2023 Portal Discussion Thread

[Win4AU 4,201]

51 minutes ago, AUDevil said:

Most people are unaware of this, but there is a network of tunnels (wide and tall enough for service vehicles) beneath the central Auburn campus connecting each of the main buildings/event spaces together so that Aubie can travel quickly from one venue to the next.  Coaches and staff use it often.

If you Venmo me $250 I can get you a temporary pass.

Another fun fact, trash cans on campus are never more than 30 feet apart to encourage a clean and pleasing looking environment.  The idea was inspired by Walt Disney.

[gr82b4au 5,583]

[AuCivilEng1 12,293]

5 minutes ago, gr82b4au said:

 

[toddc 13,197]

BMatt’s Monday musings

AUBURN | The spring transfer portal officially closed Sunday night at midnight, but it’s just getting started for Auburn.

The Tigers had a host of transfers visit last week and this weekend and are poised to fill some huge holes for the 2023 season, especially at quarterback, wide receiver and Jack linebacker.

Five more Auburn players also entered the portal over the last couple of weeks bringing the total to 19 departures since the end of last season.

Freeze has rebuilt Auburn's roster through recruiting and the transfer portal. (Auburn athletics)

Of those 19, there was only one that projected to have a major impact at AU this fall in defensive lineman Jeffrey M’ba, who landed at Purdue in search of more playing time.

In contrast, Hugh Freeze and his staff signed 12 transfers in December/January and I’d project at least six as starters and 4-5 more as major contributors.

I’m also expecting AU to add another 4-5 more transfers in the coming days and weeks, which should include a few more starters.

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again and again, Freeze and his staff have done (and are still doing) a terrific job rebuilding AU’s roster.

Over the next couple of years, they’ll transition to less transfers and more high school signees, but this is what’s needed right now to make Auburn competitive in 2023.

Let’s not forget that three of AU’s high school flips — Keldric Faulk, Kayin Lee and Connor Lew — all preformed so well this spring that they could end up starting this fall if needed.

The transfer portal and NIL have brought seismic shifts to college football over the last few years. The schools and coaches that adapt to it the quickest and most efficient are the ones that will step to the forefront as the expanded playoffs and eventually the era of the super conferences arrive.

The changes are forcing college coaches to adopt more of a pro mentality when it comes to personnel. They’re also going to have to be a bit more ruthless to survive.

We saw that at Alabama last week after their spring game. The coaches weren’t satisfied with the quarterbacks competing for the starting job and within five days, Notre Dame quarterback Tyler Buchner entered the portal and signed with Alabama, rejoining his former offensive coordinator Tommy Rees, who was hired away from Notre Dame in February.

I expect Auburn’s starting quarterback for 2023 could be following a similar path from the Midwest to the Plains in the coming days.

[toddc 13,197]

34COMMENTS

In his 13 career games, Epps has pulled in 44 catches for 506 yards and six touchdowns. He projected to be a major part of the BYU offense, 

Edited May 1, 2023 by toddc

[W.E.D 11,071]

57 minutes ago, toddc said:

34COMMENTS

In his 13 career games, Epps has pulled in 44 catches for 506 yards and six touchdowns. He projected to be a major part of the BYU offense, 

Guys seems really good if he can stay healthy.  He'll be a 4th year Sophomore

[AuCivilEng1 12,293]

1 minute ago, W.E.D said:

Guys seems really good if he can stay healthy.  He'll be a 4th year Sophomore

 

[CR 2,466]

Per Hognation, Thomas the edge from Cincinnati is commited to Arkansas

[ellitor 33,883]

6 minutes ago, CR said:

Per Hognation, Thomas the edge from Cincinnati is commited to Arkansas

Think we liked him at LB not edge. Also we are getting a visit from North Texas LB Larry Nixon.

[gr82b4au 5,583]

Some people just don’t know what they are doing on these Auburn paysites.

Rivals Jay Tate said Casey Thompson left this morning and 7:45 but declined an interview. 

CC on Auburn 247 just posted that CT was still at Auburn and was not leaving until later today  

someone is completely wrong obviously

 

Edited May 1, 2023 by gr82b4au

[NWALA Tiger 3,695]

11 minutes ago, gr82b4au said:

Some people just don’t know what they are doing on these Auburn paysites.

Rivals Jay Tate said Casey Thompson left this morning and 7:45 but declined an interview. 

CC on Auburn 247 just posted that CT was still at Auburn and was not leaving until later today  

someone is completely wrong obviously

 

They don't know. 

[yngwie1995 2,410]

45 minutes ago, AuCivilEng1 said:

 

[W.E.D 11,071]

1 hour ago, gr82b4au said:

Some people just don’t know what they are doing on these Auburn paysites.

Rivals Jay Tate said Casey Thompson left this morning and 7:45 but declined an interview. 

CC on Auburn 247 just posted that CT was still at Auburn and was not leaving until later today  

someone is completely wrong obviously

 

There is a good chance that both of them are wrong

[gr82b4au 5,583]

Actually on3 just posted the same thing as 247 - CT is still at AU. 
Jay Tate either heard wrong or made it up. Rivals has really been struggling with recruiting info over the last 5 months. 

There were some posters on that site really giving them a hard time the last 24 hours. They did not have any stories about CT visiting or the WR from OH State. That site needs help. They are losing business. 

Edited May 1, 2023 by gr82b4au

[alabastertiger 637]

16 minutes ago, gr82b4au said:

Actually on3 just posted the same thing as 247 - CT is still at AU. 
Jay Tate either heard wrong or made it up. Rivals has really been struggling with recruiting info over the last 5 months. 

There were some posters on that site really giving them a hard time the last 24 hours. They did not have any stories about CT visiting or the WR from OH State. That site needs help. They are losing business. 

[W.E.D 11,071]

39 minutes ago, gr82b4au said:

Actually on3 just posted the same thing as 247 - CT is still at AU. 
Jay Tate either heard wrong or made it up. Rivals has really been struggling with recruiting info over the last 5 months. 

There were some posters on that site really giving them a hard time the last 24 hours. They did not have any stories about CT visiting or the WR from OH State. That site needs help. They are losing business. 

There is only enough market for 2 sites.  Rivals is dying and will die soon.  

[toddc 13,197]

Hugh Freeze could raise Auburn's 2023 ceiling by adding either Payton Thorne, Casey Thompson

Jesse Simonton

On3.com

Texas’ Maalik Murphy opted not to enter the transfer portal. Same for Devin Brownfrom Ohio State. But while the second window doesn’t have much star power, particularly at the quarterback position, Hugh Freeze suddenly does have a couple of intriguing options to (ideally) add to Auburn’s roster that would change the ceiling of the Tigers’ 2023 season. 

Nebraska transfer quarterback Casey Thompson visited Auburn on Sunday. Michigan State transfer Peyton Thorne is expected to visit the Plains soon, too. 

Both are better options than anyone currently in Auburn’s QB room, and would take the Tigers from a fringe bowl team in the fall to a team that could beat anyone on its schedule not named Georgia, LSU or Alabama. 

It’s no secret that the Tigers are in the market for QB help. Back in December, Freeze kicked the tires on Coastal Carolina quarterback Grayson McCall. Auburn also flirted with NC State’s Devin Leary and Oklahoma State’s Spencer Sanders. But it whiffed on both, so Freeze entered the spring hoping to see real development from Robby Ashford, T.J. Finley, and Holden Geriner. And while the group had its moments, Freeze was largely underwhelmed by their performances over the course of 15 practices, lamenting deep into spring that he wished they were “further along.”

By A-Day, Freeze was on record that Auburn was “open” to adding a slew of transfers to the roster, looking to fill needs at rush end, corner, and you guessed it, quarterback. 

“If it’s the right one,” Freeze said. 

“I’m curious to see who all goes in.”

During the second portal window, Freeze has been rather selective in his targeting a potential addition to Auburn’s QB room. He showed no interest in Tyler Buchner, who ended up at Alabama and has passed on others who were available, too. 

Just last week, Freeze was on a speaking tour and updated his hunt for a transfer portal quarterback, telling alumni, “Truthfully, I haven’t seen one yet that I thought was ‘bam,’ that’s a no-brainer and ahead of the ones we have,” Hugh Freeze said according to a tweet by Auburn athletics reporter Jeff Shearer.

“I know some may not want to hear that because they think an instant fix. I get the tweets, trust me. Every time a quarterback goes into the portal, ‘there he is, there he is,’ and then I watch the film and that’s really not the one I’m looking for.”

“There could be one that goes in tomorrow or the next day that alright, this one makes sense. That’s as clear as I can put it, I think.”

Thompson and Thorne both entered the portal after Freeze’s comments. 

Sure, Maalik Murphy would’ve been a home run for the Tigers, but Thorne and Thompson are attractive consolation prizes. Hitting a double would be huge here. Regardless, Auburn simply can’t strike out again.

Although neither quarterbacks are flawless players, but both would significantly upgrade a Tigers’ passing attack that ranked No. 119th in 2022. 

Thorne has two years of starting experience, with 46 touchdowns to 21 picks in the last two seasons. He helped lead the Spartans to their surprising 11-win year in 2021, and still has two years of eligibility remaining. 

Thompson was beat out at Nebraska by Georgia Tech transfer Jeff Sims, but the former Texas starter in 2021 (28 total touchdowns to nine picks) is a quality Power 5 starter and a better version of what Ashford would provide in Freeze’s offense. Thompson isn’t the dynamic athlete that Ashford is, but he’s a capable runner if needed and a much more developed passer. 

Although Thorne would be my preferred pairing because of his extra year of eligibility — in an ideal world he comes to Auburn and starts in 2023 and 2024 — both quarterbacks would raise the ceiling and floor of Auburn’s potential in 2023. They don’t solve the Tigers’ problem at receiver or address the team’s need for more pass rush help, but they would give Auburn its best trigger man since … Jarrett Stidham???

Thorne and Thompson have multiple seasons throwing for at least 17 touchdowns. Auburn hasn’t had a QB do that once since Stidham in 2018. 

Quarterbacks typically thrive in Hugh Freeze (and OC’s Philip Montgomery‘s) offense, and while that probably wasn’t going to be the case with Ashford or Finley, there’s a much stronger likelihood of that happening with Thorne or Thompson. 

Freeze simply has to make sure one of the two finds a home on the Plains. Auburn’s bowl hopes in 2023 depend on it. 

[gr82b4au 5,583]

The transfer portal has completely changed the game. Not only has it made it easier for teams to compete, but there are 8 people reading this thread … in May. There are more people on this board than there are the football board. Haha

[JerryAU 1,891]

I'm checking in often to see when Thompson/Thorne ink with AU.  

That On3 article make it sound like the success/failure of the '23 season depends on it. 

[W.E.D 11,071]

10 minutes ago, JerryAU said:

I'm checking in often to see when Thompson/Thorne ink with AU.  

That On3 article make it sound like the success/failure of the '23 season depends on it. 

There is an easy 3-4 win swing possible if they get QB right

[gr82b4au 5,583]

11 minutes ago, JerryAU said:

I'm checking in often to see when Thompson/Thorne ink with AU.  

That On3 article make it sound like the success/failure of the '23 season depends on it. 

[yngwie1995 2,410]

7 minutes ago, W.E.D said:

There is an easy 3-4 win swing possible if they get QB right

I think so, too. All of the podcasts I've listened to are saying 1-2 more wins. But if that's the case, then at least I would suspect the other 6 wins (that they're predicting) would be less close.

[yngwie1995 2,410]

24 minutes ago, gr82b4au said:

The transfer portal has completely changed the game. Not only has it made it easier for teams to compete, but there are 8 people reading this thread … in May. There are more people on this board than there are the football board. Haha

It's kinda like the waiver wire in fantasy football. 

[ellitor 33,883]

1 hour ago, gr82b4au said:

Rivals has really been struggling with recruiting info over the last 5 months everything since they lost JLee, Clemente, & Nate King.

FFY

[Chaotic_zx 1,070]

39 minutes ago, JerryAU said:

I'm checking in often to see when Thompson/Thorne ink with AU.  

That On3 article make it sound like the success/failure of the '23 season depends on it. 

I'm thinking that the season's success does depend on a transfer QB. So if that is the case our(On3 & myself) thoughts align.

Edited May 1, 2023 by Chaotic_zx