aubiefifty

did you ever read the book your avie seems to suggest? american psycho? that dude was all about clothes and torture and some of it was off the charts. hamster tubes and all that?

well what if they hold their breath for a really long time?

we are the tigers not the pumpkins..............lol as an edit here convicts have orange jumpsuits. navy blue all the way...............

When Auburn quarterback Bo Nix woke up to propose, 'it was kind of like game day' Bennett Durando, Montgomery Advertiser Tue, August 31, 2021, 12:18 PM AUBURN, Ala. — Auburn football's first game day of 2021 is four nights away, and it will bring extra nerves this year as players readjust to the pressure and environment of a packed stadium after 2020's attendance constraints. Fortunately for quarterback Bo Nix, he feels better prepared thanks to a recent rehearsal for game-day butterflies in his personal life: proposing. Nix and his girlfriend got engaged on July 30, and much like Auburn's upcoming season opener against Akron, the big moment happened at Jordan-Hare Stadium. (It was empty for this occasion, though.) "You know, I woke up kind of like it was game day," Nix said. "Similar feel to it. A lot at stake. A lot of preparation that went into it. But I was more comfortable proposing than probably on game day, because (in a game) there's so much on the opposing side that can go wrong. A lot of things that they can do. But I was confident in her answer." Deadpan humor aside, the quarterback said Auburn has been antsy to play a game and excited be greeted by the fans at Jordan-Hare on Saturday. "We're excited to be in front of a large crowd again," Nix said. "I think that's the most important part, just the atmosphere. We'll be back to how college football is supposed to be." The junior described the "flow of practice" and the ideas in practice as the biggest difference between first-year coach Bryan Harsin and former coach Gus Malzahn. "The vibe around the team is extremely positive," Nix said. "We're really tired of hitting each other and playing against each other in practice every day. But that's how it should be, because that means the other team is pushing you and the other side of the ball is making you better." Oh, and she said yes. This article originally appeared on Montgomery Advertiser: Auburn QB Bo Nix on similarities between football game day, proposing Our goal is to create a safe and engaging place for users to connect over interests and passions. In order to improve our

Just before 9 a.m. Tuesday, Bill Belichick was asked to characterize the training camp and preseason play of quarterback Cam Newton. “Definitely moving in the right direction,” Belichick said. A little more than an hour later, Newton was cut from the New England Patriots, immediately elevating first-round draft pick Mac Jones into a Day 1 starter in Foxborough. The right direction turned out to be off the team. Belichick isn't messing around. He never is, of course. There is never a hesitation when it comes to decisions that need to be made. No heart strings. No emotions. No tipping of his hand. “This is professional football,” he likes to say. Everything, as he often repeats, comes down to doing “what’s best for the team.” In that case, it was going with Jones, who outplayed Newton from the first day of camp through the third preseason game. Not just in totality, but on almost every single day of practice. That includes the five last week that Newton wasn’t available because he pointlessly put himself on the wrong side of the NFL’s COVID-19 protocols by a) not being vaccinated and b) leaving town and taking the wrong kind of tests. Newton was willing to take on that added hurdle of being unvaxxed — the NFL is more lenient with those who have received their shots. How much it mattered in the final decision is unknown, but sure couldn’t have helped. If nothing else, Jones got nearly a full week, including a couple of joint practices against the New York Giants, to sear into Belichick’s mind what the team would look like not just with the Alabama rookie as QB1 ... but Newton not even there. Mac Jones will start from Day 1 for Bill Belichick and the New England Patriots, who cut Cam Newton on Tuesday. (AP Photo/Adam Hunger) Newton returned to start the third preseason game last week, but it was Jones who got the most reps. Newton played just two series and went 2-of-4 passing. Jones, meanwhile, was in for six drives and went 10-of-14 for 156 yards and a touchdown. Newton attempted just 21 passes in three preseason games. Jones had 65, and 107 total snaps. Pro Football Focus graded Jones out with a 92.2 rating. Newton was just 79.6. There was a belief that Belichick was using the preseason to get Jones more work so he’d be ready when his time came. (Plus Newton, as a veteran and former league MVP, didn’t need it.) That wasn’t the case. After all, Belichick never limited Tom Brady’s preseason workload, even as he pushed into his 40s. The writing was on the wall. A more timid coach, a more conservative coach, might have decided to let Newton start the season, perhaps even play past a Week 4 return visit from Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers that should prove to be emotional and intense. Belichick isn’t that, though. His six Super Bowl rings suggest no one should be. If Jones is ready, then Jones is ready. It’s on him to deal with the pressure and expectations. And Jones looked ready. Very ready. The QB draft class of 2021 already looks promising. The top two picks, Trevor Lawrence and Zach Wilson, are immediate starters in Jacksonville and with the New York Jets. No. 3 selection Trey Lance is making San Francisco coach Kyle Shanahan contemplate a platoon system. And 11th pick Justin Fields will take over in Chicago soon — at least once the coaches there move on from Andy Dalton, who plays the role of Newton in their QB drama. None of them have looked as good as Jones in this preseason. None walked into as good of a situation or enjoyed the supporting cast or coaching talent around them, of course. Still, Jones, who went 15th, has looked every bit as good, or better, than all of them. Belichick certainly thinks this is his guy. Newton was signed a year ago on a low-budget contract to serve as the bridge between Brady and whatever the future held. He was a good teammate. He was a good player. It was clear Belichick really liked him, even signing Cam to a $12 million, one-year deal for 2021. Newton was also aging, with his best days obviously behind him. If Jones hadn’t distinguished himself, Newton would still be serving as that bridge. Jones won the job though, and Belichick clearly didn’t think Newton would serve best as a backup. This way, it’s Jones or bust — journeyman Brian Hoyer will be there for only emergency purposes. There is no quarterback controversy. That’s the plan for New England to try to win a Super Bowl, which is the only goal at a place with so many of them. It’s Mac Jones or bust. Sentimentality and caution are not allowed when trying to move in the right direction.

i have thought this and so has a close friend who is a turd fan. we both agree that the officials were letting players t off on cam and i am not sure why. cam took a hell of whipping there for a couple of years. i was afraid they were going to end his career. i would love to know how the refs got away with it.

this was all i have found. all the rest is just rehashing stuff already said.

Taking stock of Auburn’s 14 true freshmen entering 2021 season By Tom Green | tgreen@al.com 11-14 minutes Auburn’s 2021 season opener is just days away, as the Bryan Harsin era is set to officially kick off Saturday night against Akron in Jordan-Hare Stadium. Last week, we took stock of Auburn’s 10 key transfer additions from the offseason and where each is expected to fit into the Tigers’ plans. Today, we’ll do the same for Auburn’s 14 true freshmen on both sides of the ball. Some are expected to be rotational pieces at key positions, while others could see the field on special teams or provide additional developmental depth for Auburn this fall. We’ll run through the team’s 2021 high school signees and examine which ones could have more prominent roles this season, and which are likely to redshirt while appearing in four games or fewer. Here they are, listed in descending order by their 247Sports ranking coming out of high school: Dylan Brooks, edge Brooks was the highest-rated signee for Auburn during the 2021 cycle, joining the Tigers’ class in late February after initially signing with Tennessee and then being granted a release from his letter of intent with the Vols. The 6-foot-4, 227-pounder is expected to be the fifth option in Auburn’s edge defender rotation, which has a top-four of T.D. Moultry, Derick Hall, Romello Height and Eku Leota. While Brooks might not appear on the initial two-deep, he provides an intriguing young option at the position for the Tigers as they try to generate a better pass-rush this season—and if he can produce when his number is called, he could see an expanded role as his freshman season progresses. Lee Hunter, defensive tackle Before the late addition of Brooks, Hunter was the gem of Auburn’s 2021 class. Now, the Mobile native could be one of the Tigers’ more impactful freshmen this season. The former four-star Blount standout impressed during the spring, and he should be in Auburn’s defensive tackle rotation this season. At 6-foot-4 and 321 pounds, he’s one of the team’s biggest players, and he also provides a natural option at nose tackle when the Tigers go with three down linemen. He’ll likely be behind UAB transfer Tony Fair and sophomore J.J. Pegues in that spot, but during Saturday’s open practice, he received some second-team reps along the defensive line. Either way, expect Hunter to be a rotational piece for Auburn’s defensive front this fall. “Just holding his point at the nose and just knowing what he has to do technique-wise and the things he does outside of football, the preparation and everything, we see it,” Pegues said. “I feel like him doing that really just opened him up.” Ahmari Harvey, safety Auburn’s safety depth was a major question in the spring, as the team lost Jamien Sherwood and Jordyn Peters to the NFL Draft, while Harvey—a four-star early enrollee—was limited due to injury. Even after Auburn added FCS transfer Bydarrius Knighten to the secondary this summer, Harvey could find himself on the two-deep behind senior Smoke Monday in a safety group that should also include Knighten and Zion Puckett. Harvey was one of a handful of players who did not participate in Saturday’s open practice, and it remains unclear what his status will be for the start of the season. When healthy, though, he could be another young rotational option for Auburn on the back end. Dematrius Davis, quarterback The former four-star, dual-threat quarterback stuck with Auburn through an offseason coaching change, and while he doesn’t fit the mold of the typical quarterback in Harsin or Mike Bobo’s systems, Davis has shown some impressive development this offseason and has looked like a “different dude” from the spring to the fall. He enters a situation where he’s firmly behind Bo Nix and LSU transfer T.J. Finley, and he should be Auburn’s third-team quarterback this season. Unless Harsin and Bobo dial up specific packages for him this fall—and barring injury to the team’s top-two quarterbacks—Davis seems to be a redshirt candidate this fall, though it won’t be for lack of effort or ability on his part. “I really like Dematrius Davis,” Harsin said. “He as a young player, he continues to keep showing up…. Dematrius Davis, I think I’ve said this before, but he’s just got some gamesmanship in him. It’s kind of that game within the game that he can play. So, he’s fun to watch, fun to coach. There’s some details that he still needs to continue to be focused on.” Marquis Robinson, defensive tackle Robinson wasn’t as highly touted as Hunter, but he was still talented four-star prospect out of Milton, Fla. Defensive linemen typically have a sound chance to see the field as freshmen; it’s just the nature of the position. The 6-foot-3, 310-pounder won’t show up on Auburn’s two-deep, but it’s possible he sees some snaps this season for the Tigers’ deep defensive line. Tar’Varish Dawson, wide receiver The lone wide receiver among Auburn’s 2021 signees (after Hal Presley opted to transfer shortly after his arrival on campus), Dawson has been one of the bright young standouts of the preseason for the Tigers. The 5-foot-10, 161-pounder has impressed with his speed and agility in practices, and he could figure into the rotation at slot receiver behind Ja’Varrius Johnson. While Dawson generated plenty of buzz early in the preseason, he did not participate in Saturday’s open practice, so his status for Week 1 remains to be seen. “He has game-changing speeds that can create explosive plays off his ability,” Bobo said. “Right now, you can see the guy has speed; he’s made some tough catches in practice; he’s won some with his speed. Right now, it’s learning what to do. He’s got talent, and that’s our job as coaches to figure out what he can do and put himself in position to be successful. But I like his attitude.” Tobechi Okoli, defensive lineman We haven’t heard much about the 6-foot-5, 252-pound defensive lineman this preseason, but the former three-star prospect out of Kansas City could always work his way into the rotation along the defensive line. Heading into Week 1, though, it looks like he’ll be a fringe contributor for Auburn this season. Landen King, tight end King has looked impressive during the limited viewing windows the media has had this preseason, and if not for a logjam of veterans ahead of him at tight end, he could have entered this season in line for a more prominent role in Auburn’s wide-open pro-style offense. Still, the 6-foot-5, 214-pounder was an early enrollee who benefited from the head start in the spring, and this preseason he has looked “lightyears ahead” of where he was during the spring. Depending on how much he continues to progress, and how often Auburn utilizes two-tight end sets, King could work his way onto the field at some point this season. “Just his physicality and his football IQ have really grown,” fellow tight end John Samuel Shenker said. “Any time the young guy comes in early, he has a lot of growing to do, and that’s why he’s there. It’s been awesome to watch him. He’s still got a ways to go to get to where he wants to be, but he’s definitely on that right track.” Colby Smith, offensive lineman Smith was a major pickup for Harsin and his staff during February’s signing period, with the Tigers needing to replenish their numbers on the offensive line beyond this season. It’s always difficult for true freshmen to contribute along the offensive line immediately, and Auburn won’t need to ask Smith to do that, either. The Tigers return eight linemen with starting experience from last season, and the two-deep seemed pretty firmly set entering game week. Expect Smith to redshirt as Auburn works to develop him for next season and beyond. “They’re learning,” offensive lineman Brodarious Hamm said of the freshmen along the line. “It’s more fast-paced than what they’re used to, but they’re learning. They can help us in the long run.” Garner Langlo, offensive lineman Langlo had the benefit of spring practices to familiarize himself with Auburn’s new offense and begin acclimating to the college level, but again, it’s difficult for true freshmen to contribute up front offensively. Langlo won’t find himself on Auburn’s two-deep entering the season, but like Smith, the 6-foot-6, 277-pounder provides the team with another developmental piece for the foundation of its line beyond this season. He’s another prime redshirt candidate. “One of the young guys that has stood out to me is Garner Langlo,” senior offensive lineman Brandon Council said. “He’s really coming on. He’s strong and he’s picking up the offense. He’s a real good guy.” Ian Mathews, defensive lineman Mathews falls into a similar category as Okoli — freshmen defensive linemen who could garner some snaps this season but will likely have a hard time cracking a deep rotation up front for Auburn. The 6-foot-4, 267-pounder did see some work rotating in late with Auburn’s second-team defense during Saturday’s open practice, but he still has several more experienced players ahead of him. Mathews has some impressive athleticism for his size, and that could be a promising sign of things to come, even if it’s not likely to be this season. Jarquez Hunter, running back The addition of Hunter during February’s signing period was a significant one for an Auburn backfield that looks considerably different than it did this time last year. The Tigers return Tank Bigsby and Shaun Shivers, which should give them a formidable one-two punch at running back, but they’re the only scholarship backs with any actual college experience. Judging by rotations this fall, though, Hunter could be third in line at running back this season and has a chance to carve out some sort of role as a true freshman. That could be in the form of situational work out of the backfield, or on special teams, as he has been one of several players working at kick return this fall. The 5-foot-10, 202-pounder has some solid size at running back, and he has the type of strength — squatting 600 pounds this summer, according to linebacker Owen Pappoe — that could make him an effective weapon as a true freshman, regardless of his role. “He’s real strong,” Shivers said. “He’s physical…. He hits the hole. He’s explosive. That’s a downhill runner right there. He’s real strong and powerful.” A.D. Diamond, cornerback Diamond was an early signing day addition for Auburn under then-defensive coordinator/interim head coach Kevin Steele, who had a knack for identifying underrated defensive backs—guys like Daniel Thomas, Roger McCreary and Nehemiah Pritchett, to name a few—during his time with the Tigers. Diamond, forgive the pun, could be another one of those diamonds in the rough for Auburn. The 6-foot, 153-pounder was among the group of players who did not participate in practice Saturday. He is a developmental player for Auburn, which has a deep, veteran-laden secondary, and he’ll likely redshirt this season. Cayden Bridges, safety Bridges was one of Auburn’s February signing day additions, as the Tigers flipped the then-South Alabama commit to add to their 2021 class. The 6-foot-2, 181-pounder may have been Auburn’s lowest-rated high school signee, but there is certainly need for positional depth at safety for Auburn, as mentioned earlier with Harvey. Bridges may have a more difficult time cracking the rotation in the secondary, but with his size, he could earn a role on special teams as a means of seeing the field early for the Tigers.

i had high hopes when gruden took over but it has not worked out.

well now that is all over i hope he goes somewhere more friendly to cams talents. i would love to see him with the raiders just because i am a fan from back in their badboy days. and i was hoping he would win a superbowl for us as well.

i am relevant. nothing you say will change that. and for the record i do not need any kind of approval from some jackass such as yourself. your type come in here and brings nothing but arguments. i would suggest you give yourself some of that sensitivity training because it is not working. you can pretend you know what my motives are but at the end of the day i am the only one that knows what is in my heart.

if i had a dollar for every single time a person bitched about al.com i could buy a case of the good stuff and i am not kidding. my avie pic is my dad in a frosh auburn uniform before the freshmen were allowed to play with the varsity. auburn is my heart so when i think someone is slandering my love for auburn is pisses me off. all my family on my mothers side is tied to auburn as well. but if i misunderstood what was said i apologize. i just spent 7 hours in the docs office to get normal six month blood work done. i could not eat or drink anything and just sitting there getting mad spiked my blood pressure to stroke levels so i am already having a bad day. i best get off for a while before i say something that gets me a time out or worse. but again for those of you that can do be please do. i promise i will not mind.

i am not hiding behind anything. CAN YOU DO BETTER? then show us how it is done there sport. you take fifteen minutes to an hour on most days and contribute to the family. you made your point earlier and pissing and moaning is not helping anything. that is the way some of you are. you do not bring a damn thing to the board but want to bitch about people that do.

some of you complainers give me a shout out when you bring something to the board other than bitching about folks that do. post some articles. show me how it is done. lead by example.

ok i will bite......how do you know birds nuts are numb?

would you like me to sensor every single thing i post? like it or not i do not allow myself to make those decisions. you are mostly grown folks and do not need me making that decision for you. and if it goes against board rules the mods will delete it. i try to post it all. some people want to know who is saying what and some do not. i just post stuff and let you guys make your own mind up. not sure how much fairer i can be.

i post what i can find. you might find them dumb but we got a few hundred here on the fam and i am pretty sure some of them want to know what is out there. but gosh lets just post fluff pieces. go drink some warm milk you will be ok.

it does seem it is deeper than normal this year. i guess they are hurting because of covid so maybe they are trying click bait more this year.

people on this board gave holland hell. it was pretty bad. his dad left because of it the best i remember. i think that was what you were asking.

nice name victree! reminds me of duval in apocalpyse now.

Tigers sweep Jackson State to claim War Eagle Invitational title AUBURN, Ala. – Behind a dominating 3-0 (25-9, 25-13, 25-11) sweep of Jackson State, Auburn volleyball capped an undefeated opening weekend by claiming the War Eagle Invitational title Saturday night at Auburn Arena. The weekend marks the first time Auburn has started a season 2-0 since the 2015 campaign. The back-to-back sweeps were the first for the Tigers since sweeping Western Michigan and IUPUI as part of the Western Michigan Tournament on Sept. 20-21, 2019. Junior Rebekah Rath impressed with an efficient .433 hitting percentage, racking up a match-leading 16 kills for back-to-back double-digit kill efforts to start the season. She paced the team with 21.0 total points by adding two aces from the service line and five total blocks. "Obviously, things are going to get tougher as we get into the SEC portion of the schedule, but she (Rebekah Rath) is a big-time player," said Tigers head coach Brent Crouch. "She's played in the Big Ten against some of the best volleyball in the country. She's played in big crowds against great teams, so she's experienced and she's confident and she's only going to get better. Every week, you're going to see more and more with her as she starts to get more comfortable with the team." Rath earned a spot on the War Eagle Invitational All-Tournament Team with her weekend performance. She totaled a team-leading 29 kills on a .377 attack percentage, three service aces and nine total blocks. Rath closed the weekend with a team-high 37.0 total points. Graduate student Liz Reich put together her first double-digit kills effort as a Tiger. She closed the night with 13 kills on 24 attempts with just one error for a .500 attack clip. Reich also was named to the all-tournament team after ending the weekend with 22 kills, a .375 attacking percentage and nine total blocks. Calling the Tiger offense was setter Jackie Barrett, who dished out 27 assists. Barrett helped the Tigers to a .447 hitting percentage. The last time the Tigers attacked at a clip of .400 or better was against Eastern Illinois on Sept. 1, 2018. Barrett also added a pair of kills. Auburn totaled 14 blocks in Saturday's match, one shy of tying the program's three-set match record. Senior Elif Yavuz led the team with a career best eight with senior Tatum Shipes joining Reich and Rath with five blocks a piece. The strong effort at the net held Jackson State to a .011 clip. The final member of the all-tournament team, Bella Rosenthall, paced the Tiger defense with 14 digs. Rosenthall also dished out six assists and recorded an ace. Rosenthall closed the weekend with 10 total assists and led the Tigers in digs with 31. SET ONE The Tiger offense came out swinging with five of the first six Tiger points coming off kills. A 5-0 run by the Tigers with Rath at the service line gave Auburn an 11-3 lead midway through the set. After trading points, Barrett got in on the action with back-to-back aces to help extend the lead to 16-7. The Tigers ended the match on an 8-1 run with help of three big blocks from Yavuz to win the set 25-9. The Tigers totaled six blocks in the opening stanza. SET TWO Jackson State scored the first two points of the set, but Auburn stormed back with a 7-0 run, with help from three Tiger blocks, to take the lead. Auburn once again out-muscled Jackson State offensively in kills. Rath and Reich each totaled four. Errors plagued the Lady Tigers as Jackson State committed seven attack errors and four errors at the service line. Auburn claimed set two, 25-13. SET THREE Auburn opened the set with five straight points as Reich hammered home a pair of kills and senior Val Green added a big swing for a kill and an ace during the run. The Tigers once again took advantage of costly JSU errors and strong offense from the pin hitters to put together an 6-0 run late to cruise to the 25-11 set win. UP NEXT The Tigers make the lone road trip of their non-conference slate as Auburn treks to Hammond, La., for the 2021 Southeastern Showdown. Auburn will open the tournament on Friday, Sept. 3 with a pair of matches against Southern University (10 a.m. CT) and Southeastern Louisiana (7 p.m. CT). The Tigers round out the tournament against Cal State Fullerton on Saturday, Sept. 4 at 11 a.m. CT. Print Friendly Version Sponsors Team Statistics Team Statistics Game Stats JSU AUB Kills 21 42 Errors 20 5 Attempts 92 81 Hitting % .011 .457 Points 27 62 Assists 20 34 Aces 2 6 Blocks 4 14 Game Leaders Choose a category: #7 Rath, Rebekah Kills 16 Aces 2 Blocks 5 #8 Reich, Liz Kills 13 Aces 0 Blocks 5 #21 Shipes, Tatum Kills 4 Aces 0 Blocks 5 #19 Yavuz, Elif Kills 4 Aces 0 Blocks 8 Players Mentioned #6 Bella Rosenthall DS/L 5' 5" Senior #10 Jackie Barrett S 6' 1" Sophomore #16 Val Green OH 6' 2" Senior #19 Elif Yavuz MB 6' 3" Senior #21 Tatum Shipes OH 6' 4" Senior #8 Liz Reich OPP 6' 1" Graduate Student #7 Rebekah Rath OH 6' 0" Junior

A key Auburn newcomer to watch during the 2021 football season By Tom Green | tgreen@al.com 3-4 minutes Auburn center Nick Brahms (52) tries to block defensive tackle Tony Fair in practice Friday, Aug. 20, 2021, during the team's second fall scrimmage. (Todd Van Emst/AU Athletics)Todd Van Emst/AU Athletics Tony Fair garnered attention before he ever took the field for his first Auburn practice. The UAB grad transfer jumped head-first into the Iron Bowl rivalry when he took to social media this summer and declared that the Tigers were coming to “take the head off the elephant” this season against Alabama. The post drew the ire of Alabama fans, while Fair’s new Auburn teammates respected the confidence it exuded. Now Fair is likely to gain even more attention this fall as one of the key newcomers to watch for Auburn, especially after the preseason departure of two-year starting defensive tackle Tyrone Truesdell. That unexpected personnel change at the start of fall camp left Auburn with a massive hole in the middle of its defensive line — one that the 6-foot-1, 330-pound Fair figures to fill in Derek Mason’s system. “Tony’s driven,” Mason said. “Tony’s a father. Tony is a grown man. I mean, when I sit down and talk to Tony, it’s like talking to a little brother, so to speak. He’s older. He’s very, very mature. You know, I’m 52. Talking to Tony, it seems like he’s 50. He’s a really mature young man…. Whenever you get maturity in the room — somebody who is quick and powerful and explosive, and you add some maturity to that, I think what you get is a calming force who can challenge guys to get better.” Fair arrived at Auburn this summer after spending the prior two seasons at UAB. The massive nose tackle played in 18 games for the Blazers and totaled 57 tackles, with eight for a loss and two sacks. He was one of seven transfer additions for Auburn’s defense this offseason, and after originally being expected to provide depth on the interior of the line, Fair now stands to see an increased role at defensive tackle — especially in the Tigers’ 3-4 front as a “big nose-plugger” who can provide knock-back at the point of attack while taking on double-teams. He’s the type of experienced player, Mason said, Auburn needs if it wants to play quality defense this season. Fair has impressed this fall with his athleticism and quickness at his size, and while he can be a difference-maker in early-down situations, Mason and defensive line coach Nick Eason have challenged him to develop into an every-down player in the SEC. “He’s a big dude, but he’s quick,” defensive tackle J.J. Pegues said. “I respect dudes like that just because of what people think of me. You know, I’m a big guy, but they just think I’m big, strong and slow — but Tony, he could really move.” Tom Green is an Auburn beat reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter @Tomas_Verde.

Blame game goes on without end ByPhillip Marshall Aug 28, 12:35 AM 2022 Auburn commitment Omari Kelly in action Call it the blame game. It has long been part of athletics at all levels, but college football takes it to the highest level, especially in the South. If your team loses, it must be somebody’s fault. Maybe it’s the coach. Maybe it’s the quarterback. Maybe it’s one of the coordinators. But it must be somebody. Maybe the other team is just better? Nah, if that’s the case it’s the coach’s fault for not recruiting better players. Often the wrong players are blamed because fans, for all their passion, don’t really know who was supposed to do what. That doesn’t mean they don’t believe they know. I don't know that the blame game is any different at Auburn than it is at most places, but following are five Auburn players who, in the social media era, experienced the blame game at its worst: QB JASON CAMPBELL Campbell won the starting job in 2001 as a freshman, lost it, won it back, lost it again and took it for good halfway through the 2002 season. The calls for new starter even as late as 2004. He learned the hard lesson that quarterbacks get too much credit and too much blame. In the end, Campbell was the 2004 SEC Offensive Player of the Year, led Auburn to a perfect season and was a first-round draft pick. He played 10 seasons in the NFL. LB JAKE HOLLAND I thought I remembered the quote from Auburn defensive coordinator Ellis Johnson in 2013. I looked back at the interview transcripts I had saved, and I was right. He was asked about Holland. “He’s a good football player and a smart football player,” Johnson said. “It would be a lot harder for us to be successful without him.” Auburn fans were unmoved. Many were convinced he was not a good player and shouldn’t be playing. As these things often go, it became personal. Holland, to his credit, never complained. And he helped the 2013 Tigers win the SEC championship and play in the BCS Championship Game. WHEN YOU SUPPORT OUR ADVERTISERS, YOU SUPPORT US. THANK YOU! I thought I remembered the quote from Auburn defensive coordinator Ellis Johnson in 2013. I looked back at the interview transcripts I had saved, and I was right. He was asked about Holland. “He’s a good football player and a smart football player,” Johnson said. “It would be a lot harder for us to be successful without him.” Auburn fans were unmoved. Many were convinced he was not a good player and shouldn’t be playing. As these things often go, it became personal. Holland, to his credit, never complained. And he helped the 2013 Tigers win the SEC championship and play in the BCS Championship Game. QB BO NIX Even when Nix was SEC Freshman of the Year in 2019 and became the first true freshman quarterback to lead a victory in the Iron Bowl, the criticism was relentless. Amateurs talked about his footwork and about his fundamentals. In 2020, Nix was playing behind an extremely inexperienced offensive line that took a big hit a midseason with the loss of Brandon Council. He and new offensive coordinator Chad Morris did not click. Nix was frustrated and it showed. At one point at Jordan-Hare Stadium, he screamed to the sideline: “They know our plays!” Through it all Nix has passed for more yards in his first two seasons than any quarterback in Auburn history. He is poised to be the starter for the third consecutive season. OC CHIP LINDSEY After Auburn blew a 20-0 lead at LSU in 201 7, Auburn head coach Gus Malzahn told Lindsey, his first-year offensive coordinator, that he was getting out of his way. And he did. The result was that Jarett Stidham established himself as a rising star and Auburn scored 40 or more points in six of eight SEC games. In 2018, after spring practice was completed, Malzahn told Lindsey to change the offensive terminology to what had been used before 2017. As the season began, Malzahn was steadily more involved with the offense. According to program insiders, Lindsey continued to call plays, but Malzahn made the game plan and made the play sheet. Essentially, Lindsey called Malzahn’s plays. A team that should have been in championship race had to beat outmanned Purdue in the Music City Bowl to finish 8-5. As is often the case, Lindsey took plenty of heat. Miserable, he left for Kansas after the season and then landed at Troy, where he is the head coach. OL CHAD SLADE Slade was an athletic and versatile lineman who equally at home at guard or tackle. Partly driven home by analysts who should have known better, many Auburn fans were convinced Slade was not an SEC offensive lineman. His teammates and his coaches thought very differently, but that didn’t seem to count. Today, Slade is in his seventh season in the NFL and third with the New York Giants. Will the blame game ever end. It would be terrific it could, but the anonymity provided by social media assures that it won't. The blame game is part of the game.

al.com Observations from Auburn’s open practice ahead of 1st game of season By Tom Green | tgreen@al.com 9-12 minutes The college football season officially kicked off Saturday, with a handful of Week 0 games taking place across the country. On the Plains, though, Auburn’s season opener is still one week away -- but the Tigers were still in Jordan-Hare Stadium and in front of fans. Ahead of Auburn’s debut under first-year head coach Bryan Harsin, the team held a full practice open to the public Saturday afternoon. It was an hour and a half of offense-on-defense, individual position drills, special teams reps and situational work in front of fans as part of Auburn’s “Family Football Preseason Kickoff.” Here’s a look a everything we saw and learned during the open practice, broken down by each of the 14 periods: -- Bryan Harsin remains in isolation at his home while recovering from a positive COVID-19 test last week, and he’s expected to rejoin the team in full come Monday. The rest of Auburn’s assistant coaches were all in attendance and accounted for Saturday, with assistant head coach/linebackers coach Jeff Schmedding running the show. Defensive coordinator Derek Mason, who dealt with a breakthrough case of COVID-19 recently, was also back on the field with the team and handling the defensive side of the ball. -- Defensive tackle Jeremiah Wright (ACL), cornerback Jaylin Simpson and defensive end Caleb Johnson were all off to the side during Saturday’s practice an doing some individual rehab work. Simpson and Johnson appear to be dealing with undisclosed injuries. -- Players who did not appear to be in attendance at practice included defensive backs Ladarius Tennison, A.D. Diamond and Ahmari Harvery, as well as wide receiver Tar’Varish Dawson. It is unclear why those four players were absent. -- Auburn opened practice by simulating its pregame routine in terms of stretching and position drills after coming out of the locker room. The team wanted to get used to what things will be like starting next weekend when it hosts Akron at 6 p.m. Saturday. PERIOD 1 -- Auburn did positional work, followed by some 7-on-7 reps. -- During individual work on special teams, Jacob Quattlebaum was the long snapper for Anders Carlson on field goals, with Jackson McFadden as holder. Kyle Vaccarella was long-snapping for punter Oscar Chapman, while Reed Hughes handled snapping duties for punter Aidan Marshall. -- Among the players fielding punts and kickoffs were Demetris Robertson, Donovan Kaufman, Ja’Varrius Johnson, Jarquez Hunter, Shaun Shivers, Kobe Hudson, Tank Bigsby, Devin Guice and Malcolm Askew. -- The interior offensive linemen rotated reps with position coach Will Friend. Brandon Council, Nick Brahms and Keiondre Jones were paired together, followed by Alec Jackson, Jalil Irvin and Tashawn Manning. -- In 7-on-7 work, the first-team group included Bo Nix with wide receivers Shedrick Jackson, Demetris Robertson and Ja’Varrius Johnson, tight ends John Samuel Shenker and Luke Deal, and running back Tank Bigsby. The first group on defense included cornerbacks Roger McCreary and Nehemiah Pritchett, nickelback Donovan Kaufman, linebackers Owen Pappoe and Zakoby McClain, and safeties Smoke Monday and Bydarrius Knighten. PERIOD 2: PACE -- Auburn’s second period of practice saw the offense and defense go head to head in pace drills. Here’s a breakdown of the first- and second-team units on each side of the ball during this period: -- First-team offense had LT Austin Troxell, LF Brandon Council, C Nick Brahms, RG Keiondre Jones and RT Brodarious Hamm along the offensive line. Bo Nix was at QB, with Tank Bigsby in the backfield. John Samuel Shenker lined up at TE, with Ja’Varrius Johnson, Demetris Robertson and Shedrick Jackson split out at wide receiver. -- First-team defense had T.D. Moultry and Derick Hall at the two edge spots, with Colby Wooden and Marcus Harris along the defensive line. Zakoby McClain and Owen Pappoe were at linebacker, with Nehemiah Pritchett and Roger McCreary at corner, Donovan Kaufman at nickel, and Smoke Monday and Bydarrius Knighten at safety. Chandler Wooten and Desmond Tisdol both rotated in at linebacker with this group, while Zion Puckett swapped in at nickel. -- Second-team offense had LT Kilian Zierer, LG Alec Jackson, C Jalil Irvin, RG Tashawn Manning and RT Brenden Coffey, with T.J. Finley at QB and Shaun Shivers at RB. Tyler Fromm was at TE, with Caylin Newton, Malcolm Johnson Jr. and Ze’Vian Capers split out at wide receiver. -- Second-team defense had Romello Height and Eku Leota on the edge, with J.J. Pegues and Marquis Burks on the defensive line. Wesley Steiner and Cam Riley repped at linebacker, with Malcolm Askew and Eric Reed Jr. at cornerback, Devin Guice at nickel, and Smoke Monday and Trey Elston at safety. -- Anders Carlson closed the pace period with a 43-yard field goal in the rain. PERIODS 3-4 -- During these periods, Auburn did offensive and defensive circuits. The offensive circuits focused on balance and finishing plays after contact. -- Other work during these periods saw the quarterbacks working on throws to the back of the end zone from about 10 yards out. There was also one punt-fielding rep, with Ja’Varrius Johnson back deep to catch a punt from Aidan Marshall. PERIOD 5: RED ZONE -- This period saw the team focus on red-zone situational work, with the offense trying to convert third-and-8 from the 16-yard line against the defense. -- The first-team offense, led by Bo Nix, saw its drive stall due to an incomplete pass from Nix intended for Ja’Varrius Johnson on a double-move to the corner; the pass was errant from Nix. Anders Carlson came on and drilled a 28-yard field goal. -- The second-team offense, led by T.J. Finley, also failed to convert on third down. Finley completed a pass to Shaun Shivers out of the backfield, but he was stopped short of the first-down marker. Ben Patton came on and kicked a 30-yard field goal. PERIODS 6-8: INDIVIDUAL POSITION DRILLS -- Auburn spent these 15 minutes broken down into positions. The linebackers worked on recovering fumbles that bounced off the field. Quarterbacks spent this time working on handoffs to running backs and keeping/pulling the ball on other reads. Defensive backs worked on tight coverage, pass-breakups in the open field and interception drills. PERIOD 9: “BACKED UP” -- During this period of situational work, Auburn’s offense was backed up to its own 5-yard line while facing a third-and-7. They had to try to convert the first down against Auburn’s defense. -- The first-team offense converted its third down, when Bo Nix connected with Ja’Varrius Johnson over the middle of the field. This was followed by another punt rep, with Oscar Chapman punting it to Devin Guice. -- Here’s a look at the defensive lineup during the second-team rep in this period: Eku Leota and Romello Height at edge, with Tony Fair and Zykeivous Walker on the interior of the line. Chandler Wooten and Cam Riley lined up at linebacker, with Ro Torrence and Trey Elston at cornerback, Devin Guice at nickel and Smoke Monday at safety. Unsure of the 11th player on the field during this rep. PERIODS 10-11: SPECIAL TEAMS -- Auburn spent these 10 minutes focusing on special teams work, namely kickoff coverage/returns and punt coverage/returns. -- The first kickoff return rep had Shaun Shivers and Donovan Kaufman back deep. Then Nehemiah Pritchett and Jarquez Hunter got the second rep. -- Among the options fielding punts were Demetris Robertson, Donovan Kaufman, Devin Guice and Ja’Varrius Johnson. PERIODS 12-14: OFFENSE VS. DEFENSE -- Auburn spent the final three periods of practice doing some good-on-good offense vs. defense drives, but not full contact; only touch. Here’s a look at the first- and second-team units on each side of the ball during these periods: -- First-team offense: LT Austin Troxell, LG Brandon Council, C Nick Brahms, RG Keiondre Jones, RT Brodarious Hamm, with QB Bo Nix and RB Jarquez Hunter, TEs John Samuel Shenker and Luke Deal, and WRs Demetris Robertson and Ze’Vian Capers. -- First-team defense went with a three-linebacker look with a single-high safety: T.D. Moultry and Derick Hall at edge, Dre Butler and Zykeivous Walker on the interior of the defensive line, LBs Chandler Wooten, Owen Pappoe and Zakoby McClain, CBs Roger McCreary and Nehemiah Pritchett, nickelback Zion Puckett and safety Bydarrius Knighten. Tony Fair and J.J. Pegues rotated in at defensive tackle, while Donovan Kaufman subbed in at nickel. -- Jarquez Hunter fumbled during this drive. -- Second-team offense: LT Kilian Zierer, LF Alec Jackson, C Jalil Irvin, RG Tashawn Manning and RT Brenden Coffey along the offensive line. QB T.J. Finley, with running back Sean Jackson, tight end Tyler Fromm and wide receivers Kobe Hudson, Malcolm Johnson Jr. and Elijah Canion. Jarquez Hunter rotated in at running back during this drive. -- Second-team defense was back in its nickel look: Eku Leota and Romello Height at edge, with Lee Hunter and Garrison Walker on the interior of the defensive line. Chandler Wooten and Desmond Tisdol at linebacker. Ro Torrence and Malcolm Askew at corner, with Devin Guice at nickel, and Smoke Monday and Trey Elston at safety. Daniel Foster-Allen and Ian Mathews rotated in along the defensive line, while Cam Riley and Kameron Brown subbed in at linebacker. -- West Virginia cornerback transfer Dreshun Miller has a pass-breakup during this period. -- Late in this portion of practice, T.J. Finley got a drive with the first-team offensive line, while Malcolm Johnson Jr., Ze’Vian Capers, Kobe Hudson and Luke Deal were the receivers and tight end, with Caylin Newton and Tyler Fromm rotating in. -- Freshman quarterback Dematrius Davis got the final drive of practice with the third-team offense. Tom Green is an Auburn beat reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter @Tomas_Verde.

auburnwire.usatoday.com Some takeaways from Auburn football's open practice Zac Blackerby 2-3 minutes Auburn held an open practice in front of fans Saturday at Jordan Hare Stadium. Attendance was sparse due to rain, but the Tigers looked sharp while competing in front of a live crowd. The drills ranged from a walkthrough on how to enter the field to pace drills, to 11-on11 work, Auburn showed a lot of different things one week before the start of their season. Bryan Harsin did not attend, but he watched a live stream. He will be permitted to return to the office on Monday and rejoin his team. Let’s take a look at some of my takeaways from the open practice. John David Mercer-USA TODAY Sports The defensive lineman looks in shape and is physically ready to be a force in the SEC. Todd Van Emst/AU Athletics Auburn’s No. 2 running back and the start nickel back will bring kicks back on special teams. Jake Crandall via Imagn Content Services, LLC We saw Nix target Johnson at A-Day, and we saw him look to Johnson early and often in Saturday’s open practice. Todd Van Emst/AU Athletics Johnson’s ability to make guys miss will be put to the test when he returns punts this season. Todd Van Emst/AU Athletics Harsin gave us a lead on this during his presser this week, but we have a good idea what the starting offensive line will be. I think it will be, from left to right: Austin Troxell, Brandon Council, Nick Brahms, Tashawn Manning and Brodarius Hamm. Keith Warren/Neshoba Central Lake Cormorant The freshman running back missed time this fall but was back Saturday, and, physically, he does not look like a freshman. Auburn football’s chief of staff Brad Larrondo was on the mic at Jordan-Hare Stadium and informed fans what was happening. He did a similar thing with the open practice in the spring. John Reed-USA TODAY Sports The veteran in the wide receiver room lined up with the starters on Saturday. Contact/Follow us @theauburnwire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Auburn news, notes, and opinion.