5.8.23 Football articles

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si.com

 

Auburn is trying to flip another Alabama recruit

Matthew Jacobs

~2 minutes

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The Tigers extended an offer to four-star offensive tackle Dontrell Glover.

Hugh Freeze and the coaching staff at Auburn are not happy stopping with a shiny new quarterback and receiver. They want it all. They once again extend an offer to an Alabama signee and have a major chance at flipping him.

Dontrell Glover, a four-star offensive tackle from Fairburn, Georgia, already measures out at 6-foot-3 with nearly 300 pounds on his frame. The class of 2025 recruit committed to the Alabama football program back in April. However, he has close ties to Terrance Love, a 2023 signee, who played safety for Langston Hughes High School with Glover before coming to Auburn. This relationship could be key in flipping Glover from Tuscaloosa to Auburn.

Glover is currently the 20th-best offensive tackle in the nation according to many sites, and he is listed as the 24th-best player out of Georgia in the 2025 class. He will more than likely move to the offensive guard position at the college level. Glover’s NIL valuation is already past the 27 thousand dollar mark which is massive for an offensive linemen this far out.

The Tigers already have a commitment from one other 2025 recruit, Mailk Autry. A four-star defensive lineman from nearby Opelika, Alabama.

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247sports.com

 

Auburn depth chart impact: WR Caleb Burton

Nathan King

4–5 minutes

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Less than 24 hours after landing its much-needed transfer quarterback, Auburn added more help to the passing game via the transfer portal.

On Saturday, Ohio State receiver Caleb Burton committed to the Tigers after visiting the program last weekend. The Texas native doesn’t bring any production to the table after redshirting as a true freshman last season, but there’s plenty of talent for Auburn’s new coaching staff to mold, as Burton was a top-150 overall recruit in the 2022 class.

After third-year players Landen King and Tar'Varish Dawson entered the portal, Auburn was left with only seven scholarship receivers, making the position group one that Hugh Freeze and his staff were going to target heavily. Burton’s commitment likely won’t be the last Auburn pushes for in the receiving corps.

Rated as the No. 10 receiver in the country by 247Sports in last year’s recruiting class — and signing with an Ohio State program that has arguably college football’s best track record at the position over the past few seasons — Burton did not appear in any games for the Buckeyes during their run to the College Football Playoff.

Burton visited Auburn last weekend just a few days after entering the portal, and new position coach Marcus Davis made him feel like a major priority to boost a thin unit.

“Something they’ve been harping on is (needing) more wide receivers on the team,” Burton said. “And I think that’s a great opportunity,"

Burtons joins the highly anticipated transfer quarterback pickup — Payton Thorne from Michigan State — along with App State pass-rusher Jalen McLeod as the Tigers’ trio of post-spring transfer additions thus far, all within the past four days. Auburn is now up to 15 transfer players added to the roster under Freeze.

Here’s a look at Davis’ receiving corps at the moment, and where the 5-foot-11 Burton could fit in as a redshirt freshman.

Seniors: Ja'Varrius Johnson, Nick Mardner

Juniors: Koy Moore (RS), Malcolm Johnson Jr. (RS)

Sophomores: Camden Brown, Omari Kelly

Freshmen: Caleb Burton (RS), Jay Fair (RS), Daquayvious Sorey

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Early depth chart projection

WR/X: Camden Brown (1), Nick Mardner (2)

WR/Z: Koy Moore (1), Malcolm Johnson Jr. (2) OR Omari Kelly (2)

WR/H: Ja'Varrius Johnson (1), Jay Fair (2) OR Caleb Burton (2)

It’s difficult to get a concrete read on where Burton fits most comfortably in terms of alignment at receiver, since he didn’t take any snaps at Ohio State. In high school, he was obviously a playmaker all over the field, even lining up on the outside. He could fit more of a slot role at Auburn, where he could serve as an immediate replacement for Dawson, but he was also evaluated as being more fluid than explosive in high school, which could find him a home at the flanker spot.

Davis seems to have a solid foursome of Johnson, Mardner, Brown and Moore, who were the primary fixtures in the first-team offense during spring practice. But behind them, Malcolm Johnson Jr., Kelly, Fair and Burton all have yet to accomplish much at the college level. In addition to the 4-star freshman Sorey, playing time should be up for the taking in the second wave of Auburn’s receiving corps. And Freeze reiterated in spring practice that he wants two solid groups of receivers to be able to consistently rotate throughout the season.

While Burton is still short on experience and will be learning a new system on the fly in fall camp, there’s little question of the type of talent and potential he brings to the offense. Burton now becomes the highest-rated recruit Auburn has at the position.

While Burton may serve as more of a depth piece his first season on the Plains, Auburn’s staff will be looking to ensure his development is on the best track to create a starting-caliber player in the near future.

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si.com

 

Analyzing the Impact of Payton Thorne's Commitment to Auburn

Matthew Redding

4–5 minutes

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What does Thorne's arrival mean for the rest of 2023 (and beyond)?

In this story:

Auburn Tigers

Another win for Hugh Freeze in the transfer portal this weekend, as Auburn secured the quarterback position for the 2023 season with Michigan State transfer Payton Thorne. Plenty of hot takes have been floated around, with the most popular being the betting odds for Auburn's win total being over 6.5 this year (per Fanduel) or that the Tigers have a better QB room than Bama. 

For now, the commitment means that Auburn has turned the heat up on the quarterback competition, but the implications go beyond just the 2023 season. Here's what Thorne's arrival means for Auburn in the summer, fall and beyond. 

1. A Wideout should follow Payton to Auburn

© Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK

There's no question that Auburn has a need at the position with the departure of Landen King to the transfer portal, and while the likes of Koy Moore and Rivaldo Fairweather make a fine group to throw to, Auburn could use a deep-threat guy to take the lid off of defenses. Keon Coleman (Thorne's top target at MSU) recently visited Auburn and Montana Lemonious-Craig likes what he see's from the Plains. Having a QB that completed 62% of his passes last season will help make Auburn more attractive to wideouts, and one of these guys could commit soon. 

2. Auburn is now a Spoiler in the West.

Todd Van Emst/Auburn Tigers

As history shows, Hugh Freeze's offense averages 400 passing yards per game after two years of implementing his scheme. The first two years? Somewhere around 250, which would be a welcome upgrade from the 188 yards per game under the Harsin/Williams era. I fully expect Robby Ashford to be involved with the game plan, but Thorne averaged 240 passing ypg at State, which should speed up the Freeze/Montgomery scheme implementation. If the team can get to the average of 250 next season, than Auburn jumps from 14th in the SEC to 7th in the conference and 4th in the West. Couple that with a three-headed monster at running back in Hunter/Alston/Battie, Auburn could surprise some teams this season and could even be 9-2 headed into the Iron Bowl at home.

For what it's worth, Freeze has won 10 games every time he lands a transfer QB (Kelly in 2015, Willis in 2020).  

3. QB(A)U?

Eric Starling/Auburn Daily

Perhaps the commitment of Payton Thorne signals something bigger than a season win total. Is a new era of quarterback play about to begin on the Plains? Between Hugh Freeze and Philip Montgomery, they've put the likes of Case Keenum, Robert Griffin III, Chad Kelly and Malik Willis in the NFL, and Shae Patterson was looking like the next Eli Manning under Freeze at Ole Miss before he was dismissed. We've heard positive things about Holden Geriner taking the next steps at QB, Robby Ashford has a skill set that can be honed into a top threat in the conference, and the future at the position is secured beyond Thorne with four/five-star quarterback commit Walker White coming to the Plains. When elite signal callers commit, so do elite pass-catchers, and lineman and, well, you know the rest. 

Build it and they will come, right?  

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auburnwire.usatoday.com

Auburn becomes team to watch for Montana Lemonious-Craig's next destination

Taylor Jones

~2 minutes

Auburn has made a splash in the transfer portal this week.

The week started with former Appalachian State linebacker Jalen McLeod signing with the Tigers and ended with the signing of two talented offensive skill players, Michigan State QB Payton Thorne and Ohio State WR Caleb Burton.

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When the hand is good, sometimes it pays to keep playing. That is what Auburn head coach Hugh Freeze is looking to do with former Colorado wide receiver Montana Lemonious-Craig, who Auburn has recently received a prediction to land.

On3’s Jeffrey Lee submitted a prediction for Auburn to sign Lemonious-Craig ($) this week after he paid a visit to the Plains during the weekend of April 29.

Lemonious-Craig does not have the resume of a seasoned veteran, as he caught just 34 passes for 497 yards and five touchdowns in three seasons at Colorado, but the potential to be a big-time receiver is there. He caught the attention of the college football world during Colorado’s spring game last month by catching two touchdown passes from Buffaloes quarterback Shedeur Sanders.

The possible addition of Lemonious-Craig would add to an already revamped receiver room, as Auburn has already signed Rivaldo Fairweather, Nick Mardner, and Caleb Burton from the transfer portal. Lemonious-Craig provides a big frame at 6-2, 190 pounds, and would add speed to the mix at receiver.

Contact/Follow us @TheAuburnWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Auburn news, notes, and opinion. You can also follow Taylor on Twitter @TaylorJones__

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auburnwire.usatoday.com

 

Auburn Alumni: The Tigers most famous graduates and attendees

Patrick Conn

2–3 minutes

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Auburn University is known for more than just its athletic accomplishments. They have won national championships, but some of their students and alumni have done the Tigers proud off the field as well.

Top Alumni are even known for accomplishments following their time on the Plains. Currently, one of those notable graduates is the CEO of one of the top technology companies in the world.

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As far as current students, they have an Olympic Gold Medalist currently partaking in the War Eagle way of life. Sunisa Lee won gold before coming to the Plains to join the gymnastics program. Just like she did when representing Team USA, she has taken the SEC world by storm.

Some of the top graduates from Auburn have gone on to be politicians, work for NASA, and even become top athletes in their sports.

Auburn Wire looks at the top 14 most notable people to attend the university over the years.

             More famous alumni from the College Wires Network:

Ala / Ark / Aub / Fla / LSU / Tenn / TX A&M / UGA  // Iowa / Mich / Mich St. / Neb / Ohio St. / Penn St. / Rut / Wisc // Okla / Texas // ND //  Colo / Ore / USC  // Clem / UNC /

Jake Crandall via Imagn Content Services, LLC

Class of 1967

(AP Photo/NASA TV)

Class of 1972

USA TODAY NETWORK

Class of 1979

Jake Crandall / USA TODAY NETWORK

Class of 1982

Shanna Lockwood-USA TODAY Sports

Last attended in 1984

Shanna Lockwood-USA TODAY Sports

Class of 1986

(AP Photo/Lai Seng Sin, File)

Class of 1988

(AP Photo/John Amis)

Class of 1988

Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports

Class of 1989

Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Class of 1992

Dan MacMedan-USA TODAY NETWORK

Class of 1994

Mitchell Gunn-USA TODAY Sports

Class of 2006

Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports

Class of 2009

Marvin Gentry-USA TODAY Sports

Unfortunately they did not mention names. i knew most but a couple i have no clue..........

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si.com

 

Does Payton Thorne give Auburn a QB edge vs all of their opponents in 2023?

Lance Dawe

6–8 minutes

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The Tigers quarterback room looks a little different after the spring transfer portal window has come and gone.

The addition of Payton Thorne (Michigan State transfer) and the departure of TJ Finley has shaken up the assumed depth chart heading into the 2023 offseason.

Hugh Freeze now has two quarterbacks he can work with, and barring injury Thorne should be a massive boost for the Tigers' offense.

Now that the Tigers have Thorne, a record-setting QB at Michigan State, how do the compare to other quarterbacks across their schedule?

Sept. 2nd vs UMass

Projected starting quarterback: Taisun Phommachanh

Phommachanh transferred in from Georgia Tech (previously at Clemson) earlier this offseason and will immediately contend for the starting job. The Minutemen also have other options - Brady Olson (two touchdowns, eight interceptions in 2022) and Western Carolina transfer Carlos Davis (23/18 TD/INT ratio in 13 games over three seasons).

None of these players are better than Auburn's projected starter Payton Thorne.

Sept. 9th at California

Projected starting quarterback: Sam Jackson V

Jackson was a third-string quarterback for the TCU Horned Frogs last season. The former four-star QB ran for 64 yards and two touchdowns while completing all five of his passes for 63 yards in garbage time.

He's a dual-threat prospect that should provide a new dynamic to the anemic California offense. He has upside but isn't better than Thorne on paper right now.

Sept. 16th vs Samford

Projected starting quarterback: Michael Hiers

Hiers completed 76% of his passes for 36 touchdowns to just four interceptions last season for the Bulldogs. He played a lot larger than his size (6-foot-1, 210 pounds) and loved to attack downfield.

It's doubtful that Hiers will be able to get away with his explosive playstyle against the Tigers' defense, but there's no doubt he's a very solid FCS quarterback. Not sure if he's better than Thorne.

Sept. 23rd at Texas A&M

Projected starting quarterback: Connor Weigman

Weigman should be at the top of the pecking order come week one. A five-star freshman in 2022, Weigman threw eight touchdowns and no interceptions over the course of five games.

LSU transfer Max Johnson should be QB No. 2 despite having a career TD/INT ratio of 38/7. Freshman Marcel Reed, who could be a more interesting option for new offensive coordinator Bobby Petrino. Weigman has the potential to be better than Thorne, but he's going to need to show it through the end of the season.

Sept. 30th vs Georgia

Projected starting quarterback: Carson Beck

Beck is currently the favorite to win the job over Brock Vandagriff and Gunner Stockton. Regardless of whoever wins the job the Bulldogs are expected to put their signal-caller in the best position to win, given their talent across the roster.

Statistically, it's likely that Beck & Co. will outperform Thorne, especially in this matchup.

Oct. 14th at LSU

Projected starting quarterback: Jayden Daniels

Daniels accounted for 29 touchdowns in his first season with the Tigers. He's one of the more stable quarterbacks in the league and should have a better season than Thorne. He may not have a decisive edge over him in Baton Rouge, however.

Oct. 21st vs Ole Miss

Projected starting quarterback: Spencer Sanders

It's a three man race between incumbent Jaxson Dart, Oklahoma State transfer Spencer Sanders and LSU transfer Walker Howard. All of them are good enough to win the job.

Sanders seems like the most likely choice given his experience and arm talent relative to Dart. Kiffin will have whoever is under center playing very well.

Oct. 28th vs Mississippi State

Projected starting quarterback: Will Rogers

Rogers has been a machine at Mississippi State, having thrown for 82 touchdowns to 24 interceptions over the course of 35 career games. He's one of the SEC's best.

How does he perform in a non-air raid system?

His numbers aren't going to tank (unless the new offensive scheme Kevin Barbay, who was known for having a balanced offense at App State, but they should take a slight step back, simply due to the fact that MSU won't be throwing the football as much.

That doesn't take away from Rogers' talent.

Nov. 4th at Vanderbilt

Projected starting quarterback: AJ Swann

The clear No. 1 option here is Swann for Vanderbilt. He threw 10 touchdowns to two interceptions in his freshman season with the Commodores.

Swann should continue to develop in his Sophomore season, but on paper he's not better than Payton Thorne.

Nov. 11th at Arkansas

Projected starting quarterback: KJ Jefferson

48 passing touchdowns, 19 rushing touchdowns, a 65.5% completion percentage and over 7,200 total yards over the course of his career.

KJ Jefferson just might be the SEC's best quarterback heading into 2023.

Whether or not Arkansas will be able to rebound from a confusing 2022 season is yet to be decided. But that doesn't negate the fact that they have one of the best signal-callers in the league.

Nov. 18th vs New Mexico State

Projected starting quarterback: Diego Pavia

Pavia threw 13 touchdowns to six interceptions in 2022, including three in a win over Hugh Freeze's Liberty Flames.

Nov. 25th vs Alabama

Projected starting quarterback: Tyler Buchner

It's either going to be Buchner, Jalen Milroe or Ty Simpson. Neither Milroe or Simpson looked good in Alabama's spring game, and the Tide went out and got Buchner in response (assumedly). Bama's QB room is the most raw it's been in several years. Not void of talent, but raw. Buchner could end up thriving under Nick Saban, but on the surface this is looking like a very interesting season for Alabama largely due in part to the quarterback situation.

On paper, Payton Thorne is a better quarterback than Buchner. The Bama room as a whole has more upside, however,

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