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auburnwire.usatoday.com Winners and losers from Auburn's win over Arkansas Taylor Jones 4–5 minutes The Plains are buzzing following Auburn’s 48-10 thrashing of the Arkansas Razorbacks on Saturday. Auburn outgained Arkansas, 517-255, and recorded eight tackles for loss in the game. Another exciting takeaway from the game is that Auburn is now eligible for a bowl game in year one under Hugh Freeze. Freeze said after the game that his team is now starting to piece everything together at the right time. “They remember what you do in November. I think Frank Broyles said that. I want our kids to compete and they have. Now we find ourself bowl eligible, which I think is a step that was important to me and for our team and our program in our rebuild. I think we’re getting better and looking forward to the next two games.” There were plenty of good and even several bad, things that happened during Saturday’s game. Here is the best and worst of Auburn’s victory over the Arkansas Razorbacks. Zach Bland/Auburn Tigers The biggest gripe from Auburn fans over the last three weeks has been Auburn’s ability to dominate early, and coast through the second half. That did not happen on Saturday as the Tigers complimented their first-half efforts by coming out of the locker room following halftime to post 21 3rd quarter points. Things are beginning to come together offensively, which will help Auburn in the long run. Zach Bland/Auburn Tigers Is anyone recovering from whiplash after watching Saturday’s game? If so, you are an honorary “winner” this week. There were several plays where SEC Network’s cameramen were faked out, which made it hard to follow sometimes. Thankfully, they were able to regroup and we were able to watch the game without feeling like we just stepped off the Scream Machine at Six Flags. Wesley Hitt/Getty Images Here’s to you, Keionte Scott! Scott returned an Arkansas punt 74 yards for a touchdown in the 1st quarter to put Auburn ahead, 14-0. According to Auburn Athletics communications, the punt was the first returned for a touchdown (that was not blocked) since 2014 when Quan Bray returned a punt for a 76-yard score against Louisiana Tech in 2014. Brett Rojo-USA TODAY Sports Rarely would we mention an opposing player as a loser, but Arkansas quarterback KJ Jefferson is an exception. Jefferson accounted for 166 of Arkansas’ 255 total yards during Saturday’s game. In the first half, he had 103 of Arkansas’ 110 total yards. If it weren’t for his efforts, the Razorbacks could have had a worse day than the one they endured. Wesley Hitt/Getty Images Hunter extended his triple-digit yard streak to three games on Saturday by rushing for 109 yards on 19 carries. He now has 745 rushing yards on the season, which is a career-high. Now that Auburn has earned bowl eligibility, has a realistic chance to reach the 1,000-yard mark. Zach Bland/Auburn Tigers An American football field is quite long. That fact now resonates with Auburn defensive back Caleb Wooden following his fumble recovery in the 3rd quarter of Saturday’s game. He described his return to Auburn Sports Network’s Ronnie Brown following the play. Caleb Wooden told Ronnie Brown after that recovered fumble and *really slow* run back, "the field gets a lot longer with the ball in your hand. I didn't know it was that far." — Justin Hokanson (@_JHokanson) November 11, 2023 Alex Slitz/Getty Images For the first time in two weeks, Auburn quarterback Robby Ashford saw live action. In his lone drive, he rushed for 32 yards on two carries but threw an interception on his only pass attempt. The quarterback rotation appears to be in the rearview mirror, but Ashford’s chances of getting significant playing time for the rest of the season appear to be diminishing. Wesley Hitt/Getty Images You did not think we would end this list without mentioning those who bet against the Tigers, did you? Auburn entered the game as a 2.5-point underdog and would go on to treat those who took that bet to a surprise by earning a 38-point victory. Auburn also made things difficult for those who chose the under of 48.5 points, as the game ended with a total of 58 points.

247sports.com 'Throw the first punch:' Auburn's early haymakers silence antsy Arkansas crowd Nathan King 7–9 minutes “We're taking whoever gets to go out on the field first — offensively or defensively — and set the tone." FAYETTEVILLE, Arkansas — It’s not often a home team is being booed less than halfway through the opening quarter. But Auburn’s tail-kicking in its road finale certainly warranted it. Arkansas fans were making their opinions heard early and often, as the Tigers yet again jumped out to a double-digit lead early in a game — this time a 21-0 advantage with 6:28 left in the first quarter en route to a stunning route of the Hogs in DWR Razorback Stadium, 48-10 on Saturday evening. The Razorbacks were in do-or-die mode, and Auburn knew it. Their overtime win at Florida last weekend kept them alive for a bowl berth — and their final three games of the season were all at home. They were a narrow favorite in Saturday’s SEC West matchup. The pressure was there before kickoff, and Auburn added to it in a flash. “You know, I was telling the guys in the locker room — we had talked all week this was going to be a fight,” quarterback Payton Thorne said. “They got a team, their back was up against the wall. I want us to throw the first punch. I want to go out there and start fast. Then the punt return was awesome to see. From there, I think that set us up for the rest of the game.” Thorne orchestrated an efficient opening-drive touchdown — the third straight for Auburn during its three-game winning streak — as he hit Caleb Burton III for a 45-yard reception on the second play from scrimmage. He had 28 yards on the ground, too, including a bulldozing touchdown run. Auburn’s defense played its part, forcing a three-and-out, and Keionte Scott rocketed through his blocks for a 74-yard punt return — a 14-0 deficit for the home team before some fans were even in their seats. The boo birds that ensued on essentially every Arkansas drive that followed — as the Razorbacks went down 21-0 after another Auburn touchdown drive and didn’t pick up a first down until their fifth possession — were some of the loudest moments of the night for the home crowd. “They weren’t making much noise in the second quarter and on,” Thorne said. Lots of Arkansas fans headed home. Auburn goes up 34-3 in Fayetteville. pic.twitter.com/6SlAvx1fAW — Nathan King (@NathanKing247) November 11, 2023 Hot starts have been a massive key for Auburn as it’s strung together what’s now a three-game winning streak in the SEC for the first time since 2020. Between the matchups against Mississippi State, Vanderbilt and Arkansas, Auburn has outscored those opponents 49-6 in the first quarter — as compared to a 37-17 combined first-quarter deficit during the four straight losses right before. “Fast starts have been good to us,” Hugh Freeze said postgame. “I think we do a decent job of managing the game if we get out to a lead. Fast starts are always big, and usually it’s Jarquez (Hunter) getting them. I don’t know what the rushing yards were on that first drive. … It really doesn’t matter to me. You know, play within system and just run what they give us on a given play. So a fast start was vital for us.” Freeze’s plan was to get the opening kickoff if he could, but it wouldn’t have mattered if the defense was on the field first. Scott said the team — at least the players — has had discussions of late about executing early to “set the tone” for the rest of the game. Obviously, they’ve been highly successful at that recently. “A mindset change, for sure,” Scott said. “We're taking whoever gets to go out on the field first — offensively or defensively — and set the tone. Offense was able to get that call. The main message to them was to set the tone for the game. They did that, and we carried it. That's just how we play complementary football — offensive, defensive and special teams.” Back-to-back touchdown passes from Thorne to Ja'Varrius Johnson, then Rivaldo Fairweather early in the third quarter — creating an eye-popping 41-3 score — emptied the stadium by the thousands. It’s something the Tigers haven’t experienced much in recent seasons — and they’re not getting tired of relishing it. “You feel like a menace,” said pass-rusher Jalen McLeod, who had a career-high three sacks. “You feel like a bad man.”

al.com Hugh Freeze and Auburn’s recruiting tear continues with commitment of 2025 4-star tight end Published: Nov. 12, 2023, 2:32 p.m. 2–3 minutes Auburn head coach Hugh Freeze reacts after a score against Mississippi State during the second half an NCAA college football game, Saturday, Oct. 28, 2023, in Auburn, Ala. (AP Photo/Butch Dill)AP Hugh Freeze and the Auburn Tigers are winning more than just football games. On a three-game win streak, Freeze and the Tigers have set the recruiting trail ablaze in the past three days. First Auburn was the choice destination of the No. 1 safety out of the junior college ranks as Laquan Robinson committed to the Tigers on Friday. Then Auburn flipped 4-star edge rusher Jamonta Waller away from the Florida Gators after Saturday’s dominating win at Arkansas. And the ball kept rolling into Sunday afternoon as Ryan Ghea, a 4-star tight end out of Alpharetta, Ga., announced his commitment to Freeze and the Tigers. Ghea, who ranks as the 12th-best tight end in the country according to 247Sports, hauled in 41 offers before pledging to Auburn Sunday. Some of those offers came from some of the top programs in the country like Florida State, Michigan and Ohio State. But it was Auburn that impressed Ghea the most. Ghea first visited The Plains in late January of this year as he participated in Auburn’s Junior Day. And he’s since returned three — twice in the spring and most recently on Nov. 7, when Ghea dropped by during Auburn’s practice. With Ghea’s commitment, the Tigers have secured their first tight end commit under Freeze. Ghea also becomes Auburn’s sixth commit in Freeze’s early-developing 2025 recruiting class, which ranked as the sixth-best class in the country prior to Ghea’s announcement on Sunday.

al.com Why a meeting with Hugh Freeze led Auburn to play its best offense of the year Updated: Nov. 12, 2023, 1:08 p.m.|Published: Nov. 12, 2023, 8:48 a.m. 6–7 minutes Hugh Freeze had had enough. This is his offense, but it had been awful. He’d tried to stay away. But after an October loss to Ole Miss — Auburn’s fourth in a row — and an offense that had gained more than 300 yards against a Power 5 opponent just once all season, staying away was just no longer an option. Freeze hasn’t seemed comfortable with the role he’s had for the majority of the season. He’s talked about how hard it has been for him to pass off play-calling duties — the first time he’s done that as a head coach. After Auburn’s loss to LSU, Freeze questioned why Auburn isn’t running the up-tempo offense more — the type of play that is so central to his style. But he still tried to stay away. To let offensive coordinator Philip Montgomery be in control and let himself focus more on recruiting. Until he couldn’t take it anymore. “I went in after the Ole Miss game and I said, ‘This is it, this is what we’re doing,’'” Freeze said. “‘And don’t anybody ask me anything else, becuase this is what we’re doing.’” That moment of Freeze putting his foot down will be the key moment in a turnaround that seemed highly unlikely for an offense that had played so poorly over the first seven games. Freeze expanded his role in game planning in addition to play calling. After beating Arkasnas 48-10 for a third win in a row, Freeze said play calling is now a mixture of himself, Montgomery and even offensive line coach Jake Thornton. In a response to a question about defensive coordinator Ron Roberts on Monday before the Arkansas game, Freeze had said he likes to hire people and get out of their way “until they prove they can or can’t.” He tried to stay out of Montogmery’s way. But he’s stepped in now. After struggling to grapple with his own choice to give up some offensive responsibility, he made his change. It’s worked. The offense now with Freeze’s fingerprints on it has run more of the up-tempo, run-pass-option scheme Freeze knows best. Auburn has had its three best games of the season since he became more involved. “Look, the responsibility lies with me if we play well or we don’t,” Freeze said. “We had a dang chance to win a few other games, and I wish I had put my foot down earlier and said, ‘This is the only thing I feel comfortable being able to help. If we operate like this, I can help.’ And that’s probably the turning point.” Auburn’s players see the difference as an offense that finally found confidence. During the losing streak, Freeze had said he worked with quarterback Payton Thorne to improve his pocket presence. Thorne was consistently holding onto the ball too long and making wrong reads on RPO plays. Freeze, too, had said throughout the season Auburn’s performances at practices were not translating to games. But Auburn is seeing that translation now, and jack linebacker Elijah McAllister has seen an “elevated” confidence from the offense he faces each day in practice. That elevation has led to a group of 11 on the field that no longer lives with doubt it can produce. But how exactly does a team improve its confidence on the heels of a four-game losing streak? “Just belief that the score can lie to you sometimes,” McAllister said. “Belief in what you see on the tape and the plays that can show up on Saturdays. The ball can roll either way. Just practice really hard. We’ve got a pretty good defense practicing against us, making plays against us helps too.” The emergence has seen Auburn produce more than 400 yards of offense in each of the three straight wins including 517 against Arkansas. Thorne has played his best football without quarterback rotation with Robby Ashford and running back Jarquez Hunter has rushed for more than 100 yards in three straight games. “Coach Freeze, his track record speaks for itself,” Thorne said. “To be honest, I don’t really know how much he is calling, I’m not on the headset. I don’t have the NFL earpiece. So I don’t know exactly how much he’s calling, but I know he’s calling some plays. He’s calling some good ones. He’s dialing up the defense right now and it’s fun to play.” Thorne helped lead Auburn’s dominant performance Saturday. Thorne played 10 drives before he was pulled from the game due to the margin Auburn led by. Auburn scored on seven of those drives. The success, Thorne believes, is because he feels as confident in this new offense as he has all season. Thorne said he recently has had meetings with Freeze to discuss not just Auburn’s gameplan for a given week, but why Auburn is running certain schemes or designs in certain situations. It’s helped Thorne gain a greater understanding of his job. Gaining confidence and comfort in this new offense has taken time for Thorne after his transfer from Michigan State. Freeze has said part of his stepping into the offense meant accepting that Thorne had the best knowledge of the RPO schemes compared to other quarterbacks and thus greatly diminishing Ashford’s role to not playing at all except in mop-up duty. Part of the issues the offense faced was a group of new players taking time to learn a new scheme. But the sudden upward trend of this offense after Freeze stepped in would make Montgomery’s role with the team not quite clear. That question will play itself out in the offseason. It will provide more clarity on how responsibility has been broken down this season after Freeze added his footprint. This offense isn’t going to go without Freeze’s mark again this season. Matt Cohen covers Auburn sports for AL.com. You can follow him on X at @Matt_Cohen_ or email him at mcohen@al.com

247sports.com Auburn offensive line running game hit their stride Jason Caldwell 6–7 minutes Auburn dominated Arkansas on the ground in Saturday's win. FAYETTEVILLE, Arkansas—When Hugh Freeze was hired at Auburn, one of the things that had to be addressed first was the offensive line. Going back to the 2020 signing class, the only offensive linemen still on Auburn’s roster are Tate Johnson, Jeremiah Wright and Eston Harris. That’s it. With a veteran like Kameron Stutts still holding things down at the guard position, the Tigers had a whole lot of work to do in a short time. Beginning in December, Freeze and coach Jake Thornton began to chip away up front, adding transfers Dillon Wade and Gunner Britton in December along with junior college tackle Izavion Miller before finishing it off with Avery Jones. They also flipped Connor Lew from Miami in the early signing period a year ago. All of those players have become starters in just that short time and have made a difference, as has summer transfer Jaden Muskrat. The results are a much-improved offensive line and a running attack that somehow finds itself 10th in the country (207.2 yards per game) following a dominant performance in Saturday’s win over Arkansas. Miller said it may have been their best game of the season. “Well, it felt good,” he said. “Worked all week on it in practice. To come out here and dominate like you know you're supposed to — like you did in practice — it feels good. And you did it at an away game.” Freeze didn’t even have to think about it when asked if it was their best game. Piling up 354 yards rushing and averaging 6.4 yards per carry in the process, the Tigers dominated the game at the line of scrimmage. “No question,” Freeze said when asked if it was the best game up front. “Even when we started milking it halfway through the third quarter and everyone knew we were running it, I mean our O-line was physical, our backs ran physical. That was really, really good to see.” Auburn's offensive line and tight ends clear a huge hole in the third quarter for Damari Alston. (Photo: Jason Caldwell, 247Sports) Miller has been a big part of that change on the offensive line. A junior college transfer that’s just scratching the surface of what he can be at tackle, he said the key for the offensive line has just been work and continuing to pay attention to the details. “We've been really good with our communicating,” he said. “It's been a big emphasis at practice. I think we're doing well at it.” It doesn’t hurt that running back Jarquez Hunter is hitting his stride and Damari Alston is healthy once again. That 1-2 punch along with Brian Battie and Jeremiah Cobb gives Auburn a strong group of backs to go along with Payton Thorne, who is making very good decisions in the run game. Add it all up and you have an offensive line and a running game that is beginning to get some mojo going. “Everybody's just getting yards, and we're moving people,” Miller said. “It's good to see. Everybody's doing great.”

247sports.com Auburn lands commitment from 2025 Top247 TE Ryan Ghea Christian Clemente 2–3 minutes Ghea is the sixth addition to Auburn's 2025 class. While Ryan Ghea recently said that he planned to wait to make a decision until February, the Top247 tight end in the 2025 class didn’t need to wait any longer. Ghea, ranked as the No. 234 player and No. 12 tight end, announced his commitment to Auburn on Sunday. From Milton (Ga.), Ghea is ranked as the No. 29 player from Georgia in his recruiting class. "It’s definitely their tight end usage, their education, they’re closest to home and how I feel once I get on campus," Ghea said after his most recent visit to campus. The Milton product is commitment No. 6 for Auburn early in the 2025 cycle, pushing the Tigers up to the No. 5 class in the 247Sports team recruiting rankings. Ghea is joined on offense by offensive tackle Spencer Dowland, with defensive lineman Jourdin Crawford and Malik Autry, edge rusher Jakaleb Faulk and safety Kendarius Reddick the rest of the class. Ghea is listed at 6-foot-5 and over 231 pounds, as he quickly became a top priority for Ben Aigamaua, Freeze and the Auburn staff in the next cycle. “It means a lot to me. It means once again that I am a priority to them and they think that I can be a part of their program and make an impact,” Ghea said. “I think he’s (Freeze) a great coach, great guy, great family man and he’s turning this program back to where it should be." Miami, Penn State, Ohio State, Michigan and Wisconsin were Ghea’s other finalists. The message from the Auburn staff over the past couple of months has been clear. "They’ve been telling me how much that could be me out there playing and making all those plays and getting Jordan-Hare loud on Saturdays," Ghea said. "They keep pushing me and getting me here at Auburn." And now, the message is welcome aboard.

saturdaydownsouth.com Auburn football: Thorne becoming a leader for bowl-bound Tigers Glenn Sattell | 22 hours ago 5–6 minutes Hugh Freeze is building something special on The Plains. The Auburn Tigers became bowl eligible again on Saturday, flattening Arkansas, 48-10, on the road for their 6th win of the season. Auburn improved to 6-4 (3-4 SEC) with 2 games remaining, and it will return to the postseason after breaking a streak of 9 bowl appearances last year. Call it an easy stretch in the schedule, continued development of the program or, more realistically, a little of both. But Auburn is looking like a formidable team. And it hasn’t always been that way this season. Auburn’s mashing of Arkansas was its 3rd consecutive victory, all in SEC play. Wins over Mississippi State, Vanderbilt and Arkansas were a positive response to the Tigers’ 4-game skid that included losses to Texas A&M, Georgia, LSU and Ole Miss. But the schedule has eased up a bit, and the Tigers are taking advantage. Included in the win streak are back-to-back SEC road victories (at Vanderbilt and Arkansas). That’s an accomplishment regardless of the opposition. It’s no coincidence that Auburn’s recent streak has run parallel with the maturity of quarterback Payton Thorne in the system. Since being given the keys to the offense, Thorne has been a different player — a more confident player, a more free-wheeling player who has allowed his natural athletic ability to shine. No longer looking over his shoulder or in a platoon with now-backup QB Robby Ashford, Thorne has taken command of an offense that rolled up 517 total yards vs. the Hogs. The passing quarterback — who threw for 3,232 yards at Michigan State in 2021 before transferring to Auburn prior to this season — has turned into a dual-threat QB, using his legs to add another dimension to his game. The combination of run and pass has worked well for the mobile QB. In those 3 straight victories, Thorne threw for a combined 587 yards and 8 TDs with just 2 picks. He completed 49 of 73 passes. In addition, Thorne rushed for 166 yards and 1 TD on 32 carries. It’s a welcome infusion to an offense that had struggled mightily to that point. Saturday marked Auburn’s first 500-yard conference game since 2020, when the Tigers totaled 506 yards in a 48-11 victory over LSU. Now that the Tigers have punched their ticket for the postseason, they can turn their attention to the final 2 games of the regular season. Both will be at Jordan-Hare. The Tigers welcome in C-USA foe New Mexico State on Saturday, then play the Iron Bowl. Auburn will be a healthy favorite for Saturday, and a 7-win season is likely. The Tigers haven’t recorded more than 6 wins in a season since 2019, when a Gus Malzahn-coached team posted a 9-4 record. Don’t look now, but if the Tigers win out — knock off New Mexico State on Saturday and upset the Tide in the Iron Bowl — they would equal that 9-4 mark by adding a bowl victory to an already successful season. But let’s not get ahead of ourselves. Enjoy the big win over Arkansas and get ready to take out the non-conference foe. Then go into the Iron Bowl with a possible 4-game winning streak and a 7-4 record overall. That would be pretty impressive, especially considering that the Tigers are coming off back-to-back losing seasons. The work Freeze has done through the portal in rebuilding the roster, as well as his hands-on work with the offense, have paid dividends. And it’s just the beginning. Give Freeze some time to really put his stamp on the program, and the sky is the limit to what he can do at Auburn. The future looks bright. TRENDING

no comments?one would think i am the only vet on here?

more majorettes and less zen commercials.

i think mr pride is a wonderful new poster. he has a wicked sense of humor folks miss. i admit it took me a minute to warm up to him. let me just say mr pride is the womens pet,the men's threat , and punks pin up boy. everyone say hello to mr pride...............

they have just now posted this and i thought you guys would enjoy it.

i call bull. there is white privilege. i worked for the feds for years and it was so bad even in the federal gov they had to hire people of color and women as well and they forced supervisors to hire these people. that is fact.they had a name for it but i forget. just because there are poor white folks does not mean there is not or has never been white privilege. it is not as bad as it used to be but it is there.

bump

i posted the post game presser and some other goodies last night for those that did not see it.

Well folks we know arkie hates Auburn so let me just say how refreshing it is we ran the pigs off their own field after they claimed how averaqe we were before the game. i would say let em eat fish heads but everyone knows a hog will eat anything. Last night was as fun for me as it gets. and we are going bowling! in the next day or so i plan to go get me some BBQ. have a good one folks.

auburntigers.com Auburn football's Dr. James Andrews: 'I cherish the memories' Auburn University Athletics 5–6 minutes AUBURN, Ala. – Pat Sullivan's first varsity game at Auburn coincided with the arrival on the Plains of a young doctor who, like the future Heisman Trophy winner, would one day become a household name. Dr. James Andrews. In 1969, as a third-year resident at Tulane Medical School, Dr. Andrews came to Auburn to study under orthopedic surgeon Dr. Jack Hughston, a sports medicine pioneer. "That's how I really got kicked off in the sports medicine field, learning from him," said Andrews, who learned about repairing knees from Dr. Hughston, then, thanks to his mentor's recommendation, received a fellowship at the University of Virginia to study upper extremities in 1972. Through Dr. Hughston's friendship with Dr. Albert Trillat, chief of orthopedics at Lyon University in France, Andrews' path to becoming the world's preeminent sports orthopedic surgeon included a year studying abroad. "The king of knee surgery in Europe," Andrews said of Dr. Trillat. In 1973, after finishing his fellowships, Dr. Andrews came back to work at Hughston Clinic in Columbus, Georgia. "I practiced with Dr. Hughston with Auburn for 13 years," said Dr. Andrews, who more than a half century later continues his mentor's custom of wearing a sportscoat and tie on the sidelines. "Which is something he preached all those years," Dr. Andrews said. "'I don't dress up like a coach.' That's just the way I was raised by him. He was a strict disciplinarian. He got my sports medicine career kicked off rapidly. I owe everything back to Dr. Jack Hughston." In 1984 Dr. Andrews and Dr. Hughston opened the Hughston Sports Medicine Hospital in Columbus. "The first sports medicine hospital maybe in the world, certainly in the United States," Dr. Andrews said. When Auburn hosted Ole Miss on Oct. 21, Dr. Andrews was recognized on Pat Dye Field for his long association with Auburn football. To pay tribute to Dr. Andrews' contribution and impact on Auburn's program, the training room in the Woltosz Football Performance is named in his honor. "I cherish the memories, let me tell you," said Dr. Andrews, the 2022 recipient of Auburn's Jack Meagher Award for significant contributions to society through athletics, an award Dr. Hughston received posthumously in 2005. When Auburn hosted Mississippi State on Oct. 28, Dr. Andrews walked to the Bulldogs' sideline before the game to greet their team doctors. "I heard somebody hollering at me from the crowd, one of our former football players from about 25 or 30 years ago. He said I operated on his knee. He told me how much he appreciated being taken care of when he played football here 30 years ago just out of the blue," Dr. Andrews said. "You run into those guys all the time. That's how rewarding it is." The previous week, Auburn honored the 1993 Tigers for their undefeated season. "I saw a whole slew of them that I'd taken care of and worked with," Dr. Andrews said. "By and large, Auburn has been a powerhouse in football and in other sports, too." Dr. Andrews' appreciation for elite athletes and passion to help them traces back to his own athletic career as an SEC pole vault champion at LSU, a feat that stemmed from humble origins. "I was from a little bitty town (Homer) in north Louisiana and I vaulted in the woods with a bamboo pole as a kid," said Dr. Andrews, who will be inducted as a competitor in the Louisiana High School Sports Hall of Fame's Class of 2024. "I held the state record for a long time." Dr. Andrews' athletic scholarship covered not only his undergraduate graduate tuition at LSU, from which he graduated in 1963, but also his tuition and expenses at LSU School of Medicine, from which he graduated in 1967. "Didn't cost me a cent," he said. "Just from being an athlete. I'm indebted to my athletic career, believe me. It made me a better sports medicine doctor having been an athlete myself. I understand the psychology of how these guys think, a little bit, and it's helped me in taking care of them through the years." At the conclusion of the 2023 football season, Dr. Andrews will retire from his role as Auburn football's orthopedic surgeon and medical director. "I'm still going to be around," he said. "It's been a good ride. I'm going to miss being down on the field. It's time for me to turn it over to the younger guys like Dr. Hughston did for me." Jeff Shearer is a Senior Writer at AuburnTigers.com. Follow him on Twitter: @jeff_shearer

si.com Auburn Recruiting Profile: Demarcus Riddick Brings Unique Talent to the Tigers Brian Smith 5–6 minutes Going into the home stretch of the Auburn Tigers’ 2023 football schedule, the defense is showing promise. There’s also more reason to be optimistic about the 2024 season and beyond because of linebacker commitment Demarcus Riddick joining the Auburn football program. It’s time to dig deep and break down this young man’s game and how he can truly become a difference-maker on the Plains. Demarcus Riddick Position: Linebacker/Athlete Size: 6-foot-2, 215 pounds High School: Clanton (Al.) Chilton County Recruitment: Originally a Georgia Bulldogs commitment, Riddick made the official flip to Auburn on July 26, 2023. Offers galore for this man, as Alabama, LSU, Ole Miss, Florida State, Oregon, Florida, Tennessee, and Notre Dame are just some of Riddick’s other football scholarship offers. Athleticism: Notice above where it says “Linebacker/Athlete” after position? That’s not by coincidence. He used his hands as a big-bodied receiver for Chilton County and scored touchdowns in the process, just as one example. Here are the more specific reasons that happened. Riddick’s tremendous lateral mobility, hitting top gear quickly, and his hand-eye coordination, and quick hands, are some of his best physical attributes. He could play numerous sports and be successful. Not that he’s interested, but as a mixed-martial arts competitor, Riddick would be a stud. The quickness, speed, size, and power are obvious (see film notes below). In particular, Riddick shows the quickness to maneuver away from offensive linemen and he could do the same in the octagon. Now back to football. When watching Riddick make a lateral cut, that’s when it’s obvious why the likes of Kirby Smart, Nick Saban, Mike Norvell, and many other college football head coaches went after this young man in addition to Hugh Freeze and the Tigers. Especially while playing linebacker, being able to run across the field to make a play in the screen game or chase a mobile signal caller down from behind is the difference between good and great. Riddick’s explosiveness places him in the great category. Frame: Riddick has the length a college football coach wants to see from a linebacker’s arms. His shoulders are also broad enough to carry 230 pounds without any concerns. He’s also already muscular enough to pack a punch when coiling to strike a ball carrier. Instant Impact For Auburn: College football is about matchups. The nickel package, the dime package, Auburn fans probably know the terminology. With Riddick, he can stay on the field and match his talents versus a tight end or running back on a seam route or screen pass just as easily as he bangs in the box against a lead fullback on fourth down from inside the one-yard line. That rare combination of all-around skills also allows him to be an impact player, potentially speaking, on any other given play. There’s one catch. How quickly does Riddick not only pick up the Auburn defensive playbook, but also are the Auburn coaches willing to put a true freshman at linebacker and let him learn on the fly? No doubt, some mistakes will be made. As a rule, college coaches are really stubborn about players not knowing the full playbook before seeing significant action. Somehow, in some way, Auburn has to find opportunities for Riddick to get on the field even if he’s not completely ready to understand the playbook in full (this is a common argument about recruits playing early). Perhaps he’s used as a blitzer off the edge at the beginning of the 2024 season, at the very least. Maybe Riddick plays against 22 personnel, i.e. two running backs and two tight ends, because he’s better against run-heavy formations. Whatever it might be, the Auburn staff has to find a theme where Riddick can be on the field. Yes, he’s going to be a freshman. Riddick is a special player, however. There’s no reason for him not to at least be contending for a starting spot by the middle of next season. Riddick is that gifted. Auburn football is improving this season, and Riddick is a big reason why the future is bright in 2024 and beyond. Now, here are those film notes mentioned above. Film Notes: If you watch Riddick’s junior Hudl film, it’s a good idea to pay particular attention to the following times inside the video. 0:00 - Riddick diagnoses a reverse, changes direction in full stride, and makes a tackle for loss. 0:08 - Punt return for a touchdown. 0:28 - Interception for a touchdown. 0:40 - Another punt return for a touchdown. 1:09 - Makes interception while playing free safety. 1:49 - Takes a pop pass from a jet motion and scores. 2:44 - Runs down a wide receiver from behind to prevent a touchdown.

al.com 3 takeaways from Auburn football’s dominant 48-10 win at Arkansas Updated: Nov. 12, 2023, 7:06 a.m.|Published: Nov. 11, 2023, 6:01 p.m. 6–7 minutes With both the Auburn Tigers and the Arkansas Razorbacks coming into this week’s game with momentum at their backs, an old fashioned dog fight was scheduled to take place inside the walls of Arkansas’ Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium on Saturday. Instead, it was an onslaught as the Tigers played their best game away from Jordan-Hare Stadium and punched their ticket to bowl eligibility in a dominant, 48-10 win over the Razorbacks. Here are three takeaways from Saturday’s win in Fayetteville. Auburn strings together dream start Having not played considerably well in any true road game this season, there were concerns that Auburn might come out flat on the road against Arkansas on Saturday afternoon. Instead, the Tigers did just the opposite. After getting the ball first to start the game, Payton Thorne and the Auburn offense quickly put together a 75-yard scoring drive on just six plays. The highlight of the drive was a 45-yard connection between Thorne and Caleb Burton on the Tigers’ second snap from scrimmage. Auburn went on to polish off its first drive with a pair of runs from Thorne, including a touchdown rush from 12 yards out to put the Tigers out front 7-0. Less than two minutes later, the Tigers found the end zone again — this time courtesy of a 74-yard punt return touchdown from Keionte Scott, who, as a reminder, had tightrope surgery on his ankle less than two months ago. The next time Thorne and the Tigers had possession of the football, they marched 56 yards down the field on another six-play scoring drive that ended in an 11-yard touchdown pass from Thorne to tight end Rivaldo Fairweather. That play was the first of two scoring plays between Thorne and Fairweather as the tandem paired for another touchdown in the third quarter. In a little over half a quarter, Auburn had built a 21-point lead over Arkansas, erasing any fears of a slow start. In fact, the Tigers’ 21 first-quarter points were the most they’d scored against a SEC opponent since 2017′s game against Mississippi State. Tigers’ defense stifles KJ Jefferson, Razorbacks’ offense The Hogs made it hard to believe they managed 39 points and 481 yards of offense against the Florida Gators last week in Gainesville. In the first half of Saturday afternoon’s game, the Arkansas offense mustered just 24 yards of offense in the first quarter and 86 yards of offense in the second quarter, totaling 110 first-half yards to Auburn’s 277 first-half yards. Meanwhile, the Auburn defense forced Arkansas to go three-and-out in each of the Razorbacks’ first three possessions. The Razorbacks’ first bit of momentum came courtesy of Thorne tossing an interception to Dwight McGothern, who returned it 42 yards to the Auburn 22-yard line. From there, Jefferson and the Arkansas offense managed to move the football just two yards in the right direction before having to settle for a 39-yard field goal to give the Razorbacks their first points of the game. Jefferson and the Arkansas offense didn’t move the chains until the second quarter, when they were forced to go for it on 4th-and-1 from their own 24-yard line. Jefferson ended up churning ahead for an eight-yard gain to give the Razorbacks their first fresh set of downs of the afternoon. Come the second and third quarters, the Auburn defense’s trend of forcing turnovers continued as Auburn’s Jalen McLeod forced a fumble that was recovered by Marcus Harris in the second quarter, followed by Zion Puckett forcing a fumble that was recovered by Caleb Wooden in the third quarter. Wooden went on to return the fumble 74 yards to the Arkansas 11-yard line, where just one play was required for the Auburn offense to add a touchdown to its lead. Through three quarters, the Arkansas offense was averaging just 3.9 yards per play and just 2 yards per rush. The Razorbacks were also just 1-for-11 on third-down conversions. The Hogs finished the game with an average of 5 yards per play, 3.8 yards per rush and 1-for-12 on third-down conversions. Meanwhile, Jefferson turned in a 10-for-16 passing performance for just 116 yards and added just 50 yards with his legs on 15 attempts, good for an average of just 3.33 yards per game. Against the Gators last week, Jefferson passed for 255 yards and a pair of touchdowns, while adding 92 rushing yards and a 25-yard touchdown with his legs. Jalen McLeod helps Auburn dominate in the trenches Coming into Saturday afternoon, Auburn Jack linebacker Jalen McLeod hadn’t tallied more than four tackles and two tackles for a loss in a single game all season. Against the Razorbacks, McLeod improved those marks two fold as he recorded a total of nine total tackles and four tackles for a loss. McLeod was also responsible for three sacks on Saturday, a testament in any game, but especially in a game when the opposing quarterback is 6-foot-3 and a hair under 250 pounds, like Jefferson is. And while McLeod led the charge against the Razorbacks, he wasn’t alone as defensive lineman Marcus Harris added three tackles, 1.5 tackles for a loss and 1.5 sacks. The Auburn defense combined for eight tackles behind the line of scrimmage and five sacks. On the opposite side of the field, Auburn’s offensive line held its own against Arkansas after a week in which Hugh Freeze was critical about the Tigers’ protection against Vanderbilt last Saturday. The Razorbacks managed to tally just two tackles for a loss against the Tigers and took Thorne to the turf once. Arkansas also wasn’t credited with a single quarterback hurry on Saturday. 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 becomes bowl eligible with 6th win, beating Arkansas Published: Nov. 11, 2023, 5:59 p.m. ~4 minutes From adoption to Auburn football commit: The inspirational journey of A’Mon Lane-Ganus With a dominant 48-10 win over Arkansas, Auburn has gotten to the six-win mark for the 2023 season and achieved bowl eligibility. It’s a stepping stone accomplishment for first-year head coach Hugh Freeze after Auburn did not go to a bowl game last year. After a four-game losing streak to begin SEC play, Freeze said he erased all his themes for the season off his whiteboard and replaced it with one focus: getting to a bowl game. “But I have been pretty open about the fact that I think going to a bowl game in Year 1 is desired, needed, wanted,” Freeze said on Nov. 6. “I want the extra practices, I want our seniors to be honored, I want the program, our fans to still have the same energy moving into Year 2. And I think all of that is a part of us getting to a bowl. We’ve been able to do that at each stop we’ve taken over and I want to do it here. And I think our kids want to do it here, but you’ve got to earn it.” Auburn came out of the losing streak with consecutive convincing wins over Mississippi State and Vanderbilt putting Auburn right back in the mix to go bowling. It then sealed its bowl berth with its most complete, most dominant performance of the season winning on the road against Arkansas. Freeze has noted he brought every team he has coached to a bowl game in his first year on the job. Getting to a bowl game is a sign of improvement and puts Auburn in line to develop further because of the extra practices. Should Auburn have missed a bowl game, it would lose weeks of official practices. Now, a largely inexperienced team will get extra time which, in the grand scope of rebuilding this program, could be invaluable for Freeze. The improvement to become bowl-eligible is also an important note in recruiting, another key piece of the rebuild. The location of Auburn’s bowl game could have recruiting implications for prospects the team may be able to visit, or as a sign of where the team is headed. Auburn’s 2024 recruiting class currently has 17 commitments and is ranked 17th in. the nation per 247Sports. Auburn has been to 46 bowl games in program history and is 24-20-2 all-time. Auburn is 2-7 in its last nine bowl games including losing its last three in a row. Bowl projections are split on where Auburn could be headed. By beating Arkansas, Auburn put itself in a position to get to seven wins with a game against New Mexico State next week where Freeze’s team will be a heavy favorite. It also would carry Auburn into the Iron Bowl with serious momentum. Getting to seven wins would put Auburn higher in the SEC pecking order and in line for a more prestigious bowl games. Projections have listed Auburn in the Texas Bowl, Gator Bowl, Music City Bowl, Liberty Bowl and Mayo Bowl. “The first logistical step in our rebuild is gained bowl eligibility,” Freeze said after Auburn’s win over Vanderbilt. Matt Cohen covers Auburn sports for AL.com. You can follow him on X at @Matt_Cohen_ or email him at mcohen@al.com