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247sports.com Bye week thoughts as Auburn preps for challenging second half Jason Caldwell 4–6 minutes Coming into the 2023 season, I had some thoughts about this Auburn team. Some of them have been correct and some of them have been way off. After five games and with a week off, it’s time to revisit my preseason thoughts on the Tigers as they get ready to head into the second half of the schedule next weekend at LSU. Defense has been consistent for Tigers I thought the defense would be the side of the ball that would struggle for this Auburn team, but that has been far from the truth. Ron Roberts has done a masterful job of squeezing every bit of juice out of the Auburn defense to this point and it has shown up despite having to deal with some big injuries in the first five weeks to guys such as Nehemiah Pritchett, Austin Keys, Keionte Scott, Donovan Kaufman and others. The Tigers are currently 28th nationally in scoring defense, giving up 18.2 points per game, and 36th in total defense. One of the reasons for that has been creating turnovers. Auburn has forced 10 turnovers in five games this season. That’s good enough for 17th nationally. Offense has struggled Coming into the season, I thought Auburn’s offense would be the side of the ball that the Tigers would lean on early in the year. That has been anything but the truth. A lack of consistency at quarterback and wide receiver has really hampered an offense that needs to take advantage of all of the opportunities it gets. Maybe the biggest issue has been mistakes. Against Cal it was turnovers and penalties. Those penalties were again an issue against Texas A&M in a loss to the Aggies. Last week against Georgia, a few missed opportunities were probably the difference between winning and losing. Whether it was a couple of bad snaps that threw off timing on short yardage plays or passes that could have been caught, this offense isn’t good enough to miss out on those chances. Quarterback issues The offensive issues haven’t just been on the quarterback, but there’s no question that Auburn needs to get much better play at the position moving forward if the Tigers want to continue to improve and win games down the stretch of the 2022 season. In terms of throwing the football, much of that has come from Payton Thorne. While his numbers look okay, completing 62.8 percent of his passes for 643 yards and four touchdowns with four interceptions, when you break it down to the three Power 5 opponents, it looks bleak to say the least. Against Cal, Texas A&M and Georgia, Thorne has completed just 25-45 passes (55.5 percent) for just 220 yards and two touchdowns with two interceptions. When you throw in Robby Ashford’s 3-8 for 10 yards in the three games and Holden Geriner going 2-7 for 8 yards against Texas A&M, that brings Auburn’s total in three Power 5 games to just 30-60 for 238 yards. Tough to expect to beat anyone unless that improves. Simpson steps up There isn’t a player on the roster that has played as well as Jaylin Simpson this season, at least in my opinion. Simpson’s moved to safety has unlocked a playmaker for the Tigers and he’s showing that every week this season. Tied for the nation’s lead with four interceptions, Simpson’s play in the middle of defense has been a huge bright spot for Auburn this season. While he’s not a big, physical safety, Simpson is the type of guy that teams are looking for now because of his coverage ability and playmaking skills. Running back by committee This is the one thing that we expected that has come true. Despite missing the first game, Jarquez Hunter leads the team with 50 carries for 202 yards. Brian Battie has 30 carries for 152 yards while Damari Alston has 26 carries for 131 yards. With Sean Jackson and Jeremiah Cobb combining for nearly 200 yards on less than 20 carries, it’s a group that has shown versatility and the ability to grind out yards so far this season. With the issues throwing the football, they’ll be called on to do more of that the rest of the way. Finding playmakers still an issue If you want to talk about what it takes to be elite as a team in this era of college football, you can point to quarterback, pass catchers and pass rushers. Those are the three spots where teams go from good to great. Those are three spots that Auburn still needs to find someone to step up. Playmakers at those three spots can cover up a lot of other issues for a team, issues that have been costly for the Tigers in the last two games.

al.com 'It's the lifeblood': Auburn's Freeze spends bye week on the recruiting trail Updated: Oct. 04, 2023, 8:46 a.m.|Published: Oct. 04, 2023, 8:28 a.m. 7–8 minutes With Hugh Freeze and the Auburn Tigers set to host the No. 1-ranked Georgia Bulldogs later that afternoon, one might think Freeze spent Saturday morning crossing his T’s and dotting his I’s in Auburn’s gameplan against Georgia. Instead, in an effort that started at 8 a.m., Freeze spent the morning welcoming countless recruits to The Plains. “I started at 8 o’clock at the hotel, for those on officials,” Freeze said following the game. “For those on unofficials, I came straight over and started meeting with them here. So I’ve seen most all of them.” Freeze said that less than 20 minutes after Auburn’s narrow loss to the top-ranked Bulldogs. And he wasn’t done. Coaching well enough to keep Kirby Smart and No. 1 Georgia on the ropes for four quarters is surely exhausting, much less the emotional toll that comes with a loss like Saturday’s. But if anyone thought Freeze was calling it a day and heading home with so many recruits on his doorstep, they must not know Auburn’s coach very well. “I’m not saying I’m better than others, I’m just saying I find it hard to believe that there are some that are putting more effort into it,” Freeze said following a speaking engagement in Mobile, Ala. on Monday. Freeze spent the hours following Auburn’s 27-20 loss to Georgia with the nearly 70 recruits that had made their way to The Plains that weekend. And it’s that kind of effort Auburn fans wanted out of their head football coach – especially after the failed Bryan Harsin experiment, which saw recruiting be pushed to the back burner. CBS Sports’ Barrett Sallee said in a July interview with AL.com that he thought the neglect Harsin gave to the Auburn program was “monstrous.” “The inability to recruit, the lack of effort to recruit, the lack of effort to truly hit the transfer portal, the lack of understanding of what it takes to be an SEC football coach set the program back several years in an era where it’s two chief rivals, specifically Georgia, became a monster,” Sallee said. Harsin’s ineptitudes on the recruiting trail left the cupboards dry for whoever Auburn hired next. And that left Freeze scrambling to do whatever he could to improve the Tigers’ roster in the shortest amount of time. So he went to the transfer portal and plucked more than 20 players from it – even though that’s not how he prefers to do it. “I don’t know that it matters what my philosophy is anymore, but if I had my choice, I would like to sign high school kids and develop them. That’s how you build a program,” Freeze said. “But that’s the old way of thinking and I’ve got to adjust my mindset some now… Because you don’t know how many you’re going to lose (to the transfer portal). And thus that forces you… If you lose ‘X’ amount, you’ve gotta go get ‘X’ amount out of the portal.” It’s clear the transfer portal will continue to be a player for Auburn’s football program moving forward. Not necessarily because Freeze wants it to be, but because Freeze recognizes that it needs to be. “My preference would be to develop kids,” Freeze said. “But the process of becoming is kinda being lost.” Once upon a time, it was standard to develop a high school signee for two years. Then by the time his junior season came around, “he’s ready to roll”, Freeze says. But with the transfer portal being a huge player, that kind of patience isn’t needed or expected these days. And that puts a bigger weight on landing the blue-chip guys – the 4- and 5-stars that have the potential to see the field in Year 1. Because if they don’t do it at Auburn, they’ll begin to wonder if they can do it elsewhere. So those top-talent players are the ones Freeze and his staff have zeroed in on. And so far, there’s been success to celebrate. In late-July, Freeze and the Tigers made their first big splash on the recruiting trail as they landed the commitment of 5-star linebacker Demarcus Riddick, who chose Auburn over recruiting blue bloods, Alabama and Georgia. Days later, the second domino fell during Auburn’s “Big Cat Weekend” recruiting event, when 5-star wide receiver Perry Thompson flipped his commitment from Alabama to Auburn. In an interview that preceded his commitment, Thompson told AL.com that he never heard from Auburn before Freeze was brought to The Plains. Mind you, Thompson plays for Foley High School – an in-state high school located less than four hours south of Auburn. But the Tigers never bothered coming knocking under Harsin’s leadership. But that was standard procedure under Harsin. Of the bare minimum recruiting that was being done, very, very little of it was happening in Auburn’s backyard. An AL.com article written in August featured the comments of local high school football coaches, all of which said something in the vein of this: Had Harsin and his staff recruited more in the state of Alabama, he would have had considerably better luck bringing in considerably better talent – but that never happened. “You really better do your homework,” said Opelika coach Erik Speakman in August. “And I think that’s what you’re seeing now with Coach Freeze is his familiarity with the SEC from his time at Ole Miss and just the emphasis on getting in-state guys that wanna be at Auburn and wanna play for Auburn and then those guys in Georgia and some guys from Florida.” After losing to Georgia on Saturday, Freeze and Auburn were granted with a much-needed bye week. It’s an opportunity for the Tigers to get healthy after an injury-ridden start to the season. It’s also an opportunity to iron out the countless wrinkles that still exist. But perhaps more importantly, it’s an opportunity to spend some time on the recruiting trail. And that’s what Freeze did. Freeze’s Monday was spent all around the state of Alabama. First, he spoke at Birmingham’s Monday Morning Quarterback Club. Then he made his way down to Mobile, Ala. to visit with the C Spire 1st & 10 Club. But during the time and miles in between his pair of speaking engagements, Freeze was dropping by Alabama high schools in efforts to recruit the state’s top talent. “I wouldn’t be here if I didn’t think it was a priority,” Freeze said. “The whole state of Alabama is one that is a priority for us at Auburn, along with Georgia and Mississippi. And then we’ll spot recruit at a lot of other place. But Alabama is our home state and there’s players in Mobile and all across the state.” On Thursday and Friday this week, Freeze said he and his coaching staff would be scattered about on the recruiting trail. “I don’t think any head coach puts more of a premium on recruiting than I do right now… It’s the lifeblood.”

al.com Auburn football: Starting defensive lineman out for the year with torn bicep Published: Oct. 04, 2023, 12:41 p.m. 2–3 minutes BERKELEY, CA - SEPTEMBER 09 - Auburn Defensive Lineman Mosiah Nasili-Kite (#33) during the game between the Auburn Tigers and the California Golden Bears at California Memorial Stadium in Berkeley, CA on Saturday, Sept. 9, 2023. Photo by Austin Perryman/Auburn TigersAustin Perryman/Auburn Tigers The news Auburn head coach Hugh Freeze shared Wednesday during his time on the SEC coaches’ teleconference call wasn’t the kind of news you want during the bye week. Senior defensive end Mosiah Nasili-Kite went down during Saturday’s game against No. 1 Georgia and required help from trainers before missing the rest of the game. The reason? A torn bicep that will sideline him for the rest of the year, Freeze revealed. “Unfortunately we lost Mosiah for the year,” Freeze said. “That’s really gonna hurt us in the defensive line.” Nasili-Kite recorded a solo tackle and assisted in a tackle for a loss before going down against the Bulldogs on Saturday. On the year, Nasili-Kite has recorded 10 tackles and a pair of quarterback hurries. Prior to coming to Auburn in the offseason, Nasili-Kite played three seasons at Maryland, where he recorded 83 tackles, 14.5 tackles for a loss and nine sacks. In his absence, Freeze and the Tigers will likely ask true freshman Keldric Faulk to grow up fast and fill in as Auburn’s new starter at the defensive end spot. Fortunately, Faulk has been highly regarded as a guy that plays beyond his years. Faulk has appeared in each of Auburn’s games this season, tallying nine tackles, one tackle for a loss and two quarterback hurries.

247sports.com Damari Alston could return after bye week Jaylin Simpson dealing with calf issue Nathan King ~4 minutes Auburn sorely needed this bye week. The Tigers have dealt with injuries all season, and the list of ailments is continuing to lengthen after Auburn’s 27-20 loss to Georgia over the weekend. Hugh Freeze gave a rundown on the statuses of Auburn’s injured players on the off week, as the team hopes to get healthier before traveling to Baton Rouge next Saturday to face LSU. • DE Mosiah Nasili-Kite (bicep): The most substantial news from Freeze on Wednesday was that Nasili-Kite, a transfer from Maryland, is out for the rest of the year after tearing his bicep against Georgia. Nasili-Kite led Auburn’s defensive ends in snaps through five games. True freshman Keldric Faulk figures to have a bigger role moving forward. “That’s going to really hurt us on the defensive line,” Freeze said. • RB Damari Alston (shoulder): Could Auburn’s sophomore running back miss just one game after his injury at Texas A&M? Alston suffered a separated shoulder in the Week 4 loss in College Station and didn’t play against Georgia, but has been progressing well and could be back on the practice field soon — and could play as early as next weekend. “I would expect him back for either LSU or Ole Miss,” Freeze said. • S Jaylin Simpson (calf): The nation’s leader in interceptions with four on the year, Simpson exited Auburn’s loss to Georgia in the fourth quarter, but was later able to return to the field. Freeze said Wednesday that Simpson’s status improved each day of practice early this week but is still “a ways away” from being fully healthy again. “Hopefully he’ll be ready for LSU,” Freeze said. Auburn “missed him terribly” late against Georgia, when tight end Brock Bowers had 121 yards and a touchdown in the fourth quarter alone. After the loss, Simpson spoke to reporters and didn’t seem concerned about the injury. “It’s my calf,” Simpson said after the game, gesturing to his lower right leg. “Somebody fell on it and it’s just swollen. Nothing crazy.” • WR Ja'Varrius Johnson (hamstring): Johnson missed his second game of the season over the weekend — the first due to an elbow injury when he was out in Week 3 against Samford. Johnson, who has dealt with injuries throughout his Auburn career, was evaluated in warmups but was not cleared by the medical staff. “It just didn’t feel like he could run well enough,” Freeze said. Freeze said Johnson looked “pretty decent” at Tuesday’s practice, and gave the fifth-year senior wideout a “hopeful” status for Auburn’s next game at LSU in 10 days. • DB Keionte Scott (ankle): The good news is that, after suffering a high-ankle sprain in Week 3 and undergoing surgery, Scott is “ahead of schedule” in his recovery, Freeze said. But his timetable for a return is still fuzzy at the moment. Auburn certainly missed him defending Georgia’s passing game, especially when Simpson was out in the fourth quarter, too. “Hopefully we can get (Scott) back toward the end of the year,” Freeze said. • LB Austin Keys (thumb): The Ole Miss transfer hasn’t played since Week 1, when he suffered a thumb injury that required surgery. Freeze had a meeting with the medical staff about Keys on Wednesday morning. “We’re about three weeks away from deciding whatever they’re going to do with the cast and the pins and see where it is,” Freeze said. “We’re still a ways away before we know about that.”

saturdaydownsouth.com Hugh Freeze offers thoughts on future SEC scheduling Andrew Peters | 15 hours ago ~3 minutes SEC scheduling is about to get a major shakeup. When Texas and Oklahoma join the conference in 2024, the league will take on a whole new format for scheduling, which will take a permanent shape over the next couple of years. Hugh Freeze hasn’t thought about what the scheduling will be like, he said during the SEC coaches teleconference Wednesday. The Auburn head coach is more focused on the now than worrying about his future schedule. “I give zero thought to it,” Freeze said. “I know that the SEC office and our ADs and presidents will let us know when it’s time to have a conversation about those things, and none of that has come to me at this point other than next year’s schedule being released.” Freeze has mixed feelings about the schedule shake ups. There are certainly going to be some important rivalries that take new shape with the updated scheduling, but it will also give teams a chance to play different teams more often. “Who knows what’s going to happen 2 years from now, I said there’s a lot of great rivalries that our fans love and our players love, but certainly there’s going to be great games added,” Freeze said. “But should the new scheduling ever miss a year of these great rivalries, that that will be something that obviously will be talked about, but that doesn’t mean there’s not going to be great games, and who knows, maybe all of the rivalries will be protected. I haven’t heard any discussions about the future schedules other than the one we’ve been given for next year.”

si.com The three biggest questions for Auburn during the bye week Joshua Collins 3–4 minutes What are the big questions for Auburn football during the bye week? The Auburn Tigers are well into their mid-season bye week after two weeks of brutal SEC play. This bye week is affording the Tigers some well needed rest to recoup from lingering injuries, while also affording them some opportunities to go over game film and address any glaring issues with their current season’s performance. With several issues across the board needing to be addressed, we have compiled three major questions that need to be answered during this bye week before they take on the LSU Tigers in Death Valley on Saturday October 14th at either 6:00pm or 6:30pm CT. Can Auburn stay reasonably healthy the remainder of the 2023 season? With multiple injury issues plaguing the Tiger’s defensive front with Austin Keys and Keionte Scott out indefinitely due to injuries requiring surgical repair. While the offense is suffering from the recent injury of running back Damari Alston being injured during the match up against Texas A&M. The Tigers have become increasingly thin across the depth chart. The question lands in the lap of the medical, training, and strength and conditioning staff as to whether or not Auburn can remain healthy the rest of the season. Does Coach Freeze take over offensive play calling? With the absence of the RPO plays being called during the Texas A&M game and somewhat lackluster performance of the offense throughout the season thus far, one must wonder whether this is solely a talent issue or a play calling issue. The Tigers played noticeably more competitive against the Georgia Bulldogs, losing to the No.1 team in the country by only a touchdown. It had been revealed to the media that Coach Freeze was much more actively involved in the game planning and play calling during the contest. Does this mean that Coach Freeze will take the reins and control the offense from this point forward. How can Auburn improve their wide receiver’s performance? With multiple dropped passes on several solid attempts during the Georgia game which resulted in lost opportunities to put points on the board, what can Auburn do to better prepare their receiving corp. Coach Marcus Davis is a player’s coach and does his best to mentally and physical prepare his room for the battle on the field, one must ask what more can be done. The Tigers have brought in several new additions to the room through the transfer portal during the off-season, yet things still don’t seem to be clicking. So, what can Auburn possibly do better to help their receivers win more one on one matchups and have better hands going forward.

auburnwire.usatoday.com An advanced look: Who has been Auburn's most valuable offensive player through five games? Taylor Jones 4–5 minutes As the Auburn Tigers prepare for the bye week, here’s a look at the top players on the offensive side of the ball. The offense has not been as productive as fans would hope through five games, as the Tigers rank No. 13 in the SEC by gaining 358 yards per game. Auburn is on the low end of the points-per-game stat line as well The Tigers score just 29.6 points per game, which is No. 11 in the SEC. Buy Tigers Tickets Still, there are solid pieces that have contributed highly to Auburn’s offense this season, as chronicled by Pro Football Focus. Here are the top-ten offensive players through week five according to PFF grade who have played in every game this season for Auburn. John Reed-USA TODAY Sports PFF Grade: 60.3 As a tight end, Brandon Frazier has not recorded a catch this season. However, he has been an important blocker by not allowing a single quarterback pressure this season. John David Mercer-USA TODAY Sports PFF Grade: 62.4 Auburn has utilized the tight end more under Hugh Freeze, which has allowed FIU transfer Rivaldo Fairweather to become Auburn’s second-leading receiver with 145 yards on 15 catches. He has become a valuable target for Payton Thorne, as he has caught 15 of 19 passes thrown his way. Jamie Holt /Auburn Tigers PFF Grade: 62.7 Kam Stutts was expected to be a vital piece of the offensive line, but his time has not come yet. He has allowed seven total pressures, and four have resulted in sacks. He has also recorded two penalties on the season. He has split his 246 snaps between right guard (223 snaps), and left guard (23 snaps). Maria Lysaker-USA TODAY Sports PFF Grade: 65.4 Gunner Britton was a highly regarded transfer from Western Kentucky and has become one of three players to record over 300 snaps this season, participating in 313 snaps. He is a well-traveled player, as his snaps have been split between three positions. He has spent the most time at left guard (240 snaps). He has also played right tackle (67 snaps), and left tackle (six snaps). Maria Lysaker-USA TODAY Sports PFF Grade: 66.1 Tulsa transfer Dillon Wade leads all Auburn linemen with a 66.1 grade from Pro Football Focus. Wade has participated in 314 snaps of Auburn’s 342 total snaps this season and has been a force in pass blocking with a grade of 84.0. He has allowed one sack this season but is the most penalized lineman on the team with four through five games. Zach Bland/Auburn Tigers PFF Grade: 67.2 He may not be QB1, but Robby Ashford has found a way to stay involved in Auburn’s offense. As a runner, Ashford has rushed for 134 yards on 24 attempts with a team-leading five scores. He has had six carries that gained 10 or more yards and has gained an additional 73 yards after contact. © Jake Crandall / USA TODAY NETWORK PFF Grade: 70.7 Michigan State transfer Payton Thorne is still adjusting to life in the SEC. Through five games, Thorne has completed 62.8% (59-of-94) of his passes for 643 yards, four touchdowns, and four interceptions, with two passes being considered “turnover worthy.” He has been pressured 27 times, with 14 of those ending in sacks. His receivers have been helpful, as he has only thrown one pass that has ended with a drop. As a runner, Thorne has gained 198 yards on 45 carries, or 4.4 yards per carry. Austin Perryman/Auburn Tigers PFF Grade: 72.9 Reports from fall camp suggested that jay fair could have a breakout season, and he has lived up to that so far. Fair has become Payton Thorne’s leading receiver by hauling in 18 receptions for 196 yards and two touchdowns. He leads the way in targets with 27 and has reeled in 66.7% of passes thrown his way. Zach Bland/Auburn Tigers PFF Grade: 73.3 Freshman Jeremiah Cobb has made several plays in his young career to this point. He has rushed for 81 yards on 13 carries, with 57 of those yards coming after contact. His longest run of the season covered 42 yards. Maria Lysaker-USA TODAY Sports PFF Grade: 74.6 Brian Battie has become a solid option in both the run game and the return game. In five games, he has played a total of 78 snaps and has rushed for 152 yards on 30 attempts. He has two runs of over 10 yards and has gained 86 yards after initial contact.

he is a cartoon character from king of the hill and has a son named bobby. he and his neighborswould stand around outside and drink frosty beverages,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,grins

is your last name hill? grins

Apologies for the late start posting i have my hours mixed up from the crud. i hope all is well with everyone!

al.com Auburn’s Oscar Chapman named the Week 5 Ray Guy Award Punter of the Week Updated: Oct. 03, 2023, 1:16 p.m.|Published: Oct. 03, 2023, 11:24 a.m. 2–3 minutes 10/29/22: Auburn, Alabama, USA; Oscar Chapman (91) makes a punt during the game Auburn vs Arkansas Todd Van Emst /AU Athletics Todd Van Emst/AU Athletics After punting for over 250 total yards in a 27-20 loss to No. 1 Georgia, Auburn’s Oscar Chapman was named the Ray Guy Award Punter of the Week. Chapman had five punts against Georgia, highlighted by a 71-yard boot at the end of the first half — albeit that was aided by Georgia selling out for the block and getting some fortunate bounces. He had an average punt of just over 50 yards and only had one punt returned. It was returned for -6 yards. His punts were downed inside the Georgia 20-yard line three times and inside the Georgia 5-yard line twice. After a punt in the second half that forced Georgia to start the ball on its own two-yard line, Georgia quarterback Carson Beck led a 98-yard touchdown drive that wound up as one of the most crucial moments in the game. This is the second time in Chapman’s career with more than 50 yards per punt in a single game. He averaged 56 yards per punt against Ole Miss in 2021 but only punted three times that day. So far in 2023, his last season with Auburn, Chapman has 22 punts for 941 total yards. That comes out to about 43 yards per punt. He had five punts this year of more than 50 yards and nine downed inside the 20-yard line. Chapman was on the preseason Ray Guy Award Watch List, given to the best punter in the nation at the end of each season. Matt Cohen covers Auburn sports for AL.com. You can follow him on Twitter at @Matt_Cohen_ or email him at mcohen@al.com

#PMARSHONAU: The answer for unequal football schedules? There isn't one An issue with no real solution In the 21st century, Auburn has played eight regular-season football games against teams ranked No. 1 in the nation. More telling, outside of those games, Auburn has played 12 regular-season games against teams that eventually won national championships but weren’t ranked No. 1 at the time. That stands alone among Power 5 college football programs. No one else is close. Therein lies an issue in college football for which there is no real solution. It’s not an Auburn thing. Unequal schedules are an unfortunate part of the landscape in a sport in which the teams that eventually play for championships are chosen by a committee. If Alabama played Georgia every season, one or the other wouldn’t have accomplished all they have. Clemson has won two national championships and become a national power against a watered down ACC schedule. SEC teams have won 13 of the past 16 national championships. Six SEC programs have won national championship since 1988. No other conference has six teams that have won national championships ever. Who you play matters. The strongest team remaining on Georgia’s schedule might be Kentucky or might be Tennessee. Maybe Missouri. LSU, for instance, still has to play Auburn, Alabama, Missouri, Florida and Texas A&M. It has already played Florida State in a virtual road game and at Ole Miss. No comparison, obviously. Speaking of Kentucky, the Wildcats are getting lots of love after hammering Florida. Before that game, they had beaten Ball State, Akron, Eastern Kentucky and Vanderbilt. Lots of teams would be 5-0 against that schedule. How many teams would willingly take on what Auburn has faced and still faces: Consecutive games at Texas A&M, at home against No. 1 Georgia, at LSU and at home against Ole Miss? Not many. How many would run that gauntlet without losing? Probably none. A team can play a weak schedule and still be the nation’s best. But a team that played a brutal schedule and lost two games might be just as strong. That is just the way it is. Unequal schedules are an issue in the NFL, too. There is nothing to be done about it. Playing the SEC’s best is nothing new for Auburn. Before divisions, Auburn played Alabama, Georgia, Florida and Tennessee every season. Even after divisions, LSU became a fixture on the schedule and then Texas A&M. Texas and Oklahoma, sitting at 5-0 going into Saturday’s Red River Rivalry game, will join the fun next season. No doubt, it will be different. New rivalries will be born. It will still be difficult. Despite what national pundits say, the strength of the SEC remains. This season, with the possible exceptions of Vanderbilt and Mississippi State, any team can beat any other team on a given Saturday. Going through that grind is a massive challenge. Next season, it will be more of a challenge. Schedules won’t be equal. They won’t always be fair. They can't be. Complaining about it is a waste of time.

247sports.com In His Own Words Freeze talks about QBs moving forward and more Phillip Marshall 8–10 minutes Auburn coach Hugh Freeze talks about where Auburn football stands after five games Auburn coach Hugh Freeze says his team made progress. (Photo: Kyle Okita, 247Sports) Auburn coach Hugh Freeze, in a wide-ranging interview before making a talk in Mobile on Monday, addressed the quarterback situation, the meaning of the near-miss in a 27-20 loss to No. 1 Georgia and more. Go inside for the highlights: On his evaluation of Auburn’s quarterback situation “Inconsistent. We are searching, not so much in the run game but in the pass game as to what we really look like. I do not say that is only on the quarterback. It’s on the receivers, the coaches, protections. Of Payton (Thorne’s) nine incompletions, I felt like five should have been caught. It makes a difference in those games, and it makes a difference in how you perceive the play of the quarterback. We are still searching some. I have been honest about that. We have to improve. On working with OC Philip Montgomery “It’s an evolving thing. Obviously, there are strengths to Monty’s game and play-calling. I’ve done it for a long time. We collaborate really well together. We are still searching for what is the best way for our football team to play games. Every gameplan, I know what is on the call sheet and certainly have the freedom to step in and make a call if I want. Monty has made some good calls. We haven’t executed a lot of calls that were really good. “There are things I know and probably am better at. I was a high school coach, and I have had to play with a lot of different quarterbacks and have done some different things. He’s awesome to work with. I think it will be a good collaboration going forward.” ‌ On Auburn’s running game “We had a good plan. Our kids executed it somewhat in a good way. I think we can build on that. We rushed (for 219 yards) against one of the best defenses in the country. We should be able to do that week in and week out if we can clean up the third-and-threes and third-and-fours, especially in the fourth quarter. Those third downs on both sides, I think were the difference in the game. We couldn’t get off the field on third-and-long and we couldn’t convert on third-and-short.” ‌ On recruiting philosophy and the transfer portal “I don’t know that it matters what my philosophy is anymore. I would like to sign high school players and develop them. That’s the old way of thinking. I don’t know if any coach can answer that question, because you don’t know how many you are going to lose. If you lose x-amount, you have to get x-amount out of the portal. “The process of becoming has kind of been lost. It used to be you would develop a kid for two years, and his third year he is ready to roll. Is that possible today with a large percentage of kids? I don’t know. This will be an interesting portal period, to see how everybody reacts. At some point, you’d think it has to settle down.” ‌ On priority in recruiting “Wide receiver. D-line, o-line, quarterback, all of them are important, but we have to get some guys in the receiver room that can separate and win some one-on-ones.” ‌ On Auburn atmosphere “You have heard about the Auburn culture and Auburn family and Auburn people, but the way they have embraced our new staff and our players and our families is overwhelming and humbling. I haven’t experienced a greater fan base than I have here. I think they are the best. Jordan-Hare is an incredible place to play. Our people are super supportive, and that helps with recruiting.” ‌ Earlier talk on rivalries and future schedules “Let’s really clarify that. I have no clue what is going on with future schedules. That hasn’t come to the coaches at all. What I totally meant by that was there are a lot of great rivalries in our conference. New teams are coming, and I think it’s going to be an exciting brand of football. If there should be years you’re not playing some, that would be disappointing to some people.” ‌ On Auburn’s defense “Very pleased, other than a few breakdowns that cost us. If we can play a complete game like we played in the first two quarters against A&M and against Georgia, that would be nice. I think part of that is depth. We aren’t playing many people on that side of the football. “ ‌ On secondary fighting injuries “They are having to play a lot of snaps. We lost Keionte Scott. Jaylin Simpson goes down in the fourth quarter. We are kind of thin back there. I love these kids we recruited. They are just young. They go in and do some good things and some not-so-good things. I do believe they are very talented.” ‌ On what improved performance against Georgia meant “There are no moral victories in the SEC. Does it mean we are a little closer to closing the gap? Maybe, but it was one Saturday. We have to do it for a long stretch, and we are not very deep. I think that showed in the fourth quarter. It’s concerning when you start stacking the whole schedule together. “I look forward to when we have a full recruiting class, even if it’s just one, to join our team and give us some depth. We played a good, quality football team really close. There are a lot of positives you can take from that, but that one Saturday doesn’t say we’ve arrived at some benchmark yet.” ‌ On plans for open week “I have done off-weeks the same. I’ve done it all along. There will be recruiting, obviously, involved, which I have done today and speaking in Birmingham and lunch. We will have two really good practices Tuesday and Wednesday and then have a lighter practice Thursday. Thursday will be a shell because most of the coaches will be on the road recruiting Thursday and Friday.”

saturdaydownsouth.com Auburn football: Grading the Tigers near the halfway point in the season Glenn Sattell | 22 hours ago 6–7 minutes My goodness, is it possible that we’re already nearing the halfway point in the season? It seems like only yesterday that the anticipation of Hugh Freeze’s arrival on The Plains reached a fever pitch. And now, according to the 2023 football schedule, we’re basically at the midway point in Freeze’s first campaign at Auburn. The Tigers head into their bye week at 3-2 but still looking for that first SEC win under Freeze. They nearly pulled off the miracle last Saturday at Jordan-Hare against No. 1 Georgia. A 27-20 loss showed just how far they’ve come and just how close they are to competing in the SEC West. There’s still a lot of football to be played, including the bulk of the conference matchups beginning with an Oct. 14 date at LSU. Then it’s full steam ahead with consecutive home games against Ole Miss and Mississippi State, followed by road contests at Vanderbilt and Arkansas before closing against New Mexico State and the Iron Bowl at Jordan-Hare. As the Tigers hit pause, let’s take a look at how the Tigers have done so far in Freeze’s first season on The Plains. Quarterback: C- We knew this would be an issue in Year 1. Quarterback play could be better, but it hasn’t been bad. It’s better than the statistics would indicate. Auburn is last in the SEC in passing offense, producing just 156.2 passing yards per game. Yes, that is atrocious, especially when you consider the next-worse passing team in the conference is averaging nearly 40 more yards per game. And that team is Alabama at 195.4 passing yards per game, also with QB questions. Take into consideration that in its current state, Auburn is not a pass-oriented team. Neither is Alabama and they seem to be doing just fine with it. Within their system, the Auburn QB tandem of Payton Thorne and Robby Ashford have performed fairly well for the most part with the only real stinker coming against Texas A&M. Auburn has thrown just 5 TD passes thus far — none in SEC play, but that will come. There obviously is room for improvement, but the pair have done an overall decent job of managing the offense, particularly relative to the preseason expectations. Running back: B Auburn ranks 2nd in the SEC in rushing offense, averaging 202 yards per game. Only Tennessee (231.2) averages more. They’ve also rushed for 12 TDs — tied for 19th nationally. But for the Tigers, a good chunk of that comes from QB rushing. Thorne and Ashford have combined to average 66.4 rushing yards per game. Ashford has 5 TDs and Thorne has added 2. As for Auburn’s RBs, Jarquez Hunter and Brian Battie are good ones. They have combined for an average of 81 yards per game and that number only looks to increase as the season wears on. The Tigers rushed for 219 yards against Georgia, the 3rd 200-plus yard game this season. Look for the Auburn run game to remain one of the best in the SEC. Receivers: D The passing game just hasn’t clicked. Receivers aren’t separating on a consistent basis, and when they do, the QBs aren’t getting them the ball. But there’s still time to get on the same page. Jay Fair is a young WR with talent. His team-leading 18 catches for 196 yards and 2 TDs aren’t numbers that strike fear in opponents, but it’s a starting point for Auburn. Tight end Rivaldo Fairweather is really the only other target the Tigers have employed. His 15 catches for 145 yards and 1 TD rank among the best in the conference for tight ends. Offensive line: B+ Numbers can be deceiving. Auburn has allowed 15 sacks, but that’s due largely in part to the nature of their quarterbacks trying to make a play rather than throwing it away. Overall, this unit has been a bright spot. And that’s a tribute to the players, Freeze and OL coach Jake Thornton considering all the new faces that have been employed this season through the transfer portal. Meshing that group together so quickly is no small task and this group has accomplished the feat. Defensive line: B+ Games are won and lost in the trenches and that’s where Freeze is building. Marcus Harris is a beast on the DL, and Jayson Jones and Mosiah Nasili-Kite have performed admirably. Linebacker: B Eugene Asante and Larry Nixon III have been leaders at their respective LB positions. Asante has already racked up a team-high 35 tackles, including 24 solo and 2 sacks. Nixon has added 23 tackles (13 solo). Secondary: B+ Auburn is 1 of 3 SEC teams that have more interceptions (6) than TD passes allowed (5). Among the bright spots in the secondary is Jaylin Simpson. The ball-hawk leads the SEC with 4 interceptions. including 1 pick-6. Special teams: B Place-kicker Alex McPherson hasn’t missed yet. He’s 5-for-5 in FG attempts and 18-for-18 on PAT attempts. Punter Oscar Chapman ranks 5th in the SEC, averaging 42.2 yards per punt. He was particularly effective against Georgia, averaging more than 50 yards per punt and twice pinning the Dawgs inside their 10-yard line.

si.com Auburn football: Ranking the Tigers' transfers by impact Lance Dawe 3–4 minutes How are Auburn's portal additions performing heading into the bye week? The Tigers brought in 20 transfers this offseason. Hugh Freeze and his staff put an emphasis on shoring up the trenches, finding new pass catchers, and a quarterback to throw them the ball. Despite the offensive inefficiencies, Auburn has found some success with their portal additions. Here's how we rank the newcomers and their impact on the team heading into the bye week. RB Brian Battie Eric Starling/Auburn Daily Battie ranks fourth on the team in total scrimmage yards with 193. He has 152 rushing yards (5.1 yards per carry). He's been one of the few bright spots on the offense so far this season. OT Dillon Wade Eric Starling/Auburn Daily Wade has 314 snaps and an 84.0 pass block grade. OL Gunner Britton Eric Starling/Auburn Daily Britton has 313 snaps and a 82.2 pass block grade. TE Rivaldo Fairweather Eric Starling/Auburn Daily Fairweather is second on the team in receptions (15) and receiving yards (145). QB Payton Thorne Eric Starling/Auburn Daily Thorne has completed 62.8% of his passes for 643 yards, four touchdowns and four interceptions. C Avery Jones Photo by Austin Perryman/AU Athletics Jones has 306 snaps at center but hasn't been highly rated by PFF (59.2 overall grade). LB Larry Nixon Neville E. Guard-USA TODAY Sports Nixon currently ranks second on the team in total tackles with 23. WR Shane Hooks Eric Starling/Auburn Daily Hooks is third on the team in receiving yards (106). JACK Elijah McAllister Eric Starling/Auburn Daily McAllister has 132 snaps, eight tackles, four pressures and a sack for Auburn. DL Justin Rogers Eric Starling/Auburn Daily Rogers has a 68.8 PFF grade and has played 113 snaps for the Tigers. JACK Jalen McLeod Eric Starling/Auburn Daily McLeod has 12 tackles. DE Mosiah Nasili-Kite Eric Starling/Auburn Daily Nasili-Kite has 10 total tackles. OL Jaden Muskrat Eric Starling/Auburn Daily Muskrat has played 58 snaps. DL Lawrence Johnson Eric Starling/Auburn Daily Johnson has four tackles and a sack. Stephen Sings V Eric Starling/Auburn Daily Sings has played 67 snaps, has five tackles and two pressures. OL Dylan Senda Eric Starling/Auburn Daily Senda has played only 15 snaps but has been solid when on the field. WR Jyaire Shorter Eric Starling/Auburn Daily Shorter has played 58 snaps and has one catch for 10 yards. WR Caleb Burton Eric Starling/Auburn Daily Burton has played 21 snaps and has not recorded a catch. WR Nick Mardner Eric Starling/Auburn Daily Mardner has played 25 snaps and has not recorded a catch. LB Austin Keys Eric Starling/Auburn Daily Keys is out for the season with an injury.

al.com Auburn’s Freeze says he’s prioritizing receivers on the recruiting trail. And Saturday showed why. Published: Oct. 04, 2023, 6:01 a.m. 6–7 minutes The Georgia Bulldogs had just taken their first lead of the game thanks to 38-yard field goal to go up 20-17 early in the fourth quarter. Not panicked, Auburn quarterback Payton Thorne and the Tigers’ offense went back to work on a drive that started on the Auburn 25-yard line. Some short, completed passes, some solid rushes from Brian Battie and a pass interference call that went Auburn’s way had the Tigers knocking on the red zone’s door. On 2nd and 6 from Georgia’s 28-yard line, Thorne took a page out of Carson Beck’s book and targeted his big-bodied tight end. Rivaldo Fairweather – whose 6-foot-4 frame makes him a mismatch nightmare – found himself in a one-on-one situation against Daylen Everett, Georgia’s 6-foot-1 defensive back. It was the exact situation you hope to get Fairweather into, so Thorne looked to capitalize on the matchup and tossed the football in the direction of Fairweather, who was streaking down the left sideline. Thorne’s throw was a 50/50 ball and Fairweather was able to get separation from Everett. The ball first hit Fairweather’s right hand and then his left hand before falling through the basket and bouncing towards the pylon at the goal line. A catch would’ve given Auburn a fresh set of downs inside the Georgia 5-yard line and the opportunity to possibly go up 24-20 and apply pressure on Beck and the Bulldogs’ offense. And surely, a juiced-up Jordan-Hare Stadium crowd wouldn’t have helped Georgia’s case. But as the old saying goes, “almost” only counts in horseshoes and hand grenades. Now, this isn’t a hit piece on Fairweather. Anyone who has watched Auburn this season will tell you Fairweather might be the Tigers’ biggest receiving threat. Not to mention, if not for some critical grabs against Cal in Week 2, this Auburn team would be 2-3 on the year instead of 3-2. However, Fairweather’s drop in the fourth quarter on Saturday was the perfect example of a game-wide trend. It looked as though popcorn was part of the pregame meal on Saturday as Auburn’s receivers tallied drop after drop against Georgia. Thorne went 10-for-19 for 82 yards against the Bulldogs. And looking at just the numbers, one might assume his performance was just as turbulent as the one that ended with him being benched at Texas A&M. A look at the film, however, tells a different story. Of Thorne’s nine incompletions, six of them hit the hands of his target. “I thought Payton (Thorne), of his nine incompletions Saturday, I really felt like five of those should have been caught,” Freeze said during a speaking engagement in Mobile on Monday. “And that makes a difference in those games and it makes a difference in how you perceive the play of a quarterback.” Fairweather and Malcolm Johnson Jr. each had a pair of passes hit them in the hands, while Jay Fair and running back Jarquez Hunter each had one pass ricochet off their hands. And that doesn’t mean Auburn’s receivers are to blame for all of them. Not every throw was perfect and the No. 1-ranked Bulldogs have some talented defensive backs in the secondary that were able to make plays. If some of those incompletions never fell to the turf, however, the night might’ve ended with thousands of Auburn fans storming Pat Dye Field. But that’s been the story of Auburn’s offense this season – the Tigers have been inconsistent on that side of the football. Against Texas A&M, Freeze said Thorne had receivers running wide open, but the junior quarterback missed them. Against Georgia, it was the opposite – Thorne was making the throws, but Auburn’s receivers weren’t making the catches. “We’re still searching a bit, not so much in the running game, but in the pass game as to what we really look like and who we’re really going to be,” Freeze said. “When I say that, I do not say that that’s all on the quarterback. A lot of it is on receiver play, coaches.” Freeze made a strong effort to improve Auburn’s receiver corps in the offseason. He brought in guys like Fairweather, who transferred in from Florida International, and Shane Hooks, who made it to The Plains by way of Jackson State. But Saturday’s performance indicates that room still isn’t at the standard it needs to be to help the Tigers compete in the SEC. As such, Freeze is continuing to prioritize adding talented targets to his roster. “We’ve gotta get some guys in the receiver room – some depth there that can separate and win some 1-on-1s,” Freeze said Monday when asked what position group he’s prioritizing on the recruiting trail. Now here’s the good news for the Tigers: Auburn hosted nearly 70 recruits on Saturday. Of those visiting were four blue-chip receivers in the 2024 class, including Auburn pledges Perry Thompson, Malcolm Simmons and Bryce Cain. Ny Carr, a 4-star set of hands who holds offers from the likes of Auburn, Florida State, Georgia, Miami and others, was also at Jordan-Hare Stadium to watch the Tigers take on the top dogs. Auburn also hosted a 2025 5-star receiver and Alabama commit in Ryan Williams. Here’s more good news: Though the Tigers lost Saturday’s game, Auburn showed its ability to go toe-to-toe with the No. 1 team in the country and to did so in front of an impressive home crowd. And that shows Auburn targets that Freeze and the Tigers might be closer to turning the corner than some realize. “The message is clear: Come help us build it. We can do it. It doesn’t take long,” Freeze said of his recruiting pitch. “We just need people that buy into coming and being a part of the Auburn culture, the Auburn family.” 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.