aubiefifty 18,259 Posted July 8, 2023 Share Posted July 8, 2023 auburnwire.usatoday.com Auburn Tigers Snapshot Profile: No. 14 Jyaire Shorter JD McCarthy 5–6 minutes Going into the 2023 football season, Auburn Wire will be looking at each scholarship player listed on the Tigers’ roster. Over the preseason, each profile will cover where the player is from, how recruiting websites rated them coming out of high school, and what role they will play for Hugh Freeze in his first season on the Plains. Buy Tigers Tickets Up next is transfer wide receiver Jyaire Shorter. He has been one of the most explosive receivers in college football during his career and is looking to do it at the highest level in his final season. Preseason Player Profile Hometown: Killeen, Texas Height: 6-2 Weight: 209 Previous School: North Texas Class in 2023: Senior 247Sports Composite Ranking Three-Star / No. 280 in Texas / No. 83 TE Career Stats Year G Receptions Yards YPC YPG TDs 2018 (North Texas) 2 1 15 15 7.5 0 2019 (North Texas) 12 24 473 19.7 39.4 9 2020 (North Texas) 3 4 97 24.3 32.3 0 2021 (North Texas) 2 6 107 17.8 53.5 0 2022 (North Texas) 13 23 628 27.3 48.3 11 PFF Grades Year Offense Receiving Passing Drops Run Blocking 2018 65.8 65.2 65.2 70.7 60.6 2019 68.4 69.4 69.4 77.2 54.1 2020 61.0 63.4 63.4 74.9 63.2 2021 59.7 63.5 63.5 77.5 44.6 2022 68.6 67.7 67.7 35.1 68.5 Depth Chart Overview Shorter was a big-play machine for North Texas but has battled injuries throughout his career. He has the ability to take the top off the defense and that is something that Auburn has been sorely lacking over the past few seasons. He has shown a knack for finding the endzone as well, with 34.5% of his catches going for touchdowns. He is battling Koy Moore to be the starting wide receiver-Z. Moore is a returning contributor and has multiple years of SEC experience so I expect him to win the job to start but both players will have key roles and Shorter’s explosiveness will be too important and he will take over as the starter during the season. Jyaire Shorter’s Photo Gallery NCAA Football: Conference USA Championship-North Texas at Texas-San Antonio Dec 2, 2022; San Antonio, Texas, USA; North Texas Mean Green wide receiver Jyaire Shorter (16)… Dec 2, 2022; San Antonio, Texas, USA; North Texas Mean Green wide receiver Jyaire Shorter (16) celebrates a touchdown catch in the second half against the UTSA Roadrunners at the Alamodome. Mandatory Credit: Daniel Dunn-USA TODAY Sports Northwestern St North Texas Football North Texas wide receiver Jyaire Shorter (16) runs down the field against Northwestern State during an… North Texas wide receiver Jyaire Shorter (16) runs down the field against Northwestern State during an NCAA football game on Saturday, Sept. 4, 2021 in Denton, Texas. (AP Photo/Richard W.Rodriguez) NCAA Football: Conference USA Championship-North Texas at Texas-San Antonio Dec 2, 2022; San Antonio, Texas, USA; North Texas Mean Green wide receiver Jyaire Shorter (16)… Dec 2, 2022; San Antonio, Texas, USA; North Texas Mean Green wide receiver Jyaire Shorter (16) runs the ball in front of UTSA Roadrunners wide receiver Joshua Cephus (2) in the second half at the Alamodome. Mandatory Credit: Daniel Dunn-USA TODAY Sports Syndication: Hattiesburg North Texas wide receiver Jyaire Shorter (16) catches a 45-yard pass from quarterback Mason Fine to… North Texas wide receiver Jyaire Shorter (16) catches a 45-yard pass from quarterback Mason Fine to score a touchdown against Southern Mississippi during the first half of their NCAA college football game, Saturday, Aug. 31, 2019, in Hattiesburg, Miss. North Texas, Jyaire NCAA Football: North Texas at California Sep 14, 2019; Berkeley, CA, USA; California Golden Bears linebacker Evan Weaver (89) prevents the pass… Sep 14, 2019; Berkeley, CA, USA; California Golden Bears linebacker Evan Weaver (89) prevents the pass intended for North Texas Mean Green wide receiver Jyaire Shorter (16) with cornerback Camryn Bynum (24) during the fourth quarter at California Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports C-USA Championship - North Texas v UTSA SAN ANTONIO, TX - DECEMBER 2: Jyaire Shorter #26 of the North Texas Mean Green makes… SAN ANTONIO, TX - DECEMBER 2: Jyaire Shorter #26 of the North Texas Mean Green makes a touchdown reception over Ken Robinson #21 of the UTSA Roadrunners in the second half at Alamodome on December 2, 2022 in San Antonio, Texas. (Photo by Ronald Cortes/Getty Images) Northwestern St North Texas Football North Texas wide receiver Jyaire Shorter (16) tries to break away from a Northwestern State defender… North Texas wide receiver Jyaire Shorter (16) tries to break away from a Northwestern State defender during an NCAA football game on Saturday, Sept. 4, 2021 in Denton, Texas. (AP Photo/Richard W.Rodriguez) Northwestern St North Texas Football North Texas wide receiver Jyaire Shorter (16) runs down the field against Northwestern State during an… North Texas wide receiver Jyaire Shorter (16) runs down the field against Northwestern State during an NCAA football game on Saturday, Sept. 4, 2021 in Denton, Texas. (AP Photo/Richard W.Rodriguez) 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aubiefifty 18,259 Posted July 8, 2023 Author Share Posted July 8, 2023 DJ Barber is a great addition to the Auburn 2024 class DJ Barber is a great addition to the Auburn 2024 class Who could be the next commitment in Auburns 2024 recruiting class These five prospects look poised to make their final decisions, which look to be in favor of the Tigers. Jack Singley 21 hours ago In this story: Auburn Tigers Auburn has nine commitments so far in the 2024 class, which is the least amount for any team in the SEC. The quantity may not be there but the quality is as they have the 11th-highest average prospect rating in the country. The months of July and August look to be a time for Auburn to add even more quality while catching up with the rest of the SEC in the number of recruits. Adding the following players would total 14 prospects and bring the class average to 92.17, which would be good for fifth in the country behind Alabama, Georgia, Florida, and Ohio State. Malik Blocton is the first of these five, and Auburn fans shouldn't have to wait long to see if the Pike Road star will choose to stay in-state. July 8th is Bloctons decision date and it's down to two SEC schools, at least Texas will be by Bloctons freshman season. Texas and Auburn are the final two for the six-foot-three 268-pounder. The visits seem to point to the Tigers, and with his brother Marcus Harris being a star on the plains many view him to follow in his footsteps. The offensive line recruiting has been quiet as OL Coach Jake Thornton has yet to land a commit so far in this cycle, but that all could change with the addition of a west coast talent. Deandre Carter, a six-foot-five 340-pound offensive tackle from Mater Dei is an unlikely recruit for Auburn to be involved with as the Tigers have not gotten a recruit out of high school in California in recent memory. Carter was once seen as a USC lock but following an offer and an official visit OL Coach Jake Thornton and TE Coach Ben Aigamaua have gotten Carter to be what many view as an Auburn lean. The consensus top player on the Auburn board, Perry Thompson, has been trending to the Tigers recently and it would be a historic pickup if he was signed. Could the "Next Julio Jones" shock the world and flip to Auburn? That is for Thompson to decide, however, from an outside viewpoint, the Tigers seem to be in a good position. Thompson, who stands at six-foot-three and weighs in at 205 pounds has been to Auburn five times according to 247 Sports, while only going to Alabama twice. The visits, plus a large push from Hugh Freeze and WR Coach Marcus Davis put Auburn in a good position for what could be the first five-star wide receiver to commit to Auburn since Ben Obomanu in 2002. The defensive back class is strong and hopefully will keep getting stronger, as Zac Etheridge and Wesley McGriff have made Jalyn Crawford one of their biggest priorities. Crawford, who is from Parkview, Georgia which is located just east of Atlanta has become the top priority for the cornerback position in this class. At six-foot even and 180 pounds, Crawford would be the largest DB commit to date. Florida and LSU were seen as the teams to beat at different points, LSU seemed like they were going to lock his services up in late winter and early spring until the Gators came along in the early part of the summer. Auburn has been quiet yet the most consistent in the recruitment of the four-star. The final player here is yet another five-star and flip candidate. Georgia's five-star LB commit Demarcus Riddick. The signs have been pointing away from UGA since mid-spring and it has become apparent that his final decision will be to stay in-state, which team is where that question becomes a little more complicated. Riddick, like Thompson, has been to Auburn more than Alabama but the displays that the Crimson Tide put on for Riddick on A-day and his official visit could be tough to beat. A decision will come on his mother's birthday on July 26th, and right now the momentum seems to be dead even between the Tide and Tigers. Summertime recruiting can not be mistaken for signing day, but with these upcoming seniors deciding to shut it down before their final year of high school ball there should be some confidence in these decisions. As of today, there are 166 days and an entire football season to play before they sign the dotted line and their decisions may change, a good season could affirm their faith and bolster this class further, but a bad season could spell disaster. Time will tell, but for now Auburn is looking strong during Head Coach Hugh Freeze's first full recruiting cycle. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aubiefifty 18,259 Posted July 8, 2023 Author Share Posted July 8, 2023 auburnwire.usatoday.com Auburn having one of the toughest schedules is nothing new and is once again the case in 2023 Daniel Locke ~2 minutes If Hugh Freeze knew one thing when accepting the Auburn job, it is that he would be coaching a team through one of the toughest schedules in all of college football every season. Kelley Ford ranked college football team’s schedules by how many wins an average top-25 team would be expected to win if playing it. Sure enough, Auburn placed highly, more specifically second place behind Florida. Buy Tigers Tickets An average top-25 team would be expected to win 7.99 games if playing Auburn’s schedule. Florida’s rating is 7.69. Ole Miss is tied with Auburn and South Carolina and Alabama round out the top five. Several of the headliners that make their way onto Auburn’s schedule are annual foes Alabama, Georgia, and LSU. An up-and-coming program in Ole Miss also appears, as well as the Arkansas Razorbacks, which features a stellar QB/RB combo in KJ Jefferson and Rocket Sanders. The entire SEC with the exception of Georgia is on the list which speaks volumes about just how tough it is to play in the SEC. No team has a more difficult schedule in 2023 than the Gators! The average top 25 team would be expected to win only 7.69 games vs Florida’s schedule The SEC has 13 of the 16 most difficult schedules and the entire SEC West is in the top 14 most difficult schedules in the nation pic.twitter.com/FrEMMBdtxp — Kelley Ford (@KFordRatings) July 6, 2023 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 Daniel on Twitter @DanielJLocke Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aubiefifty 18,259 Posted July 8, 2023 Author Share Posted July 8, 2023 247sports.com Most Valuable Tigers No 12 Nathan King 4–5 minutes We're still in the heart of the college football offseason: three months removed from spring practice, media day later this month, and under 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. 12: FIU tight end transfer Rivaldo Fairweather. AS A RECRUIT Hometown: Fort Lauderdale, Florida Class: 2020 247Sports Composite ranking: No. 119 TE, No. 2,552 overall (3-star) AS A PLAYER (Austin Perryman / Auburn Athletics) With a role that slowly increased over the course of three seasons at FIU, Fairweather developed into an all-conference tight end in 2022. Under new position coach Ben Aigamaua, who comes over from Liberty after spending all four seasons under Freeze there, Fairweather brings strong production to one of the most experienced units on Auburn’s roster. In three seasons at FIU, Fairweather caught 54 passes for 838 yards and five touchdowns. He’s coming off his best season in which he racked up 426 yards and three touchdowns. Rated as the No. 8 tight end in the transfer portal by 247Sports, Fairweather was the first transfer pickup by Freeze and his new staff in mid December. 2023 OUTLOOK Fairweather is replacing one of the most productive tight ends in program history, John Samuel Shenker, after six years on the Plains. He’s flanked by arguably the most veteran position group on the roster that also includes seniors Luke Deal and Tyler Fromm. But while Fromm and Deal are plenty experienced, they don’t have the same sort of high-end athleticism that Fairweather brings to the passing game at 6-foot-4 and 251 pounds. Freeze has a history of utilizing hybrid, big-bodied targets in the passing game, which Fairweather seems to fit the mold of. Most recently at Liberty, Johnny Huntley, who began his career as a wide receiver at Colorado, caught seven touchdowns across three seasons. Then there’s the prime example of a player like Evan Engram, a first-round draft pick, under Freeze at Ole Miss. As Auburn builds its new offense — with a new staff, a new-look offensive line and maybe a new starting QB in Payton Thorne — a big, reliable and experienced target should be crucial for the Tigers’ success. And Freeze did call Fairweather the most reliable pass-catcher on the team during spring practice, regardless of position. WHAT THEY SAID “I'd say I bring athletic, playmaker, team player, someone that just wants to win no matter what it takes, even if it's just I'm blocking all game, I'll do that. Or if they want to put me out there and catch passes, that's what I'm good at. Just being a team player and someone that wants to win, wants to flip the script at Auburn.” — Fairweather WHAT SAY YOU? What do you think of Fairweather’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. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aubiefifty 18,259 Posted July 8, 2023 Author Share Posted July 8, 2023 al.com Auburn football announces single-game ticket packages Published: Jul. 07, 2023, 9:58 a.m. ~2 minutes Auburn huddles during the fourth-quarter light show during its game against Western Kentucky at Jordan-Hare Stadium in Auburn, AL on Saturday, Nov 19, 2022. Austin Perryman/Auburn TigersAustin Perryman/Auburn Tigers Though season tickets for the 2023 season are sold out, the Auburn football program assures there’s still plenty of opportunity to see Hugh Freeze’s product live at Jordan-Hare Stadium this fall. Auburn announced the offering of its “Football Four Pack” Thursday, giving fans the opportunity to secure four tickets and parking to select home games. Packages can be purchased for five of the the Tigers’ seven home games, with Sept. 30′s matchup against Georgia and Nov. 25′s meeting with Alabama excluded. With Wednesday’s announcement that season tickets were sold out, the Georgia game was also announced as a sellout, while only a limited supply of upper-level tickets remain for this year’s Iron Bowl. The newly offered “Football Four Pack” can be purchased as follows: Sept. 2 vs UMASS = $70 Sept. 16 vs Samford = $70 Oct. 21 vs Ole Miss = $220 Oct. 28 vs Mississippi State = $190 Nov. 18 vs New Mexico State = $45 If you purchase a product or register for an account through one of the links on our site, we may receive compensation. By browsing this site, we may share your information with our social media partners in accordance with our Privacy Policy. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aubiefifty 18,259 Posted July 8, 2023 Author Share Posted July 8, 2023 auburntigers.com On The Plains with Garrison Walker: ‘Make the most of every opportunity’ Auburn University Athletics 5–6 minutes AUBURN, Ala. – Garrison Walker grew up in northeastern Georgia in the town of Toccoa, one hour from Athens, but Auburn has been on his mind for a long time. His father, Gary Walker Sr., played at Auburn as a defensive end from 1993-94 before his 11-year NFL career. His older brother, Gary Jr., played defensive line for the Tigers from 2016-19. Between hearing stories from his father and his brother on their playing days, Walker wanted to make his mark at a place very familiar to his family. After beginning his college career at Reinhardt University, an NAIA school, Walker transferred to Auburn in the summer of 2021. At the time, his older brother was a defensive graduate assistant for the football team and helped Garrison make the transition. “My brother, especially, helped me a lot because that whole summer it was just me and him,” Walker said. “We just hung out, and he got me settled in.” To Walker, having his older brother as part of the team’s support staff was extra motivation. He knew he would have to prove himself each and every day to gain the respect of his teammates and to his brother. Through that hard work, he became a great teammate, friend and player. “I took that and I told myself, ‘I'm going to prove myself,’” Walker said. “As soon as I showed that attitude, everybody loved me because they knew I was passionate about football. They found out I was passionate about everything that I did.” Walker’s passion was evident on and off the field. However, transferring from playing at a smaller school to the high-intensity atmosphere of Auburn was no easy task. He will never forget the emotions he felt going into his first couple games at Jordan-Hare Stadium. “I've never played in such an atmosphere,” he said. “You come here, and it's nearly 90,000 people watching you play, plus all the people watching on TV. It was a lot of pressure, but I loved it.” Walker has come a long way since that first year at Auburn in 2021 and has made significant strides not only on the football field but also in his studies. Since transferring, he has twice been a member of the SEC Academic Honor Roll while studying in the College of Liberal Arts. “I kept my academics in line, so I can play at the utmost performance level in football,” Walker added. “You have to like being busy. You have school and football – you have to be able to do both.” Looking ahead to the upcoming 2023 season, Walker is optimistic and looking forward to suiting up in the orange and blue. His goals for himself and the team have him excited for August to come and for the season to start. “My personal goal is to just to play my best ball,” he said. “I just want to make the most out of every opportunity that I get because that can lead to more opportunities. For the team, I want to be the best teammate possible.” Over the years, Walker has many teammates that he’s bonded with and many more he considers close friends. It’s part of what makes playing football special – having those teammates you can talk to on a regular basis off the field and in life. In addition to his teammates, Walker is grateful for his fans and coaches. He’s grateful for the entire experience he’s enjoyed at Auburn. “I feel like I have everybody's hands on my shoulders, everybody believing in me,” Walker said. “And even if they don't know me, they hope, they cheer for me, and they will get to know me. ‘War Eagle’ means pride – having pride in what you came from. And Auburn has brought me connections.” After the season, Walker plans on completing his master’s degree in education. Beyond that, he’s split between wanting to teach at the college level or becoming a motivational coach where he could visit teams and schools and motivate them. For now, Walker is focused on finishing strong and making the Auburn Family proud. “Thank you for everything,” he tells the fans. “Thank you for every game that you came to and cheered us on. Even when the result isn't what we wanted, you're still there to support us. It has always meant a lot to me. War Eagle!” Connor Richardson is a student assistant in Auburn Athletics Communications 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aubiefifty 18,259 Posted July 8, 2023 Author Share Posted July 8, 2023 247sports.com College footballs most improved teams Nebraska Miami among 2023 breakout candidates Carter Bahns 8–10 minutes These teams could take major steps forward. Success in college football is not always linear. Even the most successful programs experience steps backward on their path to prominence, and teams such as Oklahoma and Miami proved so during the 2022 season. Climbing out of a backslide or taking the next step in building a championship contender is never easy, but every year, multiple teams make major leaps in their development. In today’s era, the transfer portal allows programs to accelerate this process. New coaching hires typically attract waves of incoming talent, and existing coaches often use the portal to prompt instant improvement in areas of need. An influx of high-end talent or a coaching transition are often the biggest catalysts of positive change. More than a handful of programs followed the aforementioned model this offseason and have some of the pieces necessary to significantly improve upon their 2022 win total. While no team is ever guaranteed to take a step forward, some candidates to do so are more obvious than others. Get offseason and recruiting information on your favorite college team for $1 for first month. Here are the 10 college football teams poised to take the biggest steps forward during the 2023 season. 10. ARKANSAS RAZORBACKS KJ Jefferson (Photo: Nelson Chenault, USA TODAY Sports) Arkansas is likely to score in bunches, but its ability to improve upon a 7-6 campaign hinges on the defense. KJ Jefferson is among the SEC’s most talented quarterbacks, and he hands the ball off to one of college football’s most explosive players in running back Raheim Sanders. That duo can’t win games alone, though, and in order for the Razorbacks to get back to the level of play that saw them win nine games two years ago, they have to avoid shootouts. They bring in a pair of new co-coordinators and numerous transfers, generating some optimism on the defensive side of the ball. 9. NEBRASKA CORNHUSKERS Matt Rhule and Jeff Sims (Photo: Michael Bruntz, Getty) Many tried to awaken this sleeping college football titan, but Matt Rhule may be the one to actually deliver results. After successfully building Temple and Baylor from rubble into conference title contenders, he is qualified to attempt to do the same at Nebraska. If it does, in fact, come to fruition, the rebuild will take more than just one year, but transfer portal additions like former Georgia Tech quarterback Jeff Sims should help him get the ball rolling early in his tenure. If his blueprint works in Lincoln, Rhule could have the Huskers back to prominence within three years. 8. AUBURN TIGERS Auburn head coach Hugh Freeze (Photo: Jake Crandall, USA TODAY Sports) Auburn needed to hit a home run with its hire after the Bryan Harsin era crashed and burned before it even got off the ground, and the Tigers may have hit it out of the park with Hugh Freeze. It seemed like only a matter of time until Freeze got another shot at the Power Five level after leading Liberty to four consecutive winning seasons, and he already has Auburn trending in the right direction after compiling the No. 4 transfer class in the nation. The Tigers are at risk of missing the postseason for the second year in a row, but their climb back to SEC West relevance may not take long. 7. COLORADO BUFFALOES Deion Sanders (Photo: CU Athletics) Colorado might be the most difficult team to project given that half of its roster is entirely new and its head coach — albeit successful at Jackson State — remains untested at the FBS level. The highest-upside outcome is that the Buffaloes go from ranking as one of the worst teams in the country to reaching bowl eligibility in the span of a year, but the more likely result is a bottom-half finish in the Pac-12 with a handful of competitive losses. Deion Sanders made a statement when he put together the highest-ranked transfer class in the country, and while that talent upgrade will undoubtedly bring more success, this rebuild will take more than just one offseason to complete. 6. IOWA STATE CYCLONES Iowa State head coach Matt Campbell (Photo: Bryon Houlgrave/The Register, USA TODAY Sports) Considering that Matt Campbell guided Iowa State to five of its best seasons of all-time in consecutive years before taking a step backward last fall, he deserves the benefit of the doubt. A closer look at the Cyclones’ 4-8 campaign reveals that seven of those losses came by single-digits and six finished as one-score games. With better execution and luck in 2023, there is no reason why Iowa State should not be able to return to bowl eligibility, especially given that its defense should again be among the best units in the Big 12. 5. TEXAS LONGHORNS Quinn Ewers (Photo: Kevin Jairaj, USA TODAY Sports) The “Is Texas back?” storyline is exhausted by now, but 2023 appears to be the year in which the Longhorns finally have what it takes to compete at the highest level again. Talent has never been the issue, of course, but it is an even greater strength this year as a healthy Quinn Ewers could easily prove to be one of the best quarterbacks in the Big 12, if not the country. The pressure to return to championship contention is at an all-time high with Texas set to move to the SEC next year. Can Steve Sarkisian handle it? 4. OKLAHOMA SOONERS Brent Venables (Photo: Brian Bahr, Getty) It is entirely possible that Brent Venables is not up to the task and that his tenure as Oklahoma’s head coach goes down as a disappointment. At the same time, it is true that one year is far too small a sample size to judge his leadership abilities. Yes, the Sooners are coming off their worst season in 25 years, but with each of their final four losses coming by exactly three points, they were well within striking distance of tacking on a few more victories. If those close games break their way in 2023, Venables’ first year at the helm will look like nothing but a blip on the radar. 3. WISCONSIN BADGERS Wisconsin head coach Luke Fickell (Photo: Brad Fedie, 247Sports) Wisconsin made the most impactful head coaching hire of the college football offseason in handing Luke Fickell the first Power Five gig of his career. He remains the only coach to lead a Group of Five program to the Playoff during a 57-18 stint at Cincinnati and now inherits a Wisconsin team with even greater resources and tradition. Fickell also built an all-star staff around him which includes offensive coordinator Phil Longo, who designed one of the nation’s most prolific groups last year at North Carolina. Pair this staff with a capable roster, and the Badgers have the potential to compete for Big Ten titles on an annual basis. 2. MIAMI HURRICANES Miami head coach Mario Cristobal (Photo: Miami athletics) Maybe it was unfair to expect Miami to make huge strides in just one year under Mario Cristobal, but a team with as much talent as the Hurricanes should not have missed the postseason, let alone lost five games by double digits — including a 14-point defeat at home by Middle Tennessee. With Miami continuing to recruit at a high level and add even more high-end talent via the transfer portal, there is no excuse for a second-straight disappointing year. Hiring Shannon Dawson and Lance Guidry to revitalize the offense and defense, respectively, could help the Hurricanes make the most of their impressive roster. 1. TEXAS A&M AGGIES Jimbo Fisher (Photo: Jerome Miron, USA TODAY Sports) No team has a better recipe for a breakthrough year than Texas A&M, which boasts a No. 4 ranking in the 2023 Blue-Chip Ratio after compiling consecutive highly-ranked recruiting classes and which hired one of the game’s most established offensive minds in Bobby Petrino this offseason. The offense, which scored just 22.8 points per game, was the Aggies’ biggest problem last year and held them out of bowl eligibility despite entering the campaign with College Football Playoff aspirations. Jimbo Fisher proved in year five of his tenure that the floor is a losing season, but Texas A&M has a wide range of possible outcomes in 2023 that includes SEC title contention. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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