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247sports.com How NCAA legal settlement impacts Auburn athletics Nathan King 6–7 minutes Thursday established another historic landmark in the modern history of college sports, as three antitrust lawsuits were settled against the NCAA and its power conferences. The major class-action suit is House vs. NCAA, which contended that college athletes from the pre-NIL era should be retroactively compensated. Not only will approximately $2.8 billion be backpaid to former student-athletes, but the settlement has also set parameters for a new payment structure for college athletics moving forward. The bottom line is simple: Programs like Auburn and its athletic department — likely as soon as the fall of 2025 — will share revenue with its student athletes directly from the university's athletic funds. The NCAA is on the hook for 40 percent of the settlement payout — ranging back to student athletes who played from 2016-20 — while power conferences like the SEC will see their revenue distributions decrease over the 10 next years to combine for 24 percent of the damages (approximately $664 million). Many of the finer details will continue to be ironed out, and the court approval process likely means revenue-sharing will not begin in college athletics until at least next year. Even then, variables like Title IX implications that could lead to additional sports could still be under construction by the NCAA. Here are three ways the historic settlement will impact the future of Auburn athletics: 1. College salary caps arrive The agreement signed by NCAA conferences states that schools can share up to 22 percent of their average revenue, which calculates to approximately $22 million for power-conference programs. No, that number doesn't include scholarships and related costs. So while the bidding wars likely won't subside in major college sports, the spending cycle that's seemed to grow by the year since NIL was introduced could hit a physical ceiling. Whether programs have to allocate a specific percentage of revenue-sharing to smaller sports — i.e., not football and men's basketball — is still to be determined. Title IX implications loom large in that regard. Auburn's operating revenue for its athletic department for 2023 was $195.3 million. So an NCAA-enforced salary cap of $22 million would be approximately 11.3 percent of Auburn's revenue last fiscal year. Those figures could increase, too, with the SEC and other major conferences entering into new television and media rights deals, but remember that the NCAA will be siphoning a percentage of Auburn's annual revenue for the next 10 years to pay for the settlement damages. Of course, power-conference schools don't have to spend $22 million a year. But the hyper-competitive nature of recruiting at a high level in college sports, both at the high-school level and in the transfer portal, will likely demand programs push that salary cap to build rosters every offseason. However, at least coaches like Hugh Freeze will know how much they have left to work with — directly from their own athletic department — to address certain needs. 2. What happens to NIL collectives? Coaches and other leaders in the college sphere have been pleading for stricter NIL laws, even after many have been implemented over the past four years. Documents from the NCAA's settlement contend the court will tighten up on NIL compensations regulations and punishments, "including the prohibition on booster payments if they are not true NIL." Simply put, one of the main goals of revenue-sharing is to take some pressure off donors. In line with the impending lawsuit settlement, Freeze mentioned earlier this month that bringing player compensation in-house and sharing revenue would be a more practical avenue moving forward. "NIL isn't going away," Freeze said on The Paul Finebaum Show. "Now, can it change and come in house to where we can take some of the TV revenue? Because we're not going to sustain raising money like we are right now, with the same people that are building that are building your facilities and your suites. That's going to get really old quick for 95 percent of us." So Auburn's lead collective, On To Victory, isn't going anywhere. In fact, the new revenue-sharing model will include "economic incentives" from the NCAA to house NIL collectives with the university. The revenue-sharing model — essentially adding players to a school's payroll — will aim to shift collectives back toward their original intended purposes of helping student-athletes benefit from their likeness, rather than a source to bankroll roster costs. 3. Limited roster sizes The settlement aims to eliminate scholarship limits, while, in turn, leading to roster numbers being limited. That could mean football rosters dwindling back down to their intended limit of 85, rather than 125. Having to put every player on scholarship under a mandated roster cap could obviously eliminate walk-ons, but those details still aren't finalized, and many coaches have suggested creating a practice squad for players to contribute off-scholarship. For sports other than football, though, maxing out rosters with scholarships can only be seen as a positive. Opportunities will now exist for, say, Auburn baseball coach Butch Thompson to offer scholarships to build depth and fill roster needs, seeing as the current NCAA limit for baseball is 11.7 scholarships spread over 32 players. Under Title IX, any additional scholarships for men's teams must be reflected in women's sports, too. There's a long way to go, and Title IX carries some of the largest looming implications in this settlement, but some schools may see new sports added because of the additional scholarships — that is, assuming funding can be sustained for non-revenue sports after universities will also be on the hook for directly paying all their student-athletes.

al.com Current, former NCAA athletes likely to be paid soon Published: May. 24, 2024, 9:37 a.m. 9–11 minutes The NCAA and the nation’s five biggest conferences announced Thursday night that they have agreed to pay nearly $2.8 billion to settle a host of antitrust claims, a monumental decision that sets the stage for a groundbreaking revenue-sharing model that could start steering millions of dollars directly to athletes as soon as the 2025 fall semester. NCAA President Charlie Baker along with the commissioners of the Atlantic Coast Conference, Big Ten, Big 12, Pac-12 and Southeastern Conference released a joint statement saying they had agreed to settlement terms. They called the move “an important step in the continuing reform of college sports that will provide benefits to student-athletes and provide clarity in college athletics across all divisions for years to come.” Terms were not disclosed, though some details have emerged in the past few weeks. They signal the end of the NCAA’s bedrock amateurism model that dates to its founding in 1906. Indeed, the days of NCAA punishment for athletes driving booster-provided cars started vanishing three years ago when the organization lifted restrictions on endorsement deals backed by so-called name, image and likeness money. The deal still must be approved by the federal judge overseeing the case and plaintiffs will have the opportunity to opt out or challenge terms of the agreement. If it stands, it will usher in the beginning of a new era in college sports where athletes are compensated more like professionals and schools can compete for talent using direct payments. “There’s no question about it. It’s a huge quantum leap,” said Tom McMillen, the former Maryland basketball player and congressman who has led an association of collegiate athletic directors the past eight years. Now it is not far-fetched to look ahead to seasons where star quarterbacks or top prospects on college basketball teams are not only cashing in big-money NIL deals but have six-figure school payments in the bank to play. “This landmark settlement will bring college sports into the 21st century, with college athletes finally able to receive a fair share of the billions of dollars of revenue that they generate for their schools,” said Steve Berman, one of the lead attorneys for the plaintiffs. “Our clients are the bedrock of the NCAA’s multibillion-dollar business and finally can be compensated in an equitable and just manner for their extraordinary athletic talents.” There are a host of details still to be determined, but the agreement calls for the NCAA and the conferences to pay $2.77 billion over 10 years to more than 14,000 former and current college athletes who say now-defunct rules prevented them from earning money from endorsement and sponsorship deals dating to 2016. “Even though it was only because of the overwhelming legal pressure, the NCAA, conferences and schools are agreeing that college athletes should be paid,” said Ramogi Huma, a former UCLA football player and longtime advocate for college athletes. “And there’s no going back from there. That’s truly groundbreaking.” Some of the money will come from NCAA reserve funds and insurance but even though the lawsuit specifically targeted five conferences that are comprised of 69 schools (including Notre Dame), dozens of other NCAA member schools will see smaller distributions from the NCAA to cover the mammoth payout. Schools in the Big Ten, Big 12, ACC and SEC are likely to end up bearing the brunt of the settlement going forward at an estimated cost of about $300 million each over 10 years, the majority of which would be paid to directly to athletes. “The settlement, though undesirable in many respects and promising only temporary stability, is necessary to avoid what would be the bankruptcy of college athletics,” said Notre Dame President Rev. John I. Jenkins. PAYING ATHLETES In the new compensation model, each school will be permitted but not required to set aside up to $21 million in revenue to share with athletes per year, though as revenues rise so could the cap. Athletes in all sports would be eligible for payments and schools would be given the freedom to decide how that money is divvied up among sports programs. Scholarship limits by sport will be replaced by roster restrictions. Whether the new compensation model is subject to the Title IX gender equity law is unknown along with whether schools will be able to bring NIL activities in-house as they hope and squeeze out the booster-run collectives that have sprouted up in the last few years to pay athletes. Both topics could lead to more lawsuits. THE CASE The class-action federal lawsuit at the center of the settlement, House v. the NCAA, was set to go to trial in January. The complaint, brought by former Arizona State swimmer Grant House and Sedona Prince, a former Oregon and current TCU basketball player, said the NCAA, along with the five wealthiest conferences, improperly barred athletes from earning endorsement money. The suit also argued that athletes were entitled to a piece of the billions of dollars the NCAA and those conferences earn from media rights agreements with television networks. Amid political and public pressure, and facing the prospect of another court loss that some in college sports claimed could reach $20 billion in damages, NCAA and conference officials conceded on what has long been a core principal of the enterprise: that schools don’t directly pay the athletes to play beyond a scholarship. That principle has been dented numerous times over the last decade. Notably, the Supreme Court unanimously ruled against the NCAA in 2021 in a case related to education-related benefits. The narrow focus of the Alston case didn’t collapse the collegiate sports system, but the strong rebuke of the NCAA’s model of amateurism flung the door open to more lawsuits. Justice Brett Kavanaugh, a former Yale athlete, put it bluntly: “The bottom line is that the NCAA and its member colleges are suppressing the pay of student athletes who collectively generate billions of dollars in revenues for colleges every year.” THE OTHER CASES The settlement is expected to cover two other antitrust cases facing the NCAA and major conferences that challenge athlete compensation rules. Hubbard vs. the NCAA and Carter vs. the NCAA are also currently in front of judges in the Northern District of California. A fourth case, Fontenot vs, NCAA, creates a potential complication as it remains in a Colorado court after a judge denied a request to combine it with Carter. Whether Fontenot becomes part of the settlement is unknown and it matters because the NCAA and its conferences don’t want to be on the hook for more damages should they lose in court. “We’re going to continue to litigate our case in Colorado and look forward to hearing about the terms of a settlement proposal once they’re actually released and put in front of a court,” said George Zelcs, a plaintiffs’ attorney in Fontenot. COLLEGE ATHLETICS OVERHAUL The solution agreed to in the settlement is landmark, but not surprising. College sports has been trending in this direction for years, with athletes receiving more and more monetary benefits and rights they say were long overdue. In December, Baker, the former Massachusetts governor who has been on the job for 14 months, proposed creating a new tier of Division I athletics where the schools with the most resources would be required to pay at least half their athletes $30,000 per year. That suggestion, along with many other possibilities, remain under discussion. The settlement does not make every issue facing college sports go away. There is still a question of whether athletes should be deemed employees of their schools, something Baker and other college sports leaders are fighting against. Some type of federal legislation or antitrust exemption is likely still needed to codify the terms of the settlement, protect the NCAA from future litigation and pre-empt state laws that attempt to neuter the organization’s authority. As it is, the NCAA is still facing lawsuits that challenge its ability to govern itself, including setting rules limiting multiple-time transfers. “This settlement is also a road map for college sports leaders and Congress to ensure this uniquely American institution can continue to provide unmatched opportunity for millions of students,” the joint statement said. “All of Division I made today’s progress possible, and we all have work to do to implement the terms of the agreement as the legal process continues. We look forward to working with our various student-athlete leadership groups to write the next chapter of college sports.” Federal lawmakers have indicated they would like to get something done, but while several bills have been introduced, none has gone anywhere. Despite the unanswered questions, one thing is clear: Major college athletics is about to become more like professional sports than ever before. ___ Follow Ralph D. Russo at https://twitter.com/ralphDrussoAP and listen at http://www.appodcasts.com ___ AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/college-football If you purchase a product or register for an account through a link on our site, we may receive compensation. By using this site, you consent to our User Agreement and agree that your clicks, interactions, and personal information may be collected, recorded, and/or stored by us and social media and other third-party partners in accordance with our Privacy Policy.

al.com Former Auburn tight end keeps playing for ‘thrill of the game’ Updated: May. 24, 2024, 9:10 a.m.|Published: May. 24, 2024, 9:00 a.m. 5–6 minutes Arlington Renegades tight end Sal Cannella catches a touchdown pass during a United Football League game against the San Antonio Brahmas on Sunday, May 19, 2024, at the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas.(Photo by Logan Riely/UFL/Getty Images) By Mark Inabinett | minabinett@al.com Arlington Renegades tight end Sal Cannella gave a quick rundown of his football journey for the United Football League video feature “Know My Name” posted this week. “Transferred from Scottsdale Community College to Auburn University,” Cannella said. “After that, went and did the Spring League. Didn’t get anything out of it. Spring League again. Bears’ minicamp. Got cut. Signed with the Dolphins. Got cut. Did the USFL. Balled. Signed with the Packers. Did well. Got cut. XFL last year. Great time. Then some time with the Seahawks, and, hey, baby, I’m back.” AJ McCarron to return in standby role for St. Louis Battlehawks Birmingham Stallions’ ascent of the UFL mountain gets steeper Birmingham Stallions to host USFL Conference Championship Game Cannella has five seasons of post-college football without reaching the big payoff – a spot on an NFL regular-season roster. But he hasn’t just been persevering. Over the Renegades’ past three games, Cannella has caught 24 passes for 211 yards and four touchdowns. “It’s the thrill,” Cannella said. “The thrill of the game. The excitement, the preparation it takes just to play one game a week. It’s a lot that goes into it. You train a whole offseason, three, four months, and you only get 10 to 12 games, so it’s the excitement, it’s the pressure, it’s the thrill of the game that I love.” In eight games this season with Arlington, Cannella has 41 receptions for 375 yards and five touchdowns. He is tied for the lead in touchdown receptions and ranks third in receptions and ninth in receiving yards in the United Football League. In three seasons at Auburn, Cannella had 25 receptions for 330 yards and five touchdowns. His final catch for the Tigers was his longest – a 37-yard touchdown reception from quarterback Bo Nix in Auburn’s 31-24 loss to Minnesota in the Outback Bowl on Jan. 1, 2020. Cannella also had a touchdown reception in the Tigers’ previous game, scoring on a 14-yard toss from Nix in Auburn’s 48-45 victory over Alabama. RELATED: TOM BRADY’S ADVICE FOR BO NIX Two stints in the Spring League didn’t yield much of an NFL opportunity for Cannella – a rookie minicamp tryout with the Chicago Bears and four days in training camp with the Miami Dolphins in 2021. But in the USFL revival in 2022, Cannella earned all-league honors playing for the New Orleans Breakers. That led to his only full opportunity in an NFL training camp as he signed with the Green Bay Packers on July 21, 2022. Cannella caught three passes for 31 yards in the Packers’ final two preseason games, but Green Bay waived him on Aug. 30, 2022, as it reduced its preseason roster to the regular-season limit of 53 players. Cannella joined Arlington for the XFL revival in 2023. He had 42 receptions for 415 yards in 10 regular-season games. In the Renegades’ 35-26 victory over the D.C. Defenders in the XFL Championship Game, Cannella had four receptions for 71 yards, including a 41-yard touchdown catch. But that yielded only a late look for Cannella in the Seattle Seahawks’ training camp, and he returned to Arlington this season, although in a new league. The Renegades and three other XFL teams joined four USFL teams to form the United Football League. But that also meant eight teams from last season’s spring football were shuttered. Cannella termed the UFL “probably the most respected football outside of the NFL.” “You got to bring your best game each week,” Cannella said. “As the leagues merged and teams got cut down, the talent pool’s high, and you’re going to have to bring it each and every week.” Despite Cannella’s statistical showing, Arlington has won one of its eight games and has two contests remaining in its season. In their next game, the Renegades play the St. Louis Battlehawks at 11 a.m. CDT Saturday at Choctaw Stadium in Arlington, Texas. ABC will televise the game. Mark Inabinett is a sports reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter at @AMarkG1.

auburntigers.com Davis, Schofill earn All-American honors from WGCA Auburn University Athletics 2–3 minutes AUBURN, Ala. – Auburn freshman Anna Davis and senior Megan Schofill have been awarded All-American honors, the Women's Golf Coaches Association announced on Friday. Davis was tabbed second team All-American while Schofill was given an honorable mention. Davis, who joined the team in January, participated in all eight of the Tigers' tournaments this spring. Davis recorded a runner-up finish at the last regular season event at the Liz Murphey Collegiate Classic before capturing a top-5 finish at the SEC Championship and winning low medalist at the NCAA Auburn Regional by three shots at 5-under (211). The Auburn freshman was named second team All-SEC as well as to the SEC All-Freshman team this season. She finished the year with a 71.68 scoring average and four top-10 individual finishes. Auburn fifth-year senior Megan Schofill followed up her 2023 All-American season with an impressive final year on the Plains. Schofill led the team with a 71.65 scoring average in 2023-24 and holds the lowest scoring average in program history at 72.01 (minimum 60 rounds). The four-time All-SEC selection has recorded four top-10 individual finishes this season for the Tigers, including a tie for third at the Lady Puerto Rico Classic where she fired a 7-under 209. Schofill also shot 8-under (208) at the Mason Rudolph Championship which included an opening round 66 (-6) to finish in the top-5. This marks Davis' first All-American honor and Schofill's third from the WGCA. Schofill was selected as an honorable mention in 2022 and as a first team All-American in 2023. The Women's Golf Coaches Association, founded in 1983, is a non-profit organization representing women's collegiate golf coaches. The WGCA was formed to encourage the playing of college golf for women in correlation with a general objective of education and in accordance with the highest tradition of intercollegiate competition. Today, the WGCA represents over 750 coaches throughout the U.S. and is dedicated to educating, promoting and recognizing both its members and the student-athletes they represent.

al.com Auburn softball players show no interest in transfer portal despite pending coaching change Updated: May. 24, 2024, 10:17 a.m.|Published: May. 24, 2024, 10:15 a.m. 4–5 minutes TALLAHASSEE, FL - MAY 18 - Auburn Outfielder KK McCrary (16) during the game between the Auburn Tigers and the Chattanooga Mocs at JoAnne Graf Field in Tallahassee, FL on Saturday, May 18, 2024. Photo by Grayson Belanger/Auburn TigersGrayson Belanger/Auburn Tigers In this current era of college sports, coaching changes generally lead to a mass exodus of players as the uncertainty of the situation sends them to the transfer portal in pursuit of new opportunities. However, it doesn’t appear that’ll be the case as it relates to Auburn softball, which is currently in the process of finding a replacement for head coach Mickey Dean, who in March announced that he’d be retiring at the conclusion of Auburn’s 2024 season. The Tigers saw their season come to an end in a loss to Florida State in the NCAA Tournament on May 19. And instead of that season-ending loss, paired with a pending coaching change, leading to Auburn players announcing their plans to enter the transfer portal, it’s led to the opposite. In recent days, several Auburn softball players have taken to social media, vowing to return to The Plains next season. “Thank you seniors for letting me be apart of your college journey. And thank you coaches for giving this girl coming from a small school that no one has ever heard of a chance of chasing her dreams. Can’t wait for next year,” wrote Auburn outfielder Icess Tresvik in a post to X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter on Monday. Tresvik, who just finished up her junior season with the Tigers, made 50 starts in 2024 and posted a .290 batting average with 42 hits and a team-leading 21 stolen bases. Meanwhile, Auburn outfielder KK McCrary, who doubled as one of the team’s best hitters with a .307 average, 21 RBIs and 11 home runs, has also announced her plans to return to Auburn next season. “See y’all next spring for my 5th year,” wrote McCrary, who transferred in from Tennessee ahead of the 2023 season. Amelia Lech, who transferred in from Maryland ahead of this season and led the Tigers in home runs, also issued her promise to return. “All my prayers have been answered. This is the student-athlete experience I have always dreamed of. I am so beyond blessed to have the most amazing women in my life. See you next year Auburn fam,” Lech wrote. Tresvik, McCrary and Lech have been joined by seven other Auburn players in announcing their intentions to return to Auburn next season, despite an approaching coaching change. Here’s the full list of players who have vowed to return to Auburn for the 2025 season: Of course, a post to social media isn’t binding. However, the fact that that players aren’t making a bee-line to the transfer portal appears to be a good thing — whether it points to a strong program culture or the possibility that conversations between the team and the athletics administration regarding the next hire (if there have been any) have been well-received. As of Friday morning, just one of Auburn’s players has announced her intentions to enter the transfer portal in junior infielder Riley McNemar, who announced her plans to transfer as a grad transfer in an Instagram post on Wednesday. Meanwhile, a handful of players have yet to make any kind of announcement as of Friday morning. These players include utility Mariah Penta, catcher/infielder Aubrie Lisenby, infielder Nelia Peralta, catcher/utility Skylar Elkins, catcher Anna Wohlers, catcher/infielder Millie Roberts, utility/pitcher Annabelle Widra and infielder Rose Roach. Auburn is also set to lose its ace pitcher Maddie Penta, its centerfielder Makayla Packer and its No. 2 pitcher Shelby Lowe to graduation.

al.com Man accused of shooting Auburn’s Brian Battie, killing his brother claims self-defense Published: May. 24, 2024, 8:59 a.m. 3–4 minutes Auburn running back Brian Battie (21) outruns University of Massachusetts linebacker Jalen Stewart (23) during the first halfSaturday, Sept. 2, 2023, in Auburn, Alabama. (Julie Bennett | preps@al.com) Julie Bennett | preps@al.comJulie Bennett | preps@al.com Darryl Brookins, the Sarasota man accused of shooting Auburn running back Brian Battie and killing his older brother, Tommie Battie IV, made his first court appearance Thursday. Brookins was arrested and charged with murder, attempted murder and being a felon in possession of a firearm on Wednesday. “This was a mistake,” said Brookins’ attorney Jacob Grollman during Thursday’s court appearance. “Had Mr. Brookins been given a chance to sit down with them, he could’ve simply explained he was acting in self-defense when he was approached and shot at by multiple armed individuals, including Tommie and Brian Battie.” The shooting occurred early Saturday morning in the parking lot of a hookah lounge in the Tallywood Centre Plaza in the 3400 block of 17th Street in Sarasota. The shooting killed Tommie Battie IV and left Brian Battie in critical condition. Three other victims, ages 36 to 46, were also sent to local hospitals. According to Brookins’ probable cause affidavit, Sarasota County deputies received several calls reporting the shooting at approximately 3:30 a.m. Upon their arrival, deputies found Tommie Battie IV deceased after sustaining a single gunshot wound to the chest, while Brian Battie had suffered a gunshot to the head. There hasn’t been an update on Brian Battie’s condition since Auburn head football coach Hugh Freeze took to social media on Monday and asked for prayers as Brian Battie was “still on a ventilator” after suffering a “set back” the night prior. Video footage obtained by surrounding businesses show Brookins, 28, leaning against the window of a nearby business, when the Battie brothers approach him, at which point Brookins “immediately drew a firearm and began shooting at both,” the affidavit states. The affidavit continues to claim that video footage shows the Battie brothers returning gunfire before both falling to the ground. Brookins fled the scene by foot and was later the subject of several Crimestoppers calls, identifying him as the shooter who murdered Tommie Battie IV and critically injured Brian Battie. “The parents of the victim are living a waking nightmare. They are grieving for one and praying for another,” prosecutor Dale Race said during Thursday’s court appearance. Meanwhile, Grollman said law enforcement and the State Attorney Office “were not interested in hearing Mr. Brookins’ version of events before submitting a warrant for his arrest.” According to the affidavit, Brookins has four previous felony convictions, all of which were adjudicated guilty. Currently being held in the Sarasota County jail, Brookins’ pretrial hearing is set for Friday at 1:30 p.m. If you purchase a product or register for an account through a link on our site, we may receive compensation. By using this site, you consent to our User Agreement and agree that your clicks, interactions, and personal information may be collected, recorded, and/or stored by us and social media and other third-party partners in accordance with our Privacy Policy.

al.com Man accused of shooting Auburn’s Brian Battie, killing his brother claims self-defense Published: May. 24, 2024, 8:59 a.m. 3–4 minutes Auburn running back Brian Battie (21) outruns University of Massachusetts linebacker Jalen Stewart (23) during the first halfSaturday, Sept. 2, 2023, in Auburn, Alabama. (Julie Bennett | preps@al.com) Julie Bennett | preps@al.comJulie Bennett | preps@al.com Darryl Brookins, the Sarasota man accused of shooting Auburn running back Brian Battie and killing his older brother, Tommie Battie IV, made his first court appearance Thursday. Brookins was arrested and charged with murder, attempted murder and being a felon in possession of a firearm on Wednesday. “This was a mistake,” said Brookins’ attorney Jacob Grollman during Thursday’s court appearance. “Had Mr. Brookins been given a chance to sit down with them, he could’ve simply explained he was acting in self-defense when he was approached and shot at by multiple armed individuals, including Tommie and Brian Battie.” The shooting occurred early Saturday morning in the parking lot of a hookah lounge in the Tallywood Centre Plaza in the 3400 block of 17th Street in Sarasota. The shooting killed Tommie Battie IV and left Brian Battie in critical condition. Three other victims, ages 36 to 46, were also sent to local hospitals. According to Brookins’ probable cause affidavit, Sarasota County deputies received several calls reporting the shooting at approximately 3:30 a.m. Upon their arrival, deputies found Tommie Battie IV deceased after sustaining a single gunshot wound to the chest, while Brian Battie had suffered a gunshot to the head. There hasn’t been an update on Brian Battie’s condition since Auburn head football coach Hugh Freeze took to social media on Monday and asked for prayers as Brian Battie was “still on a ventilator” after suffering a “set back” the night prior. Video footage obtained by surrounding businesses show Brookins, 28, leaning against the window of a nearby business, when the Battie brothers approach him, at which point Brookins “immediately drew a firearm and began shooting at both,” the affidavit states. The affidavit continues to claim that video footage shows the Battie brothers returning gunfire before both falling to the ground. Brookins fled the scene by foot and was later the subject of several Crimestoppers calls, identifying him as the shooter who murdered Tommie Battie IV and critically injured Brian Battie. “The parents of the victim are living a waking nightmare. They are grieving for one and praying for another,” prosecutor Dale Race said during Thursday’s court appearance. Meanwhile, Grollman said law enforcement and the State Attorney Office “were not interested in hearing Mr. Brookins’ version of events before submitting a warrant for his arrest.” According to the affidavit, Brookins has four previous felony convictions, all of which were adjudicated guilty. Currently being held in the Sarasota County jail, Brookins’ pretrial hearing is set for Friday at 1:30 p.m. If you purchase a product or register for an account through a link on our site, we may receive compensation. By using this site, you consent to our User Agreement and agree that your clicks, interactions, and personal information may be collected, recorded, and/or stored by us and social media and other third-party partners in accordance with our Privacy Policy.

al.com Trump claims he ‘nearly escaped death’ during FBI Mar-a-Lago search. He wasn't there. Updated: May. 24, 2024, 2:30 p.m.|Published: May. 24, 2024, 1:55 p.m. 4–5 minutes Secret Service agents stand at the gate of Mar-a-Lago after the FBI issued warrants at the Palm Beach, Fla., estate, Monday, Aug. 8, 2022. (Damon Higgins/Palm Beach Daily News via AP)AP Former President Donald Trump and his allies are falsely claiming the Biden administration authorized the use of “deadly force” against Trump during an FBI search of his Mar-a-Lago estate in 2022. The policy statement on the “use of deadly force,” which appeared in an operations order for the Mar-a-Lago search, is not evidence of a plot to kill Trump. It is a Department of Justice policy that is standard to include in such documents. “The FBI followed standard protocol in this search as we do for all search warrants, which includes a standard policy statement limiting the use of deadly force,” the agency said in a statement. “No one ordered additional steps to be taken and there was no departure from the norm in this matter.” As it appears in the operations order, the policy stipulates in part that Department of Justice officers “may use deadly force only when necessary, that is, when the officer has a reasonable belief that the subject of such force poses an imminent danger of death or serious physical injury to the officer or to another person.” The policy is in the department’s Justice Manual with only minor differences in wording to what is included in the order and is summarized on the FBI’s website. It is meant to limit the use of deadly force. Frank Figliuzzi, a former assistant director for counterintelligence at the FBI, reiterated in an X post what the agency said in its statement. “Yep, every FBI operations order contains a reminder of FBI deadly force policy,” he wrote. “Even for a search warrant. Deadly force is always authorized if the required threat presents itself.” A motion that Trump’s lawyers filed in his federal classified documents case, also unsealed Tuesday, asserted that the August 2022 search was unconstitutional and “illegal,” omitting “only” in the portion of the policy that says “law enforcement officers of the Department of Justice may use deadly force when necessary.” Trump wasn’t at Mar-a-Lago, which was shuttered for the season, at the time of the search. The Associated Press reported at the time that the FBI reached out to the Secret Service detail that provides protection to the former president and his homes shortly before serving the warrant. The facts did not stop Trump and his allies from spreading the erroneous allegation. A Trump campaign fundraising email with the subject line, “They were authorized to shoot me!” was sent soon after he posted about the document on social media, making outrageous claims. “I nearly escaped death,” it reads. “You know they’re just itching to do the unthinkable. ... Joe Biden was locked & loaded ready to take me out & put my family in danger.” Asked if Trump stands by the false claims, campaign press secretary Karoline Leavitt wrote in an email: “This is a sickening attempt to run cover for Joe Biden who is the most corrupt president in history and a threat to our democracy.” Hard-right Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, a Republican, wrote in an X post that “the Biden DOJ and FBI were planning to assassinate Pres Trump and gave the green light.” Kari Lake, a Republican Senate candidate in Arizona, wrote in her own X post: “The sicko Biden FBI were ready to use deadly force during the Mar-a-Lago BS raid. That tells you everything you need to know about this criminal Biden admin.” Trump was charged in June 2023 with illegally retaining classified documents taken with him from the White House to Mar-a-Lago after he left office in January 2021, and then obstructing government demands to give them back. Additional related charges were filed a month later. The FBI searched Mar-a-Lago as part of a probe that led to the indictment. If you purchase a product or register for an account through a link on our site, we may receive compensation. By using this site, you consent to our User Agreement and agree that your clicks, interactions, and personal information may be collected, recorded, and/or stored by us and social media and other third-party partners in accordance with our Privacy Policy.

al.com Goodman: Is a legal decision the death of college sports? Hardly Updated: May. 25, 2024, 8:27 a.m.|Published: May. 25, 2024, 6:56 a.m. 5–7 minutes Auburn quarterback Cam Newton gets around Alabama defensive lineman Marcell Dareus in the first quarter of the 2010 Iron Bowl at Bryant-Denny Stadium. (The Birmingham News, Hal Yeager)BN By Joseph Goodman | jgoodman@al.com This is an opinion column. _____________________ The NCAA canceled amateurism hours before the beginning of Memorial Day weekend. Talk about an all-time sentence. Talk about an all-time Friday news dump. As if there wasn’t already enough to talk about at SEC spring meetings next week, amateurism is dunzo. School is out for summer … and when everyone returns to campus they’ll be ready to negotiate new salaries. The NCAA acknowledged as much in a statement after its attorneys were run over like the Notre Dame football team in the 2013 BCS national championship game. The governing body of collegiate athletics was facing the weight of three class-action lawsuits that could have ruined college sports for everyone. A deal had to be settled, and the NCAA finally — after decades of hypocrisy and gaslighting — rolled over. It couldn’t game out its ruse any further. There’s a lot we don’t know about the future of collegiate athletics. At this point, we can only speculate about how paying players will change college football. Immediately, in the hours after a historic legal settlement that could reshape American sports and the collegiate model, we only know this for sure. The NCAA was peddling a sham all along. Goodman: Birmingham-Southern is going down swinging Life’s a Process: Miss Terry lobs a grenade into the group text Goodman: Where is the hottest seat in college football? House vs. NCAA is a class-action lawsuit led by former swimmer Graham House. It’s an antitrust case against the NCAA contending that athletes should have been paid for the use of their name, image and likeness from 2017-2020. Part of the settlement will pay billions to former athletes. The most significant part of the settlement’s framework will affect the future of college sports by establishing a revenue sharing model between athletes and their universities. According to the terms of the deal, approximately $22 million of annual athletic budgets for power conference schools will go to athletes beginning with the fall semester of 2025. That changes everything. For college sports, these are historic days. There are some doomsday scenarios out there. Don’t listen to any of them. Allowing athletes to share revenue with universities will only make collegiate athletics that much better for everyone. When money is at stake, people tend to care a little more about keeping that bread in their pockets. Major college sports have changed dramatically over the last year, but they’re not nearly finished evolving. This upcoming week, schools in the SEC will welcome Texas and Oklahoma to the SEC spring meetings. Those schools officially join the SEC on July 1. Next season, an expanded playoff in football will allow more teams to compete for a national championship. By themselves, those two changes were enough to remake the landscape of major college football. This legal settlement wipes the landscape away like a violent mudslide following an erupting volcano. The topography will be different when the chaos finally settles, but the seeds of new life remain embedded in the overturned earth. Fans of college football will still enrich America’s unique collegiate experience. And with rivalries fueling everything, the arms races will never be over. This settlement isn’t the death of college sports. It’s just the beginning of something new. The Iron Bowl still matters and maybe even more than ever before. Look at this way. Long the beating heart of college football, Alabama is suddenly the epicenter for major professional sports. Alabama and Auburn will still be competing for national titles every year. That much I know for a fact. The future is tough to predict, but some things will never change. And if revenue sharing leads to a new division in college football, then maybe UAB, Troy, Jacksonville State and South Alabama can now have shots to win a national championship, too. The NCAA’s version of shamateurism might be dying, but the spirit of collegiate athletics lives on. Why do I know this? Because education still matters. Because college athletics, for all of its contradictory problems, were never morally corrupt. That’s important to understand. There was always more good than bad. Don’t confuse what’s happening now with the death of anything. This is just our legal system righting a wrong. College sports will continue to change, but the lifeblood of America’s collegiate experience remains forever constant. Chasing a better future, fighting for the prize, the hunger for competition never dies. SOUND OFF Got a question for Joe? Want to get something off your chest? Send Joe an email about what’s on your mind for the mailbag. Let your voice be heard. Ask him anything. Joseph Goodman is the lead sports columnist for the Alabama Media Group, and author of the most controversial sports book ever written, “We Want Bama: A Season of Hope and the Making of Nick Saban’s Ultimate Team.”

si.com Auburn Profile: Freshman Quarterback Walker White Brian Smith 2–3 minutes Auburn’s 2024 recruiting class is full of talented football players. Auburn Daily will give Tigers fans insights into each heading into the college football season, beginning with quarterback Walker White. Size: 6-foot-3, 225 pounds Location: Little Rock (Ark.) Little Rock Christian Academy Recruitment: Picked Hugh Freeze and Auburn over Ole Miss and a host of scholarship offers. On3’s rankings for White include being the #86 prospect nationally and No. 7 quarterback. Best Attributes: Arm strength is obvious for anyone who watches him throw bullets during an Auburn practice. White also has good mobility and makes quality throws on the run. On occasion, he will rip off a big run as well. Notes: By enrolling in January, White is already gaining knowledge of the playbook and gaining rhythm with the wide receivers, tight ends, and running backs. Watching White throw during spring practice helps to provide context for just how strong his arm is. Further, he looks like an NFL quarterback in terms of size and mass. If White went out to an Atlanta Falcons practice and wore a helmet as he ran onto the field, nobody would question if he belonged out there from a physical point of view. 2024 Expectation: Soak up the offense and begin to understand the speed of the college game. He’s no place near ready to play and that’s fine. Quarterback is a life-long learning position and few college signal-callers are ready prior to their third year removed from the prep football ranks. It would be great if Walker could see live action a few times this fall but he is behind three quarterbacks going into the fall. Long-Term Projection: White has the physical tools to one day be Auburn’s starting quarterback. Like any other passer, it’s about how well he processes information. Time will tell the tale.

auburnwire.usatoday.com Auburn's recruitment of four-star RB Alvin Henderson is not finished Taylor Jones ~2 minutes Auburn was believed to be the front-runner to land four-star running back Alvin Henderson for months. However, thanks to a late push, the Elba native chose Penn State over the Tigers in April. Despite Henderson’s pledge to Penn State, many believe that Auburn’s chances are not completely erased including Jeffrey Lee of Auburn Live. In a recent episode of The Inside Scoop, Lee says that Henderson has visited campus since his commitment to Penn State. He believes that Hugh Freeze and his staff will not yield until Henderson officially signs. “I believe a lot of people close to his recruitment — including myself — believe he’s going to end up at Auburn,” Lee said. “Auburn has prioritized him for years, even when Hugh Freeze and Derrick Nix came on. It was kind of a surprise when he committed to Penn State, at least in the days leading up to his commitment.” The lack of knowledge surrounding Auburn’s running back development under new offensive coordinator/running backs coach Derrick Nix played a factor in Henderson choosing Penn State over Auburn. He stated that Penn State’s “tradition for running back development” stood out the most to him. A successful early start for Auburn’s offense could change his tune. Henderson is the No. 16 running back in the nation for 2025 according to both On3 and 247Sports, and is the No. 17 recruit from Alabama for the cycle. Contact/Follow us @TheAuburnWire on X (Twitter), and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Auburn news, notes, and opinions. You can also follow Taylor on Twitter @TaylorJones__

247sports.com Redmond finds family fit at Auburn Jason Caldwell ~4 minutes AUBURN, Alabama—Will Redmond knew plenty about Auburn before he made the move from LSU to be the new GM of Player Personnel for Hugh Freeze and the Tigers. With family members that had gone to school on the Plains and following the program while growing up in Tennessee, Redmond knew the history and what Auburn had done on the field. And, he had heard all about the Auburn family and what it was like to be part of it. Now he knows what that feels like and he now knows it's very real. For him, it starts with Freeze and the staff he has assembled. That has allowed him to hit the ground running and not miss a beat in trying to help build the best roster possible heading into the 2024 season. "I have been blown away at the relationships, the connections, the people here," Redmond said. "This staff has no ego. These guys want to work hard. We get after it. We have fun doing it. We laugh in staff meetings. Coach Freeze is an incredible leader to be around. I'm having more fun, both personally being here at Auburn, and professionally than maybe I've ever had in my career. "I have been blessed to work with people. The difference here at Auburn, and Auburn people get this and understand it, it's the people. It's cheesy, but when you love Auburn it will love you back. Selling that to a student-athlete and having them come here and experience it and spending time in Jordan-Hare on a Saturday and seeing Tiger Walk and seeing the eagle fly, I'm sitting here rattling off 18 different things that make this place special. It all comes back to the people." Getting them on campus is just one part of the process. The first step in finding them and trying to figure out if the prospect is the right fit for what Auburn is looking for? That's more than just football or fit in the locker room. Redmond said a whole lot goes into the early stages of the recruiting process for him and the staff. "For us, on a daily basis, the fun part is uncovering new talent and finding guys with height, weight and speed," Redmond said. "Then saying, does that height, weight and speed project to the NFL and what does growth potential look like? From there, does the film match up? When the athletic traits match up with those pieces and you start digging on the football character and the personal character of an individual, when all of those planets align, you know you're onto something." Identifying the player is the first step. Figuring out how he fits into Auburn's plans and the fit in the system is the final piece of the puzzle. That's when it all comes full circle, back to the relationship with the coaching staff and the trust they have with each other to make the right call. "Schematic fit comes into play," Redmond said. "That's where you rely heavily on your coaches. Obviously with the changing landscape of college football, you've got a coaching staff here assembled by coach Freeze that these guys know players. They have evaluated and been around top talent and they've been around talent that had to develop and turned into top talent. "I rely heavily on those guys. I tell our staff all the time, I don't have all the answers and anybody in this room that says they do is crazy. The reality of it is, when we work together as a team, Together Everybody Achieves More. It's cheesy, it's cliche, it's coach speak, but that's the reality of this gig."

it is a shame you ignore all the crap trump does........do you EVER suspect a rightie of anything?

rollingstone.com Trump Pressures Republicans to Pass a Law to Keep Him Out of Jail Forever Asawin Suebsaeng, Adam Rawnsley 9–11 minutes Trump Pressures Republicans to Pass a Law to Keep Him Out of Jail Forever The former president is convinced state prosecutors will target him again after a second term, and wants the GOP to solve that problem for him Former U.S. President Donald Trump sits in the courtroom for his hush money trial on May 21, 2024 in New York City. Mark Peterson - Pool/Getty Images Donald Trump likes to tell anyone who will listen that he’s absolutely convinced he will win his 2024 rematch against President Joe Biden. And, according to people who’ve spoken to the ex-president about this, Trump also seems convinced that if he wins another four years in the White House, state prosecutors will still be waiting for him on the other side of his term — ready to put him on trial, or even in prison, just as they are now. To avoid such risks, the former and perhaps future president of the United States wants Congress to create a very specific insurance policy that would help keep him out of prison forever, two sources familiar with the matter tell Rolling Stone. Trump vaguely alluded to this idea last week outside his New York criminal hush money trial, when he said he has urged Republican lawmakers to pass “laws to stop things like this.” In recent months, the sources say, Trump has spoken to several GOP lawmakers on Capitol Hill, attorneys, and other associates about the possibility of Republicans passing legislation in a second Trump term that would shield former presidents (i.e. Trump) from non-federal prosecutions. In recent conversations with closely-aligned lawmakers, Trump has pressured them to do so, describing it as imperative that he signs such a bill into law, if he again ascends to the Oval Office. This, of course, would require that Republicans keep the House, take back the Senate, and have enough votes and agreement on the wisdom of these ideas to get it done. “Even after a second term, he doesn’t think any of this is going to end,” says one of the sources. “He doesn’t think Democrats are going to quit coming after him.” If Trump retakes the presidency this November, a new MAGAfied attorney general can shut down Special Counsel Jack Smith’s federal criminal cases against Trump, therefore killing the two planned federal trials, neither of which is expected to happen during this election year. But in a scenario where Trump defeats Biden in November, he would in theory still have criminal charges and a trial waiting for him in Georgia, where he would not be able to pardon himself or have his Justice Department quash the case. The twice-impeached, repeatedly-indicted ex-president and presumptive 2024 GOP nominee would like to resolve that problem, for obvious self-interested reasons. Different ideas have been kicked around, including in private discussions with Trump, about how to go about this. But more recently, Trump appears fixated on the idea of passing a law to give former American presidents the option of moving state or local prosecutions into a federal court instead, the two sources add. The former president himself has hinted at a legislative push to limit his exposure to such criminal charges. In an improvised press conference outside the Manhattan courthouse on Tuesday, Trump said he’s been telling the Republican lawmakers who want to attend his trial and show solidarity to focus on legislation instead. “We have a lot of ’em. They want to come. I say, ‘Just stay back and pass lots of laws to stop things like this,’” Trump told reporters. Some Trump supporters in the House have already backed legislation that would help fulfill the former president’s wishes to place himself above the law — and did so well before the Manhattan criminal trial was underway. Last year, Rep. Russell Fry (R-S.C.) introduced the “No More Political Prosecutions Act of 2023.” The bill, just a few lines long, would allow current and former presidents and vice presidents to remove any state or civil cases against them to federal court for any acts committed in the course of their official duties. Given that Justice Department policy forbids the prosecution of a sitting president, the legislation would effectively freeze any pending state criminal or civil cases should Trump win a second term. Prosecutors in a Trump-appointed Justice Department could also effectively shut down the cases against him. Among the bill’s cosponsors is House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.), who recently told Politico, “I think it’s common sense that you can’t have the president sitting in the Oval Office worried about whether some lawyer or some local DA somewhere is going to go after him.” The legislation’s sponsor replied on X: “I agree. It’s time for a vote on H.R. 2553, the No More Political Prosecutions Act.” Trump’s push for new legislation is just his latest idea for shielding himself from criminal accountability. As Rolling Stone previously reported, Trump and his allies also plan to have the Justice Department‘s Office of Legal Counsel issue a memo advising that the DOJ should prohibit the prosecution of presidents even after they leave office. Such a memo would codify Trump’s arguments in federal court, and now at the Supreme Court, that presidents have expansive presidential immunity, even after they leave office, and that impeachment is the only avenue available for holding a president accountable for crimes committed while in office. His attorneys tried to use the pending Supreme Court case weighing those arguments as an excuse to delay the New York City hush money case, on the grounds that some of the evidence included in the trial dated to his time in office. Judge Juan Merchan dismissed the attempt.

hell i want you to roll his yard not kill him...........

chortled? anyway i see you are in NC. how much would you charge to go roll another's house with tp who is a member here?is chortling coughing and laughing at the same time? i am impressed in truth as i have not heard that in years.

see? you folks claim i am a hater but i have been seeing this now for a few years. google church attendance declining and ask yourself why? go take a look in the mirror. people are harming their own cause. i cannot tell anyone how to pray but i can tell when you claim to be a follower but actually run people away more than welcoming folks into the fold. it is sad.

Opinion Letters to the Editor: Do Trump's Christian supporters worship a different version of Jesus? Los Angeles Times Opinion Fri, May 24, 2024 at 5:00 AM CDT·2 min read 823 Christian-themed pro-Trump hats are sold at a campaign rally for the former president in Ohio on March 16. (Jessie Wardarski / Associated Press) To the editor: What has Donald Trump ever done to suggest that he is in any way aligned with Jesus? It is one thing to say that King David was also imperfect, but to be totally flawed and proud of it does not reflect Christ. ("Jesus is their savior, Trump is their candidate. Ex-president’s backers say he shares faith, values," May 20) Rather, it is becoming an ever more glaring reality that what passes itself off as "conservative Christianity" is not remotely Christian at its core. What did Jesus ever say to justify the forceful suppression of other beliefs? What did he say that justifies the denial of urgently needed medical care to women? Did he actually tell his followers that the Samaritan was good because he didn't stop to offer help? This is the Catholicism of the Spanish Inquisition or the murderous insecurity of Iran's Islamic theocracy. When people insist that their security requires that anyone who is not on their team be subject to their every whim, I see it as the furthest thing from Christ. The Golden Rule is not limited in application to one's own culture, race, gender or any other group. Jack Quirk, Porter Ranch .. To the editor: I have read at least a half dozen articles from different media sources about evangelical Christians supporting Trump. They all seem to be asking the same question: Why? I recall a survey in the 1990s asking Christians a variety of questions to get an idea about their mind set. One question I remember went something like this: How do you know you are a Christian? Problem was, there were many different answers given. There is only one correct answer that I know of, and it's this: I know that I'm a Christian because I have put my complete trust in Jesus Christ for my salvation. This is the core problem with asking Christians why they support Trump. The assumption that all the people who call themselves Christians are actually Christian is wrong. Just because your parents are Christian or you have gone to church your whole life or you are an American doesn't make you Christian. Simply put, in religious terms, some of these people simply do not know the Lord. But most people know at least a little about Christian ethics, and this is what causes confusion and disbelief on the part of nonbelievers regarding evangelicals' support for Trump. Robert Pacheco, Whittier .. To the editor: This article reports that conservative Christians maintain that the former president shares their values. My advice to these folks is to look closely at Mr. Trump's character and ask themselves,"How would Jesus have voted?" Herb Weinberg, Marina del Rey This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

volumepigs.com The Best Receiver From the Class of 2024 May Not be Jeremiah Smith... VolumePigs 11–13 minutes The iceman cometh. - Mr. Freeze, Batman & Robin (1997) Far be it from me to commit the unthinkable—comparing an Auburn man to a Georgia Bulldog—but one can’t help it if Cam Coleman’s sprawling catch on a deep pass from Hank Brown in the spring game didn’t look like an almost carbon-copy to George Pickens’ diving catch against Alabama in the natty a few seasons ago. I know Auburn fans were fired up about that play, now just imagine if it had been against someone else’s defence. Well, you might not have to much longer. Coleman, the true freshman from Phenix City, looks primed to occupy a starting position in the WR rotation this year, just as GP did for Georgia in 2019. Also like Pickens, Coleman’s QB service may not exactly be the stuff pig dreams are made of this season. However, unlike with Pickens, the system here at Auburn under Hugh ‘Iceman’ Freeze has a history of featuring its WR1 (more on this later). Cam ‘Batman’ Coleman and his sidekick, Perry ‘Robin’ Thompson form an exciting freshman duo for the Tigers this year. Both of these players were flips under Freeze— Coleman swapping Aggie maroon for Blue and Orange, Thompson swapping in-state allegiances from Tide to Tiger. However, Coleman is the only one of the two who currently figures to occupy a starting role in the rotation. Georgia State transfer Robert Lewis and Penn State transfer Keandre Lambert Smith round out the projected depth chart at WR. While KLS wasn’t yet with Auburn during the spring game, it was evident for all to see who the big dog on campus was. Coleman announced himself to the world with the aforementioned diving grab off of Brown’s arm. He later went on to finish the day with four receptions for 92 yards and a score. Here is a note post-spring game: Beginning with the obvious, there wasn't anyone who was more exciting than Coleman. The early enrollee was targeted five times, catching four of those passes for 92 yards and a score. The attempt he couldn't haul in may have been his best effort, as he reached around the back of cornerback Colton Hood and nearly corralled the ball. "He made a couple MAs (missed assignments) in the tight red zone today on balls that we were hoping to throw him down there," coach Hugh Freeze said of Coleman. "Kind of got us in trouble and made us kick some field goals. That's on us. We've got to clean it up and make sure he knows the whole system and what he can do. But when he knows what to do, he's really, really talented." As is usually the case with incoming freshman players, it sounds like Coleman doesn’t really know what he’s doing yet. That’s okay, most of that will figure itself out by the season. The quote from Freeze regarding Coleman’s undeniable talent is noteworthy, however. I recall Pickens’ first offseason with the Dawgs. He too was putting on a clinic in camp and made—still to do this day—one of the best catches I’ve ever seen. It was evident he was going to play a big role on a team that needed WRs to step up that year, the question was: how much of the playbook could he learn, and would he buy into doing all the other stuff (e.g., blocking). The answer to the latter was an emphatic ‘yes’, he passed that one with flying colours. Pickens finished his first season leading UGA with 49 receptions for 727 yards and eight scores. Pretty good for a true frosh in the SEC (one that was OC’d by James Coley no less). It doesn’t feel out of the question that Coleman could do something similar. The trump card that he’ll have over GP here is that the guy who’s calling his plays has a history of funnelling a lot of targets to his WR1 (over 30% share twice in the last five years, in fact). Let’s talk a little bit more about this. WR1 PPG AVERAGE: 13.17 (half PPR)1 Hugh Freeze is the head coach of Auburn, in case you didn’t know. His OC is a man named Derrick Nix. Now I know what you’re wondering, and the answer is no—he is not related to Bo. He also doesn’t have any history of play calling experience to draw on. He spent the previous 16 years at Ole Miss, 12 as running backs coach and the last four as the Rebels' wide receivers coach. That’s okay, because I’m pretty sure the guy who’s calling the shots on offence is the Ice Man himself. Freeze has an interesting profile. His overall average in terms of tendencies is about a 56/44 run/pass split. In fact, this past season his Tigers averaged a 61% run rate. Not very becoming of a potential WR kingmaker you say. Well, peep this (ignore the projections): Table 1. From the above chart we see that Freeze’s WR1 averaged a gargantuan 31.4 and 30.5 percent target share in 2019 and 2022, respectively. The other two seasons? A much more pedestrian 17.5 and 8.5 percent. Indeed, Freeze is quite an enigmatic figure. But what do these target shares actually produce? The 2022 season is a good case study to understand Freeze’s offences. Yes, Demario Douglas dominated target share, but he still finished with less than a thousand yards receiving with 993 and six scores. He caught 79 passes, which is good, but not quite what you’d hope for when you originally see the target share number. The underwhelming production numbers are due to the fact that the team was a run-heavy team; so while it’s true that when they passed it was going to Douglas approximately one out of every three passes (amazing), they didn’t attempt enough passes to really create the CFF magic you’d like to see. Still, when a player has 79 receptions you’d expect them to go over 1000 yards and score more than six times. In fact, that’s exactly what Freeze’s WR1 in 2019 did with his 31.4% target share. Antonio Gandy Golden caught 79 passes for 1396 yards and 10 scores. That’s a little more like it. Freeze’s program moved at an average clip last season with 26.2 seconds per play, which was 72nd among FBS programs. Typically the more run heavy teams are going to be slower on a seconds per play basis, but what is important here for the reader is to note whether the system is typically a fast offence, an averaged paced offence, or a slow one. Freeze’s historical track record at both Auburn and Liberty lends itself to the middle. Some of you may recall that Freeze also spent some time at Ole Miss in the 2010s. His five seasons with the Rebels yielded one 1000-yard WR in Laquon Treadwell. He spent one year as the head coach of Arkansas State before that in 2011, and his leading receiver finished with 1156 yards on 94 receptions. As is typically the case with five star prospects, Coleman is a well known name in the world CFB already. While he was rated a five star according to most services for the entire second half of 2023, he was actually something of a late riser as he finished the cycle rated #3 overall on the 247 Composite and #5 overall player on 247’s internal ranking, despite being outside the top 50 in May of his senior year. I’ve always been partial towards late rising prospects. They usually turn out to be the best players in their classes. Will Anderson and Jalen Carter immediately come to mind from recent cycles. Usually there’s a specific reason why (position change, body transformation, transferred schools and now gets more exposure). You always want to weight evaluators’ assessments more as they get more information. Coleman, like a good Phenix City native, spurned Alabama and originally committed to Jimbo’s Texas A&M Aggies. When the old regime was cleaned out, he looked elsewhere, turning to Florida State and Auburn. Every cycle there are a few obvious NIL recruitments and I’d put Coleman in that category. However, if the early returns from spring are any indication that appears to be money well spent. Here’s what 247’s Cooper Petegna said about Coleman in his evaluation coming out of high school: Verified at 6-foot-3 and 180-pounds plus, possesses an athletic frame with growth potential to add an additional fifteen to twenty pounds to his frame on Saturdays. Possesses outstanding verified athletic ability at the receiver position, showing the ability to operate out of the slot and on the perimeter. Explosive straight line receiver that exhibits good initial quickness off the line of scrimmage and in and out of breaks at the top of the route. Possesses excellent play and verified speed, in addition to showing the ability to change gears and accelerate to top end speed quickly. Regarded as more of a vertical threat as a junior, shown ability to expand his route tree and develop into a much more polished version of a route runner as as a senior. Exhibits the ability to create consistent separation with size, speed, quickness, and leaping ability. Flashes some natural pass catching ability, plus shows the ability to attack the football in contested areas. Plays above the rim down the field and possesses some of the best jump ball ability of any pass catching prospect in the country. Demonstrates good play strength at the catch point and as a run after catch receiver, a part of his game that will most likely be accentuated at the next level. Projects as an immediate contributor at the next level and a potential Day-1 NFL Draft choice with a rare combination of size, speed, and athleticism that differentiates him from the rest of his peers. Will turn eighteen years of age in August of 2024, indicating he's in the infancy stages of his physical growth and on field development. Ironically—and I swear I didn’t see this before writing this article—Cooper’s comp for Coleman is actually George Pickens... You know what they say about great minds… or, it’s just an obvious comp, there’s that too. Coleman’s senior year concluded with him catching 61 passes for 1372 yards and 18 TDs. That included an MVP performance in the championship game where he scored a 73-yard touchdown. The opportunity to be Freeze’s WR1 this season is here, however there are other veteran players in the fold now, namely KLS and Robert Lewis who will siphon away targets even if Coleman manages to secure that role. Historically, we saw that Freeze’s WR1 averages around 22% target share, which is good. But, we also saw that his teams skew heavy run usually. With Payton Thorne as the presumed starter this season, we could be in for another heavy dosage of run plays à la IHOP Saturday specials. Or at least, that might be the plan. I have Coleman included in the Q2 rankings as a player worth taking a shot on for CFF. The reasoning is that there is the opportunity mentioned above, plus the fact that Coleman is extremely talented (based on all indications so far). Coleman is obviously a hot commodity in C2C and DEVY right now, but what I wasn’t expecting was that Coleman would have ADP data for CFF. He is currently selected at 322.3 according to Campus2Canton, so most likely only a dart throw option in 30-round bestball formats, but his April ADP suggests he’s starting to climb with an ADP of 292.7. I view him as a viable late round option in both standard and bestball drafts, though it is harder to justify taking him in a 16 round format. ◾ If you enjoyed this content and would like to read more, I recommend joining the Pigpen, a community of over 600 degenerate college football fans: Share

your two words remind me of jj for some reason............odd how i still like him.

in fact i still laugh when i see that player in our dugout with the huge auburn ball cap.......i bet the locker room is a hoot.

I have been humming "show them to me" since i read this........grins

I hope everyone has a wonderful holiday weekend. i am proud we honor those that gave all. may those that lost someone find peace. and i hope everyone is safe and happy.

i agree but i also admit all this mess is above my pay grade. the older i get the more i hate complicated.