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Reserve offensive lineman Avery Jernigan no longer with Auburn’s program By Tom Green | tgreen@al.com Auburn’s new-look offensive line group will enter spring practice without one of its older reserves. Avery Jernigan, a reserve offensive lineman the last three seasons, is no longer with Auburn’s program, a team spokesman confirmed to AL.com on Thursday. Jernigan left the team on his own accord. Jernigan was no longer listed on Auburn’s online 2023 roster as of Thursday morning. The 6-foot-4, 310-pounder out of Blackshear, Ga., appeared in just one game during his three seasons with the Tigers. He did not see the field during the 2020 or 2021 seasons and made his college debut during Auburn’s win against Western Kentucky back in November during the Tigers’ penultimate game of the season. A former three-star recruit, Jernigan signed with Auburn as part of its 2020 class, which was ranked eighth in the nation, according to the 247Sports Composite team rankings. Jernigan, a product of Pierce County High, was the 25th-ranked offensive guard in the 2020 class and the No. 482 overall recruit in the country. His decision to leave the program comes less than a week before Auburn is set to begin spring practices under first-year head coach Hugh Freeze. The Tigers’ first day of practice will be Monday, with the A-Day spring game set for April 8 at Jordan-Hare Stadium. Auburn will open spring with an overhauled offensive line group that will include four midyear enrollees -- four-star center Connor Lew, three-star JUCO transfer Izavion Miller and three-star 2023 signees Clay Wedin and Bradyn Joiner -- as well as a trio of experienced transfers in Kentucky center Avery Jones, Tulsa offensive tackle Dillon Wade and Western Kentucky offensive tackle Gunner Britton. Auburn also returns veterans Kam Stutts, Jeremiah Wright, Jalil Irvin and Tate Johnson, along with a handful of returning underclassmen. Tom Green is an Auburn beat reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter @Tomas_Verde.

Cornerback should be strength of Auburn’s defense entering spring practice Published: Feb. 23, 2023, 3:56 p.m. 5–6 minutes We’re taking a look at each position group as Auburn prepares to open spring practice on Feb. 27. The ninth of an 11-part series looks at the cornerbacks. Auburn’s defense was top-25 nationally against the pass last season, a clear strength for the Tigers in what was largely a down year and disappointing fall overall. Now, as the program turns the page and prepares for the start of a new era under first-year coach Hugh Freeze, Auburn will do it while returning the full complement of its weapons in the secondary. That includes cornerback, where the Tigers got a welcome boost just before the start of the new year, when both starting corners Nehemiah Pritchett and D.J. James announced their decisions to return for a final season on the Plains. Read more Auburn football: Zac Etheridge, Wesley McGriff excited about Auburn secondary that returns every key ingredient Reserve offensive lineman Avery Jernigan no longer with Auburn’s program New AD John Cohen is getting used to “Auburn Being Auburn” in the best way Those two will bolster a unit that ranked 23rd among FBS teams — and tied with national champion Georgia — in yards allowed per pass attempt (6.5) and was 25th in the nation in pass efficiency defense (121.34). Projected depth chart: -- Cornerback: Nehemiah Pritchett, senior J.D. Rhym, sophomore -- Cornerback: D.J. James, senior Jaylin Simpson, senior -- Nickel: Keionte Scott, junior Austin Ausberry, redshirt freshman Departed: N/A Due to arrive in the fall: four-star 2023 signee Tyler Scott, four-star 2023 signee Colton Hood, three-star 2023 signee JC Hart. Outlook: Zac Etheridge was excited to be retained by Freeze back in December after the Tigers’ new coach took over the program, but the real music to his ears came once Pritchett and James informed him they planned to play one more season at Auburn. With both of the Tigers’ starting corners locked in for 2023, it meant Etheridge’s defensive backs room wasn’t going to lose any pieces from last season, save for the midseason transfer of reserve cornerback A.D. Diamond (who wound up at UAB). Etheridge described that turn of events as a new feeling to him as a coach; it’s difficult to maintain the same personnel from year to year, particularly nowadays with the transfer portal and one-time transfer opportunity, but to do so when you also have a pair of potential NFL players in the room makes it even more noteworthy. James made a name for himself in his first SEC season after transferring to Auburn from Oregon last year. The 5-foot-1, 174-pounder had 38 tackles, with 25 solo stops and one tackle for a loss, along with an interception that he returned for a touchdown against Western Kentucky. He also tied for the team lead with eight pass breakups while earning second-team All-SEC honors from the AP and the conference’s coaches. Pritchett, who took over as Auburn’s top corner last season — starting all 12 games — while following in the footsteps of Roger McCreary, finished the year with a career-high 37 tackles, including 4.5 for a loss, and eight pass breakups. While returning both starters at cornerback is huge for Auburn, it’s the rest of the returning experience that makes this arguably the Tigers’ top position heading into the spring. Jaylin Simpson returns for his senior season with 35 career appearances, including 12 starts under his belt. Simpson started six games last season, including a handful at nickel late in the year, while posting 37 tackles, seven pass breakups and a pair of interceptions. J.D. Rhym, a former four-star 2022 signee, played in all 12 games and made one start as a freshman last fall while finishing with 14 tackles and a pass breakup. Keionte Scott, a former junior college transfer, made starts at both nickel and safety last season. He finished with 53 tackles, including four for a loss and one sack, along with four pass breakups and an interception. Auburn also returns redshirt freshman Austin Ausberry, who appeared in two games as a true freshman last season, and the program welcomes four-star cornerback Kayin Lee, an early enrollee, to the fold this spring. Lee, who flipped from Ohio State during the early signing period, is the second-highest rated signee in Auburn’s 2023 class and was rated as the nation’s No. 16 cornerback coming out of high school. Up next: Safeties. Tom Green is an Auburn beat reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter @Tomas_Verde.

247sports.com Auburn spring preview: 10 wild cards to watch Nathan King 11–13 minutes This time next week, football will be back on the Plains. The first practices of the Hugh Freeze era get under way next Monday, as Auburn is set for an early start to spring ball this year. The new coaching staff will get their first chance to work with the Tigers, implement new schemes on both sides of the ball, acclimate newcomers from high school and the transfer ranks, and evaluate where the team stands as a whole and what areas of emphasis will need to be moving forward. Things culminate April 8 with the first A-Day spring game of the Freeze era. All week, Auburn Undercover will continue to preview a different facet of Auburn's upcoming spring practices until things get rolling on Monday — from wild-card players to freshman fits to position battles to depth charts. We'll continue with a look at five wild cards to watch on each side of the ball — players who possess an eclectic skill set and whose contributions for the upcoming season can best be described as unpredictable. (Jason Caldwell / 247Sports) QB T.J. Finley To count Finley out of Auburn’s quarterback race this spring would be to ignore the senior’s previous offseason accomplishments. Yes, Finley had a rough three-game tenure as Auburn’s starting quarterback in 2022 — one touchdown to four interceptions before his injury against Penn State — but he’s already beaten out Robby Ashford and Holden Geriner in practice settings once before. Finley’s experience helped him secure the starting job last preseason, but after Ashford proved to be a more dynamic threat, Finley wasn’t able to regain ground in the QB room. Finley spent a couple weeks away from the program at the end of the season and didn’t suit up for Auburn’s last four games of the season. But as Freeze has reiterated, he doesn’t necessarily care about what Auburn’s quarterbacks have done in the past. What matters now is how they respond to his coaching this spring, and in the case of Finley, the physical tools are certainly present, and Freeze and his staff will attempt to tap into them and help Finley find some consistency for the first time in his career. C Tate Johnson Regardless of how many strides Johnson was already making last preseason before Nick Brahms decided to medically retire, him being thrown into the starting role at center just a couple weeks before the season started was a tough ask for a player who had little prior experience in the SEC. As a result, Johnson severely struggled, particularly in pass protection, before a season-ending elbow injury in Week 4 against Missouri. Now that he’s back, how does the 6-foot-4, 285-pound redshirt junior stack up against the competition in the room? East Carolina transfer Avery Jones was rated by 247Sports as the No. 1 center available in the transfer portal, and it’s fair to assume he’ll get a strong look as the first-team option early in spring ball. But Johnson impressed and stepped up into the backup center spot last offseason for a reason, and perhaps his starting experience within the offense will play a role in his continued contention for playing time. (Greg McWilliams, 247Sports) WR Malcolm Johnson Jr. Can Freeze’s passing game finally unlock Johnson Jr.’s talent? The former 4-star recruit, who reclassified from the 2021 class and joined the Tigers in 2020, has yet to make much of an impact in the receiving corps, despite his impressive speed and veteran status in the room. Last year, Johnson Jr. dealt with a lower body injury and ended up appearing in only six games, catching only two passes for 28 yards. He has just eight receptions in his Auburn career. Johnson Jr. could have easily transferred out after the second coaching change of his college career, but he opted to stay and continue to work toward a bigger role within the offense. At 6-foot-1 and 195 pounds, he has the speed to contribute in the slot, and he’s carried the ball four times from a flanker position, too. The blank slate of Auburn’s new offense, coupled with the Tigers’ fifth receivers coach in the past five years, could allow Johnson Jr. to take advantage of a reset button. WR Landen King Auburn fans have drooled over King’s potential as a big-bodied target in the passing game since he first started to flash as a true freshman, but the 2022 campaign didn’t feature much of King’s talents. After switching from tight end to receiver full time, King appeared in the first three games, then opted to sit out the year for a redshirt. King then entered the transfer portal a couple weeks later, but he withdrew and returned to the Tigers’ new staff. New Auburn tight ends coach Ben Aigamaua said earlier this month that King will spend most of his time working in Marcus Davis’ receivers room, but also that he won’t be surprised if King works back at tight end in a few formations. King has shown his ability to impact the game when given the opportunity, and it’s well past time for Auburn to get his 6-foot-5, 220-pound frame involved in the passing attack more consistently. WR Tar’Varish Dawson Another transfer portal withdrawal, Dawson was complimented by the previous coaching staff for his improvement and maturation last offseason. Then, despite receiving the nod as Auburn’s starting slot receiver in Week 1, Dawson appeared in four of the first five games, then left the team a few days before Bryan Harsin was fired and later entered the portal. Freeze and Auburn’s new staff were able to reel him back in, adding another former 4-star prospect with speed and athleticism to the receiving corps equation in 2023. Like Johnson Jr., Dawson (two career receptions) has little in the way of previous production with the team — and senior Ja'Varrius Johnson returns at the slot position, too — but his raw talent can’t be disputed, and it wouldn’t be surprising if he puts together another praiseworthy offseason of work. (Jake Crandall / Syndication: Montgomery Advertiser, USA TODAY Sports) DL Zykeivous Walker It seems Walker has held the distinction of being a wild-card player for Auburn’s defensive line the past couple seasons. In conjunction with a knee injury that added to his recovery from a 2021 shoulder injury, Walker took some personal time away from the team during the early stages of the 2022 season. He returned and played in the Georgia game in Week 6, but didn’t play the following two games and ended up leaving the team as part of the exodus of player departures before Harsin’s ouster. He entered the portal but was yet another withdrawal win for Auburn’s new staff. A former top-100 overall recruit, Walker showed flashes of being an SEC-ready defensive lineman when he was playing as a true freshman in 2020. But a myriad of factors have limited his contributions since. If Walker can get those cleared out of his path, the 6-foot-4, 304-pound athlete has the talent and size to take advantage of opportunities presented by a new coaching staff. JACK Dylan Brooks The only returning player from what was previously called Auburn’s edge rusher position, Brooks’ time is now to step up and make good on the talent and expectations that saw him as a top-100 overall prospect and the No. 1 recruit in the Tigers’ 2021 haul. After redshirting his first season without seeing the field, Brooks saw action in 10 of 12 games in 2022, especially after Eku Leota suffered his season-ending pectoral injury in Week 5. Serving as the third option in the rotation, Brooks tallied six tackles, a sack, a fumble recovery and a batted pass. His highlight moment came in the overtime loss at Mississippi State, when Brooks recovered a strip-sack fumble forced by Jeffrey M’ba. Vanderbilt transfer Elijah McAllister and true freshman Keldric Faulk, a top-100 recruit in the 2023 class, will likely be Brooks’ primary competition. (Jon Korduner, Getty) LB Demario Tolan One of two SEC West transfer pickups for Auburn in the linebacking corps, Tolan is a younger, raw talent, while Austin Keys started nine games for Ole Miss in 2022 and could be a plug-and-play addition at middle linebacker. That makes Tolan essentially a retroactive 2022 recruit for Auburn, especially after the Tigers were recruiting him hard before he chose LSU. To sweeten the deal further, Tolan got his fair share of SEC experience as a freshman, appearing in six games. Despite returning five scholarship players, that group doesn’t pack a big punch after four-year starter Owen Pappoe left for the NFL. The unit also is under new management with position coach Josh Aldridge. That could open the door for a young, talented athlete like Tolan — who can likely play a couple different spots at 6-foot-2 and 22 pounds — to come in and earn some early reps in spring practices. LB Eugene Asante The former North Carolina transfer isn’t mentioned much in Auburn’s linebacker equation for 2023 after he played only five snaps on defense in his first season with the Tigers. But like Walker, Asante was away from the team for a couple weeks during spring practices for personal reasons, and the previous coaching staff also referenced an injury. Asante’s experience from the ACC remains, where he appeared in 17 games and started four as a Tar Heel. DB Jaylin Simpson Where will Auburn slot Simpson this spring? After injuries on the back end 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. 4COMMENTS But with Puckett and Kaufman both healthy, where does Simpson fit into the secondary? He’s certainly a starting-caliber player, and perhaps returning to his previous role in the main cornerback rotation with D.J. James and Nehemiah Pritchett is in play. But Simpson’s strong production at safety can’t be ignored, and returning position coach Zac Etheridge saw it first hand. With good length at 6-foot-1, Simpson could also try his hand at the “Star” position, which is new defensive coordinator Ron Roberts’ version of the nickel spot. At the end of the day, the senior could conceivably play all across the secondary, and Etheridge and new assistant Wesley McGriff will be looking to maximize his contributions. *** Subscribe to Auburn Undercover for the latest news and intel, podcasts, recruiting coverage and more ***

247sports.com Auburn spring preview: Position battles to watch Nathan King 9–11 minutes In just a few days' time, football will be back on the Plains. The first practices of the Hugh Freeze era get under way Monday, as Auburn is set for an early start to spring ball this year. The new coaching staff will get their first chance to work with the Tigers, implement new schemes on both sides of the ball, acclimate newcomers from high school and the transfer ranks, and evaluate where the team stands as a whole and what areas of emphasis will need to be moving forward. Things culminate April 8 with the first A-Day spring game of the Freeze era. All week, Auburn Undercover will continue to preview a different facet of Auburn's upcoming spring practices until things get rolling on Monday — from wild-card players to freshman fits to position battles to depth charts. We'll continue with a look at the key position battles to monitor throughout spring ball. (Jason Caldwell / 247Sports) Quarterback 2022 starter(s): Robby Ashford, T.J. Finley Contenders: Robby Ashford, T.J. Finley, Holden Geriner Experience: Finley started the first three games of the season after winning the job in preseason camp. The former LSU transfer suffered a shoulder injury against Penn State, though, giving way to Ashford for the rest of the season. Geriner played only two drives all season — when Ashford checked out of the Missouri game briefly with an injury. What to watch: Ashford surely has earned the benefit of the doubt for first-team reps early in camp, but Freeze and his new offensive staff will want to get a first-hand look at all the quarterbacks’ passing capabilities alongside the primary offensive line and receivers. Ashford and Finley were both highly inconsistent last season, so the door is plenty open for Geriner to make strides. It will be intriguing to watch how they respond to a new passing game and offense, and how Freeze and company are able to hone in on Ashford’s dynamic skill set. Left tackle 2022 starter(s): Kilian Zierer Contenders: Dillon Wade, Gunner Britton Experience: Wade started all last season for Tulsa at left tackle, while Britton split starts at Western Kentucky at both right and left tackle. What to watch: Auburn and new offensive line coach Jake Thornton likely have an idea of where they want their two highly rated transfer additions to start, but it still won’t be surprising if they give Wade and Britton a chance to stretch their legs at both tackle spots. Wade is a left tackle through and through, but if Britton proves himself more effective at the position, Wade could slide over to the right side. Vice versa seems the more likely case. Left guard 2022 starter(s): Brandon Council, Kameron Stutts, Jeremiah Wright Contenders: Kameron Stutts, Jeremiah Wright, Garner Langlo Experience: After Council had to take over starting center duties a few games into the season, Stutts swapped starting guard spots. Wright emerged, though, over the course of the year, started the Ole Miss game in Week 7 and continued to rotate almost evenly with Stutts at left guard the rest of the season. What to watch: Thornton seemed high on Wright’s potential earlier this month, when he said the monstrous 6-foot-5, 335-pounder is “someone we can build this unit around.” Considering their experience compared to other interior linemen on the roster, Wright and Stutts are the two most probable starters at the moment for either guard spot, and Stutts obviously has the experience playing both. (Stephen Igoe, Getty) Center 2022 starter(s): Tate Johnson, Brandon Council Contenders: Avery Jones, Tate Johnson Experience: The No. 1 transfer center per 247Sports rankings, Jones makes the jump to the SEC after two years starting for East Carolina. Johnson started the first four games for Auburn in 2022 before a season-ending elbow injury. What to watch: In terms of past production, the comparison between Jones and Johnson isn’t exactly even. Jones was one of the best pass-protecting linemen in the county last season and has 30-plus starts at center and left guard in his career, while Johnson severely struggled up front for the Tigers before his injury. Still, Johnson is the returnee and should be healthy and competitive. Right guard 2022 starter(s): Alec Jackson, Kameron Stutts Contenders: Kameron Stutts, Jeremiah Wright, Garner Langlo Experience: Langlo, a redshirt sophomore, has yet to appear in a game with the Tigers but repped at guard as a reserve during preseason practices. Stutts is the runaway leader here in terms of solely returning experience. What to watch: The Tigers don’t have much guard depth on the roster, with Stutts and Wright serving as the only players who have ever taken a snap at either guard spot. True freshman early enrollee and Under Armour All-American Connor Lew has a polished skill set could be a dark horse to work in possibly as a second-teamer at guard. Right tackle 2022 starter(s): Austin Troxell, Brenden Coffey Contenders: Dillon Wade, Gunner Britton, Izavion Miller Experience: Miller, rated as the No. 2 JUCO offensive tackle in the country, started at right tackle for Southwest Mississippi Community College. What to watch: Auburn likely has a couple capable options here, if it ends up being a head-to-head between Britton and Miller — who are 6-foot-6, 305 pounds and 6-foot-6, 320 pounds, respectively. (Chris McDill, Getty) Outside/X receiver 2022 starter(s): Shedrick Jackson Contenders: Camden Brown, Nick Mardner Experience: The Cincinnati transfer Mardner had 913 yards and five touchdowns playing for Auburn’s new receivers coach, Marcus Davis, when the two were together at Hawaii in 2021. A rising sophomore, Brown was one of the most exciting young players in Auburn’s offense last season, snaring nine passes for 123 yards and a pair of touchdowns. What to watch: Auburn has nearly 2,000 career snaps to replace from Jackson, a fifth-year senior and second-year starter last season. But Jackson was never the most productive in the passing game, and the Tigers probably have a higher ceiling on the outside this year. Mardner is far more experienced, though Brown is an undeniably physical red-zone target at 6-foot-3 and 202 pounds. A starting pecking order isn’t as important this spring as getting the two comfortable within the new offense. Nose tackle 2022 starter(s): Jayson Jones Contenders: Jayson Jones, Justin Rogers Experience: A former Oregon transfer, Jones filled a void for the Tigers in 2022 and was the primary option at nose. Rogers comes over from Kentucky, where he was a former top-60 overall prospect and developed into a starting force last season. He also sought after by Alabama and LSU on the transfer market. What to watch: Jones wasn't the most consistent player on the interior last season and didn't often make a sizable impact on the game. Rogers had all the production that a defense can ask for from a nose tackle, nearly tripling Jones' tackles despite only playing 80 more snaps. It will be a new defensive scheme for both players. (Austin Perryman / Auburn Athletics) Jack linebacker 2022 starter(s): Derrick Hall, Eku Leota Contenders: Dylan Brooks, Elijah McAllister, Keldric Faulk Experience: McAllister, a Vanderbilt transfer, brings 34 career game appearances to the mix at what remains one of the thinnest position groups on Auburn’s roster. Brooks is the only returning player on the roster with experience at the pass-rusher spot, and Faulk is the Tigers’ highest-rated prospect in their 2023 class. What to watch: This is one of the more unpredictable groups on the roster. Brooks has experience under his belt now, after playing an increased role in 2022 following Leota’s injury, but neither he nor McAllister have shown themselves to be high-level contributors — yet. Meanwhile, Faulk is a superb athlete at 6-foot-5 and 240 pounds, and if there’s any spot on the roster where a true freshman could start right away, it’s here. Middle linebacker 2022 starter(s): Owen Pappoe Contenders: Austin Keys, Wesley Steiner, Robert Woodyard Experience: Keys started six games this past season for Ole Miss, with 39 tackles, 3.5 tackles for loss and a forced fumble. Steiner was a mainstay in the linebacking corps for Auburn before he played only a few snaps over the final four games of the year. Woodyard, the top recruit in Auburn’s 2022 class, contributed only on special teams as a true freshman while recovering from a knee injury. What to watch: Keys appears to fit the bill of a quality replacement for Pappoe, with his experience and size. But Auburn has plenty of options across the board at linebacker, including Steiner, a senior who’s played in some capacity in all four of his seasons with the program. ">247Sports

A look at Auburn’s KenPom ranking after defeat of Ole Miss Taylor Jones 3–4 minutes Auburn improved its’ NCAA Tournament odds by defeating Ole Miss in a close game, 78-74, at Neville Arena on Wednesday. The Tigers needed the win, as they entered the game losers of four of their last six games. The victory was also important in the name of momentum, as Auburn will need to play their best basketball against a tough upcoming slate of Kentucky, Alabama, and Tennessee, with the first two games of the slate taking place on the road. How did Auburn’s win over Ole Miss affect their place in the KenPom rankings? The Tigers remain in the top-25 in two categories while staying a top-100 team in other slots. Here’s a look at where Auburn stacks up in the latest KenPom rankings. Overall Ranking: No. 22 Michael Chang/Getty Images The Tigers remain in the top-25 following a four-point win over Ole Miss on Wednesday. Auburn is the fourth-highest rated SEC team in the latest update, trailing Alabama, Tennessee, and Arkansas. Adjusted Offensive Efficiency: No. 67 Michael Chang/Getty Images Auburn checks in at No. 67 in adjusted offensive efficiency. According to KenPom data, the Tigers offense is projected to score 111.2 points per 100 possessions. Gonzaga has the best adjusted offensive efficiency ranking, as they are projected to score 122.0 points per 100 possessions. Adjusted defensive efficiency: No. 15 Jake Crandall/ The Montgomery Advertiser The Tigers remain one of the best defensive teams in the country by checking in at No. 15. According to KenPom, Auburn is forecasted to allow 93.2 points to their opponents per 100 possessions. Tennessee is the nation’s best team in adjusted defensive efficiency as their opponents are projected to score 86.2 points per 100 possessions. Adjusted Tempo: No. 155 Jake Crandall/ The Montgomery Advertiser Auburn is expected to create 68.1 possessions per game, which puts them at middle-of-the-pack in the NCAA. In Wednesday’s win over Ole Miss, Auburn had the ball 67 times, and scored on 35 of those possessions. Long Beach State creates the most offensive opportunities in the country by posting 73.5 possessions per 40 minute contest. Strength of Schedule: No. 42 Michael Chang/Getty Images Auburn’s strength of schedule remains in the top-50 following Wednesday’s win, and is expected to become more challenging as the Tigers close the regular season with games at Kentucky, at Alabama, and vs. Tennessee, all three teams are ranked in the KenPom top-35. Auburn’s opponents rank No. 49 in adjusted offensive efficiency, and No. 38 in adjusted defensive efficiency. Kansas has the toughest schedule in the nation while St. Francis (NY) has the easiest. Kentucky ranking: No. 32 Matt Pendleton-USA TODAY Sports Kentucky defeated Florida on Wednesday, 82-74 in Gainesville. The Wildcats have now won three-straight games ahead of Saturday’s game with Auburn at Rupp Arena. Here’s a look at where Kentucky ranks in the KenPom following Wednesday’s action. Story originally appeared on Auburn Wire

depending on who the candidates i might vote for liz. she put her country first..........

Former Arizona AG sat on records refuting election fraud 1/4 Election 2020 Arizona FILE - Arizona Attorney General Mark Brnovich speaks at a news conference in Phoenix, on Jan. 7, 2020. Brnovich suppressed findings by his investigators who concluded there was no basis for allegations that the 2020 election was marred by widespread fraud. That's according to documents released Wednesday, Feb. 22, 2023, by his successor, Kris Mayes.(AP Photo/Bob Christie, File) ASSOCIATED PRESS 2/4 Election 2020 Arizona FILE - Kris Mayes, smiles before a debate on Sept. 28, 2022. Arizona's former attorney general Mark Brnovich, suppressed findings by his investigators who concluded there was no basis for allegations that the 2020 election was marred by widespread fraud. That's according to documents released Wednesday, Feb. 22, 2023, by his successor, Kris Mayes. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin, File) ASSOCIATED PRESS 3/4 Election 2020 Arizona FILE - Arizona Attorney General Mark Brnovich speaks at a news conference in Phoenix, on Jan. 7, 2020. Brnovich suppressed findings by his investigators who concluded there was no basis for allegations that the 2020 election was marred by widespread fraud. That's according to documents released Wednesday, Feb. 22, 2023, by his successor, Kris Mayes.(AP Photo/Bob Christie, File) ASSOCIATED PRESS 4/4 Election 2020 Arizona FILE - Kris Mayes, smiles before a debate on Sept. 28, 2022. Arizona's former attorney general Mark Brnovich, suppressed findings by his investigators who concluded there was no basis for allegations that the 2020 election was marred by widespread fraud. That's according to documents released Wednesday, Feb. 22, 2023, by his successor, Kris Mayes. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin, File) ASSOCIATED PRESS 3.4k JONATHAN J. COOPER Wed, February 22, 2023 at 6:09 PM CST PHOENIX (AP) — Arizona's former attorney general suppressed findings by his investigators who concluded there was no basis for allegations that the 2020 election was marred by widespread fraud, according to documents released Wednesday by his successor. Democratic Attorney General Kris Mayes, who took office last month, said the records show the 2020 election “was conducted fairly and accurately by election officials.” Previous Attorney General Mark Brnovich, a Republican, never released a March 2022 summary of investigative findings, which ruled out most of the fraud claims spread by allies and supporters of former President Donald Trump. Yet a month later, he released an “interim report" that claimed his investigation “revealed serious vulnerabilities that must be addressed and raises questions about the 2020 election in Arizona." He released his April report despite pushback from his investigators who said some of its claims were refuted by their probe. Brnovich was at the time in the midst of a Republican Party primary for U.S. Senate and facing fierce criticism from Trump, who claimed he wasn't doing enough to prosecute election fraud. Brnovich, whose primary bid was unsuccessful, also did not release a September memo that systematically refuted a bevy of election conspiracies that have taken root on the right, including allegations of dead or duplicate voters, pre-marked ballots flown in from Asia, election servers connected to the internet and even manipulation by satellites controlled by the Italian military. “In each instance and in each matter, the aforementioned parties did not provide any evidence to support their allegations,” the September memo read. “The information that was provided was speculative in many instances and when investigated by our agents and support staff, was found to be inaccurate.” The September memo, which was among the documents released Wednesday, describes an all-encompassing probe that became the top priority for the attorney general's investigators, who spent more than 10,000 hours looking into 638 complaints. They opened 430 investigations and referred 22 cases for prosecution. President Joe Biden won Arizona by a little over 10,000 votes. Mayes said the fraud claims were a waste. “The ten thousand plus hours spent diligently investigating every conspiracy theory under the sun distracted this office from its core mission of protecting the people of Arizona from real crime and fraud," Mayes said in a statement. Attempts to reach Brnovich for comment were unsuccessful. Brnovich's “interim report” claimed that election officials worked too quickly in verifying voter signatures and pointed to a drop in the number of ballots with rejected signatures between 2016 and 2018 and again in 2020. He also claimed that Maricopa County was slow in responding to requests for information. He made those claims even after investigators who reviewed a draft pushed back, publishing his report largely unchanged following their feedback. The investigative staff concluded that the county recorder's office “followed its policy/procedures as they relate to signature verification; we did not uncover any criminality or fraud having been committed in this area during the 2020 general election," investigators wrote. They also said they found the county “was cooperative and responsive to our requests.” Arizona became the epicenter of efforts by Trump allies to cast doubt on Biden's victory. Republican leaders of the state Senate subpoenaed election records and equipment and hired a Florida firm led by a Trump supporter, Cyber Ninjas Inc., to conduct an unprecedented review of the election in Maricopa County. The Cyber Ninjas review gave Biden more votes than the official count but claimed that their work raised serious questions about the conduct of the election in Maricopa County, home to metro Phoenix and the majority of Arizona's voters. The investigation by the attorney general's office found the allegations did not stand up to scrutiny. “Our comprehensive review of CNI’s audit showed they did not provide any evidence to support their allegations of widespread fraud or ballot manipulation,” Brnovich's investigators wrote. Thursday's release is the latest confirmation that there was no widespread fraud in the 2020 election and that Biden won the presidency legitimately. Trump continues to repeat his lie that the election was stolen from him as he mounts his third bid for the White House, despite reviews and audits saying otherwise in the battleground states he contested and his own administration officials debunking his claims. Officials in Maricopa County, where nearly all the officials overseeing elections are Republicans, say they endured death threats and verbal abuse due to the suggestions of malfeasance in the Cyber Ninjas review and Brnovich's “interim report." “This was a gross misuse of his elected office and an appalling waste of taxpayer dollars, as well as a waste of the time and effort of professional investigators,” Clint Hickman, the Republican chairman of the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors said in a statement. Brnovich's investigators did conclude that Maricopa County officials did not uniformly follow state election procedures when filling out forms to document the pickup and transport of mail ballots. But they said the errors were procedural and that “investigators did not find anything that would (have) compromised the integrity of the ballots or the final ballot count.” Investigators interviewed two Republican state lawmakers who publicly claimed they knew of fraud in the election, but wrote that neither Rep. Mark Finchem nor Sen. Sonny Borrelli repeated their claims to investigators — when they could have been subject to criminal charges for false reporting to law enforcement. The investigators said a third lawmaker, Republican state Sen. Wendy Rogers, declined to speak with them. this is why i stay on trump so hard. look at all the people who chose lies above the truth on who won the election. they are not patriots and they are not heroes. they abused the system and should be dealt with to the full extent of the law. when people tell you YOUR vote does not count they are lying. and that is exactly what they tried to do on jan 6. and people died that never should have died because we put power hungry fools like trump in office. the right blames the left for so much but all we get from them is tax cuts for the rich and jewish space lasers. people complain about the money put out during covid but not so much about the money going to the rich who did not need it anyway. all it did was make the rich richer. they needed no help. but i have not seen complaints about that but boy i sure have read about feeding the poor and elderly was overkill. but i saw it help a ton of folks at this time in our country we do not need games we need some serious leadership. and why is it the supposed god loving and moral side of politics come up with all these crazy things including hating hillary because she runs a ped ring out of the basement of a pizza parlor. america is doomed unless she changes and we start trying to love each other and get along. hell we still have the liar who ran on in impressive run of lies and yet he is still there. we have the playboy still hanging around with absolutely nothing being done to him. then we have fools like green who does not care about this country she is only interested in her own brand and power. it is a bad look...............

Home runs carry No. 20 Auburn softball to 10-1 win over UAB Auburn University Athletics 3–4 minutes AUBURN, Ala. – Balls were flying out of Jane B. Moore Field Wednesday evening as No. 20 Auburn softball (10-1) homered three times in en route to a 10-1 victory over UAB (7-5). The victory was Auburn's sixth run-rule victory of the season. The Tigers have now won eight straight and are undefeated at Jane B. Moore Field. Maddie Penta tossed three perfect frames to open the contest, striking out three of the nine batters she faced. Shelby Lowe and Annabelle Widra both saw an inning of relief with Widra adding a pair of strikeouts on the night. Bri Ellis, Widra and Icess Tresvik all slugged home runs on Wednesday night with Ellis and Widra each going yard the first inning. Tresvik closed the night 2-for-2 with two runs scored and two RBI. Ellis added two hits and two RBI. Tresvik now leads the team with four home runs. "The weight room has been helping me," Tresvik said. "Jessie (Blaine) has been pushing me in the weight room. The coaches are pushing me and the team every day to be perfect. I'm not going to be perfect, but I always strive to be." Nelia Peralta also turned in a multiple hit performance from the top of the lineup. The sophomore went 2-for-3 with an RBI double. Auburn's trend of first-inning scoring continued against the Blazers. With Peralta on with a single, Carlee McCondichie drove another single up the middle. The Blazers' centerfielder tried to make a play at third base, but the ball sailed into the dugout, bringing Peralta home on the error. Jessie Blaine kept the scoring going with an RBI single through the right side before Ellis and Widra went back-to-back with a pair of home runs to give the Tigers a 5-0 lead after one. "I'm proud of us for coming out here and putting five runs on the board in the first inning," Ellis said. "It doesn't matter who you are playing. That can be hard to do, especially in a midweek. I think we did a good job of staying focused and turning it around from school to game." The Tigers added their sixth run in the bottom of the second as Peralta scored Tresvik with a double to right center. Perfecting a hit and run, Makayla Packer turned on the jets and legged out a triple, scoring pinch runner Abbey Smith. Tresvik extended the Auburn lead to 9-0 with a two-run blast to left center, Auburn's third home run of the game. The Blazers broke up the perfect game bid with two outs in the top of the fourth as Sierra Frazier slugged a solo home to left center. Auburn ends its 11-game home slate over the weekend, hosting the Plainsman Invite. Merrimack, Brown and North Dakota State will travel to the Plains. Auburn kicks off the tournament with a doubleheader against Merrimack and Brown on Friday. First pitch is set for 3 p.m. CT.

5 takeaways from Auburn's 78-74 win over Ole Miss Nathan King 7–8 minutes AUBURN, Alabama — It was a nauseating second half for the fans inside Neville Arena, but the Tigers pulled it out late in a complete can’t-lose game for their NCAA Tournament hopes. Auburn overcame a lackluster night defensively and on the glass, and made enough plays late to fend off Ole Miss, 78-74 in the Tigers’ penultimate home game of the season. Here are Auburn Undercover’s five takeaways, as the only games remaining for the Tigers in the regular season are opportunities for serious resume boosts. Key stretch Zep Jasper, Allen Flanigan and Johni Broome hit 3-pointers on back-to-back-to-back possessions early in the second half to push Auburn’s lead to 12 points, its largest of the night to that point. But the air in Neville Arena was completely zapped after Ole Miss suddenly burst for a 15-2 run over four minutes, including a trio of fastbreak baskets, and Bruce Pearl called timeout after the Rebels took a 58-55 lead with just under 10 minutes to go Auburn committed three turnovers during the run and missed five straight shots — going 3:27 of game time without a make — after it had made six of its previous seven field goals to take a double-digit lead. Auburn continued to pile up turnovers, with six in the first 11 minutes of the second half. A Tigers team that averaged just over 10 giveaways per game in SEC play had seven turnovers in the second half, including five during in less than six minutes while Ole Miss was climbing back. "We were not executing offensively, we were sloppy, and they were aggressive," Pearl said of Auburn's turnovers during that stretch. "And they jumped back in the game. We weren't setting good screens, our timing was off, we were resting. We succumbed to fatigue, and that's how they got back in it with those turnovers. It was very poor and very lackadaisical offensive execution." Auburn’s troubles staying in front of athletic scoring guards reared up again, as the Rebels’ Matthew Murrell was creating problems driving to the hoop. He had 23 after scoring 24 points in the first meeting, and was 9-of-12 from the foul line. Green Jr. leads Auburn's closeout Wendell Green Jr. had five straight points to reignite the energy inside Neville Arena and allow Auburn to retake the lead, 64-63 with 5:18 after an assist from Broome after an offensive rebound. After Broome’s two straight baskets, Green Jr. rocketed coast-to-coast one more time, finishing an up-and-under layup to push the Tigers’ lead up to 70-64 with 3:14 remaining. The Tigers led by 6 with 30 seconds left, but offensive rebounding kept Ole Miss in the game, though, after Robert Allen grabbed a missed 3-ball by Jaemyn Brakefield and kicked to James White, who canned a triple to make it 74-73 Auburn with 17 seconds remaining. After two free throws from Green Jr., Pearl fouled up 3, sending Murrell back to the foul line when Ole Miss had zero timeouts left. It paid off, as Murrell went 1-of-2, and Green Jr. knocked down two more freebies. "We ended up getting to the free-throw line a lot," Green Jr. said postgame. "That was the main thing coach told us — at the end of games, we've gotta stop fouling and get to the free-throw line more. Automatic two points. I think we improved on that. Hopefully we can keep improving on it down the road." Green Jr. had a number of acrobatic finishes in traffic in the first half alone, and he paced Auburn’s 12 fastbreak points in the first 20 minutes. After a couple struggling offensive performances, the point guard had 23 points — the same total as he did in the first win over Ole Miss — on 6-of-12 shooting and 11-of-12 from the foul line. "Just wanted to push the ball in transition," Green Jr. "I felt pretty — I felt pretty athletic today, running up and down the court. ... Just watching film on the Vanderbilt game, it's something I learned from the Vanderbilt game, just trying to get it up. And I feel I can get past anybody, so as long as I keep pushing the tempo like that, I think we'll get better shots on offense." Broome down the stretch Broome came up huge down the stretch, too, in all facets of the game. The big man, with another excellent performance (19 points, eight rebounds, three assists, six blocks and a steal), had five blocks for the rest of the game after the Rebels’ 15-2 run gave them the lead, and he snatched five rebounds in the final five minutes of action. "I don’t know if they give a freshman of the year and a newcomer of the year, I think they might do both I don’t know," Pearl said. "But it’s hard to imagine that there’s a better newcomer than Johni in our league. He’s your stat sheet stuffer. I’m on him pretty good, but I’ve always been on my best players. Always. I coach him hard, he stepped up, made plays at the end, made a big three, made a big 15-footer, called his number and he delivered.” Flanigan's impact It wasn't a massive scoring night for Flanigan, but he had a number of important moments, separate even from his two thunderous dunks in transition. The senior scored 11 points on 3-of-9 shooting, and he corralled six rebounds, dished a team-high five assists and blocked a shot. He also cashed a pair of late free throws that put Auburn up 72-67 with a minute left. Standout stat Auburn was bested on the boards, and it was nearly the Tigers' undoing against a far inferior Ole Miss squad. The Rebels entered the game as one of the best offensive rebounding teams in the conference — and in the top 40 nationally in that department — and Ole Miss had eight offensive boards in the first half alone, leading to seven second-chance points — which helped to offset the Rebels’ seven turnovers. Auburn trimmed the rebounding advantage down the stretch, though, helped in large part by Broome's five boards in the final five minutes. Ole Miss finished with 17 offensive rebounds, the most allowed by Auburn all season. That led to 16 second-chance points for the Rebels, and Auburn was ultimately outrebounded 38-28. It's only the second win for Auburn this season when being outrebounded by double digits (Arkansas). "They’re athletic, they’re strong," Pearl said. "But Kentucky is bigger, stronger and more athletic so we’re gonna be up there in Rupp against probably the biggest, best offensive rebounding team. We rebound like we did tonight we’ll get beat by 40."

#PMARSHONAU: Auburn's 'best players' come through when it matters most Phillip Marshall 3–4 minutes Auburn’s basketball team gave up 17 offensive rebounds and got just seven Wednesday against Ole Miss, which has won just two SEC games. Several opportunities to take control of the game were wasted. Ole Miss shot 32 free throws. But Auburn found a way to win a game it absolutely could not lose 78-74. On rhe box score, Auburn won the game at the free-throw line, hitting 22-of-24 while Ole Miss was hitting 20-of-32, but Auburn coach Bruce Pearl had a simple explanation for what he called “a great win.” “Our best players stepped up,” Pearl said on his postgame radio show. And those “best players” were point guard Wendell Green and center Johni Broome. Green played at level as high as anyone could expect. He scored 23 points and was money at the free throw line, finishing 11-for-12. He had four assists, two steals and just two turnovers. Broome was much of a man on the inside. He scored 19 points, got eight rebounds and swatted away six shots. He even made a 3-point shot. Auburn led by as many as 12 points early in the second half, but the Rebels were not going to go quietly. They went on a 15-2 run and took a 63-59 lead with 6:21 left. Enter Green and Brome and their friends. The Tigers started holding the Rebels to one shot. The turnovers that had been a problem in Ole Miss’ big run went away. Green, at his best, is one of the top point guards in the SEC. Green, at his worst, can be maddening. But as Pearl said Wednesday night, winning without him would be a challenge, maybe an impossible challenge. It seems that the later in the season it gets, the closer and more unpredictable games become. Vanderbilt had won six straight games and lost at LSU. Alabama barely survived in overtime at South Carolina. Ole Miss took Auburn to the wire. Missouri beat Mississippi State in overtime. The regular season is down to three games. And Auburn’s three – at Kentucky, at Alabama and Tennessee at home - are brutally difficult. Auburn needs to win one of them to feel comfortable on selection Sunday. Auburn has pushed the best teams in the SEC to the limit. Can it take the next step in at least one of those last three games? 2COMMENTS Kentucky is on a roll again, and Auburn has long been cursed at Rupp Arena. Auburn would have a chance if Alabama plays like it did against South Carolina. But Alabama won’t play that way against Auburn. Tennessee, tied with Auburn for fourth place in the SEC standings, might actually be an underdog at Auburn Arena. To win any of those games, the same players who were at their best when it mattered most against Ole Miss will need to do it again. ">247Sports

a better highlight reel.

Auburn commit A'Mon Lane committed to play in Under Armour All-American game Christian Clemente 2–3 minutes A'Mon Lane's junior year isn't over yet and Auburn's Top247 cornerback commit is continuing to rack in accolades. Before competing in the Under Armour All-American camp in Atlanta this weekend, it was also announced that Lane is committed to playing in the 2024 Under Armour All-American game at the conclusion of his senior season. While a date has not been announced yet, the game is typically in the first week of January and set in Orlando. The Under Armour All-American game is one of two major all-star games for the top high school recruits to play in across the country, with the All-American Bowl in San Antonio being the other big game. Auburn was not represented in the Under Armour game during the 2023 cycle, but had five signees playing in the All-American Bowl. No. 216 overall in the 247Sports rankings, Lane has been committed to Auburn and Zac Etheridge since last July and Big Cat Weekend. Lane is the No. 15 cornerback and No. 16 player in the state of Alabama for the class. Lane was Auburn's first commitment of the Class of 2024 and someone that Hugh Freeze and the new Auburn staff inherited — and actively worked to keep committed. His last visit was shortly before the dead period for Auburn's Junior Day on Jan. 28, where he reassured his commitment. "I really like Coach Crime and Coach Roberts," Lane said. "He’s just — they’re just fun people, fun coaches to be around. You just get that feeling that you’re going to be taken care of. I don’t know, it’s something about Coach Freeze, man. His vibe and just everything how he reacts with my family and me, it’s special." 5COMMENTS Lane recently took home the state championship in the 4x2 and 60-meter in track. In the Class of 2024, Auburn currently holds three commitments from Lane, Top247 cornerback Jayden Lewis and Top247 quarterback Walker White. ">247Sports

Who is the next great Auburn linebacker? Published: Feb. 22, 2023, 2:54 p.m. 3–4 minutes Auburn linebacker Cam Riley (13) runs through a tackling drill during practice Tue. Aug. 16, 2022 in Auburn, Ala. (Todd Van Emst/AU Athletics)Todd Van Emst/AU Athletics By Nubyjas Wilborn | nwilborn@al.com We’re taking a look at each position group as Auburn prepares to open spring practice on Feb. 27. The eighth of an 11-part series looks at the linebackers. Transfers Austin Keys (Ole Miss) and DeMario Tolan (LSU) are set to lead a group of linebackers at Auburn. Tolan had 10 total tackles, and two quarterback hurries last season. Keys completed the 2022 season with 39 total tackles, two sacks, and a forced fumble. Cam Riley and Wesley Steiner have the most experience playing for Auburn as returning players. Riley had the second-most tackles on the team last season with 66 and 3.5 tackles for loss. Steiner posted 46 tackles last season at Auburn. Read More Auburn Football: Rivaldo Fairweather leads a developing tight-end group at Auburn Will Hugh Freeze’s offensive line rebuild work in 2023 at Auburn? Is Jarquez Hunter ready to be a feature running back at Auburn? Riley and Steiner hope to step up without team-captain Owen Pappoe, who is entering the 2023 National Football League Draft. Josh Aldridge is the new linebackers coach. He came with Freeze from Liberty, where Aldridge was the defensive coordinator. Aldridge’s Liberty defense was first nationally in team tackles for loss, fourth in team sacks, 15th in passes intercepted, 19th nationally in third-down defense, and 25th in first-down defense. “I’ve been fortunate to work for Coach Freeze the last four years and I’m appreciative to be joining him again at Auburn,” Aldridge said. “I look forward to helping Auburn build a defense that is physical, aggressive and competes for championships. The area surrounding the Plains is very familiar to my family and I can’t wait to hit the road in our footprint in search of Auburn Men.” Projected Depth Chart: Starters: Austin Keys and DeMario Tolan Second String: Cam Riley/Wesley Steiner. Eugene Asante/Robert Woodyard Third String: Desmond Tisdol/ Kameron Brown, Jake Levant/Powell Gordon Departed: Owen Pappoe (NFL Draft) Outlook: This is one of the more challenging units to evaluate at Auburn heading into spring camp. There are a lot of players with experience, but the production hasn’t been consistent. It’s also imperative to remember that the defense will change under new defensive coordinator Ron Roberts. “You have to be multiple nowadays in college football and the SEC. You’ve got to have multiple (fronts). We can’t just sit in a front unless you have better players than everybody else,” Roberts told reporters during a press conference in February. “You can’t do that. Offensive coordinators will pick you apart. The skill level is too good. They’ll find a weakness. We’ll be multiple in what we do, but we will play with aggression. We will blitz. We will pressure. We will be an aggressive defense.” Auburn’s linebacker room needs work. Don’t be surprised to see the Tigers active in the second portal opening after spring football. Nubyjas Wilborn covers Auburn for Alabama Media Group If you purchase a product or register for an account through one of the links on our site, we may receive compensation.

Auburn's Jarquez Hunter ranked one of college football's top 10 running backs in 2023 Lance Dawe 8–10 minutes The Auburn Tigers just watched one of the top 10 running backs in college football walk out the door. Tank Bigsby, Auburn's star tailback for the past three seasons and seventh all-time on the school's total rushing yards list, has declared for the NFL Draft and will be moving on from the Tigers. It's a blow to a backfield that could have used one more year of Bigsby, especially with a new offensive line and a competent playcalling duo of Hugh Freeze and Philip Montgomery. However, according to On3, even without Bigsby, the Tigers have one of the top five running backs in America. Jarquez Hunter, the backup to Bigsby for the past two seasons, ranked No. 5 in On3's article detailing the Top 10 Running Backs in College Football in 2023. Here's what On3 had to say about Hunter: "Hunter doesn’t have the production of some of the other players on this list, but you have to keep in mind that Auburn was a team essentially going through a coaching change during the season. Hunter is plenty versatile and ran for 668 yards and seven touchdowns, as well as catching 17 passes for 224 yards and two scores. He’ll be a terrific weapon in the hands of Hugh Freeze." He ranks ahead of Miyan Williams (Ohio State), TreVeyon Henderson (Ohio State), Donovan Edwards (Michigan), Trey Benson (Florida State), and Braelon Allen (Wisconsin) Jarquez Hunter was a three-star prospect in the Tigers' 2021 recruiting class. He was an extremely late pickup and a relatively irrelevant one at that - sitting just outside the top 700 players nationally in the 247Sports composite, Hunter was an additional depth piece (at least, according to national outlets) but wasn't expected to do much on the Plains for a couple of seasons. Behind the aforementioned Bigsby, Hunter rushed for 593 yards and three touchdowns, averaging an impressive 6.7 yards per carry. He followed this performance up with an even better one in 2022 (as noted by On3). He'll lead the way in a deep running back room featuring a wide variety of skill. Here's a look at Auburn's entire rotation heading into 2023: Jarquez Hunter, Jr. Hunter took a dip in YPC as his freshman season progressed, but he broke out this past season with three hundred-yard performances over the final three games of the year - including two huge games against Texas A&M and Alabama. His blend of power and explosiveness has provided Auburn with a fun compliment to star tailback Tank Bigsby - but now that Bigsby is gone, is Hunter ready to carry the load in the backfield? All signs point towards yes, and there's reason to believe that OC Philip Montgomery and HC Hugh Freeze will be excited about using him. Hunter has also proven to be the best pass-catcher out of the backfield over the past couple of seasons. Although, there may be someone on the depth chart that could potentially take those passing snaps away from Hunter. Fans should be excited about Hunter's return and should expect him to continue to improve upon the standard that he has set as an explosive, shifty back that's hard to bring down. Career carries - 193 Career rushing yards - 1,261 Career total touchdowns - 13 Career YPC - 6.5 Best game of career: Vs Alabama State (9/27/21) - 8 carries, 147 yards, 1 touchdown OR at Alabama (11/26/22) - 11 carries, 134 yards Brian Battie, Jr. Over his three year career at USF, Battie rushed for 1842 yards and ten TDs. Battie was also named an 2021 NCAA Consensus All-American at Kick Returner, just the 2nd All-American in USF program history, and followed that with a 2022 season that saw him rack up 1186 yards (at 6.7 yards per carry), eight touchdowns, and be named to Phil Steele's All-American team in an all-purpose role. A former 3-star recruit from Sarasota, FL, the 5-foot-8 Battie joins a running back room full of talent but short on starting experience - with Tank Bigsby off to the NFL, the returning duo of Jarquez Hunter and Damari Alston have only a combined 207 carries in college football, with 193 of those belonging to Hunter in his role as Bigsby's backup the last two seasons. Career carries - 280 Career rushing yards - 1,842 Career total touchdowns - 28 Career YPC - 6.6 Best game of career: At Florida ((9/17/22) - 17 carries, 150 yards, 8.8 YPC, 1 touchdowns OR at Tulsa (11/18/22) - 19 carries, 169 yards, 1 touchdown There were several to choose from. Damari Alston, So. Alston was the newbie in the rotation this season, and by default didn't see a lot of playing time - despite this, he finished inside the top 10 of PFF's individual offensive grades for the Tigers in 2022. He has an almost identical frame to Hunter (5-foot-10, 205 pounds) but has a very different running style - his one-cut bruiser style approach to the game makes him a difficult matchup for opponents as a rotational back - there is no fun in trying to hold Jarques Hunter down and then immediately having to account for a back that does not shy away from contact. He had almost 2,000 all-purpose yards as a junior in high school and has the potential to be a solid option in years to come for Auburn. Career carries - 14 Career yards - 85 Career touchdowns - 0 Career YPC - 6.1 Best game of career: Vs San Jose State (9/10/22) - 2 carries, 38 yards Jeremiah Cobb, Fr. This may be the most intriguing pickup of Auburn's 2023 recruiting class. Cobb was a monster at Montgomery Catholic High School, posting insane stats and displaying a well-rounded skill set. 247Sports noted in their analysis that "not one physical trait that stands out among the rest but (Cobb) possesses a well-rounded skill set and has a good feel for the position." And a good feel he has. There have been several comps thrown out for Cobb, and one many recruiting experts come back to is Alvin Kamara, given his ability to catch passes out of the backfield and turn anything into a big gain. There's not a particular area of weakness in his game (outside of the fact that he's still raw, as any high school talent), which is great news for the Tigers, who would expect him to take over the starting role as early as 2024 if Jarquez Hunter were to declare for the NFL Draft. Cobb has some serious potential to become a great weapon in Hugh Freeze's offense. *Career carries - 639 *Career yards - 6,567 *Career rushing touchdowns - 75 *Career YPC - 10.3 Career receiving yards - 1,142 *Career receiving touchdowns - 15 *Career YPC (receiving) - 22.8 (!) *All of these career numbers are his high school stats over the course of 50 games. Sean Jackson, Rs So. Jackson earned his scholarship as a redshirt freshman last season. He did not record a stat for the Tigers in 2022, but received 12 carries for 60 yards and one touchdown over the course of Auburn's first two games of 2021 (Akron, Alabama State). He'll be on roster to provide depth in what should be a very talented and well-balanced running back room in 2023. Whether or not Freeze and Montgomery end up giving him any serious playing time is to be determined over the course of the offseason, but Jackson has been praised for his work ethic - hence his reception of a scholarship. His bruising frame (5-foot-9, 230 pounds) could be utilized in short-yardage situations, if Freeze were to end up using him. Career carries - 12 Career yards - 60 Career touchdowns - 1 Career YPC - 5.0 Best game of career: Vs Alabama State (9/27/21) - 10 carries, 38 yards, 1 touchdown

auburnwire.usatoday.com Cornerback target Jameer Grimsley set to visit Auburn JD McCarthy ~2 minutes Auburn football now has a staff that prioritizes recruiting and the benefits of that are already beginning to show. The Tigers are expected to have numerous visitors during spring practice and one will be cornerback Jameer Grimsley. The Tampa, Florida, product has scheduled visits to Auburn and Alabama on March 11 and 12, according to Keith Niebuhr of Auburn Live. Buy Tigers Tickets Grimsley does not have a rating yet but that is just a matter of time as he already has over 15 offers including Auburn, Alabama, and South Carolina. Auburn secondary coach Zac Etheridge offered the 6-foot-3, 185-pounder on Feb. 16. The Tigers may have an advantage in his recruitment, former Auburn wide receiver Jeris McIntyre is his head coach at Tampa Catholic. Etheridge and Auburn have already landed two four-star cornerback commits in the 2024 recruiting class, Jayden Lewis and A’Mon Lane but the Tigers are looking to add several more to the class. Contact/Follow us @TheAuburnWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Auburn news, notes, and opinion. You can also follow JD on Twitter @jdmccarthy15.

247Sports names Auburn a winner of the coaching carousel JD McCarthy ~3 minutes Hugh Freeze has yet to coach a game as Auburn’s head coach but there is plenty of optimism around his tenure. While some of this is the excitement that Bryan Harsin has been replaced and that the next head coach surely won’t be as disastrous, Brandon Marcello of 247Sports believes there was a lot to like about Auburn hiring Freeze. In fact, he named Auburn one of his winners of the coaching carousel for the hire. Freeze, however, is the man who has proven capable of not just challenging Nick Saban but is also a threat to beat him every year — even in seasons Freeze has less talent. He did it at Ole Miss and he’ll do it again at Auburn, where talent is not in short supply. The trajectory has certainly changed for the Tigers. Freeze quickly turned Auburn into a top-5 spot in the Transfer Portal while elevating a high school recruiting class that ranked in the 60s nationally under Harsin to 17th in a matter of weeks, according to the 247Sports Composite. While having a good head coach is important, it is equally important that he surrounds himself with good coordinators and assistant coaches. Freeze appears to have done this by retaining several stars from the previous coaching staff and bringing in his guys. There is no better example than him retaining and promoting Cadillac Williams who helped bring Auburn’s program back to life after he was named the interim head coach to end the season. He also retained ace recruiting Zac Etheridge, who has already landed several key recruits. The staff Freeze built is anchored by Auburn legend Cadillac Williams, who successfully lifted the Tigers out of the dirt as interim head coach in November, and veteran coordinators in former Tulsa head coach Philip Montgomery and Baylor defensive coordinator Ron Roberts, who turned down overtures from Arkansas to choose Auburn. Freeze also brought former Auburn receiver Marcus Davis home to coach receivers and hired his right-hand recruiting man at Ole Miss in 2012: secondary coach Wes McGriff. The staff will soon have its first test as spring practice is set to start on Feb. 27 and end with the A-Day game on April 8. More Football! The Athletic breaks down Auburn Football's biggest question ahead of spring practice Could Auburn add a QB from a rival program? Auburn makes top 10 for OT target Malachi Toliver Contact/Follow us @TheAuburnWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Auburn news, notes, and opinion. You can also follow JD on Twitter @jdmccarthy15.

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Has Auburn’s recent struggles spoiled their NCAA Tournament chances? Taylor Jones ~2 minutes Auburn, a team that has become accustomed to reaching the NCAA Tournament, has begun to see late-season struggles. The Tigers dropped its 9th contest of the season last Saturday to Vanderbilt in Nashville on a last-second bucket, 67-65. The heartbreaking loss is its’ fourth loss in its last five games. How much has Auburn’s recent run of tough luck affected their NCAA Tournament chances? ESPN’s John Gasaway says that the Tigers should not worry, as the quality of opponents that they have lost to will be considered when the committee selects the tournament teams. Vanderbilt’s Ezra Manjon drove to the basket and laid in the game-winner in the final second to give the Commodores a two-point victory at home over Auburn. To say that Bruce Pearl’s team has now lost four of its last five is correct but in one sense incomplete. The previous losses came on the road to Tennessee and Texas A&M and at home to Alabama. Then again that’s pretty much the same group the Tigers are about to face the rest of the way. Auburn will play rematches against the Volunteers and the Crimson Tide in addition to a road game at Kentucky and a home date against Ole Miss. The No. 8 seed projected for the Tigers hangs in the balance. Auburn Basketball has four games remaining in the regular season and will need to string together several wins in order to take momentum into the SEC Tournament. Auburn’s next opportunity will come Wednesday night when the Tigers host Ole Miss at Neville Arena for an 8 p.m. CT tipoff. More Basketball! Auburn receives no votes in latest AP poll Tigers receive just two votes in newest USA TODAY coaches poll Twitter reacts to Auburn's close loss to Vanderbilt Story originally appeared on Auburn Wire

Auburn vs. Ole Miss: Stream, injury report, broadcast info for Wednesday’s game at Neville Arena Taylor Jones 3–4 minutes Auburn plays Ole Miss on Wednesday, and if you’re wondering how you can watch the action live, you’ve come to the right place. Auburn begins a tough two-week stretch to close out the 2023 regular season on Wednesday night, with Ole Miss serving as the first team on the docket at 8 p.m. CT at Neville Arena. Wednesday’s game is a return game from Jan. 10, when Auburn defeated the Rebels, 82-73 at the Pavillion in Oxford. Auburn trailed by one point at halftime but would outscore Ole Miss 48-38 in the second half to pull away with the victory. After the Ole Miss game, Auburn will face three teams who rank in the top-35 of the KenPom rankings, so the Tigers need a win in order to keep their NCAA Tournament hopes alive. Head coach Bruce Pearl says that Wednesday’s game with Ole Miss has similarities to last Tuesday’s win over Missouri, but also has vital differences. “We are facing, again, another ‘must-win’ situation. Last time against Missouri, there was a really good prize on the win because Missouri had won four in a row, they had just beaten Tennessee, they were seeded slightly ahead of us in the NCAA Tournament, and a win could do us some real good. The contest against Ole Miss, that’s not the case. A loss could do us almost irreparable damage because of just the math. Ole Miss has lost some games, but they have lost them really close. They lose at home in overtime to Mississippi State. The two games that they have won in conference have both been on the road.” Below, you will find all of the information you need for Wednesday’s game in Auburn, including a how-to-watch guide, an injury report, and a projected starting five. How to watch/listen to Wednesday's game Here’s when you should tune in to see the game: Date: Wednesday, Feb. 22 Time: 8 p.m. CT TV Channel: SEC Network (Dave Neal, Jon Sundvold) Live Stream: fuboTV (watch here) Radio: Auburn Sports Network (Andy Burcham, Sonny Smith) Auburn vs. Ole Miss injury report AUBURN [autotag]Chance Westry[/autotag] Knee Questionable for Wednesday’s game OLE MISS T.J. Caldwell Hamstring Questionable for Wednesday’s game Malique Ewin Personal Matters Out indefinitely Daeshun Ruffin Personal Matters Out indefinitely Projected Starting Five AUBURN G [autotag]Wendell Green Jr.[/autotag] G [autotag]Zep Jasper[/autotag] G [autotag]Allen Flanigan[/autotag] F [autotag]Jaylin Williams[/autotag] F [autotag]Johni Broome[/autotag] OLE MISS G Matthew Murrell G Amaree Abram F Myles Burns F Jaemyn Brakefield F Robert Allen Players to Watch AUBURN Johni Broome Jaylin Williams [autotag]K.D. Johnson[/autotag] OLE MISS Matthew Murrell Jaemyn Brakefield Myles Burns Series History Auburn leads the overall series over Ole Miss, 80-64 Auburn leads the overall series in Auburn, 52-17 Auburn won the last meeting over Ole Miss, 82-73 (Jan. 10, 2023) Auburn has won 6 of the last 10 meetings and has won three games in a row LAST FIVE MEETINGS IN AUBURN Feb. 23, 2022 Auburn 77 Ole Miss 64 Feb. 6, 2021 Ole Miss 86 Auburn 84 (OT) Feb. 25, 2020 Auburn 67 Ole Miss 58 Feb. 13, 2019 Ole Miss 60 Auburn 55 Jan. 9, 2018 Auburn 85 Ole Miss 70 Story originally appeared on Auburn Wire

auburntigers.com No. 20 Auburn softball hosts UAB for first midweek tilt Auburn University Athletics 6–8 minutes AUBURN, Ala. – Continuing its 11-game homestand at Jane B. Moore Field, No. 20 Auburn softball (9-1) welcomes UAB (7-4) to the Plains Wednesday night for the first midweek contest of the 2023 season. "UAB is a good team," said head coach Mickey Dean. "They are well coached. They swing the bat well, and they have good pitchers in the circle. They aren't going to give the game away. They are off to a good start this season. It's going to be a great challenge for us." First pitch is slated for 5 p.m. CT. Due to conflicts with over home events on campus, Wednesday midweek till not be available to stream, but fans can tune in to the live radio broadcast via the Auburn Sports Network. Wednesday is 70's Night at Jane B. Moore Field. The first 300 fans in attendance will receive an Auburn softball 70's-themed t-shirt. The first 150 students in attendance on will also receive a food voucher that is redeemable at Wednesday's men's basketball contest versus Ole Miss. Auburn's pitching staff continues to be one of the toughest to score against in the country. Picking up its fifth shutout of the season during Auburn's sweep of the Tiger Invitational, Auburn holds a 1.17 earned run average, allowed just 10 earned runs through 60 innings. The mark leads the Southeastern Conference while ranking ninth lowest in the nation. Maddie Penta continues to be virtually untouchable as she has yet to allow an earn run to score through the first two weekends of the season. Penta enters the midweek as the nation's leader in earned run average (0.00) and strikeouts per seven inning (14.3) while ranking second in the country in strikeouts (55) and victories (6). Comfortable on its home turf, Auburn slugged eight home runs at Jane B. Moore Field last weekend to bring its season total to 14, tied for the third most in the SEC. Seven different Tigers have delivered with the long ball this season with five recording multiple home runs. Aspyn Godwin and Icess Tresvik lead the way with three each. Nelia Peralta has been the most consistent Tiger in the lineup with impressive numbers form the leadoff spot. Peralta ranks second in the SEC in triples (2) and hits (15) while post top-10 numbers in total bases (25), batting average (.517) on base percentage (.622) and slugging percentage (.862). When leading off an inning, Peralta has successfully reached a total of 10 times, the fourth highest total among all SEC hitters. Auburn concludes its home slate this weekend, hosting the Plainsman Invite at Jane B. Moore Field. The Tigers are scheduled to play five games over the three-day tournament, which begins with a doubleheader slate against Merrimack and Brown on Friday. First pitch is set for 3 p.m. CT. Players Mentioned #00 Aspyn Godwin C/OF 5' 8" Graduate Student R/R #9 Maddie Penta RHP 6' 2" Junior R/R #13 Nelia Peralta INF 5' 6" Sophomore R/R #3 Icess Tresvik UTL 5' 9" Sophomore R/R