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he talks football as well

al.com Hugh Freeze updates on Jarquez Hunter’s status for Auburn football’s 2023 opener Published: Aug. 30, 2023, 12:18 p.m. 2–3 minutes AUBURN, AL - March 27, 2023 - Auburn Running Back Jarquez Hunter (#27) during spring practice at the Woltosz Football Performance Center in Auburn, AL. Photo by Austin PerrymanAuburn University Athletics Auburn head coach Hugh Freeze was asked during an SEC conference call Wednesday if there would be any suspension for running back Jarquez Hunter in Auburn’s season opener after a tumultuous offseason. His answer did not provide any certainty, as has been the case throughout the summer. “I don’t discuss who’s playing and who’s not,” Freeze said. “We hope everybody is healthy enough to play.” During the summer, Hunter was allegedly shown in a sex tape video that was spread on social media. Soon after the video’s leak, Auburn announced multiple football players would receive indefinite suspensions, but did not state who was suspended or why. Hunter missed at least the first two practices of Auburn’s preseason camp which began on Aug. 3, and was seen during a period of practice open to media on Aug. 8. He has been at practice since and projects as Auburn’s top running back. He is listed as the starter at the position on the depth chart released Monday. At various media availabilities during the offseason and at preseason practices, Freeze has declined to comment on Hunter’s status, stating it is an internal matter. Much off the field remains unclear and unanswered. On the field, Auburn expects Hunter to break out as a true star and workhorse running back — which he showed many flashes of en route to being Auburn’s third-leading rusher with over 700 yards last season. Now, with Tank Bigsby gone to the NFL, Hunter is the clear top back for Auburn. Auburn kicks off against UMass at 2:30 p.m. Saturday at Jordan-Hare Stadium. The game will be broadcast on ESPN. Matt Cohen covers Auburn sports for AL.com. You can follow him on Twitter at @Matt_Cohen_ or email him at mcohen@al.com If you purchase a product or register for an account through one of the links on our site, we may receive compensation. By browsing this site, we may share your information with our social media partners in accordance with our Privacy Policy.

247sports.com Omari Kelly brings the energy for Auburn wide receivers Jason Caldwell ~3 minutes AUBURN, Alabama—After catching 83 passes for 1,335 yards and 13 touchdowns as a senior at Hewitt-Trussville High, Omari Kelly had three receptions for 56 yards last season as a true freshman for the Auburn Tigers. Heading into year two under the guidance of first-year coach Hugh Freeze, Kelly could be in line for more playing time because of his talent level and the energy he brings every day.“ “Love his energy,” Freeze said. “Love the way he practices. Love the juice he brings to the field.” It’s something that Kelly’s teammates have seen as well. A player that has continued to develop as a wide receiver after playing both offense and defense in high school, Kelly has shown the ability to make plays heading into Saturday’s opener. Maybe more importantly, he’s become an energy guy for the team that continues to bring it each and every day. “Omari is a playmaker,” senior tight end Luke Deal said. “When he first stepped on campus, I vividly remember seeing him make plays, his speed. I remember watching him run down on kickoffs the first time and I was like, ‘Man, this guy has some wheel. I’d like some of those.’ I’d like to be able to run as fast as him. I can’t. He’s a playmaker, but more than that, he’s a really good morale booster around the locker room. He’s always got energy. “The guys in that receiver room, you can tell, there’s a couple of guys in that receiver room that bring the energy and people look to them. He’s one of those guys. When we need a play, every time we need something and we’re flat or we go through the motions on offense, he’s one of the guys who gets us out of that. That speaks a lot to his character, to his talent and to his energy on the football team.” The man who coached him at Hewitt-Trussville, Josh Floyd isn’t surprised to see Kelly making moves on the field nor is he surprised to hear that his former player is someone that has been bringing the energy for the Tigers throughout the preseason. “I’m fired up he’s getting an opportunity,” Floyd said. “You can’t but love Omari. He’s one of those kids that has a great personality. He’s always fun to be around. I know he’s worked hard. I’m not surprised he’s going to be out there Saturday. He’s so talented and he has great ball skills. He understands the game. I feel like he’s a smart football player. I think he’ll do really well. He’s just a guy that enjoys the game.” Kelly and the Tigers will open the season at 2:30 p.m. on Saturday against UMass at Jordan-Hare Stadium. The game can be seen on ESPN.

Auburn's Freeze admits he's 'uncomfortable', but eager for record-setting home opener Published: Aug. 30, 2023, 3:39 p.m. 6–8 minutes To the folks who happen to live nearby Auburn head coach Hugh Freeze, pardon the noise this weekend. Freeze went as far as to ask a local media member during the SEC teleconference Wednesday afternoon if they had a spare bedroom available this weekend as Freeze’s house is all booked up with family members who are flocking to The Plains to watch he and the Tigers open the 2023 season against UMass Saturday afternoon. “I’m blessed to have an incredible family and obviously, our entire immediate family is here, but so many more are nearby in Mississippi and are making the trip. From uncles to aunts to all of our parents and cousins,” Freeze said in Wednesday’s teleconference. “We’ve got our hands full.” Fortunately for Freeze, he was able to delegate the task of arranging his family’s stay to his wife Jill and daughter Ragan. After all, he’s got a game to prepare for. When Auburn and UMass kickoff against each other Saturday afternoon, Freeze admits that it might not be the most comfortable situation he’s been in. And that’s not because of the east Alabama heat or the clunky headset he’ll wear over his visor. Rather it’s because the situation of this season opener at Auburn feels unlike any he’s ever experienced in his coaching career. “It’s been the most challenging and uncomfortable new position that I’ve ever had with just everything that’s about college football now,” Freeze said Wednesday. From navigating the transfer portal to recruiting, it’s been a whirlwind since Freeze arrived to The Plains late last November. Freeze welcomed more than 20 transfers and a combined 40 new players into Auburn’s locker room this offseason – of which some didn’t even arrive until this past summer. That said, 247Sports praised Freeze and Auburn’s success in the portal, ranking the Tigers’ transfer portal class No. 5 in the country. Meanwhile, Freeze and his coaching staff set the recruiting trail ablaze beginning in late July as 5-star linebacker Demarcus Riddick flipped from Georgia and was the first domino to fall in a handful of recruiting wins. As uncomfortable as the rapidly changing landscape of college football might be for Freeze, his success in the transfer portal and on the recruiting trail point to his ability to adapt to change quickly. But sometimes, when changes pile and pile atop of one another, that feeling of discomfort can quickly creep back up. With so many new faces around the program, piecing it together in what felt like just a few weeks’ time, has Freeze feeling understandably anxious heading into the 2023 season. “It’s been quite challenging,” Freeze admitted Wednesday. “And still, quite truthfully, you’re still trying to put the pieces together… It’s a little more difficult than I’ve found at previous stops when I’ve taken over.” Earlier this month, Freeze named junior Michigan State transfer Payton Thorne the Tigers’ starting quarterback. Thorne, who has only been at Auburn since May, went on to be named one of four of Auburn’s team captains Tuesday night. He joins fellow transfer Elijah McAllister and seniors Luke Deal and Kam Stutts as the Tigers’ leaders this season. And if you think two new guys being captains is a shock, look around at the rest of the roster. Looking at the depth chart Auburn released Monday, which should be taken with a grain of salt after being denounced by Freeze, there are 10 positions in which a transfer is listed as a starter or co-starter. “We have so many new faces, new spots, new staff, some nagging injuries we’re dealing with also… It’s very hard to gauge exactly where you are,” Freeze said. “I feel really good about our running back room, I feel really good about our tight end room. And I think for the most part after that, everything is kinda unproven. So it’s really hard to gauge.” Throughout fall camp, Freeze has mentioned how difficult it’s been to walk away from practices and scrimmages completely satisfied. That’s especially been the case when discussing Auburn’s run game, which has been productive in scrimmages. But does that point to Auburn’s running back room being good? Or does that point to Auburn’s run defense being bad? The jury is still out on that. And that makes Freeze understandably uncomfortable, especially knowing what kind of animal the Southeastern conference is. “My only previous experience in this conference was when I took over at Ole Miss. I think the conference is considerably better now than it was then,” Freeze said. “Which makes it even more uncomfortable.” Freeze’s comments about being uncomfortable are likely to draw concerns from Auburn fans. But solace can be found in just about any quote ever said about change. In summary, in order to change, one must become uncomfortable. After a disastrous two seasons under Bryan Harsin, an uncomfortable Hugh Freeze might be the change the Auburn football program needed. We begin to find out Saturday afternoon, when Freeze and the Tigers take to Pay Dye Field at Jordan-Hare Stadium. And if Freeze can find comfort in anything, it’s this: Unlike his previous visits to Jordan-Hare Stadium, Freeze gets to stand on the home sideline this time around. Freeze mentioned how excited he was to stand on the home sideline back in mid-July at SEC Media Days. At the time, Auburn had just announced that it had sold the most season tickets in program history. Since then, Auburn has not only announced that Saturday’s game against UMass is a sellout, but that the capacity of Jordan-Hare Stadium has also grown. Together, both announcements pave the way for Saturday’s crowd to be the biggest in program history. “It’s going to be a magical experience in that stadium, provided that we play well,” Freeze said in Monday’s press conference. “And that’s the pressure or the anxiousness that you feel sitting in this chair. We’re just waiting to deliver. We have an incredible fan base that has welcomed us so much. They bought season tickets, we’ve expanded the stadium size, and there will be a capacity for Saturday. You hear all those things, and you just so badly want to deliver.” If you purchase a product or register for an account through one of the links on our site, we may receive compensation. By browsing this site, we may share your information with our social media partners in accordance with our Privacy Policy.

auburnwire.usatoday.com The key to stopping UMass runs through Auburn's defensive line Taylor Jones 2–3 minutes UMass named Taisun Phommachanh its starting quarterback ahead of the Minutemen’s season-opener against New Mexico State. The decision by UMass head coach Don Brown proved to be wise, as the former Georgia Tech and Clemson quarterback passed for 192 yards and rushed for an additional 96 yards in the 41-30 victory over the Aggies last Saturday. Buy Tigers Tickets Brown told the media Monday that they are pleased with Phommachanh, and hope to continue using packages that make him comfortable. “We tried to give [Phommachanh] some plays that he’s very comfortable with,” Brown said Monday. “We’re really comfortable with him. (Offensive coordinator Steve) Casula has done a good job preparing him, and I thought that bared out.” Phommachanh has Power Five experience but did not see much action during his time at Clemson and Georgia Tech. That is one advantage that Auburn has on the UMass quarterback, as the Tiger defense is primed to battle the best offenses in the country. This weekend, Auburn sends two returning starters to the defensive line, Marcus Harris and Jayson Jones. Jones, the Tigers’ starting defensive tackle, missed just one tackle in 370 snaps. As for Harris, he created 15 pressures last season. Two exciting transfers will fill out the defensive line. Vanderbilt transfer Elijah McAllister will get the start at jack linebacker after recording seven total pressures last season in Nashville. The most exciting starter for the UMass game is Mosiah Nasili-Kite. Kite, who is the SEC’s most underrated transfer according to Mike Farrell Sports, made 26 tackles last season and created 16 pressures with two sacks at Maryland in 2022. It is not a given, but it is almost a lock that Auburn will earn its first win of the 2023 season on Saturday against UMass. In order to guarantee a win, the defensive line will need to be relentless in their effort to make Phommachanh uncomfortable all game long. Contact/Follow us @TheAuburnWire on X (Twitter), and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Auburn news, notes, and opinions. You can also follow Taylor on Twitter @TaylorJones__

si.com Auburn’s star freshman Keldric Faulk has been placed on the Shaun Alexander Freshman Player of the Year Watch List Joshua Collins 3–4 minutes Can Keldric Faulk bring home Freshman Player of the Year? Star freshman defensive lineman Keldric Faulk has been garnering a lot of earned attention in his brief time so far on the Plains. He has produced some stellar performances in both the spring and fall camps and is quickly rising to be one of the common names the Auburn fan base will hear come game days. His meteoric rise has not gone unnoticed by the media and awards committees alike, as he has just been placed on the Watch List to be named the fifth recipient of the Shaun Alexander Freshman Player of the Year Award. Shaun Alexander, the award's namesake, played for the University of Alabama during the late 90's and began his collegiate career as a 3rd string choice for the Tide. However, the fates played a different card for Alexander during a heated game against the LSU Tigers in Death Valley on the 9th of November 1996. It was here that Shaun cemented his legendary status as a Crimson Tide running back by rushing for a total of 291 yards to the tune of four touchdowns. With this, Shaun set the single-game rushing record for the Tide. Due to his tremendous performance as a freshman, the Freshman Player of the Year Award was renamed to what it is today. Trevor Lawrence was the inaugural recipient of the award during the 2019 season. If Keldric Faulk performs to the capacity that many on the coaching staff believe he can perform, Keldric will be a hard name to pass up voting for come award day. This young man has an extremely bright future ahead of him on the Plains, and the Auburn family is extremely excited to witness it first-hand. If named winner, Keldric Faulk would be the second defensive player to win and the first Auburn player to win as well. The date for the presentation of the award winner has yet to be released. Eric Starling/Auburn Daily Other Articles Hugh Freeze: Tigers' roster was 'far from what I believe an Auburn roster should look like' Auburn football announces start time for 2023 fall camp Payton Thorne new favorite to win Auburn quarterback battle Daily Wire's Jake Crain predicts Auburn to finish third in SEC West Jayden Daniels shared his thoughts on playing in Jordan-Hare Stadium Jake Crain believes Auburn football can be 'sneaky' under Hugh Freeze SEC commissioner Greg Sankey discusses the elimination of divisions in future conference scheduling College football expert 'doesn't see' eight wins on Auburn football's 2023 schedule Hugh Freeze provides updates for Auburn players injured in the spring Auburn's Hugh Freeze says new QB Payton Thorne has impressed with his 'attention to detail' Hugh Freeze: 'Robby Ashford helps us win football games' Hugh Freeze provides timeline for Auburn football quarterback battle Engage with Auburn Daily on Socials!

thats what my blowup dolls say...........

i caught iam in a dress so he spreads gossip about me.....so what did you hear pray tell?

let us make sure of one thing.regardless of what i am says i do not put out on a first date.

oh i am sure. and more than once.so how did i get out of it? i had more points than wall street.

i am thankful i have not been run off yet.................grins

let me add something here. i always wore an auburn t,shirt, or jersey every monday after a game even if we lost. i wanted folks to know i loved my team win,lose,or draw. you never see too many bama fans wear their colors after a loss and this to me was always the biggest difference between auburn and turd fans. we love our team. bama just loves a win.

if you are ever in jacksonville alabama the rocket has the best burger i ever had. they call it the whataburger and it is huge. and Cooter Browns in jville has the best ribs and bbq i have ever had. and their sauce is wonderful. i would not really put you on the spot lp. besides i am a huge eater. byt the way i lived in birminghamyears ago at Spring Lake i believe it was? it was loaded with ranch homes and was a wonderful place at that time.i saw in passing a few years back it is gang infeasted if i did not confuse the area with another place.

i am going to have to hit you up for a free burger one day lp.......lol

247sports.com PMARSHONAU Can Freeze replicate Dyes blueprint at Auburn Phillip Marshall 6–7 minutes It's Freeze's time to transform Auburn football In his 12 seasons as Auburn head coach, and even after that, Pat Dye left an indelible stamp on Auburn football. It went far beyond four SEC championships. He created a belief that made Auburn feel people feel differently about themselves. Dye didn’t always win. He lost some games he should not have lost. The late Kurt Crain, an All-America linebacker, put it to me like this: “We didn’t always win, but we always believed we were going to win." Auburn people adopted that mindset. In Dye’s years, Alabama was dragged kicking and screaming to Jordan-Hare Stadium. The malaise that set in while Alabama was winning nine straight Iron Bowls went away.Today, Auburn plays on Pat Dye Field at Jordan-Hare Stadium. The young men who played for him are young no longer, but they carry with them lessons they learned about hard work, loyalty and accountability. Since Dye stepped down after the 1992 season, Auburn has searched for another coach and leader who could replicate what the did – winning championships and winning the hearts of Auburn people. Tommy Tuberville had eight good years out of 10. He had an SEC championship and a perfect season. Auburn people generally liked Tuberville, but it wasn’t the same as it had been with Dye. Gene Chizik won a national championship, but the program quickly took a downward turn. Gus Malzahn won an SEC championship, played for a national championship and did not have a losing season. But the connection with Auburn people wasn’t there. Bryan Harsin was lost from the start. And now it’s Hugh Freeze’s turn. To be fair, winning in the SEC is harder than it has ever been. It’s about to get harder with the arrival of Oklahoma and Texas. But winning the hearts of Auburn people, making them feel like you want to be one of them and that they are important, is the same now as it was in Dye’s days. Freeze recognizes he can’t be Pat Dye. He can only be himself. Whether he can have a similar impact on Auburn football and on Auburn people remains to be seen. But he gets it. Dye’s first Auburn football team went 5-6 in 1981. It lost three games it should not have lost – to Wake Forest, Tennessee and Mississippi State. But that Auburn team played with relentless effort, the kind of effort that can be seen and felt by those who watch. By the time that season was over, there was confidence that better days were coming and coming in a hurry. That, more than anything else, is what Freeze needs to replicate in his first season. So far, he has pushed all the right buttons. Auburn people regained hope last November, hope they had almost lost before Cadillac Williams took over as interim head coach. It’s Freeze’s turn now. Freeze 'blessed to have some good resources' with former Auburn head coaches Freeze said he has a relationship with three of Auburn's last four head coaches and is thankful for their advice this offseason VIDEO: Highlights from 4-star Auburn QB commit Walker White's season opener Hugh Freeze isn’t afraid to lean on some of the men most recently in his orange and blue shoes. It starts with Gus Malzahn, with whom Freeze has a relationship dating back to their time coaching against one another in the SEC. Both are former Arkansas State head coaches, with Malzahn replacing Freeze there in 2012. Malzahn started as an SEC head coach one year after Freeze in 2013. “There’s been many, many, many conversations while he was here as the coach a bunch, and obviously after he left here a bunch,” Freeze said Wednesday. “Then after I’ve gotten here there’s been a bunch. He’s a dear friend that I trust immensely. He’s got great wisdom and insight.” In the spring, Malzahn said in an interview with Sports Illustrated that Freeze is a strong fit at Auburn, where Malzahn compiled a 68-35 record across eight seasons. “I think Auburn and Hugh is a really good match,” Malzahn said. “Auburn is an unbelievable place. Hugh is really, really good. I’m excited for both parties. You can win the whole thing there. Unbelievable fan base and support. He’s coming at a great time with NIL and the new facility. Everything came together.” The two coaches faced one another four times when Freeze was at Ole Miss from 2013-16, with Malzahn winning all but one (2015). Freeze has mentioned previously that when he was out of coaching for two years following his unsightly ouster at Ole Miss in 2017, Malzahn was someone he leaned on for advice and counsel. They’re not scheduled to meet on the football field in the foreseeable future — with Malzahn set to begin his third season at UCF and the program’s first in the Big 12 — but the two coaches spent some vacation time together in the spring. Freeze and his wife, Jill, went to Florida during Auburn’s spring break and a week off for the football team during spring practices. “I’ve talked to Gus unlimited times about everything here,” Freeze said. Freeze added that former Auburn head coaches Tommy Tuberville (1999-2008) and Gene Chizik (2009-12) have also reached out this offseason. Chizik is still coaching at the college level, currently in his second stint as the defensive coordinator at North Carolina, while Tuberville is now in politics and has been a Senator for the state of Alabama since 2021. “Coach Tuberville has been very helpful also, just in trying to get to know things (at Auburn),” Freeze said. “Coach Chizik is a friend, also. I’ve been blessed to have some good resources.” Auburn kicks off its 2023 season at home against UMass on Saturday (2:30 p.m. CST, ESPN). Freeze noted it will be the largest crowd ever for an Auburn home game, since the game is a sellout, and the stadium's capacity was increased to 88,043 this offseason. *** Subscribe to Auburn Undercover for the latest news and intel, podcasts, recruiting coverage and more *** *** Get Auburn news straight to your inbox with the Auburn Undercover newsletter ***

247sports.com Omari Kelly brings the energy for Auburn wide receivers Jason Caldwell 13–17 minutes Omari Kelly has stepped up his game in year two with the Tigers. AUBURN, Alabama—After catching 83 passes for 1,335 yards and 13 touchdowns as a senior at Hewitt-Trussville High, Omari Kelly had three receptions for 56 yards last season as a true freshman for the Auburn Tigers. Heading into year two under the guidance of first-year coach Hugh Freeze, Kelly could be in line for more playing time because of his talent level and the energy he brings every day.“ “Love his energy,” Freeze said. “Love the way he practices. Love the juice he brings to the field.” It’s something that Kelly’s teammates have seen as well. A player that has continued to develop as a wide receiver after playing both offense and defense in high school, Kelly has shown the ability to make plays heading into Saturday’s opener. Maybe more importantly, he’s become an energy guy for the team that continues to bring it each and every day. “Omari is a playmaker,” senior tight end Luke Deal said. “When he first stepped on campus, I vividly remember seeing him make plays, his speed. I remember watching him run down on kickoffs the first time and I was like, ‘Man, this guy has some wheel. I’d like some of those.’ I’d like to be able to run as fast as him. I can’t. He’s a playmaker, but more than that, he’s a really good morale booster around the locker room. He’s always got energy. “The guys in that receiver room, you can tell, there’s a couple of guys in that receiver room that bring the energy and people look to them. He’s one of those guys. When we need a play, every time we need something and we’re flat or we go through the motions on offense, he’s one of the guys who gets us out of that. That speaks a lot to his character, to his talent and to his energy on the football team.” The man who coached him at Hewitt-Trussville, Josh Floyd isn’t surprised to see Kelly making moves on the field nor is he surprised to hear that his former player is someone that has been bringing the energy for the Tigers throughout the preseason. “I’m fired up he’s getting an opportunity,” Floyd said. “You can’t but love Omari. He’s one of those kids that has a great personality. He’s always fun to be around. I know he’s worked hard. I’m not surprised he’s going to be out there Saturday. He’s so talented and he has great ball skills. He understands the game. I feel like he’s a smart football player. I think he’ll do really well. He’s just a guy that enjoys the game.” Kelly and the Tigers will open the season at 2:30 p.m. on Saturday against UMass at Jordan-Hare Stadium. The game can be seen on ESPN. How every Auburn head coach fared in his season opener Freeze is the 28th head coach in Auburn football history, excluding interims VIDEO: Highlights from 4-star Auburn QB commit Walker White's season opener The Hugh Freeze era begins for Auburn on Saturday when the Tigers take on UMass. Freeze is the 28th head coach in Auburn football history, excluding interims, and is the Tigers’ 10th permanent head coach in the last 75 years. Auburn coaches, especially recently, have been successful when coaching their first game for the Tigers. Nine of the past ten Auburn coaches, including the past six, have won their debut game with the Tigers. The openers have not always been easy, as six of the 10 debut games were decided by 10 points or less. Freeze, as per usual with Auburn coaches, will make his debut at Jordan-Hare Stadium, where eight of the past ten coaches have opened their Auburn career. The 2:30 p.m. kickoff makes Freeze the first coach to open with a day game since Pat Dye in 1981, as the past five coaches opened in primetime. Here is how each Auburn head coach, excluding interim coaches, opened their Auburn career. George Petrie (1892): 10-0 W vs. Georgia D.M. Balliet (1893): 32-22 W vs. Alabama George Roy Harvey (1893): 30-10 W vs. Vanderbilt Forrest Hall (1894): 20-4 L vs. Vanderbilt John Heisman (1895): 9-6 L vs. Vanderbilt Walter Watkins (1900): 28-0 W vs. Nashville Ralph Kent (1902): 18-6 W vs. Georgia Tech William Penn Bates (1903): 26-0 W vs. Montgomery Mike Donahue (1904): 5-0 W vs. Clemson Willis Keinholtz (1907): 23-0 W vs. Samford Boozer Pitts (1923): T 0-0 vs. Clemson Dave Morey (1925): 25-6 W vs. Birmingham Southern George Bohler (1928): 6-0 L vs. Birmingham Southern Chett Wynne (1930): 7-0 L vs. Birmingham Southern Jack Meagher (1934): 7-0 L vs. Birmingham Southern Carl Voyles (1944): 32-0 W vs. Samford ‌ Earl Brown: Auburn 20, Mississippi Southern 14 (Sept. 24, 1948) After qualifying for two bowl games during the last half of the 1930s, the decade of the 1940s was not as successful for the Tigers. Auburn went through three coaches in the decade and only had two winning seasons — 1940 and 1942. The last Auburn coach of the decade, Earl Brown, began his Auburn tenure under the lights at the Cramton Bowl in Montgomery, Alabama against Mississippi Southern, more commonly known today as Southern Miss. After the Tigers took a 14-0 lead going into halftime, Auburn allowed two touchdowns in the second half to give Mississippi Southern a 14-14 tie in the waning minutes of the game. With five minutes remaining in the game and Mississippi Southern with the ball, the Tigers forced and recovered a fumble, setting up the winning drive. The winning touchdown was scored on a 27-yard run by Freddie Gafford with just 40 seconds to go as the Tigers avenged a defeat to Mississippi Southern the previous season. Auburn did not win another game in 1948, tying the next contest against Louisiana Tech and losing the final eight games of the season. The win was one of only three Brown earned in his three-year tenure as Auburn’s coach. ‌ Shug Jordan: Auburn 24, Vanderbilt 14 (Sept. 29, 1951) After the Tigers went 0-10 in 1950, Auburn alum Ralph “Shug” Jordan was hired to lead the program. His first game was an SEC home contest against Vanderbilt, a team that had beaten Auburn eight straight times, including a 41-0 humiliation in Nashville the previous year. The Tigers totaled 366 yards in the game, the vast majority of which were on the ground. The Tigers attempted only six passes in the game as Homer Williams and Charles Hataway combined for over 200 yards on the ground. Auburn took a 14-0 first-half lead but Vanderbilt came back, scoring the next two touchdowns to even the score in the fourth quarter. Midway through the final quarter, a Vanderbilt fumble set Auburn up with good field position at the Commodores’ 34-yard line. 10 plays later, the Tigers scored the winning touchdown. Auburn later added a field goal to seal the 24-14 upset of the Commodores. The win was Auburn’s first over Vanderbilt since 1925 and kicked off Jordan’s 25-year tenure as the Tigers’ head coach — a tenure that saw 176 wins, more than any other Auburn coach. ‌ Doug Barfield: Arizona 31, Auburn 19 (Sept. 11, 1976) After Jordan retired after 25 years as coach, Doug Barfield took over beginning with the 1976 season. His first game was a trip to Tucson, Arizona to face the Arizona Wildcats for a 9:30 p.m. CT kickoff, a record-late start time that will be matched when Auburn faces California this season. Auburn was unable to conquer the Wildcats, who took a 31-19 victory. It was Auburn’s second game, and first loss, against Arizona. The game remains Arizona’s lone win over an SEC opponent to date, as the Wildcats are 1-6-1 in games against SEC teams. Barfield was the first Auburn coach to open the season with a true road game since Johnny Floyd, who was named permanent head coach midseason in 1929 and opened his career at Tennessee. Barfield and the Tigers got their revenge the following season when they beat the Wildcats 21-10 at Jordan-Hare Stadium but Barfield remains the only Auburn head coach, excluding interim coaches, to lose his debut game since Jack Meagher in 1934. ‌ Pat Dye: Auburn 24, TCU 16 (Sept. 5, 1981) After five years of no bowl games and no Iron Bowl wins under Barfield’s leadership, Auburn hired Pat Dye to lead the program in 1981. Dye opened his tenure as Auburn’s head coach with a home game against TCU, a team that went 1-10 in 1980. Running back Ron O’Neal ran for two scores in the first half, including a 25-yard touchdown, as Auburn built a 21-10 halftime lead. O’Neal, however, missed most of the second half with an injury, hampering Auburn’s offense significantly. The Tigers managed only a 24-yard Al Del Greco field goal in the second half as TCU stayed in the game. Late in the fourth quarter, as TCU drove for a tie, the Auburn defense came up with a fourth-down stop as the Horned Frogs threw an incompletion in the end zone, allowing Auburn to hold on. Though Auburn finished 5-6 in 1981, Dye was one of the first in a long line of recent Auburn coaches who had success early in their tenure. In year two, he took Auburn to the Tangerine Bowl — the Tigers’ first bowl appearance since 1974. In year three, Auburn won the SEC and the Sugar Bowl and was named national champion by some publications. ‌ Terry Bowden: Auburn 16, Ole Miss 12 (Sept. 2, 1993) With thousands of Auburn fans listening to Jim Fyffe on the radio due to Auburn being banned from playing on television in 1993, Terry Bowden opened his tenure on a Thursday night under the lights at Jordan-Hare Stadium. Ole Miss had no answer for the Auburn defense as the Rebels mustered only 176 total yards during the game. Meanwhile, Auburn running back James Bostic ran for 138 yards himself and scored Auburn’s only touchdown. Auburn built a 16-0 lead, largely due to three field goals by Scott Etheridge, and held on as Ole Miss scored twice in the fourth quarter, including on a 77-yard punt return. The win began a streak of 20 straight victories for the Tigers, whose first blemish under Bowden was a tie against Georgia on Nov. 13, 1994, and first loss was the following week to Alabama. ‌ Tommy Tuberville: Auburn 22, Appalachian State 15 (Sept. 4, 1999) Tommy Tuberville’s tenure as the Tigers’ leader began with a nailbiter against Appalachian State, which came into the game ranked No. 4 in the Sports Network Division I-AA (now FCS) rankings. The Tigers struck first with a 15-yard pass from Gabe Gross to Ronney Daniels, who finished with 73 receiving yards as he began his 1,000-yard season. The next three scores all went to the Mountaineers and the Tigers found themselves behind 15-7 midway through the third quarter. Appalachian State, however, had a crucial missed extra point and a failed two-point conversion, keeping it a one-possession game. Late in the third quarter, Rusty Williams scored to tie the game at 15. With 1:42 left in the fourth quarter, Auburn got the ball and mounted a drive, led by Ben Leard, who finished the game 10-for-19 with 159 passing yards. With 38 seconds remaining, Leard found Daniels for a 33-yard touchdown, giving Auburn the thrilling win. Tuberville finished his first season 5-6 but won the SEC West in his second season. Tuberville spent 10 seasons on the Plains. ‌ Gene Chizik: Auburn 37, Louisiana Tech 13 (Sept. 5, 2009) A second-half onslaught turned a close game at halftime into a blowout in Gene Chizik’s Auburn debut. A pair of Wes Byrum field goals, coupled with a one-yard touchdown run by Kodi Burns, gave Auburn a slim 13-10 edge over Louisiana Tech at halftime. Early in the third quarter, one play opened up the floodgates for offensive coordinator Gus Malzahn’s Auburn offense. Quarterback Chris Todd found an open Terrell Zachary at the sideline and Zachary outran the defense for a 93-yard touchdown. At the time, the play was Auburn’s longest passing touchdown ever (the record was broken the next season). In total, Todd passed for 255 yards. Auburn never looked back from there, outscoring the Bulldogs 24-3 in the second half en route to a convincing win. The Tigers rushed for 301 yards and passed for 255 yards in the win. Auburn scored seven times — four touchdowns and three field goals. On the ground, Onterio McCalebb and Ben Tate combined for 265 yards. Auburn went 8-5 in Chizik’s first season. In his second season, behind JUCO transfer Cam Newton, Auburn went 14-0 and won the national championship. After another 8-5 season in 2011, Chizik was fired after going 3-9 in 2012 — Auburn's worst record since Brown's final season in 1950. ‌ Gus Malzahn: Auburn 31, Washington State 24 (Aug. 31, 2013) Following his offense’s national championship-winning effort in 2010, Malzahn was hired as Auburn’s head coach beginning with the 2013 season. His opener was against Mike Leach’s Washington State Cougars. The game was an opposition of opposing offensive styles. Malzahn’s Tigers rushed for 295 yards, led by a 146-yard performance by Corey Grant. Tre Mason added 73 rush yards but also had a 100-yard kickoff return. Meanwhile, Leach’s Air Raid attack saw Washington State quarterback Connor Halliday attempt 65 passes, completing 35 for 344 yards. Neither team built a lead of more than seven points throughout the game and the Cougars’ final drive made it to the Auburn 27-yard line but the Tigers’ defense came up with a fourth down stop with 2:09 to go, effectively cementing the game for Auburn. The win was the first of six one-possession wins in the Tigers’ 12-2 campaign in which they won the SEC Championship and played for a national title. Malzahn spent eight seasons as Auburn’s head coach. Malzahn only faced Leach twice in his Auburn career — his first game and last game. ‌ Bryan Harsin: Auburn 60, Akron 10 (Sept. 4, 2021) After being hired to Auburn from Boise State after the 2020 season, Bryan Harsin began his Auburn career with a blowout win over Akron. The Tigers led 37-0 at the half and scored 53 before the Zips got on the board. The Tigers totaled 613 yards of offense, with Bo Nix completing 20 of his 22 pass attempts and the Tigers gaining 316 yards rushing. Defensively, Auburn held Akron to negative rushing yardage, with the Zips losing three yards on the ground in 36 rushing attempts. The 60-point outburst was followed by a 62-point performance the following week against Alabama State. After that, Auburn only broke the 40-point plateau once more in Harsin’s tenure.

Auburn briefing: Three newcomers to watch for vs UMass Lance Dawe 3–4 minutes Here are three newcomers to keep an eye on as Auburn takes on UMass. The Tigers have a plethora of newcomers on both sides of the ball this season. With Hugh Freeze and his staff having hit the transfer portal as hard as they did, fans should expect to see a number of new faces starting across the board. Here are three newcomers to watch out for when Auburn plays UMass this Saturday: Shane Hooks Hooks was Coach Deion Sanders and Jackson State's leading receiver in 2022, reeling in 64 passes for 748 yards and ten touchdowns. He played 711 snaps on the outside while only playing 11 snaps in the slot. He's turned heads throughout fall camp, making some impressive catches and playing physical football. Hooks may not be an every-down receiver, but he could be on the receiving end of some big plays this weekend. Rivaldo Fairweather Fairweather was an extremely reliable target at FIU and has certainly looked like one of Auburn's go-to guys during practice. Hugh Freeze has been known to produce some high-quality pass catching tight ends... Fairweather may be the next man up. Look for Thorne to get comfortable early vs UMass with some easy pitches to Fairweather. Austin Keys The Tigers' new starting middle linebacker should provide an immediate boost to what was a poor position group a season ago. If Auburn's run support is going to be better, Keys will be a part of its improvement. Watch for No. 12 on defense to make some solid plays at the line of scrimmage against the Minutemen's rushing attack. They said it: Auburn linebacker Eugene Asante will step into a much larger role this season after only playing four games in 2022. Asante gave a lot of credit to the Tigers' strength and conditioning staff during a Monday press conference. "Physically, I've grown in terms of building my body up," Asante said. "I can't thank Coach Dom (Studzinski) and his staff enough. They do a really good job and oftentimes they deflect how good their program is. From a defensive standpoint, I've grown in terms of trying to understand why defensive coordinators call what they call." We wrote it: Shel Hickman of Auburn Daily put together a breakdown of the Tigers' linebacker room, making the case as to why each player can have a great season. You can read the breakdown here. Auburn takes on UMass in their season opener this Saturday, September 2nd at 2:30 p.m. CT on ESPN. You can check out betting odds here.

auburnwire.usatoday.com Auburn vs. UMass: Six Minutemen to know JD McCarthy 4–5 minutes The Auburn Tigers are set to start their 2023 campaign on Saturday when they host the UMass Minutemen (1-0) in Jordan-Hare Stadium. UMass is led by head coach Don Brown who is in his second tenure with the program. He coached them from 2004-08 before leaving to become a defensive coordinator at Maryland. He spent time at Michigan and Arizona before making his return ahead of the 2022 season. Buy Tigers Tickets The Minutemen looked to have improved from a rough first season when they went 1-11 but suffered some competitive losses. They beat New Mexico State 41-30 to open the 2023 season and gave Auburn some film to study. That film was revealing to Hugh Freeze, who faced them last season as the head coach at Liberty. “Well, I played them every year,” Freeze said on Monday. “I saw a drastic improvement last year under Coach (Don) Brown. I have great respect for him. I think he is one of the best defensive play callers in the country. Last year their record was atrocious, and they had a top 10 defense in the country. Now they have added 27 transfers, most from Power 5 schools. I thought they looked quite different. New Mexico State is not an easy place to go play, and they took care of the football and did not turn it over. They got turnovers. They capitalized on turnovers. They threw the ball effectively, which they have not done in four years that I’ve played them. I think defensively they play just as hard as any team in the country, and you combine that with Coach Brown’s systems, which are very chaotic and very hard to identify where your offense is at times. They will create negative plays with that. That was a big challenge for us last year when we played them up at UMass. They created a lot of negative plays against us. We managed to score enough points to win the game, but it was a challenge. They have our full attention.” They were led by transfer quarterback Taisun Phommachanh who is capable of hurting Auburn through the air as well as when he tucks the ball and runs. Phommachanh is one of six Minutemen that you need to know ahead of the game and here is a look at these key players. Meg Potter/Sun-News / USA TODAY NETWORK UMass is Phommachanh’s third program after he started his career at Clemson before heading to Georgia Tech. He was a four-star prospect and gives the Minutemen a talented quarterback as they try to pull off the upset. He did it all in their week zero win over New Mexico State, completing 10-of-17 passes for 192 yards as well as rushing for 96 yards and one touchdown. (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images) Johnson is their top returning tackler and has made 120 tackles over the past two seasons and will be a key member in the middle of their defense. He is a veteran in the defense and will help to get all of their transfer additions on the same page. Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports Lynch-Adams is looking to form a dynamic two-man rushing attack with Phommachanh and he did just that last week. Lynch-Adams finished the day with 15 carries for 79 yards and two scores. Auburn’s rush defense will look to keep the duo bottled up and it will be a good test to start the season. Danny Wild-USA TODAY Sports Mahoney will be a tough matchup for Auburn’s new wide receivers. He snagged three interceptions last season and is perfectly comfortable lining up in man coverage, something he does a lot in Brown’s scheme. If UMass is able to turn Auburn over, Mahoney will likely be involved. (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images) Johnson does not have a ton of targets but he tends to make the most of his receptions. He averaged 14.4 yards per catch last season and is their big-play threat. He caught one pass for 22 yards last week and will look to try and take the top off Auburn’s defense. Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports Bradley is entering his second season with the Minutemen after transferring in from Vanderbilt. He is looking to take another step after making an immediate impact last year, recording 26 tackles, 3.5 tackles for loss and 2.5 sacks. He will test Auburn’s new-look offensive line that will feature at least three transfers starting.