2/16/23 Auburn Articles

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247sports.com

 

Auburn coach Hugh Freeze weighs in on NIL: 'I don't want it to be the sole reason you choose a school'

Cameron Salerno

4–5 minutes

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Auburn coach Hugh Freeze is in month two on the job at the school and is already making moves. Freeze in an interview with CBS Sports talked about NIL and how it can impact the program going forward.

“To me, it should be for your locker room and for the ones who have created value for themselves, not the reason you choose a school," Freeze said. "That's what I believe. I think that's what it was intended for. I really want to do that. I don't want it to be the sole reason you choose a school. I do think our collective is incredibly fair with the examples that we can give for how our team is going to be treated. There has to be a sense of 'Man, I gotta come and earn that.' I was kind of thrown into the fire so late, and every dang discussion ... that's what they wanted to talk about. That was uncomfortable. I didn't like that at all.

"I'm excited to get in a full recruiting cycle to where we can have these honest, frank discussions and I can give them my opinion on why you should choose the school and you can (and) absolutely should try to create great value for yourself."

Freeze comes to Auburn with a reputation of developing quarterbacks. From Malik Willis at Liberty to Bo Wallace and Chad Kelly at Ole Miss. In a recent interview, Freeze talked about his "quarterback-friendly offensive system" and what it takes to develop a successful signal-caller.

“I think it comes from our system," Freeze said. "I think I teach in a way that helps them understand the game and where the game should be played on a given play, post-snap. Which is a little different. Not a lot of coaches feel good about giving up that control. But I’ve gotta believe that I can teach it well enough for our quarterbacks to know, ‘man alright post-snap, this safety is the insert player, this is the field I need to play on.’ And I think it’s quarterback friendly as long as they can be a fundamentally-accurate passer. I need help with that. I think my gift is teaching them the game and making correct decisions and getting the protection set and all of that. I’ve had some great, fundamental quarterback coaches that were really good. That’s a great compliment to me. Ole Miss had Dan Werner, Liberty had Kent Austin who’s brilliant and one of the best to ever do it. I can’t take total credit for the development. I think I’m pretty good at helping them learn the game.”

Auburn went 5-7 overall this season, the worst record the Tigers program has experienced in nearly a decade. Freeze previously coached in the SEC at Ole Miss from 2012-16, spent the previous four seasons turning around the program at Liberty.

“As a person, I think you grow more in the times of failure — if you handle them the right way — than you probably do in the successes,” Freeze said on his time at Liberty. “The mountain tops are beautiful but usually the fruit is grown in the valleys. And I think that’s kind of where I’ve been and there’s been a lot of growth in me over the last six years from trying to be more committed and disciplined on a daily life– to your faith, your family and your friends. Family also meaning my team and administration and university family. And learning to be a better listener. That’s kind of been my goals. I’m still doing that. And then as a football [coach] it’s been incredible. To take an FCS program that’s transitioning to FBS and win at least eight games every season. Undefeated in bowl games, our power-5 wins and many more great things that we’ve done … all of that happening that fast and that quick, had been remarkable and I think is a testament to the players, the administration and the staff we had there.”

">247Sports

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What 2023 4-star Sylvester Smith can bring to Auburn’s secondary

Published: Feb. 15, 2023, 10:44 a.m.

3–4 minutes

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Auburn Safety Sylvester Smith highlights from Munford High School

By

• Nick Alvarez | nalvarez@al.com

Hugh Freeze and Auburn worked at a “wild,” breakneck pace in December. The 2023 recruiting class needed work and it didn’t take long for a point of emphasis to emerge: the secondary. The new staff, with some returning faces like Zac Etheridge and Wesley McGriff, flipped a few blue-chip prospects and quickly reconnected with others to sell a program banking on a turnaround. One such player was in-state four-star Sylvester Smith.

A safety from Munford High, Smith was previously committed to Tennessee before Freeze and co. were “fast” in mid-December in swaying him. A late visit was crucial to Smith’s commitment, along with a prior relationship with McGriff, who had recruited he was on staff at Florida.

At 5-foot-11, 195-pounds, Smith’s versatility should stand out among the seven high school signees Auburn added in the 2023 class. Michael Easley, his high school coach, said Smith should be able to play at any position within the secondary.

“You gotta be under control to make the plays. As crazy as it sounds, at (Auburn) he’ll have to slow down a little bit as far as that closing 10 yards or so. ... He’ll be a guy who can play some single-high safety for them, can play some two-shell stuff. He’ll get down there and cover tight ends and running backs,” Easley said after Smith’s commitment on Dec. 18.

He was a four-year defensive starter at a mid-size program, earning offensive snaps at each skill position. Smith was only hampered by a high-ankle sprain his junior season, but even then he returned as a quarterback that ran for 24 touchdowns and threw for seven more as a senior. Smith’s natural position is safety, using his speed to crash down on the ball, but has the athleticism to work on the outside.

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At the Alabama-Mississippi All-Star Classic, his team losing a few cornerbacks to injury, Smith played the entire first half at boundary corner. It didn’t surprise Easley, who’s seen Smith’s work ethic grow through his development. Easley can track when Munford’s players watched film through a team portal and Smith would usually lead the group. By Tuesday practices, he would be calling out plays before the ball is snapped.

“All of this happened really fast with Sylvester,” Easley said. “I think any university in any state should look at their in-state talent. Give them a long look.”

With its two starting cornerbacks returning and a set of more veteran players already on the depth chart, Smith’s adaptability could lead to him seeing the field while Auburn works to “flip the script” in the Freeze era.

Nick Alvarez is a reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter @nick_a_alvarez or email him at NAlvarez@al.com.

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si.com

 

Auburn OC Philip Montgomery is one of the most interesting coordinator hires in the SEC

Lance Dawe

~4 minutes

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The Auburn Tigers made a fascinating hire in Montgomery, who may be able to get the most out of Auburn's QB room.

Auburn's two coordinator hires have almost gone unnoticed this offseason.

Offensive coordinator Philip Montgomery and defensive coordinator Ron Roberts arrived on the Plains with a decent amount of fanfare, but have received little to no national attention.

As we wade into the 2023 offseason, folks are starting to talk a little bit more about head coach Hugh Freeze's two choices.

Saturday Down South senior columnist Connor O'Gara joined McElroy and Cubelic in the Morning on WJOX 94.5 in Birmingham to discuss O'Gara's favorite coordinator hires in the SEC, among other things.

While O'Gara loves Kentucky's Liam Coen, who is returning for his second stint with the Wildcats, Auburn's Montgomery may be a more interesting hire.

"I'm kind of fascinated by Philip Montgomery at Auburn," O'Gara said. "I think that's a move that has gone - it's been swept under the rug because we think 'alright, Hugh Freeze, offensive minded guy, he's kind of going to be running the show there,' but it's probably going to be Philip Montgomery calling the plays there to a certain extent, right? And I think that's one of those moves where if he gets to work with Robby Ashford, that's fascinating."

Ashford showed flashes of potential in this first season as an Auburn Tiger, but statistically wasn't impressive in a variety of areas as a passer - he finished last among SEC starters in yards per attempt (6.39) and completion percentage (49%) and was sixth in the league in turnover worthy play rate (8.75%).

He did, however, finish second among SEC quarterbacks in total rushing yards and is in prime position to take a step forward behind an improved offensive line.

Working on his accuracy and timing may be the most important thing for Ashford this offseason - if he wants a shot at the job, he's going to have to find more consistency to meet Freeze and Montgomery's expectations.

Thankfully, Montgomery may be the perfect hire to unlock that potential.

"I remember talking to RGIII (Robert Griffin III) about this back in October," O'Gara said. "He called the first start Robby Ashford had in that game against Mizzou. And he came away from it saying 'if Robby Ashford could ever work with someone like Philip Montgomery' - who RGIII got to work with at Baylor - 'then he could be the perfect guy to kind of maximize his potential as a thrower, and get him to understand his progression.' And don't ya know it, that's who he ends up with."

Nobody's saying Robby Ashford is Robert Griffin III - who won the Heisman at Baylor in 2011 - but the pairing of Ashford and Montgomery in a Hugh Freeze offense does give intrigue.

"If Hugh Freeze does end up saying 'alright, I'm going to see what I have in Robby Ashford in year one,' that's a move that I think is really, really interesting given the skill set, and given the background of what he's capable of," O'Gara said.

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Is Jarquez Hunter ready to be a feature running back at Auburn?

Published: Feb. 15, 2023, 2:36 p.m.

4–5 minutes

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Auburn running back Jarquez Hunter (27) carries the ball against Western Kentucky during the second half of an NCAA college football game, Saturday, Nov. 19, 2022, in Auburn, Ala. (AP Photo/Butch Dill)AP

By

• Nubyjas Wilborn | nwilborn@al.com

We’re taking a look at each position group as Auburn prepares to open spring practice on Feb. 27. The second of an 11-part series looks at the runningbacks.

Replacing star runningback Tank Bigsby is a complex ask for offensive coordinator Philip Montgomery. Bigbsy had 973 yards and 10 touchdowns last season, leaving the Plains for the 2023 National Football League Draft seventh on the Tigers’ rushing yard list with 2,903 yards.

Bigsby was a reliable three-year starter and leading rusher. Jarquez Hunter returns to Auburn after posting seven touchdowns and 673 yards last season. Hunter finished the season going over 100 yards in each of Auburn’s final three games. He ran for 134 yards in the Iron Bowl loss against Alabama.

Hunter ran for 109 yards on 13 carries in the win against Western Kentucky. He also ran for 114 yards in the emotional win for the Tigers in Carnell Williams’ first victory as interim head coach at Jordan-Hare.

Damari Alston saw limited action behind Hunter and Bigsby. The true freshman had 85 yards on 14 carries last season during 12 games. Alston is expected to see more activity in 2023 and beyond.

Projected Depth Chart:

Jarquez Hunter, Junior

Brian Battie, Junior

Damari Alston, Sophmore

Justin Jones, Junior

Luke Reebals, Redshirt Freshman

Departed: Tank Bigsby, NFL Draft

Due to arrive in the fall: Four-star recruit Jeremiah Cobb

Outlook: If Hunter is ready to elevate into a starring role, it will bode well for the Auburn offense seeking to bounce back from a losing season. Hunter has the tools to be the next elite back in the Tigers’ esteemed history of running backs. Auburn will count on him to show it each week in the SEC.

Battie is a South Florida transfer who racked up 1,186 rushing yards last fall. He had seven games over 100 yards last season, and one of his best games was against the Florida Gators.

Battie ran for 150 with an average of 8.82 yards per carry. He’s also a dynamic athlete on special teams. He was a consensus All-American in 2021 as a returner and, in 2022, had over 1,000 return yards.

“The first guy is never going to bring him down or tackle him,” Auburn running back coach Cadillac Williams told reporters. “He always is a smaller guy, but he’s a natural runner between the tackles. He’s a running back. He’s a football player. He’s a guy that understands leverage and angles, a guy that’s going to break tackles, and he’s strong, very competitive, and wants to be one of the best. We are getting a complete back that can do it all.”

Battie and Hunter could become a solid one-two punch for the Tigers. Alston is on his way to becoming a rotational back.

Williams also expressed excitement about incoming freshman Cobb from Montgomery. Cobb had three-consecutive 2,000-yard rushing seasons as a high school star. Getting playing time as a freshman in the SEC isn’t easy, but Cobb might be the rare one to work his way on the field early.

“He’s a running back that can do it all to me. One thing that I love about him, and everybody knows about his speed, everybody knows about his long runs, but he is a guy that can get the tough yards,” Williams told reporters. “He’s a guy that breaks tackles. One thing I love about him, he will stick his face in the fan, as in he’s a willing blocker. He’s pretty good at that.”

Up next: Wide Receivers

Nubyjas Wilborn covers Auburn for Alabama Media Group.

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again yesterday there was no news. tigerland did not even have a football section. as always i will try to find us some news if it is out there and not behind a pay wall. have a great day my fellow auburn fans.

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Thanks @aubiefifty!!!