Auburn excited about 'potential' of DB transfer

[aubiefifty 17,487]

Auburn excited about 'potential' of DB transfer — and vice versa

ByNathan King

4-5 minutes

---

 

AUBURN, Alabama — Auburn has a veteran secondary, but only one member has previous experience with the unit’s new coordinator.

As Auburn’s pass defense looks to rebound after struggling in 28-20 loss at Penn State — allowing, in part due to little-to-no-pass rush, quarterback Sean Clifford to complete 87.5% of his passes for 280 yards — one of its most relied-upon players is Donovan Kaufman, a transfer addition from Vanderbilt.

Auburn’s starter at nickelback, Kaufman is continuing to settle in with the program and is making a strong impression on his coaches and teammates after arriving in the summer from Vanderbilt, where he was recruited and coached by Auburn defensive coordinator Derek Mason.

“Mainly, I was closer to home — and I wanted to stay in the SEC,” Kaufman said this week when asked why he transferred to Auburn. “So that played a big role. Also, football is important here. My relationship with Coach Mason definitely played a role. I look at him as another father figure."

As a true freshman, Kaufman started Vanderbilt's first two games last season, playing both safety spots, along with the nickel position and on kick returns. He totaled 15 tackles and a pass breakup, plus a 58-yard kick return against LSU. Heading into Week 3, Kaufman tested positive for COVID-19 and didn't return for the remainder of the season after he was diagnosed with myocarditis, according to NOLA.com.

"Donovan and I have been close for a while," Mason said in fall camp. "... I became close with him and his family. They trusted and liked the idea that I’ve always talked about — I think in recruiting it’s always about, you know, as a coach and a program, can you give a better product back to parents then the one they dropped off?"

Kaufman, a New Orleans product, quickly ascended up the depth chart in preseason practices, ultimately edging out Ladarius Tennison for the starting job at nickel. Though Kaufman had only two previous games of college experience, he reminds Bryan Harsin of a veteran for the Tigers’ defense. Kaufman is also a starting kick return for Auburn early this season.

“He’s adapted, obviously, to the team,” Harsin said of Kaufman on this week’s SEC coaches teleconference. “... He’s got a lot of qualities that are going to continue to make him a good football player and member of this football team. … He's still got a ways to go — in a good way. That means he has the potential to continue to keep getting better.

“That's what we appreciate about him as a staff. He's out there doing things for us, making plays and is a guy that's contributing on the defensive side of the ball and on special teams."

Auburn’s secondary won’t be challenged Saturday against Georgia State (3 p.m. CST, SEC Network) the way it was at Penn State, considering the Panthers utilize an option-based offense and have run the ball 94 times over their past two games.

The Tigers’ SEC schedule, however, features a consistent lineup of quarterbacks who are part of either good or great passing attacks.

But moving forward into the SEC — starting next weekend at LSU (8 p.m. CST, ESPN), Kaufman is glad the Tigers are taking their lumps in pass defense sooner rather than later. He’s learned enough about his teammates to realize that in Happy Valley, Auburn’s defense didn’t play poorly the whole way. “But it only takes three plays to get a drive going; that's really what happened to us,” Kaufman said.

Now that their mistakes are on film, Kaufman and Auburn’s secondary are ready to show their improvements over the next couple weeks — and send a message that they aren’t a liability for the team.

4COMMENTS

“I love this team because, even though we were in situations, I always felt like we were in control of the game,” Kaufman said of the Penn State game. “And I know my teammates felt like that also. So, it was a tough loss, but like I said, it just taught us a lesson — and the only thing it’s going to do is bring us closer as a team and we’ll be stronger when we get down late on the road and get to more games like that.

“Because we will have more games like that, especially playing in this conference. So, it’s going to be a great lesson."

">247Sports