6.3.23 Football Articles

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Hayes: SEC teams will pay dearly in 2024 for not agreeing to 9-game schedule

Matt Hayes

5–6 minutes

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Somebody has to pay for this debacle of an embarrassment of a hopelessly botched scheduling farce.

That means you, Alabama. And you, Tennessee. And you Auburn, South Carolina and Vander … wait a second.

The whole lot of you. All 16 teams SEC teams in 2024.

You’re all paying.

You want to embarrass the league and drag your feet on going from 8 to 9 conference games? Well, in the cliched coachspeak of our time, there are consequences to your actions.

Here comes Mr. Consequence: SEC commissioner Greg Sankey.

Alabama gets Tennessee, Auburn and LSU in 2024.

Tennessee gets Georgia and Florida on the road. Georgia is finally playing at Texas A&M (really, the Dawgs are), and for the hell of it, at Texas, too.

Kentucky, Ole Miss, Mississippi State, Vanderbilt and Missouri will play a round-robin of who cares. Twice, if it were possible.

You wanted the SEC, Brian Kelly? Here it is: LSU gets Alabama, Oklahoma, Texas, Texas A&M and Florida.

Florida gets Georgia, Oklahoma, Tennessee and LSU — and another trip to College Station because everyone is tired of the Gators whining about it.

Auburn gets Alabama, Georgia and LSU — and at least 1 (and maybe both) of the 2 newbies.

And speaking of the 2 newbies, Texas is playing at Texas A&AM because, well, because there was never this level of dysfunction until the Longhorns — the epicenter of dysfunction in the Big 12 — arrived in the SEC.

It’s like a Marine platoon. One guy screws up, everyone pays.

If I’m Sankey, I’m spittin’ mad and I’m going scorched earth.

I’m getting schedule czars Mark Womack and Charlie Hussey from the league office — hell, I’m calling in retired scheduling guru Larry Templeton — and I’m doing whatever it takes to make every single school pay, one way or the other.

A stretch of brutal road games. An unbearable September or November.

Early bye weeks, late bye weeks.

Back-to-back potential top-10 games with no bye, a back-loaded November where every critical game is played over the final 3 weeks of the season (say goodbye to those mid-November cupcake breathers, fellas).

What’s that meme flying around the interwebs? “(F—-around —> find out.”

How in the world can the best conference in college football — the conference with the most high-profile properties in all of college sports — have 4 members (Kentucky, Ole Miss, Mississippi State, Vanderbilt) that haven’t won a football championship in the modern era scuttle the good of the whole?

How can an increasingly annoyingly petulant greatest coach ever (Nick Saban) throw a tantrum about his top 2 team in the nation getting an “unfair” trio of permanent games (LSU, Tennessee, Auburn) in the 9-game format — and the entire free world not laugh in his face?

Tennessee has 1 elite season in the past 2 decades, and suddenly the guy with the best roster in college football is getting antsy.

Auburn ran off the coach who beat Saban 3 times, and ran off another coach less than 2 years later. The Tigers then hired a castoff coach who not so long ago was persona non grata in the SEC because the last time he was around, players were paid (when it wasn’t legal) and his program went on probation.

The lasting image of his time at the school was an All-American player tweeting out a video of himself smoking marijuana with a gas mask during the NFL Draft (his, um, account was hacked — allegedly).

Then there’s LSU, which 2 years ago finished a season with 38 scholarship players available for a bowl game — where it played a wide receiver at quarterback because a freshman quarterback didn’t want to burn a redshirt season.

A year later, Alabama lost to that very program — despite having the best offensive player in college football (Bryce Young) and the best defensive player in college football (Will Anderson), and 1 of the top 2 rosters in college football.

Think about that: The SEC schedule was scuttled by 4 programs that have been carried along by the rest of the league for decades, and the greatest coach in the history of college football complaining about playing 3 programs he has a 38-10 career record against.

It’s absolute lunacy.

If you’re worried about not winning 6 games and failing to qualify for the postseason because you have to play 9 SEC games, you’ve got much bigger issues in your shop.

You want a guaranteed postseason? Join the ACC.

At one point this week, during the height of dysfunction at the SEC spring meetings, Alabama athletic director Greg Byrne actually said he needed more information about how the Playoff would treat SEC teams with multiple losses.

Greg, babe, the SEC (at the tip of that spear: Alabama) has been given every possible break by the BCS and Playoff from the jump. If anything, a 9-game schedule would further strengthen the SEC’s reputation.

But you and your dissenters keep it up. The league office doesn’t mind these temporary 8-gamers.

If there’s no set format, there’s no set rotation.

You want 8 games? You got it.

Now you’re all paying for it.

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Auburn football makes top five for five-star DL Kamarion Franklin

Lance Dawe

2–3 minutes

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The Tigers are in contention for one of the best defensive linemen in the 2024 class.

Auburn has made the cut for one of the best prospects in the nation.

Kamarion Franklin, a five-star defensive lineman, has included the Tigers in his top five, per his social media. Franklin also included Ole Miss, Tennessee, Miami, and Florida State.

The Lake Cormorant, Mississippi product is the No. 30 overall prospect, No. 2 prospect in the state of Mississippi and No. 6 defensive lineman in the 2024 class according to 247Sports.

In his junior season (2022), Franklin set Lake Cormorant's single-season sack record as a junior with 93 tackles and 19 sacks. He also returned a fumble for a touchdown and blocked three kicks. He's been a monster at the high school level.

At 6-foot-5, 265 pounds, Franklin also spends time playing basketball, averaging over six points, seven rebounds and a block per game during his sophomore and junior seasons.

The Tigers have a solid history of producing NFL-level talent on the defensive line, with the most recent draft including two linemen in Derick Hall (R2, P6) and Colby Wooden (R4, P14). The Tigers' stud DT Derrick Brown was the No. 7 overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft.

Auburn currently has five commitments in the 2024 class, including four-stars Walker White (QB) J'Marion Burnette (RB), A'Mon Lane (CB), Jayden Lewis (CB) and three-star Martavious Collins (TE).

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auburnwire.usatoday.com

 

SEC increases penalties for storming the field,court

JD McCarthy

2–3 minutes

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The biggest news to come out of the SEC spring meetings is that the conference will have an eight-game conference schedule in 2024 instead of a nine-game schedule but it is not the only significant news.

The conference presidents also voted Thursday to increase the fines for fans storming the field or court and added new policies to help protect the players.

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The winning team will now be fined $100,000 for their first offense, $250,000 for a second offense and $500,000 for a third offense and the money will go directly to the losing school. Commissioner Greg Sankey has the option to add additional fines and the count for each school has been reset with the new policies, according to Ross Dellenger of Sports Illustrated.

The schools were previously fined $50,000 for their first offense, $100,000 for their second offense and $250,000 for their third offense.

In addition to increased fines, each school has to submit a detailed field or court rush management plan to the conference by Aug. 1, as well as a communication plan that discourages fans from entering the playing surface and lays out the penalties for doing so.

The schools will also be required to have uniformed law enforcement and security around each team and officials before, during and after the game to keep fans away from them and in the event of a field storming that will create a safe zone to keep them separated. They will have access to barricades and other equipment to clear a path for them off the field or court.

The fans will be allowed onto the field without penalty once the teams and officials have left the playing area.

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 JD on Twitter @jdmccarthy15.

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al.com

 

A breakdown of Hugh Freeze’s incentive package at Auburn

Updated: Jun. 02, 2023, 9:41 p.m.|Published: Jun. 02, 2023, 8:00 p.m.

2–3 minutes

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By

• Nubyjas Wilborn | nwilborn@al.com

If Auburn wins a national championship under new head coach Hugh Freeze, it presents an opportunity for him to earn upwards of $3 million in bonus money, according to findings from an open records request from the Opelika-Auburn News.

Five SEC wins nets Freeze $150,000, with another $150,00 for every SEC victory after breaking through five. If Auburn wins the SEC championship game, that will gain another $400,000 for Freeze. An appearance in the SEC championship game would earn $200,000 in bonus money according to the OA News.

An appearance in the national championship game would be worth $1,000,000, and $2,000,000 would result from a national championship game win.

Perhaps a more realistic goal in the Tigers’ first season under Freeze that opens up at Jordan-Hare on Sept 2 against UMass would be $50,000 for a non-SEC Group of 6 Bowl appearance. A trip to the Citrus Bowl or SEC Group of 6 Bowl Appearance nets $150,000.

Winning conference coach of the year would pay out $75,000, and winning one of the National Coach of the Year awards earns another $75,000 with a total of $150,000 of possible earnings if Freeze wins SEC Coach of the Year and one of the national awards per the records request from the OA News.

An undefeated season ending with Freeze holding the national championship trophy would net around $3,125,000 on top of Freeze’s $6.5 million salary.

According to the OA News, the contract was signed by athletic director John Cohen and Freeze on March 23, 2023, nearly four months after Freeze took over as the Tiger coach. Auburn honored the open records request on Friday with salary details, including a $250,000 base salary. Freeze also earns $3,125,000 in endorsement rights and the same amount in personal appearances.

Nubyjas Wilborn covers Auburn for Alabama Media Group.

If you purchase a product or register for an account through one of the links on our site, we may receive compensation.

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247sports.com

 

What Auburns 2023 summer enrollees bring to the table

Nathan King

15–18 minutes

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Auburn began its summer workouts Tuesday under the watch of first-year strength coach Dominic Studzinski

The newest generation of Tigers have arrived.

Auburn began its summer workouts Tuesday under the watch of first-year strength coach Dominic Studzinski, as the program’s 12 remaining signees in its 2023 class reported to campus as summer enrollees. Hugh Freeze spent most of the week at SEC spring meetings and will return to the facility Friday for the first of several important recruiting weekends.

“We'll start seeing today,” Freeze said Tuesday of the start of summer workouts. “I talked to all the coaches and the strength staff this morning and kind of gave them what my thoughts were of how we needed to start this summer. We'll be excited to see the reports later today.”

It should be noted that Freeze said last month there were academic holdups for a pair of summer enrollees, though he did not name the signees.

Combined with the transfer additions — of which Auburn added eight after spring practice, generating the No. 3-rated transfer class in the country per 247Sports — here’s a refresher course on the Tigers' summer enrollees and how they could impact the roster in 2023.

 

QB HANK BROWN

 

(Helen Comer / Syndication: The Daily News Journal , USA TODAY Sports)

2023 position rank: No. 70 QB

Auburn Undercover’s take: The former Liberty commit followed Freeze to the Plains, and he won’t have much pressure at all in terms of his development for at least his first couple college seasons. At Lipscomb Academy, Brown completed 73 percent of his passes as a senior and threw 47 touchdowns as a senior — the fifth-most in Tennessee state history. Trent Dilfer, Brown’s high-school coach who’s now at UAB, had this to say last month when asked by Auburn Undercover about his former QB: “He’ll know that offense as well as any person in that building after a couple months there. He’ll do the lonely work — the stuff that doesn’t get celebrated, so that he’s prepared. He does need to get bigger and stronger, and he knows that. But Auburn has great resources to do that.”

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DT QUEINTRAIL JAMISON-TRAVIS

 

2023 position rank: No. 5 JUCO DL

Auburn Undercover’s take: Depth is always welcome at the line of scrimmage, and first-year defensive line coach Jeremy Garrett talked extensively in spring practice about utilizing said depth to its fullest extent. At 6-foot-4 and 280 pounds, out of Iowa Western, Jamison-Travis can play a couple different positions, and Auburn has had success implementing JUCO standouts along the defensive front in recent seasons. If nothing else, his addition helps to offset the loss of Jeffrey M'ba, formerly the No. 1 JUCO defensive lineman who transferred to Purdue after spring practice.

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WR JC HART

 

2023 position rank: No. 71 CB

Auburn Undercover’s take: The local standout from down the road at Loachapoka High School was originally recruited and signed with Auburn’s previous staff as a defensive back, but Freeze and company are looking to fashion him as a receiver. At 6-foot-2 and 175 pounds, Hart certainly possesses the speed and athleticism to contribute on offense, though he’s entering what’s suddenly a deep receiving corps thanks to Auburn’s efforts in the transfer portal. It would be a bit of a surprise to see Hart on the field much as a true freshman.

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S CJ JOHNSON

 

2023 position rank: No. 58 S

Auburn Undercover’s take: A late addition by Freeze and his staff, Johnson has exceptional length at 6-foot-3, and has a prior relationship with cornerbacks coach Wesley McGriff, who recruited him at Louisville. The lowest-rated of three safeties to enroll at Auburn in the summer, Johnson isn’t entering a room that’s in need of much depth or instant contributors.

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OT TYLER JOHNSON

 

2023 position rank: No. 39 OT

Auburn Undercover’s take: A flip from Texas Tech in December, Johnson has massive frame that Auburn’s coaches are salivating over the long-term potential of. At 6-foot-6 and 300 pounds, Freeze was high on his addition at national signing day: “He is exactly what you’re looking for in an offensive tackle. … hopefully we will develop him into being a two, three-year starter when he gets in our program here.”

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WR DAQUAYVIOUS SOREY

 

(Christian Clemente, Auburn Undercover)

2023 position rank: No. 63 WR

Auburn Undercover’s take: A superb athlete with impressive ball skills, the 6-foot-2 Sorey committed to Auburn’s previous staff in August, then stayed locked in with new position coach Marcus Davis, who had this to say of the Sunshine State prospect in the spring: “That's a talent there, man. I can't wait to get to work with him. I think he's got a unique skill set. You love a young, talented guy because you can mold him and build him.” Like Hart, Sorey may not be ready to contribute right away in an experienced receivers room, but the fact that the Tigers brought in multiple freshmen at the position is healthy for roster management.

247Sports evaluation: “A big-framed skill player that has found ways to impact the game in all three phases on Friday nights. Limited verified data available, but seems to be accurately listed at 6-foot-2, 190 pounds. Could, however, eventually get up to over 215 pounds once lifting and eating college. Viewed by many as a wide receiver long term, and for good reason as he can not only make acrobatic catches on the outside, but pick up chunks of yardage when the ball is in his hands as he weaves his way through traffic and bounces off defenders. Usually one of the most explosive players on the field at the prep level and seems capable of finding a top-end gear, which makes sense given track and basketball background (took 5th at Florida’s 1A track meet in the high jump as a sophomore). Created separation in the Sunshine State’s lowest classification on offense as a junior totaling 563 receiving yards. Also returned a pair of punts for touchdowns. Definitely has the skill set to emerge as a WR1 or WR2 type in a pro-style attack, but could also probably make a difference on defense at the Power Five level having watched him move around on the 7-on-7 circuit as he’s fluid in his backpedal and understands how to play angles. Overall, should be viewed as a plus athlete with upside. Likely will need some time to adjust to the speed and demands of college football, but should be in the two-deep sooner rather than later if he can quickly take to coaching and avoid setbacks.”

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CB COLTON HOOD

 

2023 position rank: No. 37 CB

Auburn Undercover’s take: There’s little doubt about the playmaking ability of Hood, an Auburn legacy who also played quarterback, receiver and running back at Eagles Landing Christian Academy in McDonough, Georgia. Since the Tigers didn’t end up adding a transfer cornerback — not yet, at least — there could be a bit of playing time up for grabs at the No. 5 corner spot. Fellow freshman Kayin Lee will likely have a distinct advantage over the other cornerback enrollees since he participated — and shined — in spring practice.

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CB TYLER SCOTT

 

2023 position rank: No. 33 CB

Auburn Undercover’s take: A former Arkansas State commit, Scott blew up over the final two years of his recruiting process, earning Composite 4-star status and landing a berth in the Army All-American Bowl. A physical defender with a mean streak, Scott will also compete for a role in the bottom of the cornerback rotation, though his skill set shouldn’t be counted out when compared to the likes of Lee and sophomore J.D. Rhym.

247Sports evaluation: “A bigger cornerback prospect that came on late in the recruiting process and went from a Group of Five commit to a priority target for Power Five programs around the country. Pushing 6-foot-1 and 195 pounds according to verified measurements from the All-American Bowl. The type of perimeter defender that isn’t afraid to mix it up and get a little physical. Flashes impressive power when asked to press at the line of scrimmage and has shown that he can move wide receivers backwards. Should only get more powerful once in a development weightlifting program, which will allow him to make more of a difference in man coverage. Has continued to refine his technique over the years and is pretty clean in his backpedal as he weaves his way in reverse while gaining depth. Competitive at the catch point and will fight through hands to make a pass breakup. Scrappy as a tackler and seems to always be trying to sweep a ball carrier’s legs in hopes of getting them to the ground. Could probably be deployed as a safety on Saturdays and was being recruited by at least one school to work over the top, but size and the way he moves is likely to keep him on the outside. Top-end speed remains a bit of a question mark, but has tools to work with and could blossom into a multi-year contributor in the SEC.”

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S TERRANCE LOVE

 

2023 position rank: No. 25 S

Auburn Undercover’s take: At the moment, Love is still listed by Auburn as a safety, but his size and athleticism at 6-foot-3 and 195 pounds could make him a candidate at outside linebacker or a hybrid role, much like the skill set former Auburn safety Jamien Sherwood possessed. Love’s offer sheet is impressive, with the likes of Georgia, Alabama, LSU, Florida State and more, and his potential as an SEC starter down the road appears to be strong.

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S SYLVESTER SMITH

 

2023 position rank: No. 18 S

Auburn Undercover’s take: Another versatile athlete, Smith played quarterback at Munford High School his senior year, rushing for 24 touchdowns. Formerly committed to Tennessee, Smith is rated as the No. 18 overall prospect in the state of Alabama. Auburn doesn’t need help at safety right away, but Smith could occupy a lot of snaps immediately outside of the Tigers’ two-deep at the position.

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DL DARRON REED JR.

 

(Gaby Urrutia, 247Sports)

2023 position rank: No. 21 DL

Auburn Undercover’s take: The Tigers’ two highest-rated summer enrollees could be the most likely to make an immediate impact. At 6-foot-5 and 260 pounds, Reed was a huge pickup while Cadillac Williams was still Auburn’s interim coach, and Freeze inherited a top-200 overall recruit on signing day: “I think this guy's going to be a heck of a player.” Reed has the blend of size and athleticism to immediately break into a D-line rotation that doesn’t necessarily possess a ton of star power — or proven experience, for that matter, past the first few players.

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RB JEREMIAH COBB

 

2023 position rank: No. 9 RB

Auburn Undercover’s take: One of the most productive players in the history of high school football in Alabama, Cobb ran for 6,320 yards and 88 touchdowns over four years at Montgomery Catholic. Tennessee, Clemson and Georgia all pushed for his services after Bryan Harsin was fired, but the No. 13-rated player in the state stayed locked in with Auburn, where he’ll likely compete with sophomore Damari Alston for the No. 3 role in the backfield.

247Sports evaluation: “Verified at 5-foot-11 and 185-pounds in February of 2022, possesses the frame to add an additional fifteen to twenty pounds at the next level. Displays good athleticism out of the backfield. Plays in a shotgun spread offense. Majority of explosive runs come outside the tackles. Decisive one cut runner that displays natural patience and vision behind the line of scrimmage. Appears to have adequate short area burst and explosiveness. More of a build speed runner in the open field with the long speed to outrun defenders. Flashes some wiggle and make you miss ability in space. Shows the ability to play through contact and pick up hidden yardage behind his pads. Not one physical trait that stands out among the rest but possesses a well-rounded skill set and has a good feel for the position. Limited sample size but shows toughness in pass protection and has shown to a productive receiver out of the backfield over his career. Will need to continue to add weight to his frame before he sees significant snaps but has the ability to play into a change of pace role early in his career. High floor player, projects as a multi-year contributor at the Power Five level with the opportunity to grow into an every down back at the collegiate level.”

be seen on ESPN+.

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Commitment Preview: Defensive Tackle Sean Sevillano Jr. Ready To Make A Decision

Bryan Driskell

3–4 minutes

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Previewing the commitment decision of Florida big man Sean Sevillano Jr., who is deciding between Notre Dame, Ohio State, Auburn and Miami (Fla.)

One of the top nose tackles in the country is set to make his college decision, with Clearwater (Fla.) Academy International big man Sean Sevillano Jr. announcing his commitment today. Sevillano will announce at 12:00 PM eastern, and he'll choose between Notre Dame, Ohio State, Miami (Fla.) and Auburn.

Let's take a look at Sevillano and his finalists.

SEAN SEVILLANO JR PROFILE

Hometown/High School: Clearwater, Fla./Academy International
Height/Weight: 6-2, 300

IB Grade: 3.5 (Top 350 caliber prospect)
Upside Grade: 4.0

2022 Stats: 75 tackles, 40 tackles for loss, 19 sacks, 3 forced fumbles
2021 Stats: 29 tackles, 5 tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks

Recruited By: Al Washington

Offers: Notre Dame, Ohio State, Miami (Fla.), Auburn, Wisconsin, Stanford, Louisville, Cincinnati, Maryland, Iowa State, Illinois, West Virginia, Wake Forest, Georgia Tech, Indiana, Kansas, Duke

RECRUITING RANKINGS

247Sports: 3-star - No. 40 defensive lineman
On3: 3-star - No. 66 defensive lineman
Rivals: 3-star
On3 Consensus: 3-star - No. 880 overall - No. 82 defensive lineman
247Sports Composite: 3-star - No. 920 overall - 87 defensive lineman

THE FINALISTS

Here is a look at Sevillano and his four finalists:

Notre Dame - Notre Dame offered Sevillano in mid-March and had him on campus two weeks later (March 25). Despite already having a commitment from Owen Wafle, the Irish staff pushed hard for Sevillano and are considered the team to beat heading into his decision. Defensive line coach Al Washington was able to quickly build a strong connection with Sevillano, which helped Notre Dame's cause.

Ohio State - The Buckeyes offered Sevillano on March 3rd and quickly became a team that was considered the favorite for sometime. This was especially true after he visited Columbus in early April. He was slated to visit Ohio State this weekend but that trip will not happen now that he's set to make his commitment.

Auburn - Auburn got in a bit late on Sevillano and didn't offer him until May 12th, but the Tiger staff worked hard to get in the mix with him. The Florida big man quickly got to campus for an unofficial visit, and he set up an official visit to Auburn for the weekend of June 16th, but that visit likely won't happen if he picks another school today.

Miami - Miami offered Sevillano on May 3rd, but I don't believe he visited the Hurricanes since that offer happened.

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