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247sports.com Auburn Transfer Portal Live Tracker Christian Clemente 13–17 minutes Live updates and tracking all things Auburn in the 2024 portal cycle. The transfer portal is officially opened up now, with players having until Jan. 3 to enter their name in and then find a new home. For Auburn, it won't be as busy as the 2023 cycle with Hugh Freeze and his staff getting 20 additions and trying to completely rebuild the roster. This year it's about adding veterans and more top-end talent to the roster rather than just completely having to load up. While players have already begun to announce their intent to enter the transfer portal over the past week, unless a coaching change occurred at their school, they were moving up from the FCS level or were a grad transfer, Monday is the first chance for most to enter the portal. With recruiting open until Dec. 18, too, coaches will be able to hit the road and visit with their top portal targets. Auburn Undercover is tracking all of the updates for Auburn's departures, Auburn's additions and potential Auburn targets. Note: The names we're tracking do not directly reflect Auburn's board. You can follow every player that enters the transfer portal across college football HERE. You can follow all of Auburn's portal movement HERE. LIVE UPDATES 10:24 p.m. (12/4): Auburn has offered former San Jose State OT Fernando Carmona. A name we've been tracking today. 7:00 p.m. (12/4): Auburn has offered Kansas State CB transfer Will Lee III. After starting for the Wildcats this season following a stint at the JUCO ranks, Lee has been one of the more sought-after defensive backs in the transfer portal, with offers from LSU, Ole Miss, USC and Washington, among others. 6:05 p.m. (12/4): Bucknell grad transfer CB Ethan Robinson has been offered by Auburn. With two years of eligibility left, Robinson could help offset the loss of both D.J. James and Nehemiah Pritchett in Auburn's secondary. 4:00 p.m. (12/4): Former Vanderbilt WR Will Sheppard has announced an offer from Auburn. Someone that we mentioned Auburn would likely pursue when he first entered the portal. LSU will be a team to monitor for the Louisana native. 1:00 p.m. (12/4): Auburn WR Malcolm Johnson Jr. has entered the transfer portal, a source told Auburn Undercover. Our story on his departure can be found HERE. 12:55 p.m. (12/4) Georgia Tech edge transfer Kyle Kennard is one to track. 247Sports' Allen Trieu confirmed that and noted that he may visit Auburn. 12:45 p.m. (12/4): Georgia QB Brock Vandagriff has entered the portal. The former 5-star quarterback will be one to monitor. 12:13 p.m. (12/4): Arkansas LB transfer Chris Paul has been offered. Auburn Undercover's Phillip Dukes mentioned him as a potential target last week. 11:14 a.m. (12/4): Auburn WR Jyaire Shorter has entered the portal. He arrived at Auburn from North Texas last year, but only caught one pass. He'll spend his last year of eligibility elsewhere. Our story on his departure can be found HERE. 10:15 a.m. (12/4): Georgia State WR Robert Lewis has been offered by Auburn. Caught 70 passes as a redshirt junior in 2023. 10 a.m. (12/4): Vandy WR Will Sheppard is in the portal. Expect Auburn to pursue him, but LSU will be tough to beat for the Louisana native. 9:58 a.m. (12/4): After being offered, former Vandy DE Nate Clifton told Auburn Undercover: "We'll see if it's in the works" about a potential visit. 9:34 a.m. (12/4): Auburn offers former Vanderbilt DE Nate Clifton. This is a guy that Jeremy Garrett knows from when he was an off-the-field coach with the Commodores. 9:15 a.m. (12/4): Auburn offers former Michigan State DL Derrick Harmon. Close to 70 career tackles in three years. (12/4): Auburn jack LB/edge Stephen Sings has entered the portal. Came over from Liberty and was mostly a depth piece for the Auburn defense. (12/4): Stephen Johnson has officially entered the portal. (12/1): Auburn WR Omari Kelly announced his intention to enter the transfer portal when it opens up. Reserve receiver who combined for five catches during his two years on the Plains. Our story on his departure can be found HERE. (11/29): Auburn offered Shorter OL transfer Alan Herron. He's received a ton of interest so far. Our story on him can be found HERE. (11/28): Reserve freshman DT Stephen Johnson announced his intention to enter the transfer portal. He did not play as a freshman. Our story on his departure can be found HERE. (11/27): Reserve redshirt freshman DT Enyce Sledge announced his intention to enter the transfer portal. Our story on his departure can be found HERE. (11/27): North Dakota offensive line transfer Easton Kilty was offered by Auburn. He is a graduate transfer with one year of eligibility remaining, with experience all across the offensive line. Our story on him can be found HERE. (11/27): Southern Miss offensive line transfer Gerquan Scott was offered by Auburn and plans to officially visit the weekend of Dec. 8. Scott is an Alabama native with three years starting experience as a guard. Our story on him can be found HERE. Quarterback Transferring out: N/A Looking to add: 0-1 Names we're tracking: Cameron Ward (Washington State), Riley Leonard (Duke), Brock Vandagriff (Georgia) Auburn is set to return 2023 starter Payton Thorne for another season. What happens with backups Robby Ashford and Holden Geriner will be a big factor in Auburn's pursuit of a quarterback this cycle. Should Geriner return and with the arrival of freshman Walker White, Auburn would have four scholarship quarterbacks in Thorne, Geriner, Hank Brown and White. But Auburn has also been kicking the tires on Ward, who is the No. 2 ranked quarterback in the transfer portal. The Alabama native in Leonard is another name worth watching, but Notre Dame has been viewed as the heavy favorite since the second he entered the transfer portal. Running back Transferring out: N/A Looking to add: 0 Names we're tracking: If Jarquez Hunter, Damari Alston, Brian Battie and Jeremiah Cobb all return, Auburn may not add a running back this cycle. Transfer portal or high school. Wide Receiver Transferring out: Omari Kelly, Jyaire Shorter, Malcolm Johnson Jr. Looking to add: 1+ Names we're tracking: Will Sheppard (Vandy), Robert Lewis (Georgia State), Deion Burks (Purdue), Ja'Mori Maclin (North Texas) What happens at wide receiver in the portal will likely depend on Auburn's chances with 5-star Alabama wide receiver commit Ryan Williams, who appears set to reclassify and then sign with a program in February. If Auburn feels good about its chances with Williams, that'd be five high school wide receivers on the way in. It will also depend some on the rest of Auburn's receiver room, and the attrition there alongside Kelly. In all likelihood, Auburn will need to add a veteran or two to get some experience in the room. Tight End Transferring out: N/A Looking to add: 0-1 Names we're tracking: Daequan Wright (Virginia Tech) Depending on what happens with Auburn's efforts in the high school ranks and who all returns, Auburn may turn to the portal for a young pass-catching tight end. Luke Deal has already announced his intention to return, and the same seems likely for Brandon Frazier. Both being blocking tight ends for Auburn. Rivaldo Fairweather also seems likely to return as the primary pass-catcher. The status of Tyler Fromm is still up in the air. Auburn and tight ends coach Ben Aigamaua may look to add some youth to the room alongside Micah Riley. Interior Offensive Line Transferring out: N/A Looking to add: 1-2 Names we're tracking: Gerquan Scott (Southern Miss) With Gunner Britton, Avery Jones and Kam Stutts out of eligibility, Auburn will look to add one or two to continue bolstering the inside of its offensive line. So far, the Alabama native in Scott has emerged as the main name to track. Offensive tackle Transferring out: N/A Looking to add: 0-1 Names we're tracking: Easton Kilty (North Dakota), Alan Herron (Shorter), Fernando Carmona (SJSU) Auburn is hoping to add an offensive tackle — an elite one at that — and move Dillon Wade inside to guard for the 2024 season, if Wade does opt to return. If Wade were to head to the NFL, it become an even bigger priority for Auburn in the portal cycle. Defensive line Transferring out: Stephen Johnson, Enyce Sledge Looking to add: 2+ Names we're tracking: Nate Clifton (Vanderbilt), Derrick Harmon (Michigan State) Auburn is going to shift its defensive line room around some, and that's already been evident with the departures of Johnson and Sledge. Look for Auburn to go try and add truly elite talent to upgrade the room going into 2024. Young talent and experience will both be targeted. JAck LB Transferring out: Stephen Sings Looking to add: 1 Names we're tracking: Kyle Kennard (Georgia Tech) Auburn will return starter Jalen McLeod and reserve Stephen Sings V. Touted freshmen Joe Phillips and Jamonta Waller are also set to arrive. However, look for Auburn to add a player with two or three years of eligibility to try and layer the depth chart and bridge the gap some to the younger guys. Linebacker Transferring out: N/A Looking to add: 1+ Names we're tracking: Chris Paul (Arkansas) Auburn will lose Larry Nixon III as he's out of eligibility, while Eugene Asante is a candidate to go to the draft but that decision is still up in the air. Expect to see Auburn pursue adding at least one true middle linebacker to bridge the gap to DJ Barber while he develops. On the outside, Auburn feels pretty good about that position. Cornerback Transferring out: N/A Looking to add: 1-2 Names we're tracking: Ethan Robinson (Bucknell), Will Lee III (Kansas State) With D.J. James and Nehemiah Pritchett heading to the NFL, Auburn landed a loaded class of cornerbacks in the 2023 cycle. And some of that has already come to fruition in the emergence of Kayin Lee. Still, though, Auburn will likely look to add one veteran to the room. Two could be possible depending on attrition of the current roster. Safety/Nickel Transferring out: N/A Looking to add: 1-2 Names we're tracking: Similar to the cornerback spot, Auburn will look to add a veteran piece or two to try and bolster the 2024 roster. Transfer portal special: 60% off Auburn Undercover subscription Jump on board during a whirlwind transfer window If you missed out on our 75 percent off Black Friday deal, we've got another great special for Auburn fans. With the transfer portal now open, basketball just getting started and a big recruiting month on tap for December, we're offering a flash sale this week: 60 percent off an annual subscription to Auburn Undercover, giving you access to all our premium content, message boards and more. ***** SIGN UP NOW: GET 60% OFF AUBURN UNDERCOVER ANNUAL SUB ***** Don't forget: A subscription allows you to view VIP content on ANY SITE on our network. This deal allows includes a Paramount Plus subscription, which will be active with your 247Sports login and password AFTER the end of the promotional period on Dec. 6. Be sure to hop on board before Hugh Freeze and his staff finish their 2024 recruiting class with a bang later this month. At this price, you'll be paying less than a dollar per week (83 cents) for full access to our content. If you take advantage of this deal, you'll receive our exclusive Auburn Undercover recruiting coverage, in-depth, members-only content, and access to our popular message boards, which provide you unlimited direct access to largest team of Auburn insiders on the planet. Ask them any question and they will answer. Here's what you can expect. — RECRUITING SCOOP. The best and most frequent Auburn recruiting coverage anywhere from Christian Clemente, Jason Caldwell and Phillip Dukes. — FOOTBALL, FOOTBALL, FOOTBALL. 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auburnwire.usatoday.com Who was Auburn's most productive true freshman in 2023? Taylor Jones 4–5 minutes Auburn hired Hugh Freeze in November of 2022, and he immediately got to work. Freeze saved a class that was destined to finish below No. 60 in 247Sports rankings and brought them up to No. 19 following the February signing day. Freeze’s efforts led to Auburn fans coining the phrase “flipmas”, as he snagged several key recruits from other programs such as Florida State, Ohio State, Miami, and Michigan State. A total of 18 high school recruits signed with Auburn as part of the 2023 signing class, with several earning key playing time throughout the season. How many of Auburn’s 2023 high school signees made an impact on the season? Here is a look back at the 2023 recruiting haul, organized by their 247Sports ranking. Austin Perryman/Auburn Athletics Keldric Faulk became Auburn’s top signee after flipping from Florida State to Auburn ahead of signing day. He appeared in all 12 games for Auburn during the 2023 season, playing in 403 snaps. He ended the regular season with 32 total tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss, and 13 hurries. Austin Perryman/Auburn Athletics Kayin Lee is another player that saw significant playing time this season in the Auburn secondary. Lee played in 12 games and made 17 tackles with five pass breakups. Opposing receivers caught 13-of-24 passes thrown while being covered by Lee for a catch rate of 54.2. Maria Lysaker-USA TODAY Sports Four-star safety Tyler Scott only played in one game this season, playing nine snaps in Auburn’s 45-13 win over Samford on Sept. 16. He did not record any stats in the game, and will be eligible to redshirt. The Montgomery Advertiser Four-star running back Jeremiah Cobb played a key role in Auburn’s run game this season. He rushed for 168 yards and a touchdown in 10 games this season. According to PFF data, he earned an additional 96 yards after contact and had five runs of 10 yards or greater. Austin Perryman/Auburn Athletics Connor Lew only played in nine games this season, but was Auburn’s highest-graded lineman when it came to pass blocking. He earned an 81.9 from PFF after just three pressures in 365 snaps at center. Brett Rojo-USA TODAY Sports Sylvester Smith is another player who is eligible for redshirt status after appearing in two games this season. His most productive game was against Samford on Sept. 16, when he participated in 15 snaps. In the game, he did not allow a completion in two attempts. The Montgomery Advertiser Terrance Love has lost his redshirt status after participating in nine games this season. He saw the field for a total of 42 snaps and recorded six tackles with one pass breakup as a safety. The Montgomery Advertiser Colton Hood was used sparingly during the 2023 season. Pro Football Focus shows that Hood played in 11 total snaps over three games this season, which makes him eligible to redshirt. The Montgomery Advertiser JC Hart, a local product from Loachapoka High School, played in the Samford game this season for a total of 11 plays. Austin Perryman/Auburn Athletics Tyler Johnson appeared in three games this season, playing all 36 snaps at left tackle. He allowed just one pressure this season. Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports Opelika native Brenton Williams appeared in two games this season on the defensive line, totaling 11 snaps. John Reed-USA TODAY Sports QB Hank Brown DL Stephen Johnson OL Bradyn Joiner OL Clay Weiden CB CJ Johnson DL Wilky Denaud DL Darron Reed Jr.

myrtlebeachonline.com Coastal Carolina’s first NIL collective is closing. Why it could hurt CCU going forward Ben Morse 4–5 minutes CMC - Sports Coastal Carolina University’s first name, image and likeness collective for CCU football will be no more by the end of 2023, dealing a blow to CCU’s continuing efforts to compete at the national level. The Teal Collective announced via social media that it would close at the end of the year. “I regret to inform you that The Teal Collective will be ceasing operations effective 12/31/23. We have been working with the university the past few months to find a suitable replacement; however, to date nothing has materialized,” The Teal Collective announced via X. “As of today, all subscriptions have been canceled and there will be no further donations accepted. We appreciate your support of Coastal Football and The Teal Collective over the past 2 seasons!” The closure is a setback for CCU’s football program. One of the biggest incentives in order to recruit players and retain talent in the modern college landscape, is through NIL deals for student-athletes. NIL collectives like the Teal Collective also serve as a deterrent for players to enter the NCAA Transfer Portal, but without a functioning collective, Coastal will be at a disadvantage compared to its Sun Belt Conference rivals and other programs and could hinder the program’s growth for the future. The collective was formed by three CCU football alumni, Brian Kepple, Patrick Hall and Maurice Simpkins. Part of the collective’s work was securing NIL deals for CCU football players, but the organization also sold subscriptions and merchandise including jerseys. In an interview with The Sun News in August, Teal Collective co-founder and CCU football alumni Patrick Hall said the collective’s goal was to help the university make sure every football player was involved and provide the football program some protection from the Transfer Portal. “The ideal goal is to have every player receiving something on the team; we want to protect our roster; that is the number one thing we want to do for our athletics program,” Hall said in August. Hall also said Executive Director for Football Joe Moglia and Head Football Coach Tim Beck were supportive of the collective, and he added the subscription model was a good way to do this. With the shuttering of the Teal Collective, no more donations will be received. He added one of the biggest challenges for the collective has been getting donations from Coastal alumni. “If you go to Alabama, you go to Oklahoma, they have hundreds of years of history where they have donor bases from established individuals ... if you think about it, coastal is really dealing with a bunch of, you know, mid-30s, maybe early 40 guys who are still in the process of building their wealth, and their livelihood,” Hall said in August. “The alumni has been a challenge. It hasn’t been as easy as I thought. I thought there would be a little bit more support from them on that basis, but it really hasn’t come to fruition.” Coastal does have a baseball NIL Collective, The Legacy 14 Collective, which has signed several members of the Chants baseball team. The collective inked several deals for CCU players during its existence, including Quarterback Grayson McCall’s deal with the Conway Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram car dealership. Ben Morse is the Retail and Leisure Reporter for The Sun News. Morse covers local business, Coastal Carolina University and high school sports. Morse previously worked as an intern for The Island Packet covering local government. Morse graduated from American University in 2023 with a Bachelor’s Degree in journalism and economics, and he is originally from Prospect, Kentucky.

al.com CFP chair explains why Alabama was selected for Playoff, Florida State was left out Updated: Dec. 03, 2023, 4:46 p.m.|Published: Dec. 03, 2023, 11:51 a.m. 3–4 minutes Nick Saban, Alabama players lift SEC Championship trophy after beating Georgia By Nick Alvarez | nalvarez@al.com What was the difference maker for Alabama? The Crimson Tide had a couple of arguments as to why it should be selected to the final four-team College Football Playoff: four top-25 wins and an SEC Championship over the then-No. 1 team in the country, to name a few. But no matter what, in the final year of the four-team field, a precedent was set to be broken with either the sport’s toughest conference champion or an undefeated ACC title-winner Florida State team being left out. According to the committee, its job was to name the four best teams, not the most deserving. The debate started shortly after Alabama was revealed as the final team on ESPN’s reveal show. Pundits immediately cited their principles of why the Tide and Seminoles had the better argument. As Kirk Herbstreit said when asked why one team was more worthy of a shot at a national title, you should ask Boo Corrigan, the selection committee chair. “I think in looking at it, again, that was a decision with Alabama at 4. Florida State is a different team than they were through the first 11 weeks,” Corrigan said. " ... You can lose a running back, you can lose a receiver but when you lose a quarterback as dynamic as Jordan Travis, it changes their offense in its entirety and that was a really big factor.” Travis suffered a season-ending leg injury on Nov. 18 against North Alabama. His backup, Tate Rodemaker beat Florida but was concussed, leading to true freshman Brock Glenn making a start in the ACC Championship win, a slog over Louisville. That sounded like a difference-maker for the committee. “The questions we do ask from a coaching standpoint is who do you want to play and who do you not want to play,” Corrigan, who’s also North Carolina State’s athletic director, said when further pressed on the seeding. That was the same rhetoric Saban used to justify Alabama’s case in 2022. In 2023, it worked. “I really think our team earned the right to be here,” Saban said during his appearance on the telecast. “It’s a great competitive venue. It’s a great environment. Growing up in the Big Ten as a coach, you have a special appreciation for the Rose Bowl. Is Alabama’s Jalen Milroe a Heisman Trophy candidate? Nick Saban thinks so Alabama football announces team award-winners, 2023 permanent captains Saban says it’s unfortunate Florida State missed Playoff after Travis injury How Alabama will handle transfer portal with College Football Playoff ahead 3 things to know about Michigan, Alabama’s Rose Bowl and CFP opponent Nick Alvarez is a reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter @nick_a_alvarez or email him at NAlvarez@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,

al.com Nick Saban says cell number leaked, gets hundreds of hate calls after Alabama’s CFP berth Published: Dec. 04, 2023, 7:20 a.m. ~3 minutes Georgia head coach Kirby Smart, left, and Alabama head coach Nick Saban, right, walk after the Southeastern Conference championship NCAA college football game in Atlanta, Saturday, Dec. 2, 2023. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson)AP Nick Saban on Sunday said his cell phone number was leaked, leading to hundreds of calls from anonymous callers upset over Alabama’s College Football Playoff berth. Rivals.com, which obtained a video of the comments, reports the Alabama coach told his players of the leak during the team’s awards banquet. “I’ve had probably over 250 anonymous callers today, calling me every name in the book, talking about how we shouldn’t be in the playoff,” Saban said, per the report. “So we still have naysayers out there. We still have players who don’t believe in us.” RELATED: Get your Alabama gear and gifts here On Sunday, the CFP committee named the Tide the No. 4 seed after Alabama defeated then-No. 1 Georgia 27-24 for the SEC championship Saturday night. The college football-watching world debated much of Sunday after undefeated ACC champ Florida State was left out of the playoff. “Most of these people are from Florida,” Saban said, per the report. “I don’t know how in the hell they got my number, but it is out there.” Alabama’s senior U.S. Senator weighed in on the report. “Doxxing and haters that you don’t represent? Sounds familiar,” Sen. Tommy Tuberville tweeted. No. 4 Alabama (12-1) faces No. 1 Michigan (13-0) in the Rose Bowl on Jan. 1. The Wolverines didn’t appear to be thrilled with being matched up with the Tide. Still, Michigan’s Blake Corum re-iterated the Wolverines are the top dogs, though. Get your tickets for the Rose Bowl here. Mark Heim is a reporter for The Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter @Mark_Heim. He can be heard on “The Opening Kickoff” on WNSP-FM 105.5 FM in Mobile or on the free Sound of Mobile App from 6 to 9 a.m. daily. 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 Auburn DB Jaylin Simpson responds to question about opting out of bowl game Published: Dec. 04, 2023, 11:38 a.m. ~3 minutes Auburn safety Jaylin Simpson carries the football after an interception against Samford on Sept. 16, 2023, at Jordan-Hare Stadium in Auburn.(AP Photo/Butch Dill) A user on Instagram asked Auburn senior defensive back Jaylin Simpson if he planned on playing in Auburn’s bowl game against Maryland on Dec. 30. In a day and age when more and more college football players are opting out of bowl games, the question was warranted. But Simpson was quick to respond and left no room for any kind of speculation. “Yep,” Simpson bluntly responded. Auburn veteran defensive back Jaylin Simpson responds to a question about him playing in Auburn's bowl game matchup against Maryland.Jaylin Simpson's Instagram And based on Simpson’s comments on Auburn reaching bowl eligibility earlier this year, his decision to play in the Music City Bowl shouldn’t come as a shock. “I just like playing football. I just want to play as many games as possible,” Simpson said on Oct. 24. “Me personally, I just want to go to a bowl game because I just like to play. It’s just important because if you don’t go to a bowl game you have to sit and watch everyone play.” Such was the case last year as the Tigers missed out on playing in the postseason. “I can’t speak for everyone, but for me I was not happy,” Simpson said. “I was not happy that I wasn’t playing in a bowl game.” So given the opportunity this season, Simpson is locked into playing in Auburn’s bowl game against Maryland later this month. What Simpson decides to do after the fact, however, will be interesting. Though Simpson still has one year of eligibility remaining, he graded out well during his 2023 regular season campaign with a 78.0 grade according to Pro Football Focus. Simpson was named to the Senior Bowl Mid-Season All-American team in October, while senior bowl director Jim Nagy previously predicted that Simpson would “blow up” at the NFL Combine. The good news for Auburn is the fact that it sounds like Simpson will be waiting until after the bowl game to jump to any decisions about his future — whether that means staying at Auburn or turning his attention to the NFL. 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 Who might Hugh Freeze and Auburn target in the transfer portal? Updated: Dec. 04, 2023, 11:41 a.m.|Published: Dec. 04, 2023, 10:39 a.m. 5–7 minutes Auburn head coach Hugh Freeze admitted that he doesn’t like the transfer portal’s lengthy window. “I think it’s absolutely ridiculous that this portal window we’re about to have is as long as it is. It makes no sense,” Freeze said on Nov. 27. “We have to go all the way through Christmas worrying about people tampering with players on your team. Either they know they’re going in or not. So give them from December 1 to December 10. Make your decision and move on.” Unfortunately for Freeze, for better or for worse, the transfer portal will be alive and buzzing for 30 days after opening Monday. And though he might not like it, Freeze understands there’s an opportunity for he and Auburn’s coaching staff to beef up the Tigers’ roster. Where should they start to look? Wide receivers Freeze and the Tigers added a lot of pass catchers via the transfer portal last season. However, a lot of those guys were players with just one year of eligibility remaining. Shane Hooks, Nick Mardner and Jyaire Shorter were all brought in as transfers in the offseason with Hooks being the only of the three to see significant playing time. Hooks appeared in all 12 games and tallied nine catches for 133 yards and two touchdowns. Shorter and sophomore Omari Kelly announced that they’d be entering the transfer portal after both saw limited roles in 2022. These departures will still leave Auburn with guys like Ja’Varrius Johnson, Jay Fair, Malcolm Johnson Jr., Caleb Burton and Camden Brown, not to mention the prospect of Auburn’s incoming wide receiver class, which is set to feature 5-star Cam Coleman, 5-star Perry Thompson and 4-star Bryce Cain. Auburn also continues to make a push at 5-star wide receiver and Alabama commit Ryan Williams. But it’s still likely Freeze and the Tigers’ coaching staff look to add a set of hands or two to Auburn’s wide receiver room, especially considering some of the talent that’s already entered the portal. Some players Auburn has reportedly offered: Offensive line With Gunner Britton, Jalil Irvin, Avery Jones and Kam Stutts all out of eligibility, Auburn is guaranteed to be without three of its five staples along the offensive front as Britton, Jones and Stutts were all starters through a majority of the season. Jones missed four games in the back half of the season after being injured, but true freshman Connor Lew stepped up well in his absence. And while the Tigers have guys like Lew, Izavion Miller, Jerehmiah Wright and Dillon Wade who are set to return to Auburn’s offensive line room after seeing playing time in 2023, the offensive line is a position where too much depth is never a bad thing. Midway through the season, Freeze said a handful of guys along the offensive front were dinged up, forcing them to be limited in practices. The offensive line is also a position in which you don’t see too many true freshmen get thrown into the mix — especially in the SEC as it would be a baptism by fire against some of the defensive lines in this conference. That said, it can be expected that Auburn look to the portal to add to its stock of offensive linemen. Some players Auburn has reportedly offered: Defensive line With two defensive linemen having already announced their intentions to transfer out of Auburn in Enyce Sledge and Stephen Johnson, in addition to Lawrence Johnson and Mosiah Nasili-Kite running out of eligibility, it’s likely the Tigers look to reshape this position group some in the offseason. As it sits, Auburn is set to return veteran Marcus Harris, who was the Tigers’ staple on the defensive front in 2023 with 40 tackles, 11 tackles for a loss and seven sacks. However, Harris could be a candidate for the NFL after his productive season. The Tigers are also set to return Keldric Faulk, who impressed in his freshman season at Auburn after having to step up after Nasili-Kite’s season ended due to injury. Auburn is also slated to land 4-star defensive lineman TJ Lindsey, 4-star defensive lineman Malik Blocton and 3-star Dimitry Nicolas in this recruiting cycle. But adding a bit of experienced depth to that position group wouldn’t hurt. Some players Auburn has reportedly offered: Nate Clifton, former Vanderbilt DL, rated a 3-star transfer Derrick Harmon, former Michigan State DL, rated a 3-star transfer Bonus: Quarterback Some might say the Tigers don’t need a quarterback like they need other positions. But that doesn’t mean Freeze and the Tigers don’t want another quarterback. Auburn is currently set to return four scholarship quarterbacks in Payton Thorne, Robby Ashford, Holden Geriner and Hank Brown. Auburn is also set to welcome 4-star Walker White to The Plains out of the high school ranks. But with so many talented quarterbacks on the market and the up-and-down play of Auburn’s quarterbacks in 2023, the Tigers have been tied to a couple names in the portal already including former Duke quarterback and Alabama native Riley Leonard and Coastal Carolina quarterback Grayson McCall, who was linked to Auburn during last year’s transfer portal cycle. 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.

what kind of money do they get and what do they get in their goody bags? i just wonder if it is worth it to players. i might be mistaken about the money but i was thinking players got a small amount of spending money?

that is my favorite buffet song along with a pirate looks at forty. i saw him in the ham and he put on a hell of a show. his band could rock!

al.com Looking back, what were the three biggest moments in Auburn’s road to bowl eligibility? Published: Dec. 03, 2023, 6:00 a.m. 7–9 minutes After losing a heartbreaker to Alabama in the Iron Bowl on Nov. 25 in Auburn’s regular-season finale, Auburn head coach Hugh Freeze was asked what his Year 1 vision was for the Tigers. “I really didn’t have a vision for this year, other than to try to get us to a bowl game and improve us from week to week,” Freeze said. Prior to this season, Freeze had been a first-year head coach five times dating back to his time as a high school coach at Briarcrest Christian School. And whether at Briarcrest Christian, Lambuth University, Arkansas State, Ole Miss or his most recent post at Liberty, Freeze led his team to the postseason in Year 1. It’s an important milestone in Year 1. “I think it’s huge,” Freeze said when asked about the importance of reaching bowl eligibility in Season 1. “ Truthfully this is a bit selfish to say probably, but the staff and I, everywhere we’ve been we’ve been able to do that in year one. I would like to keep that streak alive, and we have. More importantly for our seniors, for them to get to experience going out and experiencing the bowl and representing Auburn. Then for the extra practices for our young kids. I thought it was huge. It was an important step in us rebuilding.” Freeze kept his streak alive as the Tigers finished an even 6-6 in the regular season, giving them just what they needed to go bowling — nothing more, nothing less. Auburn will find out its bowl assignment Sunday afternoon sometime after the College Football Playoff is set. But first, a look back: What were some of the biggest moments in Auburn’s postseason bowl game bid? 1. Dismantling Arkansas on the road No surprises here. The game that gave Auburn win No. 6, allowing the Tigers to punch their ticket to a bowl game, comes in at No. 1 when looking at the biggest moments in Auburn’s road to the postseason. Coming into the game at Arkansas, Auburn had yet to prove they could play anything close to a complete game on the road. But the Tigers went on to prove they could as they marched into Razorback Stadium and quickly sucked the life out of it with a dominating performance. Auburn quarterback Payton Thorne and the Tigers’ offense scored on their first drive to take an early 7-0 lead, followed by the Auburn defense forcing Arkansas to go three-and-out and punt it away to end the Razorbacks’ first possession. But that punt found the awaiting arms of Auburn returner Keionte Scott, who returned it 74-yards for an Auburn touchdown, stretching the Tigers lead out to 14-0 after less than five minutes of game clock had expired. If you want to really get specific and pick the biggest play in Auburn’s road to a bowl game, Scott’s punt return for a touchdown might be the play to beat as players in Auburn’s locker room said that’s when they felt the game was unraveling out of control, but in their favor. Auburn went on to sustain their success against Arkansas and put together a 48-10 win as Thorne threw three touchdown passes and rushed for another, while the Tigers’ defense added a quarterback to the “boneyard” after sacking Arkansas quarterback KJ Jefferson five times. 2. Squeaking out a road win against Cal in Week 2 Auburn’s come-from-behind 14-10 win from the hills of California in Week 2 felt like it meant very little at the time. However, knowing what we know now about how the rest of the season would pan out, that Week 2 win was pivotal for Auburn’s bowl-game hopes as the funky, one-possession ball game easily could’ve gone the other way, meaning the Tigers might’ve finished the regular season without six wins. There were a lot of oddities in that game in the hills of California. Auburn committed four turnovers against Cal, making it nearly impossible for the offense to find any kind of rhythm — let alone the endzone. After the Auburn defense forced Cal to return the favor and cough up the football, Thorne connected with wide receiver Jay Fair on a 13-yard touchdown pass to give the Tigers their first points of the night with 11:50 to play in the second quarter. The Tigers went on to trail 10-7 at halftime. And after a scoreless third quarter, Auburn entered the final 15 minutes of play trailing Cal by three points. And considering the Tigers’ offense hadn’t had any success in the first three quarters, it felt like the game could go sideways at any moment. Instead, Thorne found tight end Rivaldo Fairweather on a 5-yard 50/50 ball in the back corner of the endzone to give Auburn a 14-10 advantage with 6:31 to play. That play, paired with the heroic efforts of linebacker Eugene Asante, who finished with 12 tackles, bolstered Auburn to escape the Pacific Coast with a 14-10 win. Again, at the time, the win over the Golden Bears looked like a sloppy one the Tigers should try to put behind them quickly. But now, it appears much more significant. 3. Snapping the skid against Mississippi State Freeze was asked what he was most proud of from his first regular season on The Plains. Among his answers was the fact that Auburn, at one point in the season, was on a four-game losing streak. “I mean you lose four-straight games, and that thing could’ve gone a lot of different ways,” Freeze said Monday. “I thought they stayed engaged which shows our staff did a decent job of keeping them engaged.” Between Sept. 23 and Oct. 21, the Tigers lost on the road to Texas A&M, at home to Georgia, on the road to LSU and at home to Ole Miss. It was an absolutely brutal stretch of games, no doubt. But some of the results were even more brutal as Auburn lost to Georgia and Ole Miss by just one possession. And after a team goes so long without winning a football game, the pressure builds to simply snap the streak so players can see that they’ve got what it takes to be a winning program again. For Auburn, that win finally came on Oct. 28 in a 27-13 win over Mississippi State from Jordan-Hare Stadium. The Tigers outscored the Bulldogs 24-3 in the first half before being outscored in the second half. “You hope that it gives us a lot of confidence and maybe a little swagger to go play with confidence on the road,” Freeze said after the win over Mississippi State. “It’s not easy at home, and it’s certainly not easy on the road. And we’ve got two games that obviously you look at and you think we can win ‘em. But as I know from being in this league before, you can also lose them. And your confidence is a huge, huge factor and key in that. And hopefully that’s what today did.” The two games that followed Auburn’s win against Mississippi State were visits to Vanderbilt and Arkansas — games the Tigers went on to win by a combined score of 79-25. If you purchase a product or register for an account through a link on our site, we may receive compensation. 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al.com How the Nashville Auburn Club reacted to football’s Music City Bowl selection Published: Dec. 03, 2023, 4:41 p.m. 5–6 minutes Hugh Freeze praises Auburn fans for showing up in Nashville Nowadays, Evan Thomas likes to refer to Nashville as “Auburn North.” And it makes sense for the President of the Greater Nashville Auburn Club. Thousands of Auburn alumni and fans made their way to Nashville just four weeks ago when Auburn played at Vanderbilt. They’ll be coming right back as the Auburn football team was selected to play in the Music City Bowl against Maryland, the bowl announced Sunday. “If you could insert an emoji with the crazy eyes, that’s kind of how I feel,” Thomas told AL.com on Sunday afternoon. The bowl game is scheduled for 1 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 30, and will be played at Nissan Stadium — the home of the NFL’s Tennessee Titans. Thomas was selected as the Club’s president in 2019 after moving to Nashville in 2018 to work in real estate. At that time — just after Auburn’s last Music City Bowl appearance in 2018 — Thomas said the Club was in dire need of better organization to fit a large city like Nashville with a large alumni base. It is estimated around 6,000 Auburn alumni live in the greater Nashville area. Thomas said he’s seen the Club expand greatly during his time as president, and said it is now regarded as a “torch bearer” among Auburn alumni groups. “We’ve been able to move the needle quite effectively here in Nashville and it’s been really neat to kind of build this thing,” Thomas said. “We were able to give it an orange and blue blood transfusion.” And after years of building the foundation for the Club’s current state, he’ll get a second football game in one season. “Given how close we are to Auburn, our fans tend to travel well. And they really love coming to Nashville,” Thomas said. “We had over 1,000 people at Tiger Walk back when Auburn played Vanderbilt in basketball in February. You see the impact that the Auburn fan base had here for the football game against Vanderbilt. Now that we’re poised and positioned to be able to host Auburn again, in the middle of the holidays, at a time where people are available and looking to travel, we look forward to being able to provide an experience that’s on brand with what our local fans and family and then also our traveling fans and family have come to expect us. Yeah, we’re pumped.” Thomas said he and other Club executives closely watched bowl projections once it became clear Auburn had a chance to end up in Nashville. He paid attention with excitement, hoping he might get a chance to see his alma mater in his city once again this year. He had a graphic made to post on X, formerly known as Twitter, in celebration if Auburn was picked for Nashville. He was so ready, in fact, that his post came out before Auburn’s own tweet from the football team’s account. Auburn fans and alumni like Thomas took over an entire half of Vanderbilt’s stadium during Auburn’s win there this season, all wearing orange. Auburn head coach Hugh Freeze and players said after the game it felt as if they were playing at home. A committee member with the Music City Bowl told AL.com in the days leading up to the selection that they saw Auburn as a good fit because of the driveability for Auburn fans as well as the fact that they too paid attention to the strong showing of Auburn fans at Vanderbilt this year. Thomas said that the Club, a volunteer group, spent a significant amount of time planning a tailgate for the Vanderbilt football game. This time, though, Thomas will have the help of Auburn’s planned events in conjunction with the Music City Bowl. Thomas said there is more funding from Auburn and its alumni association expected to come for events at the bowl game compared to the Vanderbilt game due to the larger expected turnout and exposure. The exact event schedule is still to be determined. Auburn has plans for an event in downtown Nashville on the eve of the game, but has not yet announced specific plans. The Music City Bowl may be Auburn’s biggest trip to Nashville planned this year, it is just added to the list of a slew of Auburn games there still to come. Auburn men’s basketball plays at Vanderbilt on Jan. 17. Auburn women’s basketball plays at Vanderbilt the next day. The SEC Men’s Basketball Tournament is in March at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville. Auburn baseball opens SEC play in March at Vanderbilt. “We’re a volunteer organization,” Thomas said. “I mean, it takes a lot out of us to be able to host Auburn well up here. So we’re both nervous and excited because that’s a lot of hosting, planning and organization and bandwidth. We always rise to the occasion and are looking forward to being able to host Auburn for the Music City Bowl and all the other athletic events that are coming up in the coming months.” Matt Cohen covers Auburn sports for AL.com. You can follow him on X at @Matt_Cohen_ or email him at mcohen@al.com

saturdaydownsouth.com Auburn vs. Maryland: 5 things to know about the Music City Bowl matchup Sydney Hunte | 13 hours ago 6–7 minutes Auburn is back in the postseason for the 1st time since 2021 as it will face Maryland in the Music City Bowl on Dec. 30. Hugh Freeze took the reins of the Tigers program ahead of the 2023 season and led them to a 6-6 record, including a heartbreaking loss to Alabama in the Iron Bowl. After finishing 5-7 in 2022, they’re in a bowl once more and will face the Terrapins, the Music City Bowl’s B1G rep, in Nashville. Freeze still has a lot of work to do at Auburn, especially after Bryan Harsin went 9-12 overall and didn’t even last through his 2nd season. Making the bowl is the bare minimum expectation for a program that has largely lived in the shadows of its rival. But the Tigers will look to end 2023 on a high note and hopefully position themselves for the next step during what will be a pivotal 2024 for the SEC. These 2 teams have met just 3 times before: in 1952, Maryland won 13-7 in Birmingham before Auburn won 20-7 6 years later. Auburn beat Maryland 35-23 in the next meeting, which didn’t happen until 1983. Now, 40 years later, the Tigers and Terrapins meet again. Here’s a look at the matchup: It’s Auburn’s 3rd time in the Music City Bowl While it’s Maryland’s 1st time in the Music City Bowl, Auburn’s familiar with this game as it’s played in it twice before. On Dec. 31, 2003, the Tigers beat Wisconsin 28-14. Jason Campbell was named the game’s MVP after going 10-of-22 for 138 yards and carrying the ball 9 times for 67 yards. Fifteen years later, the Tigers dismantled Purdue 63-14 as Jarrett Stidham threw for 373 yards and 5 touchdowns, 3 of them to Darius Slayton. Boobee Whitlow accounted for 3 TDs of his own, 2 on the ground and 1 through the air. The Tigers have had some good memories at Nissan Stadium, and in late December, they’ll hope to make it 3-0 at the venue. Maryland’s quarterback has a familiar last name The name “Tagovailoa” is already etched among Alabama’s legendary players. But Tua’s younger brother, Taulia, will leave the Maryland program as the most prolific quarterback in program history. Taulia Tagovailoa holds every major passing record for the Terrapins: most passing yards in a career (11,256) and in a single season (3,860), and most career passing touchdowns (76). His 419 yards against Indiana in 2019 is the 3rd-most all time in school history. He played in 5 games with Alabama in 2019 — Tua’s final year with the program — before transferring to Maryland. In 2023, he has 3,377 yards, 25 touchdowns, and 11 interceptions. In an NFL Draft that will include Bo Nix, Caleb Williams, and Jayden Daniels, Tagovailoa probably won’t be top of mind, but that doesn’t mean he won’t end up on an NFL roster when it’s all said and done. Maryland has a pair of talented wide receivers on its roster Tagovailoa’s favorite targets in 2023 have been a pair of All-B1G Third-Team selections: Jeshaun Jones, a 6th-year player, and junior Tai Felton. Jones leads the way with 58 catches and 747 yards with 4 touchdowns. Felton has a team-high 6 touchdowns with 723 yards on 48 catches. The Auburn secondary, ranked 4th in the SEC and 29th in FBS in passing defense will have their hands full trying to keep both of those players in check. Maryland could just as easily could be 10-2 Maryland had 2 losses on its schedule where it was absolutely throttled: Against Penn State (51-15) and Ohio State (31-17). Both of those teams will be playing in New Year’s 6 bowls — and for good reason. There have been some close losses, too. The Terps made for a pesky opponent for Michigan: the Wolverines opened up a 16-3 lead that was 29-24 after 3 quarters before they eventually won 31-24. Against Northwestern, they fell 33-27, a week after dropping a 27-24 decision to Illinois on a last-second Illini field goal. Needless to say, the Terps can’t be taken lightly by the Tigers in this one. How will the Tigers respond? There’s no understating how disappointing Auburn’s Iron Bowl loss to Alabama was. Isaiah Bond has probably been living in the nightmares of the Auburn secondary for days, and as it turned out, Alabama is in the College Football Playoff. Auburn didn’t do itself any favors, though. Its quarterback play, which has been a massive question mark all season long, it gathered just 93 yards through the air on 17 attempts against Alabama. It turned the ball over 3 times. On 3rd downs, it was 4-of-12. The good news: its run game broke off some big plays, eventually totaling over 240 yards. The Tigers actually had a Top 20 rushing offense in 2023; Maryland has allowed 129.6 yards per game this season. Perhaps that’s the receipe for Auburn to leaving Nashville with a win. All told, the emotions from Nov. 25 need to be left in the rearview mirror. The Tigers made baby steps under Freeze in his 1st season and, as mentioned, he still has plenty of work to do. A win against Maryland on Saturday will be yet another step in the right direction and can serve as a base to build on for 2024.

here is the terps record and who they played. Maryland Terrapins Schedule 2023 Regular Season DATE OPPONENT RESULT W-L (CONF) HI PASS HI RUSH HI REC Sat, Sep 2 vs Towson W38-6 1-0 (0-0) Tagovailoa 260 Hemby 58 Dyches 108 Sat, Sep 9 vs Charlotte W38-20 2-0 (0-0) Tagovailoa 287 Hemby 162 Prather 80 Fri, Sep 15 vs Virginia W42-14 3-0 (0-0) Tagovailoa 342 McDonald 75 Jones 96 Sat, Sep 23 @ Michigan State W31-9 4-0 (1-0) Tagovailoa 223 McDonald 38 Felton 67 Sat, Sep 30 vs Indiana W44-17 5-0 (2-0) Tagovailoa 352 Hemby 54 Felton 134 Sat, Oct 7 @ 4 Ohio State L37-17 5-1 (2-1) Tagovailoa 196 Littleton II 38 Jones 59 Sat, Oct 14 vs Illinois L27-24 5-2 (2-2) Tagovailoa 266 Hemby 70 Prather 70 Sat, Oct 28 @ Northwestern L33-27 5-3 (2-3) Tagovailoa 274 McDonald 43 Jones 78 Sat, Nov 4 vs 11 Penn State L51-15 5-4 (2-4) Tagovailoa 286 Edwards Jr. 4 Felton 75 Sat, Nov 11 @ Nebraska W13-10 6-4 (3-4) Tagovailoa 283 Hemby 74 Jones 86 Sat, Nov 18 vs 3 Michigan L31-24 6-5 (3-5) Tagovailoa 247 Hemby 35 Prather 81 Sat, Nov 25 @ Rutgers W42-24 7-5 (4-5) Tagovailoa 361 Hemby 113 Felton 140 DATE OPPONENT TIME TV tickets TransPerfect Music City Bowl look who the qb is. i had forgotten all about him.

turtle soup

well we need to suck it up by golly! with a few weeks to get ready for them i would be sad if freeze did not have a great plan!

we will be serving turtle soup.................grins

scots i am not gonna lie. i am about as high as i can get so i will redo it tomorrow.

i want that seventh win..............