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Will Robby Ashford get the Malik Willis treatment from Hugh Freeze? A breakdown of what that’d look like Connor O'Gara 9–11 minutes The similarities are there. Robby Ashford has plenty in common with a young Malik Willis. That’s Willis, AKA the guy who left Auburn after he was a third-string quarterback, but joined forces with Hugh Freeze at Liberty and became one of the top quarterback prospects in the 2022 NFL Draft. Now, there’s hope that Ashford can be the second coming of Willis. Well, let’s rephrase that a bit. There’s hope that with the similarities Ashford and Willis share, Freeze can get the most out of the returning Auburn starter. Spend any time watching both and you can see the strengths. Both are physically gifted runners within the script and off-script. As guys built like modern outside linebackers, they can extend drives with their legs and because they have strong arms, ideally, you can’t just load the box and assume the offense will be entirely 1-dimensional. Of course, the knock on Willis in his early Liberty days is exactly the knock that Ashford currently has — accuracy. In his first season as an FBS starter, Ashford failed to complete 50% of his passes. He only had 2 games with 170 passing yards for an Auburn offense that struggled to protect the quarterback and lacked receiver depth. At the same time, he also added 710 rushing yards, nearly half of which came in the final 4 games with Cadillac Williams as the head coach. In that stretch, Auburn averaged 28.5 points per game, which was a significant uptick from the 22.9 points that Auburn averaged under Bryan Harsin in the first 8 games. The question isn’t whether Ashford has skills to make plays in the SEC. It’s whether he can improve his weaknesses enough to be Freeze’s starter and turn into a true dual-threat quarterback instead of just an elite runner who can occasionally flash potential with his arm. Part of that will be physical, and part of that will be mental. When Willis went on an official visit to Liberty in 2019, he spent 3 days talking ball with Freeze. Instead of talking about life on campus, they drew up plays on the white board. Freeze wanted to test Willis’ understanding of his offensive philosophy. What does he see on this read? What happens if a defense comes out in this coverage? To Freeze’s delight, Willis was a quick learner. “I kinda knew when he was on his official visit that I could really coach this kid,” Freeze told SDS about Willis back in 2020. “I think I can be hard on him, I think I can be demanding on him and he wants to please.” That’s one of the things that Willis grew to appreciate with Freeze. There was more of an expectation that the offense would take what was being given instead of forcing the run scheme like he experienced in Gus Malzahn’s offense at Auburn. Where Willis’ and Ashford’s situations differ is the urgency. Due to previous NCAA transfer rules, Willis had to sit out his first season at Liberty in 2019. His waiver for immediate eligibility was denied by the NCAA, so he ran scout team and learned the Freeze offense inside and out that year. By the time Willis took over and looked the part in that first month of the 2020 season, Freeze called his decision-making strides “monumental.” Instead of going back to the drawing board after a frustrating throwing day like Louisiana-Monroe in which Willis only completed 38% of his passes for 6.1 yards per attempt, Freeze was encouraged by an off-the-charts decision-making grade. Unless Freeze lands a transfer quarterback — pursuits of Coastal Carolina quarterback Grayson McCall and former Oklahoma State quarterback Spencer Sanders fell through — the expectation is that the job will be Ashford’s to lose in 2023. He likely won’t get a redshirt year to master Freeze’s offense. But given Ashford’s career path, live reps are crucial at this stage of his development with 3 years of eligibility left (2020 didn’t count against anyone’s eligibility for the COVID year and 2021 was a redshirt year). “Robby’s got the tools. Robby’s got the abilities,” SEC Network analyst and former Auburn center Cole Cubelic told SDS. “The thing that a lot of folks either don’t know or didn’t look at or didn’t pay attention to was how little football he played going into last spring … he hasn’t just been a quarterback in awhile. He missed a lot of time his senior year at Hoover (Ala.). He hasn’t just been healthy for an entire year to say, ‘OK, this is yours. Go out and get better. Take all of these reps.’ “There are parts of his game that Hugh sees and probably says, ‘If we can refine that, and we can get a little more consistent here and there, we can probably work with some of this.'” That’s certainly worth remembering with Ashford. He didn’t play a snap in his first 2 years at Oregon, where he also played baseball. His 2022 spring at Auburn was his first time getting legitimate offseason quarterback reps. It’s one of the reasons why Ashford looked like a guy who didn’t work through a ton of progressions. According to CFB Film Room, no Power 5 quarterback threw a higher percentage of their throws on the move than Ashford at 37.9%. Heisman Trophy winner and ESPN analyst Robert Griffin III called Ashford’s first career start against Mizzou and raved about his potential, but added a blunt assessment about where he was at in his development at the time. “When I was a freshman, I was like Robby. I wasn’t a 1-read guy. I was a half-read guy. That’s what Robby is right now,” Griffin told SDS in October. “He drops back and it’s like he’s out of the pocket. That’s what I was, but I was a very dynamic runner. Robby’s a little bigger and stronger than I was when I came through as a freshman, but I was faster, so I got away with more. Watching him throw the football, he’s definitely got the potential if he can get the coach who can really develop him as a passer like I had with Art Briles and Philip Montgomery, then I think he can turn into something extremely special.” Little did Griffin know in October that Montgomery would become Ashford’s next offensive coordinator. Prophetic? For sure. But as for the other part of Griffin’s proclamation — Ashford becoming something extremely special — he’s still going to need help. Willis never really got the big, physical jump-ball receiver on the outside. CJ Daniels was the closest to that. He was instead surrounded by quicker targets who could make people miss after the catch. A pivotal part of Ashford’s development is going to be finding the right targets, which remains a question for a team with just 2 receivers back who had 300 yards in 2022. “Receiver is the position I’m concerned about,” Cubelic said. “A quarterback like Robby Ashford who’s looking to take the next step, who is going to make mistakes, and he’s going to be inaccurate at times, you would hope that he has a couple of guys who are erasers, guys who can make him right sometimes when he’s not. I just don’t know how many of those guys Auburn has right now … I’m surprised they haven’t attacked that position a little more in the portal.” Cubelic continued. “You can find those guys (in the portal) Look at Juice Wells. I think he’s the best receiver coming back in the SEC and (South Carolina) got him from James Madison,” Cubelic said. “Auburn’s gotta find a guy or 2 that can just go out and make you right a lot of the time. That would be a massive step in helping Robby become one of the quarterbacks in the top half of the SEC.” That’s the hope for the Alabama native. His progression will have a major say in whether Auburn can bounce back in Year 1 under Freeze. In Willis’ first season as a starter with Freeze at Liberty, who made the jump to FBS in 2018, he helped the program to a No. 17 ranking in the final AP Top 25. Willis became such a difference-maker under Freeze that Coastal Carolina coach Jamey Chadwell told SDS that his team would’ve beaten Liberty by 2 touchdowns in the Cure Bowl if not for the brilliance of the Flames’ quarterback. Willis might not be a fair bar for Ashford to live up to, but it’s ironic that at this time last year, there was an assumption that he was also the third-string quarterback at Auburn. Of course, Ashford stayed at Auburn and became QB1. But perhaps like with Willis, it’ll be Freeze’s guidance that’ll play a key role in Ashford soaring past his perceived ceiling. The similarities are there. Maybe soon, so too will be the Freeze bump.

Davis says opportunity to coach at his alma mater a pleasant surprise Mark Murphy 4–5 minutes AUBURN, Alabama–One of the more productive receivers to play for the Auburn football Tigers in the last decade, Marcus Davis is off to a strong start in his career as a college coach, something that got the attention of Hugh Freeze. Davis was the Tigers’ new head coach’s choice to direct the wide receivers and the former Tiger receiver said he appreciates the opportunity. Asked if he thought that he would have the chance to be coaching receivers at his alma mater, Davis said, “I never did. I am glad to be back, to say the very least. It is a dream come true. That is why you want to do right by it and make the best of it. Just get it done.” A four-year letterman for the Tigers from 2013-2016, who started the BCS National Championship Game vs. Florida State, Davis played in 50 games for the Tigers. He caught 83 passes and finished eighth in AU punt return career average when he graduated. After having major success coaching receivers at the University of Hawaii, Davis took a job doing the same thing at Georgia Southern last season and was impressive enough in that role to be hired by Freeze. Davis also received thumbs up reviews from Auburn staff members who had previously worked with Davis. “The place is special, it truly is,” Davis said. “You get more of an appreciation when you leave. Then you come back, it is special. It’s not just words, it is a feeling. That is the biggest thing I would say.” During winter workouts and spring practice, Davis will get a much better idea about the strengths and weaknesses for the players he will be working with for the 2023 season. “We have been on the road a lot so we haven’t gotten much into that so that's really exciting for me right now as we get back and get settled, learn more about the guys, learn more about the skill sets they have and go from there.” The Tigers are scheduled to begin spring drills on February 27th. The staff has been so focused on recruiting this is the first week the focus has shifted on preparation for spring practice. Marcus Davis is shown in action for the Tigers. (Photo: Troy Taormina, USA TODAY Sports) Freeze and his staff managed to salvage the recruiting class, which is ranked 17th by 247Sports. The recruiting ranking for transfer portal additions is No. 3 in the country. “It's amazing,” Davis said of the roster repair done in such a short period. “That's a testament to Coach Freeze. That's the standard, and you know, that's the people in this building as well. We have a bunch of relentless people that are eager to make this place the best we could. That's the part with Coach Freeze, and it's a trickle-down effect to everyone on staff.” Davis noted that his college head coach, Gus Malzahn, accurately predicted what the former wide receiver would be doing after graduation. “I remember as a player, Coach Malzahn told me I was going to be a coach,” Davis said. “I didn't believe it at the time because you are just so focused on the process of being the best player you can be. 6COMMENTS “When I took the time to look back on things, now that I'm sitting where I am now, I see exactly what he was saying. I am glad I chose this career. It's been good, and the best part about it is you get to pour into younger guys who have similar goals to what you have.” *** Subscribe: Receive the latest Auburn intel and scoops*** ">247Sports

Etheridge says 'buying into culture' important for Auburn's football players Mark Murphy 4–5 minutes AUBURN, Alabama–As one of the two holdovers on Auburn’s on the field staff who are coaching for their alma mater, Zac Etheridge has helped Hugh Freeze get up to speed on returning players and AU football in general. Etheridge, who works with the defensive backs, said that Auburn’s new head coach has been soaking up information about “everything” regarding the program. Freeze noted that the input from Etheridge and Carnell "Cadillac" Williams, who is the associate head coach and the running backs coach, has been valuable. “I lean on Cadillac quite a bit, and Zac,” Freeze points out. “There are a lot of things that we are sitting in a staff meeting, ‘Was this a big issue last year?’ And I wouldn’t know that without knowing these guys.” Freeze added that their input, plus input from others in support roles who were with the Tigers last season, is “valuable to me.” Freeze took over as head coach of the Tigers in December, making the move from Liberty University. He coached against Auburn teams while at Ole Miss and has a daughter who is an AU graduate so when he went to work on his new job he had a general idea about what to expect. “I think Auburn is built on families, on the things that we love and the work, hard work,” Etheridge said. “(We) really have just been talking to him about things that we did in the past–the roster management, the guys that we have on the team, just recruiting footprints on what are hotspots for Auburn.” Etheridge noted that he and Williams have been a “sounding board that he can bounce ideas off of things that the players didn't like, they did like, what can we implement to make sure we do things better.” The defensive backs coach said he has given Freeze and the other new coaches information to help the players “buy into the culture fast,” which he noted is important. “Once they buy in, we feel like we can do some big things and that is the biggest thing nowadays is getting all these guys to buy into a team and not be so individual. “It has been good just to be able to talk to him on planes and in the car, and just going up and down the road, talking about the Auburn family, the community and everything that goes on with the program," Etheridge added. Etheridge will share coaching duties in the secondary with Wesley McGriff, whose primary focus will be the cornerbacks. Etheridge’s primary focus is the safeties and nickels, but both men say each will coach all aspects of secondary play this season. The pair will take over a secondary group that returns plenty of starting experience, experienced depth and newcomers who will be pushing to play. The players are going through winter workouts prior to the start of spring practice on Feb. 27th. “I think the biggest thing for the players at this point is they are anxious,” Etheridge said. “I mean, it's a new staff, they all want to know where they fit, where they fit for this style. I mean, Cadillac and I, we are familiar with all the guys, but at the same time it’s like they are excited about what's coming, what we are doing, and they have been enjoying the weight program. You hear all the feedback of what's been going on.” 4COMMENTS Etheridge noted that he is excited to see the defensive backs compete in spring drills. “I am ready to get with them. We have been on the road, we have been away from them, we haven’t had the chance to sit down and talk to them all so they want to get to know us, they want to get to know the coaching style. Most of them know me, but a lot of new guys, transfer-wise, that don't know me, they will get a chance to know me.” *** Subscribe: Receive the latest Auburn intel and scoops***

Suspected Chinese Spy Balloons Crossed Into U.S. 3 Times During Trump Administration Mary Papenfuss ~3 minutes Suspected spy balloons from China crossed into the continental United States at least three times while Donald Trump was president, according to a statement Saturday by the Department of Defense citing an unnamed “senior defense official.” “Chinese balloons briefly transited the continental United States at least three times during the prior administration,” the statement said. The Associated Press also reported that one other balloon crossed into the U.S. earlier in the Biden administration. None of those four incursions reportedly lasted as long as the trip by the suspected spy balloon that the U.S. military shot down Saturday. And none of the other balloons were apparently blown out of the sky, though that was not immediately confirmed. In spite of the visits from possible spy balloons while Trump was in office, many Republicans have complained that President Joe Biden didn’t order the most recent balloon shot down quickly enough — or that he shouldn’t have allowed the balloon to enter U.S. airspace to begin with. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) claimed that Trump would never have allowed a Chinese spy balloon to reach the U.S. “Would Trump have let China fly a spy balloon over our country?” Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) asked on Twitter. Craig Singleton, a senior fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, told AP that Chinese surveillance balloons were sighted several times in the past five years. Some of them have been spotted near U.S. military bases in Hawaii, he said, though he did not specify when. In a message Friday on Truth Social, Trump himself joined the call for the Biden administration to destroy the most recent craft, saying: “SHOOT DOWN THE BALLOON.” But he did not discuss his own administration’s experience with suspected Chinese spy balloons. Former U.S. ambassador to the United Nations and likely Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haley also beat up on Biden for not taking more immediate action, but likewise failed to address incidents involving balloons in the last administration. Shoot down the balloon. Cancel Blinken’s trip. Hold China accountable. Biden is letting China walk all over us. It’s time to make America strong again. — Nikki Haley (@NikkiHaley) February 3, 2023 them calling out biden when they did worse is about like lying..............

this is the kid in tenth grade and he already looks great.

Cadillac Williams: Auburn running back signee Jeremiah Cobb ‘is going to be a star’ Published: Feb. 04, 2023, 8:00 a.m. 5–6 minutes Auburn made waves with its 2024 and 2025 recruiting classes this week, but the program also capped off its 2023 signing class on Wednesday when it officially welcomed in-state running back Jeremiah Cobb. The four-star running back out of Montgomery Catholic, who had been committed to Auburn since July 1, signed his letter of intent at the start of the February signing period. He was the lone unsigned commit for the Tigers after the early signing period, though he never wavered from his pledge to the program — even after the coaching change on the Plains. Read more Auburn football: Four-star QB Walker White commits to Auburn over Clemson, Ole Miss Hugh Freeze, Auburn coaches face time crunch before start of spring practices Auburn coaches want to assess trio of returning QBs, adapt offense to their strengths during spring Cobb is the highest-rated offensive signee in the Tigers’ 2023 class, and after putting up prolific numbers during his prep career, Auburn running backs coach Cadillac Williams is excited about what the 5-foot-11, 185-pounder will bring to the program’s backfield. “I honestly think the kid is going to be a star,” Williams said Thursday, a day after Cobb signed. “I think the future is so bright for him.” During his four years at Montgomery Catholic, Cobb ran for 6,567 yards and 75 touchdowns while averaging a whopping 10.3 yards per carry and 131.3 yards per game for his high school career. He was a three-time ASWA All-State first-team selection, and he helped lead the school to a runner-up finish in the Class 3A playoffs as a sophomore in 2020. Not only did Cobb routinely put up big numbers on the field, but he improved statistically every season throughout his career. After rushing for 375 yards and four touchdowns as a freshman, Cobb posted three consecutive 2,000-yard rushing seasons at Montgomery Catholic. As a sophomore he ran for 2,013 yards and 18 touchdowns while averaging 8.7 yards per carry and 134.2 yards per game. The following season, he rushed for 2,163 yards and 30 touchdowns while averaging 11.1 yards per carry and 154.5 yards per game. While his overall rushing total declined slightly as a senior, albeit in one fewer game, he ran for 2,016 yards while averaging a career-high 11.7 yards per carry and 155.1 yards per game. That included four 200-yard rushing efforts, with one game of 300-plus yards. He finished his career with six games of at least 200 yards rushing, eclipsing the 300-yard mark in two of those. “It was cool to watch him week in, week out,” Williams said. “One thing I loved about Jeremiah — if you watched Jeremiah from his sophomore, junior to his senior year, each year he got better and better and better. Therefore, from a player standpoint, it lets me know he’s not a guy that’s reading his press clippings. Like, he is a guy that accepts coaching. Whenever I talk to him, he’s locked in. He’s a guy, even in high school, I could critique things that he did. “We talked about it, he could have a great game and, he could have 200-something yards, but hey, it’s my job to find things that you could get better at. He’s accepted coaching well.” Cobb was rated as the No. 9 running back in the 2023 class, the No. 13 player in the state of Alabama and the No. 165 overall recruit in the country, according to the 247Sports Composite rankings. He will join an Auburn backfield that loses star running back Tank Bigsby but returns Jarquez Hunter, Damari Alston and former walk-on Sean Jackson, and also adds USF transfer Brian Battie, a former consensus All-America kick returner. It remains to be seen what kind of role Cobb will be able to carve out for himself as a freshman, especially since he isn’t a midyear enrollee and won’t have the benefit of spring practices. However, Williams is excited about what he brings to the table, noting that he’s “cut from the same cloth” as Hunter, both on and off the field. What does that mean? As Williams put it, Cobb is “selfless, (a) hard-worker, about his team, about others, about investing in himself, getting better each and every day. He’s got a vision, a drive for himself where he will not be denied.” As far as his running style is concerned, Williams described Cobb as a one-cut runner who is shifty enough to make defenders miss but strong enough to shed tackles and hold his own in pass protection. “He’s a back, to me, that can do it all,” Williams said. “One thing that I love about him, and everybody knows about his speed, everybody knows about his long runs, but he is a guy that can get the tough yards. He’s a guy that breaks tackles. One thing I love about him, he will stick his face in the fan, as in he’s a willing blocker. He’s pretty good at that. “I’m looking forward to getting the opportunity to work with him and just see where his career goes. But man, I am excited about Jeremiah Cobb. He’s going to be a good one.” Tom Green is an Auburn beat reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter @Tomas_Verde.

ESPN’s College GameDay returning to Auburn for Alabama basketball game Updated: Feb. 04, 2023, 5:56 p.m.|Published: Feb. 04, 2023, 11:34 a.m. ~3 minutes The Jungle during the Men's Basketball game between Texas A&M Aggies and the #15 Auburn Tigers at Neville Arena in Auburn, AL on Wednesday, Jan 25, 2023. Zach Bland/Auburn TigersZach Bland/Auburn Tigers ESPN’s College GameDay is returning to the Plains for the third time in the last four seasons. The network’s flagship pregame show will broadcast live from Neville Arena next Saturday ahead of the highly anticipated rivalry showdown between Auburn and Alabama. The Tigers and Tide will square off at 1 p.m. at Neville Arena, with the game airing on ESPN. Read more Auburn basketball: Auburn lands state’s top player in 2024 class, four-star combo guard Labaron Philon Auburn freshman Chance Westry a “very, very real possibility” to redshirt this season Auburn lands five-star 2024 point guard Tahaad Pettiford “It’ll be a big game – that’s probably gonna get some national television attention,” Auburn coach Bruce Pearl said Thursday. “So, we’ll see what happens on that date. But that’ll be exciting for Auburn in our community.” Auburn joins Duke as the only program to host College GameDay in each of the last three seasons the show has aired -- 2019-20, 2021-22 and 2022-23. The show did not air during the 2020-21 season due to the pandemic. Auburn is 2-0 in games when ESPN’s College GameDay broadcasts from the Tigers’ homecourt. The show was previously on the Plains for Auburn’s win against then-No. 13 Kentucky on Feb. 1, 2020, and then again last season for then-No. 1 Auburn’s victory against Texas A&M on Feb. 12, 2022. The show’s visit to the Plains for the rivalry game will place Auburn in a tie for ninth all-time among schools to host College GameDay for basketball. Auburn will join UConn, Arizona, Memphis, Notre Dame and Baylor on that list. The one-hour pregame show is hosted by Rece Davis and features analysts Jay Bilas, LaPhonso Ellis and Seth Greenberg. The show will air from 10-11 a.m. from Neville Arena, where gates will open at 9 a.m. A game ticket is required to enter the arena for College GameDay. Auburn is currently ranked 25th in the AP poll, while Alabama is ranked fourth. The Tigers have won two straight against the Tide, and the teams have split their last six meeting overall since Nate Oats took over in Tuscaloosa. 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 the links on our site, we may receive compensation.

auburnwire.usatoday.com Tigers of the Game: Broome, Green earn honors for effort in tough loss Tennessee Taylor Jones 3–4 minutes Saturday’s game between No. 2 Tennessee and No. 23 Auburn did not end with an aesthetically-pleasing box score. The Volunteers went 17-of-63 from the field in the game while Auburn made just 13-of-55 of their shots in Tennessee’s 46-43 win over Auburn at Thompson-Boling Arena in Knoxville. Tennessee’s leading scorer, Josiah Jordan James, succeeded on just 5-of-12 shots while Johni Broome, Auburn’s highest-scorer, went 5-of-13 from the field. Buy Tigers Tickets In a game that made offensive-minded fans cringe and fans of a more defensive-style game grin menacingly, all aspects of Saturday’s game were considered in selecting Auburn’s best performers. Following the game, the staff at Auburn Wire, as well as Auburn fans on Twitter, cast their vote for the game’s most valuable player. Who stood out the most? Here’s a look at which player Auburn Wire writers Taylor Jones, J.D. McCarthy, and River Wells, as well as Auburn fans, chose as their Tiger of the Game following Auburn’s loss to Tennessee. Randy Sartin-USA TODAY Sports Green may not have had the best game offensively, but his defensive efforts can not go unnoticed. Green recorded seven rebounds and posted four steals. He also had a hand in creating points by adding three assists to his total. Offensively, he ended the game with nine points, which was second-most on the team behind Flanigan. He also nailed a three-pointer with 0:30 remaining to put Auburn in postion to win the game by cutting Tennessee’s lead down to 44-43. Randy Sartin-USA TODAY Sports It took some time, but Johni Broome led the team in scoring with 11 points in Saturday’s loss. It marks the ninth time this season that Broome has ended the game as Auburn’s scoring leader. The Knoxville News-Sentinel In what has become the norm, Broome also led the team in boards. He was one rebound away from earning his eighth double-double of the season by securing nine in the loss to Tennesse. He has now been Auburn’s leading rebounder 15 times this season, and has led the team in rebounds in five-straight games. The Knoxville News-Sentinel In a close vote, Johni Broome edged Wendell Green Jr. by winning 48% of the vote. Cast your vote for your “Tiger of the Game” by visiting Auburn Wire on Twitter following every game. John Reed-USA TODAY Sports Here is a look at how many Tigers have earned a “Tiger of the Game” vote this season: Johni Broome 32 Wendell Green Jr. 17 Jaylin Williams 13 Allen Flanigan 5 K.D. Johnson 2 Chris Moore 2 Tre Donaldson 1

5 takeaways from Auburn's 46-43 loss at Tennessee Nathan King 8–11 minutes KNOXVILLE, Tennessee — Auburn showed plenty of fight in a road game against the No. 2 team in the country, but it needed just a couple more shots for its biggest win of the season. And it certainly wishes one more whistle had been blown. Despite Tennessee's elite defense that held down the Tigers most of the night, Auburn kept things tight down the stretch before ultimately falling 46-43 at Thompson-Boling Arena on Saturday afternoon. Auburn begged for a foul call on the final shot of the game, when Wendell Green Jr. was defended by Tennessee's Olivier Nkamhoua on a would-be tying 3-point shot to send the game to overtime. Here are Auburn Undercover's immediate takeaways, as the Tigers move into the second half of conference play at 7-3. The Volunteers now have two straight wins over their former head coach after losing six straight. Controversial ending Bruce Pearl, his staff and players were all outraged at the end of the game, when no foul was called to five Green Jr. a chance for three free throws. Pearl said postgame he got no explanation from officials during Tennessee's celebration. "Very disappointed at the end of the game," Pearl said. "Very disappointed." Added Pearl: "I don't think we were affected at all by the environment, which was great." He then paused and continued: "We weren't affected by the environment." Auburn fought from down 8 points with five minutes remaining, scoring on four of its next five possessions. After a triple by Green Jr. with 32 seconds left, Johni Broome and Auburn's trapping defense forced a turnover on Vols veteran guard Santiago Vescovi in the backourt, setting up Green Jr.'s look in the final seconds "I've got to do a better job of getting our guys looks in practice and working on it," Pearl said. "I've just got to work on it more. We work on a lot of things, and I've just got to work on some end-game offense so I can get my team better shots. That's what I'm responsible for." Auburn fights through Vescovi’s huge shot Tennessee’s second 3-pointer of the entire game couldn’t have come at a bigger time. A pair of free throws by Jaylin Williams kept Auburn chugging along, bringing it to a one-possession game at 40-38. Then Vescovi drilled a triple, and was fouled by K.D. Johnson for a 4-point play, pushing the lead suddenly back to 6. Auburn benefited from two missed free throws by Tobe Awaka, though, and Green Jr. buried a pull-up triple with 32 seconds left to cut it to a 3-point lead. "I don't think we were affected at all by the environment, which was great." Pearl then paused and continued: "We weren't affected by the environment." And after Rick Barnes had to call timeout when the Vols couldn’t inbound the ball, they barely got in play the next time around. But the Tigers trapped effectively, Broome forced Vescovi to the sideline, and it ended up a Tennessee turnover. Pearl opted for a quick 2-point shot, and Broome scored with 17 seconds left on a put-back after a miss by Williams. Zakai Zeigler made both his free throws, so Auburn needed a deep ball. Green Jr. barely missed — and the Tigers pleaded their case for a good couple minutes after the final buzzer. Tigers’ massive field-goal drought Against what’s currently one of the best defenses in the past three decades of college basketball, Auburn was desperate for baskets most of the first half. Auburn got off to an 8-0 start, primarily due to its play under the basket on both ends. Broome started 3-for-3 from the floor, and held Vols big man Nkamhoua to an 0-for-5 clip out of the gates, including a block. Tennessee wasn’t able to shoot its way out, either, starting 0-for-7 from beyond the arc. The Vols started 2-of-17 overall. "Man, Johni did great," Pearl said. "Again, a better coach would've got him the ball better than me. I should've gotten him more touches. I should've gotten it to him more, deeper. But Tennessee is a great defensive team." Then a slow, 17-5 run ensued for Tennessee, as Auburn went on to miss 18 of 19 shots for the rest of the first half. Its only make was a doozie, when Green Jr. hit a 3-pointer from the first ‘E’ of Tennessee’s midcourt logo. His deep triple was Auburn’s only make on 11 first-half attempts, though Green Jr. had at least a couple more quality looks that nearly went down. The 3-pointer remained Auburn’s only bucket until Broome finally made one, breaking a string of five straight misses for the big man. And somehow, with Auburn making only one shot between the 15:43 mark of the first half, and the 15:39 mark of the second half, the Tigers never trailed by more than 5 points during that stretch. Defense was obviously to thank, as the Vols weren’t getting many easy looks inside or out, thanks in large part to three blocks and four steals for Auburn in the first half. Tennessee's brief run feels huge It was more of the same in the second half, with Auburn starting 0-of-7 from the field until Broome’s make. Then with continued defensive consistency, the Tigers tied it up at 28-28 with a 3-pointer by Allen Flanigan, just their second of the game. When Flanigan, Green Jr. and Williams went to the bench, though, the Vols mounted an 8-0 run over that 3:18 that felt gargantuan — considering it took Auburn just under six minutes to get its first 8 points of the second half. A couple minutes later, Tennessee had three straight trips down the floor where it could have pushed the lead to double digits with under seven minutes to play. The Tigers got a stop on all three, then finally broke through by scoring on three of their next four possessions: a floater by Flanigan, a drive to the hoop by Johnson, a pair of freebies from Johnson. That gave the Tigers, despite a grind-it-out game all afternoon, a chance late against the No. 2 team in the country, down 40-36 at the final media timeout. Every shot counts for Auburn The Tigers knew scoring opportunities were going to be invaluable, and that was certainly the case against the best defense in college basketball. Auburn logged season lows in overall shooting at 24 percent (13-of-55), 3-point shooting (3-of-27), assists (five), and tied its season low in scoring (43). Only five players scored for Auburn: Broome (11 points and nine rebounds), Johnson (10 points and 6-of-8 free throws), Green Jr. (9 points on 2-of-10 shooting), Flanigan (9 points and eight boards) and Williams (4 points and nine rebounds). The Vols were held to a season-low in scoring, too, on 27 percent shooting. Its 46 points are the fewest for Tennessee in a victory since 1984. "Kids did an incredible job defensively," Pearl said. "Our guards, the way they guarded — Vescovi and (Zakai) Zeigler (0-of-10 from the floor). Doesn't matter. They did what I asked them to do. I can't compliment our kids enough for the way they locked in the scouting report. And Steven Pearl and his team did an incredible job." Tennessee's 15 offensive boards loomed large, too, leading to 10 second-chance points — 21.7 percent of the scoring for what entered the game as the best overall rebounding team in the country. "They’re big, strong, physical," Pearl said. "I thought our guys fought pretty valiantly, I think there were a couple of second-half offensive rebounds where maybe we came up out of our stance and didn’t finish the possession. Jaylin Williams with eight defensive (rebounds), Johni with six, Wendell with seven, Al with seven. Those are great numbers against the best offensive rebounding team in our league. So obviously, second-chance points were a factor." Almost picked one off Of Auburn's murderous trio of games at Tennessee, at Texas A&M and at home against Alabama, the matchup in Knoxville seemed the toughest. And the Tigers nearly pulled it off, losing by 3 points in a second straight Quadrant 1 road game. "I think we're gonna look at it and say we got some pretty good looks," Pearl said. "We missed some open shots. But when you're playing against the No. 2 team in the country, you've gotta hit open shots." Despite the loss, Auburn moved up four spots in KenPom's rankings to No. 22. It was by no means a blow to Auburn's NCAA tournament resume, but a win would have been a massive boost for the Tigers' prospective placement in March — and their overall comfort level in making the tournament, period. While Tuesday's trip to College Station isn't against one of the very best teams in the country, it still serves as a chance for the Tigers to grab their second Quad 1 win of the season (home win vs. Arkansas). 11COMMENTS

What Bruce Pearl said about Saturday's controversial no-call, his team's performance at Tennessee Taylor Jones 2–3 minutes The No. 23 Auburn Tigers made just 24% of their shots in Saturday’s loss to No. 2 Tennessee at Thompson-Boling Arena in Knoxville. Despite its’ poor shooting effort, the Tigers still had a chance to force overtime and possibly exit Knoxville with a win. In the final seconds of the game, Auburn’s Wendell Green Jr. took a three-point that, if made, would have tied the game at 46-46 at the buzzer. Green’s shot was off the mark but Tennessee’s Oliver Nkamhoua appeared to have made contact with Green while he was airborne. Buy Tigers Tickets The officials did not deem the contact worthy of a foul. The “what might have been” factor of the no-call was a popular topic on social media following the game, but how does Auburn’s head man feel about the incident? After Auburn’s 46-43 loss to Tennessee on Saturday afternoon, Bruce Pearl was asked if the officials offered clarification as to what they saw. “No. No explanation,” Pearl said while shaking his head in disappointment. Pearl could have taken shots at the officiating crew, but instead shared accountability with the media after the game, saying that his team should have been in a better position to win without needing help from the referees. “Very disappointed (at what happened) after the game. Very disappointed. But I have to do a better job, in practice, I just have to work on it more,” Pearl said. “We work on a lot of things, and I just have to work on in-game offense so that I can get my team better shots. That is what I am responsible for.” Pearl also shared his regret for not setting up Johni Broome, who only took 12 shots during Saturday’s game, with more touches. He also talked about his team’s low shooting percentage. “I think that we are going to look at it and say that we got some pretty good looks. We missed some open shots,” Pearl said. “You are playing the No. 2 team in the country, you have to make open shots because it is hard to get open shots.” Pearl and the Tigers will now prepare for a quick turnaround, as they will play a rematch against Texas A&M on Tuesday night in Bryan-College Station, Texas. Tipoff is scheduled for 6 p.m. CT.

where are all you cats still claiming the election was stolen. you are out there. i remember. be brave and make a comment..........grins.

There's a Bombshell New Audio Clip That Shows the Trump Team Strategizing Exactly How They're Going to Push Election Fraud Lies Kristyn Burtt 3–4 minutes Donald Trump’s campaign team in Wisconsin knew they lost the state in the 2020 presidential election, but that didn’t stop them from trying to spin a fraud narrative. There’s new audio that is confirming that Republican officials behind the scenes were trying to cook up a story that the election was stolen. This is the latest chaotic issue to come down the pike as Donald Trump tries to run for president for the third time. According to the Associated Press, who posted the leaked audio, the voice is of Andrew Iverson, who led the former president’s campaign in Wisconsin, and shockingly advises the team of possible “stunts” they may need to “pull.” “Here’s the drill: Comms is going to continue to fan the flame and get the word out about Democrats trying to steal this election,” he said on Nov. 5, 2020. “We’ll do whatever they need (inaudible) help with. Just be on standby in case there’s any stunts we need to pull.” More from SheKnows Melania Trump's Hairstylist Was Paid $132K for 'Strategy Consulting' Out of Donald Trump's Election Fund Iverson continues to have a presence in politics as he is currently the Midwest regional director for the Republican National Committee. The audio recording was given to the Associated Press by a GOP whistleblower who happened to be at the meeting two days after the presidential election. Joe Biden won Wisconsin by almost 21,000, which was acknowledged by the state’s Republican leaders — they knew they lost the election. “At the end of the day, this operation received more votes than any other Republican in Wisconsin history,” Iverson continued. “Say what you want, our operation turned out Republican or DJT supporters. Democrats just got 20,000 more than us, out of Dane County and other shenanigans in Milwaukee, Green Bay and Dane. There’s a lot that people can learn from this campaign.” Click here to read the full article. While the leaked audio still won’t convince some Donald Trump supporters that the election wasn’t stolen, it’s clear that Wisconsin’s GOP members were willing to spin a tale that wasn’t true. Election officials and the courts have confirmed that the allegations of nationwide fraud are false — and this bombshell audio only confirms that some Republicans were willing to do whatever it took to win.

i think we have the potential. people have been calling auburn a sleeping giant for years. this program has under performed for so long since gus kinda lost his mojo and harsin tried to bury us but here we are. and it seems like everyone is behind the team now and pulling in the same direction. Freeze to me became kind of a giant killer beating teams at liberty he was not favored to win. that is dedication and great coaching. and coach is out to redeem himself which is one thing i think a lot of folks are over looking. i do not think we will just kill it the first year but i bet we see huge progress and we probably beat at least one team we will not be picked to win. it has been a tough few years so i say let us all enjoy what we are watching unfold before our eyes. folks want to enjoy auburn football again after so many years of mediocrity and the last season where harsin tried to kill and bury auburn football.

AuburnSports - Austin's role vital for Auburn's offense Caleb Jones AuburnSports No. 4 dual-threat QB commits to Auburn 17h ago 2–3 minutes Hugh Freeze has a reputation for developing quarterbacks. During his stops at Ole Miss and Liberty, the Auburn head coach helped signal-callers such as Bo Wallace, Chad Kelly and Malik Willis become star players. So, whether it was him being honest or a little humble, it was a bit surprising when the coach said this about Kent Austin, now serving as his offensive analyst, on Thursday. "He's the best quarterback coach I've ever been around," Freeze said. "That's really not my forte -- the fundamentals. I'm more of, 'Hey, here's the big picture. Here's what I want it to look like at the end. Now you go get his mechanics right to get it done.' He really is the best at looking at a quarterback and saying, 'This is exactly what he needs to improve on. This is what he needs to do." Yes, Austin was the unsung hero at Liberty, where he shared offensive coordinator duties with Freeze and helped Willis and the Flames become one of the most potent offenses in the nation. And, even after taking a quasi-demotion when coming to Auburn, Austin's role will not be any less vital. Freeze says he sees Austin as his chief quality control on offense, leaning on him to ensure that every instruction down to the minutiae of details is followed by the players, assistants and Freeze himself. "He has the freedom from me to say to anyone in that room, 'Whoa, whoa. That's not what we said, and we have to get it fixed,'" the head coach said. And, while new offensive coordinator Philip Montgomery will be in charge of play-calling with a bit of help from Freeze, Austin will play a significant part in game-planning during the week, something Freeze says he is excellent at. "I think he's going to be huge for us in that off-the-field role," the coach said. As far as taking a step down from an on-the-field coach to an analyst position, Freeze could not be more complimentary of his right-hand man. "That speaks to his humility," he said.

Freeze and Auburn staff locked in and pulling in the same direction Jason Caldwell 4–5 minutes AUBURN, Alabama—Throughout the last two months, many of the recruits that have come to the Auburn campus have talked about the new staff and how quickly they bonded after coming in with Hugh Freeze. While some were already familiar with the former Ole Miss and Liberty coach, many were coaching on the same staff for the first time. One of the guys that was already familiar with Freeze and the Southeastern Conference is Auburn’s tight ends coach Ben Aigamaua. Coaching at Liberty and Ole Miss with Freeze after playing for him his last two years at Lambuth, Aigamaua said it was an easy call to make the move to Auburn and join forces with this staff. “You know, in our time at Ole Miss whenever we came here I always looked at this place as a sleeping giant,” Aigamaua said. “So to be here now, I’m excited about it. I know with Coach Freeze this is kind of his chance to get things rolling and I’m sure all of our coaches were excited about the opportunity to make sure that he’s successful. But this place is amazing from the facilities to the people to the community, welcoming my wife and my kids, it’s been awesome.” Aigamaua is just one of the pieces of a staff for Freeze that has come together and done some big things already on the recruiting trail. With Ron Roberts and Philip Montgomery coming in as the coordinators, the Tigers have veterans in those roles along with veteran Wesley McGriff in the secondary. They are joined by a group of younger coaches that have all established themselves early in their careers. Now two months into the job, Freeze said this is a coaching staff that all does some things differently and it’s his job to bring them all together for the common goal. “One of the things that I do feel very strongly about is to take a group of people, formulate a staff and then say, 'This is the direction we’re going and it only works if we all are talking alike, believing the same and are moving in that same direction together,'” Freeze said. “And I think that one of the reasons that we’ve been able to turn programs around really fast is because of that. "And I’m pretty steadfast in that everyday from my morning text to the staff to this is what our focus is today, this is what I want your words … it sounds like I’m saying I have to tell everybody how to talk, and I’m not saying that. I don’t care how you formulate it, but I want everyone that we encounter today — here’s kinda the theme that we[‘re trying to get out. I think our staff likes that and they’ve been incredible selling the vision.” That vision is something that new offensive line coach Jake Thornton saw and heard from Freeze. Now he’s already seeing the results. "100%. That starts with our head football coach, coach Freeze,” Thornton said. “That's one of the big reasons why i chose to come here, was he treats everybody like family. That's not just a word that's all over our building or that we preach to our kids. It is a family. He treats us like that. When you're somewhere that you feel valued, you feel comfortable and you feel like you're a part of something special. “I think our entire staff feels that way. We've spent a lot of time together. On the road, in airplanes, in cars, in hotels. Exploring Auburn together. We've fit together and we've meshed together really quickly and it's something unique, I haven't been a part of that before. It's been unique." 10COMMENTS Even Marcus Davis has seen it firsthand. The newest of Auburn’s staff members, the former Auburn wide receiver said the camaraderie on this staff is already something special and he’s excited to see the results. “It's amazing,” Davis said. “That's a testament to coach Freeze. That's the standard, and you know, that's the people in this building as well. We have a bunch of relentless people that are eager to make this place the best we could. That's the part with Coach Freeze, and it's a trickle-down effect to everyone on staff.” ">247Sports

Auburn's new tight ends coach eager to work with athletic group Nathan King 4–5 minutes AUBURN, Alabama — More than two years ago, a true freshman on the opposing sideline caught Ben Aigamaua's and Hugh Freeze's eyes. Liberty beat FIU 36-34 in a thriller, and Aigamaua, the Flames' tight ends coach for the past four seasons before following Freeze to Auburn, remembers the standout athleticism from FIU's Rivaldo Fairweather, who had one catch for 22 yards. So when Fairweather became available in the transfer portal, with two more seasons of production under his belt, Aigamaua didn't need any convincing to start pursuing him to join the Tigers' tight end room. "I got to see him play against us at FIU when they came up there," Aigamaua said during a chat with reporters Thursday. "One, just the athletic ability that he possesses in the passing game and also he’s 250 pounds. For us, we’ve got to be able to do both in our offense. We’ve got to be able to create mismatches against linebackers and safeties, and then we’ve got be able to block some defensive ends in this league. My job is to make them successful." At 6-foot-5 and 245 pounds, Fairweather resembles some of the versatile, pass-catching tight ends Aigamaua and Freeze have had so much success with over the years. Before coaching tight ends at Liberty, Aigamaua was a grad assistant and analyst at Ole Miss from 2012-18, where the Rebels had tight ends like Evan Engram and Dawson Knox, both of whom are still in the NFL. Most recently at Liberty, Johnny Huntley began his career as a wide receiver at Colorado, then caught seven touchdowns across three seasons at tight end with the Flames. Fairweather seems to fit that mold, and he has the experience and production to expect a strong presence immediately in Auburn's passing game: 54 catches for 838 yards and five touchdowns in three seasons at FIU, including an All-Conference USA campaign in 2022 (426 yards and three scores). "He reminded me of Evan Engram when we had him, just a little bigger," Aigamaua said. Another big-bodied, possibly hybrid pass-catcher is Landen King, a redshirt sophomore who caught five passes and a touchdown as a freshman in 2021. He stepped away from the team during the 2022 season and ultimately entered the transfer portal, but withdrew shortly before Freeze's hiring. At 6-foot-5 and 220 pounds, King worked with the tight ends his freshman year, then moved full-time to receiver last season. Aigamaua said King will work in both his room and Marcus Davis', but will probably be with the receivers "a little bit more." "He's long, he's athletic, he can run," Aigamaua said. "We'll just see if he can carry the weight to block the guys that we've got to block on the line of scrimmage." Of course, Auburn has a handful of other returning tight ends, too: Luke Deal, Tyler Fromm, Brandon Frazier and Micah Riley-Ducker. None of them are as flashy in the passing game as someone like Fairweather, but Aigamaua made sure to emphasize that if one of his players isn't versatile enough to block and catch consistently, he probably won't play very much. Especially when Auburn has multiple tight ends on the field, Aigamaua needs them to be threat to go up the field and haul in a pass. "I think it’s important in today’s day and age because tight ends — you have two good ones, it gives the defense something to think about," Aigamaua said. "They’ve got to figure out how they want to play it and if they want to do it a certain way, we’ll have some counters off of it."

Auburn's top 2023 recruit good to go for spring practices Nathan King 3–4 minutes AUBURN, Alabama — The biggest fish in Auburn's 2023 class will be ready for spring practices. Early enrollee Keldric Faulk played through a wrist issue his senior season at Highland Home High School, then had minor work done after the year. He'd been in a wrist cast and a sling for the first few weeks of Auburn's winter workouts, but his new defensive line coach said Faulk isn't expected to miss time once spring practices kick off Feb. 27. "He'll be available for practice," Jeremy Garrett said during a chat with reporters Thursday. Faulk was a huge target for Auburn's previous staff but committed to Florida State in July. Once Hugh Freeze and company arrived, though, they picked things back up, as Garrett and Zac Etheridge didn't accept defeat on the No. 9 in-state player. On signing day, just a few weeks after meeting Garrett, Faulk flipped to Auburn and became the top-rated prospect in Freeze's first class. "He’s an Auburn man — we knew that from the beginning," Garrett said. "We just had to give him a reason to fall in love with it again. I felt like he always wanted to be here, we just had to recruit him hard and give him a reason to come. That way he trusts us. The whole staff, the whole building, did a great job of showing his mom and himself and the family that this is the place where he can grow and develop and this is a place that needs you as a cornerstone piece to help build this front.” A top-75 recruit and the No. 10 defensive lineman in the country, per the 247Sports Composite ratings, Faulk clocked in at 6-foot-5 and 270 pounds last month at the Army All-American Bowl. Garrett said he expects the true freshman to play both defensive end and Auburn's new "Jack" pass-rusher spot. "He can play multiple spots," Garrett said. "It's good to have guys who can come in and do both." Auburn can use the all the help it can get along the defensive front in 2023, with pass-rushers Derick Hall, Eku Leota and Marcus Bragg all gone, as is star defensive tackle Colby Wooden. In addition to Faulk, Auburn added former LSU commit Darron Reed in the 2023 class, and also picked up transfers Justin Rogers from Kentucky, Mosiah Nasili-Kite from Maryland and Lawrence Johnson from Purdue. "You want to have a really good rotation and play as many guys as you can so those guys can play extremely hard and be violent and make plays for you the entire year," Garrett said. "That’s the thing I want recruits to see is ‘hey, we’re going to play as many as can play.’ If that’s eight or nine, however many guys that can play, I’ll roll you in and we’ll find a role for you.”

Auburn football spring practice will mostly revolve around quarterbacks Mary Kate Hughes 2–3 minutes Auburn football quarterback Robby Ashford (9) celebrates his first down run as Auburn Tigers take on Western Kentucky Hilltoppers at Jordan-Hare Stadium in Auburn, Ala., on Saturday, Nov. 19, 2022. Things have been nonstop for Hugh Freeze ever since he was hired as the head coach of the Auburn football program at the end of November of last year. From the moment he took the position, Freeze has been focused on recruiting, transitioning from the 2023 class to classes of 2024 and beyond. February brings on a recruiting dead period in the world of college football, meaning that in-person communication with recruits is not allowed, though electronic communications may continue. Although recruiting never stops, the new coaching staff will be far less busy with recruiting than the past several months. However, with only a couple of weeks until the Tigers begin an early spring practice on February 27, there really will not be a break for the coaching staff. Instead, they will focus on what the priorities are for spring practice, and high up on the list will be assessing the quarterbacks ahead of the second transfer window before the summer, per The Montgomery Advertiser: “The sample size for that is pretty small if they weren’t under some type of duress, or maybe it was more of a move-the-pocket scheme. So, I’m anxious to get into spring and kind of see how they handle that, and then I’ll go from there with what we do in the second portal window.” Freeze and the Tigers have yet to pull in a transfer quarterback, missing out for whatever reasons on several targets in the first transfer window. Robby Ashford showed glimpses of major talent last season, but also struggled with some simple aspects of being a quarterback. TJ Finley won the starting job, but missed out on the second half of the season after being pulled due to injury early on. Redshirt freshman Holden Geriner will be entering his second year on the Plains, and 2023 QB Hank Brown will begin his college career. By the end of spring practice, Auburn football fans should have a much clearer picture of what the quarterback room will look like this fall.