4/2/23 Football Articles

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si.com

 

Auburn DB target Jalewis Solomon ranks Tigers high on his recruitment list

Matthew Jacobs

3–4 minutes

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Solomon wants to make the switch from receiver to defensive back in college.

Great minds think alike

Solomon, class of ‘24, a current four-star wide receiver, out of Schley County High School in Ellaville, GA, seems to be on every top football program’s wish list. With over thirty standing offers, he visited Auburn again last week for the first time this year with the Hugh Freeze staff and new football facilities. He and defensive backs coach Zac Etheridge had a conversation and found out they both wanted the exact same thing. Solomon wants to be a defensive back; coach Etheridge wants him as a defensive back. Sometimes things just click.

Stats and Skill

With a senior season left to build on his foundation, Solomon lists out at six feet one inch and weighs in at a lean 190 pounds. He has great hips and footwork that would only get better under the tutelage of a coach with the experience of Auburn’s Coach Etheridge. His field awareness and the quickness with which he processes information tells of a young man with a high football IQ. He has amazing speed running laterally and backwards with his eyes towards the offense. The odd thing is he might end up having the best hands on the field out of any of defensive backs he plays with. His skillset translates wonderfully to being a lockdown corner in the SEC that could be a nightmare for both receivers and quarterbacks. There could be a lot of pick-sixes in this man’s future. 

Where Auburn fits

There are some serious schools in the mix for this young man that he is very high on. Including the likes of South Carolina, Florida State, Florida, and that school across the state of whose name we do not speak. However, when I asked Mr. Solomon about his Auburn visit, he lit up and said, “It was amazing!” There appeared to be a solid relationship forming with Coach Etheridge. It was uncanny how both of them ended up being on the same page about a lot of things concerning Solomon’s future prospects. Solomon has already scheduled another visit for Auburn’s A-Day Spring Game on April 8. Perhaps the loveliest village on the plains can bring this man into the Auburn family. As busy as Mr. Solomon is, he did have time for one last question. I asked if there was anything he would like to say to the Auburn fans. His answer:

“Let Auburn fans know I haven’t forgot about them, and I will return.” - Jalewis Solomon

He already sounds like an Auburn man. Hopefully, he will become one.

Edited April 2, 2023 by aubiefifty

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247sports.com

 

Battie brings 'speed and quickness' to Auburn offense

Jason Caldwell

3–4 minutes

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AUBURN, Alabama—Late in the 2022 season, coach Philip Montgomery’s Tulsa Golden Hurricane had a matchup with a South Florida team that had already seen its coach fired during the year and was running on fumes.

While the Bulls were really struggling, that didn’t mean they didn’t have some things for Tulsa to worry about heading into the game. The main thing on the minds of the defensive coaches was trying to stop Brian Battie.

“He was the guy we needed to stop, for sure,” Montgomery said. “Because he’s electric with the ball in his hands.”

Tulsa won the game 48-42, but they didn’t come close to stopping Battie.

Carrying the ball 18 times for 169 yards and a touchdown, Battie also added a two-point conversion for South Florida in the loss.

Making the move to Auburn to work as the offensive coordinator for the Tigers, Montgomery knew right away that Battie was a guy he wanted to work with as soon as the speedy running back entered the portal. Now that he’s on campus, the diminutive back has shown exactly why he was so tough to tame.

“The thing about Brian, and he’s got really good speed, but the thing that you notice when you’re around him or even as as person that played against him, he is very, very difficult to tackle,” Montgomery said. “And he does a great job of setting up blocks, being patient.

“He can really stop and start and create some spacing for himself. And then, I’m just telling you, he hides behind things and then all of a sudden you see him just pop out and good things are happening. Really impressed with what he’s been able to do so far.”

A 1,000-yard rusher for a bad South Florida team, Battie was often the focus for the opposing defense but he still managed to make plays. It’s something that teammate Damari Alston has seen already this spring out of Battie and he knows the reason why.

“He definitely adds some speed and quickness,” Alston said. “He's a really quick guy. He can obviously take kicks back as well. I just feel like he adds that speed and that quickness that we need in the room.”

3COMMENTS

Now with Battie in his offense and getting a chance to coach him instead of against him, Montgomery said he’s excited to see what he can bring to this offense as the Tigers get ready for the 2023 season.

“When you get him out in space and all of a sudden he’s this and he’s got that shake to him, he can get you off balance,” Montgomery said. “And if you notice, if you go back and truly watch his tapes, he doesn’t take many just straight-on hard hits. He’s a guy that just understands how to maneuver himself and find ways to stay positive and finish forward.”

">247Sports

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Five 2024 defensive recruits that the Auburn Tigers have their sights set on

Jack Singley

4–5 minutes

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The Auburn tigers defensive potential and their actual product on the field have been quite different in the past few seasons. As the experience and the talent was there for many positions but due to a large quantity of younger players transferring, the depth and youth that the defense needed was not there. 

With Zac Etheridge and Wesley McGriff leading the charge during the last recruiting cycle the DB room is the most talented and deep room on this team, that includes the offensive side of the ball as well. The defensive line and linebacker rooms though didn't suffer massive losses this offseason from the portal it saw stars like Owen Pappoe, Derick Hall, Colby Wooden, and Eku Leota all leave for the NFL draft. 

The needs that this new defensive staff, led by new DC Ron Roberts, have to focus on are the LB group and the DL/Jack groups. The following is a list of players by the Auburn Daily, that we believe will be targeted and pursued to fill these needs

1. Joseph Phillips - LB

Phillips, who is an Alabama native, is being heavily pursued by Auburn, who was one of the first P5 schools to offer him. He has established a connection with DC Roberts and LB coach Josh Aldridge. Phillips obviously likes not only these coaches but the staff and university as a whole, he has visited Auburn three times in 2023. The 4-star plays for Booker T. Washington High and was a focal point of the defensive scheme as he had 75 total tackles along with nine sacks and 18 tackles for loss. 

2. Jeremiah Beaman - DL

A 6'4 265 defensive demon, Beaman looks to be one of the best DL of this class. He has the quickness and versatility to play on the interior and set up as an edge rusher, this skill combined with his frame he could bulk up and be a productive interior lineman at the next level. Beaman has visited Auburn only once in 2023, but Auburn, along with Clemson and Alabama seem to be the top three for this Birmingham native. He complied 50 total tackles, including 10 sacks and 10 TFLs during his Junior season. 

3. Kamarion Franklin - DL

The highest rated player in Mississippi according to 247, has broken records for his high school and of all the lineman and rushers in this list has the most career sacks. Franklin who was offered by Auburn in September 2022 has only visited once, but had high praises for the Tigers. As mentioned he has an absurd amount of career sacks, he has totaled 29 sacks in 24 career games. His frame sets him as a future interior DL as he is a large 6'5 and 265 pounds. 

4. Jordan Ross - EDGE

The consensus number one player in the state of Alabama and the number two edge prospect in all of the country, Ross is a priority almost every power five program. There’s no doubt to as why, he’s a 6’5 215 pound force of power and speed on the edge. The Tigers have not managed to get the Vestavia Hills native on campus, as he rarely takes visits. Jeremy Garrett has been pushing him to come and their connection seems to be growing.

5. KJ Bolden - ATH

The Buford, GA prospect is one of the top 15 recruits in all of the 2024 class. He has offers from pretty much every P5 program. Bolden plays Safety and there’s a reason he’s the only DB amongst this group, he is one of the best hybrid safety prospects in years. He isn’t afraid to get in the box and lay a big hit, despite his smaller frame, 6’0 185. Zac Etheridge has made it a priority to get Bolden on campus and Bolden has been impressed, saying he looks to visit more in the future. 

These players, all four-star or above, would bolster this class undoubtedly but would make the first season of the Hugh Freeze era a notice to the rest of the SEC that Auburn can and will get the big guys away from their rivals. 

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auburnwire.usatoday.com

 

Two SEC schools are co-leaders for four-star wide receiver Mario Craver

JD McCarthy

~2 minutes

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Auburn is looking to sign an impressive wide receiver class in the 2024 recruiting cycle and a key target is four-star receiver Mario Craver.

Craver is from Pinson, Alabama and the Tigers are one of the top teams in his recruitment. They are battling a host of other schools, but Craver told Blake Alderman of 247Sports that Auburn and Florida are his top two schools.

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“Amazing, he said of the process. “It’s really going pretty quick. This is the moment where everyone is starting to push. I am trying to stay true to who has been sticking with me the longest and try to see through the fake.”

The 5-foot-9, 152-pounder took unofficial visits to both schools in March and is planning to officially visit both later this spring or in the summer. He also revealed that he plans to commit before his senior season starts.

Craver is the No. 239 overall player and No. 35 wide receiver in the 247Sports Composite ranking. He is also the No. 14 player from Alabama.

Hugh Freeze and Auburn have already landed an impressive haul of in-state targets in the 2024 cycle. They have commitments from the No. 8 (J'Marion Burnette), No. 18 (A'mon Lane), and No. 22 (Jayden Lewis) players in the state.

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.

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al.com

 

Auburn's top-rated 2022 signee 'looks like a whole new guy' this spring

Published: Apr. 01, 2023, 9:40 a.m.

5–6 minutes

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AUBURN, AL - March 01, 2023 - Auburn Linebacker Robert Woodyard Jr. (#17) during spring practice at the Woltosz Football Performance Center in Auburn, AL. Photo by Declan GreeneAuburn University Athletics

The highest-rated signee in Auburn’s 2022 class is on track to be a regular contributor for the Tigers’ defense this fall after redshirting as a true freshman last season.

Robert Woodyard Jr., who flipped from Alabama to Auburn during the early signing period in December 2021, contributed mostly on special teams while appearing in just four games last season. This spring, however, the former four-star in-state prospect has carved out a spot for himself in the Tigers’ core linebacker rotation.

“He looks like a whole new guy from a couple months ago during the season at practice,” junior linebacker Cam Riley said. “…If you see Robert now, he looks like a whole new person.”

Read more Auburn football: Trio of transfers has “absolutely improved” Auburn’s offensive line this spring

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

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

Woodyard has been working mostly alongside Riley with Auburn’s second pairing at inside linebacker, while Ole Miss transfer Austin Keys and senior Wesley Steiner have been the first grouping in the rotation this spring.

It’s a promising step forward for Woodyard after playing sparingly during his first season on the Plains, when he was relegated mostly to special teams work and earned the designation as defensive scout team player of the year.

“He’s got a tremendous attitude,” linebackers coach Josh Aldridge said in February. “He’s always in the building, which is what everybody told me when I got here, that he was the guy that spent a lot of time in that facility. And so that so far has been really good. Pretty mature for a young kid.”

Woodyard is the youngest player in a surprisingly experienced linebacker room for Auburn this spring. Despite losing leading tackle, team captain and four-year starter Owen Pappoe to the draft, Auburn returns Riley and Steiner from its primary rotation last season, as well a veteran Eugene Asante, while also bringing in a pair of transfers with SEC experience in Keys and LSU transfer DeMario Tolan.

The 6-foot, 241-pound Woodyard signed with Auburn as the nation’s No. 141 overall prospect and a top-10 player in the state. A highly touted linebacker out of Mobile, Woodyard was committed to Alabama for a year and a half — since the summer before his junior year — but the Tigers’ former staff managed to flip him during the early signing period that cycle. He became the first player to flip from Alabama to Auburn since Opelika safety Stephen Roberts did so during the 2014 cycle.

Though he was the highest-rated player in Auburn’s class, he spent part of the offseason before his freshman year recovering from a meniscus injury that cost him the final three games of his senior season at Williamson. Now fully healthy and with a year of learning experience under his belt, as well as a new coaching staff in the picture, Woodyard is positioned for a key role in the Tigers’ defense this season.

Roberts said last week that he would like to be able to go three-deep at the two inside linebacker spots this fall, and he believes he currently has five linebackers who are game-ready. Woodyard is one of them.

“He can strike,” Roberts said. “He can make tackles. He’s athletic. For him, it’s 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.”

While Woodyard still needs to develop from that standpoint, he at least has the ideal size to play the Mike position in Auburn’s defense and the kind of hard-hitting mentality required to be an effective linebacker in the SEC.

“He’s a physical guy; he’s always around the ball,” Riley said. “He has a knack for the ball, like he wants to make every play He takes the time to actually learn the defense. He’s a new guy, man. I can’t believe it.”

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

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sports.yahoo.com

 

Five-star wide receiver Mike Matthews ‘loved the energy’ at Auburn’s practice

JD McCarthy

2–3 minutes

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The Auburn Tigers hosted five-star wide receiver Mike Matthews on an unofficial visit Friday and they are starting to become a factor in his recruitment.

It was his second visit to the Plains and Matthews, who included Auburn in his top 12 schools, told Steve Wiltfong of 247Sports that the visit “went good.”

He was impressed with the energy Auburn had at practice and enjoyed getting to meet with Hugh Freeze and wide receivers coach Marcus Davis.

Matthews is the No. 6 overall player and No. 1 wide receiver in the 247Sports Composite ranking. The Lilburn native is also the No. 2 player from Georgia.

His mother Regina was with him and also had a great time.

“On our second visit to Auburn, we had a great sunny day to watch practice, put names/voices with faces and tour the new football facilities,” she told Wiltfong. “Mike had the opportunity to see the practice up close and personal and speak with the great football coaching staff. The Auburn campus is so picturesque and we enjoyed our time there. It is important to experience a day like that during the recruiting process.”

The visit gives Auburn a chance for the talented wide receiver who has also unofficially visited Alabama, Georgia, Tennessee, and has scheduled an official visit to USC.

The 6-foot-1, 180-pounder caught 48 passes for 1,030 yards and nine touchdowns as a junior for Parkview High School. On defense, he made 20 tackles and picked off one pass as a safety.

More Recruiting!

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

Auburn makes top 12 for 5-star wide receiver Mike Matthews

Auburn has reached out to Washington State transfer TJ Bamba

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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flywareagle.com

 

Auburn football QB commit Walker White actively recruiting Cam Coleman

Mary Kate Hughes

2–3 minutes

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Auburn football wide receiver Omari Kelly (19) reacts after making a catch as Auburn Tigers take on LSU Tigers at Jordan-Hare Stadium in Auburn, Ala., on Saturday, Oct. 1, 2022. Auburn Tigers lead LSU Tigers 17-14 at halftime.

 

One of the biggest wins so far in recruiting for the Auburn football program has been the commitment of 4-star quarterback Walker White. It was somewhat of a surprise when the 2024 prospect committed to the Tigers, as most people expected him to choose Clemson.

Some were skeptical of his early commitment, but White did a lot to affirm that Auburn football was his final choice, including naming a long list of prospects he hoped to get to the Plains to play alongside him. Since his commitment, he has been actively recruiting many top-ranked players in his class, including J’Marion Burnette, who committed last week.

Another prospect on his list is 5-star wide receiver Cam Coleman. The in-state receiver was considered to be an Alabama lean for awhile, but he has been made a top priority by the Auburn football program and his recruitment has definitely been heating up. He unofficially visited campus twice in one week, on March 23 and 29, according to his 247 Sports recruiting profile.

Coleman, from Phenix City, is ranked as the #21 overall prospect and the #7 wide receiver in the class of 2024, and is the #4 recruit out of the state of Alabama. He has over 20 offers so far, but his 247 Sports profile claims that his top interests at the moment are Alabama, Auburn, Florida State, and LSU.

Not only is the Auburn staff making Coleman a priority, but so is Walker White. The wide receiver reported that White definitely wants to be throwing to him on the Plains in the future, per Auburn Live:

“He was just texting me the other day,” Coleman said to Spiegelman. “Walker is in my ear a lot … really, ever since he committed. I know that he wants me down there for the spring game and to come and build a relationship with him.”

The future is looking bright for the Tigers, and hopefully Cam Coleman will be a player that gets them back to the top where they belong.

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Auburn football WR breakout candidate: AU is ‘going back to the fast stuff’

Mary Kate Hughes

2–3 minutes

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Auburn football AUBURN, ALABAMA - SEPTEMBER 24: Wide receiver Camden Brown #17 of the Auburn Tigers looks to run the ball by defensive back Jaylon Carlies #1 of the Missouri Tigers at Jordan-Hare Stadium on September 24, 2022 in Auburn, Alabama. (Photo by Michael Chang/Getty Images)

 

If you go back to 2014, a popular slogan within the Gus Malzahn-coached Auburn football team was “Auburn fast.” The Tigers were known for a fast-paced offense, with guys like Cam Newton, Ontario McCalebb, and others demonstrating their speed in orange and blue.

Oftentimes the offense would snap the ball so quickly that it was slightly disorienting to the opponent defense, and the “Auburn fast” brand became an Auburn thing. However, in the years since the early 2010s, much has changed.

Now, with Hugh Freeze at the helm of the Auburn football program, the Tigers are expected to return to that pace with a more up-tempo offense with a focus on the RPO. This is a definite change from the past few seasons, where wide receivers have been less productive than fans would like to see.

Sophomore wide receiver Camden Brown, who has been getting a lot of praise during this year’s spring practice, is a big fan of the new offense, per The Montgomery Advertiser, and he hinted that “Auburn fast” could be making its return to the Plains:

“I’m not going to lie, it brings me back to St. Thomas (Aquinas High in Florida) with (coach) Roger Harriott and (offensive coordinator) Wes Carroll, going back to the fast stuff,” sophomore receiver Camden Brown said Wednesday. “I remember last year, I had never been in like a huddle before. It was kind of weird because it was slowing down my play.”

Of course, the Tigers are embracing change during this offseason, attempting to correct problems regarding the quarterback, wide receivers, offensive line, and overall unity on the team. Hopefully, getting an element of speed back in the offense will increase productivity for the receivers, because it definitely is not a talent issue.

With new addition Nick Mardner and quite a few returners in the room ahead of the 2023 season, if they can adjust to the new schemes the Tigers should have a more successful offense this fall

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yardbarker.com

 

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

Matthew Jacobs

4–5 minutes

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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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Auburn unveiling a Frank Thomas statue april 8th

 

this is all i have on this. there was no link not story.