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Johni Broome opens SEC play with dominant stretch inside for Auburn Updated: Jan. 09, 2023, 1:36 p.m.|Published: Jan. 09, 2023, 7:05 a.m. 4–5 minutes Johni Broome got a little too enthusiastic with his trash-talk in the waning minutes of Auburn’s big-time win against Arkansas on Saturday night. Broome was called for a technical foul with 2:04 to play and Auburn ahead by 12 after he blocked a shot attempt at the rim by Jordan Walsh and proceeded to let Arkansas’ five-star freshman forward hear about it. In Broome’s defense, he had ample reason to boast during the Tigers’ 72-59 win at Neville Arena. Read more Auburn basketball: No. 22 Auburn basketball dispatches No. 13 Arkansas for biggest win of season Goodman: Bruising Auburn flexes on Arkansas, SEC Rewinding No. 22 Auburn’s 72-59 home win against No. 13 Arkansas The Auburn big man turned in his third straight double-double — the 39th of his career — and played impeccable defense while anchoring the Tigers’ 2-3 zone, which gave the Razorbacks fits all night. Broome finished with 10 points, 10 rebounds and six blocks while becoming the first Auburn player to post three consecutive double-doubles since Austin Wiley accomplished that feat against LSU, Alabama and Missouri during the 2019-20 season. “Johni Broome gets another double-double, so we can continue to play through him,” Auburn coach Bruce Pearl said. The Morehead State transfer has been on a tear of late, scoring in double figures in each of Auburn’s last nine games. In fact, he has scored at least 10 points in all but two games since arriving on the Plains, seamlessly transitioning from the OVC to the SEC and proving to be a valuable transfer addition to the Tigers’ revamped frontline. While Broome may not be Walker Kessler, who was the National Defensive Player of the Year for Auburn last season, he has been remarkably effective in the middle for Auburn on both ends of the court. Broome is averaging 12.9 points, 8.8 rebounds and 2.8 blocks per game, all of which lead the team. “It’s huge just seeing him come in and just dominate night-in and night-out,” senior wing Allen Flanigan said. “It’s definitely huge just knowing we’ve got him down low at the 5-spot.” Since the start of SEC play, Broome has played particularly well, even as Auburn’s play has been somewhat uneven. In three conference games, Broom has averaged 15.3 points, 11 rebounds, two assists and 2.7 blocks per game while shooting 47.6 percent from the field. And that’s after what was his most inefficient shooting performance since late-November. Broome shot just 5-of-12 against Arkansas, as he put together a somewhat quiet double-double that took a backseat to Wendell Green Jr.’s bounceback performance and what was Flanigan’s best all-around game since his return from an Achilles injury last season. Saturday was Broome’s fifth game this season with at least four blocks and his second with six or more. He was a force in the middle for Auburn, which slowed Arkansas with a switch from Pearl’s typical aggressive man-to-man defense to a flat 2-3 zone. The zone defense dared the Razorbacks — who are one of the most talented teams in the nation but also one of the worst outside shooting teams in the country—to knock down jump-shots. Arkansas finished the game just 6-of-28 (21.4 percent) on jumpers, and when its offense managed to get inside, Broome was often there to affect shot attempts. It led to his six blocks and more altered shots down low, as the Razorbacks shot just 7-of-22 (31.8 percent) on layups. “He just did his job,” Green said. “Everybody went out there and did they job. I’m proud of all my teammates. We just went out there, we played our roles, and everybody did their job. Everybody has a responsibility in the zone, and we took care of it, and they didn’t score that much. It worked for us good tonight.” And, as Pearl said, it again showed that Auburn can continue to play through its veteran big man—even against one of the best teams in the country. “Johni stood tall, and he’s confident, and that gives us confidence,” Pearl said. “We feed off of Wendell Green and Johni Broome’s confidence. So, he played big.” 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.

Auburn zones in to limit Arkansas 6–7 minutes Arkansas guard Ricky Council IV dribbles the ball against Auburn during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game Saturday, Jan. 7, 2023, in Auburn, Ala. (AP Photo/Butch Dill) FAYETTEVILLE -- Auburn Coach Bruce Pearl usually prefers his team play man-to-man defense, but the Tigers changed things up against the University of Arkansas Razorbacks. The No. 22 Tigers primarily played a 2-3 zone in beating No. 13 Arkansas 72-59 on Saturday night in Neville Arena. "That was a lot -- a lot -- of zone that we played," said Allen Flanigan, Auburn's senior guard from Little Rock Parkview who had 18 points and eight rebounds. "That's probably the first time since I've been here and played zone pretty much the whole game." The zone proved to be highly effective for Auburn as the Razorbacks shot 33.9% from the field (19 of 56) and 12.5% on three-pointers (2 of 16). Junior guard Ricky Council hit 2 of 6 three-pointers with the rest of the Razorbacks going 0 of 10. "Arkansas is better from two than three, and that little flat 2-3 zone bothered them," Pearl said. "They really struggled with it. "They're going to see that all year long." The Razorbacks (12-3, 1-2 SEC) already have faced a lot of zone defense in the first three conference games, including their 60-57 loss at LSU and 74-68 victory over Missouri in Walton Arena. In SEC play, Arkansas is shooting 39.4% from the field (69 of 175) and 19.4% on three-pointers (12 of 62). On the season, the Razorbacks are shooting 28.7% on three-pointers (71 of 247) to rank No. 334 nationally. The losses of Trevon Brazile and Nick Smith to knee injuries impact Arkansas in many ways, but notably in three-point shooting. Brazile hit 11 of 29 three-pointers before suffering a season-ending knee injury against North Carolina-Greensboro. Despite playing only nine of 15 games, he's third on the team behind Council (17 of 57) and freshman Anthony Black (14 of 43) in three-pointers made. Smith, who has missed 10 games and remains out indefinitely and likely until at least the end of January, according to Arkansas Coach Eric Musselman, is 6 of 20 on three-pointers -- but that was after missing the first six games. "You're not just going to miraculously wake up and all of a sudden become a great three-point shooting team," Musselman said. "So you've got to figure out other ways to try to put points on the board." Musselman's teams have been known for getting to the free-throw line to score big, and the Razorbacks had 32 attempts at Auburn -- 10 more than the Tigers. But Arkansas hit 19 free throws for 59.4%, and that included Black going 13 of 16. The Razorbacks hit 5 of 10 free throws in their loss at LSU. They started 5 of 11 from the line against Missouri before finishing 14 of 21 with Council 11 of 13. "The only thing I know is you've got to get in the gym on your own," Musselman said of raising the percentages on free throws and shooting overall. "That's something that's been part of our culture. Guys working relentlessly on their game outside of practice. "That's got to improve for sure." Musselman said the Razorbacks also need to do a better job of sharing the ball and moving without it after they had nine assists at Auburn compared to 14 turnovers. "We're playing against better talent," Musselman said of SEC games. "You're going up against some length and some of the best defensive teams in the country. "Alabama is coming. Look at their defensive numbers." The No. 7 Crimson Tide (13-2, 3-0) play at Arkansas at 6 p.m. Wednesday after pounding Kentucky 78-52 at home on Saturday. Alabama is holding its opponents to 37.8% shooting, including 27.8% on three-pointers. "We've talked to our team about trying to be better cutters," Musselman said. "Instead of just dribbling the ball, you've got to cut." Musselman rattled off the names of former Razorbacks Au'Diese Toney, Moses Moody, Justin Smith and Jimmy Whitt as being "great cutters" to the basket. "You've got to move without the ball and figure out how to score across the board," Musselman said. "We're not getting as many basket cuts as we have in the past. "We're doing the same drills. You've got to figure out when your shot is not falling how to get some easy baskets off of reading the defense." Auburn was ahead 36-25 at halftime and led by as many as 15 points in the second half. "I mean, just stagnant," Black, who led the Razorbacks with 23 points, said of the offensive struggles. "We really had a bad first half to be honest. I think once we got in that hole, they could just zone us and kind of not play aggressive." One plus for Arkansas was out-rebounding Auburn 45-23, but with 17 offensive rebounds the Razorbacks got only eight second-chance points. They shot 7 of 22 on layups according to statbroadcast.com. Johni Broome, the Tigers' 6-10 sophomore transfer from Morehead (Ky.) State, had 10 points, 10 rebounds and 6 blocked shots. His presence made it tougher for the Razorbacks to finish inside. "Obviously, he's one of the best shot blockers in the country," Musselman said. "He did a great job protecting the rim for them for sure." Arkansas wasn't able to get many points in transition because the Tigers had a season-low eight turnovers. They had a 25-6 advantage in points off of turnovers over the Razorbacks. But Auburn's zone defense was the Razorbacks' biggest problem. "We just built a wall and played differently than what we've been playing, and that was the way to beat them," Pearl said. "They never were able to effectively attack. "Whatever we were doing defensively didn't allow them to come back, and we didn't turn the ball over and create easy offense for them. "I know it's simple, but honestly, that's it."

Allen Flanigan's patience, preparation show 'player that he’s capable of being' Nathan King 5–6 minutes AUBURN, Alabama — Smiles were hard to come by for Bruce Pearl when Auburn lost at Georgia last week. Until he began talking about Allen Flanigan after the game. The Tigers’ recent offensive struggles culminated in a road loss against a bottom-tier team in the conference, giving Auburn three losses in its past six games. But Pearl couldn’t help but beam over his senior. It didn’t appear to be the most electric performance for Flanigan in Athens: 11 points on 5-of-10 shooting, though he was the second-leading scorer behind Johni Broome, and was one of only three Tigers to make three or more shots. But it was what the senior wing had done behind closed doors that made Pearl so proud after the loss. “Al didn't play great against Florida and really worked hard, all week long, just coming in and grinding and just having a really good attitude and doing the best he could — instead of just being frustrated,” Pearl said. “It's interesting, God's got a way of blessing that good behavior. I just told him, 'Al, even if you didn't play well tonight, you had a great week of preparation.' I could see Al working hard to do the right things, do the little things. It translated pretty quickly. That could be something he can build on.” And build he did. Flanigan continued to excel, this time against his home-state team: No. 13 Arkansas. Off the bench, the senior poured in 18 points — including a 3-of-6 clip from beyond the arc, eight rebounds, two steals and only one turnover — as No. 22 Auburn rebounded from its recent struggles, cashed in on its strength-in-numbers style of play, and notched what Pearl called one of the most important home wins of his time in the program. Flanigan has still yet to start a game in 2022-23, though he plays the fourth-most minutes of anyone on the team, ahead of Auburn’s starter at the 3 spot, Chris Moore. But that hasn’t doused his leadership or his efforts on both ends of the floor, even after a rough couple games where he scored just 4 points between wins over Washington and Florida at the end of last month. “He’s just been trying to do the little things, trying to keep his attitude right,” Pearl said. “Al’s coming off the bench, and certainly is good enough to start, the way he played tonight and he played well against Georgia.” He started 2-of-3 from 3-point range, and his second triple gave Auburn its first double-digit lead early, 24-14 with under 11 minutes left in the first half. Flanigan led Auburn in scoring in the second half with 9 points, as the Tigers impressively kept the Razorbacks at bay, holding firm on a double-digit lead for all but 63 seconds of the second half. Flanigan went 2-of-3 from the field, including another triple, and 4-of-4 from the foul line after halftime. “I thought he was mentally locked in and didn’t over-penetrate,” Pearl said. “Used his physicality defensively and rebounding. … Look at his percentages. Seven defensive rebounds. It sort of translates.” Flanigan’s 29 points between the Georgia loss and Arkansas win are his most across a two-game span against SEC competition since his sophomore year. "You're only going to get out of the game what you put into it,” Flanigan said. “It's just me constantly staying in the gym, and tonight it showed." Pearl even admitted he was a bit surprised by the Tigers’ performance and execution in what was their biggest game of the season so far. But it was proof of concept that Auburn’s depth can be a real weapon when even just half the lineup is playing well offensively — and likely of the most importance is the play of point guard Wendell Green Jr., who bounced back from rough numbers in Auburn’s first two SEC games with 19 points and five assists. As Auburn looks to brush off its brief string of losses and establish a baseline of SEC wins in the coming weeks, it will continue to rely on Flanigan to be a top scorer, defender and leader. For now, though, Pearl is just pleased to see the senior’s patience pay off in a public light. “I’m just happy,” Pearl said. “I’m so happy for him. That’s the player that he’s capable of being.”

Pearl: Fewer fouls, fewer turnovers a big deal for Tigers Mark Murphy 4–5 minutes AUBURN, Alabama–As his basketball team looks to earn its first SEC road victory of the season, Bruce Pearl said the Tigers need to do a better job of not sending opponents to the free throw line. The next opportunity to do that is Tuesday night at Ole Miss. “One of the things that we have got to do is we have got to stop fouling,” Auburn’s head coach said on Monday as the Tigers prepare for an 8 p.m. CST tipoff on Tuesday against the Rebels (ESPNU television coverage) at Oxford, Miss. “I know Florida made more free throws than we did,” Pearl pointed out. “I know Georgia made more free throws than we did. They shot twice as many, and I know Arkansas shot twice as many free throws as we did.” In Auburn’s 61-58 home win vs. Florida to open league play the Gators were 17-19 at the free throw line. Auburn made 16-24 free throws. In last Wednesday’s 76-74 loss at Georgia the Bulldogs connected on 22-32 free throws while Auburn hit 10-16. In Saturday night’s matchup of ranked teams at Neville Arena, won 72-59 by the Tigers, Arkansas made 19-32 free throws while the Tigers made 17-22. “We have got to stop fouling because our defense is pretty good,” said Pearl, whose team is giving up 62.5 points per outing, which ranks third among Southeastern Conference teams behind Tennessee (52.5 points) and Mississippi State (56.7 points). Auburn is off to a 2-1 start in league play and is 12-3 overall going into its road trip to face Ole Miss, which is 8-7 overall and 0-3 in the SEC after dropping a 64-54 decision at Mississippi State on Saturday. Pearl said other keys to his team’s success are not having poor shooting nights like the Tigers suffered through in the loss at Georgia along with avoiding turnovers. Against Arkansas, a team that thrives on turning over opponents, the Tigers built a 36-25 halftime lead after committing just four turnovers and shooting 41.4 percent from the field while making 5-12 threes in the opening 20 minutes at Neville Arena. In the second half vs. the Razorbacks the Tigers again committed just four turnovers, a team that came into the contest forcing 17.5 turnovers while averaging 10 steals a game. The Razorbacks finished the night with just four steals and were outscored 25-9 in points off of turnovers. Combine that with 46.1 percent shooting from the field after intermission and Auburn outscored the Razorbacks 36-34 in the final 20 minutes of a game it never trailed. “When players are on the floor and we are turning it over, it is hard to have a positive plus-minus, and that is one of the reasons our starters have done pretty well because they have not turned it over as much as the bench,” said Pearl, who added, “It’s really, really big.” With the victory over the Razorbacks the Tigers moved up one spot in this week’s AP Top 25 poll to No. 21. The team dropped two spots in the USA Today Coaches ranking to No. 22 after going 1-1 last week. “I am very proud of my team for the bounce-back, and obviously grateful for our homecourt advantage and, as I said before, probably more than anything, I don’t like disappointing people,” Pearl said of the Tigers winning their 27th consecutive game played at Neville Arena in front of another sellout crowd. “You have all those people come out and support you, you don’t want to disappoint them, but they made a big difference,” he noted. Wendell Green is making 80.5 percent of his free throws, which ranks ninth in the SEC. (Photo: Jason Caldwell, 247Sports) 7COMMENTS “I was really happy for Wendell (Green), who, once again demonstrated he is one of the best guards in the league who probably gets the least attention, but he has always had to prove them wrong.” Green scored 19 points while adding five assists, three rebounds and three steals vs. the Razorbacks. Tigers Climb in AP Top 25 Poll *** Subscribe: Receive the latest Auburn intel and scoops*** ">247Sports

Jason Caldwell's Monday morning quarterback column Jason Caldwell 5–6 minutes Rebuilding the offensive line We’ll see how much of an impact it’s going to make for the Auburn football team in Year 1 of the Hugh Freeze era, but the job done by him and his staff over the course of the last few weeks was absolutely a necessity if they want to compete in 2023. With huge holes on the roster on both sides of the ball, they have rebuilt the lines of scrimmage with a few key names still left on the board. It’s not something you can do (or need to do) every year, but taking this job meant having to go very portal heavy right out of the gate, especially on the line of scrimmage. Going back to the 2017 offensive line class, Auburn signed Calvin Ashley and Austin Troxell that year before bringing in Jalil Irvin and Kam Stutts for the 2018 class. A year later the Tigers signed Keiondre Jones, Justin Osborne and Kamaar Bell for 2019. For 2020, Auburn brought in junior college transfers Kilian Zierer and Brenden Coffey along with high school signees Jeremiah Wright, Tate Johnson and Avery Jernigan. In 2021, Auburn signed its first high school offensive tackle since 2017 when Colby Smith inked with the Tigers along with guard Garner Langlo, and in 2022 Eston Harris, Jr. was the one and only signee on the offensive line. That’s how you get into the position Auburn was in on the offensive line when Freeze arrived. In two years Bryan Harsin and his staff signed just three offensive linemen and the Tigers signed just one true tackle from the high school ranks in five classes. That should be a fireable offense in itself to just totally drop the ball on one of the most important parts of a football team. It’s one thing to miss on a quarterback or two and have some issues at that position, but the offensive line is a developmental position. It requires signing guys who might take some time to be ready to contribute, knowing all the while that guys can change dramatically over the course of a few years along the offensive line. Fortunately for Auburn, it has a head coach in place who understands the importance of the position, but also saw the dire straits the Tigers were in when he arrived. With Bradyn Joiner the only commitment when Harsin was fired, Auburn added 4-star Clay Wedin under interim coach Cadillac Williams before adding Connor Lew, Tyler Johnson and junior college tackle Izavion Miller all in December. Since then the TIgers have picked up Tulsa transfer Dillon Wade and Western Kentucky transfer Gunner Britton to add a veteran presence to the line for next season, which is important considering the huge hole at the tackle position. Speaking of Britton I had the chance to talk to his dad and found out some interesting nuggets about the big offensive tackle. I remembered him from Auburn’s game against Western Kentucky last season, but seeing him in person he looked much bigger than he did in uniform last fall and that’s not normally the case. This week I found out why. During the course of last season, Britton had a tooth issue that required some surgery. He went almost three weeks without eating solid food and lost 27 pounds in the process. That’s impossible to gain back during the season so he played through it. Coming to Auburn to compete with and against the best in the Southeastern Conference, Britton said he is excited about the strength and conditioning program as well as Auburn’s training staff and medical staff. Those are things that some may take for granted, but Britton isn’t one of them as he prepares for the next year on the Plains. Guard play the key If you want to look at what the difference is between winning and losing in college basketball, all you have to do is look at the last two games for the Auburn Tigers. Your best players have to play well and efficiently for most teams to win, especially on the road. Against Georgia, Wendell Green, Jr. was just 2-12 from the floor and turned the ball over four times in a loss. On Saturday against Arkansas, Green was 5-8 from the field, but also 7-9 from the line and added five assists in one of the best performances of the season for the Tigers. 17COMMENTS He’s a huge part of the equation, but it’s going to take more than just him at the guard position. We’ve seen K.D. Johnson be a sparkplug for this team, but right now he’s only draining the battery. In three SEC games the guard is just 5-23 from the floor and 1-9 from behind the arc. The other issue is that he’s just 4-7 from the free throw line. For a guy who is as aggressive as Johnson is, he has got to find a way to get to the free throw line more for this team as the SEC schedule heats up. While Johni Broome has played really well in SEC play to this point, college basketball is a guard game. We saw that become the ultimate issue down the stretch for Auburn last season and if the Tigers want to make a run this year it will be on the shoulders of the smallest guys on the court. ">247Sports

Where things stand with Auburn’s roster, positions of need after busy weekend Published: Jan. 09, 2023, 2:49 p.m. 8–10 minutes Auburn’s roster for Year 1 of the Hugh Freeze era is taking shape as the spring semester gets underway. The program enjoyed a busy, productive weekend on that front, with the Tigers picking up four additions through the transfer portal, two more 2023 high school signees and welcomed 13 mid-year enrollees onto campus for the start of spring. And Auburn isn’t done yet with the retooling of its personnel for the 2023 season. Read more Auburn football: Auburn football snags Texas 3-star safety CJ Johnson Auburn adds 7th player via the portal as DT Lawrence Johnson transfers Auburn lands former 4-star linebacker, LSU transfer DeMario Tolan After a flurry of movement over the weekend, Auburn sits at 82 projected scholarship players on roster for the upcoming season. The NCAA limit is 85, leaving Auburn with a few spots to fill before the season begins in a little less than eight months. There will be more shuffling, of course; the fall transfer window ends Jan. 18, while National Signing Day is Feb. 1, followed by the spring transfer window from May 1-15. While Auburn’s roster has filled out nicely since Freeze was hired at the end of November, there are still some areas for the Tigers to address this offseason, so let’s take a closer look at where things stand for the program as the spring semester begins. Weekend additions First, let’s recap who Auburn to the fold over the weekend, with six new commitments — or at least newly announced commitments — joining the fray. The action picked up for Auburn on Thursday, when Western Kentucky transfer Gunner Britton committed to the program following a visit to the Plains. Britton is the seventh offensive line addition for Auburn since Freeze took over, as the program has worked to swiftly overhaul its numbers in the trenches. Britton, who started every game for WKU last season, signed with Auburn two days later, on Saturday, when the Tigers also got two more pickups. Three-star 2023 cornerback Tyler Scott announced his commitment to Auburn during the All-American Bowl. Scott signed with Auburn last month but held off until the all-star game to unveil his decision. Later that day, the Tigers also added Maryland transfer defensive lineman Mosiah Nasili-Kite, who committed following a visit to campus. The action continued into Sunday, as LSU transfer and former four-star linebacker DeMario Tolan committed to and signed with Auburn. That was followed by another portal addition in the form of Purdue defensive line transfer Lawrence Johnson. Then 2023 three-star safety CJ Johnson announced he had signed with the Tigers, wrapping up a whirlwind weekend of additions for the program. Midyear enrollees Auburn welcomed a baker’s dozen of spring enrollees to campus for move-in day Sunday, providing a wealth of new faces for the program to mix in for spring practices. Among the midyear enrollees are eight true freshmen, one junior college transfer and three portal additions. On the transfer front, former Tulsa offensive tackle Dillon Wade, Vanderbilt edge rusher Elijah McAllister, FIU tight end Rivaldo Fairweather and the aforementioned Britton all arrived on campus. As did junior college offensive tackle Izavion Miller. The freshmen enrollees included four-star defensive end Keldric Faulk, four-star offensive lineman Clay Wedin and four-star corner Kayin Lee, as well as three-star defensive lineman Stephen Johnson, three-star offensive lineman Bradyn Joiner, three-star center Connor Lew, three-star defensive lineman Wilky Denaud and three-star edge Brenton Williams. Positions still needing to be addressed With a few scholarship slots still open, Auburn has a chance to address a few more positions of need before the start of the 2023 season. Roster management is a fluid situation, of course, and more spots could open up if any more returning players choose to transfer out of the program, but as it stands, limited spots remain before the Tigers hit the 85-scholarship limit, so Freeze and staff will have to be selective in how they supplement the current roster. Looking at the Tigers’ scholarship distribution by position and class (as detailed in this evolving 2023 projected scholarship chart), there are still some key areas Auburn stands to address this offseason, with some targets still on the board. Freeze has gone on record saying that Auburn would still like to add a quarterback through the transfer portal, so long as it’s the right fit. The Tigers return starter Robby Ashford, T.J. Finley (the starter entering last season), redshirt freshman Holden Geriner and welcome freshman Hank Brown. Auburn had interest in Coastal Carolina’s Grayson McCall before he opted to return to the Chanticleers, as well as NC State transfer Devin Leary before he committed to Kentucky, and while Freeze has expressed enthusiasm about working with Ashford, Auburn has yet to find a quarterback to add to the fray — but optimism remains that one could become available. “If it’s the right one, that we believe we can win games with” Freeze said last month. “And we’ve gone back and forth on our rankings of them and we’re kind of looking at that list right now, and in conversations with the next man up, and hopefully we’ll get the right one.” The Tigers would also like to add another player to their running back room, especially after leading rusher Tank Bigsby declared for the NFL Draft last month. Auburn returns Jarquez Hunter, as well as Damari Alston and Sean Jackson, and four-star 2023 commit Jeremiah Cobb is still expected to sign with the program next month. Still, Auburn would like to bring in another experienced back to work in tandem with Hunter. The program over the weekend hosted USF transfer Brian Battie, according to his Instagram story and multiple reports. Battie was the AAC’s third-leading rusher last season (1,186 yards and eight touchdowns while averaging 6.74 yards per carry) and was a consensus All-American in 2021 as a kick return specialist. Elsewhere on offense, Auburn remains in the mix for Cincinnati transfer wide receiver Nick Mardner, who previously played for new Auburn wide receivers coach Marcus Davis at Hawaii in 2021. The 6-foot-6 Mardner, who visited Auburn last week, will reportedly choose between Auburn and Cal this week as a grad transfer, according to 247Sports. He enjoyed his best season -- 46 receptions for 913 yards and five touchdowns -- while playing for Davis two years ago. Though Auburn has already undergone an extensive retooling along both lines of scrimmage, it’s possible the program still adds more to its numbers up front on either side of the ball. Auburn has added seven offensive linemen this cycle — with four high school signees, a JUCO pickup and two key transfer additions at offensive tackle — but it’s still in the mix for Baylor transfer Micah Mazzccua, who will announce a decision Tuesday night from a final three of Auburn, Florida and Nebraska. Mazzccua was a two-year starter at Baylor, where he primarily played left guard. On the defensive side, where Auburn has already added three transfers up front, the Tigers are reportedly in the mix for Kentucky defensive tackle transfer Justin Rogers. Even with the recent addition of Tolan over the weekend, Auburn could stand to add an additional linebacker to its corps. The Tigers have a top-heavy distribution of scholarships in that room, with five seniors for 2023, and could use another underclassman to help even things out in the long run with the likes of Tolan (a rising sophomore) and redshirt freshmen Robert Woodyard and Powell Gordon. Again, there should be plenty more movement over the next eight months before the 2023 season kicks off, but this is a snapshot of where things stand for Auburn at the start of the spring semester. 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.

Auburn WR coach Marcus Davis helps snag familiar face from portal Published: Jan. 09, 2023, 4:40 p.m. ~3 minutes Auburn Football Cincinnati WR Nick Mardner becomes Auburn’s 8th transfer under Hugh Freeze Auburn WR signee Daquayvious Sorey highlights from Chipley High School By Nick Alvarez | nalvarez@al.com Auburn football’s quarterback will have a revamped supporting cast next fall, whether it’s Robby Ashford or another player in the portal. Nick Mardner, a Canadian-born wide reciever who’s caught touchdowns for Hawaii and Cincinnati, became the eighth transfer into Hugh Freeze’s program on Monday. Mardner announced the commitment on his social media accounts. His decision comes after five players pledged their 2023 seasons to Auburn over the weekend. Mardner, listed at 6-foot-6, 215-pounds, recorded 218 receiving yards and three touchdowns for the Bearcats last season. In his career, Mardner’s totaled over 1,400 yards with 11 touchdowns. His best campaign was in 2021 with Hawaii when, under new Auburn wide receivers coach Marcus Davis, Mardner was named an All-Mountain West honorable mention. Mardner held offers from South Florida, West Virginia and more after entering the portal on Dec. 7. Davis’ hire was confirmed later in the month. Mardner has one year of eligibility remaining. Mardner should give Auburn a big-bodied target on the outside that can beat cornerbacks in one-on-one matchups. He ranked ninth nationally with 19.9 yards a reception as a junior. During Cincinnati’s season-opening loss to Arkansas on Sept. 3, Mardner caught a 35-yard touchdown in the one-score loss. Along with three-star high school pledge Daquayvious Sorey, Mardner will be the second wide reciever and fourth offensive skill player to help reshape an offense designed by offensive coordinator Phillip Montgomery. Auburn is awaiting the letter of intent from Montgomery Catholic running back Jeremiah Cobb and the first transfer of the current cycle, FIU tight end Rivaldo Fairweather, who committed in December. Auburn’s returning scholarship wide receivers include Ja’Varrius Johnson, Malcom Johnson Jr., Koy Moore, Landen King, Camden Brown, Omari Kelly and Jay Fair. That group combined for 63 receptions and six touchdowns. MORE Tigers football: Where things stand with Auburn’s roster, positions of need in transfer portal after busy weekend Nick Alvarez is a reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter @nick_a_alvarez or email him at NAlvarez@al.com If you purchase a product or register for an account through one of the links on our site, we may receive compensation.

Brian Battie, All-American returner and 1,000-yard rusher at USF, announces SEC commitment Andrew Olson 2–3 minutes Brian Battie is headed to The Plains after 3 seasons at USF. Battie has committed to Auburn to continue his college football career. Battie shared the big news on social media. Battie has played in 31 games over 3 seasons at USF, averaging 6.6 yards per carry and 24.2 yards per kick return. The 2020 season does not count against his eligibility with the NCAA’s COVID-19 blanket waiver. In 2021, Battie earned All-America recognition as a return specialist. He led the nation with 3 kickoff returns for touchdowns and tied an NCAA game record with 2 100-yard returns in the same game and broke the Bulls’ season return average record. Battie finished 2021 with 20 returns for 650 yards and 3 touchdowns to go with 58 rushes for 324 yards and a TD along with 7 receptions for 67 yards. In 2022, Battie shined as a running back, logging 176 carries for 1,186 yards and 8 touchdowns. He also had 33 returns for 659 yards and 14 catches for 91 yards. Battie is the 9th player to join Hugh Freeze’s Auburn program from the transfer portal.

Behind Enemy Lines: Auburn-Ole Miss preview with David Eckert of The Clarion-Ledger Taylor Jones 5–6 minutes After earning a convincing 72-59 win over No. 13 Arkansas last Saturday, the No. 20 Auburn Tigers now turn their focus to the Ole Miss Rebels. Auburn travels to Oxford to take on the Rebels Tuesday night at 8 p.m. CT at the Pavillion at Ole Miss. Auburn looks to win its first SEC game on the road, while the Rebels hope to earn its first conference win in general. Ole Miss lost to archrival Mississippi State, 64-54 last Saturday. Matthew Murrell and Jaemyn Brakefield performed well offensively for the Rebels, but as a team, Ole Miss shot 35.8% from the field and was out-rebounded by Mississippi State, 43-32. To help us learn more about Auburn Basketball’s next opponent, we welcome Ole Miss beat writer David Eckert from The Clarion-Ledger to the next installment of “Behind Enemy Lines.” In today’s edition of the series, Eckert breaks down Ole Miss’ last game, players that Auburn fans should be aware of, and his final score prediction. Here is today’s “Behind Enemy Lines” with David Eckert of The Clarion-Ledger. Getting to know Ole Miss Petre Thomas-USA TODAY Sports Ole Miss enters Tuesday’s game with an 8-7 record and is looking for its first SEC win. What is the overall mood on campus when it comes to the Rebels season to this point? It’s not good, that’s for sure. Quite a lot of frustration. Maybe even more apathy. The Rebels just haven’t really done very much to generate excitement. They started the season pretty well, but they haven’t beaten anyone of particular consequence, outside of an FAU team that looks like it might win Conference USA. It’s going to take more than one big win to draw folks back in. Feeling the bite Petre Thomas-USA TODAY Sports Ole Miss fell to rival Mississippi State last Saturday, 64-54, despite making solid second-half adjustments. In what ways did the Rebels improve their game plan in the second half of the game? The one thing Ole Miss will do to its opposition to make things tough is provide multiple looks on defense. Much of the run the Rebels went on in the early second half on Saturday resulted from Mississippi State’s inability to score. It’s worth noting, though, that once the Bulldogs got their sea legs back, they exploded, and Ole Miss totally folded. Keep an eye on Matthew Murrell Petre Thomas-USA TODAY Sports Guard Matthew Murrell leads Ole Miss in several stat categories… what makes him so special, and how much will Ole Miss rely on him for points on Tuesday? Matthew Murrell is just a really talented scorer. He can beat you from outside. He can play above the rim. He’s an explosive athlete that can change games if he gets hot. One of Ole Miss’ big problems is that hasn’t happened very much lately. He was good against Mississippi State, but didn’t crack double digits in either of the Rebels’ first two SEC games. They’re not going to win games unless he’s a big factor, period. Pump the brakes Petre Thomas-USA TODAY Sports Outside of Murrell, which players should Auburn fans have on their radar? This is difficult, because — especially offensively — Ole Miss just hasn’t gotten very much from its supporting cast. Jaemyn Brakefield is probably the Rebels’ closest thing to a secondary scorer. He’s averaging 14 points per game in SEC play. The Rebels are still trying to get Daeshun Ruffin going after he returned from a prolonged knee injury in November. Amaree Abram is a guy who can catch fire at guard on occasion, but he’ll probably come off the bench. Ole Miss' strength Petre Thomas-USA TODAY Sports Auburn is still trying to solidify an offensive identity. How strong have the Rebels performed defensively this season? They’ve been pretty good, but not outstanding by any means. They’ve allowed 70 points just once in their last five games. Ole Miss has a lot of length and athleticism that plays well on the defensive side of things. The other end of the court has been their problem. Searching for their first SEC win Petre Thomas-USA TODAY Sports What will Ole Miss need to do well in order to grab the win over Auburn? It probably has to make this game a rock fight. Auburn has way more offensive talent, and the Rebels are mired in a scoring slump that has made them really, really hard to watch lately. Ole Miss turned its SEC opener against Tennessee into something of a coin flip by just making it into a brawl. That’s probably what this game has to be. The Tigers keep it going The Montgomery Advertiser/ Jake Crandall What is your final score prediction? Auburn 61, Ole Miss 56. The Rebels haven’t shown me anything to indicate that they’re going to get a win against a team like Auburn any time soon. Kermit Davis said after the Mississippi State loss that they lacked toughness. If you can’t score, and you can’t out-tough the opposition, where’s the path to victory? We love college basketball because it’s unpredictable, but all of the tea leaves are pointing toward an Auburn win here. Story originally appeared on Auburn Wire

Everything Bruce Pearl, Allen Flanigan and Wendell Green Jr. said after beating Arkansas River Wells 4–5 minutes It was an SEC victory to get back on track for the Auburn Tigers on Saturday. After a tough loss to Georgia, Auburn picked up a definitive win against No. 12 Arkansas at home by a score of 72-59, which should serve as a recovery game after the team lost to unranked Georgia a few days prior. Auburn moves to 2-1 in SEC play thus far on the year. The game saw head coach Bruce Pearl use a different style of defense and players Allen Flanigan and Wendell Green Jr. have great games on the day, and all three talked about the victory and team contributions after the buzzer sounded. Here is what the trio had to say: Bruce Pearl, opening statement (Photo by Michael Chang/Getty Images) “We needed that. I think everyone in here would agree. Could you have expected it? I don’t know. They (our team) really showed me something tonight – from the bounce back and the quick turnaround. We played great from the start and got Wendell (Green Jr.) some great looks. He played great from the start. Maybe, one of the best games of his career and a really important game here at home. Beating No. 13-ranked Arkansas here at home is probably one of my Top 4-or-5 games at home. It was an important game and it was start-to-finish. I am really proud of the kids. It was a great team effort. (Johni) Broome gets another double-double, so we got to play through him. The key to the game was not turning it over. The key was to really understand getting shots, before we turnover.” Bruce Pearl, on playing zone defense John Reed-USA TODAY Sports “Arkansas is better from 2 than 3. That little flat 2-3 zone really bothered them and they struggled with it. They are going to see it all year long and our guys did a great job with it. We have it in the package and I think it also helped our man defense, because in the zone, you have a gap and you have to build a wall. When guys are in zone, they get that feeling that when you play a team that is better from the 2 than the 3 and drive it like Arkansas does, you have to play your man like that also.” Allen Flanigan, on the win USA Today Network “It definitely boosted (our) confidence. It shows what we’re capable of, night-in and night-out. Now, we just have to stick to putting games and days back-to-back.” Allen Flanigan, on his impact on the court John Reed-USA TODAY Sports “It means a lot. My teammates needed me to step up, so being able to step up for them tonight was big.” Allen Flanigan, on the team's freshmen (Photo by Michael Chang/Getty Images) “BP (Coach Pearl) preaches, ‘stay right and stay ready.’ There’s no let down when the freshmen and underclassmen come into the game.” Allen Flanigan, on the team playing zone USA Today Network “This might be the first. There was a lot of zone that was played tonight and it was my first time here, I played zone the entire game.” Wendell Green Jr., on his performance in SEC play so far (Photo by Michael Chang/Getty Images) “I just wanted to come back and show how I play. That’s how I play when I’m out there. I haven’t been like that since I hurt my foot (against Georgia State) and I wanted to come back. I’m healthy, I feel good, and it just felt good to see that first shot go in.” Wendell Green Jr., on teams trying to drive inside Dylan Cardwell (Photo by Michael Chang/Getty Images) “They’re going to get fouled hard and get whipped up. You have to go in there safe. It’s like when we had Walker (Kessler) last year. There’s no let down. Walker was crazy down there, but we have Dylan (Cardwell) and Johni (Broome) down there. It’s the same thing. The guards will push them down there. They’re going to clean it up for us and all we have to do is get the loose ball.” Story originally appeared on Auburn Wire

Joseph Goodman: Bruising Auburn flexes on Arkansas, SEC Updated: Jan. 08, 2023, 8:52 a.m.|Published: Jan. 08, 2023, 6:45 a.m. 5–7 minutes Auburn forward Dylan Cardwell doesn’t waste his fouls. There are a few basketball players in the SEC this season who can take over games with their offense. Anthony Black of Arkansas is one. He was in Auburn on Saturday night. Brandon Miller of Alabama is another. He scored 19 against Kentucky earlier in the day. I’m not saying Cardwell is an offensive maven like Black or Miller, but when the game-changers of this league drive the lane against Auburn for the rest of this season, and actually walk away without a limp or busted lip, then they should all thank Mr. Cardwell by his family name for not dropping them on the ones stitched across their backs. No.22 Auburn might not be pretty like last season, but the Tigers served notice on Saturday night with their beautiful 72-59 roughneck victory against No.13 Arkansas that opponents are going to earn their buckets with a side of pain and maybe a little paint on the uniforms from here on out. “They never were able to effectively attack,” coach Bruce Pearl said. “Simple.” Such a wonderful euphemism, coach, for the bruising reality Auburn inflicted on an Arkansas team that’s led by some great finishers at the rim. Take Auburn’s Cardwell, for example. He only played 10 minutes, but he made them count more than any amount of offense by Arkansas. Cardwell picked up two fouls during his time on the court, but they were each so devastating that officials went to the video review monitors both times to determine if the common fouls should be upgraded to the flagrant variety. Nope. Just good, clean fun inside The Jungle. GOODMAN: Opportunity is power in college football’s new world GOODMAN: Arrive early for Alabama’s shooting exhibition What should opponents know when they drive to the basket against Dylan Cardwell? I asked Auburn’s Wendell Green Jr. that exact question after the game. It’s “not safe,” he said. “They’re going to get whooped up.” Such a pure, uncut gem of truth. That’s Auburn basketball at its best whether there’s a first-rounder on the roster this season or not. Auburn sent Arkansas to the line 32 times. The Razorbacks only made 19 free throws. “They really showed me something tonight,” Pearl said. “The bounce-back, the quick turnaround, played great from the start.” Here’s something I don’t think enough people appreciate about Pearl as a coach. Yes, he’s gregarious. Yes, he’s a great recruiter. Yes, he has scratched out a little piece of college basketball heaven on a speck of road in Auburn that’s literally named Heisman Drive. Ask yourself this. How many times have you found yourself saying, “Man, Pearl’s team really came out flat today?” It doesn’t happen much at all, and if it does then no way it’s going to happen two games in a row. Rare are the days when Auburn comes out looking like a team stuck in the mud. That’s not luck or by accident or because of some mysterious cosmic force. It’s great coaching. On this night, Auburn started things off with a four-point play by Green, and after that Arkansas was playing catch up all game. Down season for Auburn (12-3, 2-1 in the SEC), you say? Still pretty great. This game didn’t have a single change of the lead from the opening seconds, and the score was never even tied. The Tigers led the whole way against a team that’s going to be penciled deep in the NCAA Tournament on a lot of brackets. “You guys have seen us play all fall, and we needed that,” Pearl said, opening up with reporters in his postgame news conference. “I think everyone in here would agree. Could you have expected it?” Uhh, going to answer that one in the affirmative, coach. To play off a euphemism, we’ve seen your positive interactions with highly motivated student-athletes for more than a minute. “Probably one of the Top 5 wins I’ve had at home at Neville Arena,” Pearl said. “It was an important win. I’m very proud of the kids. It was a great team effort.” Top 5? Well, maybe only because it came on the same day that Alabama clobbered Kentucky by 26 points over at Coleman. Is Auburn the favorite to win the SEC regular-season championship this season? Probably not. It’s No.7 Alabama (13-2, 3-0 in the SEC) at this point, but I’m still not picking anyone to win at Neville Arena. Don’t get me wrong. Alabama is great, but Auburn has won 27 in a row at home. It’s so many consecutive victories that the building where it’s all gone down has had two different names and the football stadium across the street has introduced three different head coaches. It was Auburn Arena when the streak started and now they call their little shop of horrors Neville Arena because the stuff that grows so wild inside The Jungle inspired a guy who isn’t even an Auburn graduate to donate a preposterous amount of money. The Tigers entered this weekend with questions after losing at Georgia. That was a tough game to a rival, but quality wins can mean more in this sport at the end of the season than any loss. Auburn answered all that with what looks like the best victory for any SEC team to begin conference play. Joseph Goodman is a 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. If you purchase a product or register for an account through one of the links on our site, we may receive compensation.

Allen Flanigan's patience, preparation show 'player that he’s capable of being' Nathan King 5–6 minutes AUBURN, Alabama — Smiles were hard to come by for Bruce Pearl when Auburn lost at Georgia last week. Until he began talking about Allen Flanigan after the game. The Tigers’ recent offensive struggles culminated in a road loss against a bottom-tier team in the conference, giving Auburn three losses in its past six games. But Pearl couldn’t help but beam over his senior. It didn’t appear to be the most electric performance for Flanigan in Athens: 11 points on 5-of-10 shooting, though he was the second-leading scorer behind Johni Broome, and was one of only three Tigers to make three or more shots. But it was what the senior wing had done behind closed doors that made Pearl so proud after the loss. “Al didn't play great against Florida and really worked hard, all week long, just coming in and grinding and just having a really good attitude and doing the best he could — instead of just being frustrated,” Pearl said. “It's interesting, God's got a way of blessing that good behavior. I just told him, 'Al, even if you didn't play well tonight, you had a great week of preparation.' I could see Al working hard to do the right things, do the little things. It translated pretty quickly. That could be something he can build on.” And build he did. Flanigan continued to excel, this time against his home-state team: No. 13 Arkansas. Off the bench, the senior poured in 18 points — including a 3-of-6 clip from beyond the arc, eight rebounds, two steals and only one turnover — as No. 22 Auburn rebounded from its recent struggles, cashed in on its strength-in-numbers style of play, and notched what Pearl called one of the most important home wins of his time in the program. Flanigan has still yet to start a game in 2022-23, though he plays the fourth-most minutes of anyone on the team, ahead of Auburn’s starter at the 3 spot, Chris Moore. But that hasn’t doused his leadership or his efforts on both ends of the floor, even after a rough couple games where he scored just 4 points between wins over Washington and Florida at the end of last month. “He’s just been trying to do the little things, trying to keep his attitude right,” Pearl said. “Al’s coming off the bench, and certainly is good enough to start, the way he played tonight and he played well against Georgia.” He started 2-of-3 from 3-point range, and his second triple gave Auburn its first double-digit lead early, 24-14 with under 11 minutes left in the first half. Flanigan led Auburn in scoring in the second half with 9 points, as the Tigers impressively kept the Razorbacks at bay, holding firm on a double-digit lead for all but 63 seconds of the second half. Flanigan went 2-of-3 from the field, including another triple, and 4-of-4 from the foul line after halftime. “I thought he was mentally locked in and didn’t over-penetrate,” Pearl said. “Used his physicality defensively and rebounding. … Look at his percentages. Seven defensive rebounds. It sort of translates.” Flanigan’s 29 points between the Georgia loss and Arkansas win are his most across a two-game span against SEC competition since his sophomore year. "You're only going to get out of the game what you put into it,” Flanigan said. “It's just me constantly staying in the gym, and tonight it showed." Pearl even admitted he was a bit surprised by the Tigers’ performance and execution in what was their biggest game of the season so far. But it was proof of concept that Auburn’s depth can be a real weapon when even just half the lineup is playing well offensively — and likely of the most importance is the play of point guard Wendell Green Jr., who bounced back from rough numbers in Auburn’s first two SEC games with 19 points and five assists. As Auburn looks to brush off its brief string of losses and establish a baseline of SEC wins in the coming weeks, it will continue to rely on Flanigan to be a top scorer, defender and leader. For now, though, Pearl is just pleased to see the senior’s patience pay off in a public light. “I’m just happy,” Pearl said. “I’m so happy for him. That’s the player that he’s capable of being.” 1COMMENTS *** Subscribe to Auburn Undercover for the latest news and intel, podcasts, recruiting coverage and more*** *** Get Auburn news straight to your inbox with the Auburn Undercover newsletter *** ">247Sports

SEC men's basketball power rankings Cooper Posey 2–3 minutes With Alabama, Tennessee, Arkansas, Missouri, and Auburn in the top 25 the SEC is proving that they are more than just a football conference. Just a few games into conference play let's rank each team in the SEC. Last weekend's slate of SEC games gave us a clearer picture on where teams stand in the SEC. 1. Alabama Crimson Tide (13-2) Alabama has knocked off the #1 team in the country twice this year. 2. Tennessee Volunteers (13-2) Tennessee continues to win games by a large margin. 3. Auburn Tigers (12-3) Despite Auburn's recent loss to Georgia. Their win over #13 Arkansas is convincing enough to put the Tigers at #3. 4. Arkansas Razorbacks (12-3) Although the Razorbacks have two SEC losses they are the third-highest-ranked SEC team according to RPI. 5. Missouri Tigers (13-2) The Tigers are a top-25 team and have two SEC wins over Kentucky and Vanderbilt. 6. Mississippi State Bulldogs (12-3) Mississippi State has three losses with two of those coming from Alabama and Tennessee. 7. LSU Tigers (12-3) LSU does have two SEC losses but they also have a win over a top-ten team. 8. Texas A&M (10-5) Texas A&M is 2-0 in conference play. 9. Kentucky Wildcats (10-5) Kentucky is 1-2 in SEC play with a win over LSU 10. Georgia Bulldogs (11-4) Georgia is 1-1 in conference play with a win over Auburn. 11. Florida Gators (8-7) Florida is 1-2 in conference play with a win over Georgia. 12. Vanderbilt Commodores (8-7) Vandy is just above .500 after barely being beaten by Missouri. 13. Ole Miss (8-7) Ole Miss Is on a four-game losing streak with Auburn next on the schedule. 14. South Carolina Gamecocks (7-8) South Carolina is the only SEC team with a losing record and has yet to win a game against an SEC opponent. Engage with Auburn Daily on Socials! Join the Discord Follow Auburn Daily on Twitter

Hank Brown shares why Hugh Freeze is able to recruit at a high level Zac Blackerby ~2 minutes Auburn's quarterback of the 2023 class committed to Hugh Freeze two different times. Hank Brown, the former Liberty commit, was one of many late additions to Auburn's 2023 class. Brown believes in what Freeze is doing early at Auburn and sees him as a genuine coach. Brown hopped on the Locked On Auburn podcast to discuss Freeze, his path to Auburn, and more. "We have a great relationship," Brown said when asked about Freeze. "It's gone back a while. I just love him. Obviously, he's a great coach but what I love most is his authenticity, how he is as a person, and the culture builder that he is. It's one of the biggest things I've noticed. At Liberty when I first committed, the culture that they had there was something I didn't see anywhere else and I know he's going to do the same thing at Auburn." Brown was one of many players to commit to Auburn after Freeze arrived on campus as Auburn's head coach. Brown chimed in on what Freeze is selling and what he's getting to do to get solid players to commit to Auburn in such a short amount of time. Brown said, "The biggest thing that he is about is authenticity and how he is just honest with his players and tells them what they're going to get at Auburn and what they're looking for and what they need the player to do, what their future looks like."

Auburn lands former 4-star linebacker, LSU transfer DeMario Tolan Updated: Jan. 08, 2023, 9:20 a.m.|Published: Jan. 08, 2023, 9:19 a.m. ~3 minutes Alabama offensive lineman Tyler Steen (54), quarterback Bryce Young (9), and LSU linebacker DeMario Tolan (32) during the second half of an NCAA college football game in Baton Rouge, La., Saturday, Nov. 5, 2022. LSU won 32-31 in overtime. (AP Photo/Tyler Kaufman)AP Auburn continued its roster revamp with another big transfer addition Sunday morning. LSU linebacker transfer DeMario Tolan committed to and signed with Auburn, just four after entering his name into the transfer portal and three days after taking a visit to the Plains to meet with Hugh Freeze and staff, providing a needed boost to the team’s linebacker room. Read more Auburn football: Auburn football 2023 projected scholarship chart Auburn football lands 3-star commit during All-American Bowl on NBC Auburn swiftly making strides with long-overdue overhaul along offensive line Tolan, a former four-star prospect out of Orlando, Fla., played in 12 games for LSU this season and finished the year with 10 total tackles and a pair of quarterback hurries. The 6-foot-2, 222-pounder was a four-star recruit in the 2022 class and rated as the No. 202 overall prospect in the nation coming out of Dr. Phillips High. Auburn previously recruited Tolan out of high school, but the prior coaching staff was unable to land the blue-chip linebacker. After he entered the transfer portal earlier this week, Freeze and the new coaching staff wasted little time in trying to bring Tolan to the Plains. Tolan is the sixth transfer portal addition for Auburn this offseason and the third on the defensive side of the ball. The Tigers previously signed Vanderbilt edge transfer Elijah McAllister during the early signing period last month, while Maryland defensive line transfer Mosiah Nasili-Kite committed to Auburn on Saturday. The addition of Tolan also addresses a key need for Auburn at linebacker, where the program had yet to sign a player this cycle and just lost outgoing senior/team captain Owen Pappoe to the NFL Draft. The Tigers return five seniors at linebacker for 2023, including key contributors Cam Riley and Wesley Steiner, but only three underclassmen—former walk-on Jake Levant and redshirt freshmen Robert Woodyard and Powell Gordon. Tolan now provides Auburn with more depth moving forward, as well as a talented prospect with SEC experience already under his belt. 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.

#PMARSHONAU: Freeze thrives in college football's changing landscape Phillip Marshall 4–5 minutes Hugh Freeze knew the day he arrived on the Auburn campus that there was much to be done and little time to do it. He and other first-year head coaches see a landscape now unlike anything seen before in college football. There is NIL money, a boon for some and a burden for others. There are penalty-free transfers. There is the elimination of the 25-signee limit. Now, it’s sign as many as you want as long as you don’t go over the overall scholarship limit of 85. Unlimited transfers have made it possible to quickly restock rosters, but the competition for the top players in the portal is intense. And recruiting is no longer limited to incoming players. Coaches also have to recruit players on their own rosters who might have wandering eyes or the belief they are worth more money on the open market. Freeze inherited a roster that had been depleted, especially on the lines of scrimmage, by Bryan Harsin’s strange two years of disinterest in recruiting and a flood of players leaving. Freeze and his staff did better than almost anyone expected in the December signing period, flipping some players that should have been Auburn’s to begin with. And then he want after transfers, particularly those who could enroll immediately. To have any chance of success in his first Auburn season, he had to have them. He got them, and he is still getting them. At least 16 players, most of them on the offensive and defensive lines, are set to enroll for classes, which begin Wednesday. More are likely to come. New enrollees can begin classes as late as Jan. 18. When the signing as done, Freeze and friends will face another unique challenge. One of the more interesting Auburn spring practices in recent years will be ahead. New schemes will be installed on offense, defense and special teams. What will be Auburn’s hit rate on transfers? Can quarterback Robby Ashford continue the significant progress he made late last season? What about redshirt freshman Holden Geriner? Can the combination of veterans and newcomers play winning SEC football on the offensive and defensive lines, which is where it all begins? Other than those who left for the NFL draft, Auburn has suffered little attrition since last season. The rejuvenation of a depressed football program began when Cadillac Williams took over as interim head coach for the last four games and changed the vibe and the outlook for Auburn football. Convincing him to stay as associate head coach was one of Freeze’s big recruiting wins. In almost every coaching change, players who had been all but discarded by previous staffs blossom under new staffs. There is no better example than linebacker Deshaun Davis, written off by former coordinator Will Muschamp. Kevin Steele took over, and Davis became an All-SEC performer. Darvin Adams had been written off by Tommy Tuberville’s staff and became the leading receiver on the 2010 national championship team. How about position changes? 5COMMENTS Ben Grubbs arrived at Auburn as a defensive end, moved to offensive guard and was a first-round NFL draft choice. Tyrone Green arrived as a 2-star defensive lineman and left as an All-America offensive guard. Safeties can become linebackers. Receivers can become defensive backs. Who knows what will happen? New sets of coaching eyes see things differently. Spring practice is not going to be boring. ">247Sports

you know bo, pat, and cam all signed heisman cards which are official auburn cards i believe. i have bo's and pat's but i cannot remember if i have cams or not. it has been years since i have seen another one. i have been looking for a piece of the monoply money they threw at cam during the camback bowl. man to have one of those autographed would be epic!

Tigers of the Game: Green, Flanigan stepped up when they were needed most Taylor Jones ~3 minutes To say that No. 20 Auburn‘s win over No. 13 Arkansas was much-needed would be an understatement. Following a too-close-for-comfort win over Florida to open the SEC schedule on Dec. 28, and a disappointing loss to Georgia on Wednesday, Auburn needed a stellar effort to earn a win over the Razorbacks, who feature a roster filled with NBA talent. Using the crowd at Neville Arena as motivation, Auburn took care of Arkansas, 72-59. Buy Tigers Tickets Auburn earned the win thanks to strong efforts from a number of contributors. After a frustrating game against Georgia, Wendell Green Jr. rallied to lead Auburn in points. Johni Broome continued his consistent play by scoring 10 points and securing 10 rebounds for his third-straight double-double. Jaylin Williams again did his share by scoring nine points, and Allen Flanigan led all bench players with 18 points. With so many available options, who did the staff at Auburn Wire choose as their “Tigers of the Game”? It was a tough decision, but here is a look at who writers Taylor Jones, J.D. McCarthy, and River Wells chose as their “Tiger of the Game” following Auburn’s impressive win over Arkansas. Michael Chang/Getty Images Flanigan mentioned the sour taste in his mouth that his home-state program left during the recruiting process before the game, and he was sure to show them why they missed out. Off the bench, Flanigan tied his season-high in points with 18. He also added eight rebounds to his stat line. John Reed-USA TODAY Sports After going 2-for-12 from the field in Auburn’s loss to Georgia, Green redeemed himself by leading the team in scoring with 19 in Auburn’s win over Arkansas. He has now reached double-figures 11 times this season. John Reed-USA TODAY Sports Auburn fans knew right away that Green was going to have an impressive night. Green scored 12 of his 19 points in the first half of Auburn’s win over Arkansas. He came out of the gate with a hot hand, as he scored Auburn’s first seven points of the game. The Montgomery Advertiser/ Jake Crandall Here is a look at how many Tigers have earned a “Tiger of the Game” vote this season: Johni Broome 16 Wendell Green Jr. 9 Jaylin Williams 8 Allen Flanigan 3 K.D. Johnson 2 Chris Moore 2 Tre Donaldson 1

Auburn football lands 3-star commit during All-American Bowl on NBC Published: Jan. 07, 2023, 3:03 p.m. 2–3 minutes Kayin Lee cornerback highlight tape By Nick Alvarez | nalvarez@al.com Hugh Freeze accepted his role as Auburn football’s head coach with extensive work required on the recruiting trail. After a good showing during the early signing period and continued work in the transfer portal, the Tigers took another step forward on Sunday on national television, adding its first of two players. Tyler Scott, a three-star cornerback from Mableton, Georgia, committed to Auburn during the All-American Bowl, one of the best all-star games for high school seniors. Scott, a three-star per the 247Sports Composite, announced his future live on NBC. Scott is listed as 6-foot-1, 195 pounds and projects well as a boundary cornerback. Formerly an Arkansas State commit, Scott boosted his stock at Pebblebrook (Ga.) High as a senior and earned national attention from blue-chip programs. In December, he made stops at Alabama, Texas and Southern California. Michigan, Louisville and Tennessee rounded out Scott’s finalists. His signing is another win for Freeze’s new staff. Scott’s recruiters were listed as Zac Etheridge and Wesley McGriff. The Tigers will infuse six new defensive backs into the secondary next fall. The class is ranked 20th overall in the 247Sports team rankings and eighth in the Southeastern Conference. Improving the backend of the defense has been a point of emphasis for Freeze as he flipped four-stars Kayin Lee (Ohio State) and Sylvester Smith (Tennessee) last month. MORE Tigers recruiting: Auburn adds another transfer OT, pulls Gunner Britton from Western Kentucky Auburn football 2023 projected scholarship chart Nick Alvarez is a reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter @nick_a_alvarez or email him at NAlvarez@al.com. If you purchase a product or register for an account through one of the links on our site, we may receive compensation.

Auburn continues to rework DL with Big Ten standout Mosiah Nasili-Kite Published: Jan. 07, 2023, 3:29 p.m. 2–3 minutes Auburn DL signee Keldric Faulk highlights from Highland Home High School By Nick Alvarez | nalvarez@al.com Hugh Freeze stayed active in reshaping Auburn football’s 2023 roster. After adding another defensive back recruit during the All-American Bowl on NBC, the Tigers found another defensive tackle on Sunday. Mosiah Nasili-Kite, a former All-Big Ten honorable mention with Maryland, will spend his last year of eligibility on the Plains. A three-star recruit from Emerald (Wash.) Ridge, Nasili-Kate signed with Independence (Kansas) Community College out of high school. He’s listed as a 6-foot-2, 310-pound defensive tackle and recorded 63 total tackles and five sacks across 23 games for the Terrapins. He flashed at times in 2020 and 2021, stringing together multi-sack performances and two eight-tackle games. Nasili-Kite visited Auburn on Friday after announcing his entry to the transfer portal on Jan. 1. He’ll bring a reliable presence to the trenches as many of Auburn’s new additions along the defensive line project to be outside rushers. New defensive line coach Jeremy Garrett has worked quickly to make his mark with Freeze’s staff, playing a role in the acquisitions of Keldric Faulk, Brenton Williams and Quientrail Jamison-Travis. MORE Tigers football: Auburn football 2023 projected scholarship chart Auburn swiftly making strides with long-overdue overhaul along offensive line Nasili-Kite is the second defensive player to choose Auburn out of the portal, joining Vanderbilt edge Elijah McAllister and fifth overall transfer. Western Kentucky offensive tackle Gunner Britton was the fourth on Thursday. Nick Alvarez is a reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter @nick_a_alvarez or email him at NAlvarez@al.com. If you purchase a product or register for an account through one of the links on our site, we may receive compensation.