RB/ATH Brian Battie to AU

[W.E.D 11,070]

Interest to see how he is used and does vs better teams, especially being small (yes he did well vs an avg at best UF defense).

He's never really been asked to catch the ball

Edited January 10, 2023 by W.E.D

[AUBwins 10,064]

Like this kid. He knows when to be patient or when to haul it.  Looks like L'veon Bell, or a mix with Tre Mason, CAP, and Onterrio McCaleb in Auburn terms.  Can't wait to see this new offense with these playmakers.

[bigbird 60,368]

He's way too small to ever be effective.

[Gowebb11 9,305]

5 minutes ago, bigbird said:

He's way too small to ever be effective.

As long as he’s not Texas soft. 

[bigbird 60,368]

12 minutes ago, Gowebb11 said:

As long as he’s not Texas soft. 

Nah can't be...everything is bigger here. 😁

[autan 737]

I would like to see a 220+ power back. Maybe that will be Sean Jackson if Caddy and staff can coach him up for that short yardage role. If BB can has great hands and is a huge threat returning kicks and jet sweeps we can use him. WDE!!

[W.E.D 11,070]

34 minutes ago, autan said:

If BB can has great hands

He has very few receptions at USF.  not sure what the offense was.  but idk, if you can catch a kick/punt I'd imagine he can catch a pass.....right?

[Potatooooooes!! 1,366]

19 hours ago, RunInRed said:

 

I love his commitment poster. Just sayin

[toddc 13,194]

Way-too-early depth chart projection

1: Jarquez Hunter

2: Brian Battie

3: Damari Alston OR Jeremiah Cobb

Auburn has now stocked up with a healthy blend of experience and youth at running back. Assuming Hugh Freeze doesn't go out and grab another tailback from the portal — it's not a position that was one of the team's neediest entering the offseason — the offense will rely on quick and shifty runners in 2023, as compared to some of the tackle-breaking power Bigsby possessed.
 

(Nathan King for fwiw)

[Mikey 16,545]

On 1/10/2023 at 1:08 PM, toddc said:

Way-too-early depth chart projection

1: Jarquez Hunter

2: Brian Battie

3: Damari Alston OR Jeremiah Cobb

Auburn has now stocked up with a healthy blend of experience and youth at running back. Assuming Hugh Freeze doesn't go out and grab another tailback from the portal — it's not a position that was one of the team's neediest entering the offseason — the offense will rely on quick and shifty runners in 2023, as compared to some of the tackle-breaking power Bigsby possessed.
 

(Nathan King for fwiw)

Do you really think Battie will be #2? Passing Alston and Cobb? I don't. Hopefully he's our #1 kick returner but right now he's a version of Worm but 25 pounds lighter and doesn't have Worm's track star speed.

[Gowebb11 9,305]

37 minutes ago, Mikey said:

Do you really think Battie will be #2? Passing Alston and Cobb? I don't. Hopefully he's our #1 kick returner but right now he's a version of Worm but 25 pounds lighter and doesn't have Worm's track star speed.

Impossible to know who will pass who until spring is done. But I think the comparison to Worm aren’t accurate. Worm was a power pack but lacked the shiftiness to consistently produce. I believe Battie is much more of a pure runner who happens to be light. Rolling up almost 1200 years rushing is impressive. Really good addition for sure. FWIW, I’m a huge Alston fan too. 

[tinman1 485]

4 hours ago, Mikey said:

Do you really think Battie will be #2? Passing Alston and Cobb? I don't. Hopefully he's our #1 kick returner but right now he's a version of Worm but 25 pounds lighter and doesn't have Worm's track star speed.

Worm was fast but lacked the shiftiness to make tacklers miss.  From what I've seen on Battie, he is fast (not track star fast) and shifty.  He will contribute at RB, whether #2 or not.  He's got too much ability to not see the field in some form or fashion.

[toddc 13,194]

5 hours ago, Mikey said:

Do you really think Battie will be #2? Passing Alston and Cobb? I don't. Hopefully he's our #1 kick returner but right now he's a version of Worm but 25 pounds lighter and doesn't have Worm's track star speed.

I didn’t make this rating but I still agree with it. This kid has the it factor as a running back. I love Alston but this guy has proven he can tote the rock. We’re gonna find out this spring I guess.

[Mikey 16,545]

I think we got a good kick returner. As far as RB goes, the knock on Worm was he was too light and got tossed around when trying to pass block. This guy is 25 pounds lighter. How's that going to work?

Since we have plenty of available slots, Battie is a nice pickup as a kick returner and for the occasional swing pass. I don't see him getting more than three snaps from scrimmage at RB in an SEC game.

[GreenTiger 1,000]

Pass block could be the difference maker…. I guess we will see. But he will be productive I think when needed 

[metafour 4,958]

On 1/13/2023 at 11:17 AM, Mikey said:

Do you really think Battie will be #2? Passing Alston and Cobb? I don't. 

Passing Alston? The guy with 14 carries for 85 yards?

Yes, I think the RB who ran for nearly 1,200 yards last season can "pass" Alston and a true freshman lol.

Brian Battie is MUCH better as a RB than Shivers is/was. Defaulting to "he's small" is pretty weak. The kid from Kansas State who ran for 133 on Bama is 5'6 176 pounds.

[metafour 4,958]

12 hours ago, Mikey said:

Battie is a nice pickup as a kick returner and for the occasional swing pass. I don't see him getting more than three snaps from scrimmage at RB in an SEC game.

No, I don't believe that a RB who ran for 1,200 yards last season chose to go to a school that will give him 3 snaps from scrimmage per SEC game. Why would he do that? The fact that he is coming here would strongly imply that Freeze/Montgomery pitched a pretty significant role for him. Otherwise he would have went elsewhere.

[Mikey 16,545]

5 hours ago, metafour said:

Passing Alston? The guy with 14 carries for 85 yards?

Yes, I think the RB who ran for nearly 1,200 yards last season can "pass" Alston and a true freshman lol.

Brian Battie is MUCH better as a RB than Shivers is/was. Defaulting to "he's small" is pretty weak. The kid from Kansas State who ran for 133 on Bama is 5'6 176 pounds.

Let's talk about the opposition he was getting those 1,186 yards against. This last season Shivers gained 592 yards at 4.1 a pop for Big 10 Indiana. That's better than 1,186 yards against whoever S. Florida played. Then there's the pass blocking question.

I think Battie ends up being a kick returner and not much else. Maybe a play here and there in special situations. A good special teams pickup but not RB #2 or RB #3.

[Tigerpro2a 5,650]

I believe Battie will be a contributor. Maybe 6-8 touches a game? I think Alston takes a big step as well so it will be interesting to see how it shakes out. Rich people problems lol

[Gowebb11 9,305]

12 hours ago, Mikey said:

Let's talk about the opposition he was getting those 1,186 yards against.

Bowl teams like Florida, Houston, and UCF. His YPC is outstanding. And he did this on a 1 win team. I don’t know what the depth chart will look like, but he’s  not coming to AU for garbage time  

Also, Worms production vs Big 10 was less than stellar. 

Edited January 15, 2023 by Gowebb11

[TeamZero77 1,780]

On 1/9/2023 at 7:54 PM, TexasTiger said:

FWIW, He started the year with 5 100yd games, didn’t finish with 5.

 GoWebb11 posted Battie's game by game stats on page 2 of this thread. He had 5 straight games over 100 yards rushing beginning October 29th against Houston and ending the last game of the season against UCF. 

His first 5 games of the season, beginning with BYU, he only had 2 games where he went over 100 yards rushing.

Edited January 15, 2023 by TeamZero77

[Mikey 16,545]

3 hours ago, Gowebb11 said:

Bowl teams like Florida, Houston, and UCF. His YPC is outstanding. And he did this on a 1 win team. I don’t know what the depth chart will look like, but he’s  not coming to AU for garbage time  

Also, Worms production vs Big 10 was less than stellar. 

Worm's production was also against mostly Big 10 competition. 4.1 YPC isn't all that bad. They had a common opponent, Cincinnati. Compare those two games. Every negative comment made about Worm when he was here also applies to Battie, even moreso. "Not big enough to break tackles". "Not big enough to pass block". On and on. I hope the guy wins a Heisman at AU but what I'm seeing is a good to possibly above average kick returner.

Guys this size are tossed around like ping pong balls by 250 pound edge rushers. Does Freeze have a scheme that doesn't require his RB to block?

Quote: "...but he’s  not coming to AU for garbage time ". Nobody does. However, over half end up with garbage time or less.

[TeamZero77 1,780]

28 minutes ago, Mikey said:

Worm's production was also against mostly Big 10 competition. 4.1 YPC isn't all that bad. They had a common opponent, Cincinnati. Compare those two games. Every negative comment made about Worm when he was here also applies to Battie, even moreso. "Not big enough to break tackles". "Not big enough to pass block". On and on. I hope the guy wins a Heisman at AU but what I'm seeing is a good to possibly above average kick returner.

Guys this size are tossed around like ping pong balls by 250 pound edge rushers. Does Freeze have a scheme that doesn't require his RB to block?

Quote: "...but he’s  not coming to AU for garbage time ". Nobody does. However, over half end up with garbage time or less.

Battie's dad gave a great interview where he talked about visiting Auburn and then they had a scheduled visit at Colorado for friday and saturday and then would announce today, Jan. 15th. They fell in love with Auburn and the staff so he committed and said he didn't need to visit Colorado because everything he needs is here at Auburn.

The Dad said Caddy told them he plans on using his son catching passes out of the backfield and that really interested Battie because no staff has ever used him that way. The father said his son will be used on kickoff returns, catching passes out of the backfield and sweeps to get him out on the edge. The father seemed VERY content with his son being utilized that way. I agree with you about he won't be a normal RB for us. Definitely not a #1 and probably not our #2 judging by the fathers interview.

One thing Battie's dad said and I really liked it was that Coach Freeze didn't have a sales pitch and didn't sound like a car salesman. He said every coach they've talked to in his sons recruiting were always selling something and not genuine. He said Freeze was a straight shooter and that they talked very little about football and more about life. The dad said "I need to know that my son will be taken care of when he leaves me and goes to Auburn. I need to know that they'll continue to mold him into the man I've raised him to be. I felt like Caddy, Freeze and Montgomery will be that for my son." 

This kid and his family seem like very good people and I'm pulling for him to do well. WDE

[gr82b4au 5,568]

17 hours ago, Mikey said:

Let's talk about the opposition he was getting those 1,186 yards against.

I was about to say that you probably need to look at the schedule he ran against before commenting. He did really well against very good teams. 

also, I think he is a different type of runner than Worm. Worm is fast but not shifty. 
go watch his highlight reel. It is pretty impressive.

Edited January 15, 2023 by gr82b4au

[TexasTiger 12,800]

1 hour ago, TeamZero77 said:

 GoWebb11 posted Battie's game by game stats on page 2 of this thread. He had 5 straight games over 100 yards rushing beginning October 29th against Houston and ending the last game of the season against UCF. 

His first 5 games of the season, beginning with BYU, he only had 2 games where he went over 100 yards rushing.

My bad. I looked at a game log and didn’t notice it was reverse order.