4/1/23 Football Articles

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Auburn LB target Chris Cole calls Tigers a 'powerhouse,' expects to visit soon

Matthew Jacobs

5–6 minutes

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Photo courtesy of and provided by : Chris Cole

One day, you are just a high school kid playing ball. Going about your business, attending school and practice... life is normal.

Then one day your phone won’t stop ringing. That's been the case for Chris Cole.

The three-star linebacker has quickly become a busy man. After Cole won the MVP at the Gameday Camp Series, Texas A&M noticed his stellar performance and made him his first scholarship offer. That garnered national attention and the floodgates opened. Or, as Cole himself put it: “things changed”. A few short weeks later he has over twenty offers on the table. One of which is from Auburn.

What Chris Cole brings to the table

The Auburn staff immediately saw the physical traits and ability Cole brings to the table. Out of Salem High in Salem, Virginia, the rising 3-star recruit, (expected to make a leap with a solid senior season) stands at 6 feet 4 inches and is framing 210 pounds before ever stepping into a college training program.

Cole brings a size that has offensive and defensive coaches around the country foaming at the mouth. His speed with that size, currently the fourth fastest 60m guy in the nation, is just what the SEC ordered. He has shown flashes of brilliance at multiple spots on the field. He could legitimately play wide receiver, multiple linebacker positions, and safety at the collegiate level.

When I posed the question of what position he thought he would want to play in college, he quickly responded: “I will play wherever they put me.” Smart answer from a smart young man.

Auburn’s role in Cole’s future

Auburn has offered Cole a scholarship opportunity to come get his degree and play for championships in the SEC. Due to restraints in Cole’s schedule, contact with the coaching staff has been minimal to this point. When I asked Chris about that he made it clear that since Auburn has recognized his ability as a recruit, that he looked forward to continuing to build that rapport and relationship with the staff.

When I pressed further about what he liked about Auburn as his possible choice the young man just reiterated that he liked how Auburn was a “powerhouse SEC program” and knew that Head Coach Hugh Freeze was in the rebuilding phase of getting this team back to greatness.

That was the perfect segue for me to sneak in “the” question: When are you going to visit Auburn and where do they stand in your list?

Cole noted that Auburn had invested an offer in him, and it was “only right for he and his family” to come and have a visit and they were all just trying to find a date that works. As far as the second part of my question, he slyly would only say he is searching for a place with the perfect program fit for him.

I brought his attention to how many recruits seem to be finding Auburn’s program and facilities to be the perfect fit and falling in love with it, he responded with a smile and a heart gesture. I did want to follow up on a rumor that has been circulating that Cole really wanted to stay within his home state and Auburn could turn his head from that. He said his home state had nothing to do with his traveling then repeated that it was all about a program fit for him.

What will the future hold for Chris Cole?

We closed it out with what his goals were for his senior season. The young man’s passion for the game could not be hidden: “Ball out!! Finish strong!! Get bigger, faster and stronger. I’m prepping for college”

I couldn’t help but think that was an interesting take considering how many colleges were suddenly prepping for him. He has another year to add more muscle to his frame and perhaps get even faster. Maybe he will even narrow down to a position. The talent is definitely there, and this man should definitely be considering one of the SEC schools to find out if he can get to the next level.

When Auburn gets him on campus, that could be a major turn in this young man’s life. Whatever he chooses, I will remember him as one of the most professional recruits I have had the pleasure of interacting with. His presence far exceeds his age. In the end, his maturity is why every school will end up wanting him. Hopefully, we get to see this young man “ball out” on Saturdays at Jordan-Hare. 

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OT Blake Franks previews college choice on Decision Day

Brian Dohn

2–3 minutes

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Greenville (S.C.) High offensive tackle Blake Franks trimmed his list to eight schools in the fall, made his share of visits in the ensuing months and is now ready to make his decision public.

The 6-foot-5, 310-pound Franks will announce his choice Friday at 6:30 p.m. He said he will have six hats -- Clemson, Alabama, South Carolina, Florida State, Ole Miss and Auburn -- on the table for the announcement.

"I had great relationships with the all the coaches," Franks said. "They were all pretty good at messaging me and they wanted to build a relationship with me, so I thought that was a great thing to go off of."

Franks visited Auburn, South Carolina and Clemson in January, took in games at Florida state and Alabama in October, and he was at Ole Miss in late September.

So when it came time for a pros and cons list, Franks had plenty of in-person experiences to draw upon.

"It was who I thought was going to develop me more, and where I fit in the best as far as team wise," Franks said. "That was really important to me."

Franks picked up his first offer in early May 2022, and it came come Ole Miss. He has been on a bunch of visits and spent the last year dealing with recruiting, and all the ups and downs associated with it.

10COMMENTS

"It was fun for the most part, but part of it was very tiring," he said. "When it came to making a decision, I just wanted to make a decision that was comfortable to me. I wasn't going to hurry up and make a decision, but I did not want to to make a decision that was not comfortable for me."

Of the six schools, Franks made the most visits to Clemson and South Carolina. His teammate, Top247 receiver Mazeo Bennett, committed to the Gamecocks in early February.

">247Sports

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Trio of transfers has ‘absolutely improved’ Auburn’s O-line this spring

Published: Mar. 31, 2023, 7:10 a.m.

6–7 minutes

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One of the biggest questions surrounding Auburn this offseason has yielded some promising answers as the team rolls toward its annual A-Day spring game.

The Tigers’ retooled offensive line, featuring a trio of Group of Five transfers, has taken shape during spring practices — leaving Hugh Freeze and his offensive staff feeling much better about the position group than they did when Freeze was hired at the end of November.

“Offensive line, I think, has been a real positive surprise throughout the spring,” offensive coordinator Philip Montgomery said this week. “I think the guys that we’ve been able to add to that room have made an impact.”

Read more Auburn football: “He’s a monster”: Auburn trying to temper expectations for freshman edge rusher Keldric Faulk

Why Auburn’s linebackers have been a pleasant surprise this spring

Auburn’s wide receivers look to “change the narrative” this season

Auburn’s offensive line play has left plenty to be desired in recent years. It has been a combination of misses on the recruiting trail — both in terms of prospects the previous coaching staffs were unable to land and number of overall additions to the room — and underdevelopment of the players on the roster. The result was oftentimes underwhelming play from the offensive line, whether in pass protection or run blocking, and an uneven scholarship distribution that left the group with several holes to fill this offseason following the departures of six seniors and the transfer of a junior with starting experience.

When Freeze and Co. took over the program, Auburn had just eight scholarship offensive linemen on the roster. Getting those numbers back up was a priority, and one that was promptly addressed through the transfer portal and the 2023 class.

Auburn added eight offensive linemen for the upcoming season (the most in a single cycle since Gene Chizik signed seven in 2012), landing four high school signees (the most prep linemen signed by the program since 2015), a top-rated junior college prospect in Izavion Miller and a trio of plug-and-play transfers: offensive tackles Dillon Wade (Tulsa) and Gunner Britton (Western Kentucky) and center Avery Jones (Eastern Carolina).

It’s the three experienced transfers who have provided the biggest boost this spring, as Jones has assumed the first-team job at center in a group that also includes Wade at left tackle and Britton at right tackle. They have typically been joined by Jeremiah Wright (left guard) and Tate Johnson (right guard) in the first rotation as Auburn sorts out its depth chart along the line for this fall.

“Those guys are really starting to mesh as a unit,” Montgomery said. “I think coach (Jake) Thornton’s done a great job with them. Right now, those guys to me are still our strength and that’s where you want it to be, in my opinion, as you start building an offense or a team it all starts in the trenches. Those guys jelling and coming together, getting on the same page is going to be a positive move for us.”

The transition for Wade, Britton and Jones has been seemingly seamless — and a welcome development, considering each player’s level of experience.

Wade’s move to the SEC has probably been the easiest considering he played under Montgomery at Tulsa and is already familiar with his system, even as Montgomery works to meld his philosophy with Freeze’s. He started 16 games for Tulsa the last two years, including every outing at left tackle last fall before opting to transfer as the No. 1 offensive tackle in the portal. Britton spent five seasons at WKU and started 18 games, including all 14 for the Hilltoppers last season. He entered the portal as the sixth-rated tackle on the market before signing with Auburn in January.

Then there’s Jones, a former four-star recruit who started his career at UNC but spent the last three seasons at ECU, where he started 32 games for the Pirates before hitting the portal this offseason as the top-rated center on the market.

RELATED: Hugh Freeze explains value, balancing act of honestly assessing Auburn’s quarterbacks publicly

“He’s taken a lot of snaps,” Montgomery said. “He’s not being surprised by a lot of the different looks that we’re getting from our defense right now, which has been great. A guy that can handle those duties, can make a lot of calls. As a quarterback getting good snaps and knowing where those things are going to be, especially in the game that we want to play in the RPO system. You know, you start spraying snaps all over the place and then that’s going to affect the way you run your offense.

“I think his veteran presence in there has been really significant and will continue to be that way.”

All three of those additions — along with the signing of Miller and freshmen early enrollees Connor Lew, Clay Wedin and Bradyn Joiner — have not only helped replenish some of the numbers in the trenches for Auburn but infused the unit with a fresh wave of talent and experience. As Montgomery pointed out, the Tigers are more athletic up front than they were just a few months ago. The group’s approach throughout the spring has also impressed Montgomery, who wants to see that continue through the final handful of practices and A-Day as he, Thornton and Freeze try to put more on their plates heading into the offseason.

Simply put, Auburn’s coaches want to see them “continue to keep raising the bar” this offseason and see what results that will yield come fall. At this point, at least, one thing is certain to Freeze.

“They have absolutely improved us,” Freeze said. “We won’t know until the fall if — did we close the gap far enough to be able 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 improved us, and I’m pleased with how they’re going about their business.”

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

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Auburn trying to temper expectations for 'monster' freshman Keldric Faulk

Published: Mar. 30, 2023, 12:55 p.m.

7–8 minutes

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During the frenzied three-week period after Hugh Freeze accepted the head coaching job at Auburn, there was one recruit he allocated a preponderance of his time to — Keldric Faulk.

Freeze made the one permitted in-home visit to Faulk less than two weeks after taking over on the Plains, but he made sure the 6-foot-6, 275-pound edge rusher felt like a priority to Auburn every day leading up to December’s early signing period. That meant phone calls every morning and every night, and “a ton” of FaceTime conversations between the Tigers’ new coach and the talented four-star in-state prospect.

Read more Auburn football: Why Auburn’s linebackers have been a pleasant surprise this spring

Auburn’s wide receivers look to “change the narrative” this season

Auburn defensive coordinator Ron Roberts’ magic number for contributors this season is 25. Here’s where that stands this spring

As Auburn’s first spring under Freeze winds down, with just a few more practices remaining before next weekend’s A-Day game, it’s easy to see why Freeze and his staff made such an overwhelming push to land Faulk, the top-75 prospect in their initial signing class.

“I’m telling you, Keldric Faulk, he’s going to be it,” defensive line coach Jeremy Garrett said. “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.”

Faulk has been among the standouts for Auburn this spring, and not just as a true freshman early enrollee. The Highland Home product has been the talk of teammates and coaches alike for his development — as well as his size — at a position of serious need for the Tigers. Freeze didn’t hide the fact that Auburn is “deficient in true pass-rushers” this spring following the departures of Derick Hall and Eku Leota, and while the staff still wants to add more depth in that area, Faulk is a newcomer who they believe can make an immediate impact at the Jack linebacker position in Ron Roberts’ defense.

“Keldric Faulk, man, he’s a monster,” linebacker Cam Riley said. “He stands up at a good size. He’s a good, complete edge, I would say. He’s a very physical guy. He sets the edge, for a freshman, that’s pretty outstanding.”

It shouldn’t come as a complete surprise that Faulk’s stock has quickly risen at Auburn. He was, after all, the prized signee in Freeze’s first recruiting class on the Plains. A longtime Florida State commit, Faulk flipped to Auburn at the start of the early signing period and wound up being the Tigers’ highest-rated signee in a transitional class that finished 18th in the 247Sports Composite team rankings.

Rated as the No. 74 overall recruit in the country, Faulk was regarded as a top-10 defensive line prospect in the class and one of the best players in Alabama. As a senior at Highland Home, Faulk earned first-team All-State honors and earned an invite to the All-American Bowl thanks to his ability off the edge. It’s a skillset that has, so far, translated well to Auburn, where he looks to provide some immediate relief as a pass-rusher.

After losing Hall, who led the team in sacks each of the last two seasons, as well as Leota (second in sacks in 2021, third in 2022 despite missing much of the year due to injury), Auburn has a need to fill off the edge. The Tigers added Vanderbilt transfer Elijah McAllister, and Faulk, as well as Opelika product Brenton Williams to a room that returned just one scholarship piece: Dylan Brooks. With an opportunity in front of him as an early enrollee, Faulk has capitalized this spring.

“He’s special,” defensive end Jeffrey M’ba said. “He’s special. I watch him. The way he plays, he plays hard. He gives everything he’s got every single time. I don’t even think he’s lost one 1-on-1…. That tells you how good he is. He’s not afraid to line up against anybody. All he thinks about is being great. Being around a kid like this is cool.”

The hype-train for Faulk is gaining steam this spring, but it’s important to remember he’s still a true freshman and is still adjusting to the college game. Though Faulk certainly looks the part — at 6-foot-6 and 275 pounds, he’s Auburn’s most physically imposing Jack linebacker — Roberts said it took him about six practices to really get a feel for the system and start to come into his own.

“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,” Roberts said. “That’s kind of expected going into things…. I think he’s done an outstanding job, and he’s shown an ability to be a heck of a football player for us.”

Over the last two weeks of practices, though, things have started to slow down more for Faulk. His grasp of the position and its role within the defense is getting stronger, he’s adjusting to the speed of the game, and it’s showing out on the field and in the meeting room — even as Roberts said Faulk and his fellow freshman, Williams, are still in a growing phase this early on.

That Faulk has caught on so quickly is a promising sign for Auburn on the pass-rushing front, but the Tigers are trying not to hoist him onto a pedestal heading into Year 1. They’re confident he can play a key role off the edge, with Roberts certain he’ll make the most progress in the offseason months and through fall camp, which should have him SEC-ready come September.

However, they also want to temper expectations for a true freshman coming in, especially at that position.

Though Auburn is deficient in returning pass-rush production (Marcus Harris, with two, is the only returning player who had more than one sack last season), the program hasn’t had a true freshman lead the team in sacks since it became an officially recognized stat in 2000. Three redshirt freshmen have led the team in sacks in that span (DeMarco McNeil with five in 2000, Quentin Groves with 11 in 2004, and Colby Wooden with four in 2019), but in the last decade, Auburn has had only one true freshman finish with more than two sacks in his first season: Carl Lawson, who had four in 2013.

The only other true freshmen since then who had multiple sacks in their debut seasons were Big Kat Bryant in 2017, Richard Jibunor in 2018 and Owen Pappoe in 2019. Each of those three finished with two sacks apiece.

“I don’t think he realizes how good he can actually be,” Garrett said. “He’s just coming in to work. He’s not listening to anybody telling him how good he is or anything like that. He’s coming in, he’s studying. He’s working hard. He’s trying to learn. He’s out there early walking through techniques.

“I just think the kid’s going to be special, has a bright future as he keeps progressing.”

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

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Optimism abounds in Auburn’s running back room

Updated: Mar. 30, 2023, 6:54 p.m.|Published: Mar. 30, 2023, 12:23 p.m.

3–4 minutes

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New Auburn coordinators Philip Montgomery, Ron Roberts provide spring practice updates

By

• Nubyjas Wilborn | nwilborn@al.com

Sophomore running back Damari Alston knew the question was coming before Tuesday’s press conference. He smiled when a reporter asked about the competition within Auburn’s running back unit for playing time heading into the 2023 season.

“Like, to me, competing is everything,” Alston told reporters. “With Coach ‘Lac adding Brian (Battie) to the group, I feel like it keeps me more on my toes every day coming to practice just knowing that I have to be on my A-game and do everything that I have to be on the field.”

Read More Auburn Football: Auburn’s wide receivers look to “change the narrative” this season

Hugh Freeze on Nick Saban: “I want to beat the crap out of him during the Iron Bowl”

Auburn defensive coordinator Ron Roberts’ magic number for contributors this season is 25. Here’s where that stands this spring

Alston had 14 carries for 85 yards, with a 35-yard run in the San Jose State as his longest carry. As a freshman, the Georgia native was a distant third option to Tank Bigsby and Jarquez Hunter. Bringing in a running back that ran for over 1,000 yards last season at USF could be intimidating for a sophomore seeking to cash in on extra carries created by Bigsby leaving for the National Football League Draft. Alston choose to embrace the challenge.

“I feel like us as a whole; we’re so connected,” Alston said. “We brought him in with warm arms, open arms, and ever since then we’ve all just been going at it, competing, helping each other on the field and off the field. Our running back room is at its best right now, and it’ll keep improving.”

Cadillac Williams leads the charge in competition as running backs coach. Alston appreciates how Williams succeeded in a crowded backfield during his time on the Plains.

“Cadillac is just going to be Cadillac,” Alston said. “Ever since I came in, he’s always coached us the same. He’s always just been a real standup guy. He’s always kept it real on and off the field. I feel like nothing’s going to change. He’s going to remain the same.”

Hunter had 668 yards on 104 touches with seven touchdowns last season as Auburn’s second option. He’s expected to be the first choice for carries. Offensive coordinator Philip Montgomery believes Auburn will have a steady rotation with Hunter, Battie, Alston, and incoming freshman Jeremiah Cobb.

“I think keeping a guy healthy throughout the season is important for us,” Montgomery said. “We know what Jarquez is going to bring and how tough he is and the physicality he brings and being able to catch the ball out of the backfield and do those things. But I think all those guys are bringing the same thing to the table, and I’ve been impressed with that room.”

Nubyjas Wilborn covers Auburn for Alabama Media Group

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flywareagle.com

 

Underclassman RB has surprised Auburn OC more than anybody else

Mary Kate Hughes

~3 minutes

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Auburn football running back Damari Alston (22) cuts up field as he runs the ball as Auburn Tigers take on San Jose State Spartans at Jordan-Hare Stadium in Auburn, Ala., on Saturday, Sept. 10, 2022. San Jose State Spartans lead Auburn Tigers 10-7 at halftime.

 

The Auburn football program is nearly finished with the 2023 edition of spring practice, and it has emerged that there are definitely areas of improvement for the Tigers. Head coach Hugh Freeze noted that the quarterbacks and the wide receivers still have a long way to go before the fall, while the offensive line has been praised for improvement.

If there is one position group on the team that doesn’t need to be worried about, it’s definitely the running backs. The Tigers’ RBs have historically been a strong group, and with Cadillac Williams leading the way that isn’t expected to change.

Junior running back Jarquez Hunter has already proven himself to be a powerhouse for the offense, even while competing for playing time with Tank Bigsby as he did last season. The Tigers also brought in USF transfer running back Brian Battie, and Jeremiah Cobb will join the group as a true freshman this fall.

However, don’t sleep on sophomore running back Damari Alston, who saw game action several times as a true freshman last season. According to offensive coordinator Philip Montgomery, Alston has made quite an impression during spring training, per Auburn Undercover:

“”I’ve thought from the start of spring camp, he’s the guy that’s probably surprised me a little bit more out of the running back room than anybody,” offensive coordinator Philip Montgomery said this week of Alston. “From Day 1, I thought he had a pretty good feel with what we were trying to do in the run game, with seeing it, setting up blocks and still had that physicality about him. But the speed that he brings — man, he’s got gears in there.”

Montgomery has said he would like to have a true three-back rotation in the new offense this fall, and Alston has been keeping up with both Hunter and Battie during practices.

As a true freshman, Alston had 14 rushing attempts for 85 yards, and he played in all 12 games. He also contributed on special teams during kick returns, with four attempts for 47 yards.

Although many parts of the Auburn football team still need work ahead of Hugh Freeze’s first season on the Plains, there is clearly still much to look forward to this fall.

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Cole Cubelic believes Freeze off to a great start.

 

https://www.espn.com/video/clip/_/id/35525685

Edited April 1, 2023 by aubiefifty

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yahoo.com

 

Auburn’s A-Day game ranked among this season’s most intriguing spring games

Daniel Locke

2–3 minutes

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A new era is underway for the Auburn Tigers Football Program. The hiring of Hugh Freeze has sparked a lot of interest and excitement that the program has not been surrounded by for the past two seasons.

A 247Sports article written by Will Backus listed the spring games with the most interest in 2023 and Auburn’s “A-Day” game made the cut. Backus is looking forward to seeing Freeze back in the SEC.

“If nothing else, this marks coach Hugh Freeze’s return to the SEC stage. The former Ole Miss coach who had his tenure with the Rebels end amid an NCAA investigation into numerous recruiting violations rebuilt his career at Liberty. Now he is right back in the SEC West, trying to revive a program that desperately lost its way under former coach Bryan Harsin. Freeze was relatively vocal about his displeasure at the roster he inherited, thanks to Harsin’s lackluster recruiting efforts, which translated into Freeze hitting the portal hard for 12 prospects. Seven of those play along the offensive or defensive line. Auburn’s spring game is key for those pieces gelling together.”

According to 247Sports, the Tigers have the No. 18 recruiting class and the No. 4 transfer class in 2023.

Among these recruits is defensive lineman Keldric Faulk and cornerback Kayin Lee. Both players are ranked in the top 20 at their position. Some of the biggest hits Auburn made in the portal include linebacker DeMario Tolan from LSU and defensive lineman Justin Rogers from Kentucky.

Auburn’s spring game is scheduled for April 8th and kick-off is set for 1:00 p.m. CT at Jordan-Hare Stadium.

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Story originally appeared on Auburn Wire