortable in a system. “Another selling point about coming back was, ‘Eugene, you’re so comfortable in the defense but imagine how comfortable you’ll be next year being in the system and knowing all the calls and it not being a first-year defense.’ It’s certainly something that will help me tremendously being out there. I understand that, truthfully, the development from year one to year two. Not just my personal development, but year one to year two as a team.” With his decision behind him and focused on the future, Asante said a big part of things for him was the direction he got from Hugh Freeze throughout the process. Going back and forth before ultimately choosing to return, Asante said the head coach was extremely helpful in the process. “One thing I do respect about coach Freeze, and I can tell by some of the things I’ve seen, he’s a straight shooter and he’ll tell you the truth,” Asante said. “He’ll let you know. He cares for his players. It’s a healthy balance of saying, ‘Eugene, I want you to come back.’ But if it’s not the best decision for me, he’ll let me know. He just gave me feedback about what the scouts were saying in terms of play and my production and just saying that (a) second year in the scheme could help me a lot, in terms of the draft and where I would go. “He just wanted to have me back in terms of building the culture of this team. I heard his words, and they sat dear to my heart. I ultimately made that decision and I’m 100% confident in the decision I made. I’m grateful to be back and build this thing for next year.” Keionte Scott moving to cornerback for final season at Auburn Scott’s ability to make the move quickly before the Music City Bowl is crucial at a position that was hit hard by the NFL draft A major part of Auburn’s defensive blueprint for 2024 has already settled into place during this month’s bowl practices. Rising fifth-year senior defensive back Keionte Scott, who will return next season in favor of the NFL draft, will make the move from nickel to cornerback for his final college season in 2024. “That will definitely be the plan,” Scott told reporters Monday. “It will start with this game in the bowl game, where I’ll be back on the outside on that island. I’m excited for it.” Scott’s ability to make the move quickly before Auburn takes on Maryland in the Music City Bowl is crucial for the Tigers at a position that was hit hard by the NFL draft. Starting corners D.J. James and Nehemiah Pritchett are turning pro, and both have opted out of the bowl game. True freshman Kayin Lee, who was Auburn’s No. 3 cornerback most of the season, will start across from Scott against the Terrapins, with players like J.D. Rhym, Colton Hood and JC Hart set for increased roles. “Everyone understands what has to happen now, and everyone’s taking about it very seriously,” Scott said. “You’re seeing some guys elevate.” Scott primarily played cornerback at Snow College, where he was an All-American and was the No. 4 JUCO overall prospect in the 2022 class. “That was my first home, so I’m very excited to get back outside and get back on ‘Key Island,’” Scott said. Part of Scott’s decision to come back to Auburn was that he would have the opportunity to get a season of playing high-level cornerback under his belt, after already showing NFL teams what he can do at nickel the past two seasons. “That was definitely my head process of ways I could excel with the pros of coming back,” Scott said. “That was a big one — was being able to go outside with two years of film on the inside. … When you get to be able to use the sideline as your friend, I feel like it helps me more because I've gone from having to guys with so much space to guarding guys that if I do win a certain leverage that I can force them to one side and basically turn it to a one side release. I'm definitely excited to get back outside and get some sideline help and my eyes on the ball.” With his move away from the nickel or “star” position, veteran Donovan Kaufman will be the top option to fill the void for Scott — both in the bowl game and next season. Champ Anthony, Sylvester Smith and Tyler Scott have also been playing nickel in bowl practices. Auburn’s bowl practices will take a break Friday for Christmas, then reconvene Dec. 26 to travel to Nashville for the Music City Bowl. *** Subscribe to Auburn Undercover for the latest news and intel, podcasts, recruiting coverage and more *** *** Get Auburn news straight to your inbox with the Auburn Undercover newsletter ***

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247sports.com Jason Caldwells Monday morning quarterback column Jason Caldwell 7–9 minutes Talking Auburn basketball, Auburn football, Auburn football recruiting. Auburn basketball continues to amaze I don’t know how this season will wind up playing out for Bruce Pearl and the Auburn Tigers, but I know one thing. There has never been nor will there ever be a better job at Auburn than the one that Pearl and his staff have done over the years in making Auburn basketball not only a winner, but also a destination event for fans and recruits. For years and years and years, Auburn was able to have good crowds for the Alabama and Kentucky games and that was about it. Sure, there were a few years in the Cliff Ellis era where fans showed up in droves, but with no school in session and a Sunday noon tip, what we saw for the USC game was really remarkable. Students were lined up at 5 a.m. to get into the game and by mid-morning there were lines around Neville Arena. Those are the things that Pearl brought early in his tenure and it has now turned into the place to be when Auburn has a game. Along the way, the students and fans at Neville Arena have made it one of the toughest places to play in the country. The noise and atmosphere has a lot to do with that, but Auburn has also been pretty darn good on the court as well. This year’s team is going to have some dry spells along the way, but if they can continue to play with the energy we’ve seen the last few weeks and knock down some shots, this team is going to be a tough out in the postseason. Young OL prospects showing out in bowl practices Auburn will lose Gunner Britton, Kam Stutts, Avery Jones and Jalil Irvin after this season, but the offensive line is still in really good shape as the Tigers try to finish off the year and head into the 2024 season. The Tigers would still like to add a couple of pieces prior to next year, but there are several young guys that have already shown flashes through a few days of bowl practices. The first of those is true freshman tackle Tyler Johnson. Listed at 6-6, 304, Johnson has continued to get bigger and stronger since arriving on campus in early June. He’s now around 315 and is a player that Auburn believes could play at 325 before he’s done. Working at left tackle in bowl practices, he’s a player that will have a chance to get some valuable reps the next few weeks and could see time at the position in the bowl game. Northwestern transfer Dylan Senda is also showing some good things in bowl prep after coming to Auburn just days into fall camp. Essentially signed as part of the 2024 class after making such a late move, Senda is another guy the Tigers feel has a bright future as part of a line with guys like Johnson, Connor Lew, E.J. Harris and others. But, it’s a position group that needs to continue to be built from the ground up. This is a staff that is committed to doing that. With a commitment from 4-star DeAndre Carter and junior college tackle Seth Wilfred and also hoping to add Coen Echols, Auburn is continuing to push on the offensive line heading into what is a strong 2025 group of prospects. Huge week ahead We’re 48 hours away from what could be a huge day for Hugh Freeze and the Auburn Tigers in their first full class on the Plains. Currently 11th overall in the 2024 class rankings and ninth in average star rating, Auburn has done some serious work and as long as all those guys finish it off by signing on Wednesday, they’ve already done an incredible job. But, there’s the potential for a whole lot more with several top players still looking at the Tigers. That includes 5-star defensive lineman L.J. McCray, 5-star K.J. Bolden, 4-star Amaris Williams and 4-star Coen Echols. Adding a couple of those would push the Tigers into the Top 10 and potentially even the Top 5. With 5-star Ryan Williams reclassifying and still looking at the Tigers as well and planning to sign in February, this is a class that could change the face of the Auburn program if things finish with a bang. Auburn transfer impact: DT Gage Keys Keys is an intriguing transfer pickup in terms of his history If Auburn’s new defensive line transfer from Kansas works out anywhere near as well as the last one, the Tigers will be in good shape. Auburn didn’t let Gage Keys leave his visit without a commitment, as the defensive tackle became the Tigers’ second transfer addition of the cycle — on the last day of visits for a few weeks, as the dead period began Monday. Auburn’s staff was quick to jump on Keys when he entered the portal Friday, and he was on campus for his visit the very next day. “I’d say probably about halfway through the first day I knew that this is somewhere I needed to be,” Keys said. “The scheme was going to put me in positions to make a lot of plays and I knew I could be very successful here." Keys is an intriguing transfer pickup in terms of his history. A 3-star recruit from Ohio, he began his college career at Minnesota, where he didn’t take a single defensive snap in two seasons. Kansas picked him up ahead of the 2022 season, and he still wasn’t a major factor in the D-line rotation, contributing just three tackles and playing fewer than 100 snaps on the year. This season, though, Keys’ impact grew significantly, as he appeared in every game and was third on the team in QB pressures, despite not starting a single game and playing the seventh-most snaps of any player on Kansas’ defensive front. With the departure of three-year starter Marcus Harris — also a former Kansas transfer — to the NFL, the Tigers are in desperate need of some depth at defensive tackle, and Keys won’t be the last player they pursue in the portal to mend that issue. Here’s a look at the way-too-early early depth chart impact for Keys, plus a glance at who else Auburn has at defensive tackle and end for 2024 at the moment. Seniors: Gage Keys (RS), Zykeivous Walker (RS) Juniors: N/A Sophomores: Keldric Faulk Freshmen: Darron Reed Jr. (RS), Malik Blocton, Dimitry Nicolas Way-too-early depth chart Defensive tackle: Gage Keys, Darron Reed Jr. Defensive end: Keldric Faulk, Zykeivous Walker Nose tackle: Justin Rogers, Jayson Jones Auburn’s interest level in Keys certainly was not based on production. Second-year defensive line coach Jeremy Garrett liked Keys’ frame and athleticism — particularly his speed coming off the ball from an interior defensive tackle spot. In terms of where he fits with the Tigers, the 6-foot-5, 290-pound Keys played 85 percent of his snaps this season lined up as a 3-tech defensive tackle, which is where Auburn has its biggest need in 2024, with both Harris and Lawrence Johnson gone. Kansas was ready to lean on Keys as a pillar of its defense in 2024, and one look at his tape shows why. There were plenty of moments where Big 12 offensive lines had trouble slowing him down, with a combination of strength and a quick first step off the line of scrimmage. Keys is entering his fifth college season, so even without a ton of production, Auburn will hope he’s able to provide a veteran presence alongside a few youngsters on the defensive front. Auburn certainly believes that in the right scheme and with an increased role, Keys can thrive and be an SEC-caliber player. He’ll get his opportunity to show that’s the case, as it will likely take his best season yet to consistently get on the field as a Tiger. *** Subscribe to Auburn Undercover for the latest news and intel, podcasts, recruiting coverage and more *** *** Get Auburn news straight to your inbox with the Auburn Undercover newsletter ***

i am surprised there is not more info and articles out today.

auburntigers.com Auburn begins TransPerfect Music City Bowl practice Auburn University Athletics 7–9 minutes AUBURN, Ala. – Two weeks before they take on Maryland in the TransPerfect Music City Bowl, the Auburn Tigers practiced Saturday, suiting up for the first time since the Iron Bowl three weeks earlier. "I'm excited to start practice today," Auburn coach Hugh Freeze said. "I've missed our kids and seeing them around. That's always a good thing that we have put ourselves in position to get extra practices in. We're playing a very good opponent. It's going to be a great challenge for us." Auburn will be without a trio of defensive standouts in the bowl game, lineman Marcus Harris and cornerbacks Nehemiah Pritchett and D.J. James, who are opting out to begin preparing for the NFL Draft. "I just told these young guys they're going to get thrown in there," Freeze said. "It'll be fun to watch them. You're going to get those young corners, for sure. It'll be good to see how they prepare for a game and then go play a very talented football team." Auburn's 2024 defense received a double dose of good news this week when defensive back Keionte Scott and linebacker Eugene Asante, whose 84 tackles are 36 more than his next closest teammate, announced they will remain on the Plains for their senior seasons. "I'm really glad that people like Keionte and Eugene are coming back to help lead us," Freeze said. "I think they'll be great for these young kids since they are two of our great leaders and captain-material guys. They can help set the culture for our defense next year, so I'm thrilled that they're back." Juggling bowl practice, recruiting and the roster management that comes with the transfer portal era requires coaches to be master multitaskers. "It's very challenging," Freeze said. "The calendar has got to be looked at and changed somehow, someway for sanity and for what's good for our sport." The Tigers will continue to practice on campus before taking a break for the holidays, wrapping up on Friday, Dec. 22, two days after Auburn signs the bulk of its 2024 high school recruiting class next Wednesday. "I like the effort that we've put in to building relationships and to being thorough," Freeze said. "I feel like we're signing a really solid class for our first class here. There are always a few missing pieces that you'd like to have a few more of. But there is no doubt that if we get to the finish line with the kids we think we're going to get, we've improved ourselves." Auburn will prioritize high school players in recruiting, then plug in those missing pieces with portal transfers, Freeze says, hoping to create a championship culture. "I'm going to try the high school formula with needs from the portal," Freeze said. "We would really love to build it like that and get a relationship with kids and their families and try to hold on to them at Auburn and get Auburn to love them and them to love Auburn. I'm just hopeful that there's a group of guys that we can convince to do that." The Tigers and Terrapins meet at Nashville's Nissan Stadium on Dec. 30 at 1 p.m. CT on ABC and the Auburn Sports Network. Hugh Freeze's recruiting philosophy: 'Get Auburn to love them and them to love Auburn.' Jeff Shearer is a Senior Writer at AuburnTigers.com. Follow him on Twitter: @jeff_shearer

flywareagle.com Disgraced ex-Auburn football HC may have taken FCS OC job to coach his son Andrew Hughes 2–3 minutes Disgraced former Auburn football head coach Bryan Harsin may be making his long-awaited return to the gridiron as a coach: this time, as an offensive coordinator at Idaho State, where son Davis is committed as a quarterback, speculates Auburn Daily's Lance Dawe based on the Boise native's social media activity. It's unclear what the messaging here is supposed to be, but Bryan Harsin has decided to link his social media to Idaho State football," Dawe prefaced before saying, "Harsin, formerly the head coach at Boise State and Auburn, has updated his Twitter/X profile to link to Idaho State's football page on their website. He now has their football Twitter/X account tagged in his bio and a new profile picture of him wearing Idaho State gear. "Does Harsin's attachment to ISU on social media mean he's accepted a coaching position with Idaho State? It certainly wouldn't be the head coaching position. Perhaps a role as their offensive coordinator? Hawkins also performs those duties as well." If it's true that Harsin is going to Idaho State to coach his son in a non-head coaching position, then the 47-year-old would've gone from an SEC head coach in the most football-crazed state in the nation to a coordinator in the Big Sky. It would also mean that no school will have trusted Harsin with their program following a Plains tenure marked by scandal and defined by a lack of actually doing a major function of a college football head coaching job: recruiting. Harsin building his reputation back up to take another coaching job elsewhere may not even be the play here. It could just be that he wants to help maximize his son's talents and get him to Boise State. Maybe a reuinion there would be welcomed for Harsin, but in reality, he could coach his kid and sit on his $15.3 million in buyout money from Auburn while riding into the sunset afterwards.

si.com A few notes from Auburn football's Sunday practice Zac Blackerby ~2 minutes Two young players stood out in Auburn football's Sunday practice. The Auburn Tigers are using the extra bowl practices to focus on the future and prepare for the Maryland Terps in the Music City Bowl. While balancing getting ready for the upcoming bowl game, the roster not being complete, and preparing for the future, there's a lot to take into account for why things may be the way they are in any particular practice. keep all of this in mind with the notes that I was given per a source within the program Sunday evening. Incoming freshman Demarcus Riddick turned heads early. Apparently, he is playing very fast very early into his time on the Plains. The source described his ability to get from Point A to Point B quickly as one of the best on the team already. Safety Sylvester Smith had a great practice. With Smith being a guy we saw in some of the two deeps during fall earlier this year, the note shouldn't come as a shock. The source was very high on how he played. Jaylin Simpson was limited in practice and Smith took advantage of his reps. It sounds like the offensive line featured Tate Johnson at left guard and Jeremiah Wright at right guard for most of the day. Auburn takes on Mayland in the Music City Bowl on December 30th in Nashville, Tennessee.

247sports.com 5star DB KJ Bolden says hell sign with FSU doesnt intend to visit Auburn Chris Nee 5–6 minutes 5-star DB KJ Bolden says he'll sign with FSU, doesn't intend to visit Auburn Five-star defensive back KJ Bolden talks about FSU putting the finishing touches on his recruitment with his official visit. TALLAHASSEE -- Buford (Ga.) five-star safety KJ Bolden has been committed to the Seminoles since August 5th. The Seminoles beat out Auburn and Georgia for his pledge. This past weekend, the Seminoles hosted Bolden, his parents and his grandparents, among others in his travel party for his official visit. Bolden told reporters immediately after his visit concluded on Sunday morning that he intended to sign with FSU. “Cmon man, you know that," Bolden said. As for rumors that he'd visit Auburn on Sunday afternoon, he said "nah, I'm not doing that." KJ Bolden says he is not visiting Auburn today after his FSU visit. Plan is to sign with FSU: “you already know that.” pic.twitter.com/dGJEqKFKUk — Brendan Sonnone (@BSonnone) December 17, 2023 Down the stretch, FSU has still had to stave off the efforts of the other two schools pursuing Bolden. All three schools have sent their head coaches to see Bolden in recent weeks. As for visits, he was at Auburn a couple of weeks ago for an unofficial visit and made his way to Syracuse this past weekend, alongside close friend and major Syracuse target, edge KingJoseph Edwards. Bolden has a long-time relationship with new Syracuse head coach Fran Brown, from his time as an assistant at Georgia. As for FSU, Bolden has built a strong bond with head coach Mike Norvell, defensive backs coach Patrick Surtain Sr., and more. FSU will look to close out his recruitment with him back in Tallahassee this weekend. Bolden is ranked by the 247Sports.com Composite Recruiting Rankings as the No. 11 prospect in the nation and top safety in the 2024 class. He is given a grade of .9953.

nbcphiladelphia.com College coaches now must retain, not just recruit, players with transfer portal rules Pete Iacobelli and John Zenor | Associated Press 6–7 minutes College recruiting may start in the homes of the high school player but more than ever it never really stops once they are on campus. Job 1: Recruit. Job 2: Retain. The ready opportunities for players to transfer makes it even more important for coaches around the country to devote plenty of time to them once they arrive, hoping to keep promising youngsters and starters alike out of the transfer portal. Schools also want athletes to feel they can earn plenty of endorsement money or compensation right where they are. “I think the most important thing is relationships,” Alabama coach Nick Saban said in a familiar refrain among coaches. The days of blue-chip recruits patiently waiting their turn to get on the field may largely be gone. Even starting quarterbacks like Ohio State's Ryan McCord and Oklahoma’s Dillon Gabriel and Texas A&M defensive lineman Walter Nolen, among plenty of others, have entered the transfer portal. The portal window is open until Jan. 2, with another one running from April 15-30. It has become a key plug-and-play method for powerhouses and rebuilding programs alike. The top three Heisman Trophy finishers — winner Jayden Daniels (LSU), runner-up Michael Penix Jr. (Washington) and Bo Nix (Oregon) -- were quarterbacks who arrived via the portal. Penix has led his team to the playoff. Some transfers are looking for more playing time. Others for more money via name, image and deals and better fits. Whatever the players’ reasons for leaving, those coaches have to focus more than ever on keeping them. NCAAF Washington State coach Jake Dickert highlighted the predicament facing his program in the decimated Pac-12 in November, citing how far his school is behind on the NIL front compared to teams like Oregon, Washington and USC. He figured December would bring “open target season” for the Cougars. “We need to provide them with as much resources as we have here to keep this team together, to keep recruiting, to keep going,” Dickert said. More and more coaches have spoken up about the need for more financial resources being available for NIL deals. N.C State coach Dave Doeren was just one of them, saying earlier this season: "I’d love to see 5,000 people donate $1,000 to our NIL and get us to a point where we can recruit, retain and develop and have a program in the NIL world where the guys on our roster are able to benefit from that.” Clemson coach Dabo Swinney said tampering with other teams’ players is a big problem. Swinney said the days after the season ended were spent meeting with his team. “Rosters are not the same because of the portal, because of the trend of guys not playing and you can get in a bad spot pretty quick,” the Tigers coach said. He noted his team is in dire straits at cornerback for the Gator Bowl against Kentucky after Nate Wiggins was among several players opting out of the bowl to turn pro and Toriano Pride Jr. entered the portal. Nebraska coach Matt Rhule said a key is to prioritize the current players over who may be available in the portal. “I always want to take care and honor the guys that were here first,” Rhule said. “If guys decide to leave then I’m going to go fix the problem because they left. I’m just not going to tell a guy here to leave so that I can go get somebody else. I want to be the guy that I promised all the parents I am in recruiting.” Rhule, a former Carolina Panthers coach, can lean on advice from longtime NFL executive Bill Polian about maintaining a healthy locker room environment: make sure you don’t bring in a free agent as the team’s highest-paid player. Having a cohesive team and strong coach-player relationships doesn’t guarantee some won’t leave. But it can’t hurt. Kentucky coach Mark Stoops said there is added emphasis on maintaining relationships, including with promising young players who may not be getting as much playing time as they hoped. Once a month, Stoops tells his coaches to leave their offices and spend time in the weight room or elsewhere with their players. “We constantly work on that relationship and making sure that we touch base with those players in particular and all of our guys,” Stoops said. “This is a relationship business. As busy as we are, as much as we all have to do, spending time with the players, investing in the players, having the players at your house, having them in for meetings. Keeping that contact is, in my opinion, one of the most important things.” Marshall coach Charles Huff said the portal options force coaches “to develop genuine relationships with every player in your locker room” not just the starters and seniors. “I started a deal where I call one or two in my office a week just to say hello, how’s mom,” Huff said. “It doesn’t take long for that girlfriend you don’t call or write to drift away. “That gap between the relationship they had with you in recruiting and that relationship they have now, when it starts to widen, all of sudden homesickness sets in, a friend from another school calls and says, ‘Hey, I’m playing, why aren’t you playing?’” Auburn coach Hugh Freeze has staffers charged specifically with “developing relationships” with the players. “I don’t know that any of us are ever gonna be 100 at it and it certainly makes it very difficult to manage your recruiting and roster,” Freeze said. “But it’s part of the game now, and it’s not a part that many of us like, but you better pay attention to it for sure because it’s here.” AP College Football Writer Eric Olson contributed to this report.