6.27.23 Football Articles

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si.com

 

Five potential breakout players for Auburn football in 2023

Lance Dawe

~3 minutes

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Who are some Tigers that could breakout this upcoming season?

In this story:

Auburn Tigers

Auburn has the potential to rise above expectations this season, largely thanks to Hugh Freeze's massive transfer portal haul.

The Tigers are primed for a breakout.

Zac Blackerby of the Locked On Auburn podcast was joined by Lindsay Crosby on a recent episode with the goal of identifying nine players on Auburn's roster who they believe have the potential to be solid SEC players. Of these nine players, five stood out as potential breakout players for Auburn this season.

Shane Hooks, WR

© Rich Storry-USA TODAY Sports

The first player mentioned was Shane Hooks, a graduate transfer from Jackson State. Hooks has a lot of experience and could potentially make a big impact on the Auburn offense if he can adjust quickly to the speed and physicality of the SEC.

Jyaire Shorter, WR

Daniel Dunn-USA TODAY Sports

The second player mentioned was Jyaire Shorter, who had an impressive 27.2 yards per catch last season. Shorter has the ability to put up big numbers quickly and could potentially be an All-SEC player if he can continue to perform at a high level.

Larry Nixon III, LB

© Christine Tannous / The Commercial Appeal / USA TODAY NETWORK

The third player mentioned was Larry Nixon, a linebacker transfer from North Texas. Nixon has the potential to be one of Auburn's most productive linebackers alongside Ole Miss transfer Austin Keys.

Caleb Burton, WR

© Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK

The fourth player mentioned was Caleb Burton, a wide receiver from Ohio State. While Burton was listed as a potential depth piece with the potential to start down the road, he could potentially make a big impact on the Auburn offense if he can compete and earn playing time.

Elijah McAllister, JACK

Eric Starling/Auburn Daily

The fifth and final player mentioned was Elijah McAllister, a defensive lineman who has already been a solid SEC player elsewhere. McAllister could potentially make a big impact on the Auburn defense this season if he can continue to perform at a high level.

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247sports.com

 

Most Valuable Tigers No 21

Nathan King

4–5 minutes

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We're still in the heart of the college football offseason, more than two weeks removed from spring practice, media days still a month away, and more than two months until the start of the 2023 season, Auburn’s first under Hugh Freeze.

So what better time to crank up the rankings? As we do annually this time of year, Auburn Undercover is counting down the top 25 most valuable players for the Tigers' 2023 season.

A few notes to set the table: These rankings are based on a player's previous contributions to the team, as well as his assumed impact in 2023 — how important he is expected to be to Auburn's success in both production and the win-loss column.

It is not simply Auburn's best players in descending order. If a freshman is included on the list, his positioning is obviously a projection of his talent and significance to his respective position group.

Next up is No. 21: redshirt freshman kicker Alex McPherson.

AS A RECRUIT

Hometown: Fort Payne, Alabama

Class: 2022

247Sports ranking: No. 2 K, No. 1,536 overall

(Michael Chang, Getty)

AS A PLAYER

For the second straight season, Auburn starting kicker Anders Carlson suffered a season-ending injury against Mississippi State, so it was time to see what yet another elite kicker recruit to sign with the Tigers was made of.

McPherson, the younger brother of NFL kicker Evan McPherson, went 6-of-7 on field goals in his three games of action, including a long of 51 yards against Western Kentucky. His only miss came from 54 yards against Texas A&M.

In McPherson’s first career Iron Bowl, the Alabama native made both his kicks inside Bryant-Denny Stadium.

With Carlson exiting the program and ultimately being drafted in the sixth round in April, McPherson was undoubtedly the Tigers’ top option at kicker during spring practice, and he was consistent as expected, leading the way for new special teams coordinator Tanner Burns’ unit.

2023 OUTLOOK

For the first time since 2013, Auburn’s starting kicker doesn’t have “Carlson” on the back of his jersey. But just like the pair of brothers before him, who started for a whopping nine straight combined seasons, McPherson’s talent is up there with the best in the nation.

Routinely able to boom 60-yard kicks in practice, McPherson will look to play his part in a resurgent Auburn offense under Freeze in 2023, as the Tigers hope to recover from a paltry 24.8 points per game last season, which ranked No. 10 in the SEC.

Anders Carlson also had an inconsistent 2022 season, making only 12-of-17 kicks. As productive as he was over the course of his Auburn career, Carlson’s percentage ranked in the bottom third of the SEC in four of his five seasons as a starter.

Auburn fans obviously don’t want to see McPherson lining up too kick too often, but when he does, the Tigers will hope to trot out a young talent capable of being one of the conference’s best right away.

WHAT THEY SAID

“McPherson, man, that kid's going to be OK. He's the last person I'm worried about, I promise you.” — Cadillac Williams before last season’s Iron Bowl

WHAT SAY YOU?

What do you think of McPherson’s spot in our Most Valuable Tigers rankings? Too high? Too low? Just right? Share your thoughts on the Bodda Getta message board, on Twitter or on Facebook.

MOST VALUABLE TIGERS

No. 25: LB Cam Riley

No. 24: DL Mosiah Nasili-Kite

No. 23: LB Larry Nixon III

No. 22: S Zion Puckett

*** 50% OFF SUMMER SPECIAL: Subscribe to Auburn Undercover for the latest news and intel, podcasts, recruiting coverage and more ***

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247sports.com

 

Jason Caldwells Monday morning quarterback column

Jason Caldwell

5–6 minutes

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One of the good guys

It was a different world in college football 24 years ago when I started this job full-time. Still in my 20’s, it was a little intimidating at times to be covering the program I grew up following daily from the time I knew what football was all about.

What I didn’t realize at the time was that I was going to be extremely fortunate to be covering Tommy Tuberville’s program because of the relationships I was going to build because of the open door policy that we had back then.

One of the guys I got to know best was Terry Price, a guy we unfortunately lost way too soon last week. Just a few years older than I was when I started the job, Price was someone I instantly bonded with. Part of a staff that was extremely close on and off the field, it was almost like being part of a high school program at times because of how close everyone was and their families. It was definitely the last of what old school football staffs felt like

A demanding coach on the field, Price was just the opposite off the field. He opened the door to his office to anyone walking by and opened the doors to his house for anyone that wanted some fantastic food. 

His specialty was barbecue and he loved it. Price loved the smoker and just the joy of getting away from the stress of coaching football for a few moments. You could see that was where he was really at home. 

Now he’s at home and in a better place. We’re all better off for having known him and gotten to spend so much time with him. I’ll miss seeing his smile on the field and talking with him before the Auburn-Texas A&M game this year, but he’s someone I’ll always remember for how he treated me early in my career. For that and his friendship, I’ll always be thankful.

Interesting July ahead

July is technically 'dead' for football recruiting with the exception of a few days late in the month, but it's going to be anything but quiet for Hugh Freeze and the Auburn Tigers with several players expected to make decisions in the coming weeks. With Auburn gaining steam the last few weeks, it could be an interesting time for the 2024 class as this staff looks to continue the momentum heading into the season.

This month also brings SEC Media Days in Nashville with Freeze in front of the league's media for the first time. He's handled things very well, but will have to go through all those same questions once again as people from around the league and the country get a chance to talk to him again.

It's also going to be interesting to hear from Greg Sankey when he talks about the future of the league. I'm really interested to see what happens with the scheduling formats for the other sports and how they are going to work. I wonder if we will hear about some of that in Nashville.

Going to be an interesting few days.

Summer ball for the Tigers

Summertime used to be huge for college baseball players with guys going all over the country to play and get more experience. It’s not as big as it used to be, but it’s still something that players take advantage of, especially young guys.

That’s the case for Auburn with several of the current and future Tigers playing this summer. Two of Auburn’s standout freshmen are playing in the prestigious Cape Cod League, catcher Ike Irish with the Brewster Whitecaps and outfielder Chris Stanfield with the Bourne Braves. This is a huge opportunity for both with a chance to play against the best players in the country while showcasing their skills for the scouts for when both are draft eligible in two years.

Stanfield is joined on the Braves by junior college signee Jackson Castillo. A 6-0 lefty, Castillo is batting .281 in eight games this summer in the CCL. That comes on the heels of a huge 2023 season at the College of Southern Nevada. Earning All-American honors, Castillo batted .432 with 17 home runs and 60 runs batted in. He had an on-base percentage of .554.

Sophomore outfielder Mike Bello is playing well for the Mystic Schooners of the New England Collegiate Baseball League. In six games he’s batting .316 with three RBI, three stolen bases and 10 walks.

Another player having a strong summer is freshman infielder Gavin Miller. Playing for the Alexandria Aces in the Cal Ripken Collegiate League, Miller is batting .327 with six doubles. Freshman pitcher Cam Keshock is also playing for the Aces. He’s 0-1 with a 3.37 ERA and has allowed just one earned run in his last four outings (six innings). Fellow freshman pitcher Ryan Olson is pitching with the Xenia Scouts in the Great Lakes Summer Collegiate League and is 1-1 with one save and an ERA of 3.37 in 12 innings. He has struck out 20 with only three walks.

Freshman pitcher Trevor Horne is pitching for the Kingsport Axmen while Hayden Murphy is spending his summer in the Sunbelt League with the Gainesville Gol’Diggers. He’s teammates with new Auburn catcher commitment Cale Stricklin. Signee Cade Belyeu is playing for the Lima Locos while pitcher Bjorn Johnson has done some work in the West Coast League.

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auburnwire.usatoday.com

 

2025 OT Jaylan Beckley grabs Auburn offer

Taylor Jones

~2 minutes

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It is early in the recruiting process for those in the 2025 recruiting cycle, but Auburn is getting a head start on an offensive lineman from Texas.

Jaylan Beckley, a 2025 offensive tackle from Addison, Texas, has been getting plenty of attention recently from the nation’s top programs. Auburn is the latest program to jump on board by extending an offer.

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Beckley’s recruitment has taken off this summer, as he has landed 13 offers since April 26, when Duke extended an offer. Several of the schools that have an interest in Beckley are Auburn, Florida State, Missouri, Oklahoma, Texas A&M, and Clemson. Houston was the first program to offer Beckley, doing so in May of 2022.

Due to the early nature of his recruitment, Beckley has not received a rating from 247Sports or On3. However, he has great size standing at 6-5, 275 pounds. Several notable 2025 prospects with Auburn offers include four-star RB Alvin Henderson, five-star TE Davon Mitchell, and four-star OL Justin Hasenhuetl.

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 Taylor on Twitter @TaylorJones__

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Ranking Auburn's 2023 transfers by PFF grade

Taylor Jones

Since taking over as Auburn football’s head coach, Hugh Freeze has been on a mission to enhance the program as quickly as possible.

He elected to dig into the transfer portal and found several gems. Auburn needs help in several areas such as linebacker, offensive line, wide receiver, and quarterback, and Freeze has done well in filling those needs.

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There were a total of 20 transfers that made their way to the Plains. What exactly does each transfer bring to the table? To make this list, we broke down each transfer’s overall Pro Football Focus grade from last season at their previous program. While it is too early to decide if each transfer “pans out”, we can determine if each transfer fits the desired need that they were recruited for.

Here’s how all 20 of Auburn’s incoming transfers performed last season by Pro Football Focus’ ELO system.

20

Caleb Burton

Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK

Previous school: Ohio State

2022 PFF Grade: 0.0

Burton did not record stats last season as a wide receiver at Ohio State.

19

Demario Tolan

AP Photo/Tyler Kaufman

Previous school: LSU

2022 PFF Grade: 58.4

Tolan appeared in six games last season for the LSU Tigers, and registered 74 total snaps and made 10 total tackles.

18

Jaden Muskrat

Brett Rojo-USA TODAY Sports

Previous school: Tulsa

2022 PFF Grade: 61.2

Muskrat logged the most snaps for the Tulsa offense for Philip Montgomery last season (848). He allowed three sacks and 27 total pressures in 2022.

17

Lawrence Johnson

Jeffrey Becker-USA TODAY Sports

Previous school: Purdue

2022 PFF Grade: 61.3

Johnson played in 451 snaps over 14 games for Purdue, and created six QB pressures.

16

Rivaldo Fairweather

Austin Perryman/Auburn Athletics

Previous school: FIU

2022 PFF Grade: 61.9

Fairweather is expected to be one of Auburn’s top receiving targets this season due to his 6-5, 245-pound frame. Last season at FIU, he caught 28 of the 48 passes thrown his way for 426 yards.

15

Stephen Sings

AP Photo/Butch Dill

Previous school: Liberty

2022 PFF Grade: 62.4

Auburn needs depth in the pass rush, and Hugh Freeze went to his old stomping grounds to find help. Sings has made 48 total tackles in 26 games at Liberty in three seasons. Last season, he played in 11 games and created seven QB pressures.

14

Mosiah Nasili-Kite

Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports

Previous school: Maryland

2022 PFF Grade: 62.6

Nasili-Kite has recorded 80 tackles and 14.5 sacks over the last three seasons at Maryland. His 2021 campaign was his strongest, where he made 37 tackles with seven sacks.

13

Austin Keys

AP Photo/Thomas Graning

Previous school: Ole Miss

2022 PFF Grade: 63.8

Keys is projected to be one of Auburn’s starting linebackers in 2022. What exactly is Auburn getting? Keys played in 402 snaps last season, and made 39 total tackles. He also made two sacks and had 10 total pressures.

12

Nick Mardner

Austin Perryman/Auburn Athletics

Previous school: Cincinnati

2022 PFF Grade: 64.3

Mardner is another tall target for whoever wins the quarterback battle. Mardner stands 6-6, and reeled in 19 of 34 targeted passes for 218 yards and three touchdowns.

11

Avery Jones

AP Photo/Karl B DeBlaker

Previous school: East Carolina

2022 PFF Grade: 65.8

Jones is one of several lineman that have the potential to start this season at Auburn. He played in 12 games at East Carolina, recording 852 snaps at center. What is important to note about his snap counts, is that he allowed just one sack and 12 total pressures in 852 opportunities for a 98.3 efficiency rate.

10

Larry Nixon III

AP Photo/Andres Leighton

Previous school: North Texas

2022 PFF Grade: 66.6

Nixon could make his way into the JACK linebacker picture. He graded 66.6 overall, but his strongsuit is rushing the passer, which he graded at 78.0. He made 82 tackles last season, and created 21 total pressures which included two sacks.

9

Elijah McAllister

Austin Perryman/Auburn Athletics

Previous school: Vanderbilt

2022 PFF Grade: 66.9

While we are on the topic of pass rush, lets discuss what Elijah McAllister can bring to the table.  In 258 snaps at Vanderbilt last season, McAllister created seven total pressures. McAllister comes to Auburn in hopes of getting more chances to create havoc.

8

Dillon Wade

Austin Perryman/Auburn Athletics

Previous school: Tulsa

2022 PFF Grade: 66.9

Wade joins Muskrat as offensive linemen who previously played for Philip Montgomery at Tulsa. Wade was not far behind Muskrat in snap totals last season by logging 818, and was Tulsa’s top-graded offensive lineman by allowing just five sacks and 14 hurries for an efficency rate of 96.3.

7

Justin Rogers

Declan Greene/Auburn Athletics

Previous school: Kentucky

2022 PFF Grade: 70.9

Another player that looks to create more opportunities in Auburn is Justin Rogers. Rogers logged 450 snaps last season, but was far from the top of the list. He made 21 tackles in 2022 with 11 pressures.

6

Jyaire Shorter

AP Photo/Richard W.Rodriguez

Previous school: North Texas

2022 PFF Grade: 71.4

Shorter provides another tall target for quarterbacks to pass to. Last season at North Texas, he hauled in 23 passes for 625 yards and a team-leading 11 touchdowns.

5

Payton Thorne

Nick King-USA TODAY NETWORK

Previous school: Michigan State

2022 PFF Grade: 71.8

Could Thorne be the answer to Auburn’s quarterback woes? Thorne brings two full years of experience to Auburn, with one of those seasons ending with an 11-2 record and a Peach Bowl victory.

4

Shane Hooks

Chris Day/The Commerical Appeal / USA TODAY NETWORK

Previous school: Jackson State

2022 PFF Grade: 72.0

Shane Hooks is the “steal” of the transfer portal when you consider that he was the leading receiver at Jackson State last season. Sure, he elected to enter the transfer portal, but he did not transfer to Colorado to be with his old head coach. That’s an important win for Hugh Freeze.

3

Gunner Britton

Ben Queen-USA TODAY Sports

Previous school: Western Kentucky

2022 PFF Grade: 78.6

Britton logged the most snaps of any transfer last season by recording 1,039. He was one of four lineman from Western Kentucky to log over 1,000 snaps last season. Out of those snaps, he allowed just 13 pressures for a 99.0 efficiency rate. It is too early to call, but you can almost lock in that Britton will be a starter on the Tigers’ offensive line this season.

2

Jalen McLeod

Michael Reaves/Getty Images

Previous school: Appalachian State

2022 PFF Grade: 86.6

McLeod is another answer to Auburn’s need for an edge rusher. He made 41 tackles last season, with most of those being considered a “hurry.” He made six sacks, created 23 hurries, and 37 total pressures.

1

Brian Battie

Katie Stratman-USA TODAY Sports

Previous school: South Florida

2022 PFF Grade: 87.5

Battie is the highest-graded transfer coming in to the program after being one of the most valuable players for South Florida. He rushed for 1,185 yards and scored eight times as a running back. He accounted for 33 returns with an additional 659 yards as well. Expect his versatility to be just as beneficial at Auburn as it was at USF.

Edited June 27, 2023 by toddc

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yahoo.com

 

Auburn listed among most disappointing programs by Mike Farrell

Daniel Locke

~2 minutes

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Football has not been the most significant source of happiness for Auburn fans over the last few years.

The resurgence of the baseball, gymnastics, and men’s basketball programs has caused football to be viewed as relatively insignificant compared to past years.

Mike Farrell listed his most disappointing Power Five programs and the Tigers came in fourth.

Farrell’s take on Auburn: “Are they a power program? They are to me with a natty in the last 15 years and another national title game appearance as well. But the Gus Malzahn days at the end were bad, and the Bryan Harsin hire was dumb. Hugh Freeze is a good hire, but it will take time and patience for them to get back to respectable.”

Apart from Auburn, the list from top-to-bottom included the Texas Longhorns, the Miami Hurricanes, and the Florida Gators ahead of the Tigers, with the Virginia Tech Hokies following Auburn.

Auburn will be on a mission to get back to prominence and Hugh Freeze will lead the charge.

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Six Tigers earn place on Phil Steele's preseason All-SEC team

Taylor Jones

As a program looking to get back to its traditional winning ways, Auburn will have plenty of tools to get them on the right track this season.

Phil Steele has dropped his selections for preseason All-SEC and has included six Tigers.

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Steele’s list is headlined by running back Jarquez Hunter and cornerback Nehemiah Pritchett. Hunter is set to be the team’s premier back after serving two seasons as Tank Bigsby’s protege. As for Pritchett, he returns as one of the top defensive players for the Tigers.

Also included in the list are USF transfer Brian Battie, linebacker Cam Riley, kicker Alex McPherson, and punter Oscar Chapman.

Battie will be a part of a three-headed monster at running back alongside Hunter and Damari Alston, but will also be a vital piece to Auburn’s return game. Cam Riley was the team’s second-leading tackler last season and looks to anchor the linebacking corps.

Oscar Chapman returns to Auburn for his third season as the team’s punter, while Alex McPherson takes over the kicking duties to become the first Auburn kicker not named “Carlson” to assume the role since 2014.

Here’s a deeper look at Auburn’s representatives on the preseason All-SEC team from Phil Steele.

Jarquez Hunter- 2nd team

AP Photo/Butch Dill

2022 stats

AttemptsYardsTouchdownsPFF Grade

104668779.8

Nehemiah Pritchett- 2nd team

John Reed-USA TODAY Sports

2022 stats

TacklesPass BreakupsInterceptionsPFF Grade

318070.6

Alex McPherson- 3rd team

John Reed-USA TODAY Sports

2022 stats

Field Goals MadeField Goals AttemptedLongPFF Grade

675180.8

Oscar Chapman- 3rd team

Todd Van Emst /AU Athletics

2022 stats

PuntsAverageLongPFF Grade

5743.56174.6

Brian Battie- 3rd team

Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images

2022 stats (USF)

Kick ReturnsYardsLongPFF Grade

357004870.5

Cam Riley- 3rd team

John Reed-USA TODAY Sports

2022 stats

TacklesTFLPass BreakupsPFF Grade

653.5157.2

Edited June 27, 2023 by toddc

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Auburn reserve OL no longer with the football team

Justin Hokanson

Photo by Matt Rudolph/Auburn Live

AUBURN — The Auburn football offensive line rebuilding project continues as reserve offensive lineman Cort Bradley is no longer with the program, sources confirmed to Auburn Live.

Following a de-commitment from UAB, Bradley signed with Auburn as a preferred walk-on in the 2021 recruiting class. He played his high school football at Auburn High School. After redshirting in 2021, Bradley saw action during the second game of the 2022 season against San Jose State. He earned SEC Academic Honor Roll honors both years with the Tigers.

Bradley is the 12th player to transfer out of the program since spring camp and the second offensive lineman, along with Colby Smith. Meanwhile, Auburn is bringing in eight new offensive linemen, including four transfer portal players, three high school prospects and one junior college prospect.