7.13.23 Football Articles

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Auburn Tigers College Football Preview 2023

Auburn Tigers Preview 2023: Previewing, predicting, and looking ahead to the season with what you need to know.

Pete Fiutak

16 hours ago

Auburn Tigers College Football Preview 2023

Jake Crandall / USA TODAY NETWORK

2022 Record: 5-7 overall, 2-6 in SEC
Head Coach: Hugh Freeze, 1st year: 0-0, 11th year overall: 83-43 
@ColFootballNews | @PeteFiutak

2023 Auburn Preview: Offense | Defense 
Keys To Season, Top Players, What Will Happen 
- Auburn Schedule, Picks For Every Game

Hugh Freeze and Ole Miss pulled out a thriller of a win over Alabama in 2014 - and the Crimson Tide won the SEC Championship and went to the College Football Playoff.

Freeze and Ole Miss again pulled out a thriller of a win over Alabama in 2015 - and the Crimson Tide won the SEC Championship and the College Football Playoff National Championship.

And then in 2016, Ole Miss went 5-7 - and Alabama won the SEC Championship and played for the national title - and that was about it for the Hugh Freeze era in Oxford.

Forget the silly vacated wins thing - Freeze went a solid 39-25 at Ole Miss with three bowl victories in five seasons for a program that won six games in two years before he took over.

New Auburn head coach Hugh Freeze beat Nick Saban twice, and that was enough to get on just about every SEC coaching vacancy wish list - at least when it came to the fan bases.

Freeze really is a very, very good college football coach - Liberty won eight games or more in all four of his seasons, and he won a Sun Belt title in his one year at Arkansas State - but he's been mythologized by the SEC world without winning anything big ... yet.

That, and there’s the Hugh Freeziness of the hire. There's baggage, but it’s 2023 - let’s just say the world has changed a tad bit since 2016.

Not saying in any way that past sins should be swept aside just because a guy is a good football coach, but it’s not like people remember what happened ten minutes ago … unless you beat Nick Saban twice.

But that’s not enough. Gus Malzahn beat Alabama three times and came within a defensive stop of winning a national title. Bryan Harsin came within a run out of bounds away from not only beating Bama, but from possibly having his own issues later swept aside in a but-he-beat-Saban sort of way.

Auburn head coach Hugh Freeze has to beat Saban. And Brian Kelly. And Lane Kiffin. And Jimbo Fisher. And Kirby Smart. And he has to win the SEC West. And he has to win the SEC Championship. And he has to get to the College Football Playoff. Maybe not this year, but soon.

You only do that with talent, and few are as good as Freeze at getting the guys, and there’s the difference, which is why … 

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Boise State Broncos College Football Preview

2023: Breakdown, Prediction, Top Players, Win Total

Boise State Broncos College Football Preview 2023: Breakdown, Prediction, Top Players, Win Total

Auburn Tigers College Football Preview 2023: Offense

Auburn Tigers Preview 2023: Previewing the Tiger offense

Pete Fiutak

Jun 14, 2023

Auburn Tigers Preview 2023: Offense

Jake Crandall / Advertiser / USA TODAY NETWORK

2023 Auburn Preview: Defense 
Keys To Season, Top Players, What Will Happen 
- Auburn Schedule, Picks For Every Game

Auburn Tigers Preview: Offense

Look … out. Freeze knows offense, and former Tulsa head coach - and Baylor offensive coordinator - Philip Montgomery really knows how to crank up an attack. They should make the Auburn offense immediately go from meh to magnificent.

Other schools are loading up on new prospects from the transfer portal. Freeze is loading up on real players who can and should start right away at an SEC level. At least seven new prospects from the transfer portal could end up starting on offense, and that projection might turn out to be way low.

2022 leading starting quarterback Robby Ashford is still around, but TJ Finley is gone to Texas State. The QB play overall wasn’t good enough last year, and that’s about to change with Payton Thorne (Michigan State) about to bring the deep ball to the Plains. He can run a little bit - that’s what works in Montgomery’s offenses - but he’s there to bomb away after throwing for close to 6,000 yards and 46 touchdowns over the last two seasons.

You might not know the names at receiver, but this bunch is going to be really, really good. Leading yardage receiver Ja’Varrius Johnson is the main holdover after averaging 19 yards on his 26 catches last year, and Koy Moore is a playmaker who should be more dangerous in the new offense.

Jyaire Shorter (North Texas) is coming in after catching 23 passes last year, 11 of them for touchdowns. Shane Hooks (Jackson State) is a 6-4 matchup nightmare who caught 66 passes for 775 yards and ten scores last season for Coach Prime, and Rivaldo Fairweather (FIU) is an NFL-caliber tight end who can get deep.

The Auburn offense wasn’t always great, but it averaged over 200 rushing yards per game. The line has upside, but it’s undergoing a full overhaul needing C Avery Jones (East Carolina), OT Dillon Wade (Tulsa), and OT Gunner Britton (WKU) to play up to their experience. Give it a game or so and this bunch will be terrific.

Leading rusher Tank Bigsby is off being a Jacksonville Jaguar, and QB Robby Ashford accounted for a slew of rushing yards, but Jarquez Hunter should be able to handle more of the workload after averaging 6.5 yards per carry with seven scores. Brian Battie (USF) ran for 1,185 yards and eight scores averaging close to seven yards per pop last year - there’s a place for him.

 

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Auburn Tigers College Football Preview 2023: Defense

Auburn Tigers Preview 2023: Previewing the Tiger defense

Pete Fiutak

Jun 14, 2023

Auburn Tigers Preview 2023: Defense

Marvin Gentry-USA TODAY Sports

2023 Auburn Preview: Offense  
Keys To Season, Top Players, What Will Happen
- Auburn Schedule, Picks For Every Game

You’ve got to be pretty strong to be Dave Aranda’s defensive coordinator. Ron Roberts was at Baylor over the last few seasons after head coaching gigs at Delta State and SE Louisiana and several other coordinator jobs. He’s great at cranking up a defense, the pressure is coming, and there should be more takeaways. Auburn has work to do on that - more in the next section about why that matters.

The transfer portal isn’t going to make quite the impact is did on the offensive side, but it will certainly change around the front six in a hurry starting with Justin Rogers (Kentucky), a 6-3, 346-pound true definition of an anchor.

Mosiah Nasili-Kite (Maryland) is a big veteran tackle who should shine next to Rogers. The pass rush should get a boost with Jalen McLeod (Appalachian State), who made 67 tackles with seven sacks and 10.5 tackles for loss over the last two years.

Second-leading tackler Cam Riley is back in the middle of the linebacking corps after making 66 stops, but he’ll have to hold off Austin Keys (Ole Miss), a central casting-sized inside linebacker who should be a tough guy against the run.

On the outside, Larry Nixon (North Texas) will be a stat-sheet filler after making 245 career tackles - 105 last year - with the experience and skills to get all over the field.

Who needs the transfer portal? Certainly not the secondary that will be close to intact with the experience and talent to be far better considering the other parts of the D are going to be a whole lot better.

Kelonte Scott is a solid all-around tackling safety, Jaylin Simpson can play just about anywhere, and the corner combination of DJ James and Nehemiah Pritchett is good enough to be in the NFL. Now the interceptions have to come after the DBs generated just five.

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si.com

 

Podcast: Auburn football's running backs are not the best position group on the roster

Zac Blackerby

2–3 minutes

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Check out the latest edition of Locked On Auburn.

On this exciting episode of Locked On Auburn, host Zac Blackerby invites special guest Darrell Dapprich, the Montgomery Radio Phenom, to delve into some intriguing topics surrounding the Auburn Tigers. Buckle up as we explore three major areas of interest that are buzzing within the Auburn football community.

First up, Zac and Darrell challenge the conventional wisdom about the most talented position group on Auburn's roster. While many experts are quick to highlight the running back room, our knowledgeable duo argues that the true stars lie in the cornerback position. With the exceptional skills and leadership of DJ James, Kayin Lee, and Nehemiah Pritchett, Auburn's cornerbacks are ready to prove their worth and make a significant impact on the upcoming season.

Shifting gears, the conversation takes a closer look at how the recent decision to start Kam Stutts impacts the offensive line. Our hosts explore the implications for the team's chemistry, scheme, and overall performance. Join them as they analyze the potential outcomes of this shake-up and predict its effects on Auburn's offensive strategies.

Lastly, attention turns to the highly anticipated SEC Media Days, where two Auburn Tigers, Luke Deal and Elijah McAllister, will join Stutts and represent the team on a national stage. Zac and Darrell discuss the significance of this opportunity and speculate on what Deal and McAllister can bring to the table during these media interactions. Tune in to get an exclusive glimpse into the players' mindset and expectations for the event.

Don't miss this episode packed with football insights and analysis from Zac Blackerby and guest Darrell Dapprich. Stay locked on Auburn and get ready to dive deep into the cornerbacks' talent, the offensive line's changes, and the upcoming SEC Media Days.

Engage with Auburn Daily on Socials!

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al.com

 

Year 1 on The Plains: Meet Auburn’s transfer defensive lineman Justin Rogers

Updated: Jul. 12, 2023, 3:07 p.m.|Published: Jul. 12, 2023, 3:03 p.m.

3–4 minutes

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AUBURN, AL - March 01, 2023 - Auburn Defensive Lineman Justin Rogers (#97) during spring practice at the Woltosz Football Performance Center in Auburn, AL. Photo by Declan GreeneAuburn University Athletics

A new coach at Auburn meant significant roster turnover would surely follow. Before Hugh Freeze’s team lines up for fall practices in a few weeks, his roster has more than three dozen new faces, including more than 20 transfers. In his first offseason back in the SEC, Freeze took advantage of the new landscape the transfer portal has made for college football to reshape the Tigers. Auburn brought in the fifth ranked transfer class, according to 247Sports, and led the nation with 11 four-star rated transfers.

Here’s a look at one of them…

No. 52 Justin Rogers, defensive lineman, junior

Hometown: Detroit, Michigan (Oak Park High School)

Previous University: Kentucky (2020-22)

Height: 6-foot-3

Weight: 346 pounds

A look back at the past: Rogers consistently earned more playing time during his three seasons at Kentucky. He played five games as a freshman in 2020, eight in 2021 and all 13 in 2022. He started 16 games over the last two seasons. Last year was a breakout for Rogers, with a career-high 35 total tackles and 1.5 for loss.

“It’s huge, with that experience, because he’s not shocked about what he’s going to see on Saturday,” Auburn defensive line coach Jeremy Garrett said. “He knows what it’s going to look like, he knows how it’s going to feel. He knows what it takes to win games and to play these teams that we’re trying to beat. He knows what that feels like, so it’s awesome.”

2023 season outlook: After securing his commitment over multiple other SEC teams including Alabama and LSU, Auburn is almost assuredly going to line up the experienced Rogers as a starter against New Mexico State in the first game of the year. Rogers is going to be a crucial piece on a Ron Roberts defense that’s biggest priority is to stop the run. It’s what Rogers is best at. He’s a big, physical presence that will be right up on the line of scrimmage. Rogers’ experience is mostly at nose tackle, but he said he plans to work at other positions on the defensive line. Auburn’s defense will likely have multiple new faces starting up front and Rogers may be in line for the largest immediate role of the bunch. ESPN wrote that Rogers could be the newcomer with the biggest impact at Auburn. Rogers had arrived on campus to participate in Auburn spring practices, and coaches spoke highly of their new run-stopper.

“Justin Rogers is a football player,” Freeze said. “He’s a handful. He’s going to be somebody that, Lord willing, stays healthy and we depend upon to be a factor in the middle.”

-- Matt Cohen is an Auburn beat writer for AL.com. You can follow him on Twitter @Matt_Cohen_

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247sports.com

Most Valuable Tigers No 10

Nathan King

5–6 minutes

We're still in the heart of the college football offseason: more than three months removed from spring practice, media days next week, 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.

We now enter the top 10 of our rankings, starting with USF running back transfer Brian Battie.

AS A RECRUIT

Hometown: Sarasota, Florida

Class: 2020

247Sports Composite ranking: No. 104 RB, No. 1,753 overall (3-star)

AS A PLAYER

(Jake Crandall / Syndication: Montgomery Advertiser, USA TODAY Sports)

Battie immediately began contributing for the Bulls as a true freshman in 2020, with 332 yards in only seven games. In 2021, he once again was USF's backup running back, but he shined elsewhere.

With three kickoff-return touchdowns, the most in the country, Battie was named a consensus All-American on special teams as the nation's top returner.

Now looking to create one of the SEC’s best rushing duos with rising junior Jarquez Hunter in the Auburn backfield, Battie ran for 1,185 yards last season (6.8 yards per carry) — one of only 40 players in the country last year to cross hit the 1,000-yard benchmark on the ground. According to Pro Football Focus, Battie’s “breakaway percentage” of 45.8 was the ninth-best in college football last season, directly behind All-SEC running backs Quinshon Judkins (Ole Miss) and Raheim Sanders (Arkansas).

The 5-foot-7, 170-pound Battie was one of Auburn’s first transfer pickups back in early January, and 247Sports rates him as the No. 6 transfer running back this cycle. His overall grade of 87.5 by PFF last season is the highest of Auburn's 20 incoming transfers, followed closely by App State pass-rusher Jalen McLeod (86.6).

And it’s not as if Battie was racking up yardage against low-quality opposition, too. Some of his best performances of the season came against the best teams on USF’s schedule, like 150 rushing yards at Florida, 145 yards against SMU and 144 yards against UCF.

2023 OUTLOOK

Battie would have been a highly targeted weapon in the portal due to his prowess as a ball-carrier and a return man, but Auburn scooped him up just three days after he opted to transfer from USF in early January. Battie had planned to make visits the following week to Colorado and Utah.

Starting on special teams, Battie obviously becomes the top home-run hitter for the Tigers in 2023. Likely Auburn’s best kick returner since eventual first-round pick Noah Igbinoghene, Battie will take over a role that hasn’t yielded a touchdown since Igbinoghene in 2019. During his All-American campaign as a sophomore in Tampa, Battie’s 32.5 yards per return were No. 6 in college football.

In the Auburn backfield, Battie and Hunter make up a veteran duo with varied skill sets for position coach Cadillac Williams. Battie competed plenty with rising sophomore Damari Alston in spring practice, and also saw his fair share of first-team reps, both in place of and alongside Hunter.

The chemistry of Auburn’s new-look offensive line will obviously be key, but in the Tigers’ efforts to replace the explosiveness of Tank Bigsby, adding a 1,000-yard rusher to one of the most exciting position groups on the team — 4-star freshman Jeremiah Cobb will attempt to earn some carries in fall camp — is certainly a good place to start.

WHAT THEY SAID

“I’m super excited about Brian. He’s dynamic, explosive, a one-cut runner. Like I said before, I know he’s a smaller guy, but you don’t see clean licks on him. He understands leverage, angles — tough kid, will stick his face in the fan, pass block.” — Williams

WHAT SAY YOU?

What do you think of Battie’ 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.

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al.com

 

Auburn transfer linebacker DeMario Tolan no longer with the team, source tells AL.com

Published: Jul. 12, 2023, 5:51 p.m.

2–3 minutes

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AUBURN, AL - April 08, 2023 - AU helmet during the 2023 A-Day Spring Game at Jordan-Hare Stadium in Auburn, AL. Photo By Austin PerrymanAuburn University Athletics

DeMario Tolan -- who transferred to Auburn from LSU in January -- is no longer with the program, a source with direct knowledge confirmed to AL.com.

Tolan is no longer listed on Auburn’s roster listed on the team’s website. Clicking links to his previous roster page now result in a “404 error” message.

The source was not able to say why Tolan isn’t on the team anymore or when he was removed from the roster.

LSU linebacker DeMario Tolan (32) in action during the second half of an NCAA college football game against Southern in Baton Rouge, La., Saturday, Sept. 10, 2022. LSU won 65-17. (AP Photo/Tyler Kaufman)AP

The sophomore was one of the highest rated transfers to sign with Auburn as head coach Hugh Freeze reshaped the roster through the portal this offseason. It took only four days after putting his name in the transfer portal for Tolan to commit to Auburn. He took an official visit to Auburn the day after he put his name in the portal.

Tolan was a four-star rated recruit out of high school in Orlando and was a four-star rated transfer per 247Sports as well. Auburn gave Tolan a scholarship offer out of high school.

At LSU, Tolan played in 12 games last fall and recorded 10 total tackles and two quarterback hurries. He was regarded a depth player who already had SEC experience as well as bringing both youth and high potential to a new-look Auburn defense.

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al.com

 

Year 1 on The Plains: Meet Auburn’s transfer quarterback Payton Thorne

Published: Jul. 12, 2023, 4:30 p.m.

3–4 minutes

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Previously at Michigan State, junior quarterback Payton Thorne transferred to Auburn on May 5, making him one of more than 20 transfers to join Hugh Freeze's first team at Auburn. (AP Photo/Barry Reeger)AP

A new coach at Auburn meant significant roster turnover would surely follow. Before Hugh Freeze’s team lines up for fall practices in a few weeks, his roster has more than three dozen new faces, including more than 20 transfers. In his first offseason back in the SEC, Freeze took advantage of the new landscape the transfer portal has made for college football to reshape the Tigers. Auburn brought in the fifth-ranked transfer class, according to 247Sports, and led the nation with 11 four-star rated transfers.

Here’s a look at one of them…

No. 1 Payton Thorne, quarterback, junior

Hometown: Naperville, Illinois (Naperville Central High School)

Previous university: Michigan State (2019-22)

Height: 6-foot-2

Weight: 203 pounds

A look back at the past: Before his time at Michigan State, Thorne was a 3-star prospect, the 16th-best player in the state of Illinois and the 18th-best dual threat quarterback in the country. After transferring to Naperville Central for his final two seasons of high school football, Thorne became the program’s career leader in completions (342), passing yards (5,367) and touchdowns (65). In 2019, Thorne was named the 2018 Illinois Offensive Player of the Year by USA TODAY. During his recruitment, Thorne earned nine scholarship offers and initially committed to Western Michigan before ultimately signing with Michigan State. Thorne played for the Spartans under former coach Mark Dantonio and current head coach Mel Tucker. With the Spartans, Thorne was also coached by quarterback coach Jay Johnson. Through three seasons of action in East Lansing, Thorne completed 525 of his 861 passing attempts — good for 6,494 passing yards and a completion percentage of 61%. Thorne also arrives at Auburn with 49 passing touchdowns under his belt, 24 interceptions, 270 rushing yards and six rushing touchdowns.

2023 season outlook: In a six-man quarterback room that features three sophomores — of which two have never seen the field — a redshirt freshman and a pair of true freshmen, Thorne arrives at Auburn as the unit’s elder with 26 starts and three years of playing experience. Thorne will battle the Tigers’ returning starter, sophomore Robby Ashford, for the keys to the Auburn offense heading into the fall.

Aside from his glaring advantage over Ashford in terms of experience, Thorne also has the upper hand when it comes to accuracy. While Ashford completed 49% of his passes last fall, Thorne connected 62.5% of the time at Michigan State last season. As indicated by his most successful season in 2021, which featured more than 1,700 rushing yards from current Seattle Seahawk Kenneth Walker III, if complemented by an effective run game — which Auburn is likely to have this fall — Thorne’s ceiling is high.

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si.com

 

Keionte Scott ranked Auburn football's best player in 2023

Lance Dawe

~2 minutes

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Is Scott the best player the Tigers have on roster?

Auburn defensive back Keionte Scott ended up having a very solid spring.

After transferring in from Helix High School in 2022, Scott made his presence felt in both the Tigers' defensive backfield as well as on their special teams. Scott finished with 53 total tackles (fourth on the team), 4.0 TFL, one sack and one interception. His punt return average of 9.6 yards was sixth in the SEC.

According to Big Game Boomer, he's the best player Auburn has on roster.

BGB recently released a graphic ranking his top 50 best college football players in the SEC. Auburn only had one player on the list; Scott, who was ranked No. 39 overall.

While Scott is a very valuable player in both the Tigers' defensive backfield as well as their special teams, the case could be made that several players could rank as Auburn's  best heading into 2023.

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auburnwire.usatoday.com

 

Auburn Tigers Snapshot Profile: No. 16 Terrance Love

JD McCarthy

~2 minutes

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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 freshman safety Terrance Love. He enrolled over the summer and has the ability to be an immediate contributor.

Preseason Player Profile

Hometown: Atlanta, Georgia

Height: 6-2

Weight: 211

Class in 2023: True Freshman

247Sports Composite Ranking

Four-Star / No. 27 in Georgia / No. 25 S

High School Stats

Year	G	Tackles	TFLs	INTs	PDs	FRs
2020	11	49	2.0	2	2	0
2021	15	58	3.0	3	1	1
2022	15	69	0	3	2	2

Depth Chart Overview

Love is behind several more experienced players at safety and wasn’t around for spring practice but is still a freshman to watch. Checking in at 6-foot-2 and 211-pounds, he has the versatility and athleticism to play safety or linebacker.

This ability will allow defensive coordinator Ron Roberts to use him wherever Auburn needs him and opens up a path to playing time. That is a lot to ask of a freshman and even if he isn’t able to do so, he has the look of a key player moving forward.

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auburntigers.com

 

On The Plains with Lawrence Johnson: 'Just a kid dreaming'

Auburn University Athletics

6–7 minutes

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AUBURN, Ala. – Lawrence Johnson remembers watching the 2013 Iron Bowl at his home in Fort Wayne, Indiana. His mother, Chinetta Davis, was an Auburn fan, so the family watched the rivalry game every year. It was like a national holiday in their house. His stepfather, who was from Alabama, pulled for the Crimson Tide.

“It’s a house divided,” Johnson said.

When Alabama got one second put back on the clock, you could sense the excitement from Johnson’s stepfather. Little did he know what was about to happen next.

“When they kicked the ball and the guy ran it back, his jaw was on the floor,” Johnson said. “My mom was parading around the house excited. It was a good memory.”

This November, that 14-year-old kid who watched the Kick Six with his family in Indiana will play in the same storied rivalry when Auburn hosts Alabama to close out the regular season. It will be the 10th anniversary of the 2013 Iron Bowl classic. Johnson had one year of eligibility remaining, and when the opportunity to play at Auburn and to play in the SEC presented itself, it was too good to pass up.  

“I’m just a kid dreaming,” he said. “Why watch the Iron Bowl when you can play in one?”

Coming out of high school Johnson had a handful of scholarship offers, but nearly all of them were from MAC schools. His only Power Five offer came from Purdue just up the road. He never thought he’d have a chance to play in the SEC. Only “certain types of players” go there. He wasn’t one of them. Not yet.

But Johnson made the most of his opportunity at Purdue. He played in 46 games, starting on the defensive line each of the last three seasons. He earned honorable mention all-Big Ten honors last year. In the classroom, he graduated in August 2022 with a bachelor’s degree in law and society. He’s currently studying in the College of Liberal Arts at Auburn and wants to attend law school when he’s done playing football.

“I just want to help people the best way I can,” Johnson said of his future in law.

Johnson could have returned to Purdue for his final season. He enjoyed his time in West Lafayette. But if you have a chance to play in the SEC, why not take it? 

“It’s different competition,” he said. “It’s considered better competition around the country. There’s more exposure. And just new scenery. I wanted to do it to show my people I’m serious about it. I moved from two hours away from my home to 10 hours, so I’m really on my own out here. It was a serious business decision.”

The last couple years this program hasn’t been what it’s been in the past. I just want to put my hand in getting the program back to the right direction.

Lawrence Johnson

Auburn wasn’t the only SEC school to pursue Johnson. Ole Miss was also heavily involved. But Auburn was different. Not just because his mom was a fan. It was the family connection he felt from the coaching staff and from his visit to the Plains.

“When they hit me up, they didn’t stop,” Johnson said. “They showed me that they wanted me, and they showed me in the best way possible. They stayed in contact with me. The coaches were checking up on me every chance they had. When I came here for a visit, everything was so genuine, so real, and it felt good.

“At Purdue, they like football and they love basketball. Here, they love football and basketball. To see that difference and to see when you walk around campus, how excited people are just because you play football – they want to take pictures with you, they want your autograph – it feels like you’re a celebrity here.”

Because he was still finishing his season at Purdue, Johnson was unable to visit Auburn for a game last fall. He watched highlights and videos from the pre-game at Jordan-Hare Stadium. He even got a taste of what it would be like to run out of the tunnel on gameday at A-Day. But he can’t wait to experience the real thing on Sept. 2 for the opener against UMass.

“The players here tell me it’s nothing like you’ll ever see before,” Johnson said.

For Johnson, Auburn has already been unlike anything he’s seen before. From the new football facility to the level of competition he faced in spring practice to the power of the Auburn Family, it’s exceeded all expectations.

He still remembers one of his first “Auburn Family” moments. He was eating in the dining hall by himself, and a handful of student-athletes from other sports walked in and started engaging in conversation with him. “Hey, you look new.” “How are you doing?” They didn’t know Johnson from the next person, but they still made a point to welcome him.

“I really sat back and was like, ‘Wow,’” Johnson said. “They didn’t know me. They didn’t have to do that. But because they knew I had to be on a sports team to be in there, I was part of the family now. It’s a great thing.”

As a part of the Auburn Family now, Johnson feels a responsibility to get the football program to where it was when he was growing up and the Tigers were competing for championships.

“The last couple years this program hasn’t been what it’s been in the past,” he said. “I just want to put my hand in getting the program back to the right direction.

“For me personally, I just want to show everybody that I can compete at any level – the Big Ten, the SEC, it doesn’t matter. I can compete. For my team, I want to do anything I can to help us win and hopefully compete for a championship.”

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[toddc 13,197]

Previewing the defensive line

AUBURN | With nearly 50 percent of Auburn’s roster turned over for the 2023 season, there will be plenty of new faces in the lineup.

In today’s series previewing Hugh Freeze’s first season on the Plains, we take a look at the defensive line.

Three transfers and three signees are filling out what would otherwise be a very thin group along the defensive front. Senior Marcus Harris is the leader and a potential All-SEC player.

Harris is the leader of Auburn's defensive line in 2023. (Austin Perryman/Auburn athletics)

Harris has totaled 57 tackles, 12.5 tackles-for-loss and four sacks over the last two seasons.

Behind Harris, Auburn will mainly rely on juniors Jayson Jones and Zeke Walker, and transfers Mosiah Nasili-Kite, Justin Rogers and Lawrence Johnson to provide the starting spots and depth.

Below is a potential depth chart going into fall drills…

Defensive end

1. Marcus Harris, Sr. (6-3, 295)

2. Lawrence Johnson, Sr. (6-2, 310)

3. Wilky Denaud, TFr. (6-3, 276) -OR-

3. Darron Reed, TFr. (6-3, 295)

Noseguard

1. Justin Rogers, Jr. (6-3, 346)

2. Jayson Jones, Jr. (6-6, 338)

3. Stephen Johnson, TFr. (6-3, 337)

Defensive tackle

1. Mosiah Nasili-Kite, Sr. (6-2, 285)

2. Zeke Walker, Jr. (6-4, 294)

3. Enyce Sledge, RFr. (6-2, 311)

Quick hitters…

** Don’t get too caught up in who is playing where on the depth chart. Harris could also start at defensive tackle and Jones spent much of spring as the starting d-tackle. Most of AU’s veteran DL can play at least two positions up front and the duties will change in pass-rushing situations.

** Nasili-Kite was one of the standouts from spring and should start or be a key rotational piece off the bench.

** If Auburn could bring a fourth player to SEC Media Days, Rogers would be a strong candidate. He showed improvement on the field this spring and has developed into one of the team’s most important leaders.

** While Stephen Johnson could redshirt this fall, he showed some ability during the spring and looks like he could develop into a stating noseguard in the future. The noseguard position appears pretty locked down with Jones and Rogers. But if Jones has to play d-tackle, that could open up a spot for Johnson.

** Auburn could really benefit from one of the young players — Sledge, Denaud or Reed — stepping up and earning a spot in the playing rotation this fall. Keldric Faulk could also help out at defensive end if the freshman moves from the Jack linebacker position.

** The defensive line is one of Auburn’s biggest needs in the 2024 class. The Tigers’ need more players with length and athleticism to compete at the highest levels in the SEC.

** Junior college signee Quientrail Jamison-Travis is still working to get qualified. He could potentially help out at defensive end or tackle.