8.10 23 Football Articles

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247sports.com

 

Why Ohio State transfer Caleb Burton is progressing quickly in Auburn's offense

Nathan King

5–6 minutes

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Perhaps it shouldn’t be all too surprising that the former fringe 5-star recruit from Ohio State, one of the top-producing offenses for elite receivers in recent years, has been one of the most talked-up newcomers at Auburn this offseason.

There was no doubt about the talent level of Caleb Burton III when Auburn brought him in as one of four transfers at wide receiver, but a seemingly smooth transition for the redshirt freshman thus far in the Tigers’ preseason practices has added to the excitement for what Burton could possibly add to various aspects of Auburn’s passing game in 2023.

Both Hugh Freeze and offensive coordinator Philip Montgomery have complimented transfer quarterback Payton Thorne early in camp as a player they have to run out of the building — someone who has already demonstrated a tireless work ethic and desire to improve with his new teammates in only a few short months on campus.

Burton has been that same sort of player for Auburn this summer and into the first week of preseason practices. His name circulated throughout summer workouts as a player to watch, and through five practices, Burton has rotated plenty with the first-team offense as a result.

“I think for him, it's just the understanding of the game, the understanding of how to be a professional about it,” Montgomery said of Burton. “I mean, he's one of the hardest-working dudes. This summer, he's getting his lifts and he's getting all the extra parts of it. … Every day you've got to say alright, it's time to leave the building. Go get you some rest. Go get you something to eat. He's that type of worker, and he's very professional about the way he handles his business. I think, more than anything, his discipline in that sense is the thing that is progressing him up.”

Rated as the No. 71 overall recruit by 247Sports in last year’s class, Burton signed with and joined a loaded receivers room. Ohio State returns what’s regarded by many as the top receiving corps in college football, with Marvin Harrison Jr., Emeka Egbuka and Julian Fleming all back — and that’s after the Buckeyes had the first receiver taken in the 2023 NFL draft in Jaxon Smith-Njigba.

As a result, Burton didn’t appear in a game as a freshman last season during Ohio State’s run to the College Football Playoff — so when Freeze and the Tigers recruited him out of the portal in early May, “we base that off of his high-school tape, and we're basically getting a freshman,” Freeze said this offseason.

That tape for the No. 10 receiver recruit in the country was, obviously, stellar. From powerhouse Lake Travis High School in Texas, Burton is the son of a longtime, defensive-minded high school coach, Charles Burton, in the Lone Star State. Burton’s route-running and propensity to find himself open within the defense have been his calling cards early in Auburn camp, and Montgomery credited some of that natural understanding of the position — and how to create space in a defense — to his father’s teachings.

“I would say his route-running is very unique,” senior wideout Malcolm Johnson Jr. said. “I’ve stolen a few of Caleb’s moves, just trying to add that to my arsenal.”

According to senior cornerback D.J. James, Burton has been working mostly at slot receiver, but Johnson said he can play inside and out within the passing game. That tracks with Burton’s size at 5-foot-11 and his shiftiness to play slot receiver, though he was also praised in high school — while garnering some of the best national evaluations from recruiting analysts — for his ability to high-point passes down field and play bigger than his frame would suggest on the outside.

“I think he does have the ability to play inside-out,” Montgomery said. “He’s really fluid, natural route-runner. He’s coming from a coaching family; his dad has been a defensive coordinator in Texas for a lot of years. He’s grown up around the game, so he understands spacing and he knows where to find holes and get into them. He’s got really smooth, natural hands. For him, it’s just picking up the offense. He’s been in the film room all summer long.”

Burton’s name could be one to listen for when Auburn heads over to Pat Dye Field for its first preseason scrimmage on Saturday morning. The Tigers will report to the stadium at approximately 9 a.m. CST on Saturday, and Freeze will summarize the day’s action with reporters following the scrimmage at 11:30 a.m.

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auburnwire.usatoday.com

Keldrick Faulk is set to make an impact this season

Taylor Jones

~2 minutes

After the departure of Derick Hall and Colby Wooden to the NFL, Hugh Freeze knew that he needed to bring in experienced players from the transfer portal to fill those roles.

He did so by snagging Elijah McAllister, Stephen Sings, and Jalen McLeod. There is zero doubt that their combined experience will be beneficial to the defense, but there is a true freshman in the mix that is poised to be a valuable player for the unit.

Buy Tigers Tickets

Freshman Keldric Faulk almost went another direction with his recruitment, as he flipped to Auburn just before signing day. Since then, he has proven to be worthy of the flip. He has worked just as hard in the field as he has in the weight room, and it has caused defensive coordinator Ron Roberts to place him in a new spot.

“He played Jack most of the spring. A lot of our four-down stuff, it’s the same thing,” Roberts said. “So he was doing it half the dag-gum time, so we moved him to end. He’s 290 pounds by the summertime, so he’s kind of filled that spot. He’s in there fighting for the job. I don’t know how it’s going to pan out the next couple of weeks, but he’s going to be an impact player for us this season.”

That says plenty about what kind of player Faulk can be. Sure, the Tigers’ depth chart is filled with plenty of transfers, but Faulk’s quick development could be a great sign of what is to come from the coaching staff.

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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auburnwire.usatoday.com

Keldrick Faulk is set to make an impact this season

Taylor Jones

~2 minutes

After the departure of Derick Hall and Colby Wooden to the NFL, Hugh Freeze knew that he needed to bring in experienced players from the transfer portal to fill those roles.

He did so by snagging Elijah McAllister, Stephen Sings, and Jalen McLeod. There is zero doubt that their combined experience will be beneficial to the defense, but there is a true freshman in the mix that is poised to be a valuable player for the unit.

Buy Tigers Tickets

Freshman Keldric Faulk almost went another direction with his recruitment, as he flipped to Auburn just before signing day. Since then, he has proven to be worthy of the flip. He has worked just as hard in the field as he has in the weight room, and it has caused defensive coordinator Ron Roberts to place him in a new spot.

“He played Jack most of the spring. A lot of our four-down stuff, it’s the same thing,” Roberts said. “So he was doing it half the dag-gum time, so we moved him to end. He’s 290 pounds by the summertime, so he’s kind of filled that spot. He’s in there fighting for the job. I don’t know how it’s going to pan out the next couple of weeks, but he’s going to be an impact player for us this season.”

That says plenty about what kind of player Faulk can be. Sure, the Tigers’ depth chart is filled with plenty of transfers, but Faulk’s quick development could be a great sign of what is to come from the coaching staff.

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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saturdaydownsouth.com

Stanford Steve shares thoughts on Auburn’s schedule in 2023

Ethan Stone

1–2 minutes

Auburn football might play the toughest 3 teams in the SEC in year 1 under new head coach Hugh Freeze.

The Tigers play LSU, Alabama and Georgia but play a tame non-conference schedule. There are also a few swing games against Arkansas and Ole Miss that could decide a lot about the Tigers’ win total in 2023.

On Wednesday, Sportscenter’s Stanford Steve joined McElroy and Cubelic in the Morning to discuss the Tigers’ outlook for the season. McElroy posed the following question: Can he get behind an Auburn win total +7.5?

Because of some inconsistency at the QB position from Payton Thorne and considerable roster turnover, Stanford Steve doesn’t think so. Check out his full comments on Auburn below:

Truly, Auburn’s record at the end of the 2023 season is among the toughest to predict in the SEC this preseason.

The Tigers, as Steve said, are on the wrong side of considerable turnover and face an SEC West gauntlet with the nation’s top team sprinkled in on the other side of things. As Steve argued, getting to 9 wins in the regular season seems to be an impossible task.

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247sports.com

What Auburn's coordinators are looking for in first preseason scrimmage

Nathan King

6–7 minutes

The early stages of preseason camp are always swirling with excitement. Everyone looks like a good player in shorts, and reps are spread evenly across the roster.

Then things start to button up after the first scrimmage.

Regardless of how coaches choose to channel their focus in the first full, game-like practice session, the preseason’s inaugural scrimmage always carries a bit more weight than any of the previous practices, and signals an important shift from then forward in camp. Coaches will review the film and start trimming down reps more significantly, needing to tighten lineups to ensure the year’s most likely contributors are getting plenty of preparation for the season opener.

Of course, the stakes are also raised in a scrimmage setting when there’s a legitimate quarterback competition, which Auburn has for the second straight preseason.

“I just want to see somebody take control and take a step forward,” offensive coordinator Philip Montgomery said of the quarterbacks in Saturday’ scrimmage. “Separate themselves. That's what you're looking for in your quarterback position, a guy that's gonna lead, guy that's gonna make plays. He doesn't have to be Superman, but he does have to be consistent in his play in his decision-making and taking care of the football. And then moving us down the field and staying ahead of chains. When we do that, then we're always going to be effective. And so the quarterback that does those things at a more consistent pace will be the guy that's going to win the job.”

The Tigers will make the short walk from their new, $92 million practice facility over to Jordan-Hare Stadium on Saturday morning for their first scrimmage of the preseason. With classes set to begin at the university next Thursday, Hugh Freeze and his coaches know the week that follows the scrimmage will be key in establishing a more concise pecking order at various position groups.

For Montgomery’s unit, essentially every group — even quarterbacks — can be argued as being deeper than last season. The running back room now has four talented ball-carriers at the ready after the return of Jarquez Hunter. The receivers seemingly improved significantly via the transfer portal, and a handful of returning players are stepping up, too. The tight ends might be the most experienced group on the entire roster. And Auburn’s offensive line looks as if it can develop a strong two-deep for the first time in several seasons, with ongoing competitions not only at the two guard spots, but also for both backup tackle positions.

It’s those depth pieces that Montgomery will be equally as intrigued with in the first scrimmage, even though they may not enter the season labeled as “starters.”

“I think we've got a lot of depth that we've got to continue to keep building on, right?” Montgomery said this week. “And we're going to see those guys start separating themselves as camp goes on. But the battle parts of it, I think, has kept guys really in tune, really focused and really growing as a group and we've got to continue to do that as an offensive unit.”

Usually, the defense finds itself ahead of the offense early in 11-on-11 work, considering the quarterbacks and their supporting cast have to all be on the same page in the playbook for a call to work, whereas the defensive personnel can sometimes succeed based solely on effort or instincts to track down where the ball is heading.

But first-year Auburn defensive coordinator Ron Roberts isn’t as interested in yardage or the scoreboard Saturday as he is with the execution and discipline of individual positions and players.

“There’s two basic things,” Roberts said. “We’ve got to eliminate unforced errors, pre-snap errors. ‘Can I get lined up right? Do I know where my eyes are supposed to be? Do I know what my key is? Those basic things. And then the second one is the tempo of the game. Big emphasis (Monday) was playing fast and figuring out how fast you can play, playing at a different speed of the game. That takes time to develop. It really does. So I thought our kids did a good job of answering that. That will be an emphasis the next four days: Eliminate the pre-snap penalties. If you ain’t in the right spots, you can’t line up, hey, we’ve got problems. That can eliminate a lot of mistakes on defense, just because we can’t adjust to formations properly, or kids can’t be precise on their alignments.”

As many potential contributors as Roberts has lined up on his 2023 defense — with a host of newcomers both on the defensive line and in the secondary, and five or six contenders in the linebacker rotation — he admitted the unit as a whole still has a ways to go to generate the depth he feels it will need to survive the grind of an SEC schedule.

Roberts said in the spring he wants approximately 25 players he can count on like starters in any given game. He has until the Sept. 2 season opener to get there.

“Well, today as opposed to what I’m going to say in two weeks, three weeks — it should be drastically different,” Roberts said this week. “But right now I would say we’re probably at the 15, 16 mark. There’s seven, eight guys — they’ve got to figure out the tempo you’ve got to play the game with, the way you’re supposed to communicate, the consistency to do my job, and those types of things. We’ve got a ways to go, but we’ve got the time to do it.”

The pressure will be dialed up a bit Saturday, but even by the time the Tigers finish, they’ll still have 17 practices left before kicking off the 2023 season.

“We’ve still got a little bit of time, thank goodness,” Montgomery said. “And then we’ve got to figure it out from there.”

The Tigers will report to the stadium at approximately 9 a.m. CST on Saturday, and Freeze will summarize the day’s action with reporters following the scrimmage at 11:30 a.m.

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theplainsman.com

Players react to Jarquez Hunter's return to practice - The Auburn Plainsman

4–5 minutes

Auburn running back Jarquez Hunter made his first appearance to the media at football practice on Tuesday after he was not seen at the two previous practices in which the media got the opportunity to watch.

Hunter accumulated nearly 1,500 total yards and 13 touchdowns in his first two seasons with the Tigers, and the preseason all-SEC third team member is the presumed starter at running back for the 2023 season.

After showing impressive signs as the backup behind NFL running back Tank Bigbsy for two seasons, his teammates were excited to see him back on the practice field Tuesday.

“Everyone’s always happy when you have good players on the team,” said Auburn linebacker Wesley Steiner. “You go to a pickup game, you’re gonna want Michael Jordan on your team if you can pick him up, so it’s always good to have good players and you’re always gonna try to get the best ones. So, it’s good to have a good player back on the field.”

Auburn receiver Malcolm Johnson Jr. echoed Steiner’s words of how grateful the team is to have him back and cited that their close relationship made him excited for Hunter’s return.

“Jarquez, he’s a great guy to be around when you actually get to know him,” Johnson Jr. said. “He’s somebody that I trust, and he just brings a different element to the game that we all enjoy… It’s been exciting to see him back.”

Left guard Tate Johnson blocked for Hunter during the first four games of the 2022 season and had a lot of praise for the junior running back. Johnson revealed that the team went live for the last part of practice, and that Hunter made it difficult for the defense to bring him down.

“Jarquez is just phenomenal, and it’s awesome having him back,” Johnson said. “We went live the last period, and man, it was hard for those guys to tackle him. So, he’s phenomenal. Everyone knows that, and it’s just awesome to have him back.”

Hunter’s talent running the ball was enough to make his teammates excited to see his return, but according to Auburn cornerback D.J. James, there was another reason to be excited. The preseason all-SEC third team cornerback noted that the energy Hunter brings to the team excited him.

“Super excited to have him back,” James said. “I’m so happy to see my guy. Just the energy he brings, the confidence he brings to the team, that was just great to have him back out there with us. I’m very excited for him.”

Hunter and the Auburn Tigers start the 2023 regular season on Sept. 2 against UMass. Freeze’s debut game at Auburn kicks off at 2:30 p.m. CST and 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.

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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al.com

Challenged by coaches, Auburn's defensive backfield is embracing the task at hand

Published: Aug. 09, 2023, 11:00 a.m.

5–6 minutes

There are some punchy sayings that Auburn secondary coach Wesley McGriff uses from time to time.

“Other side of the pancake,” said senior cornerback D.J. James. “That’s one of his sayings. If he has something else to say about something, he’ll just be like ‘And the side of the pancake is,’ and we laugh every time. It’s funny.”

And in terms of Auburn’s experience levels in the defensive backfield, there are certainly two sides of the pancake.

If you’re counting snaps from the 2022 season, the Tigers return their six top defensive backs, including James and fellow senior Nehemiah Pritchett. Together, the pair makes up one of the most seasoned and efficient cornerback tandems in the country.

Zion Puckett and Jaylin Simpson, both seniors, are set to return as Auburn’s veteran safety group, while juniors Keionte Scott and Donovan Kaufman serve as the program’s most experienced options at the nickel spot.

Yet despite Auburn’s secondary coming into the 2023 season as perhaps the most “figured out” unit, the position group isn’t immune to criticism from first-year head coach Hugh Freeze.

“I think we’ve got to improve our mental toughness and our attention to detail in the secondary,” Freeze said ahead of Auburn’s first fall practice. “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.”

Auburn’s “really good young talent” is the other side of the secondary’s pancake.

Sophomore cornerbacks J.D. Rhym and Champ Bailey are two of the team’s younger guys who are vying for play time this fall.

While Rhym boasts a lot of versatility, according to James, Bailey has been the one who is making big strides.

“I’ve been seeing a lot of improvement, just growing, him learning. Just him asking me stuff,” James said. “I want to teach him, I want to be there for him. You know, he’s new here, so stuff can be fast. But I’m just taking him under [my wing] with me.”

And James isn’t the only veteran in the room who has taken a younger player under his wing.

It isn’t uncommon to see a young defensive back paired up and moving step-by-step with a guy who has more experience during drills.

“We want them to get as many reps as possible,” defensive coordinator Ron Roberts said. “Any time we get them in those situations where they can do it, we’re trying to get them behind a veteran, so they can see the alignment, the adjustments—and what do they sound like? What kind of communications should they be making on the field? How can they talk to each other? Those things will hopefully help bring them on a lot faster.”

Freshman cornerback Kayin Lee is an example of a guy who was brought up to speed quick after enrolling early. Since his arrival, Lee, who is battling Rhym for reps as the No. 3 cornerback, has garnered high praise from just about everyone close to the program.

But not every rookie had the luxury of getting to The Plains early.

“We’ve got some freshman, obviously, heads are spinning,” said defensive coordinator Ron Roberts. “Their heads are spinning. There’s a lot at them. The tempo, probably, of practice is a head-spinner.”

JC Hart, Colton Hood and Tyler Scott are three freshmen who enrolled at Auburn on June 1 and are experiencing their first camp with the Tigers.

While the younger players continue to adjust to preparation at the college level, the Tigers look to older players breakout as leaders. So far, it’s been Pritchett, Scott and a handful of others who have started to rise as leaders.

But again, the dynamic isn’t perfect.

“There’s about six, seven guys that we’ve kind of leaned on. The leadership right now is probably more so from how they conduct their business. We would like it to step into more so how it can lead the individuals on this football team to become better,” Roberts said. “I think we need to take some strides forward with that, if I’m being honest about that. We’ve got to take strides forward.”

First coming from head coach Freeze and then Roberts, the Tigers’ secondary, which is set to be one of the team’s stronger units on the field, has taken its fair share of shots this week.

And instead of feeling slighted, the position group, led by the elder side of the pancake, is choosing to respond.

“It’s just the challenge. Every day, that’s our goal in the room: To get better,” said senior nickelback Keionte Scott. “With us being so talented, the only ways we’re able to give up things is just little mistakes. 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.”

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al.com

 

Why is Auburn wearing those navy pants with the “power stripe” at fall camp?

Published: Aug. 09, 2023, 7:30 a.m.

4–5 minutes

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Auburn running back Jarquez Hunter, right and the other running backs stretch during practice Tuesday, Aug. 8, 2023 in Auburn, Ala. (AL.com Photo/Stew Milne)Stew Milne

It all started when Auburn equipment manager Tyler Renard sat down one day and watched SportsCenter.

Renard saw footage of the San Francisco 49ers practicing and doing so in a uniform very similar to their game uniforms. And he loved it. Renard said he thought back to the famous saying of current Colorado head coach Deion Sanders: look good, feel good, play good.

“How can we execute this for our football team,” Renard said he asked himself then.

Renard thought that meant an updated look in practice. Since he began working at Auburn in April 2022, Renard said he and the equipment staff have been working on tweaks to the team’s practice uniform to look more realistic.

Now, that meant adding the iconic white, blue and orange “power stripe” onto pants that might not be so traditional.

At Auburn, football uniforms are an institution. Auburn’s blue home shirts with power stripe on the sleeve date back to the 1960s, according to AuburnUniforms.com. The power stripe was seen on the white road uniform back in the 1950s. The stripe was added to Auburn’s pants in the 1960s as well.

Those pants have always been white.

That tradition hasn’t extended to practice. It wasn’t until last year that Auburn had the last name’s on the practice uniforms, and when adding names on the back, Renard said he also worked with Under Armour to add the word “Auburn” on the front.

Renard said Auburn has worn navy blue pants at practice over the last two seasons. Players and fans alike both liked the altered look from the Auburn tradition, but Renard said the previous blue practice pants didn’t look as good as he wanted.

So he asked Under Armour to add the power stripe to the practice uniform, too.

“It’s a good way to get our practice look into our brand,” Renard said.

At Auburn’s first practice of preseason camp on August 3, the team ran out wearing navy pants with the power stripe. Auburn’s baseball and softball teams have worn blue pants in games before, but seeing the look on the football team known for white pants caught some eyes.

Photos of the updated look quickly spread on social media. Fans clamored for Auburn to bring the all-navy look worn by the offense to game action.

“The power stripe is such an identifiable trademark and item,” Renard said.

Renard said players asked to wear the uniforms in a game too. The look was so well-received Auburn tweeted to quell the noise.

And Renard emphasized these pants aren’t coming to a game anytime soon, if ever.

There’s a key problem: the practice pants don’t have a slot for knee pads.

But even if Renard were to add the area for knee pads to the navy pants, creating uniforms for practice is a very different process than uniforms for a game. Because of the tradition surrounding the game uniforms, any change would require many more steps and approval from top administrators in the athletic department, whereas Renard and the equipment staff have the say over the practice look.

As of now, there is no plan to pursue wearing the power stripe navy pants in a game.

Frankly, Renard sees no reason to change Auburn’s tradition.

Matt Cohen covers Auburn sports for AL.com. You can follow him on Twitter at @Matt_Cohen_ or email him at mcohen@al.com

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yahoo.com

 

Four-star EDGE CJ May lists Auburn in top-10

Taylor Jones

~2 minutes

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Auburn football landed a valuable recruit in Highland Home native Keldric Faulk during the 2023 recruiting cycle.  It appears that Hugh Freeze and his staff are not finished recruiting players from the tiny town in South Alabama.

Auburn is now in the hunt for Faulk’s high school teammate, CJ May. May is a four-star EDGE from the 2025 cycle, and is considered to be one of the state’s top players from the class. May revealed his top-10 schools on Monday, and included Auburn in the mix.

May considers the offer he received from Auburn in June to be meaningful.

“I received an offer from Auburn. It means a lot coming from the home state. It’s very hard to get those offers. Receiving an offer from my home state, it’s a blessed experience,” May said in an interview with Jason Caldwell of Auburn Undercover. “Me and coach (Jeremy) Garrett have a slight bond with him just coming here. The times we’ve met, we’ve always had a tight connection. That means a lot to me.”

May is a 6-4 EDGE, and is strongly considering programs such as Clemson, Georgia, Tennessee, and Ole Miss in addition to Auburn. He is the No. 13 player from the state of Alabama for the 2025 class according to 247Sports.

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Story originally appeared on Auburn Wire

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yahoo.com

 

5 post-spring additions who've stood out through Auburn football's first few fall practices

Richard Silva, Montgomery Advertiser

6–7 minutes

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AUBURN — It's a season of new beginnings for many within the Auburn football program.

Coach Hugh Freeze is entering his first year on the Plains, more than 40 new players were added this offseason and aside from a couple of holdovers from the last regime — assistant coaches Cadillac Williams and Zac Etheridge — it's a brand new staff for the Tigers.

But things are especially new for those who joined Auburn after spring practices concluded with A-Day on April 8. For that group — comprised of 10 freshman, nine transfers and two junior college pickups — it's been a whirlwind, as the sessions this fall have been the first time the coaching staff has seen them in a practice setting.

It's tough to standout given those circumstances, but here are five post-spring additions who've done just that and are turning heads through the early part of preseason practice.

OBSERVATIONS: Jeremiah Wright with the first group and other takeaways from Auburn football practice

MIXING AND MATCHING: How versatile can Auburn football's defensive front be in 2023?

RB Jeremiah Cobb

With Jarquez Hunter returning to practice, first-group reps are going to become increasingly more difficult for true freshman Jeremiah Cobb to come by.

But the former Montgomery Catholic star has definitely looked the part during the first few media viewing windows. He's listed at 5-foot-11, 185 pounds, and he's built like a prototypical running back, coupling that frame with some burst and a smooth game.

"He had a couple of really good runs today," offensive coordinator Philip Montgomery said Monday. "You see it, he's got a burst, he plays with speed, he's got good vision. The biggest thing for him as a freshman is just he wasn't here in the spring, so just trying to figure out what the process is, how to play fast, how to see things. ... I thought he has done a really good job."

Jack LB Jalen McLeod

If the Tigers are going to surpass expectations in 2023 — sportsbooks largely have Auburn's over/under at 6.5 wins — they'll need a pass rusher to step up. Derick Hall, Eku Leota and Colby Wooden are all off to the NFL, and only three sacks from non-DBs return to the Tigers from a season ago (Marcus Harris had two in 2022. Hayden Brice had one).

One of the candidates to break out is Appalachian State transfer Jalen McLeod, who put in a career-best season in 2022 with the Mountaineers, totaling 41 tackles, seven sacks and two forced fumbles.

"He’s a special talent, especially when it comes time to pin it back and go rush," defensive coordinator Ron Roberts said Monday. "Now, we haven’t done any real third-down stuff, so everything he’s done right now has really been sitting on first, second down, so he hasn’t had, really, the opportunities to do those.

"But he’s been very productive every practice really when he gets the opportunity to rush the quarterback. He did some things today. ... His physical toolset is pretty amazing. He’s a very talented individual. We’ve just got to get on the right track and make sure I’m putting him in the right spots."

 

Auburn jack linebacker Jalen McLeod (35) during a practice at the Woltosz Football Performance Center on Aug. 7.

 

WR Shane Hooks

One of four transfer receivers added this offseason, Hooks has been working his way up the rotation. He was with the third group at the first practice of the fall Aug. 3, but was seen Tuesday getting some reps with the first group, cycling on and off the field with the likes of Nick Mardner, Omari Kelly and Jyaire Shorter.

"I think their heads were spinning a little bit (early)," Montgomery said of Hooks and Shorter. "I think they’ve settled in each and every day, and you look at some of the plays that they’ve made throughout the last couple of days, they’ve really kind of started bringing some attention to themselves. I thought Shane really had a good day yesterday. (He) had a couple of big catches, some high-point things, some back-shoulder things. Really natural in that way. He’s a long receiver with huge hands, but did some nice area work right there."

S Sylvester Smith

He might not get on the field early considering who's in front of him, but freshman safety Sylvester Smith has done enough to make himself notable. He's been shadowing Keionte Scott in the nickel at practice, and starting CB DJ James pointed to Smith as an early standout in the secondary as a freshman.

"High motor," Scott said of Smith. "Just a kid that wants to be out there. He loves the game. You can tell he really loves playing football.”

WR Caleb Burton III

Ohio State transfer receiver Caleb Burton III continues to get praise from coaches and teammates. Malcolm Johnson Jr. said he's already stolen some route-running tricks from the redshirt freshman, and James noted Burton's speed as his biggest asset.

"He's one of the hardest-working dudes," Montgomery said of Burton. "This summer, he's getting his lifts and he's getting all the extra parts of it. ... Every day, you've got to (say to him), 'Alright, it's time to leave the building. Go get you some rest. Go get you something to eat.' He's that type of worker, and he's very professional about the way he handles his business.

"I think more than anything his discipline in that sense is the thing that is progressing him up."

 

Auburn DB Keionte Scott (0) and WR Caleb Burton III (10) during a practice at the Woltosz Football Performance Center on Aug. 6.

 

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: Auburn football: These 5 post-spring additions have been standing out

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auburnwire.usatoday.com

 

Where Robby Ashford falls in 247Sports' Power Five QB rankings

Taylor Jones

8–9 minutes

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Auburn, like several other programs across the SEC, has a quarterback issue that needs to be resolved.

Robby Ashford took over the starting quarterback role in week four of the 2022 season after previous starter T.J. Finley exited Auburn’s loss to Penn State after suffering a shoulder injury. Ashford would go on to pass for 1,613 yards and rush for an additional 849.

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As a passer, Ashford completed 49.2% of his passes. His intended targets dropped 16 passes, and Ashford himself threw 15 passes that were deemed “turnover worthy” by Pro Football Focus.

He hopes to redeem himself this season but will need to battle Michigan State transfer Payton Thorne and redshirt freshman Holden Geriner for the starting quarterback role.

If Ashford were to win the starting quarterback job, where would he stack up against the remainder of the Power Five’s best? 247Sports has provided an answer.

247Sports’ Clint Brewster has ranked all 64 projected starting quarterbacks from Power Five programs ahead of the 2023 season, where he listed Ashford as Auburn’s representative. If Ashford does win the job, he will have an opportunity to prove that he is worth more than his low ranking.

Here is a rundown of where each SEC quarterback is placed in 247Sports’ Power Five quarterback rankings.

Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports

Power Five ranking: No. 59

Missouri added Miami transfer Jake Garcia to the roster ahead of the 2023 season, but it seems as if Cook will remain QB1 for the Tigers. Cook competed in all 13 games last season and threw for 2,738 yards and 14 touchdowns.  If Missouri wants to win more than six games for the first time in the Eli Drinkwitz era, they will need Cook to step up.

AP Photo/Stew Milne

Power Five ranking: No. 51

Auburn fans are still awaiting a decision by head coach Hugh Freeze as to who will lead the Tigers’ offense in 2023. Ashford is the incumbent after participating in all 12 games last season and starting the final eight. He combined to gain 2,323 yards and score 14 touchdowns last season.

Matt Pendleton/Gainesville Sun

Power Five ranking: No. 47

Mertz comes to Florida from Wisconsin to fill the role left behind by first-round pick Anthony Richardson. Consistency has been an issue for Mertz, as he has struggled to complete over 60% of his passes in three seasons. The 2022 season was his best, as he completed 61% of his passes for 2,136 yards and 19 touchdowns.

For more Florida football news, visit Gators Wire.

Butch Dill-USA TODAY Sports

Power Five ranking: No. 46

Similar to Ole Miss, Alabama will have a three-way battle to fill the quarterback spot. Milroe has only thrown 60 passes in two seasons for Alabama for 338 yards and will battle Ty Simpson and Notre Dame transfer Tyler Buchner for the starting job.

For more Alabama football news, visit Roll Tide Wire.

Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports

Power Five ranking: No. 37

Swann played in nine games for Vanderbilt last season and passed for 1,274 yards and 10 touchdowns. After the departure of Mike Wright to fellow SEC program Mississippi State, it is Swann’s show in 2023. Can he lead the Commodores to their first bowl game in the Clark Lead era?

Carmen Mandato/Getty Images

Power Five ranking: No. 32

There is a battle brewing in College Station between Conner Weigman and Max Johnson for the starting quarterback role, but 247Sports is giving the early advantage to Weigman. Weigman threw eight touchdown passes in five games last season at Texas A&M without throwing an interception. He will have plenty of pressure to play at a consistent pace this season, as the Aggies look to win the SEC West.

For more Texas A&M news, visit Aggies Wire.

Justin Ford/Getty Images

Power Five ranking: No. 26

Jaxson Dart threw 20 touchdown passes in 2022 and passed for 2,974 yards for Ole Miss. However, his work will be cut out for him this season as he will have to compete with LSU transfer Walker Howard and Oklahoma State transfer Spencer Sanders for the starting quarterback role this season. There’s plenty of talent in Ole Miss’ QB room, but who will take the bulk of the snaps?

Joshua L. Jones/Athens Banner-Herald via USA TODAY NETWORK

Power Five ranking: No. 22

Taking over for a quarterback who led your program to two-straight College Football Playoff National Championships is no easy task, but that is what Carson Beck is expected to do for the Georgia Bulldogs. 247Sports does not know much about Beck personally but feels that he will have a safe first season as the starting quarterback.

A fourth-year Bulldog, Beck hasn’t played much for Georgia. So we don’t have a lot to go off of. He’s a big, talented passer with some deceptive mobility and has learned behind some good quarterbacks. Beck will have plenty of protection and also has the best tight ends in the country to work with. He could end the season as a top-10 passer or better on this list.

For more Georgia football news, check out UGA Wire.

Eric Espada/Getty Images

Power Five ranking: No. 20

Tennessee returned to the days of old last season by winning 11 games, defeating Alabama for the first time in 15 seasons, and by winning the Orange Bowl. In order to repeat that performance, the Volunteers must rely on quarterback Joe Milton, who is taking over for Hendon Hooker as QB1. 247Sports says that Milton has the “biggest arm in college football” but needs to prove that he can be consistent this season.

For more Tennessee news, visit Vols Wire.

Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports

Power Five ranking: No. 18

Some argue that Arkansas has the best QB/RB combo in the SEC heading into the year, and the argument is valid. Jefferson combined to gain 3,276 yards and score 33 touchdowns. Teams better have a great game plan if they hope to contain Jefferson this season.

For more Arkansas football news, visit Razorbacks Wire.

Matt Bush-USA TODAY Sports

Power Five ranking: No. 16

Rogers is moving from an air-raid system to a more pro-style form this season, so it will be interesting to see how he adjusts. However, he has passed for 10,689 yards and 82 touchdowns in three seasons as Mississippi State’s starting quarterback, so he has very little left to prove as a passer.

AP Photo/Artie Walker Jr.

Power Five ranking: No. 12

The stock continues to rise for South Carolina, as they took care of Tennessee and Clemson last season. 247Sports feels that Rattler will carry the momentum he built last season into 2023.

Rattler, much like Ewers, has an explosive arm with the ability to generate velocity without planting his feet. Rattler displayed what he was capable of with a six-touchdown game against Tennessee, but he struggled processing coverages early in the season. We expect more Tennessee-Rattler in 2023.

James Guillory-USA TODAY Sports

Power Five ranking: No. 11

Devin Leary was one of the hottest names in the transfer portal last cycle and was even being pursued heavily by Auburn. However, he begins the next step in his career by taking over the role of starting quarterback at Kentucky. An injury limited his time as a junior at NC State last season, but his popularity stems from his incredible season in 2021 when he passed for 3,433 yards and 35 touchdowns.

Stephen Lew-USA TODAY Sports

Power Five ranking: No. 7

Daniels became an instant legend in 2022. In his first season with LSU after transferring from Arizona State, Daniels completed 69% of his pass attempts for 2,913 yards and 17 touchdowns. His efforts helped LSU reach the SEC Championship game last season, and he is expected to put the Tigers in a position to do the same in 2023.

For more LSU Football news, visit LSU Tigers Wire.

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auburn.rivals.com

 

AuburnSports - JUCO DL a ‘special talent’

Bryan Matthews

2–3 minutes

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AUBURN | Quientrail Jamison-Travis still has a ways to go when it comes to being in game shape and understanding the defense.

But when he gets there, Auburn may have a special talent on their hands.

The junior college defensive lineman, who goes by Bobby, arrived in AU just a day before the start of fall camp.

“He’s a special talent,” said defensive coordinator Ron Roberts. “He has all the talent stuff. He was not here this summer so he’s a little far behind. We’re trying to play catch-up with him on a mental standpoint, what’s going on and what he has to do. He will impact and he’ll be a big part, because he’s a talented individual.

“So he’s got to play himself into shape. He wasn’t here for the summer for conditioning, weight-lifting, all that kind of stuff, probably a little bit out of shape, a little behind mentally right now, so we haven’t really seen what he’s capable of doing.”

Jamison-Travis, 6-foot-4 and 320 pounds, totaled 90 tackles, 20.0 tackles-for-loss and 10.5 sacks in two seasons at Iowa Western. He's been working mainly at defensive tackle and noseguard during the first week of fall camp.

One of the shrewdest moves that the Tigers’ coaching staff made was to room Jamison-Travis with senior defensive lineman Marcus Harris.

“He looks amazing. He's just naturally strong,” said Harris. “He kind of doesn't know the defense yet … We’re gonna get together a lot, and I'm gonna teach him the plays and teach him the technique. His eagerness to learn — he wants to learn. He's coming around, asking me questions all the time. He just wants to know and wants to get better.

“I can't wait to see once he's fully getting the aspect of the defense and fully locked in, I'm ready to see what he can do.”

Auburn will hold its sixth practice of fall camp Thursday morning.

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