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247sports.com Auburn commitment analysis What the Tigers are getting in Dimitry Nicolas Jason Caldwell 2–3 minutes VIDEO: 4-star Safety Zaquan Patterson nearing decision | College Football Recruiting Show It only took one trip for Dimitry Nicolas to know where he wanted to be. The big defensive lineman announced his commitment to Auburn on Friday, choosing the Tigers over Florida, Miami and Pittsburgh. “It’s Auburn,” Nicolas told Auburn Undercover. “It’s just the connection with the coaches and the family feel. They can help my career and develop me into who I want to be in life.” Profiling as an interior defensive lineman and potentially even a nose tackle one day, Nicolas is currently listed at 6-foot-4 and 295 pounds. He’s ranked in the industry-generated 247Sports Composite as a 3-star the No. 545 player, No. 54 defensive lineman and No. 74 player from Florida. 247Sports ranks Nicolas as the No. 45 defensive lineman and No. 72 player from Florida. Defensive line coach Jeremy Garrett was a crucial part of his recruitment. “You know he’s a cool guy. It’s about more than just football with him,” Nicolas said. From Norland (Fla.), Nicolas took his first visit up to Auburn for Big Cat Weekend and left impressed. Since then, Auburn continued to recruit him and opted to take his commitment on Friday. It was shortly after Big Cat Weekend when Nicolas knew he wanted to be on the Plains. “Like the next few days after I knew,” Nicolas said. For Auburn’s 2024 class, Garrett now holds commitments from Nicolas, Composite 4-star Malik Blocton and Composite 4-star TJ Lindsey. Lindsey projects as more of a defensive end, while Blocton can shift around and primarily play the 3-tech, with Nicolas as the interior option. “They want me to fit in the nose guard to tackle position,” Nicolas said. “So the one-, two- and three-tech.” Auburn’s class remains at No. 14 in the 247Sports team recruiting rankings, now with 17 total commitments. His message to the fans? Simple. “War Eagle,” Nicolas said.

Phillip's Saturday morning musings Bouncing around the Auburn beat and beyond Assumptions about season-opener can be dangerous Regardless of the opponent, regardless of the talent difference, assuming anything about what will happen when Auburn begins the Hugh Freeze era against UMass on Saturday is dangerous business. In 1999, there was lots of excitement as Tommy Tuberville headed toward his first Auburn game. FCS foe Appalachian State wasn’t given much if any chance. Appalachian State didn’t get the message, leading 12-7 at halftime and 15-7 with 10 minutes left in the third quarter. Auburn tied it at 15 near the two-minute mark of the third quarter on a touchdown and two-point conversion. Rob Bironas missed a 32-yard field goal try that would have given Auburn the lead with 10:11 left in the game. With Auburn facing third-and-13 at its own 22 inside the three-minute mark, it seemed the game was headed for overtime. As Leard stood up to call the signals, the ball was snapped. He wasn’t looking. The ball was snapped. As the ball bounced inside the 5-yard line, Appalachian’s defense was closing in. Travaris Robinson, who would become an All-SEC safety, was a freshman wide receiver. He saw it all unfold and raced toward the ball. He got there just in time to recover at the 4. After an exchange of punts, Auburn quarterback Ben Leard led a 77-yard drive and hit Ronney Daniels with a game-winning 33-yard touchdown pass with 38 seconds left in the game. It’s not just in season-openers that trouble can come. In 1991, Auburn had to kick a last-second field goal to beat Southwest Louisiana 25-24. In 1990, Auburn had to kick a field goal in the final seconds to beat Louisiana Tech, playing its first season in Division I-A, 16-14. In 1996, Auburn had to have a goal-line stand and a late 6-yard touchdown run by Kevin McLeod in the final two minutes to escape Northeast Louisiana 28-24. In 2017, the same Auburn team that would knock off Alabama and Georgia and win the West, lost four fumbles and had to score late to put away Mercer 24-14. Need I remind anyone of the 2015 team having to go to overtime to beat Jacksonville State? The moral of the story: Auburn will almost certainly beat UMass on Saturday, but it might not be a thing of beauty. New-look Auburn football team No one will know for certain until we see who takes the field, but it’s safe to say an unprecedented number of starters will play their first Auburn football game on Saturday. It is going to be fascinating to see what happens next Saturday and beyond. The end of a college football era With the start of the season today, college football will begin the march toward the end of an era. So much of what caused so many to fall in love with the sport will vanish after this season. Conference – most of them – will have no geographic roots. The Big Ten and, maybe, soon the ACC will have teams that are thousands of miles apart. Cherished rivalries will vanish. Twelve teams will qualify for the College Football Playoff after the 2024 season. Conference championships will lose much of their importance, just as they have in sports like basketball, baseball and softball. Where does it all end? I don’t believe anyone really knows. Maybe we will look back and say college football better and maybe will look back and say it destroyed the fabric of the game. One thing is certain: It is going to be different than it has ever been. Documentary or hype video? A “documentary” on Florida football under Urban Meyer that doesn’t touch on the Florida football pipeline to the local lockup or Meyer’s “health” problems or the Aaron Hernandez saga or defending the indefensible is not a documentary at all. It’s a hype video and nothing more. Clock rules changes Three clock rules changes are going to have some impact on games, starting Saturday. The most significant change is not stopping the clock on first downs other than in the last two minutes of each half. That’s just another step toward becoming NFL lite. Don’t buy the notion that it’s about safety. It’s about trying to get games in a three-hour window for TV. I don’t like changing the rules based on how much time is left in games. Never have. Teams can no longer call consecutive timeouts before a play is run, meaning no more multiple timeouts to ice kickers. I like that change. Instead of running untimed downs after penalties at the ends of quarters, the next play will be run in the following quarter. I really don’t believe that one is going to have much impact beyond taking a handful of plays out of some games. If football is so incredibly dangerous that there must be searches for ways to reduce the number of plays, maybe they should just go to 12-minute quarters. That would certainly do the trick. Other than most people would hate it, the reason something like that won’t be considered is that it would reduce the number of advertising spots available. Can’t have that. Texas, Texas, more Texas I do not understand the fascination with Texas. It didn’t just start this year. It has been most every year. For more than a decade, the Longhorns have been mediocre at best. I heard the dreaded “it’s good for college football” about Texas the other day. It seems to me college football has done just fine with Texas floundering around. Former coaches want no part of the new ways I have talked to a handful of retired football coaches this week. Us old folks like to chat. All expressed similar sentiments. They are glad they don’t have to deal with the craziness in today’s college game. All also agreed that penalty-free transfers are a bigger problem than NIL. Big Ten does gamblers a favor The Big Ten will institute injury reports this season. That has nothing to do with keeping the fans informed and everything to do with keeping the gamblers informed. I understand gambling is widespread, but I don’t believe college football conferences should get into that act in any way. If somebody loses a bet because of not knowing if a player was available, too bad. That should not be a concern of any conference. The Big Ten release says the rule is meant to help prevent players and staff from engaging in prohibited sports gambling. I’m not sure I get that. Players – all of them – know the rules. If they choose to break those rules, that and the resulting punishment is on them. They should not need any “help.”

247sports.com Quotes of note from 24 Auburn players this preseason Nathan King 17–21 minutes In total, 24 Auburn players spoke to reporters this preseason With the Tigers set to conduct a walkthrough practice in Jordan-Hare Stadium on Saturday, the team will conclude its final weekend before the season officially starts Sunday with game week and preparations for the opener against UMass (2:30 p.m. CST, ESPN). And over the course of the preseason, 24 players spoke to reporters about their progress during camp, how newcomers are performing, the quarterback competition, their new coaches and more. In position order, here's one standout comment from each from the past month of practice. QB PAYTON THORNE On leaving Michigan State: “It was a quick thing that happened. If you had asked me a week before I committed or a week before I got in the portal if I was transferring, I would have been like, ‘What are you talking about?’ There were a few things that happened — way in the past in the whole offseason. When I entered the portal, talking to Coach Freeze and the coaches here, I thought it was a no-brainer to come here.” ‌ RB DAMARI ALSTON On taking the next step in his sophomore season: “In the offseason I was like, ‘I’ve just got to be different. If I want to get to the goals that I’m trying to achieve, I literally have to be different. I have to do things that other people aren’t doing at specific times. I have to take the next step. I’m doing what’s required, but I’m also going to do a little bit more. You’re going to see me, most of the times I’m the last one off the field. That’s just how I roll. I’ve got to be different.”’ ‌ WR CAMDEN BROWN On his goals at Auburn: “My goal is definitely to win a championship — even if I don't win it this year, I've got to win one before I get out of here. I've always been a winner at St. Thomas (Aquinas), and I won two state championships. My other goal is to beat Bama. I've got to beat Dallas Turner (Brown's high-school teammate) for sure. That's my boy, but I've got to beat him. Just being a champion, for sure. Getting 1,000 yards will come with the Lord himself, so I don't want to make that a goal. I feel like that's just going to happen.” ‌ WR JAY FAIR On his improvements this offseason: "I feel like I used to struggle with leadership early on, but I feel like I just got more comfortable with the hard work I put in just to kind of accept that role and realize that I'm not the same guy I was last year. I got a year under my belt. A couple of experiences. I've been through adversity, so I kind of see a lot more than before, so I just feel like that confidence just kind of came within the hard work that I put in and the guys around me that believed me." ‌ WR MALCOLM JOHNSON JR. On relationship with Marcus Davis: "I would say that Coach Davis is somebody that we can all relate to. He's been in our shoes before. He's also a great leader, and he preaches a lot of things I care about like religion and God. He always open up with a Bible verse with each meeting. I think that's something that really stands out. He also takes it upon himself to make each and every one of us better than we were before." ‌ TE TYLER FROMM On entering fifth season at Auburn: "I've pretty much transferred three times but stayed in the same place. I'll tell you what: I think it was in January or February, after being in the new facility, it didn't even feel like Auburn. Once we got here I was like, this is incredible. It didn't feel like the same place I got recruited to and when I first got here. I took a walk through the old facility and took in the old memories of being over there. It's only been four years but still, it feels like it's totally different than what it is now." ‌ OT DILLON WADE On his progression since transferring to Auburn: “The summer, I was a little raw. I tried to play with athleticism. Now, in fall camp, we’re focusing more on technique. My technique has definitely improved. Learning how to stay lateral and square. Coach Thornton is doing a good job teaching us all to stay square and not give up our edge. And just play football.” ‌ OL GUNNER BRITTON On his development in the strength program: "Going into the season I was around 301 or 302. Today I weighed 312 and that’s through camp. I actually gained a pound from yesterday. I have gotten up about 10 more pounds, but the biggest thing is transforming my body going into the year and trying to cut down on my fat. That’s just a credit to our strength staff and our nutritionist. They do a great job. I have never had a group so supportive of me as a player. Trying to individualize as much as they can to every player and having every player’s needs met." ‌ OL JALIL IRVIN On gelling with newcomers on the offensive line: "I think it’s helped us mature. We know how to communicate. We all have that sense of urgency to just do the right thing. We have the sense of urgency to get the job done. Come the first game we’ve got to be ready to go. Once you get to SEC play, I mean, shoot, everyone’s gotta be ready to play. I think that’s the biggest thing. We know how to gel together. We’ve done things outside the facility. I think that’s a big thing too, just being together on and off the field. That’s the biggest thing." ‌ C AVERY JONES On offensive line depth: "It’s real important because you never know what’s going to happen in a long season, especially in the SEC. A guy could go down at any point. I think it’s just important that guys can play different positions. Guys can come off the bench and have that same intensity. That same knowing what to do if one of the starting guys comes down." ‌ OG TATE JOHNSON On infusion of experience from transfer offensive linemen: "The thing about the older guys is they know how grueling a football season can be, especially at this level. What I really pick up from a lot of these older guys is how well they take care of their bodies. You can come into practice every day and practice and then leave and go lay down in the lounge locker room for three hours until the next meeting but you're going to feel like crap the next day. Just getting done with practice, going to eat, going to the training room for an hour and a half. Really taking care of your body, that's what all these older guys understand is very important." ‌ NT JAYSON JONES On his improvements in Year 2 at Auburn: "I have started to realize my weaknesses. Me and (Jeremy) Garrett sat down and talked about my weaknesses and stuff I wanted to improve on. Each and every day, I want to find something that I have a weakness at and improve on it. I think pad level was the biggest thing for me. I’m 6-6 and touching 6-7, but I’m 6-8 with cleats on. Not a lot of D-linemen are my size with cleats on. That was one of the struggles for me and I’m still fighting that now." ‌ NT JUSTIN ROGERS On competing with Jones: "It's like a brotherhood, you know? We're going to keep pushing each other. I don't even look at it as who gets the starting job. It's, like, who can out-work each other while we're doing the drill? So I look at stuff like that and we're just going to keep pushing and I'm just (going to) keep pushing him. And he's teaching me stuff I'm using, (and) I teach him stuff he can use." ‌ DT MARCUS HARRIS On bringing in so many newcomers on defense: "That was the most difficult part just getting to know people and just genuinely getting to know their stories. Because if you know everybody’s story, you’ll know why they play the game, you’ll know why they play so hard. That’s the most difficult part, just trying to get to know everybody on a personal level before you get out on the field and play with them. It’s been getting better over the summer and then especially during fall camp you have so much time to get to know each other. All the new transfers we had, they’re open to talk to us and express themselves — that’s made it very easy for us." ‌ JACK JALEN MCLEOD On transfer to Auburn: “Me and my mom prayed so many times. My momma gets real nervous. So we prayed. The second thing — I had to see through everything. I'm older; I'm not a high-schooler. They tell high-schoolers certain things. I knew when I came to Auburn, they were telling the truth. And it's still the same. It feels like recruitment every day. They talk to you, they make sure they text me. They make sure I'm good, they make sure my family's good. It's love here.” ‌ LB CAM RILEY On his role this season: "You all have heard about me bouncing from outside to inside. It'll be a big role for me this season, coming into my senior year. Playing the Sam position to the inside, that elevates my game and gives me some bounce-around to both positions. You all should see me on the edge this year." LB AUSTIN KEYS On his improvements since the spring: "I'd say I got better with my hands and definitely vision. Some things I didn't just catch and helped me. Studying. Studying took me a long way, you know. I've gotten my playbook more so that helped me too." LB WESLEY STEINER On Eugene Asante's growth: "Fast and emphatic. He was that way last year, especially in the spring game if anyone watched. That’s just how he kind of is. He has his own personality. I think it’s good that he can show his personality the way he best shows it on the field. That’s being very expressive. I’m proud to have a player like that on the team." ‌ DB KEIONTE SCOTT On role as recruiter this offseason: "I just feel like at the end of the day just how I was raised, was to leave stuff better than you found it. So I feel like if I can talk to a recruit and be able to recruit for us, I want to win. I want to see Auburn win and win for a long time after me. Just being able to get around some of those guys and just telling them from my experience. Not trying to sell them a dream or anything but just tell them how I feel like Auburn can help them and Auburn helped me. Once I’m able to tell them that and they go talk to the coaches, and the coaches are telling them the same thing and it’s like, ‘OK, I’ve heard it from a player and I’ve heard it from a coach.’" ‌ CB D.J. JAMES On goals of being an All-American this season: "Just seeing different routes, different players, different receivers. I hadn't seen a lot or played a lot of football. So I feel like that plays a factor in just my performance and how fast I play. And just also learning the game as well. Just being with the coaches more, being in the field room studying formations, just knowing what's coming before it comes." ‌ CB NEHEMIAH PRITCHETT On why he returned for another year at Auburn: "I felt like (Hugh Freeze) was building something different. Now that I have been here with him building this program, it is headed in the right direction. That’s one of the main reasons I came back." ‌ S JAYLIN SIMPSON On his experience entering 2023: "I don't really know anybody else's confidence on defense, but I feel like I have the best confidence, so when I step on the field, I feel like I'm confident in every call I can make, every check, I can do everything, anything. I feel like I'm a dangerous person when I step on the field." S ZION PUCKETT On relationship with Simpson at Safety: "We've been here, this is our fifth year. Just having that relationship with him off the field helps you on the field. Like, when you closer to somebody and bonding you can kind of connect with them on the field." P OSCAR CHAPMAN On kicker Alex McPherson: "He’s just excelled. He’s just kicking bombs and he’s consistent and he’s having fun. He’s relaxed, but he gets the job done. There’s still a little bit to improve because he’s still a freshman – a redshirt freshman – but he’s got everything for him. He’s just got to show everyone this year having a full year."

247sports.com For rising Auburn linebacker Eugene Asante its work time all the time Nathan King 10–13 minutes Eugene Asante admits his new catchphrase — impossible not to recognize within Auburn’s walls — wasn’t his idea. But he at least put his own spin on it. Auburn’s fifth-year senior linebacker doesn’t have a ton of time to play video games, but he enjoys unwinding by watching Madden gameplay streams. One of his favorite professional gamers often hypes himself up with the words so commonly shouted by Asante this preseason: “Let’s work!” The first time Asante tested it out with his teammates was over the summer, during a workout session with first-year Auburn strength coach Dominic Studzinski. He and the Tigers’ strength staff stopped the workout and said the energy was lacking. Asante saw the opportunity. “So I just started yelling, ‘Work time! Let’s work!’” Asante said with a laugh. “And that’s while we’re doing sprints and lifting weights. And I started seeing guys be like, 'OK, we like this.' And it just went from there.” It’s now become a staple of Auburn practices. Throughout the Tigers’ first preseason camp of the Hugh Freeze era, Asante — who entered August mostly as an off-the-radar contributor for the Auburn defense — made his name known with massive strides on the practice field, rising through a linebacking corps blended with first-year transfers and returnees. A transfer himself last year, Asante may very well have played his way into a starting role when Auburn begins its 2023 campaign Saturday against UMass (2:30 p.m. CST, ESPN). And he’s also made himself known in the hallways of Auburn’s $92 million facility, where “work time” can be heard all the way from the locker room, among the clattering of helmets and equipment before and after practice. “Now every time I walk in that building, I promise you, someone greets me with, ‘Let’s work,’” Asante said in an interview with Auburn Undercover. “It gravitates to Auburn, too, so that’s why I really like it. ‘Work, hard work’ is in the creed. Auburn is built on hard-working people.” Asante rode a bike, handed out pencils and preached 'academic excellence' to students on the first day of classes (@AuburnFootball on Twitter) Asante has become such a popular character on this year’s team that he made the trek over to Auburn’s main concourse on the first day of fall semester classes two weeks ago. He suited up in his full uniform and did his best to fire up students on their way to class, asked if anyone needed a pencil, if laptops were charged and, of course, declared “work time.” Surely Asante volunteered? Nope. Who else would Auburn’s ask to energize students on the first day of class than the man behind “work time.” “They came to me, actually, and thought that would be a good idea,” Asante said with a laugh. “I guess I understand why.” *** As Asante began playing football at a young age, he didn’t need to look far to find inspiration. By the time Asante was 10 years old, his older brother, Larry Asante, was an All-Big 12 safety at Nebraska. Eugene remembers being awestruck hearing his brother’s name on TV — from the college level to the pros, where Larry was drafted in the fifth round in 2010. Retiring from the NFL in 2015, Larry Asante is now an assistant coach at Coffeyville (Kansas) Community College. But Eugene’s deepest inspiration — as a player and as a man — always came from his father. After dealing with health complications throughout Asante’s life, he passed away last February. “It’s crazy you interviewed me today,” Asante said last Monday. Why was that? “Today would have been his 71st birthday,” said Asante, who credits his father’s example for the enthusiasm and passion he displays at Auburn. "The energy I play with is trying to embody the strength and resilience my dad displayed,” Asante said. “I live to honor him in all things as a person and player.” A former 4-star recruit from Alexandria, Virginia, Asante joined the Tigers last offseason with 22 games of experience in the ACC, including five starts, as Auburn looked to replace both its leading tacklers: Zakoby McClain and Chandler Wooten. But just a month after Asante arrived at Auburn last year — transferring after three years at North Carolina — he missed two weeks of spring practice to be with his family. Tacking onto the already challenging task of getting up to speed with the Tigers’ defense after missing time in spring ball, Asante was also nagged by an offseason injury. He ended up appearing in only four games last year, all on special teams. “He had a tough year,” first-year linebackers coach Josh Aldridge said this preseason. “I think he's just cleared his head. … He's just really caught on. He's a joy to coach. I love coaching him. He's a fun kid.” Asante is appreciative of Freeze and Auburn’s new coaching staff for giving him and other players a clean slate to prove themselves. It took a toll, he admitted, going to practice every day and knowing there were slim chances, if any, that he’d contribute at all for Auburn’s defense last year. “When you have a new coach come in, there’s new opportunities for everybody,” Asante said. “I’m not going to speak on the past and what (Bryan) Harsin did, but certain coaches sometimes say there will be opportunities for players, then there’s not. Just truthfully, that’s me being honest. They’re going to go with who they’re going to go with. “You have to have some mental fortitude when you go out and practice every day and know that there may not be an opportunity for you, regardless of how well you practice.” Asante started his personal rebuilding process at Auburn early this offseason, attempting to absorb as much about the new defensive scheme as possible. From winter workouts, spring practice, summer workouts and preseason camp, he wanted to learn the systematic goals for both defensive coordinator Ron Roberts and Aldridge — what they want out of Auburn’s linebackers on a play-to-play basis. “The biggest thing that allowed me to grow was just getting familiarity with the system and my teammates,” Asante said. “Every day I just try to increase my learning and my thought process with the system. I’m trying to learn situations that my defensive coordinator and linebacker coach call, why they’re calling them. I’m still trying to improve; that’s an ongoing process always, just being a football player and trying to be more cerebral.” While playing catch-up most of last year, Asante admitted he was “relying on my athleticism” too much and not developing a deep enough understanding of the defensive system and playbook. But this preseason, it was Asante’s cerebral approach that elevated him not only in the linebacker room, but as one of the standout performers on Auburn’s defense overall. “I thought he did a good job of understanding the defense more,” Roberts said of Asante. “And that’s put him in a spot — right now he’s in a spot to go compete for a job, a starting job.” It’s a different feeling, Asante said, not only for him, but the entire roster. “They’re going to put whoever out there,” Asante said of the Tigers’ new coaches. “If there’s a walk-on doing well, they’ll play him if he’s doing what the coaches ask. Coach Freeze is truly a man of his word, and that’s why a lot of guys have bought in — they see that with their own two eyes.” *** Roberts declared Auburn will have a “linebacker-driven defense” in 2023. And Asante could very well be one of the Tigers put behind that steering wheel most often. “When I first got here I came in here and I got asked what are we looking for in a linebacker,” Aldridge said. “The word I used was dynamic. That’s what (Asante) brings. He’s not a one-trick pony. He can run, he’s physical, he’s smart. All those things.” Cam Riley and Wesley Steiner both return after starting the majority of last season, but Aldridge was sure to mine the portal for even more experience and pieces for what he hopes is deep rotation. Auburn brought in Austin Keys from Ole Miss, who started nine games in the SEC last season, and Larry Nixon III from North Texas, who had 105 tackles as an All-Conference USA performer. Riley said while meeting with reporters last week that most players in the room have been versatile, repping at both the middle and weakside linebacker spots this preseason. At 6-foot-5, Riley could play more snaps than anyone, Aldridge said, in a bit of a hybrid role, flexing between mike, will and jack linebacker. Keys has been out for a couple weeks with a shoulder injury but is the probable starter for Auburn at middle linebacker. Nixon can play both spots in the box. Asante’s emergence has primarily been centered around his contributions on the weak side. A couple weeks into preseason camp, he began commanding a large chunk of first-team reps. This offseason, Asante has surged from special teams contributor to potential starter at linebacker (Austin Perryman / Auburn Athletics) “From what he’s been putting on tape — and you all have probably seen it, too — it looks like he’s played a whole season,” Riley said. Asante is fine with the linebackers being under the microscope by Roberts and Auburn’s defensive staff heading into the season. Expectations should be always high for that group, he thinks. “Playing linebacker nowadays, in my opinion, you have to be the spark plug of the defense,” Asante said. “You have to get everything going and get guys aligned, sure. But guys have to be able to look you in the eyes and know you’re ready to go to war. You’re the guy that has to rally the troops. I want other guys to be confident in their work and preparation.” And when the Tigers are on the field with Asante, that confidence is certainly infectious — just as he had hoped when he began to copy his favorite Madden streamer. Bring up Asante’s name, and any of his teammates immediately start to smile and nod. “'Let's work,’” pass-rusher Jalen McLeod jokingly yelled. “That's his saying right there. He's fast; he's sideline-to-sideline, too. He's about my size, and he's explosive. He brings that juice every time.” Does it ever get tiring? “Sometimes,” Asante chuckled. But he’s vowed to never let it show. His coaches and teammates have now grown to trust that Asante will always light that fuse, and he doesn’t want to let them down. “If I’m bringing the energy and the juice, I’ve realized it’s like a domino effect,” Asante said. “Everybody’s game is being elevated. It’s such a big thing. Asante finds that his responsibilities as an Auburn football player are now reflective of his own life. After change and heartbreak, he endured with patience and resilience, and has now risen to a prominent role — thanks to “work time” all the time. “There’s going to be times when you’re down, and when the situation you’re looking at isn’t the best for you,” Asante said. “But it’s unflinching, never waiver, never quit, that kind of energy. I just want our guys to always have that. So that means I’ve got to always have that.” *** Subscribe to Auburn Undercover for the latest news and intel, podcasts, recruiting coverage and more ***

al.com Why Hugh Freeze thinks he has to be the ‘practice jerk’ at Auburn Published: Aug. 26, 2023, 10:25 a.m. 4–5 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 problem started with Auburn’s secondary. It’s one of Auburn’s only position groups with returning experience and on paper, could be the team’s strongest overall unit. Cornerbacks Nehemiah Pritchett and DJ James both have NFL potential and are among the best players and leaders on Auburn’s roster. And according to Hugh Freeze, they practiced like they knew that. “It’s really easy if you think you’re the guy, which they are, it’s really easy to coast and I thought they coasted some the first week,” Freeze said. “I mean, both of those have the potential to be all-SEC type players, whether it’s first team, second team, whatever. So practice like it.” Pritchett and James struggled early on in the preseason, and that showed in Auburn’s first scrimmage when the entire secondary tackled poorly. Auburn needed that group to be one it can count on without questions. So Freeze called out Pritchett and James. He thinks it worked. “If you can call your best players out and they respond well, that sure helps you as a coach with everybody else,” Freeze said after Auburn’s second scrimmage. “And so I thought they kind of flipped the switch a little bit and had a better week.” It’s all part of Freeze’s new strategy as a head coach. He wants to be a jerk. During practice, Freeze wears a microphone that plays through the large speakers hanging over the practice field. His voice, though often fairly indescribable, will play over the blaring music during drills. He said being this jerk in practice, whether in a player’s face or overhead, is what he’s learned about coaching an Auburn group he said is in need of a culture change. “I think every DNA of every team I’ve coached is a little different and every staff is a little different,” Freeze said. “Truthfully, the last four years, I haven’t had to be, how should I say it, the practice jerk. But I’ve kind of found out I need to be that here, and calling people out. I like to refer to it as calling people up.” That’s what Freeze did with Pritchett and James — calling them up, to use his words. The idea is not to be a coach that everyone hates, but to be hard on his players as a means of motivation to get what he wants out of them. “I think it’s been good,” quarterback Payton Thorne said of Freeze being a so-called jerk. “I expect Coach to push me. I feel like that’s definitely something he’s gonna do and continue to do. I feel like it’s been good. I love everything Coach is preaching. I believe in what Coach is preaching. I feel like our relationship will continue to grow and move in the right direction.” It seemed to work for the secondary, which Freeze said showed much improved tackling during Auburn’s second week of practice and second scrimmage, but still needs to improve getting off blocks. Freeze called the secondary the team’s most improved unit over the second week of practice. This whole summer with Auburn has been about experimenting. Freeze brought in over 40 new players — something he’s never done before and which at the start of fall camp Freeze said made him uncomfortable — and tried to reshape Auburn to fit his image. That meant what he hopes will be an infusion of talent to a roster that had struggled in the SEC the last two seasons, a change at quarterback, building optimism around the recruiting trail and a change in schematic philosophy. “I’m figuring out the coaches too and what I need to do to motivate our team,” Freeze said. Turns out that meant a change in his coaching philosophy too. It’s another one of the many experiments to see what works. Freeze said every team has a different make up, but that’s also not something he was going to have a grasp on quickly. This is the culture he hopes to build — of playing to the standard he holds. He doesn’t want to be a jerk forever. 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.

al.com NFL Saturday night: Daniel Carlson connects from 62 Updated: Aug. 27, 2023, 12:00 a.m.|Published: Aug. 26, 2023, 11:45 p.m. 12–15 minutes Rookie kicker Anders Carlson made a 57-yard field goal in the Green Bay Packers’ 19-15 victory over the Seattle Seahawks during an NFL preseason game on Saturday afternoon. Carlson’s kick was 1 yard short of the franchise record for the longest field goal. But it turned out to be not even the longest in his family for the day. In the Las Vegas Raiders’ 31-16 loss to the Dallas Cowboys on Saturday night, Daniel Carlson made a 62-yard field goal. In league history, only 14 field goals of at least 62 yards have been made in NFL regular-season games. Daniel Carlson and Anders Carlson are brothers. Anders followed Daniel as Auburn’s kicker after his brother set the SEC career scoring record while with the Tigers. Daniel Carlson also made field goals of 44 and 50 yards plus an extra point for the Raiders on Friday night. Carlson set an NFL single-season record for field goals of at least 50 yards with 11 in 2022, when he was the kicker on the AP’s All-Pro team.

auburnwire.usatoday.com Former Auburn RB projects a monster season from Jarquez Hunter Taylor Jones ~2 minutes After two seasons of learning under Tank Bigsby, Jarquez Hunter is set to become Auburn’s feature back. The problem (even if it is a great one) is that Auburn will have a stout running back room with Hunter, Damari Alston, and Brian Battie. Despite having to compete for carries, one former Auburn running back forecasts a great season ahead for RB1. Buy Tigers Tickets “You can tell he’s hungry for this season,” Brad Lester said in an interview with AL.com. “Last year he just had to play the role behind Tank, but now that Tank is gone, he gets his opportunity.” Freeze’s production, historically, has come primarily from the air. In his ten years as a head coach, Freeze has only coached one back who has rushed for over 1,000 yards. As he steps into a program that is historically known for producing great running backs, he may lead his first running back to a 1,500-yard season. “That’s something that’s more than attainable, especially with Coach (Hugh) Freeze,” Lester said. “When people talk about Coach Freeze, they talk about throwing the football. But from what I’ve seen in the past years when he has solid running backs, he really likes to establish the run game.” Hunter enters the 2023 season with 1,261 yards and 10 touchdowns in two seasons at Auburn. Contact/Follow us @TheAuburnWire on X (Twitter), and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Auburn news, notes, and opinion. You can also follow Taylor on Twitter @TaylorJones__

saturdaydownsouth.com Tim Tebow delivers message to Auburn football team on what it means to be ‘actually passionate’ Andrew Olson 3–4 minutes Tim Tebow knows that what happens Sunday through Friday makes all the difference on Saturday. He recently shared that message with Hugh Freeze’s Auburn football team. “Will you just be passionate when it comes to 8 o’clock for a big game? Or at 6 o’clock in the morning, will you still have the same passion?” Tebow asks in a video posted to social media by the Auburn football team. “Really be willing to suffer in those moments, because those are the moments that are going to make you different than all the other teams. What are the differentiators for you? It’s that you’re actually passionate, meaning that when it gets hard, this is where I’m going to be different. I want to suffer so I can be the best, so we can be the best — meaning you care so much for something, you’re willing to suffer for it. That’s different than being excited, man. That’s different than being hyped.” It was a timely visit from Tebow. The 2-time national champion and 2007 Heisman Trophy winner is featured prominently in the Netflix documentary “Untold: Swamp Kings,” which chronicles Urban Meyer’s time at Florida. The documentary shows footage of the intense, demanding workouts installed by Meyer, which Tebow embraced as a fierce competitor. “Swamp Kings” also focuses on the fact that Tebow never beat Auburn. The only loss of Florida’s 2006 national championship season, Tebow’s freshman year, came on the road at Auburn. The following year, AU stunned the Gators in The Swamp with a game-winning field goal. Tebow joked he wasn’t sure why Freeze would want him to speak to the team, given his history with the Tigers. TRENDING 58,148 READS 51,772 READS 23,016 READS Andrew is a News Manager for XL Media's Saturday Football brands. Follow on Twitter.

i have no air in the bedroom just a fan and it is hard to get up in the morning. it is like waking up in a fog without getting any rest. but i will always do my best salty

si.com Auburn Briefing: Linebacker returns to practice Zac Blackerby 2–3 minutes Auburn's potential starting linebacker returned to practice. Auburn's projected starting linebacker, Austin Keys, returned to practice yesterday according to a source. The linebacker missed some time in fall camp due to injury but appears to be returning in time to make his AUburn debut against UMass next weekend. Keys entered fall camp as a favorite to be one of Auburn's starting linebackers this season. He will most likely be paired with Eugene Asante and Larry Nixon when the Tiger defense is in nickel packages. Keys had a great spring and is expected to be a leader in this defense in 2023 after transferring from Ole Miss earlier in the off-season. They said it Payton Thorne was asked about his relationship with Hugh Freeze: "It’s been good. It’s different having an offensive head coach and having someone that’s called plays before. I think it’s been good. I expect Coach to push me. That’s something he’s done and will continue to do. I love everything Coach is preaching, I believe in what Coach is preaching. I think our relationship will continue to grow and move in a positive direction." We wrote it Bruce Pearl keeps on racking up visits from top recruits. Our Steve Simpson wrote about the list of talented recruits that are interested in Auburn. Bruce Pearl and staff are taking advantage of Auburn Football’s home game verse Georgia in the Deep South’s Oldest Rivalry as a draw for some important official visits. We reported last week about 2025 five-star Meleek Thomas and four-star Jeremiah Green scheduling official visits to Auburn on September 30. Thomas is a 6' 4" guard from Pennsylvania and Green is a 6' 3" combo guard from Texas.. Now Jalen Harrelson, a five-star 6’ 7”, 208-pound, shooting guard/small forward out of Anderson, IN has scheduled his visit to the plains for September 30.

al.com How did Auburn football commits fare in their high school football games this week? Updated: Aug. 26, 2023, 7:18 a.m.|Published: Aug. 26, 2023, 7:00 a.m. 3–4 minutes Auburn Football Following the future: QB Walker White highlights Auburn football commits in this week’s preps action Late August means high school football is sweeping the nation. As it relates to the Auburn Tigers, here’s a collection of stats and videos of current Auburn commits from this week’s high school football action. 5-star WR Perry Thompson lifts Foley over Prattville Foley head coach Deric Scott told AL.com’s preps reporter Ben Thomas that Foley’s plan was to get the ball to the Lions’ 5-star talent early and often. And not only was Foley able to do just that, but it paid off for the Lions, who beat Prattville 45-19 at home Friday night. According to posts on X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter, Foley recorded a passing touchdown and a rushing touchdown in the first half. 4-star QB Walker White and Little Rock Christian explode on offense It might be too early to fall head over heels for a 2024 quarterback prospect, but Walker White’s performance in Little Rock Christian’s 63-0 win over Little Rock Central Friday night should leave Tigers’ fans itching to get White on campus. White was accountable for four first-half touchdowns Friday night — three passing and one rushing. With the game well in hand, White didn’t play in the second half. 4-star RB J’Marion Burnette scores from 33-yards out for Andalusia Auburn’s lone running back commit J’Marion Burnette had a hand in Andalusia’s 42-8 win over Opp Thursday night as he punched in a 33-yard rushing touchdown in the first quarter. 4-star DB A’Mon Lane helps Moody edge past Pell City Northwest of Auburn in Moody, 4-star Auburn commit A’Mon Lane and the top-ranked cornerback in Alabama helped the Blue Devils ease by the Pell City Panthers 28-24. At one point during the tight game, Lane dropped a Pell City receiver for a 5-yard loss, forcing a long third down. 4-star CB Jayden Lewis does it all for Anniston The Anniston Bulldogs opened their season with a 38-22 win over Wellborn Friday night and Auburn’s 4-star cornerback commit Jayden Lewis put his athleticism on display, returning the second-half kickoff 70 yards to the house, recording a punt return for a touchdown, a receiving touchdown, a pick 6 and a successful two-point conversion. Local 3-star athlete Malcolm Simmons grabs pair of TD passes Just northwest of Auburn, 3-star prospect Malcolm Simmons and Benjamin Russell secured a Week 1 win over Wetumpka 40-19. En route to the victory, Simmons hauled in a pair of touchdown passes — one from 55 yards out and the next from 14 yards out. 3-star WR Bryce Cain puts on clinic as Baker beats Theodore 36-20 Baker receiver Bryce Cain didn’t waste any time making a splash in the 2023 season as he led the Baker Hornets to a season-opening 36-20 win over Theodore Friday night. Cain, who committed to Auburn on June 20, bagged a hattrick Friday night, catching three touchdown passes — 47 yards, 3 yards and 40 yards. 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.

not a lot out there this morning.i will check back in later and see if anything is new.thanx for stopping by.

Anniston 38, Walter Wellborn 22 Auburn commit Jayden Lewis scored four touchdowns in four different ways to lead Anniston to victory. He scored on an 95-yard interception return, 82-yard punt return, 85-yard kickoff return and a 30-yard reception. He also scored two 2-point conversions and recovered a fumble on defense.

247sports.com PMARSHONAU Once overlooked Auburns Pritchett ready for a big finish Phillip Marshall 4–5 minutes Cornerback Nehemiah Pritchett does it the right way on, off field. (Photo: Auburn University Athletics) AUBURN, Alabama – In the sleepy little south Alabama town of Jackson, where he grew up, Nehemiah Pritchett was a football star as he went into his senior season in 2018. With elite speed, he played both ways for Jackson High School, and he was a playmaker supreme. But where he really stood out was in the secondary. Long-time Jackson coach Danny Powell was convinced Pritchett could play college football at a high level, but there weren’t many takers. Up the road in Auburn, defensive coordinator Kevin Steele liked what he saw. Powell wasn’t unlike Roget McCreary, another lightly recruited defensive back, who had signed the year before. Then-head coach Gus Malzahn, his eyes often on star ratings, wasn’t so sure. In both cases, Steele fought hard to convince Malzahn and, finally, got his way. Pritchett was a 3-star prospect who had offers mostly from smaller programs. McCreary was a 3-star who was headed to South Alabama. “Kevin had to absolutely pitch a fit,” said one who was part of the program. “But he got it done.” McCreary went on to become a second-round NFL draft pick and then an NFL starter. Pritchett, headed toward his fifth and final Auburn season, is on a similar track. “Auburn was my first big offer,” Pritchett says. “I got that when I came to a camp. After that, Coach Steele was recruiting me very hard. Auburn was close to home, and every time I came on campus it felt like a family atmosphere, just like it does now.” Powell was puzzled that Pritchett, though he reported to Auburn weighing just 155 pounds, didn’t generate more interest. He was convinced Pritchett could not only play in the SEC but play at a high level. “Kevin really loved him,” Powell says. “He had been to some Alabama camps. About the 10th grade, they showed some interest, but they never did really get on him. There weren’t a lot of others really on him, for whatever reason. “We knew he was a really good player. He had the speed and size necessary. He was a very aggressive and physical player. He needed to add some size and strength, but he would really come up and hit people. I really felt like he had a good chance.” Today, Pritchett weighs in at 188 pounds. He is a three-year starter and a preseason All-SEC player. He is a leader in a secondary that could be among the best in the SEC. Pritchett is not a big talker. He admits to being a tad uncomfortable doing interviews. Even moving from the little town where he grew up to Auburn was a challenge. “I’m a very quiet person,” Pritchett says. “I got up here and kept seeing all the people every day. It was different, but I adjusted pretty well.” Pritchett’s quiet ways should not be misinterpreted. His personality changes on the football field, and he does not lack for confidence. He acknowledges he was disappointed he didn’t get more attention as a high school senior. “At the time, I was,” says Pritchett, who was a first-team All-State performer. “I felt like I was one of the better players in high school. But then I got here and realized that, once you get on campus – 3-star, 2-star, whatever - they treat everybody the same.” Pritchett could have gone to the NFL after last season, but after a talk with first-year head coach Hugh Freeze, he decided to finish what he started at Auburn. "I felt like he was building something different," Pritchett says. "Now that I have been here with him building this program, it is headed in the rightdirection. That’s one of the main reasons I came back." On and off the field, Pritchett has done it the right way at Auburn. He is as respected off the field as on it. He earned a degree in education last May. Perhaps what he told AuburnTigers.com, the athletics department web site, when asked how he would like to be remembered, says it best: “Just that I was a respectful young man who went about his business the right way, someone who, day in and day out, went about their day like a professional.”

al.com Will Auburn football go bowling in 2023? Hugh Freeze's history says yes Published: Aug. 26, 2023, 6:00 a.m. 7–9 minutes When Auburn kicks off the 2023 football season against UMass on Sept. 2, it’ll have been 1,340 days since the Tigers last appeared in a bowl game and 1,709 days since the Tigers won a bowl game. After back-to-back losing seasons, there’s an undeniable thirst among Auburn fans to reach bowl eligibility this season. And if history is any indication, the Tigers have the right guy at the helm of the ship to get them there. Auburn’s first-year head coach Hugh Freeze has been a first-year head coach five other times in his career. In each of those first seasons, Freeze piloted his team to a bowl game. Here’s a deep dive into each of Freeze’s first seasons, dating all the way back to his first head coaching gig at Briarcrest Christian School. 1995: Season 1 at Briarcrest Christian School The year is 1995 — less than $15,000 would get you a new Volkswagen Jetta, which you could take to the gas station and fill with gas that ran about $1.15 a gallon. Meanwhile, in Eads, Tenn., a 25-year-old young gun named Hugh Freeze was set to make his head coaching debut, taking the reins of the Briarcrest Christian football program after serving as an assistant with the program during the three seasons prior. In 1994, the season before Freeze took over, the Saints football program finished the regular season 9-1 and picked up an additional three wins during the playoffs before being bounced in the state quarterfinals. The next season, Freeze followed it up with another playoff berth after once again going 9-1 in the regular season. In Freeze’s first year, however, Briarcrest Christian made an early exit out of the playoffs after suffering a narrow, 19-15 loss in the opening round. Nonetheless, the Saints punched their ticket to the postseason in Season 1 under Freeze. 2008: Season 1 at Lambuth University It’s 2008 — American’s are limping through the housing market crash and Freeze is taking over a Lambuth University football program that’s got a limp of its own after finishing the 2007 with three straight losses and going 3-8 on the season. The Lambuth Eagles were coming off three consecutive losing seasons when Freeze took over. But in a few short months, Freeze had turned the tables. In Season 1 under Freeze, the Eagles went 8-4, including an eight-game win streak through the heart of the season. In seven games that season, the Lambuth offense scored 48 or more points. Lambuth found itself in a battle with Lindenwood in the opening game of the NAIA championship series. It wasn’t a game that went Freeze and the Eagles’ way as it ended in a 65-48 loss, but it was quite the turn around for a program that had consistently missed out on the postseason. 2011: Season 1 at Arkansas State Come 2011, the year that both the Harry Potter film series and the Oprah Winfrey show end, Freeze is back in the head coaching ranks. Freeze first arrived to Arkansas State in 2010 as the Red Wolves’ offensive coordinator but quickly took over as head coach the following season after a lackluster, 4-8 season in 2010. And the first-year head coach turned the program on its head. Arkansas State finished its 2011 campaign 10-3 and a perfect 8-0 in the Sun Belt Conference — all leading to the Red Wolves winning the conference in Freeze’s first season. Come the postseason, Freeze had already accepted the Ole Miss head coaching job and took with him four Arkansas State assistants. With Freeze departed, Arkansas State’s running backs coach David Gunn served as interim head coach as the Red Wolves drew a bowl game matchup with Northern Illinois in the GoDaddy.com Bowl in Mobile, Ala. And though the Red Wolves sprinted out to a 13-0 lead, the Huskies would go on to hang 31 unanswered points to secure a 38-20 win and snap Arkansas State’s nine-game win streak. Was Freeze technically Arkansas State’s head coach for the bowl game? No. But he is the one who gets the credit for piloting the Red Wolves to the postseason to begin with. So for the sake of the argument, we’re calling this another year-one bowl game appearance for Freeze. 2012: Season 1 at Ole Miss Turns out, the Mayans were wrong and the world wouldn’t end in 2012. Instead, Freeze would return to Oxford, Miss. — a place he previously served as Ole Miss’ tight ends coach from 2006-07. This go ‘round, however, Freeze would be the Rebels’ main guy as he took over an Ole Miss team that had gone 2-10 and 0-8 in SEC play the year prior. In the first of five seasons as the Rebels’ head coach, Freeze helped Ole Miss return to bowl eligibility after a two-season drought. Just six weeks after upsetting No. 25 Mississippi State to win the Egg Bowl, Freeze and the Rebels took to Birmingham, Ala. to take on Pittsburgh in the BBVA Compass Bowl. The Rebels went on to top the Panthers 38-17, giving Ole Miss its first bowl win since a 21-7 win over Oklahoma State in the Cotton Bowl Classic in 2009. Freeze’s bowl win over Pitt was the first of three during his time in Oxford, though it ended up being vacated as part of the sanctions pressed against the Ole Miss football program for ineligible player participation. 2019: Season 1 at Liberty In 2019, Disney+ makes its debut, the United States Women’s National Soccer Team captures its fourth World Cup title and Freeze returns the college football scene after resigning from Ole Miss in 2017. Freeze makes his return as the ninth head football coach at Liberty University. Like every other program that had hired Freeze as its head coach, Liberty was looking for a revival after a mundane 2018 season that saw the Flames go 6-6 and miss out on a bowl game due to it being their first year in the FBS and there being more teams with winning records than there were bowl games. In Year 1 under Freeze, however, Liberty had no issue securing a bowl game appearance after a 7-5 finish in the regular season — which was the second-best finish amongst FBS independent programs behind Notre Dame. Freeze and the Flames lined up against Georgia Southern in the Cure Bowl and went on to beat the Eagles 23-16 in Orlando. In three seasons at Liberty, Freeze led the Flames to four consecutive bowl appearances — three of which Liberty won. Like the case at Arkansas State, Freeze had already accepted the head coaching job at Auburn before Liberty took the field for the 2022 Boca Raton Bowl against Toledo. As a result, Josh Aldridge served as the Flames’ interim head coach in Freeze’s absence. 2023: Season 1 at Auburn And this is where we leave off. Freeze’s first season as Auburn’s head coach is set to get underway in a week. And while some might believe it’s a bit early to bother with bowl eligibility, Tigers fans who have watched their team miss out on the postseason the last two years might argue otherwise. Fortunately for Auburn fans, if history repeats itself, Freeze might be the guy to get the Tigers back into a bowl game in his first season on The Plains. 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 Tim Tebow visits Auburn football team, pokes fun at himself for never beating the Tigers Published: Aug. 25, 2023, 8:56 p.m. ~3 minutes SEC Nation host Tim Tebow talks to his co-hosts during the SEC Nation broadcast in Lexington, Ky., Saturday, Oct. 9, 2021. (AP Photo/Michael Clubb)AP While former Florida Gators quarterback Tim Tebow might not know much about beating the Auburn Tigers, he does know a thing or two about winning football games. In four seasons at Florida, Tebow helped the Gators to a pair of national championships and won himself a Heisman Trophy in the process. With such success, it isn’t a surprise first-year head coach Hugh Freeze called on Tebow to speak with the Auburn football team ahead of its season opener against UMass on Sept. 2. Tebow’s message to the Tigers centered around one’s passion outweighing the hype of the moment. “Will you just be when it comes to 8 o’clock for a big game? Or at 6 o’clock in the morning, will you still have the same passion?,” Tebow asks in a video posted to the Auburn football Twitter account. “Really be willing to suffer in those moments, because those are the moments that are going to make you different than all the other teams. What are the differentiators for you? It’s that you’re always passionate, meaning that when it gets hard, this is when I’m going to be different. I want to suffer so I can be the best, so we can be the best — Meaning you care so much for something, you’re willing to suffer for it. That’s different than being excited, man. That’s different than being hyped.” Tebow’s visit to The Plains comes on the heels of Netflix releasing its “Untold: Swamp Kings” docuseries, which showcased the Florida Gators football program from the years of 2006-09 during the Urban Meyer era. Alongside the grueling workouts, constant stream of controversies and the successes of the Gators during that time period, the docuseries also highlights the fact that the Auburn Tigers were a constant thorn in Florida’s side. The Gators played the Tigers twice while Tebow was in Gainesville — a game at Jordan-Hare Stadium in 2006 and a game at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium in 2007. Both times, the Tigers stunned the Gators. And being a good sport, Tebow poked fun of himself Friday evening as he shared Auburn football’s tweet with a few comments of his own: 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 Phillips Saturday morning musings Phillip Marshall 7–9 minutes VIDEO: Most Impactful Freshmen in 2023: Aden Holloway | College Basketball Recruiting Weekly It’s early, but Bruce Pearl has already been extremely impressed with one aspect of his 2023-24 squad. Pearl is entering his 10th season at Auburn, and he’s not sure he’s ever seen this level of effort from a team in summer workouts and practices. “This has been the hardest-working group I've had, ever,” Pearl said. “This has been the hardest-working group all summer long with the greatest consistency. Normally, you have two or three guys that are working all day, everyday, 24/7 kind of stuff. I’ve got seven or eight guys, maybe six or seven you can absolutely put in that category.” Pearl’s staff didn’t conduct a full-scale roster overhaul, but there are plenty of fresh faces for the Tigers this offseason. There are five new scholarship players between 5-star freshman Aden Holloway, two transfers and two JUCO pickups. But that hasn’t at all affected the chemistry of Pearl’s 10th Auburn team. If anything, the roster changes have enhanced it. Returning players like Jaylin Williams and Tre Donaldson talked earlier this offseason about this being a closer and more easy going group than last season. Part of that obviously should be credited to the leadership of key veterans and returning pieces. “I was disappointed that we had some guys transfer last year,” Pearl said. “We've not been a program, even with the transfer portal, where we've lost many guys. And I didn't want to lose a single one of them, but I think in many ways we've improved ourselves. We've gotten older, and we're more experienced.” Pearl later added: “I just think it's bringing in the right people, bringing in guys who are humble, hungry, grateful and appreciative. I think that's what we've done. So, look, you bring in good guys, and you've got good guys. You've got the makings for very, very good chemistry.” Friday morning, Pearl chatted with a few local reporters to provide an update on the Tigers’ offseason work, discuss some developments heading into preseason practice and break down Auburn’s newly announced nonconference slate. Here are some additional notes and nuggets from meeting with Pearl. More content to come. PEARL BULLISH ON NEW ADDITIONS Auburn’s transfer class, which is technically composed only of FIU guard Denver Jones and UAH forward Chaney Johnson, won’t be ranked near the top nationally or even in the SEC. Even the Tigers’ 2023 recruiting class, with Holloway and JUCO additions Chad Baker-Mazara and Addarin Scott, is ranked No. 64. But Pearl said he and his staff were more focused on getting proper replacements for departures like Wendell Green Jr., Allen Flanigan and Zep Jasper. With Holloway at point guard, Baker-Mazara on the wing and Jones and the 2-guard — and even Johnson taking over the backup power forward role from Yohan Traore — Pearl feels Auburn has more than adequately accomplished its goals of setting a balanced lineup with plenty of experience and potential. “Our transfers were not nearly as heralded, I think, from a recruiting standpoint as I think a lot of transfers were based on coming from Power Five schools,” Pearl said. “But I hope that once again — if you look at the guys that we’ve had come in and transfer over the years whether it be K.D. (Johnson) and Walker (Kessler), and Zep and Wendell, or Johni Broome a year ago, just taking those five or six guys that have transferred to us — I thought our staff did an outstanding job in the evaluation process. We studied the film, we studied them against certain opponents and we made evaluations not based on the name on the front of the jerseys. We made evaluations based on how good we thought they were going to be. “I don’t think any of them are going to be disappointing. I think they are all going to be a little better than what they’re perceived or how they’re ranked.” COULD HAVE SWUNG BIGGER AT CENTER After Traore, a former 5-star big man, opted to transfer after his freshman season, Pearl admitted he and his staff had opportunities to swing bigger in the frontcourt. The Tigers were involved with a few high-level transfers at center, but they were comfortable with what they had returning in Broome and backup Dylan Cardwell. And Pearl didn’t want to make any playing-time promises he couldn’t keep. So he decided to use his last scholarship on a developmental piece. “When you are returning Dylan Cardwell, you are returning Johni Broome, you could take the approach of a number of programs that are top 25 in the country and simply go iron sharpens iron,” Pearl said. “Go out and get the very best center or power forward you could possibly find, promise him playing time, then sit there and have three guys and only 40 minutes — and have a bunch of unhappy campers. I've never believed in that; I've never believed in over-recruiting. There was just no way I was going to bring in a starter-caliber type player. Now, would it have been difficult? Yeah, because a starting-caliber type player would have been concerned about Dylan or Johni. “But there were a couple guys out there we could have pushed on and maybe loaded up at the position and said, OK, let the best man win. We didn't do that; we went with a prospect.” INJURY REHAB FOR MOORE Rising senior wing Chris Moore dealt with a shoulder injury on and off last season, first separating it in January against Ole Miss and proceeding to miss two games and see what was previously a starting role diminish significantly. Moore then aggravated his shoulder again in the first-round NCAA Tournament win over Iowa. After the season, Moore opted to undergo a procedure on that shoulder, which held him out “all summer long,” according to Pearl. It sounds as if the expectation is for Moore to be back at practice and be ready for the season opener. “He's been rehabbing and just now getting back,” Pearl said. ‘THE SCHEDULE FROM HELL' Earlier this month, Auburn locked in its full nonconference schedule for 2023-24, which includes two teams in ESPN’s current offseason top 25: No. 20 Baylor and No. 21 USC. Pearl is also high on Indiana, which Auburn faces in Atlanta in December. “The schedule is unbelievable,” Pearl said. “Thanks again to Mike Burgomaster for putting the schedule from hell together. We potentially could play two preseason top-10 teams in USC in a return game, as well as Indiana over in Atlanta. The opportunity to play against Baylor to open up the season in South Dakota. … Great way to open the season because we’re going to find out right where we’re at to open the season. We’re going to get punched in the mouth in a big way.” Pearl also briefly noted, while discussing the Tigers’ trip to Appalachian State this fall, that Auburn will make a return trip to Georgia State in 2024-25 after hosting the Panthers this past season. Here’s a refresher on Auburn’s 2023-24 nonconference schedule: Nov. 1 vs. AU Montgomery (exhibition) Nov. 7 vs. Baylor (Sioux Falls, S.D.) Nov. 10 vs. Southeastern Louisiana Nov. 16 vs. Notre Dame (Brooklyn) Nov. 17 vs. Oklahoma State/St. Bonaventure (Brooklyn) Nov. 21 vs. Alabama A&M Nov. 29 vs. Virginia Tech Dec. 3 at Appalachian State Dec. 9 vs. Indiana (Atlanta) Dec. 13 vs. UNC Asheville Dec. 17 vs. USC Dec. 22 vs. Alabama State Dec. 30 vs. Chattanooga Jan. 2 vs. Penn *** Subscribe to Auburn Undercover for the latest news and intel, podcasts, recruiting coverage and more ***

si.com Oscar Chapman ready for leadership role among Auburn's specialists Daniel Locke 2–3 minutes Oscar Chapman is ready to fill Anders Carlson's shoes as the "captain" of Auburn's special teams. Auburn's roster saw a lot of transition this season, but there are areas with a lot of experience. Oscar Chapman, a punter from Adelaide, South Australia, has been with the program since 2020. He has seen a lot of change but has remained a vital part of Auburn's roster throughout all of it. Chapman has put a lot of people on notice, including a lot of people in the SEC as he was named to the SEC All-Preseason Team. "It's exciting getting to see that other guys are seeing me," Chapman said. "It's exciting for me but I've got some fantastic force behind me and I'm ready to see how well we do as a group." Chapman has become a veteran of the league and has found enjoyment in various aspects of college football. "I think the fans, especially down in the South," Chapman said on his favorite thing about football. "They're some of the loveliest people I've ever seen." In addition to punting, Chapman is the holder for the field goal and extra-point units. He elaborated on what he enjoys about the role. "I get excited because I'm out there looking after my kicker and doing my best to put him in a position for us to score," Chapman said. "Looking out to make sure we've got everyone in the field and everyone is lined up the best we can be." Auburn's veteran punter is looking to make his senior season his best one.