LB Anthony Swain leaves the program

[RunInRed 16,360]

Anthony Swain has left the Auburn football team, sources tell AuburnUndercover. The rising senior linebacker hasn't participated in winter workouts and has decided to focus on finishing school and earning his degree.

http://auburn.247sports.com/Bolt/Swain-leaves-the-Auburn-football-team-35969900

[ALTiger 16]

Good for him and wish him well!

[alexava 6,973]

Wish him well too, but think wish he stayed. Underrated,maybe underused player.

[jared52 4,354]

Swain was off and on as a player, but I thought he would do well enough to play in Muschamp's defense, and we all know how thin AU is at LB. This comes as a disappointment, but I'm really glad he is going to finish out his degree.

[keesler 5,924]

I'm glad he is taking advantage of his free education and finishing his degree, good for him.

[Mr Bad Example 126]

Finishing his degree so he can transfer without sittin' out a year

[auburn4ever 1,266]

I wish Anthony the best.

[CameronCrazy 1,058]

This is disappointing. Especially if this was something that the coaches could have controlled. Swain was a solid back-up. If Holland and Darrell Williams both don't qualify, then we're going to be hurting once again on LB depth. It's amazing that we can never seem to hit that 85 number. It's only March and we're already back to the low 80's.

[Dual-Threat Rigby 8,641]

This is disappointing. Especially if this was something that the coaches could have controlled. Swain was a solid back-up. If Holland and Darrell Williams both don't qualify, then we're going to be hurting once again on LB depth. It's amazing that we can never seem to hit that 85 number. It's only March and we're already back to the low 80's.

We're in the middle part of #TheProcess where the culling off hasn't matched the desired numbers yet

Alabama was there for a year

[CameronCrazy 1,058]

This is disappointing. Especially if this was something that the coaches could have controlled. Swain was a solid back-up. If Holland and Darrell Williams both don't qualify, then we're going to be hurting once again on LB depth. It's amazing that we can never seem to hit that 85 number. It's only March and we're already back to the low 80's.

We're in the middle part of #TheProcess where the culling off hasn't matched the desired numbers yet

Alabama was there for a year

I'm all for #TheProcess, but Flowers would have been a better candidate than Swain. Flowers has barely played, but Swain was the only player on our team that managed a sack against Blake Sims last year. I also wish that Hutchinson would stayed and competed this year since we have the spot available. Damon Duval was a late bloomer at kicker, so you never know how Hutchinson is going to develop.

Bottom line: unless it's a disciplinary action, I think we should try to keep everyone that we can from here until December. We are already below the 85 minimum, and we need the depth and competition.

[around4ever 4,139]

I hate to see Swain leave the team. I thought that his SEC experience and transitioning to a new defense would make him an important part of the defense. I wish him the best and very happy is going to get his degree.

[Mikey 16,550]

Hutch and Swain bring this year's attrition to ten, with probably more to follow. Over the years and decades, 8 to 11 per year has been the norm. Some almost always drop off after spring practice so we're probably not done.

This is why one cannot look two years ahead, think about the 85 rule and go all spastic because we'll only be able to sign 12 two years from now. There is always unexpected attrition in the 7 to 12 range.

[Shift 350]

This is surprising. Despite his position on the depth chart, I thought he made some meaningful contributions during his time at Auburn. I sure thought he was progressing as well as any of the other LB's and expected to see him in the rotation this coming season.

This one is kind of puzzling to me.

[1957 0]

He was a solid back-up...geez

Good Luck Ant !

[aujeff11 6,243]

Hutch and Swain bring this year's attrition to ten, with probably more to follow. Over the years and decades, 8 to 11 per year has been the norm. Some almost always drop off after spring practice so we're probably not done.

This is why one cannot look two years ahead, think about the 85 rule and go all spastic because we'll only be able to sign 12 two years from now. There is always unexpected attrition in the 7 to 12 range.

Why is this?

[Tivo48 31]

Hutch and Swain bring this year's attrition to ten, with probably more to follow. Over the years and decades, 8 to 11 per year has been the norm. Some almost always drop off after spring practice so we're probably not done.

This is why one cannot look two years ahead, think about the 85 rule and go all spastic because we'll only be able to sign 12 two years from now. There is always unexpected attrition in the 7 to 12 range.

Why is this?

He's talking about people freaking out during recruiting season saying stuff (hypothetically) like "if we sign 28 this year that'll put us at 85 and since we only have 12 seniors next year we're doomed for the next class, so we shouldn't sign so many guys this year because we need to save those slots for next year."

Us as fans never want to think about players either leaving for personal reasons, getting kicked off for disciplinary reasons or just being asked to not come back, but it consistently happens every offseason

[FASTCOMPANY 394]

Time for guys like Tre, Deshaun, & Justin to step it up a couple of notches!

[aujeff11 6,243]

Hutch and Swain bring this year's attrition to ten, with probably more to follow. Over the years and decades, 8 to 11 per year has been the norm. Some almost always drop off after spring practice so we're probably not done.

This is why one cannot look two years ahead, think about the 85 rule and go all spastic because we'll only be able to sign 12 two years from now. There is always unexpected attrition in the 7 to 12 range.

Why is this?

He's talking about people freaking out during recruiting season saying stuff (hypothetically) like "if we sign 28 this year that'll put us at 85 and since we only have 12 seniors next year we're doomed for the next class, so we shouldn't sign so many guys this year because we need to save those slots for next year."

Us as fans never want to think about players either leaving for personal reasons, getting kicked off for disciplinary reasons or just being asked to not come back, but it consistently happens every offseason

gotcha. I remember Mikey saying this a while back but I forgot the reasoning to it.

Regarding Swain, I remember he was in the doghouse all of the previous offseason. Anybody remember why and could it be related to him leaving now?

[meh130 1,043]

With us moving back to a 3 LB defense, I thought Swain would definitely contribute and might break into the starting rotation.

I wonder if some of our many DE recruits over the last couple of years might move from consideration as a DE or Buck to an LB role.

[mustache eagle 2,388]

There might not be some nefarious reason for him leaving the team.

Maybe the kid is just simply sick of playing football and he is ready to move on with his non football playing life.

There doesn't necessarily have to be some hidden reason.

[autan 737]

I too was surprised about Swain. There were two or three other LBs that I would have expected to move on before Anthony. However we are unusually heavy with Seniors this year and we do need to play some underclassmen backups so we won't be starting over in 2016. Swain may have felt he was the odd man out with KF and CM both opting to return for their senior years. There may have been several factors.

[AUIH1 1,515]

austudent22 on ITAT said Swain is focusing on getting his degree so he can play elsewhere next fall.

wde

[gman87 398]

Sitting this year to play somewhere else next? Oh well, good luck to him.

[Mikey 16,550]

Sitting this year to play somewhere else next? Oh well, good luck to him.

Not sitting. Get his degree and then transfer as a graduated player without sitting his transfer year, just like a couple of our current basketball players that Coach Pearl brought in this year.

[Velvet Beavis 15]

I'm not sure he ever fully recovered from the sniper shot at Arkansas.