aubiefifty

si.com Vanderbilt announces matchup vs Auburn will be homecoming Lance Dawe ~2 minutes The Commodores have announced their 2023 homecoming opponent are the Tigers. Auburn will play Vanderbilt for the first time since 2016 this fall. The Tigers have yet to play the Commodores in Nashville since 2012 and haven't won there since 2003. Vandy decided that now, with the Tigers ushering in a new coaching staff and a plethora of new players on both sides of the ball, they should make the game mean just a little bit more. Per Vanderbilt Athletics, the Commodores' matchup with Auburn on November 4th is officially homecoming. Hugh Freeze was 3-2 against Vanderbilt during his time at Ole Miss. This may end up being bulletin board material for the Tigers, as homecoming opponents are traditionally weaker Group of Five schools for the home team to dominate in front of their alumni. The Tigers kick off the 2023 season on September 2nd at home vs UMass at 2 p.m. CT on ESPN.

saturdaydownsouth.com Auburn flips 5-star linebacker out of Alabama from Georgia Keith Farner 2–3 minutes Demarcus Riddick, a 5-star linebacker who committed to Georgia in November, has flipped to Auburn, he announced on Wednesday. Riddick had a reported 16 offers, including the likes of Arkansas, Auburn, Florida and Florida State. He was recruited to Georgia by Glenn Schumann. He was recruited to Auburn by Josh Aldridge. Riddick is from Clanton, Alabama (Chilton County). Riddick, who is listed at 6-foot-2 and 212 pounds, is the No. 3 linebacker in the class of 2024, according to the 247Sports Composite, and the No. 3 player overall in the state of Alabama. Riddick at the time was recruit No. 6 for Georgia in the 2024 class, and that group ranked No. 1 by the 247Sports Composite early in the cycle. BREAKING: 5-star LB Demarcus Riddick has FLIPPED his commitment from Georgia to Auburn, also choosing the Tigers over Alabama. “At Georgia I was feeling at home and I felt like that was my family too, but this family is something different.” More: https://t.co/Ss09y49I6x pic.twitter.com/G9dX4rt14w — Christian Clemente (@CClemente247) July 26, 2023

si.com Auburn’s 2023 Position Battles: Slot Wide Receivers Joshua Collins 8–10 minutes Who will Auburn football start at slot wide receiver in 2023? In this story: Auburn Tigers With the festivities of Big Cat Weekend and the beginning of Fall practice quickly approaching us, we will delve one more final time into the important position battles soon to commence on the plains. Keeping our focus still locked on the Tigers wide receiver room, we will look this time at who will possibly compete for those coveted starting reps at slot receiver for Auburn football this upcoming 2023 season? As mentioned in the previous installment of this article series, Coach Hugh Freeze & Co. have paid careful attention to addressing significant areas of need along the roster. The wide receiver room being one on the list has seen a lot of changes since November of last year, with the addition of a new position coach in Marcus Davis and several new faces being added via the transfer portal. The Auburn offensive coaching staff have expressed frequently the plan to move the ball through the air more consistently this upcoming season, and a competent and skillful receiver unit will be necessary to accomplish this lofty task. With this being said, we will line out 6 possible contenders to earn starting slot receiver reps for Auburn football this upcoming 2023 season and conclude our 2023 position battles series. The Case for Ja’Varrius Johnson: Todd Van Emst/AU Athletics Heading off our cadre of highlighted talent is returning senior Ja’Varrius Johnson. The 5-foot-10, 167-pound Trussville, Alabama native has suited up at wide receiver in four seasons as an Auburn Tiger, playing in a total of 25 games producing 767 yards from 45 receptions amounting to 5 career touchdowns during his time so far on the plains. Looking to add to his stat lines this upcoming 2023 season, you can guarantee Johnson is ready and willing to put in the work necessary to earn starting reps this Fall. Johnson is a lightning-fast wide receiver with NFL level speed. This coupled with a solid first step off the snap allows Johnson to be a deep ball threat from the slot receiver position. Ja’Varrius is a physical player and has proven to be difficult to tackle in the open field due to his size and agility. He is a sure handed receiver and will look to prove that this upcoming season especially with an improved passing attack. Look for Johnson’s name to mentioned quite a bit in the upcoming weeks as a prime candidate to start at slot receiver for the Auburn Tigers in 2023. The Case for Koy Moore: © Jake Crandall / USA TODAY NETWORK Next on the list of potential slot receiver starters is returning junior plainsman, Koy Moore. Moore committed to the Auburn Tigers by way of the transfer portal in June of 2022 after leaving Coach Bryan Kelly and the LSU Tigers for greener pastures. The 6-foot-1, 198-pound wide receiver hails from Kenner, Louisiana and has appeared in 28 collegiate games so far. Moore has recorded some respectable stats during his three seasons of play posting roughly 562 total yards out of 47 receptions amounting to a singular touchdown. Looking to also increase his stat lines this season, Moore will also most assuredly be laced up ready to play come Fall practice beginning in August. Koy is a quick footed receiver with a strong first step off the snap. He is a physical player; however, he could look to be more so off the ball utilizing his size to lay down solid blocks down field when necessary. Moore has decent top-end speed and can put separation between himself and defenders. Provided Moore is able to remain healthy the Auburn fanbase should expect to hear his name frequently called this upcoming 2023 season as he makes his case as a solid producer for Auburn football. The Case for Jay Fair: Eric Starling/Auburn Daily Third upon our listing of potential starting slot receiver talent is returning sophomore Jay Fair. The 5-foot-10, 186-pound Rockwall, Texas native joined the Auburn roster with the high school recruiting class of 2022 as a consensus 3-star wide receiver. During his inaugural season on the plains Fair appeared in 9 total games producing 34 yards from 2 receptions. Fair describes himself as a shifty receiver possessing the agility needed to lose defenders after the catch. Jay has solid hands when targeted and decent top end speed to gain separation from pursuing defenders. He is a young receiver with several years of eligibility left to play on the college grid iron. The Auburn fanbase should keep their ears tuned in for news of this young man’s development as the season progresses on into the winter months. I expect his name to be called more than a few times this upcoming season putting in quality rotational reps with the receiving core. The Case for Omari Kelly: Eric Starling/Auburn Daily The next contender vying for meaningful starting reps this upcoming 2023 season is returning sophomore Omari Kelly. The 6-foot, 178-pound Trussville, Alabama native also committed to Auburn with the high school recruiting class of 2022 as a highly heralded consensus 4-star. Kelly appeared in 12 games during his inaugural season with the Tigers putting up 56 receiving yards off of three catches. Omari is a decent sized young man with several years of eligibility remaining to further develop his craft. Kelly is a fast sure handed receiver who is a competent route runner. I believe that with the right coaching this young man could soon step into a solid leadership role within the wide receiver room as a newly minted veteran. Look for Omari Kelly to present his case this Fall camp for meaningful rotational reps this upcoming 2023 season. The Case for anyone else on the roster: © Jake Crandall, Montgomery Advertiser via Imagn Content Services, LLC Considering the depth of the roster at the wide receiver position especially after such an extensive roster adjustment, it is nearly impossible to highlight everyone with meaningful commentary. However, there are two additional players worth mentioning in regard to the slot receiver position battle, Caleb Burton III and Will Upton. Caleb Burton III comes to the plains by way of the 2023 transfer portal from Ohio State University. The 5-foot-11, 171-pound redshirt freshman did not appear in any games for the Buckeyes due to an injury, however he still remained high on their recruiting list. Provided this young man’s injury has mended properly the Auburn coaching staff could greatly benefit from playing him this upcoming season. Burton is an extremely fast wide receiver with the ability to make hard cutbacks during pursuit making him exceedingly difficult to tackle in the open field. He is explosive off the snap and has great field vision and hands to secure the catch in traffic. Barring reaggravation of his injury Burton should prove to be an exciting player to watch this upcoming 2023 season. Will Upton is a newly minted plainsman having arrived with the 2023 high school recruiting class. This young man has slid under the media radar despite having an extremely successful senior season under former Ole Miss staffer Coach Doug Goodwin at Jackson Prep in Jackson, Mississippi. The 5-foot-9, 177-pound wideout is built perfectly for the jet sweep play options likely to be up the sleeves of both Coach Hugh Freeze and Coach Phillip Montgomery. I believe this young man’s size gives him the ability to be lost by the defense to pop out of the backfield like a rocket to earn some decent yardage. I am looking forward to seeing how this young man fits within the offensive scheme as his collegiate career progresses on the plains. The Auburn fanbase has numerous reasons to be excited for football to begin on the plains this 2023 season with the wide receiver room only being one of them. It will be exciting to see how far this coaching staff can take these young men, and I am anxiously awaiting the journey.

auburnwire.usatoday.com Demarcus Riddick flips to Auburn, snaps Tigers' five-star drought JD McCarthy ~2 minutes Hugh Freeze has landed his first five-star prospect at Auburn. Flipping linebacker Demarcus Riddick from Georgia and Kirby Smart on Wednesday afternoon and beating out Nick Saban and Alabama in the process. Stealing a recruit from your rivals is always sweet, but when it’s a player of Riddick’s caliber it’s even sweeter. If he signs with Auburn, he will be their first five-star signee since Owen Pappoe and Bo Nix in 2019. Buy Tigers Tickets Riddick is the No. 26 overall player and No. 3 linebacker in the 247Sports Composite ranking. The Clanton native is also the No. 3 player from Alabama. He is Auburn’s 12 commitment of the class and their second top 100 player, joining quarterback Walker White. Their class now ranks 27th in the country and 11th in the SEC. His recruitment is exactly how Auburn can get back to competing for SEC Championships. While they have landed just two five-star prospects over the past five recruiting cycles, Alabama and Georgia both landed four last year alone. That talent gap only increases over a four-year span and is a major reason why Auburn is currently riding a three-game losing streak against the Crimson Tide and a six-game one against the Bulldogs. Riddick might not be the only five-star Auburn lands this year either, the Tigers are a finalist for KJ Bolden and are pushing hard to flip five-star wide receiver Perry Thompson from Alabama. Contact/Follow us @TheAuburnWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Auburn news, notes, and opinion. You can also follow JD on Twitter @jdmccarthy15.

yahoo.com Michael Dyer lands on ‘biggest recruiting busts of all-time’ list Taylor Jones 3–4 minutes Auburn’s 2010 recruiting class was one of the best in the nation. The Tigers ended with the No. 6 overall class, and it featured several key names such as Trovon Reed, Corey Lemonier, and cody parkey. This recruiting cycle is best known for Auburn’s hunt for three strong running backs: Michael Dyer, Lache Seastrunk, and Marcus Lattimore. Auburn ended up signing Dyer, who became Auburn’s top signee of the class. Dyer contributed early by rushing for 1,093 yards and five touchdowns during Auburn’s national championship-winning season in 2010. He followed that season by rushing for 1,242 yards and ten scores in 2011. However, he was suspended from the 2011 Chick-Fil-A Bowl, which began a downward spiral for the once-prized recruit. He would leave Auburn following the 2011 season to join Gus Malzahn at Arkansas State but never played a down. He transferred to Arkansas Baptist before ultimately settling at Louisville. Dyer did not enjoy the same success at Louisville as he did with Auburn, as he only rushed for 704 yards on 154 carries over two seasons. Because of his abnormal college career, 247Sports has placed Dyer on their Biggest recruiting busts of all-time list. 247Sports compiled this list based on input from college football fans across the country and then used a rating system to determine how strong each claim is. 247Sports’ Carter Bahns gives Dyer a three. Bahns says that Dyer’s contributions to Auburn’s 2010 championship season negate most of the claim, but his offseason issues prevented him from having a strong ending to his career. In a 2015 interview with AL.com, Dyer stated that leaving Auburn was “the lowest point” of his college career. “To be honest, I ask myself all the time. Even at Auburn, I asked myself (if) I was to stay there three years, then where would I have been? The only answer I can come up with every time (is) I probably wouldn’t even still be there because I didn’t grow up. I didn’t understand exactly about football and everything that comes with football. I came out of high school and I had good talent and a lot of people around me supported me, but never really the structure to understand what it takes to maintain. Going through everything I went through, I understand that now.” Despite off-field and academic issues, as well as injuries during his time at Louisville, Dyer ended his college career with 3,039 yards on 578 attempts with 22 touchdowns.

yahoo.com Joseph Phillips shuts down his recruitment Daniel Locke 2–3 minutes Hugh Freeze has been determined to boost Auburn’s recruiting since taking over the program. Joseph Phillips is the latest Auburn commitment to shut down his recruitment. In an Auburn Undercover article written by Christian Clemente, Phillips explained what went into his decision. “It’s going good,” Phillips said on Auburn’s recruiting. “I feel like with me committing and then you’ve got other big-time people committed, everybody now is like ‘Auburn is the move.’ It’s not like they ain’t have no 4- or 5-stars committed. Now they’ve got the dogs committed, everybody else is trying to come.” Big Cat Weekend, one of Auburn’s biggest recruiting events is coming up and Phillips is thinking it will go well. “I feel like Big Cat Weekend they going to really put their best foot forward,” Phillips said. “Like you said, there’s going to be a lot of big-time people in so I feel like it’s going to be one of the best experiences I had just going up there. You’ve got a chance to chill, talk with the players and coaches and get other people that ain’t committed a chance to see what that’s like behind the scenes.” Phillips is a four-star recruit with a 0.9421 composite rating according to 247Sports. He is the No. 132 player nationally, the No. 9 edge rusher, and the No. 8 player in the state of Alabama. He joins fellow commits such as Walker White, A'mon Lane, and J'Marion Burnette in shutting down his recruitment. More Recruiting! Auburn offensive line target trending towards ACC rival On3 predicts Demarcus Riddick will commit to Auburn Four star PF Nic Codie lists Auburn among top choices Contact/Follow us @TheAuburnWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Auburn news, notes, and opinion. You can also follow Daniel on Twitter @DanielJLocke Story originally appeared on Auburn Wire

you could not drive a tack up my rear end with a sledge hammer.......

lasvegassun.com College football by the odds: Handicapping every SEC team's win total By Case Keefer (contact) 12–15 minutes ASSOCIATED PRESS Alabama wide receiver Ja’Corey Brooks (7) is defended by LSU cornerback Jarrick Bernard-Converse (24) and safety Joe Foucha (13) during the second half of an NCAA college football game in Baton Rouge, La., Saturday, Nov. 5, 2022. LSU won 32-31 in overtime. Wednesday, July 26, 2023 | 2 a.m. Weekend wagers: Nine bets to make including a pair of football futures Football Firsts: Six bets on six of the biggest markets to kick off betting season For the first time in 13 years, Alabama is not favored to win the SEC. It only took back-to-back national championships by Georgia to unseat the Crimson Tide at the top of odds boards. College football has always been top-heavy, and perhaps nowhere has that been more evident than in the sport’s top conference. Alabama has been the standard ever since it won the first six national championships under coach Nick Saban in 2009. The Crimson Tide’s average future odds to win the SEC since then have been +102 (i.e. risking $100 to win $102). They’ve prevailed in the conference in seven of 13 tries. If a bettor had wagered $100 on Alabama to win the conference every year in the span, he or she would be up around $275. Examples like that are often misleading, considering no one actually does such an exercise, but in this case, it’s an example of how unstoppable Alabama has been from a betting perspective even with the most smothering weight of expectations. For the first time in a long time this year, the question is how the Crimson Tide perform when their stock is down. Alabama is +275 to win the SEC, trailing Georgia at -105 (i.e. risking $105 to win $100) with LSU somewhat closely behind at +500. The only other teams available at less than 50-to-1 are Tennessee and Texas A&M at 17-to-1 apiece. That doesn’t necessarily mean the other 10 teams in the conference are hopeless. During Alabama’s reign of dominance, one team did overcome 100-to-1 odds to win the SEC — Auburn in 2013 as part of a run to a national championship game appearance against Florida State. But the longshots won’t have it easy this year. Alabama could potentially be as strong ever, but it’s not even the team to beat at sports books. Read below for a win-total handicap on every team in the SEC. Over the next few weeks, Talking Points will be previewing every power conference in college football from a betting perspective by picking the win totals. Listed odds next to the team are from Circa Sports, while the pick comes from the best odds on the chosen side available at the five Las Vegas sports books with win totals available on their mobile apps — Circa, SuperBook at Westgate Las Vegas, Caesars/William Hill, STN Sports and BetMGM. Picks are labeled in three confidence categories — plays, leans and guesses. Plays will be tracked in the Weekend Wagers column throughout the season. Florida: 5.5 wins (over -135, under +115) The Gators still don’t have the level of talent their blueblood status should guarantee, but the roster is beginning to look more like one that fits with second-year coach Billy Napier’s preferred setup. Namely, they're massive in the trenches with a pair of explosive running backs in Trevor Etienne and Montrell Johnson. Bowl eligibility should be attainable, even against what multiple projections rate as the nation’s toughest schedule. Play: Over 5.5 wins at -120 (SuperBook at Westgate Las Vegas) Georgia: 11.5 wins (over +110, under -130) Mark J. Terrill / AP Georgia linebacker Jalon Walker (11) celebrates his sacking of TCU quarterback Max Duggan during the second half of the national championship game, Monday, Jan. 9, 2023, in Inglewood, Calif. Georgia trounced TCU 65-7 to win its second straight national title. As dominant as Georgia has been with back-to-back undefeated regular seasons, they’ve had to stage a narrow escape in each campaign — against a diminished Clemson team in 2021 and a mediocre Missouri side in 2022. At some point, a close game is going to fall the other way. That might be this year, perhaps during a tough back-to-back late in the season when the Bulldogs host Ole Miss before traveling to Tennessee. They’re still the best team in the nation but breaking in a new offensive coordinator/quarterback tandem this year in Mike Bobo and, presumably, Carson Beck. Lean: Under 11.5 wins at -130 (Circa) Kentucky: 7 (over -110, under -110) As long as NC State transfer quarterback Devin Leary stays healthy — and he does have an injury history — Kentucky has upside to be the second-best team in the SEC East. The Wildcats’ defense is annually stingy, and the return of offensive coordinator Liam Coen after a year with the Los Angeles Rams bodes well for Leary. BetMGM is offering over 6.5 wins at -160, which is tempting, but with Kentucky’s upside, I’d recommend the higher payout. Play: Over 7 wins at +110 (SuperBook) Missouri: 6 (over -120, under Even money) The Tigers went 6-6 last year thanks almost entirely to a suffocating defense that came out of nowhere. That’s a red flag as defensive efficiency is notoriously fickle year-to-year, especially with more of a one-season blip than a history of success, and Missouri may not have the offense to pull it out of tight games if the other side of the ball regresses. The Tigers have big returning-production numbers, but the rest of the mid-range SEC East division is arguably improved meaning some teams are bound to drop off. Lean: Under 6.5 wins at -130 (Caesars/William Hill) South Carolina: 6 (over -120, under Even money) The Gamecocks have far overachieved their statistical profile in each of coach Shane Beamer’s first two seasons. Either he’s truly one of the best coaches in college football or regression is going to strike at some point. Quarterback Spencer Rattler is a big name but annually the opposite of his coach — an underperformer. The Gamecocks are also often outmanned up front in the SEC. Guess: Under 6 wins at +110 (SuperBook) Tennessee: 9 (over -105, under -115) Wade Payne / Associated Press Tennessee running back Jaylen Wright (20) celebrates a touchdown during the second half of the team's NCAA college football game against Florida on Saturday, Sept. 24, 2022, in Knoxville, Tenn. Tennessee won 38-33. Coach Josh Heupel’s “smashmouth spread” offense took the SEC by the storm the past two years, but it looked like opponents began to somewhat figure out its relatively simplicity down the stretch last year. The Volunteers may be great again, but it’s not worth paying a premium — last year’s win total was 8 before a 10-2 regular season — with quarterback Hendon Hooker and his two best receivers, including Bishop Gorman High graduate Cedric Tillman, departed. It’s better to take a wait-and-see approach as it pertains to whether new quarterback Joe Milton can pick up where Hooker left off with fewer weapons. Guess: Under 9 wins at -105 (STN Sports) Vanderbilt: 4 (over -110, under -110) The Commodores were ravaged by the transfer portal, but importantly held on to the vast majority of an offensive line that paved the way to an impressive 5-7 record last year. Coach Clark Lea knows employing a slow, ball-control offense and building a decent defense — the focus of this offseason — is the only way the Commodores have a chance in the SEC. But they could potentially hit this win total solely in the non-conference, where they should go at least 3-1. Guess: Over 3.5 wins at -165 (STN Sports) Alabama: 10 (over -155, under +135) On paper, and in a change, this might be the most difficult team to handicap. They’re star-studded on defense with players like cornerback KoolAid McKinstry and edge rusher Dallas Turner but have seen their effectiveness on that side of the ball diminish over the last couple years. Offensively, there’s a relative dearth of big-time playmakers even at quarterback where new offensive coordinator Tommy Rees seemingly panic-added former Notre Dame quarterback Tyler Buchner after spring football. But any time the Crimson Tide have been doubted in the past, they’ve responded emphatically. Guess: Over 10 wins at -155 (Circa) Arkansas: 6.5 (over -140, under +120) Quarterback KJ Jefferson is an incredible talent, but there are a lot of questions around him. Who is he going to throw to with his top five receivers departed? Is new offensive coordinator Dan Enos, a drastic departure from the outgoing Kendal Briles, really the right choice to bring the most out of him? There will be no time for a learning curve considering Arkansas’ first four SEC opponents are LSU, Texas A&M, Ole Miss and Alabama. None of the games are at home, by the way, with three on the road the Aggies at a neutral site at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. Guess: Under 7 wins at -130 (BetMGM) Auburn: 7 (over +135, under -155) Everything went wrong for the Tigers last year beyond just the ignominious end to coach Bryan Harsin’s short time on the plains. Auburn also had the worst turnover luck in the conference – 123rd in the nation per the SP+ ratings — and among the most injuries. In other words, new coach Hugh Freeze isn’t stepping into as poor of a situation as it first may appear. He’s done more with far fewer resources previously. Guess: Over 6.5 wins at -125 (Caesars/William Hill) LSU: 9.5 (over -125, under +105) Matthew Hinton / AP LSU defensive end Ali Gaye (11) celebrates a sack of UAB quarterback Dylan Hopkins with safety Greg Brooks Jr. (3) during the first half of an NCAA college football game in Baton Rouge, La., Saturday, Nov. 19, 2022. The gap between Alabama and LSU for SEC West supremacy is a lot narrower than the opening odds indicated. Unfortunately, the market has adjusted. The Tigers are now appropriately merely decimal points behind the Crimson Tide. LSU does have to play at Alabama on Nov. 4, but it’s coming off of a bye (so is Alabama) for what should be one of the biggest games of the year. If both teams are at their best, it’s difficult to imagine LSU not putting up a fight. The Tigers are too stacked at virtually every position group to be beaten up by any team. Lean: Over 9.5 wins at -110 (SuperBook) Mississippi State: 6 (over -110, under -110) The devastating death of coach Mike Leach this offseason leaves Mississippi State in a vulnerable position in arguably the best division in college football. New coach Zach Arnett was thrust into the position without any warning and has since undergone transforming schemes on both sides of the ball. The Bulldogs far overperformed their statistical expectation with an 8-4 season a year ago, so they may have already been destined to take a step back this year before the college football icon’s passing. Play: Under 6 wins at Even money (STN Sports) Ole Miss: 7.5 (over -110, under -110) Rogelio V. Solis / AP In this Aug. 9, 2021, file photo, Mississippi coach Lane Kiffin speaks with his players during NCAA college football practice in Oxford, Miss., Monday,. Mississippi takes on Louisville in Monday night’s Chick-Fil-A Kickoff game that wraps up college football’s first full weekend. There would typically be reason for concern with the way Ole Miss lost four of its final five games last season, but they might be minimized with the way coach Lane Kiffin has overhauled the roster for the second straight year. Such personnel turnover is bound to backfire on the Rebels at some point, but the sense is they attracted too much talent for that to happen this year. Oklahoma State quarterback Spencer Sanders and UTSA receiver Zakhari Franklin are among the prizes the self-anointed “Portal King” Kiffin brought to Oxford, Miss., the past few months. Guess: Over 7.5 wins at Even money (Caesars/William Hill) Texas A&M: 8.5 (over +130, under -150) By any talent metric, the Aggies have one of the best overall rosters in the nation. Accumulate this many game-changers on both sides of the ball and, at some point, it should pay dividends. Coach Jimbo Fisher’s offense has largely held Texas A&M back during consecutive disappointing seasons but his poaching of new offensive coordinator Bobby Petrino after a couple weeks with UNLV could be the spark the unit needs. Texas A&M’s 1-5 record in games decided by less than a touchdown last year is highly unlikely to repeat. Lean: Over 8 wins at -110 (SuperBook) Case Keefer can be reached at 702-948-2790 or case.keefer@lasvegassun.com. Follow Case on Twitter at twitter.com/casekeefer.Case Keefer can be reached at 702-948-2790 or

well i see he has the auburn hat in the middle................dare i hope?

i try to get em early but sometimes if i am not sleeping good it is just not happening. but that is my plan.............

al.com An Auburn Q&A: Here’s what Cole Cubelic thinks about Auburn’s 2023 season Published: Jul. 26, 2023, 7:30 a.m. 8–9 minutes The calendar is about to turn to August, and the 2023 season ticks ever closer. But this is still the time for predictions. So AL.com sat down with a few national media members to get their thoughts on Auburn’s upcoming campaign. First up, ESPN analyst and Auburn alum Cole Cubelic. Cubelic played for Auburn from 1996-2001. Cubelic mostly focuses his work in the SEC and hosts a radio show with former Alabama quarterback Greg McElroy based out of Birmingham. The quotes have been edited slightly for clarity and brevity. Cohen: At SEC Media Days, head coach Hugh Freeze said Auburn is a ‘work in progress.’ So what does Auburn need to work on? Cubelic: “Well, number one, the roster is not complete as far as being upgraded and finding better talent to be on it. I think he wants to redevelop the culture. He wants it to be a culture that’s used to winning, that understands how to win. We don’t know if they have any of those things right now. We don’t know if these are guys that even if they take the coaching, and take the scheme and the system are going to really know how to go out and win football games. Hugh kind of goes out of his way to develop young men in a different way other than just being football players. I think it’s just the attitude, the demeanor of the culture inside that facility, the understanding of how to win, what it’s going to take to win. I think a lot of those are where he talks about, you know, continuing to build and it being work in process, those are the things that I would think would be at the forefront. Not to mention the fact that they still need more talent, they need more depth.” Cohen: What are some of the biggest differences you’ve noticed so far between Bryan Harsin’s coaching staff and Hugh Freeze’s? Cubelic: “I think the first part is just relationships. And Bryan had not spent a lot of time in that country developing relationships, getting to know high school coaches. The staff wasn’t going to be littered with guys that had a real idea of who to go talk to and when to go talk to and how to talk to them. So you know, I think there’s a certain language in the SEC footprint that you need to be able to speak and Hugh Freeze speaks that language. That can be to a recruit, that can be to a parent, it can be to a high school coach. It could be to a lot of different folks, but he knows how to speak that language and I think that’s been proven. I think the time that he’d already spent recruiting the SEC footprint, his assistants having gone over to other SEC schools and things of that nature gave him a little bit more of an advantage. And then just I think too, the efficiency of recruiting and the emphasis that’s on it. Part of this now goes off the alignment that we talked about. You have a higher percentage chance of being successful in recruiting with some of that alignment behind, backing you and helping you, and not against you. So that’s why that alignment is so important. But I just think it’s a wherewithal of what it takes and how to speak the language of the people that you’re going to need to talk to on a regular basis.” Cohen: As Auburn puts a roster together, what level of patience is appropriate? Cubelic: “I don’t like to put the exact landmarks up as far as, I hate using numbers like, ‘Oh yes, he has to win seven this year,’ or ‘He needs to win nine this year.’ For me, it’s something that you’ll know it when you see it. That is being more competitive, maybe being able to win games in different ways. Maybe it is situational football and individual players being more aware when they’re in that moment or they have those opportunities. I think it’s a lot of things really, but it’s something that folks that know Auburn football and watch Auburn football for a long time I think will recognize fairly easily once they see it.” Cohen: What are you expecting from Auburn’s quarterback battle in fall camp? Will Payton Thone be the guy? Robby Ashford? Someone else? Cubelic: “The first thing that I would say about it is Hugh Freeze really likes [redshirt freshman quarterback] Holden Geriner. I have been around him multiple times in the last couple of months and Holden’s name just keeps coming up. It just keeps popping up. And I don’t think that’s by accident. Now, not trying to say that to lead anybody to believe that he’s going to be the immediate starter or you know, that he’s going to be the guy right away. But I think maybe down the road, somebody that Auburn fans should probably be a little more excited about just based on what Coach Freeze thinks of him. As far as this year goes, I think Payton Thorne wins the job. I think if Robby Ashford accepts it, he could have a significant role on this team. I think he can be someone who really helps this team. But I think that has to be something that he is comfortable with, and that he wants and that he shows a desire to have. I think if the attitude is not there, and the willingness is not there, I don’t think these coaches will force it because they don’t have to have it. But it would very much be nice to have for that team this season because one, it’s going to make teams prepare for it and two, it’s going to make you more dynamic at times on offense. And I think it can be something that helps his development as a college quarterback. More time in games, more time seeing defenses, more time understanding the speed of the game and you know just different ways to be able to go out and make yourself better.” Cohen: So does that mean you’d consider a two-quarterback system? Cubelic: “I would call it more of a Robby being a situational guy than I would a two-quarterback system. To me, a two-quarterback system is almost pretty even. Both guys play close to the same amount of snaps. I don’t foresee that, but I do foresee him being a situational quarterback that can help them in different ways at different times.” Cohen: Okay, predictions time. What’s your realistic prediction for Auburn this year? Your dream scenario? Worst case scenario? Cubelic: “Realistic prediction for Auburn this year is right around seven, eight wins. And I think eight wins will be exceptional. It’s easy to get excited about guys out of the portal, but keep in mind most of them have not been playing this level of football. Depth is still going to be a real question. They’re in a spot where if they lose one, two guys in a couple different positions, they’re a very different football team. Also hate the fact that they play at night, week two on the West Coast. They have to travel back. That’s just something that affects you for more than a couple days. You know, being tested on the road at A&M early? I don’t love it. Obviously, Georgia, LSU, Alabama, those are national championship contenders. So I think if you got to eight, it would be a really good year. I think dream scenario is probably 10-2 where you catch lightning in a bottle. Quarterback gets hot. You know, younger guys are obviously helping your team, that gives you more depth. You take Georgia, LSU, Bama, you probably lose two of those three. I think that’s probably your best-case scenario. I think the floor would probably be five wins, but I don’t really see it. I think UMass, Cal, Samford, New Mexico State, like you’re getting those wins. I don’t think there’s a lot of separation between Mississippi State, Ole Miss, Auburn, Arkansas. I don’t think that there’s a ton of separation between those teams. So to think that they would drop all those games? I don’t really see that as being feasible. So probably five would be the floor.” 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.

well you tracked me down to get sh*tty so pot meet kettle. you are not what you pretend....

boo hoo suck it up buttecop

yahoo.com On3 predicts Demarcus Riddick will commit to Auburn Taylor Jones 2–3 minutes Although committed to Georgia, five-star linebacker Demarcus Riddick will make his final decision on Wednesday. Joining Georgia in the hunt are Alabama and Auburn. Ahead of his “final decision”, On3’s Jeffrey Lee has submitted a prediction. He expects Riddick to stay close to home and choose Auburn. Lee says that Riddick has a 55% chance to choose the Tigers, which has given Auburn a boost in On3’s Recruiting Prediction Machine. Heading into Wednesday, Auburn now has a 51.2% chance to flip Riddick from Georgia. The Bulldogs now have a 20.7% chance to keep Riddick, while Alabama has been given a 26.7% chance to flip him. Lee says that the relationship that Riddick has developed with head coach Hugh Freeze and linebackers coach Josh Aldridge has made a difference in his recruitment. “The two coaches have been heavily involved in recruiting Riddick. (Josh) Aldridge running the point with (Hugh) Freeze providing support. And Freeze has been more involved in Riddick’s recruitment than most head coaches. The No. 3 linebacker absolutely is a huge priority for Auburn, and Freeze and Aldridge have made sure he knows it.” In a recent interview with Auburn Undercover, Riddick says that Georgia is starting to not feel like home anymore. He had positive things to say about Alabama, but he seems to be really interested in Auburn. “Just everything,” Riddick said about Auburn. “I like the community, I like the family, I love everything. I love everything about the school.” Riddick will announce his commitment on Wednesday at 4 p.m. CT.

i do it with love salty.............for everyone. i am glad you enjoy them.

i have no idea what happened with chiz and coaching. but i like the man and i can listen to him talk football all day long. and i think i learned more from him than anyone else. and it has made the game more fun for me.

see? i have posted the vets and childrens cancer articles at least twice on here. damn near his whole cabinet has been arrested and jailed o sent to prison and yet you think trump is innocent? lol you guys have ignored every single bad thing he has done and YOU and others like you i feel are killing this country. you and i can cuss and fuss and raise hell but at the end of the day i am not going to get bad and put your family in danger. or you. see how that works? biden has never done that. and yall harping on hunter and the ukies but your boy trump was blackmailing them to turnover goods or get no monies already approved.