4/11/23 Auburn Articles

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247sports.com

Woodyard healthy and excited about his role in new defense

Jason Caldwell

~3 minutes

AUBURN, Alabama—The highest-ranked player in the 2022 class and a longtime commitment to Alabama before flipping to Auburn, Mobile linebacker Robert Woodyard injured his knee during his senior season at Williamson High. With the knee still bothering him well into last fall, Woodyard played in just four games for the Tigers but was good enough in practice to earn the defensive scout team player of the year.

Putting in the work during the offseason, Woodyard came back this spring under Hugh Freeze and a new staff and was determined to show he was ready for his opportunity. Playing well as he continues to work on the fundamentals and techniques of playing the position, Woodyard finished up the spring and put himself in a position to get on the field much more this fall.

“I feel like I've come a long way,” Woodyard said. “Just mentally, coming off an injury, it was kind of a setback with me coming in. But me getting to know the defense more and having my teammates really pushing me, I really think I fit this defense pretty well. I think I'm smart enough to know the ins and outs of what other guys around me are doing, so I can help pick up where they lack.”

His new position coach, Josh Aldridge, said that Woodyard had a stretch of really strong play this spring, but there’s one area he wants to see more of from the young linebacker if he hopes to take the next step to become a go-to guy on defense.

“He's the type that's playing really well, but for him to be a Mike linebacker in this league, he's gotta pick it up from a vocal standpoint,” Aldridge said. “And that comes with time, when you're a young guy.”

Something that helps a player become more vocal in addition to experience is just being comfortable with what he’s doing on the field. Learning a new system under first-year coordinator Ron Roberts, Woodyard said he’s getting better and better everyday.

“As of right now, I feel like I've got it down,” he said. “But there's still more that I can learn and help other guys around me.

“I feel myself just being more consistent.”

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With more confidence than he’s had since he’s been at Auburn, Woodyard feels like the best is ahead for him as he gets ready for his second year with the Tigers.

“I feel like I will play a great role coming in as a redshirt freshman,” he said. “I feel like I will be a tremendous player in this defense.”

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247sports.com

 

Ashford 'more comfortable' after first spring under Freeze and new staff

Jason Caldwell

4–5 minutes

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AUBURN, Alabama—Coming off a year when he finally got on the field with a chance to learn and grow at the quarterback position, Robby Ashford had to deal with a change in offense during the season that featured a huge emphasis on running the football down the stretch. It proved to be a good move for the Auburn team overall, giving them a chance to compete, but that combined with some late season injuries really hurt his development in the passing game.

In the final four games of the year, Ashford completed just 34-77 passes (44 percent) for just 305 yards and two touchdowns with two interceptions.

Getting his first extended playing time against Penn State, Ashford played in six games before Bryan Harsin’s firing and an overhaul of staff. In those games he completed 86-163 passes (53 percent) for 1,198 yards and five touchdowns with four interceptions.

Learning a new offense and working on his footwork and fundamentals this spring with Hugh Freeze taking over and bringing in Philip Montgomery to run things, Ashford comes out of the spring feeling much better about his game after getting experience and being in a system that is made for growth.

“Just in general, I feel more comfortable in the pocket,” Ashford said. “I feel more relaxed. Last year, I was kind of uptight, playing off raw ability. Don't want to say it in a bad way, (but) didn't feel like I was getting coached as good as I could have been. Definitely with seeing how our new coaches now have just engraved it in us. It's just work, work, work and they're just constantly teaching.

“As a quarterback, you want that. You always have questions as a quarterback, and when you can come to your coach and they have the answer for everything, and then even (answer) in more depth. That just helps you and that gives me the confidence to go out there and just be like, 'Hey, just go out there and relax, kid, and have fun and just be you.'”

One of the biggest parts of an offense is obviously the play of the quarterback, but Auburn has been proof that the quarterback play is only as good as the play of the guys in front of him. Ashford said that has been the biggest change this spring, the work that Jake Thornton and the group has done up front.

“That's been my biggest goal, not getting happy feet,” Ashford said. “That's a credit to our O-Line, too. They work their butts off. Those guys come in. Coach Thornton has instilled a work ethic in them and they instilled in themselves too. Those boys come out here to work, and they don't get the love they should, but for me, them boys know I love them to death, and I feel like this whole team does. They say it starts with the quarterback — it starts with them. They've come out to work every single day. So, hats off to those guys. I know it's only going to go up from here.”

Improvement has been the goal for Ashford and he said he believes that has happened from the first day of the spring until they wrapped things up on Saturday in Jordan-Hare Stadium. Saying he’s been challenged to take the next step, Ashford said that’s the goal for him between now and when they put the pads back on in August.

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“I just know I've got to keep coming out every single day, just putting my head down and working and being that leader for the guys,” Ashford said. “Whatever happens, happens. I'm going to keep coming out and working, and at the end of day, if I'm QB1, I would love it. But I'm going to come out and work every single day. I just don't know how to not work. I love working.

“These coaches, they love working, too. We go hand-in-hand. Now it's just: 'How can we take this to the next level?', and just getting more comfortable in the offense. Now I've had those 15 practices. I feel good. And now it's just 'OK, keep learning, keep growing, and when we get to fall camp, I'll know it like the back of my hand.' It's really that and then just being that leader, being that constant leader. Not playing on that emotional roller coaster. Being level-headed. Never being too high. Never being too low. I feel like we really talked about that, and I feel like that's going to take my game to the next level, not even just on the field.”

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auburnwire.usatoday.com

Jarquez Hunter listed as a breakout contender by Mike Farrell Sports

Daniel Locke

~2 minutes

Jarquez Hunter has made a difference since arriving at Auburn for his freshman season in 2021. Making an instant impact in a backfield shared with Tank Bigsby was a challenge, but Hunter answered by carrying for 593 yards and three touchdowns off of 89 carries.

The 2022 season was an even better year for the Philadelphia, Mississippi native as Hunter rushed for 675 yards and seven touchdowns off of 104 carries.

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An article from Mike Farrell Sports written by Matt Perkins listed Hunter as the top bet for an SEC player to have a breakout season.

“The departure of Tank Bigsby, coupled with the offensive system brought in by Hugh Freeze, make Hunter a big-time breakout candidate in 2023. Retaining Cadillac Williams on the coaching staff will also be a blessing for Hunter, who has a really good chance to lead the SEC in rushing.”

Hunter will be taking on a bigger role for the Tigers in 2023 as he is expected to be the lead running back and take the most carries. Sophomore Damari Alston, South Florida transfer Brian Battie, and incoming freshman Jeremiah Cobb will also have roles in the rebuilt offense that will feature an improved offensive line unit up front.

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247sports.com

Jason Caldwell's Monday morning quarterback column

Jason Caldwell

~4 minutes

Spring in the rearview mirror

Looking back on the 15 days the Auburn Tigers were on the field this spring, I think it was a very productive time for Hugh Freeze, his staff, and players as they tried to get as much in as possible while not being overwhelmed. That’s something that fans need to remember about this spring when you try to put the A-Day game in context.

Freeze has repeatedly talked about only installing as much as they could handle and execute. This spring was all about getting the foundation built on offense and defense heading into year number one. A foundation is a requirement to build a strong football team, just like it is to build a strong house, but it takes much more to make it complete.

That will come over the next few months as the players and coaches get a chance to meet and continue to learn heading into fall camp in August. The biggest question is what will they be able to add to the roster from the transfer portal?

I still believe the biggest piece is finding a true edge pass rusher that can come off the corner and create pressure on the quarterback. Finding that guy is really difficult because they are so coveted by everyone in the country.

Auburn will also be looking to add more experience on the offensive line to help with depth concerns right away, but on that side of the ball the biggest need may be finding someone to step up at wide receiver. I think Ja’Varrius Johnson, Jay Fair and Tar’varish Dawson have done a good job of that, but they need the bigger body guys to do the same.

Overall, it was a spring where the Auburn program took some strides forward. That has been the theme since Freeze took over and if that continues throughout the summer, this is a team that can compete right away. It won’t be easy and they’ll need to stay heathy, but at least there’s a chance to challenge right away after what has been done. That wasn’t going to happen six months ago.

A good start

There’s still some pieces left to get for Bruce Pearl and the Auburn Tigers, but adding Denver Jones was a great start towards building the roster in 2023-24. Last season he only had two games where he didn’t score in double figures and had some big games along the way. With a bigger body, he’s someone that can finish at the rim and create his own shot on offense. That’s something that the Tigers have been missing the last few years and he brings that to the table. He can also defend because of the bigger frame, which is a big deal when it comes to overall team defense.

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Speaking of creating your own shot, I have seen parts of two all-star games and Auburn signee Aden Holloway looks to be a huge get for Pearl and staff. He’s a legitimate scoring threat and has great range from the perimeter. He’s not a big guard, but he has range and the ability to knock down shots from deep. Combine that with Jones on the wing and the physical Tre Donaldson and it’s a pretty interesting trio for Auburn to build around. 

Now we wait to see what the rest of the roster is going to look like. Who else will return from last season and will anyone else enter the portal? No matter what happens, Auburn needs more help from the transfer portal with another guard and a bigger body two of the focal points for the Tigers.

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The fighter: T.J. Finley continues to face competition head on

Taylor Jones

~3 minutes

The 2023 season was a tested one for Auburn quarterback T.J. Finley.

After winning the quarterback battle during the summer, Finley would go on to play in just three games before a shoulder injury sidelined him for most of the season.

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In those three games, however, he endured heavy criticism after throwing four interceptions to just one touchdown. Once his shoulder was back in playing shape, he elected to take a leave of absence from the program over the final four games of the season.

“I’m not really sure what triggered it, what prompted it,” Finley said Saturday when explaining his leave of absence. “I like to leave the past in the past and focus on the future. All I know is I’m a completely better person now mentally, physically, emotionally, spiritually, and hopefully who I am right now can lead this team to a national championship.”

Now that he has returned to the team under new leadership, he is ready and willing to do whatever it takes to win the starting quarterback role. He says that it is his nature to compete, and he feels that he can contend with any quarterback in the country.

“I believe I can compete with anybody in the country, and that’s why I transferred here from LSU; I felt like I can compete with Bo Nix,” Finley said. “Competition doesn’t scare me. I know who I am. I know what I can do, and with the right coaches, I know who I can grow into, and hopefully, this is the place. Competition brings the best out of everybody, and if you can’t handle competition, you don’t need to be in this industry.”

Now that Auburn’s football staff includes the likes of Hugh Freeze, Philip Montgomery, and Kent Austin, former Auburn running back Tank Bigsby says that Finley will have the best chance to compete as opposed to his chances during the Bryan Harsin years.

“All the adversity he’s been through, he keeps going. He keeps fighting. He’s looking for more. I can relate to guys like that,” Bigsby said during the NFL combine in March. “He’s great. He’s going to be great. He’ll be fine. He’s just going to get around the right guys, and I feel like he is now. The right coaches are in, and he’s going to do what he has to do.”

Finley will be in stiff competition with Robby Ashford and Holden Geriner for the top spot on Auburn’s quarterback depth chart. In last Saturday’s A-Day game, Finley completed one pass for four yards in a rain-soaked contest.

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al.com

Takeaways from A-Day and Hugh Freeze’s first spring at Auburn

Updated: Apr. 10, 2023, 11:26 a.m.|Published: Apr. 10, 2023, 10:15 a.m.

6–7 minutes

Hugh Freeze finished his first spring football session and A-Day as the Auburn football coach with a rain-shortened scrimmage Saturday at Jordan-Hare. Officials from the university announced an attendance of over 16,000; however, being inside the stadium as raindrops continued to fall felt like a smaller crowd.

All the rain limited the Tiger quarterbacks from passing very often. Robby Ashford had one completion for 39 yards to Tar’Varish Dawson. Ashford also rushed for 36 yards and a touchdown. He won the offensive MVP of the spring game.

Read More Auburn Football: Projecting Auburn football’s 2023 post-spring depth chart

Robby Ashford embracing challenge from Hugh Freeze

3 positions that may need a boost for Auburn’s defense after A-Day

T.J. Finley was 1-of-4 for 12 yards, and redshirt freshman Holden Geriner had 17 passing yards on three completions in five attempts. Auburn passed 12 times, and the quarterbacks combined to go 5-of-12. Ashford took first-team reps in the scrimmage and for most of the camp other than when he was recovering from a shoulder injury. Finley mostly had second-team reps, and Geriner had third-team. When Ashford was limited, Geriner saw first-team reps.

Freeze told reporters that he felt better about the quarterbacks on campus than he did, but that wouldn’t stop him from seeking another quarterback starting April 15-30 when the transfer portal opens for the spring.

“We’re not proven in the room that we have that any of those (QBs) have done that. I’m not saying they can’t, and I’m certainly not down on them,” Freeze said. “I think we can win games with these guys. But should a guy come available that is a dynamic guy that we think is already a proven commodity doing that, I think we would have to at least look at that.”

Besides the quarterback situation, we learned a lot from spring football under Freeze.

Jarquez Hunter is a talented runner that Freeze said is the best running back he’s coached. Brian Battie is a speedy athlete with quick feet. Damari Alston showed promising signs as a freshman last season and has improved. Sean Jackson had 77 yards during A-Day further cementing his case for more time on the field in the fall, possibly doing it somewhere else? He’s fourth on the depth chart, but the 5′9 230-pound is a battering ram with shiftiness. Would he consider transferring to a school where he isn’t buried on the depth chart, especially with talented freshman Jeremiah Cobb coming to campus for fall camp?

Auburn’s run game looked strong, with the offensive line opening up running lanes. Freeze inherited a room that had seven scholarship o-linemen. He used the transfer portal to find Gunnar Britton (Western Kentucky), Dillion Wade (Tulsa), Avery Jones (East Carolina), and junior college lineman Izavion Miller. Freshman Connor Lew had a strong camp, and Freeze said he’d get some action in games. Retooling the offensive line is challenging, but Freeze seems confident in the group.

“I’m cautiously optimistic that we’re going to have a decent offensive line, Freeze said. “In this league, you can have a decent one and still look bad at times because the defensive lines are so talented. But there’s no question in my mind we’ve made improvements from last year to this year. I thought today was just another step forward in that.”

As happy as Freeze was with the offense running the ball, he was equally disappointed with the defense’s inability to stop the run.

“I’d have to say I think we improved that O-Line some, and they looked pretty decent today,” I think after today, what’s on my mind is we’ve got to stop the run. You can’t win in this league if you can’t stop the run, and we didn’t stop it very well today on some drives. I would say that’s the two things that are on my mind, both good and bad, right now.”

Alex McPherson hit the game-tying 33-yard field goal. He also hit a 39-yarder. Filling Ander Carlson’s shoes won’t be easy, however, handling two kicks in a torrential downpour is a positive sign.

“The snap’s ... waterlogged snapped it looks like and the holder’s got to hang in there and get it on the ground quick and the kicker’s got to change his timing a little bit,” Freeze said about McPherson. “We handled all that really well. We missed one, but I thought the operation was good. And obviously there with the game on the line, to step in there and all three of them get it done, I think it’s really good for the experience that they could use.”

There’s probably not a more certain position than Oscar Chapman as the punter for the Tigers. Chapman was a Ray Guy award semifinalist last season with a 43.9-yard average on 57 punts. Freeze was impressed with Chapman’s kicks before the scrimmage.

“I go back to, man, before the scrimmage started, our punter was dynamite,” Freeze said. “We need to bottle that and carry that over. Some of those punts he hit were incredible.”

Another reality of the new age of college football is that some players who participated in the A-Day game could enter the transfer portal. Auburn will be active in the portal as they were during the open window before spring camp. Expect the roster to look different when fall camp opens than it did when spring football ended.

“I think the transfer portal opens soon, and we are open to any position that’ll help us improve our team, as long as they fit within the culture, Freeze said. " I think competition is helpful. And those that handle it right. And for those that don’t, they’re probably not going to the winners for you anyway.”

Nubyjas Wilborn covers Auburn for Alabama Media Group.

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