9.27.23 Football Articles

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247sports.com

 

Auburn football notes quotes and anecdotes

Phillip Marshall

11–14 minutes

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Auburn looks to showdown against No. 1 Georgia

Freeze, Smart meet again

AUBURN, Alabama – Hugh Freeze’s last game against Georgia and Kirby Smart was all kinds of fun. In 2016, Smart’s first season at Georgia, Freeze’s Ole Miss team romped to a 45-14 victory in Oxford. Much has changed since then. Freeze had two wins over Alabama when Smart was the defensive coordinator.

Freeze is in his first season as Auburn’s head coach. Smart is in his eighth season at Georgia and is in hot pursuit of a third consecutive national championship. Auburn is coming off a 27-10 loss at Texas A&M. They meet again Saturday at 2:30 p.m. at Jordan-Hare Stadium.

“With what Coach Smart has done there in his eighth season, he's got it rolling and so it'll be a great test for us,” Freeze said. “Thank God we're in Jordan-Hare. I know it will be electric. We're going to get the kids that are healthy enough, get them ready to play and compete.”

About those penalties

Penalties – specifically holding penalties – stymied what might have been a productive first half at Texas A&M. Auburn coaches can’t go into specifics for fear of being fined, but there was significant frustration. Holding penalties against Gunner Britton and Jarquez Hunter short-circuited drives inside the Georgia 30. They were, by any measure, questionable at best. Auburn was penalized 10 times for 77 yards.

“Well, there's four of them that I didn't like, and I've turned them in (to the SEC),” Freeze said. “I don't see them. Then there's three that two were intentional to try to back us up to punt and give Oscar a little more room to try to pin them deep. The false start can't happen. We had one of those. There's a holding call on a pass play that was probably legit. So I mean it was a mixed bag.

“You can't have 10 penalties though, for whatever reason. It put us behind the chains, and I thought we controlled the second quarter. I think we had it for 12 minutes and came away with three points.  think that defines the game. You control the ball 12 minutes in a quarter, you've got to get some points. And we certainly felt like we were in field goal range, at least. Let's just say we were in field goal range on four different occasions and got knocked out either because of penalties or a sack after that.”

Hard lessons for newcomers

Offensive guard Kam Stutts had seen it before, the intense physicality of an SEC football game. But on either side of him were transfers who had not been there, had not seen it. Those players, Stutts said, learned from an eye-opening experience.

“Yeah, for sure,” Stutts said. “Definitely, getting in there and getting your feet wet is valuable experience. You've got a lot of dudes on the O-line and on the team that have played a lot of football. Just getting in there and getting to see what the SEC, the best conference in football is like, will definitely get you some confidence going forward. Just getting your feet wet. It's always good for you.

“I think we have the ability in the world. We've got the players. We've got the talent. I believe in all of those dudes. It's just getting after it this week and continuing to get better. We'll go out and really show what we're made of.”

Auburn’s Georgians get another shot at the Bulldogs

The renewal of the oldest series in the deep South is particularly meaningful for 20 Auburn players who call Georgia home. None of them has experienced a victory over the Bulldogs, who last lost to Auburn 40-17 at Jordan-Hare Stadium in 2017.

Safety Zion Puckett, from Griffin, Ga., is one of those Georgians who will have a little extra juice for the 2:30 p.m. kickoff on CBS.

“Growing up and seeing these games and just my time being able to play in these in my third or fourth year, it just means a lot to me,” Puckett said. “I am trying to go out and do what I need to do for the team, and especially for the community of Auburn."

Offense had chances at A&M

Freeze said Auburn’s offense, which managed just 200 yards at A&M, could have done more and should have done more.

“I know you'll find this hard to believe, but you watch the tape and there were a lot of good things in the first half,” Freeze said. “We should have left the first half with a minimum of 12 points. The two holding calls - we had first and 10 inside the 30 on both of them - put us behind the chains. We're not quite good enough yet to survive that. And we were running the ball effectively and then the pressure was a good bit on us for sure when we had to get in those throwing downs. And I think they have one of the more talented defensive fronts. But we had people open. It was a mixture of, I think, us not standing in there and making a throw and then also sometimes where I don't think we had time to adequately step up and make the throw.”

It’s on the coaches

The problems that kept opportunities from becoming points, Freeze said, are on him and other coaches.

“Ultimately it lands in my lap and the lap of the offensive coaches to make sure the routes are run at the correct depth with the correct releases against the correct coverage,” Freeze said. “And then, obviously, the protection has to be good, which is very hard to do in third-and-long situations against the talented defensive fronts that you see in this league. And there were times when the ball should have come out, and it didn’t. So I think the responsibility lies in a lot of different places.”

 ‘The greatest place to play in the world’

Senior tight end Luke Deal said he and his teammates are eager to return to Jordan-Hare, where they will play in front of a third consecutive sellout crowd.

“Jordan-Hare Stadium is the greatest place to play in the world, and I truly and firmly believe that,” Deal said. “Our fans are the best in the world. They're going to be out there. It's going to be 88,000 strong and it's going to be rocking, so I'm excited for that. It always is for a rivalry game, and you guys saw it and heard it against UMass and some of those teams. It's going to be real this Saturday.

How can Auburn find 'more swagger' on offense?

"I think the biggest thing is just everyone being on the same page.”

VIDEO: OG Kam Stutts: Communication needs to improve on Auburn's offense

Eugene Asante has quickly emerged as Auburn’s undeniable spark plug on defense. Any time the ball is in his vicinity, the Tigers’ coaches know they can rely on the linebacker to make a play — or come barreling across the field to try.

Who’s that instant-impact piece on Auburn’s offense, though? Admittedly, Hugh Freeze is “still searching.”

“That's one of the things: I think we've got to get more swagger on the offensive side,” Freeze said Monday.

In two Power Five games, Auburn hasn’t necessarily had much mojo on offense, particularly through the air. A 27-10 loss at Texas A&M shed light on some serious light on the Tigers’ passing-game problems, as starting quarterback Payton Thorne threw for just 44 yards and was benched in the third quarter.

This isn’t a new issue for the 2023 team, though. Saturday’s loss marked the fifth straight Power Five game in which Auburn failed to reach 100 passing yards. For the Tigers, it’s been a bit of a surprise how things have shaken out early in the season.

“In fall camp — and I think the defensive guys would agree — we definitely had it there,” tight end Luke Deal said of Auburn’s offense. “We were taking it to them pretty good during fall camp. We’ve had some really, really high spots on offense, and I think the biggest thing is just everyone being on the same page.”

Auburn’s offensive ineptitude starts right off the bat, too, and cuts down on any momentum it had entering the game. The Tigers haven’t scored a point in the first quarter for three straight games. But that hasn’t been for lack of progression. Auburn entered opposing territory twice in the first quarter against Samford but had an interception in the end zone and a turnover on downs. The Tigers’ second drive of the game against Texas A&M got all the way down to the 30-yard line before Thorne was sacked out of field-goal range. Auburn's early offensive scripts have been thrown out of rhythm.

Freeze knows early mishaps and an empty scoreboard can have a psychological effect.

“You can have three bad possessions in a row,” Freeze said. “We're not the only ones that have those. But yet you have to maintain this attitude that the next one can be the one that matters.”

That much was proven to be the case against Cal, when Auburn struggled on offense all night but finally broke through with a go-ahead touchdown pass with 6:41 remaining.

The Tigers barely had any of those opportunities in College Station, though. They entered Texas A&M territory five times but never got closer than the 28-yard line. It was Auburn’s first game since a 49-0 loss in the 2012 Iron Bowl where its offense didn’t run a single play in the red zone.

Texas A&M’s seven sacks — and eight more tackles for loss — obviously hurt the Tigers in terms of field position and staying ahead of the chains. Auburn also had five penalties in the game on third down, which helped generate an average to-go distance of 11.7 yards on third downs.

“Just a combination of everything, man,” offensive guard Kam Stutts said. “Just altogether, we've got to be better.”

Thorne obviously wasn’t well protected for the majority of the game, but Freeze said he still expected better decision-making in the face of pressure from the veteran QB. A defensive front with the talent level of Texas A&M’s can be a shock to the system, sure — and Georgia’s this weekend will be as good, if not better — but Freeze didn’t think Auburn would have so many issues with protection and simply getting passes away.

“Last week, particularly, (Thorne) was really, really sharp in practice,” Freeze said. “And we keep hoping to see that translate into the games. And again, it's a combination. It's not all Payton, but sometimes it is and he owns it. … It’s a plethora of responsibilities, but ultimately it lands in my lap and the lap of the offensive coaches to make sure the routes are run at the correct depth with the correct releases against the correct coverage.

"And then, obviously, the protection has to be good, which is very hard to do in third-and-long situations against a talented defensive front that you see in this league. And there were some times when the ball should have come out and it didn’t.”

Thorne is still Auburn’s starting quarterback for now, Freeze said Monday, but there are plenty of other issues to address before facing one of college football’s most consistently elite defenses at home Saturday (2:30 p.m. CDT, CBS).

Offensive coordinator Philip Montgomery is still Auburn’s primary play caller, and Freeze doesn’t expect that to change right now, either. Freeze will be more involved in the offense moving forward — which also something he said after the struggles at Cal.

But the game plans have been solid, Freeze thinks. He, his coaches and his players have to be able to execute them.

“We were together a lot last night, a lot this morning and will be this afternoon,” Freeze said of breaking down the offensive issues with his coaches. “Now look, you've still got to go block them. And you've still got to go win a one-on-one. That's easier said than done right now with the talent level we're facing.

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auburnwire.usatoday.com

 

Auburn adjusts depth chart for Week 5 after injuries

JD McCarthy

3–4 minutes

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Auburn has revealed its depth chart for its Week 5 game against the Georgia Bulldogs and has once again made some slight changes due to an injury.

With Keionte Scott still out, Auburn has named a new starter at both star and punt returner. Donovan Kaufman has been elevated to starter at star and J.D. Rhym is now listed as his backup.

Buy Tigers Tickets

While Jaylin Simpson was listed as the top punt returner last week, Koy Moore was used and has been put as the starter for this week with Simpson as his backup.

Here is a look at the full depth chart ahead of Auburn’s game against Georgia Saturday.

Maria Lysaker-USA TODAY Sports

Starter: Payton Thorne

Backups: Robby Ashford OR Holden Geriner

(Photo by Michael Chang/Getty Images)

Starter: Jarquez Hunter

Backups: Damari Alston, Brian Battie, Jeremiah Cobb

Maria Lysaker-USA TODAY Sports

Starter: Rivaldo Fairweather OR Luke Deal

Backups: Tyler Fromm OR Brandon Frazier, Micah Riley

© Jake Crandall / Advertiser / USA TODAY NETWORK

Starter: Jyaire Shorter OR Omari Kelly

Backup: Koy Moore

Maria Lysaker-USA TODAY Sports

Starter: Jay Fair OR Ja’Varrius Johnson

Backup: Caleb Burton III

(Photo by Logan Riely/Getty Images)

Starter: Shane Hooks

Backups: Camden Brown OR Nick Mardner

Maria Lysaker-USA TODAY Sports

Starter: Dillon Wade

Backup: Jaden Muskrat

Photo By Austin Perryman

Starter: Jeremiah Wright

Backup: Tate Johnson

Maria Lysaker-USA TODAY Sports

Starter: Avery Jones

Backup: Connor Lew

Maria Lysaker-USA TODAY Sports

Starter: Kam Stutts

Backup: Jalil Irvin

Maria Lysaker-USA TODAY Sports

Starter: Gunner Britton

Backup: Izavion Miller

Photo by Zach Bland/Auburn Tigers

Starter: Mosiah Nasili-Kite

Backups: Keldric Faulk OR Zykevious Walker

Maria Lysaker-USA TODAY Sports

Starter: Jayson Jones

Backup: Justin Rogers

(Photo by Brandon Sumrall/Getty Images)

Starter: Marcus Harris

Backup: Lawrence Johnson

Maria Lysaker-USA TODAY Sports

Starter: Jalen McLeod

Backups: Elijah McAllister, Stephen Sings V

Photo by Zach Bland/Auburn Tigers

Starter: Larry Nixon III

Backup: Wesley Steiner

Maria Lysaker-USA TODAY Sports

Starter: Eugene Asante

Backup: Cam Riley

Maria Lysaker-USA TODAY Sports

Starter: D.J. James

Backups: Kayin Lee OR Colton Hood

Maria Lysaker-USA TODAY Sports

Starter: Donovan Kaufman

Backup: J.D. Rhym

Shanna Lockwood/AU Athletics

Starter: Jaylin Simpson

Backup: Griffin Speaks

Photo by Zach Bland/Auburn Tigers

Starter: Zion Puckett

Backups: Marquise Gilbert, Terrance Love

(AP Photo/Stew Milne)

Starter: Nehemiah Pritchett

Backups: Champ Anthony OR J.D. Rhym

© Mickey Welsh / Advertiser / USA TODAY NETWORK

Starter: Koy Moore

Backup: Jaylin Simpson

(Photo by Michael Chang/Getty Images)

Starter: Brian Battie, Jarquez Hunter

Mandatory Credit: Maria Lysaker-USA TODAY Sports

Punter: Oscar Chapman

Place Kicker: Alex McPherson

Holder: Oscar Chapman

Long Snapper: Reed Hughes

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si.com

 

Hugh Freeze, Auburn expecting massive recruiting weekend for for Georgia game

Shel Hickman

2–3 minutes

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Over 40 recruits will be at Jordan-Hare this Saturday to watch Hugh Freeze and the Auburn Tigers take on Kirby Smart and the Georgia Bulldogs.

Auburn is expecting over 40 recruits and commits this upcoming weekend in the Tigers matchup against the Georgia Bulldogs. Ny Carr ,2024 four-star wide receiver from Colquitt County, Georgia, has just decommitted from Georgia, so this will be a very important visit for him. Auburn versus Georgia is a huge recruiting battleground, and this game could help Auburn’s future recruiting class with so many 2025, and 2026 recruits at the game this weekend.

"I do not know if we will have enough tickets for all of the recruits that want to come," Freeze said. "I am glad I am not having to deal with that. Recruiting staff is working diligently. We have official visits; we have top kids here unofficially. It will be all-hands-on-deck, Auburn putting their best foot forward, which I know we will…”

The outcome of the game will not be the only factor to watch for these young recruits. The atmosphere, the crowd, the tradition, the scheme, and the Auburn family all play a part in recruiting for this weekend. Coach Hugh Freeze finished his statement by saying this:

“Our people are incredible. Our place is incredible to watch a game. Now we have to make sure they see what Auburn is really about."

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saturdaydownsouth.com

 

Auburn football: 3 things we’d like to see on Saturday against Georgia

Glenn Sattell | 14 hours ago

4–5 minutes

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Hugh Freeze took his 1st step backwards as Auburn head coach on Saturday.

His Tigers were outplayed and outclassed in a 27-10 defeat at Texas A&M. It was not the SEC opener they had hoped for, but Auburn must rebound and do it in warp speed with 2-time defending national champion Georgia next on the schedule.

The Bulldogs come into Jordan-Hare Stadium for a 3:30 p.m. ET Saturday kickoff riding a 21-game winning streak. They’ve owned the Oldest Rivalry in the South, defeating Auburn 6 straight times and winning 9 out of the past 10 meetings between the programs.

Auburn is just 3-15 against Georgia over the past 18 meetings, which includes the 2017 SEC Championship Game.

Georgia is a 2-touchdown favorite in a game most aren’t giving Freeze and the Tigers much of a chance for victory.

But here are 3 things we’d like to see on Saturday against the Bulldogs:

1. Can someone step up at quarterback?

Whether it’s Payton Thorne or Robby Ashford … or heck, Holden Geriner, somebody has to step up and be a leader. That just didn’t happen last Saturday in College Station. Thorne looked lost in his 6-for-12 passing day for just 44 yards. Indecisive and inaccurate, Thorne put the Tigers in awkward, long-distance situations throughout the game.

Ashford had no answer, completing 1 of 4 passes for 4 yards. His 25 yards rushing on 8 attempts didn’t provide much relief. And, in desperation, Geriner proved equally ineffective, throwing for only 8 yards on 2 completions in 7 passing attempts.

The trio combined for a dismal 56 yards passing. Auburn had more yards in penalties (10 for 64 yards) than passing yardage.

The quarterback ratings were abysmal: Thorne (80.8), Ashford (33.4) and Geriner (38.2) struggled mightily against an Aggies front that Auburn couldn’t block.

Somebody is going to have to step up on Saturday or it will be another long Saturday afternoon for the Tigers.

2. The Jarquez Hunter Show

It’s time for Auburn’s featured back to be, well, featured.

With Damari Alston out indefinitely with a dislocated shoulder, it’s time for Hunter to become the running back that Auburn has expected since his arrival.

Can he handle it? That’s been the question.

Can he take the pounding?

It would be nice to see the 5-10, 210-pound junior get 15 to 20 carries on Saturday. But is that asking too much? In this his 3rd season at Auburn, Hunter has never carried more than 13 times in any game.

He did that twice, in back-to-back games toward the end of last season, in victories over Texas A&M and Western Kentucky. In both games, Hunter surpassed the 100-yard mark, an accomplishment he hadn’t achieved since his 1st 2 games at Auburn.

Here’s hoping that Freeze and offensive coordinator Philip Montgomery can turn their star running back loose and devise a gameplan that gets Hunter the ball in space.

3. Stop the run

Among SEC teams, only Vanderbilt (750 yards) has given up more rushing yards this season than Auburn (536). The Tigers yielded a cringeworthy 209 yards rushing last Saturday to Texas A&M.

Now, Georgia hasn’t rushed for 200 yards yet this season. But in each of the past 3 years the Bulldogs have surpassed that mark against the Tigers, including a 292-yard ground output last season. So, we know what they’re capable of.

Yet, oddly enough, after 4 games this season the Bulldogs have yet to turn in a 200-yard rushing game. That hasn’t happened since the 2010 season.

I’d like to see Auburn continue that trend for Georgia this year and hold the Bulldogs run game in check. To do so, the Tigers will have to bottle up Georgia senior running back Daijun Edwards, who returned from injury with an impressive 118-yard performance in the recent victory over South Carolina.

In 2 games this season, Edwards leads the Bulldogs with 184 rushing yards and 3 touchdowns. He’s averaging 92 yards per game on the ground with a 5.75 yards-per-carry average.

Keep him in check and Auburn just might hang around a while on Saturday at Jordan-Hare.

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collegefootballnews.com

Georgia vs Auburn Prediction Game Preview

Pete Fiutak

~4 minutes

Georgia vs Auburn prediction, game preview, how to watch. Week 5, Saturday, September 30

Oct 8, 2022; Athens, Georgia, USA; Georgia Bulldogs tight end Brock Bowers (19) runs against the Auburn Tigers defense during the second half at Sanford Stadium. 

© Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports

Georgia at Auburn How To Watch

Date: Saturday, September 30
Game Time: 3:30 ET
Venue: Jordan-Hare Stadium, Auburn, AL
How To Watch: CBS
2023 Record: Georgia (4-0), Auburn (3-1)
Pete Fiutak on X | CFN on X
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Georgia at Auburn Game Preview

Why Georgia Will Win

Poor Georgia.

It took a while to wake up and care about beating UAB - Georgia won 49-21 - and it hasn’t been totally destroying these overmatched opponents by a bajillion, so all of a sudden the hipster thing to do is argue that someone else should be No. 1 over the two-time defending champ.

Poor, poor Georgia.

The season might as well be over. Everything has apparently collapsed with just the 17th-best total defense in the country - No. 1 in the SEC in scoring D - and only outscoring its opponents 166-45.

(Last year after four games it was 174-32, and then the Dawgs struggled - to understate it - to get by Missouri 26-22.)

God-willing, maybe this taped-together, rag-tag defensive bunch can hold down the SEC’s worst passing game, and maybe this offense full of try-hards can gain a yard or two against the SEC’s second-worst run D, and …

- 2023 Team Schedules, Results
Bowl Projections | Week 4 Rankings
Heisman Race | Who's Alive for CFP

Why Auburn Will Win

No, Auburn couldn’t get anything going in last week’s loss to Texas A&M, but it was still able to hang around in the 27-10 loss.

It starts with the mistakes. Even though the O stalled, there weren’t any turnovers but the ten penalties hurt. Flags weren’t a problem early on, turnovers were, but at home if the the Tigers have to be clean - it's possible; the opener against UMass was virtually error-free - and the offense can keep controlling the pace, this should get interesting.

In this, though, strike fast. Georgia is having a problem coming out of the gate roaring. The offense is struggling in the first quarter, and the defense is having problems in the second.

The Tiger defense is great on third downs and it’s been good at not breaking all that much after bending. Get to into the locker room within range, and yeah, this team really might have a shot if the passing game can do ANYTHING consistently.

Recommended for You

Georgia at Auburn Who Will Win

All obnoxious snark aside, no, Georgia hasn’t quite looked like its normal dominant self of the previous two seasons, but that’s only because no one has seen it turn on the jets - like anyone watched that UAB game with almost 600 yards of total offense.

Again, it’s quickly forgotten that Georgia went through a bit of a funk around this time last year, and so far it hasn’t been able to crank up a 28-point first quarter, just because.

Slow and steady - at least for this team - continues to win the race, and it’ll outlast Auburn after a good battle for about 20 minutes.

As some point very, very soon, Auburn is about to turn a corner under Hugh Freeze - this team really is better than the 2022 version. This week, though, it won’t have the offense to counter once the scores start to fly.

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247sports.com

 

How can Auburn find 'more swagger' on offense?

Nathan King

5–7 minutes

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Eugene Asante has quickly emerged as Auburn’s undeniable spark plug on defense. Any time the ball is in his vicinity, the Tigers’ coaches know they can rely on the linebacker to make a play — or come barreling across the field to try.

Who’s that instant-impact piece on Auburn’s offense, though? Admittedly, Hugh Freeze is “still searching.”

“That's one of the things: I think we've got to get more swagger on the offensive side,” Freeze said Monday.

In two Power Five games, Auburn hasn’t necessarily had much mojo on offense, particularly through the air. A 27-10 loss at Texas A&M shed light on some serious light on the Tigers’ passing-game problems, as starting quarterback Payton Thorne threw for just 44 yards and was benched in the third quarter.

This isn’t a new issue for the 2023 team, though. Saturday’s loss marked the fifth straight Power Five game in which Auburn failed to reach 100 passing yards. For the Tigers, it’s been a bit of a surprise how things have shaken out early in the season.

“In fall camp — and I think the defensive guys would agree — we definitely had it there,” tight end Luke Deal said of Auburn’s offense. “We were taking it to them pretty good during fall camp. We’ve had some really, really high spots on offense, and I think the biggest thing is just everyone being on the same page.”

Auburn’s offensive ineptitude starts right off the bat, too, and cuts down on any momentum it had entering the game. The Tigers haven’t scored a point in the first quarter for three straight games. But that hasn’t been for lack of progression. Auburn entered opposing territory twice in the first quarter against Samford but had an interception in the end zone and a turnover on downs. The Tigers’ second drive of the game against Texas A&M got all the way down to the 30-yard line before Thorne was sacked out of field-goal range. Auburn's early offensive scripts have been thrown out of rhythm.

Freeze knows early mishaps and an empty scoreboard can have a psychological effect.

“You can have three bad possessions in a row,” Freeze said. “We're not the only ones that have those. But yet you have to maintain this attitude that the next one can be the one that matters.”

That much was proven to be the case against Cal, when Auburn struggled on offense all night but finally broke through with a go-ahead touchdown pass with 6:41 remaining.

The Tigers barely had any of those opportunities in College Station, though. They entered Texas A&M territory five times but never got closer than the 28-yard line. It was Auburn’s first game since a 49-0 loss in the 2012 Iron Bowl where its offense didn’t run a single play in the red zone.

Texas A&M’s seven sacks — and eight more tackles for loss — obviously hurt the Tigers in terms of field position and staying ahead of the chains. Auburn also had five penalties in the game on third down, which helped generate an average to-go distance of 11.7 yards on third downs.

“Just a combination of everything, man,” offensive guard Kam Stutts said. “Just altogether, we've got to be better.”

Thorne obviously wasn’t well protected for the majority of the game, but Freeze said he still expected better decision-making in the face of pressure from the veteran QB. A defensive front with the talent level of Texas A&M’s can be a shock to the system, sure — and Georgia’s this weekend will be as good, if not better — but Freeze didn’t think Auburn would have so many issues with protection and simply getting passes away.

“Last week, particularly, (Thorne) was really, really sharp in practice,” Freeze said. “And we keep hoping to see that translate into the games. And again, it's a combination. It's not all Payton, but sometimes it is and he owns it. … It’s a plethora of responsibilities, but ultimately it lands in my lap and the lap of the offensive coaches to make sure the routes are run at the correct depth with the correct releases against the correct coverage.

"And then, obviously, the protection has to be good, which is very hard to do in third-and-long situations against a talented defensive front that you see in this league. And there were some times when the ball should have come out and it didn’t.”

Thorne is still Auburn’s starting quarterback for now, Freeze said Monday, but there are plenty of other issues to address before facing one of college football’s most consistently elite defenses at home Saturday (2:30 p.m. CDT, CBS).

Offensive coordinator Philip Montgomery is still Auburn’s primary play caller, and Freeze doesn’t expect that to change right now, either. Freeze will be more involved in the offense moving forward — which also something he said after the struggles at Cal.

But the game plans have been solid, Freeze thinks. He, his coaches and his players have to be able to execute them.

“We were together a lot last night, a lot this morning and will be this afternoon,” Freeze said of breaking down the offensive issues with his coaches. “Now look, you've still got to go block them. And you've still got to go win a one-on-one. That's easier said than done right now with the talent level we're facing.

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whnt.com

 

From Dye to Dooley: Exploring the ‘family’ ties in the Deep South’s Oldest Rivalry

Josiah Elmore

5–6 minutes

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AUBURN, Ala. (WHNT) — For the 128th time on Saturday, Auburn and Georgia will square off against each other.

In what’s known as the Deep South’s Oldest Rivalry, the Tigers and Bulldogs will enter the game as seemingly polar opposites.

Auburn enters the game after back-to-back losing seasons, meanwhile, Georgia comes in with back-to-back national championships, but the passion for both fan bases remains the same.<

Coming off of an abysmal offensive performance on the road against Texas A&M, Hugh Freeze addressed the media Monday to preview the Tigers’ matchup with the No.1 team in the country.

Freeze, who previously coached at Ole Miss, knows a thing or two about a good-ole-fashioned SEC rivalry after coaching in five Egg Bowls. Candidly, Freeze said he’s not sure he sees this rivalry the same as others across the conference.

“I don’t sense the hatred that is in some other rivalries I’ve been a part of,” said Freeze. “I’m not big on hate, I’m really not. I’m big on that this means something to so many people so we should compete in a way out of love for our people, not necessarily for hate for other people that’s kind of the way I operate. I hope we compete because we love Auburn.”

Stay ahead of the biggest stories, breaking news and weather across North Alabama and southern Tennessee. Download the WHNT News 19 App and be sure to turn on push alerts.

Freeze would go on to say that love is an incredible ‘motivator’ for him.

While love isn’t the typical word you hear for a college football rivalry, both programs are quite familiar with each other.

In fact, Georgia’s all-time winningest coach, Vince Dooley, played at Auburn for the Tigers’ all-time winningest coach, Shug Jordan. Dooley would earn a bachelor’s and master’s degree from the university during his time on the Plains.

On the flip side, legendary Auburn Head Coach Pat Dye was a three-year letterman and All-American offensive lineman at Georgia.

Currently, Georgia has three coaches with ties to the Tigers.

Co-Defensive Coordinator Will Muschamp played for the Bulldogs from 1991-1994 before becoming a graduate assistant at Auburn, his first of three stints with the Tigers. Muschamp’s second stint came when he was the Tigers’ defensive coordinator and linebackers coach from 2006-2007.

Muschamp returned to the Tigers, once again, in 2015 as defensive coordinator. He would only be in that role for one year before becoming South Carolina’s Head Coach. In 2021, Muschamp took the job as Georgia’s special teams coordinator before becoming the co-defensive coordinator in 2022.

Georgia’s offensive coordinator, Mike Bobo, served as Auburn’s offensive coordinator in 2021. Following his lone year with the Tigers, he took a job as an offensive analyst before being promoted to offensive coordinator this offseason.

Stacy Searels, Georgia’s offensive line coach, played for Dye at Auburn where he was a three-year starter on the offensive line at Auburn and earned first-team All-America honors. Like Muschamp, Searels started his coaching career at Auburn as a graduate assistant from 1992-1993.

The two programs’ familiarity can be summed up in a quote from the late Dye.

It’s a unique thing.  It’s like playing against your brother.  I don’t think anybody who plays in that game can ever forget it. It just doesn’t matter much where it’s played or what somebody’s record is.  It’s so intense and tough, but at the same time, it’s family. 

Pat Dye on the Deep South’s Oldest Rivalry

Recently, the family affair hasn’t been close. As a matter of fact, Auburn hasn’t taken down Georgia since they upset the Bulldogs 40-17 in 2017.

Since that game, Georgia has rattled off 66 wins including six straight against the Tigers and two national championships. The last three against the Tigers have been by three or more touchdowns.

According to the Action Network, the Bulldogs are currently 14.5 point favorites but when it comes to this rivalry all bets are off once the lights turn on in Jordan-Hare Stadium. After, all this rivalry has shown the unexpected a time or two.

Like in 2013 when the Tigers won off a tipped pass on a 4th and 18 play. Later, deemed the ‘The Prayer in Jordan-Hare.’

In 1996, the rivalry was the first SEC game to go to overtime. Most notably in that game, Georgia’s live mascot Uga V lunged at Auburn wide receiver Robert Baker after a first-quarter touchdown.

Saturday may or may not add to the classic moments this rivalry has brought but at 2:30 p.m. on WHNT the Tigers and Bulldogs will get together for a ‘family’ showdown.

[aubiefifty 18,259]

 

247sports.com

 

Auburn defense looking to keep chopping with Georgia up next

Jason Caldwell

3–4 minutes

---

AUBURN, Alabama—Despite a new system and a bunch of new faces on that side of the ball, Auburn’s defense is currently 25th in the country in total defense heading into Saturday’s showdown with No. 1 Georgia at Jordan-Hare Stadium. Also dealing with injuries to several key players, starters Nehemiah Pritchett, Austin Keys and Keionte Scott among them, the Tigers have continued to battle and that will need to be the case again when the Bulldogs come to town.

Even with quarterback Carson Beck throwing the ball well for the Georgia offense, Auburn’s defense knows it all starts with slowing down the running game. Allowing 134 yards per game on the ground this season, the Tigers face a Georgia offense dealing with injuries at the running back position. It has resulted in the Bulldogs averaging just 159 yards per game on the ground, but they have an impressive 13 rushing touchdowns already.

That’s where it starts this week, said senior defensive tackle Marcus Harris.

“It’s always the key in the SEC,” he said. “If you’re not going to stop the run, they’re going to keep doing the same thing over and over and wasting the clock and trying to keep the ball out of our offense’s hands. If you don’t stop the run it’s always going to be a long day and it will always end in a loss. That’s the number one thing, stopping the run.”

One of the keys to stopping the run is being in the right spots before the ball is snapped. That’s one of the jobs of senior safety Zion Puckett, who missed a large portion of Saturday’s loss after getting his shoulder banged up. Expected to be ready to go this weekend against Georgia, Puckett said the defense continues to grind and that means putting one foot in front of the other every day.

"I think we're doing a good job,” Puckett said. “I think we're doing what we need to do. Championships and everything like that, bowl games are not won at the beginning. I think it's throughout the season as you get better each and every day. You can't lose a day, and I think that's helping us a lot."

Auburn’s defense will need to be at its best on Saturday to help out an offense that hasn’t fared well this season and has been dreadful against Georgia for much of the last decade. Saying that he’s seen what his own offense can do and he believes good things are coming this season, Harris said all they can control is how they prepare and how they play this weekend.

“Keep chopping,” Harris said. “There’s still work to be done. We know we had a pretty decent game, but there’s still work to be done on the defensive side of the ball. There are still little mental errors and when it was hot, a good amount of people were tired. We’ve got to fight through that. The main message is to keep playing through adversity for the whole four quarters.”

[aubiefifty 18,259]

 

al.com

 

Early kickoffs seen as snub in SEC, who has most might be surprising

Updated: Sep. 26, 2023, 12:58 p.m.|Published: Sep. 26, 2023, 6:18 a.m.

6–8 minutes

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There’s dew still in the grass next to the tailgate closing up shop.

Today is more of a sprint than a marathon whether you like it or not.

Good morning, as the Jefferson Pilot Sports intro music plays, it’s already time for football.

It’s a begrudging SEC tradition dating back to the days of the Three Daves and pre-HD television with camcorder-grade views back home.

The 11 a.m. CT kickoff has long been a punchline or the perceived insult for those picked to play as far from primetime as possible. “Breakfast with the Barn”, is the gag in Tuscaloosa for the perceived high number of pre-noon kicks for Auburn.

But is Auburn really the leader in morning football participation? Not even close, according to our meticulous inspection of every SEC kickoff time since 2013. First, some background.

The Jefferson Pilot Sports days of syndicated kickoffs airing off the beaten path was the birthplace of this perceived indignity. With Dave Neal, Dave Rowe and Dave Archer on the call and often mediocrity on the field, the early kick became a conference-wide punchline.

On the rare occasion there was magic, take the 2002 Bluegrass Miracle for example. Nick Saban-coach LSU stunned Kentucky with a Hail Mary that’s preserved with Zapruder-level footage.

The SEC Network inherited that slice of the television dial when it launched in 2014.

In reality, there are three main windows for SEC games to begin. There’s the 11 a.m. CT slot on the SEC Network or one of the ESPN properties. Auburn, for example, followed College GameDay headgear reveal this past Saturday with its 11 a.m. CT game on ESPN. Kentucky and Vanderbilt began at the same time on the SEC Network.

Then, for this final season, the 2:30 p.m. CT CBS game gets the first pick of each week’s matchups. A 3 p.m. CT SEC Network game is followed by the rest spreading out among the ESPN properties -- cable or streaming.

So, who has the earliest kicks in the past 11 years? The answer may surprise you.

It’s Georgia.

The Bulldogs have 39 games in that early timeslot followed by Florida with 38.

Auburn is tied for ninth most with 26.

LSU’s had the fewest with 11 with Alabama next at 15.

School	Early kicks
Georgia	39
Florida	38
S. Carolina	37
Mizzou	36
Vandy	34
UK	34
Arkansas	31
Tenn	28
Auburn	26
A&M	26
Ole Miss	26
Miss. St	23
Alabama	15
LSU	11

The Bulldogs’ number is padded by the fact the last eight regular-season finales with Georgia Tech began at 11 a.m. CT or noon in Georgia.

Missouri, however, has been an 11 a.m. darling when looking at just the last few seasons. It’s played 12 times before noon since the 2021 season began -- one more than LSU’s total from the past 11 years.

“Our fans will do whatever they need to do to be here,” Missouri coach Eli Drinkwitz said, “but it’s not quite as advantageous but the more concern for me is the night road games because we’re the furthest north-playing team in our league and the travel has been horrendous from that end and that’s not great for student-athlete well-being.”

Kentucky’s Mark Stoops took another approach when asked about his level of concern with home fans showing up for this Saturday’s noon ET game with Florida.

“I have great confidence in the people of Kentucky that can get up very early and pound some beers,” Stoops said to laughter Monday in Lexington.

As a whole, SEC coaches didn’t seem all that opposed to playing the early game on the road.

“It’s hard to have as loud a crowd at 11:00 a.m. as it is to have it in the evening when they get all ready to go during the day,” Arkansas’ Sam Pittman said making the point of early games neutralizing what can be the most hostile stadiums in the nation.

“I love early kicks on the road,” Auburn’s Hugh Freeze said the Monday before heading to Texas A&M where the Tigers beat soundly, 27-10.

The Tigers are 6-5 in early games played on the road since 2013 and 16-10 overall in that span. Of those, 11 were conference home games.

Alabama, meanwhile, had just one SEC home game begin at 11 a.m., in the past 11 years. The Tide is 15-0 in those early kicks with four road games -- two at Mississippi State and one each at Texas and Arkansas -- with the other 10 being Group of 5 or FCS visitors to Tuscaloosa.

The 20-19 win at Texas in 2022 was the only close one in the bunch with a 65-31 win at Arkansas in 2018 being the only other non-snoozer.

To date, the only 2023 Alabama game set for an early start is the Nov. 18 visit from Chattanooga of the FCS.

Florida, meanwhile, is set for its 39th since 2013 when Kentucky visits Sept. 30. The Gators have had no fewer than four of these early time slots every year since 2017.

Second-year coach Billy Napier is 3-1 in the 11 a.m. CT game and served up the brutal honesty of the whole deal.

“TV, I mean, drives the ship,” Napier said, “partly because of the popularity of the game and revenue the game creates and sometimes you don’t get the quote-unquote prime spot.”

The truth of it all.

“But it doesn’t change anything on our end,” he continued, “and we don’t want to make too much of a big deal of it to be a really good example for our players in terms of our attitude and approach.”

The fact that Florida and Georgia are the two most frequent early risers would fly in the face of the early-game insult.

Vanderbilt, with its 36.3 winning percentage since 2013, tied for the fifth most with 34.

Mississippi State had the third least (23) with an overall 58.8 winning percentage.

So, bottom line, the correlation between lousy records and early alarm clocks isn’t one-to-one. There are outliers, but it’s also not surprising to see Alabama and LSU aren’t frequent early risers or that Missouri isn’t a primetime draw.

In some conferences, the first window is an honor, or less of a perceived slight. They call it Big Noon Saturday with high-value games from the Big Ten, Big 12 and Pac-12 going reverse primetime on Fox. Ohio State-Michigan is always in that time slot. Even Colorado-USC is set for a 10 a.m. local kickoff on Sept. 30.

But in the SEC, the money games are played in the middle of the afternoon or under the lights.

Anything else is somewhat insulting.

[aubiefifty 18,259]

al.com

 

A Eugene Asante-like leader on offense? Auburn is still searching for one.

Published: Sep. 26, 2023, 6:00 a.m.

6–7 minutes

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Eugene Asante has been the highlight of the year for Auburn football.

The effort Asante puts on display every weekend is one that captivates college football fans. The junior linebacker wants to win every snap and leaves little to be desired in his pursuit of doing it.

“There’s no question of the effort he’s going to give,” Freeze said of Asante after Saturday’s loss at Texas A&M. “It hurts him when we don’t succeed, and you see that in his face.”

Ask Freeze to point to the “Asante of the offense”, however, and you might be left waiting while Auburn’s head coach stammers.

“We’re searching truthfully,” Freeze said. “That was one of the things… I think we have to get more swagger on the offensive side.”

Auburn’s defense has Asante, his heart, his relentless effort and his now-iconic “Let’s work!” catchphrase.

Auburn’s defense also has a defensive backfield full of swagger as guys like Jaylin Simpson come into games wearing sunglasses with punchy sayings on the arms and a “turnover seatbelt” around their neck. Not to mention the choreographed celebratory dances with Freeze on the sideline.

The offense, on the other hand, has...

[insert cricket noises here]

In most college football locker rooms, the quarterback is the leader of an offense.

However, most college locker rooms aren’t steering towards a quarterback controversy midway through the season. So, in the case at Auburn, it’s hard to ask a quarterback to lead a locker room when his job under center is all but secure.

That leaves Freeze and the Tigers’ offense looking elsewhere for leadership. And when dealing with an offense that has been as inept as Auburn’s, a little positivity can go a long way, which is why Freeze name dropped veteran tight end Luke Deal when discussing leaders on the offensive side of the football.

“The most positive guy by far to this point has been Luke Deal,” Freeze said. “I think he’s one that has a good grasp on how this league plays out, how difficult these games are and how challenging they are for 60 minutes and how you can have three bad possessions in a row. We’re not the only ones that have those. But yet you have to maintain this attitude that the next one can be the one that matters.”

Positivity and swagger might not be interchangeable terms, but it’s a start.

Even after a loss like Saturday’s, Deal’s glass-half-full mentality is unchanged.

When asked what he saw on the film from the Texas A&M game, Deal didn’t first point out how inept the Auburn offense was. Instead, he commended the Tigers’ defense, which did everything it could to keep Auburn afloat in College Station.

Deal also tipped his hat to the Tigers’ running backs and offensive line.

But the list of rainbows and butterflies stopped there.

“I mean, the elephant in the room, we gotta fix everything else,” Deal said. “We’ve gotta fix just being together and being on one accord through the whole game. Just keep doing what we’re doing well and fix the things that we’re not doing well.”

Sure, hearing a veteran player say “we gotta fix everything else” heading into Week 5 of the season with the No. 1 team in the country coming to town is concerning.

Fortunately for Auburn, Freeze and Deal aren’t asking the Tigers’ offense to show them something they haven’t shown them before.

“In fall camp — and I think the defensive guys would agree — we definitely had it there. We were taking it to them pretty good during fall camp,” Deal said of the Auburn offense. “We’ve had some really, really high spots on offense and I think the biggest thing is just everyone being on the same page. I think everybody just having that same mindset that each and every play is its own play. Be excited for the good ones, flush the bad ones.”

The Auburn offense wasn’t on the same page during Saturday’s loss to Texas A&M.

That was evident from an Xs and Os standpoint as the Tigers’ quarterbacks missed open receivers and the offensive line gave up sack after sack.

But Deal hints that the offense might be lacking cohesion beyond the Xs and Os, too.

“But there are some parts of our offense that just there wasn’t that connection,” Deal said. “There wasn’t that swagger. There wasn’t that, just, being excited for each and every play. There was no rhythm.”

The nature of football can be deceiving.

As physical as it is, football is a dance. There’s a certain element of grace to it. And a disconnected football team is a football team with two left feet – especially on offense.

So how does the Auburn offense get that back?

It starts by holding each other accountable. And without a clear-cut leader on offense, that task might fall on the shoulders of Deal.

Freeze doesn’t like to use the term “calling someone out”. Instead, he refers to it as “calling someone up”.

And this week, Deal is prepared to do a bit of calling up.

“I don’t mind speaking what we need to talk about,” Deal said.

Does Deal’s willingness to be Auburn’s vocal leader on offense equate to the likes of Asante? Maybe not, considering Deal isn’t an on-field staple like Asante.

But at the moment, while the Tigers’ offense continues to grasp at straws, it might be up to Deal to keep the ship straight. And goodness knows the winds are going to be blowing this Saturday as No. 1 Georgia comes to town.

“This week, like we talked about, it’s a big rivalry game, Georgia’s a great team,” Deal said. “They’ve had a great program for a long time so we’re going to respect that, but for us we just need to get ourselves right, we need to get back to our roots.”

[SaltyTiger 8,579]

Thanks Fiddy…..another great day in the works here. Nice feeling 68 degrees on the Plains. Saturday forecast is great. I still think cloudy cool or cold November days for Georgia week.

[aubiefifty 18,259]

 

[aubiefifty 18,259]

 

[aubiefifty 18,259]

 

[aubiefifty 18,259]

 

[Hank2020 3,358]

9 hours ago, aubiefifty said:

 

auburnwire.usatoday.com

 

Auburn adjusts depth chart for Week 5 after injuries

JD McCarthy

3–4 minutes

---

Auburn has revealed its depth chart for its Week 5 game against the Georgia Bulldogs and has once again made some slight changes due to an injury.

With Keionte Scott still out, Auburn has named a new starter at both star and punt returner. Donovan Kaufman has been elevated to starter at star and J.D. Rhym is now listed as his backup.

Buy Tigers Tickets

While Jaylin Simpson was listed as the top punt returner last week, Koy Moore was used and has been put as the starter for this week with Simpson as his backup.

Here is a look at the full depth chart ahead of Auburn’s game against Georgia Saturday.

Maria Lysaker-USA TODAY Sports

Starter: Payton Thorne

Backups: Robby Ashford OR Holden Geriner

(Photo by Michael Chang/Getty Images)

Starter: Jarquez Hunter

Backups: Damari Alston, Brian Battie, Jeremiah Cobb

Maria Lysaker-USA TODAY Sports

Starter: Rivaldo Fairweather OR Luke Deal

Backups: Tyler Fromm OR Brandon Frazier, Micah Riley

© Jake Crandall / Advertiser / USA TODAY NETWORK

Starter: Jyaire Shorter OR Omari Kelly

Backup: Koy Moore

Maria Lysaker-USA TODAY Sports

Starter: Jay Fair OR Ja’Varrius Johnson

Backup: Caleb Burton III

(Photo by Logan Riely/Getty Images)

Starter: Shane Hooks

Backups: Camden Brown OR Nick Mardner

Maria Lysaker-USA TODAY Sports

Starter: Dillon Wade

Backup: Jaden Muskrat

Photo By Austin Perryman

Starter: Jeremiah Wright

Backup: Tate Johnson

Maria Lysaker-USA TODAY Sports

Starter: Avery Jones

Backup: Connor Lew

Maria Lysaker-USA TODAY Sports

Starter: Kam Stutts

Backup: Jalil Irvin

Maria Lysaker-USA TODAY Sports

Starter: Gunner Britton

Backup: Izavion Miller

Photo by Zach Bland/Auburn Tigers

Starter: Mosiah Nasili-Kite

Backups: Keldric Faulk OR Zykevious Walker

Maria Lysaker-USA TODAY Sports

Starter: Jayson Jones

Backup: Justin Rogers

(Photo by Brandon Sumrall/Getty Images)

Starter: Marcus Harris

Backup: Lawrence Johnson

Maria Lysaker-USA TODAY Sports

Starter: Jalen McLeod

Backups: Elijah McAllister, Stephen Sings V

Photo by Zach Bland/Auburn Tigers

Starter: Larry Nixon III

Backup: Wesley Steiner

Maria Lysaker-USA TODAY Sports

Starter: Eugene Asante

Backup: Cam Riley

Maria Lysaker-USA TODAY Sports

Starter: D.J. James

Backups: Kayin Lee OR Colton Hood

Maria Lysaker-USA TODAY Sports

Starter: Donovan Kaufman

Backup: J.D. Rhym

Shanna Lockwood/AU Athletics

Starter: Jaylin Simpson

Backup: Griffin Speaks

Photo by Zach Bland/Auburn Tigers

Starter: Zion Puckett

Backups: Marquise Gilbert, Terrance Love

(AP Photo/Stew Milne)

Starter: Nehemiah Pritchett

Backups: Champ Anthony OR J.D. Rhym

© Mickey Welsh / Advertiser / USA TODAY NETWORK

Starter: Koy Moore

Backup: Jaylin Simpson

(Photo by Michael Chang/Getty Images)

Starter: Brian Battie, Jarquez Hunter

Mandatory Credit: Maria Lysaker-USA TODAY Sports

Punter: Oscar Chapman

Place Kicker: Alex McPherson

Holder: Oscar Chapman

Long Snapper: Reed Hughes

These are useless IMO. They still list people that are obviously not going to play due to injury.

[aubiefifty 18,259]

2 minutes ago, Hank2020 said:

These are useless IMO. They still list people that are obviously not going to play due to injury.

 i try to post everything i can find and let you guys be the judge of what you want to read. some folks like reading about dept charts hank as i am sure maybe all the positions are not wrong. i do not read a lot of what i post because it takes a while to post this stuff. also freeze says there is no depth chart so they do not interest me. why nor email the culprit who wrote it instead of someone who is trying of someone who is trying to help the board? you sound pretty ungrateful but i am not going to argue with you.

[Hank2020 3,358]

4 minutes ago, aubiefifty said:

 i try to post everything i can find and let you guys be the judge of what you want to read. some folks like reading about dept charts hank as i am sure maybe all the positions are not wrong. i do not read a lot of what i post because it takes a while to post this stuff. also freeze says there is no depth chart so they do not interest me. why nor email the culprit who wrote it instead of someone who is trying of someone who is trying to help the board? you sound pretty ungrateful but i am not going to argue with you.

Sorry Fifty, was not implying your efforts were useless, just that the writer didn’t add much value as it was supposed to be a modified depth chart based on injuries.