7.25.23 Football Articles

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si.com

Vegas odds predict Robby Ashford to win Auburn's quarterback battle over Payton Thorne

Lance Dawe

2–3 minutes

Robby Ashford is projected to win Auburn's quarterback battle.

Auburn went out and got the quarterback they wanted in the transfer portal this offseason.

Payton Thorne, former Michigan State quarterback turned Auburn Tiger, is projected by a variety of outlets to be the Tigers' starting quarterback week one vs UMass despite not having taken a single rep in practice. Statistically, he's better than what the Tigers had coming back - Robby Ashford and Holden Geriner.

Following Finley's injury in week three vs Penn State, Ashford took over the starting role and never relinquished it - completing only 49.2% of his passes on the season but showing serious promise as a dual-threat - churning out over 700 rushing yards and solidifying himself as the best option in Auburn's quarterback room heading into 2023.

It can be easily argued that Ashford was not the problem on the offense last season - rather extremely poor decision making from the coaching staff and one of the worst offensive lines Auburn has seen this century - but it is clear that he's still very raw as a passer and would need a significant bump this offseason in order for him to claim the starting job over Thorne in fall camp.

Apparently, Vegas thinks that bump is coming.

BetOnline has released odds for college football week one starting quarterbacks, with Robby Ashford over Payton Thorne:

Could Ashford legitimately take the reigns after Auburn stressed over grabbing a quarterback through the transfer portal this offseason?

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al.com

Year one on The Plains: Meet Auburn’s transfer Jack linebacker Jalen McLeod

Updated: Jul. 24, 2023, 9:07 p.m.|Published: Jul. 24, 2023, 5:00 p.m.

3–4 minutes

Auburn DL Elijah McAllister on upcoming season at SEC Media Days 2023

A new coach at Auburn meant significant roster turnover was sure to 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. 35 Jalen McLeod, Jack linebacker, junior

Hometown: Washington, D.C. (Friendship Collegiate Academy)

Previous university: Appalachian State

Height: 6-foot-1

Weight: 237 pounds

A look back at the past: After prepping at Friendship Collegiate Academy in the Washington, D.C. area, Jalen McLeod was rated a 3-star prospect by 247Sports before enrolling at Appalachian State after a quiet recruiting process. Alongside the Mountaineers, McLeod was also offered by UMass, Morgan State and Stony Brook. But it was a successful three-year stint with Appalachian State that paved the way for McLeod’s eventual transition to the SEC. While with the Mountaineers, McLeod appeared in 30 games, tallied 76 tackles, 12.5 tackles for a loss and three forced fumbles. In 2022, McLeod played a big role in Appalachian State’s upset win over Texas A&M as he notched a pair of sacks. Before transferring to Auburn, McLeod was graded as one of the top returning edge rushers by Pro Football Focus.

2023 season outlook: McLeod joins a handful of new defensive players who will help make up Auburn’s Jack linebackers — a unit whose responsibilities will be very similar to your typical edge rushers, but a bit more dynamic. McLeod is set to join fellow transfer Elijah McAllister as the room’s more seasoned veterans, who boast different skillsets. While McAllister has a lot of SEC experience after transferring from Vanderbilt and has proven to be able to stop the run with his long, 6-foot-6 stature, McLeod is a bit smaller in frame but more athletic than McAllister.

“He’s a guy who’s unique: athletic, super twitchy, plays at a high level and rushes the passer at a high level,” McAllister said of McLeod. “So I think we’re going to marry up and have a nice one-two punch in the jack room.”

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si.com

Coach Freeze discussed what Tulsa transfer Jaden Muskrat can do for this Auburn team

Andrew Stefaniak

2–3 minutes

Coach Freeze likes that Jaden Muskrat can "swing inside and outside" on the offensive line.

The first thing Hugh Freeze needed to do when he was hired to Coach Auburn was bring in offensive linemen from high school and the transfer portal. 

He did just that, bringing in Avery Jones, Gunner Britton, Dillon Wade, and Jaden Muskrat from the portal.

Muskrat was the last addition to the offensive line, and Coach Freeze was asked what he could do for this football team. 

Here was Coach Freeze's response, "Yeah, I think (Muskrat) a guy that's played a lot of snaps that can swing from both inside to outside if we need him in a pinch outside, and obviously that room we had to get, you know, you're trying to get nine to ten deep in there that can play and felt like he improved us there and adds great depth to us."

Depth is key on the offensive line, and bringing in a guy like Muskrat can add that and will fight for a starting guard spot. 

Coach Freeze did a heck of a job reloading the offensive line the second he accepted the job. 

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auburntigers.com

 

On The Plains with Larry Nixon III and Jyaire Shorter: 'A winning DNA'

Auburn University Athletics

6–7 minutes

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AUBURN, Ala. – A bond that began in Denton, Texas, with one side providing a rideshare-esque service to the other has motored its way nearly 800 miles east to Auburn, Alabama.

Wide receiver Jyaire Shorter was without a car when he started at the University of North Texas in 2018, and fellow freshman linebacker Larry Nixon III began to offer his teammate rides when he noticed him walking everywhere around campus.

The two then lived together starting with their sophomore season and continued to build a relationship that most recently saw the graduate transfer duo choose to spend their last season of college football together on The Plains.

“The coaches made it feel like home,” Shorter said. “The environment around here and just talking to Coach (Hugh) Freeze and everybody, it just felt like a place I wanted to be.”

“You can see everybody here cares, so I can appreciate that,” Nixon added. “We have goals that we want to accomplish while we're here. The SEC, it's the best of the best, so that competition and everything is really what got us here.”

Not only was it their desire to compete at the highest level, but both Nixon and Shorter’s numbers in parts of five seasons at North Texas put them in a position to garner that opportunity.

Nixon was a First Team All-Conference USA performer for the Mean Green in 2022, ranking second on the team and fourth in the conference with 106 tackles. He finished his career with 246 tackles, 11.5 tackles for loss and 5.5 sacks in 45 games and 24 starts.

On the other side of the ball, Shorter led the FBS averaging 27.2 yards per reception and totaled a team-best and career-high 11 touchdowns en route to earning Honorable Mention All-CUSA honors a season ago. He logged 1,320 career receiving yards and 20 touchdowns on 58 catches in 32 games and 26 starts. 

After earning their bachelor’s degrees in applied arts and sciences and criminal justice, respectively, Nixon and Shorter both decided to move on from the Mean Green but didn’t necessarily want to consider themselves a package deal. However, they happened to commit to Auburn and first-year head coach Hugh Freeze only a few hours apart on May 16.

“We both knew there was more for us out there, so we were like, ‘Why not go together?’ It’s a good opportunity for both of us, and I feel like it was a good decision,” Shorter explained.

The two credited their five years at North Texas for developing them both mentally and physically as football players, humbling them along the way, and ultimately preparing them for this next step. Although the North Texas to Auburn pipeline might not be the road most traveled, Nixon remembers when Auburn first popped up on his radar.

“You watch Auburn growing up. You watch Cam (Newton) and everything,” Nixon said. “It’s crazy. Now I'm getting to experience that.  

“Tiger Walk, the tunnel, just the whole gameday experience,” he added about what he’s most looking forward to sharing. “To actually experience a gameday in a college town that loves football, that really takes it seriously, I'm really looking forward to that.”

Before even stepping foot on campus as members of the Auburn football program, both Nixon and Shorter already felt the love from the Auburn Family thanks to the outpouring of support on social media after their commitment to the Tigers.  

Now playing in their sixth season together, the duo has one last chance to make their mark.

“Really just leave a good legacy, a winning DNA. Show I'm a hard worker and I’m all about team,” Shorter said. “I just want to win. I want to come in here and give it all I’ve got.”

“I just want to come in and do whatever I can do for the team,” Nixon added. “If our team accomplishes our goals, then I'm going to accomplish my goals. My first and only year here, I just want to make the most out of everything and just do everything that we came here to do.”  

From a 7-year-old Shorter playing flag football in North Carolina to a sixth-grade Nixon finishing off an undefeated season and league championship in Texas to every stop along the way, football has taught these two a lot about life and has set them up for success after sports.

However, before their final season as collegiate athletes concludes, Nixon and Shorter both came to Auburn with more to prove.

“We’re ready for everything to come,” Nixon said. “It’ll be here soon, and it’ll be over soon. When it's all said and done, I want the best.”

“We're going to come in and work hard,” Shorter added. “We came in here to compete for a championship, so we’re ready to come work.”

As the calendar turns from July to August early next week, preseason training camp begins and the days between now and Kickoff on The Plains on Sept. 2 at Jordan-Hare Stadium are dwindling. The energy and excitement surrounding the 2023 season is palpable as evidenced by selling a record number of season tickets, and the duo from Denton, Texas, is excited to embrace it all.

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al.com

 

Year one on The Plains: Meet Auburn’s transfer offensive lineman Dillon Wade

Updated: Jul. 24, 2023, 9:09 p.m.|Published: Jul. 24, 2023, 3:30 p.m.

3–4 minutes

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AUBURN, AL - March 29, 2023 - Auburn Offensive Lineman Avery Jones (#66) and Offensive Lineman Dillon Wade (#52) during spring practice at the Woltosz Football Performance Center in Auburn, AL. Wade will continue to compete for a starting spot in August during fall camp. Photo by Austin PerrymanAuburn University Athletics

A new coach at Auburn meant significant roster turnover was sure to 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 Dillon Wade, offensive lineman, junior

Hometown: Houston, Texas (Cypress Falls High School)

Previous university: Tulsa

Height: 6-3

Weight: 307

A look back at the past: Wade has blossomed in college. He committed to Tulsa as a two-star recruit with no Power 5 offers. But worked his way onto the field at Tulsa and steadily got better over his first two seasons. Wade started 12 games last season and shows to be adept in both run and pass blocking. Playing left tackle, Wade has already faced Power 5 defensive fronts including Ole Miss and Ohio State during his time at Tulsa. So by the time he decided to leave Tulsa, Wade was ranked as a four-star prospect in the transfer portal. He received interest from multiple Power 5 schools and now has taken the jump into the SEC.

2023 roster outlook: The fit is obvious. Wade arrived with new Auburn offensive coordinator Philip Montgomery — the former head coach at Tulsa. At the time of his transfer, Wade was regarded as the second-best offensive lineman in the portal and picked Auburn over USC. He will have continuity with Montgomery, but his addition was necessary: Auburn needs help on the offensive line, badly. Both starting tackles from 2022 — Killian Zierer and Austin Troxell — are gone. Wade could be an instant starter for Auburn. Preseason magazines have him listed as a probable starter at left tackle. Throughout spring practices, Wade was a starting left tackle. That is unlikely to change at fall camp. With so many new faces around the offensive line group, Wade actually is among the more experienced given his familiarity with the new terminology being installed. This is a key player for Auburn in 2023.

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247sports.com

 

Jason Caldwells Monday morning quarterback column

Jason Caldwell

4–5 minutes

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Talking SEC Media Days, Big Cat, and Auburn basketball in this week's MMQB.

Another year of SEC Media Days is in the books and it’s another year of having a ton of very uninformed opinions, and I’m including myself in the bunch. It’s just about impossible in this day and age to have any kind of feel for who should be second, third, fourth, etc. in a division, much less the players that should make up the All-SEC team. With the amount of transfers and new faces that are on every team, it’s just a total crapshoot now when trying to make predictions. Of course that’s always been the case, but now it’s true more than ever before.

There’s no question I missed on some players that I feel like will be all conference-type players this coming season, but voting for Tulsa transfer offensive lineman Dillon Wade is a guy I feel very strongly about and his potential this coming season. From talking with those inside the building and from others who came to Auburn this spring to watch the Tigers in action, Wade is a guy that many believe has a chance to become a draft pick after this season and potentially a guy that could go in the first couple of rounds. He’s just a name that isn’t known to the average person covering another team in the league. Like I said, there are guys that I don’t know either that are probably deserving of being selected. That’s why I take these things every year with a grain of salt.

Big Cat week

It’s the start of what could be a very big week for Hugh Freeze and the Auburn Tigers with Big Cat coming up on Saturday. Before that happens however, one of the biggest names on the board will be making his decision when 5-star linebacker Demarcus Riddick picks between Auburn, Alabama and Georgia on Wednesday. Auburn has put itself in position with really hard work from Freeze and Auburn linebacker coach Josh Aldridge pushing all in on the Chilton County product.

Despite being a top in-state prospect, Auburn didn’t offer Riddick until March of 2022, almost a full year after Georgia made an offer for him. That meant another player that Freeze and his staff were playing extreme catchup on when they arrived on the Plains. The Tigers are absolutely in this one and Auburn has made a strong push. If they can finish it off, it would be a massive move for not only the 2024 class, but also for the program in general. With so many other big names still looking at Auburn, getting that big fish in the boat is as important as anything the Tigers can do this week.

Vocal leader

I mentioned it in some responses to my Johni Broome story last week, but I was extremely impressed by Dylan Cardwell stepping up in a vocal leadership role for the Tigers after a recent practice in watched. It wasn’t so much a rah rah type of moment as it was telling the guys what is expected of them and how to handle situations on the court. One of the things they are focusing on is worrying about what they can control, which means emotionally and not focusing on the officiating and letting that impact their play. 

Another big focus is on free throw shooting. Obviously that was a big issue for Auburn, especially in the second round NCAA Tournament loss to Houston. This team is shooting free throws after running, after games, after situations, any opportunity to put guys on the line in pressure situations. It’s something that will pay off for this team down the road.

What advice would SEC transfer QBs give Auburn's Payton Thorne?

“You’re playing the best players every week; this is the closest thing to the NFL."

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al.com

 

Three undertones from Auburn's Hugh Freeze at SEC Media Days

Updated: Jul. 24, 2023, 7:51 a.m.|Published: Jul. 24, 2023, 6:00 a.m.

5–7 minutes

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If we’re calling things as they are, SEC Media Days is a dog and pony show.

Once upon a time, you might come away with some real information about the teams and the upcoming football season.

Now, however, it’s more of an opportunity for football coaches to control the narrative of their programs, the conference to collect its bag via media broadcast rights and, in the case of this year, an opportunity for media members to spend more money on overpriced drinks on Broadway than their wallets probably prefer.

All that said, there’s still plenty to be learned — or perhaps assumed — about teams if you’re really willing to look for it and read between the lines since very little is going to be explicitly stated.

In the case of first-year head coach Hugh Freeze and Auburn football, here are some of the undertones that came out from SEC Media Days.

Freeze might not have a Porsche in his garage of quarterbacks, but that’s fine

Coming into SEC Media Days, one of the biggest questions surrounding Auburn’s football team was the quarterback battle between returner Robby Ashford and Michigan State transfer Payton Thorne.

In a candid response, Freeze reminded that considering Thorne didn’t transfer until after the spring game, he hasn’t seen the transfer quarterback in action. Meanwhile, Freeze says Ashford is embracing the competition.

“I’m very truthfully a lot more optimistic than most people are. I think we’ve got a good room,” Freeze said of the Tigers’ quarterbacks. “But I’m an optimist.”

The reality is Freeze probably doesn’t have a Porsche in his garage of quarterbacks.

Instead, it’s like he’s got a reliable, older-model sedan that can get you from Point A to Point B without turning heads downtown in Thorne and a shiny, newer-model coupe that looks good when it’s not at the dealership because another dash light came on in Ashford.

Fortunately, Freeze has a history of shining up the guys in his garage and making them look better than what most might’ve previously thought.

In the example of Malik Willis, for example, Freeze took a swing at a guy that was riding the pine at Auburn and brought him to Liberty, where he tossed 47 touchdowns, 18 interceptions and more than 5,000 yards in two seasons. Willis went on to be a third-round pick in last year’s NFL Draft.

“We’ve been able to do things with quarterbacks everywhere we’ve been and produce good enough results to win,” Freeze said.

Freeze and Co. inherited a mess

Surely it goes without saying, but Freeze’s predecessor did him no favors.

When Freeze was asked about the talent gap between Auburn and some of the the leaders in the league, he was left tiptoeing and stammering.

“I want to be careful not to... I love our team,” Freeze said. “They’re my team. They’re Auburn’s team. We’re going to coach the heck out of them.”

That was a real polite way of Freeze saying Auburn’s roster was nowhere near where it needed to be if it wanted to compete at a high level in the SEC.

In a closed-door meeting with local media, Freeze was a bit more blunt.

“I don’t want to be negative. Just, it was off from what I believe an Auburn roster should look like,” Freeze said.

Unlike when Gus Malzahn arrived ahead of the 2013 season and even Bryan Harsin’s arrival in 2021, the cupboard was dry for Freeze as the Tigers turned in back-to-back losing seasons prior to his arrival.

Patience: Have it, or be disappointed

The offseason is the perfect time for a fan to be optimistic about his or her team. If that time was spent being pessimistic instead, being a sports fan wouldn’t be very fun.

And between what Freeze, his staff and the more than 40 new players on the roster bring to the Auburn football program, there’s plenty for Tigers’ fans to look forward to — especially considering what the program has been through in recent years.

“Do I think we’ve improved Auburn with the additions that we’ve had since I’ve been there? Yes,” Freeze said. “Does that mean we close the gap at all? I have no clue.”

Freeze very well could’ve stood at the podium and attempted to convince Auburn fans that a wildly successful and surprising season like 2013 was on the horizon and that Las Vegas’ prediction of 6.5 wins for the Tigers was wrong.

Instead, Freeze is keeping his feet on the ground and he hopes Auburn fans join him in staying grounded and realistic.

Tigers fans are drinking the Freeze Kool-Aid. That became evident when Auburn announced that season tickets had been sold out, breaking the previous record for season ticket sales.

For Freeze, that milestone was “humbling” and “gratifying”. But he also senses the lofty expectations that comes with the fanbase’s support.

“Obviously we owe a debt, a great debt of gratitude to our fan base,” Freeze said. “I think we have an incredible fan base that we’ve sold more season tickets in the history of the program this year, and while that speaks to their expectations and their excitement, hopefully they’ll give us a little patience as we continue to rebuild this roster to hopefully close the gap on those guys in this league that are doing it at a high, high level.”

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yahoo.com

Auburn signee was poster child of Jeremy Pruitt's illicit recruiting operation at Tennessee

Mike Wilson, Knoxville News Sentinel

8–10 minutes

Shelton Felton got a text from an Alabama high school coach in October 2020: The coach, an old college teammate of Felton's, wanted to visit Knoxville on an upcoming weekend with a recruit.

"We will try to get up there Sat if y'all can get us hooked up," the text to the former Tennessee football linebackers coach said.

That recruit was Dylan Brooks, a four-star edge rusher committed to Tennessee, and the coach was Cedric Phillips, Brooks' position coach at Handley High School. Brooks had already visited three times as Jeremy Pruitt's football program ignored a recruiting dead period mandated from March 2020 to June 2021 because of COVID-19 and paid for parts or all of Brooks' visits.

Those illicit visits under Pruitt and his staff were among the more than 200 violations outlined in the NCAA's findings released July 14 that resulted in a five-year probation for UT and at least $8 million in fines, as well as restrictions on scholarships and recruiting. Ten UT coaches and staff members were fired for cause in January 2021.

Brooks, who signed with Auburn before transferring to Kansas, and Phillips are not mentioned by name in NCAA and university investigative documents obtained by Knox News via a public records request.

Knox News uncovered Brooks' identity by cross-referencing the connections and reviewing the details of his recruitment in the documents and through a source with direct knowledge of his impermissible visits to Tennessee. It uncovered Phillips' identity through details in investigative documents. The source spoke to Knox News about the recruitment on condition of anonymity.

Exclusive coverage: Tennessee, Jeremy Pruitt learn NCAA penalties

Why Jeremy Pruitt cited George Floyd, Alabama cash to investigatorsTennessee offered NCAA plea deal in 2021 similar to final verdict12 text messages that buried Pruitt, staff in NCAA scandalFulmer was either fooled by Pruitt or feigned ignorance, records showTennessee paid Darnell Washington cash. He still went to GeorgiaVols assistant paid recruits from bank account shared with parents, records showUnpacking NCAA's verdict — and why Vols can finally move onFulmer's list of candidates to replace Pruitt included some wild namesDerrick Ansley pointed finger at Pruitt in NCAA investigation. Here's howHow Pruitt, staff members cheated NCAA rules— and penalty each received

What violations Tennessee football committed recruiting Dylan Brooks

Pruitt's staff arranged Brooks' first secret visit weekend during the pandemic dead period on July 24, 2020, one of nine times UT hosted recruits between July and November 2020, according to NCAA documents. Brooks traveled with Phillips on the first of four visits to Knoxville.

Brooks was committed to Tennessee at the time of the visits, and he was one of the most coveted players in what looked like an elite class for the Vols. He signed with UT in December 2020, then asked for his release from his National Letter of Intent on Jan. 20, 2021, two days after Pruitt's firing. He was released on Feb. 19, 2021, and committed to Auburn the following day. He transferred to Kansas in May 2023 and is on the team's roster as a defensive end for the 2023 season.

UT documents indicate Brooks was interviewed during its investigation. The NCAA granted many players immunity during its investigation. It is unclear if Brooks was among them.

Documents reveal Brooks made his four visits to UT between July and October 2020. All four were against NCAA rules because of the COVID-driven recruiting dead period.

Brooks visited July 24-26, Sept. 19-20, Oct. 2-3, and Oct. 24-25, and Pruitt's staff members paid for six nights at downtown hotels during his visits, records show. Knox News cannot determine the cost of every stay because some are rolled up in bills that include stays by other recruits, but two can be tied to Brooks: football staff paid $241 for two rooms booked for one night during the September visit, and $87 for one night during the early October visit.

A connection for Derrick Ansley, Shelton Felton coordinated visits

Pruitt hosted a gathering at his home on July 25 that included four UT assistant coaches, including Felton, Derrick Ansley, and Brian Niedermeyer, according to NCAA findings. Two high school coaches also were present: Phillips and another tied to an unnamed prospect identified as "prospective student-athlete 3." Documents revealed Ansley and Felton knew Philips because the three played college football together at Troy.

Phillips played at Troy with Ansley and Felton in the early 2000s. He is one of the unnamed high school coaches in the NCAA findings. UT and NCAA documents show how Phillips helped Brooks visit Knoxville.

A Sept. 29, 2020, text from Phillips to Felton shows Brooks and Phillips were "trying to come that way this weekend." Handley's game against Jacksonville was canceled due to the Jacksonville program being under quarantine. Phillips wanted to use the open weekend to bring Brooks to Knoxville. He indicated Ansley knew about the visit, referring to the ex-Vols defensive coordinator as "DA."

"Miles on my whip and time," the text continued.

A follow-up on Oct. 2 stated the pair would make the visit by leaving early Saturday, but the coach's family might come with him like it did on a prior visit. That visit was likely the Sept. 19-20 visit for which UT reserved two rooms instead of the one reserved for Brooks' three other visits.

Phillips later texted Felton on Oct. 3 that he had "been sacrificing like hell for y'all now. Yall (sic) look out for me know (sic)."

Brooks made another visit in late October, once again organized through Phillips' contact with Felton when he inquired about UT getting the visit "hooked up."

"I just need to get situated on what I talked about last week," an Oct. 20 text said. "Don't say I said: But (redacted) acting weird and a few schools been hitting up and asking him what he think about what's going on at UT and using it as a way to discourage him."

Felton received four more texts from Phillips before replying on Oct. 23, saying "I'll call you after this meeting."

Dylan Brooks was hardly the only prospect Tennessee hosted during the dead period

NCAA documents charged that Tennessee hosted six football recruits, their families and individuals associated with the recruits during those nine weekends. UT spent approximately $12,173 in impermissible recruiting inducements and unofficial visits expenses during those nine visit weekends, while approximately $1,000 was given to student-athletes to host the recruits.

UT doled out nearly $3,000 to host Walter Nolen, a five-star prospect in the 2022 class and a sophomore defensive lineman at Texas A&M, on a four-day unofficial visit from Oct. 8-12. The visit totaled $2,677, while UT staffers also supplied $260 to players to host Nolen. One of those players, identified as a former football student-athlete, said he spent the $200 he was given on marijuana and cigars for himself and others. Nolen also was not named in documents, but Knox News uncovered his identity.

Pruitt's staff routinely paid for lodging, meals, transportation, entertainment and UT apparel.

Former recruiting director Bethany Gunn, former assistant recruiting director Chantryce Boone and former recruiting assistant Michael Magness handled much of the logistics and planning for the visits. Niedermeyer played a "significant role," the NCAA found, and said he assisted in planning and provided funding. Felton was involved in planning on six of the nine weekends, while Ansley was involved in one.

The NCAA documents, including the February negotiated resolution that included Felton, Magness and Niedermeyer, said the facts surrounded the visits were largely uncontested. Ansley disputed his involvement in planning one weekend.

The NCAA handed out seven show-cause penalties to UT staffers, including a six-year show-cause for Pruitt. A show-cause penalty means a university cannot hire a coach or recruiter without being subjected to penalties during the length of the ban unless the NCAA approves.

Mike Wilson covers University of Tennessee athletics. Email him at michael.wilson@knoxnews.com and follow him on Twitter @ByMikeWilson. If you enjoy Mike’s coverage, consider a digital subscription that will allow you access to all of it

This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: How Tennessee's recruitment of Dylan Brooks surfaced in NCAA scandal

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yahoo.com

 

Jyaire Shorter named a top-10 player in the SEC West ahead of 2023 season

Taylor Jones

~2 minutes

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During his SEC West preview, ESPN’s Bill Connelly documented what Hugh Freeze has done to correct Auburn’s passing troubles.

“Auburn’s 2022 offense could only run, so Freeze brought in Michigan State quarterback Payton Thorne and five receiver transfers,” Connelly said.

Connelly is keeping an eye on one of Auburn’s five receiver transfers.

Included in his preview were his ten favorite players from the SEC West. He mentioned North Texas transfer Jyaire Shorter.

Shorter was a valuable asset to the North Texas offense for the last five seasons, with his best season coming in 2022. He reeled in 23 passes for 628 yards and a team-high 11 touchdowns. According to Pro Football Focus, Shorter caught 41% of passes thrown his way with only five drops.

Connelly feels that Shorter will be a great deep-ball option for Auburn.

In the past 10 seasons, only two players have averaged at least 2.5 yards per route with a catch rate under 50% (and 50 minimum targets): Michigan State’s Jalen Nailor (2021) and Shorter at North Texas (2022). Doing so requires a lot of deep routes. Deep routes are fun.

Shorter joins a long list of exciting receiver transfers. Auburn also added Shane Hooks from Jackson State, Nick Marder from Cincinnati, Caleb Burton from Ohio State, and Rivaldo Fairweather from FIU.

More Football!

Elite in-state edge rusher Zion Grady to attend Big Cat Weekend

How quickly can Hugh Freeze bring Auburn back to standard? ESPN weighs in

Auburn offensive lineman makes 247Sports' All-Name Team

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__

Story originally appeared on Auburn Wire

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al.com

The origins of football and faith for Auburn’s Hugh Freeze

Updated: Jul. 25, 2023, 8:31 a.m.|Published: Jul. 25, 2023, 7:00 a.m.

5–6 minutes

Years before they’d storm the field together at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium for the biggest win of their careers, Tom Allen had no idea who the 30-something-year-old position coach was who’d just walked into his office at Ben Davis High School in Indianapolis. The Blind Side movie hadn’t come out yet, Allen joked, so how should he have known the man who’d come to visit him was Michael Oher’s coach in high school?

The man was Hugh Freeze, an Ole Miss assistant at the time. Allen — now the head coach at Indiana — said it was unusual to see anyone from Ole Miss come to recruit in Indiana, but there Freeze was.

The two talked about a few Ben Davis players Ole Miss was interested in and then Freeze started to leave but stopped. Freeze noticed Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA) fanfare on Allen’s desk and a copy of The Purpose Driven Life, a book by pastor Rick Warren. Freeze sat back down, and the two talked about their Christian faith.

It’s actually quite fitting that Allen and Freeze bonded over religion. Faith is a central part of each of their programs. Freeze is very outspoken on his beliefs and quotes from the Bible often. But at that moment, Allen didn’t think where this chat would lead.

“There’s no question it was a connecting point for us,” Allen said in an interview with AL.com. “When you build a staff you really want guys just like you, guys that have the same values that you have and the things that you care about as a man and as a coach.”

Allen and Freeze would stay connected through FCA’s national conventions and in 2008, Freeze was hired as the head coach at Lambuth University in Jackson, Tennessee. An offensive-minded coach, Freeze brought Allen on as his defensive coordinator. Freeze got another head coaching job in 2011 at Arkansas State and hired Allen once again, this time as assistant head coach.

There, Freeze hired Dave Wommack as the defensive coordinator. Wommack had been out of coaching for a year in 2011. He previously had experience in the state as the defensive coordinator at Arkansas. So he took the job with Freeze.

“I really wasn’t aware of who he was or anything,” Wommack said in an interview with AL.com.

But they, too, quickly connected over faith.

Faith has always been crucial to Freeze’s makeup on and off the field. Off it, Allen said Freeze is an avid golfer and they would go fishing together. Both Allen and Wommack said they saw Freeze as an up-and-coming coach then. They knew he was going to change jobs quickly, but believed him to be someone who genuinely cared about their own families and his players off the field.

Allen and Wommack went with Freeze to Ole Miss. Throughout their time together, Freeze let Allen bring his son Thomas on the sidelines with him during games. Thomas Allen would be the one throwing the ball to linebackers during pregame warm-up drills.

“Not every head coach is like that,” Allen said. “He let Thomas travel with us when he was younger and he stayed in the hotel with me and ride with me and we’d run out on the field together.”

Allen said he and his son made sure to take a picture on the field at away games. Those were special moments as a father that busy traveling coaches don’t always have.

Though everyone shared a favorite memory: beating Alabama in 2014.

“I think Coach Freeze even said something in the pregame talk about you know, to look out after the game’s over because they’re gonna tear those goalposts down,” Allen said.

Ole Miss was ranked No. 11 going into that game, Alabama No. 1. Ole Miss scored two touchdowns in the final six minutes to take the lead and sealed it with a Senquez Golson interception in the back of the endzone. Golson was initially ruled out of bounds before officials looked at the replay.

“I’ll just never forget those words when they said after further review, they said his foot was in bounds and we just went nuts,” Allen said. “I think they partied for months in Oxford after that.”

“I said, ‘Look up on the big screen guys, we just beat Alabama,” Wommack said.

A lot has changed since. The 2014 season would be Allen’s last with Freeze. He spent the next year at USF before going to Indiana. Wommack retired after Freeze resigned in 2016 amid a scandal at Ole Miss where it was determined he used a university cellphone to call escorts.

College football is a small world. After hanging out with the linebackers, Thomas Allen went on to play linebacker for his dad at Indiana. Nearly all of Freeze’s coaches at Auburn either have ties to Freeze at a previous job or ties to Auburn itself. And the Wommack family still followed Freeze to Auburn. Dom Studzinski — Dave Wommack’s son-in-law — is Auburn’s head of strength and conditioning.

“There’s some anxiety along with anticipation, but he’s been there, done that before,” Wommack said of Freeze. “I look at Auburn as a top 10 school over the years but you know, it takes a while. It doesn’t happen overnight. I think he’ll do a good job with this team.”

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[aubiefifty 18,259]

 

al.com

 

Where is Chris Davis, Auburn’s Kick Six hero?

Published: Jul. 24, 2023, 7:33 a.m.

~3 minutes

---

By

• Ben Flanagan | bflanagan@al.com

Chris Davis stamped his ticket to Iron Bowl immortality with a 109-yard scamper that college football will never forget, but where is the Auburn man behind the Kick Six?

Whatever happened to Davis after his defining moment?

The Woodlawn High School star signed with Auburn in 2010. He played cornerback for four seasons, recording 74 total tackles and 15 pass deflections his senior season in 2013. A gifted return specialist, Davis had one touchdown on 17 attempts that same year. But those return skills were put to historic use in the 2013 Iron Bowl, when he returned an Alabama field goal attempt more than 100 yards for a walk-off touchdown that clinched the Tigers the SEC West. Auburn would dominate Missouri in the SEC Championship Game before falling to Florida State in the final BCS Championship Game.

MORE: Where is Nick Marshall, the former electrifying Auburn quarterback?

Kansas City Chiefs running back De'Anthony Thomas (13) is tackled by San Diego Chargers cornerback Chris Davis (20) during the second half of an NFL football game in Kansas City, Mo., Sunday, Dec. 28, 2014. (AP Photo/Ed Zurga)AP

Davis was projected as a fourth or fifth round, but went undrafted in the 2014 NFL Draft.

He signed as an undrafted free agent with the San Diego Chargers, where he was a return specialist. He averaged 25 yards per return and ended the season with 15 tackles and a forced fumble.

San Francisco 49ers cornerback Chris Davis returns a kick during a preseason NFL football game between the Denver Broncos and the San Francisco 49ers, Saturday, Aug. 20, 2016, in Denver. (AP Photo/Jack Dempsey)AP

Davis then signed with the San Francisco 49ers practice squad in November 2015. He was promoted to the active roster eventually but was later placed on the injured reserve list.

Two years later, he signed with the Birmingham Iron in the Alliance of American Football League. He never saw any playing time while still on the injured reserve list, and then the league folded.

In 2020, he was selected by the Seattle Sea Dragons of the XFL, but Davis would pursue a career in coaching instead.

He’s now the cornerbacks coach for Pinson Valley High School in Birmingham, Ala.

Clay Yeager contributed to this story.

[toddc 13,197]

Buzz coming out of All Gas Athletes Showcase

Top prospects in Alabama took the field on Sunday and showed why they're such coveted prospects.

Steve Wiltfong42 mins

The All Gas Athletes Showcase in Alabama on Sunday saw many of the state’s best take the field on Sunday. Founder and organizer Adrian Steele raved about Enterprise (Ala.) High Top247 2025 linebacker Eric Wintersfollowing the event.

“He’s unreal,” Steele said. “He might end up the best defensive player in the country. He’s a freak show. He looked unreal at linebacker and unreal at DB, too.

“He’s one of the best defensive players in the country period. He’s different. He’s big. His frame is unbelievable.”

Auburn, Clemson, Georgia, LSU, Miami, Oklahoma (where he visited in the spring), Ole Miss, Penn State, Tennessee, Texas A&M and USC are among the programs to have already offered the 6-foot-2, 200-pound Winters.

Clanton (Ala.) Chilton County Top247 linebacker Demarcus Riddick worked out. The 2024 prospect will make his final college decision on Wednesday and Auburn has momentum with Alabama also in the picture.

“We think he’s the best linebacker in the country,” Steele said.

Northport (Ala.) Tuscaloosa County Top247 running back Kevin Riley showed that Miami is getting one of the country’s best at his position.

“He’s a wonderful fit at Miami,” Steele said. “Real fluid running routes.”

Several other prospects did their thing. The first three to show up were Troy (Ala.) Charles Henderson Top247 2025 edge Zion Grady (the No. 1 prospect in the country at his position), Elba (Ala.) High Top247 running back Alvin Henderson and Phenix City (Ala.) Central receiver Daylyn Upshaw. Grady and Henderson continued to prove why they’re such coveted recruits, and Upshaw shined as well.

“Strong hands, runs crisp routes,” Steele said. “Zion looked good, Alvin is catching the ball extremely well.”

Grady will visit Tennessee this weekend.

"They are exciting to watch," Grady said. "Plus I have a great relationship with coach Chop (Levorn Harbin) and coach (Rodney) Gardner. Coach Gardner is filled with so much knowledge and the best D-line coach in the country."

Opelika (Ala.) High 2025 defensive lineman Malik Autry’s performance should make Auburn fans happy about what they have coming in down the road.

“In the mix for No. 1 in the state,” Steele said.

Get offseason and recruiting information on your favorite college team for $1 for first month.

Other notable showings included 2025 defensive back Jeremiah Alvis out of Helena, who Steele thinks could play corner or safety, 2026 athlete Aubrey Walker, who has good speed, 2025 running back AC Walters and 2027 quarterback Cason Myers.

[AUpreacherman22 3,945]

4 hours ago, aubiefifty said:

si.com

Vegas odds predict Robby Ashford to win Auburn's quarterback battle over Payton Thorne

Lance Dawe

2–3 minutes

Robby Ashford is projected to win Auburn's quarterback battle.

Auburn went out and got the quarterback they wanted in the transfer portal this offseason.

Payton Thorne, former Michigan State quarterback turned Auburn Tiger, is projected by a variety of outlets to be the Tigers' starting quarterback week one vs UMass despite not having taken a single rep in practice. Statistically, he's better than what the Tigers had coming back - Robby Ashford and Holden Geriner.

Following Finley's injury in week three vs Penn State, Ashford took over the starting role and never relinquished it - completing only 49.2% of his passes on the season but showing serious promise as a dual-threat - churning out over 700 rushing yards and solidifying himself as the best option in Auburn's quarterback room heading into 2023.

It can be easily argued that Ashford was not the problem on the offense last season - rather extremely poor decision making from the coaching staff and one of the worst offensive lines Auburn has seen this century - but it is clear that he's still very raw as a passer and would need a significant bump this offseason in order for him to claim the starting job over Thorne in fall camp.

Apparently, Vegas thinks that bump is coming.

BetOnline has released odds for college football week one starting quarterbacks, with Robby Ashford over Payton Thorne:

Could Ashford legitimately take the reins after Auburn stressed over grabbing a quarterback through the transfer portal this offseason?

Anybody looking to earn a little extra cash?   It’s not a guarantee, but I would lean heavily towards Thorne being the starter.   

[AUGoo 2,703]

3 hours ago, aubiefifty said:

 

struggling to believe this. 

May  the best man win>