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What SEC football schedule means for the College Football Playoff Blake Toppmeyer, John Adams 3–4 minutes The SEC endured criticism after sticking with an eight-game conference schedule for 2024, even after the conference grows to 16 teams. Other conferences like the Big Ten, Big 12 and Pac-12 play nine conference games. Dissent from the peanut gallery can be ignored, but blowback from the College Football Playoff selection committee would be a stinging rebuke with real consequences. The CFP will expand to 12 teams in 2024, and the playoff selection committee will determine six at-large bids. While it’s not apparent exactly how much strength of schedule will factor into those debates, the SEC would seem to be leaving itself vulnerable to rejection in instances of similar resumes, because its members will play one fewer conference game than many Power Five peers. On this edition of "SEC Football Unfiltered," a podcast from the USA TODAY Network, hosts Blake Toppmeyer and John Adams discuss why the SEC decided to stick with an eight-game conference schedule and the ramifications of that decision. Rivalries can be preserved in 2024. That’s a silver lining to this decision. If the SEC remains at eight conference games beyond 2024, though, certain rivalries would be in jeopardy of interruption. TOPPMEYER:After SEC kicks the can on football schedule, ESPN and CFP gain control ADAMS:What I'll miss most after SEC football scraps divisions Some school administrators within the SEC were reluctant to add an additional conference game without ESPN kicking in more money. But, what if ESPN continues to keep its wallet shut in what amounts to a game of chicken with the SEC? Who will cave first? If the CFP selection shuts out a third- or fourth-place SEC team on the grounds of its strength of schedule and selects a comparable Big Ten team, that could tip the scales toward adding a ninth conference game, regardless of ESPN's move. If the SEC sticks with eight conference games for the long term, games like Alabama-Tennessee and Auburn-Georgia would be among the sacrifices. While those games can be preserved for 2024, the removal of divisions and the 1-7 schedule format would interrupt secondary rivalries if the eight-game schedule persists.

si.com Auburn's Payton Thorne classified as bottom-tier quarterback in college football Lance Dawe ~3 minutes The Athletic comprised a list of various Power Five and Group of Five quarterbacks and placed Thorne in the lowest tier. The assessment of Michigan State transfer quarterback Payton Thorne varies from outlet to outlet. The Athletic recently released an article ($) placing various Power Five and Group of Five quarterbacks into five different tiers. It is "by no means a complete list of every qualified FBS quarterback," but it does hit 31 of the more important signal-callers in the sport. Auburn's Payton Thorne was placed in the fifth and bottom tier of the list. It's not as bad of a place to be as one would assume, considering the tier is also comprised of quarterbacks such as Quinn Ewers of Texas, Joe Milton of Tennessee, Will Rogers of Mississippi State, and Riley Leonard of Duke (among others). Article authors Bruce Feldman and Stewart Mandel noted that "Thorne slid as well at Michigan State but could be rejuvenated playing in Hugh Freeze’s offense." Thorne was a two-year starter at Michigan State before transferring to Auburn over the weekend. The Tigers were in search of a new starting quarterback, and the expectation among fans is that Thorne comes in and wins the job in fall camp with (relative) ease. It's unknown how Hugh Freeze is going to play things out before Auburn takes the field vs UMass, but expect incumbent Robby Ashford to push for the job regardless. Thorne finished an accomplished quarterback at Michigan State, setting single-season records for total yards, total touchdowns and passing touchdowns. He ranks fifth in career total touchdowns, fifth in career total yards, fourth in career passing touchdowns and third in single-season passing yards. He's not a dazzling arm talent but was excellent attacking downfield in his two seasons with the Spartans. He's a great system fit for Freeze and Montgomery.

Projecting Auburn football's starters ahead of 2023 season after major roster shuffle Richard Silva, Montgomery Advertiser 6–8 minutes AUBURN — The dust may finally be settled. Auburn football has had one of the busiest offseasons in the country. With new coach Hugh Freeze resetting his roster, the Tigers brought in 20 players from the transfer portal since he took over in November, tied with BYU for the ninth most among Division I programs. And with about 22 freshmen and former junior college players also coming in − a couple newcomers are still working to qualify − nearly half of Auburn's roster will be made up of new faces. Here's a look at who we think will start for the Tigers in 2023, with the offense projected in "11" personnel (one running back, one tight end) and the defense in what'll likely be its base formation. BY THE NUMBERS: Breaking down what Auburn football gained, lost in the transfer portal this offseason GETTING RECOGNIZED: Takeo Spikes, Antonio Langham headline Alabama icons on College Football Hall of Fame ballot Quarterback: Payton Thorne Freeze and his staff were patient at this position. The Tigers had their chances to add a portal QB throughout the offseason, but held off before landing on Michigan State transfer Payton Thorne last month. If Thorne can tap back into what he did in 2021 (3,232 passing yards and 27 TDs), Auburn's ceiling will rise considerably. Incumbent starter Robby Ashford is still in the mix, along with redshirt freshman Holden Geriner, but Thorne is the projected starter due to the fact that Freeze went out and sought him specifically. Running back: Jarquez Hunter Thorne's best season came when he had a strong running game to lean on − Kenneth Walker rushed for 1,636 yards and 18 touchdowns two seasons ago − which makes Jarquez Hunter's job even more important. He collected 668 rushing yards behind Tank Bigsby in 2022, but it's to be seen how he'll perform as the featured back. Wide receiver: Jyaire Shorter, Shane Hooks, Ja'Varrius Johnson This position saw the most churn this offseason. Auburn lost four receivers to the portal, namely Tar'Varish Dawson (Colorado) and Landen King (Utah), but added four players to replace them. Two of those newcomers − Jyaire Shorter and Shane Hooks − have a good chance to start, but expect a heavy rotation of at least seven receivers. Tight end: Rivaldo Fairweather Florida International transfer Rivaldo Fairweather has the chance to be one of Auburn's most impactful pickups. His 6-foot-4, 251-pound frame is exactly what Freeze looks for in pass catchers, and his 426 receiving yards last season prove he's capable of making an impact in the passing game. The offense adds another dimension if Fairweather levels up on that production. Offensive line: LT Dillon Wade, LG Jeremiah Wright, C Avery Jones, RG Jaden Muskrat, RT Gunner Britton Bringing in four transfers and all of them starting on the offensive line is either a recipe for disaster or exactly what the Tigers needed. We won't know until the fall, though the staff didn't have much of a choice but to retool the unit. Jeremiah Wright at left guard is the only returning player likely to be with the first group. Gunner Britton (right tackle), Avery Jones (center) and Dillon Wade (left tackle) all settled in nicely to their roles during spring practice, and Jaden Muskrat, who committed to Auburn on May 8, is someone with the versatility to play both tackle and guard, according to Freeze. Defensive line: NT Jayson Jones, DT Justin Rogers, DE Marcus Harris A unit of Jayson Jones, Justin Rogers and Marcus Harris started at A-Day in April, and there's no reason to believe that group won't be the starters come September. Jeffrey M'ba could've challenged Harris, but he entered the portal and transferred to Purdue following spring practice. Jack: Jalen McLeod Appalachian State transfer Jalen McLeod only played against an SEC team once during his three seasons with the Mountaineers, but he made it count. The 6-foot-1, 237-pound pass rusher logged three tackles, two sacks and forced two fumbles in an upset win at Texas A&M last September. Vanderbilt transfer Elijah McAllister and true freshman Keldric Faulk should see time here, too. Off-ball linebackers: Austin Keys, Larry Nixon III "Just his passion," Freeze said May 17 when asked what he liked in North Texas transfer Larry Nixon III. "The way he ran to the football and the way he's a solid tackler. You just can't have enough of those guys. And I think he's going to come in and compete for a starting position. I really do." Slotting Nixon, who tallied over 100 tackles last season, next to Ole Miss transfer Austin Keys gives Auburn a new-look linebacker corps after four-year starter Owen Pappoe left for the NFL. Cornerbacks: DJ James, Nehemiah Pritchett The secondary saw little movement this offseason; that's due in large part because of what DJ James and Nehemiah Pritchett are expected to do in 2023. The duo started together last season and decided to come back for another year on the Plains, re-forming what could be one of the SEC's best tandems at the position this upcoming season. Star: Keionte Scott Keionte Scott quickly played his way onto the field and made an impact last season after transferring to Auburn from Snow College, a junior college in Utah. With a season of experience, he's likely to start at the star, which is a position similar to slot cornerback. Donovan Kaufman could also be a name to watch at this spot. Safeties: Jaylin Simpson, Zion Puckett Craig McDonald, a sophomore safety from Minnesota, was the only player in the secondary to transfer out of Auburn this offseason. With little movement, expect Jaylin Simpson and Zion Puckett to start on the back end. Kicker/Punter: Alex McPherson, Oscar Chapman Auburn didn't bring in a transfer kicker or punter, nor did it see one go out the door. Alex McPherson, who was ranked by the 247Sports Composite as the No. 1 kicker in the Class of 2022, is primed to start. Oscar Chapman is back following a season that saw him as a Ray Guy Award semifinalist. Richard Silva is the Auburn athletics beat writer for the Montgomery Advertiser. He can be reached via email at rsilva@gannett.com or on Twitter @rich_silva18.

The Real Reason Republicans Want to Give Tax Breaks for Embryos Wisconsin lawmakers are trying to "clarify" the state's 1849 abortion ban in a bid to make the wildly unpopular and anachronistic law palatable to modern voters Photo-illustration by Matthew Cooley. Images in illustration by Adobe Stock, 2 Republicans in the Wisconsin Legislature introduced a package of bills this week to “clarify” the state’s abortion ban, 174 years after it became law. The 1849 ban, which criminalizes abortion in every circumstance, except to save the pregnant person’s life, went back into effect last June after 50 years of obsolescence. It’s a deeply unpopular law: By margins of 2 to 1, voters said it should be repealed in every single county where the question was on the ballot this April. (In a statewide judicial election held the same day, the pro-choice candidate — who, it is widely assumed, will vote to strike the ban down when it is challenged at the state Supreme Court next term — won by 11 points.) But Republicans in Wisconsin can’t seem to grasp this obvious truth. Rather than repeal the 1849 ban, as Democrats have proposed, a group of GOP lawmakers — led by 32-year old Sen. Romaine Quinn — touted a total of four bills they hope will make the pre-Civil War law more palatable to modern Wisconsinites. Included in the package is an offer that has become trendy among antiabortion ideologues: tax breaks for embryos. LRB-2486 would allow parents to claim an exemption on their tax returns for “unborn children for whom a fetal heartbeat has been detected.” Co-sponsor Rep. Donna Rozar made the proposal’s intent crystal clear: The bill, she said, “recognizes an unborn child as a distinct human being prior to birth by allowing the child to be claimed as a dependent.” The point isn’t to support Wisconsin families — the point is to change the definition of when life begins as part of an effort to enshrine in Wisconsin law the dangerous and dehumanizing concept of “fetal personhood.” It’s all part of an effort to extend Constitutional rights to fertilized eggs — a legal theory that simultaneously revokes the rights of the individuals carrying those pregnancies. Wisconsin Republicans aren’t the first to try this: Georgia’s Department of Revenue announced in August “any unborn child with a detectable human heartbeat” could be claimed as a dependent on state tax returns. The representative behind Georgia’s LIFE Act, which created the tax break, later admitted in a leaked video that the credit was all part of a gambit to get the Supreme Court to recognize fetal personhood: “We’re going to take this to the highest court in the land.” Editor’s picks The consequences of a ruling recognizing fetal personhood are difficult to overstate: The moment that an embryo is recognized as a person with rights, virtually any behavior that poses any kind of risk to a pregnancy can be criminalized or litigated. In one infamous case, an Alabama woman was charged with manslaughter for losing her pregnancy after she was shot in the stomach by another person. (That case was dismissed after a public outcry.) In another instance, a court allowed a woman who was hit by a car while seven months pregnant to be sued by her future child for negligence because she failed to use “a designated crosswalk.” Wisconsin Republicans apparently think bodily autonomy comes pretty cheap: The credit they’re offering is $1,000. That’s one-third of the tax break you can get in Georgia, in case you’re comparison shopping dystopian hellscapes. Also included in the package of bills is $1 million in funding for crisis pregnancy centers, $5 million in funding to support state adoption programs, and language to clarify that the 1849 ban does not apply to “a medical procedure or treatment designed or intended to prevent the death of a pregnant woman.” Dr. Kristin Lyerly, an OB-GYN who stopped practicing in Wisconsin when the ban went into effect and a plaintiff in the lawsuit challenging the law, says the new language would do little to alleviate the burden on healthcare providers. “Imagine if you had chest pain, and you went to the emergency department, and your doctors said, ‘Yes, I know exactly what to do to take care of you, but the Wisconsin Legislature has enacted some laws that could potentially put me in jail for doing the things that I know to be medically correct; let me call a lawyer before I take care of you,’” Lyerly says. “Now replace ‘chest pain’ with ‘vaginal bleeding.’ It is exactly the same thing. Our Legislature is preventing doctors from taking care of Wisconsinites, from providing evidence-based, appropriate, standard-of-care medicine, and threatening to throw us in jail.” Related It remains unclear if the new proposal has sufficient support to advance through both houses of the Wisconsin Legislature. A previous proposal, floated in March, that would have added exceptions for rape and incest to the 1849 law failed to advance to a vote on the Senate floor. (“Discussion on this specific proposal is unnecessary,” Republican Majority Leader Devin LeMahieu said at the time.) But there is reason to believe this proposal might be viewed differently: The most prominent anti abortion groups in the state — Wisconsin Family Action, Pro-Life Wisconsin, Wisconsin Right to Life, and the Catholic Conference — all of whom opposed the rape and incest exceptions, have announced support for the package. Trending If Republicans in Wisconsin truly wanted to support mothers, there is an existing proposal they could throw their weight behind: a bill that would expand Medicaid coverage for new mothers for up to one year. Today, Wisconsin is one of only a handful of states that kicks new moms off public health care coverage just 60 days after giving birth. Democratic Gov. Tony Evers has repeatedly pushed for a 12-month extension — a proposal that was rejected by Republicans in the Legislature twice before. But expansion is particularly critical in Wisconsin now that the 1849 law is back in effect: Multiple studies have shown that the rate of maternal mortality spikes in states with abortion bans. “More moms die in the postpartum period than when they’re pregnant or during the time of delivery. The postpartum period is a really important time for moms to be able to get medical care,” Lyerly says. Republican lawmakers, Lyerly says, “are not making logical decisions. All of the decisions that they are making are so political and so divisive — and not in the best interests of Wisconsinites and Wisconsin families.”

Donald Trump is scared shitless right now. he has every ******* reason to be indictment season heats up Jeff Tiedrich Jun 6 things are not looking good right now for the once-indicted twice-impeached popular-vote-losing insurrection-leading serial-sexual-predating casino-bankrupting hush-money-paying real-estate-scamming classified-war-plan-thieving weather-map-defacing tax-cheating charity-defrauding money-laundering fluorescent tangerine ****face holed up in his s***ty vermin-infested Florida golf motel. allow me to explain. yesterday morning, Donald Trump’s dime-store lawyers were seen entering DOJ headquarters. why is this bad news for Donald? because they were there to beg Jack Smith not to indict their client. “you want me to what? you make me laugh. now get the **** out of my sight.” how do we know this? because a meeting between prosecutors and their target’s legal team is generally the one of the last things that happens before indictments are handed down. let me to turn to an expert who can explain this much better than I can: Renato Mariotti, former federal prosecutor, current practicing lawyer and, with Asha Rangappa, co-host of the It’s Complicated podcast. here’s Mariotti on the June 2 episode of the podcast, explaining: “it is very commonplace — in fact, it is, I would say, expected — that before a defendent is charged by a prosecutor, the prosecutor usually lets the defense attorney know. defense attorneys usually come in and they make what’s called a ‘pitch’ to some sort of group of supervisors in that office, to basically try to convince them that actually they’re making a big mistake, and that their guy doesn’t deserve to be charged and that there are all these things they’re missing, and so on and so forth.” “most of the time, these pitches are, ‘my client’s a fantastic person, Donald Trump has got a great charitable foundation, he’s a great father, he’s very old, he’s going to die in prison,’ all of these things, and it doesn’t persuade them. that’s usually how these go. but you have to go through the motions and take your shot.” so, that’s what happened yestereday morning. Donald Trump’s lawyers went through the motions, and took their shot. and how did the meeting go, Donald? oh dear. enjoy prison, my dude. everyone is entitled to my own opinion is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

he did not hide any after he was asked to give them back......twice either.

that would be westburro led by fredphelps i think?i also think he might havepassed. they do not get any pub anymore.

every single yearmartin luther king jr's holiday rolls around many folks say they prefer robert e lee or some civil war dude. my memory might failme but i do not remember it being jeff davis day.............

votes

vanityfair.com Report: Donald Trump’s Lawyers Spent Monday Begging the DOJ Not to Indict Him Bess Levin 5–6 minutes Back in April, Donald Trump experienced a unique phenomenon that, for his first 70-odd years on earth, he’d managed to avoid: actual consequences for his behavior, in this case, felony charges for the hush money deals he paid in the run-up to the 2016 election. Not surprisingly, Trump did not enjoy the experience and would no doubt like to avoid it happening again. But unfortunately for the ex-president, that’s not up to him, and he may soon be going two for two. NBC News reports that the grand jury that has been hearing evidence in special counsel Jack Smith’s investigation of Trump’s handling of classified documents is expected to meet in Washington again this week, according to people familiar with the matter. While it’s obviously impossible to know if that grand jury will choose to indict the ex-president—who is currently seeking a second term in office—the situation certainly does not sound great for the former guy, given that over the course of the last several weeks, we’ve learned that: The Justice Department has a recording of Trump saying he decided to hang on to classified material concerning a potential attack on Iran, and suggesting that he would like to share it but, per CNN, is “aware of limitations on his ability post-presidency to declassify records”; A Mar-a-Lago staffer who helped move boxes at the resort—seemingly at Trump’s request—allegedly asked, around the time the Trump Organization was subpoenaed for footage of the club, “how the security cameras worked and how long images remained stored in the system”; Trump attorney Evan Corcoran was “steered away” from searching for classified documents—in order to comply with a government subpoena—beyond the Mar-a-Lago storage room, despite the fact that a subsequent FBI raid uncovered classified documents in Trump’s office; Smith’s team has roughly 50 pages of notes from Corcoran revealing, among other things, that he advised Trump against retaining any government documents after the subpoena was issued, i.e., Trump was made well aware of what he was and was not allowed to do (according to CNN, Trump asked if he could fight the DOJ’s attempt to take back the documents); The National Archives and Records Administration gave the DOJ “16 records that show Trump…had knowledge of the correct declassification process while he was president” and did not follow it; Everyone from Trump’s pals to his lawyers think an indictment is on the horizon. THE HIVE NEWSLETTER Daily updates from Washington, Wall Street, and Silicon Valley. Speaking of the ex-president’s legal team, his lawyers were reportedly in Washington today to make their case. Per The Washington Post:

news.yahoo.com House Oversight leaders clash after viewing FBI document on Biden allegations Rebecca Beitsch 6–8 minutes House Oversight and Accountability Committee leaders briefed by the FBI on the details of a tip into potential wrongdoing by President Biden disagreed on basic conclusions, including whether it’s part of an ongoing probe. Chairman James Comer (R-Ky.) vowed to continue with his plans to hold FBI Director Christopher Wray in contempt for failing to physically turn over the document lawmakers reviewed alongside agents during an hour and a half long briefing. The FBI called the move an unwarranted escalation. Comer said the tip, memorialized in a document he subpoenaed from the FBI, is part of an ongoing investigation and alleges Biden may have accepted a bribe during his tenure as vice president. “Given the severity and complexity of the allegations contained within this record, Congress must investigate further,” he said after the Monday briefing. “This is only the beginning. It appears this investigation is part of an ongoing investigation, which I assume is in Delaware.” Close Thank you for signing up! Subscribe to more newsletters here The latest in politics and policy. Direct to your inbox. Sign up for the Breaking News newsletter Rep. Jamie Raskin (Md.) the top Democrat on the panel, on the other hand, said the FBI decided not to advance its initial investigation into the matter, determining the secondhand information did not warrant followup by the group then-Attorney General BIll Barr tasked with assessing it. “What we’re talking about here is a confidential human source reporting a conversation with someone else. So we’re talking about is secondhand hearsay,” Raskin said, adding that the source “had no way of knowing about the underlying veracity of the things that he was being told.” “And they did whatever investigative due diligence was called for in that assessment period, and they found no reason to escalate it from an assessment to a so-called preliminary investigation,” he added. “FBI prosecutorial protocol is whether there are articulable facts giving rise to suspicion of criminal activity. So they apparently decided there was not, and they called an end to the investigation.” Both CNN and NBC have reported that a team led by then-U.S. Attorney Scott Brady was unable to corroborate the 2020 allegation. Comer said the panel will meet Thursday to vote on whether to hold Wray in contempt of Congress because “the FBI again refused to hand over the unclassified record to the custody of the House Oversight Committee.” In a statement Monday the FBI stressed the accommodations given to the panel. “The FBI has continually demonstrated its commitment to accommodate the committee’s request, including by producing the document in a reading room at the U.S. Capitol. This commonsense safeguard is often employed in response to congressional requests and in court proceedings to protect important concerns, such as the physical safety of sources and the integrity of investigations,” the agency said in a statement. “The escalation to a contempt vote under these circumstances is unwarranted.” Comer issued a subpoena last month compelling Wray to produce any FD-1023 forms — records of interactions with confidential sources — from June 2020 that contain the word “Biden.” He has claimed the form contains information related to “an alleged criminal scheme involving then-Vice President Biden and a foreign national relating to the exchange of money for policy decisions.” Both Comer and Raskin agreed that the information came from a highly credible paid source the FBI has relied on for years. But the two men otherwise left with remarkably different impressions of the briefing. “All I know is there’s an ongoing investigation. They confirm there’s an ongoing investigation using this information. I assume that ongoing investigation is in Delaware. I don’t know that, but I assume that,” Comer said. When asked by The Hill whether he had information to support that claim, Comer responded, “I assume it’s Delaware. I’ll put it like that.” Raskin seemed surprised by Comer’s claim the investigation is ongoing. “Not only were there no criminal charges, there was no escalation of the FBI investigation,” Raskin said. “All I will tell you is that there was a complete Department of Justice, U.S. attorney and FBI team that was set up to investigate the allegations that surfaced after Rudy Giuliani was making particular allegations.” Raskin later clarified in a statement that, “much of the information provided by the source was information Mr. Giuliani had already provided the FBI.” The probe into the vague allegation against Biden appears to be intertwined with Comer’s probe into overseas business dealings by the president’s family members, including his son Hunter Biden and brother James Biden, as well as their associates. “The claims made in the document are consistent with what we found and disclosed to you all in Romania,” Comer said, referring to financial records that the committee’s Republicans reported in an interim memo on the Biden family business dealings last month. “It suggests a pattern of bribery where payments would be made through shell accounts and multiple banks. There’s a term for that, it’s called money laundering.” Republicans on the committee have gained access to suspicious activity reports generated by banks that they say show more than $10 million that flowed from foreign entities to companies associated with the Biden family and its associates. Those suspicious activity reports do not necessarily mean any illegal transactions occurred. Raskin on Monday also pushed back against Comer’s plans to hold Wray in contempt, something he said would mark the first time in history such a motion has been brought against an FBI director. “The document, like all documents relating to all confidential human sources, is one that should not be released publicly because it could endanger the confidential human source and then undermine our whole law enforcement system that the FBI has put into place,” he said. Raskin called releasing the document — something Comer has said he is considering — “totally out of bounds.” “We have the FBI, which came over to us, brought the very document we’re looking for, and gave even the majority — I think, 90 or 95 percent — of what was being asked for, which was the document and all kinds of surrounding answers to questions about the document. Now, it seems like the goalpost has shifted a little bit.” Updated at 5:56 p.m. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.

i have some diest in me. you should check it out sometime.

ichy as long as you are too nice on here people will run over you again and again. if lies slow down your message of jesus and love throw it back in their face. preach it all you want. say what you want. when people come at you to lose your credibility you need to verbally smack em side the head. i might not be well liked on here but no one runs over me. be your own best friend and stand up for yourself. if they do not like it let em eat fish heads............

if you ever got snarky or mean on this site i have yet to see it. you have been pretty classy the best i can tell. hell i am mean just about every single day to let folks know i am alive. i also have low tolerance for stupidity. grins. if the smackdown taint gets on you or you suspect it try washing with heavy duty soap will maybe some clorox thrown in................

I am not big on ol ted but he got something right and i am going to give him his props for this. take a bow ted.................and dunna let iam sneak up behind ya........

Ted Cruz is citing the Bible and preaching on Twitter in defense of the LGBT community, and it's quite something Aditi Bharade 3–4 minutes Sen. Ted Cruz.Drew Angerer/Getty Images Ted Cruz preached tolerance for the LGBT community during a Twitter spat with a pastor. "Let he that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her," Cruz tweeted. Cruz recently also condemned Uganda's harsh new anti-gay legislation. Sen. Ted Cruz on Monday cited the Bible and quoted verses from the book in defense of the LGBTQ community, a stark departure from his decidedly conservative position on gay rights. A Florida pastor, Tom Ascol, tweeted a Bible verse which suggested that every gay man should be put to death, to which Cruz responded: "Your biblical analysis is in error." The Texas senator then invoked another Bible verse to support his argument that gay people should not be persecuted. "Jesus told us to 'render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's. We are talking the laws of man, not the Old Testament laws of God,'" Cruz tweeted. He then added: "Do you really believe that the US govt should execute every person who is gay??" Cruz also mentioned another Bible verse — "let he that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her" — arguing that it is cruel and hypocritical to judge others for sinning. Ascol later told Newsweek that the point of his question was not to suggest that gay people should be executed, but to "determine if the senator believes that when God criminalized homosexual conduct in the Old Testament that our Maker was guilty of prescribing a law horrific and grotesque law." He told Newsweek that he was "grateful" for the discourse with Cruz, and welcomes "further conversation with him about these important matters." Cruz's religion-driven pro-LGBT tweets come just days after he unexpectedly called Uganda's new anti-gay legislation — which allows for gay people in Uganda to be sentenced to death for their sexuality — "horrific" and "wrong." Cruz speaking out so strongly in favor of the LGBT community is a far cry from his earlier position on the matter, such as when he said that the US Supreme Court was "clearly wrong" about its 2015 Obergefell v. Hodges ruling, which legalized same-sex marriages. "Obergefell, like Roe v. Wade, ignored two centuries of our nation's history. Marriage was always an issue that was left to the states," he said in a podcast in July. And in November last year, he voted against the Respect for Marriage Act, a move to provide federal protection for same-sex and interracial marriages. He said that it would be an "attack on religious liberties," The Texas Tribune reported. Representatives of Cruz did not immediately respond to Insider's request for comment sent outside regular business hours. Read the original article on Business Insider

auburnwire.usatoday.com Meet the top 2024 prospects from the state of Alabama Taylor Jones 11–14 minutes As the summer begins, many of the nation’s top recruits are locking in official visits. Many of those top recruits reside in the Yellow Hammer State. Last season, Auburn signed six players from the state of Alabama. Four of those were in the top 25, and five made up the top 30. Can Hugh Freeze and staff continue to ride the momentum they built on the back end of last year’s recruiting cycle? Buy Tigers Tickets A program such as Auburn, which is in rebuilding mode, must work on keeping the top prospects from their home state within its borders. The Tigers have done just that by reeling in three of the state’s top 25 prospects, and are on pace to haul in a few more. Ahead of a busy summer full of recruiting news, here’s a look at the state of Alabama’s top 25 prospects for the 2024 recruiting cycle. Vitals Position: LB Height: 6-0 Weight: 221 Rating: Three-star Here’s a trend that you will notice on this list… D’Angelo Barber is one of four players in the top 25 that hail from Clay-Chalkville High School. He remains uncommitted for now, but Auburn is the team to beat as they have collected four predictions from On3 and 247Sports. Auburn is setting the tone early for in-state LB D'Angelo "DJ" Barber, who returned to the Plains for a visit on Wednesday (VIP). "I feel like Auburn’s pushing about the hardest right now."https://t.co/csTs0f7Rat pic.twitter.com/QxoDJs7mjg — Christian Clemente (@CClemente247) March 23, 2023 Vitals Position: DL Height: 6-2 Weight: 268 Rating: Four-star Attending high school just an hour away from Auburn’s campus, in addition to having a brother currently on Auburn’s roster is helping Freeze’s case when it comes to recruiting DL Malik Blocton. Blocton is the younger brother of Auburn DL Marcus Harris, and has probably been to Auburn’s campus “more than any other 2024 recruit.” There aren’t any predicitons out for Blocton yet, but Auburn appears to be the team to beat. In-state DL Malik Blocton on #Auburn: 'They've always been consistent' (On3+) @AuburnLiveOn3 Good quotes about Tigers’ DL Marcus Harris (Blocton’s brother) and his view on the new staff and defense at Auburn.https://t.co/PiQKrjeCzF — Cole Pinkston (@ColePinkston) May 27, 2023 Vitals Position: TE Height: 6-5 Weight: 253 Rating: Four-star Whitted has received an Auburn offer, and is in a race with Alabama and Tennessee according to Justin Smith at Touchdown Alabama magazine. In an article from Auburn Undercover in April, Christian Clemente listed Whitted as a tight end that would pair well with 2024 commit Martavious Collins. From the article: Whitted has been playing wide receiver for most of his football career. But at over 6-foot-6 and over 250 pounds, tight end is the future spot for him in college. Whitted visited Auburn earlier this spring and said that he’s looking to come back this summer for a camp to learn more about the tight end position from (Coach Ben) Aigamaua. #AGTG (wow) after a great camp and a great conversation with @BradBedell I am truly blessed to receive (an) offer from Auburn University #WarEagle pic.twitter.com/doJ52TsOuw — 𝐽𝑎𝐶𝑜𝑟𝑒𝑦 𝐷. 𝑊ℎ𝑖𝑡𝑡𝑒𝑑 (@YbfCorey) June 6, 2022 Vitals Position: CB Height: 6-0 Weight: 175 Rating: Four-star The first Auburn commitment on the list is Anniston defensive back Jayden Lewis. Lewis committed to Auburn in February, the same day that five star point guard Tahaad Pettiford also announced his commitment to Auburn’s basketball program. BREAKING: 2024 Top247 CB Jayden Lewis has committed to Auburn. Second Top247 CB Auburn has in the class. "I got there Saturday and it was the same vibe. It was real love. That really took it over the top and I was ready to commit now.” More: https://t.co/Ss09y4afW5 pic.twitter.com/VJt02z4cbI — Christian Clemente (@CClemente247) February 1, 2023 Vitals Position: QB Height: 6-2 Weight: 205 Rating: Four-star Josh Flowers had a spectacular season for the Baker Hornets in 2022 by passing for 1,992 yards and 20 touchdowns, and rushed for 859 additional yards. He committed to Mississippi State in March, choosing the Bulldogs over Texas A&M, Indiana, NC State, among others. Baker HS, 4⭐️ quarterback Josh Flowers has committed to Mississippi State — @JoshFlowers2024 posted nearly 3,000 total yards and 25 TDs for @BakerHSFootball last year as a junior. @AL7AFootball #HailState pic.twitter.com/dsc00K9u5Q — Simone Eli (@SimoneEli_TV) March 9, 2023 Vitals Position: EDGE Height: 6-3 Weight: 211 Rating: Four-star Once a strong Auburn target, Sterling Dixon committed to Alabama last December, and is one of four Alabama commits who make up the top 25. Let’s work ❤️! 10000% committed pic.twitter.com/OwRJ1u2vI3 — ᔕTᗴᖇᒪIᑎᘜ ᗪI᙭Oᑎ💫 (@sterlingTDixon1) December 1, 2022 Vitals Position: LB Height: 6-1 Weight: 216 Rating: Four-star As we creep closer to the top 10, it is time to take a look at Hoover’s Bradley Shaw. Shaw has taken an unofficial visit to Auburn, but the Tigers still have work to do in order to lock in the crucial official visit. Shaw has scheduled official visits to Georgia and Notre Dame for this month, with Auburn and Alabama each expected to receive a visit. Hoover (Ala.) junior LB Bradley Shaw earned an offer from Auburn on Monday. Tigers now in the mix for one of the state's top recruits in 2024. On3: https://t.co/aZn6Hr60qE pic.twitter.com/Jg3xZiF14t — Jeffrey Lee (@JLeeAULive) July 12, 2022 Vitals Position: OT Height: 6-8 Weight: 365 Rating: Four-star JacQawn McRoy has held onto an Auburn offer for almost a year, but there has been minimal noise between McRoy and the Tigers since he paid a visit to campus in March. OL coach Jake Thornton told McRoy that he has “league potential”, and McRoy said that he liked the “family atmosphere” that Auburn presents. McRoy has scheduled official visits to Ole Miss, Arkansas, Kentucky, and Oregon this summer. 247Sports' No. 3 OT, Clay-Chalkville's JacQawn McRoy returned to Auburn on Wednesday. At 6'8", 365 pounds, the message to him was simple (VIP). "League potential, get developed, in-home state, hour and 45 minutes from where I’m from."https://t.co/mBnXAoklHP pic.twitter.com/Df5zNY3owz — Christian Clemente (@CClemente247) March 23, 2023 Vitals Position: LB Height: 6-2 Weight: 251 Rating: Four-star Auburn already holds a top-40 class, and it could improve with the addition of Joseph Phillips. Phillips included Auburn in his top five in April, and the Tigers are currently favored to earn his commitment. Phillips plays high school football just 21 miles from Jordan-Hare Stadium, so it would be a travesty to let someone as talented as Phillips get away. Auburn makes the cut for 4-star pass-rusher Joseph Phillips. Cadillac Williams and Auburn's interim staff were his first offer, and the new staff has continued to pursue him heavily (VIP). "They’re one of them schools that show some of the most interest."https://t.co/NrexIApWsZ pic.twitter.com/XgONXMvZ3n — Christian Clemente (@CClemente247) April 13, 2023 Vitals Position: RB Height: 5-11 Weight: 195 Rating: Four-star Auburn is reportedly looking to take another running back from the 2024 class in addtion to J’Marion Burnette, and Kevin Riley could be that guy. Burnette has been actively recruiting Riley to join him in Auburn, but will it work? According to On3’s Recruiting Prediction Machine, the hometown Alabama Crimson Tide is the favorite with a 33.5% chance at landing him. Looking to take 2 RBs this class, Auburn now has a commitment from the No. 2 RB in the state in J'Marion 'Phat' Burnette. Can Auburn get the No. 1 RB in the state in Kevin Riley? Phat's message to Riley? “Come home."https://t.co/1ymlN1zwxZ pic.twitter.com/GnFogZnq9u — Christian Clemente (@CClemente247) March 24, 2023 Vitals Position: WR Height: 6-3 Weight: 180 Rating: Four-star Could Auburn land another top-10 prospect from the home front? Auburn is projected to earn Coleman’s commitment according to On3, and his official visit to the Plains on June 12 could be the push that Auburn needs. He has also scheduled official visits to Clemson and LSU. 5-star WR Cam Coleman tells Auburn Undercover he has locked in his official visit to the Plains. One of Auburn's top overall targets on the entire board will be on campus again soon (VIP): https://t.co/tW6wnJpe0u pic.twitter.com/QsoVd8rNmz — Christian Clemente (@CClemente247) June 4, 2023 Vitals Position: EDGE Height: 6-5 Weight: 215 Rating: Four-star For a position that Auburn needs to build depth on, they will have to look somewhere else besides Ross to fill that need. Ross released his top eight in April, and Auburn failed to make the cut. The state’s highest-ranked uncommitted prospect has official visits set for Tennessee, Texas, Georgia, and Florida this summer. Vestavia Hills elite edge-rusher Jordan Ross @Childsplay_205 is coming off of dropping a Top 8 – Alabama, Georgia, Florida, Texas, LSU, Oregon, USC and Tennessee. pic.twitter.com/h8lquIYHo2 — Justin Smith (@Jdsmith31Smith) April 28, 2023 Vitals Position: WR Height: 6-3 Weight: 202 Rating: Five-star Alabama did a great job of locking down two of the state’s three five-star prospects in Perry Thompson. Thompson chose Alabama over Clemson, Georgia, Tennessee, and USC last June. However, Auburn has locked in an official visit for Thompson. Could another flip be on the horizon? 5-star Alabama WR commit Perry Thompson is one of Auburn's biggest targets. The Tigers will get him in for an OV this summer as Marcus Davis and Hugh Freeze try to work a flip (VIP). "Everything on campus just feels like home, it feels good."https://t.co/tLK8bHnTCE pic.twitter.com/KSrnCenR4V — Christian Clemente (@CClemente247) May 10, 2023 Vitals Position: LB Height: 6-2 Weight: 212 Rating: Five-star Kirby Smart has crossed statelines to take one of the state of Alabama’s top prospects in Demarcus Riddick. Riddick committed to Georgia last November, becoming the first defensive player to commit to the Bulldogs. Auburn is not out of the race, yet, as Jeffrey Lee of Auburn Live reports that he will be on Auburn’s campus next week for a visit. MORE BIG VISIT NEWS for Auburn. Another elite recruit, Georgia four-star LB commitment Demarcus Riddick, is expected to visit Auburn next week. The latest on the No. 3 LB in 2024… On3+https://t.co/3G6Q9M4B4n — Jeffrey Lee (@JLeeAULive) June 5, 2023 Vitals Position: ATH Height: 5-11 Weight: 170 Rating: Five-star We began this list with a Clay-Chalkville star, and we will end the list with another. Jaylen Mbakwe begins the summer as the state’s top recruit, and has been an Alabama pledge since last July. But, as is the case with Demarcus Riddick, Auburn is not completely out of the woods to bring in Mbakwe. He visited Auburn last weekend, and left room for Freeze to change his mind. Alabama five-star commit Jaylen Mbakwe visited Auburn over the weekend, but do the Tigers really have a chance to flip his commitment? "After this visit, I can say they do." On3+https://t.co/giJ8c4tIY6 — Jeffrey Lee (@JLeeAULive) June 5, 2023

Scarbinsky: Fear is keeping SEC football at a standstill Published: Jun. 04, 2023, 5:54 a.m. 1–2 minutes By Kevin Scarbinsky | Special to AL.com This is an opinion column. It’s June. It’s hot. Hotter than an Ivy League school beating Auburn in front of the new Frank Thomas statue, then trolling the Tigers with a clever, cutting Kick Six blast. “PENN’S GONNA WIN THE BASEBALL GAME! PENN’S GONNA WIN THE BASEBALL GAME!” Leave it to the smart guys to leave a mark. With the shocking exception of Auburn’s early exit on the Plains, the SEC baseball takeover of the NCAA Tournament is in full swing. So what’s everyone in the college sports blogosphere talking about from the Atlantic to the Pacific, from the Gulf of Mexico to the Great Lakes? SEC football. More precisely, the SEC football schedule. The 2024 SEC football schedule. Which officially has no names attached to it yet - tune in June 14 to the SEC Network for the full reveal - but finally, mercifully, has a number almost everyone inside and outside the league footprint can hate. If you purchase a product or register for an account through one of the links on our site, we may receive compensation.

Auburn love on ‘The Bachelorette’? Former Tiger OL hoping to woo AU grad Published: Jun. 05, 2023, 1:48 p.m. 7–9 minutes Auburn stands to win no matter who ends up with the final rose on the next season of “The Bachelorette.” Auburn University grad Charity Lawson stars in the latest chapter of ABC’s hit reality dating series, and former Auburn football player Kaleb Kim will vie for her affection. ABC announced in March Lawson will star on the upcoming season premiering June 26. “I’m the Bachelorette!” Charity said in the Instagram video. “Like, I can’t even say that without crying, screaming, but I am the next Bachelorette.” Lawson marks the first Auburn connection since Madison Prewett, a foster parent recruiter and AU graduate (and oldest daughter of Auburn’s director of basketball operations, Chad Prewett), who appeared during season 24 with Bachelor Peter Weber. She’s the first Alabama-connected lead in the franchise since Tuscaloosa’s Hannah Brown starred in season 15 of “The Bachelorette.” READ: 15 times Alabama took over ‘The Bachelor’ and ‘The Bachelorette’ Lawson will lead season 20 of the spinoff franchise, following co-Bachelorettes Rachel Recchia and Gabby Windey. She holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees from AU, giving at least one contestant the ice-breaker he needs to spark any connection with the Bachelorette. Kaleb Kim of Norcross, Ga., played offensive line for the Auburn Tigers 2016-19, finishing his college career as the team’s starting center during the 2019 season. Kim finished with 17 career starts, starting the first three games of the 2018 seasons including the Washington season opener. He missed the Outback Bowl in 2019 but made the SEC academic honor roll, as well as the preseason Rimington Trophy and Reese’s Senior Bowl watch lists. Kim wore number 54 during his Auburn football career. His parents are John and Cindy Kim. His father played football at Gardner-Webb. Standing at 6-foot-4-inches and 300 pounds while at AU, Kim originally hails from Buford, Ga., and attended Mill Creek High School in Hoschton, Ga. He studied business at AU. Now a construction salesman, the 26-year-old Kim “spent many years bettering himself and is ready to take the next step and find true love,” according to his official ABC biography page. “As a loyal, caring and consistent partner, Kaleb K. will go the extra mile to appreciate his partner’s passions.” So what is Kaleb passionate about? “Pushing himself to be the best,” his bio says. “With a blue belt in jujitsu, Kaleb is excited to put his competitive edge to the test to win Charity’s heart. And a fellow Auburn Tiger alum, he may already have another leg up with Charity. Kaleb K., don’t drop the ball on this one!” ABC shared these fun facts about Kim: Kaleb K. would love to coach high school football. Kaleb K. is personally offended by mayonnaise. Kaleb K. hopes to visit South Korea and learn more about his heritage. At the very least, we anticipate at least one “War Eagle!” during the June 26 premiere on ABC (at 8 p.m. Central), maybe as soon as Kim pops out of the limo and meets Lawson for the first time? Will the Auburn connection make for a love connection? According to Kim’s Auburn football bio and Lawson’s 2022 Instagram post reflecting on her graduation, it appears the pair were on campus at the same time. Did they ever cross paths? We’ll find out soon enough. You can see Kim blow a kiss around 1:08 of the video above, and meet all 25 of the men hoping to steal Lawson’s heart this season. Kaleb Kim (above) poses for a portrait for ABC's "The Bachelorette," on which he's a contestant during the show's 20th season starring Auburn University graduate Charity Lawson. Kim played football at AU from 2016-19. (Ricky Middlesworth/ABC; Julie Bennett/AL.com) Who is Charity Lawson? A 26-year-old child and family therapist from Columbus, Ga. She currently lives in Charlotte, N.C. She appeared as a contestant during the 27th season of “The Bachelor.” Here is what ABC shared about Lawson in her official “Bachelor” contestant bio: “It’s easy to see what makes Charity such a great catch! With a smile that lights up the room, a great career and a sweet personality to match, Charity is the total package! The Georgia beauty takes her name as a call to love and care for people and has built her life on that purpose. Charity is a mental health therapist and is extremely passionate about helping people live their best lives. Now, she is ready to receive the love she gives to so many others! Charity hopes her future husband is honest, loyal and shares similar morals. She says she is really excited to meet Zach and thinks the two of them could be a perfect match on paper. Time will tell if they’re also a perfect match in person!” The ABC bio also shared three fun facts about Lawson: Charity’s all-time favorite movie is “The Notebook.” Charity wants to move to Walt Disney World one day. Charity throws a mean axe. Her parents are David and Vickie. Her brother is Nehemiah. What is her Alabama connection? Lawson holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Auburn University. After receiving her master’s degree on the Plains, Lawson posted a graduate portrait on Instagram and wrote, “The past 6 years at Auburn, has been an experience of a lifetime, one that I don’t take for granted. I’ve been challenged, pushed and molded into the woman I am today. Looking back on my journey, I’ve met the most incredible people, professors, created the BEST memories, but most importantly, unconsciously, I walked right into my calling.” She finished with a graduate degree in clinical mental health counseling. “The joy that comes with obtaining a degree the second time around is so much sweeter when you gain confirmation that it is exactly one of the things God has called you to do,” she wrote. “The last two years has challenged me every single day in the areas of personal growth, but also in my professional identity as a therapist. I get the great opportunity as a therapist to love people as Jesus loved. This field of work is so beautiful, and I’m passionate about always advocating for mental health in today’s society.” And yes, she also dropped a “War Eagle!” What happened on ‘The Bachelor?’ Zach Shallcross, the lead on season 27 of “The Bachelor,” sent Lawson home after hometown dates. “She stole America’s heart on season 27 of ‘The Bachelor’ with her confidence, compassion for helping others and magnetic smile,” an ABC press release said. “Audiences saw Lawson open herself up to finding love by taking risks, all while supporting those around her. After her emotional exit, she solidified Bachelor Nation’s trust in her genuine desire to find love.” What is she looking for as ‘The Bachelorette?’ From ABC: “As the Bachelorette, Lawson is searching for a life partner who loves dogs, thrifting and a good tailgate; but, above all else, is honest, empathetic and values her for who she is. With parents who have been married over 47 years, Lawson has been instilled with the confidence of knowing what she deserves and is eager to find a lasting love matching their example.” When will ‘The Bachelorette’ premiere? Season 20 of “The Bachelorette” will premiere Monday, June 26, at 8 p.m. Central on ABC. What other Alabama connections have we seen on ‘The Bachelor’? From villainous contestants to lovable leads, Alabama personalities have dominated certain seasons of the long-running reality show, giving the state some well-earned airtime that keeps viewers coming back for more. We ran through Alabama’s biggest connections to “The Bachelor” and “The Bachelorette,” which turned 20 last year. If you purchase a product or register for an account through one of the links on our site, we may receive compensation.

247sports.com With 4 transfer additions Auburn hopes for good collaboration at receiver Nathan King 5–6 minutes When Marcus Davis meets with his receiving corps, he might be the shortest person in the room. But it’s a fond reminder of his own playing days at Auburn, when he shared the field with taller players like Sammie Coates, Duke Williams and Tony Stevens. “I love it,” Davis said with a laugh. “That’s how our room was: that combination of those big giants and the smaller guys like myself.” Perhaps no position on Auburn’s roster was shored up as strongly as receiver this offseason, with the Tigers picking up four transfer players — including three since the conclusion of spring practice. A group that entered 2023 with only seven scholarship players added Cincinnati’s Nick Mardner, who played under Davis at Hawaii, then Ohio State’s Caleb Burton, North Texas’ Jyaire Shorter and Jackson State’s Shane Hooks. In all, Auburn gained 4,390 yards of career production, and 49 receiving touchdowns. Davis, who’s entering his first season as an assistant back at his alma mater, said above all those numbers, though, his initial questions for Hugh Freeze and the rest of the Tigers’ offensive staff about a potential transfer addition was how that player would fit into the existing room off the field — with returning pieces like Ja'Varrius Johnson, Camden Brown and Koy Moore. “The first thing I was looking for is what type of person I would bring into the room that we already have,” Davis said on the Bleav in Everything Auburn podcast with former Auburn QB Jason Campbell and ESPN reporter Taylor Davis. “... How will he fit in with the guys we already have? I’m big on togetherness. If we’re all wrong, then we’re all right, as long as we’re on the same page, we can get it done.” The episode was recorded before Auburn picked up Hooks toward the end of the month, but Davis first touched on Shorter, a grad transfer who was No. 1 in college football last season at 27.3 yards per catch. A whopping 11 of his 23 receptions went for touchdowns. At 6-foot-2 and 215 pounds, in the two seasons at North Texas where Shorter was fully healthy and available, he posted 1,101 yards and 20 receiving touchdowns. “He’s been a productive guy,” Davis said of Shorter. “He’s somebody that will be able to come in — he’s an older and more mature guy. He’s a good piece to the puzzle of what we’re trying to do.” On the other end of the spectrum from the experienced super seniors, Davis also added what’s essentially a retroactive freshman from the 2022 class. Burton, a former top-150 overall recruit, spent one year at Ohio State and didn’t see the field. The Texas native now becomes the Tigers’ highest-rated recruit at receiver on the roster. "Caleb Burton is a super talented young man,” Davis said. “The main thing I’m excited about with those two guys is that it brings more competition and value to the room. I’m excited to get to work with those guys — and the room is, too, because it’s a great group we already have in terms of the people and the character. It’s going to be a good collaboration.” Last month, Auburn Undercover caught up with offensive coordinator Philip Montgomery, who talked about his excitement for Hooks' experience and skill set. “I love his length, first of all,” Montgomery said. “And for his height, he's got really good speed. I think people underestimate that about him. But he does a really good job of getting in and out of cuts, getting out of coverage. … He'll add a threat. I think we can play him outside and inside. And I think he'll be a really, really big threat down in the red zone.” Of course, Auburn’s receivers will hope to benefit from improved quarterback play in 2023, which the coaching staff attempted to address in the transfer portal with Michigan State’s Payton Thorne, a graduate senior who started 26 games with the Spartans and threw 49 touchdowns. The rapport between Auburn’s receivers and QBs in fall camp has to start with execution from their own room first and foremost, though, Davis thinks. “From playing the position, I never looked at it from the perspective of what they’re doing at the quarterback position,” Davis said. “I looked at what we can do to help the quarterback out. Run the right things, spend the much time as possible getting the right route depth — be specific with your approach whenever you get the opportunity. … How can we take accountability to help whoever gets to be the quarterback?” *** Subscribe to Auburn Undercover for the latest news and intel, podcasts, recruiting coverage and more *** *** Get Auburn news straight to your inbox with the Auburn Undercover newsletter ***

247sports.com Former Auburn coach Tommy Tuberville makes ballot for College Football Hall of Fame Nathan King 2–3 minutes Auburn could have a fourth hall of fame coach in the near future. Tommy Tuberville was named in the ballot for the College Football Hall of Fame's 2024 induction class Monday morning, the organization announced. Tuberville is one of nine FBS coaches on this year's ballot, joining the likes of Miami's Larry Coker, Nebraska's Frank Solich and Michigan State's Mark Dantonio, among others. Three former FBS coaches were inducted last year. After four seasons at Ole Miss, Tuberville was named Auburn's head coach ahead of the 1999 season. Across 10 seasons, he compiled an 85-40 record — the fourth-best winning percentage in program history — along with an SEC title in 2004 and five bowl victories. Under Tuberville, Auburn beat rival Alabama six straight years from 2002-07. Auburn's 2004 squad marked the first undefeated campaign in program history. Tuberville stepped down following a 5-7 season in 2008, and spent a year away from coaching before returning at Texas Tech in 2010. Over the next seven seasons at Texas Tech and Cincinnati, Tuberville went 49-37, including a conference title at Cincinnati in 2014, before retiring following the 2016 season. Tuberville then turned to a career in politics, and in 2020 he was voted senator of Alabama. Already representing Auburn in the College Football Hall of Fame is Mike Donahue (1951), Ralph "Shug" Jordan (1982) and Pat Dye (2005) Joining Tuberville are three former Auburn players on this year's ballot: linebackers Greg Carr and Takeo Spikes, and offensive lineman Ed King. The program's No. 2 all-time leading tackler, Carr is making his second straight appearance on the ballot after not being inducted last year, while Spikes and King are first-time nominees. The 2024 induction class will be announced in early 2024.

247sports.com Why ESPN SP is high on Auburns returning production Nathan King 5–6 minutes Not only did Auburn land quantity to shore up holes across the roster, but Freeze and his staff also snagged a number of highly experienced pieces to help offset some production deficiencies If Auburn struggles in Year 1 under Hugh Freeze, it certainly won’t be due to lack of experience on the roster. The Tigers were obviously one of the most successful teams in the portal this cycle, finishing with 247Sports’ No. 3-rated transfer class, behind only Colorado and LSU. Auburn’s 20 additions range from rotational pieces along the defensive line to a potential starting quarterback. Not only did Auburn land quantity to shore up holes across the roster, but Freeze and his staff also snagged a number of highly experienced pieces to help offset some production deficiencies from the team’s 2022 shortcomings, along with its offseason departures — whether from graduation, the NFL or the transfer portal. As such, Auburn is in a healthy position in terms of returning production entering the 2022 season — both compared to its SEC cohorts and the rest of college football. In the updated ESPN SP+ ratings, which are routinely acknowledged as some of the most effective projection models in the sport, Auburn has the No. 11 returning production rate in the country entering the summer. Of course, this means SP+ is lumping in transfer production with the traditional definition of “returning” players that were on the roster last season. As such, it’s not surprising that programs with top-rated transfer classes this year are also rated highly in returning production, like Florida State (No. 4), Michigan (No. 7), USC (No. 10) and LSU (No. 16). SP+ ranked Auburn No. 66 nationally in returning production last offseason, when the Tigers’ numbers were hit hard by the departure of starting QB Bo Nix. ESPN SP+ 2023 SEC RETURNING PRODUCTION RANKINGS 1. Missouri (85% returning) 2. Texas A&M (78%) 3. Auburn (74%) 4. LSU (73%) 5. Ole Miss (71%) 6. Vanderbilt (70%) 7. Mississippi State (67%) 8. Tennessee (65%) 9. Kentucky (64%) 10. Georgia (59%) 11. South Carolina (58%) 12. Arkansas (58%) 13. Florida (48%) 14. Alabama (46%) Despite losing a massive chunk of its production at the line of scrimmage — with 19.5 sacks and 36 tackles for loss out the door with the loss of Derick Hall and Colby Wooden — Auburn is still ranked No. 14 nationally in returning defensive production (76 percent) by SP+. The infusion of a high-level tackler in Larry Nixon III from North Texas helps offset Owen Pappoe’s departure. That helps to level things out and allow the secondary to stand out, as the Tigers aren’t losing any production from their defensive backs, and they bring back veterans like Nehemiah Pritchett, Jaylin Simpson and D.J. James. On offense, the Tigers’ 72 percent figure ranks No. 34 nationally, obviously buoyed by Michigan State transfer quarterback Payton Thorne, along with more than 2,000 receiving yardage from last season thanks to the quantity of pickups at receiver, plus a productive tight end in FIU’s Rivaldo Fairweather. Here’s a look at how much production has turned over across the board for Auburn, with its 20 transfer pickups bolstering the numbers in most categories, with the exception of just a couple. All figures are reflective of last season’s stats, not career numbers, with the exception of offensive line starts. PASSING TOUCHDOWNS Production gained: 19 touchdowns Production lost: 1 touchdown Top transfer producer: Payton Thorne (Michigan State) ‌ PASSING YARDS Production gained: 2,679 yards Production lost: 431 yards Top transfer producer: Payton Thorne (Michigan State) ‌ RUSHING YARDS Production gained: 1,185 yards Production lost: 1,030 yards Top transfer producer: Brian Battie (USF) ‌ RUSHING TOUCHDOWNS Production gained: 8 touchdowns Production lost: 10 touchdowns Top transfer producer: Brian Battie (USF) ‌ RECEIVING YARDS Production gained: 2,020 yards Production lost: 683 yards Top transfer producer: Shane Hooks (Jackson State) ‌ RECEIVING TOUCHDOWNS Production gained: 27 touchdowns Production lost: 1 touchdown Top transfer producer: Jyaire Shorter (North Texas) ‌ OFFENSIVE LINE STARTS Production gained: 55 starts Production lost: 19 starts Top transfer producer: Avery Jones (East Carolina) ‌ TACKLES Production gained: 314 tackles Production lost: 282 tackles Top transfer producer: Larry Nixon III (North Texas) ‌ SACKS Production gained: 15.5 sacks Production lost: 19.5 sacks Top transfer producer: Jalen McLeod (App State) ‌ TACKLES FOR LOSS Production gained: 24.5 TFLs Production lost: 36 TFLs Top transfer producer: Jalen McLeod (App State) ‌ PASS BREAKUPS Official Visit Primer: 5-star Georgia commit headlines another impressive weekend list It will be another big weekend for Auburn football. To read this article and more, subscribe now — SALE: 60% off first year Get access to this article and all of the in-depth coverage from the 247Sports Network with this special offer.

Michigan State’s Mel Tucker talks Payton Thorne’s transfer to Auburn Updated: Jun. 05, 2023, 10:15 p.m.|Published: Jun. 05, 2023, 2:57 p.m. 2–3 minutes Mel Tucker’s press briefing at the National College Showcase recruiting camp at Wayne State. Michigan State coach Mel Tucker wishes nothing but the best for Payton Thorne. The former Spartans quarterback, who started the past two seasons for Tucker, transferred to Hugh Freeze’s Auburn program last month. “We feel good about our situation,” Tucker said. “I just wish Payton the very best of luck. He’s a really good player, a better person, got a great family. We wish him well.” Asked if guys transferring for “greener pastures” is the new norm in college football, Tucker said it is. “I believe so,” Tucker said. “We’ve seen it right? We’ve gotten guys out of the portal, and it’s really common. So, I don’t think it’s anything that anyone should be surprised about.” Thorne, a 6-foot-2, 210-pounder, is a former three-star dual-threat prospect who started all 12 games for the Spartans last season. Thorne is a 60.9 percent career passer who has thrown for 6,494 yards and 49 touchdowns in 29 games, with 26 of them coming starts for Michigan State. He’s one of the program’s career leaders in passing touchdowns (fourth), completion percentage (fifth) and passing yards (sixth), and he has five games with 300-plus yards through the air. Thorne averaged 7.5 yards per pass attempt for his career and has 46 touchdowns against 21 interceptions the last two seasons while completing 61.5 percent of his passes for 5,911 yards. Mark Heim is a reporter for The Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter @Mark_Heim. He can be heard on “The Opening Kickoff” on WNSP-FM 105.5 FM in Mobile or on the free Sound of Mobile App from 6 to 9 a.m. daily.