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Observations from Auburn’s 1st day of spring practice under Hugh Freeze Updated: Feb. 27, 2023, 6:23 p.m.|Published: Feb. 27, 2023, 5:27 p.m. 5–6 minutes Auburn took to the practice field Monday for the first time under head coach Hugh Freeze and for the first time officially in the team’s new digs at the Woltosz Football Performance Center. The Tigers opened spring practice Monday afternoon, the first of 15 practices over the next six weeks leading up to the A-Day spring game on April 8. Local media were granted a 20-minute viewing period on Day 1 of practice, providing the first glimpse of the Tigers as they enter a new era under Freeze. Read more Auburn football: Projecting Auburn’s depth chart at the start of spring practices Five position battles to keep an eye on this spring Auburn AD John Cohen discusses facilities plans, “priority” upgrades for Jordan-Hare Stadium During that 20-minute period, Auburn worked on individual position drills. Like last year, media were asked not to report on any injuries or absences, personnel-wise from practice. Those will be addressed by Freeze later Monday evening, when he holds his first press conference of the spring shortly after 6 p.m. With that being said, here are a few observations from Day 1 of spring practice: -- The offensive line worked in three groups with position coach Jake Thornton at the start of the viewing period. The first unit, from left to right, featured Dillon Wade at left tackle, Tate Johnson at left guard, Avery Jones at center, Kameron Stutts at right guard and Gunner Britton at right tackle. It’s not a big surprise that the Tigers’ three transfer additions -- Wade (Tulsa), Jones (ECU) and Britton (WKU) -- are getting some early first-team reps. -- The second group across the offensive line, from left to right, included walk-on Evan Richards, Jeremiah Wright, freshman Connor Lew, E.J. Harris and Izavion Miller. The third rotation saw Colby Smith, freshman Bradyn Joiner, Cort Bradley, freshman Clay Wedin and Garner Langlo. -- Cadillac Williams worked with the running backs on footwork and ball security early in the period. Jarquez Hunter was first up in drills, followed by sophomore Damari Alston, USF transfer Brian Battie, Sean Jackson, Justin Jones and Luke Reebals. -- The quarterbacks worked with the wide receivers and tight ends during the first portion of the viewing period. Two quarterbacks took reps simultaneously, with pairs of receivers running split routes. Robby Ashford and T.J. Finley were the first quarterback pairing, followed by redshirt freshman Holden Geriner and walk-on Sawyer Pate. -- The first two wide receiver pairings featured Camden Brown and Ja’Varrius Johnson, and Koy Moore and Nick Mardner. FIU tight end transfer Rivaldo Fairweather also rotated in with that first group. Tar’Varish Dawson and Landen King were in the second rotation, with King working at the X-receiver spot on the outside and Dawson in the slot. -- This should be obvious, considering he’s listed at 6-foot-6, but Mardner’s length is really noticeable out there. Fairweather, listed at 6-foot-4 and 251 pounds, is another massive target who should add a new dynamic to Auburn’s offense. Brown, who has switched from No. 17 to No. 4, looks as impressive as he did during fall camp last year. Will be interesting to track how much of a factor he becomes this offseason. -- Jay Fair made a nice one-handed grab on a route to the sideline that garnered a reaction from offensive coordinator Philip Montgomery. -- Wesley McGriff spent the period working with Auburn’s cornerbacks, while Zac Etheridge focused his time on the safeties. The two will work in tandem to coach the defensive backs this season, but it was interesting to see how they split their duties during this individual period. -- Nehemiah Pritchett, D.J. James and J.D. Rhym were the first three corners up in the rotation with McGriff. -- Jaylin Simpson and Zion Puckett led the rotation at safety with Etheridge’s group, with Cayden Bridges and Marquis Gilbert behind them. Caleb Wooden also rotated in with these pairings. -- Josh Aldridge worked with the linebackers in pairings during the individual drills. Wesley Steiner and Eugene Asante were paired together. Cam Riley and Ole Miss transfer Austin Keys were paired. Jake Levant and Robert Woodyard Jr. were paired together. Powell Gordon and Desmond Tisdol were paired up, and LSU transfer DeMario Tolan was paired with Kameron Brown. -- Former tight end John Samuel Shenker was in attendance at practice. Tom Green is an Auburn beat reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter @Tomas_Verde.

IN PHOTOS: Auburn spring football photo gallery 1, the newcomers ByJason Caldwell Feb 27, 5:47 PM 7 We got our first look at the Auburn Tigers under Hugh Freeze when they took the field on Monday for the first day of spring practices. Check out some photos from the newcomers as they got on the field for the first time in an Auburn uniform. Running back transfer Brian Battie is wearing No. 21 for the Tigers. (Photo: Jason Caldwell/Auburnundercover, 247Sports) Western Kentucky offensive tackle transfer Gunner Britton and Kam Stutts. (Photo: Jason Caldwell/Auburnundercover, 247Sports) Tight end Rivaldo Fairweather definitely looks the part. (Photo: Jason Caldwell/Auburnundercover, 247Sports) Stephen Johnson and Justin Rogers add plenty of size to the defensive line. (Photo: Jason Caldwell/Auburnundercover, 247Sports) Bradyn Joiner in his first practice with the Auburn Tigers. (Photo: Jason Caldwell/Auburnundercover, 247Sports) Ole Miss LB transfer Austin Keys is an impressive looking player for the Tigers. (Photo: Jason Caldwell/Auburnundercover, 247Sports) Mosiah Nasili-Kite and Wilky Denaud listening to coach Jeremy Garrett give instructions. (Photo: Jason Caldwell/Auburnundercover, 247Sports) True freshman DB Kayin Lee working on his technique with Wesley McGriff (Photo: Jason Caldwell/Auburnundercover, 247Sports) Connor Lew working at center for the Tigers in the spring. (Photo: Jason Caldwell/Auburnundercover, 247Sports) Big wide receiver transfer Nick Mardner with a run after the catch. (Photo: Jason Caldwell/Auburnundercover, 247Sports) Junior college OT transfer Izavion Miller looks like a legit SEC lineman. (Photo: Jason Caldwell/Auburnundercover, 247Sports) Linebacker DeMario Tolan has the length that could work well in this defense. (Photo: Jason Caldwell/Auburnundercover, 247Sports) Tulsa transfer Dillon Wade is wearing number 52 for the Tigers. (Photo: Jason Caldwell/Auburnundercover, 247Sports) 7COMMENTS Comments (7)

1 intriguing storyline for each SEC team as spring camps start to open up Connor O'Gara 12–16 minutes We’re already underway. Shoutout to Mizzou for that. We’ve got spring football in the SEC. That means we can officially stop looking back at 2022 and simply focus all of our attention on all things 2023, right? Eh, maybe not so much. There are 10 new offensive coordinators in the SEC, which means there’s a ton of intrigue on that side of the ball, specifically at the quarterback position. We’ve only got a minimum of 6 teams with new starting quarterbacks, so it’s not as if there’s total offensive turnover. We’ll see plenty of situations with returning starters trying to gel with new offensive play-callers. But of course, there are 2 sides of the ball. Three, actually. We won’t, however, be digging into any juicy special teams storylines today. For now, these are the intriguing SEC storylines to follow as spring camp opens up: Alabama — Ty Simpson vs. Jalen Milroe I’d say it’s been 5 years since we had a true Alabama quarterback battle. Jalen Hurts vs. Tua Tagovailoa was a bit more notable than Simpson vs. Milroe, but the latter could be just as pivotal in determining the Tide’s national championship path. It’s Milroe who got the benefit of QB2 duties in 2022, wherein he got a start for the injured Bryce Young. Simpson, on the other hand, could benefit from being recruited by new Alabama offensive coordinator Tommy Rees when he was at Notre Dame. In all likelihood, this QB battle will last deep into fall camp, but we should get plenty of data points from the young signal-callers. Arkansas — Not 1 but 2 new coordinators For the first time since Sam Pittman has been a head coach, he has a change at coordinator. Two, to be exact. Kendal Briles and Barry Odom both left for new opportunities, and in stepped Travis Williams and Dan Enos. Will they be an upgrade? It’s too early to say that’ll be the case with any certainty coming off a disappointing 7-6 season in which the Hogs were a disaster defensively. Williams did well with total autonomy at UCF, who had previously struggled to have any sort of defensive consistency. That’s been the knock at Arkansas. Williams’ ability to coach up a defense that just lost arguably its top 4 players will be huge, and can Enos help KJ Jefferson take another step? Those things could define Pittman’s time in Fayetteville. Auburn — Does Hugh Freeze believe in Robby Ashford as his QB1? It’s no secret that Auburn was in the market for a transfer portal quarterback. There was reportedly interest in Grayson McCall and Spencer Sanders, but neither panned out. That means we’re about to get a massive spring for Ashford. Can he show enough to convince Freeze that he’s worth being the unquestioned QB1 in fall camp? Or will Ashford struggle with his accuracy and progressions and force Freeze into making a post-spring portal edition? Now would be as good a time as ever for Ashford to put it all together. Florida — Can Billy Napier stop the bleeding and get some good vibes back? By “stop the bleeding,” I just mean can Napier actually get some more positive developments. Losing 3 assistants in February was atypical, as was the entire Jaden Rashada saga. That’s coming off a losing season in which Anthony Richardson’s development — or lack there of — became a constant source of frustration. The Gators enter Year 2 of the Napier era with more questions than answers at a place where that typically isn’t tolerated. At least not for very long. Will Napier be active in the post-spring portal with some splashy additions? That might be the only thing that can turn around some weird vibes in The Swamp. Georgia — Mike Bobo and the UGA QB battle I’ll spare you another rant on Kirby Smart replacing Todd Monken with Mike Bobo and why I don’t think that’s as seamless of a transition as many expect. Bobo’s handling of this quarterback situation will be interesting. The 2022 pecking order suggests that Carson Beck will be the favorite in the clubhouse entering Year 4 in Athens. Could Brock Vandagriff or even Gunner Stockton change that? And will all 3 of those signal-callers stay? That seems like it’d be quite the feat, especially considering that all of Georgia’s potential starters have at least 3 years of eligibility left (Beck’s 2020 didn’t count against him because of COVID and he was under the 4-game threshold in 2021). Something tells me this QB battle has more promise than the Jamie Newman-JT Daniels-D’Wan Mathis mess that unfolded in UGA’s last true QB battle. Kentucky — Restoring the Big Blue Wall The UK offensive line was a total disaster in 2022. Will Levis took a beating, and an offense that entered the year with promise following its most prolific season since 2007 took a massive step back. So now with Liam Coen back and 2022 Preseason ACC Player of the Year Devin Leary under center, can we expect significant offensive upgrades? The offensive line could determine that. The hope is that’ll come via Tanner Bowles from Alabama and Marques Cox from Northern Illinois. It should also help that Coen just spent an entire year scheming for a Los Angeles Rams offense that was incredibly depleted on the offensive line, and Leary is known for getting rid of the ball quicker than Levis. If UK wants to get back to 2021 levels of production, the Big Blue Wall needs to live up to its name instead of being the Big Blue Gate. LSU — Where will Harold Perkins settle in? There’s been talk about moving Perkins to a more traditional middle linebacker role a la Devin White. You could make a case that the freshman sensation has instincts that are more conducive to that position with how quickly he moves laterally. You could also make the case that Perkins, who played almost a 50-50 split on the edge compared to in the box, is better off having the freedom to line up anywhere and harass opposing quarterbacks. The initial plan was just to get Perkins on the field by any means necessary, which meant shifting him to more of an edge rusher type role. But it’ll be interesting to see if Matt House and Co. elect to at least make Perkins more of a hybrid player who starts to get more reps in that traditional middle linebacker role. Mizzou — Kirby Moore’s impact Eli Drinkwitz is forking over play-calling duties for the first time as a head coach. He had to. Mizzou’s offense didn’t progress in the way many felt it should in Year 3, and concerns over the lack of a workhorse back like Larry Rountree or Tyler Badie were validated by season’s end. Moore’s job is to make Mizzou more explosive. It’s not that the Tigers are lacking talent. The well-documented arrival and subsequent usage of 5-star receiver Luther Burden was a continued topic of conversation. That’s not going anywhere. How does Moore utilize guys like Burden, Mookie Cooper and Oklahoma transfer Theo Wease? And will we see Miami transfer Jake Garcia impact the quarterback situation with Brady Cook and spring-time Mizzou pitcher Sam Horn? Moore’s mission to ignite a stagnant Mizzou offense should begin to take shape in the coming weeks. MSU — Will Rogers is running a new offense It’s a great opportunity for Rogers’ next-level prospects to show what he can do away from the Mike Leach version of the Air Raid. That’s not a knock on the late-MSU coach, but it’s no secret that the high volume, limited route tree of the Leach Air Raid didn’t exactly turn quarterbacks into elite prospects. More important in the short term is how Rogers helps MSU take that next step in Kevin Barbay’s offense. MSU will actually utilize tight ends and if Barbay’s recent history at Appalachian State and Central Michigan is any indication, there’ll be more offensive balance. Will we see Rogers settle in well? Or will it feel more like Nick Fitzgerald in the Joe Moorhead offense in 2018? Spring will surely be the positive spin for Rogers, but we should at least get some insight into that transition. Ole Miss — The rare modern day QB battle I know Ole Miss fans don’t want to hear this, but Jaxson Dart is by no means locked in as the starter. Yes, Lane Kiffin was likely going to add at least 1 transfer. The fact that he added not just Walker Howard from LSU but also 4-year Oklahoma State starter Spencer Sanders was significant, to say the least. All 3 are locked into a spring camp battle that quickly became one of the most interesting QB races in America. Sanders has far more experience than Dart, though the latter has more experience in the Kiffin offense. Dart’s up-and-down play in 2022 clearly has his long-term future as Ole Miss’ QB1 in doubt. I highly doubt a true favorite will emerge unless Dart transfers post-spring, so all signs point to this continuing deep into fall. South Carolina — How do the Gamecocks fill some massive defensive holes? South Carolina ranks No. 113 in FBS in percentage of returning defensive production having just lost Cam Smith (NFL), Jordan Burch (transfer) and Zacch Pickens (NFL). That is less than ideal. Despite the fact that it was a significant Year 2 jump, let’s not forget that the Gamecocks still failed to crack the top half of FBS in scoring defense after allowing 28.8 points per game. Sure, there’s promising young pieces like safety Nick Emmanwori, who led South Carolina in tackles as a true freshman, and there are sky-high expectations for 5-star freshman Nyckoles Harbor. But I’d be a touch concerned if we hear reports of the offense dominating this Gamecocks defense throughout spring ball. That seems like a strong possibility. Tennessee — The Nico Iamaleava/Joe Milton experience Let’s call this “the freak vs. the future.” And to be clear, I don’t believe this is a battle. You usually don’t start true freshmen quarterbacks unless it’s out of necessity, especially in the SEC. With Milton’s Orange Bowl performance, it should be understood that it’s his job to lose heading into 2023. Former Tennessee OC and new USF coach Alex Golesh praised Milton’s progression to trust his receivers and stay within the confines of the system. Will that be the key for Milton to harness that ridiculous potential? We’ll get an interesting side-by-side of the 2 with Tayven Jackson off to Indiana. All eyes will be on Iamaleava as the No. 2 quarterback in the 2023 class, but the narrow-framed signal-caller should likely have to wait his turn behind Milton. Texas A&M — Robert. Patrick. Petrino. We’re blessed that Jimbo Fisher settled on Bobby Petrino as his first ever offensive play-caller. The opportunity for fireworks will be there, no matter how this turns out. Petrino is an elite offensive mind, no doubt. But the dynamic between Petrino and Fisher will be must-see TV. Petrino’s spring task is developing Conner Weigman, who showed major promise in a limited 2022 sample size as a true freshman. With Ainias Smith, Evan Stewart and Moose Muhammad III all back, the dormant A&M passing game has no reason not to improve, especially with virtually the entire starting offense line back. Petrino working with 5-star talent for the first time in his career should be a fascinating dynamic as long as he’s in College Station. Vanderbilt — Finding an Anfernee Orji replacement Clark Lea didn’t have a whole lot of guys who could dial up pressure and get in the backfield. Hence, why the Commodores finished 120th in FBS with just 17 sacks, and they ranked 11th in the SEC in tackles for loss. Orji led the SEC with 9 tackles per game as a senior in 2022, and he had double-digit tackles for loss in 2021. In 3 consecutive years, Orji led Vandy in tackles, which was why he left his last year of eligibility on the table to head off to the NFL. There’s a significant hole in the middle of Lea’s defense, which returns just 56% of last year’s production. Who’ll be the new face of Vandy’s defense? Christian James seems like a good bet as a redshirt senior, and safety De’Rickey Wright could become the steadying presence. Vandy needs several players who can make an Orji-like impact in order to take another step in Year 3 of the Lea era.

Hugh Freeze assesses the good, the 'really bad' from Auburn QBs on Day 1 of spring Updated: Feb. 28, 2023, 9:11 a.m.|Published: Feb. 28, 2023, 7:00 a.m. 5–6 minutes Hugh Freeze didn’t want to offer any sweeping judgments or single out any one player. After all, it was just Day 1 of Auburn’s first spring practice under its new head coach. There are still months before Auburn will narrow down its quarterback battle and even consider naming a starter for the 2023 season, but Monday afforded Freeze and offensive coordinator Philip Montgomery with their first up-close look at the Tigers’ trio of returning candidates — Robby Ashford, T.J. Finley and Holden Geriner — at the most important position on the field. Read more Auburn football: What Hugh Freeze said after Auburn’s first day of spring practices Observations from Day 1 of Auburn spring practice Projecting Auburn’s 2023 depth chart as spring practice begins “I think they’re hungry,” Freeze said Monday evening after the Tigers’ first day of practice. “They want to learn a different way; they want to learn a different system. I think they all have been like a sponge in saying, ‘Just help me, coach. I want to get better. I want to be the guy.’ They’re all a little different, and we have to figure out how to play to the strengths of those guys.” Assessing Auburn’s options at quarterback will take time. Freeze offered no sort of timetable for identifying a starter, and he emphasized that there will be no established depth chart during spring practices. He wants these 15 practices over the next six weeks to be about development for the players and an opportunity for the coaches to become familiar with their personnel as Auburn works to lay the foundation for Year 1 under Freeze. Freeze spent Monday’s practice bouncing around from position group to position group, aiming to spend time with every unit on Day 1. While he had yet to have an opportunity to break down the film from practice when he met with the media afterward, he offered a frank assessment of the Tigers’ three quarterbacks on the first day on the field. “I thought our quarterbacks threw some decent balls, at times, and other times where our mechanics were really bad,” Freeze said. “But I kind of expected that.” It’s early still, and Monday was just the first day back on the field after a whirlwind offseason for Auburn’s program. Attention will be on Auburn’s quarterbacks throughout the spring, as Freeze, Montgomery and offensive analyst Kent Austin thoroughly assess the position, try to see how far each quarterback can progress over the next six weeks and determine whether the Tigers need to explore adding another quarterback in the transfer portal come May. RELATED: Five position battles to track during Auburn spring practice Until Monday, the new staff only had last year’s film to judge the quarterbacks on, and that only provided so much intel; it was more of an incomplete picture. As Freeze noted earlier this month, it’s hard to gauge the position when they don’t have ample time to throw in the pocket, so he didn’t want to enter spring with any preconceived notions about each quarterback. Instead, he wants to be able to evaluate them himself — with the help of Montgomery and Austin. “I think that’s going to be invaluable for us to have those two guys who I trust a lot offensively,” Freeze said. Each of Auburn’s quarterbacks will have to prove himself throughout the spring and into fall camp when it comes to vying for the role of QB1, and Monday was the first step in that prolonged process and evaluation period. During the 20-minute window of practice that was open to the media on Day 1, Auburn’s quarterbacks worked in pairs throwing split routes to receiver tandems. Ashford and Finley rotated together, while Geriner worked alongside walk-on Sawyer Pate. All got equal reps, according to Freeze. While Freeze isn’t tracking a depth chart throughout the spring, the Day 1 order was a logical one. Ashford gets the benefit of the doubt as the incumbent starter, having started nine games for the Tigers last season. Finley, who won the starting job in fall camp last year, started the first three games of the season before a shoulder injury derailed his year. Geriner, a former four-star recruit, appeared in just one game while redshirting last season. Last season, Ashford completed just 49.2 percent of his passes for 1,613 yards while throwing as many touchdowns (seven) as interceptions and running for another 709 yards and seven scores. Finley completed 62.3 percent of his passes for 431 yards, just one touchdown and four interceptions, while Geriner attempted just three passes in his lone appearance. None of those numbers really popped, as quarterback play was one of the many issues Auburn faced during its 5-7 campaign. But Monday marked the official start of a new chapter, a fresh start for each of the returning quarterbacks in their quest to earn the starting job under a new regime. “If they’ll keep giving the same energy and effort that they gave today, we’ll get better throughout spring,” Freeze said. “So, I’m leaving today’s practice feeling very positive and optimistic.” Tom Green is an Auburn beat reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter @Tomas_Verde.

New Auburn football coaching staff working on building chemistry Mark Murphy 3–4 minutes AUBURN, Alabama–With new coordinators, a new offensive system and a new defensive system being led by a new head coach, the Auburn football program is in the early stages of transition as the Tigers prepare for the 2023 season. Members of Coach Hugh Freeze’s staff have said one of the major themes in the month of February has been building bonds with their fellow coaches and getting on the same page with terminology and what they want to teach their players. “I think chemistry’s incredibly important,” Freeze said after Auburn’s first spring practice at the new Woltosz Performance Center that was opened in December. I like our staff a lot, and I think we have good chemistry,” he said. “Are we where we want to be as far along as would like to be? Probably not because we just had such a short window to try to decide exactly what are we going to try to do this spring/ “We have coaches from a lot of different staffs and backgrounds, and now we have got to melt all this together and try to be all on the same page and one voice,” Freeze said. “The last thing you want is kids hearing from too many voices that are not saying the same thing and so I think it is vital that they see we have chemistry. “I think they do that,” said Freeze, who made the move back to the Southeastern Conference after previous stops at Ole Miss and then at Liberty University. “I think they see that when we say this is our expectation, I think the coaches have a clear understanding that that’s a non-negotiable for me, that has to be everybody,” he said. Hugh Freeze has the assignment of rebuilding an Auburn program that has suffered through back-to-back losing seasons. (Photo: Todd Van Emst / Auburn Athletics) “It’s impossible–I firmly believe it’s impossible for me or any of the coaches to give something away that we don’t already possess. If we say this is the culture we want to portray, then we must possess it so I like our chemistry, and now we’ve got to be great teachers. We’ll see from day one to day to day three, can we get some stuff cleaned up?” The Tigers, who get 15 practices in the spring, will return to the field on Wednesday and Friday this week. After that they will be off a week for spring break. Auburn’s annual A-Day spring scrimmage is scheduled for Saturday, April 8th. Freeze said on Monday he hasn't decided on a format for his first spring game at Jordan-Hare Stadium, but noted that he likes the idea of going offense vs. defense with the defense starting the session with a 24-0 lead and the offense trying to score more than that total.

Hugh Freeze prioritizing equal reps, ‘no depth chart’ for Auburn this spring Published: Feb. 28, 2023, 8:30 a.m. 4–5 minutes Before Auburn stepped foot on the practice field at the new Woltosz Football Performance Center on Monday afternoon for its first day of practice under Hugh Freeze, the Tigers’ new head coach made one thing abundantly clear: Day 1 of spring meant a clean slate for everyone across the roster. There were no preconceived notions with the new coaching staff, no established pecking order, either. The ensuing six weeks were going to be about development and evaluation, so when the Tigers met in the team meeting room before their first day of practice, Freeze’s message was clear. “I mean this: There is no depth chart,” Freeze said. Read more Auburn football: What Hugh Freeze said after Day 1 of Auburn spring practice Observations from Day 1 of Auburn spring practice Projecting Auburn’s depth chart at the start of spring practices Auburn’s first-year coach has no intentions of keeping a real-time depth chart over the course of the team’s 15 spring practices. Things will start to sort themselves out after spring, when coaches have a full complement of practices and scrimmages to fully evaluate each position. “We won’t narrow down the reps in spring,” Freeze said. “We will in fall. We have to. But in spring, we won’t.” And since there’s no evolving depth chart over the next six weeks, Freeze intends to distribute reps as evenly as possible throughout the roster — including at quarterback, where Robby Ashford, T.J. Finley and Holden Geriner are trying to position themselves on the inside track for the starting job this fall. That was apparent on Day 1, when Auburn “two-spotted” the quarterback position to maximize reps for each player. During the 20-minute window that was open to the media on Monday afternoon, Auburn had the quarterbacks working in pairs and throwing split routes to wide receiver tandems. Ashford and Finley were paired together for one set of reps, while Geriner was paired with walk-on Sawyer Pate. RELATED: Five position battles to keep an eye on this spring “At some point, all three are going to have to be the guy to lead the football team — and lead not only on the field, but off the field, in the locker room, decision making, accuracy, taking care of the ball; all of those things,” Freeze said. “To this point, the thing I’ve really liked is, man, if the meeting is at 2:30, they’re there at 2:15 saying, ‘Can we start early? Can we go?’ They’re wanting to learn.” While there is no firm depth chart being tracked this spring, Day 1 of practice still offered a familiar hierarchy at several positions. Established veterans on offense and defense repped in their expected groupings — like cornerbacks Nehemiah Pritchett and D.J. James, wide receivers Ja’Varrius Johnson and Koy Moore, and running back Jarquez Hunter, just to name a few—while some key new additions to the roster also found themselves in the mix for first-team rotations. That included the likes of transfer offensive linemen Dillon Wade, Gunner Britton and Avery Jones, as well as wide receiver transfer Nick Mardner, among others. However, Freeze cautioned not to read too much into those personnel groupings, especially this early into the spring. “We’re going to rotate some people,” Freeze said. “…I don’t care what group you trot out with on the field right now; I don’t have in my mind that this is a first-team, a second-team, a third-team guy. You’re going to get the reps, and we’re going to rotate different people in with this group that runs out there and grade every single rep of it and kind of figure out where we are after spring. “But (I) really just believe that everybody’s going to get equal reps in the spring and develop some depth, at least, before we decide where everybody is in the pecking order of depth charts.” Tom Green is an Auburn beat reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter @Tomas_Verde.

Joseph Goodman: Auburn should park its ice-cold Cadillac out front Updated: Feb. 28, 2023, 9:10 a.m.|Published: Feb. 28, 2023, 9:07 a.m. 6–7 minutes Hugh Freeze spoke with reporters in Auburn on Monday, and I’m hoping he’s going to be a great coach on the Plains, but I was more interested in the face of the program on the first day of spring practice. That’d be Carnell Williams, the assistant coach like no other in the SEC. I keep thinking about those four weeks in November last year, and I know that I’m not alone in that fact. They were so special, Auburn’s month with Williams serving as interim head coach, and I hope that the transformational magic that Williams conjured remains with the Tigers into this new era of football. Auburn needs a permanent, iconic symbol marking the union of Freeze and Williams, though. RELATED: Hugh Freeze assesses the good and bad from spring practice RELATED: Auburn operating without a depth chart this spring GOODMAN: Kevin Steele is back to haunt Auburn GOODMAN: Cadillac inspired Auburn with powerful message Like, hear me out on this, OK? The new football mansion at Auburn is nice, but how the Tigers don’t have a classic drop-top Cadillac permanently parked outside its gleaming practice facility is beyond me. An ice-cold Caddy feels like a metaphorical opportunity missed for a place leaning into puns like “Freeze warning.” It’s the best of both themes. Combine them. Ride it all the way to the top of the SEC. Could someone please make this happen already? Freeze is the new head coach, but Auburn’s heart is Williams. The combination of both, potentially, could be what allows Auburn to stand out in an already crowded SEC that’s adding Texas and Oklahoma in 2024. Maybe I’m expecting too much from an assistant coach, but there aren’t many figures in college football today more beloved than the former Auburn running back who served his school with such distinction at the end of the 2022 season as interim head coach. Two of those coaches are at Auburn’s principal rivals, which explains a lot about where the Tigers find themselves going into 2023. Practice for the fall is already here, and Auburn is at an important crossroads for its future. This time, the Tigers have to get it right, or the traditional SEC power could find itself permanently slipping down the pecking order of the league. Getting it right at Auburn means bringing in players who can compete against Alabama and Georgia. It’s as simple as that, but there isn’t a greater challenge in college football today. The bar doesn’t get any higher than trying to recruit against Kirby Smart’s Georgia, the back-to-back reigning national champ, and Nick Saban’s Alabama, which just pulled in one of the stronger recruiting classes in college football history. We know what happens when Auburn gets it wrong. Things go bad in a hurry, and a lot of reporters on the Auburn beat still have the hats to prove it. Former Auburn coach Bryan Harsin, who, yes, once threw hats to reporters covering his team, was a disaster in every way, but there was a silver lining to come out of his firing last October. It was Williams, who so unexpectedly captured the attention of everyone in the SEC with his ability to make us all so quickly forget about the Bum From Boise. Auburn wanted to fire Harsin before the spring of 2022, but we all know how badly that went down. Half the fan base defended Harsin, half the fan base understood he needed to go and everyone on the outside looking in knew that Harsin had no chance before his first practice of the fall. Harsin couldn’t recruit in the Deep South, and he didn’t want to put in the work to learn. When NIL came around, he rejected it as some kind of plague. Now look at Auburn. They’re doing it right. Everywhere you look, the athletics department is advertising the NIL collective “On To Victory.” There is hope again, and it started with Williams. It’s going to take something different at Auburn to win in this new SEC, and Williams certainly represents a drastic change in positivity and unity for the Tigers compared to this time last year. Harsin split Auburn down the middle, but Williams put Auburn back together. I’ll never forget what he did for Auburn, and I don’t think anyone else will either. Anyone would have been better than Harsin, but only one person in the world could have brought Auburn together with such talent and grace, and that was Cadillac. I think the wins are coming with Freeze, who understands the heartbeat of the SEC better than anyone. Having a celebrity assistant sets Auburn apart from its rivals, and so that should give Auburn a unique edge in recruiting. Everything Williams touched in November 2022 turned to gold, and the new energy that he pumped into Auburn can be a major springboard going into the brave new world that will be college football in 2024. It’s not that I’m looking past the 2023 season for Auburn, it’s just that I know Freeze and the Tigers are already preparing for the future. Auburn needs a top 10 recruiting class in 2024 and the framework is being put into place for that to happen. Auburn’s practice was open to the media for 20 minutes on Monday. They let reporters watch individual drills, and so I camped out with the running backs and watched Williams teach his position players the fundamentals of lining up properly and preparing their feet for blocks. In the 2022 Iron Bowl, Auburn rushed for more yards (318) against Alabama than any other team since Nick Saban has been with the Crimson Tide. Something tells me that Auburn will be running a lot more in 2023. The ride with this ice-cold Cadillac is just beginning. Please park it at the front door. Joseph Goodman is the lead sports columnist for the Alabama

247sports.com Jaylin Simpson sticks at safety, where 'he can be a Sunday player' Nathan King 4–5 minutes AUBURN, Alabama — Jaylin Simpson may have found a permanent home in Auburn’s secondary, and it’s a role the coaching staff has good reason to believe he’ll thrive in. The redshirt senior worked with the safeties on Day 1 of Auburn spring practice Monday, and defensive backs coach Zac Etheridge confirmed during a chat with reporters the next day that Simpson, who was a starting cornerback early last season, is now working solely at safety after playing the position late in the year in 2022 due to injuries. And Etheridge is extremely high on the type of player Simpson could be on the back end of Auburn’s defense. “I think Simp has found himself a home,” Etheridge said. “I think he's an elite player — that if he holds onto everything that goes in football off the field, he can be a Sunday player. Just seeing his range, his athleticism, his ability to play man-to-man in the slot, the things that he can do, he can tackle well. So, his upside at that position is through the roof if he embraces it and studies the game like he should, I think he'll be a Sunday pick.” After injuries in Auburn’s final month of the 2022 season to Zion Puckett, then Donovan Kaufman, Simpson slid back from his cornerback spot and started the final four games of the season for Auburn at safety. He shined in that role, with two interceptions and four pass breakups during that stretch. He had become Auburn’s No. 3 cornerback, after Oregon transfer D.J. James emerged into one of the best coverage players in the SEC over the course of the year. But when a void needed to be filled, Simpson approached it with a positive mindset, Etheridge said, and was rewarded with a productive finish to his fourth year in the program. “I think the one thing, any time you change positions it's always a little anxiety on what's my role?” Etheridge said. “... For him it was just a veteran move for him. The biggest thing is buy-in. He bought into what the team needed him at that position and he took it and ran with it. You can see that as the season went on he got better and better, and now I think he found himself that home that he can come out every day and control the defense.” It certainly seems Simpson is one of, if not Auburn’s top choice at safety, even with Puckett and Kaufman being returning starters. Etheridge said Kaufman will be competing at the nickel spot, also known as “star” in new coordinator Ron Roberts’ defense, along with returning starter Keionte Scott. The spot isn’t a new one for Simpson, who was recruited to play safety as a 4-star athlete from Saint Simons Island, Georgia, in the 2019 class. He also was a state championship-winning quarterback, which Etheridge said can be helpful experience for being a safety. “He was a quarterback in high school and now he's coming in at a position where he has to make the checks on the back end,” Etheridge said. “Which way are we rotating? Who's getting lined up? Where are the guys going? So I think it just made him more comfortable in being able to take control of the defense.” Etheridge is coaching Auburn’s safeties and nickels, while new assistant Wesley McGriff — on his third stint with the program — oversees cornerbacks. Auburn returns to the practice field Wednesday.

Auburn Football: Tigers' 2023 Spring Preview Steven Lassan 6–7 minutes Spring practice always renews optimism across college football for all 133 FBS teams, and that's certainly the case at Auburn as a new era begins under coach Hugh Freeze. After the puzzling hire of Bryan Harsin and getting dismissed after less than two years on the job, Freeze is tasked with elevating Auburn back among the best in the SEC. The Tigers won't return to the top of the conference overnight, but there's enough returning talent and help from the portal to expect a bowl in Freeze's debut. This spring is Freeze's first in-depth look at the roster, and after an active period of mining the transfer portal for help for the first open period, don't be surprised if this staff once again looks for additional help later this offseason. Auburn returns 11 starters, and this spring is all about addressing some major needs on both sides of the ball. Provided the offensive line finds the right mix after basically a complete overhaul, the one-two punch of Jarquez Hunter and Brian Battie should be an effective ground attack for the Tigers. The bulk of last year's defense returns, but a couple of key cogs must be replaced up front. Restocking both lines of scrimmage and finding more consistency at quarterback top the priority list for Freeze and his new staff for '23. 5 Storylines to Watch During Auburn's Spring Practices 1. The Quarterbacks The starting job is Robby Ashford's to lose after he handled the offense over the final nine games of '22. The Oregon transfer showed flashes of potential last year, throwing for 1,613 yards and seven touchdowns and rushing for 709 yards and seven scores. However, Ashford's completion percentage (49.2) and yards per attempt (6.5) leave room for improvement. Freeze and offensive coordinator Philip Montgomery both have a track record of developing quarterbacks, so there's optimism for Ashford to take a big step forward. While Ashford is the front-runner, the new staff needs to get a look at the development of redshirt freshman Holden Geriner and junior T.J. Finley this spring. And depending on how things play out here this spring, Auburn could dip into the transfer market for another quarterback addition when the portal opens in late April. Related: Pre-Spring SEC Quarterback Rankings for 2023 2. Rebuilding the Offensive Line Although all of the spring attention is likely to be directed to the quarterbacks, the offensive line is just as big of a concern. The Tigers lost six key contributors from last year's unit, which also struggled at times (30 sacks allowed). Just one player - guard Kameron Stutts (seven) - qualifies as a returning starter by Athlon's metrics. Considering the turnover here, finding help through the portal was critical. Freeze accomplished that by adding three potential starters in Dillon Wade (Tulsa), Gunner Britton (Western Kentucky) and Avery Jones (East Carolina). Junior college recruit Izavion Miller is another player to watch. How fast will the newcomers mesh? And will the coaching staff feel confident in a starting five exiting the spring? 3. Developing the Receiving Corps Given last year's inconsistency in the passing game, it's hard to pin all of the problems on the receiving corps. However, this unit had its share of struggles last season. No Auburn wide receiver caught more than 26 passes, while the longest reception (62 yards) came from a running back (Jarquez Hunter). Although better overall play and consistency are needed here, the cupboard is far from bare. Ja'Varrius Johnson (26 catches), Koy Moore (20), Camden Brown (nine), Omari Kelly (three), Tar'Varish Dawson (two) and Cincinnati transfer Nick Mardner provide the quarterbacks with capable options. Also, keep an eye on the addition of FIU transfer Rivaldo Fairweather (28 catches for 426 yards last year) at tight end. Related: Grading Auburn's Hire of Hugh Freeze 4. Restocking the Defensive Trenches New coordinator Ron Roberts inherits a group that allowed 29.5 points a game last season and ranked 10th in the SEC by giving up 5.5 yards per play. With eight returning starters, there's a good foundation in place for the new staff. But some of the unit's biggest departures came up front. Gone from last year's group are edge rusher Derick Hall (first-team All-SEC in 2022), end Colby Wooden (11.5 TFL), edge Eku Leota (five TFL), and end Marcus Bragg (three TFL). Tackles Marcus Harris (6.5 TFL) and Jayson Jones are back and should take the lead as key cogs for '23. Similar to the offensive front, Freeze hit the portal hard for help here. Transfers Justin Rogers (Kentucky), Elijah McAllister (Vanderbilt), Lawrence Johnson (Purdue), and Mosiah Nasili-Kite (Maryland) add needed depth and talent to the front. This spring is key for sophomore Dylan Brooks and freshman Keldric Faulk to start the push for snaps in '23. The transfer additions were a huge overall boost to this group. Can Roberts find the right mix this spring? And will the Tigers find a couple of players who can replace the production of Hall and Wooden in terms of disruption and generating negative plays? Related: College Football's Top Quarterbacks on the Rise for 2023 5. Finding Answers at Linebacker The story of high-profile losses in the defensive front continued at linebacker this offseason with Owen Pappoe departing for the NFL. Although Pappoe was a standout, the rest of this group didn't play at that same level and left plenty to improve upon in '23. Cam Riley (66 tackles) and Wesley Steiner (46) are back as key contributors, and a pair of transfers in Austin Keys (Ole Miss) and DeMario Tolan (LSU) provide reinforcements and competition.

Hugh Freeze shares first thoughts on QBs following opening day of spring practice Taylor Jones ~2 minutes The day that head coach Hugh Freeze and Auburn fans alike have waited for has finally arrived… it is officially spring football time. One of the many questions surrounding Auburn football this spring is the quarterback battle between Holden Geriner, T.J. Finley, and incumbent Robby Ashford. Fans expect to see a change in the lineup or an improvement in skills from those three candidates, but what needs to be done? Buy Tigers Tickets Freeze got his first chance to truly evaluate the position on Monday, and shared his genuine assessment of what he saw with the media. “I thought our quarterbacks threw some decent balls, at times, and other times where our mechanics were really bad,” Freeze said following Monday’s spring practice opener. “But I kind of expected that.” Freeze said earlier this month that it was difficult to evaluate Auburn’s returning options because of the inadequate time they had in the pocket last season. Auburn now has a revamped offensive line, which may solve some of the issues. Freeze also has two great consultants on staff in offensive coordinator Philip Montgomery and quality control analyst Kent Austin that will aid in the effort of finding ways to improve each quarterback. Despite the less-than-ideal start to the spring for Auburn’s quarterbacks, Freeze says that their attitude towards improving leaves him feeling optimistic. “If they’ll keep giving the same energy and effort that they gave today, we’ll get better throughout spring,” Freeze said. Auburn will continue their spring practice on select dates from now until Saturday, April 8, when the annual A-Day game is set to take place.

i have often wondered if auburn kinda compares robby with bo and in saying that gets less love since so many were down on bo?

yahoo.com 'Dilbert' Finally Gets Fired After Creator Goes On Racist Tirade Sara Boboltz 3–4 minutes Dilbert, last name unknown, was let go this week from several newspapers that had been printing his bland workplace observations on their comics pages, where the pasty office drone has spent his nearly 34-year career. Hundreds of publications in the USA Today network, along with papers under the Advance Local umbrella, The Washington Post and the Los Angeles Times — among others — said they were dropping the strip in the wake of creator Scott Adams’ latest incendiary comments, made in a Wednesday livestream. “The best advice I would give to white people is to get the hell away from Black people,” Adams said with his mouth. “Just get the **** away. Wherever you have to go, just get away,” he went on. And on: “There’s no fixing this. This can’t be fixed. ... You just have to escape. So that’s what I did, I went to a neighborhood where I have a very low Black population.” Adams said pollsters had found “nearly half of all Blacks are not OK with white people,” and that meant Black people constituted “a hate group.” “And I don’t want to have anything to do with them,” he said. Newspaper editors then decided they didn’t want anything to do with Dilbert’s vacant, unblinking gaze. Scott Adams poses with his creation. Scott Adams poses with his creation. USA Today, which is owned by Gannett, called Adams’ comments “discriminatory” in a statement posted to social media Friday. The San Antonio Express-News called them “hateful.” The Washington Post announced Saturday that the cartoon would no longer run in its editions. Editors for Advance Local publications including Cleveland’s Plain Dealer, NJ.com and MLive.com wrote letters to their readers explaining why they were opting to dump “Dilbert,” too. “This is not a difficult decision,” wrote Chris Quinn, editor of The Plain Dealer. John Hiner, editor of MLive.com, which serves the mid-Michigan area, refused to even link out to the video of Adams’ latest comments. “If you are curious enough to subject yourself to that garbage, I’m sure your search engine or social media will guide you to it,” Hiner wrote. Adams long ago outed himself as a right-wing reactionary, using his Twitter page and other venues to stan Donald Trump as far back as 2015. When protests against police brutality swelled the streets of major cities in 2020, Adams said the Black Lives Matter movement had turned into “a domestic terror organization that is setting back race relations by perhaps twenty years.” “If Biden is elected, there’s a good chance you will be dead within the year,” he wrote in July 2020, as the Trump administration continued to fumble a comprehensive response to the coronavirus pandemic. “Republicans will be hunted,” he added. Adams spent part of his Saturday retweeting people who agreed with his stance on Black people and suggested that even those retaliating against him did not think he was wrong. “Imagine what would happen if they disagreed with me. Much worse,” he said with no further explanation. Related... Judge Reveals Rep. Scott Perry's Bid To Shield Thousands Of Files From Jan. 6 Committee Chaos And Conspiracies: 12 Hours At A GOP Conve

the japaneese have been doing this for a while. i saw a shot video of one on reddit.................

QB? Jack? Biggest questions Auburn football's Hugh Freeze must answer in spring practice Richard Silva, Montgomery Advertiser 4–5 minutes AUBURN — Auburn football coach Hugh Freeze spent his first offseason with the Tigers adding 33 players to the roster. Those additions include 19 recruits out of high school, 12 from the transfer portal and two via junior college. With so many new faces, including a staff that features just two retentions from the previous regime − running backs/associate head coach Carnell "Cadillac" Williams and safeties coach Zac Etheridge − there are a lot more questions than answers surrounding the program. But with spring practice set to begin Monday, some clarity is due. Here are some of the biggest questions about Auburn that Freeze needs to answer by the time A-Day concludes April 8. PROJECTING THE STARTERS:Projecting Auburn football's 2023 starters ahead of Hugh Freeze's first spring practice WIDE RECEIVERS:How Auburn football WR coach Marcus Davis assesses his players before spring practice JACK LINEBACKER:What's a jack linebacker and why does Auburn football's defense under Ron Roberts have one? Is the starting QB on campus? Freeze hasn't shied away from the fact that he entertained the idea of bringing in a quarterback from the transfer portal. He said as much in a news conference earlier this month: "There are a couple (quarterbacks) that we did (inquire about), but they didn't pan out for whatever reason here at Auburn, and I was OK with that, honestly. I'm excited to work with the ones we have." The candidates to play during spring practice include incumbent starter Robby Ashford, second-year quarterback Holden Geriner and TJ Finley, who started the first three games in 2022. Freeze told a group of reporters Jan. 27 that he wanted to find out if his starting quarterback was already on campus. The time has come for him to figure that out. If he opts for a replacement, the second portal window is open May 1-15. Who's going to play jack? The defensive coaches recently gave some insight into how their unit will be deployed in 2023. A key element will be the use of a jack linebacker, a player who lines up on the line of scrimmage whose main priority is to rush the passer but drops back into coverage when asked. Auburn's website recently changed the position label for five players, now listing them as jacks: Hayden Brice, Dylan Brooks, Keldric Faulk, Elijah McAllister and Brenton Williams. Faulk is a freshman and the highest-rated recruit in Auburn's 2023 recruiting class. McAllister, a transfer from Vanderbilt, is entering his sixth season as a college athlete. How many new OL starters will there be? Auburn's offensive line was a weakness in 2022. And after the season ended, the Tigers didn’t have many players returning at the position. Freeze explained how daunting of a task it was to replenish the group, a unit in which he typically likes to have 16 players. "I don’t remember a time in my whole career where we felt like we had to sign nine offensive linemen," he said. "I mean, that’s unheard of to try to get to your 16 number. That’s a big challenge, and we were able to sign eight guys thus far." Those additions are highlighted by the incoming transfers of Gunner Britton (Western Kentucky), Dillon Wade (Tulsa) and Avery Jones (East Carolina). Izavion Miller, a juco transfer, was brought in as well. There's potential − and it’s arguably likely − that the Tigers will have at least three new starters on the offensive line. What do the linebackers look like? With four-year starter Owen Pappoe moving on to the NFL, there's a massive hole to fill in the middle of Auburn's defense. New linebackers coach Josh Aldridge explained that he's going to seek a rotation at the position. Some players he can consider for rotational roles include returners Cam Riley and Wesley Steiner and transfers Austin Keys (Ole Miss) and DeMario Tolan (LSU), among others. 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: Questions Auburn football's Hugh Freeze must answer in spring practice

fivethirtyeight.com Most Americans Think House Republicans Aren’t Investigating Real Problems Amelia Thomson-DeVeaux 7–9 minutes PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY EMILY SCHERER / GETTY IMAGES The GOP just took control of the House of the Representatives, and there’s a Democratic president in the White House. That means House Republicans will open investigations into President Biden and his administration; the question is just how aggressive and far-reaching the probes will be. But recent polling indicates that Americans don’t seem to have much of an appetite for a slew of public hearings — at least, not the ones that Republicans have planned. So far, House Republicans have launched probes into the chaotic withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021, the origins of the COVID-19 pandemic, the alleged “weaponization” of the executive branch against conservatives, the situation at the U.S.-Mexico border and accusations that Twitter has tried to silence right-wing voices. And that’s just the beginning. Some Republicans, like Rep. Andy Biggs, have called for the impeachment of Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, and others are pushing for investigations of potential conflicts of interest involving Biden family members, including the president’s son Hunter. Americans aren’t opposed to many of these investigations: According to a Fox News/Beacon Research/Shaw & Company Research poll conducted in late January, more than two-thirds of registered voters said it’s at least somewhat important for Congress to investigate the origins of COVID-19, federal agencies’ potential bias against conservatives and the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan. But Republicans’ targets don’t really line up with the issues that registered voters are most concerned about, according to a Politico/Morning Consult poll conducted in November. When voters were asked about their “top priority” for congressional investigations, fentanyl trafficking into the U.S., operations at the U.S.-Mexico border and the infant formula shortage of summer 2022 topped the list. This suggests that the Republicans’ border-security investigation could have some legs — but other issues, like the origins of the COVID-19 pandemic, the impeachment of Mayorkas and Hunter Biden’s finances, were ranked lower.1 Respondents were given 17 issues and asked to evaluate to what extent each should be a priority for the next Congress to investigate. Other polls, meanwhile, suggest that Americans are concerned that Republican investigations will focus too much on digging up dirt on political rivals. A Pew Research Center poll conducted in January found that 65 percent of Americans were concerned that the GOP will focus too much on investigating the Biden administration, while only 32 percent were worried that the GOP wouldn’t focus enough on Biden. And when a recent ABC News/Washington Post poll asked about the GOP’s investigation into so-called targeting of conservatives by federal agencies, Americans were much likelier to say that the investigation is an attempt to score political points (56 percent) than a legitimate investigation (36 percent). Similarly, a USA Today/Suffolk University poll conducted in December found that a majority (51 percent) of registered voters agreed with a statement that impending House GOP investigations will be “mostly a political effort to embarrass the Biden administration,” while 38 percent called the investigations “an appropriate way to hold the Biden administration accountable.” If Republicans’ investigations are mostly to appease their own base, they’ll reach a friendlier audience — but even many GOP voters aren’t enthusiastic about the inquiries that some House Republicans are talking about pursuing. The Politico/Morning Consult poll found that more than half of Republican voters think investigating whether Biden should be impeached and Hunter Biden’s finances should be top priorities for Congress. But only about one-third (34 percent) said the same about impeaching Mayorkas. To be clear: Republicans’ investigations are going to happen whether Americans want them or not. Congressional investigations of presidents during periods of divided government are something of an American tradition. Two political scientists, Douglas Kriner and Eric Schickler, looked at congressional-investigation data between 1969 and 2014, and found that the number of days the House spent investigating the executive branch spiked whenever the two were controlled by different parties. The public-opinion numbers are important, though, because Republicans might not get as much political mileage out of their investigations if Americans think they’re bogus. Kriner and Schickler found that, in the past, aggressive investigations were pretty effective for attacking a sitting president. According to their analysis, 20 days of investigations in a month caused a drop in the president’s approval of about 2.5 percentage points. But it’s also possible that congressional investigations don’t pack the punch they used to. After all, Trump’s first impeachment didn’t do much to change Americans’ perspectives on him. And if Americans are already skeptical about Republicans’ investigations, GOP House members will have an even higher bar for convincing the public to pay attention. Importantly, the general lack of interest in investigations isn’t evidence that Americans are blasé about potential misconduct by politicians, including Biden. Strong majorities of Americans approved of the appointment of a special counsel in January to investigate classified documents found at Biden’s home and office, just as they also supported a similar investigation into Trump’s handling of classified documents. Instead, this lack of interest may betray a broader, growing skepticism of politically infused congressional investigations. When Democrats took control of the House in 2019, Americans were similarly suspicious that their investigations for Trump would be politically tinged. A Suffolk University/USA Today poll conducted in December 2018 found that nearly half (49 percent) of registered voters thought Democrats would go too far in their investigations of Trump, while 36 percent thought that Democrats wouldn’t go far enough. And by the end of Democrats’ four-year stint in control of the House, one of their biggest investigations hadn’t made a huge impact on public opinion: According to a Public Religion Research Institute poll published this past October, 56 percent of Americans said that their views of Trump hadn’t changed because of the investigation into the Jan. 6, 2021 attack on the U.S. Capitol. So while some Republicans will no doubt cheer the House GOP’s investigative zeal, the inquiries will probably seem to most Americans like more political noise. Footnotes Respondents were given 17 issues and asked to evaluate to what extent each should be a priority for the next Congress to investigate. Amelia Thomson-DeVeaux is a senior reporter for FiveThirtyEight. @ameliatd

New era set to begin for Auburn on special teams as spring practice starts Published: Feb. 25, 2023, 10:34 a.m. 5–6 minutes We’re taking a look at each position group as Auburn prepares to open spring practice on Feb. 27. The final installment of an 11-part series looks at the specialists. As Auburn ushers in a new era with first-year head coach Hugh Freeze overseeing the program, the Tigers’ special teams unit is also preparing for the dawn of a new age. After nine consecutive seasons of having a Carlson brother handle place-kicking duties, the nearly decade-long kicking dynasty on the Plains has finally ended. Anders Carlson is off to the NFL Draft, as the surefooted Alex McPherson is set to fully take over as Auburn’s kicker this year after getting his feet wet late last season. Read more Auburn football: Why Cadillac Williams was “ecstatic” Auburn landed USF transfer Brian Battie Auburn’s group at safety returns intact this spring, welcomes a familiar face Cornerback should be strength of Auburn’s defense entering spring It will surely take some getting used to, for those who follow Auburn at least, not seeing a Carlson square up on kicks for the Tigers. Daniel Carlson handled the job from 2014-17 and became the SEC’s all-time leading scorer before handing over the reins to his younger brother, Anders Carlson, who spent much of the last five seasons as Auburn’s kicker. That’s the biggest change for Auburn’s personnel on special teams, so let’s take a closer look at the rest of the unit this spring. Projected depth chart: Kicker Alex McPherson, redshirt freshman Evan McGuire, redshirt sophomore Punter Oscar Chapman, senior Alex McPherson, redshirt freshman Long snapper Jacob Quattlebaum, redshirt senior Kyle Vaccarella, redshirt sophomore OR Reed Hughes, junior Holder Oscar Chapman, senior Kick returner Brian Battie, senior AND Jarquez Hunter, junior Damari Alston, sophomore AND Keionte Scott, junior Punt returner Keionte Scott, junior Ja’Varrius Johnson, redshirt senior Departed: Anders Carlson, kicker (NFL Draft); Dazalin Worsham, punt return (transfer to UAB). Due to arrive in the fall: N/A. Outlook: Auburn has been fortunate to have relative consistency at kicker for close to a decade thanks to the Carlson brothers, even with some of Anders’ struggles on longer attempts in recent years. So, with their time up on the Plains, where does Auburn turn? Simple: Another kicker with an accomplished older brother — Alex McPherson, the younger brother of Cincinnati Bengals All-Pro kicker Evan McPherson. The younger McPherson was the nation’s No. 1 kicker coming out of high school in 2022, and he soft-launched his Auburn career last season after Anders Carlson experienced a late-season injury. McPherson handled kicking duties for Auburn’s final three games while connecting on six of his seven field-goal attempts, including a 51-yarder against Western Kentucky, and all nine of his point-after tries. The 5-foot-9, 150-pounder is more compact than the lengthier Carlson brothers, but his kicking style and build reminded Anders Carlson of Baltimore Ravens kicker Justin Tucker (one of the top kickers in NFL history). If McPherson can live up to the promise that he arrived on campus with, Auburn’s place-kicking will be on sure footing for the next several years. Spring position previews: QB | RB | WR | TE | OL | DL | JACK | LB | CB | S While Auburn will sort of break in a new kicker this offseason, the Tigers maintained continuity at punter, where Oscar Chapman returns for a fourth season. The Australian punter is coming off another strong season, averaging 43.7 yards per punt a year after averaging 44.1 yards per attempt. He helped Auburn finish ninth nationally in net punting (42.3 yards). Chapman, who also served as Auburn’s holder last season, will also return his battery mate on punts, with long snapper Jacob Quattlebaum back for another season. More intrigue rests with Auburn’s return game. Keionte Scott is back and should handle punt return duties after emerging as Auburn’s top option there last season, when he averaged 9.57 yards per return and ranked 17th among FBS players. On kick returns, the Tigers also bring back their top option in running back Jarquez Hunter, who averaged 21.57 yards on 14 attempts. Whether Hunter remains the No. 1 choice as he takes on a more prominent role in the backfield remains to be seen, but Auburn certainly has another proven weapon to deploy on kick returns this season: USF transfer running back Brian Battie. The 5-foot-8, 165-pounder was a consensus All-American as a return specialist in 2021, when he averaged 32.5 yards per return and led the nation with three kickoff returns for touchdowns. Battie averages 24.2 yards per return over the last three seasons, and he should enter spring as the favorite to take over the primary duties for Auburn this season. Up next: The start of spring practice on Monday. Tom Green is an Auburn beat reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter @Tomas_Verde.

NCAA Tournament Bracket Projections, 68 Team Predictions, Bubble Teams February 27 CollegeFootballNews.com 5–6 minutes NCAA Tournament bracket projections and predictions for where the 68 teams will be. Who’s likely to be in, and who’s on the bubble? – Contact/Follow @ColFootballNews & @PeteFiutak – CFN 1-68 Rankings, February 27 NCAA Tournament Bubble: Projected First Four Out Wisconsin (Big Ten) Oklahoma State (Big 12) Clemson (ACC) Utah State (Mountain West) Previous Version North Carolina (ACC) Texas Tech (Big 12) Oregon (Pac-12) Utah State (Mountain West) NCAA Tournament Bubble: Projected Last Four In aka, these four will probably be knocked out once the conference tournament weirdness kicks in North Carolina (ACC) West Virginia (Big 12) Arizona State (Pac-12) Boise State (Mountain West) Previous Version Boise State (Mountain West) Clemson (ACC) Nevada (Mountain West) USC (Pac-12) On the flip side … NCAA Tournament Bubble: Four That Will Probably Screw Everyone Up aka, these four are projected out teams that might end up getting in after going on a splashy run in the respective conference tournaments Michigan (Big Ten) Oregon (Pac-12) Wake Forest (ACC) New Mexico (Mountain West) Previous Version North Texas (Conference USA) Utah State (Mountain West) Wake Forest (ACC) Penn State (Big Ten) NCAA Tournament Projected 16 Seeds Northwestern State (Southland) UNC Asheville (Big South) Teams in Play-In Games Grambling (SWAC) Norfolk State (MEAC) Fairleigh Dickinson (Northeast) Morehead State (Ohio Valley) Previous Version Fairleigh Dickinson (Northeast) UNC Asheville (Big South) Teams in Play-In Games Grambling (SWAC) Howard (MEAC) Northwestern State (Southland) Morehead State (Ohio Valley) NCAA Tournament Projected 15 Seeds Colgate (Patriot) Eastern Washington (Big Sky) Vermont (America East) Youngstown State (Horizon) Previous Version Colgate (Patriot) Eastern Washington (Big Sky) Vermont (America East) Youngstown State (Horizon) NCAA Tournament Projected 14 Seeds Iona (Metro Atlantic Athletic) Furman (Southern) UC Santa Barbara (Big West) Yale (Ivy) Previous Version Iona (Metro Atlantic Athletic) Samford (Southern) UC Santa Barbara (Big West) Yale (Ivy) NCAA Tournament Projected 13 Seeds Sam Houston (WAC) Southern Miss (Sun Belt) Toledo (MAC) VCU (Atlantic 10) Previous Version Marshall (Sun Belt) Toledo (MAC) Utah Valley (WAC) VCU (Atlantic 10) NCAA Tournament Projected 12 Seeds Bradley (Missouri Valley) Charleston (Colonial) Liberty (Atlantic Sun) North Carolina (ACC) Previous Version Drake (Missouri Valley) Charleston (Colonial) Liberty (Atlantic Sun) Oklahoma State (Big 12) NCAA Tournament Projected 11 Seeds Florida Atlantic (Conference USA) Oral Roberts (Summit) Teams in Play-In Games Arizona State (Pac-12) Boise State (Mountain West) Mississippi State (SEC) West Virginia (Big 12) Previous Version Oral Roberts (Summit) Mississippi State (SEC) Teams in Play-In Games Florida Atlantic (Conference USA) West Virginia (Big 12) Nevada (Mountain West) Wisconsin (Big Ten) NCAA Tournament Projected 10 Seeds Auburn (SEC) Memphis (American Athletic) Nevada (Mountain West) USC (Pac-12) Previous Version Arkansas (SEC) Boise State (Mountain West) 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Auburn ties series finale with USC but still claims the series victory Andrew Stefaniak, Lindsay Crosby 13–16 minutes Game three of the Auburn USC series ends in a tie due to travel restrictions for the Trojans. The series finale between Auburn and USC ended in a 12-12 tie due to travel restrictions causing USC to have to get back to California. Auburn still wins the series thanks to winning games one and two. Aside from rough outings from Chase Isbell and Drew Nelson, the Tiger pitching staff showed well. The middle of the Auburn lineup had a big day with four hits for Ike Irish, three hits for Cole Foster, and two homers for Justin Kirby. Auburn will be back in action on Wednesday at 6 pm ct as the Tigers take on Florida A&M. We will have all the coverage you need right here at Auburn Daily. Ninth Inning 12-12 Photo credit: Jacob Taylor/Auburn Athletics This will be the last inning even if it ends in a tie. Copeland is back out for the Tigers. A fly out to Kirby is the first out of the inning. A double gives USC a one out base runner. A single scores a run for USC. They take a 13-12 lead. WAIT A MINUTE! The USC runner stepped over the plate a fan pointed it out to LaRue and he stepped on the plate for an out. Are you kidding me? Two down with a man on first and Carlson will come in to pitch for the Tigers. Carlson gets a strikeout but LaRue miss played the ball leading to a dropped third strike. Instead of throwing to first LaRue throws to second trying to catch the runner stealing. Big mistake here from LaRue. But never the less a fly out to Howell ends the top of the ninth. This will be the last inning no matter what. This game will either end in an Auburn win or a tie. Foster rips a base hit and the Tigers have a runner aboard. Kirby hits one hard but the center fielder runs it down. One out one on for Irish. Irish rips a base hit that moves Foster over to third. Men on the corners for Ware. Chris Stanfield will pinch run for Irish. They intentionally walk Ware. Bases loaded for Howell. Howell flies out but not deep enough to get the run home. Two outs for McMurray. It will either be a tie or a win. McMurray flies out to right and this game will end in a tie. 12-12 Eighth Inning 12-12 Eric Starling/Auburn Daily Copeland is back out for the Tigers. A fly out to Bello is the first out of the inning. A deep fly out to Howell is the second out of the inning. A ground out to McMurray ends the top of the eighth. Interesting note: That was huge from Copeland. With this possibly being the last inning the Tigers needed a zero on the board and Copeland gave it to them. LaRue will lead things off for the Tigers in the eighth. LaRue and Green both go down on strikes. Two down for Ryan Dyal who will pinch hit for Bello. Dyal pops out to end the eighth. We will head to the ninth inning tied at 12. Seventh Inning Auburn leads 12-9 Trey Lee / Auburn Daily Nelson is back on to pitch for the Tigers. A fly out to Bello is the first out of the inning. A fly out to Howell is the second out of the inning. A two out single gives USC a base runner. A double gives USC men on second and third with two outs. Nelson needs a big out here. A single scores two runs. Auburn still leads 12-11. That will do it for Nelson, Konner Copeland will come in to pitch for the Tigers. A double scores another run. This ball game is tied at 12 a piece. A strikeout ends the top of the seventh. We head to the bottom tied. Irish will lead things off for the Tigers. Irish grounds out for the first out of the inning. Ware walks and the Tigers have a base runner. Interesting note: That was a really disciplined at bat from Ware he didn't chase. Howell pops out for the second out of the inning. McMurray will try to regain the Auburn lead. McMurray goes down on strikes. We head to the eighth inning all tied up. Sixth Inning Auburn leads 12-8 Eric Starling/Auburn Daily Drew Nelson is into pitch for the Tigers. A double gives USC a leadoff base runner. A ground ball back to Nelson is the first out of the inning. A terrific play by Green gets Auburn their second out of the inning. A passed ball scored the run from third. Auburn still leads 12-9. Nelson gets a strikeout to end the inning. That was a better inning from the young freshman. Auburn will grab the bats hoping to extend the lead. Green hits one hard but the center fielder makes a good play. One down for Bello. Bello grounds out to second for the second out of the inning. Foster rips a base hit. One on with two down for Kirby. Kirby goes down on strikes. We head to the seventh inning with Auburn leading 12-9. Fifth Inning 8-8 Eric Starling/Auburn Daily Murphy will head back to the mound for the Tigers. Murphy hits the lead off batter and USC has a man aboard. USC bunts and Murphy makes a great play to get an out. McMurray was stepped on and is in some pain. A ground out to third is the second out of the inning. The runner advanced to third. A fly out to Bello ends the top of the fifth. Green will lead things off for the Tigers. Green leads off the Tigers with a base hit. Bello will step in with a man on first and no one out. A little hit and run action gives Auburn men on the corners with no one out. Good piece of hitting there by Bello. Foster will try and reclaim the Auburn lead. A bouncing ball moves Bello to second. Two in scoring position for Foster. Foster walks. The bases are loaded for Kirby. JUSTIN KIRBY GRAND SLAM!!!! Auburn leads 12-8. A new pitcher is on to face Irish. Irish slaps another base hit. That is his third of the game. He is batting .593 so far in his true freshman campaign. Ware is down on strikes for the first out of the inning. Howell walks and the Tigers have men on first and second for McMurray. McMurray pops out to center for the second out of the inning. A new pitcher is coming in to face LaRue. LaRue flies out to left to end the fifth inning. We head to the sixth with Auburn leading 12-8. Fourth Inning Auburn leads 8-4 Eric Starling/Auburn Daily Crotchfelt is back out for the Tigers. Crotchfelt pitch count: 43 A fly out to Bello is the first out of the inning. Nothing better than a one pitch out. A walk gives USC a one out base runner. A base hit for USC gives them runners at first and second. Crotchfelt gets a big strikeout for the second out of the inning. That was his third strikeout of the outing. A four pitch walk loads the bases with two out. A base hit scores two for USC. Auburn still leads 8-6. That will do it for Crotchfelt. Hayden Murphy is on to pitch for the Tigers. A walk loads the bases once again. A base hit tied the game at eight a piece. Men on first and second with two outs. WALKS WILL HAUNT! A back pick from LaRue gets the runner at first. Big play there from the Tiger catcher. Irish will lead things off for the Tigers. As you probably assumed Irish gets a base hit. The Tigers have one on with no one out for Ware. Ware bunts and moves Irish to second. Howell will bat for the Tigers. Howell pops out for the second out of the inning. McMurray will try and score Irish from second. Irish steals third and and McMurray walks. Men on the corners for LaRue with two down. A pop out on the infield will end the fourth inning. We head to the fifth tied at eight a piece. Third Inning Auburn leads 7-4 Eric Starling/Auburn Daily Crotchfelt is back out on the bump. A pop out to Bello is the first out of the inning. A double gives USC a one out base runner. The runner on second got hung up for the second out of the inning. The batter was able to advance to second during the run down. Foster makes a terrific play at short to get the third out of the inning. Crotchfelt works around the jam and we head to the bottom of the third with Auburn leading 7-4. A new pitcher is in for USC. Howell will lead things off for the Tigers in the third. Howell grounds out for the first out of the inning. McMurray draws a walk which will bring up LaRue. LaRue rips a single. Runners on first and second for Green. A base hit from Green moves everyone station to station. Bello will come up with bases loaded and one down. Bello goes down on strikes and that will bring up Foster. An error by the shortstop scores another run for the Tigers. That is also another two out run for the Tigers. Auburn leads 8-4 Kirby is down on strikes and that will end the third inning. Second Inning USC leads 4-3 Eric Starling/Auburn Daily Crotchfelt is back out for the Tigers. A fly out to Kirby is the first out of the inning. Crotchfelt gets a backwards K for the second out of the inning. A two out base hit gives gives the Trojans a base runner. A fly out to Kirby ends the top of the second. McMurray will lead it off for the Tigers trying to give Auburn the lead. McMurray is down on strikes. Interesting note: Both Auburn strikeouts so far have been via a changeup. That pitch looks like it could be a problem for the Tigers. Nate LaRue walks to give Auburn a one out base runner. The Bryson Ware home run officially is listed at 433 feet. It is safe to say that Ware has pop. Green flies out to center for the second out of the inning. A balk moves LaRue over to second. A Peirce base hit moves LaRue to third. Men on the corners for Foster. Foster comes through big! A base hit scores LaRue. This game is all tied up. Peirce has seemed to gotten a bit banged up and Mike Bello will come in much to the displeasure of Peirce. Men on first and second for Kirby. A passed ball moves the runners to second and third. KIRBY has left the building. Auburn leads 7-4 Interesting note: Auburn has scored all seven runs with two outs. Interesting note: Kirby has four hits on the year and all of them are home runs. Irish walks which puts a man on for Ware. Ware flies out and that will end the inning. We head to the third with Auburn leading 7-4. First Inning 0-0 Eric Starling/Auburn Daily Chase Isbell toes the rubber and we are underway. Isbell walks the first runner he sees on four pitches. A two run bomb gives USC an early lead. Interesting note: Chase Isbell has been throwing all of his pitches high which is not a place you want to be as a pitcher. A double gives USC another base runner with no one out. A second two run home run gives USC a 4-0 lead. Isbell has still yet to record an out. Zach Crotchfelt is on to pitch for the Tigers. Today was not Isbell's day. He will figure things out and still be an integral part of the Tiger bullpen. Crotchfelt gets a strikeout and finally Auburn has an out. A pop out to McMurray is the second out of the inning. A ground out to Green ends the top of the first. Interesting note: Crotchfelt has really good stuff and is going to be an absolute stud for the Tigers this year. I predict him working into the Sunday starting role here soon. Let's see if the offense can shift the script from last weekends Sunday game. Peirce pops out on the infield for the first out of the inning. Foster is down on strikes. He was out ahead of the change up. Kirby hits one hard and gets aboard via an error. That gives a base runner for Ike Irish. IKE IRISH!! A triple scores Kirby then a bad throw allows Irish to score. The Tigers have cut the deficit to two runs. BRYSON WARE bye bye baseball. Ware hits one long and far and Auburn only trails by one run. Wow the feel of this game has shifted quickly by a nice little two out rally. Howell flies out to center field which will end the first inning. Heck of a job by the Tigers there to get something going with two down and cut the lead. Starting Lineup Eric Starling/Auburn Daily Auburn Daily Staff Score Predictions Eric Starling/Auburn Daily Lindsay Crosby 7-5 USC Zac Blackerby 6-2 USC Andrew Stefaniak Auburn 7-4 Lindsay's note on pitching Eric Starling/Auburn Daily Lindsay's note on pitching: Expect more arms to get used out of the pen today. For starters, Auburn's already won the series, so you can rest some of the key guys that are your usual go-tos out of the pen. And that rest is warranted - as we saw with John Armstrong running out of gas on Saturday, Auburn's been leaning pretty hard on those known quantities in the back end. Armstrong threw three times since Tuesday night in Madison, covering 3.1 innings plus the associated warmup pitches for all three appearances. As head coach Butch Thompson discussed on Friday night, the pitchers are still learning the load management system the coaching staff has instituted. "So, we try and tell our guys the red light, yellow light, green light (system) - when you get to the yellow, we have to recognize that a little sooner. If you feel like your delivery's a little off tempo or off timing, because a lot of this is starting an inning, I just don't want our guys to pitch in yellow. We've got to head that off a bit sooner. Maybe two balls in, and not waiting until we lose a batter and get a batter and a half into the ordeal. [...] We're going to have to catch that a little bit earlier." "Everybody's pushing this tempo with this (pitch) clock and all that, but we do not want our guys pitching in yellow. I think they're doing for a little long (because they're) competing like crazy." Additionally, the Sunday starter is announced as Chase Isbell, and many fans are asking why not Zach Crotchfelt after his fantastic relief performance last Sunday? (Reminder, the freshman came in against Indiana and went 3.2 innings with three hits, two runs, one walk, and four strikeouts.) We don't officially have an explanation why he's not the starter, but I think we can piece it together. When announcing the pitching plans for the series on Thursday, Thompson had this comment when asked why he wasn't announcing what seemed like the obvious choice of Crotchfelt for Sunday: "We're going to set TBA right now, just to make sure everybody's going to class and doing everything they're supposed to be doing as a student athlete."

Takeaways from Auburn baseball's game three tie with Southern California Lindsay Crosby 5–7 minutes Auburn tied Southern California on Sunday in a WILD game three, 12-12, to win but not sweep the three-game series. (Due to USC's travel accommodations, a full inning could not begin after 3:30, so the game ended in a tie.) Here's what we learned: Auburn's offense is sustainable After a close game on Friday and one big inning on Saturday, Auburn's bats absolutely erupted on Sunday for 13 hits and 12 runs in Sunday's travel-shortened game three. Auburn hit three homeruns, a two-run shot by 3B Bryson Ware in the 1st and two by OF Justin Kirby, the second of which was a grand slam in the 5th inning that staked Auburn to a 12-8 lead. This offense feels sustainable - both Saturday and Sunday, many of Auburn's hits were singles or doubles hit consecutively, working "station to station" and moving runners over as needed. Auburn struck out nine times on Sunday, but the approaches were good. Said true freshman DH Ike Irish on Saturday, "I thought we didn't really have the quality of at-bats to start the game and then, as time moved on, you saw the at-bats get longer. People started barreling balls with two strikes, and you saw guys use the other way, which was huge." On Sunday, Auburn's hitters started catching barrels early. After Chase Isbell, Sunday's starter after having strep throat all week, gave up four runs in the 1st and was lifted early, the offense struck right back with a two-run homerun in the first by Bryson Ware and a three-run homerun by Justin Kirby in the 2nd. For the contest, four Tigers had multiple hits and seven of the nine starters had a hit (while both of the other two got on base, with one of them scoring). Don't let Auburn's inability to hit a deep sacrifice fly in the 9th distract you from the fact that this offense absolutely stepped up and responded time after time in this game. Justin Kirby continues to be a problem One of the reasons that Auburn went after the Kent State grad transfer was for his power, and the righty's delivered. Kirby has only five hits on the season, but they're all homeruns. Every single one. Kirby hit three homeruns on the weekend, including two in Sunday's game three. The final homerun was a grand slam in the 5th that gave Auburn a 12-8 lead. The batting average may not be there, but if every hit is a homerun, 30 hits in a season would make you 1st-Team All-SEC, probably. Auburn's pitching is...not quite there yet Going into today, we knew the pitching would be a lot of younger arms as they continue their acclimation to the college game. And yet, the result was still surprising. 15 hits, 12 runs allowed to USC, with four walks to six strikeouts. Head coach Butch Thompson did not mince words after the game. "We drug ourselves through the mud. We have to get more experience and we have to get better. [...] It's a grind, and we embrace it. We'll keep going back to the drawing board and keep trying to grow." "You could probably do better if you could capture your breath, your heart rate, and get that to a (good) point. Hopefully we got closer today." Despite the outward appearance, there were bright spots to Thompson. He specifically mentioned the back pick by LaRue - with two outs in the 4th inning, LaRue caught the runner at 1st too far off the bag and threw behind him to 1B Cooper McMurray, who applied the tag to end the inning. He mentioned true freshman pitcher Zach Crotchfelt, as well, "Crotchfelt pitched well for a second straight week. Just have to keep getting him extended," as well as RHP Parker Carlson coming in the top of the 9th and getting the final out of the inning so that Auburn had an opportunity to walk it off. Sunday baseball is sometimes...weird It's a shame this game wasn't televised, because some of what happened isn't to be believed without seeing it. For instance, USC got a runner in scoring position in the 9th and he scored on a double down the left field line to give USC the lead. Except, he didn't. USC leftfielder Carson Wells stepped OVER home plate when running home - SS Cole Foster had cut off the throw to keep the hitter from advancing to 2nd, and after the dugout and fans started yelling at catcher Nate LaRue, threw the ball in to home, where LaRue stepped on home plate and the runner was called out. And then, pitcher Parker Carlson got USC infielder Ryan Jackson to swing and miss for a strikeout and the third out of the inning...except the ball went into the dirt, and LaRue inexplicably threw to 2nd instead of 1st, and the ball sailed into centerfield, advancing runners to the corners. It was a sloppy game, with four combined errors, four more wild pitches, and twelve combined walks. Bobby Pierce leaves with injury Pierce, the starting left fielder who missed multiple years at Auburn due to surgeries on both of his knees, was lifted from the game in the 2nd inning when he came up lame after beating out an infield grounder, being replaced by Mike Bello. He didn't want to leave the game, and was only briefly in the tunnel before returning to the dugout for the remainder of the contest, so it appears to be precautionary. He was slow to get up on Saturday after narrowly missing a diving catch in left-center, as well. Back in action Auburn continues the non-conference slate on Wednesday night with a matchup against Florida A&M. First pitch is at 6PM, and will be broadcast on SEC Network+. The radio call, with Brad Law, is available on AuburnTigers.com, the Auburn Athletics app, and locally on 95.9 FM.