3/28/23 Football Articles

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Observations from Day 10 of Auburn Tigers spring football

Updated: Mar. 27, 2023, 7:30 p.m.|Published: Mar. 27, 2023, 6:49 p.m.

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Once a torrential downpour in East Alabama subsided, the Auburn football team held a steamy Monday practice at the Woltosz Football Performance Center.

It marked the tenth practice under first-year head coach Hugh Freeze.

Read More Auburn Football: Holden Geriner’s stock on the rise as Auburn’s quarterback play makes overall improvements

Everything Hugh Freeze said about Auburn’s second spring scrimmage, the Tigers’ quarterbacks

Auburn cornerback J.D. Rhym likely out remainder of spring

Here’s a recap of what we got to see during Monday’s session:

-- Freeze told reporters before practice that redshirt freshman quarterback Holden Geriner showed signs of improvement during last week’s practice and scrimmage.

“I thought he really stood out all week with his improvement and play,” Freeze said. “Not that the others didn’t improve, but I thought his grasp of what we were trying to do, he was impressive with it last week.”

Geriner proved Freeze’s point by performing well with the first unit during the second practice period. The offense ran high-tempo drills, and Geriner completed several passes with zip on the ball. There’s still lots of time left before the Tigers open the 2023 season, but Geriner getting first-team reps is worth watching.

-- Tate Johnson returned to practice and ran with the first-team offense at right guard. Freeze told reporters last week that Johnson wouldn’t participate in the rest of spring football. Johnson’s recovery seemingly went quicker than Freeze expected.

-- 1st team offense: QB Geriner, WKU transfer Gunner Britton at right tackle, ECU transfer Avery Jones at center, Tulsa transfer Dillon Wade at left tackle, Jarquez Hunter at RB, FIU transfer Rivaldo Fairweather was at tight end. Several receivers, including Koy Moore, Nick Mardner, Tar’Varish Dawson Jr.

-- Freeze had praise for transfer offensive linemen Wade, Jones, and Britton.

“They have absolutely improved us. We won’t know until the fall of did we close the gap far enough to compete with the elite in this league? We won’t know that until the fall. But there’s no question in my mind that they improve us, and I’m pleased with how they’re doing their business.

-- Freshman Connor Lew saw action with the second unit. Typically, freshmen don’t see much playing time at the offensive line, especially in the Southeastern Conference. However, the combination of Lew picking up the offense and lack of depth creates opportunities.

“I think he’s going to be a good player, but I think it’s an indictment of where we are, truthfully,” Freeze said. I hope we don’t have to depend on freshmen too much longer to come in and provide significant help, but that’s where we are.”

-- T.J. Finley ran the second-team offense, and Robby Ashford led the third string. Freeze said Ashford had his best practice last Monday but missed out on throwing for Wednesday and Friday’s scrimmage with a shoulder injury.

“Robby was nursing a sore shoulder, so that may be part of the reason that you know, Holden, I’m saying him standing out,” Freeze said. “Robby couldn’t throw really Wednesday or Friday. We threw a little bit with him Friday, but not much. Monday, he had his best practice of our time here, but the shoulder was sore, we held him out. We held him out totally Wednesday of throwing, and he threw sparingly on Friday.”

Ashford didn’t seem hampered in his throwing motion or agility during Monday’s media viewing window.

-- Elijah McAllister (edge), Justin Rodgers (Defensive Tackle), Jayson Jones (Nose Tackle), Marcus Harris (Defensive End) was the first-team defensive line unit.

-- Second-string defensive line: Keldric Faulk (edge), Mosiah Nasili-Kite (DT), Lawrence Johnson (NT), Jeffrey M’ba (end)

-- 3rd: Dylan Brooks (edge), Enyce Sledge (DT), Zykeivous Walker (NT), Tobechi Okoli (end)

-- Freeze told reporters that he mostly spends his time at the practice facility, church, or the occasional round of golf. However, he recently went to grab some pizza at downtown Auburn’s ‘Little Italy’.

“I’ll tell you, that place right there on main ... Little Italy,” Freeze said. That thing was fine, man. It was good.”

A reporter said he didn’t share Freeze’s opinion on the pizza parlor. Freeze elaborated on his appreciation for the pie at Little Italy.

“Really? Man, I thought it was incredible,” Freeze said. “Listen, I got us a stromboli, a calzone, and some pizza and -- I don’t know. My three daughters, my wife, and myself, all enjoyed it. I thought it was good.”

Nubyjas Wilborn covers Auburn for Alabama Media Group

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auburnwire.usatoday.com

 

Spring football: Holden Geriner 'stood out' in last week's drills

Taylor Jones

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As the Auburn Tigers prepare to go through the final two weeks of spring practice, head coach Hugh Freeze met with the media to provide an update on how his team has performed in drills.

To the delight of many Auburn fans, Freeze shared that Auburn’s quarterbacks have improved over the last week.

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“We got better last week,” Freeze said Monday. “I thought we improved most of the week, particularly Monday and Wednesday.”

In addition to saying that the quarterback position has improved over the last week, he says that one quarterback in particular truly impressed him. It happens to be a candidate that appeared to be a dark horse for the starting quarterback role when spring practice began.

Redshirt Freshman Holden Geriner’s high school scouting report was filled with positive notes including “quick release, sound decision making, and the ability to throw the ball deep.” It appears that in addition to his skillset, he has truly grasped the concept of Auburn’s new offensive system, as he was seen working out with the first-team offense on Monday.

“I thought (Geriner) really stood out all week with his improvement and his play,” Freeze said. “Not that the others didn’t improve, but I thought his grasp of what we were trying to do, he was impressive with it last week.”

Freeze also noted that incumbent starter Robby Ashford was limited in practice last week, stating that he nursed a sore shoulder which caused him to not throw much on either Wednesday or Friday of last week.

The Tigers will continue their spring exercises until Saturday, April 8, when the annual A-Day concludes the spring period.

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247sports.com

 

IN PHOTOS: Auburn spring football, Gallery 5

Jason Caldwell

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Take a look at some of the views from Monday's practice for the Auburn Tigers. It was practice No. 10 for the Tigers under Hugh Freeze as they get ready for the A-Day game on April 8 at Jordan-Hare Stadium.

True freshman Brenton Williams has been impressive this spring. (Photo: Jason Caldwell/Auburnundercover, 247Sports)

Hugh Freeze talks with sophomore wide receiver Camden Brown. (Photo: Jason Caldwell/Auburnundercover, 247Sports)

Tight end Rivaldo Fairweather goes down to make the grab while coach Ben Aigamaua looks on. (Photo: Jason Caldwell/Auburnundercover, 247Sports)

Brandon Frazier makes an over the shoulder grab during Monday's practice. (Photo: Jason Caldwell, 247Sports)

Tyler Fromm tracks the pass as the tight ends work on route running. (Photo: Jason Caldwell, 247Sports)

Holden Geriner looks down the field for a receiver during Monday's practice. (Photo: Jason Caldwell, 247Sports)

Marquise Gilbert covers a kick during a special teams drill. (Photo: Jason Caldwell, 247Sports)

Jalil Irvin works on a drill while OL coach Jake Thornton looks on. (Photo: Jason Caldwell, 247Sports)

Landen King is trying to carve out a role in this new system. (Photo: Jason Caldwell, 247Sports)

Koy Moore is a player that could be a key for Auburn's wide receivers this season. (Photo: Jason Caldwell, 247Sports)

Wide receiver Nick Mardner makes a grab during Monday's practice. (Photo: Jason Caldwell, 247Sports)

Dillon Wade talks with Kendall Simmons as the Tigers work on finding the right five up front. (Photo: Jason Caldwell, 247Sports)

Hugh Freeze talks with former Ole Miss and NFL offensive lineman Laremy Tunsil during Monday's practice. (Photo: Jason Caldwell, 247Sports)

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Why Auburn football coach Hugh Freeze said QB Holden Geriner 'really, really stood out'

Richard Silva, Montgomery Advertiser

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AUBURN — It looked like a two-horse race through the first half of spring practice for Auburn football.

Quarterbacks Robby Ashford and TJ Finley were going back and forth with the first and second groups. Coach Hugh Freeze said all along that each player, including his QBs, would get equal reps through A-Day on April 8, but signs were pointing toward Ashford or Finley leading the pack.

But then Freeze gave redshirt freshman Holden Geriner some of the highest praise he's given to any of his quarterbacks since arriving to the Plains.

SPRING PRACTICE:Holden Geriner with first Auburn football quarterback group, other spring practice observations

OTHER QUARTERBACKS:Auburn football quarterbacks: Where Robby Ashford, TJ Finley, Holden Geriner stand

RECRUITING:Auburn football lands commitment from 4-star RB J'Marion Burnette

"I thought he really, really, really stood out all week with his improvement and his play," Freeze said of Geriner on Monday "Not that the others didn't improve also, but I thought he really — his grasp of what we were trying to do, he was impressive last week."

Geriner appeared in just one game last season − he completed two of three passes in a win over Missouri on Sept. 24 after Ashford, who would eventually come back in, went down with an injury.

But just because Geriner impressed last week, and received reps with the first group during a pace period at Auburn's 10th spring practice on Monday, doesn't mean the race is over.

In fact, it's just getting started.

"It's still a competition,” Freeze said. ”I think competition is good for everybody, and how you respond to it is critical. ... Like I've said, it's going to go into fall camp. And the offseason will play a role in leadership and how the players are responding and rallying around you. That is the most important position that we have, and so it's going to take time to evaluate it.

"But I did think they all took some steps forward."

 

Auburn Tigers quarterback Holden Geriner (12) throws for receivers during Auburn Tigers Pro Day at Woltosz Football Performance Center in Auburn, Ala., on Tuesday, March 21, 2023.

 

Ashford has been dealing with some shoulder soreness, according to Freeze. He didn't throw Wednesday and was limited at Friday's scrimmage, but Freeze said the quarterback's performance Monday was the best practice he's seen him have since arriving to Auburn.

The praise from Freeze is relatively new. He has previously been brutally honest about his quarterbacks, even before spring practice began.

Freeze told reporters Jan. 27 that the QBs needed to "grow up and decide if they truly want to be a quarterback." He also said as recently as last week that he wished the players at the position were "further along."

He also said he had "no idea" who he'd name the starter if he was forced to do so.

"I struggle with that," Freeze said when asked about his honesty. "I really do. ... I want to be very truthful. I think we’re making improvement, but there was a ways to go. It’s our job as coaches to get them to be the best that they can be.

"So, I’ve been excited about them wanting to be coached and them accepting our coaching. I think we’ve had to do a better job of coaching some and they’ve had to do a better job of owning what’s on the field. That’s the way it is. They all have done some good things. They all have had some inconsistencies. And it’s our job to improve that."

Richard Silva is the Auburn athletics beat writer for the Montgomery Advertiser. He can be reached via email at rsilva@gannett.com or on Twitter @rich_silva18.

This article originally appeared on Montgomery Advertiser: Why Auburn football coach Hugh Freeze said QB Holden Geriner stood out

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Auburn offers intriguing linebacker Chris Cole

JD McCarthy

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Chris Cole is a three-star linebacker from Salem, Virginia and his recruitment is certainly starting to pick up.

Tennessee offered him a scholarship on Saturday when he unofficially visited and now Auburn has entered his recruitment with linebackers coach Josh Aldrige offering him Monday morning.

He is the No. 827 overall player and No. 81 linebacker in the 247Sports Composite ranking. He is also the No. 22 player from Virginia.

It will likely be a tough chalenge for Auburn to pull him away from his home state. Virginia Tech has offered and he has visited their campus five times already.

Auburn did not sign a high school linebacker in its 2023 recruiting class and is in the hunt to sign several this cycle. They have already extended over 15 scholarship offers to 2024 linebacker prospects but are still looking for their first commitment.

More!

Lane Kiffin opens up about his ties to Auburn job

J'Marion Burnette is already recruiting for Auburn

Shedrick Jackson on Cam Newton: 'he's still got it'

Auburn football's 2024 recruiting class tracker

Contact/Follow us @TheAuburnWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Auburn news, notes, and opinion. You can also follow JD on Twitter @jdmccarthy15.

Story originally appeared on Auburn Wire

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Why Hugh Freeze can't repeat Bryan Harsin's mistake with Auburn football quarterbacks | Toppmeyer

Blake Toppmeyer, USA TODAY NETWORK

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An ominous warning? An advertisement to potential transfers? A motivational ploy? Or, a sneaky way to lower Year 1 expectations?

Hugh Freeze’s unfiltered assessment about Auburn’s quarterbacks could be intended to achieve one or more of those goals.

“Truthfully, I wish we were further along,” Freeze said last week of his quarterbacks.

AU’s quarterbacks and wide receivers have “a long way to go,” he added.

Uh-oh.

That sounds troublesome, and familiar.

Poor quarterback performance crippled Auburn in 2022. Languishing quarterbacks were one of about 94 facets that toppled Bryan Harsin’s tenure.

Freeze brightened his view on Monday, saying the quarterbacks "took a step forward" during the past week. Still, he's offered a mostly unflattering assessment of a situation that requires improvement.

Quarterback personnel and development remain pressing concerns that will determine the direction of Freeze’s debut. Auburn’s new coach boasts a track record for tutoring quarterbacks like Bo Wallace, Chad Kelly and Malik Willis. But changing coaches does not morph a Barry Trotter or a Clint Moseley or a Kiehl Frazier into a Cam Newton. Upgrading personnel remains the quickest way to quarterback improvement.

"We are open to the portal," Freeze said Monday.

Of course they are.

See what LSU achieved last season with transfer Jayden Daniels in Brian Kelly’s first season. Kelly knew enough to know he needed better options. Insert Daniels, the Arizona State transfer who propelled LSU to the SEC Championship.

AUBURN'S QUARTERBACK BATTLE:Where Robby Ashford, TJ Finley, Holden Geriner stand

AUBURN FOOTBALL RECRUITING:Hugh Freeze lands commitment from 4-star RB J'Marion Burnette

AUBURN PRO DAY:Watch Shedrick Jackson post blistering 40-yard dash time

A coach’s honeymoon is brief, and Harsin speeded from introductory press conference to pressure cooker, and he didn’t help himself enough by upgrading talent at key positions – quarterback, chief among them.

A new coach who inherits a weak position group or limited depth must fish in the portal for more talent. Freeze has plundered prizes to upgrade multiple positions, but a transfer quarterback eludes him.

Of course, Freeze’s March quarterback assessment does not necessarily signal alarm.

There’s what coaches say, and there’s why they say it.

Here are a few possibilities why Freeze offered such a forthright assessment of Auburn’s quarterbacks.

1. Hugh Freeze is signaling potential transfers.

Auburn should be first in line to see what this next round of transfers holds when the portal reopens on April 15.

Much of the top-end transfer movement unfolds during the winter, and the Tigers did not secure a quarterback during that period.

That left Robby Ashford and T.J. Finley atop AU’s depth chart after they shared starts last season. Redshirt freshman Holden Geriner also returned.

That trio has split first-team reps this spring. Finley is the most accomplished passer, but he’s coming off a shoulder injury. He’s resembled more of a quality backup than a desirable starter throughout his career, which began at LSU before he transferred to AU in 2021.

Ashford is an electric runner but an erratic passer. Handing him the reins might equate to spending a season in the Wildcat formation. The elusive Ashford is harder to evaluate in spring practice, when quarterbacks are protected from contact and scramble situations are whistled dead.

A transfer quarterback could accelerate Freeze’s rebuild. Kelly and Tennessee’s Josh Heupel used transfers to catapult their program’s trajectory. Alternatively, Harsin and now Florida’s Billy Napier deteriorated while whiffing on marquee transfers.

Freeze can’t repeat Harsin’s failure to upgrade at quarterback. His comments are the equivalent of a “Help Wanted” sign for transfer quarterbacks to see.

2. He’s keeping Auburn's Year 1 expectations in check.

Expectations are always high on the Plains. The hire of a proven winner could send those expectations into overdrive, even while the roster is not built to reach such a lofty bar.

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By sending the early message that the quarterback room he inherited leaves something to be desired, Freeze may be tamping down expectations. Auburn’s schedule is manageable, including an inter-division game against Vanderbilt. An eight-win season is plausible.

That will be a celebrated debut if Freeze can convince Tigers fans that he inherited a team – and, in particular, a quarterback room – otherwise bound for mediocrity.

3. He’s motivating incumbents Robby Ashford and T.J. Finley.

Not only is Freeze alerting transfers that Auburn is open for business, but his assessment ought to light a fire under AU's quarterbacks.

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Freeze is saying the status quo isn’t good enough. This job remains up for grabs, and that should motivate the contenders.

4. He’s telling the truth.

It’s possible no ulterior motive exists, and Freeze is simply offering an honest assessment: Auburn's quarterbacks aren't where they need to be. That’s believable, considering Auburn suffered from the worst passing offense in the SEC last season.

Freeze came armed with no magic dust, only a reputation for constructing good offenses. He’ll need to spur development in the quarterbacks he inherited or upgrade the personnel.

Blake Toppmeyer is an SEC Columnist for the USA TODAY Network. Email him at BToppmeyer@gannett.com and follow him on Twitter @btoppmeyer.

If you enjoy Blake’s coverage, consider a digital subscription that will allow you access to all of it. Also, check out his podcast, SEC Football Unfiltered, or access exclusive columns via the SEC Unfiltered newsletter.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY NETWORK: Hugh Freeze can't repeat Bryan Harsin mistake on Auburn football QBs

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yahoo.com

 

How Auburn football DC Ron Roberts plans to make Tigers a 'top-20 defense in the country'

Richard Silva, Montgomery Advertiser

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AUBURN — For the first time in two decades, Auburn football's record has been below .500 for two straight seasons.

The Tigers are a combined 11-14 from 2021-22, with 12 of those losses attributed to former coach Bryan Harsin, who was fired last October after Auburn fell by double digits to Arkansas. A couple of garbage-time scores helped make the final of 41-27 a bit easier to stomach, but the Tigers still allowed the Razorbacks to score 41 points in Jordan-Hare Stadium.

It was the third straight week Auburn let an opponent drop 40 or more, too. Ultimately, the defense finished the season allowing 395.2 yards and 29.5 points per game, good for 79th and 98th in the nation, respectively.

New defensive coordinator Ron Roberts has much higher expectations.

SPRING PRACTICE:Holden Geriner with first Auburn football quarterback group, other observations

HOLDEN GERINER:Why Auburn football coach Hugh Freeze said QB 'really, really stood out'

AUBURN FOOTBALL RECRUITING:Hugh Freeze lands commitment from 4-star RB J'Marion Burnette

"We're at Auburn," Roberts said Tuesday. "I expect us, No. 1, to be a top-20 defense in the country. We need to do that."

So, how do the Tigers get there?

It starts with getting players he's confident in. Roberts explained he currently has 16 or 17 players he believes could play at the level he expects. By the time Week 1 rolls around against UMass on Sept. 2, he'd like that number to be closer to 24 or 25.

There are about nine players in the "gray area" for Auburn, meaning they must take some steps in gaining the DC's trust.

The biggest position Roberts is concerned about, in terms of depth, is his secondary. With JD Rhym out for the rest of spring with an injury, the Tigers have just three scholarship cornerbacks on campus − DJ James, Nehemiah Pritchett and early enrollee Kayin Lee.

Lee, a former four-star recruit who flipped from Ohio State to Auburn during the early signing period in December, is a player coach Hugh Freeze highlighted as someone who's going to play as a freshman.

Along with Lee, freshman jack Keldric Faulk is expected to play in Year 1.

 

Auburn defensive coordinator Ron Roberts is interviewed at the Woltosz Football Performance Center in Auburn, Ala., on Thursday, Feb. 1, 2023.

 

"I think he's grown quite a bit," Roberts said of Faulk. "I think, really, it started around practice six that you really started to see his ability show up. ... That's kind of expected going into things. But he's a guy who should be going to his high school prom right now.

"I think he's done an outstanding job, and he's shown an ability to be a heck of a football player for us."

The play of a few freshmen will be crucial, and the fact that a handful are on campus gives them a great advantage: "The ability to be early enrollees gives them an opportunity to be on the field," Roberts said. "If they weren't here now, they would have no chance."

Building that depth and getting to about two dozen playable defenders is needed as well. Roberts described how the Tigers have about five linebackers he's confident to put on the field, with Wesley Steiner and Ole Miss transfer Austin Keys taking the "the starting part right now."

Cam Riley and Robert Woodyard Jr. have been "the next two."

Up front, Roberts said there are about six or seven linemen he's happy with, but he'd like that total to soon balloon to nine.

Asked if he's open to building depth by using the transfer portal, particularly adding another pass rusher, Roberts said Auburn will kick the tires.

"We'll look to see what's out there. ... But I feel confident with the guys we've got," he said. "I think they can go out there and function and get the job done."

Richard Silva is the Auburn athletics beat writer for the Montgomery Advertiser. He can be reached via email at rsilva@gannett.com or on Twitter @rich_silva18.

This article originally appeared on Montgomery Advertiser: Auburn football DC Ron Roberts wants 'top-20 defense in the country'

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Hugh Freeze explains the value of honestly assessing Auburn's QBs publicly

Published: Mar. 28, 2023, 7:01 a.m.

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Hugh Freeze has been remarkably blunt when it comes to assessing his Auburn roster this spring.

The Tigers’ first-year head coach hasn’t sugarcoated things when it comes to the deficiencies of the roster or progress of certain positions. He notably made waves last week with his public evaluation of Auburn’s quarterback room, saying the Tigers aren’t where they need to be at the most important position on the field or with their passing game in general through the first half of spring practice, as well as his assertion that Auburn needs to recruit more true pass-rushers.

Read more Auburn football: Holden Geriner’s stock on the rise as Auburn’s quarterback play sees overall improvement

Everything Hugh Freeze said about Auburn’s second spring scrimmage, the Tigers’ quarterbacks

Auburn cornerback J.D. Rhym likely out remainder of spring

That pendulum has swung both ways for Freeze, however. For as straightforward as he has been about his critiques of his roster, he has been just as fair with his praise, when warranted. It’s a delicate line Freeze has tried to toe this spring as he tries to get the program out of the dregs of the last two seasons.

“I struggle with that,” Freeze said Monday. “I really do. Because I want you guys to say, ‘Man, that guy, he’s straight and says it how he sees it.’ But I also worry sometimes that comes across that I’m being negative toward our current players, and I don’t want to be that because they’re ours, and Philip (Montgomery), myself, we have to own what’s out there and how we perform.”

It’s an approach that is serving multiple purposes for Freeze. He wants to be forthcoming publicly without disparaging the players he inherited, but he also doesn’t want to shy away from giving a fair evaluation and limiting the information made available not just to the media but the fanbase as well. In being so open about those assessments, though, Freeze is also tempering expectations in a way heading into Year 1. He isn’t pumping sunshine and has acknowledged that it’s a rebuilding process at Auburn, even if it’s one he believes he can turn around rather quickly.

“It’s a joint deal, but there’s no secret that when I first came here, everybody was concerned about this position,” Freeze said. “For me to sit here and say, ‘Hey, you have no concerns,’ or I could be mum and just not answer your questions. So, I’ve got to decide what does that look like for me. I want to be very truthful.”

It’s a level of honesty that Freeze said he has strived to maintain away from the field as well. His past transgressions are well-documented, and they led to him being out of coaching for a period before spending four seasons at Liberty and eventually back to the SEC at Auburn this offseason.

Auburn athletics director John Cohen has on multiple occasions remarked how transparent and forthcoming he felt Freeze was throughout the vetting and hiring process that landed him on the Plains at the end of November. Now the coach appears to be carrying that over into his approach with his team, particularly at the most important position on the field: quarterback.

“That’s who I want to be as a person in my life,” Freeze said. “And I also share in I’m not running from the fact that part of it is on us.”

While Freeze was blunt about Auburn’s quarterbacks not being up to par entering the third week of spring, he was also sure to point out that it wasn’t for a lack of effort or ability. He put some of the responsibility on himself and Montgomery, as they reassessed the best way to present and teach the particulars of the offense to the position. That led to an adjustment last week, with additional periods of practice focused on the fundamentals of what’s required from the quarterbacks in Freeze’s offense, especially as it pertains to RPOs — which seemed to be one of the core hurdles for a group that includes Robby Ashford, T.J. Finley and Holden Geriner.

Over the last week, Freeze has seen progress from the group. Geriner was singled out for the strides he made over the course of practices seven, eight and nine, while Ashford had his best day of practice last Monday before shoulder soreness limited him the rest of the week. Finley has also progressed in his understanding of the offense, as all three remain firmly in the mix in the ongoing quarterback competition, which will carry into the fall.

“I think we’re making improvement but there was a ways to go,” Freeze said. “It’s our job as coaches to get them to be the best that they can be. So, I’ve been excited about them wanting to be coached and them accepting our coaching. I think we’ve had to do a better job of coaching some and they’ve had to do a better job of owning what’s on the field. That’s the way it is. But I’m not down (on the quarterbacks); they all have done some good things. They all have had some inconsistencies. And it’s our job to improve that.”

Tom Green is an Auburn beat reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter @Tomas_Verde.

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al.com

 

Hugh Freeze believes Connor Lew is a ‘Home Run’ OL prospect

Updated: Mar. 28, 2023, 12:47 p.m.|Published: Mar. 28, 2023, 11:59 a.m.

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Hugh Freeze recaps Auburn’s 2nd spring scrimmage and talks quarterback improvement

By

• Nubyjas Wilborn | nwilborn@al.com

Freshman rarely get significant playing time, if any, as an offensive lineman at a school in the SEC. Coaches usually want the athlete to put on more healthy weight and learn behind an established line with a proven track record.

Breaking the mold requires a unique set of circumstances. Auburn Tigers head coach Hugh Freeze, offensive line coach Jake Thornton, and assistant offensive line coach Kendall Simmons coming into a situation with the Tigers offensive line going from being one of the most experienced in the country to being nearly empty required some creativity.

Auburn had seven offensive linemen in November when Freeze took over the program. In the offseason, the program signed nine offensive linemen with a mix of high school and transfer portal players, including a 3-star prospect from Georgia, Connor Lew.

Read More Auburn: Hugh Freeze explains value, balancing act of honestly assessing Auburn’s QBs publicly

Observations from Day 10 of Auburn Tigers spring football

Auburn cornerback J.D. Rhym likely out remainder of spring

During Monday’s press conference, Freeze gushed when a reporter asked about Lew’s chances of contributing this season.

“I think we hit a home run with Connor Lew,” Freeze said. “Connor Lew is going to play for us as a freshman. Needs to gain some weight. Hopefully, that’ll happen in the offseason, but he’s smart, tough, and strong. Moves well. Hopefully, he — He learns the game. We’re playing him both at center and guard, and he seems to grasp it very well.”

Lew is a talented athlete who is spending time in practice working with the first and second team at center and both guard positions. While Freeze is excited about Lew, the positive energy comes with a dose of the reality of what Freeze inherited on the Plains.

“I think he’s going to be a good player, but I think it’s an indictment of where we are, truthfully,” Freeze said. “I hope that we don’t have to depend on freshmen too much longer to come in and provide significant help to us, but that’s where we are.”

Of course, it didn’t take Freeze long to use Lew’s situation as a vehicle to get into a recruiting pitch for the upcoming classes.

“It’s our recruiting pitch right now: ‘You want to start immediately helping a tradition like Auburn has get back to where it can be? We’re looking for help now.’ And that’s the case,” Freeze said. “So it’s a combination of him being a really good player and talented player, but also the lack of depth that we have there.”

Nubyjas Wilborn covers Auburn for Alabama Media Group

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247sports.com

 

Auburn DC: Freshman Keldric Faulk 'going to be a tremendous football player'

Nathan King

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AUBURN, Alabama — As defensive standouts go, there’s been sufficient buzz around true freshman Keldric Faulk on the Plains this spring — and among the entire defensive unit, not just the early enrollees.

With every passing practice, there seems to be more validation that Auburn’s top-rated signee in its 2023 class is more than capable of living up to his billing. Whether it be first-year defensive line coach Jeremy Garrett or Faulk’s more veteran teammates, there’s been no shortage of compliments heaped on the youngster from just over an hour down the road in Highland Home, Alabama.

Faulk’s position coach, though, is new defensive coordinator Ron Roberts, who’s overseen the “jack” linebacker spot — the new label for Auburn’s pass-rushers — on most of his defenses over the years. Roberts chatted with reporters for the first time this spring on Tuesday and mentioned that he saw the light switch flip on for Faulk in the second week of spring ball, and he hasn’t slowed down since.

“I think he's grown quite a bit,” Roberts said. “I think, really, it started around practice 6 that you really started to see his ability show up. There's so much hesitation — what do I do, what am I doing, how do I play this, how do I play that? — which is normal. That's kinda expected going into things. But he's a guy who should be going to his high school prom right now. I think he's done an outstanding job, and he's shown an ability to be a heck of a football player for us.”

A top-75 overall recruit and the No. 10 defensive lineman in the country, per the 247Sports Composite ratings, Faulk played through a wrist issue his senior season at Highland Home, then underwent a minor procedure after the year that resulted in him being restricted in a wrist cast and a sling for the first few weeks of winter workouts at Auburn. He was in a non-contact jersey for the first week of spring ball, which coincides with Roberts’ observation that he turned things up a notch once the restrictions were removed the following week.

Faulk was a huge target for Auburn's previous staff but committed to Florida State in July. Once Hugh Freeze and company arrived, though, they picked things back up, as Garrett and safeties coach Zac Etheridge didn't accept defeat on the No. 9 in-state player.

On signing day, just a few weeks after meeting Garrett, Faulk flipped to Auburn and became the top-rated prospect in Freeze's first class.

“I'm telling you, Keldric Faulk, he's going to be it,” Garrett said last week. “He's going to be it. Really excited about the way he rushes and the way he's progressed since he got here. He's going to be good.”

Defensive lineman Jeffrey M'ba agreed last week that Faulk is “just special,” and, after taking a moment to think it over, said seen the true freshman — who’s listed by Auburn at 6-foot-6 and 275 pounds — lose a single one-on-one battle in the trenches thus far this spring.

“That tells you how good he is,” M’ba said. “He's not afraid to line up against anybody. All he thinks about is being great.”

Faulk’s been revered as an elite talent for most of his playing career, but Roberts still wants to ensure there aren’t undue presumptions placed on the shoulders of a teenager who, as Roberts noted, should still be in high school: “He's going to be a tremendous football player. We'll try not to have the expectation too high on him.”

But Faulk isn’t wired that way.

“He's just coming in to work,” Garrett said. “He's not listening to anybody telling him how good he is or anything like that.”

Perhaps more so than any other position on the roster, Auburn needs players to step up at the jack spot. Gone are Derick Hall and Eku Leota, who combined for 24.5 sacks over the past two seasons. And there’s not necessarily much returning star power, seeing as former top-100 overall recruit Dylan Brooks only got his feet wet last season after Leota’s injury. Vanderbilt transfer Elijah McAllister enters the fray and brings experience, though he hasn’t registered a sack since 2019. True freshman and local product Brenton Williams, from nearby Opelika High School, was complimented by Roberts for his early impressions in the spring.

In short, Auburn isn’t pressuring Faulk for a standout true freshman season. But him delivering one could be massive for Roberts’ defense overall.

“He'll probably make the biggest progress through the summer and fall camp,” Roberts said. “But hopefully, by September, I'm looking at a guy who's ready to play SEC football."

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si.com

 

Rivaldo Fairweather: Auburn’s not–so-secret asset

Matthew Jacobs

4–5 minutes

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September 26, 2020.

Hardcore Auburn football fans may remember that day as a Saturday when Auburn scored fourteen points going away in the fourth quarter to beat the Kentucky Wildcats 29-13 to start the season. In another world, Hugh Freeze was coaching his own team to a win. Good coaches, nay, great coaches remember details. He looked up to see and feel a mountain of a man outrun his linebackers and defensive backs, past him on the sidelines, for twenty-two yards before stepping out of bounds. As the saying goes: Underutilized. It was filed away in Coach Freeze’s brain. By now, you may be asking yourself, “What does this have to do with the 2023 Auburn Tigers?”

Everything.

Fast-forward to November 29, 2022, Hugh Freeze takes control of a floundering Auburn football program. His thoughts turn to the portal to bring in some impact players. What you reach for first is what you want the most. Eighteen days later, he makes his first portal signing. That tight end he had seen fly by him a few years earlier. FIU junior transfer, Rivaldo Fairweather.

Fairweather is a defensive coordinator’s nightmare. A 6-foot 5, 251-pound dynamic threat in the passing game that has blazing speed for his size and hands that a lot of NFL receivers would be jealous of. Not to mention another trait nearly unheard of in a tight end: An uncanny ability to run after the catch. No linebacker can cover him and very few defensive backs will willingly tangle with him. Throw him in the tight end friendly system that Coach Freeze has and you quietly have a weapon that opens up the entire offense.

Recently named to the “Twenty newcomers generating buzz” list of athletes flying under the radar this Spring, Fairweather is looking to have a season that shows that he was underutilized at FIU and is ready to make considerable contributions to the Auburn Tiger's passing game. Fairweather’s size, speed, and physicality also makes him a utility man that can be used out wide or in the fullback slot. These are traits that Coach Freeze has used before at Ole Miss with TE Evan Engram that turned him into a very desirable NFL player. Fairweather stated he had that thought in mind after Auburn tight end coach Ben Aigamaua spoke with him on an in-home visit. Eleven days later, Fairweather became an Auburn man. Coach Aigamaua was one of the first to laud what Fairweather brings to the tight end room:

“I’m excited about our room, especially adding Rivaldo (Fairweather) and the guys that we’ve got, adding Rivaldo to that room kind of — the expectations have risen from the passing game to the run game; we’re very involved in everything we do offensively. We don’t want to be stuck with somebody that only gives us one dimension because that limits our play-calling, we’ve been very successful with our tight ends at Liberty and Ole Miss and Arkansas State. For us, we have to find those guys because it puts defenses at a disadvantage when you have two or even three that can do all of those things.” - Coach Ben Aigamaua

A cursory glance at Fairweather’s highlights from FIU shows an explosive tight end that was very hampered by a generally terrible offense. In scheme and execution. Placed in an SEC offense that functions at a high level, this player could easily become one of the few elite tight ends in the nation.

A thought that is not lost on this young man. He already has big touchdown celebration plans choreographed with his teammates. For him, it's not if he’s going to be a household name in Auburn Fan’s hearts, it’s when. For Auburn fans waiting for a reason to cheer, it makes Autumn seem that much further away. Just one hundred and fifty-eight more days.

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247sports.com

 

Steiner, Keys making a push to be Auburn's starting linebackers

Mark Murphy

6–7 minutes

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AUBURN, Alabama–Auburn’s new defensive coordinator, Ron Roberts, said on Tuesday he is seeing signs that the linebackers are making progress with the Tigers in their next to last week of spring training. His group will go on public display on Saturday, April 8th at team’s annual A-Day scrimmage.

“I think we have a talented room of linebackers whether it be (Wesley) Steiner and Austin Keys,” Roberts said of the duo getting the reps with the ones at this point of spring training.

“Where we are right now, I am not ready to name starters and that stuff,” the coach said. “Cam (Riley) and (Robert) Woodyard have kind of been the next two and I think they have done a great job.

“We throw a lot at our linebackers on a mental standpoint, and I think they have done a great job of doing that,” Roberts said. “They can all run. They can tackle. Tremendous attitude. That is a heck of a head start with them.”

The group includes a returning starter in 6-5, 237 junior Riley and an experienced performer in 6-0, 239 senior Steiner, a player who has significant game experience playing for the Tigers. He finished second on the team in tackles during 2022 with 65, trailing fellow linebacker Owen Pappoe (91 tackles), a player who is hoping to hear his named called in the NFL Draft next month.

Steiner finished fifth on the 2022 Auburn defense in total tackles with 46.

One of the more experienced players in the group is 6-2, 235 Keys, a junior transfer from Ole Miss. “He has got the SEC experience,” Roberts pointed out. “He is big, he is physical, he runs exceptionally well. He is intelligent–he is very smart, he has picked things up really fast.

“With him, the biggest thing probably going forward, I would like him to be a little bit more vocal and take some leadership responsibility, which there are several of those guys on our team, but I think early, that whole new system, new coaches, where are we at, I think sometimes that stuff kind of takes a backseat for a while because guys aren’t real confident to step up and be a vocal leader. We are going to need guys to do that.”

Robert Woodyard and Austin Keys work during drills at spring practice. (Photo: Jason Caldwell/Auburnundercover, 247Sports)

Eugene Asante, a 6-1, 219 junior, is back with the Tigers after previously being a part-time starter at North Carolina. Another transfer, 6-1, 203 sophomore DeMario Tolan, made the move to Auburn this year from LSU.

Commenting on what he has seen from Asante, the coach said, “He is athletic, he is very physical–brought a great attitude. He is a guy who goes on the field every day and he’s going to have a smile on his face and loves the game of football. I think it goes a long way. I think he’s going to be a valuable asset.”

The Auburn coaches also have a pair of redshirt freshmen to work with 6-0, 241 Woodyard and 6-2, 231 Powell Gordon.

Woodyard’s development is not expected. A highly-regarded prospect out of Mobile, last fall he was still recovering from a knee injury suffered as a high school senior. “He can strike, he can make tackles he is athletic,” Roberts said.

“For him it is just being young, and you want to be able to see him be more vocal on the field with communication and getting everybody in the right spots, being able to help people out on the field. That's some of the things we kind of expect from that position,so we kind of need him to take those growth steps forward.”

Commenting on the redshirt freshmen Tolan and Powell, the coordinator said, “DeMario shows a ton of ability. He runs exceptionally well. He will strike you. When he pulls his pin, he pulls it about as fast as anybody that can play the game so he has got a bright future here at Auburn.

“Then Powell, again, the same thing. He is athletic. He probably looks his best when he’s on the edge. I think he is a little comfortable with it, where he was at in high school. He is a young guy. He’s probably behind a little veteran group of linebackers. That room’s pretty, a little older.

“The Woodyard kid is probably the youngest one in there. Cam Riley has starting experience. Steiner, Austin Keys–you have got a pretty veteran group, and they have gotten the majority of the reps.”

Roberts said the coaching has discussed playing Powell outside as a pass rusher at the jack position, but has not made that move.

Riley is another player who could line up as a pass rusher at the jack position. “We got a little bit of work with him right there on the edge,” the coach said. “Not a lot. We did it one day last week. He is a guy that, yes, we will try to get in. He's still learning the will linebacker spot so we don't want to move him early until he really gets that down before we can really dive in to be able to get him on the edge and be able to play out there.”

In addition to replacing Pappoe, two players who started spring drills with the team have left the squad–Desmond Tisdol and Kameron Brown. Neither were expected to be significant contributors to the 2023 linebacker group.

Roberts said knowing assignments is a big deal for the linebackers. “We are multiple,” he pointed out. “It starts with odd or four-down (fronts), playing both. A lot of our coverages are based off the formation, how we’re playing things, so there’s that part.

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“Then it just goes into whether I may give a lot of two calls in the huddle and basically saying, ‘If they’re in this, this is what I want to play. If they’re in this, this is what I want to play’ and be able to. That is new for a lot of them to have to do that, but it’s kind of the nature of college football nowadays. If you don’t do it..they (the offense) are getting the pencil last and they’re going to whip you.”

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this is a week old but it has just now popped up on youtube.

 

 

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flywareagle.com

 

Auburn football WR coach Marcus Davis calls this receiver “hungry”

Mary Kate Hughes

2–3 minutes

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Auburn football Mandatory Credit: The Montgomery Advertiser

 

Auburn football fans are cautiously optimistic about the upcoming season. From the new coaching staff to the new schemes to the new attitude within the program, things seem to be on the up and up for the Tigers.

Hugh Freeze said earlier this week that the two position groups that have the longest way to go in terms of improvement are the wide receivers and the quarterbacks, which is not a surprise. The situation last year was messy, with TJ Finley getting the QB1 nod but the responsibility ultimately landing on the shoulders of Robby Ashford, who had never before played a game of college football.

With the quarterback issues and the struggling offensive line, it was hard to expect a whole lot from the receiver group, but it’s also true that the Auburn football program has not had a standout receiver for a couple of years. That may change this season with sophomore Camden Brown.

He earned high praise ahead of the 2022 season but wasn’t able to really make his mark for the above reasons. However, his teammates and his position coach definitely see some development, per AL.com:

“That’s a guy that has changed from Year one to Year two,” cornerback D.J. James said. “He’s developed. He’s gotten bigger, faster and stronger. I like him.”

Brown is also one of the bigger receivers on the roster, and that size is something the Freeze has valued in his offenses of the past. According to WR coach Marcus Davis, Brown has the potential to be a leader in the locker room and to have a breakout sophomore season:

“The first thing that comes to my mind on him is that he’s one of the ones that’s hungry,” wide receiver coach Marcus Davis said. “He wants to get better. And he’s a younger guy. He’s a good person to have in your room.”

Spring practice means that it’s still early, and if the quarterbacks can improve before the fall there’s no doubt that the receivers will follow.

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Zac Blackerby
@Zblackerby

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Text I just received from a source within the Auburn Football program: “I definitely believe Pro Day did something to Holden.” Added he’s taken big strides in practice since Auburn’s Pro Day.

Twitter · 2 hours ago

Nath