aubiefifty

Auburn's Butch Thompson talks about his team after fall practices. AUBURN, Alabama—Following the losses of shortstop Cole Foster, third baseman Bryson Ware, catcher Nate LaRue and center fielder Kason Howell, coach Butch Thompson knew this fall was going to be an important one for his team heading towards the 2024 season. Going out and adding several key transfers to go along with a strong signing class and some key returners, the Auburn baseball Tigers hit the practice field this fall with some business to take care of. Growing from an early trip to Tuscaloosa, the Tigers beat Louisiana Tech in a pair of games two weeks ago before finishing things off with their own world series that wrapped up on Tuesday. Seeing improvement across the board, Thompson said shoring up some of those questions was probably the biggest news of the fall for his team. “It has been a great group,” Thompson said. “They have done well on the field. They have done well with 20+ new guys getting used to one another. We grew as a ballclub. That was the biggest challenge off of our first barometer of playing in Tuscaloosa. Could we get to the fastball? Could we have at-bats? We grew as we went through it. “What I talked about first was shortstop, third base and catcher and how we would fill that. You feel like Cooper Weiss, Deric Fabian, Javon Hernandez and even a Caden Green coming back, those four guys give you some type of rotation at second, short and third. All three catchers (Ike Irish, Carter Wright, Cale Stricklin) did good. We started playing Ike a little bit in right field. He did a good job. I’m super excited about Stricklin, the true freshman. Wright is a veteran and has been in the program. I think all three guys could catch for us.” With the infield coming together because of the transfers and new additions, Auburn got some huge news late in the fall with the return of first baseman Cooper McMurray to the lineup in a designated hitter role. Limited to at-bats after having some cleanup work done on his knee, McMurray homered twice during the world series and should give the Tigers some punch at the plate once again this season. In the outfield, returning starter Bobby Peirce homered against Louisiana Tech and twice more in the world series as he continues to show more pop at the plate. Chris Stanfield is back and has shifted to the center field spot while Jacksonville State transfer Mason Maners has played well as the third starter most days. True freshmen Cole Edwards and Cade Belyeu have both swung the bat well and could push for playing time in the outfield this coming season. With veterans such as Chase Allsup, Tanner Bauman, John Armstrong and Will Cannon back along with talented sophomores like Zach Crotchfelt, Hayden Murphy and Drew Nelson, there are plenty of options on the mound for the Tigers heading into the season. With Joseph Gonzalez back, but ramping up slowly to get prepared for the season, it opened up the door for some newcomers to step up and that’s exactly what happened. One of the top pitchers of the fall was true freshman Cam Tilly “We have 80 percent of our innings back, so there are some guys we can lean on and trust,” Thompson said. “I can’t tell you how excited I am about some of our new arms. I don’t have to make a long list, but when you say Cam Tilly and Dylan Watts, two new right-handers to start with. At least I feel like we’re a little more left-handed and have some guys to go with a Bauman, who is proven.”

247sports.com PMARSHONAU College football and a bizarre system Phillip Marshall 8–10 minutes Where college football is headed, no one knows In college football, hiring head coaches is the ultimate roll of the dice. Athletics directors spend big money on search firms to help them out. They vet and vet some more. And finally, they make decisions. They call press conferences to celebrate those decisions and welcome the new leaders to town. Problem is, if an AD stays around, there is a good chance he’ll return to that podium and announce that there will be a “a change of leadership” in the football program. The coach that was announced with such joy will take his millions in buyout money and move on. And the process will begin again. In one way, being a big-time head coach carries little security. A coach’s future depends on how a bunch of 18-22-year-olds perform. On the other hand, what could be more secure than knowing if you fail at your job, you will receive so much money to leave that you’ll never have to work another day in your life if you don’t want to? There is really nothing anybody can do about it. It will be illegal for university presidents to collude to hold salaries down. As long as one program is paying obscene salaries, others will follow. Agents get wealthy. Athletics directors make seven-figure salaries. An assistant Power 5 coach making $300,000 is not considered highly paid. Coordinators and even some position coaches make seven figures. Some teen-age players even become wealthy. How much players are making from NIL money is anybody’s guess. It’s not public record. What a bizarre system has grown out of a game played college students. Where it is headed, nobody knows. Just look at recent history. Gene Chizik won a national championship in his second season at Auburn and was gone after his fourth season. Gus Malzahn won an SEC championship and played for the national championship in his first season. He stayed for eight seasons and never had a losing record, but he also never lost fewer than four games. He was unceremoniously fired in 2020. Ed Orgeron won a national championship at LSU in 2019 and was fired in 2021. I could go on. But it’s part of the craziness that is college football. No matter what a coach has done in previous jobs, there is no guarantee he will do the same in a new program. In the SEC, Nick Saban has been a dominant force since 2008, his second season at Alabama. Kirby Smart has won or contended for championships every season since 2017, his second season. But early success often doesn’t mean extended success. Josh Heupel went 7-6 in his first season at Tennessee and was all the rage after going 11-2 last season. But he lost a generational quarterback and some great receivers. Suddenly, his offense became easier to stop. This season’s Tennessee team has lost three games and will likely lose a fourth when Georgia visits Saturday. Brian Kelly continues to be praised. Last season, his first at LSU, he won maybe the weakest West Division since the SEC split into divisions in 1992. But last season’s team gave up half a hundred to Georgia in the SEC Championship Game after losing to Texas A&M, which had lost six straight, in the final game of the regular season and lost four games. He’s lost three games this season because of a weak defense. The Jimbo Fisher story is well-known. He was given a massive deal because he won a national championship at Florida State. He also oversaw the collapse of the program, but that seemed to go unnoticed. He had 10-1 record in the COVID year of 2020 and got a massive new deal. Sunday, he was fired. He will receive a record buyout of $76 million. First-year Mississippi State coach Zach Arnett was fired after Saturday’s loss at Texas A&M. He’ll get $4 million for his trouble. Arkansas’ Sam Pittman might be the next to go. If he is, he will be paid handsomely to leave. Eli Drinkwitz is having really good season. He did not have a winning record in any of three previous seasons at Missouri. What will the future hold? Nobody knows. Shane Beamer got great praise for a strong finish to a 7-6 season in 2022. This season? Not so much. Other than Saban and Smart, no coach in the SEC is safe for the long term. Not one of them. Coaches are paid multimillion-dollar salaries, hundreds of millions are spent on facilities, donors fork over more millions for NIL collectives. With all that comes soaring expectations. One good season can push those expectations even higher. And meeting those expectations becomes harder.

247sports.com Auburn Opponent Preview Tigers take on New Mexico State Jason Caldwell 5–7 minutes Auburn’s Hugh Freeze knows all too well how dangerous New Mexico State is this time of year. Last season the Liberty Flames were a big favorite at home only to fall to the Aggies just hours before Freeze took the Auburn job. Now he’ll face them in his first season coaching the Tigers. Coming off an impressive win over Arkansas for a third consecutive SEC win, Auburn has plenty of momentum going into this weekend, but Freeze said they better be ready for what’s coming to Jordan-Hare Stadium on Saturday at 3 p.m. New Mexico State (8-3, 6-1) has already clinched a spot in the Conference USA title game and comes in with plenty of confidence. “We have more work to do and it starts this week with our return to Jordan-Hare and playing what I think is one of the better Group of Five teams,” Freeze said. “They've gotten better and better and better as the year has progressed. I know Jerry Kill really well. He is one heck of a ball coach and he'll have his guys ready. And they've continued to improve as the year has went on. And they're a very talented team and play extremely hard. We're going to need Jordan-Hare to be at its best and we need to keep the momentum going.” The player that leads the way for New Mexico State on offense is quarterback Diego Pavia. Guiding an offense that averages 28.7 points and 420 yards of total offense per game, Pavia is completing 59.7 percent of his passes for 2,257 yards and 19 touchdowns with six interceptions. He also leads the team with 705 rushing yards and five carries. “Very talented quarterback,” Freeze said. “Extremely, extremely tough and mobile. He's a handful for sure. And they're using him in a lot of ways, in a lot of motions and shifts and formations and they've got a really good plan and he can make a lot of things happen with his feet.” That’s a big question this week after Pavia tweaked a hamstring in last week’s game. On Tuesday, coach Jerry Kill said that his quarterback is ‘day-to-day.’ If he’s unable to go it would be a huge blow for the Aggies. Pavia is just part of a rushing attack for New Mexico State that averages 206 yards per game on the ground. Running backs Star Thomas and Monte Watkins have combined for 1,046 yards and six touchdowns this season with Watkins a big play threat. In 11 games the sophomore has carried the ball just 49 times, but is averaging 10.8 yards per carry. New Mexico State has six players that have caught at least 11 passes this season with sophomore Jonathan Brady leading the way with 29 catches for 489 yards and three touchdowns. Despite catching just 22 passes for 351 yards, junior Trent Hudson has seven touchdown catches. Up front, the offensive line leads the way and has been a driving force for a running game that has gone for 170 yards or more in 14 straight games. The Aggies have gone over 200 yards in three of the last four games. Defensively, New Mexico State comes in ranked 38th nationally in scoring defense, giving up 20.8 points per game against a schedule that hasn’t featured a Power 5 opponent to this point. Allowing just 135.7 rushing yards per game, the Aggies are strong up front. But, they have struggled against the pass at times, giving up 239.5 yards per game through the air. Sophomore linebacker Keyshaun Elliott is having a monster season for the Aggies with 77 total tackles, 2.5 sacks and 7.5 tackles for a loss. The pressure comes from an active front for New Mexico State with stud linebacker Buddha Peleti leading the team with 4.5 sacks while linemen Sterling Webb, Isaiah Reed, Nikhil Webb Walker and Gabriel Iniguez have combined for 11 sacks. As a team, New Mexico State is tied for 37th nationally with 25 total sacks. X 1 Chris Bellamy 6-2 200 Sr. 14 Trent Hudson 6-3 190 Jr. 18 Jordin Parker 5-9 170 R-Jr. H 6 Jonathan Brady 6-0 190 So. 5 Bryce Childress 5-10 190 R-Jr. 0 PJ Johnson III 5-10 180 R-So. LT 71 Shiyazh Pete 6-8 325 R-So. 70 Kaden Stanton 6-5 315 Fr. 78 Cedric Claiborne 6-4 300 R-Jr. LG 51 AJ Vaipulu 6-2 300 So. 55 Shamarr Jackson 6-3 295 Jr. OR 54 Isaiah Mursalat 6-4 305 R-Sr. C 56 Canaan Yarro 6-1 300 R-Jr. 50 Cooper Sheehan 6-3 300 R-Fr. RG 66 Louie Canepa 6-4 310 R-Fr. 51 AJ Vaipulu 6-2 300 So. RT 78 Cedric Claiborne 6-4 300 R-Jr. 66 Louie Canepa 6-4 310 R-Fr. 77 Jacob Golden 6-6 310 R-Jr. TE 85 Thomaz Whitford 6-4 260 R-Sr. 19 Ron Tiavaasue 6-3 275 R-Sr. 88 Trevor Stephens 6-3 235 So. Z 11 Kordell David 6-3 205 R-Jr. 18 Jordin Parker 5-9 170 R-Jr. 17 Donovan Faupel 6-2 195 Fr. QB 10 Diego Pavia 6-0 200 Jr. 7 Eli Stowers 6-4 225 R-So. 9 Blaze Berlowitz 6-3 200 Fr. 13 Gavin Frakes 6-4 220 So. RB 3 Jamoni Jones 6-2 225 R-Jr. OR 4 Star Thomas 6-0 225 So. 8 Ahmonte Watkins 5-11 195 R-So. 22 Makihlyn Young 5-10 195 R-Fr. DEFENSE DT 26 Sterling Webb 6-2 300 So. OR 10 Gabriel Iniguez 6-2 250 So. NG 98 Izaiah Reed 6-1 310 Sr. OR 3 Dion Wilson 6-5 300 Jr. 95 Gabe Jones 6-4 280 Fr. DE 16 Gabe Peterson 6-2 250 So. 99 Nikhil Webb-Walker 6-6 270 R-Fr. 42 Noah Arinze 6-6 265 R-So. Nick. 15 Torren Union 6-2 195 R-Jr. 20 Mekhi Miller 6-1 200 R-Jr. Will 44 Keyshaun Elliott 6-3 225 So. 35 Tyler Martinez 6-2 225 So. Mike 14 Sone Aupiu 6-1 225 R-Fr. 1 Devlin Kirklin 6-1 205 R-Sr. CB 8 Andre Seldon 5-9 190 R-So. 7 Keonte Glinton 5-11 190 R-Jr. CB 4 BJ Sculark 5-11 185 R-Sr. 0 Reggie Akles 6-1 190 R-So. FS 13 Myles Rowser 6-1 195 So. 5 JJ Dervil 6-3 190 Jr. SS 24 Jordan Vincent 5-10 190 Jr. 11 Dylan Early 6-0 190 Jr. STUD 40 Buddha Peleti 6-2 250 So. OR 28 Jaden Robinson 6-4 255 R-Jr.

si.com "Not too many people have done that": Auburn CB Kayin Lee talks about playing as a true freshman Daniel Locke 2–3 minutes The freshman cornerback has made an instant impact in Auburn's defensive secondary. Kayin Lee has wasted no time making an impact since arriving on the Plains. The true freshman from Ellenwood, Georgia has seen the field a good amount this season and that will likely only increase over the next few seasons. "It means a lot to me," Lee said on playing as a true freshman in the SEC. "Not too many people have done that. I heard that Carlton Davis was one of the few to do that so just to have my name up there with him when it's all said and done just means a lot." Lee addressed how important being present for spring practice was for his development. "It was pretty cool," Lee said. "It was a lot of hard work, ups and downs, but it was just about building that team chemistry. Just doing my part and just getting better overall as a player." Auburn has a lot of talent in its defensive backfield including a lot of players who could have a shot at playing in the NFL next season. Lee talked about how beneficial it is to learn from guys like that. "It's pretty cool being around those type of guys," Lee said. "I can take bits and pieces from them. I'm in the office with them each and every day just trying to get better with them." Lee will certainly be one of Auburn's biggest impact players over the next few seasons. The Tigers return home this Saturday for a matchup with the New Mexico State Aggies. Kickoff is set for 3 p.m. CT and the broadcast can be found on SEC Network.

al.com Why Auburn’s Hugh Freeze believes New Mexico State is a team that ‘could sting us’ Published: Nov. 16, 2023, 10:47 a.m. 5–6 minutes It’s standard for a coach to say he and his team are only focused on the game in front of them – even when a lesser opponent followed by a not-so-lesser opponent is next on the schedule. It’s coach speak. Alabama’s Nick Saban said it of hosting Chattanooga this week. Auburn’s Hugh Freeze also said it of welcoming New Mexico State to Jordan-Hare Stadium this Saturday. And while they both probably meant what they said, Freeze really, really means it. “We won’t talk about the other team that you mentioned,” Freeze said when asked about playing Alabama in two weeks. “We’ll talk about the one we have right in front of us that could sting us. And I’ve experienced that before.” It was Nov. 26, 2022 when Freeze’s Liberty football team hosted the New Mexico State Aggies at Liberty’s Williams Stadium. At the time, head coach Jerry Kill had New Mexico State sitting at 4-6 in his first year. Meanwhile, Freeze and the Flames boasted an 8-3 record heading into their regular season finale – a game that doubled as Freeze’s last at Liberty. And whether it was the distraction that came with the speculation that Freeze was well on his way to The Plains to take the helm of Auburn’s football program or something else, the Flames went on to be extinguished that day as the Aggies secured a 49-14 win. For that reason, Freeze isn’t just talking out the side of his neck when he says the Aggies have he and the Tigers’ full attention this week, despite the Iron Bowl looming large. “We have more work to do and it starts this week with our return to Jordan-Hare and playing what I think’s one of the better Group of Five teams,” Freeze said of hosting New Mexico State during his Monday morning press conference. “They’ve gotten better and better and better as the year has progressed. I know Jerry Kill really well. He is one heck of a ball coach and he’ll have his guys ready.” The Aggies will bring an 8-3 record and six-game win streak with them when they march into Jordan-Hare Stadium on Saturday. They also come with quarterback Diego Pavia – maybe. Kill said Tuesday that while Pavia practiced some, the Aggies’ starting quarterback is “day-to-day.” While Pavia’s injury wasn’t specified, local reporters speculate a hamstring injury after Pavia grabbed at his hamstring after a run play in the second quarter against Western Kentucky last week. And if anyone knows the importance of Pavia’s availability, it’s Freeze. During last year’s New Mexico State-Liberty game, Pavia produced video game-like numbers. Against the Flames in 2022, Pavia passed for 214 yards on a 16-for-21 passing performance, which featured three touchdowns. On the ground, Pavia was just as effective as he notched a 125-yard rushing performance, which featured another trio of touchdowns. In short, Pavia was responsible for six scores during last year’s win at Liberty. “Very talented quarterback. Extremely, extremely tough and mobile,” Freeze said of Pavia on Monday. “He’s a handful for sure. And they’re using him in a lot of ways, in a lot of motions and shifts and formations and they’ve got a really good plan and he can make a lot of things happen with his feet.” New Mexico State quarterback Diego Pavia throws a pass during the first quarter of the team's NCAA college football game against Missouri on Saturday, Nov. 19, 2022, in Columbia, Mo. (AP Photo/L.G. Patterson)AP This season, Pavia has passed for more than 2,200 yards, 19 touchdowns and six interceptions. On the ground, the junior quarterback stands as New Mexico State’s leading rusher just less than 300 yards as he’s rushed for 822 yards and five touchdowns. “He’s shifty. He wants to make plays,” Auburn Jack linebacker Jalen McLeod said of Pavia. “He’s got almost 1,000 yards rushing and he’s got like what, 2,000 yards passing? He’s having a great year. Our biggest thing is definitely contain him.” Fortunately, Auburn’s defense is just getting over a game that featured a mobile quarterback in Arkansas’ KJ Jefferson. The Tigers sacked Jefferson five times in last week’s 48-10 win over the Razorbacks, putting Jefferson in “the boneyard.” However, McLeod heeds that Jefferson and Pavia, while both athletic, hurt teams with their legs in different ways. “It helps a lot but they’re completely different,” McLeod said Monday. “KJ wants to run you over, (Pavia) wants to make sure he jukes you and gets 10 more, 20 more yards… It’s one in the same, but different at the same time.” 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.

guns are bad enough but sawed off weapons are a really bad look as well as the modified glock. it makes me mad because it gives the haters ammo.

1819news.com Former Auburn quarterback Nick Marshall arrested in Georgia | Alabama… Will Blakely | 11.13.23 2–3 minutes Photo from Wikipedia. Former Auburn Tigers quarterback Nick Marshall, who led the team to contend for the National Championship during the 2013 season, has been arrested and charged with possessing a “sawed-off shotgun, sawed-off rifle, dangerous weapon or silencer.” According to reports, police officers arrested Marshall on Wednesday in Columbus, Ga. Police also arrested a girl who was in the car with him named Lenequa Breshay Borders. Columbus’ WRBL reported that Marshall possessed an “automatic handgun,” which had been modified. Marshall transferred from the University of Georgia before leading Auburn to the National Championship game against Florida State University, which they lost. He famously completed a 73-yard Hail Mary touchdown pass in the final seconds of the team’s game against Georgia earlier that season. The 31-year-old Georgia native played in the National Football League for two seasons before signing with a team in the Indoor Football League, then later with the Saskatchewan Roughriders, part of the Canadian Football League. He is still listed on the team’s roster. To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email will.blakely@1819news.com or find him on Twitter and Facebook.

todays healthtip.....yellow in front and brown in back.

i have to go get a MRI today and a bllod test but allis well! NMSU says their starting qb is slowed and doubtful for the game.

al.com How Auburn QB Payton Thorne’s intangibles continue to be vital for the Tigers Updated: Nov. 15, 2023, 8:43 a.m.|Published: Nov. 15, 2023, 8:41 a.m. 5–6 minutes Auburn head coach Hugh Freeze laughed and acted stumped when a reporter asked him about the Auburn offense’s recent “renaissance.” “That’s a big word,” Freeze joked. But it’s a fitting word meaning “a revival or renewed interest in something.” Certainly, Auburn’s offense appears revived after sputtering along to start the season. And certainly, more and more people have been talking about what Freeze and the Tigers are doing on offense after their two recent showings against Vanderbilt and Arkansas. “It is really good just to see our kids play with confidence. I don’t think you can be very good at anything if you don’t have some confidence in what you’re doing,” Freeze said Monday. “And you know, they seem to be a confident group right now that’s excited about another opportunity.” However, confidence is fleeting – or at least it can be. But it’s the mentality of having another opportunity that’s kept Auburn’s junior Michigan State transfer quarterback Payton Thorne’s confidence high and his head above the waves, even when they’re at their choppiest. In each of Auburn’s last two games, Thorne has tossed early interceptions – one being a short Pick 6 against Vanderbilt. And because Auburn junior defensive back Keionte Scott knows throwing those interceptions early in a game can be demoralizing and can lead to a snowball effect of negativity, he’s always quick to approach Thorne afterwards to be sure his attitude is in check. “Yeah, always try to come up to him and he’s already on that,” Scott said. “So I don’t even have to mention it to him.” When Freeze arrived to The Plains, he brought with him a “FAMILY” acronym. Freeze was looking for faith, attitude, mental toughness, integrity, love and each individual player – or “you” – to establish the foundation of the rebuild he was taking over on The Plains. And the ‘M’ part of that acronym has been tested this season – especially if your last name is Thorne. But Thorne – especially recently – has proved to have mental toughness and has illustrated a “next-play mentality” when things go awry a bit during games. “Quarterbacks, they better have that,” Freeze said. “He does have it, and he’s able to handle me, lets me rant a little bit without it destroying him.” It goes without saying, but Thorne hasn’t been perfect this season. Through 10 games, Thorne has passed for 1,432 yards, 13 touchdowns and seven interceptions. Surely, Thorne’s touchdown-to-interception ratio isn’t where he or Freeze wants it. So there have been plenty of coaching opportunities on the sidelines. “I think it’s obviously glaring when he’s made a mistake at quarterback. But one of the reasons I think he handles it is because, the few mistakes he’s made, he knows better. I guess that’s why it upsets me sometimes,” Freeze said. “But man, he’s a no-excuse guy, play the next play. It shows.” When Thorne threw that Pick 6 against Vanderbilt, it was ugly looking. It appeared as though he tossed it right into the arms of the Commodores’ defender, who had a short and clear path to the end zone. “I just didn’t see him,” Thorne said after the fact. “Threw it out there thinking that Rivaldo (Fairweather) was wide open. Obviously he was not, so I gotta be better there.” On the television broadcast, announcers commented that they thought the sun being in Thorne’s eyes might be to blame, making for an easy alibi. But Thorne isn’t interested in alibis. When asked about the sun being in his eyes, Thorne simply shook his head and assured that wasn’t the case. “The sun is a lot worse at practice than at the game,” Thorne said. Despite having thrown an interception in each of his last games, Thorne – and the rest of the Auburn offense – seem to be finding their stride at the most opportune time as a date with the team from Tuscaloosa looms large. And needless to say, both against New Mexico State this week and Alabama next week, Thorne won’t be looking back on the interception he threw against Vanderbilt or the one he threw against Arkansas. Thorne doesn’t do much looking in the rearview mirror. There isn’t time to do that. “I mean, it is always a cliche thing to say he is focused on the next play because the last one, he can’t get back anyways,” said Auburn tight end Tyler Fromm. “You don’t want to see a guy (griping) on a mistake he made 20 plays ago when he can’t do anything about it. So it’s always good to see a quarterback, a leader like him move on and take the team with him.” 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 How will Auburn keep players from flirting with the transfer portal? Hugh Freeze has a plan Updated: Nov. 15, 2023, 1:28 p.m.|Published: Nov. 15, 2023, 1:27 p.m. 4–5 minutes Auburn head coach Hugh Freeze, center, and quarterback Robby Ashford (9) react after an interception by Mississippi during the second half of an NCAA college football game, Saturday, Oct. 21, 2023, in Auburn, Ala. (AP Photo/Butch Dill )AP It today’s world of college football, there might not be anything more tempting than the transfer portal. Considering how common and easy transferring to another program has become, the second a player feels unhappy or that he might have better opportunities elsewhere, it’s easy to jump ship. And Auburn head coach Hugh Freeze sees that as players giving up on the “process of becoming.” “My preference would be to develop kids,” Freeze said when asked if he preferred recruiting high school recruits to dipping into the transfer portal. “But the process of becoming is kinda being lost.” Freeze misses the days of recruiting a player out of high school and spending one or two years to develop him before having him ready to see quality snaps. Unfortunately for guys like Freeze and other “old school” coaches, that just can’t happen anymore as patience has become razor thin. “There’s too many voices in the heads of these young men,” Freeze said during the SEC Teleconference Wednesday afternoon. “And I think they get bad advice and we’ve made it really, really easy to quit something because it’s hard. And I think that’s a bad lesson for now and a bad lesson for life.” Now, obviously Freeze didn’t seem to mind the transfer portal when he first accepted the job at Auburn and brought in more than 20 transfer players. But given the situation he inherited after the Tigers’ program was left bare by the previous coaching staff, Freeze was left no choice but to try and plug and play transfers. Moving forward, one can expect Freeze to focus on high school and junior college prospects. That’s already become evident as Freeze and the rest of Auburn’s coaching staff continue to reap success on the recruiting trail. Last week was a big week as the Tigers earned the commitments of the No. 1 JUCO safety Laquan Robinson, flipped 4-star edge rusher Jamonta Waller away from Florida and reeled in 2025 4-star tight end Ryan Ghea. But often times, bringing in young, raw talent from the high school ranks means some guys might be sitting in their first season or two. And given what we know about the appeal of the transfer portal, the question of how Freeze intends to keep underutilized players from flirting with the transfer portal is a big one. “I have a plan for that,” Freeze said Wednesday when asked how he tries to players from jumping ship. Because Freeze feels it’s working, he didn’t want to offer too many specifics as to what exactly that plan looks like. In short, he calls it the “SOAR Program.” “We’ve got a group of men in this building, that’s one of their sole charges is developing the relationships with these young kids to try to convince them of truth and not believing some lies or hopes,” Freeze explained. Freeze didn’t offer insight into who makes up the group of men. And while Freeze feels confident in his approach to this point, he realizes it won’t work every time. “I don’t know that any of us are ever going to be 100% in it and it certainly makes it very difficult to manage your recruiting and roster management,” 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.” 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,

auburnwire.usatoday.com New Mexico State quarterback Diego Pavia listed as 'day-to-day' for Auburn game Taylor Jones ~2 minutes The New Mexico State Aggies are having an impressive season to this point. They enter Saturday’s game at Auburn with an 8-3 record and will play in the Conference USA Championship game at Liberty next month. The Aggies hope to use their momentum to upset Auburn on Saturday at Jordan-Hare Stadium but may have to endure a setback as their star quarterback may not be available to compete. New Mexico State quarterback Diego Pavia has passed for 2,257 yards and 19 touchdowns this season and has rushed for an additional 703 yards and five scores. In a report by Colin Deaver of KTSM News in El Paso, Texas, Pavia has not been at “full speed” this week and is in “day-to-day” status according to Aggies head coach, Jerry Kill. Kill says that Pavia got banged up in last week’s game at Western Kentucky, but did not specify the details of his injury. If Pavia can not play on Saturday, New Mexico State will likely go with Eli Stowers. Stowers has played in all 11 games to this point and has completed 4-of-8 passes for 99 yards and a touchdown. Auburn faces New Mexico State on Saturday afternoon at 3 p.m. CT at Jordan-Hare Stadium. The game can be seen on SEC Network. 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 Taylor on Twitter @TaylorJones__

lindyssports.com Before Iron Bowl, Auburn not overlooking New Mexico State | Lindy's Sports 2–3 minutes Field Level Media November 15, 2023 at 4:06 pm. Two bowl-eligible teams riding win streaks will meet when New Mexico State visits Auburn on Saturday afternoon. The Aggies (8-3, 6-1 Conference USA) have won six straight and seven of eight behind dynamic dual-threat quarterback Diego Pavia and a scrappy defense. Pavia has passed for 2,257 yards and 19 touchdowns with just six interceptions and has rushed for a team-high 703 yards and five scores through 11 games. In last week’s 38-29 win over Western Kentucky, Pavia passed for two touchdowns and ran for 44 yards to pace a New Mexico State offense that rushed for 236 yards. Safety Mehki Miller became the first Aggie to score a defensive touchdown this season when he picked off Austin Reed and raced 57 yards to pay dirt. The play sealed all hopes of a Hilltoppers comeback and helped New Mexico State clinch a berth in the C-USA title game in Jerry Kill’s second season as head coach. “I’m just kind of in shock really, but it means the world to do it with these kids and in Las Cruces,” Kill said. “Having it happen so quickly, we’re still not where we need to be and here but we are playing for the conference championship.” Auburn (6-4, 3-4 Southeastern Conference) became bowl-eligible after it turned in its most complete performance of the season in a 48-10 road win over Arkansas. Payton Thorne threw three touchdown passes and ran for 88 yards and a score. Jarquez Hunter surpassed the 100-yard rushing mark for the third straight game (109), while Rivaldo Fairweather added two scoring receptions. Auburn’s defense recorded five sacks and forced two fumbles and Keionte Scott returned a punt 74 yards for a touchdown. Although it was the Tigers’ third straight win, Hugh Freeze doesn’t want his team overlooking New Mexico State before its meeting with rival Alabama in the Iron Bowl on Nov. 25. “We’ll talk about it today in our team meeting, and that’ll be my message,” Freeze said earlier this week. “We won’t talk about the other team that you mentioned (Alabama); we’ll talk about the one we have right in front of us that could sting us. And I’ve experienced that before.”

saturdaydownsouth.com Hugh Freeze comments on the evolution of Auburn’s offense from Week 1 Ethan Stone | 17 hours ago ~3 minutes Hugh Freeze was asked Wednesday afternoon at the SEC teleconference to discuss the improvement of Auburn’s offense from Week 1 to now. The Tigers offense has dropped 27 or more points in each of their last 3 games as Payton Thorne starts to find his groove with the unit. But it goes deeper than that. On Wednesday Freeze told reporters that he believes the identity of the offense has changed, or more accurately, Auburn finally found an identity. Here’s his explanation: “We’ve just really changed to having that identity, I don’t think we ever had a true identity,” Freeze said. “I think we were searching all the way through the Ole Miss game truthfully, until after that when — and I have nobody to blame but myself. Sometimes when I talk about this, people think I’m blaming the offensive staff or me not being totally in charge of it totally at that point, or whatever. Ultimately, it’s my responsibility, so I was on board with what everybody thought was our best chance to win those games. But ultimately it just became so uncomfortable for me that I just said this is what’s worked for me for all my years in college and I just can’t go any longer — and no one fought back on that. Everybody was kind of probably relieved. And so we have an identity now.” The Tigers are back in action this week against New Mexico State, looking to build some more momentum before the Iron Bowl. Ethan Stone was an editor for his student newspaper at the University of Tennessee and is now a News Manager for Saturday Down South. Follow on Twitter.

si.com Hugh Freeze Says Blocking vs Arkansas Was Probably Best of the Season Lance Dawe 2–3 minutes Auburn went wild on the ground against Arkansas last weekend. Auburn went wild on the ground against Arkansas last weekend. The Tigers (6-4, 3-5 SEC) ran for 354 yards and a pair of touchdowns and 6.4 yards per carry. The offense as a whole averaged 6.8 yards per play. Through wins over Mississippi State, Vanderbilt and Arkansas, Auburn has averaged more than 6.5 yards per play in three straight games for the first time since 2017. It's all been thanks to a rushing attack that is seemingly getting stronger. Either that, or it's a trio of bad opponents the Tigers have played in a row to get things back on track. Regardless, the ground game has been continuing to impress for three straight weeks now, and the win over Arkansas is the current pinnacle. Auburn head coach Hugh Freeze said he was pleased with the blocking performance form the Tigers on Saturday. It may have been the best perimeter blocking of the season. "We still have a ways to go, we left some yards out there because of that, but we have improved it, other than the Vandy game," Freeze said. "But the others we've done a decent job, that was probably our best, down the field, people being aggressive and finishing and playing without the ball, I thought that was our best to date, but we've still got to work on it." Freshman center Connor Lew has stepped in for the injured Avery Jones and has looked solid. Dillon Wade had one of his best games this past weekend against the Hogs. The unit could struggle against Alabama in a couple of weeks, but right now they're clicking. Having confidence in that has been a key for Hugh Freeze. "It's really good to see our kids play with confidence," Freeze said in his Monday morning press conference. "I don't think you can be very good at anything if you don't have confidence in what you're doing. They seem to be a confident group that's excited for another opportunity."

done! i am sorry for your loss. a best friend is family.

slow day folks. have a good one!