12/28/ww Auburn Articles

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Hugh Freeze hires familiar face as Auburn receivers coach

Nathan King

2–3 minutes

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Hugh Freeze is rounding out his inaugural Auburn coaching staff with a familiar face.

Freeze's final hire is former Auburn receiver Marcus Davis, sources informed Auburn Undercover on Tuesday morning. Davis will coach the Tigers' wideouts after holding the same position at Georgia Southern in 2022. Davis, 28, also coached receivers at Hawaii in 2021.

A quarterback in high school but recruited as a three-star cornerback in Auburn's 2013 class, Davis switched to receiver before his true freshman season and caught 23 passes for 217 yards during Auburn's run to the BCS national title game. In four seasons on the Plains, Davis, a team captain his senior year, finished with 83 receptions, 650 yards and three scores.

After graduating with his master's degree from Auburn in 2017, Davis joined Gus Malzahn's support staff as an offensive analyst for the 2018 season. In 2019, he was promoted to Auburn's assistant director of player development and personnel.

Davis was then hired as a graduate assistant on Mike Norvell's Florida State staff shortly after the 2019 season concluded, following former Auburn offensive coordinator Kenny Dillingham to Tallahassee.

Under Davis' leadership, Hawaii had two receivers with more than 800 yards in 2021. This past season, Davis helped a Georgia Southern passing game that was No. 4 in college football.

Davis is now the third Auburn alum on staff, joining Cadillac Williams and Zac Etheridge.

With Davis' hire, Freeze's 2023 on-field assistant staff is now complete:

• OC: Philip Montgomery

• RBs: Cadillac Williams

• WRs: Marcus Davis

• TEs: Ben Aigamaua

• OL: Jake Thornton

• DC: Ron Roberts

• DL: Jeremy Garrett

• LBs: Josh Aldridge

• DBs: Zac Etheridge

• DBs: Wesley McGriff

39COMMENTS

• Strength: Dominic Studzinski (off field)

• Special teams: Tanner Burns (off field)

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theplainsman.com

 

A deep dive into Auburn's 2023 football early signing class - The Auburn Plainsman

 

22–28 minutes

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As the fax machines fell silent and the early signing period came to a close on Friday, Auburn’s 2023 football recruiting class began to take shape. Currently, the Tigers have a consensus top-20 class, a far cry from when it was the No. 52 ranked class in the nation shortly after Bryan Harsin was dismissed as head football coach in October. 

Getting the class to where it is now required hard work and dedication on the recruiting trail, and new head coach Hugh Freeze and his staff hit the ground running to maintain relationships with players already committed while developing new ones with players either unsold or pledged to other programs.

Freeze’s comments following day one of the early signing period reflected just that.

“It’s been a wild two weeks for us,” Freeze said. “We came into this considerably behind what I think Auburn should be in recruiting.”

In total, Auburn signed 16 high school players during this year’s early signing period and two community college players: Izavion Miller, a 6’6”, 320-pound offensive tackle from Southwest Mississippi Community College, and Quientrail Jamison-Travis, a 6’4”, 280-pound defensive lineman from Iowa Western Community College.

This year, an emphasis on both lines of scrimmage and the defensive backfield was noticeable, with Freeze and his staff landing six defensive linemen, five offensive linemen and five defensive backs.

According to Freeze, this was by design.

“I thought we really did well with the DB room and made some dents in our needs in the offensive line room. Edge guys I thought we did really well with on defense; we still have some work to do on the interior and on O-line,” Freeze said. “We’re really not through anywhere. We still have some big targets out there that hopefully we can close on now or in January.”

While prized running back commit Jeremiah Cobb of Montgomery (Ala.) Catholic Preparatory did not sign during the early period, this class still ultimately addressed several position groups depleted by NFL declarations and transfers with more time left to add to it.

Here is a breakdown of all 16 early signees from the high school level and how they fit into next season’s edition of the Tigers.

Keldric Faulk - DL, 6’5”, 240; Highland Home HS; Lapine, Ala.

Tied for the highest overall ranked player in the class, Faulk, a consensus 4-star recruit and top-15 defensive lineman that was rated as high as the No. 79 player in the nation by Rivals, was committed to Florida State since July 5, 2022. However, he spurned the Seminoles at the very last second to join Hugh Freeze’s inaugural recruiting class after several pivotal fall visits. With 30 offers, he was highly sought after by programs across the country.

As a senior, Faulk led the Flying Squadron to a 13-2 record and an appearance in the AHSAA 2A semifinals. He was selected to the 2023 All-American Bowl, the 2022 Alabama-Mississippi All-Star Game and the Alabama Sports Writers Association’s all-state first team.

With NFL draft projections, Faulk is expected to be a major contributor at Auburn. Possessing a long, lean frame, he figures to spend the bulk of his time as a Tiger as an edge rusher. After both Derick Hall and Eku Leota accepted invites to the Senior Bowl, Faulk's arrival will help bolster a position that now features only redshirt freshman Dylan Brooks and fifth-year senior Hayden Brice, whose future is unclear.

Kayin Lee - CB, 5’11”, 185; Cedar Grove HS; Ellenwood, Ga.

Tied with Keldric Faulk for the highest-rated recruit in the class, Lee has exceptional agility, coverage instincts and ball skills and is a player to watch moving forward. A consensus top-25 player in the state of Georgia, he was committed to both Georgia and Ohio State, who many recruiting experts expected him to sign with, at different points in his recruitment. However, it was Auburn who ultimately ended up with Lee in their 2023 class in the end.

As a senior, Lee helped lead the Saints to an 11-3 record and a GHSAA 3A state runner-up finish in a highly-controversial loss to Sandy Creek. A member of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution’s 2022 edition of the preseason all-state “Super 11,” Lee was selected for the Army All-American Bowl and earned AJC first-team all-region honors as a result of his on-field performance. A multi-sport athlete, he was also a track and field letterman.

Compared to the other two cornerback commits in this class, who both possess lengthier frames, Lee has a more traditional build. His combination of elite instincts and ball skills, particularly around the hash marks, could make him a valuable slot corner in defensive coordinator Ron Roberts’ scheme. Even so, an experienced cornerback room could relegate him to special team duties next season.

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Darron Reed Jr. - DL, 6’5”, 260; Carver HS; Columbus, Ga.

Another lengthy defensive lineman considered to be a 4-star recruit by On3, ESPN and 24/7 Sports, Reed was generally rated as a top-50 player at his position nationally. Boasting 16 offers from schools including Georgia and Ohio State, Reed originally committed to LSU on July 4, 2022, before decommitting on Nov. 25, to join Auburn’s 2023 class.

While at Carver, he led the Tigers to a 9-3 record and a trip to the Georgia 3A state quarterfinals. Reed finished his senior campaign with eight sacks and 33 total tackles, which earned him first-team all-region honors and his being ranked a top-20 prospect in Georgia by both Rivals and 247 Sports.

At the moment, it is difficult to project where on the defensive line Reed will be utilized once he fully enters the program. However, based on the tape, he looks well-suited to play either as an edge rusher opposite Keldric Faulk or as a defensive end in the mold of Colby Wooden. With Wooden’s departure to the NFL, there is ample opportunity for Reed to make an early impact at either edge or defensive end given the issues with depth at both positions.

Sylvester Smith - S, 5’11”, 195; Munford HS; Munford, Ala.

Possessing a prototypical free safety build, Smith was a four-star recruit per ESPN, Rivals and 24/7 Sports that was rated as high as the No. 101 player and No. five safety in the class by Rivals. A longtime Tennessee commit that held offers from schools in all Power Five conferences, he is an explosive athlete that split time as a quarterback, running back, defensive back and kick returner at the prep level.

As a senior, Smith led the Lions to a 6-5 record and the first round of the AHSAA 4A state playoffs. His 42 tackles, four tackles for loss, two pass breakups, five interceptions, 1,735 rushing yards, 24 rushing touchdowns, 606 passing yards and seven passing touchdowns as a senior earned him Alabama Sports Writers Association first-team all-state honors in 2022 to go along with his selection as a sophomore in 2020. Smith was also selected for the 2022 Alabama-Mississippi All-Star Game.

Seeing that Auburn already has seven safeties expected to return for the 2023 season, there should be no sense of urgency to get Smith on the field at his natural position. However, with his proven playmaking ability, he should be a lock to contribute on special teams while he physically prepares for the rigors of SEC play and learns from Donovan Kaufman and Zion Puckett, who both fit Smith’s physical profile.

Terrance Love - S, 6’3”, 195; Langston Hughes HS; Fairburn, Ga.

The noticeably larger of the two safeties that signed early, Love was a consensus 4-star recruit and considered a top-25 player at his position nationally by Rivals, 24/7 Sports and ESPN.  Despite holding 38 other collegiate offers, the former track star committed to Auburn on April 10, 2022, and never looked back.

During his senior campaign, the Panthers finished with a 15-0 record in 2022 and won the GHSA 6A state championship. Love finished the season with 69 tackles, which put him amongst the top 35 prospects in Georgia according to On3. During his sophomore and junior seasons, he played as both a safety and wide receiver before transitioning to defense full-time this past year. Love has also posted times in the 100-meter as low as 11.60 seconds and the 200-meter as low as 23.52 seconds.

Considering his physical profile, ball-hawking ability and demonstrated willingness to violently fill running lanes, Love projects as a strong safety and compliments Sylvester Smith’s skillset. Similarly to Smith, Love is expected to sit behind players such as Cayden Bridges and Marquise Gilbert while he acclimates to SEC football and learns defensive coordinator Ron Roberts’ scheme. 

Wilky Denaud - DL, 6’4”, 295; John Carroll HS; Fort Pierce, Fla.

Yet another defensive line recruit, Denaud was a steady presence in Auburn’s 2023 recruiting class. The recipient of 22 offers, he committed to the Tigers on July 27, 2022, and only officially visited one other school - Indiana - even during a time of turmoil within the program that saw Bryan Harsin relieved of his duties less than two years into his tenure. 

As a senior, Denaud led the Rams to a 10-2 record while tallying 79 tackles and five sacks, which made him a consensus top 80 overall prospect in Florida. A multi-sport athlete, he qualified for the FHSAA state track and field tournament as a junior in the shot put in which he placed 13th at the 1A meet. Denaud also averaged 14.8 points and 7.7 rebounds on the basketball team as a junior as the Rams achieved a 22-5 record and made the FSHAA 3A basketball tournament.

Possessing a larger physical profile than the three other defensive linemen in this class, Denaud is projected to play in the heart of the defense. While he primarily played on the edge for John Carroll, a few years in Auburn’s strength and conditioning program will see him add the requisite strength and mass to withstand blocks from SEC linemen. With at least eight defensive linemen expected to return in 2023, Denaud will most likely not be asked to contribute much next season.

Clay Wedin - OL, 6’6”, 295; Carrollwood Day School; Tampa, Fla.

Generally seen as one of the higher-rated offensive linemen signed by Auburn in this class, Wedin held 36 collegiate offers from schools including Michigan and USC. Originally committed to Michigan State for less than four months, he flipped to the Tigers two weeks after an important unofficial visit at the very beginning of October.

As a starting tackle, Wedin helped the Patriots to a 6-4 record and an appearance in the second round of the 2022 FHSAA 2A playoffs. According to both 24/7 Sports and Rivals, Wedin is a 4-star recruit, the No. 22 interior offensive lineman per 24/7 and the No. 11 offensive lineman in the state of Florida per Rivals.

A lengthy and proportionally-built lineman, Wedin will most certainly play as a tackle for Auburn. While his height would make leverage against stockier interior defensive linemen difficult, it will be an asset against dedicated pass rushers. While the Tigers are in desperate need of quality tackles, Wedin is a developmental project and will most likely not see the field much during his freshman season as he needs to add strength and size to compete in the SEC.

Bradyn Joiner - OL, 6’2”, 330; Auburn HS; Anniston, Ala.

A stout interior lineman that played for The Loveliest Village on the Plains’ prep Tigers, Joiner transferred from Oxford High School - where he was on MaxPreps’ all-American second team as a sophomore - to Auburn High School as a junior. Mostly seen as a 3-star prospect, Joiner held 34 offers from programs all over the nation.

While at Auburn, Joiner helped lead the Tigers to a 12-2 record and an appearance in the 2022 AHSAA 7A state championship game where they were routed by resurgent powerhouse Thompson. His level of play over the years on both sides of the ball earned him numerous accolades, including his selection to the 2022 Alabama-Mississippi All-Star Game, the 2020 Alabama Sports Writers Association Class 6A all-state first-team as an offensive lineman and the 2021 ASWA Class 7A all-state first-team as a defensive lineman.

With a robust frame, Joiner is projected to play anywhere on the interior offensive line as he was rated as the No. 1 center in the country and No. 156 overall as a four-star player by Rivals. With former guard Keiondre Jones’ departure to Florida State via the transfer portal and lackluster play across what was an uncharacteristically veteran offensive line last season, Joiner’s size could have him competing for playing time early on.

Daquayvious Sorey - WR, 6’2”, 190; Chipley HS; Campbellton, Fla.

Hailing from the Florida Panhandle, Sorey was seen mostly as a 3-star recruit and a top-30 receiver nationally according to 24/7 Sports and ESPN. The holder of 22 offers, Sorey was pursued by teams such as Alabama and Tennessee and was committed to Georgia for more than a year before he decommitted in February of this year. After joining Auburn’s 2023 class in August, Sorey never looked back.

During his senior season, Sorey helped the Tigers to an 11-1 record and an appearance in the second round of the FHSAA 1A playoffs. As a senior, he recorded 1,121 receiving yards and 15 receiving touchdowns, and as a junior, he recorded 546 receiving yards, eight receiving touchdowns, two punt returns for touchdowns, 28 tackles, nine pass breakups and four interceptions. Sorey was a three-sport athlete who also played basketball and ran track, placing fifth in the high jump at the FHSAA 1A state track meet as a sophomore.

A big-bodied receiver, Sorey still has room to grow physically and can become a go-to threat on the outside. On film, his background as a basketball player and a high jumper is evident as he routinely wins at the point of attack and hurdles defenders who fail to keep their heads up through the entire tackling process. As four wide receivers with similar physical profiles are expected to return next season, fans more than likely will not see meaningful reps from Sorey for another year or two.

Connor Lew - OL, 6’3”, 280; Kennesaw Mountain HS; Acworth, Ga.

An aggressive center from the Atlanta metro area, Lew was a consensus 3-star prospect rated among the top 50 overall players in the state of Georgia by 24/7 Sports, On3 and ESPN, with Rivals and ESPN rating him as a top 10 interior line recruit nationally. Over the course of his career, Lew accumulated 24 offers from schools including Miami and Clemson and was committed to the Hurricanes from August up until he flipped to Auburn less than two weeks ago.

While playing center as a senior, Lew helped lead the Mustangs to a 7-3 record while failing to make the playoffs. Despite the disappointing ending to the season, his play warranted an invitation to the 2023 Army All-American Bowl, selection to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution’s all-region first team and inclusion in the AJC’s preseason all-state “Super 11.” Additionally, Lew was a wrestling letterman.

The first thing that stands out about Lew’s game is his eagerness to finish blocks. While he is still undersized physically for the SEC level at 280 pounds, that aggression puts him ahead of the curve as the additional mass will come with time and effort in the weight room. Fans should not expect him to contribute on the offensive line immediately, although a clean slate with new offensive line coach Jake Thornton makes anything possible.

Colton Hood - CB, 6’1”, 175; Eagle’s Landing Christian Academy; McDonough, Ga.

Auburn’s second cornerback commit from the state of Georgia this cycle, Hood was a 3-star prospect viewed as a top-75 player at his position by both Rivals and 24/7 Sports, with On3 assigning him a 4-star rating and considering him among the top 30 prospects in Georgia. A short-term Michigan State commit, he flipped to Auburn shortly before the early signing period began.

During his senior campaign, Hood contributed as a cornerback, wide receiver, quarterback and running back as the Chargers finished the season with a 7-5 record and fell in the second round of the GHSAA 2A playoffs. In 2022, he recorded 40 tackles, 3 interceptions, 647 receiving yards, 11 receiving touchdowns, 279 passing yards, 2 passing touchdowns, 186 rushing yards and 2 rushing touchdowns. Hood also lettered in basketball and baseball.

A lengthy cornerback, Hood brings prototypical SEC size to the position. His involvement on both sides of the ball along with basketball and baseball immediately shows up on film as he is able to high-point and locate the ball with ease. With a plethora of cornerbacks on the roster with similar physical profiles, Hood is not expected to contribute on the defensive side of the ball, although he figures to be an asset on special teams.

JC Hart - CB, 6’2”, 180; Loachapoka HS; Auburn, Ala.

A hometown hero, Hart is a local preps product that rounds out Auburn’s cornerback room in the 2023 recruiting class. Rated as high as the No. 24 player in Alabama by On3 and the No. 32 player at his position by Rivals, Hart was a consensus 3-star prospect. The recipient of nearly 30 offers from schools such as USC and West Virginia, he committed to the Tigers on Aug. 12, 2022, and, despite taking an official visit to Mississippi State late in the process, never wavered in his decision.

As a senior, Hart helped the Indians to a 9-2 record and the second round of the AHSAA 1A playoffs. He was named to the Alabama Sports Writers Association’s all-state first team and was selected to the 2022 Alabama-Mississippi All-Star Game. As a junior, Hart registered 63 tackles, two sacks and four interceptions. His father, Corey Hart, played linebacker at Marshall from 2007-09.

Like Colton Hood, Hart is a lengthy cornerback prospect who played both ways at the high school level. He consistently demonstrated his ability to make opposing players miss in the open field whether it was on kick returns, receptions or interceptions. The tape also showed Hart’s high football IQ and skill at high-pointing the ball. With a plethora of returning cornerbacks, he is expected to contribute mostly on special teams next season.

Tyler Johnson - OL, 6’6”, 300; Natchitoches Central HS; Natchitoches, La.

The only player Auburn has signed from the state of Louisiana this cycle thus far, Johnson was mostly viewed by major recruiting services as a 3-star prospect, though Rivals rated him as high as the No. 16 player in Louisiana, the No. 25 offensive tackle nationally and a 4-star recruit. With 11 offers from schools such as Baylor and Texas Tech, Johnson went somewhat under the radar.

While a senior, Johnson was an important member of the Chiefs’ 3-7 team that missed the LHSAA 5A playoffs. Despite the disappointing conclusion to his preps career, he was invited to participate in the Blue-Grey All-American Bowl. A multi-sport athlete, Johnson, CenLa Preps’ No. 1 offensive lineman in Central Louisiana, also lettered in basketball.

Possessing an already large frame that will require additional filling out before he is ready for the rigors of SEC play, Johnson is a long-term project with plenty of upside. On film, his feet are shown to never stop moving, although his finishing of blocks is inconsistent. With the arrival of 2023 community college signee Izavion Miller, it may be two years or more before Johnson sees the field.

Brenton Williams - DL, 6’4”, 245; Opelika HS; Opelika, Ala.

Another local kid, Williams was a consensus 3-star recruit considered a top 25 player in Alabama by both ESPN and On3. The recipient of 12 collegiate offers, he held scholarships from teams that included Big 10 powers Penn State and Michigan State. A once-Coastal Carolina commit, Williams was offered by Auburn late in the process and pledged himself to the Tigers soon after.

As a senior, Williams helped lead the Bulldogs to a 5-5 record as they narrowly missed out on a berth in the AHSAA 7A playoffs. During the season, he recorded 55 tackles, 10 tackles for loss and four sacks, which earned him 2022 AHSAA South Region All-Star and Class 7A all-state first team and Opelika-Auburn News all-area team honors. Williams was also a basketball letterman.

With a prototypical edge frame, Williams spent the majority of the time in a two-point stance for Opelika. Against large-school competition, his ability to win at the point of attack with his speed and length was noticeable. While he appears ready to contribute from day one physically, Williams will need to add more pass-rush moves to his arsenal before he sees extended playing time, even with Auburn’s lack of depth at edge. 

Stephen Johnson - DL, 6’4”, 315; Whitewater HS; Fayetteville, Ga.

One of six players from the state of Georgia signed by Auburn this cycle, Johnson was a consensus 3-star prospect generally seen as one of the top 110 players at his position nationally. Having 11 offers from teams including Maryland and Arkansas, who he was committed to from June 26, 2022, until Dec. 18, five days after he first received an offer from the Tigers.

During his senior campaign, Johnson helped the Wildcats finish with an 8-3 record and reach the GHSAA 4A state playoffs, falling in the first round to Benedictine. He recorded 74 tackles, six tackles for loss, four sacks, an interception, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery. Johnson was also part of Whitewater’s 2021 team that went 11-2 and reached the quarterfinals of the GHSAA 4A state playoffs. A major contributor in both seasons, he was a two-time second-team all-region honoree.

With a massive frame already prepared for SEC play, Johnson is a classic interior big man who will thrive shaded inside either guard or over the center. With a surprisingly quick get-off and an impressive arsenal of pass-rush moves for a high school defensive lineman, he could compete for limited playing time in a rotation featuring at least five returning players with similar physical profiles.

Hank Brown - QB, 6’4”, 195; Lipscomb Academy; Nashville, Tenn.

The sole quarterback in the class, Brown was a consensus 3-star recruit rated as low as the No. 113 player at his position by On3 and as high as the No. 26 player at his position by Rivals. Having nine collegiate offers from schools including Illinois and Minnesota, he was one of the least-recruited players in Auburn’s 2023 class. A longtime Liberty commit, Brown was not offered by Auburn until shortly after Hugh Freeze was named head football coach.

While a senior, Brown led the Mustangs to a perfect 13-0 record, the 2022 Tennessee D2-AA state championship and the No. 17 ranking in MaxPreps’ Top 25 composite high school football rankings. This past season, he passed for 3,264 yards, 47 touchdowns - fifth-most in Tennessee state history - and completed 73.3% of his passes. Like many other signees in this class, Brown was a dual-sport athlete having played basketball.

Despite the lackluster rating, Brown shined in away wins against Georgia 7A powerhouse Milton and Alabama 7A heavyweights Thompson, winner of the last four AHSAA 7A state championships. Game film shows an ability to fit the ball into tight windows on long throws, and an elite physical build lends itself to an effortless throwing motion. Despite the fact it may take a while for Brown to grab the reigns, it will happen sooner rather than later.

Do you like this story? The Plainsman doesn't accept money from tuition or student fees, and we don't charge a subscription fee. But you can donate to support The Plainsman.

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Daniel Schmidt | Assistant News Editor

Daniel Schmidt, senior in journalism, is the assistant news editor for the Auburn Plainsman. 

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Podcast: Can Dillon Wade start for Auburn? Dillon Johnson could pick the Tigers

Zac Blackerby

~2 minutes

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Auburn football and Hugh Freeze added Tulsa transfer, Dillon Wade, over the weekend. Dillon Wade could join Jeremiah Wright and Izavain Miller as potential starters along the offensive line. Also, could Dillon Johnson pick Auburn on January third?

The Auburn Tigers are making other fan bases in the SEC take notice of what they've done on the recruiting front. Alabama bloggers are taking shots at Hugh Freeze to a point where it doesn't make sense.

On today's Locked On Auburn, Zac Blackerby is joined by Montgomery radio veteran Darrell Dapprich The guys discuss Dillon Wade, the offensive line, Alabama bloggers getting mad, and Dillon Johnson.

You can watch the episode below on YouTube or listen to the audio version via Spotify.

Locked On Auburn is a daily podcast about Auburn athletics. It can be heard wherever you get your podcasts as well as seen every day on YouTube. It can also be seen and heard every day on Auburn Daily.

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Joseph Goodman: UAB’s new football coach takes aim at Auburn

Updated: Dec. 28, 2022, 8:47 a.m.|Published: Dec. 28, 2022, 7:41 a.m.

7–9 minutes

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New UAB football coach Trent Dilfer said something on early national signing day that caught my attention.

“We’re looking for the best players in Alabama,” Dilfer said. “If they go to the University of Alabama, that’s awesome. But we’re going to be the next best option.”

It’s a lot to consider.

The first thought, obviously: UAB’s first-year coach thinks he can out-recruit Auburn for in-state players? Gene Bartow would love this guy.

Second thought: A UAB coach kissing the rings of Nick Saban? Cringe. Gene Bartow would hate this guy.

Third thought: Wait, Dilfer does know that Auburn is in Alabama, right?

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Dilfer, the former NFL quarterback and ESPN football analyst, was introduced by UAB on Dec.1 after coaching at the high school level in Tennessee for a handful of years. It was a headline-grabbing hire by athletics director Mark Ingram, and the new attention for UAB hasn’t stopped. If anything, Dilfer knows how to get his name in the paper and on TV.

But recruit on-par with Auburn? I have to be honest. These are new times for UAB, but even still it’s hard to take that statement seriously. There is plenty of work to be done filling out rosters with prep players and transfers, but Auburn has a recruiting class ranked 20th nationally. UAB is at 97th overall.

Auburn plays in the Deep South’s Oldest Rivalry against Georgia. UAB has lost two years in a row to Rice.

UAB is entering its seventh season since the program was brought back from the dead. Auburn started playing football back before the turn of the 20th century. John Heisman was the coach at Auburn from 1895 to 1899 and since then three Auburn players have won Heisman trophies.

Not counting interims, UAB’s last head coach was Bill Clark. Auburn’s last coach was … hmm. What was his name? Oh, yeah. Bryan Harsin.

Welp, maybe Dilfer is onto something.

Or maybe he’s just Harsin UAB, someone who says things like, “Just wait,” as he barrels the car down the dirt road towards a cliff. I’m hopeful that Dilfer is the guy who can take UAB to the next level as a football school, but some of his pronouncements are triggering PTSD.

Is UAB anywhere close to competing with Auburn for prestige and recruits? No, but for a lot of reasons, perhaps the gap is closer now than ever before: the transfer portal, an expanded playoff, etc. That said, the same reasoning applies to UAB when compared to Troy, South Alabama and Jacksonville State. Before UAB steps out of its lane, maybe Dilfer should look in the rearview mirror. Oncoming objects might be closer than they appear.

If we’re going to take this idea of UAB recruiting against in-state foes to its logical conclusion, then Troy, South Alabama and Jacksonville State are probably closer to UAB at the moment than UAB is to Auburn.

Troy just went 12-2 in 2022. The Trojans won the Sun Belt Conference, and then won their bowl game against Conference USA champ UTSA. UTSA, the two-time defending champs of CUSA, has knocked off UAB two years in a row. South Alabama, Troy’s in-state rival, won 10 games in 2022. Troy won the rivalry game against the Jags 10-6.

UAB football is joining the American Athletic Conference as a full member after the spring semester, which means it’s already recruiting against those schools. As a review, here are the teams that will be competing in the AAC with UAB in 2023: Charlotte, East Carolina, FAU, Memphis, Navy, North Texas, Rice, South Florida, SMU, Temple, Tulane, Tulsa and UTSA. It’s going to be a fun conference, but the Sun Belt Conference has plenty going for it, too.

The Sun Belt doesn’t pull in as much TV revenue as UAB’s new league, and the universities aren’t as big as those in the AAC, but a strong argument could be made that SBC schools, on average, have more dedicated football fans than the AAC. Meanwhile, Jacksonville State is leaving the FCS level for CUSA. With Rich Rodriguez as the coach of the Gamecocks, and a passionate alumni base already in place, would it surprise anyone if JSU makes immediate noise at the FBS level?

Here’s the problem for UAB. JSU grads are JSU fans. Troy grads are diehard fans of Troy football. The reason? JSU and Troy have distinct identities. Not too long ago, UAB was happy to recruit Auburn and Alabama fans by selling them on the idea of UAB being everyone in Birmingham’s second team. That strategy didn’t work, and so now UAB’s new coach is calling out Auburn on early national signing day.

If that’s the play, fine, but be prepared to back it up, and get called out if it doesn’t materialize. At its core, UAB football has an identity problem. UAB is never going to be like Auburn or Alabama, which are multi-generational SEC powers in football, even if UAB’s endowment ends up surpassing both those schools in the next decade. UAB football and basketball, like I’ve written in the recent past, need to be the beating hearts of New Birmingham.

If UAB wants to be Birmingham’s team, then maybe start by building a wall around Birmingham and identifying with Birmingham culturally like Miami has done in the past with recruits from Palm Beach, Broward and Miami-Dade counties. Howard Schnellenberger owned South Florida, and that’s what built the Canes. Current Canes coach Mario Cristobal, by the looks of this latest recruiting class, is doing the same (with the help of NIL, of course).

Auburn promotes its NIL collective every chance it gets. For UAB to compete with Auburn, it’s probably going to take raising large sums of money for players. That’s just the nature of college football as the calendar turns over to 2023. Here’s the thing, though. UAB needs to first consider out-recruiting AAC foes Memphis, SMU, UTSA and Tulane.

Dilfer’s predecessor was always understated. Even if he thought so privately, Clark never would have intimated publicly that UAB competes against Auburn for football recruits. The respectful and meek approach doesn’t really win over any passionate football supporters, though, and for all Clark did for UAB he never came close to competing against an SEC school on the field after the return. Clark’s biggest victory against a brand-name opponent was BYU in the Independence Bowl, and then he retired.

From the beginning, Dilfer has said that it’s time for UAB to start thinking big. In his opening news conference and then in individual interviews since then, Dilfer has said that UAB fans should start thinking about the College Football Playoff. Now he’s calling out Auburn. Crazy talk? We’ll see.

I think he’s going to find out pretty fast how difficult it is to recruit elite high school football players in the Deep South, but I got nothing against Dilfer’s windy words. In fact, I love it. The standard of success at UAB needs to be high, and Dilfer is treating the state of Alabama’s church of football like it’s sports entertainment. That’s bound to get the attention of some non-believers.

Keep talking, coach. Keep making headlines. Keep breathing that fire and shooting the breeze.

What’s next? Maybe trying to prove that Dilfer is a better coach of quarterbacks than Hugh Freeze.

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How Auburn's transfer losses compare to rest of SEC

Nathan King

 

 

The next wave of entries into the transfer portal is on its way.

It's been 22 days since the winter transfer window opened in college football, and once bowl seasons runs its course — and players have more time to discuss decisions with their families over the holidays — there will likely be another surge of transfer entries before the window closes Jan. 18. Transfer visits can also resume on campuses Jan. 4.

Before more expected movement, Auburn currently has 10 outgoing scholarship transfers — but what are the Tigers losing in terms of on-field production, in comparison to the rest of the conference? It's easy to look at raw transfer numbers, but those don't tell the whole story of whether a player was utilized on a team. Let's take a look at how Auburn's current transfer losses — and what those players contributed in 2022 — compares to the SEC.

(Matthew Visinsky, Getty)

K Caden Davis

WR Chase Lane

CB Brian George

QB Haynes King

DL Elijah Jeudy

CB Myles Jones

TE Blake Smith

OT PJ Williams

DL Tunmise Adeleye

QB Eli Stowers

RB LJ Johnson

DL Dallas Walker IV

CB Josh Moten

DE Donell Harris

DL Marcus Burris

LB Andre White Jr.

LB Tarian Lee Jr.

CB Denver Harris

WR Ryan Campbell

LB Ish Harris

WR Chris Marshall

WR Devin Price

WR Yulkeith Brown

CB Smoke Bouie

CB Marquis Groves-Killebrew

DL Adarious Jones

Lost 2022 production

* 1,220 passing yards

* 7 passing touchdowns

* 349 receiving yards

* 1 receiving touchdown

* 39 rushing yards

* 2 rushing touchdowns

* 87 tackles

* 5 tackles for loss

* 6 field goals

(Kim Klement, USA TODAY Sports)

OT Joshua Braun

WR Trent Whittemore

OG Griffin McDowell

RB Nay'Quan Wright

CB Avery Helm

WR Daejon Reynolds

RB Lorenzo Lingard

LB Chief Borders

LB David Reese

S Donovan McMillon

OG Yousef Mugharbil

DL Jalen Lee

S Kamar Wilcoxson

TE Nick Elksnis

DE Lloyd Summerall

LB Diwun Black

CB Corey Coiller

DL Chris Thomas

OT Michael Tarquin

CB Jordan Young

OG Ethan White

S Tre'Vez Johnson

Lost 2022 production

* 27 offensive line starts

* 345 receiving yards

* 2 receiving touchdowns

* 191 rushing yards

* 2 rushing touchdowns

* 67 tackles

* 2 interceptions

* 3.5 tackles for loss

(Arkansas Communications)

P Reid Bauer

QB Jacolby Criswell

RB James Jointer

TE Erin Outley

CB Khari Johnson

WR Warren Thompson

S Jaccorei Turner

QB Malik Hornsby

DE Eric Thomas

S Myles Slusher

WR Ketron Jackson

RB Javion Hunt

CB Chase Lowery

CB Keuan Parker

S Zach Zimos

TE Trey Knox

S Jalen Catalon

DL Isaiah Nichols

Lost 2022 production

* 23 punts

* 181 rushing yards

* 760 receiving yards

* 10 receiving touchdowns

* 78 tackles

* 2 sacks

(Justin Ford, Getty)

WR Dannis Jackson

QB Luke Altmyer

S Kentrel Bullock

DL Luke Shouse

DE Brandon Mack

DE Demon Clowney

OT Erick Cade

S MJ Daniels

CB Derek Bermudez

RB Isaiah Woullard

OT Tobias Braun

OT Hamilton Hall

DL Jalen Cunningham

DE Jaron Willis

CB Kyndrich Breedlove

WR Miles Battle

WR Bralon Brown

S Dashaun Jerkins

Lost 2022 production

* 125 passing yards

* 2 passing touchdowns

* 13 rushing yards

* 45 tackles

* 3 tackles for loss

* 2 interceptions

(Frederick Breedon, Getty)

LB Phillip Webb

LB Antoine Sampah

TE Jack Bech

CB Damarius McGhee

CB Raydarious Jones

DE Desmond Little

TE Kole Taylor

LB Kolbe Fields

OT Cameron Wire

S Derrick Davis Jr.

OT Marcus Dumervil

OG Xavier Hill

CB Jaelyn Davis-Robinson

Lost 2022 production

* 1 offensive line start

* 255 receiving yards

* 1 receiving touchdown

* 40 tackles

(Darryl Oumi, Getty)

RB Maurice Edwards

LB Daniel Martin

WR Devin Boddie Jr.

S Chase Lloyd

TE Joel DeCoursey

P Jared Wheatley

RB Ray Davis

RB Rocko Griffin

TE Diego LaMonica

QB Mike Wright

DE Elijah McAllister

DL Malik Langham

Lost 2022 production

* 974 passing yards

* 12 passing touchdowns

* 230 receiving yards

* 3 receiving touchdowns

* 1,128 rushing yards

* 6 rushing touchdowns

* 29 tackles

* 2.5 tackles for loss

(Jordan Prather, USA TODAY Sports)

WR Chauncey Magwood

WR Chris Lewis

WR DeMarcus Harris

RB Kavosiey Smoke

TE Keaton Upshaw

WR Demontae Crumes

OT John Young

CB Adrian Huey

DL Quentel Jones

RB Michael Drennen

OT Kiyaunta Goodwin

Lost 2022 production

* 336 receiving yards

* 1 receiving touchdown

* 227 rushing yards

* 1 rushing touchdown

(Todd Van Emst / Auburn Athletics)

CB A.D. Diamond

WR Ze'Vian Capers

WR J.J. Evans

QB Zach Calzada

OG Keiondre Jones

WR Dazalin Worsham

LB Joko Willis

RB Jordon Ingram

DT Marquis Robinson

QB Trey Lindsey

Lost 2022 production

* 2 offensive line starts

* 24 receiving yards

* 4 tackles

(Matthew Visinsky, Getty)

WR Jacoby Boykins

CB Rodney Johnson

WR Traeshon Holden

OT Amari Kight

OG Javion Cohen

OT Damieon George

OT Tommy Brockermeyer

WR Christian Leary

WR JoJo Earle

WR Aaron Anderson

Lost 2022 production

* 11 offensive line starts

* 492 receiving yards

* 6 receiving touchdowns

(Jeff Blake, USA TODAY Sports)

S Jalani Williams

DE Travion Ford

CB Darius Jackson

WR Dominic Lovett

LB Devin Nicholson

LB Zachary Lovett

QB Tyler Macon

CB Les Hewitt

OT Hyrin White

WR Tauskie Dove

Lost 2022 production

* 1,086 receiving yards

* 4 receiving touchdowns

* 25 tackles

* 1 interception

* 4 pass breakups

(Matt Bush, USA TODAY Sports)

OG Reed Buys

QB Daniel Greek

WR Christian Forde

WR RaRa Thomas

RB Ke'Travion Hargrove

OT Gabe Cavazos

DL Matai Mata'afa

RB Dillon Johnson

WR Zavion Thomas

S Dylan Lawrence

Lost 2022 production

* 981 receiving yards

* 7 receiving touchdowns

* 488 rushing yards

* 3 rushing touchdowns

* 5 tackles

(Cory Fravel, 247Sports)

S RJ Roderick 

TE Austin Stogner

CB Joey Hunter

TE Jaheim Bell

S Tyrese Ross

OT Jordan Davis

RB MarShawn Lloyd

WR Corey Rucker

DE Gilber Edmond

Lost 2022 production

* 575 rushing yards

* 9 rushing touchdowns

* 669 receiving yards

* 5 receiving touchdowns

* 54 tackles

(Bryan Lynn, USA TODAY Sports)

RB Lyn-J Dixon

RB Justin Williams-Thomas

RB Len'Neth Whitehead

WR Jimmy Calloway

WR Jimmy Holiday

TE Miles Campbell

OG Savion Herring

DL Jordan Phillips

Lost 2022 production

* 37 rushing yards

* 126 receiving yards

* 1 receiving touchdown

* 1 tackle

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