aubiefifty

10 Auburn alumni cut by NFL teams on Tuesday Updated: Aug. 29, 2023, 9:40 p.m.|Published: Aug. 29, 2023, 9:30 p.m. 3–4 minutes Baltimore Ravens guard Tashawn Manning (62) blocks during an NFL preseason game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Saturday, Aug. 26, 2023, at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Fla.(AP Photo/Peter Joneleit) By Mark Inabinett | minabinett@al.com Pro Football Focus judged guard Tashawn Manning as the fourth best offensive rookie during the NFL’s preseason games. But that didn’t prevent the Baltimore Ravens from waiving him on Tuesday. Manning was among the eight former Auburn players who were waived on Tuesday as NFL teams reduced their preseason rosters to the regular-season limit of 53 players. Two other Auburn alumni were released by NFL teams on Tuesday. The players coming off NFL rosters included: · Defensive tackle Angelo Blackson was released by the Baltimore Ravens. An eight-year veteran, Blackson has played in 117 NFL regular-season games. · Defensive tackle Byron Cowart was released by the Houston Texans. Cowart played in every game for the Indianapolis Colts in his fourth NFL season in 2022. · Defensive tackle Marlon Davidson (Greenville) was waived by the San Francisco 49ers. A second-round pick in the 2020 NFL Draft, Davidson was trying to make a fresh start after being released by the Atlanta Falcons last season. · Wide receiver Shedrick Jackson (Hoover) was waived by the Cincinnati Bengals. Jackson was an undrafted rookie. · Outside linebacker Eku Leota was waived by the Carolina Panthers. Leota was an undrafted rookie. · Guard Tashawn Manning was waived by the Baltimore Ravens. Manning was an undrafted rookie. · Safety Smoke Monday was waived by the New Orleans Saints. Monday spent last season on injured reserve as an undrafted rookie. · Tight end John Samuel Shenker was waived by the Las Vegas Raiders. Shenker was an undrafted rookie. · Punter Arryn Siposs was waived by the Philadelphia Eagles. Siposs had been the Eagles’ punter for the past two seasons and played in Super Bowl LVII in February. This might not be the end for Siposs with Philadelphia; the Eagles reduced their roster to 53, but none of those players is a punter. · Wide receiver Seth Williams (Paul Bryant) was waived by the Jacksonville Jaguars. A sixth-round draft pick of the Denver Broncos in 2021, Williams played in two games as a rookie before spending last season on the Jaguars’ practice squad. Cornerback Noah Igbinoghene (Hewitt-Trussville) left the Miami Dolphins roster to Tuesday. But it was because he was traded to the Dallas Cowboys for cornerback Kelvin Joseph. FOR MORE OF AL.COM’S COVERAGE OF THE NFL, GO TO OUR NFL PAGE Mark Inabinett is a sports reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter at @AMarkG1. 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.

al.com Auburn-UMass tickets as cheap as $2; Here’s how to get seats Updated: Aug. 29, 2023, 7:31 p.m.|Published: Aug. 29, 2023, 7:30 p.m. ~2 minutes Auburn football head coach Hugh Freeze talks with the media before practice Thursday, Aug. 17, 2023 in Auburn, Ala. (AL.com Photo/Stew Milne)Stew Milne The Hugh Freeze era begins when Auburn hosts UMass on Saturday, Sept. 2, at Jordan-Hare Stadium. Tickets are available for a variety of prices at Vivid Seats, StubHub and Seat Geek. After Payton Thorne was named Auburn’s starting quarterback, Freeze said Robby Ashford would still have a role in Auburn’s offense, but that exact space hasn’t been specified. RELATED: Get ready for Auburn football with latest Tigers gear, gifts Ashford was the biggest name on Auburn’s injury report after Hugh Freeze’s press conference Monday to preview the season opener against UMass, which will be live streamed on fuboTV (free trial). Ashford has an oblique strain, Freeze said. But said he “will likely” be able to play. Vivid Seats Vivid Seats has tickets listed for as cheap as for $4 as well as plenty of other options. Stub Hub Stub Hub has seats going for $5 and plenty of tickets together. Seat Geek Seat Geek has ticket as cheap as $2 for the game. Mark Heim is a reporter for The Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter @Mark_Heim. He can be heard on “The Opening Kickoff” on WNSP-FM 105.5 FM in Mobile or on the free Sound of Mobile App from 6 to 9 a.m. daily. i realize most folks on here make a ton of money so i post this for the poor folks. i hope it helps someone get to go to the game now. i am very sincere. and this is a repost but i felt it deserved its own thread.............

al.com Auburn-UMass tickets as cheap as $2; Here’s how to get seats Updated: Aug. 29, 2023, 7:31 p.m.|Published: Aug. 29, 2023, 7:30 p.m. ~2 minutes Auburn football head coach Hugh Freeze talks with the media before practice Thursday, Aug. 17, 2023 in Auburn, Ala. (AL.com Photo/Stew Milne)Stew Milne The Hugh Freeze era begins when Auburn hosts UMass on Saturday, Sept. 2, at Jordan-Hare Stadium. Tickets are available for a variety of prices at Vivid Seats, StubHub and Seat Geek. After Payton Thorne was named Auburn’s starting quarterback, Freeze said Robby Ashford would still have a role in Auburn’s offense, but that exact space hasn’t been specified. RELATED: Get ready for Auburn football with latest Tigers gear, gifts Ashford was the biggest name on Auburn’s injury report after Hugh Freeze’s press conference Monday to preview the season opener against UMass, which will be live streamed on fuboTV (free trial). Ashford has an oblique strain, Freeze said. But said he “will likely” be able to play. Vivid Seats Vivid Seats has tickets listed for as cheap as for $4 as well as plenty of other options. Stub Hub Stub Hub has seats going for $5 and plenty of tickets together. Seat Geek Seat Geek has ticket as cheap as $2 for the game. Mark Heim is a reporter for The Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter @Mark_Heim. He can be heard on “The Opening Kickoff” on WNSP-FM 105.5 FM in Mobile or on the free Sound of Mobile App from 6 to 9 a.m. daily.

al.com Auburn football announces four team captains for 2023 season Updated: Aug. 29, 2023, 8:20 p.m.|Published: Aug. 29, 2023, 8:11 p.m. 2–3 minutes Auburn quarterback Payton Thorne (1) listens to a coach during first day of practices, Thursday, Aug. 3, 2023 in Auburn, Ala. (AL.com Photo/Stew Milne)Stew Milne Two transfers and two long-time Auburn stalwarts were announced as team captains for the 2023 season, Auburn announced on Twitter on Tuesday night. Michigan State transfer and starting quarterback Payton Thorne, Vanderbilt transfer Elijah McAllister, sixth-year offensive lineman Kam Stutts and fifth year tight end Luke Deak were picked as captains. Stutts, McAllister and Deal were the three players Auburn picked as representatives for SEC Media Days in July. Asked why he picked those players as he learned his new roster, head coach Hugh Freeze noted all three of them were reliable leaders he could look to in a locker room still building chemistry. Then there is Thorne. The conversation around his appointment as Auburn’s starter has centered around his leadership. He may not be Auburn’s most talented quarterback, but he is the leader his teammates look to, both his coaches and teammates have said throughout the preseason. His selection as a captain shows the work he did bringing a binder with a photo of everyone on the team and their name helped him build connections to teammates he didn’t meet until May. Those four will lead Auburn in the first game of the year at 2:30 p.m. Saturday at Jordan-Hare Stadium against UMass. Matt Cohen covers Auburn sports for AL.com. You can follow him on Twitter at @Matt_Cohen_ or email him at mcohen@al.com

al.com Previewing Auburn football’s offense for the 2023 season Published: Aug. 30, 2023, 6:30 a.m. 9–12 minutes This is the staple of a Hugh Freeze football team. Freeze is an offensive-minded coach. He has developed NFL quarterbacks and produced high-paced schemes that produce big numbers on the scoreboard. But a new job, a new school and a team roster gives him a challenge he hasn’t seen in his head coaching career. He is combining a roster that is roughly half returnees and half newcomers. Those new faces are especially seen on offense as Freeze tries to mold his own scheme with new offensive coordinator Philip Montgomery. The tempo of the offensive scheme has been a key talking point throughout August, and something Auburn believes will give it a big advantage this year. With the season set to begin against UMass at 2:30 p.m. Saturday at Jordan-Hare Stadium, AL.com will preview both sides of the ball for Auburn, starting with the offense. We’ll break the offense down by each position group. First up, the most important one. Quarterback In some ways, this position is simple: Payton Thorne is the guy. Auburn brought him in from Michigan State where he started nearly 30 games and won a New Year’s Six bowl game. He was an entrenched starter at a historically successful program in one of the Big Ten East, one of the nation’s more difficult divisions. And even though Thorne didn’t get to Auburn until the summer, he became a leader on the team so quickly that Auburn picked him as a team captain. Thorne won a quarterback competition that centered on himself, sophomore Robby Ashford and sophomore Holden Geriner. Ashford is Auburn’s incumbent starter and Freeze called him the best athlete he’s ever coached at the position. He also called Geriner the most talented thrower of the three. So why did Freeze pick Thorne? It appears to be the safe pick. Thorne may not have the highest ceiling of the three, but he does have the highest floor. As Freeze settles into his new job, a quarterback who is generally reliable is the best way to ease into the season. Freeze also said Thorne was the best leader, and the one his teammates trusted the most in the huddle. Thorne’s largest question remains if he can be successful without a dominant rushing game. Thorne threw for 3,232 yards in 2021 along with 27 touchdowns and 10 interceptions with now-NFL starting running back Kenneth Walker III to hand the ball off to. When Walker left, Thorne had 2,679 passing yards in 2022. He threw eight fewer touchdowns than 2021 and threw one more interception. Which quarterback is the real Thorne? How much pressure does that put on Auburn’s running back room and offensive line? Though Thorne may not be the only quarterback to see valuable snaps for Auburn. Freeze has suggested that Ashford is still going to have a role on this offense because of his ability with the ball in his hands. What that role will be? That’s not going to reveal itself until the season itself. Plus, Freeze and Montgomery will have to figure out a role that doesn’t telegraph Auburn is running the ball with Ashford in. Freeze said Ashford had his best practices after Thorne was announced as Auburn’s starting quarterback. And maybe Auburn’s running game isn’t something Thorne or Freeze will have to worry about too much. Running back A tumultuous offseason in the running back room appears to be resolved, though with still many unanswered questions. Top running back Jarquez Hunter allegedly was shown in a sex tape that was released on social media over the summer. Soon after the video was released, Auburn gave a statement that multiple football players would be receiving indefinite suspensions. But Auburn did not say who those players were or why the school was giving suspensions. When asked about Hunter’s status, Freeze and other Auburn officials have declined to comment, and stated that it was an internal matter. Hunter missed the opening days of preseason camp, but returned after the first weekend of August. There are still off-the-field unknowns, but on the field, it looks like Auburn will have Hunter and putting him in position to be one of the most productive players on the team. Hunter was Auburn’s third-leading rusher last season behind Tang Bigsby and Ashford. Bigsby is gone, and Ashford is going to have a smaller role. That leaves a starring role as a ball carrier for Hunter. He is widely regarded as one of Auburn’s best players and could be in line for a breakout on a national scale. He also has a deep pool of talent behind him. Sophomore Damari Alston has shined in fall camp with his speed and long runs. USF transfer Brian Battie may be Auburn’s best pass-catching running back. Freshman Jeremiah Cobb has been highly regarded for his potential by his teammates, but he could be in line for a possible redshirt give the other depth of the room. Auburn has options to run the ball. Is there a star like Bigsby? Unclear. Auburn hopes Hunter can be that. Offensive line In one of the more interesting position groups on the roster, Auburn’s first depth start shows Tulsa transfer Dillon Wade as the starting left tackle, junior Jeremiah Wright at left guard, East Carolina transfer Avery Jones at center, sixth-year Kam Stutts at right guard and Western Kentucky transfer Dillon Wade at right tackle. In an attempt to see the types of options it has barring injuries, offensive line coach Jake Thornton has tried different combos — including using Britton at all five positions and in one period of practice open to media, slotting junior college transfer Izavion Miller as a starting right tackle. Freeze said Miller has been too good in preseason camp to keep off the field. It would not be a shock to see multiple offensive line groups on the field against UMass, depending on the score of course. Throughout the preseason, offensive linemen have talked about a strong chemistry built in a group that has so many new faces — and three of them set to start come Saturday. But why did Auburn need so many new guys? The 2022 offensive line was, well, bad. Auburn expects the new group to “bring the juice.” What that means is the offensive line on paper is much more talented. Defensive tackle Justin Rogers said the pace of the offense and the ability for the offensive line to keep pace made play difficult for the defensive front. Without any games having been played, on paper only means so much. Tight end Another position, another transfer. FIU transfer Rivaldo Fairweather is Auburn’s clear cut top tight end. He has the body type of a tight end at 6-foot-4 251 pounds, but the skill set and athleticism of a wide receiver that is so valuable in a modern offense that wants to create big plays. Fairweather has dominated at times in Auburn practices, and he could pose a huge mismatch, especially over the middle of the field. Luke Deal is a team captain and also listed as a starter for Auburn. He isn’t the same pass-catching threat, but he is a clear leader for Auburn and a strong blocker While much of the preseason talk about the pass catchers as centered on the wide receivers, if there is a player to beg as a breakout figure for Auburn, Fairweather seems like a good bet. And he could be a top candidate for a breakout season. Okay, but speaking of those wide receivers. Wide receiver One theme has surrounded this group: Auburn may not have a star wide receiver, but it has a lot of them and plans to use them all. Auburn has five receivers listed as starters on the depth chart for three spots: Jyaire Shorter, Omari Kelly, Jay Fair, Ja’Varrius Johnson and Shane Hooks. And Auburn still expects contributions from backups like Caleb Burton, Nick Mardner, Koy Moore and Camden Brown. That is a lot of hands to make sure get their fair share. So this doesn’t look like likely to be the year Auburn breaks its drought of 1,000-yard wide receivers. If anyone is going to become the go-to guy, it is likely to be Hooks, who has had an impressive fall camp working on the outside. Fair and Kelly have also generated buzz during the preseason while other receivers like Johnson, Moore and Mardner deal with injuries. Johnson was Auburn’s leading receiver last year with fewer than 500 yards. Though Auburn is a program historically known for running the ball, a Freeze offensive is going to air it out. If Auburn’s leading receiver in 2023 has numbers like what Johnson had last year, it is because Auburn had spread the ball around so much. That would seem to be a positive because defenses can’t key in on one guy, but Auburn also doesn’t have much consistency at the position. Like the offensive line, because of transfers, this unit on paper looks to be much improved compared to a year ago. Shorter arrives from North Texas after leading the nation in yards per catch last season, Hooks comes from a high-energy Jackson State program under Deion Sanders, Burton comes from Ohio State and had some of the best high school tape Freeze said he had ever seen. Mardner comes to Auburn from Cincinnati. It has taken time for Freeze to mold the receivers. The group has generally practiced well other than the first scrimmage where lots of players were “loafing.” Freeze has stated multiple times that the whole group needs to do a better job of giving high effort every route they run, even if the ball isn’t coming their way. Can this group be what Freeze needs to make his run-pass-option scheme effective? We’ll see. We’ll see too who, if anyone, emerges from this group to help Thorne. Matt Cohen covers Auburn sports for AL.com. You can follow him on Twitter at @Matt_Cohen_ or email him at mcohen@al.com

that reminds me of "the electric kool-aid acid test". wolfe wrote about ken kesey and the merry pranksters. kesey wrote one flew over the cuckoo's nest.

and for the record i am the best looking sob on that list..........

i freely admit gummys make it easier to put up with you........grins.............what cha got now?

we appreciate you...............

thanx for stopping by folks. i will update when time allows.

i got some decent slee3p and did not want to get up. thanx salty

247sports.com Auburn opponent preview A look at the UMass defense Jason Caldwell 5–6 minutes Veteran defensive coordinator Don Brown is back for his second stint as the head coach at UMass and is looking to turn the program around after going 43-19 from 2004-2008 while leading the Minutemen to a pair of postseason appearances. A former coordinator at Michigan and Arizona, Brown is known for his somewhat unconventional fronts at times with his teams moving around and showing different looks. While it can allow big plays at times, it’s also something that can create negative plays and turnovers. That showed up last week in a 41-30 win over New Mexico State. Creating three turnovers and adding three sacks, the UMass defense did some big things on that side of the ball. They also allowed 20 first down, 210 yards rushing (5.7 ypc) and 248 yards passing and three touchdowns through the air. There will be some chances to make plays, but Auburn’s Hugh Freeze said it’s a game that is going to require his offense to be very good before the snap to make sure they are identifying the defense properly. “I think defensively they play as hard as any team in the country,” Freeze said. “And you combine that with Coach Brown's system, which is very chaotic and very hard to identify for your offensive front 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. And so they have our full attention. I mean, if you look at them defensively, obviously Don is pretty special. I mean, he's been one of the best at Michigan and Arizona and many other places. “But 48 jumps off the page at you, as does 1 and 7. They can play at any Power Five schools. Those guys are really, really good. And really again, chaotic in their defensive front when they're mixing it up with all their three-down and four-down. I think they're deeper than they have been and better in the secondary.” A defense that will show a three-man front, a four-man front, a five-man front and bring plenty of blitzes from linebackers and the secondary, UMass wants to pressure from start to finish. That means Auburn’s offensive line is going to need to be really good to handle what the Minutemen will bring on Saturday. That starts with a big defensive line led by sophomore Marcus Bradley. Playing the anchor position on the defense, the 6-3, 260 redshirt sophomore started 11 games last season and provides a punch up front. He’s joined in the starting lineup by 6-1, 310 senior Billy Wooden, 6-2, 295 Hugo Klages, and 6-2, 255 Louce Julien. Bradley had six tackles last week while Wooden added a sack. At linebacker, redshirt senior Jerry Roberts (6-1, 235) is a player that controls things in the middle for the UMass defense. A transfer from Arizona, he started 18 games in the last two years for the Wildcats and had 100 total tackles. A sixth-year senior, he played three seasons at Bowling Green before transferring to Arizona for the 2021 season. He’s joined in the starting lineup at linebacker by 6-3, 220 junior Gerrell Johnson and 6-2, 250 redshirt freshman Tyler Martin. Johnson and Martin combined for eight tackles last week for the UMass defense. Last season Johson made 54 total tackles in 12 games for the Minutemen. On the outside, junior cornerback Jordan Mahoney (6-0, 180) is coming off a strong 2022 when he had three interceptions, three forced fumbles and three fumble recoveries while adding 42 tackles. That was enough to put him on the Bronko Nagurski Award Watch List before the season. Penn State transfer safety Tyler Rudolph has been a big addition to the UMass defense after playing in all 12 games a season ago and finishing with 62 tackles. A 6-0, 210 junior, he led the team last week with eight tackles and also added a sack. Redshirt junior Isaiah Weatherford (6-1, 190) starts opposite Mahoney at corner while 6-0, 195 junior Te-Rai Powell rounds out the secondary for the Minutemen. Defensive depth chart: ANCHOR 1 MARCUS BRADLEY R-SO. 6-3 260 4 JB BROWN R-SR. 6-1 280 50 AQUAN ROBINSON R-SO. 6-4 245 DT 42 BILLY WOODEN SR. 6-1 310 44 AARON BECKWITH R-SO. 6-4 300 NT 99 HUGO KLAGES JR. 6-2 295 56 CLETUS MATHURIN SR. 6-1 305 49 SHAMBRE JACKSON R-SO. 6-3 275 DE 18 LOUCE JULIEN R-SO. 6-2 255 10 ZUKUDO IGWENAGU R-JR. 6-4 245 52 UCHENNA EZEWIKE R-SR. 6-2 250 MIKE 48 JERRY ROBERTS JR R-SR. 6-1 235 -OR- 23 JALEN STEWART JR. 6-0 225 WILL 22 GERRELL JOHNSON JR. 6-3 220 -OR- 9 MYLES TURNER R-SO. 6-1 235 -OR- 15 DERRIEON CRAIG SO. 5-10 205 SAM 5 TYLER MARTIN R-FR. 6-2 250 -OR- 40 DOMINIC SCHOFIELD R-SO. 6-2 230 30 DONOVAN DYSON FR. 6-1 225 VIPER 24 MICHAEL OPPONG R-JR. 6-0 195 -OR- 11 NAHJI LOGQN JR. 6-3 230 0 JALEN HARRELL R-SO. 6-2 210 CB 7 JORDAN MAHONEY JR. 6-0 180 8 TRISTAN ARMSTRONG JR. 5-11 190 33 DARIUS GOODEN R-JR. 6-2 205 CB 12 ISAIAH RUTHERFORD R-JR. 6-1 190 27 NOAH BOYKIN R-SR. 6-2 185 28 JERROD CAMERON R-FR. 5-10 160 SAFETY 21 TE'RAI POWELL JR. 6-0 195 14 DASHAUN JERKINS R-SR. 5-11 200 20 DORIAN HELM JR. 5-11 190 SAFETY 2 TYLER RUDOLPH R-JR. 6-0 210 19 JALON FERRELL R-SR. 6-2 205 6 JEREMIAH MCGILL R-FR. 5-11 185

al.com Nehemiah Prtichett not participating during open portion of Auburn practice Published: Aug. 29, 2023, 5:29 p.m. 2–3 minutes AUBURN, AL - August 12, 2023 - Auburn Defensive Back Nehemiah Pritchett (#1) during a fall camp scrimmage at Jordan-Hare Stadium in Auburn, AL. Photo By Austin PerrymanAuburn University Athletics Auburn cornerback Nehemiah Pritchett did not practice during a period of Auburn practice Tuesday open to the media. Pritchett was not wearing pads and stood off in the corner of the endzone in Auburn’s indoor practice facility while drills took place around him. His left ankle was wrapped. On Monday, Freeze listed Pritchett as questionable for Auburn’s game at 2:30 p.m. Saturday against UMass. “It wouldn’t shock me if all those went truthfully,” Freeze said while listing off the week’s injury report. “But it really wouldn’t shock me if a few didn’t make it either.” Freeze also noted QB Robby Ashford, CB J.D. Rhym, Jack Linebacker Jalen McLeod and WR Nick Mardner as questionable Monday, but all participated in practice. In fact, no Auburn players were wearing any sort of non-contact injury jersey, including Pritchett. During fall camp, players wore yellow pennies to signify their injury status. That includes wide receiver Koy Moore who had not been seen practicing throughout fall camp. Quarterback Robby Ashford threw during drills while dealing with a strained oblique, according to Freeze. Linebacker Austin Keys, who had been in the yellow jersey during fall camp, took part in drills. And while everyone other than Pritchett appeared to participate in practice, they had various injury wrappings while participating. Linebacker Wesley Steiner’s leg was heavily wrapped and wide receiver Camden Brown wore tape down his left leg. During the period open to practice, it wasn’t clear if anyone previously known to be dealing with an injury was limited relative to a fully healthy player. Matt Cohen covers Auburn sports for AL.com. You can follow him on Twitter at @Matt_Cohen_ or email him at mcohen@al.com

247sports.com What Freeze expects from QB Payton Thorne in Auburn debut Nathan King 6–8 minutes As much as Hugh Freeze would like to ease his new quarterback into things Saturday afternoon, he knows one of his old adversaries won’t let that happen. Though Auburn is facing UMass for the first time in program history, it’s the second straight season that Freeze will be taking on Don Brown. A longtime defensive coordinator at the Power Five level, Brown, a Massachusetts native, is in his second stint coaching the Minutemen, after he did so when the program was an FCS power in the mid-2000s. Freez’s Liberty team beat UMass 42-24 last season, but Freeze said it was some of the toughest points he’s ever scored in his career. Brown’s defenses are complex, and they’ll throw many different looks Payton Thorne’s way before the snap. Auburn trusts its veteran quarterback, sure. But Freeze doesn’t expect a cakewalk for Thorne in his debut with the Tigers. “Payton's going to have to take what they give, throw the passes and complete the ones that work against this scheme,” Freeze said. Formerly the defensive coordinator for a number of successful units at Michigan, Arizona, UConn, Boston College and Maryland, Brown does a “beautiful job” confusing opposing quarterbacks with high-level coverage schemes, Freeze said. Take UMass’ 41-30 win at New Mexico State last weekend for example — the program’s first road victory since 2018. Quarterback Diego Pavia threw three touchdowns but also had a pair of interceptions — including a pick-six against Brown’s signature trap coverage. Since the throw was across the field by Pavia to the opposite sideline, cornerback Isaiah Rutherford chose to break on the slot receiver, confident in the safety help behind him if the ball somehow floated all the way over multiple defenders to the sideline. Avoiding outside throws into coverage, even if there’s an apparent opening at the start of the play, will be key for Thorne. Even if it appears Thorne could make a one-on-one throw to his receiver toward the sideline, Freeze will be wary. “I've always felt I'd like to start a few games with some simple completions for (Thorne),” Freeze said. “This will be a little harder for him to do because of their trap coverage. You're a little nervous to work too much quick game off the bat — because they do a beautiful job, and they run it a little different than a lot of people. But they're in their trap coverage and they got a pick-six the other night; they got three turnovers, and all of them led to 21 points. One was a pick-six off of that trap coverage, and they did a nice job deceiving the quarterback. What I'd like to do is throw a little quick hitch every now and then, but they don't really give you that opportunity.” After starting 26 games at Michigan State and throwing 49 touchdowns, Thorne won the job at Auburn this preseason over incumbent starter Robby Ashford, whom Freeze mentioned has an oblique strain this week but will likely still play. After the Tigers had some consistency for a few seasons between Jarrett Stidham and Bo Nix, Thorne will now be the program’s third starting QB on opening day in as many years. “He's got an advantage that he's in grad school and he has a lot of time,” Freeze said. “It's important to him and he's constantly studying, and I sure hope that translates into his decision-making come Saturday now that we're not just running stuff against a defense that we don't really know what they're doing. Now you, honestly, get the game plan and say, 'Now Payton, I would expect you to see this and get it right.' And he takes great pride in that, so I think that's probably been the most impressive thing. He wants to have the mental part of the game plan totally down.” While the easy assumption might be that Auburn will keep things mostly on the ground against a complex passing defense — and in Thorne’s first game with what Freeze admitted is still a receiving corps in progress — don’t be surprised if the Tigers rack up some passing yardage Saturday. So much of Freeze’s and coordinator Philip Montgomery’s system is read-based, and that includes the quarterback making a decision on whether to hand the ball off, or fire a quick pass — more simply referred to as a run-pass option. The primary reason Thorne won Auburn’s quarterback competition was because of his consistency in making the right reads during preseason camp. In that sense, Freeze doesn’t necessarily care where the yards come from. If Thorne notices an extra defender at the line of scrimmage, he might pull the ball out and zip a quick slant. If the front seven is loose, he’ll place it in the belly of a running back. As long as the read is correct, Freeze will be satisfied with the Tigers on offense. That could mean a 300-yard rushing day for Auburn, or it could mean Thorne gets to hit receiver after receiver in stride because UMass is cautious of the Tigers’ talented running game. “I may come in here after a game and you guys say, ‘Man, coach, you only rushed for 90 yards but you threw for 400,’” Freeze said. “To me, I want to know what the average per carry was, if that makes sense. Because you don't know it, but probably 15 of those passes were runs. But the defense had an extra hat, so I don't think that's real smart football to constantly run into an extra guy in the box. I count those as kind of rushing yards. You have to be a threat to run the ball; you can't be one-dimensional and you have to be balanced. Balanced doesn't always show on the stat sheet to me, but it does when I go look and say OK, these 10 runs, we threw for 100 yards on them.” Kickoff inside Jordan-Hare Stadium is set for 2:30 p.m. CST (ESPN). Thorne said last week he’s yet to look ahead to any big-name opponents that come with being the Auburn quarterback, simply because his anticipation for his first game in the orange and blue has been so high all offseason. “I think he’s done a really good job stepping up as a leader and just being really vocal out there,” offensive guard Kam Stutts said. ‘And encouraging people and just being one of those voices in our head whenever it’s a 130-degree heat index out there. Just keeping us pushing and going hard.” *** 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 ***

Auburn vs UMass Game Preview © John Reed-USA TODAY Sports Auburn vs UMass Prediction How To Watch Date: Saturday, September 2 Game Time: 3:30 ET Venue: Jordan-Hare Stadium, Auburn, AL How To Watch: ESPN 2022 Record: UMass (1-11), Auburn (5-7) - UMass 2023 Team Preview - Auburn 2023 Team Preview Why UMass Will Win The offensive line should be able to push the Tigers a wee bit. It’s potentially the team’s biggest strength with experience and depth across the board for a running game with the potential to make a big improvement. The defense under head coach Don Brown showed a few nice signs last year - especially in the secondary - and has enough talent to make Auburn work a bit. Auburn is just getting going under new head coach Hugh Freeze and might not be sharp out of the gate, UMass will have a game against New Mexico State under its belt, but … - CFN Preview 2023: 133 Team Previews Why Auburn Will Win Against UMass, Auburn might look like it’s in midseason form. The Minutemen have a long way to go for the passing game to be merely functional, scoring points was like pulling teeth - averaging just 12.5 per game - and Auburn will be looking to make a big splash right away. Winning this might not seem like it’s that big a deal, but with the new coaches, the new energy, ALL the new transfers - at least 12 could end up starting - and a slew of key freshmen, there’s work to do. Even if/when Auburn gets up early, it should keep on rolling to use this as a glorified scrimmage. This appears to be a team hungry to show what it can do. - Week 1 Experts Picks Auburn vs UMass Who Will Win Liberty didn’t come out roaring to start seasons under Freeze, and UMass won’t just be a speed bump. Again, the defense should be okay - especially compared to previous seasons - and the upgrade at quarterback with Taisun Phommachanh along with a few decent receivers - will make the attack look night-and-day more competent, and it won’t matter. After the struggles of last year, Auburn will look like Auburn again.

auburnwire.usatoday.com Luke Deal is excited about Auburn running the ball JD McCarthy ~3 minutes Auburn’s running backs have had a great offseason and are expected to be a strength of the offense, however, their success has some wondering if they are that good or if Auburn’s run defense needs improvement. “We’ll find out more Saturday.” Hugh Freeze said Monday. Are we effective running the football kind of team against other opponents or has our defense made us look that good? I think when you start getting into a game week and start game planning and you figure out that this is what we’re going to try to do, hopefully we’ll be in the right spots and play well on both sides. That’s the hope.” Buy Tigers Tickets Senior tight end luke deal is confident that Auburn’s running backs are just that good and that Auburn will have success running the ball this year. “I think our running game is really good. I think you guys have seen it, even in the past. There are some familiar names in that running back room who have done some really great things at Auburn so far. Jarquez (Hunter) is an incredible back, that entire room, Damari (Alston), Sean (Jackson), even Jeremiah (Cobb), a young guy coming up, (Brian) Battie all those guys are really really good players. “We’ve got such a talented room that I would lean on the side that we have a really good run game and we’ve seen production in the past. I’m excited to see how that works out against another defense.” “Hopefully, our defense stops that run too against UMass.” Auburn’s five running backs each bring something different but together they give Auburn a deep and talented rotation that should be able to keep all of them fresh during the game. They are also set to benefit from Auburn’s reworked offensive line, which has three transfers set to start. UMass has already played one game on the season, a 41-30 win over New Mexico State, and struggled to stop the run. The Minutemen allowed 222 yards and one touchdown on the ground as the Aggies rushed for 5.8 yards per carry. Auburn will look to enjoy similar success when they face UMass on Saturday in Jordan-Hare Stadium. The game is set to start at 2:30 p.m. CT and will be on ESPN. Contact/Follow us @TheAuburnWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Auburn news, notes, and opinions. You can also follow JD on Twitter @jdmccarthy15.

yahoo.com So far, Auburn QB Payton Thorne a good fit for the Tigers after leaving Michigan State JOHN ZENORTue, August 29, 2023 at 1:00 PM CDT·4 min read3Link Copied 4–5 minutes AUBURN, Ala. (AP) — Payton Thorne is adapting well to life in the South and to the Auburn offense. The graduate transfer from Michigan State has quickly settled in as Hugh Freeze’s starting quarterback in a region his family formerly passed through only on the way to the Florida beaches. “I love it down here,” Thorne said. “This is my kind of place, my kind of people down here. Everyone’s been very welcoming and just good people. People are just nicer down here.” Maybe it’s Southern hospitality. It might also have something to do with Thorne providing renewed hope for an offense that was often pedestrian and inconsistent in recent seasons ,especially in the passing game. Thorne gets his crack at turning around the program’s recent struggles at quarterback and helping to hasten Freeze’s rebuilding timeline starting Saturday in the opener against UMass (1-0). Freeze has also imported new transfer receivers and offensive linemen to surround Thorne with a better supporting cast. A two-year team captain at Michigan State, Thorne beat out incumbent starter Robby Ashford in preseason camp despite not arriving until after spring. Ashford's status for the opener is uncertain with an oblique strain. Freeze has praised Thorne's leadership, understanding of the offense and “his attention to every little thing.” “He wants to have the mental part of the game plan totally down,” Freeze said. None of that comes as a surprise to Will Hewlett, Thorne’s personal quarterback coach. “I get to work with a lot of great quarterbacks,” said Hewlett, who is with QB Collective of Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida. “I’ve been around a lot of really talented young men. He is arguably one of the best leaders I’ve ever been around.” Thorne spent several days in Florida during the summer, and Hewlett put him into a session that included NFL quarterbacks like Brock Purdy, Kyle Trask, Malik Willis and No. 4 draft pick Anthony Richardson. He fit right in, Hewlett said. “He’s not Anthony Richardson in terms of his physical presence, but would you have guessed he wasn’t a pro? No,” Hewlett said. “He can make all the throws you’re going to need to make in the NFL. He’s also probably underrated as an athlete in terms of his ability to move around and make things happen.” Thorne passed for 6,494 yards and 49 touchdowns over 26 starts at Michigan State. He left following a spring when coach Mel Tucker had made it clear the starting job was up for grabs. Thorne declined to discuss “anything that happened at Michigan State.” But he said it was a whirlwind. “If you would’ve asked me a week before I committed or a week before I got in the portal if I was transferring I would’ve been like, ‘I don’t know what you’re talking about,’” Thorne said. “But there was a few things that happened in the past of the whole offseason. But then when I entered the portal, talking with Coach Freeze, talking with the coaches here, I thought it was a no-brainer to come here and I thought it was a great opportunity.” He and his father, Jeff Thorne, a college coach, spent some nine hours in Auburn studying the offense and watching film before committing. Upon his arrival, Thorne kept sheets of paper handy with head shots, names and other details of those within the program. to help him get names down. Thorne is no stranger to starting for a Power Five team. Nor does he seem to lack the confidence to handle the pressures of life as an SEC quarterback, facing the likes of No. 4 Alabama, No. 5 LSU and No. 1 Georgia. “If you’re going to be a quarterback in this league, you have to be confident,” Auburn tight end Luke Deal said. "I think his confidence has definitely helped him out, and his leadership ability. “I think that’s been a huge part of his success and why he’s kind of in that role now. So we’re ready to follow him and you always need a quarterback who’s got a little swagger in him and we’ve got a room that’s got plenty of that.” ____

yahoo.com Luke Deal is excited about Auburn running the ball JD McCarthyTue, August 29, 2023 at 1:00 PM CDT·2 min read0Link Copied ~3 minutes Auburn’s running backs have had a great offseason and are expected to be a strength of the offense, however, their success has some wondering if they are that good or if Auburn’s run defense needs improvement. “We’ll find out more Saturday.” Hugh Freeze said Monday. Are we effective running the football kind of team against other opponents or has our defense made us look that good? I think when you start getting into a game week and start game planning and you figure out that this is what we’re going to try to do, hopefully we’ll be in the right spots and play well on both sides. That’s the hope.” Senior tight end luke deal is confident that Auburn’s running backs are just that good and that Auburn will have success running the ball this year. “I think our running game is really good. I think you guys have seen it, even in the past. There are some familiar names in that running back room who have done some really great things at Auburn so far. Jarquez (Hunter) is an incredible back, that entire room, Damari (Alston), Sean (Jackson), even Jeremiah (Cobb), a young guy coming up, (Brian) Battie all those guys are really really good players. “We’ve got such a talented room that I would lean on the side that we have a really good run game and we’ve seen production in the past. I’m excited to see how that works out against another defense.” “Hopefully, our defense stops that run too against UMass.” Auburn’s five running backs each bring something different but together they give Auburn a deep and talented rotation that should be able to keep all of them fresh during the game. They are also set to benefit from Auburn’s reworked offensive line, which has three transfers set to start. UMass has already played one game on the season, a 41-30 win over New Mexico State, and struggled to stop the run. The Minutemen allowed 222 yards and one touchdown on the ground as the Aggies rushed for 5.8 yards per carry. Auburn will look to enjoy similar success when they face UMass on Saturday in Jordan-Hare Stadium. The game is set to start at 2:30 p.m. CT and will be on ESPN. Contact/Follow us @TheAuburnWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Auburn news, notes, and opinions. You can also follow JD on Twitter @jdmccarthy15. Story originally appeared on Auburn Wire