Sports Night in Quarantine: Covid Cup*, Athlete Safety Concerns and Classes Back on Campus
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Sunday, May 31, 2020
Saturday, May 30, 2020
Friday, May 29, 2020
Auburn Football Recruiting: Who’s Next?
https://twitter.com/AuburnMade/status/1262750744702156800
A look at who might be next to join Auburn’s top 25 class.
Yesterday, we took a look at Auburn’s current 2021 class. Today, we’ll look to the future to get an idea of who might join those 9 already committed to the Tigers. We are already at a record number of commits this early in the cycle and with the NCAA extending the dead period to July 31st, effectively ending any chance of on campus visits this summer, you are likely to see even more commits over the next two months.
So what names should Auburn fans be monitoring? I took a stab at a list with the prospects ordered from most likely to least likely to pick the Tigers.
3* TE Landen King | 6’5” | 210 lbs | Humble, TX
This one feels imminent. King committed to the Longhorns in late April but backed away from that pledge just a month later. Why the backtrack? Well according to AuburnUndercover, King reached out to Auburn immediately following Dematrius Davis’s commitment to the Tigers. The two are childhood friends and it sounds like they want to team up at the next level. Auburn plans to take at least one tight end in this class and as of today, King looks likely to be that guy.
4* Buck Jeremiah Williams | 6’3” | 224 lbs | Birmingham, AL
Auburn needs a pass rusher in this class and with the Tigers missing out on 4-star Dylan Brooks, Williams has become the top target for the Tigers. This is an interesting recruitment with both Auburn and Alabama reportedly feeling confident about where they sit. In the past, that’s often meant bad news for the good guys but I think this one might be different. Williams is very close to Auburn’s staff, most notably Gus Malzahn. Throw in the amount of edge prospects Alabama signed last class and are after in 2021, this race feels like one that ends positively for Auburn. A decision is likely to come in June.
4* S Kamren Kinchens | 5’11” | 190 lbs | Miami, FL
South Florida has been kind to Auburn’s defensive backfield in recent cycles and the Tigers are hoping that continues in 2021. They already have a pair of 3-star DBs from Florida committed in Tar’varish Dawson and Phillip O’Brien Jr. That number could soon rise to three. Kinchens announced yesterday he plans to commit July 11th. This appears to be a two team battle between Auburn and Miami. In the past, Kinchens has stated that he wants to see Miami perform better on the field if they are going to land his pledge. Given the fact he’s committing before they can do so feels like a good thing for the Tigers. Kinchens and O’Brien would make for an outstanding safety pair in this 2021 class.
4* DT Marquis Robinson | 6’3” | 300 lbs | Milton, FL
I’m not sure how close Robinson is to a decision but it wouldn’t shock me if he decided to lock down a spot in Auburn’s class this summer. Rodney Garner made Robinson a priority very early on and the Tigers appear to sit in the pole position currently in his recruitment. Florida State looks to be Auburn’s stiffest competition. I expect the Tiger to sign at least two defensive tackles in this class.
4* WR Christian Leary | 5’9” | 180 lbs | Orlando, FL
This has been an interesting recruitment to track. Early in this race, Auburn looked like one of the top teams to beat, possibly even #1. But started to fade during the spring with Oklahoma becoming his likely landing spot. However, just a couple weeks ago Alabama surged ahead in the race with Florida likely chasing the Tide. Leary was going to commit June 11th but has now postponed the announcement. He told Rivals this week that he’s down to a top 3 of Auburn, Alabama and Florida. Per AuburnUndercover’s Keith Niebuhr, Dematrius Davis has been working hard behind the scenes to get Leary to join him on the Plains. I still think Alabama is the team to beat but it’s starting to feel like this could be one of those surprise pulls the Tigers get every cycle. It would be a massive win if Auburn could land Leary’s pledge.
5* CB Ga’Quincy McKinstry | 5’11” | 172 lbs | Pinson, AL
If I were given the choice to pick a single recruit in this class to sign with Auburn it would easily be Kool-Aid. The state’s top player is an elite athlete who will have the opportunity to play both football and basketball at the next level. Auburn has been hard after the Pinson Valley standout for going on three years now and are very much in this race. But I’ve followed recruiting long enough to know that 5-star instate cornerbacks sign with Alabama. They are likely the leader in this race though no one seems to have a great read on McKinstry’s recruitment. A commitment could come at any time. This would be a monster win for the Tigers if they could pull it off.
5* LB Smael Mondon | 6’3” | 220 lbs | Dallas, GA
Auburn doesn’t plan to sign a very large linebacker class. In fact, they might only sign one. I think if you asked T-WILL who he would want that one to be, he would likely say Smael Mondon. There’s been some Owen Pappoe vibes in this recruitment given Mondon’s close relationship with Travis Williams but there continues to be an abundance of confidence in Athens that he will state instate. I think that’s the most likely outcome but if a team steals him away, it will be Auburn. He’s expected to announce a decision sometime in June.
4* TE Terrance Ferguson | 6’5” | 230 lbs | Littleton, GA
As crazy as it may sound, I would not be surprised if Auburn signed two tight ends in this class. That seems crazy given the fact Auburn already has five on campus and looks poised to land another this cycle in King. But the Tigers are in deep with a number of studs that I am not sure they would turn away if they wanted on board, Terrance Ferguson possibly being one of them. The Colorado native has Auburn in his top 5 with Chad Morris being a big reason why. Auburn’s new offensive coordinator was one of the first to offer Ferguson back when Morris was at Arkansas. He quickly made Ferguson a priority again when upon his arrival to the Plains. The big man wants to announce a decision in July. If Auburn has King on board but Ferguson wants in come July, do they say no? It will be interesting to watch how things play out.
3* TE Lake McRee | 6’4” | 217 lbs | Austin, TX
Not that long ago I thought McRee would be Auburn’s tight end in this class. Another former Longhorn commit, Auburn has been hard after the Austin native for a few months now. McRee missed all of his junior season due to an ACL injury so tape on him is somewhat limited but he plays at Lake Travis where Chad Morris won two state titles so it’s likely Morris has enough connections there to get a good feel for his skillset. This has come down to an Auburn vs USC race with the Trojans appearing to be the likely victor. We will see though if Auburn makes a late push. A decision is likely to come in the near future.
War Eagle!
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Thursday, May 28, 2020
Auburn Football Recruiting: Current 2021 Class
https://twitter.com/AuburnMade/status/1264666332672524294
An overview of Auburn’s current 2021 class
Just two weeks ago, Auburn’s four man class was ranked #50 by 247 Team Composite. Two weeks and five commits later, Auburn has surged up 29 spots to #21 overall. Not a bad way to end the month of May.
With June right around the corner and more booms likely to come in the near future, it felt like a good time to take a high level look at Auburn’s current 2021 class. Often times, fans tend to focus more on whose next and less on who is already on board so I wanted to highlight what are likely to be the foundational pieces not only of this class but for the future of Auburn football.
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https://twitter.com/The_Fridge7/status/12018871115547811864-Star Defensive Tackle Lee Hunter
Committed: 12/3/2019
Hunter is Auburn’s second longest tenured commit having pulled the trigger last December. The 6’5” 292 lb defensive tackle out of Blount High School is coming off a strong junior campaign where he racked up 77 tackles, 23 tackles for loss and eight sacks while also forcing three fumbles and recovering another two. He will be an immediate impact player for the Tigers next season if they can hold onto his pledge. Hunter is still being heavily pursued by Alabama, Georgia, Florida State and Tennessee. When campuses reopen, I fully expect to see Hunter take official visits to all those schools plus Auburn. The Tigers will have to fight to hang onto his pledge but as of today I feel good about that happening. He’s the central piece of this 2021 defensive class.
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https://twitter.com/ArmoniGoodwin24/status/12244779921409228804-Star Running Back Armoni Goodwin
Committed: 5/22/2019
Between Goodwin missing the majority of his junior season due to an ACL injury and being Auburn’s longest committed class member, it’s easy for Auburn fans to forget that one of the best running backs in the 2021 class is already committed to the Tigers. Carnell Williams landed Goodwin’s pledge just over a year ago and the Hewitt-Trussville standout appears locked in with the Tigers. He’s flying under the radar right now but don’t be surprised if he challenges for a 5th star before this cycle is over. Despite only playing in three games last fall, Goodwin rushed for 485 yards on 52 carries. That’s 9.3 yards a touch. Oh and he scored on 10 of those 52 carries. He’s unquestionably one of the most explosive backs in this class.
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https://twitter.com/Dematrius09/status/12620384773838766104-Star Quarterback Dematrius Davis
Committed: 5/17/2020
Originally a Virginia Tech commit, Davis decommitted from the Hokies early May before committing to the Tigers nine days later. After Chad Morris came aboard, Auburn parted ways with former pledge, turned NC State commit Aaron McLaughlin and focused in on Davis. Landing Davis not only gives Auburn one of the best dual threat QB prospects in this class but one of the best leaders in the 2021 class. Davis has reportedly been hard at work for the Tigers behind the scenes in an attempt to load this class with weapons for the future. I am very excited to have Bo Nix and Dematrius Davis in the QB room next season.
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https://twitter.com/jaeden_kings/status/12656907393312808984-Star Offensive Guard Jaeden Roberts
Committed: 5/27/2020
Auburn’s most recent commit, Roberts is a massive prospect with tremendous upside. Teammates with Dematrius Davis, he helped lead North Shore to a 2nd consecutive state title last season. Roberts held offers from some of the top programs in the country including Alabama, LSU and Texas A&M. The Tigers will likely have to withstand some serious late pushes from those programs and others when things reopen but I feel pretty confident he will stick. He’ll compete early for playing time at right guard for the Tigers.
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https://twitter.com/CalebJohnson70/status/12245333758907801614-Star Offensive Tackle Caleb Johnson
Committed: 5/15/2020
You could make the argument that Johnson is Auburn’s most important commit to date. The Tigers have not signed a blue chip offensive tackle prep prospect since 2017 when they landed Calvin Ashley and Austin Troxell. Johnson’s stock has been on the rise since last fall, climbing the rankings most every update. He’s likely need a year of strength training before being ready to compete for playing time but it would not shock me at all if Johnson takes over one of the tackle spots relatively early in his career. Auburn beat out Florida, Florida State and Notre Dame for Johnson’s pledge and will likely have to fend them off come signing day.
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https://twitter.com/TarvarishD/status/12613280740895989763-Star Athlete Tar’varish Dawson
Committed: 5/15/2020
Dawson ended Auburn’s month and a half long commit drought when he announced two weeks ago he plans on being the Tiger. That was the first of three commits that day and one of the sneakier pickups to date. Dawson is a speedy athlete whose future position isn’t locked into place just yet. While I personally see him as a defensive back for the Tigers, he will reportedly get a shot at offense too when he arrives. It’s worth mentioning that Chad Morris was his lead recruiter so that opportunity is legit. He’s an exciting athlete that I fully expect will find a way to make an impact on the field in some way during his career.
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https://twitter.com/PhillipOjr/status/12473501802419077143-Star Safety Phillip O’Brien Jr.
Committed: 2/1/2020
I’m an admitted big fan of O’Brien and his upside. The Florida native was a surprise commit during junior day earlier this year. He was pegged as a virtual lock to Florida State but loved his visit to the Plains so much he decided to go ahead and pull the trigger. Don’t expect the Noles to go away, especially now that Marcus Woodson is in charge of that secondary but O’Brien appears to be rock solid as of today. I love his upside and would not be surprised to see him shoot up the rankings this fall.
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https://twitter.com/LangloGarner/status/12509479576644280323-Star Offensive Tackle Garner Langlo
Committed: 5/15/2020
Langlo was the final commit on that fateful Friday when Auburn’s class nearly doubled in twelve hours. Teammates with Caleb Johnson, Langlo’s recruitment exploded this spring landing offers from Auburn, Mississippi State and Florida State. There was some confidence in Tallahassee that once Langlo was offered he would quickly become a Nole but his relationships with Auburn’s coaching staff and the opportunity to possibly see the field early was enough for the Tigers to win his pledge. Langlo is the “thinnest” of Auburn’s commits coming in at a tiny 270 lbs at 6’7”. This 2021 OL class is one of giants.
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https://twitter.com/GoochJmarion/status/12509596532421099523-Star Offensive Tackle J’Marion Gooch
Committed: 4/16/2020
Gooch’s commitment came as a bit of a surprise in April. There hadn’t really been any buzz around his recruitment outside of Tennessee likely being the leader. But Gooch connected with Auburn’s staff and likes the early playing time opportunity the Tigers can provide. An absolute giant at 6’8” 358 lbs, Gooch’s highlight tape might be the most entertaining of any of Auburn’s current commits. I don’t expect him to be a day 1 impact player but he’s someone that down the line could develop into an SEC left tackle. Despite his size, Gooch is an outstanding athlete and it’s hard not to get excited about his potential upside.
War Eagle!
from College and Magnolia - All Posts https://www.collegeandmagnolia.com/2020/5/28/21273298/auburn-football-recruiting-2021-recruiting-class-lee-hunter-armoni-goodwin-dematrius-davis
ORANGE AND TRUE PODCAST: EPISODE 100
It’s been almost two years since we started talking, and you don’t seem to hate it.
Almost two years ago, Crow and Ryan sat down to record a podcast talking about Jared Harper and Bryce Brown deciding to return to Auburn for the 2018-19 basketball season. LITTLE DID WE KNOW, that it would turn out they’d enjoy each other’s company enough to keep doing this for nearly two years.
from College and Magnolia - All Posts https://www.collegeandmagnolia.com/2020/5/28/21273219/orange-and-true-podcast-episode-100
Wednesday, May 27, 2020
BOOM!!! 4-Star Offensive Guard Jaeden Roberts Commits to Auburn!
https://twitter.com/jaeden_kings/status/1265690739331280898
Jack Bicknell cannot be stopped
Auburn has set its eyes upon Texas and are really liking what they are seeing. Just over a week ago, Auburn landed 4* QB Dematrius Davis. It was believed with Davis on board, Auburn had a great shot to make a strong push for his teammate 4* OG Jaeden Roberts. That belief became a reality today when Roberts announced on social media he plans to be a Tiger.
100% Committed @Hayesfawcett3. @corylaxen pic.twitter.com/At8Hd8rw1B
— Jaeden (@jaeden_kings) May 27, 2020
Roberts holds offers from a long list of suitors including Alabama, Arkansas, LSU and Oklahoma State. Auburn was late to offer but they made him an immediate priority after extending one in February. Landing Davis helped the Tigers cement themselves as the favorite despite Roberts never having visited the Plains.
Highlights
Scouting Report
Unfortunately, I haven’t been able to track down Roberts’s junior tape where he started at right tackle for a short period of time for North Shore before transitioning to right guard. His sophomore tape though gives a taste of his skillset. Obviously, he’s big dude, something that appears to be an important part of Jack Bicknell’s evaluation process. You see 6’5” 240 lbs on paper and worry about this kid being severely overweight but that’s not the case at all. He’ll have to drop some lbs when he gets to campus but he’s not carrying as much bad weight as you might expect.
As for skill, well, Roberts ain’t afraid of contact. He’s a mauler in the box who excels as a run blocker. Moves well despite the girth and I love the highlight of him running down a defender after a turnover. You don’t see that often from big fellas up front. His pad level and balance will need work before he sees time for the Tigers but I really like his upside long term at right guard for Auburn. My guess is this is a kid that needs a couple of years of seasoning in the program before challenging for a starting role down the road. Don’t be surprised if he’s taking over the right guard spot just when his high school teammate Dematrius Davis is taking over at quarterback.
The Class
Hard not to be excited about the direction of this offensive line class. It’s not even June, yet Auburn already holds pledges from four prospects, all from the high school ranks with two rated as 247 Composite four stars. All four are massive individuals as well. There’s a definite change not only in Auburn’s offensive line recruiting strategy but in its evaluation as well this cycle. For now, I feel confident saying Jack Bicknell is calling the shots on personnel up front.
The Tigers might not be done snagging offensive players from the Lone Star State. It’s very likely Auburn adds a tight end in the near future in either 3* Lake McRee or 3* Landen King. Both are former Longhorn commits from the Lone Star State. King looks the more likelier of the pair to join Auburn’s class and is reportedly childhood friends with Davis. Auburn is also hoping to land one more piece of that North Shore offense in long time Texas A&M commit 4* Shadrach Banks. At this point, it looks a bit like a long shot but having two of his teammates on board sure won’t hurt.
War Eagle Jaeden!
from College and Magnolia - All Posts https://www.collegeandmagnolia.com/2020/5/27/21271051/2021-4-star-offensive-guard-jaeden-roberts-commits-to-auburn
LOCKED ON AUBURN: Looking at Gus Malzahn’s JuCo History
Over the last several years, the anti-Gus Malzahn portion of the Auburn fan base has been critical of the head coach’s ability to delevop talent and say that he has ha to rely on bringing in JuCo talent to cover up some holes in the roster.
On today’s Locked On Auburn, Zac Blackerby and Michael Pappas discuss some of the classes that Malzahn has brought into Auburn and question why that is sometimes seen as a bad thing.
We will list the junior college players below.
2013:
- Cameron Artis-Payne - RB
- Devonte Danzey - OG
- Ben Bradley - DT
- Brandon King - DB
- Nick Marshall - QB
2014:
- D’haquille Williams - WR
- DeVonte Lambert - DE
- Derrick Moncrief - S
- Joseph Turner - CB
- Devaroe Lawrence - DT
- Xavier Dampeer - OG
2015:
- Jovon Robinson - RB
- Jason Smith - ATH
- Maurice Swain Jr - DT
2016:
- John Franklin III - QB
2017:
- Sal Cannella - TE
- Jarrett Stidham - QB
2018”
- Daquan Newkirk - DT
2020:
- Killian Zierer - OT
- Deandre Butler - DL
- Marco Domio - CB
- Brendan Coffey - OT
- Marquis Burks - DT
You can hear the conversation about these players and a discussion about AUNerd’s article below.
You can hear Locked On Auburn daily on College and Magnolia or wherever you get your podcasts.
from College and Magnolia - All Posts https://www.collegeandmagnolia.com/2020/5/27/21271964/locked-on-auburn-football-podcast-juco-players-gus-malzahn
AFT2020: The Game
Welp...here we are. The top of the mountain. At the precipice of the most pain. The worst win that I have video of Auburn winning. Could you have guessed it was this game? Sure. Is this so bad that it is fondly remembered? Oh it definitely is by non-Auburn fans. But this was a bad football game. Since there are only really 2 plays to remember and a bunch to laugh at, we are going to try something a little different. I was able to fool a buddy of mine, Brad Tillery, into watching this abomination with me and letting me record our reactions and conversation through the game. First off, kudos to you if you watch this whole thing. Second, there is about a 5-10 minute stretch where the video went out and we were not about to rewatch a meaningless drive to the end of the 1st quarter, just stick with it. Also, the audio is a little low from the 2nd quarter on, so just jack it up for the commentary. With all that said, let’s enter the theater for Auburn vs Mississippi State from 2008!
I would be remissed if I didn’t include something that a great man put together to honor this...’game’. Here it is, so you don’t have to search for it later...Baby, I’m Burnin.
So that’s it, I hope you’ve enjoyed the past 10 weeks as I chronicaled (if that’s a word) some of the worst wins in Auburn football history. Who knows, maybe you’ve enjoyed me punishing myself, you sicko. But, I have enjoyed the comments and the laughter of bad football.
If you would like for me to do a game, I do have alot of SEC Football games in my library, let me know in the comments and we will see what happens in the future.
Most of all, thanks for reading and putting up me. Until next time, push the button Frank.
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Tuesday, May 26, 2020
That Time Auburn Football Made Me Cry
Or... multiple times, but whatever.
This week’s theme on SB Nation is “Times Sports Made You Cry”, and it honestly shouldn’t be difficult for Auburn fans to find something to fit the bill.
From the relentless heartbreak we’ve suffered to the sheer joy of certain seasons and marked victories alike, Auburn fans have always had a reason to shed a tear. Obvious answers come to mind — 2004’s undefeated season, the 2010 national championship and Cam Newton Heisman Trophy win, the miracles of the 2013 season. If you’re a little older, you may draw on some of the wins of the nineties where Nix hit Sanders a couple of times, or Jarrett Holmes field goal going through for the SEC West. And if you’re even older, you may harken back to The First Time Ever in 1989, Pat Dye’s rousing locker room speeches throughout the eighties, Punt Bama Punt, or a hazy visual of Shug roaming the sidelines as the ultimate man of honor.
I’m not going to go with anything super different for my personal reflection, but it might be a different perspective on something that we’ve all seen from a million angles. Here’s when Auburn football made me cry...
THE MIRACLE AT JORDAN-HARE
You’ve seen it from every different angle. This film may have been just as dissected as the Kennedy assassination, only for very different reasons. It’s also possibly the most stark 0-to-60 moment in terms of crowd noise that Jordan-Hare has ever seen. It wasn’t the slow build of the Kick Six, but a cacophony of ear-splitting deafenation when everyone saw what wildness had transpired.
And here’s with the narration, Rod Bramblett’s finest call in my opinion, even higher than the Kick Six.
That hits differently today, just a day after the one year anniversary of Rod and Paula’s passing. I remember listening live, producing the audio of the live radio broadcast for the Auburn Network that evening.
We were all very cautious in 2013. It’s hard not to be a little suspicious of success just a year after the worst season in modern Auburn history. The success in Gus Malzahn’s first season surprised many people, especially when the roster was nearly identical to a team that gave up the year before. Wins over ranked Ole Miss and Texas A&M squads were great, but we knew that we still weren’t at the level of an Alabama yet. Finally, sitting at 9-1, we entered the Georgia game ranked 7th in the country, and we still controlled our own destiny in terms of the SEC race.
That Georgia game was so frustrating. We got up 37-17, absolutely dominating the Bulldogs, before the bottom started to drop out. Aaron Murray led three touchdown drives in the fourth quarter, with the go-ahead score controversially coming on a quarterback dive on fourth and goal. Trailing 38-37, Auburn had just one shot left with less than a minute to play.
It was here that we thought “Okay, well, good season. Nine wins, maybe ten if we get a good bowl opponent, and that’s solid. Great when you consider that it’s only Gus’ first season.” For me, I was too young to remember 1993, but 2004 was a dream, and I never imagined that things could get so good as they did in 2010. The only problem was that as an Auburn fan, I’d seen one year where we did our business actually get rewarded with the proper accolades. We basically forced ourselves on college football in 2010 by going undefeated, and everyone hated us for it. Growing up before that, Auburn football was doing what you were supposed to and ending up as the bridesmaid watching someone else realize their dreams.
Maybe I thought that we’d never have a center stage moment again. Maybe 2012 still stuck too darkly in my mind. It’s all possible that one awful season made me lose true hope that things could be great again. Whatever the reason, Nick Marshall and Ricardo Louis brought back the utter thrill of being an Auburn fan.
I never actually saw the play until replays hit after the game was over. I was too busy smacking Brad Law on the back as he sat near me, and then realizing that I needed to edit the radio call down to something usable for other networks to play. Moments after Auburn clinched the win, the South Carolina broadcast played Rod’s call coming out of a commercial break, since they had a vested interest in the game at the time.
It wasn’t until a little later that I actually started to tear up, though. I’d grown up on Jim Fyffe yelling about Sanders going up over Tommy Johnson, and then really gotten into the broadcasting niche with Rod’s Go Crazy, Cadillac masterpiece. I realized after sending the audio file of the highlight to a distribution list that I’d had a small part in a piece of history. It was almost like you’re the guy who hung the Mona Lisa. A great artist had done his part, but you’re the one who has to frame it and show it off.
After celebrating the win, Brad Law said to me “Man, I can’t wait to hear that call,” and when he listened through a couple times, turned to me and simply said “You just edited a piece of history. That’ll be played at every Auburn game for the rest of time.” The gravity of the moment hit me, and I shed a tear.
BONUS TEARS: 1996 OUTBACK BOWL
Ohhhhhhhh, baby.
So here’s the deal, I was six, and a young Auburn fan. I really didn’t remember watching any games and caring until the 1995 Georgia and Alabama games, which Auburn won.
“This is great, Auburn never loses,” is absolutely the thought that goes through a kid’s mind when he sees his team go 2-0. It’s so easy to be an Auburn fan!
Instead, I got a rude awakening and true initiation into the Family on New Year’s Day 1996. For Christmas that year I’d gotten an Auburn football uniform, complete with pads and helmet, along with a football signed by Terry Bowden. They were my most prized possessions. I was wearing the uniform, pads and all, and clutching the football at kickoff of the Outback Bowl.
It’s shocking that the game was as close as it was for more than a quarter, and Auburn really did control the line of scrimmage for the first fifteen minutes. If not for the wet field, we may have really created an actual lead early on. Auburn led 7-3 a few minutes into the second quarter, and then gave up two more field goals and a late touchdown to go into halftime down 16-7. The third quarter was a bloodbath. 27-0 in the quarter, and Auburn trailed 43-7 before getting a late touchdown from Kevin McLeod to finish the game.
Long before we scored our final touchdown, I took my Terry Bowden football and went to sit on the front steps of 1044 Magnolia Curve and cry. Stupid Nittany Lions. When my dad found me, he was not consoling in the slightest. I learned that we do not cry over football games, and I was treated to a laundry list of Auburn losses that were way worse than the dumb Outback Bowl. Happy New Year.
from College and Magnolia - All Posts https://www.collegeandmagnolia.com/2020/5/26/21271400/that-time-auburn-football-made-me-cry
Locked On Auburn: Football Recruiting Chatter, College Football Will Be Back
Photo by Michael Chang/Getty Images
On today’s Locked On Auburn, Zac Blackerby and Michael Pappas discuss a few of the guys that Auburn fans should keep an eye on over the next few days and weeks. They discuss the potential return of college football as well as Auburn Basketball getting a prime shoutout in front of over six million viewers this weekend.
You can hear the full conversation below:
You can hear Locked On Auburn daily on College and Magnolia or wherever you get your podcasts.
from College and Magnolia - All Posts https://www.collegeandmagnolia.com/2020/5/26/21271162/locked-on-auburn-football-recruiting-podcast-college-football-will-be-back
Why Romello Height is Auburn’s Most Underrated 2020 Signee
https://twitter.com/height_romello/status/1207368332279713796
Hype train engaged
Auburn signed the 7th ranked class in the 2020 recruiting cycle. That means the recruiting services thought very highly of Auburn’s signees overall. While the Tigers did not have a single 247 Composite five-star, their class did include 16 four star prospects. That’s pretty durn good.
At a macro level, these sites do a great job of identifying what programs are doing the best job at bringing in the most top-level talent. But on an individual basis there are always misses. A guy like Byron Cowart struggles to see snaps and transfers out while a late addition like Daniel Thomas emerges as a top SEC safety and ends up a 5th round NFL Draft pick.
When I look at Auburn’s 2020 signing class and their individual rankings, one player stands out as being undervalued. That player? Surprise Early Signing Day flip Romello Height.
Height finished ranked #392 by 247 Composite barely missing blue chip status with a 0.8884 rating. Both 247 and ESPN graded Height as four star calibre player but just barely while Rivals was the lowest ranking Height as the 34th best OLB prospect in the 2020 class.
I think they are all wrong.
Romello Height committed to Miami in July. He then spent most of the next four to five months, being an incredibly vocal supporter of the Canes and denying any interest in other programs. On his highlight tape, you can even see him sometimes throw up the U after a sack. But while publicly Height seemed locked in as a Cane (including that 1,000% committed tweet) behind the scenes things were not as they seemed.
As that fall went on there was buzz that Auburn had made the Dublin High School stand out their top priority at the Buck. Possibly even liking him more for that position than top 100 player 4* LB Phillip Webb. That buzz got even louder when Webb and Auburn mutually parted ways cancelling his official visit. On early signing day, Height announced he was in fact switching his pledge to the Tigers while Webb eventually signed with LSU.
Ready for a hot take? I think Auburn got the better player. I don’t mean that as a put down on Webb. The kid is elite. I just think Romello Height has 1st round NFL Draft type of upside as a pass rusher. Let’s see why
247 is doing a really cool series where they breakdown what lessons they have learned from recent NFL Drafts when it comes to evaluating prospects. Last week, 247’s posted an article on edge prospects and what they look for when evaluating a prospect. Here’s an excerpt:
The group averaged 6-foot-3.9 and 220.5 pounds as high school prospects. Just five of the 32 were under 6-foot-3 at the NFL Combine (which often tends to be shorter than high school listings) with one under 6-foot-2 – Michigan’s Josh Uche who was athletic as a high school prospect running a verified 4.59 second 40-yard dash. On the flip-side, none were 6-foot-6 or taller. Six of the 32 weighed over 240 pounds as high school prospects with just one over 260 (Rashan Gary).
If you’re assuming the group is full of long, big-framed athletes given the average height and weight, you’d be correct. Many of these edges have the length and frames to pack on weight once in a college strength program. The group averaged a 33.7 inch arm, 9.8 inch hand and 80.5 inch (6-foot-8.5) wingspan. For those not well-versed in dimensions, those are all on the high end. Just one had an arm length shorter than 32.5 inches. There was one hand under 9 inches and 1 wingspan under 6-foot-5.5. It shouldn’t come as a surprise that over half of the group played basketball in high school, many at a high level.
So what do they look like as high school prospects? I mentioned earlier most showed pass rush ability in high school. We have stats on 25 of the 32. The group as a whole was quite productive on the field, averaging 74 tackles, 24 tackles for loss and 13.2 sacks as seniors in high school. Over two-thirds of those with stats had double-digit sacks.
So how does Height stack up to these comparisons? Well first off, there’s his frame. Auburn’s official site lists him at 6’4” 217 lbs. That’s almost a perfect match to the average size 247 lists as ideal for edge prospects coming out of high school.
As for production? Height was incredibly productive as a senior at Dublin High School putting up 27 tackles for loss and 16 sacks as a senior. That’s better production than the average 247sports.com found when looking at 25 of the 32 most recently drafted edge players during their senior seasons in high school.
But numbers and frame are just a piece of a puzzle. Some players are just more athletic than their opponents and thrive by simply bulldozing would be blockers or running around them. That happens some in Height’s tape, just like every top prospect, but I was consistently impressed by HOW Height generate pressure. He wasn’t totally reliant on his freak athleticism. Here’s a great example.
Working on an article next week explaining why I think Romello Height is Auburn's most underrated 2020 signee
— AUNerd (@AUSportsNerd) May 24, 2020
Here's a taste pic.twitter.com/vhxbvRz6DG
So what makes this play so great? Well first, I love that he’s rushing from a 4i technique (meaning he’s lined up on the tackle’s inside shoulder) out of a Tite front (two 4is and a nose tackle) which has become ubiquitous in college football and a favorite of Kevin Steele’s. I doubt Height will do this much for Auburn as in these types of looks the Buck is used as an outside rusher from an OLB spot but it shows some great versatility.
His rush starts with him going outside and he does a great job winning the initial hand fight. He gets his inside arm lock on the tackle’s chest and attempts to combine that leverage with his speed to get the corner. But what I love about this play is he doesn’t just continue to blindly rush up field. His eyes are still on the QB and when he sees the quarterback step up in the pocket and look to escape to his right, Height slams on the brakes while using that leverage he’s created from his hand placement to spin back and make the sack. That’s a kid deploying his elite tools in a way that can translate to the next level.
Time and time again, I saw Height not rely just on speed or power. Even on this play, where he doesn’t end up with the sack, you can see his skills.
This tackle is well aware of Height’s ability to get the corner so the tackle attempts to get great depth to cut off the edge. Height sees the tackle is over playing him, gets his inside hand into the chest of the tackle and then deploys a devastating spin move that still leaves him in a great position to make the play. He doesn’t finish but again this rep shows a prospect that is already deploying counter moves with his rush.
But speed is absolutely apart of his game and it’s something Auburn has missed since Jeff Holland’s departure in 2017.
One of the buzz words people like to use when discussing pass rushers is “bend”. What scouts/analysts/pretend experts on the internet mean when they say “this player has great bend” is that the pass rusher is able to get low at the top of the rush, drop his hips, turn his body and take a flat path to the quarterback for a sack. In this clip you get to see Height’s great bend. Notice how when he gets past the offensive tackle, he doesn’t have to take any recovery steps to get to the quarterback but is able to instead make a straight line and get the sack. That’s great bend.
But playing the Buck spot doesn’t mean just blowing by tackles to get sacks. If you are going to play for Rodney Garner you better be able to set the edge. Unsurprisingly, Height didn’t get very many opportunities as a run stopper as teams tended to either run away from him or take him out by reading him. There were some reps though that show the potential to handle that responsibility at the next level.
No player is perfect, especially a former high schooler entering his first season as an SEC football player, so I think it’s important to also highlight some areas of improvement. For me, there are three specific aspects of Height’s game I would like to see improve:
- Lower Body Strength
- First Step
- Motor
That first note shouldn’t come as a surprise. Pretty much every freshman needs to get stronger in order for them to play at the next level. Height is far from weak and looks well-built on tape but in order for some of these pass rush moves to translate against SEC offensive tackles, he will have to improve his lower body strength. Something I expect to happen quickly given Height’s frame.
The second note is an interesting one. What I mean by “first step” is the ability to get out of his stance on the snap of the ball and into the play. Often when watching Height’s tape, he was the last player out of his stance.
It’s hard to completely see full speed in this gif but I actually froze a number of his plays right after the snap and found him more times than I would like to see still in his stance when everyone else was in motion. It was honestly bizarre because there are instances where you see him just blow by a blocker but it didn’t happen regularly enough for a kid with his talent. I think though it’s tied in some part to note #3.
Probably the biggest area of improvement for Height will be learning to play through the whistle every snap. First, let me be fair to the kid. He played almost every single snap for his high school team. Dublin used him as a run blocking tight end in their Single Wing offense and he was also asked to cover kicks. Add all that to also playing in the trenches every snap as an end and I suspect this is more due to Height trying to conserve energy than necessarily a problem with effort.
Still though there were times where I feel if he had kept playing, he could have made an impact on the play.
This is a far cry from Marlon Davidson obliterating Garrett Shrader 13+ yards down field after initially running by him in the backfield. Here the offense runs a nice little quick concept to hit the WR on the drag route. Height (#3) rushes up field, sees the ball is thrown behind him and then just casually walks down the field as the wide out picks up a huge gain. I have a hard time believing given Height’s quickness, he wouldn’t have at least stopped this play from being a 20+ yard gain if he had played through the whistle. Maybe he would not have an impact on the play but you would like to see him at least try.
That’s something though that will get corrected REALLY quick under Rodney Garner. If you wanna play for Coach G, you better bring it every single snap or you won’t see the field. I fully expect to see better from Height moving forward.
When you add up Height’s frame, athletic gifts, production and tape, I don’t see a high 3*/borderline 4* player. I see a top 100 prospect with first round potential. To me, he’s the exact type of weapon this Auburn defense has been without the past two seasons. I’m doubtful he makes a major impact as a true freshman due to the unusual offseason and Auburn’s returning depth on the edge but I firmly believe that before Height’s career is through on the Plains he will be one of the more feared pass rushers in the SEC.
War Eagle!
from College and Magnolia - All Posts https://www.collegeandmagnolia.com/2020/5/26/21269042/romello-height-auburns-most-underrated-2020-signee
Monday, May 25, 2020
Sunday, May 24, 2020
4-Star Offensive Guard Jaeden Roberts Announcing Commitment Wednesday
Photo by Michael Chang/Getty Images
Could Jack Bicknell be close to landing another mammoth OL in this 2021 class?
On Wednesday, I wrote about Auburn’s focus on the state of Texas this cycle, specifically on the offensive side of the ball. A big piece of that plan revolved around landing 4* QB Dematrius Davis. With Davis now committed, the hope is he can help bring other big time Texans into the fold.
Piece #2 might be about to fall into place and it’s a big. Both figuratively and very much literally.
This evening, 4* OG Jaeden Roberts announced on Twitter he plans to commit Wednesday.
Committing Wednesday pic.twitter.com/FT55f8mLfa
— Jaeden (@jaeden_kings) May 25, 2020
Roberts is teammates with Davis at North Shore. The 6’5” 340 lbs mauler sports an impressive offer list and features a top group of Auburn, Alabama, Arkansas, Baylor, LSU and Oklahoma State. However, earlier this week he told AuburnUndercover’s Keith Niebuhr that the Tigers, Tide and Cowpokes stand out.
LSU holds all the FutureCast picks on Rivals but it appears their focus has shifted elsewhere. This will likely come down to Auburn or Alabama. Given his relationship with Davis, Auburn’s recent strong push and the general vibes of this recruitment lately, I believe the Tigers are likely the team to beat. If that proves true, it would be another massive win for Jack Bicknell on the trail.
War Eagle!
from College and Magnolia - All Posts https://www.collegeandmagnolia.com/2020/5/24/21269285/4-star-offensive-guard-jaeden-roberts-sets-commit-date
Saturday, May 23, 2020
Caylin Newton Joining the Auburn Tigers
hubison.com
Another Newton!
Last night, Auburn got a bit of a surprise in the form of a new addition to the football team.
With the news coming out yesterday that SEC football players could resume athletic activities in early June, a light appeared at the end of the tunnel of this sports vacuum.
A few hours later, Caylin Newton, the younger brother of Cam Newton, announced that he would be joining Auburn’s football team.
War Eagle @auburnfootball #newchapter #Auburnfamily#WDE pic.twitter.com/tVXgLUF0eI
— Caylin Newton (@NewtonCaylin) May 23, 2020
He’s transferring from Howard, where he led the Bison at quarterback and won the 2018 MEAC Player of the Year award. He earned a bit of fame during the 2017 season, when he led Howard to an upset over UNLV, which turned out to be the largest point-spread upset ever. If you’d placed a $100 bet on the Bison to beat UNLV, it would’ve paid out $55,000 with their victory. It was that kind of an upset.
Newton also had another near upset of a FBS squad to begin 2018 as well, when Howard visited Ohio. The Bison went up 22-17 at halftime and fell 38-32 late as Newton provided more than 530 yard of total offense and 4 touchdowns.
We’ll be clear, he’s not going to be his brother, since he stands at just 6 feet tall and maybe 200 pounds, and he may be looking to play wide receiver on the Plains. Still, the excitement can’t really be beat when you get another member of that family on board.
Check out some highlights from the win over UNLV:
And the near-upset against Ohio:
At the very least, we may some more of a certain former Heisman Trophy winner attending football games this fall:
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/19997429/Cam.jpg)
from College and Magnolia - All Posts https://www.collegeandmagnolia.com/2020/5/23/21268409/caylin-newton-joining-the-auburn-tigers
Friday, May 22, 2020
Cam Newton's Brother Caylin Announces Transfer to Auburn from Howard
The younger brother of quarterback Cam Newton is following in his sibling's footsteps and transferring to Auburn University.
Caylin Newton, a redshirt junior, will join the Tigers from Howard University in Washington, D.C.
The Atlanta native lit up the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference in 2018, leading the league in passing with 3,140 yards, 22 touchdowns and 20 interceptions. He was named the 2019 MEAC Preseason Player of the Year but announced his decision to transfer at the beginning of October.
This article will be updated to provide more information on this story as it becomes available.
Get the best sports content from the web and social in the new B/R app. Get the app and get the game.
from Bleacher Report https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2893055-cam-newtons-brother-caylin-announces-transfer-to-auburn-from-howard
Sports Night in Quarantine: NCAA Allowing Practices, Ticket Lotteries & Auburn Football Commits
Sports Night in Quarantine: NCAA Allowing Practices, Ticket Lotteries & Auburn Football Commits
View on YouTube
View on YouTube
Thursday, May 21, 2020
Pat Dye, Former Auburn CFB HC, Tests Positive for COVID-19 After Hospitalization
Former Auburn head football coach Pat Dye has been hospitalized for kidney-related issues after previously being diagnosed with COVID-19.
Per ESPN's Mark Schlabach, Pat Dye Jr. issued a statement about his father's condition:
"As has previously been reported, my dad has tested positive for the COVID-19 virus. However, his positive test occurred a number of days ago during a routine precautionary test pursuant to his hospitalization for kidney-related issues.
"He has essentially been asymptomatic for the virus and is resting comfortably. We fully anticipate his release from the hospital in the next few days once his kidney function is stable. On behalf of my family, I want to thank everyone for the overwhelming support for Dad and our family upon the reporting of this news."
This article will be updated to provide more information on this story as it becomes available.
from Bleacher Report https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2892781-pat-dye-former-auburn-cfb-hc-tests-positive-for-covid-19-after-hospitalization
Auburn Football Recruiting: Tigers’ Eyes Upon Texas
TODD VAN EMST / AUBURN ATHLETICS
It’s pretty clear that Auburn’s recruiting focus this cycle won’t solely be on the same trio of states.
Alabama, Florida and Georgia have been and will always be the bedrock states of Auburn’s recruiting efforts. If the Tigers signed a class consisting of only prospects from those 3 states they would likely still have a top 10 class. In fact, that’s basically what happened in 2015. But the ability to poach top talent in other states is important especially if another state has a particularly strong crop of prospects or is deep at a position group of need.
Lately, Auburn has started making a stronger push west with the focus mostly being on Mississippi. The 2019 Mississippi class was absolutely loaded, specifically on the defensive line, and the Tigers capitalized by snagging 3 highly rated defensive lineman (though one hopped into the transfer portal pretty quickly).
Last season, Auburn signed one of its more diverse classes in terms of states with that 7th ranked class being made up of prospects from 7 different states. Unsurprisingly, the meat of that group came from the familiar trio of Alabama (4), Florida (3) and Georgia (10). Interestingly, there was a tie for that 3rd spot with Florida. The state? Texas. And that trend isn’t slowing down anytime soon.
In the 2021 cycle, Auburn has already offered 37 prospects from the Lone Star State per 247. That’s the most of any previous class per 247 whose numbers go back to 1999 (though they start getting more unreliable after 2010). That’s a very noticeable shift in strategy for Auburn’s recruiting efforts.
So why the change? Well, first off, Texas puts out an enormous amount of talent every year. The Tigers have plucked some solid prospects from the state in recent history in the likes of Nosa Eguae, Emory Blake, Jarrett Stidham and Kam Martin. But the big reason is more likely tied to coaching staff changes.
The Doors just blew off!! #HTown2ATown pic.twitter.com/c3IUsANMK1
— Chad Morris (@coachchadmorris) May 17, 2020
When Auburn hired Marcus Woodson, they leaned heavily on his Mississippi connections to snag some highly rated targets in that 2019 class. They are now doing the same with Chad Morris who has a plethora of connections in the state of Texas. He graduated from Texas A&M, was a high school head coach in the state for 14 years and coached at SMU for 3 seasons. If you look back at his classes at SMU and Arkansas, they were all loaded with Texas talent. Now, Auburn is hoping those relationships Morris has cultivated over the years can help open up new pipelines for talent.
But offers are one thing. Getting commitments is what matters. That’s where Sunday’s commitment was so big for the Tigers. 4* QB Dematrius Davis is arguably the most decorated high school quarterback in that state this class having only lost a single game in the last 2 seasons while winning consecutive state titles against some of the best competition in the country. Kids know and respect him. Quarterbacks are typically the central pieces of a team’s offensive class, so getting Davis on board and recruiting now for Auburn is huge.
So who specifically might Davis help Auburn land down the road? Well I think it’s first important to mention that just because Davis has committed doesn’t mean Auburn is a lock to sign every top kid in the state. The Tigers still have A LOT of work ahead of them if they wish to continue to snag big time players from Texas but having someone like Davis lead the way is a great start.
To start though you have to look at his high school team. North Shore is always loaded with D1 talent and this year is no different. The two names to watch in the 2021 class are 4* WR Shadrach Banks and 4* OL Jaeden Roberts. Banks is a long time Texas A&M commit and there’s a lot of confidence in Aggieland that he will stick. Roberts’s recruitment is much more open but there are some heavy hitters Auburn will be competing against in the likes of Alabama, LSU, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State and Texas A&M.
As for non Davis teammates, keep an on both 3* WR Latrelle Neville and 3* TE Lake McRee. Davis and Neville are close with many believing that their relationship played a major role in Nevile’s commitment to Virginia Tech. He’s reaffirmed his commitment recently on social media but that doesn’t mean a ton these days. As for McRee, he plays at another elite 6A D1 high school program in Lake Travis. The same program Chad Morris won two consecutive state titles at before leaving for Tulsa.
But Auburn’s efforts in Texas aren’t solely tied to one player. The Tigers have been hard after other big names before the momentum for flipping Davis began building. Twin brothers 5* OT Tommy Brockermeyer and 4* C James Brockermeyer were on campus for the Iron Bowl and had official visits scheduled for June before the shutdowns. 4* OT Savion Byrd attended Auburn’s dramatic season opening win over Oregon and was on campus earlier this spring. The Tigers have been in hot pursuit of speedster 4* WR Ketron Jackson for some time. They also recently made the top lists of 4* S Andrew Mukuba and 4* TE Dametrious Crownover. There’s also 3* RB Alton McCaskill who Carnell Williams is reportedly very high on as well.
There’s obviously a long ways to go in this 2021 class and nothing is certain in recruiting but it’s clear Auburn plans to do its best to recruit Texas more heavily this cycle. Landing Davis was a big first step towards this strategy proving successful and it would not surprise me at all if Auburn at least matched last class’s number of 3 signees from the Lone Star State.
War Eagle!
from College and Magnolia - All Posts https://www.collegeandmagnolia.com/2020/5/21/21254902/2021-auburn-football-recruiting-tigers-eyes-upon-texas-chad-morris-dematrius-davis-jaeden-roberts
Wednesday, May 20, 2020
LOCKED ON AUBURN SERIES: Remembering the 2010 Auburn Tigers
Locked On Auburn is currently airing a series, Remembering and Telling the Story of the 2010 Auburn Tigers. The documentary style series is told by Zac Blackerby as you hear from Andy Burcham, Jason Caldwell, Mike Szvetitz, Trovon Reed, and more.
You can hear the different parts below.
PART ONE - Who the Heck is Cam Newton
PART TWO - Surviving with a Little Luck
PART THREE - Strike a Pose, Cam
PART FOUR - Super Cam and the NCAA
Parts five and six will be released throughout this week. You can hear Locked On Auburn every day on College and Mag and wherever you get your podcasts.
This post will be updated.
from College and Magnolia - All Posts https://www.collegeandmagnolia.com/2020/5/20/21265056/locked-on-auburn-series-remembering-the-2010-auburn-tigers-football-podcast
Tuesday, May 19, 2020
NEW EPISODE ALERT: Orange and True Podcast - Hot Sports Movie Takes!
See if you have similar taste to some of your favorite Auburn personalities!
What’s your favorite sports movie? What’s your least favorite sports movie? I can guarantee you that Crow, Ryan, and Chief will have conflicting views and will argue about sports movies quite a bit on this episode of the pod!
from College and Magnolia - All Posts https://www.collegeandmagnolia.com/2020/5/19/21264470/new-episode-alert-orange-and-true-podcast-hot-sports-movie-takes
Boom! Auburn Lands 2022 Commit From Defensive Back Brian Dilworth
Photo by Michael Chang/Getty Images
Auburn stays hot on the trail this time adding a member top the 2022 clas
After not having much to talk about in regards to Auburn’s recruiting, things have suddenly gotten VERY chatty. Following a weekend that saw the Tigers land commitments from four prospects in three days, Auburn kept things rolling with another commit this afternoon, this time from a 2022 prospect. Brian Dilworth out of Hollywood, FL announced today on Twitter that he’s committing to Auburn.
@coachcrimedawg @AuburnFootball @CoachGusMalzahn pic.twitter.com/kdUTZQLC5F
— Brian Dilworth (@thatboybj6) May 19, 2020
Per 247, Dilworth holds 10 offers including Kentucky, Louisville, Miami and Minnesota. He’s not yet rated by recruiting service which isn’t unusual for a rising junior.
Highlights
Scouting Report
Starting at cornerback for Chaminade-Madonna Prep as a sophomore is no easy feat considering the amount of talent that has come out of that program in recent years. Dilworth is the 3rd Lion to commit to the Tigers since 2017 joining Shaun Shivers and Elijah Canion.
Watching his tape, it’s easy to see why the Tigers were happy to accept his commitment so early. Dilworth is a 6’0” 175 lb athlete with great length and instincts. He excels at reading the quarterback’s or wide receiver’s eyes to get good jumps on the ball for big plays. He’s a solid tackler which should only improve as he gets stronger. A solid early pickup for Wesley McGriff.
The Class
Auburn now has 2 pledges in its 2022 class, both listed as cornerbacks. Obviously it being this early in next year’s cycle it’s hard to get too excited about any commitments. I tend to take commitments like this more as a strong statement that the Tigers are the team to beat in the very early going. But it sure doesn’t hurt to get some kids on board that are ready to start building for the future.
War Eagle Brian!
from College and Magnolia - All Posts https://www.collegeandmagnolia.com/2020/5/19/21264003/2022-cornerback-brian-dilworth-commits-to-auburn
Auburn Football Recruiting: Recapping Massive Weekend on the Plains
Photo by Michael Chang/Getty Images
Four commits in three days ain’t bad at all.
Auburn’s 2021 class entered Friday with 4 commits and ranked #50 overall by 247 Composite. By noon on Sunday, it had doubled in number and moved up 29 spots to #21 overall. Not a bad weekend at all.
Commit Recap
1000%Committed #WDE @AuburnFootball @AuburnTigers @Lehigh_football pic.twitter.com/yFu0W7lRfc
— Tarvarish Dawson5️⃣ (@TarvarishD) May 15, 2020
Dawson is rated a 4* by both 247 and ESPN but Rivals is much lower on him which is why he sits just outside of blue chip status on 247 Composite. He’s a fascinating prospect whose position of the future is still to be determined. When initially watching his tape I assumed he would end up at defensive back, which is still completely possibly, but his lead recruiter was actually new Auburn offensive coordinator Chad Morris who wants to give him a look on offense as well. After signing a wide receiver class loaded with size in 2020, Auburn is hard after some speedsters this cycle and got one in Dawson. I still think long term his future is at cornerback but he will at least get a look at wideout when he gets to campus.
WAR EAGLE‼️@AuburnMade @AuburnFootball @AuburnU @AUAlumniAssoc @CoachBicknell @CoachGusMalzahn @LangloGarner pic.twitter.com/Fxiic6yp2f
— Caleb Johnson (@CalebJohnson70) May 15, 2020
You could make the case Johnson’s commitment Friday afternoon is the biggest to date in the 2021 class. Yes Auburn has more highly rated prospects currently committed but Johnson checks a box the Tigers have left empty for quite awhile in that he’s an offensive tackle prospect out of the high school ranks rated a 4* or higher. The Tigers haven’t signed one of those since the 2017 class when they landed a pair in Calvin Ashley and Austin Troxell. Johnson’s stock has been on the rise this spring landing offers from about everyone in the country. He’s got tremendous upside and will have a chance to compete for a starting spot pretty quickly in his career.
But it didn’t just end there. An hour later, Johnson’s teammate, Garner Langlo, decided to jump on board too giving the Tigers 3 commitments in a single day, two from offensive tackle prospects.
WAR DAMN EAGLE pic.twitter.com/G26YTp8yiO
— Garner langlo (@LangloGarner) May 15, 2020
Langlo’s recruitment has taken off in recent months with programs like Auburn, Florida State and Mississippi State all turning up the heat on the Florida native. I am interested to watch Langlo’s development over the coming years as his frame screams offensive tackle but his tape shows an SEC quality guard. That versatility will likely come in handy for Langlo as he fights for playing time down the road. It’s pretty clear Jack Bicknell has a type and that type is BIG DUDES.
The final boom happened Sunday and it was big one. After being hired as Auburn’s offensive coordinator, Chad Morris parted ways with former Auburn, turned NC State commit 4* QB Aaron McClaughlin and turned the heat up on a number of signal callers from the Lone Star State. #1 on that list? 4* Dematrius Davis who at the time was committed to Virginia Tech. But a couple of weeks ago he backed off that pledge. Sunday, Davis announced that Morris got his man.
Committed. pic.twitter.com/oWOpYOr5uk
— Dee (@Dematrius09) May 17, 2020
I plan to do a deeper dive on Davis next week but suffice to say this is a massive pickup for the Tigers. In my opinion, Davis is a perfect fit for Auburn’s scheme, which has been a struggle for the Tigers in the past when signing QB prospects from the high school ranks. Davis is a pass first, dual threat QB with a history of winning. He’s not afraid of the big moments and can do everything needed to get the most out of Malzahn and Morris’s system.
Even more important though is the impact Davis could have on the trail for the Tigers with other top prospects. He’s well known in Texas due to his success helping lead North Shore to two straight state titles. Apparently he had already begun working behind the scenes for Auburn on a number of prospects and it wouldn’t be surprising to see some booms in the not too distant because of it.
List Season
#AGTG I’m down to 6! pic.twitter.com/1GJ9ep605b
— Lake McRee (@lake_mcree) May 16, 2020
Top 8
— Tobechi Okoli (@OkoliTobechi) May 16, 2020
I will be focusing on these schools moving forward. I am very grateful to every college and coach that has recruited me up to this point.@MizzouFootball @kstatefootball @HuskerFBNation @OU_Football @UKFootball @AuburnFootball @GeorgiaFootball @UMichFootball pic.twitter.com/7Q8T70Kn5p
What’s Next?
Obviously after a weekend like this the first thought many fans have is who will commit next, so here’s a quick rundown of Auburn targets who are likely to make a decision by the end of June. This is recruiting so everything can change at any moment but these are the names to keep an eye in the coming weeks.
- 5* CB Ga’Quincy McKinstry - Auburn’s top cornerback target dropped a top 5 Sunday evening that featured Auburn, Alabama, Clemson, Georgia and LSU. Truthfully, the man that goes by “Kool-Aid” is likely down to the trio of Auburn, Alabama and LSU all who like where they sit right now. Of those three, Auburn appears to be selling the two sport angle more than any other program. McKinstry is also an outstanding basketball player and would like to play at the next level if possible. He’s gotten the green light from Malzahn and Bruce Pearl that he will get that opportunity if he were to sign with Auburn. He hasn’t set a date for a commitment yet but there’s buzz he could be close to ending his recruitment in the not too distant future.
ᒪᗴTᔕ ᗪO IT !!! ( )
— GaQuincy “Koolaid Glizxzy” McKinstry (@GaQMcK1) May 17, 2020
:@Hayesfawcett3 pic.twitter.com/CDBUiYg8sQ
- 5* LB Smael Mondon - Mondon sent out a cryptic tweet last week hinting that a commitment could be coming in the month of June. For many months now, the nation’s #2 ranked OLB has appeared to be a lock to the instate Dawgs. But that could be changing. Mondon has repeatedly stated that of all the coaches recruiting him, he’s closest to Auburn’s linebacker coach Travis Williams. The buzz around this recruitment feels eerily similar to Owen Pappoe’s recruitment. UGA is unquestionably the team to beat but this is race that is still very winnable for the Tigers.
Sooner than later.. pic.twitter.com/i6k4WdhOg1
— Smael Mondon Jr (@SmaelJr) May 5, 2020
- 4* LB Barrett Carter - A race that does not appear winnable is Carter’s recruitment. This was at one point believed to be an Auburn-Georgia battle but the Clemson Tigers have surged ahead and it would be a shock at this point if he did not pick Dabo’s squad later today.
- 4* Buck Jeremiah Williams - Aubun’s Buck recruiting suffered a major setback when 5* Dylan Brooks committed to Tennessee. While I don’t think that recruitment is over, Auburn has turned the heat up in a big way on their other top Buck target, Jeremiah Williams. The state’s 5th ranked player has been a frequent visitor to the Plains in recent seasons and the Tigers reportedly feel good about where they sit right now. But they face some stiff competition. Alabama LOVES Williams as well and out of state programs Oklahoma and Florida are pursuing Williams heavily too. He hasn’t set a commit date either but there seems to be some belief that an announcement could come sooner, rather than later.
- 4* LB Ian Jackson - The state’s top ranked linebacker is reportedly closing in on a decision thought that’s likely bad news for the Tigers. Alabama has made the Prattville standout a top priority in recent weeks and that effort could soon pay off. I should note that while the Tigers like Jackson, spots are few in this class for that position and the Tigers have made Mondon the priority. We will see if that gamble pays off.
- 3* WR Latrell Neville (Virginia Tech) - This is an interesting recruitment to track in the coming days. Neville is very close with recent Auburn commit and former VT pledge Dematrius Davis. Since Auburn’s pursuit of Davis picked up so did their recruitment of Neville. Could AU steal another stud from Justin Fuente’s class?
- 3* TE Lake McRee - Auburn all of a sudden REALLY wants tight ends these days. After signing two talented ones in the 2020 class, Auburn has offered 17 this class. One to keep an eye on is former Longhorn commit Lake McRee. The Lake Travis standout missed his junior season due to a torn ACL but Auburn is reportedly high on his potential. He’s also good friends with Davis. He told AuburnUndercover that a decision could come soon.
War Eagle!
from College and Magnolia - All Posts https://www.collegeandmagnolia.com/2020/5/19/21262221/2021-auburn-football-recruiting-big-weekend-on-the-plains-dematrius-davis-caleb-johnson
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