aubiefifty

i miss the old days when you could pick up a paper on a sunday and monday. i believe the writers were better. i have posted the same article with different titles on here and usually let them pass if i am in a hurry or they might have a comment or two different. now there is no imagination much and click bait.

i like my presidents to be presidential and not childish...................

everyone counts or no one counts.

Why I decided to shoot all my Bud Light: A letter to my 'woke' liberal neighbors Rex Huppke, USA TODAY 5–6 minutes Dear neighbors: I see on the local Facebook page that some have been wondering why I recently put three cases of Bud Light on a folding table in my backyard and then shot them to shreds with my AR-15. Under the rules of the Second Amendment, I don’t have to answer your questions (look it up, libs), but in the interest of being neighborly, I will. The answer is simple: Anheuser-Busch has gone woke. The company I have long supported by getting day drunk on Bud Light recently caved to the absurd liberal notion that we should treat everyone with kindness and respect by partnering with Dylan Mulvaney, who I’m told by Google is “a transgender social media influencer.” Kid Rock shot his Bud Light, so I shot mine I learned about this through my primary news source, Kid Rock’s Instagram page. Mr. Rock posted a video of himself shooting cases of Bud Light, saying, “(Expletive) Bud Light. (Expletive) Anheuser-Busch!” It was clear from that moment that I too, as a patriot, needed to purchase several cases of Bud Light and then destroy them with the same type of firearm used in most mass shootings. If this act of responsible protest offended your delicate sensibilities, I’ll be happy to loan you my “Liberal Tears” mug. Singer Kid Rock performs a concert before the Daytona 500 auto race in Daytona Beach, Fla., in 2015. While none of you so-called Americans in the neighborhood joined me in my battle against creeping wokeness, many high-profile conservatives did, including country music star Travis Tritt, who banned all Anheuser-Busch products from his tour, and GOP presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy, who called it “the worst kind of woke capitalism.” Former professional baseball player Aubrey Huff tweeted: “My God how dumb you have to be @budlight? Can’t wait to see the next quarter sales. #cancelbudlight” I and my fellow truth-tellers took time away from our important crusade against the horrors of liberal cancel culture to encourage others to never, ever drink Bud Light again. I dare any of you to name a more noble quest than protesting a company by purchasing and then destroying its products while drawing vast, unpaid national attention to its brand. But despite the righteousness of shooting several dozen cans of beer I had just paid for, all I hear from you neighbors are complaints. What harm am I causing, aside from one stray bullet lightly grazing Ms. Henderson’s labradoodle? Colin Kaepernick passes during halftime at the 2022 Michigan Spring game at Michigan Stadium. Look, I realize there were some minor issues back in 2018 when I purchased five dozen pairs of Nike sneakers and burned them in my backyard to protest the company featuring Colin Kaepernick in an ad. How was I supposed to know the flames would reach the grape arbor in Don’s yard? And I know some of you didn’t like it last year when I learned through Newsmax host Greg Kelly that Oreo cookies had gone woke by joining PFLAG to produce a short film on coming out. What set me off was Kelly’s insightful tweet that read: “COOKIE! I love COOKIES. C is for COOKIE. COOKIE IS FOR ME. I do NOT like GAY COOKIES. ‘Sexuality’ has NOTHING TO DO with the Cookie experience. Cookies are for ALL! Basically Cookies are ‘asexual’---why is the WOKE LEFT messing around with OREOS?!?! STOP THE INSANITY.” That inspired me to purchase all the Oreos they had at the grocery store, dump them in the middle of the road in front of my house and run them over with the same Hummer I used to smash the 25 Keurig coffee makers I bought after the company stopped advertising on Fox News’ Sean Hannity show. Oreo maker Nabisco has created limited edition rainbow cookies and partnered with support group PFLAG (Parents, Families, and Friends of Lesbians and Gays). Well, I guess my First Amendment rights are a little too much for the sheep in this neighborhood. I’m not going to apologize, because apologies are a tool of the woke left, but I will refrain from shooting any more beer. And I can guarantee that, because I’ve now switched to Coors Light, so if you need me, I’ll be in the driveway in all my nonwoke glory, sitting peacefully in a lawn chair next to my Hummer – which I leave idling to protest the climate change hoax – taking long sips of ... wait a minute. Why is the Google telling me Coors Light is "among the most progressive for its employee policies toward gays" and "has been advertising in gay publications since the 1980's"? WOKENESS IS EVERYWHERE! Rex Huppke on Twitter @RexHuppke and Facebook facebook.com/RexIsAJerk

How will Jeremiah Cobb be used in Auburn’s offense this season? Taylor Jones Mon, April 10, 2023 at 6:00 AM CDT After watching A-Day last Saturday, it has become clear that the running back position will be Auburn’s strongest unit heading into the 2023 season. Jarquez Hunter is expected to be the bell cow of the group, with Brian Battie and Damari Alston showing signs of positivity on Saturday. Two more backs, Sean Jackson and Justin Jones, also threw their hat into contention to grab solid carries after ending the game as Auburn’s leading rushers. With a group this stacked, that leaves one question to be answered… “what role will Jeremiah Cobb have in the Auburn offense this season?” Cobb, a four-star running back from Montgomery, did not compete in spring drills as he is set to graduate from Montgomery Catholic Preparatory School in May. Cobb was one of Auburn’s first commits of the 2023 cycle and has remained loyal to the Tigers throughout his recruitment. He brings a reputable resume with him to the Plains by rushing for over 6,500 yards and 75 touchdowns during his high school campaign. His credentials are telling, but will he see the field as a freshman? Running backs coach Cadillac Williams answered that question prior to A-Day by saying that the ball is in Cobb’s court. “If Jeremiah Cobb comes in here and he’s the best out there on the field, then he is going to be on the field. I’m a firm believer − my guys know − that I am fair. … Coach (Hugh) Freeze, (offensive coordinator Philip) Montgomery and myself, we’re going to do what’s best for the team. If we feel like a freshman or whoever is the best player out there, then (they play). That is what I am a believer in. I’m honest with my guys. They’re going to create their roles on this team. … I always challenge my guys: Let’s be a realist, man. Film don’t lie. So, again, Jeremiah Cobb will come into this thing and he will have ample opportunity to prove what he can do.” Cobb is the third-highest-rated signee of the 2023 cycle from Auburn, trailing Keldric Faulk and Kayin Lee. Cobb signed with Auburn as the No. 16 recruit from the state of Alabama, and the No. 11 running back in the country according to 247Sports. Story originally appeared on Auburn Wire

al.com Hugh Freeze feels 'better' about Auburn's QBs, but portal still in play Updated: Apr. 08, 2023, 4:21 p.m.|Published: Apr. 08, 2023, 4:18 p.m. 7–9 minutes Two months ago, before he ever coached a practice at Auburn, Hugh Freeze was anxious to get on the field and evaluate the Tigers’ trio of returning quarterbacks — Robby Ashford, T.J. Finley and Holden Geriner — firsthand. After accepting the job on the Plains, Freeze only had the opportunity to review cutups of each quarterbacks’ film, the good and the bad. It was hard to gauge just what he had to work with at the most important position on the field. Fast forward to A-Day, the last of 15 official spring practices, and Freeze is feeling a bit more at ease about Auburn’s quarterback situation heading into Year 1, though the position is far from settled. Read more Auburn football: Hugh Freeze wants to address these five positions in the spring transfer portal window Hugh Freeze makes the case for replacing spring games with charity exhibitions against other schools Auburn trying to strike right balance with new up-tempo offense this spring “I feel better than I did 15 practices ago,” Freeze said Saturday after his first spring game with the Tigers. “I really think that from this point now until the end of fall camp, there’s so much that needs to happen for somebody to solidify being the guy. And I think all have improved. I think all are still inconsistent with some things.” It was another blunt assessment from Freeze, who has not minced his words when it comes to critiquing and praising the progress of Auburn’s quarterbacks this spring. He reiterated Saturday that the competition will wage into fall camp, that the offseason months will be a critical piece of the puzzle for determining QB1 and that Auburn won’t shy away from adding another quarterback option in the post-spring transfer portal that when it opens in a week. For as much attention as Auburn’s quarterbacks have received over the last six weeks, though, little could actually be gleaned from Saturday’s rain-soaked spring game. Auburn attempted a total of 12 passes — with two more designed pass plays that resulted in “sacks” (albeit noncontact for the quarterbacks — across the duration of the A-Day scrimmage, which ended in a 24-24 tie after the defense was spotted a 24-0 advantage at the onset of the day. Ashford, as has been the case for much of spring, was the first quarterback to get his crack with the offense. He led a touchdown drive on his first possession, capping a 10-play, 65-yard drive with a 7-yard touchdown run. His lone pass attempt on the drive was incomplete, but he ran the ball four times for 23 yards as Auburn’s run game showed signs of promise. Ashford completed just one of his three pass attempts on the day, with the lone completion a 39-yard seam down the field to Tar’Varish Dawson Jr. down to the 9-yard line. That led to a field goal as time expired in the second quarter. “I think you saw today that he’s got the capability of making some plays,” Freeze said of Ashford, who earned offensive MVP honors for the second consecutive A-Day. Finley was the second quarterback in the rotation again on A-Day. The offense went three-and-out on his first possession on the field, but he led a pair of field goal drives in the second half, including the one that resulted in Alex McPherson’s 33-yard game-tying kick as time expired in the weather-shortened scrimmage, which was called after three quarters. Finley finished the day 1-of-4 passing for 4 yards, and while it wasn’t much, he has received credit this spring for his improved accuracy this spring and his understanding of how to play within Freeze’s offense. “I believe I can compete with anybody in the country, and that’s why I transferred here from LSU,” Finley said. “I felt like I can compete with Bo Nix (in 2021). Competition doesn’t scare me. I know who I am. I know what I can do, and with the right coaches, I know who I can grow into and hopefully this is the place. Competition brings the best out of everybody, and if you can’t handle competition, you don’t need to be in this industry. That’s how I look at it. I serve a great God, and God has put me here for a reason, and I’m going to fulfill my destiny here.” Geriner was third in the rotation at quarterback, though his second possession included some work with the first-team offensive line. The redshirt freshman, who took a step forward in his development midway through the spring, had the best passing numbers of the trio Saturday, though that wasn’t saying much considering how little Auburn did in the passing game under the conditions at Jordan-Hare Stadium. Geriner completed 3-of-5 passes for 17 yards and led a touchdown drive late in the third quarter. He also converted a 2-point attempt at the end of that drive to get the offense within a field goal late. After appearing in just one game with limited snaps last season, Geriner said he feels confident and calm this spring despite the coaching change. “I feel like I’ve grown tremendously from a physical aspect as well as mental,” Geriner said. “I feel like I’m in a lot better place mentally and just confidence-wise. Then along with the physical aspect of that, it helps me going out there every day and having the confidence in there to make all the throws I know I can. I definitely feel good and ready to play.” Freeze may feel better about Auburn’s quarterback room than he did upon taking the head coaching gig late last year, but he wants to see more from each of them in the coming months. Consistency will be key, as will leadership. Summer months, with individual workouts and player-only practices, will factor into the decision come fall, and it remains to be seen whether any of the three quarterbacks who took the field at Jordan-Hare Stadium on Saturday will be the guy for the Tigers when they open the season against UMass. The spring transfer portal opens in a week and runs from April 15-30. Freeze has been upfront with the trio that he plans to explore the options in the portal, and if he can find the right fit, he’ll pursue adding a quarterback to the room — just as he will for any position on the roster. “I know people make a big deal out of that, but the bottom line is you’re constantly — I think competition is helpful for those that handle it right,” Freeze said. “And for those that don’t, they’re probably not going to be winners for you anyway. And so, we’re open. Do I think we can win some games with what we have? Yes. I do. But, you know, I don’t want to ever be put in a box where I say something, and I do the opposite. I don’t know the answer. I don’t know if we are. I know that I would be open to it.” Ashford, Finley and Geriner have appreciated Freeze’s honesty throughout the spring — from his “brutally honest” evaluations of them both publicly and privately, to not hiding his desire to explore the portal for any potential additions to the room. “That’s the best way to be,” Finley said. “There’s no sugarcoating it when you want to get better, and as a competitor you want that out of a coach. You want to be criticized, you want to be coached hard, I think we’re all — like I said — responding to it well.” Tom Green is an Auburn beat reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter @Tomas_Verde.

Auburn finishes Spring practice season on high note in waterlogged A-Day By Nolan Knight Apr 8, 2023 A big question coming into the day for the Auburn Tigers was who would stand out at the quarterback position. Freeze hadn't named a starter going into spring practice and with today's conditions the Tigers never really got a chance to see which quarterback was best in the passing game. "We really had every intention to throw that ball around today and it would have been really ugly and a lot of three and outs if we had to do that but I think Robby (Ashford) got better" Despite the Tigers completing just four passes it was clear that Robby Ashford had the best game between the three quarterbacks competing, rushing for 38 yards and a score. "I just know I got to keep coming out each and every day and being that leader for the guys but whatever happens I'm going to keep coming out and working. At the end of the day if I'm QB-one i would love it. I love working and these coaches love working too so it's just how can we take this to the next level." It was the running game that really impressed on a soggy Jordan-Hare field with Sean Jackson impressing the most, tallying 77 yards on the ground including a 16-yard scamper. "I think from today we are running the ball really well, getting the dirty yards from our backs and our QBs getting some yards today I think we improved on our O-line" Although it wasn't a generic game the offense needed to score 24 points to catch up with the defense who began the game up 24-0 and with just One second on the clock Fort Payne High School star Alex McPherson stepped up and drilled a 33-yarder securing a 24-24 tie and leaving both the offense and defense pleased with their day. "I said, look, our ones, twos and threes got the same amount of possessions. Do y'all want to go ones right here from the three-yard line for the win or loss, one play? They were quiet for a long time on that. They didn't give me an answer for a while and i said, 'are you going to answer?' and they said, 'let's leave it a tie,' so i'm happy with the way it ended. It really is good seeing them kick that thing through under those conditions. It was really, really soggy and wet and the snap was really slow. It was good that we got some of that experience."

Auburn Football A-Day: Which recruits attended Auburn’s spring game? Is a commitment soon? Published: Apr. 09, 2023, 12:29 p.m. Auburn's Hugh Freeze talks quarterbacks and more after A-Day spring scrimmage NEW! By Nick Alvarez | nalvarez@al.com Auburn football appeared to make the most of its rainy scrimmage on Saturday. How did the Tigers fare recruiting-wise? Hugh Freeze’s presence on the trail has been apparent since his hire. He’s prioritized relationships and pulled in 12 transfers and a late push with high schoolers in the class of 2023. The next step is Freeze’s first full cycle in 2024. That meant showing what he’s built on the Plains during A-Day. By early accounts, it appears Auburn was effective on its biggest recruiting opportunity of the spring. Multiple four- and five-star prospects were in town, including a set of recent commits helping the coaching staff make their pitch. At least one may be close to a decision. 2024 athlete Martavious Collins of Rome, Georgia, is a 247Sports Composite four-star and was forecasted to the Tigers after his visit. Here are some of the key prospects that made an appearance in Jordan-Hare Stadium. Class of 2024 KJ Bolden: 5-star DB from Buford (Georgia) High; uncommitted; No. 4 overall recruit in 247Sports Composite Perry Thompson: 5-star WR from Foley (Alabama) High; committed to the Crimson Tide; No. 39 overall Justin Greene: 4-star DL from Mountain View (Georgia) High; uncommitted; No. 81 overall Cameron Coleman: 4-star WR from Central-Phenix City (Alabama) High; uncommitted; No. 96 overall Walker White: 4-star QB from Little Rock (Arkansas) Christian; committed to Auburn; No. 118 overall Kevin Riley: 4-star RB from Tuscaloosa (Alabama) Country; uncommitted; No. 167 overall Sterling Dixon: 4-star EDGE from Mobile (Alabama) Christian; committed to the Crimson Tide; No. 184 overall Courtney Crutchfield: 4-star WR from Pine Bluff (Arkansas) High; uncommitted; No. 391 overall Tevis Metcalf: 3-star ATH from Parker (Alabama) High; uncommitted; No. 78 CB 2025 Malik Autry: DL from Opelika (Alabama) High; committed to Auburn Alvin Henderson: RB from Elba (Alabama) High; uncommitted Nino Freeman: QB from IMG (Florida) Academy; uncommitted RELATED: What Nick Saban said about Hugh Freeze’s idea for an in-state spring game Robby Ashford embracing challenge from Hugh Freeze Nick Alvarez is a reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter @nick_a_alvarez or email him at NAlvarez@al.com.

247sports.com Auburn QBs discuss wet A-Day that was short on passing plays Mark Murphy 8–10 minutes AUBURN, Alabama–Coach Hugh Freeze said the plan was to “air it out” for Saturday’s A-Day Game, which made sense with a three-player race on-going to become the Auburn football’s team’s No. 1 quarterback. However, when the final whistle blew on a spring game with just 51 plays, only a dozen passes were thrown in a scrimmage played on a windy afternoon with heavy rain. Robby Ashford completed 1-3 passes for 39 yards, Holden Geriner completed 3-5 for 17 yards and T.J. Finley hit 1-4 for four yards and ran the football three times for 13 yards. Ashford rushed for a touchdown and netted 38 yards on six carries. Geriner ran the ball twice for seven yards. “Most definitely, we wanted to showcase some of the guys on the outside and make them look good,” Finley said of the plan going into A-Day, the 15th and final practice of spring drills that ended in a 24-24 tie with the defense starting with 24 points and the offense challenged to beat that total. “Especially for us, quarterbacks always want to throw the ball, but our running backs did a heck of a job today running the ball,” Finley pointed out. “Offensive line came off the ball with some power, even though it was raining so hard,” Finley said. “We got to showcase that side of our offense as well, which is always good. I am happy with how today went. We had fun and we ended in a tie so that was good.” Asked about how he is handling the battle for playing time, the 6-7, 245-pounder, who has dropped 15 pounds from last season to improve his quickness, said, “It’s just about competing, bettering ourselves in each aspect of the game—mentally, physically. Anywhere in the country, guys are competing at each and every school. It’s always good to compete. You need competition to bring the best out of you each and every day, and I think we’re all responding to it well.” Finley transferred to Auburn in 2021 looking to be a full-time starter. He opened last season No. 1 on the depth chart, but went down with an injury and Ashford finished the year as the No. 1 quarterback. Asked if he will stay for the 2023 season if he finds out he is not the starter, Finley said, “I am not sure. I am just focusing on having a good Sunday tomorrow and having a good dinner with my family.” T.J. Finley finds running room on a quarterback draw play for a first down. (Photo: Greg McWilliams, 247Sports) When asked what he needs to do to hang on to the starting job he held late last year, Ashford said, “I honestly couldn't tell you. I don't know what all, but I just know I have got to keep coming out every single day, just putting my head down and working and being that leader for the guys. Whatever happens, happens. “I am going to keep coming out and working, and at the end of day, if I'm QB1, I would love it, but I am going to come out and work every single day. I just don't know how to not work. I love working. “These coaches, they love working, too,” Ashford pointed out. “We go hand-in-hand. Now it's just 'how can we take this to the next level?' and just getting more comfortable in the offense. “Now I have had those 15 practices, I feel good, and now it's just okay, keep learning, keep growing, and when we get to fall camp, I'll know it like the back of my hand. It's really that and then just being that leader, being that constant leader–not playing on that emotional roller coaster, being level-headed, never being too high, never being too low. I feel like we really talked about that, and I feel like that's going to take my game to the next level, not even just on the field. It's just up here (pointing to his head). “When your mental's good, it clears a whole lot of things,” Ashford added. “Definitely last year I would say my mental wasn't in the best spot. It was just a rough year. I feel like really nobody's (mental state) was, but now we gave got a fresh new start. I have cleared my head. I just feel better playing. I just feel like I am having fun. "It has been exciting these 15 practices. This coaching staff, our strength staff, nutritionist, trainers, everybody, the time and effort they have put in from when we got here in January to now has meant the whole world because it shows how much they care and how much they want us to succeed as much as we want to as well. I feel like everything is coming together and now it's just: 'How can we just keep taking it up?'” Geriner, a redshirt freshman, said, “As y'all I'm sure saw out there, it was not the best weather, but it was still awesome to be out there with all the guys and just compete and have some fun. It was a lot of fun just getting out there with all the guys. It was really a great experience. I am super appreciative of all the fans that came out there and supported.” Geriner showed signs of improvement in the spring. Asked about that, he said, “I feel like I have grown tremendously from a physical aspect, as well as mental. I feel like I am in a much better place mentally and just confidence-wise. “Then, along with the physical aspect of that, it helps me just going out there every day and just having the confidence in there to make all the throws I know I can,” Geriner said. “I definitely feel really good and ready to play." Asked where he has improved the most, the quarterback said, “I would say just confidence and just staying calm. I think that's something that he looks at in a quarterback, just being calm and confident so that's something that I really took to heart and just tried to improve on. Also, being able to run. I know I can make all the throws so just being able to improve my legs is something I have worked on a lot." A-Day Notes: * Ashford won the Lionel James A-Day Offensive MVP Award. D.J. James, a senior cornerback, won the Mark Dorminey Defensive MVP Award with four solo tackles. Kicker Alex McPherson, a redshirt freshman, was the Lewis Colbert Speciality Teams MVP after making two of three field goals with makes of 39 and 33 and was wide right on a 49-yarder. *Walk-on Evan McGuire made his only field goal try from 19 yards. * There was no punting in the scrimmage, but Oscar Chapman got major praise from Freeze for how the senior from Australia was punting the ball in warmups. * Sean Jackson got the most carries (13) and gained the most yards (77) on Saturday. The 5-9, 233 sophomore averaged 5.9 yards per carry. Walk-on Justin Jones, a 6-1, 210 junior, carried the ball 11 times for 50 yards and one touchdown. * Damari Alston, a sophomore who won praise from Freeze for his play all spring, finished with 43 yards on five carries and did it vs. the No. 1 defense. Newcomer Brian Battie, a transfer from USF, gained 32 yards on seven carries. The likely starter, Jarquez Hunter, gained 27 yards on four runs. * Linebacker Jake Levant, a former walk-on put on scholarship last year, led all tacklers with five solos and one assist, just ahead of linebacker Eugene Asante’s five solo stops. Levant and jack Hayden Brice each made one quarterback sack. Another linebacker, Ole Miss transfer Austin Keys, made three solo stops, one behind cornerback D.J. James. * There were no turnovers in the game despite the heavy rain that kept fans away. The announced attendance of 16,374 must have included fans who pre-purchased tickets, but stayed away due to the bad weather. 12COMMENTS * Former Auburn baseball star Frank Thomas was recognized at halftime of the A-Day Game. Earlier in the day he was celebrated with a statue in his honor unveiled at Plainsman Park. Thomas came to Auburn on football scholarship playing tight end. Even though he was likely good enough to play in the NFL, his college football coach, Pat Dye, recommended to Thomas that he concentrate on baseball because of the first baseman’s terrific skills in that sport. Thomas, playing for Coach Hal Baird, became an All-American baseball player and eventually the first and so far only SEC player to be inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame. ">247Sports

si.com Auburn A-day: Quarterback Analysis Matthew Jacobs 13–16 minutes Yes, there were several limiting factors for Auburn quarterbacks during A-day. It was a toad-strangler type of rainfall on the plains today, which is never conducive to good passing. There was going to be a minimized scheme as well as modified personnel groupings. However, there was enough there on film to get a decent feel for the progressions of each of these quarterbacks after fifteen Spring practices. Sixty That’s how many total yards of passing were accumulated by the three quarterbacks that played Saturday. That is not subtracting the sack yardage. It was a turnover-free day, which wasn’t for lack of trying. I know, there will be a lot who say the running game (280 yards) was pushed to the forefront by the weather. There is some truth to that. Still, even if the weather had been a chamber of commerce type day, you had better believe you were going to get heavy doses of that offensive line and those running backs. There wasn’t a quarterback on the field today that was going to throw for a lot regardless of the situation or what anyone said. There will probably be games like this in the Autumn. Cold, rainy, windy, it won’t matter then, the QB1 of this team will have to play in it. An analysis of how today went is an excellent example of where Auburn stands. It should be noted the order in which the quarterbacks entered the game. Robby Ashford got the nod to start. Followed by TJ Finley and Holden Geriner, respectively. The best way to do this is with the sell/keep/buy method. After an extensive look at the film: Who I am selling TJ Finley. I must admit I was looking for a lot more from Finley after having the starting role last year, plus all of his arm talent. Finley came in with the second string on Saturday. His first throw was an absolute bullet to receiver Tar 'Varish Dawson on a line screen that was promptly dropped. It was on the money and Dawson is probably still feeling where it hit him. His second throw was another decent dart, to Nick Mardner this time, it was a fair check-down read as everyone else was locked down. Either way, freshman Kayin Lee made one heck of a play to recover on and knock away. It was listed on the broadcast as a drop, but on film, Lee definitely made-up space and got a hand on it. That was all the action Finley saw in the first half as the offense went stagnant. He started the second half and that’s when the train that wasn’t on the rails properly, fully came off and derailed. Finley misses a wide-open check down and instead throws deep into triple coverage, yes you read that right, triple coverage. Any defense in the country picks that one off. The Auburn secondary was so confused by this pass they just knocked it away and stared at each other. Once again, his check-down man would have been able to catch the ball running for a big play. There was nothing redeeming about this throw, his mechanics, or the decision-making. Back to the action: Finley’s next pass attempt is a stop-and-stare to Nick Mardner for a three-yard game. One might think that is a great thing. The truth is this was at best a knockdown and at worst a pick-six against any first-string defense Auburn is going to face. For the entirety of the play, Finley stared down Mardner. The defense gave that play; Finley didn’t make it. I will give him credit for a correct zone read on his next play, but once again, running is not his skill set. The play basically goes nowhere as no defense is the least bit concerned about his speed. One would imagine that the lame duck into triple coverage mentioned earlier would be the worst of the day. Not a chance. Finley had what can only be described as the worst quarterback play, offensive play, worst pass, and worst decision-making play of the day in one..single..play. He leaves the pocket for zero reason, his protection was fantastic, and he had open receivers that he never looked towards, yet he scrambles up into his pass protection, and half sidearms a wayward pass, that bounced towards a tight end that was within three yards of him. When the coaches go back and look at this one on film the mind boggles as to what their reaction will be. Play after play, Finley looked lost. His eyes were never in the right position on a passing play. He has what is called “pocket anxiety”. His footwork is not where it should be with how far along he is in his career. There is no question about this man’s arm strength. It just has not translated to the field for Auburn football. If anything, there has been a regression over where he was last year. That might be a shame, but this is the SEC. Auburn needs more. More on that later. He finished his day on 1 for 4 passing (25%) and gifted thirteen yards rushing. Who I am keeping Holden Geriner, If Auburn can keep him, has a bright future as a quarterback. He is not there yet. He came in with the third-string today and, if we are being fair, looked like what he is. A redshirt freshman quarterback with potential but no real game experience. Geriner’s first pass attempt sailed several feet over a tight end in the flat. I am going to give the benefit of the doubt here and say that it is possible he saw the defensive player make a break on the route and threw it high on purpose. If that is the case, kudos young man. If, however, he had managed to keep the ball where it could be caught, it would have gone in the other direction for a pick-six. He stared down where he was going with the ball for 3.6 seconds. It was either smart or lucky that he airmailed it into the bench. The next play of note, he bobbled a low snap in the shotgun. In these conditions, it really was an incredible play to maintain possession and get it handed to the running back in time. It was a play most people will miss, but it was an outstanding job. His eyes were on the ball, it was truly fantastic work to maintain composure. This is one of those “non-thinking” football plays that coaches love. Geriner took a sack on his next dropback. I put this one on the offensive line. It was nearly immediate, and someone missed their assignment there. Geriner was left in to start the second quarter with a bit of a “should have” play. He misreads an RPO but makes positive yards to the sideline. If he had chosen the pass option, he had Rivaldo Fairweather wide open for a big gain. For a quarterback with his arm, the pass option should always be checked. No harm, no foul. Chalk it up to a lesson learned. Once again, on another possession, Geriner does a great job of digging out a low snap. He bobbles it, but picks it up, gets his eyes up, and completes what at the time was the first forward completion of the ball game. An amazing play for a kid in what was essentially his first bad-condition play in front of a massive crowd. That was it for his first half. In the second half, Geriner forgot that his flat receiver wasn’t thirteen feet tall with a 48-inch vertical on his first pass attempt. That is to say, he was high by about two yards. Not great. He does recover to zip a ball complete to a slip route out of the backfield that running back Sean Jackson made an outstanding catch on. It lacked “touch” and was really smoked in there, but it was on target and complete. We are going to go ahead and give Geriner credit for a well-thrown ball to Landon King that netted twenty-four yards and moved the Tigers into scoring range. It should be recognized that this play would have been a sack and should have been called dead. Looking at the film it's probable that three offensive linemen were illegally downfield. And cornerback Kayin Lee was beaten by about seven yards on the play due to slipping, and he missed the tackle. Now, glossing over all that, it was a really good throw. His footwork was solid, and he did exactly what he was supposed to do. Geriner did make the poorer choice on three zone reads, but he gets it right for a two-point conversion. It should be remembered that this play was a surprise to him as he thought the field goal team was coming in. He, and to be honest, everyone on offense, did as about as well as could be done and he showed little speed in getting the two points. That was it for his day. It was a fairly impressive performance for where he is in his career. He is not ready to start in the SEC. I am not sure there is enough fall camp to get him to where he is ready for 2023. He will be a good quarterback. But when? He finished his day 3-5 for 17 yards (odd with a 24-yard completion). As odd as it is to say, out of the three he looks like a "quarterback" the most. Really kept his composure for the most part and fought through some adversity. Who I am buying Robby Ashford. Keep in mind, this is an impulse purchase that has to be made. It is one of those “you forgot to buy a gift, so you are in a pharmacy eight minutes before a birthday party” type of buys. Right off the bat, it is fair to state that there was improvement with Ashford. He came out as the “starter” and looked very comfortable in this offense. He shot out of the gates fast with a good RPO read and a run around the end for a first down. He nearly got to open up his jets before being “tackled”, even though he didn’t, you could still see his pure speed and athleticism. His first pass attempt left a lot to be desired. It was low, could have been intercepted at the line of scrimmage, but was harmlessly batted down by Caleb Wooden on a heads-up play. Tip your hat to the defense there and also realize it was the right read and he had an open receiver. Ashford continued to do what he does, the defense had all the receivers locked down, so he scrambled for a first down. Followed by a nice zone read touchdown of twelve yards. Ashford came back in close to the end of the first half to show off his legs again. Runs for a first down. His ability to run was a constant threat. Then Ashford had the play of the game. He picked on Freshmen Kayin Lee and nailed Tar ’Varish Dawson perfectly in stride for a thirty-nine-yard completion that was nearly perfect in every way. Ashford really excelled with this go-route toss. He spun a beautifully timed ball to look like a quarterback should. The footwork was good. Mechanics strong. He did stare down Dawson a bit, but otherwise it was a throw that showed quite a lot of improvement from last season. He chased that with a decently thrown fade to the endzone for Landon King. It could have been placed a little higher for King to go get, but it was close enough on target to be successful. Here is a familiar name by this point, Kayin Lee was there for a really solid defensive play to knock loose the sure touchdown. Ashford ended his day in the first half with a fairly decent scramble and clever side-arm flick to his tight end. Even though it was dropped it was another flash of what Ashford could be capable of. He ended his day on 1 for 3 passing gaining 39 yards with another 38 yards and a touchdown on the ground. Coach-speak After the game Offensive Coordinator Phillip Montgomery stated that the quarterbacks are still missing the consistency that Auburn needs. Head Coach Freeze commented that he feels that Ashford improved and that he felt that Ashford and never been challenged like he was this Spring. Still, Freeze, he has said time and time again, stated he is open to getting a quarterback out of portal and that quarterback was definitely a position Auburn was looking at. “Do I think we can win some games with what we have? Yes. But I don’t want to be put in a box where I say something, and we do something different.” - Coach Hugh Freeze Final thoughts Time for some prognostication. I think, after today’s game, that when the portal opens, we will see TJ Finley enter it and drop down to a division and a program where he might get to start and show off his arm. If he stays, he should fall to third, possibly fourth in the depth chart by the start of the season. I don’t have a solid feeling for what Geriner is going to do. It would be great to see him stay and build on what he has. However, with Hank Brown coming in the Fall, Walker White committed for the next year, and a possible portal quarterback coming in, the kid has a tough choice to make. The room is going to fill up fast. Does he see himself in it? We will find out shortly. Ashford isn’t going anywhere. Make no mistake, if Ashford is the starter come 2023 this will be for one of two reasons: One, a massive failure by the coaching staff in getting a quarterback from the portal. Or two, no quarterback of note shows up in the portal that says yes. Ashford gets this team to seven, perhaps eight wins if everything goes smoothly. A running quarterback having an injury is always a factor, he was injured last year, and rumor says he has suffered through a couple in Spring practices. He is a solid QB2 at this point in his career and should really flourish in that role. Perhaps they put in a few "wild cat" type formation in for him and he gets used quite a bit. It is just hard to picture him as a starter unless he has an amazing Fall camp. I highly doubt the starting QB was on the field today. Even with Ashford's encouraging progressions, he is currently a back-up SEC quarterback. The running backs, offensive line, and this defense will give this team a chance in every game. If Freeze could truly pull off a coup with a quarterback out of the portal, his first season leading Auburn could be very interesting. If not, there will have to be a limited game plan and a nod towards getting some upsets to interest recruits for the future. We will know more about which it's going to be by May. Keep it locked to Auburn Daily to see what happens with the upcoming portal and all things Auburn. Engage with Auburn Daily on Socials!

247sports.com Hugh Freeze on Auburn QB situation: 'I feel better than I did 15 practices ago' Sam Marsdale 3–4 minutes Auburn head coach Hugh Freeze has options at quarterback entering his first season. Third-year players Robby Ashford and T.J. Finley are options, as well as redshirt freshman Holden Geriner. Who it is come fall remains to be seen, but Freeze saw progress as spring camp closes. “I feel better than I did 15 practices ago,” Freeze said about the team’s situation at quarterback. “I really think that from this point now until the end of fall camp, there's so much that needs to happen for somebody to solidify being the guy. And I think all have improved. I think all are still inconsistent with some things.” To see everything Freeze said after the A-Day game, check out his full comments from Auburn Undercover. Ashford served as the Tigers' primary starter in 2022. But the continuation of that role hinges on the course of offseason competition, including the potential for another arrival to the quarterbacks room via the portal. Ashford, last season, appeared in all 12 games for the Tigers, passing for 1,613 yards and seven touchdowns against seven interceptions. Ashford initially lost the starting competition to Finley but overtook Finley early in the season, starting the final nine contests of the season for the Tigers. Finley, who started at LSU before transferring to The Plains in 2021, also returns to Auburn this season. “I thought all three of them responded to our challenges and were like, 'Coach, just please coach me.' I think you saw today that he's got the capability of making some plays,” Freeze said. “I thought he threw a really good seam ball in those conditions. “… I thought Holden threw some good balls. He missed a couple of reads on some RPOs, I think. T.J. did, too. But it's kind of been that way all spring — some really positives one day, and some inconsistencies the next day. We've still got time to help them improve, hopefully.” Freeze, who rose to prominence as the head coach at Ole Miss in the 2010s, was 34-15 in four seasons at Liberty and previously guided Ole Miss to a pair of AP Top 25 finishes in 2014 and 2015, though the program was forced to vacate a number of wins from his tenure due to recruiting violations. There was plenty of reaction following his hire at Auburn, but Freeze maintains that the vibes are high. Get the fastest scores, stats, news, LIVE videos, and more. CLICK HERE to download the CBS Sports Mobile App and get the latest on your team today. The Tigers open their season Sept. 2 at home against Massachusetts. Dean Straka contributed to this report. ">247Sports

saturdaydownsouth.com Hugh Freeze speaks to QB play at Auburn spring game, adds Tigers are ‘open to’ transfer additions Ethan Stone 2–3 minutes Auburn football held its annual spring game Saturday in rainy conditions and, as a result, limited attendance. Some watching the Masters would agree: can’t the rain just wait a few days? Regardless of the rain, newly-hired head coach Hugh Freeze was able to see some good things from the Auburn football team as it prepares for next season. Though they were not able to throw the ball as much as he wanted, Freeze noted that he “feels better” about Robby Ashford and the rest of the QB room compared to 15 practices ago. Freeze later admitted that there is still a ways to go before anyone solidifies their spot as “the guy.” He did hint at the eventual opening of the transfer portal and potentially pursuing a quarterback, though. Make your own judgement: Freeze also said Robby Ashford has been fun to coach, giving him the first run to kick things off. Below are some brief highlights from Ashford’s time in (and out of) the pocket Saturday: TRENDING 58,148 READS 51,772 READS 23,016 READS Ethan Stone was an editor for his student newspaper at the University of Tennessee and is now a News Manager for Saturday Down South. Follow on Twitter.

Everything Hugh Freeze, players said after A-Day JD McCarthy Sun, April 9, 2023 at 7:00 AM CDT The 2023 A-Day game has come and gone, with the game ending in a 24-24 tie between te offense and the defense. While a tie was far from exciting, head coach Hugh Freeze was pleased with the game and announced that everyone would get to enjoy a steak. “Everybody can get steaks,” Freeze said. “Ms. Danielle (Gillan) can feed them all everything she had planned. I told them it’s our first trip into Jordan-Hare and both sides are undefeated. I like the way it ended. I did give the option to the coordinators on headset. I said, ‘Look, our ones, twos and threes got the same amount of possessions. Do y’all want to go ones right here from the three-yard line for the win or loss, one play?’ They were quiet for a long time on that. They didn’t give me an answer for a while and I said, ‘Are you going to answer?’ and they said, ‘Let’s leave it a tie,’ so I’m happy with the way it ended.” Freeze and several players spoke with the media after the game and discussed a variety of topics, here is everything they said. Hugh Freeze: Opening statement Photo By Austin Perryman “Thanks to our fans and the band and everyone that weathered the conditions to come out and support our players today. We appreciate that very much. It was my first spring game to have those types of conditions. I certainly appreciate you guys for being here to cover it all. We got through it without anybody getting injured, which is always a plus. I thought it was a solid day. There were some good things and some not-so-good things, of course. Overall, I think our first spring and the 15 days that our kids gave us had some great energy and effort. We took the right step toward building some foundational things that we’re going to have to lean on to compete next year in this league. I’m pleased with our staff and there is a lot of good we can take from the 15 days.” Hugh Freeze: On the quarterbacks development Photo By Austin Perryman “I feel better than I did 15 practices ago. I think from this point, now until the end of fall camp, there’s so much that needs to happen for somebody to solidify being ‘the guy.’ I think all have improved. I think all are still inconsistent with some things. We really wanted to throw that ball around and it would’ve been really ugly and probably a lot of three-and-outs had we tried to do that. I think Robby (Ashford) got better. He’s really been fun to coach. I think he’s trying to change some of the things that may have caused me concern about him being the quarterback leader, whether it be body language or ball security or just your demeanor in general — the way you talk, the way you talk to your teammates. I don’t know that anybody has really challenged him the way I did this spring with that. I thought all three of them responded to our challenges and were like, ‘please coach us.’ I think you saw today that he’s got the capability of making some plays. I thought he threw a really good seam ball in those conditions. I thought Holden (Geriner) threw some good balls. He missed a couple reads on some RPOs I think. T.J. (Finley) did too. It’s kind of been that way all spring. Some really positives one day and some inconsistencies the next day. We’ve still got some time to help them improve, hopefully.” Holden Geriner: On the A-Day experience John Reed-USA TODAY Sports “It was, as I’m sure you all saw out there, not the best weather, but it was still awesome to be out there with all the guys and compete and have some fun. It was a lot of fun just getting out there with all the guys. It was really a great experience and super appreciative of all the fans that came out there and supported. So, it was a great experience.” Holden Geriner: On his 2-point conversion Photo by Declan Greene “That’s been something that I’ve been trying to implement recently, just being able to run a lot more. I think I’ve definitely improved on that a lot and it’s something I like to show.” Avery Jones: On the rain Photo by Austin Perryman “I think it’s good because of course you’re going to have games where it’s going to rain a lot and we’ve got to play through that and not let that affect us. At the end of the day, we’re still trying to get the win, so I think today was a good way to practice that.” Avery Jones: On the offensive line Photo By Austin Perryman “Games like this you can’t focus on passing, so you really got to focus on running the ball and moving.” Robby Ashford: On the game Jamie Holt/Auburn Tigers “It felt good. The conditions weren’t ideal, but just going out there with guys, having fun. Credit to those fans who showed up. It was pouring out here but showing up and showing their support. We appreciate that. To go out there and end the spring strong with the guys, it was fun. These 15 practices have been fun. It was good to be back in the crib, back in the most beautiful stadium in the world. You can’t beat it.” Robby Ashford: On being challenged in practice Auburn Tigers quarterback Robby Ashford (9) flicks the ball during the A-Day spring football game at Jordan-Hare Stadium in Auburn, Ala., on Saturday, April 8, 2023. “I feel like every single day I found something to get better at. Coach (Hugh) Freeze definitely challenged me, and I appreciate that because he has taught me so much already in such a short amount of time. Being able to go out there and have him challenge me has been really good. Just from our talks, he is a coach who really cares and really wants to see me succeed. Him, Coach (Philip) Montgomery, Coach (Kent) Austin, and Coach (Jesse) Stone have all just helped me tremendously and have gotten me so much better from day one of spring ball to practice No. 15.” Robert Woodyard Jr.: On his development Photo by Declan Greene “I feel like I’ve come a long way mentally, just coming off injury. It was kind of a setback coming in. Being able to know the defense more and my teammates have really pushed me. I really feel like I fit the defense well and I feel like I know the ins and outs of it, and I really know the guys around me.” Robert Woodyard Jr.: On the rain Photo By Austin Perryman “You have to love it to play in the rain. For me I don’t really care, but it was pretty fun playing in the rain with my brothers.” T.J. Finley: On the QB battle John Reed-USA TODAY Sports “It’s about competing and bettering ourselves in each aspect of the game – mentally and physically. Anywhere in the country, guys are competing, at each and every school. It’s always good to compete. You need competition to bring the best out of you each and every day, and I think we’re all responding to it well.” T.J. Finley: On how the offense has grown under Hugh Freeze Auburn Tigers quarterback T.J. Finley (1) warms up during the A-Day spring football game at Jordan-Hare Stadium in Auburn, Ala., on Saturday, April 8, 2023. “We’ve grown tremendously. Today was kind of vanilla just because of the weather and things like that. During practices and all that, the stuff that we’ve put in – everybody is grasping onto the concept of what we’re trying to get done here as an offense. I think we’re all doing well with it and we’ll continue to grow throughout the summer on our own and then once we transfer over to fall camp.” Jarquez Hunter: On how the running backs have done this spring Auburn Tigers running back Jarquez Hunter (27) runs behind his defenders during the A-Day spring football game at Jordan-Hare Stadium in Auburn, Ala., on Saturday, April 8, 2023. “I think it’s been great the whole spring. We all went out there and competed well. Coach (Carnell) Williams did well installing the new plays. All of us are trying to get the new plays down pat, but I think we all did have a good spring.” Jarquez Hunter: On being RB1 (AP Photo/Butch Dill) “All the running backs had a pretty good run and at least one explosive run today. Anybody can go in there and contribute. I think Coach Williams can put anybody in and we can do the job and get the job done. It was great to see everybody just go out there and compete.” Nehemiah Pritchett: On the weather John Reed-USA TODAY Sports “It was good getting the fans back out here to watch us practice. The weather was unfortunate, but we got in and got some things done.” Jayson Jones: On the defense Todd Van Emst/AU Athletics “I think our effort was there. We just have to keep on getting down on the technique, play with our hands, play fast, play physical and most importantly, play together.” Jayson Jones: On the weather John Reed-USA TODAY Sports “Yeah, because no matter where we are, you always have to adjust to the climate. For example, when we go out to Berkeley it is not going to be humid, it is a dry heat and that’s totally different.” Story originally appeared on Auburn Wire

i would just like to know how this country seemingly got so blood thirsty. i often wonder if it has always been that way? what has changed? for a christian nation who's mantra is turn the other cheek we sure do a lot of killing. and this is not a shot at christians.

this morning i feel blessed and i hope everyone does.

The Montgomery Advertiser Takeaways from Auburn football's A-Day as Alex McPherson hits field goal to end game in tie Richard Silva, Montgomery Advertiser Sat, April 8, 2023 at 9:15 PM CDT AUBURN — It was soggy, it was gloomy and it ended in a tie, but for the first time since November, Auburn football was back in Jordan-Hare Stadium. With coach Hugh Freeze at the helm, the Tigers introduced a new idea for A-Day: Rather than trying to evenly split the roster in two, Freeze opted to pit his offense against his defense, spotting the defensive unit a 24-point lead to begin the game. The offense chipped away, and as time expired, Alex McPherson sank a 33-yard field goal to knot the score at 24 apiece. Players on both sides celebrated when McPherson's kick sailed through the uprights, and guys like defensive lineman Jeffrey M'Ba took to the end zone and treated the field like a Slip 'N’ Slide with the rain coming down heavily. With the weather an issue, the Tigers opted to play three periods instead of four quarters. ELIJAH MCALLISTER: Why Vanderbilt transfer chose to finish college with Auburn football JARQUEZ HUNTER: Why Auburn football's Hugh Freeze called him the best RB he has ever coached How did Auburn's QBs do? Robby Ashford trotted onto the field first, leading the offense to an opening-possession touchdown with a 7-yard scamper in the first period. He also converted a fourth-and-3 earlier in the drive with an 11-yard rush. The rain made it difficult to have much success in the passing game, but he completed one deep ball to Tar'Varish Dawson for 39 yards on a free play toward the end of the second period. It was a pass down the seam, placed right where it needed to be. TJ Finley was with the second unit. The offense went three-and-out during his first drive after a drop on first down and a pass breakup from freshman defensive back Kayin Lee on third down. As for Holden Geriner, he logged the game's first completion on a screen pass to Brian Battie that went backward three yards. Geriner completed three of his five pass attempts − both marks paced the team − and rushed the ball into the end zone on a two-point conversion late in the game. Who won MVP? Ashford took home the offensive MVP after he finished with 77 total yards and a touchdown, but not before a couple running backs made things interesting. Sean Jackson and Justin Jones logged 77 and 50 rushing yards, respectively, and every player who registered one or more attempts had a gain of at least 10 yards. Jackson, Damari Alston, Brian Battie and TJ Finley had longs of 16 or more. Defensively, it was DJ James and his four solo tackles to bring home the accolade. Jake Levant finished with six total tackles and a sack, and senior jack linebacker Hayden Brice was able to get to the QB, too. He was able to push through the B-gap and get close enough to Geriner for the referees to blow the play dead. McPherson was the MVP for special teams. He missed his first attempt wide left from 49 yards out, but followed that up with a 39-yard make and the aforementioned game-tying kick. Sophomore Evan McGuire was given one try from 19 yards away just before halftime, which he converted. Offensive line shines It's a spring game, which often means players aren't going at 100%, but the offensive line looked to be something the Tigers could lean on. As a team, Auburn rushed for 280 yards and two touchdowns in the abbreviated contest. 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. This article originally appeared on Montgomery Advertiser: Auburn football: Tigers battle to tie at Hugh Freeze's first A-Day

Goodman: The SEC has a quarterback problem this spring Updated: Apr. 08, 2023, 11:16 p.m.|Published: Apr. 08, 2023, 4:49 p.m. 11–13 minutes This is an opinion column. Hugh Freeze wants to keep expectations low at Auburn, and so in that the Tigers’ new coach succeeded on Saturday in Auburn’s A-Day exhibition. His predecessor, who wasn’t a very smart guy in the ways of SEC football, told Auburn fans to “just watch.” Oof. Freeze’s philosophy in his team’s first A-Day seemed to be “please just don’t watch,” and the weather even gave him some cover, too. Freeze said he wanted his quarterbacks to air it all out, but, shucks, it rained. The three guys at quarterback for Auburn — none of which are anywhere close to being as good as, say, Bo Nix — combined for five total completions on 12 total attempts. Maybe next time, Auburn fans, and with a different quarterback who’s not even on campus yet. What’s the big takeaway from A-Day? It all felt like a net positive despite the weather and despite the quarterbacks and despite no one even really knowing what was going on with the running clock and confusing format. A-Day was played in a cold rain, and I’m not sure how they kept score, and it ended in a tie between Team Offense and Team Defense, 24-24, but none of that mattered in the end because any spring practice on the Plains is a massive victory with former coach Bryan Harsin gone-oft-back to wherever it is he now calls home. I’ll take the potential for double pneumonia and five completed passes over Harsin every time. At least with Freeze Auburn now has a shot. Freeze is searching for a quarterback to run his offense, but look around the SEC before calling Auburn a hopeless rebuilding project for the 2023 season. Do any teams in the SEC have surefire, SEC/national championship-contending quarterbacks? Jayden Daniels of LSU? Don’t tell that to Texas A&M. RELATED: More from Hugh Freeze on Auburn’s QBs RELATED: Auburn’s Frank Thomas honored on A-Day with statue RELATED: Auburn hoops land coveted transfer It’s too early to make any predictions, but the SEC has a quarterback problem this spring and that’s great news for a coach like Freeze. He has a pretty good track record of doing more with less at that position. I asked Freeze if he was open to bringing in another quarterback to compete with Robby Ashford, T.J. Finley and Holden Geriner. Affirmative. “The transfer portal opens soon, and we are open to any position that would help us improve our team as long as they fit within the culture, and that includes the quarterback room.” Freeze said. Love Freeze at Auburn or not, but he’s a smart guy who specializes in quarterbacks. Don’t you find it pretty interesting that a smart coach who specializes in quarterbacks hasn’t brought one single quarterback to Auburn despite the new transfer rules and Auburn’s enormous and always-growing war chest of an associated NIL collective? Affirmative. In this modern game, what do teams need out of a quarterback to win the league? “Well, I think you’ve got to have somebody who can make the throws in tight coverage, and you’ve got to have receivers who can get open in them, too,” Freeze said. “I think we’re looking for some of that consistency in both spots. There are going to be some games where they just stop the run, and you’re going to have to make some throws to win the game, and we’re not proven in the room that we have that any of those have done that. “I’m not saying they can’t. I’m not down on them. I think we can win games with these guys, but should a guy become available that is a dynamic guy that we think is already a proven commodity of doing that, I think we would at least have to look at that.” Someone like Oregon’s Bo Nix, in other words, just to name a good quarterback who might still be familiar to Auburn fans. Auburn doesn’t know who’s going to play quarterback this fall, but the Tigers are not alone in worrying about the current projected depth chart. Name a quarterback returning to the SEC for this spring who is better than, just throwing out a random name again, Bo Nix. Short answer: There aren’t any. Long answer: Enjoy the spring while it lasts. KENTUCKY Spring game: No spring game this year (stadium renovation). The QB room in a word: Searching. Will Levis is gone to the NFL Draft, and so the Wildcats picked up N.C. State transfer Devin Leary. Leary is no sure thing, although he was excellent in 2021 (35 TD passes/five interceptions). He was injured last season (torn pectoral) and only appeared in six games. MIZZOU Spring game: Played indoors due to weather on March 18. The QB room in a word: Healing. Projected starter Brady Cook (13 games in 2022) missed the spring after having surgery on his throwing shoulder, so it’s wait-and-see time for Mizzou. Cook led Mizzou to the victory against Arkansas, so he’s not without potential if he returns healthy. The other options are Sam Horn (a better baseball prospect) and Jake Garcia (Miami transfer). AUBURN Spring game: Played on Saturday. The QB room in a word: Learning. It’ll come down to whether or not new coach Hugh Freeze thinks the current quarterbacks can develop enough to win in the SEC. Robby Ashford (12 games in 2022) flashed signs of his potential last season in the Iron Bowl, but his skills as a passer (49.2 percent ) need to improve. TJ Finley (four games in 2022) had one touchdown pass to four interceptions. VANDERBILT Spring game: Played on Saturday. The QB room in a word: Deserted. AJ Swann is the projected starter after Mike Wright transferred to Mississippi State. It was Wright who led the ‘Dores to late-season victories against Kentucky and Florida. Swann was injured down the stretch in 2022, and finished with 10 touchdown passes to two interceptions. His one victory as a starter was against Northern Illinois (four touchdown passes). FLORIDA Spring game: 6:30 p.m., Thursday, April 13 (ESPN+) The QB room in a word: Midwest. Graham Mertz (Kansas native) is the new senior transfer from Wisconsin. Jack Miller III is a year removed from transferring down from Ohio State. Redshirt freshman Max Brown is from Tulsa. Who will replace Anthony Richardson? Looks like it’s Mertz’s job to lose. He left the Badgers with two years of eligibility when Luke Fickell (formerly of Cincinnati) was named the new coach. Good luck, Billy Napier, in your first quarterback decision at never-satisfied Florida. ARKANSAS Spring game: noon, Saturday, April 15 (ESPN+) The QB room in a word: Solid. By many, KJ Jefferson is considered the best returning quarterback in the SEC. OK, fine, but what does that even mean at this point? Jefferson won seven games in 2022. Best SEC win: Ole Miss. Worst SEC loss: Missouri. He accounted for 33 touchdowns in 2022, which is most of any returning quarterback including Jayden Daniels of LSU (29). Even with Arkansas there are plenty of questions, though. The Hogs only won seven games in 2022. Oh, and Dan Enos was hired as offensive coordinator after Kendal Briles left for the same position at TCU. MISSISSIPPI STATE Spring game: noon, Saturday, April 15 (ESPN+) The QB room in a word: Transitioning. Will Rogers is back, but Mike Wright also transferred in from Mississippi State. It’s Rogers’ team, and he’ll lead the Bulldogs’ offense in the transition between Mike Leach’s signature Air Raid attack and the spread offense implemented by new offensive coordinator Kevin Barbay (Appalachian State, 2022). TENNESSEE Spring game: 1:30 p.m., Saturday, April 15 (ESPN+) The QB room in a word: Patient. How much remains unknown in the SEC this spring? I’m willing to consider career backup Joe Milton III one of the best quarterbacks in the league until further notice. Milton III first featured at quarterback for Michigan in the 2018 season. He’s now the projected starter after outgoing quarterback Hendon Hooker helped coach Josh Heupel bring Tennessee back from obscurity. Milton was great in the Orange Bowl (three touchdown passes) against Clemson. Five-star freshman Nico Iamaleava (Long Beach, California) is the big name after being one of the first quarterbacks out of high school to sign a lucrative NIL deal. OLE MISS Spring game: 2 p.m., Saturday, April 15 (ESPN+) The QB room in a word: Transient. Lane Kiffin remains the transfer king, but we’re not sure that’s a good thing after how Ole Miss finished 2022 (five losses in six games). The spring quarterback battle is between returning starter Jaxson Dart, transfer Spencer Sanders of Oklahoma State and transfer Will Howard of LSU. Dart was a four-year starter for the Pokes, but averaged 10 interceptions per season. Dart (20 touchdowns, 11 interceptions in 2022) began his career at USC. GEORGIA Spring game: 3 p.m., Saturday, April 15 (ESPN2) The QB room in a word: Expectations. Replacing Stetson Bennett II shouldn’t be too hard. That’s the general fan consensus out of Athens, at least. Reality tells a different story. Carson Beck was the leader entering spring after backing up Bennett. Redshirt sophomore Brock Vandagriff, who grew up an Auburn fan, has been around for two national championships at this point. Gunner Stockton is the new five-star in his first spring. Good luck. TEXAS A&M Spring game: 3 p.m., Saturday, April 15 (ESPN+) The QB room in a word: Extra. Look, Haynes King was supposed to be everything for Texas A&M last season, and he was a bust. Now he’s at Georgia Tech. Jimbo Fisher brought in Bobby Petrino to be the offensive coordinator, but then said recently that all offenses are basically the same. Texas A&M is so … extra. Conner Weigman? He’s supposed to be the next Haynes King, or something like that. Forever backup Max Johnson will be on standby. SOUTH CAROLINA Spring game: 6 p.m., Saturday, April 15 (ESPN+) The QB room in a word: Prolific. Just not in the way South Carolina would like. Returning starter Spencer Rattler had 18 touchdown passes to 12 interceptions for South Carolina. That’s the most interceptions of any returning starter in the SEC. Tanner Bailey of Gordo High School redshirted in 2022 and he’s worth watching. LSU Spring game: 1 p.m., Saturday, April 22 (ESPN+) The QB room in a word: Proven. Jayden Daniels has the best preseason odds among SEC quarterbacks to win the Heisman Trophy, but it’s not like he’s a favorite to win the award. There are seven other quarterbacks from outside the SEC ahead of him. Daniels passed for 17 touchdowns last season to go along with 11 rushing touchdowns and one receiving. His most important stat of all? He only threw three interceptions. ALABAMA Spring game: 2 p.m., Saturday, April 22 (ESPN+) The QB room in a word: Pressure. Jalen Milroe and Ty Simpson are battling it out to be the next quarterback to follow these names: Jalen Hurts, Tua Tagovailoa, Mac Jones and Bryce Young. Milroe played well on the road against Arkansas as an emergency backup and then threw three touchdowns to one interception in the victory against Texas A&M. It appears like he can handle the pressure, which is a major part of the job. Simpson remains an unknown. Joseph Goodman is the lead sports columnist for the Alabama Media Group, and author of “We Want Bama”, a book about togetherness, hope and rum. You can find him on Twitter @JoeGoodmanJr. If you purchase a product or register for an account through one of the links on our site, we may receive compensation.

saturdaydownsouth.com College football recruiting calendar changes set for final approval Keith Farner 4–5 minutes The college football recruiting calendar, which is one of the more talked about items around the sport, especially for coaches, is expected to see final approval next week after extensive discussion of recent changes. Jean Gee, the chair of the Comprehensive Recruiting Review Subcommittee and senior associate athletics director for student affairs and compliance at Montana, shared a response to the expected moves. “We wanted to maintain and strengthen the scholastic recruiting model for football, prioritize coach work/life balance and attention to current student-athletes and rules that are enforceable and monitorable, as well as creating transparency in the recruiting process,” Gee said. “The subcommittee developed these recommendations through regular and numerous meetings, review of membership feedback from a variety of constituents and collaboration with FBS and FCS conferences.” Here are some of the changes: Schools would have 33 evaluation days (42 for U.S. service academies) during the months of September, October and November, selected at the discretion of the school. Only authorized off-campus recruiters could visit a prospective student-athlete’s educational institution and on only one calendar day during this period. The Monday of the week that includes the initial date for the regular signing period of the National Letter of Intent through the first Sunday in March would be a dead period. For U.S. service academies, the Friday immediately after the initial date for the regular signing period of the National Letter of Intent through the first Sunday in March would be a quiet period. At the discretion of the membership school, coaches would have 140 recruiting person days (180 for U.S. service academies) from April 15 through the Saturday preceding Memorial Day for a contact period. The Sunday before Memorial Day and the next three calendar days would be a dead period.

al.com T.J. Finley addresses future amid uncertain Auburn QB situation after A-Day Published: Apr. 08, 2023, 5:42 p.m. 7–8 minutes T.J. Finley came to Auburn two years ago to compete for the starting job. Little did he know then that he’d be entrenched in a competition to be the Tigers’ quarterback for, ostensibly, the third consecutive offseason. Finley has battled Robby Ashford and Holden Geriner for the job this spring as part of a competition that will carry into fall camp and could include a fourth, to-be-determined candidate, should head coach Hugh Freeze land a viable option in the post-spring transfer portal. It’s the latest development in an unexpected journey for Finley, whose career started at LSU in 2020. Read more Auburn football: Hugh Freeze feels “better” about Auburn’s QBs, but the transfer portal remains in play Hugh Freeze wants to address these five positions in the spring transfer portal window Hugh Freeze makes the case for replacing spring games with charity exhibitions against other schools “I believe I can compete with anybody in the country, and that’s why I transferred here from LSU; I felt like I can compete with Bo Nix (in 2021),” Finley said Saturday, addressing the local media for the first time since September. “Competition doesn’t scare me. I know who I am. I know what I can do, and with the right coaches, I know who I can grow into and hopefully this is the place. Competition brings the best out of everybody, and if you can’t handle competition, you don’t need to be in this industry. “That’s how I look at it. I serve a great God, and God has put me here for a reason, and I’m going to fulfill my destiny here.” Finley’s comments came following Auburn’s annual A-Day game on Saturday at Jordan-Hare Stadium, which represented the culmination of the Tigers’ first spring under Freeze. The day provided less-than-ideal conditions for Auburn’s quarterbacks; the heavy rain and unseasonably chilly weather wasn’t conducive to throwing the ball much, and Auburn attempted just 12 passes on the afternoon, with Finley going 1-of-4 in the pocket for 4 yards. A-Day, of course, was just a sliver of the bigger picture when it comes to Auburn’s uncertain quarterback situation. Freeze said afterward that overall, he felt better about the Tigers’ quarterbacks than he did six weeks ago, but inconsistencies from all three returning signal-callers have underscored the need for continued improvement at the position. “It’s just about competing, bettering ourselves in each aspect of the game — mentally, physically,” Finley said. “Anywhere in the country, guys are competing at each and every school. It’s always good to compete. You need competition to bring the best out of you each and every day, and I think we’re all responding to it well.” Finley’s turn at quarterback on Saturday saw him take the reins on Auburn’s second drive, after Ashford led the offense to a touchdown on its first possession. Finley also led a pair of field goal drives in the second half, including the one that cemented a 24-24 final score as time expired. It was his first time conducting the offense at Jordan-Hare Stadium since Week 3 last season against Penn State, back when he was still Auburn’s starting quarterback. Since that Penn State game, it has been a whirlwind stretch of uncertainty for Finley. He sustained a shoulder injury during that loss, and he only appeared in one other game the rest of the season, a brief appearance at Ole Miss in October, as Ashford took over the starting job. He then spent some time away from the team in November for what a source described at the time as a “mental health break” before rejoining the team for winter workouts. “I’m not really sure what triggered it, what prompted it,” Finley said of his leave of absence. “I like to leave the past in the past and focus on the future. All I know is I’m a completely better person now mentally, physically, emotionally, spiritually, and hopefully who I am right now can lead this team to a national championship.” To do that, though, Finley will have to reclaim the starting job at Auburn. He edged out Ashford and Zach Calzada as QB1 during fall camp last season. He’s no stranger to competition. He competed with Max Johnson midseason as a freshman at LSU when Myles Brennan went down with an injury in 2020. Then Finley transferred to Auburn, where he competed with returning starter Bo Nix for the job in Bryan Harsin’s first season and eventually took over as starter when Nix’s season ended due to an ankle injury. Then there was last offseason’s competition, which culminated with him being named starter ahead of the season opener against Mercer before injury sidelined him. Now he’s competing with Ashford again and Geriner with hopes of leading Auburn’s offense under Freeze, who has credited him with improving his accuracy this spring as well as his understanding of how to play within the Tigers’ new system. Consistency has been an issue for each of Auburn’s quarterbacks this spring, even if they have progressed over the last six weeks, and it’s something Finley hopes to improve upon in the offseason months. “I’ve been talking about this for three years: It’s being the same guy in the office as you are outside of the office,” Finley said. “I think I’m doing a very good job at that myself. Just being there for the team and being what the team needs at the time, whether it’s being the leader or just sitting back and following and other guys on the team leading and stuff like that. Just consistency, and I think that will separate who the QB1 is going to be.” Whether that will be Finley is to be determined. Freeze reiterated Saturday that he’ll explore the transfer portal for potential quarterbacks when the post-spring window opens next week (from April 15-30) and will bring in another candidate if the right fit becomes available. If that’s the case, Finley—who graduates at the end of this semester—will sit down with Freeze to discuss his own future. Finley, for his part, has appreciated Freeze being upfront not only in his assessment of Auburn’s three current quarterbacks but in the possibility of bringing in someone else to compete for the job. “I’m going to compete, and if I’m not the best guy, I can—you know, if I’m not the best guy, I’m going to compete,” Finley said. “I’m going to compete.” When asked if he is committed to remaining at Auburn, even if it means being the backup, Finley said he’s “not sure” and is not focused on that at this time (his upcoming Easter meal with his family had his attention after A-Day). Finley emphasized, however, that he very much wants to be Auburn’s starting quarterback this fall. “Hell yeah, most definitely,” Finley said. “If I didn’t want to be, I wouldn’t be here.” Tom Green is an Auburn beat reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter @Tomas_Verde.