9.16.23 Football Articles

[aubiefifty 18,259]

auburnwire.usatoday.com

Tale of the Tape: Auburn vs Samford

Brian Hauch

4–5 minutes

The Samford Bulldogs travel to Jordan-Hare stadium to wish undefeated Auburn a happy homecoming this Saturday at 7 p.m. CT.

The Bulldogs are coming off a rough 30-7 loss at the hands of conference opponent Western Carolina, while the Tigers head into this game without a loss, most recently beating California in Berkeley 14-10.

Buy Tigers Tickets

It is clear Auburn has the edge in this game, not only from a pure talent standpoint but also because of the emotional advantage of a homecoming game.

ESPN FPI gives the Tigers a 98.7% chance of winning and improving to 3-0 on Saturday, a record Auburn hasn’t achieved since 2019, when they started the season 5-0.

Most of the country will check off this week three showdown as a blowout, but will the tale of the tape show us this game could be closer than most think?

The quarterback matchup is fairly interesting heading into this one.

Auburn quarterback Payton Thorne has been serviceable this season, completing 19/31 passes for 235 yards, three touchdowns, and one interception.

He has also fumbled once.

Robby Ashford has also seen ample playing time for the Tigers, completing 3/9 passes for three yards.

Most of his damage has been done on the ground, where he has rushed for 59 yards on 13 carries, finding the end zone thrice.

On the other side, Samford quarterback Michael Heirs has been absolutely electric for the Bulldogs since he transferred to the school in 2022.

Heirs was the 2022 SoCon Offensive Player of the Year last season, collecting 3,544 yards through the air and tying the school record with 36 touchdown passes.

The 36 touchdowns and 3,544 yards were fourth and sixth in the entire nation, respectively.

Heirs also checks in at 6″1 tall and 215 pounds. While you would expect an FCS quarterback to be undersized, his attributes are very comparable to Thorne, who stands 6″2 and weighs in at 203 pounds.

With all that being said, the clear edge in quarterback play still goes to Payton Thorne and Robby Ashford, as the experience and quality wins against FBS opponents outweigh the accolades of Heirs.

A more clear advantage for Auburn is on the defensive side of the ball, where they shined in week two against Cal.

The Tigers’ defense has been decent against the pass this season but struggled against the run in week one against UMass. The good news for Auburn is that run defense seemed to fix itself in week two.

The front seven was able to hold NFL talent Jaydn Ott to 3.9 YPC off the back of linebacker Eugene Asante’s SEC co-defensive player of the week performance.

The even better news for Auburn is Samford does not run the ball, as their running backs combined for just 14 carries a week ago.

The Bulldogs passing attack is better than most FCS teams, but Auburn’s defensive strength so far in 2023 has been against the pass.

As for Samford’s defense, the glaring stat is the 25.4 PPG they gave up in 2022 to FCS teams. The number itself is respectable, Auburn is much steeper competition.

Auburn gets the edge in defense.

The final edge to Auburn goes in the sheer size department. Auburn’s offensive line weighs an average of 313 pounds.

The average weight of Samford’s interior defensive lineman is 270 pounds.

Discrepancies like that exist throughout the field. Even if the Bulldogs play a great game, the physical tool endured by them may be too much by the time the second half rolls around.

Auburn kicks off its homecoming game against Samford at 7 PM CST on Saturday at Jordan-Hare.

It should be a very happy homecoming for Tiger fans.

Contact/Follow us @TheAuburnWire on  X (Twitter), and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Auburn news, notes, and opinions. You can also follow Brian on Twitter @TheRealBHauch

[aubiefifty 18,259]

si.com

Auburn Briefing: Tigers dominating defensively on third down

Lance Dawe

2–3 minutes

Could the Tigers' strong presence on third down through two games continue this season?

Auburn hasn't been perfect two games into the season, but they've been dominant in one statistical category; getting stops on third down.

The Tigers currently lead the SEC in opponent third down conversion percentage at 18.5%. That's also good for fourth nationally.

In the season opener against UMass, the Minutemen were 1-of-9 on third down. The following weekend, Cal was 4-of-18. While the Golden Bears converted three of their six fourth down tries, Auburn did a great job of holding Cal on third down.

Working on first and second down defense will be a priority for Auburn, which gave up 19 first downs to Cal despite only allowing seven total conversions on third and fourth down.

Could Auburn's ability to get off the field when needed help them in SEC contests through the rest of the season?

We wrote it

We now have seen a big enough sample size to start learning about Auburn quarterbacks Payton Thorne and Robby Ashford.

Two games into the season, they have produced some very interesting stats after the wins over Cal and UMass.

[aubiefifty 18,259]

 

theplainsman.com

 

Players to watch, keys to victory against Samford

 

7–9 minutes

---

The Tigers return home this week following a 14-10 West Coast win last Saturday at California to take on the Samford Bulldogs in the annual homecoming game. While the Bulldogs are a team Auburn has had nothing but success against in the past, a 28-0-1 record all time in the series, the Tigers will have to continue the success, specifically on the defensive side of the ball, to remain undefeated prior to conference play.  

“(Chris) Hatcher and I've known each other for years," said Auburn head coach Hugh Freeze. “I mean, I think he's one of the better offensive coaches in football. He's done a remarkable job there, and he will have his kids excited and well prepared to play here. I have no doubt and they'll test you in the passing game for sure and throw it all around.”

Hatcher, a storied head coach in the FCS ranks, has led nine teams to NCAA postseason play during his career, including the 2016, 2017 and 2022 FCS Playoffs with the Bulldogs. For Hatcher, the name of the game is the offense. Over the last eight seasons, the Samford offense has scored at least 30 points 49 times. The unit has put up at least 40 points 27 times, and at least 50 points a total of 14 times. 

The Bulldog offense could have a tough assignment on Saturday with an Auburn defense that leads the SEC in red zone defense percentage, .333%, second nationally behind Syracuse, and in third down conversion percentage defense at .185%.

“And I was so proud of just the leadership on that side of the ball that just we got you,” Freeze said. “And Eugene Asante played his tail off and as did others I don't want to get to pointing them out. But we played really well. Jalen McLeod makes us different when he's playing. So there's so much to build on from that because we're gonna have some adverse situations in this league, particularly at the point we are in our program.”

Despite the Auburn offense only putting up 230 total yards, the fewest for the program in a win since a 34-3 home win over Arkansas in 2018, and the constant missed opportunities and turnovers, the defense kept giving Freeze’s squad a chance to pull out a victory in the end.

“You just don't win many games like that. And so we're very fortunate," Freeze said. "I know this, I don't know that I've ever had a season where you didn't have a game where you felt like God we easily could have lost that game but our kids found a way and you can build on stuff like that and just really proud of our staff and kids." 

Players to Watch:

Samford Bulldogs:

Micheal Hiers (QB)

Preseason All-American Micheal Hiers returns to the Bulldogs this season following a Southern Conference Championship season in 2022 in which he threw the ball for 3,544 yards and a program record-tying 36 touchdowns. Named the Southern Conference Offensive Player of the Year, Hiers threw for 300 or more yards in five games and tossed a season-high four touchdowns in seven games. 

Last Saturday in a loss at Western Carolina that featured a nearly six-hour weather delay, Hiers went 21-for-34 with 315 yards and one touchdown through the air against the Catamounts. 

Chandler Smith (WR)
Named to the All-SoCon team this fall, Chandler Smith caught a team-high 100 passes for 1,071 yards and 11 touchdown a season ago. Smith, also a threat in the punt return game, returned eight punts for 48 yards with a long of 20 yards in 2022. Smith has 130 yards through the air this season with an average of 11.8 yards per catch and two touchdowns. 

Auburn Tigers:

Rivaldo Fairweather (TE)

After recording zero catches in the opener against UMass, Rivaldo Fairweather was crucial in must-have plays late on the touchdown drive to seal the deal at Cal. Fairweather led the team with 39 yards receiving and a crucial 28-yard completion to keep the final touchdown drive alive. After all the fall camp buzz around the FIU transfer, the Tigers could be unlocking a new weapon for this offense. 

Kayin Lee (CB)

The Tigers have been plagued with multiple injuries in the defensive secondary, with the likes of Nehemiah Pritchett, an All-SEC defensive back, and J.D. Rhym both out, but Lee, the former 4-star recruit, has turned heads early in his freshman season. Lee is the Tiger’s fourth most played defender this year, with 101 snaps and two starts in the first two contests. 

Enjoy what you're reading? Get content from The Auburn Plainsman delivered to your inbox

“You know, we think he's gonna be really tough. He's really talented. He's gonna be really good. He's just young," Freeze said. “There's times I think he's still a little unsure about his confidence level and gives too much ground. There were a couple of those in the game. And obviously the 15 yard penalty, we didn’t need was critical at that juncture. But did he play well? Yes.”

Eugene Asante (LB)

Eugene Asante was named the SEC Defensive Co-Player of the Week after a career-best 12 tackles in Auburn’s first ever win in the state of California. Along with a sack, Asante, the North Carolina transfer, record two quarterback hurries, 1.5 tackles for loss and one pass breakup in the contest. 

Keys to Victory:

Samford Bulldogs:

The Bulldogs have never beaten Auburn and haven’t won against an SEC team since defeating the Ole Miss Rebels 7-6 in 1934. If Samford wants to pull off the shocking upset it’ll have to be through the air. The Tigers secondary is thin due to injuries and Hiers, along with the receiving core, will have to make them pay.

The turnovers will also be a huge factor if Samford wants to put itself in a position to win. Auburn gave the ball away four times on the road last week, and if the Bulldogs can limit the Tiger offense’s chances, it could go a long way to determine the outcome of the game. 

Auburn Tigers:

With an offense that is very much still a work in progress, the defense will need to come through again for the Tigers to walk into College Station, Texas, undefeated next week. The Ron Roberts defense will look to slow down and contain a Hatcher offense that has had 183 scoring drives of two minutes or less and 82 that have lasted one minute or less during his eight seasons with Samford. 

Payton Thorne and the offensive side of the ball will look to improve upon last week's performance that had the Tigers entering the fourth quarter of play with just 46 yards through the air. With only three players recorded double digit receiving yards for Auburn last week, Freeze and company will certainly try to change that in Saturday’s matchup. 

Auburn and Samford will kick off from Jordan-Hare Stadium at 6 p.m. CST in the annual homecoming game. The television broadcast can be found on ESPN+/SECN+ and can be heard around the state of Alabama on the Auburn Sports Network. 

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.

---

Share and discuss “Players to watch, keys to victory against Samford” on social media.

[aubiefifty 18,259]

 

247sports.com

 

Auburn opponent preview Samford offense

Jason Caldwell

4–5 minutes

---

Scoring points in bunches is something that Samford has done with regularity under coach Chris Hatcher. Averaging 38 points per game this season in two games, the Bulldogs only scored a single touchdown a week ago in a loss to Western Carolina. That’s not the norm for a Hatcher-coached team. Over the last eight seasons under head coach Chris Hatcher, the Samford offense has scored at least 30 points 49 times. The unit has put up at least 40 points 27 times, and at least 50 points a total of 14 times. 

Those scoring outbursts have come because of the ability to throw the ball, something Samford has this season in senior quarterback Michael Hiers. A Briarwood Christian product that spent time at Northwest (Mississippi) Community College, the 6-1, 215 graduate is the preseason SoCon Offensive Player of the Year after a huge 2022 season that saw him throw for 3,544 yards and 36 touchdowns while completing 76.6 percent of his passes.

This season Hiers has thrown for 690 yards and six touchdowns with no interceptions and is completing 71 percent of his passes. Much of that came in the opener against Shorter College when he was 28-35 for 375 yards and five touchdowns.

Hiers will spread the ball around with 13 different players catching passes in the first two games. Senior Chandler Smith has been the top target with 11 catches for 130 yards and two touchdowns this year while fellow senior Ty King has been the big-play threat, catching eight balls for 157 yards. Phenix City native DJ Rias has added eight receptions for 144 yards in two games.

Averaging just 84 yards on the ground, Samford’s rushing attack is led by senior Jay Stanton. He’s got 11 carries for 53 yards and a touchdown this year. Junior Damonta Witherspoon has added 17 carries for 41 yards and two scores. Third-teamer Mychael Hamilton (6-0, 192, Sr.) has 11 carries for 98 yards and two touchdowns in mostly a reserve role for the Bulldogs.

Up front, one of the leaders of the Samford offensive line is left tackle Chris Noble. A transfer from UAB, Noble started all 13 games last season for the Bulldogs and had six starts in 2021. As a group the Samford offensive line has struggled this season protecting Hiers, allowing seven sacks for 40 yards in losses in just two games.

OFFENSE

QB 

10 Micheal Hiers 6-1 215 Gr. Birmingham, Ala. / NW Miss CC

2 Quincy Crittendon 5-11 200 Jr. Decatur, Ala. / Austin

RB 

20 Jay Stanton 6-0 193 Sr. Crestview, Fla. / Crestview HS

31 Damonta Witherspoon 5-8 210 Jr. East St. Louis, Ill. / Murray State

X 

12 Ty King 6-0 175 Gr. Wrens, Ga. / Jefferson County HS 

3 E. Jai Mason 6-1 205 Jr. Jackson, Miss. / NW Miss CC

LT 

58 Chris Noble 6-4 287 Gr. Brewton, Ala. / UAB

75 Jayme Motley-Simmons 6-7 290 Sr. Alabaster, Ala. / UAB

LG

62 Jabari Brooks 6-3 335 Sr. Sandersville, Ga. /Washington County High

70 Brett Johnson 6-4 290 Jr. Maplesville, Ala /UAB

C 

57 Cooper Frazier 6-4 305 Sr. Corinth, Miss./Corinth HS

63 Zach Bond 6-3 290 Jr. McHenry, Miss. / NW Miss CC

RG 

54 Luke Byrne 6-4 307 Gr. Forsyth, Ga./Mary Persons HS

79 Donovan Hawkins 6-1 310 Sr. Pinson, Ala. / Pinson Valley HS

RT 

77 Zach Brown 6-4 280 Jr. Loretto, Tenn. / Loretto HS

50 Darrian King 6-3 295 Jr. Oak Grove, Miss / East Mississippi CC

H

8 RJ Starkey 6-1 220 Gr. Atlanta, Ga. / Penn

86 Michael Vice 6-4 250 Gr. Vestavia Hills, Ala. / Troy

Y 

5 Chandler Smith 5-10 186 Gr. Marietta, Ga. / Walton HS 

37 Peyton Ringer 5-7 160 Gr. Lithonia, Ga. / The Lovett School

Z 

7 DJ Rias 5-9 190 Sr. Phenix City, Ala. / Alabama

84 Brendan Jenkins 6-1, 200 Fr. Hoschton, Ga. /Mill Creek HS

[aubiefifty 18,259]

 

[aubiefifty 18,259]

 

[aubiefifty 18,259]

 

al.com

 

Auburn football: Everything Hugh Freeze has said on Payton Thorne, Robby Ashford roation

Published: Sep. 16, 2023, 6:00 a.m.

5–6 minutes

---

1. Auburn Football

Auburn football: Hugh Freeze still has a QB decision to make. What will Samford game show?

Auburn quarterback Payton Thorne (1) warms up before an NCAA college football game against California, Saturday, Sept. 9, 2023, in Berkeley, Calif. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)AP

Auburn head coach Hugh Freeze has had to reflect. It’s come from the sidelines in Berkeley, the tape on the plane ride home and the film room this week. It’s come from the podium with reporters and under the late afternoon Auburn sun at practice. It’s a reflection at the most important position.

The quarterback position hasn’t gone the way Freeze planned. And that reflection hasn’t created clarity on what to do next.

During his appearance on Auburn’s Tiger Talk radio show Thursday night, Freeze said he had certain packages for Robby Ashford against Cal. And Auburn used some of them. But they went wrong. There was Jarquez Hunter running the wrong way on a 3rd down with Ashford in the game or a slew of penalties that killed any of the little offensive momentum Auburn had.

So this week, Freeze’s key talking point at the position is questioning just how much rotation there should be.

“I do not like the way the other night went with it,” Freeze said Monday. “At the same time, I think Robby has to get his touches. So that is absolutely something that’s on my mind, and we’ve got to figure it out.”

Freeze was asked if he’d consider just using Thorne to maintain some consistency. Freeze has thought about it, but he’s weighing that against wanting Ashford on the field for his athleticism.

On Monday, Freeze said he and the offensive coaching staff had to question why they were changing quarterbacks in the seemingly haphazard manner against Cal in an attempt to find some sort of spark. Throughout speaking engagements this week, Freeze has firmly stated that’s not going to happen going forward.

The rotation against Cal seemed to hurt Auburn’s offense further. Freeze said Monday he planned to spend extra time in offensive meetings this week, and that will likely turn into a focus on keeping Ashford in his specific packages and keeping Thorne as the primary quarterback.

“We need Payton to play better, truthfully, too,” Freeze said. “Now, the last drive he played well. Prior to that I think a few of the throws were inaccurate. I thought he left the pocket early once. And look, I’m not beating up Payton. He played really well that last possession, but we really do need more consistency there throughout the whole game.”

Freeze discussed the point further on his SEC conference call with reporters on Wednesday.

“I think we’ve got to decide who is the guy and obviously I’ve said — and I mean this — Robby needs to get touches. But the shuffling in and out, I don’t think is healthy for anyone,” Freeze said.

His comments on the conference call suggested that Thorne doesn’t necessarily have a secure grasp on the starting job. Largely, that tracks with comments Freeze made all the way back to announcing Thorne as Auburn’s starter when he said Ashford had some of his best practices after losing the job and would force Thorne to continue to earn being atop the depth chart.

Thorne has been the more effective passer compared to Ashford. Over two games, Thorne has completed 19 of 31 passes for 235 yards. Ashford has three passing yards and a 33% completion rate on nine throws. Thorne certainly has the more reliable arm, but Freeze has pointed out his decision-making difficulties leading Auburn’s run-pass-option scheme after each of the first two games.

The next night, on his Tiger Talk radio show appearance, Freeze stated again he was not happy with the quarterback rotation against Cal.

“I don’t think you’ll see that again,” Freeze said Thursday night of the rotation.

His comments on both the conference call and the radio show also again posited both Ashford and sophomore Holden Geriner “nipping at (Thorne’s) heels wanting their chance too.”

So if Auburn has reopened its quarterback battle, it will likely take place largely on the practice fields behind the Woltosz Football Performance Center. The apparent push from Ashford and Geriner toward Thorne’s job doesn’t fully line up with the desire to rely on Thorne more in the game — until Thorne proves otherwise, at least.

Freeze’s comments throughout the week suggest Thorne will receive a much larger share of the quarterback reps this week against Samford. But will Ashford’s role look like it did against UMass: being largely used inside the redzone for running plays?

How firmly does Freeze view any of the quarterbacks at this point in their roles? Samford is going to be another chance to reflect on his own game planning.

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

If you purchase a product or register for an account through one of the links on our site, we may receive compensation. By browsing this site, we may share your information with our social media partners in accordance with our Privacy Policy.

[aubiefifty 18,259]

slow so far. i will check back later for updates.

[SaltyTiger 8,579]

1 hour ago, aubiefifty said:

slow so far. i will check back later for updates.

That’s ok Fiddy. Samford and Homecoming so sort of a “laid back” day…….next Saturday is a different story. Gonna have to get your @$$ up early and get to work. 
 

Trader Joe’s coffee in NOLA for me this morning. May want to consider asking them to be a sponsor. Good stuff!

[aubiefifty 18,259]

3 minutes ago, SaltyTiger said:

That’s ok Fiddy. Samford and Homecoming so sort of a “laid back” day…….next Saturday is a different story. Gonna have to get your @$$ up early and get to work. 
 

Trader Joe’s coffee in NOLA for me this morning. May want to consider asking them to be a sponsor. Good stuff!

i should have used a vacation day since it is slow but i might need a free burger from someone in auburn sometime............grins

[aubiefifty 18,259]

Auburn vs. Samford: Stream, injury report, broadcast info for Saturday’s game at Jordan-Hare Stadium

Taylor Jones

Sat, September 16, 2023 at 6:00 AM CDT·3 min read

0

Auburn plays Samford on Saturday, and if you’re wondering how you can watch the action live, you’ve come to the right place.

The Auburn Tigers return to Jordan-Hare Stadium on Saturday for one final nonconference tune-up ahead of next week’s SEC opener at Texas A&M. Auburn hopes to improve its record to 3-0 on Saturday against an in-state foe in Samford.

Samford enters with a 1-1 record after most recently dropping a contest to Western Carolina. Auburn head coach Hugh Freeze is excited for the opportunity to play against Samford and head coach Chris Hatcher.

“Hatcher and I have known each other for years. I think he is one of the better offensive coaches in football. He has done a remarkable job there. He will have his kids excited and well prepared to play here I have no doubt, they will test you in the passing game for sure and throw it all around. I think the last time he played here it was every formation you could imagine that he pulled out and had success moving the ball. I have great respect for him as a man and as a coach. I know he will have his guys ready.”

Below, you will find everything you need to know ahead of Auburn’s game with Samford including a broadcast guide, an injury report, and players to watch.

How to stream Saturday's game

Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports

Here’s when you should tune in to see the game:

Date: Saturday, Sept. 17

Time: 6 p.m. CT

TV Channel: ESPN+ (Clay Matvick, Aaron Murray)

How to listen to Saturday's game

AP Photo/John Bazemore

Listen to Auburn Football on your local Auburn Sports Network affiliate all season long. Andy Burcham and Jason Campbell will provide live play-by-play coverage of Auburn’s game vs. Samford.

Find your nearest Auburn Sports Network affiliate below:

Sirius/XM

Ch. 192

Abbeville

98.7 FM

Albany, Georgia

102.9 FM

Atlanta, Georgia

1010 AM

Auburn

94.3 FM

Alexander City

97.5 FM

Andalusia

93.7 FM

Bainbridge, Georgia

99.3 FM

Bainbridge, Georgia

930 AM

Birmingham

100.5 FM

Centre

100.5 FM

Centre

990 AM

Columbus, Georgia

102.9 FM

Cullman

92.1 FM

Cullman

98.3 FM

Demopolis

106.5 FM

Dothan

102.5 FM

Eufaula

102.9 FM

Evergreen

101.1 FM

Flomaton

105.1 FM

Florence

94.9 FM

Foley

92.5 FM

Foley

1310 AM

Fort Payne

100.9 FM

Fort Payne

1250 AM

Gadsden

1350 AM

Greenville

94.3 FM

Hackleburg

95.5 FM

Huntsville

100.3 FM

Jasper

88.5 FM

Ocean Springs, Mississippi

106.5 FM

Oxford

92.7 FM

LaGrange, Georgia

102.3 FM

Macon, Georgia

102.9 FM

Mobile

106.5 FM

Montgomery

92.3 FM

Moulton

97.9 FM

Panama City, Florida

104.3 FM

Pensacola, Florida

105.1 FM

Roanoke

102.3 FM

Scottsboro

1050 AM

Selma

1490 AM

Spartanburg, SC

1530 AM

Sylacauga

100.3 FM

Sylacauga

1290 AM

Thomasville

95.5 FM

Troy

970 AM

Tuscaloosa

100.5 FM

Vernon

100.7 FM

Vernon

1380 AM

Auburn injury report

Austin Perryman/Auburn Athletics

WR Nick Mardner

Undisclosed

Questionable for Saturday’s game

CB JD Rhym

Undisclosed

Questionable for Saturday’s game

LB Austin Keys

Thumb

Out indefinitely

Auburn key players

Neville E. Guard-USA TODAY Sports

QB Payton Thorne (19-of-31, 235 yards, 3 TD, INT)

RB Damari Alston (16 carries, 94 yards, TD)

WR Jay Fair (7 catches, 81 yards, 2 TD)

LB Eugene Asante (18 TT, 3.5 TFL)

Star Donovan Kaufman (12 tackles)

Samford players to watch

Todd Kirkland/Getty Images

QB Michael Hiers (49-of-69, 690 yards, 6 TD)

RB Mychael Hamilton (11 carries, 98 yards, 2 TD)

WR Ty King (8 catches, 157 yards)

WR Chandler Smith (11 catches, 130 yards, 2 TD)

LB Noah Martin (20 tackles)

Story originally appeared on Auburn Wire

[aubiefifty 18,259]

 

[aubiefifty 18,259]

 

[aubiefifty 18,259]

 

[aubiefifty 18,259]

 

[aubiefifty 18,259]

 

[aubiefifty 18,259]