aubiefifty

247sports.com Why ‘havoc rate’ is Auburn DC Ron Roberts’ top priority Nathan King 5–7 minutes Quite literally, Ron Roberts is coming to Auburn to wreak havoc. The veteran defensive coordinator inherits a unit that had an uncharacteristically below-average campaign in 2022, as compared to the previous several seasons, where Auburn was usually a top-25 defense in most metrics. On top of their struggles, the Tigers lose their top three defensive linemen, along with their top linebacker and leading tackler over the past two seasons. Part of Roberts’ plan to to restore Auburn to the consistency the program has become accustomed to is his signature formula for defensive disruption. “We call it havoc — the havoc rate,” Roberts said last week. “We calculate tackles for loss, sacks, PBUs (pass breakups), interceptions, turnovers, any of that stuff. Our goal as a defense is always to work in the 20 percent category. That means on 20 percent of the plays, we've got to work to create havoc. If you do that, you're gonna be in the top 20 in the country. What does that mean? How do you control that? You control that with attempts at the ball. You control some of that, schematically, with how tackles for losses occur. Tackles for loss typically occur off of D-line movement, stunts, pressure. If you're gonna get them, you've got to do it. If you're gonna sit there in a base defense, the only way you get them then is if my guy is better than your guy and whoops him and gets a TFL. “But the nature we play, we're gonna go after it and get tackles for loss, get behind the sticks and put us in favorable downs.” Roberts’ units, among other successes that made him one of the most respected defensive minds in the sport, usually excel at forcing turnovers. Baylor was top 30 nationally in two of his three seasons as the Bears’ defensive coordinator, including the 2021 season, when they tied for the seventh-most takeaways in the country. His Louisiana defense in 2019 was also top 40 in takeaways per game. Roberts said in 2021, when Baylor had one of the best defenses in the country to lead the team to a Big 12 championship, his unit had a 27 percent havoc rate. Last year, the group was at 18 percent, he said. Though Roberts didn’t offer his exact formula for havoc rate — it’s an extensive calculus, he said — but Auburn registered a sack, tackle for loss, pass breakup or turnover on just over 14 percent of its defensive snaps last season. Of course, Auburn has to play with discipline on all three levels to make Roberts’ philosophies worthwhile. And over the course of a game, he may dial back the havoc rate depending on how the group is playing, and what the opposition is doing to adjust. “It's really, like, what are you risking?” Roberts said. “It depends. Pressure doesn't always mean you're in zero coverage or in man coverage or even putting your coverage at risk. Obviously, you don't want to do that if you've got, like, a 14-point lead and the clock becomes your friend. All of that, obviously, depends on the context of your game.” In addition to Roberts’ recent success at Baylor, and how those philosophies mesh with what Hugh Freeze prioritizes defensively, Auburn’s new head coach said he was also impressed by the high-profile defensive minds who have blossomed under Roberts’ tutelage over the years. “If you look at all the really good ones that have come from his tree, that learned from him, that speaks probably about as much as anything to me,” Freeze said. Former Alabama and new Ole Miss defensive coordinator Pete Golding was Roberts’ DC at Delta State; Baylor head coach Dave Aranda was his linebackers coach; Florida co-defensive coordinator and safeties coach Patrick Toney coached defensive backs for Roberts at Southeastern Lousiana and Louisiana; and Seattle Seahawks secondary coach Karl Scott was a grad assistant turned linebackers coach turned defensive coordinator under Roberts at Southeastern Louisiana, just to name the most notable. “I think I’ve been fortunate, again, and I think in all those situations when you work — I always consider it to be work with, not for — so I think I’ve been really fortunate to have some good people around me,” Roberts said. “I think that goes with the same thing. I think, if anything, I was probably good at identifying people that were hungry, people that were humble and people that wanted to really have a desire to be really good at what they wanted to do.” The baseline definition of Roberts’ defense is a 3-4, but he, along with Auburn’s new defensive assistant coaches, all preached the importance of versatility in today’s game. Especially on the defensive front, the Tigers will be expected to flex to various positions when Roberts alters his looks to counter offensive personnel. “You have to be multiple nowadays in college football and the SEC,” Roberts said. “You've got to have multiple. We can't just sit in a front, unless you have better players than everybody else. 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 football among SEC's most experienced teams in 2023 Lance Dawe ~2 minutes It's that time of the year. College football may be in its offseason, but there are plenty of analytical articles and breakdowns that will be released throughout the spring both recapping the 2022 season and preparing us for 2023. ESPN's Bill Connelly, the GOAT of all things college football statistics, has released his annual college football teams' returning production article ($), which ranks every single FBS team's returning production for the upcoming season. Auburn, who experienced a decent amount of roster turnover, finds themselves just outside the top 25 at No. 28 nationally in returning overall production. They were 66th last season at 65% and 54th in 2021 at 73%. The Tigers bring back 71% of their overall production, 72% on offense (44th nationally) and 71% on defense (38th nationally). The 71% overall is good for 3rd in the SEC, behind Texas A&M (No. 7, 80%) and Missouri (No. 9, 78%). There are now 133 FBS teams, as Jacksonville State and Sam Houston State have made their way up. Florida State leads all teams returning 87% of their production from a season ago. Full SP+ projections for the 2023 season will be out next week, according to Connelly.

Bowl eligibility for Auburn in 2023? One expert entertains the possibility Taylor Jones ~2 minutes After watching Hugh Freeze perform a miracle in the recruiting game in such a short period, Auburn fans are anxious and stoked for the 2023 season to begin. Sure, expecting Freeze to lead Auburn to the College Football Playoff in his first season may be excessive, but it is not out of the realm of possibility that he could put together a bowl-eligible team. Despite last season’s turmoil, Auburn still ended up one win shy of bowl eligibility. The surplus of talent that Freeze has reeled in from the transfer portal could push Auburn over the hump. Buy Tigers Tickets What is a realistic expectation for Hugh Freeze’s first-season win total? Brad Crawford of 247Sports weighs in. Crawford puts Auburn’s win total at 7.5 as the calendar turns to February. He predicts that the Tigers’ strength of schedule can push them through the threshold. Admittedly, trying to project Hugh Freeze’s first season on the Plains is a bit fuzzy in February, but you have to appreciate what the Tigers have done in terms of immediate roster building through the transfer portal. And given Auburn’s cakewalk in the non-conference, there’s four wins almost by showing up (UMass, Cal, Samford and New Mexico State). Toss in a trip to Vanderbilt the Tigers should win and Auburn is near bowl eligibility without a quality victory. This sets up nicely for Freeze to make a splash in 2023. Crawford believes that Arkansas, South Carolina, Texas A&M, and Ole Miss as SEC teams that should reach seven wins this season. Georgia is projected to win the most games in the SEC in 2023 according to Crawford, who puts them at 11.5 wins.

College football recruiting rankings: Charles Kelly tops 25 best recruiters for 2023 class Brad Crawford 10–13 minutes Take a glance at college football's top 25 recruiting classes for the 2023 cycle and that group will coincide with the nation's top assistants on the trail, the guys who are adept at convincing high school talent to come their way. National championships are won in December and February in recruiting and proof is in the pudding. Over the last decade, every College Football Playoff champion has averaged a top-five signing class — per 247Sports' rankings — over the previous three cycles leading up to the title. TCU had a chance to buck that trend in January, but lost to Georgia, 65-7. The early signing period in December provided a good idea of which programs won the offseason talent accumulation title. The SEC leads the way with a wealth of the nation's top-rated players and to no one's surprise, employs many of the top individual recruiters. Subscribe to 247Sports YouTube for the latest college football, basketball and recruiting news including live college commitments. Here are the nation's 25 best at acquiring talent from the 2023 cycle, according to the 247Sports Composite recruiter rankings. (Photo: Matt Cashore, 247Sports) 25. Brad Davis, OL coach, LSU (4 commits) Brian Kelly's top recruiter this cycle for the Tigers, Davis was credited with four players, including five-star offensive tackle Zalance Heard, the No. 15 player nationally. 24. Al Washington, DL coach, Notre Dame (5 commits) Washington is Marcus Freeman's ace in the hole with the Fighting Irish. He was the lead recruiters for five players this cycle, including four of the four-star variety. 23. Tosh Lupoi, DL coach, Oregon (7 commits) Acquiring help along the defensive front was Lupoi's primary focus this cycle and the Ducks assistant did not disappoint. Matayo Uiagalelei was his most notable landing. 22. Kevin Wilson, TE coach, Ohio State (5 commits) One of a couple Ohio State assistants ranked among this year's top 25 recruiters, Wilson helped the Buckeyes with five four-stars. He has since departed for the head coach vacancy at Tulsa. (Photo: John Whittle, 247Sports) 21. Sterling Lucas, OLB coach, South Carolina (6 commits) The single-most important assistant for the Gamecocks this recruiting cycle, Lucas aided in getting five-star Nyckoles Harbor on Signing Day. He was also the lead recruiter for four additional four-stars, including quarterback LaNorris Sellers, who he flipped from Syracuse during the early signing period. 20. Brennan Marion, OC, UNLV (3 commits) Marion, who recently joined Barry Odom's UNLV staff as their new OC, helped Texas sign several elite wideouts this cycle, including five-star Johntay Cook II. 19. Glenn Schumman, co-DC and inside LB coach, Georgia (3 commits) Georgia's co-defensive coordinator was the lead recruiter for five-star linebacker Raylen Wilson and four-star linebackers CJ Allen and Troy Bowles. 18. Larry Johnson, assistant head coach, Ohio State (4 commits) Tabbed with helping the Buckeyes revamp their defensive front, Johnson signed a quartet of four-star pass rushers for 2023. (Photo: 247Sports) 17. Demetrice Martin, CB coach, Oregon (6 commits) Oregon closed strong on Signing Day thanks to Martin, who landed four-star cornerback Rodrick Pleasant to secure a top-rated class for the Ducks. Martin helped Oregon get two other four-star cornerbacks as well. 16. Jeff Choate, co-DC, Texas (6 commits) Five-star linebacker Anthony Hill was the gem of this cycle for Choate, who also led five four-star players to the Forty Acres. 15. Jay Valai, co-DC, Oklahoma (6 commits) The Sooners need immense help on defense and Valai is doing all he can to ensure that happens. He flipped five-star safety Peyton Bowen during the early signing period and signed five additional four stars. 14. Chidera Uzo-Diribe, OLB coach, Georgia (3 commits) Uzo-Diribe dipped into Florida for all three of his edge recruits this cycle, including five-star Damon Wilson. (Photo: © Tim Warner, Getty) 13. Sean Spencer, co-DC, Florida (6 commits) Billy Napier is thankful for Spencer, Florida's top recruiter this cycle after he helped the Gators sign six four-stars under his watch, including wideout Eugene Wilson. 12. Jeff Banks, ST coordinator, Texas (7 commits) The co-recruiter on record for five-stars Anthony Hill and Johntay Cook II, Banks helped secure the Longhorns' most notable studs for 2023. 11. Brandon Hall, S coach, Oklahoma (5 commits) One of two Oklahoma assistants inside the top 15 for 2023, Hall's most important role was assisting with five-star Peyton Bowen's flip to Norman. (Photo: 247Sports) 10. Zac Etheridge, S coach, Auburn (11 commits) Etheridge was a major reason for Hugh Freeze's success in his first recruiting class at Auburn after the Tigers' safeties coach landed a nation-leading 11 players. 9. Holmon Wiggins, WR coach, Alabama (6 commits) The Crimson Tide needed elite pass-catchers this cycle and Wiggins delivered. He's the first of several Nick Saban assistants ranked inside the top 10 and was credited with five-star wideout Jalen Hale along with five other four-stars for 2023. 8. Fran Brown, DB coach, Georgia (7 commits) Brown signed five of the top 200 players nationally for the Bulldogs this cycle per 247Sports, including five-star Joenel Aguero. 7. Alex Mirabal, OL coach, Miami (5 commits) Mario Cristobal's best recruiter on staff, Mirabal locked up two five-star offensive linemen for 2023 — Francis Mauigoa and Samson Okunlola. They're two of the top four players in the country at their position. (Photo: 247Sports) Eason earned the title of Dabo Swinney's top recruiter at Clemson in 2023 with five commits, headlined by Peter Woods, a five-star pass rusher from Alabama that every elite program in the country wanted this cycle. Eason also coaxed four other defensive linemen to the Tigers, including two inside the top 100 players nationally. Considering how many early-round edge guys the Tigers have placed in the NFL in recent years, this group appears to be next in line for future stardom up front. (Photo: Ben Jackson, Getty) Ohio State's newly-named offensive coordinator, Hartline has been the program's best recruiter for several years and is considered one of college football's brightest young minds on offense. The former Buckeyes wideout has made the same position his speciality in the coaching ranks and once again delivered with four players for 2023, including Brandon Inniss. Hartline has made Ohio State "Wide Receiver U" in recent years with a plethora of first-round selections. Ohio State's expecting another — or two — in the 2024 NFL Draft, led by All-American candidate Marvin Harrison Jr. (Photo: Mark Brennan-FOS/247) Seider is a major reason why Penn State signed one of the Big Ten's top classes this cycle after landing nine commits, including eight four-stars. To beat Ohio State and Michigan at the top of the conference, the Nittany Lions need to load up on elite players and Seider is doing what he can to ensure that happens. He recruited offensive lineman, safeties, linebackers, athletes and running backs and wide receivers during this cycle, a true Swiss Army Knife when it comes to recruiting. (Photo: Courtesy of Alabama Athletics) Only one assistant coach in college football was credited with more commits than Roach this cycle, but Alabama's defensive line coach was No. 1 in terms of overall quality. He helped the Crimson Tide flip five-star offensive lineman Kadyn Proctor from Iowa and was instrumental in signing five-star pass rushers James Smith and Yhonzae Pierre. Among the other players in which Roach was the lead recruiter, top-rated JUCO wideout Malik Benson committed to the Crimson Tide. Roach's 95.7 player rating average was third-best nationally, which ironically ranked third-best on Alabama's staff overall. (Photo: Courtesy of Alabama Athletics) Alabama announced the addition of Gillespie in January 2021 and, since his arrival, the Crimson Tide's running backs coach has been one of the program's best on the recruiting trail. During the 2023 cycle, Gillespie assisted in Alabama landing four players, highlighted by five-stars Keon Keeley, Justice Haynes and Desmond Ricks. The 6-foot-1, 170-pound Ricks ranked as the nation's No. 2 cornerback and No. 23 prospect overall. He also strongly considered Florida and LSU. Keeley was a former Notre Dame commit who backed off of his pledge in August and took officials to Ohio State and Alabama before committing to the Crimson Tide Dec. 12. (Photo: Denon McMillan, 247Sports) The 247Sports National Recruiter of the Year for 2023, Kelly helped Alabama secure two five-stars in the nation's top-ranked signing class before departing for Colorado to become Deion Sanders' defensive coordinator. In the short time he's been with the Buffaloes, Kelly was instrumental in helping Coach Prime flip five-star Miami commit Cormani McClain, the top-rated cornerback in the 2023 cycle. Per 247Sports director of recruiting Steve Wiltfong, the 55-year old Ozark, Alabama, native has been on the move several times in his career — the epitome of a seasoned coaching veteran, who began his career at Phenix City (Ala.) Central before taking a graduate assistant post at Alabama in 1993. He has coached everything from running backs at Jacksonville State to defensive backs at Henderson State. At the turn of the century he returned to the high school level at Eufaula High before his path took him to Nicholls State, to Georgia Tech, to Florida State to Tennessee back to Alabama and now he’s beginning latest chapter with the Buffaloes. ">247Sports

i was told this was the best or close to the best you can buy as far as booze goes. here is what i want to reveal and see if anyone agrees or disagrees. i was told by a friend buffalo trace is supposed to be the best but makes a lower scale bottle called benchmark. it is supposed to be around twenty bucks or less for a decent sized bottle. now here is the kicker and what i am curious about. my friend claims in the article that benchmark according to some taste tests that it is better than makers mark. while i doubt this is true i thought i would seek out opinions. anyone have any idea?

Auburn's streak ends as an AP ranked basketball team AUBURN, Alabama–After winning at home vs. Georgia and losing on the road to then No. 2 ranked Tennessee on Saturday, the Auburn basketball Tigers dropped out of this week’s AP Top 25 poll. Coach Bruce Pearl's Tigers also fell out of the Top 25 ranking done by the coaches. Auburn’s program longest run of being ranked, which reached 32 consecutive periods has ended. The previous longest was 30 ranking periods during the Coach Cliff Ellis Era. The Tigers, who were 25th last week, received 65 votes in the poll announced on Monday. San Diego State (18-5) is 25th this week with 96 poll points. Florida Atlantic has the next highest vote total with 93 points followed by Duke with 87 and Auburn with 65. Only two SEC teams are ranked this week. Alabama moved up one spot to third while Tennessee dropped four spots after losing at Florida and defeating Auburn on Saturday. The Tigers also dropped out of the USA Today Coaches Top 25 Poll. Last week the Tigers were 23rd in that ranking in a tie with UConn at 81 points. This week the Tigers have 43 points. Duke and Clemson are tied for 24th with 67 points. Creighton has the most votes of a team outside the Top 25 with 66 following by Florida Atlantic (61), Rutgers (56) and Auburn (43). The Tigers will return to action with a 6 p.m. CST game on Tuesday at Texas A&M, a team that defeated Auburn 79-63 on Jan. 25th. The Aggies are tied for second in the SEC with Tennessee. Auburn will be at home on Saturday for a 1 p.m. CST tipoff vs. league leader Alabama. After dropping a 46-43 decision on Saturday at Tennessee the Tigers have eight SEC regular season games remaining. Five of the opponents have winning records in league play, three have losing records and Missouri is 5-5 in SEC games. Four of the remaining games are at home with the next on Saturday vs. Alabama, a contest that will feature ESPN’s Gameday crew originating its show from Neville Arena. Auburn Basketball News & Notes: Wendell Green dropped from first to fourth among SEC players in free throw percentage at 82.6 percent. Wade Taylor of Texas A&M is the leader at 84 percent. Green, a junior point guard, is third in assists at 4.3 per contest. Sahvir Wheeler of Kentucky is the leader at 5.57. Green is tied for eighth in the league in steals with 1.74 per game...Johni Broome is second in the league in rebounds at 8.91 per game and third in blocks at 2.55 per contest...The Tigers are averaging 72.04 points per game, which ranks seventh in the SEC. Alabama is the leader at 83.13. Auburn is allowing 63.78 points per contest, which ranks third in the league behind Tennessee’s 54.57. Wendell Green looks to pass the ball for the Tigers. (Photo: Greg McWilliams, Inside the Auburn Tigers, 247Sports) Auburn is sixth in the league in field goal percentage at 44.0 and fourth in field goal defense, allowing opponents to hit 38.8 percent of their shots...The Tigers are next to last in the league in three-point accuracy at 28.8 percent. They are allowing opponents to make 26.9 percent of their threes, which is third in the league...Auburn is seventh in the SEC in rebounding margin at plus 3.22 per contest. Tennessee is the leader at plus 7.96...Auburn is eighth in the league in turnover margin, forcing 0.52 more per game than it is committing. Missouri is the league leader at 6.22. Auburn has the fifth best assist-to-turnover ration at 1.12-1. Missouri leads that category at 1.46-1. Auburn has been better in assist-to-turnover ratio in SEC games at 1.28-1. One of the reasons for that is Green is second in the league in assists per game in conference play at five per outing. He is No. 1 in steals in league play averaging 2.6 per outing. SEC Standings Alabama 10-0, 20-3 Tennessee 8-2, 19-4 Texas A&M 8-2, 16-7 Auburn 7-3, 17-6 Kentucky 7-3, 6-7 Florida 6-4, 13-10 Missouri 5-5, 17-6 Arkansas 5-5, 16-7 Georgia 4-6, 14-9 Vanderbilt 4-6, 11-12 Mississippi State 3-7, 15-8 LSU 1-9, 12-11 Ole Miss 1-9, 9-14 South Carolina 1-9, 8-15 22COMMENTS AP Top 25 Basketball Poll Coaches Top 25 Poll ">247Sports

Charles Barkley hilariously explains why he chose to go to Auburn Ethan Stone ~3 minutes Charles Barkley hilariously explained why he decided to go to Auburn back in his playing days during the ESPN broadcast of West Virginia-Auburn. Barkley’s Tigers fell in a close match to the Mountaineers, 80-77. Before the end of the game, Barkley was asked why he chose Auburn over other schools that were recruiting him. His answer? “They sucked, to be honest with you,” Barkley said, via SI. “I tell all of these kids if you want an education, you get an education anywhere. But the No. 1 thing you look at if you’re going to a school is playing time.” Barkley went on to dunk on the transfer portal, which he has shown a great distaste in recently. “With this stupid ass transfer portal we’ve got going on in America today […] you knew that quarterback or the guy was good, why would you go to the school when you know there’s a great player already there?… I was looking at Alabama, Auburn, UAB – UAB was my first choice – Then I looked at Alabama. When I went to Auburn, they weren’t very good, and I wanted to play. It turned into the best decision ever.” Barkley’s Tigers are struggling as of late. Auburn is just barely above a bubble team right now, and has trouble winning the big games this season. With the loss, Auburn falls to 16-5 on the year.

Philip Montgomery working to 'create something different' on offense for Auburn Justin Hokanson ~1 minute Philip Montgomery (Photo by Justin Hokanson/Auburn Live) Philip Montgomery brings a wealth of knowledge and on-the-field successes with him as Auburn's new offensive coordinator. But even Montgomery is a bit uncertain exactly what the Tigers' offense will look like this fall. Not because of personnel or any lack of confidence, but because Montgomery is just starting the process of marrying his offense with head coach Hugh Freeze's, as the duo work to mesh two systems that while similar, do have differences. "We both want to be up tempo. What we do formational and our thought process, breaking down defenses, those things really aligned perfectly for us," Montgomery said during assistant coach roundtable interviews last week.

Auburn football recruiting: Walker White shouts out several Tigers targets Andrew Hughes 4–6 minutes Class of 2024 Auburn football quarterback commit Walker White is taking an active role in recruiting potential future teammates Mandatory Credit: Montgomery Every Auburn football recruiting class has one enthusiastic commit who is willing to spread the word about the glory of ole Auburn — the Class of 2021 had Holden Geriner, the Class of 2022 had Damari Alston, and the Class of 2023 had Bradyn Joiner. 2024’s class clearly has its guy now too. Little Rock Christian quarterback Walker White is vocalizing to other recruits his desire to see them join him in Hugh Freeze’s first full cycle as Auburn football head coach. White tweeted about Chalkville 4-star offensive tackle Jac’qawn McRoy, Rome 4-star tight end and Alabama de-commit Martavious Collins, and 4-star Andalusia running back J’Marion Burnette in the first three days following his decision to join Freeze at AU. Auburn football recruiting will reach another level under Hugh Freeze It has been an immediate turnaround for Freeze on the recruiting trail in December 2022 and January/February 2023 since being hired in November. That he was able to land a top-20 class by Early National Signing Day was a testament to how things would change on the Plains in gridiron talent acquisition. Now, with the Class of 2024 having an anchor at quarterback, Freeze’s first full recruiting class is taking shape — and has those who’ve been invited into it excited about who else could join them. Of course, even under Bryan Harsin, guys were excited to be Auburn Tigers. The brand has the cache to make a believer out of just about anybody. The difference is that Freeze may have the juice to make it sustainable. Given his prior exodus from the SEC, Freeze is grateful for every moment he spends as Auburn football head coach. This is the perfect chance for him to become the kind of coach synonymous with his affiliation to a single team ala Nick Saban at Alabama and Dabo Swinney at Clemson. The Class of 2024 will be the first class to give us a definitive idea of whether that can happen. So far so good. Opelika-Auburn News deputy editor/Auburn football beat reporter Justin Lee weighed in on the craziness of the Jaden Rashada saga at Florida Mandatory Credit: Gainesville Sun Auburn football beat reporter chastises Florida for role in Jaden Rashada saga Auburn football beat reporter Justin Lee, the deputy editor at the Opelika-Auburn News, blames Florida for their role in the Jaden Rashada NIL saga that has led to the 4-star recruit de-committing from the Gators program to join Kenny Dillingham’s Arizona State Sun Devils. Rashada reportedly had $13 million in unfulfilled promised funds from Florida’s NIL collectives and spurned the Sunshine State to ride out with the former Auburn football offensive coordinator/quarterback whisperer Dillingham in the desert. Lee didn’t hold back in his criticism of the Gators in their role in Rashada’s unfulfilled commitment: This was the list of promises Florida failed to deliver to the Pittsburgh, California native per The Athletic (subscription required): “-$500,000 up-front payment. Payments would increase from $250,000 a month as a freshman, to $291,666.66 a month as a sophomore, to $375,000 a month as a junior, rounded out with $195,833.33 monthly payments as a senior, so long as he fulfilled the following obligations: -Residence in Gainesville, Fla. -At least one branded Twitter post and one branded Instagram post per month. -Up to 8 fan engagement events per year. These could include in-person appearances, social media engagements, video conferences or interviews. None would last longer than two hours. Autograph up to 15 pieces of merchandise per year.” Former Auburn football offensive coordinator Kenny Dillingham will be great for Jaden Rashada Rashada is likely better off in Tempe than he’d be in Gainesville. The former Auburn football/Oregon offensive coordinator Dillingham is likely to tailor his offense to a strong-armed quarterback. He brought out the best of Bo Nix’s arm talent, and Rashada has a more pass-first profile then Nix. Rashada figures to eventually take over if not in year one for Dillingham with Jayden de Laura returning in 2023. As for Florida, their quarterback recruiting woes continue in a severely rough PR stretch for the Gators over the last few months.

Dylan Cardwell’s status uncertain for Auburn ahead of trip to Texas A&M Updated: Feb. 06, 2023, 1:59 p.m.|Published: Feb. 06, 2023, 1:16 p.m. ~3 minutes Dylan Cardwell (44) during the game between the Mississippi State Bulldogs and the #21 Auburn Tigers at Neville Arena in Auburn, AL on Saturday, Jan 14, 2023. Zach Bland/Auburn TigersZach Bland/Auburn Tigers Auburn’s frontcourt could be shorthanded again when the team travels to College Station, Texas, for Tuesday night’s matchup with Texas A&M. The status of backup center Dylan Cardwell remains uncertain for the Tigers as of Monday afternoon, according to head coach Bruce Pearl. Cardwell is dealing with an undisclosed illness and did not travel with Auburn to Knoxville, Tenn., last weekend for the team’s matchup with Tennessee. Read more Auburn basketball: Auburn’s program-record streak of consecutive weeks ranked in AP poll ends K.D. Johnson “getting his mojo back” at the right time for Auburn ESPN’s College GameDay returning to Auburn for Alabama game Pearl said Monday that it’s unclear if Cardwell will be available for the Tigers’ rematch with the Aggies, which is set for 6 p.m. on ESPN2. “Even as we speak right now, don’t know,” Pearl said. “I think Dylan will be — I think he’ll be in the building. I don’t think he’ll practice today.” Cardwell is averaging 4.1 points, four rebounds, 1.3 assists and 1.6 blocks per game off the bench this season while playing behind Johni Broome. The junior is shooting 79.2 percent from the field in 14.2 minutes per game. In SEC play, Cardwell averages 2.9 points, 2.7 boards and one block per game while shooting 65 percent from the floor. In Cardwell’s absence against Tennessee, Auburn turned to freshman Yohan Traore as the backup center. Traore, who did not see the court in each of Auburn’s prior three games, played eight minutes off the bench and grabbed one rebound while missing his only shot attempt. Broome played 32 minutes -- just the second time this season he has played more than 30 minutes in a game -- and led Auburn with 11 points, nine rebounds, three blocks and a pair of steals. “This was the first week (Traore) practiced it,” power forward Jaylin Williams said. “He responded very well for a freshman to play a position you haven’t played all year and just know exactly like the plays and stuff like that and have that energy. I know him and what’s-his-name got into it a little bit, like he roughed him up a little bit. That was pretty good just to stand up for himself and us.” Tom Green is an Auburn beat reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter @Tomas_Verde.

Auburn basketball encouraged despite tough loss at Tennessee Published: Feb. 06, 2023, 2:28 p.m. 4–5 minutes The Team during the game between The Tennessee Volunteers and the #25 Auburn Tigers at Thompson-Boling Arena in Knoxville, TN on Saturday, Feb 4, 2023. Steven Leonard/Auburn TigersSteven Leonard/Auburn Tigers When the emotions settled for Auburn following the bewilderment of the controversial final sequence in its loss at Tennessee on Saturday, the Tigers looked around the visiting locker room at Thompson-Boling Arena and felt a sense of accomplishment. It’s not that Auburn found a moral victory in its 46-43 loss to then-No. 2 Tennessee, but Bruce Pearl’s team left Knoxville, Tenn., feeling better about the bigger picture—even as it was disappointed in the result against the Vols. Read more Auburn basketball: Auburn’s program-record streak of consecutive weeks ranked in AP poll ends K.D. Johnson “getting his mojo back” at the right time for Auburn ESPN’s College GameDay returning to Auburn for Alabama game “That was a tough loss, but I feel like once we were in the locker room after the game, we were upset but we were kind of like, ‘OK, if that’s the No. 2 team in the country or like sixth now, we can win,’” senior forward Jaylin Williams said. “Like, we can win more games than like these reporters and everyone believes.” Auburn came up just short in its upset bid on the road against Tennessee. The Tigers’ offense struggled against the Vols’ vaunted defense, but Auburn’s defense held its own in a hostile road environment while holding Tennessee to a season low in points — and its lowest-scoring performance since 2015 — as well as its second-worst shooting effort of the year (27 percent from the field) and its worst 3-point shooting performance since 2017 (9 percent). Auburn nearly erased a six-point deficit in the final 2 ½ minutes, holding Tennessee without a made field goal during that stretch and getting to within one with 18 seconds to play after forcing a turnover with a relentless full-court trap. Auburn had a chance to tie the game at the buzzer, but Wendell Green Jr.’s 3-point attempt caromed off the rim on the final play, which included a contentious no-call despite Tennessee’s Olivier Nkamhoua making contact with Green on the attempt and impeding on his landing space. Despite the three-point loss, Auburn was encouraged by its performance on the defensive end and its opportunity to steal a Quad 1 win on the road despite an inability to knock down shots, both open looks and contested attempts. The Tigers shot jut 23.7 percent for the game and 11. percent (3-of-27) from 3-point range, and they went an entire 20-minute stretch — half of the game — with just one made field goal: a deep 3-pointer by Green. “The open shots were still contested,” Williams said. “Tennessee was sliding around, like, both teams, the defense was incredible. But yeah, just the shots were there. They were little contested shots that we should make.” Even with the loss, which dropped Auburn out of the AP poll for the first time since the end of the 2020-21 season, the Tigers moved up in KenPom rankings (they’re currently 24th) and are 30th in NET rankings. The fight they showed on the road against one of the nation’s top teams, in a game in which the offense struggled to find any sort of rhythm, has the Tigers optimistic about the daunting road in front of them over the final month of the season. That begins with a pair of Quad 1 opportunities this week, first on Tuesday at Texas A&M (40th in NET), which snapped Auburn’s 28-game home winning streak two weeks ago, then Saturday at home against third-ranked Alabama (No. 3 in NET). “Well, if you love the grind, which I do,” Pearl said, “then you love the position that you’re in right now.” Tom Green is an Auburn beat reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter @Tomas_Verde. If you purchase a product or register for an account through one of

247sports.com Jason Caldwell's Monday morning quarterback column Jason Caldwell 4–5 minutes Huge week of recruiting Signing day came and went without much fanfare regarding class of 2023 football prospects on Wednesday with the exception of Jeremiah Cobb becoming official, but that didn’t mean there wasn’t recruiting news for the Auburn Tigers last week and it came in both football and basketball. On National Signing Day, Auburn added key pieces to both the 2024 and 2025 classes when Anniston DB Jayden Lewis and Opelika DL Malik Autry both committed to the Tigers. Those were direct results of the recent junior day experiences with both prospects saying that day really pushed them over the top and made them ready to make their commitments. It wasn’t a junior day that made the difference for 4-star 2024 quarterback Walker White, but visits played a huge part in his decision. He wasn’t even on Auburn’s radar until Hugh Freeze and his staff took over, but that very, very quickly changed once they got to the Plains. The first thing that had to happen was showing White how important he was in their plans. That happened on the first day of the evaluation period when Freeze was the first coach to darken the door at Little Rock Christian Academy. The next step and the thing that truly made the difference with White was his unofficial visit when he came to Auburn on January 16. With the entire staff involved in his visit, White definitely felt the love and it paid off when the Tigers got their quarterback early in the 2024 class. Game on. Speaking of game on, that’s what Bruce Pearl and his staff said last week as well. That started by getting 5-star point guard Tahaad Pettiford before adding the top player in Alabama, combo guard Labaron Philon, on Friday. Already with 4-star guard Aden Holloway in the 2023 class, Pearl and the Tigers are looking at elite back-to-back guards in two classes. That’s a huge key at any level, but especially in college basketball. Speaking of elite, he’s still going to get bigger, stronger and more skilled with still another year of high school ball left, but Philon has the potential to be a prolific scorer early in his career. Find a way That’s the goal for Pearl and the current Tigers at the moment following a 46-43 loss at Tennessee that featured one of the worst shooting performances in Auburn basketball history. Even with that, this team almost pulled out the win because of elite defensive effort against a very good team on its home court. That was the first opportunity in a loaded second half of the SEC schedule for a team that is going to have to find ways to win. Opportunities don’t get much bigger than this week when the Tigers face Texas A&M on the road before Alabama comes to Neville Arena on Saturday with ESPN’s College Gameday in attendance. Currently No. 30 in the NET rankings, Auburn faces the No. 41 Aggies in a true road game on Tuesday night with a chance to get what would be its best win of the season to this point. Saturday brings in the No. 3 NET team in Alabama. With home games against Missouri and Ole Miss coming up after Alabama sandwiched around a trip to Vanderbilt, Auburn has a chance to build momentum, but that means winning at least one of two this week. Win both and all of the sudden this season takes on a much different feel. 11COMMENTS That three-game stretch of Missouri, Vanderbilt and Ole Miss is going to be important for another reason because after that the Tigers have back-to-back road games against Kentucky and Alabama before finishing the season at home against the Vols. The good news is that this team has plenty of opportunities left to strengthen the NET heading into the postseason. There is no better time than now to start taking advantage of some of them. ">247Sports

si.com Auburn football newcomers receive numbers for 2023 season Lance Dawe ~2 minutes Auburn's 2023 class is starting to receive their numbers for the upcoming season. Nine of the Tigers' 21 freshmen recruits have already received their number while all 12 transfer portal additions have theirs. Here's a look at the entire class, with the players who have their numbers already selected in bold. Recruits Keldric Faluk (DL) - No. 15 Kayin Lee (CB) - No. 3 Jeremiah Cobb (RB) - N/A Darron Reed (DL) - N/A Sylvester Smith (S) - N/A Terrance Love (S) - N/A Tyler Scott (CB) - N/A Colton Hood (CB) - N/A Wilky Denaud (DL) - No. 52 Connor Lew (OL) - No. 75 Clay Wedin (OL) - No. 76 Izavion Miller (OT) - No. 72 Daquayvious Sorey (WR) - N/A Bradyn Joiner (OL) - No. 55 Tyler Johnson (OT) - N/A CJ Johnson (S) - N/A JC Hart (CB) - N/A Brenton Williams (EDGE) - No. 22 Stephen Johnson (DL) - No. 56 Hank Brown (QB) - N/A Transfers Austin Keys (LB) - No. 12 Justin Rogers (DL) - No. 97 Avery Jones (OL) - No. 66 Brian Battie (RB) - No. 21 Nick Mardner (WR) - No. 8 DeMario Tolan (LB) - No. 0 Lawrence Johnson (DL) - No. 92 Mosiah Nasili-Kite (DL) - No. 33 Gunner Britton (OT) - No. 53 Dillon Wade (OT) - No. 52 Elijah McAllister (EDGE) - No. 11 Rivaldo Fairweather (TE) - No. 13

Return of James, Pritchett creates 'foundation' for packed Auburn secondary Nathan King 6–7 minutes Auburn’s 2023 secondary looks to be the best position group on the roster, and it’s not only a loaded room on the field. Zac Etheridge was retained by Hugh Freeze to now enter his third season on Auburn’s staff, and a familiar, veteran face was also added to the fray: Wesley McGriff, who’s now in his third stint with the Tigers, most recently from 2019-20. And the meshing of the two highly successful secondary coaches is made a lot simpler by the decisions of Auburn’s top two cornerbacks to return to school. D.J. James and Nehemiah Pritchett both opted to spurn the NFL draft and play another season at Auburn, giving the Tigers not only their starting cornerbacks back, but two of the top overall players on the defense. Their decisions underscore the returning experience of Auburn’s secondary, which, at the moment, has lost zero of the 11 players who appeared in a game in 2022. “I mean, it's been obviously huge to us because the leadership back should be a great experience,” Etheridge said last week. “But having those two guys back help us on the outside. But not only that, with a lot of young guys coming in, they can be the foundation to be able to teach them, to educate them, to show you notes on what it takes to play in the SEC at a high level.” Both corners were projected to be selected in the NFL draft, and both received Senior Bowl invites. But once that entry to the draft process was turned down, Etheridge knew he’d have a chance to bring them back in 2023. “It was an ongoing thing,” Etheridge said. “At the end of the year, we had a conversation with those guys. Obviously they created a lot of value for themselves (in the NFL draft) with their play and what they did on the field.” An Oregon transfer last offseason, James emerged as the Tigers' No. 1 cornerback a few games into the year, and began emerging as a lockdown cover corner. James had the No. 2 pure coverage grade during SEC cornerbacks during the regular season, per Pro Football Focus, and his 40.7 percent reception rate (only 24 catches allowed on 59 targets) was tops in the conference. Pritchett, an in-state product from the Mobile area, started all 12 games alongside James, and led the team in pass breakups, solidifying a spot at cornerback after playing some nickel in 2021. Safeties Zion Puckett, Donovan Kaufman, Cayden Bridges, Caleb Wooden, Marquise Gilbert and Craig McDonald, hybrid Jaylin Simpson, nickel Keionte Scott and backup corner J.D. Rhym are all returning, as well, from a secondary that was arguably the most consistent aspect of Auburn’s 2022 defense, finishing the year in the top half of the conference in yards per attempt allowed, opposing completion percentage and opposing quarterback rating. Etheridge knows that kind of mass retention is rare in the transfer portal era, and he hopes it speaks to the kind of coaching he’s offered — on and offf the field — over the past two seasons. “Obviously the way that they've been treated, they feel good about the way I've been able to pour into their life and not jump ship,” Etheridge said. ‘So it's a blessing to have 'em all back. And then I'm excited to see the competition because everybody gets a clean slate. We got a new defense going in, so I’m just excited to watch all those guys compete for certain jobs.” There are plenty of talented youngsters entering the mix in 2023, too, along with players who didn’t see the field last season. That includes redshirt freshman cornerback Austin Ausberry, plus 2023 enrollees Kayin Lee, Sylvester Smith, Terrance Love, Tyler Scott, Colton Hood, CJ Johnson and JC Hart. Overall, the secondary has 19 scholarship players on the roster, including all returning contributors from last season, and four former 4-star recruits who have yet to see the field. It’s a massive room for one coach to handle, though Etheridge did so on his own last season. In 2023, he’s joined by McGriff, who will focus on the cornerbacks, while Etheridge’s responsibilities are technically with the safeties and nickels. Both coaches said duties will cross over often, though, and that Freeze is entrusting them to work as one. “If guys are going to play together on the back end as one, then the communication starts in the meeting room,” McGriff said. Previously hired by Freeze as the co-defensive coordinator and defensive backs coach at Ole Miss in 2017, McGriff is one of the most experienced defensive backs coaches in college football, touting jobs at six different Power Five schools since 2001, plus three years in the NFL. And have key pieces like James and Pritchett to lean on, he said, is massive for the growth and potential of a secondary. “That’s one thing you look for is returning veterans,” McGriff said. “That’s when you can say, ‘Hey, man, you don’t know that much.’ It’s good to have those veterans coming back. The thing you have to do, which I’ve found in my experience, is even though you have returning veterans, you have to coach them like they’re not. Because when you’re away from the game, the small details that matter, they can get away. “Embrace them like they’re veterans but don’t coach them like they’re veterans, or you might miss the small details.” Both James and Pritchett will be highly capable of becoming Auburn’s next cornerbacks to find NFL draft success; most recently with Roger McCreary going top 35 overall last year, the Tigers have had five cornerbacks drafted since 2017, including players like Carlton Davis, Jamel Dean and Noah Igbinoghene, all of whom McGriff coached at Auburn. “That’s what a place like Auburn is all about — you attract guys who have the skill set and the mindset to play at the highest level,” McGriff said. 1COMMENTS

Auburn basketball vs. Texas A&M: Our scouting report, score prediction 4–5 minutes AUBURN — After Gonzaga lost at home to Loyola Marymount on Jan. 19, Auburn basketball held the longest active home winning streak in the nation. Less than a week later, Texas A&M gave the Tigers a 16-point loss on the Neville Arena floor. Now, it's time to see if Auburn can return the favor. The Tigers travel to College Station for a matchup with the Aggies in Reed Arena on Tuesday (6 p.m. CT, ESPN2). Auburn (17-6, 7-3 SEC) is coming off a gut-wrenching loss at Tennessee on Saturday that came down to the final shot and a controversial no-call. Texas A&M (16-7, 8-2) comes into the game after beating Georgia at home, 82-57. With the win over the Bulldogs, the Aggies improved to 11-1 at home. They've won three of their past five, with the losses coming at Kentucky on Jan. 21 and at Arkansas on Jan. 31. Texas A&M had won seven straight before getting beaten by the Wildcats. Here's a scouting report for Tuesday's game, and our score prediction. MOVING FORWARD:Why Auburn basketball losing to Tennessee was the 'most disappointing loss of the year' NEXT GAME:ESPN's 'College GameDay' to return to the Plains for Auburn basketball vs. Alabama RECRUITING:5-star PG Tahaad Pettiford commits to Bruce Pearl, Auburn basketball Defending Texas A&M's backcourt With the exception of the game against Tennessee, all of Auburn's losses this season have featured an opposing guard scoring at least 26 points. Against the Aggies, it was senior guard Tyrese Radford, who lit the Tigers up to the tune of 30 points thanks to strong perimeter shooting (3-for-7 on 3-pointers) and actively probing the defense, getting to the free-throw line 12 times and making 11. Sophomore Wade Taylor IV put up 15 points and connected on three 3-pointers. It was an uncharacteristic performance from beyond the 3-point arc for the Aggies, who came into the Jan. 25 matchup shooting only 31.6% from long range. They made six of their 11 3-point attempts in the opening 20 minutes, which allowed their lead to balloon to 15 points by halftime. Feast or famine Auburn's offensive performances in the past two games have been polar opposites. The Tigers scored a season-high 94 points in a thrashing of Georgia on Feb. 1. Four players had 13 or more points, and Johni Broome had a double-double by halftime. Against the Vols three days later, however, the Tigers tied their season low for points in a game with 43. Auburn's offense usually goes as far as Broome and Wendell Green Jr. can take it. That duo shot 30% against Tennessee, but coach Bruce Pearl said postgame he should've gotten his big man more touches. Regardless, the Tigers need that pairing to excel. K.D. Johnson's stretch For the third consecutive game, junior guard K.D. Johnson scored in double figures. He dropped 10 against the Vols and converted on six of his eight free-throw attempts. His emergence has helped Auburn crush Georgia and go the distance with Tennessee and West Virginia on Jan. 28. "K.D. is a great athlete," Pearl said after the loss to the Vols. "When you're playing the best teams on your schedule, you need his athleticism and his experience. His effort and his attitude have been really consistent. He's really, really trying, and that's great at this time of the year because he's definitely turning it on." Score prediction Auburn 79, Texas A&M 75: Green and Broome lead the Tigers to a bounce-back offensive performance against the Aggies. Auburn picks up an important win over one of the SEC's top teams before welcoming Alabama to Neville Arena on Feb. 11. 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.

Joseph Goodman: Can’t ignore obvious with Auburn basketball Updated: Feb. 05, 2023, 11:21 a.m.|Published: Feb. 05, 2023, 7:28 a.m. 6–8 minutes It appears like Auburn’s time among the top 25 teams in college basketball might be coming to an end. At 32 straight weeks as a ranked team, it has been a program-altering run. With Bruce Pearl as its coach, Auburn men’s basketball has established itself as one of the premier programs in the SEC and the country. The streak included Jabari Smith and Walker Kessler, the glorious rise of deep-fried memes, a new name for the arena and the addition of The Jungle to the short list of best atmospheres in college basketball. Rankings don’t mean anything in college basketball? It’s all a matter of perspective. This current Auburn team has its limitations, but it’s a tough group that no team will want to face in the NCAA Tournament. And if Auburn remains in the AP Top 25 another week after its 46-43 loss to No.2 Tennessee on Saturday, then we’ll all know what America’s sportswriters thought about that non-call at the end of the game. RELATED: Auburn’s Chance Westry could redshirt this season RELATED: Auburn lands top basketball recruit First Virginia in the Final Four and now this? Auburn trailed by six with 30 seconds to play when Tigers guard Wendell Green Jr. drilled a three-pointer to make it 44-41. Suddenly, after looking like week-old donuts on offense for most of the game, Auburn was blinking “Fresh Hot Now” like Krispy Kreme. A steal and a tip-in by Auburn’s Johni Broome made it a one-point game after that, and so it came down to the final seconds. Green elevated from the wing. Green was tackled by Tennessee’s Olivier Nkamhoua. Green missed. Game over. OK, it wasn’t exactly a tackle, but that amount of contact is definitely getting a flag in football for running into the kicker. SEC basketball officials have tough jobs, but the league should probably reach out to Pearl and apologize for that one. The Tigers battled for 40 minutes, and it came down to Nkamhoua’s tired legs carrying into Green on the final shot of the game. It was a foul. Everyone in the building knew it. I’m not saying Auburn lost the game because of that one controversial play, but if Tennessee is down three at home in that scenario then the correct call probably would have been made. Are some losses better than others in the eyes of the NCAA Tournament selection committee? Absolutely, and the loss by Auburn to Tennessee was a perfect example. Playing ugly is Auburn’s game this season, and the Tigers were there at the end against the No.2-team in the country. Let’s not ignore the obvious, though. Auburn (17-6, 7-3 in the SEC) is going to need someone to make a couple shots over the next couple weeks for this team to feel comfortable about an at-large bid going into the SEC tournament. Auburn is currently ranked No.30 in NET, and that’s great, but the schedule is about to get tough. The Tigers are at Texas A&M on Tuesday (6 p.m.) and then host Alabama on Saturday (1 p.m.) in Neville Arena’s game of the season. Auburn is 13th in the SEC in three-point shooting percentage at 28.8 percent. That wouldn’t even be a great batting average in baseball. Against Tennessee, the Tigers were 3 of 27 from distance. The officials can’t be blamed for Auburn’s poor aim. In defense of that non-call, once you’ve seen 43 missed three-pointers in a game then they probably all start to look the same. Tennessee was 2 of 21 from beyond the arc. OATS KEEPING FOCUS Alabama coach Nate Oats scored a hefty contract extension on Friday, and then his team delivered win No.20 of the season on Saturday with a 79-69 victory against LSU. In so many ways, it has been a month like no other for Alabama basketball. Former Alabama basketball player Darius Miles was charged with capital murder on Jan.15 after the shooting death in Tuscaloosa of 23-year-old Jamea Harris. Since that tragic day, Alabama has gone 5-1 and remained among the best teams in the country. The one loss was to Oklahoma, and Oats acknowledged then that the emotions of everything have been weighing on his team. Alabama followed up the loss in Norman, Oklahoma, with a historic 101-44 victory against Vanderbilt. RELATED: Oats says more money needed for new arena The Crimson Tide has now won at least 20 games in two of Oats’ first four seasons at Alabama. Alabama won 19 games last season, and had 26 victories on the way to the Sweet 16 in 2021. Over an eight-year college career, Oats has reached the 20-win mark five times over eight seasons. He was named SEC coach of the year in 2021, and that award means a little more because it was during the pandemic. For all the disruptions the pandemic presented for coaches, those challenges don’t compare to what Alabama has faced this season. Next up for Alabama is a Wednesday night home game against Florida (8 p.m.) before that big trip to Auburn on Saturday. (1 p.m.) BLAZERS FINDING BALANCE After struggling without Jordan Walker for five games, UAB delivered its best victory of the season on Thursday when it knocked off No.19 FAU 86-77 at Bartow Arena. Walker missed time after spraining his ankle at the end of UAB’s loss to Western Kentucky on Jan.11. The Blazers went 3-2 without Walker, losing back-to-back games to Middle Tennessee State and North Texas. Credit goes to coach Andy Kennedy for using the time with Walker out of the lineup to develop guard Eric Gaines. An at-large bid is out of the question for UAB (17-7, 8-5 in CUSA), but hopefully the injury to Walker has helped UAB find some balance going into the final month of the regular season. Gaines led UAB with 21 points against FAU, and four Blazers finished with 12 points in Saturday’s 76-72 home win against FIU. UAB is at North Texas on Thursday (7 p.m.) and plays MTSU at home on Saturday (3 p.m.). WHAT I’M WATCHING Keep an eye on Samford this week. The Bulldogs (16-9, 10-2 in the SoCon) are at Mercer on Wednesday (6 p.m.) and then at home against The Citadel on Saturday (2 p.m.). Samford is currently tied with Furman atop the SoCon standings, but the Paladins hold the tie-breaker after their 91-84 overtime victory against Samford on Jan.25. Samford ends the regular season with a home game against Furman on Feb.25 (2 p.m.). The regular-season conference crown could come down to that game. Joseph Goodman is the lead sports columnist for the Alabama Media Group, and author of “We Want Bama: A season of hope and the making of Nick Saban’s ‘ultimate team’”. You can find him on Twitter @JoeGoodmanJr.

Auburn’s K.D. Johnson ‘getting his mojo back’ at just the right time Published: Feb. 05, 2023, 10:21 a.m. 6–8 minutes Before Auburn traveled to Tennessee this weekend for a top-25 showdown at Thompson-Boling Arena, there was a moment during the second half of Wednesday’s blowout of Georgia that brought some familiar flare back to the Tigers. K.D. Johnson hit a step-back fadeaway from the baseline, just in front of Auburn’s bench just before the under-12 media timeout. As the shot dropped through the net, Johnson leaned back and turned toward his teammates with a swaggering snarl. Read more Auburn basketball: ESPN’s College GameDay returning to Auburn for Alabama game Auburn lands state’s top player in 2024 class, four-star combo guard Labaron Philon Goodman: Can’t ignore the obvious with Auburn basketball It was one of those expressions and moments that became mainstays of Johnson’s first season on the Plains last year but have seemingly been rarer this season as Johnson has endured his share of struggles on the offensive end. Now, with Auburn embarked on the back half of its grueling SEC slate, the scowls are returning — as is Johnson’s offensive burst. Johnson registered his third straight game in double figures on Saturday, finishing with 10 points off the bench in No. 25 Auburn’s 46-43 slugfest against No. 2 Tennessee. He was one of two Tigers to score in double figures, along with Johni Broome, who had a team-high 11 points. It also marked just the second time this season Johnson has posted three straight games of at least 10 points and the first time he did so in SEC play. “He’s getting his mojo back a little bit,” forward Jaylin Williams said earlier this week. “That’s the K.D. we need to win.” Johnson’s recent run of improved play started with last week’s loss at West Virginia in the Big 12/SEC Challenge. He finished with 10 points, three rebounds and three steals off the bench, as he posted his first double-digit scoring game since Dec. 10 against Memphis in Atlanta. That ended a stretch of 10 straight games — one-third of the regular season — in which Johnson struggled to crack double figures, averaging five points per game on 27.1 percent shooting during that stretch. He followed it up with 13 points (on 4-of-7 shooting) and two steals off the bench in Auburn’s 21-point rout of Georgia, Johnson’s former team. He was one of four Tigers in double figures on the night, and 11 of his 13 points came in the second half. “Well, his effort and energy are better, focus is better,” Auburn coach Bruce Pearl said after that game. “He’s making plays defensively; he had three steals at West Virginia and one tonight. He was better on the offensive end, and I think it definitely translates.” Johnson’s latest solid performance was in Saturday’s loss at Tennessee, as he provided some offensive punch on an afternoon when scoring was at a premium, with both the Tigers and Vols turning in their worst offensive performances of the season, albeit largely due to the teams’ tenacious efforts on the defensive end. Johnson’s 10 points came on just 2-of-6 shooting, but he was aggressive in attacking the rim and finished 6-of-8 from the free-throw line. After Auburn fell behind by eight with 5:25 to play—a seemingly insurmountable deficit at that point, considering how little both offenses were able to muster—Johnson led the charge for the Tigers in their late-game rally. He got a layup with five minutes left to cut it to six, and on the next trip down the court, he drew a foul on Zakai Zeigler and made both free throws to make it a four-point lead. That was followed by a defensive rebound off a missed Tennessee 3-point attempt on the next trip down the floor, as the Vols went cold down the stretch. Auburn got within one on a tip-in by Broome with 18 seconds left, but the Tigers’ upset bid fell short at the buzzer, when Wendell Green Jr. missed an attempted game-tying 3-pointer on a controversial final play that included a no-call from officials despite considerable contact by Tennessee’s Olivier Nkamhoua. Despite the loss, Johnson’s effort helped provide Auburn a chance at its biggest win of the season, and his recent resurgence has been a welcome sign for the Tigers at this point of the season. The mercurial two-guard was Auburn’s second-leading scorer behind Jabari Smith last season, averaging 12.3 points per game in a starting role. He has struggled to find his rhythm this year while adapting to a sixth-man role as a junior, shooting just 35.2 percent from the field — and 25.7 percent from beyond the arc — while averaging 8.2 points per game. “I’ve been playing a little sluggish for the team, and for us to be great as a whole, I have to be along with the team,” Johnson said after the Georgia game. Johnson had just one stretch of consecutive games in single-digit scoring last season (a three-game stretch against Murray State, LSU and South Carolina), and he scored at least 10 points in 24 games, including a nine-game stretch in SEC play and five of the Tigers’ final six games of the 2021-22 season. This year, he had a promising run during nonconference play, when he averaged 13.3 points over a six-game stretch, but he has otherwise had trouble scoring at the rate he did last season. That is, until the last three games. Pearl said he saw a chance in Johnson during practice the week of the West Virginia game. Something clicked. Senior wing Allen Flanigan noted Johnson was hustling more, beating defenders off the dribble like he so often did last season. He was more focused defensively, and his shots were starting to fall. “(He’s) just doing the things he is capable of doing,” Flanigan said. “He has been practicing hard, practicing the right way. The practices lead over to the game. The good he has been doing in practice shows in the game.” And just like that, some of that swagger has started to return for Johnson — and at a crucial point of the season for Auburn, which can use any added oomph it can find on offense as the postseason approaches. “K.D.’s a great athlete,” Pearl said Saturday. “When you play the best teams on your schedule, you need his athleticism and his experience. His effort and his attitude have been really consistent. He’s really, really trying—and that’s great at this time of the year, because he’s definitely turning it on.” Tom Green is an Auburn beat reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter @Tomas_Verde.