8.5.23 Football Articles

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247sports.com

 

PMARSHONAU After uncertain times Auburn players go forward together

Phillip Marshall

4–5 minutes

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The uncertainty of last October has been replaced by the optimism of August

AUBURN, Alabama – It was just more than nine months ago that Auburn football players found themselves in a place they never expected to be. Two days earlier, they had lost for the fourth consecutive time in a humbling 41-27 beatdown by Arkansas at Jordan-Hare Stadium. On Halloween, they got the word. Head coach Bryan Harsin had been fired.

Now, it’s early August. The Tigers are in their second day of preseason camp. The uncertainty of last fall has dissipated. Optimism is in the air again. That started with interim coach Cadillac Williams and took off after Hugh Freeze was named head coach in December.

Tight end Tyler Fromm has seen the upheaval, the celebrations, the joy and the heartache. Including Williams’ interim tenure, Freeze is his fourth Auburn head coach.

“Obviously we’ve had a lot of ups and downs,” Fromm said. “Since, I guess, that point in October, we have had a really good momentum swing going into spring, and just having Coach Freeze and all of his staff. Obviously, it’s going to be less ball kind of in the winter time and more with the strength staff, and our strength staff has just been incredible working with us. Our team just got really close. We’re just working together. The vibes have been awesome.”

Defensive lineman Marcus Harris, heading toward his second Auburn season after transferring from Kansas, saluted his teammates for changing those vibes.

“It’s just a testament of the team,” Harris said. “… We already knew last year when stuff was happening and Coach Harsin was fired and Coach Cadillac had to step up, we knew the team had to get better and bond as a team. We just got together as a team and decided that this is our team; whatever coach is going to come, he’s just going to add to the value. It’s got to start from a team and team players and team leaders. That’s what we did, we started looking for team leaders and found team leaders and then getting everybody to buy into team leaders.”

The dynamics of a college football team, with so many players from such different backgrounds, are unique. The price all of them play in sweat blood is high. What sounds good is not always easy to pull off.

A united football team can play above expectations, even above its own talent level. A divided football team is doomed to fail. More than 40 Auburn players – incoming freshmen and transfers – weren’t around last October when everything fell apart. They, too, would have to buy into it all.

“That was the most difficult part, just getting to know people and just genuinely getting to know their stories,” Harris said. “If you know everybody’s story, you’ll know why they play the game, why they play so hard. That’s the most difficult part, just trying to get to know everybody on a personal level before you get out on the field and play with them.

“It’s been getting better over the summer and then especially during fall camp. You have so much time to get to know each other. All the new transfers we had, they’re open to talk to us and express themselves. That has made it very easy for us.”

The road ahead is treacherous. Positive vibes alone won’t beat Alabama, Georgia, LSU, Texas A&M and all the rest. But playing, working and living with one heartbeat is where it begins.

 

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auburnwire.usatoday.com

Watch: A look at Payton Thorne's first day at fall camp

Taylor Jones

~2 minutes

As Auburn football begins fall camp, most fans are curious to see how the quarterback battle will shake out.

Payton Thorne kicked off Thursday’s opening practice by taking snaps with the first team while Robby Ashford was surprisingly participating with the third string. Redshirt freshman Holden Geriner took reps with the second string.

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That lineup should not concern Auburn fans, as Hugh Freeze mentioned during his introductory press conference that each quarterback will rotate reps with each unit throughout the spring.

How long will this competition last? Freeze says that he hopes to name a starter before week three, but says that the battle could spill into Auburn’s game with Samford on Sept. 16.

“I am cautiously optimistic that we can win some football games with several of those guys,” Freeze said Thursday. “It may be three games into the season before we know this is absolutely the guy. I hope that’s not the case, but it could be.”

Ashford and Geriner have a year under their belt, but Thorne is still new to the Auburn scene. He was able to hit the practice field for the first time in his Auburn career on Thursday.

While we wait for the competition to unfold, here is a look at Thorne’s first day of fall camp compliments of AL.com:

Contact/Follow us @TheAuburnWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Auburn news, notes, and opinion. You can also follow Taylor on Twitter @TaylorJones__

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si.com

 

We got to see which receivers ran out first at day two of fall camp

Andrew Stefaniak

3–4 minutes

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The starting wide receivers on day two of fall camp were Camden Brown, Jay Fair, and Nick Mardner. These three were also the starters at day one of fall camp. 

Omari Kelly, Ja'Varrius Johnson, and Malcolm Johnson Jr were the receivers that went out with the second group. 

A ton of names will be in the mix for a starting role with these players, including Shane Hooks, Jyaire Shorter, and Caleb Burton. 

Thanks to the portal Coach Freeze was able to fill this room of players with high ceilings to make this football team better.

Hugh Freeze has been great at finding holes in the roster and filling them with portal additions. 

Whoever the starting quarterback is will have plenty of weapons to throw the ball to in 2023.

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Here is the entire schedule for fall camp:

Thurs, Aug 3 8:30 a.m. – Coach Hugh Freeze press conference (Woltosz multipurpose room)

9:30 a.m. – Practice starts – media viewing window time TBA (individual drill periods)

Fri, Aug 4 9:30 a.m. – Practice starts – media viewing window time TBA (individual drill periods)

11:30 a.m. – Player interviews (Woltosz multipurpose room)

Sat, Aug 5 – No practice

Sun, Aug 6 9:30 a.m. – Practice – no media

Mon, Aug 7 11:30 a.m. – Coordinator interviews after practice (Woltosz multipurpose room)

Tues, Aug 8 9:30 a.m. – Practice starts – media viewing window time TBA (individual drill periods)

11:30 a.m. – Player interviews (Woltosz multipurpose room)

Weds, Aug 9 – No practice

Thurs, Aug 10 9:30 a.m. – Practice starts – media viewing window time TBA (individual drill periods)

11:30 a.m. – Defensive assistant coach interviews/not Coach Roberts (Woltosz multipurpose room)

Fri, Aug 11 11:30 a.m. – Player interviews (Woltosz multipurpose room)

Sat, Aug 12 9:20 a.m. – Scrimmage at stadium – media can view individual drill periods (time TBA)

11:30 a.m. – Coach Hugh Freeze interview (Jordan-Hare Stadium media room)

Sun, Aug 13 – No practice

Mon, Aug 14 11:30 a.m. – Player interviews (Woltosz multipurpose room)

Tues, Aug 15 9:30 a.m. – Practice starts – media viewing window time TBA (individual drill periods)

11:30 a.m. – Offensive assistant coach interviews/not Coach Montgomery (Woltosz multipurpose room)

Weds, Aug 16 – No practice – first day of class

Thurs, Aug 17 4:00 p.m. – Coach Hugh Freeze press conference (Woltosz multipurpose room)

5:00 p.m. – Practice starts – media viewing window time TBA (individual drill periods)

Fri, Aug 18 4:10 p.m. – Practice – no media

Sat, Aug 19 9:50 a.m. – Scrimmage at stadium – no media viewing

11:30 a.m. – Coordinator interviews (location TBA)

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theplainsman.com

 

Tyler Fromm previews tight end room ahead of 2023 season - The Auburn Plainsman

 

4–5 minutes

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Dating back to his time at Ole Miss, Hugh Freeze always has plans to make the tight end a vital part of his offense.

Freeze produced Evan Engram, an NFL tight end for six years and counting, with the Rebels, and now in his first season at Auburn, has an experienced group he can use for the 2023 season.

Freeze grabbed Rivaldo Fairweather from Florida International in the transfer portal, but also has veterans in his tight end group in Tyler Fromm, Luke Deal and Brandon Frazier, all seniors.

Fromm, who is entering his fifth season with the Tigers, is now with his third head coach at Auburn and said he's "pretty much transferred like three times already to just stay in the same place," gave his outlook and expectations for his position group for the upcoming season.

"Honestly, just to ball out," Fromm said. "I want all the guys to just get after it on the field. I hope that we're a threat just as much as the receivers are... I'm excited about it for everybody."

Fairweather is the only newcomer among the tight end group but practiced with the team in the spring. Because of Fairweather's early entry to the program plus the three seniors spending at least four years together, Fromm felt the tight end group has bonded well through the spring and summer. Calling the tight end room the "tightest-knit group," Fromm said he thinks his group of guys will be "really fun to see in the fall."

As Fromm has been at Auburn since 2019, he's seen Auburn through the highs and lows. Because of that experience and witnessing how different coaches handle a program differently, Fromm is aiming to be a leader among the whole team.

"I always want to be the guy that people can look at and lean on... even if it's not a vocal thing, I still want people to see what I'm doing for the younger guys for them to look up to me and just see how I handle things and how I approach workouts, academics, practice and all that stuff. I want to be that guy for them," Fromm said.

One of the young guys Fromm often finds himself around is Micah Riley, a redshirt freshman in the tight end room. Rated as a 4-star out of high school according to the 247Sports composite rankings, Riley only played in four games in 2023, but Fromm has high expectations for him entering his second season on the Plains.

"He's gotten more comfortable just being a tight end and being in college football," Fromm said. "Every single practice and every rep he has he's always trying to figure out what he can do better, and he's always asking questions to figure that out. He's just really taken the student approach to the game, and he's gotten way better... so he's been really good. He's gonna be a threat, for sure."

Fromm and the rest of the tight end group begin the season in just under a month with Auburn's season opener set for Sept. 2 at 2:30 p.m. CST against UMass. The game will be televised on ESPN.

Do you like this story? The Plainsman doesn't accept money from tuition or student fees, and we don't charge a subscription fee. But you can donate to support The Plainsman.

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Jacob Waters | Sports Editor

Jacob Waters is a senior majoring in journalism. From Leeds, Alabama, he started with The Plainsman in August, 2021.

Twitter: @JacobWaters_

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247sports.com

 

Tigers look better in preseason after offseason with new strength staff

Nathan King

3–4 minutes

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Everyone’s a winner in the offseason, especially when it comes to a new strength and conditioning program under a first-year staff.

But the Tigers had real conditioning issues last season while careening under Bryan Harsin, and senior defensive lineman Marcus Harris isn’t the first player to mention getting gassed in the second half of games. When Hugh Freeze was hired, he brought over head strength coach Dominic Studzinski, who’s been with Freeze since he began at Ole Miss in 2012.

From winter workouts to summer conditioning, Freeze said he’s been pleased with the progress Studzinski has made with Auburn’s roster, both returning pieces and newcomers. Ahead of the team’s first day of preseason practice Thursday, Freeze said the table had been set nicely for the Tigers to make strides in the department from the spring to the fall, noting, “I think we're bigger and stronger, look better.”

Harris, now entering his third year as a starting defensive lineman, admitted that he wasn’t in the best shape last year, and saw his play and production noticeably decline over the course of games.

“Just getting stronger and faster and more durable,” Harris said. “My film last year, I was doing good in the first couple quarters and then by the end of the game I’d get kind of tired. Just building myself and getting more in shape.”

Of course, there were a myriad of factors that played into Auburn’s 2022 season, which featured the team’s first losing record in the regular season, including a five-game skid that saw Harsin fired after the fourth straight loss. But the Tigers often faded in the second half, being outscored 106-47 after halftime in their six losses before Harsin was shown the door.

The Tigers believe they’re now in a better spot physically under the new staff.

“Yeah, (Studzinski) got us right,” Harris said with a smile Friday.

But even with the start of preseason camp, Auburn obviously won't be cooling off from its offseason of work in the strength program. Harris said he already feels better conditioned after Studzinski's tempo-based approach in the summer, and prepared for the grind of 25 practices in camp ahead of the season opener Sept. 2.

“Just the up-tempo pace — everything is up-tempo,” Harris said. “Everything is quick. We ran a lot this summer. It's just the dedication and time. It pushes us to get better. We can't get comfortable. One week, we had to max out. The next week, everyone's trying to top that max. We're not just staying at that level. Every week, we're trying to progress and get stronger. That's one thing that we did differently this year. Every week, we're trying to go up a weight.”

Auburn returns to the practice field Friday afternoon.

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al.com

Observations from the first two days of Auburn preseason practices

Published: Aug. 04, 2023, 5:00 p.m.

6–7 minutes

The first two days of Auburn’s preseason practices have wrapped up Friday afternoon. The quarterback battle will be the biggest on-field story, and through two days there may be a few beginning inkling of the hierarchy. But it’s not the only open job on Auburn’s roster, far from it, and the on-field stories may not be as crucial as the off-field ones.

Here are some observations, notes and storylines from the first two days of camp.

Who wasn’t there may outshine who was

We can start with the obvious one. Junior running back Jarquez Hunter didn’t practice on either Thursday or Friday during the open period with media members. His status remains clouded by uncertainty.

Following the release of a sex tape allegedly depicting Hunter, Auburn announced it had given indefinite suspensions to some football players but didn’t say who, how many, or why.

Sophomore safety Caleb Wooden was not at either of Auburn’s first two practices either.

Junior wide receiver Koy Moore has been at practice and in uniform, but was not a full participant. On Friday, he stood off to the side during offensive team drills, and at the end of the period open to reporters, was in the indoor field seeming to be stretching with a coach.

It’s unclear what specifically is keeping Moore out.

Your scheduled quarterback update

Through two days of fall camp, Michigan State transfer Payton Throne has been the first quarterback taking snaps with the presumed first-team offensive line group.

In the time open to reporters, Thorne hasn’t shown anything particularly notable for the practice highlight reel, but he has been reliable and precise with most of his throws. It’s unclear to what extent he feels comfortable with a new offense at this point, and how much of the playbook is being opened up in team drills with media present.

Sophomore Holden Geriner has been the second quarterback out each of the first two days, and may have shown the best flashes of Auburn’s main trio. His deep ball touch has been the best of the quarterback room so far. Head coach Hugh Freeze frequently would bring up Geriner before Throne or Robby Ashford when discussing Auburn’s quarterbacks, and while he may not win the job, it certainly makes sense why Freeze is a believer.

Ashford may have the most potential of any quarterback on the roster, but he’s struggled during the open periods. Ashford showed many flashes of elite play when he took over as Auburn’s starter at the end of last season. But through two days of fall camp, many of his limitations — especially with regard to accuracy — have shown.

On Friday, Ashford underthrew a crossing route in the flat to his left side, leading to an incompletion. Later in the team drill, he threw a deep ball down the right sideline and while the pass was completed, the wobbly, underthrown ball likely would not have been if the offense was not playing against air.

On Thursday, Ashford hardly threw the ball at all during the same team drill. Most of his plays were designed runs.

Last season, Ashford has a 49.2% completion rate.

Though all quarterback observations do come with the caveat of the media watching quarterbacks play without facing a secondary.

Okay, outside of quarterbacks, who might be starting?

Let’s start with the offense. That offensive line group Thorne was throwing behind? Those five remained the same during the first two days of practice, and shouldn’t come as much of a surprise. Tulsa transfer Dillon Wade played left tackle, junior Tate Johnson lined up at left guard, East Carolina transfer Avery Jones was the center, senior Kam Stutts played right guard and Western Kentucky transfer Gunner Britton was the right tackle.

Yet while that group seems fairly stead-fast, they were surrounded by a ton of skill position rotation.

Maybe the most notable player to see time in team drills with the first group of offensive linemen and Thorne was freshman running back Jeremiah Cobb. Cobb could be in for a huge role if Auburn is without Hunter.

Damari Alston played with Thorne on Thursday.

In terms of wide receivers, the group has been far from set. On Thursday senior Ja’Varrius Johnson lined with the third group on offense, but on Friday was with Thorne. Sophomore Cam Brown and junior Malcolm Johnson Jr. were also with Thorne’s group along with FIU transfer tight end Rivaldo Fairweather.

Transfers Nick Mardner and Shane Hooks have each stood out purely from their height, though Caleb Burton has been the most impactful big-play receiver of the group of new guys to this point.

Again, all needs to be taken with a grain of salt without facing a secondary in front of media.

Okay, so how about the defense?

The first group on the defensive front was jack linebacker Elijah McAllister, defensive linemen Marcus Harris, Jayson Jones and defensive end Mosiah Nasili-Kite. Austin Keys and Eugene Asante lined up in the middle as the linebackers and Keionte Scott, D.J. James and Nehemiah Pritchett were the first corners in defensive drills. Jaylen Simpson was the first safety.

Much of that is as expected.

Highly touted freshman Keldric Faulk lined up as a defensive end on the second group of defensive players. He is listed on the roster at 6-foot-6, 288 pounds.

A final defensive note: Auburn had some freshmen in the secondary shadowing the presumptive starters, seemingly as a means of learning from Auburn’s top guys in a secondary room that seems to be a team strength.

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not much new out this morning.i will check back during the day to see if anything is added.thanx for stopping by.

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yahoo.com

Why Keionte Scott compares Auburn football's Zac Etheridge and Wes McGriff to 'Shaq and Kobe'

Richard Silva, Montgomery Advertiser

2–3 minutes

AUBURN — Under Auburn football's last regime, assistant coach Zac Etheridge guided the secondary by himself.

But after coach Hugh Freeze was hired in November, he elected to bring in Wes "Crime Dawg" McGriff and also retain Etheridge, putting the latter in charge of the safeties and the former in charge of the cornerbacks. It's McGriff's third stint on the Plains, as he was with the Tigers under former coach Gus Malzahn in 2016 and from 2019-20.

In the handful of months they've been together, the relationship between Etheridge and McGriff couldn't be better, according to one of their likely starters.

“Shaq and Kobe," junior cornerback Keionte Scott said of the duo Friday. "Chemistry. They’ve got chemistry already. They took a chance. Best friends. Inseparable. They’re always together. They’re able to talk and come together with things. You’ve got an old-school coach with more old-school tradition and you’ve got a new-school coach. Being able to merge those together is crazy to see sometimes.”

Etheridge, 35, started his coaching career as a graduate assistant at Penn State in 2012 following his days as a safety at Auburn from 2007-10. McGriff began at his alma mater of Savannah State from 1990-94.

"Crime is Shaq," Scott said. "Coach E is Kobe.”

QB COMPETITION: Payton Thorne takes first-group reps as Auburn football's Hugh Freeze says rotation begins

GETTING STARTED: Why this fall camp is the 'most uncomfortable' for Auburn football's Hugh Freeze

Richard Silva is the Auburn athletics beat writer for the Montgomery Advertiser. He can be reached via email at rsilva@gannett.com or on Twitter @rich_silva18.

This article originally appeared on Montgomery Advertiser: Keionte Scott on pair of Auburn football coaches: 'Shaq and Kobe'

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yahoo.com

 

Brian Battie included in Hornung Award watchlist

Taylor Jones

~2 minutes

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Brian Battie’s versatility was attractive to Hugh Freeze, which is a major reason why he was pursued.

Battie rushed for 1,185 yards in 2022 at South Florida. Before his breakout season on the offensive side of the ball, Battie was known for his return skills. In three seasons at USF, Battie had 59 kick returns for 1,427 yards and three scores.

As Battie moves to the SEC, he has found a place on an impressive postseason award watchlist. The Louisville Sports Commission announced Thursday that Battie has been included in the Paul Hornung Award watchlist. The Paul Hornung Award, named after the 1956 Heisman Trophy Winner from Notre Dame, is given annually to the nation’s most versatile player.

The award has been given out each season since 2010, with players such as LSU‘s Odell Beckham Jr., Michigan‘s Jabrill Peppers, and Alabama‘s Devonta Smith all winning the award. Last season, the honor went to Oregon State’s Jack Colletto.

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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auburntigers.com

 

On The Plains with Marcus Harris: ‘A dream come true’

Auburn University Athletics

7–9 minutes

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AUBURN, Ala. – As a 5-year-old, Marcus Harris just could not wait until he was old enough to start playing league football. Now an established veteran at Auburn, his passion for the game is just as strong if not stronger than it was the day his little league coach told him he was finally old enough to play.  

“I started playing when I was 6 years old,” Harris said. “I wanted to play when I was 5, but they said I was too young. So, I had to wait another year.”  

Harris, a native of Montgomery, Alabama, started his college career at Kansas but entered the transfer portal after two seasons because of a coaching change. When he received an offer to play for Auburn in May 2021, it was a dream come true. Moving from Kansas to the Loveliest Village on The Plains was the opportunity of a lifetime for the highly driven defensive lineman.

“It was all I dreamed about growing up and something I looked forward to, but I never saw this coming,” said Harris, who recorded 30 tackles and 6.5 tackles for loss last season. “If someone had told me during my senior year of high school that I would be playing football at Auburn, I wouldn’t have believed it. I’m taking full advantage of my opportunity here.”

“It was amazing having the opportunity to come here and be so close around my family, and Auburn having a family environment for me to come into and play. It is such a dream come true for me.”  

Everything about the Auburn offer seemed right to Harris. Auburn is just up the road from where he grew up and more convenient for him and his family.  The southern hospitality and family environment is second to none. And he had several former Auburn football players, including current NFL players Marlon Davidson and Daniel Thomas, who encouraged him and supported his decision to be a Tiger.

“They told me, ‘If you’re going to go to the league one day, you have to do it at Auburn,’” Harris said. “Many defensive linemen before me have gone to the NFL, and Auburn was one of the best choices for me.”  

Harris saw that in his first two years at Auburn, too, where he played alongside guys that are now on NFL rosters. They made a big impact on him and showed him what Auburn meant to them.

“Colby (Wooden) took me in from day one and showed me the ropes around Auburn football, showed me how to do things, and how to be an Auburn Man.” Harris said. “Owen Pappoe stepped in and showed me how to keep my body right off the field so I can perform on the field. Zakoby McClain and Smoke Monday were also a positive influence on me being here.

“Eku (Leota) and I came in together with chips on our shoulders (as transfers). Both of us were trying to get on the field early, so we stuck together. All of those guys really helped me to get where I am today.”  

Last year, however, the Auburn football program went through its share of adversity with a coaching change in the middle of the season. Harris faced the challenge head on.

“It’s not really about the challenges, it’s just trying to stay consistent throughout all of the coaching changes and any adversity that hits you,” he said. “You must stay consistent with yourself before you can stay consistent as a team. I felt like our team and I handled everything the best we could.

“I see each coaching change in a different way. Each coach has his own philosophy, plans and practices. We had to adapt to that. My teammates and I have been adjusting to that really well. Coach Cadillac (Williams) and Coach Hugh Freeze understand and know how it feels to go through adversity throughout the season. Coach Cadillac got us through that adversity last season. Then when Coach Freeze came, he knew what to change to turn this program around and what it takes with his philosophy. Coach Freeze tells us to not be content with ourselves, and to use that adversity as motivation to push through and get stronger and tighter as a team.”

Freeze, who began his first Fall Camp as Auburn’s head coach on Thursday, has added an element of fun back to the program, while also pushing the limits on the field, in the weight room and in the classroom.  

“Everyone has just been feeling looser. Everyone is happier. The team started coming together to see the good in what we must work on,” Harris said. “What I have seen with this team is that no one is complaining; everyone wants to work and get better and perfect their craft. The team as a whole has gotten better since Coach Freeze came in. It’s just freer and more fun.”

With Kickoff on The Plains less than a month away, consistency is the trademark for this upcoming season.  

“We need to be consistent and not have any more up-and-down games, keeping the main focus in mind and buying into the work and being together as a team,” Harris said. “This is the most ‘together’ team we have had since I’ve been here, and I can’t wait to show the world.”  

Throughout Harris’ time with the program, he has learned valuable assets that will not only take him far into his football career, but into his personal life as well.

“Prioritizing is important,” he said. “When you have those bad days and you’re facing adversity, you have to know how to separate your personal life from business, and that’s a big thing for me. Something could be going on at home, but when you get onto that football field, you have to prioritize football. Then when you get home, that’s your family personal time. So, it’s OK to put football to the side for a little bit and focus on family. If you always focus on football, you won’t get their attention.  

“Being time-oriented is also a big one for me. I have schedules laid out so I can have my days planned ahead of time and don’t run late to anything. There are no excuses for being late.”  

An interdisciplinary studies major concentrating in business and communications, Harris plans to enter the NFL Draft after he graduates from Auburn this December. But more importantly, he wants to leave as an Auburn Man.

“Auburn has helped me make connections with people that I never would have made connections with at other universities,” Harris said. “It has helped me build connections with people for life. Every coach I have played for has helped me by emphasizing how to be a young man on the field and off the field – how to handle situations and how to walk away from situations, and to not let your pride get hold of you. 

"Auburn has taught me how to become a man, and how to handle business in a work environment, as well as a school environment. I will always have appreciation for that.”  

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A look at every five-star Auburn football has ever signed

Taylor Jones

John Reed-USA TODAY Sports

After a couple of down years, Hugh Freezeand the rest of Auburn’s staff have Auburn recruiting as it should be.

Using the 247Sports Composite, they have the No. 18 class in the nation. This is extremely impressive when you consider that they have just 14 commits Alabama is the only school ahead of them with 14 or fewer commits.

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The headliners of Auburn’s class are five-star prospects Perry Thompson and Demarcus Riddick. If Auburn can hold onto both it will be the first time they signed a five-star prospect since 2019 and just the sixth time since 2000 that they signed multiple in the same class.

The Tigers have signed 17 total composite five-stars since 2000, here is a look at each one of them and how their time at Auburn went.

Quarterback Jason Campbell

(Photo by Grant Halverson/Getty Images)

Class: 2000

Rating: .9853

Positional Ranking: No. 5 Pro QB

He was the first five-star in program history and he played like it, throwing for 7,299 yards and 45 touchdowns in his career. He went on to be drafted 25th overall by the Washington Commanders in the 2005 NFL draft.

Running Back Cadillac Williams

Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports Copyright (c) 2004 Dale Zanine

Class: 2001

Rating: .9936

Positional Ranking: No. 4 RB

Williams came in with plenty of hype and absolutely shattered all expectations. He rushed for 3,831 yards and 45 touchdowns in his four seasons as a Tiger. The Tampa Buccaneers drafted him fifth overall in the 2005 NFL draft and after a seven-year career, he entered the coaching ranks.

Where he once again exceeded expectations, Gus Malzahn hired him in 2019 as Auburn’s running back coach and he was retained by both Bryan Harsin and Hugh Freeze. His tenure as interim head coach after Harsin was fired reignited the Auburn fan base and showed why he is so highly thought of.

Outside Linebacker Lemarcus Rowell

Photo by Erik S. Lesser/Getty Images)

Class: 2001

Rating: .9845

Positional Ranking: No. 4 OLB

From nearby Opelika, Rowell redshirted his freshman season due to eligibility concerns before playing in 12 games in 2002 and making 21 tackles.

He was dismissed from the team prior to the 2003 season. He elected to go the JUCO route and even recommitted to the Tigers but he never made his way back to the Plains and wound up at Jacksonville State.

Wide Receiver Ben Obomanu

Photo by Dale Zanine USA TODAY Sports Copyright (c) 2004 Dale Zanine

Class: 2002

Rating: .9855

Positional Ranking: No. 4 WR

Obomanu’s claim as the only five-star wide receiver to sign with Auburn will be ending soon if the Tigers can hold onto Perry Thompson. He played in 50 games for the Tigers, snagging 88 receptions for 1,181 yards and 16 touchdowns. After finishing his NFL career he went to law school and is now an attorney.

Outside Linebacker Tray Blackmon

John Reed-USA TODAY Sports

Class: 2005

Rating: .9956

Positional Ranking: No. 1 OLB

Blackmon quickly became a rotational player for the Tigers but was never able to take the next step, partially due to injuries and suspensions. He totaled 84 tackles, 5.0 tackles for loss and 2.5 sacks for Auburn in three seasons.

Running Back Michael Dyer

Marvin Gentry-USA TODAY Sports

Class: 2010

Rating: .9961

Positional Ranking: No. 1 RB

The highest-rated running back signee in program history, Dyer broke Bo Jackson’s rushing record with 1,093 yards and five touchdowns to help the Tigers win the 2010 national championship. He was even better as a sophomore, running for 1,242 yards and 10 touchdowns but his career took a turn late in the 2011 season. He was suspended for the bowl game and he left the program to reunite with Gus Malzahn at Arkansas State.

However, he was dismissed from the team and never played for Malzahn. He finished his career at Louisville, rushing for 704 yards and seven touchdowns in two seasons.

Athlete Trovon Reed

Shanna Lockwood-USA TODAY Sports

Class: 2010

Rating: .9864

Positional Ranking: No. 3 ATH

Auburn recruited Reed to play wide receiver and after redshirting in 2010 he spent the next three years at wideout before transitioning to cornerback ahead of the 2014 season. He caught 39 passes for 384 yards and one touchdown as a receiver and intercepted three passes as a defender. After a brief professional career, he returned to Auburn and as the Director of Football & Recruiting Relations has been credited with helping turn around Auburn’s recruiting efforts.

Offensive Tackle Christian Westerman

Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

Class: 2011

Position: .9929

Ranking: No. 3 OT

Westerman is the highest-ranked offensive lineman the program has ever signed but he wasn’t around for long. After redshirting in 2015, he only played in two games during the 2016 season before transferring to Arizona State.

Defensive Tackle Montravius Adams

Shanna Lockwood-USA TODAY Sports

Class: 2013

Rating: .9947

Positional Ranking: No. 3 DT

Adams came in and was quickly a key member of the defensive line as a freshman. He appeared in 52 games during his four-year career, making 151 tackles, 21.0 tackles for loss and 11.0 sacks. He went on to be drafted by the Green Bay Packers in the third round of the 2017 NFL draft.

Weak-Side Defensive End Carl Lawson

Shanna Lockwood-USA TODAY Sports

Class: 2013

Rating: .9897

Positional Ranking: No. 1WDE

Lawson battled some injuries during his time at Auburn but he was dominant whenever he was on the field, making 67 tackles, 24.0 tackles for loss and 14.0 sacks in 34 career games. The Cincinnati Bengals drafted him in the third round of the 2017 NFL draft

Running Back Roc Thomas

Marvin Gentry-USA TODAY Sports

Class: 2014

Rating: .9894

Positional Ranking: No. 4

Thomas appeared in 12 games in each of his both seasons but was limited to just 86 total carries due to Auburn’s deep running back room. He entered the transfer portal ahead of the 2015 season and ended up at Jaxson State and eventually had a brief NFL career.

Linebacker Tre' Williams

John David Mercer-USA TODAY Sports

Class: 2014

Rating: .9868

Positional Ranking: No. 2 ILB

Williams finished his time on the Plains with 188 tackles, 10.0 tackles for loss and 3.5 sacks. He was named a team captain his senior season in 2017. He is now the special teams coordinator and defensive assistant for South Alabama.

Defensive End Byron Cowart

Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports

Class: 2015

Rating: .9987

Positional Ranking: No. 1 SDE

Cowart is the highest-rated signee in program history but he was never able to crack the rotation at Auburn before he transferred out during the 2017 season. He finished his time at Auburn with 15 tackles in 14 games, before winding up at Maryland and eventually being drafted by the New England Patriots.

Defensive Tackle Derrick Brown

Matthew Emmons-USA TODAY Sports

Class: 2016

Rating: .9964

Positional Ranking: No. 4 DT

Brown capped off his sensational career with a 2019 season where he was named the SEC Defensive Player of the Year and a unanimous All-American. He elevated Auburn’s entire defense and finished his career with 170 tackles, 33.5 tackles for loss, 13.0 sacks and five forced fumbles before being drafted by the Carolina Panthers with the No. 7 overall pick in the 2020 draft.

Offensive Tackle Calvin Ashley

Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images

Class: 2017

Rating: .9870

Positional Ranking: No. 6 OT

Ashley redshirted in the 2017 season and appeared in eight games in 2018 before transferring to FAMU ahead of the 2019 season.

Linebacker Owen Pappoe

John Reed-USA TODAY Sports

Class: 2019

Rating: .9878

Positional Ranking: No. 1 OLB

An immediate contributor as a freshman, Pappoe made 256 tackles, 15.0 tackles for loss and 8.0 sacks in his four years on the Plains. He was named a team captain twice and was drafted by the Arizona Cardinals in the fifth round of the 2023 NFL draft.

Quarterback Bo Nix

John Reed-USA TODAY Sports

Class: 2019

Rating: .9856

Positional Ranking: No. 1 Dual QB

The combination of coming to Auburn as a five-star and being the son of former quarterback Patrick Nix made expectations sky-high for Bo. He quickly met them as a freshman, winning the starting job but was never able to become efficient as he dealt with several different head coaches and offensive coordinators and transferred to Oregon after his junior season. He finished his Auburn career with 7,251 passing yards and 39 touchdowns as well as 18 rushing touchdowns.

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Auburn DBs welcome high expectations with humility: 'We're not anybody'

Auburn returns all its starters in the secondary and added eight players in its 2023 recruiting class

Nathan King8 hrs

Auburn’s defensive backs are well aware of the responsibilities that fall on their shoulders this season.

Almost undeniably, the secondary is the most polished and complete unit on the entire roster. Nine of 11 contributors from last season are back, including all five starters. Then the Tigers added eight more DBs in their 2023 recruiting class — half of which are blue-chip prospects.

Hugh Freeze knows he has to treat that group differently than, say, a position group with far less experience, or one with less familiarity with one another. So he’s not afraid to start putting some pressure on the likes of D.J. James, Jaylin Simpson, Nehemiah Pritchett and Keionte Scott this preseason — hoping to push some of the more talented players on his squad to their potential.

“I think we've got to improve our mental toughness and our attention to detail in the secondary,” Freeze said on the first day of preseason camp Thursday. “I do think we have some talent there, but it's some older talent and then it's some really good young talent. I don't think any have been stressed and strained enough to where we need to be but I do think we have some talent there. So I want to see them improve that aspect of it.”

As the Tigers defense gets into the swing of preseason camp, first-year coordinator Ron Roberts has plenty of question marks to address over the next month. Most of those stem from a defensive front seven that was gashed as one of the SEC’s worst run defenses last year, and then lost a handful of NFL players.

The secondary will be relied upon for its consistency and experience. Coaches won’t be pleased veteran starting cornerbacks like James and Pritchett aren’t winning battles on the outside. Fifth-year senior safeties Zion Puckett and Simpson shouldn’t be giving up a ton of yardage downfield. Scott, the team’s No. 2 returning tackler from last season, and his running mate, Donovan Kaufman, are expected to know the defense inside and out from the all-important “star” position, otherwise known as the nickel spot.

“The only ways we’re able to give up things is just little mistakes,” Scott said Friday. “Being able to hone in on those little things and being able to know the checks and being able think fast and all play on the same level mentally and physically. I think it really just comes with chemistry. At the end of the day we’re all different talents and (have) different abilities. But being able to all come in and be able to think as one group, as a DB group no matter who’s in the game, that’s going to be something that’s super important for us.”

It helps that the group has familiar faces on the coaching staff, too. Zac Etheridge is entering his third season back on staff at his alma mater, after he was one of two assistants (running backs coach Cadillac Williams) retained from Bryan Harsin’s 2022 staff. With Etheridge now specializing in the safeties, Wesley McGriff has returned for his third coaching stint at Auburn to oversee the cornerbacks. While he didn’t coach under Harsin, he was last on Auburn’s staff in 2020, and he recruited and coached players like Pritchett, Simpson and Puckett.

“Shaq and Kobe,” Scott said with a laugh, describing the relationship of Auburn’s two coaches in the secondary. “Chemistry, They’ve got chemistry already. … You’ve got an old-school coach with more old-school tradition and you’ve got a new-school coach. Being able to merge those together — it’s crazy to see it sometimes.”

While all eyes are affixed on the quarterback competition this preseason, those attempting to thwart the passing game are among some of the best players on the roster. James, after posting the best Pro Football Focus coverage grade among SEC corners last season, said this offseason he won’t be satisfied unless he’s an All-American. Pritchett also could have turned pro last season after receiving a Senior Bowl invite. Etheridge called Simpson a “Sunday player” now that’s moved full time from cornerback to safety. 

The leaders in Auburn’s secondary are challenging themselves to balance that established production with a hunger to improve.

“Everyone knows we have one of the top groups in the country,” Scott said. “Just being able to go to practice knowing that we’re not nowhere, we’re not anybody, we’re not ranked in the country, we’re not anything. … Offensive coordinators around the country are going to know. We just want to live in that. We want to let everyone know that there’s not going to be a person you can pick on in our DB group.”