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Don't expect usual spring game format for Auburn's 1st A-Day of Freeze era Updated: Apr. 03, 2023, 7:49 p.m.|Published: Apr. 03, 2023, 6:35 p.m. 5–6 minutes Auburn’s first A-Day spring game under head coach Hugh Freeze will have a different flavor than years past. As Auburn has progressed through its first spring with a new staff, Freeze has toyed with different formats for the team’s spring finale, which is set for Saturday at Jordan-Hare Stadium. Freeze has gone back and forth with different approaches for the A-Day scrimmage, and he believes he has settled on a format for this weekend. “Spring games for us, when it’s us against us, is I don’t want to waste a day,” Freeze said Monday before the Tigers started their final week of practices. “And the temptation and challenge for us as coaches is it (the spring game) can be a wasted day — not a wasted day for the fans or for recruiting or any of that, but for the practice itself. You want to make all 15 of our practices count. And that’s a very difficult setting for us to really do what we want to do.” Read more Auburn football: Observations from Day 12 of Auburn’s spring practice Auburn trying to strike right balance with new up-tempo offense this spring Trio of transfers has “absolutely improved” Auburn’s offensive line this spring Instead of splitting the team into an orange side and a blue side, Freeze’s solution is a format that will include starting the defense out with a predetermined amount of points and then tasking defensive coordinator Ron Roberts’ unit with keeping the offense below that total over the course of the scrimmage. No quirky scoring formulas or bonuses for interceptions or forced fumbles. Just put the ball down, offense vs. defense for four quarters, with drives starting at various different spots throughout the field. It’s a more situational approach than the typical first-team vs. second-team scrimmage that Auburn has utilized under prior coaching staffs. “If the defense can hold the offenses to under that point, the defense wins the spring game,” Freeze said. “And they’ll get to eat steak or something. And the losers will eat a hot dog. Something like that. That’s the best format I know. I don’t want to come up with some system where we have to calculate points based on anything other than what’s normally points in football.” While Auburn’s A-Day game will look a bit different this season, Freeze wants to strike a balance between putting on a good show for Auburn’s fans — who will have to pay $10 for general admission tickets to Jordan-Hare Stadium — without giving too much away to the teams on the Tigers’ 20223 schedule. It’s a juggling act in today’s state of college football, when every program’s spring game is either broadcast on national television or streamed online through the league’s media partners (in Auburn’s case, SEC Network+ this weekend). “We’re going to give them a game that day that I hope they can enjoy but yet understand, gosh, we don’t really know who we are offensively right now,” Freeze said. “That’s probably the way I want it to be perceived by most, because we’re a new staff and one of the advantages that we might have coming into the season is there’s nothing really on tape of what this new staff is exactly like.” Freeze hopes his team can put on a good and entertaining display Saturday at Jordan-Hare Stadium, where kickoff is set for 1 p.m., but he also wants Auburn fans to understand the Tigers are still very much a work in progress. The team will have had 14 total practices under its belt entering Saturday, with a new staff and several new additions at key positions — and nearly five months before the team’s season opener against UMass. The product on the field Saturday will, Freeze hopes, look considerably different than the one that trots out there Sept. 2. Expectations, he said, should be tempered. “When you have unrealistic expectations and they’re not met — I think this is anything in life, period: football, life — unrealistic expectations lead to frustration,” Freeze said. “And so, I just don’t want anybody to be frustrated. We’re probably, headed into the next year, are going to be quite good at getting in a huddle and slowing things down. You might see that Saturday. Is that who we really are as an identity? I don’t know. I’ve never been that. But you might see some of that. All the coaches do it, and maybe I’m falling into that, but I really just don’t want to show too much of what we think we might be really good at. “That was, truthfully, just me being candid with them. They’re going to see us hit and they’re going to see us tackle, and they’re going see people run the ball and people throw the ball. Will it be exactly the same that they see this fall? I sure hope not. I hope it’s better and probably a little different.” Tom Green is an Auburn beat reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter @Tomas_Verde.

Auburn trying to strike right balance with new up-tempo offense this spring Updated: Apr. 03, 2023, 7:50 p.m.|Published: Apr. 03, 2023, 11:00 a.m. 6–7 minutes Camden Brown felt like he was back at St. Thomas Aquinas when Auburn took the field for spring practice at the end of February. The sophomore wide receiver was transported back in time a couple years as first-year head coach Hugh Freeze and offensive coordinator Philip Montgomery started to install their offensive philosophy — a stylistic shift from the offense of former head coach Bryan Harsin. The Tigers were moving from a pro-style system to a more up-tempo, spread offense under the new regime, a move Brown was more than happy to embrace. “Going back to last year, I had never been in a huddle before,” Brown said. “It’s kind of weird because it was slowing down my play. I love going faster and faster and faster every day.” Read more Auburn football: Auburn’s top signee from 2022 recruiting class “looks like a whole new guy” this spring Trio of transfers has “absolutely improved” Auburn’s offensive line this spring “He’s a monster”: Auburn trying to temper expectations for freshman edge rusher Keldric Faulk Speed has been an emphasis of Auburn’s offense in its first spring under Freeze, as the Tigers’ new coach looks to usher in a new, exciting era of offense on the Plains after multiple years of underwhelming production on that side of the ball. Freeze’s rise from high school coach to hotshot SEC play-caller, along with his revival at Liberty the last four seasons, were in large part to his offensive prowess with a modern, up-tempo system that kept defenses on their heels. Now Freeze is teaming up with Montgomery to bring that style of play to Auburn and rejuvenate the Tigers’ offense. “That tempo, it’s something different,” offensive lineman Jeremiah Wright said. “That’s something we get into now just getting in shape and stuff because it’s a fast tempo. It catches defenses off guard so it’s something new I’m looking forward to.” It’s an aspect that was often lacking for Auburn under the previous coaching staff. In Harsin’s first season, Auburn’s offense averaged 71.8 plays per game against FBS opponents, which was 49th in the country, according to TeamRankings.com data. Last season, that number was just 69.5 plays per game, which was 77th nationally and ninth among SEC teams. The Tigers typically found success within their 2-minute offense, but too often slowed things down or stalled out because of an inability to get that initial first down. “At some times when we started going fast we were getting them, and when we started going slow we were giving them rest,” Brown said. During Freeze’s four seasons at Liberty, the Flames averaged 71.8 (2019), 75.7 (2020), 72.7 (2021) and 71.9 (2022) plays per game against FBS opponents. In that same four-year span, Montgomery’s Tulsa offenses never averaged fewer than 73.5 plays per game (last season) and ran as many as 82.2 plays per game in 2019, which was the second most among FBS teams that year. Now the two are melding their systems to produce a coherent system at Auburn. Those numbers give an idea of the type of speed Freeze and Montgomery hope to play with at Auburn, which has been apparent in practices during the pace periods the offense runs each day. During those drills, the offense quickly works the ball downfield with a sense of urgency between snaps. Even the organized team celebrations in the end zone after finishing drives has been done with haste. RELATED: Auburn’s wide receivers look to “change the narrative” this season “If you bust a long run, you’ve got to know to take it back to the hash and put it down so you don’t waste time getting back on the ball and running the next play,” running back Damari Alston said. “It’s way faster and gets you tired, but that’s why we’re doing what we’re doing. We’re getting in shape for the season where we’re going to be wearing out defenses.” Of course, the aforementioned snap-counts and pace periods of practice don’t provide a full picture of Auburn’s offensive philosophy under Freeze and Montgomery. To both veteran play-callers, an up-tempo offense isn’t just about going full throttle all the time; it’s about knowing how to control the pace of the game. As Montgomery explained before the start of spring practices, that could mean running five plays in quick succession and then slowing things down before hitting the gas again to keep the defense off-balance. “I think Coach and I have the same philosophy now because there’s going to be opportunities where we want to call like our hair’s on fire, and there’s going to be other opportunities where we want to be able to control the tempo,” Montgomery said. “…Yes, we want to play with tempo, but we also want to control the tempo with how we play.” It’s all part of the evolution of offenses in college football. Back when Freeze and Montgomery were first making names for themselves as play-callers, fewer teams were emphasizing up-tempo approaches on offense. It was “used as a weapon,” as Montgomery put it. That has changed in recent years, with more and more teams speeding things up, which has led to defenses adapting accordingly in that same timeframe. That’s why Freeze and Montgomery aren’t just emphasizing the speed of their offense as they install it this spring; they’re trying to strike the right balance between a fast-paced attack and one that can dictate the tempo of the game. It’s a change in philosophy that Auburn’s players have had to adjust to this spring, but one they’re hoping pays dividends come fall. “I like a good mix of everything, so I’m pretty easy to please with all that,” tight end Luke Deal said. “I like the idea of having defenses tired and rolling up-tempo and just keeping defenses on their toes. That’s just what you’ve got to do in this league, and I think you’ll do a good job of it.” Tom Green is an Auburn beat reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter @Tomas_Verde.

si.com Auburn football practice observations: Quarterback room making improvements Lance Dawe 3–4 minutes Here's what we saw from a wet, mucky practice day on Monday afternoon. Auburn's first-team offense in the pacing drills: WR: Nick Mardner WR: Ja'Varrius Johnson LT: Dillon Wade LG: Tate Johnson 😄 Avery Jones RG: Kam Stutts RT: Gunner Britton TE: Rivaldo Fairweater WR: Koy Moore QB: Robby Ashford RB: Jarquez Hunter - Really nice throw to Ja'Varrius Johnson down on the right sideline from Ashford. A couple of handoffs to Hunter and the first-team scored on a split zone run. Second-team offense: WR: Camden Brown TE: Tyler Fromm TE: Luke Deal LT: Garner Langlo LG: Jalil Irvin 😄 Connor Lew RG: EJ Harris RT: Izavion Miller WR: Landen King QB: TJ Finley RB: Brian Battie - Some confusion with Irvin trying to get set on back-to-back plays. Finley threw a couple of curls to tight ends, Deal and Fromm in that order. Freeze was right behind the quarterbacks during pacing drills. Battie runs it in of the right side for a touchdown. Third-team offense: WR: Colby Stafford WR: Jake Kruse LT: Evan Richards LG: Colby Smith 😄 Cort Bradley RG: Bradyn Joiner RT: Clay Wedin WR: Omari Kelly TE: Brandon Frazier QB: Holden Geriner RB: Sean Jackson - Geriner throws a deep ball to Stafford that is caught, not a perfect throw but it got the job done. Touchdown to Stafford in the right corner of the endzone. Extra Notes: - Tight ends coach Ben Aigamaua has a great arm, was throwing dots to the Tight ends in an over the shoulder catch drill. - Ashford is still dealing with a sore shoulder, but his throws early were great. three one short to fair on a seal buster. - Landen King dropped a pass, and another was right off his fingers. Catchable. Three drops in total. - Timing with the receivers looked better. - Tar'Varish Dawson made a one handed catch on a seam route/post. - No major complaints from any QB today. All weren’t perfect on deeper throws, but weren’t bad. - Jay Fair looks good. Rivaldo Fairweather is smooth as ever. - TJ Finley is throwing the ball as hard as he can, Geriner is more poised. - The quarterbacks are continuing to work through RPO drills. They’re getting better, but it’s not where it needs to be,

247sports.com Auburn offense showing signs of improvement, Freeze says Jason Caldwell 3–4 minutes AUBURN, Alabama—For almost the entirety of the first 10 practices of the spring for the Auburn Tigers, coach Hugh Freeze has talked about inconsistencies on offense and trying to get a new system installed being an issue in his first spring on the Plains. While those things are still a problem at times, for at least one day last week the offense showed signs of taking some strides by dominating the defense. “Truthfully, Wednesday was the exact opposite of the previous Friday,” Freeze said. “It was total domination by the offense, which I don’t have the luxury of leaving the practice field feeling good either way. “We’re nowhere near where we need to be on either side yet, but the offense had a really good day on Wednesday.” It’s almost impossible to have a good day on offense unless the quarterback plays well. That’s something that Freeze said he saw from all Robby Ashford, T.J. Finley and Holden Geriner last week at times as they continue to improve in their own ways. That continued on Monday with another good day for the offense and quarterbacks. Freeze said it’s all about continuing that improvement heading into the summer. “Robby’s pocket presence, quieter feet in the pocket,” he said of what he’s seen from Ashford. “T.J.’s playing within the system has gotten better. He’s made some accurate throws. Just sometimes it shouldn’t have been thrown; it should’ve been handed off. This is new to him, so he’s done that. Holden’s accuracy particularly on down-the-field throws. He had several explosives Wednesday, I think he’s improved. He’s still got to get still in the pocket, too, but he’s still young. “Being the quarterback to me at an SEC school like Auburn carries a lot of weight with it. That weight doesn’t end when spring practice 15 is over. How does that go through summer? What does that look like for this team? That will all ultimately play into who gets that first nod. It will be interesting to see how it all plays into that.” Helping the quarterbacks out were a wide receiver group that has struggled as well with consistency and catching the football, but Freeze said he has seen some guys take steps forward at the position with Tar’varish Dawson, Ja’Varrius Johnson, Jay Fair and Landen King singled out for what they did last week. 3COMMENTS “I thought we improved at receiver,” Freeze said. “We caught the ball better and more consistent. I knew that would probably come because when you put in a new system and the route spacing, they are trying to understand that exactly. It takes time. I thought we improved there.” Auburn will continue working towards Saturday’s A-Day game with practices scheduled for Wednesday and Friday leading up to the game. It is scheduled for 1 p.m. and can be seen on SEC Network+. ">247Sports

With A-Day approaching, how does Auburn football coach Hugh Freeze assess his QBs? Richard Silva, Montgomery Advertiser Mon, April 3, 2023 at 6:44 PM CDT AUBURN — Auburn football coach Hugh Freeze couldn't say enough good things about redshirt freshman quarterback Holden Geriner last week. Freeze has been blunt in assessing his QBs throughout the spring − he explained after Auburn's first scrimmage on March 17 that he wished his quarterbacks were "further along" − but he gave a glowing review of Geriner, as he said the Savannah, Georgia native "really, really stood out." But a week later, he wasn't animated. WIDE RECEIVERS: What's holding back the Auburn football WR group under first-year coach Hugh Freeze? RON ROBERTS: How Auburn football DC plans to make Tigers a 'top-20 defense in the country' "Solid. Solid," Freeze said when asked about Geriner's performance. "I think he has a real chance to be a solid quarterback. But I think the other two, again, had good days, also. Better days. The interesting thing will be their response to the competition that’s created and that has been created, that will continue to go on. "Being the quarterback, to me, at an SEC school, at a place like Auburn, carries a lot of weight with it. That weight doesn’t end when spring practice 15 is over. How does that go through summer? What does that look like in the leadership of this team? That will all play into, ultimately, who gets that first nod. It’ll be interesting to see how they all respond to that.” The QB competition isn't over − far from it. It's tough to even gauge how much progress has been made. After Freeze praised Geriner, the QB ran with the first group during the offense's pace period at practice March 27. He had previously been participating with the third unit, behind incumbent starter Robby Ashford and TJ Finley, who began 2022 as the starter under former coach Bryan Harsin before injuring his shoulder against Penn State. But at Monday's practice, it was back to the third group for Geriner. Ashford was with the ones. Finley with twos. Ashford, who has been dealing with his own shoulder injury this spring, was nearing "full speed" at Wednesday's practice, according to Freeze. The coach didn't have a chance to talk to his potential starting quarterback, but he saw he had the "therapy stuff" on his shoulder in a team meeting. "I didn't get to ask him," Freeze said Monday. "But he's going today, so I think he's OK.” Asked to describe a facet of the game in which each of his QBs have improved the most throughout spring, Freeze pointed to Ashford's pocket presence and "quieter feet in the pocket," Finley's growing ability to play within the offensive system and Geriner's down-the-field throws. "He had several explosives Wednesday," Freeze said of Geriner. "I think he’s improved. He’s still got to get still in the pocket, too, but he’s still young.” After Saturday's A-Day, the Tigers will have a few months off before practicing as a full team again. It'll be the last opportunity for the trio of quarterbacks fighting for the starting spot to impress the coaching staff until fall camp begins. “Taking care of the ball, No. 1," Freeze said of what he wants to see over the last week of spring practice. "Understanding situational football. (If) it’s second-and-one, and we have an RPO throw tagged in the run, we at no point should think we have to force that ... if the picture is cloudy. ... "Just eliminating some of those decisions. Taking care of the ball, No. 1, pocket presence and decision making.” 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.

little? well does it or does it not? we call this waffling.............

he paid me to say that bird............honest.

i notice bird and yellow fella are the same color. are they kin?

i want that double barrelled nerf gun so i can go bird hunting.............grins

it would be nothing to brag about i can assure you.............lol

thanx for blowing my skirt up bird....i was not wearing undies..........you know golf is better looking right?

here have a tissue. most people not completely stupid would understand all mass shootings would be included in my thoughts. i think ALL people are sacred. i think ALL people count. i do not look at deaths in color but in black and white. but you can get as pissy as you want you people are not doing a damn thing to make this country safer concerning guns. that blood is and will remain on your sides hands. you got what you want so own it scooter.................

know why this team is different? know why this team will be meaner? i have yet to see one player on the team this year sporting a man bun. you heard it here first. check me out later for more insights.............

they just had a rape or two in the last month or less and i believe they said assaults were up so i agree on the security thing. as for led lights they have come so far abd save a decent amount of money. and you can get bright ones now as well. used to be all 60 watts best i can remember. but then remember these is the same party that attacked a little girl for trying to save the world.

well he is a thief...................

it for a fact will be on the sec network. i posted an article on it a few days ago.

i agree. which one of us would smuggle in the vodka?

i thought something was kinda off but hell i stay high so i figured it was just me. this kind of surprises me that this could happen on one of Bruce's teams.

if you are a wuss just say so wed. but it is so nice of you to warn us. have you seen anything on frank thomas and his statue ceremony? i have found one sentence. one.

247sports.com Jason Caldwell's Monday morning quarterback column Jason Caldwell 4–5 minutes Important week for Auburn football There is a saying that ‘you never get a second chance to make a first impression.’ That’s true, but for Hugh Freeze and the Auburn Tigers, the first impression may not be nearly as important as the last impression of the spring this week. That starts at the quarterback position where T.J. Finley, Robby Ashford and Holden Geriner have all shown signs of getting the job done, but the inconsistency has continued to be an issue for the group as a whole. With four practices this week, including Saturday’s A-Day game, someone has a chance to go into the summer on a high note and perhaps give themselves a lead in a race that will last until week into August. It’s also an opportunity for some of the younger players to continue to push towards being in the playing rotation on both sides of the ball. Offensively, there are plenty of veterans across the board with transfers at every position, but true freshman Connor Lew has been really good since arriving on campus and is someone the coaches feel like will be ready to compete this fall. The same can be said for Keldric Faulk and Kayin Lee on defense for the Tigers. Faulk is undoubtedly going to have to play for this team because of a lack of depth at the jack linebacker position, but also because of his immense size and physical skills. With cornerback short on depth, Lee has taken advantage of his opportunities to this point and will have several more chances this week to continue that. Can anyone else take a big final push before spring is done? It’s time to find out. Roster makeover coming for Auburn hoops With the loss of Wendell Green Jr. on Sunday to go along with the departures of Yohan Traore and Chance Westry, Auburn already has four open spots that could be filled out of the transfer portal. The Tigers were already one under the limit of 13 after taking scholarship reductions. Throw in Zep Jasper being done with eligibility and that’s five spots. One of those will be used by incoming freshman guard Aden Holloway, giving Bruce Pearl and his staff four more roster spots available. There could be even more with K.D. Johnson, Allen Flanigan and Jaylin Williams all expected to make a decision on their future soon. While Stretch Akingbola has a year of eligibility remaining, he’s not expected to return for the 2023-24 season, which would open up another spot. Any way you slice it, Pearl’s next Auburn team is going to have a very different look with lots of new faces on campus. As it stands today, the Tigers will likely add at least two new faces at the guard position and potentially two more forward/center types to bolster the roster. Those numbers could grow even higher if another player or two from the current roster decides to move on. Welcome to the world of college athletics in 2023. Gorilla Ball Pt. 2 This season there have been 63 SEC games played through three weekends of league play. Of those, 25 games have featured at least one team scoring double figure runs. That’s an incredible number, but it shows you just how hard it is to pitch in this league right now where offenses get older and pitching staffs continue to get younger and younger. Covid has given offenses a chance to continue to build with transfers and experienced players that 10 years ago would have been playing minor league baseball. It doesn’t work that way on the mound because draftable guys are still going to be selected to begin pro careers and trying to get the fast track to the major leagues. Only Alabama, Kentucky and Tennessee haven’t allowed 10 or more runs in an SEC game this season. Auburn has allowed three as have Arkansas, Georgia and Texas A&M. Mississippi State leads the way with six double-digit games allowed in nine total games. Here is the rundown of the teams that have allowed 10 or more runs in an SEC game this year through three weeks. Arkansas (3) Auburn (3) Florida (1) Georgia (3) LSU (1) Ole Miss (2) Mississippi State (6) Missouri (2) 5COMMENTS South Carolina (1) Texas A&M (3) ">247Sports

si.com Auburn football's biggest question in spring practice is obvious - but can it be solved? Lance Dawe 3–4 minutes Can Hugh Freeze and Philip Montgomery solve the Tigers' quarterback woes? With a new head coach at the helm, the Auburn Tigers are looking to reset their roster and make a statement in the SEC under first year head coach Hugh Freeze in 2023. One of the biggest question marks for the team is the quarterback position, with Robby Ashford, Holden Geriner and T.J. Finley vying for the starting spot. Barrett Sallee of CBS Sports recently wrote about one question every SEC team needs to answer during spring practice, and to nobody's surprise, Auburn's biggest question is quarterback. "Dual-threat weapon Robby Ashford got the majority of the snaps for the Tigers last season after veteran pro-style signal-caller T.J. Finley suffered an injury in Week 3," Sallee wrote about the Tigers' signal-callers. It's no secret that first-year coach Hugh Freeze went shopping in the transfer portal during the winter window, but it's up to the two former starters to impress him between now and the Tigers' spring game on April 7. Is Auburn's quarterback on campus? Ashford has some work to do as a passer, and it has been difficult for Finley to stay healthy throughout his career." It's been a process for Freeze, OC Philip Montgomery and the Tigers this spring, with Freeze publicly expressing his feelings on the QB room's lack of consistency - despite Geriner's recent successes individually. As mentioned earlier, some retooling has had to be done with the offense. A load of transfers were brought in, and when all is said and done, the Tigers still may bring in a portal quarterback. Auburn has a strong core on defense, with eight starters returning - however, they are tied for the third-fewest returning starters in the SEC with only 11, and only three on offense. Is that a bad thing? Maybe not. But it would certainly help to get the weapons around the quarterbacks (and the offensive line) right as the spring winds down. The question still remains - and it probably won't be answered until fall camp. Even then, will Freeze and his staff feel confident with the man behind center? rn's Pro

al.com Auburn's top-rated 2022 signee 'looks like a whole new guy' this spring Published: Apr. 01, 2023, 9:40 a.m. 5–6 minutes AUBURN, AL - March 01, 2023 - Auburn Linebacker Robert Woodyard Jr. (#17) during spring practice at the Woltosz Football Performance Center in Auburn, AL. Photo by Declan GreeneAuburn University Athletics The highest-rated signee in Auburn’s 2022 class is on track to be a regular contributor for the Tigers’ defense this fall after redshirting as a true freshman last season. Robert Woodyard Jr., who flipped from Alabama to Auburn during the early signing period in December 2021, contributed mostly on special teams while appearing in just four games last season. This spring, however, the former four-star in-state prospect has carved out a spot for himself in the Tigers’ core linebacker rotation. “He looks like a whole new guy from a couple months ago during the season at practice,” junior linebacker Cam Riley said. “…If you see Robert now, he looks like a whole new person.” Read more Auburn football: Trio of transfers has “absolutely improved” Auburn’s offensive line this spring “He’s a monster”: Auburn trying to temper expectations for freshman edge rusher Keldric Faulk Auburn’s wide receivers look to “change the narrative” this season Woodyard has been working mostly alongside Riley with Auburn’s second pairing at inside linebacker, while Ole Miss transfer Austin Keys and senior Wesley Steiner have been the first grouping in the rotation this spring. It’s a promising step forward for Woodyard after playing sparingly during his first season on the Plains, when he was relegated mostly to special teams work and earned the designation as defensive scout team player of the year. “He’s got a tremendous attitude,” linebackers coach Josh Aldridge said in February. “He’s always in the building, which is what everybody told me when I got here, that he was the guy that spent a lot of time in that facility. And so that so far has been really good. Pretty mature for a young kid.” Woodyard is the youngest player in a surprisingly experienced linebacker room for Auburn this spring. Despite losing leading tackle, team captain and four-year starter Owen Pappoe to the draft, Auburn returns Riley and Steiner from its primary rotation last season, as well a veteran Eugene Asante, while also bringing in a pair of transfers with SEC experience in Keys and LSU transfer DeMario Tolan. The 6-foot, 241-pound Woodyard signed with Auburn as the nation’s No. 141 overall prospect and a top-10 player in the state. A highly touted linebacker out of Mobile, Woodyard was committed to Alabama for a year and a half — since the summer before his junior year — but the Tigers’ former staff managed to flip him during the early signing period that cycle. He became the first player to flip from Alabama to Auburn since Opelika safety Stephen Roberts did so during the 2014 cycle. Though he was the highest-rated player in Auburn’s class, he spent part of the offseason before his freshman year recovering from a meniscus injury that cost him the final three games of his senior season at Williamson. Now fully healthy and with a year of learning experience under his belt, as well as a new coaching staff in the picture, Woodyard is positioned for a key role in the Tigers’ defense this season. Roberts said last week that he would like to be able to go three-deep at the two inside linebacker spots this fall, and he believes he currently has five linebackers who are game-ready. Woodyard is one of them. “He can strike,” Roberts said. “He can make tackles. He’s athletic. For him, it’s just being young, and you want to be able to see him be more vocal on the field with communication and getting everybody in the right spots, being able to help people out on the field. That’s some of the things we kind of expect from that position, so we kind of need him to take those growth steps forward.” While Woodyard still needs to develop from that standpoint, he at least has the ideal size to play the Mike position in Auburn’s defense and the kind of hard-hitting mentality required to be an effective linebacker in the SEC. “He’s a physical guy; he’s always around the ball,” Riley said. “He has a knack for the ball, like he wants to make every play He takes the time to actually learn the defense. He’s a new guy, man. I can’t believe it.” Tom Green is an Auburn beat reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter @Tomas_Verde.

auburnwire.usatoday.com New faces have strengthened offensive line throughout spring practice Daniel Locke ~2 minutes A-Day is one week away and there is a renewed sense of energy and purpose surrounding the Auburn Tigers Football Program. New head football coach Hugh Freeze has wasted no time improving areas of need for the team. The offensive line has consistently been a weakness for Auburn since 2017. Freeze wasted no time improving the position since his arrival in Auburn. Buy Tigers Tickets An article from AL.com written by Tom Green highlighted the improvement made to the position. Phillip Montgomery, the former head coach of Tulsa who Freeze hired to fill the offensive coordinator role, has high expectations for the group. “Offensive line, I think, has been a real positive surprise throughout the spring,” offensive coordinator Philip Montgomery said. “I think the guys that we’ve been able to add to that room have made an impact.” The Tigers landed three offensive linemen in the transfer portal. Avery Jones from ECU, Dillon Wade from Tulsa, and Gunner Britton from Western Kentucky. Auburn also brought in Connor Lew, a four-star recruit from Acworth, Georgia. Lew is the No. 20 ranked interior offensive lineman in the 2023 recruiting class according to 247Sports. The Tiger’s biggest offensive line grab in the 2023 recruiting class was Clay Wedin, the No. 37 ranked interior offensive lineman in the 2023 recruiting class according to 247Sports. With an improved offensive line, Auburn’s offense will be able to make a lot more happen this season.