Mark-Antony Richards confirms he won’t be back

[aubiefifty 16,695]

247sports.com

Auburn RB confirms he won’t be back

ByKeith Niebuhr

2 minutes

Redshirt freshman running back Mark-Antony Richards, who entered the transfer portal earlier this month, will not return to Auburn, he told Auburn Undercover on Tuesday.

“It’s best for me to get a fresh start,” Richards said.

Richards, a former 4-star recruit from West Palm Beach (Fla.) Wellington, was the No. 90 overall prospect nationally in the industry generated 247Sports Composite in the class of 2019. He chose Auburn over, among others, Florida and Miami. After redshirting that year, he appeared in three games this season and rushed for 76 yards on 20 carries. His best performance came when he had 60 yards rushing on 14 carries in a loss to Alabama.

According to Richards, he is back home in Florida at this time, planning his next move and staying in shape. He was not ready to reveal which schools he was considering.

34COMMENTS

He said he has not spoken with new Auburn Coach Bryan Harsin. Richards entered the portal Dec. 16, just three days after the Tigers fired Gus Malzahn. Richards declined to say if his decision to leave Auburn had anything to do with Malzahn’s exit, but did admit he was particularly close with the coach.

“One thing I want you to say, I love that place honestly,” Richards said. “I really did. It’s just something I feel was best for me.”

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[alexava 6,973]

Good wishes to him. I wish he would stay. 

[fredst 9,064]

Best of luck to him in all sincerity. I think he has the talent to be a very good back at a D1 program, just hope thee are t it isn’t somebody we play

[auburndkel 100]

From what little we saw of him (due to injuries and Gus’ one-back rotation), I had high hopes for MAR.  With no new RBs coming in and only Tank and the oft injured DJ making for a sparse backfield, it was at least encouraging to read that new CBH reached out to MAR several times, just to see if he could be persuaded to stay. What a curious and frustrating impression it would have been had CBH not even bothered to pick up the phone. 

[Tigerpro2a 5,650]

I am so disappointed after hearing MAR all spring and summer for him to get as little PT as he did. I honestly thought he woul dbe the main guy the first few weeks until Tank took over based off camp reports. 

[Tony4AU 386]

Good luck MAR

[Gowebb11 9,307]

Since September, Joiner is gone, MAR and Worm are in the portal, and we lost Goodwin right before signing day. Cadillac’s RB room is emptying out. 

[AubFanCT 180]

This stinks but honestly if you are a big time recruit, you don't want to be the backup to Tank for the next 2 years. He wants a chance to be the man and I can't blame him. Our depth at RB might be a serious concern for next year depending on who remains. 

[Tony4AU 386]

1 minute ago, Gowebb11 said:

Since September, Joiner is gone, MAR and Worm are in the portal, and we lost Goodwin right before signing day. Cadillac’s RB room is emptying out. 

Worm definitely in portal?

[wde1968 262]

The Transfer Train is full and rolling lucky for us we got that 2* Grad Transfer OL from Harvard.

[toddc 13,194]

4 minutes ago, wde1968 said:

The Transfer Train is full and rolling lucky for us we got that 2* Grad Transfer OL from Harvard.

Probably not any more. He’s got a couple schools moving in on him now. Coach did speak to him but it doesn’t look too good.

[Tony4AU 386]

5 minutes ago, wde1968 said:

The Transfer Train is full and rolling lucky for us we got that 2* Grad Transfer OL from Harvard.

Thought he decommitted ?

[Sani-Freeze 552]

13 minutes ago, AubFanCT said:

This stinks but honestly if you are a big time recruit, you don't want to be the backup to Tank for the next 2 years. He wants a chance to be the man and I can't blame him. Our depth at RB might be a serious concern for next year depending on who remains. 

Tired of hearing this. Our rivals stack them up 5-6 deep. Why would it be different for Auburn? Nobody wants to be another Kerryon and get run into the ground. 

[Gowebb11 9,307]

20 minutes ago, Tony4AU said:

Worm definitely in portal?

Good question. I know it was announced he was going there. Maybe not officially yet. I’m sure Coach Harsin is on top of it. 

[weagl1 1,781]

I envisioned MAR sticking around and him and Tank being the second coming of Ronnie and Caddy or Brooks and Cribbs.  I just don’t get this crap of they got somebody better than me so I’m going somewhere else.  It’s plenty of room for two great backs on a football team and especially when they both have a chance at the pros its better to split the carries and limit the wear and tear in college.  These new transfer rules are causing young men to do things that are not in their own best interest.  

[TexasTiger 12,800]

A new coach is a fresh start. 

[e808 3,020]

Some food for thought. If half the fan base or more than half had to google and find out who Harsin is how do u think the kids feel. If u are on a three year plan to get to the league do you stick around for the unknown or go somewhere established. IMO Cristobal probably could have prevented some of this but it is what it is. Coach has his work cut out for him. Hoping for the best War Eagle!!

[Mikey 16,546]

53 minutes ago, weagl1 said:

I envisioned MAR sticking around and him and Tank being the second coming of Ronnie and Caddy or Brooks and Cribbs.  I just don’t get this crap of they got somebody better than me so I’m going somewhere else.  It’s plenty of room for two great backs on a football team and especially when they both have a chance at the pros its better to split the carries and limit the wear and tear in college.  These new transfer rules are causing young men to do things that are not in their own best interest.  

Do we really think MAR has a shot at the NFL? He was here two years and only saw the field because three guys ahead of him got injured.

[TexasTiger 12,800]

1 hour ago, Mikey said:

Do we really think MAR has a shot at the NFL? He was here two years and only saw the field because three guys ahead of him got injured.

He got more carries and yards than Peyton Barber did in two full seasons.

[AU80cruiser 1,102]

4 hours ago, TexasTiger said:

He got more carries and yards than Peyton Barber did in two full seasons.

Peyton Barber got a ton of carries in 2015. He was pretty much the only healthy back we had left on the team. 

[creed 1,629]

On 12/29/2020 at 10:01 PM, Gowebb11 said:

Good question. I know it was announced he was going there. Maybe not officially yet. I’m sure Coach Harsin is on top of it. 

Which one is it,  in, out, don't know?

[AUGunsmith 666]

8 hours ago, weagl1 said:

I envisioned MAR sticking around and him and Tank being the second coming of Ronnie and Caddy or Brooks and Cribbs.  I just don’t get this crap of they got somebody better than me so I’m going somewhere else.  It’s plenty of room for two great backs on a football team and especially when they both have a chance at the pros its better to split the carries and limit the wear and tear in college.  These new transfer rules are causing young men to do things that are not in their own best interest.  

Its better than forcing them to be somewhere they don't want to be. 

[Gowebb11 9,307]

1 hour ago, creed said:

Which one is it,  in, out, don't know?

He is in the portal, but listed under special teams as opposed to a running back on the search function. 

[TexasTiger 12,800]

2 hours ago, AU80cruiser said:

Peyton Barber got a ton of carries in 2015. He was pretty much the only healthy back we had left on the team. 

My point is, after two years on the team, like MAR, one wouldn’t necessarily have predicted an NFL career. Mikey dismisses MAR’s potential because he hasn’t had the opportunity.

[AU80cruiser 1,102]

3 minutes ago, TexasTiger said:

My point is, after two years on the team, like MAR, one wouldn’t necessarily have predicted an NFL career. Mikey dismisses MAR’s potential because he hasn’t had the opportunity.

Thats true. I thought Peyton was making a mistake leaving when he did.