aubiefifty

i got so sick of wolf and his breaking news ALL DAMN DAY LONG i quit watching cnn. news is tough for me. most of it is click bait and depending which shows you watch they are slanted either left or right.

i try to get this stuff up early for folks like salty that want to read the articles with his morning coffee. a lot of days the pods and sometimes articles do not drop that early so be sure and check back for updates.

slim pickings today folks.the team rested yesterday. i will check in during the day to look for more updates.

Takeaway from Auburn’s preseason scrimmage? The Tigers may have a ways to go. Updated: Aug. 12, 2023, 3:40 p.m.|Published: Aug. 12, 2023, 1:47 p.m. 5–6 minutes On a day when Auburn head coach Hugh Freeze thought he’d be able to make decisions about his depth chart — now three weeks out from the first game of the season — his press conference following the first scrimmage of fall camp was instead filled with questions and an understanding of a lot of work left to do. Media members were not able to view Auburn’s scrimmage, and Freeze’s account of it was filled with believed inconsistencies on how the team played. In his press conference, Freeze mentioned a number of position groups he thought underperformed in the game. The game itself was a literal tale of two halves. Freeze said the first half of the game was controlled by the offense. At that point, the group was using the high-tempo that has been talked about throughout fall camp. On Friday, Dillon Wade said that tempo is going to give Auburn a big advantage, and Freeze seemed to think it did during the scrimmage. But Freeze said he wanted to change things by lowering the pace, and see how the offense responded. They didn’t respond well. “I called that off and wanted to see if we could execute and then the defense pretty much dominated from that point forward,” Freeze said. The quarterback play also appeared inconsistent from Freeze’s remarks. Freeze said his trio of quarterbacks — Payton Thorne, Robby Ashford and Holden Geriner — all were reliable in taking care of the ball. The accuracy may not have been consistent, but Freeze said all three looked good “at times” on Saturday. Ashford and Geriner each had touchdown passes. Thorne did not, but Freeze said there were two passes Thorne threw where the receiver was ruled out of bounds. The quarterback play led Freeze now being at a point where he wants to re-think his decision on a final two — having made up his mind yesterday but now wanting to watch more film. The wide receivers struggled, Freeze added. That comes after the beginning of fall camp where Auburn had rotated so many wide receivers into the picture and seemed to have many options. Freeze said the receivers had been having a good camp, but that didn’t extend into Saturday. “But way too many opportunities in the RPO game that the quarterback made the right decision to throw the ball and a receiver is — again I haven’t watched the film — but he’s either loafing, which we can’t have, or he chose to run the wrong route,” Freeze said. And for a group that Freeze said underperformed, also facing injuries to Malcolm Johnson, Camden Brown, Koy Moore and Ja’Varrius Johnson doesn’t do any favors. While Freeze said the wide receivers took a step forward throughout this week, Saturday was certainly a step backward in his eyes. Freeze also mentioned struggles in the secondary, especially when it came to tackling. It’s not uncommon for a coach to note tackling struggles in the first time in full pads, which Saturday’s scrimmage was, but Freeze seemed especially frustrated. “I think we’ve got to tackle better, we did not tackle well today when our backs got in the second level,” Freeze said. “Obviously, the corners, I think, are talented. Our safeties are also, but we need depth there and we’ve got to bring those young kids on. But we didn’t tackle well today in the secondary.” Freeze did have positive reviews for the trenches on both sides of the ball and especially the running back room. Sophomore running back Damari Alston was a standout with three big runs, including a touchdown. Freeze also praised freshman Jeremiah Cobb as someone who, despite being a “baby” on this roster, is going to be a good player for Auburn down the road. Auburn’s new-look offensive line played well at the beginning of the scrimmage before getting worn out by a long week of practice on a few sweltering August days in Alabama in a row. There is no practice Sunday, which Freeze said the team needs. The tiring offensive line synced up with when the defense took over the game, and that started up front. “I think at the end of practice today I thought they were dominant,” Freeze said of the defensive line. “They created negative plays on us that didn’t happen early in the game.” Freeze specifically mentioned jack linebacker Stephen Sings V, who has been a big riser throughout fall camp. Jack linebackers Jalen McLeod and Elijah McAllister as well as defensive end Keldric Faulk have “gotten better,” Freeze said. “Yeah it was a mixed bag,” Freeze said of his team. “I‘ve said this all time, it’s hard for me to leave a scrimmage or a practice feeling great because one side does well and well, we’re not getting it done on the other side and vice versa.” 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 Auburn’s Megan Schofill wins U.S. Amateur, Auburn golf teams roll Toomer’s Corner Updated: Aug. 13, 2023, 10:05 p.m.|Published: Aug. 13, 2023, 9:44 p.m. 4–5 minutes Megan Schofill watches her tee shot on hole six during the final round of the 2023 U.S. Women's Amateur at Bel-Air Country Club in Los Angeles, Calif. on Sunday, Aug. 13, 2023. (James Gilbert/USGA)USGA Museum Graduate student Megan Schofill became the first Auburn winner of the U.S. Women’s Amateur on Sunday, the most prestigious major championship in the amateur ranks. And after watching their teammate seal one of the program’s ever-biggest accomplishments, the Auburn women’s golf team went to Toomer’s Corner, and rolled the oak trees for the first time since the school announced it was safe to roll the trees planted in 2017. Both the men’s and women’s golf teams coated the trees in celebratory toilet paper, along with a few Auburn administrators. A few students were there as well, including women leaving a sorority rush event held on campus Sunday night. The teams filmed videos to congratulate Schofill and attempted to call her, but were not able to reach her as she celebrated her win at Bel-Air Country Club in Los Angeles. Schofill’s win U.S Amateur title is her biggest win in an already decorated Tigers career, and it may be a crowning accomplishment so far during the growth of the program under head coach Auburn women’s golf coach Melissa Luellen — who will be entering her ninth year as head coach this fall. With Schofill’s win, she earns an automatic spot in the U.S. Women’s Open as well as a spot in the 2024 Augusta Women’s Amateur, held at Augusta National Golf Club the week before The Master’s. Schofill has been invited to the Augusta tournament every year from 2020 through 2023. She also has earned spots in multiple LPGA events as an amateur including the Chevron Championship, AIG Women’s Open and Amundi Evian Championship. This was Schofill’s third time competing in the U.S. Amateur. Auburn’s previous high-finisher in the tournament was Maria Martinez’s runner-up finish in 2005. “It’s definitely a dream come true, but I’d be lying if I wouldn’t say I’m still in shock,” Schofill said after the victory. “I feel like it still hasn’t set in yet. Latanna [Stone] played a great match. It was really fun to be able to walk the fairways with her and I felt like we both played really solid golf. I can’t put into words the emotions I’m feeling and it’s just such an honor to be able to say that I won this year.” The tournament format begins with two rounds of stroke play. The final 64 golfers then play 18-hole match-play rounds to whittle down to a final two, who play a 36-hole championship. Schofill entered the tournament as the 6th seed, but by the round of 16, she was already the highest seed remaining. She advanced to the championship to face LSU’s Latanna Stone with the finale aired live on Golf Channel Sunday night. The match swung late in the first 18 holes when Schofill won four of six holes, including three straight, to go three-up in the match. Schofill’s putting was a key reason why she was able to gain a comfortable lead over Stone, including a 55-foot birdie putt to clinch the second of the three consecutive holes she won. Schofill’s lead would never get closer than two-up, and she ultimately won the match 4&3 on the 33rd hole. Schofill made eight birdies in the championship match. On the 33rd hole after her drive went off into the trees on the right side of the fairway, Schofill was able to get back on the short grass and fired an approach shot to within five feet of the hole, essentially sealing the match. “Just so excited for Megan,” Luellen said. “She truly played better golf than anyone else in the field this week. She swung the club so beautifully and when she lost a hole she fought right back. I am so honored that I was able to be here this week to witness it.” 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 Updated: Aug. 13, 2023, 11:15 a.m.|Published: Aug. 13, 2023, 10:35 a.m. 4–6 minutes Auburn commit and 5-star rated guard Tahaad Pettiford rises up for a dunk in the first half of the Under Armour Next Elite 24 boys basketball showcase game on August 12 in Atlanta. (Matt Cohen | mcohen@al.com) This wasn’t the way Auburn’s basketball program wanted its Saturday night to go. The night at the Under Armour Next Elite 24 boys’ basketball showcase in Atlanta was supposed to be about 5-star center Flory Bidunga. Had he picked Auburn, Bidunga would have been the highest-rated recruit in school history. Former Auburn players Isaac Okoro and Sharife Cooper were there along the sidelines to watch. And multiple recruiting websites logged “crystal ball” predictions in the final hours for the Indiana native to pick Auburn. But the hat he pulled out of his Under Armour drawstring bag was a different shade of blue, and had a Kansas Jayhawks logo on the front. Bidunga’s commitment came after the cancellation of the boys’ game during the first half due to an outdoor court that was never safely dried following an early-evening thunderstorm. Multiple players slipped on the slick floor during the short-lived game but while they were on the floor, it was a different 5-star recruit who stole the show — and this one was already committed to Auburn. Point guard Tahaad Pettiford is known nationally as a great athlete, and he didn’t take long to show it with pregame dunks. Nor did Pettiford hold anything back during the game, either. Pettiford can shoot, too, making a shot from the mid-court logo during the pregame shoot-around. During Saturday’s game — which was cut off before halftime due to the unsafe floor — Pettiford was the most exciting player on the floor. He started for his team coached by Indiana Pacers forward Jarace Walker. But all weekend, Pettiford’s highlight reel continued to grow on social media, including plays he made when teamed up with Bidunga. Pettiford tried to push Bidunga toward Auburn, albeit unsuccessfully both online and in person during Bidunga’s seemingly quiet but wild recruiting process. Auburn head coach Bruce Pearl has not been shy in his pursuit of Bidunga. Bidunga plays for Kokomo High School in Kokomo, Indiana, as well as the highly regarded Indiana Elite club team — and Pearl has traveled to Indiana to watch him play several times. Of his final four schools, Auburn was in the earliest on Bidunga — the first of the four to offer Bidunga by months, according to 247Sports timeline. Michigan and Duke didn’t give Bidunga an offer until this summer when he began to gain serious national prominence. On Friday, the day before the Atlanta event, most recruiting experts expected Bidunga to pick Duke. But in the final hours, things changed. Bidunga was largely expected to pick Duke. But the reclassification on Friday of 5-star big man Cooper Flagg — regarded by recruiting websites as a higher-rated prospect than Bidunga — from the class of 2025 to 2024 may have swung Bidunga, as Flagg is also expected to pick Duke when he makes his eventual commitment. After news of Flagg’s reclassification broke, “crystal ball” predictions from recruiting experts on multiple recruiting websites began flooding in for Bidunga to choose Auburn. But Bidunga chose Bill Self in Kansas in a decision that appeared as a surprise. Kansas offered Bidunga a scholarship in September, and he visited Lawrence in May before making his commitment Saturday. Pettiford, who plays his high school ball for Hudson Catholic in Jersey City, New Jersey, committed to Auburn in February. Auburn offered Pettiford a scholarship last June and he came to The Plains for his official visit in September. He ultimately picked Auburn over a list of finalists that included UConn, Kansas, Kentucky and UCLA. Pettiford is ranked as the 19th overall player in the 247Sports composite ranking and the number two point guard. He is Auburn’s second-highest-rated recruit ever — just behind Jabari Smith and just in front of guard Aden Holloway who is expected to be a key piece for Auburn this season. Matt Cohen covers Auburn sports for AL.com. You can follow him on Twitter at @Matt_Cohen_ or email him at mcohen@al.com 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 Hugh Freeze pleased with team's response to adversity-filled first scrimmage Updated: Aug. 13, 2023, 10:24 a.m.|Published: Aug. 13, 2023, 6:00 a.m. 4–5 minutes Hang around the Auburn football program long enough and you’ll hear the word “strain” a lot. By definition, the Tigers’ buzzword means to “exert to the utmost”, according to the Merriam-Webster dictionary. And surely that’s what first-year head coach Hugh Freeze and his coaching staff wants to see out of their players as they continue to prepare for the 2023 regular season. But in order to get players to “exert to the utmost”, Freeze and Co. must first create an environment which forces that exertion — something has been a point of emphasis on The Plains this fall. “I know spring practice is important and going through summer training is vital and recruiting is a priority,” Freeze said in his camp-opening press conference on Aug. 3. “But now it all kind of gets to the point where you’ve got to put all the pieces together and find out how your team handles the pressure and the heat of being strained and stressed in the great game that we all love and try to prepare yourself to compete at the best level you can for the 12 opportunities that you have.” Auburn senior cornerback Jaylin Simpson is in the middle of his fifth fall camp with the Tigers. He calls this year’s fall camp “a lot smoother”. One breath later, he calls the workload " a lot harder”. “We got pushed and strained a lot more,” Simpson said. Ding, ding. There’s that word again. Considering the word strain can also refer to an injury due to overuse or misuse, Simpson was quick to clarify that what Freeze has the guys doing is “good work” and it’s nothing their bodies can’t handle — even though it sometimes feels as if that’s not the case. The pain in progress, however, has helped a team that features more than 40 new faces create chemistry. “You’ve got to go every rep 100 percent even when you’re tired and you look over and your friend is breathing hard. You motivate each other,” said Auburn offensive lineman Dillon Wade. “You strain to finish. That’s where strain comes from. You’re giving your all. If your body’s telling you to stop, you keep going. You don’t stop. You just keep going.” For Wade, who transferred from Tulsa in December, some of the strain has come from adjusting to the tempo of Auburn’s offense. Though Wade played under Auburn’s offensive coordinator Philip Montgomery at Tulsa, he says the Tigers’ offense is moving a little quicker than the Golden Hurricanes and that it’s bound to give opposing defenses trouble come the fall. “I feel like we’ll catch a bunch of defenses lacking, not able to get their calls off,” Wade said. “So we’ll catch a bunch of d-linemen just standing up.” That sounded to be the case during Auburn’s first fall scrimmage on Saturday. Heavy on the gas pedal, Freeze said the Tigers were able to run the ball well behind their quick-moving tempo, which first strained the defense. “I’m all about creating adverse situations, and they struggled stopping our tempo early on, and I think we can go really fast when we want to,” Freeze said. “They struggled with that earlier. And then I called that off and wanted to see if we could execute and then the defense pretty much dominated from that point forward.” On the other side of the line of scrimmage, the Tigers’ offense could only go full throttle for so long before the East Alabama heat did what the East Alabama heat does. “Thought the heat got to us a little bit. It’s been a hot camp,” Freeze said. “I’m no excuse maker at all but we’ve gone several days in a row and you can tell they’re gassed a bit.” The Auburn football team gets a much-needed day off Sunday. Meanwhile, Freeze and his staff will likely have their eyes glued to the film from Saturday’s action, which showed plenty to be improved upon. But Freeze isn’t hitting the panic button. “I’m pretty pleased to this point,” Freeze said. “We’ve failed some tests in the adverse situations throughout but I’ve never had a team that didn’t.” If you purchase a product or register for an account through one of the links on our site, we may receive compensation. By browsing this site, we may share your information with our social media partners in accordance with our Privacy Policy.

auburnwire.usatoday.com Auburn now boasts a top-15 recruiting class following TJ Lindsey's commitment Taylor Jones 4–5 minutes Hugh Freeze added another talented prospect to his 2024 class on Saturday by snagging four-star defensive lineman TJ Lindsey. Lindsey is the second four-star prospect to commit to Auburn over the last two weeks, joining Jalewis Solomon, who pledged to the Tigers on Aug. 5. Buy Tigers Tickets Following Lindsey’s commitment, Auburn now has 16 commitments to their 2024 signing class. Adding another four-star to the total has given a boost to Auburn’s overall ranking, as the Tigers have climbed a few places in both the SEC rankings, as well as the overall rankings for the 2024 cycle. Here’s a look at where Auburn, and the rest of the SEC, stands in 247Sports’ recruiting rankings following TJ Lindsey’s commitment to the program. Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports National Ranking No. of commits 5-star 4-star 3-star Top commit No. 60 11 0 2 8 Cameron Keys (4-star CB) © Matt Stone/Louisville Courier Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK National Ranking No. of commits 5-star 4-star 3-star Top commit No. 43 15 0 3 11 Elijah Groves (4-star LB) Christopher Hanewinckel-USA TODAY Sports National Ranking No. of commits 5-star 4-star 3-star Top commit No. 38 21 0 2 19 Johann Cardenas (4-star RB) Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports National Ranking No. of commits 5-star 4-star 3-star Top commit No. 32 16 0 5 11 Jimothy Lewis (4-star OT) Daniel Dunn-USA TODAY Sports National Ranking No. of commits 5-star 4-star 3-star Top commit No. 28 19 0 3 15 Jeffrey Rush (4-star DL) Nelson Chenault-USA TODAY Sports National Ranking No. of commits 5-star 4-star 3-star Top commit No. 21 17 0 9 7 Selman Bridges (4-star CB) For more Arkansas football news, visit Razorbacks Wire. Matt Pendleton-USA TODAY Sports National Ranking No. of commits 5-star 4-star 3-star Top commit No. 19 15 1 8 6 Dylan Stewart (5-star EDGE) © Mikala Compton/American-Statesman / USA TODAY NETWORK National Ranking No. of commits 5-star 4-star 3-star Top commit No. 18 16 1 9 6 Colin Simmons (5-star LB) For more Texas football news, visit Longhorns Wire. Sarah Phipps-USA TODAY Sports National Ranking No. of commits 5-star 4-star 3-star Top commit No. 15 19 1 9 8 Taylor Tatum (5-star RB) For more Oklahoma football news, check out Sooners Wire. AP Photo/Gerald Herbert National Ranking No. of commits 5-star 4-star 3-star Top commit No. 14 16 2 12 2 Perry Thompson (5-star WR) Jasen Vinlove-USA TODAY Sports National Ranking No. of commits 5-star 4-star 3-star Top commit No. 11 19 1 13 5 Mike Matthews (5-star WR) For more Tennessee football news, visit Vols Wire. Maria Lysaker-USA TODAY Sports National Ranking No. of commits 5-star 4-star 3-star Top commit No. 10 19 1 16 2 Cam Coleman (5-star WR) For more Texas A&M football news, visit Aggies Wire. Matt Pendleton-USA TODAY Sports National Ranking No. of commits 5-star 4-star 3-star Top commit No. 7 23 0 16 7 Dashawn McBryde (4-star S) For more LSU football news, check out LSU Tigers Wire. Andrew Wevers-USA TODAY Sports National Ranking No. of commits 5-star 4-star 3-star Top commit No. 4 17 2 11 4 Jaylen Mbakwe (5-star CB) For more Alabama football news, visit Roll Tide Wire. Doug Engle/Gainesville Sun National Ranking No. of commits 5-star 4-star 3-star Top commit No. 3 21 2 12 7 Jamonta Waller (5-star EDGE) For more Florida football news, visit Gators Wire. Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union National Ranking No. of commits 5-star 4-star 3-star Top commit No. 1 26 3 17 6 Dylan Raiola (5-star QB) For more Georgia football news, visit UGA Wire.

al.com A-List No. 11: AU commit J'Marion Burnette more than a big back Updated: Aug. 13, 2023, 7:51 a.m.|Published: Aug. 13, 2023, 7:41 a.m. 5–7 minutes The A-List is AL.com’s ranking of the top 15 senior prospects in the state of Alabama. We will count down one each day until No. 1 is revealed Aug. 23. Andalusia senior running back and Auburn commit J’Marion Burnette earned his nickname at a young age. “When I was a baby, I used to be fat – F.A.T.,” he said. “When I got older, it just turned into Phat.” And ‘Phat’ has turned into one of Alabama’s top high school running backs. The 6-foot-2, 219-pound bruiser rushed for 1,473 yards and 17 touchdowns as a junior in just 11 games. He comes in at No. 11 on AL.com’s A-List of the top senior recruits in the state. “He’s definitely an impressive looking kid to be a running back,” Andalusia coach Trent Taylor said. “He’s had a really good summer. It wasn’t something that was talked about, but his weight had gotten up to 228. It wasn’t bad weight, but he’s worked hard this summer and is back down to 219. I think that is probably where he will play at this year.” Burnette helped Andalusia to a 14-1 record and the Class 4A state championship a year ago. However, he had to sit out his team’s semifinal win over Montgomery Catholic and title game win over Cherokee County after suffering a concussion at Anniston in the quarterfinals. “It is just part of the game unfortunately,” Burnette said this week. “I wasn’t too worried about it. I overcame it pretty fast. At least, we kept winning.” Taylor and the Andalusia coaching staff took no chances with Burnette’s injury. However, the Hall of Fame coach said once his running back was fully cleared in January, it didn’t take him long to return to his routine. “I rode over to Dothan with J’Marion for his appointment with the neurologist,” Taylor said. “The doctor said he was good to go. He came back that day and attacked the weight room, and it’s been like that ever since.” One of Burnette’s strengths is obviously his overpowering size, but Taylor said that is not all there is to his senior standout. “He definitely passes the eye test,” he said. “When you look at him, you can’t help but say, ‘My goodness, that is a big running back.’ But he also has the speed to run away from people. His hands are really good. He’s much more than just an oversized kid running the football. He brings a lot more to the table.” Taylor said he knew from watching Burnette in junior high that he had a chance to be special. Burnette began to see consistent time in the Bulldog backfield as a ninth-grader even though Taylor admits to having concern about whether he was ready for varsity football. “We had two guys we felt were going to be our running backs that year, but we needed both of those guys on defense, too,” he said. “So, as the year went on, J’Marion became more a part of what we were doing. Anytime you have a young kid you wonder if they can handle the mental aspect of the game. I knew physically it would not be a problem for J’Marion, but you never know mentally. That wasn’t a problem either.” Burnette remembers the first varsity game he saw substantial playing time in against Charles Henderson. “I rushed for 121 yards and got my first touchdown,” he said. “I remember being kind of beat up, though. It was my first time getting hit like that.” He’s come a long way since that ninth-grade season. “The game has taught me a lot,” he said. “The people I’ve been around have taught me a lot. I feel like I’ve matured. I’ve learned how to play my position and learned what they are trying to do on the defensive side of the ball. When I get the ball now, I know where I’m going or at least have an idea of where I think I’m going to go.” As a sophomore, Burnette rushed for 1,989 yards and 25 touchdowns on 282 carries – an average of 7.1 yards per carry. He also had three receiving scores. During his recruitment, Burnette built a strong bond with Auburn associate head coach Cadillac Williams. He committed to the Tigers in March. “It was a hard decision, but it was probably the best decision I ever made,” Burnette said. “I just loved how coach Caddy and the rest of the staff approached me. They kept coming even when coach (Bryan) Harsin was let go. Coach (Hugh) Freeze came hard to.” Taylor said he believes Burnette’s best days are ahead of him. “The sky is the limit once he gets into that situation where he is at a regular training table and those types of things,” he said. “I think he can be as good as he wants to be depending on what his goals are not only for college but beyond that. God said to him, ‘I’ve touched your body, and it’s up to you to do what you want with it.’” A-LIST NO. 11: J’MARION BURNETTE, ANDALUSIA Position: Running back Height/weight: 6-2, 219 College status: Committed to Auburn Randy Kennedy’s scouting report: J’Marion Burnette is a nightmare for defensive players facing the Andalusia Bulldogs. The Auburn commit has good speed, but his size and strength are what make him worthy of playing in the SEC. THE 2024 A-LIST No. 15: Josh Flowers, QB, Baker No. 14: Bobby Pruitt, LB, Theodore No. 13: JaCorey Whitted, TE, McAdory No. 12: Kevin Riley, RB, Tuscaloosa County No. 11: J’Marion Burnette, RB, Andalusia If you purchase a product or register for an account through one of the links on our site, we may receive compensation. By browsing this site, we may share your information with our social media partners in accordance with our Privacy Policy.

auburnwire.usatoday.com Auburn Tigers Snapshot Profile: No. 53 Gunner Britton JD McCarthy 4–5 minutes Going into the 2023 football season, Auburn Wire will be looking at each scholarship player listed on the Tigers’ roster. Over the preseason, each profile will cover where the player is from, how recruiting websites rated them coming out of high school, and what role they will play for Hugh Freeze in his first season on the Plains. Buy Tigers Tickets Up next is transfer offensive tackle Gunner Britton. After facing Auburn last season, Britton will now be suiting up for the Tigers and is expected to be the starting right tackle. Preseason Player Profile Hometown: Conway, South Carolina Height: 6-6 Weight: 312 Previous School: Western Kentucky Class in 2023: Senior 247Sports Composite Ranking Two-Star / No. 53 in South Carolina / No. 212 OT Career Stats Year G 2019 (WKU) 11 2020 (WKU) 11 2021 (WKU) 12 2022 (WKU) 13 PFF Grades Year Offense Pass Blocking Run Blocking 2019 66.5 62.0 65.5 2020 77.3 76.2 72.5 2021 83.2 61.3 84.3 2022 80.1 86.5 71.0 Depth Chart Overview Britton was brought in to help reshape Auburn’s offensive line and he has separated himself as the Tiger’s top option at right tackle. He brings a ton of experience after spending the past five seasons at Western Kentucky and is at his best in pass protection, something he did constantly last season. Auburn is hoping that the additions of Britton and fellow transfers Dillon Wade and Avery Jones can shore up the offensive line as they look to fix an offense that has struggled over the past couple seasons. Gunner Britton’s Photo Gallery AUBURN, AL - 2023.03.01 - Spring Practice AUBURN, AL - March 01, 2023 - Auburn Offensive Lineman Gunner Britton (#53) and Jack Linebacker… AUBURN, AL - March 01, 2023 - Auburn Offensive Lineman Gunner Britton (#53) and Jack Linebacker Hayden Brice (#28) during spring practice at the Woltosz Football Performance Center in Auburn, AL. Photo by Declan Greene AUBURN, AL - 2023.08.04 - Football Practice AUBURN, AL - August 04, 2023 - Auburn Offensive Lineman Gunner Britton (#53) during practice at… AUBURN, AL - August 04, 2023 - Auburn Offensive Lineman Gunner Britton (#53) during practice at the Woltosz Football Performance Center in Auburn, AL. Photo by Austin Perryman AUBURN, AL - 2023.08.04 - Football Practice AUBURN, AL - August 04, 2023 - Auburn Offensive Lineman Gunner Britton (#53) during practice at… AUBURN, AL - August 04, 2023 - Auburn Offensive Lineman Gunner Britton (#53) during practice at the Woltosz Football Performance Center in Auburn, AL. Photo by Austin Perryman AUBURN, AL - 2023.08.06 - Football Practice AUBURN, AL - August 06, 2023 - Auburn Offensive Lineman Gunner Britton (#53) during a Fall… AUBURN, AL - August 06, 2023 - Auburn Offensive Lineman Gunner Britton (#53) during a Fall camp practice at the Woltosz Football Performance Center in Auburn, AL. Photo by Austin Perryman NCAA Football: Western Kentucky at Marshall Nov 27, 2021; Huntington, West Virginia, USA; Western Kentucky Hilltoppers offensive lineman Gunner Britton (75) leads… Nov 27, 2021; Huntington, West Virginia, USA; Western Kentucky Hilltoppers offensive lineman Gunner Britton (75) leads the team onto the field prior to their game against the Marshall Thundering Herd at Joan C. Edwards Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Ben Queen-USA TODAY Sports Syndication: The Daily News Journal Western wide receiver Malachi Corley (11) celebrates his touchdown against MTSU with Western offensive lineman Gunner… Western wide receiver Malachi Corley (11) celebrates his touchdown against MTSU with Western offensive lineman Gunner Britton (75) during the MTSU Homecoming game on Saturday, Oct. 15, 2022. 4 Mtsu V Western Homecoming NCAA Football: Western Kentucky at Marshall Nov 27, 2021; Huntington, West Virginia, USA; Western Kentucky Hilltoppers offensive lineman Gunner Britton (75) leads… Nov 27, 2021; Huntington, West Virginia, USA; Western Kentucky Hilltoppers offensive lineman Gunner Britton (75) leads the team onto the field prior to their game against the Marshall Thundering Herd at Joan C. Edwards Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Ben Queen-USA TODAY Sports

si.com Auburn football's most valuable players in 2023: No. 5 Jayson Jones Lance Dawe 2–3 minutes We continue our countdown towards Auburn's 2023 season with a ranking of their most valuable players. Defensive lineman Jayson Jones cracks our top five in our top 25. Jayson Jones' Bio Eric Starling/Auburn Daily - 6-foot-6 - 338 pounds - Junior The 6-foot-6, 310-pound lineman is expected to make significant strides this year under the guidance of new head coach Hugh Freeze and defensive coordinator Ron Roberts. With his size and athleticism, Jones has the potential to be a dominant force on the Auburn defensive line - hopefully being one of the primary pieces in the Tigers' quest to improve their run defense. As Auburn gears up for the upcoming season, fans will be eager to see how Jones performs on the field. With his talent, work ethic, and determination, it's become clear that he is one of the leaders on the Tigers' 2023 team. Auburn football's most valuable players in 2023: 6. Avery Jones, C 7. Nehemiah Pritchett, CB 8. Gunner Britton, OL 9. Shane Hooks, WR 10. Alex McPherson, K 11. Larry Nixon III, LB 12. Rivaldo Fairweather, TE 13. Cam Riley, LB 14. Justin Rogers, DL 15. Keionte Scott, CB 16. Jyaire Shorter, WR 17. Elijah McAllister, JACK 18. Koy Moore, WR 19. Kam Stutts, OL 20. Ja’Varrius Johnson, WR 21. Austin Keys, LB 22. Zion Puckett, S 23. Camden Brown, WR 24. Marcus Harris, DL 25. Robby Ashford, QB

according to most guys on the right comer does not lie...........?

al.com Hugh Freeze pleased with team's response to adversity-filled first scrimmage Updated: Aug. 13, 2023, 10:24 a.m.|Published: Aug. 13, 2023, 6:00 a.m. 4–5 minutes Hang around the Auburn football program long enough and you’ll hear the word “strain” a lot. By definition, the Tigers’ buzzword means to “exert to the utmost”, according to the Merriam-Webster dictionary. And surely that’s what first-year head coach Hugh Freeze and his coaching staff wants to see out of their players as they continue to prepare for the 2023 regular season. But in order to get players to “exert to the utmost”, Freeze and Co. must first create an environment which forces that exertion — something has been a point of emphasis on The Plains this fall. “I know spring practice is important and going through summer training is vital and recruiting is a priority,” Freeze said in his camp-opening press conference on Aug. 3. “But now it all kind of gets to the point where you’ve got to put all the pieces together and find out how your team handles the pressure and the heat of being strained and stressed in the great game that we all love and try to prepare yourself to compete at the best level you can for the 12 opportunities that you have.” Auburn senior cornerback Jaylin Simpson is in the middle of his fifth fall camp with the Tigers. He calls this year’s fall camp “a lot smoother”. One breath later, he calls the workload " a lot harder”. “We got pushed and strained a lot more,” Simpson said. Ding, ding. There’s that word again. Considering the word strain can also refer to an injury due to overuse or misuse, Simpson was quick to clarify that what Freeze has the guys doing is “good work” and it’s nothing their bodies can’t handle — even though it sometimes feels as if that’s not the case. The pain in progress, however, has helped a team that features more than 40 new faces create chemistry. “You’ve got to go every rep 100 percent even when you’re tired and you look over and your friend is breathing hard. You motivate each other,” said Auburn offensive lineman Dillon Wade. “You strain to finish. That’s where strain comes from. You’re giving your all. If your body’s telling you to stop, you keep going. You don’t stop. You just keep going.” For Wade, who transferred from Tulsa in December, some of the strain has come from adjusting to the tempo of Auburn’s offense. Though Wade played under Auburn’s offensive coordinator Philip Montgomery at Tulsa, he says the Tigers’ offense is moving a little quicker than the Golden Hurricanes and that it’s bound to give opposing defenses trouble come the fall. “I feel like we’ll catch a bunch of defenses lacking, not able to get their calls off,” Wade said. “So we’ll catch a bunch of d-linemen just standing up.” That sounded to be the case during Auburn’s first fall scrimmage on Saturday. Heavy on the gas pedal, Freeze said the Tigers were able to run the ball well behind their quick-moving tempo, which first strained the defense. “I’m all about creating adverse situations, and they struggled stopping our tempo early on, and I think we can go really fast when we want to,” Freeze said. “They struggled with that earlier. And then I called that off and wanted to see if we could execute and then the defense pretty much dominated from that point forward.” On the other side of the line of scrimmage, the Tigers’ offense could only go full throttle for so long before the East Alabama heat did what the East Alabama heat does. “Thought the heat got to us a little bit. It’s been a hot camp,” Freeze said. “I’m no excuse maker at all but we’ve gone several days in a row and you can tell they’re gassed a bit.” The Auburn football team gets a much-needed day off Sunday. Meanwhile, Freeze and his staff will likely have their eyes glued to the film from Saturday’s action, which showed plenty to be improved upon. But Freeze isn’t hitting the panic button. “I’m pretty pleased to this point,” Freeze said. “We’ve failed some tests in the adverse situations throughout but I’ve never had a team that didn’t.” 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 PMARSHONAU Auburns QB uncertainty after one scrimmage business as usual Phillip Marshall 3–4 minutes Robby Ashford is one of three quarterbacks competing for the starting job. (Photo: Auburn University athletics) "Hopefully, after Saturday, we'll have a chance to narrow it down. Now, narrow it down, I don't know what that means yet, other than the fact that we're rotating too many guys right now." That was what Auburn head coach Gus Malzahn said about his quarterbacks after first preseason practice in 2013. Eventually, Nick Marshall won the job. He led the Tigers to the SEC championship and to the BCS Championship Game. In 2017, Malzahn said Jarrett Stidham and Sean White were still competing for the job. "At times, they both made plays. A lot of it has to do with Sean White. He wasn't able to go through spring and you've got a new offensive coordinator, so it's probably more the other way than it is about having enough information about Jarrett. This scrimmage was big. Next Saturday's scrimmage will be big, and we'll see where we are." Stidham won the job, led Auburn to a 10-win season that included wins over Georgia and Alabama when each was ranked No. 1 and to the West Division championship. In 2010, the spring before Auburn won the national championship, Cam Newton had been named the starter. He wasn’t happy after the first scrimmage. “The guys are out there knowing they have to get better. They have to know their assignments. Coach Malzahn is coaching the quarterbacks up and pointing out our mistakes, telling us how we can make ourselves better. "I had an OK performance, but I can always do better - some throws that I'm capable of making. N Newton, of course, went on to have one of the great seasons in college football history, lead Auburn to the national championship and win the Heisman Trophy. The only thing unusual about what first-year head coach Hugh Freeze said after Saturday’s scrimmage, the first of the preseason, was that he acknowledged he thought he’d had his mind made up the previous day about the top two but had to watch film. Most coaches aren’t as honest as that. His words were immediately interpreted widely as meaning he was ready to name a starter before changing his mind. In fact, he was responding to a question about whether he was ready to narrow the candidates down to two, as he had said previously he wanted to do after the first scrimmage. And so it is that we go into another week with Michigan State transfer Payton Thorne, sophomore Robby Ashford and redshirt freshman Holden Geriner competing for the starting job. Do Auburn coaches know who they will likely start? My guess is they probably do, but they will wait as long as they can to announce it. Every team would like to have a combination at quarterback of an elite athlete with a powerful arm who becomes a first-round draft pick. It doesn’t always take that to win. Of Auburn’s seven SEC championship-winning quarterbacks – Lloyd Nix, Randy Campbell, Jeff Burger, Reggie Slack (2), Jason Campbell, Newton and Marshall – only Newton and Jason Campbell had NFL starts. What they all had in common is they knew how to win and made the players around them better. And that’s what Freeze wants most of all.

247sports.com IN PHOTOS 2023 Auburn football fan day Jason Caldwell ~3 minutes Auburn football had its first fan day under Hugh Freeze on Saturday. Following the first scrimmage of the preseason on Saturday morning, coach Hugh Freeze and the Auburn Tigers took part in fan day on campus. With several thousand fans in attendance, Freeze and the players spent a few hours signing autographs and taking pictures with fans. Check out some of the shots from fan day in this gallery. Quarterback Robby Ashford signs for a fan on Saturday. (Photo: Jason Caldwell, 247Sports) Transfer OT's Gunner Britton and Dillon Wade soaking in the atmosphere at fan day. (Photo: Jason Caldwell, 247Sports) ‌ Wide receivers Camden Brown and Koy Moore cut up for the camera. (Photo: Jason Caldwell, 247Sports) ‌ Caleb Burton, Nick Mardner and Ja'Varrius Johnson give us some love. (Photo: Jason Caldwel, 247Sports) ‌ From one 99 to another, Liston Eddins and Jayson Jones. (Photo: Jason Caldwell, 247Sports) ‌ Auburn High OL products Eston Harris Jr. and Bradyn Joiner. (Photo: Jason Caldwell, 247Sports) ‌ Hugh Freeze signs a football as part of the huge crowd that came through to see him on Saturday. (Photo: Jason Caldwell, 247Sports) ‌ Redshirt freshman QB Holden Geriner is all smiles at fan day. (Photo: Jason Caldwell, 247Sports) ‌ Auburn's LB group gives us a shoutout. (Photo: Jason Caldwell, 247Sports) ‌ Freshman OL Connor Lew continues to impress on the field. (Photo: Jason Caldwell, 247Sports) ‌ Another player that has been impressive is transfer OL Jaden Muskrat. (Photo: Jason Caldwell, 247Sports) ‌ Nehemiah Pritchett, Donovan Kaufman and Keionte Scott. (Photo: Jason Caldwell, 247Sports) ‌ Keionte Scott signs a helmet for a young Auburn fan. (Photo: Jason Caldwell, 247Sports) ‌ Quarterback Payton Thorne taking in his first fan day at Auburn. (Photo: Jason Caldwell, 247Sports) #PMARSHONAU: What does the first preseason scrimmage mean for Auburn? Tigers' first preseason scrimmage is in the books To read this full article and more, subscribe now — SALE: One Month for Only $1 Get access to this article and all of the in-depth coverage from the 247Sports Network with this special offer. Join Today Already a subscriber? Login Jason Caldwell's Friday Auburn mailbag column Talking Auburn football, recruiting, Auburn basketball recruiting and more. To read this full article and more, subscribe now — SALE: One Month for Only $1 Get access to this article and all of the in-depth coverage from the 247Sports Network with this special offer. Join Today Already a subscriber? Login