6.29.23 Football Articles

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TrendingTop 247Sports 2024 Basketball Recruits

8 potential breakout performers for Auburn in 2023

Auburn football needs several returning players to step up for the 2023 season, the first for Hugh Freeze with the Tigers.

Jason Caldwell20 hrs

While there is a huge group of newcomers on both sides of the ball for Hugh Freeze heading into his first season as the head coach of the Auburn Tigers, there are still plenty of players that have an opportunity to have breakout seasons in 2023. We take a look at some of the guys that could be in for bigger years than they had last season for the Tigers, starting at the running back position.

Damari Alston--Working hard on his game and his body, Alston is up to 5-10, 209 and is probably faster than he was at this time last year. With great feet and vision, he has always been a guy that can make people miss. With his added size and strength, Alston could become a true every-down back for the Tigers and give them another big weapon in the run game. Last season he carried the ball just 14 times for 85 yards.

Camden Brown--Catching nine passes for 123 yards and a pair of touchdowns last season, Brown gave a glimpse of what he’s capable of in his first season on the Plains. A dynamic personality to go along with a really talented receiver, Brown has all the qualities that Freeze is looking for at the position. With a new offense designed to find more explosive plays down the field, Brown could become a key for the Auburn offense.

Oscar Chapman--It’s hard to talk about Chapman having a breakout performance after the way he’s punted during his career at Auburn, but he’s averaged 43.4 yards per punt in three seasons while using the rugby punt almost exclusively. He’s got a lot more leg available and that could be shown this season as he transitions to more of a classic punting style at times. Already a weapon, he could turn into a true game-changer for the Tigers this season.

Alex McPherson--Going 6-7 last season with a long field goal of 51 yards, McPherson showed why he was the nation’s top high school kicker coming out of Fort Payne High. That came after he was thrust into duty because of an injury to Anders Carlson. Now it’s McPherson’s job and he should be ready to immediately become one of the top kickers in the Southeastern Conference to complete a strong kicking game for the Tigers.

Cam Riley--Another player that has shown flashes of what he’s capable of in his time at Auburn, Riley weighed 209 in his first season with the Tigers, but checks in at 242 pounds heading into the 2023 season. In a defense where the linebackers should have a chance to make plays all over the field, Riley is someone that could become a threat as a pass rusher for the Tigers. That would definitely take his game to the next level.

Enyce Sledge--After redshirting last season, Sledge has put in the work and looks ready to take his shot at getting some playing time this fall for the Tigers. The middle is one of the deepest positions on the roster in terms of numbers, but Auburn is still searching for someone that can become a playmaker. While Justin Rogers and Jayson Jones may be tough to unseat, Sledge could make some noise as a pass rusher in the middle this fall.

Robert Woodyard--While some players spend their first year in college getting bigger, for redshirt freshman linebacker year number one has meant going from 245 to 234 as he’s gotten back to full speed following a knee injury as a senior at Williamson High. Getting his speed back means the physical linebacker can get downhill in the run game while going sideline to sideline as well. Woodyard is set to make an impact this fall after playing in just four games last season.

Jeremiah Wright--I don’t know of a player that could improve his stock as much as Wright this season. Going back and forth between offense and defense since he arrived on campus, the Selma native has finally been able to settle in at guard. With the combination of size, athletic ability and attitude, Wright has the ability to become a dominant player for the Tigers in 2023.

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si.com

 

Auburn vs Alabama: 'The Iron Bowl' listed as top-10 rivalry name in college football

Lance Dawe

2–3 minutes

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"The Iron Bowl" is one of the best rivalry names in all of sports.

The Iron Bowl isn't just one of the greatest rivalries in all of sports, it's also one of the greatest rivalry names.

Big Game Boomer, a college football social media influencer, constantly releases lists, rankings, and tier lists of players, teams, and fanbases. He recently posted a graphic of his top 50 best rivalry names in college football.

The Iron Bowl made the list at No. 9.

From No. 1 to No. 8, here are the rivalry names above the Tigers:

1. Moonshine Throwdown (Marshall vs WKU)

2. Red River Shootout (Oklahoma vs Texas)

3. Ole Miss vs Mississippi State (The Egg Bowl)

4. Backyard Brawl (Pittsburgh vs West Virginia)

5. Outdoor Cocktail Party (Florida vs Georgia)

6. 100 Miles Of Hate (MTSU vs WKU)

7. Farmageddon (Iowa State vs Kansas State)

8. The Holy War (BYU vs Utah)

You can check out the rest of the rivalry names below.

The Tigers kick off the 2023 season on September 2nd at home vs UMass at 2 p.m. CT on ESPN.

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auburnwire.usatoday.com

 

Where does Auburn stand in 247Sports' 2023 SEC predictions?

Daniel Locke

2–3 minutes

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As football season is growing closer and closer, everyone is starting to make predictions of what things will look like this season.

247Sports is no different, as an article written by Brad Crawford lists the outlet’s predictions for how the SEC will shake out this season.

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Some of the predictions not directly related to Auburn include the conference having six teams present in the preseason AP Top 25 poll and Alabama’s home winning streak, the longest in the SEC, coming to an end. Also, Georgia once again defeating Alabama in the SEC Championship Game, and an SEC team winning the National Championship for the fourth season in a row.

As far as standings predictions:

East:

1. Georgia (12-0, 8-0)
2. Tennessee (9-3, 5-3)
3. South Carolina (7-5, 4-4)
4. Missouri (6-6, 3-5)
5. Kentucky (6-6, 2-6)
6. Florida (5-7, 3-5)
7. Vanderbilt (5-7, 1-7)

West:

1. Alabama (10-2, 7-1)
2. LSU (10-2, 6-2)
3. Arkansas (8-4, 4-4)
4. Texas A&M (8-4, 4-4)
5. Ole Miss (8-4, 4-4)
6. Auburn (7-5, 3-5)
7. Mississippi State (6-6, 2-6)

Auburn is predicted to beat UMass, Cal, Samford, Ole Miss, Mississippi State, Vanderbilt and New Mexico State.

The Tigers are predicted to fall to Texas A&M, Georgia, LSU, Arkansas and Alabama.

247’s take on the Tigers: Considering the Vegas number is 6.5, Auburn fans will be excited if the Tigers hit seven wins this fall. On the contrary, a .500 finish is obviously not what Hugh Freeze has in mind for his first season on the Plains. This roster has vastly improved through the portal, but simply isn’t strong enough yet to fight for a spot near the top of the division standings. It will come, though.

It will be a transitional year for the program, but Auburn is determined to take back its place as one of the top programs in college football and Hugh Freeze will work tirelessly to help the Tigers get to that point.

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yahoo.com

 

Auburn’s 2024 recruiting class among the highest average rating per commit

Daniel Locke

~2 minutes

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Recruiting is the lifeline of any collegiate athletic program. Auburn football recruiting was in a bad spot when Hugh Freeze took over the program in December of last year.

The program’s new frontman, however, has not sat on his hands and has been determined to turn things around. The Tigers are starting to see the fruits of Freeze’s labor as Auburn currently has the seventh-highest average rating per recruit according to On3 with an average rating of 89.99 across its eight commits, six of whom are four-star prospects.

Auburn’s 2024 class is currently ranked 17th in the country and eighth in the SEC by On3 with a score of 88.890. The class is led by Joseph Phillips and Walker White.

Phillips is a linebacker from Tuskegee, Alabama. He is a four-star recruit with a 92.57 rating and is the No. 133 player nationally, the No. 12 linebacker and the No. 9 player in the state of Alabama.

White, a quarterback from Little Rock, Arkansas, is a four-star recruit with a 92.55 rating. He is the No. 135 player nationally, the No. 11 quarterback and the No. 2 player in the state of Arkansas.

As Freeze’s efforts are far from over, Auburn’s 2024 class is bound to keep rising in the rankings.

More Recruiting!

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