8.27.23 Football Articles

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saturdaydownsouth.com

 

Tim Tebow delivers message to Auburn football team on what it means to be ‘actually passionate’

Andrew Olson

3–4 minutes

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Tim Tebow knows that what happens Sunday through Friday makes all the difference on Saturday. He recently shared that message with Hugh Freeze’s Auburn football team.

“Will you just be passionate when it comes to 8 o’clock for a big game? Or at 6 o’clock in the morning, will you still have the same passion?” Tebow asks in a video posted to social media by the Auburn football team.

“Really be willing to suffer in those moments, because those are the moments that are going to make you different than all the other teams. What are the differentiators for you? It’s that you’re actually passionate, meaning that when it gets hard, this is where I’m going to be different. I want to suffer so I can be the best, so we can be the best — meaning you care so much for something, you’re willing to suffer for it. That’s different than being excited, man. That’s different than being hyped.”

It was a timely visit from Tebow. The 2-time national champion and 2007 Heisman Trophy winner is featured prominently in the Netflix documentary “Untold: Swamp Kings,”  which chronicles Urban Meyer’s time at Florida. The documentary shows footage of the intense, demanding workouts installed by Meyer, which Tebow embraced as a fierce competitor.

“Swamp Kings” also focuses on the fact that Tebow never beat Auburn. The only loss of Florida’s 2006 national championship season, Tebow’s freshman year, came on the road at Auburn. The following year, AU stunned the Gators in The Swamp with a game-winning field goal. Tebow joked he wasn’t sure why Freeze would want him to speak to the team, given his history with the Tigers.

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Andrew is a News Manager for XL Media's Saturday Football brands. Follow on Twitter.

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auburnwire.usatoday.com

Former Auburn RB projects a monster season from Jarquez Hunter

Taylor Jones

~2 minutes

After two seasons of learning under Tank Bigsby, Jarquez Hunter is set to become Auburn’s feature back.

The problem (even if it is a great one) is that Auburn will have a stout running back room with Hunter, Damari Alston, and Brian Battie. Despite having to compete for carries, one former Auburn running back forecasts a great season ahead for RB1.

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“You can tell he’s hungry for this season,” Brad Lester said in an interview with AL.com. “Last year he just had to play the role behind Tank, but now that Tank is gone, he gets his opportunity.”

Freeze’s production, historically, has come primarily from the air. In his ten years as a head coach, Freeze has only coached one back who has rushed for over 1,000 yards. As he steps into a program that is historically known for producing great running backs, he may lead his first running back to a 1,500-yard season.

“That’s something that’s more than attainable, especially with Coach (Hugh) Freeze,” Lester said. “When people talk about Coach Freeze, they talk about throwing the football. But from what I’ve seen in the past years when he has solid running backs, he really likes to establish the run game.”

Hunter enters the 2023 season with 1,261 yards and 10 touchdowns in two seasons at Auburn.

Contact/Follow us @TheAuburnWire on  X (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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al.com

NFL Saturday night: Daniel Carlson connects from 62

Updated: Aug. 27, 2023, 12:00 a.m.|Published: Aug. 26, 2023, 11:45 p.m.

12–15 minutes

Rookie kicker Anders Carlson made a 57-yard field goal in the Green Bay Packers’ 19-15 victory over the Seattle Seahawks during an NFL preseason game on Saturday afternoon.

Carlson’s kick was 1 yard short of the franchise record for the longest field goal. But it turned out to be not even the longest in his family for the day.

In the Las Vegas Raiders’ 31-16 loss to the Dallas Cowboys on Saturday night, Daniel Carlson made a 62-yard field goal. In league history, only 14 field goals of at least 62 yards have been made in NFL regular-season games.

Daniel Carlson and Anders Carlson are brothers. Anders followed Daniel as Auburn’s kicker after his brother set the SEC career scoring record while with the Tigers.

Daniel Carlson also made field goals of 44 and 50 yards plus an extra point for the Raiders on Friday night.

Carlson set an NFL single-season record for field goals of at least 50 yards with 11 in 2022, when he was the kicker on the AP’s All-Pro team.

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al.com

Why Hugh Freeze thinks he has to be the ‘practice jerk’ at Auburn

Published: Aug. 26, 2023, 10:25 a.m.

4–5 minutes

Auburn football head coach Hugh Freeze talks with the media before practice Thursday, Aug. 17, 2023 in Auburn, Ala. (AL.com Photo/Stew Milne)Stew Milne

The problem started with Auburn’s secondary. It’s one of Auburn’s only position groups with returning experience and on paper, could be the team’s strongest overall unit. Cornerbacks Nehemiah Pritchett and DJ James both have NFL potential and are among the best players and leaders on Auburn’s roster.

And according to Hugh Freeze, they practiced like they knew that.

“It’s really easy if you think you’re the guy, which they are, it’s really easy to coast and I thought they coasted some the first week,” Freeze said. “I mean, both of those have the potential to be all-SEC type players, whether it’s first team, second team, whatever. So practice like it.”

Pritchett and James struggled early on in the preseason, and that showed in Auburn’s first scrimmage when the entire secondary tackled poorly. Auburn needed that group to be one it can count on without questions.

So Freeze called out Pritchett and James. He thinks it worked.

“If you can call your best players out and they respond well, that sure helps you as a coach with everybody else,” Freeze said after Auburn’s second scrimmage. “And so I thought they kind of flipped the switch a little bit and had a better week.”

It’s all part of Freeze’s new strategy as a head coach. He wants to be a jerk.

During practice, Freeze wears a microphone that plays through the large speakers hanging over the practice field. His voice, though often fairly indescribable, will play over the blaring music during drills.

He said being this jerk in practice, whether in a player’s face or overhead, is what he’s learned about coaching an Auburn group he said is in need of a culture change.

“I think every DNA of every team I’ve coached is a little different and every staff is a little different,” Freeze said. “Truthfully, the last four years, I haven’t had to be, how should I say it, the practice jerk. But I’ve kind of found out I need to be that here, and calling people out. I like to refer to it as calling people up.”

That’s what Freeze did with Pritchett and James — calling them up, to use his words. The idea is not to be a coach that everyone hates, but to be hard on his players as a means of motivation to get what he wants out of them.

“I think it’s been good,” quarterback Payton Thorne said of Freeze being a so-called jerk. “I expect Coach to push me. I feel like that’s definitely something he’s gonna do and continue to do. I feel like it’s been good. I love everything Coach is preaching. I believe in what Coach is preaching. I feel like our relationship will continue to grow and move in the right direction.”

It seemed to work for the secondary, which Freeze said showed much improved tackling during Auburn’s second week of practice and second scrimmage, but still needs to improve getting off blocks.

Freeze called the secondary the team’s most improved unit over the second week of practice.

This whole summer with Auburn has been about experimenting. Freeze brought in over 40 new players — something he’s never done before and which at the start of fall camp Freeze said made him uncomfortable — and tried to reshape Auburn to fit his image. That meant what he hopes will be an infusion of talent to a roster that had struggled in the SEC the last two seasons, a change at quarterback, building optimism around the recruiting trail and a change in schematic philosophy.

“I’m figuring out the coaches too and what I need to do to motivate our team,” Freeze said.

Turns out that meant a change in his coaching philosophy too. It’s another one of the many experiments to see what works. Freeze said every team has a different make up, but that’s also not something he was going to have a grasp on quickly.

This is the culture he hopes to build — of playing to the standard he holds. He doesn’t want to be a jerk forever.

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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247sports.com

 

For rising Auburn linebacker Eugene Asante its work time all the time

Nathan King

10–13 minutes

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Eugene Asante admits his new catchphrase — impossible not to recognize within Auburn’s walls — wasn’t his idea. But he at least put his own spin on it.

Auburn’s fifth-year senior linebacker doesn’t have a ton of time to play video games, but he enjoys unwinding by watching Madden gameplay streams. One of his favorite professional gamers often hypes himself up with the words so commonly shouted by Asante this preseason: “Let’s work!”

The first time Asante tested it out with his teammates was over the summer, during a workout session with first-year Auburn strength coach Dominic Studzinski. He and the Tigers’ strength staff stopped the workout and said the energy was lacking.

Asante saw the opportunity.

“So I just started yelling, ‘Work time! Let’s work!’” Asante said with a laugh. “And that’s while we’re doing sprints and lifting weights. And I started seeing guys be like, 'OK, we like this.' And it just went from there.”

It’s now become a staple of Auburn practices. Throughout the Tigers’ first preseason camp of the Hugh Freeze era, Asante — who entered August mostly as an off-the-radar contributor for the Auburn defense — made his name known with massive strides on the practice field, rising through a linebacking corps blended with first-year transfers and returnees. A transfer himself last year, Asante may very well have played his way into a starting role when Auburn begins its 2023 campaign Saturday against UMass (2:30 p.m. CST, ESPN).

And he’s also made himself known in the hallways of Auburn’s $92 million facility, where “work time” can be heard all the way from the locker room, among the clattering of helmets and equipment before and after practice.

“Now every time I walk in that building, I promise you, someone greets me with, ‘Let’s work,’” Asante said in an interview with Auburn Undercover. “It gravitates to Auburn, too, so that’s why I really like it. ‘Work, hard work’ is in the creed. Auburn is built on hard-working people.”

Asante rode a bike, handed out pencils and preached 'academic excellence' to students on the first day of classes (@AuburnFootball on Twitter)

Asante has become such a popular character on this year’s team that he made the trek over to Auburn’s main concourse on the first day of fall semester classes two weeks ago. He suited up in his full uniform and did his best to fire up students on their way to class, asked if anyone needed a pencil, if laptops were charged and, of course, declared “work time.”

Surely Asante volunteered? Nope. Who else would Auburn’s ask to energize students on the first day of class than the man behind “work time.”

“They came to me, actually, and thought that would be a good idea,” Asante said with a laugh. “I guess I understand why.”

***

As Asante began playing football at a young age, he didn’t need to look far to find inspiration.

By the time Asante was 10 years old, his older brother, Larry Asante, was an All-Big 12 safety at Nebraska. Eugene remembers being awestruck hearing his brother’s name on TV — from the college level to the pros, where Larry was drafted in the fifth round in 2010. Retiring from the NFL in 2015, Larry Asante is now an assistant coach at Coffeyville (Kansas) Community College.

But Eugene’s deepest inspiration — as a player and as a man — always came from his father. After dealing with health complications throughout Asante’s life, he passed away last February.

“It’s crazy you interviewed me today,” Asante said last Monday.

Why was that?

“Today would have been his 71st birthday,” said Asante, who credits his father’s example for the enthusiasm and passion he displays at Auburn.

"The energy I play with is trying to embody the strength and resilience my dad displayed,” Asante said. “I live to honor him in all things as a person and player.”

A former 4-star recruit from Alexandria, Virginia, Asante joined the Tigers last offseason with 22 games of experience in the ACC, including five starts, as Auburn looked to replace both its leading tacklers: Zakoby McClain and Chandler Wooten. But just a month after Asante arrived at Auburn last year — transferring after three years at North Carolina — he missed two weeks of spring practice to be with his family.

Tacking onto the already challenging task of getting up to speed with the Tigers’ defense after missing time in spring ball, Asante was also nagged by an offseason injury. He ended up appearing in only four games last year, all on special teams.

“He had a tough year,” first-year linebackers coach Josh Aldridge said this preseason. “I think he's just cleared his head. … He's just really caught on. He's a joy to coach. I love coaching him. He's a fun kid.”

Asante is appreciative of Freeze and Auburn’s new coaching staff for giving him and other players a clean slate to prove themselves. It took a toll, he admitted, going to practice every day and knowing there were slim chances, if any, that he’d contribute at all for Auburn’s defense last year.

“When you have a new coach come in, there’s new opportunities for everybody,” Asante said. “I’m not going to speak on the past and what (Bryan) Harsin did, but certain coaches sometimes say there will be opportunities for players, then there’s not. Just truthfully, that’s me being honest. They’re going to go with who they’re going to go with.

“You have to have some mental fortitude when you go out and practice every day and know that there may not be an opportunity for you, regardless of how well you practice.”

Asante started his personal rebuilding process at Auburn early this offseason, attempting to absorb as much about the new defensive scheme as possible. From winter workouts, spring practice, summer workouts and preseason camp, he wanted to learn the systematic goals for both defensive coordinator Ron Roberts and Aldridge — what they want out of Auburn’s linebackers on a play-to-play basis.

“The biggest thing that allowed me to grow was just getting familiarity with the system and my teammates,” Asante said. “Every day I just try to increase my learning and my thought process with the system. I’m trying to learn situations that my defensive coordinator and linebacker coach call, why they’re calling them. I’m still trying to improve; that’s an ongoing process always, just being a football player and trying to be more cerebral.”

While playing catch-up most of last year, Asante admitted he was “relying on my athleticism” too much and not developing a deep enough understanding of the defensive system and playbook. But this preseason, it was Asante’s cerebral approach that elevated him not only in the linebacker room, but as one of the standout performers on Auburn’s defense overall.

“I thought he did a good job of understanding the defense more,” Roberts said of Asante. “And that’s put him in a spot — right now he’s in a spot to go compete for a job, a starting job.”

It’s a different feeling, Asante said, not only for him, but the entire roster.

“They’re going to put whoever out there,” Asante said of the Tigers’ new coaches. “If there’s a walk-on doing well, they’ll play him if he’s doing what the coaches ask. Coach Freeze is truly a man of his word, and that’s why a lot of guys have bought in — they see that with their own two eyes.”

***

Roberts declared Auburn will have a “linebacker-driven defense” in 2023.

And Asante could very well be one of the Tigers put behind that steering wheel most often.

“When I first got here I came in here and I got asked what are we looking for in a linebacker,” Aldridge said. “The word I used was dynamic. That’s what (Asante) brings. He’s not a one-trick pony. He can run, he’s physical, he’s smart. All those things.”

Cam Riley and Wesley Steiner both return after starting the majority of last season, but Aldridge was sure to mine the portal for even more experience and pieces for what he hopes is deep rotation. Auburn brought in Austin Keys from Ole Miss, who started nine games in the SEC last season, and Larry Nixon III from North Texas, who had 105 tackles as an All-Conference USA performer.

Riley said while meeting with reporters last week that most players in the room have been versatile, repping at both the middle and weakside linebacker spots this preseason. At 6-foot-5, Riley could play more snaps than anyone, Aldridge said, in a bit of a hybrid role, flexing between mike, will and jack linebacker. Keys has been out for a couple weeks with a shoulder injury but is the probable starter for Auburn at middle linebacker. Nixon can play both spots in the box.

Asante’s emergence has primarily been centered around his contributions on the weak side. A couple weeks into preseason camp, he began commanding a large chunk of first-team reps.

This offseason, Asante has surged from special teams contributor to potential starter at linebacker (Austin Perryman / Auburn Athletics)

“From what he’s been putting on tape — and you all have probably seen it, too — it looks like he’s played a whole season,” Riley said.

Asante is fine with the linebackers being under the microscope by Roberts and Auburn’s defensive staff heading into the season. Expectations should be always high for that group, he thinks.

“Playing linebacker nowadays, in my opinion, you have to be the spark plug of the defense,” Asante said. “You have to get everything going and get guys aligned, sure. But guys have to be able to look you in the eyes and know you’re ready to go to war. You’re the guy that has to rally the troops. I want other guys to be confident in their work and preparation.”

And when the Tigers are on the field with Asante, that confidence is certainly infectious — just as he had hoped when he began to copy his favorite Madden streamer. Bring up Asante’s name, and any of his teammates immediately start to smile and nod.

“'Let's work,’” pass-rusher Jalen McLeod jokingly yelled. “That's his saying right there. He's fast; he's sideline-to-sideline, too. He's about my size, and he's explosive. He brings that juice every time.”

Does it ever get tiring? “Sometimes,” Asante chuckled. But he’s vowed to never let it show. His coaches and teammates have now grown to trust that Asante will always light that fuse, and he doesn’t want to let them down.

“If I’m bringing the energy and the juice, I’ve realized it’s like a domino effect,” Asante said. “Everybody’s game is being elevated. It’s such a big thing.

Asante finds that his responsibilities as an Auburn football player are now reflective of his own life. After change and heartbreak, he endured with patience and resilience, and has now risen to a prominent role — thanks to “work time” all the time.

“There’s going to be times when you’re down, and when the situation you’re looking at isn’t the best for you,” Asante said. “But it’s unflinching, never waiver, never quit, that kind of energy. I just want our guys to always have that. So that means I’ve got to always have that.”

*** Subscribe to Auburn Undercover for the latest news and intel, podcasts, recruiting coverage and more ***

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247sports.com

Quotes of note from 24 Auburn players this preseason

Nathan King

17–21 minutes

In total, 24 Auburn players spoke to reporters this preseason

With the Tigers set to conduct a walkthrough practice in Jordan-Hare Stadium on Saturday, the team will conclude its final weekend before the season officially starts Sunday with game week and preparations for the opener against UMass (2:30 p.m. CST, ESPN).

And over the course of the preseason, 24 players spoke to reporters about their progress during camp, how newcomers are performing, the quarterback competition, their new coaches and more.

In position order, here's one standout comment from each from the past month of practice.

QB PAYTON THORNE

On leaving Michigan State: “It was a quick thing that happened. If you had asked me a week before I committed or a week before I got in the portal if I was transferring, I would have been like, ‘What are you talking about?’ There were a few things that happened — way in the past in the whole offseason. When I entered the portal, talking to Coach Freeze and the coaches here, I thought it was a no-brainer to come here.”

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RB DAMARI ALSTON

On taking the next step in his sophomore season: “In the offseason I was like, ‘I’ve just got to be different. If I want to get to the goals that I’m trying to achieve, I literally have to be different. I have to do things that other people aren’t doing at specific times. I have to take the next step. I’m doing what’s required, but I’m also going to do a little bit more. You’re going to see me, most of the times I’m the last one off the field. That’s just how I roll. I’ve got to be different.”’

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WR CAMDEN BROWN

On his goals at Auburn: “My goal is definitely to win a championship — even if I don't win it this year, I've got to win one before I get out of here. I've always been a winner at St. Thomas (Aquinas), and I won two state championships. My other goal is to beat Bama. I've got to beat Dallas Turner (Brown's high-school teammate) for sure. That's my boy, but I've got to beat him. Just being a champion, for sure. Getting 1,000 yards will come with the Lord himself, so I don't want to make that a goal. I feel like that's just going to happen.”

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WR JAY FAIR

On his improvements this offseason: "I feel like I used to struggle with leadership early on, but I feel like I just got more comfortable with the hard work I put in just to kind of accept that role and realize that I'm not the same guy I was last year. I got a year under my belt. A couple of experiences. I've been through adversity, so I kind of see a lot more than before, so I just feel like that confidence just kind of came within the hard work that I put in and the guys around me that believed me."

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WR MALCOLM JOHNSON JR.

On relationship with Marcus Davis: "I would say that Coach Davis is somebody that we can all relate to. He's been in our shoes before. He's also a great leader, and he preaches a lot of things I care about like religion and God. He always open up with a Bible verse with each meeting. I think that's something that really stands out. He also takes it upon himself to make each and every one of us better than we were before."

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TE TYLER FROMM

On entering fifth season at Auburn: "I've pretty much transferred three times but stayed in the same place. I'll tell you what: I think it was in January or February, after being in the new facility, it didn't even feel like Auburn. Once we got here I was like, this is incredible. It didn't feel like the same place I got recruited to and when I first got here. I took a walk through the old facility and took in the old memories of being over there. It's only been four years but still, it feels like it's totally different than what it is now."

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OT DILLON WADE

On his progression since transferring to Auburn: “The summer, I was a little raw. I tried to play with athleticism. Now, in fall camp, we’re focusing more on technique. My technique has definitely improved. Learning how to stay lateral and square. Coach Thornton is doing a good job teaching us all to stay square and not give up our edge. And just play football.”

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OL GUNNER BRITTON

On his development in the strength program: "Going into the season I was around 301 or 302. Today I weighed 312 and that’s through camp. I actually gained a pound from yesterday. I have gotten up about 10 more pounds, but the biggest thing is transforming my body going into the year and trying to cut down on my fat. That’s just a credit to our strength staff and our nutritionist. They do a great job. I have never had a group so supportive of me as a player. Trying to individualize as much as they can to every player and having every player’s needs met."

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OL JALIL IRVIN

On gelling with newcomers on the offensive line: "I think it’s helped us mature. We know how to communicate. We all have that sense of urgency to just do the right thing. We have the sense of urgency to get the job done. Come the first game we’ve got to be ready to go. Once you get to SEC play, I mean, shoot, everyone’s gotta be ready to play. I think that’s the biggest thing. We know how to gel together. We’ve done things outside the facility. I think that’s a big thing too, just being together on and off the field. That’s the biggest thing."

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C AVERY JONES

On offensive line depth: "It’s real important because you never know what’s going to happen in a long season, especially in the SEC. A guy could go down at any point. I think it’s just important that guys can play different positions. Guys can come off the bench and have that same intensity. That same knowing what to do if one of the starting guys comes down."

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OG TATE JOHNSON

On infusion of experience from transfer offensive linemen: "The thing about the older guys is they know how grueling a football season can be, especially at this level. What I really pick up from a lot of these older guys is how well they take care of their bodies. You can come into practice every day and practice and then leave and go lay down in the lounge locker room for three hours until the next meeting but you're going to feel like crap the next day. Just getting done with practice, going to eat, going to the training room for an hour and a half. Really taking care of your body, that's what all these older guys understand is very important."

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NT JAYSON JONES

On his improvements in Year 2 at Auburn: "I have started to realize my weaknesses. Me and (Jeremy) Garrett sat down and talked about my weaknesses and stuff I wanted to improve on. Each and every day, I want to find something that I have a weakness at and improve on it. I think pad level was the biggest thing for me. I’m 6-6 and touching 6-7, but I’m 6-8 with cleats on. Not a lot of D-linemen are my size with cleats on. That was one of the struggles for me and I’m still fighting that now."

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NT JUSTIN ROGERS

On competing with Jones: "It's like a brotherhood, you know? We're going to keep pushing each other. I don't even look at it as who gets the starting job. It's, like, who can out-work each other while we're doing the drill? So I look at stuff like that and we're just going to keep pushing and I'm just (going to) keep pushing him. And he's teaching me stuff I'm using, (and) I teach him stuff he can use."

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DT MARCUS HARRIS

On bringing in so many newcomers on defense: "That was the most difficult part just getting to know people and just genuinely getting to know their stories. Because if you know everybody’s story, you’ll know why they play the game, you’ll know 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’s made it very easy for us."

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JACK JALEN MCLEOD

On transfer to Auburn: “Me and my mom prayed so many times. My momma gets real nervous. So we prayed. The second thing — I had to see through everything. I'm older; I'm not a high-schooler. They tell high-schoolers certain things. I knew when I came to Auburn, they were telling the truth. And it's still the same. It feels like recruitment every day. They talk to you, they make sure they text me. They make sure I'm good, they make sure my family's good. It's love here.”

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LB CAM RILEY

On his role this season: "You all have heard about me bouncing from outside to inside. It'll be a big role for me this season, coming into my senior year. Playing the Sam position to the inside, that elevates my game and gives me some bounce-around to both positions. You all should see me on the edge this year."

LB AUSTIN KEYS

On his improvements since the spring: "I'd say I got better with my hands and definitely vision. Some things I didn't just catch and helped me. Studying. Studying took me a long way, you know. I've gotten my playbook more so that helped me too."

LB WESLEY STEINER

On Eugene Asante's growth: "Fast and emphatic. He was that way last year, especially in the spring game if anyone watched. That’s just how he kind of is. He has his own personality. I think it’s good that he can show his personality the way he best shows it on the field. That’s being very expressive. I’m proud to have a player like that on the team."

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DB KEIONTE SCOTT

On role as recruiter this offseason: "I just feel like at the end of the day just how I was raised, was to leave stuff better than you found it. So I feel like if I can talk to a recruit and be able to recruit for us, I want to win. I want to see Auburn win and win for a long time after me. Just being able to get around some of those guys and just telling them from my experience. Not trying to sell them a dream or anything but just tell them how I feel like Auburn can help them and Auburn helped me. Once I’m able to tell them that and they go talk to the coaches, and the coaches are telling them the same thing and it’s like, ‘OK, I’ve heard it from a player and I’ve heard it from a coach.’"

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CB D.J. JAMES

On goals of being an All-American this season: "Just seeing different routes, different players, different receivers. I hadn't seen a lot or played a lot of football. So I feel like that plays a factor in just my performance and how fast I play. And just also learning the game as well. Just being with the coaches more, being in the field room studying formations, just knowing what's coming before it comes."

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CB NEHEMIAH PRITCHETT

On why he returned for another year at Auburn: "I felt like (Hugh Freeze) was building something different. Now that I have been here with him building this program, it is headed in the right direction. That’s one of the main reasons I came back."

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S JAYLIN SIMPSON

On his experience entering 2023: "I don't really know anybody else's confidence on defense, but I feel like I have the best confidence, so when I step on the field, I feel like I'm confident in every call I can make, every check, I can do everything, anything. I feel like I'm a dangerous person when I step on the field."

S ZION PUCKETT

On relationship with Simpson at Safety: "We've been here, this is our fifth year. Just having that relationship with him off the field helps you on the field. Like, when you closer to somebody and bonding you can kind of connect with them on the field."

P OSCAR CHAPMAN

On kicker Alex McPherson: "He’s just excelled. He’s just kicking bombs and he’s consistent and he’s having fun. He’s relaxed, but he gets the job done. There’s still a little bit to improve because he’s still a freshman – a redshirt freshman – but he’s got everything for him. He’s just got to show everyone this year having a full year."

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Phillip's Saturday morning musings

Bouncing around the Auburn beat and beyond

Assumptions about season-opener can be dangerous

Regardless of the opponent, regardless of the talent difference, assuming anything about what will happen when Auburn begins the Hugh Freeze era against UMass on Saturday is dangerous business.

In 1999, there was lots of excitement as Tommy Tuberville headed toward his first Auburn game. FCS foe Appalachian State wasn’t given much if any chance.

Appalachian State didn’t get the message, leading 12-7 at halftime and 15-7 with 10 minutes left in the third quarter. Auburn tied it at 15 near the two-minute mark of the third quarter on a touchdown and two-point conversion.

Rob Bironas missed a 32-yard field goal try that would have given Auburn the lead with 10:11 left in the game. With Auburn facing third-and-13 at its own 22 inside the three-minute mark, it seemed the game was headed for overtime. As Leard stood up to call the signals, the ball was snapped. He wasn’t looking. The ball was snapped. As the ball bounced inside the 5-yard line, Appalachian’s defense was closing in. Travaris Robinson, who would become an All-SEC safety, was a freshman wide receiver. He saw it all unfold and raced toward the ball. He got there just in time to recover at the 4.

After an exchange of punts, Auburn quarterback Ben Leard led a 77-yard drive and hit Ronney Daniels with a game-winning 33-yard touchdown pass with 38 seconds left in the game.

It’s not just in season-openers that trouble can come.

In 1991, Auburn had to kick a last-second field goal to beat Southwest Louisiana 25-24. In 1990, Auburn had to kick a field goal in the final seconds to beat Louisiana Tech, playing its first season in Division I-A, 16-14. In 1996, Auburn had to have a goal-line stand and a late 6-yard touchdown run by Kevin McLeod in the final two minutes to escape Northeast Louisiana 28-24.

In 2017, the same Auburn team that would knock off Alabama and Georgia and win the West, lost four fumbles and had to score late to put away Mercer 24-14. Need I remind anyone of the 2015 team having to go to overtime to beat Jacksonville State?

The moral of the story: Auburn will almost certainly beat UMass on Saturday, but it might not be a thing of beauty.

New-look Auburn football team

No one will know for certain until we see who takes the field, but it’s safe to say an unprecedented number of starters will play their first Auburn football game on Saturday. It is going to be fascinating to see what happens next Saturday and beyond.

The end of a college football era

With the start of the season today, college football will begin the march toward the end of an era. So much of what caused so many to fall in love with the sport will vanish after this season.

Conference – most of them – will have no geographic roots. The Big Ten and, maybe, soon the ACC will have teams that are thousands of miles apart. Cherished rivalries will vanish. Twelve teams will qualify for the College Football Playoff after the 2024 season. Conference championships will lose much of their importance, just as they have in sports like basketball, baseball and softball.

Where does it all end? I don’t believe anyone really knows. Maybe we will look back and say college football better and maybe will look back and say it destroyed the fabric of the game. One thing is certain: It is going to be different than it has ever been.

Documentary or hype video?

A “documentary” on Florida football under Urban Meyer that doesn’t touch on the Florida football pipeline to the local lockup or Meyer’s “health” problems or the Aaron Hernandez saga or defending the indefensible is not a documentary at all. It’s a hype video and nothing more.

Clock rules changes

Three clock rules changes are going to have some impact on games, starting Saturday.

The most significant change is not stopping the clock on first downs other than in the last two minutes of each half. That’s just another step toward becoming NFL lite. Don’t buy the notion that it’s about safety. It’s about trying to get games in a three-hour window for TV. I don’t like changing the rules based on how much time is left in games. Never have.

Teams can no longer call consecutive timeouts before a play is run, meaning no more multiple timeouts to ice kickers. I like that change.

Instead of running untimed downs after penalties at the ends of quarters, the next play will be run in the following quarter. I really don’t believe that one is going to have much impact beyond taking a handful of plays out of some games.

If football is so incredibly dangerous that there must be searches for ways to reduce the number of plays, maybe they should just go to 12-minute quarters. That would certainly do the trick. Other than most people would hate it, the reason something like that won’t be considered is that it would reduce the number of advertising spots available. Can’t have that.

Texas, Texas, more Texas

I do not understand the fascination with Texas. It didn’t just start this year. It has been most every year. For more than a decade, the Longhorns have been mediocre at best. I heard the dreaded “it’s good for college football” about Texas the other day. It seems to me college football has done just fine with Texas floundering around.

Former coaches want no part of the new ways

I have talked to a handful of retired football coaches this week. Us old folks like to chat. All expressed similar sentiments. They are glad they don’t have to deal with the craziness in today’s college game. All also agreed that penalty-free transfers are a bigger problem than NIL.

Big Ten does gamblers a favor

The Big Ten will institute injury reports this season. That has nothing to do with keeping the fans informed and everything to do with keeping the gamblers informed. I understand gambling is widespread, but I don’t believe college football conferences should get into that act in any way.  If somebody loses a bet because of not knowing if a player was available, too bad. That should not be a concern of any conference.

The Big Ten release says the rule is meant to help prevent players and staff from engaging in prohibited sports gambling. I’m not sure I get that. Players – all of them – know the rules. If they choose to break those rules, that and the resulting punishment is on them. They should not need any “help.”

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247sports.com

Auburn commitment analysis What the Tigers are getting in Dimitry Nicolas

Jason Caldwell

2–3 minutes

VIDEO: 4-star Safety Zaquan Patterson nearing decision | College Football Recruiting Show

It only took one trip for Dimitry Nicolas to know where he wanted to be. The big defensive lineman announced his commitment to Auburn on Friday, choosing the Tigers over Florida, Miami and Pittsburgh.

“It’s Auburn,” Nicolas told Auburn Undercover. “It’s just the connection with the coaches and the family feel. They can help my career and develop me into who I want to be in life.”

Profiling as an interior defensive lineman and potentially even a nose tackle one day, Nicolas is currently listed at 6-foot-4 and 295 pounds. He’s ranked in the industry-generated 247Sports Composite as a 3-star the No. 545 player, No. 54 defensive lineman and No. 74 player from Florida. 247Sports ranks Nicolas as the No. 45 defensive lineman and No. 72 player from Florida.

Defensive line coach Jeremy Garrett was a crucial part of his recruitment.

“You know he’s a cool guy. It’s about more than just football with him,” Nicolas said.

From Norland (Fla.), Nicolas took his first visit up to Auburn for Big Cat Weekend and left impressed. Since then, Auburn continued to recruit him and opted to take his commitment on Friday.

It was shortly after Big Cat Weekend when Nicolas knew he wanted to be on the Plains.

“Like the next few days after I knew,” Nicolas said.

For Auburn’s 2024 class,  Garrett now holds commitments from Nicolas, Composite 4-star Malik Blocton and Composite 4-star TJ Lindsey. Lindsey projects as more of a defensive end, while Blocton can shift around and primarily play the 3-tech, with Nicolas as the interior option.

“They want me to fit in the nose guard to tackle position,” Nicolas said. “So the one-, two- and three-tech.”

Auburn’s class remains at No. 14 in the 247Sports team recruiting rankings, now with 17 total commitments.

His message to the fans? Simple.

“War Eagle,” Nicolas said.

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have a great day folks and thanx for stopping by.

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247sports.com

 

PMARSHONAU Auburn Freeze embark on season of uncertainty

Phillip Marshall

18–23 minutes

---

How could anyone be certain of anything about the coming season?

It’s game week at last. Next Saturday afternoon, Hugh Freeze will lead his first Auburn football team out of the tunnel and onto Pat Dye Field at Jordan-Hare Stadium. I don’t believe at any time in half a century I have been less certain about what I will see in the games to come. I could see this team being really good and writing a happy chapter in Auburn football history. I could see this team being good but not quite good enough against the challenges that aait. With more than 40 players – transfers and freshmen – wearing Auburn uniforms for the first time, how could anyone be certain of anything?

You won’t find any predictions here today. They would be meaningless. Here are some thoughts:

The Tigers face a really challenging road. Not many teams would want to swap places. Their first three SEC games are at No. 23 Texas A&M, at home against No. 1 Georgia and at No. 5 LSU. This team could be good and getting better and not win any of those games. And then, of course, there will be the Iron Bowl against No. 4 Alabama at Jordan-Hare.

To have a great season, the Tigers would have to win their share of the aforementioned games. Can that happen who knows? As daunting as those games are, there are no SEC cupcakes.

Auburn also faces a cross-country trip to California and home SEC games against Mississippi State and No. 22 Ole Miss. It goes on the road to play Vanderbilt and Arkansas. Those five games, maybe even including Vanderbilt, look akin to tossups to me. Auburn could win any of them or all of them, but it could also lose any of them.

Those five games could be the tell the story of the coming season.

***

I enjoyed watching the first day of college football Saturday. With all the craziness going on, the game is still the game.

Forget that business of UMass being the worst team in the FBS, which was predictable in the second season under a good coach and is the reason all those kinds of lists in the preseason are ridiculous. The Minutemen actually looked good in whacking New Mexico State 41-30 on the road. Should they be a big problem for Auburn? They shouldn’t be, but they could be.

How? Go with me back to 2017. The Tigers had to score late to secure a 24-10 win over Mercer, a bad team. That happened because Auburn lost fumbles at the Mercer 24, at its own 27, at the Mercer 9 and at their own 49. They threw an interception at the Mercer 24 and missed a 26-yard field goal try. Do all those things, and just about anybody can beat you and will at least make it a fourth-quarter game.

***

What a terrific win for Jacksonville State. The Gamecocks, playing at home in their first game as an FBS program, beat UTEP 17-14. But what a strange finish it was. With 1:21 left, the Miners faced third-and-one at the Jacksonville State 24. A pass in the end zone fell incomplete. On fourth-and-1, a pass was intercepted. UTEP had averaged five yards per rush in the second half. Go figure.

***

In beating San Jose State 56-28, USC looked a lot like last season to me: dominant on offense, shaky on defense. So it has been and probably always will be for head coach Lincoln Riley.

***

Maybe I know one reason tight end Rivaldo Fairweather transferred from Florida International to Auburn. In a 22-17 loss to Louisiana Tech on Saturday, FIU passed for all of 4 yards. 4 yards.

***

Notre Dame and transfer quarterback Sam Hartman looked great in crushing Navy 42-3. But Navy was really bad last season and seems to be just as bad this season.

Until next time …

Freshman report card: How Auburn's 2023 class performed in preseason camp

Auburn has some new faces capable of contributing right away in their freshman seasons

VIDEO: Highlights of Auburn commit Jakaleb ""JJ" Faulk from Highland Home's jamboree game

Auburn roster turnover this offseason featured more than a 50 percent overhaul in terms of scholarship players, and while the Tigers' highly touted transfer class will likely make the biggest immediate impact, Hugh Freeze's first recruiting class on the Plains has some intriguing pieces, too.

And those 21 players — JUCO signees included — went through their first preseason camp at Auburn this month, ending last Saturday with the team's second and final scrimmage. While the top recruits in the class made their presence felt early and often, there are plenty of other names who could also find themselves on the field this fall. Let's check in on how the 2023 class fared in camp, and assess each player's redshirt chances this season.

Players are presented in ascending order of their 247Sports Composite ranking.

 

QB HANK BROWN

 

(Austin Perryman / Auburn Athletics)

Where he stands: After following Freeze and flipping from Liberty to Auburn, the 3-star wasn’t necessarily included in the team’s plans for the quarterback competition. Even going back to the summer, Freeze only named the top three QBs in terms of contenders to win the job — which isn’t a big surprise, considering Brown is not only a true freshman, but also wasn’t present for spring practice. Still, he’ll be Auburn’s No. 4 quarterback this season, and as Freeze said last week, he had to play four QBs just last season at Liberty due to injuries.

What they said: “Look, Hank Brown, I love. He can make every throw. But realistically you can’t get four kids reps in camp.” — Freeze

Redshirt likelihood: High

‌

 

NT STEPHEN JOHNSON

 

Where he stands: A flip from Arkansas in December, Johnson certainly has the size for Auburn’s staff to mold over the next couple years, checking in at 6-foot-3 and 337 pounds. As such, he’s been positioned this preseason at nose tackle, where he’s been taking mostly fourth-team reps behind Jayson Jones, Justin Rogers and Enyce Sledge.

Redshirt likelihood: High

‌

 

OG BRADYN JOINER

 

Where he stands: The Auburn High School product enrolled this summer in a deep offensive line rotation. Recruited as a center, Joiner has played at all three spots along the interior O-line this preseason, and his most common placement has been at right guard, where he’s garnered consistent third-team reps.

Redshirt likelihood: High

S CJ JOHNSON

Where he stands: Johnson is one of two true freshman safeties to enroll at Auburn this summer, and after Donovan Kaufman’s move from nickel back to safety, the path to playing time was narrowed. Johnson saw some second-team work early in camp but has more recently been the third-team option behind Jaylin Simpson and Marquise Gilbert. Interestingly enough, walk-on and Baylor transfer Griffin Speaks has received plenty of second-team reps at safety alongside Kaufman.

Redshirt likelihood: High

‌

 

OL CLAY WEDIN

 

(Declan Greene / Auburn Athletics)

Where he stands: Wedin had the benefit of enrolling in the spring this year, and allowing position coach Jake Thornton to get his hands on the 6-foot-5, 307-pound freshman as early as possible. This preseason, Wedin has been slotted at right tackle, where he looks to still be in a third-team role, even after No. 2 right tackle Izavion Miller moved up to the starting group and pushed Gunner Britton over to left guard. In the most recent practices, fifth-year senior Jalil Irvin, who’s spent his Auburn career at either guard or center, worked the second-team right tackle spot.

What they said: “Clay Wedin was with us through the spring. Clay has improved tremendously from when I first saw him to how he is now. He’s another player that I see has a high ceiling and will continue to get better under Coach Thornton’s wisdom.” — left tackle Dillon Wade

Redshirt likelihood: High

‌

 

JACK BRENTON WILLIAMS

 

Where he stands: Auburn’s trio of transfer additions will undoubtedly be the defense’s top options at the jack linebacker spot. So the question is, who will be the team’s No. 4 pass-rusher, with a chance for some rotational playing time this season? The competition is between Williams and veteran walk-on Hayden Brice, both of whom worked with the third-team defense in camp.

Redshirt likelihood: Medium

‌

 

OT TYLER JOHNSON

 

Where he stands: At 6-foot-6 and 304 pounds, Johnson certainly stands out at practice, especially among the freshman class. On signing day, Freeze said Johnson, a flip from Texas Tech, has all the tools to become an NFL offensive tackle one day, but the 2023 season won’t be one where he’ll likely see the field yet. Johnson isn’t in the two-deep on the offensive line right now, and Jaden Muskrat and Dylan Senda are both above him at left tackle right now, too.

What they said: “He’s got a chance to be good. He’s a young guy. Struggled like any freshman the first couple of days. But really, because the room is so strong with leadership, he;’s done a good job of learning from them and learning what it’s like to be an SEC O-lineman and growing in that way. So he’s made progress and has all the physical attributes to be a really good player.” — Thornton

Redshirt likelihood: High

‌

 

CB JC HART

 

Where he stands: On top of the NFL talent already at the top of the depth chart for the Tigers at cornerback, they brought in four more players in the 2023 class. And perhaps the most raw is Hart, whom the Auburn coaches toyed with the idea of playing at receiver before solidifying him at cornerback. He stands out in the crowd at 6-foot-2, and Auburn’s staff is excited to dissect his skill set in the coming years. But this year probably won’t yield much playing time.

What they said: “JC Hart, you've got to remember now, his cup is empty. He hasn't lived that DB life a lot, but with that size and speed, man, he's catching on. And when he catches on, I promise you, he's going to be a household name. You don't have many Americans with that size that can run like that. So the biggest thing I'm having to coach with that young man is just confidence. The more confident he gets, the more his skillset and talent going to show up.” — CB coach Wesley McGriff

Redshirt likelihood: High

‌

 

CB CHAMP ANTHONY (JUCO)

 

(Austin Perryman / Auburn Athletics)

Where he stands: The final addition to the Tigers’ 2023 class was Anthony, the nation’s No. 4 JUCO corner who committed in early June. While Auburn was confident in its two-deep rotation at cornerback exiting the spring, with Kayin Lee and J.D. Rhym as its backups, Anthony’s progression this preseason has given the coaches something to think about. He’s seen some second-team work and is likely in good position to contend as the fourth or fifth option on the team at his position.

What they said: “One guy that's really surprised us — and we have to remember that he's really not a true freshman — is Chancellor Anthony. He's doing a good job and you go like, 'Whoa.' He's kind of far ahead of the other freshmen, and then you have to realize that 'OK, yeah, he's really not a true freshman,' being in JUCO for a year. He's probably been the biggest surprise of the young guys so far.” — McGriff

‌

 

DT QUIENTRAIL JAMISON-TRAVIS (JUCO)

 

Where he stands: The latest arrival on the team this summer, “Bobby” Jamison-Travis reported to campus just a few days before camp began in early August. Rated as the No. 3 JUCO defensive lineman in the class, Jamison-Travis needed to play catch-up with his peers in terms of both the weight room and the playbook, and mostly received fourth-team reps at defensive tackle. Auburn’s coaches are excited about his future in the program, though.

What they said: “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.” — DC Ron Roberts

‌

 

CB COLTON HOOD

 

Where he stands: A couple weeks into camp, Hood was one of the biggest standouts among Auburn’s defensive coaches and players. In addition to his tenacity in the meeting room and picking the brains of his peers, Hood had a standout few days on the field, including two interceptions in a single practice. All indications are that he’s playing at a much more mature level than a true freshman — safeties coach Zac Etheridge called him “a young veteran” — and that could help his chances to be a rotational piece in the secondary this fall.

What they said: "He's like — wow, that dude's, he's gonna be something. He is playing on the ball, man. He asks questions in meetings. He's on top of it, man. You can see the motor he has.” — LB Austin Keys

Redshirt likelihood: Medium

‌

 

DE WILKY DENAUD

 

Where he stands: One of the most athletically impressive freshmen on the roster, the 6-foot-3, 273-pound Denaud quickly settled into a defensive end role this preseason, where he’s worked behind Keldric Faulk, Mosiah Nasili-Kite and Zykeivous Walker. Position coach Jeremy Garrett wants a deep rotation, but it seems unlikely at this point that Denaud will be needed much more than a few snaps per game in mop-up duty.

Redshirt likelihood: High

‌

 

OT IZAVION MILLER (JUCO)

 

(Austin Perryman / Auburn Athletics)

Where he stands: Thornton has been high on Miller’s potential as an SEC offensive tackle for years, and the No. 4 JUCO offensive tackle followed him from Ole Miss to Auburn once Thornton was hired. And the 6-foot-5, 318-pound Miller has progressed masterfully through the spring and preseason, putting him in position now to start at right tackle — a surge that moved Britton to starting left guard.

What they said: “Too Tall has had a phenomenal camp. Watching him progress, getting stronger, body quickness, first and second step off the ball, he is definitely making his presence known out there. He's doing a great job, he's being consistent day in and day out.” — Thornton

‌

 

S TERRANCE LOVE

 

Where he stands: With rare physical tools for a defensive back at 6-foot-2 and 220 pounds, Love obviously works at strong safety this preseason. By all accounts, Love, a 4-star prospect, had a fine camp, but there wasn’t necessarily any buzz around his name. An intriguing talent for the future of Auburn’s defense, Love will likely take a redshirt this fall.

Redshirt likelihood: High

‌

 

S SYLVESTER SMITH

 

Where he stands: With Kaufman’s move to safety, a competition was opened up for the No. 2 nickel spot behind Keionte Scott. The contenders: sophomore Caleb Wooden and Smith, the No. 4 highest-rated defensive signee in the 2023 class. They’ve swapped second-team reps throughout the preseason, and though Wooden has the advantage of experience, Smith’s athleticism and ball skills have certainly turned some heads already.

What they said: “I bulked him up. He’s running with the 2s and sometimes he’s running with the 1s, and trying to push guys — because the biggest thing is just getting him to play the next play and know what’s going on. But very instinctive, very smart. He’ll want to know and call you at 10 o’clock at night, ‘Coach what am I supposed to do?’ Takes really good notes. So just to see his growth from Day 1 to now has been good to see.” — Etheridge

Redshirt likelihood: Medium

‌

 

C CONNOR LEW

 

Where he stands: Auburn’s known what it has with Lew for months now, after he was one of the standout freshmen in spring practice. The former Miami commit is undoubtedly the No. 2 center on the team, but the feeling is that he could also fill in a guard spot if needed this season. The freshman is supremely skilled, and his peers and coaches will be shocked if he’s not seeing the field as a starter as early as next season.

What they said: “He knows all the calls to make. For a young guy — I remember being a young guy, that was something I struggled with was really getting the offense down. He's a great football player. He's athletic, he's strong and he can do everything we have to do. And he plays super hard. I can't say enough good things about Connor and he's got such a bright future here.” — OG Tate Johnson

Redshirt likelihood: Medium

‌

 

RB JEREMIAH COBB

 

(Austin Perryman / Auburn Athletics)

Where he stands: Auburn’s top-rated running back signee since Tank Bigsby in 2020, Cobb took a week or so to find his footing and adjust to the speed of Auburn’s defense, his position coach, Cadillac Williams, admitted. But one of the most prolific players in Alabama high school history has since been impressive, and turned in several strong runs in the scrimmage last Saturday. He has a long way to go to break into the rotation of the Tiger’s top three ball-carriers, but as a No. 4 option, Cobb is certainly a big talent who should be in position for a few touches a game.

What they said: “His vision, quickness, explosiveness. He is going to be — I’m excited for this guy’s future. I honestly think he will be one of those household names.” — Williams

Redshirt likelihood: Low

‌

 

CB TYLER SCOTT

 

Where he stands: A top-20 player from the state of Georgia, Scott is another notch for Auburn’s secondary outlook in the future — and the unit’s young depth right away. Players like Hood and Anthony seem to be in better position to contribute at cornerback this season, though.

Redshirt likelihood: High

‌

 

DT DARRON REED JR.

 

Where he stands: At 6-foot-3 and 295 pounds, Reed has all the tools to be an impact player along Auburn’s interior defensive front in the coming years. Breaking into a deep D-line rotation was going to be a difficult task, though, and Reed exited camp as the No. 4 defensive tackle behind Marcus Harris, Lawrence Johnson and Garrison Walker.

What they said: “I think D.J. Reed is picking it up, he’s a physical kid. He has some twitch. Now it’s just getting the playbook down. He’s done a really good job for us.” — Garrett

Redshirt likelihood: High

‌

 

CB KAYIN LEE

 

Where he stands: If you’ve forgotten Lee is a freshman, you’re not the only one. Auburn’s coaches and players don’t lump him in with the summer arrivals, after Lee was a big contributor in the spring. The former Ohio State commit was able to earn No. 3 reps at cornerback due to Rhym’s injury, and it appears he’s still yet to relinquish that spot this preseason, as Rhym is still bothered by his leg issue.

What they said: “K-Lee is a guy. I tell him all the time, ‘You don’t need to walk around here like a freshman because you’re going to play.’” — S Jaylin Simpson

Redshirt likelihood: Low

‌

 

DE KELDRIC FAULK

 

(Austin Perryman / Auburn Athletics)

Where he stands: The top-rated freshman in Auburn’s 2023 class will likely be the most utilized this season, too. The former top-75 overall recruit, who was named a 247Sports preseason freshman All-American last week, looks to be an important piece not only for the Tigers’ defensive line this season, but the defense as a whole. When healthy this preseason, he’s been Auburn’s starting defensive end, and looks to be positioned to make one of the biggest impacts on defense for an Auburn freshman in recent years.

What they said: "That boy's special. I ain't never seen a freshman like that. He's going to be special here, definitely going to be special. To me, it's like how he picks up on football quick and just — he's like a sponge. He picks stuff up real quick, so he's definitely going to be a special kid here." — NT Justin Rogers

Redshirt likelihood: Low

*** Subscribe to Auburn Undercover for the latest news and intel, podcasts, recruiting coverage and more ***

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AUBURN

Auburn is looking to start fresh in 2023 with Hugh Freeze leading the charge after consecutive seven-loss seasons under Bryan Harsin. Tank Bigsby was a one-man-show for the inept Tigers’ offense in 2022 as they struggled to move the ball due to poor quarterback and offensive line play.

Freeze has attacked the transfer portal and brought in a total of 21 transfers. Improving the trenches has been an early focal point under Freeze as the Tigers added five offensive linemen and five defensive linemen.

Sophomore quarterback Robby Ashford struggled with accuracy, completing less than 50% of his passes, but flashed dynamic athleticism while running for more than 700 yards in 2022. He’ll compete with Michigan State transfer Payton Thorne for the starting role who has started 25 games over the last two seasons.

Notable Additions: QB Payton Thorne (Michigan State), OL Gunner Britton (Western Kentucky), OL Dillon Wade (Tulsa), OL Jaden Muskrat (Tulsa), DL Justin Rogers (Kentucky)

Notable Losses: RB Tank Bigsby (NFL), Owen Pappoe (NFL), QB TJ Finley (Texas State), QB Zach Calzada (Incarnate Word).

 

from the arkie gazette. it had all the sec teams and i just posted the Auburn take. i you guys want the whole articles when they do this please let me know.

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Chapman leads strong Auburn kicking game heading into 2023 season

Auburn's kicking game should be a team strength this season.

Jason Caldwell114 mins

AUBURN, Alabama—With an injury last season giving true freshman Alex McPherson some valuable experience in Auburn’s last four games a year ago, coach Hugh Freeze and special teams coach Tanner Burns head into the 2023 season with a confidence in the kicking game because of the return of McPherson along with Austrailian punter Oscar Chapman. Throw in All-American kick returner Brian Battie, who transferred from South Florida, and you have a special teams group that should be a team strength for Auburn this fall.

The strength may be the leg of Chapman. Growing up playing rugby before transitioning to American football prior to coming to Auburn, he averaged 43.75 yards on 57 punts and had 18 kicks finish inside the 20-yard line with only two touchbacks.

He accomplished that exclusively using the rugby punt, which meant he was rolling out and kicking the ball end over end. That helps with accuracy and consistency, but costs some yards as compared to the traditional punting method. Now more familiar with the game and punting, Chapman said he could do things a little differently this fall.

“Before I got over here, that’s all I did,” Chapman said of his background learning punting in Australia. “I thought that’s what I was gonna be doing. I trained that a lot and once I got here, they were like ‘Oh. We just like the scheme and everything with the rugby style.’ So it was alright, I’ll just do whatever you guys want. I’ve done pretty well in doing that and so I think with the new coaches, they’re like ‘Let’s just do a bit of traditional and see what happens.’”

McPherson is looking to continue his strong finish to last season as he prepares for his second season on the Plains. Going 6-7 on field goals with a long of 51 yards, McPherson has made kicks from outside 60 yards in the preseason and comes into the season with plenty of confidence.

But that makes Chapman a leader of the group as one of the older guys on the team. He said it’s something he’s excited about.

“This is my first without Anders, who was like our leader basically,” he said. “We really gelled together. Especially Alex kinda coming through and having his first full camp being the guy. He was looking really good. Just positives coming out so far.”

In the return game, Battle could prove to be a huge addition for the Tigers. Last season at USF, the 5-7 running back had 650 return yards and three touchdowns for the Bulls. In 31 career games he had more than 1,400 kick return yards. He could be joined by junior Jarquez Hunter as the kick returner for the Tigers. In two seasons he has returned 24 kicks for 497 yards, averaging 20.7 yards per attempt. Other players that could get a look back deep on kickoffs include Damari Alston, Jay Fair and Jeremiah Cobb.

Fair is one of the guys that could get a look as Auburn’s punt returner, but returning starter Keionte Scott is expected to be the first guy up for the Tigers in that role. He could also get into the mix as a kickoff return man. Last season he averaged 9.57 yards per punt return on 14 attempts. In addition to Fair, Ja’Varrius Johnson and Ohio State transfer Caleb Burton could also get a look early in the year.

Auburn opens the season on Saturday against UMass at 2:30 p.m. on ESPN.

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si.com

Dimitry Nicolas shares why he picked Auburn after his first game of the season

Zac Blackerby

~2 minutes

Auburn football's newest commitment shared why he picked Hugh Freeze and the Auburn Tigers.

The Auburn Tigers added more size to the defensive line on Friday after Dimirty Nicolas committed to the program.

Nicolas explained why he picked Auburn after leading Norland to a 48-34 win over Lakeland. 

“Just the camaraderie, the coaching staff, everybody over there," He said. "They treated me more like family than a player. I like that. I want to be with that for the next three to four years of my career.”

He also appreciated that the staff was upfront with how they plan to use him at the next level. 

“They were pushing more towards me," Nicolas said "They told me what they wanted me to do, what they wanted me to play. They kept it real with me more than the other colleges.”

The 6-foot-3, 295-pound interior defensive lineman picked Auburn over the Florida Gators and the Miami Hurricanes on Friday.

He will be playing under defensive line coach Jeremy Garrett next season on the Plains. According to Nicolas, the two of them already have a great relationship.

“He’s just a humble guy, a good guy at heart," Nicolas said of Garrett. "He’s my guy. We talk every day, after a game, after I eat, after practice.”

As far as another trip to Auburn, Nicolas said, “It’s not decided yet but I would love to take an official visit up there.”

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[aubiefifty 18,259]

crowd favorite for the orange jersey folks............

[SaltyTiger 8,579]

2 hours ago, aubiefifty said:

have a great day folks and thanx for stopping by.

Thanks again Fiddy. Had time to catch most this morning. Check everything when I get to the coast later today.

[aubiefifty 18,259]

15 minutes ago, SaltyTiger said:

Thanks again Fiddy. Had time to catch most this morning. Check everything when I get to the coast later today.

as long as you keep paying your subscription we are fine! those gummys are not free. grins

Edited August 27, 2023 by aubiefifty
i took a gummy and messed up............lol

[aubiefifty 18,259]