11.12.23 Football Articles

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247sports.com

Instant Impressions Auburn 48 Arkansas 10

Nathan King

7–9 minutes

FAYETTEVILLE, Arkansas — Arkansas was the loss that put the final nail in Bryan Harsin’s coffin last year. How things have changed in a year.

This time around, the matchup was one of the program’s best road performances in years. A 21-0 Auburn lead in the first quarter became a 48-10 bloodbath in the third quarter, as the Tigers decimated the Razorbacks in all three phases for a 48-10 win on Saturday evening.

Here are Auburn Undercover’s instant impressions, as the Tigers are now well positioned for at least seven wins and their best regular season since 2019.

TIGERS STUN RAZORBACK STADIUM EARLY

For the second straight road game, Auburn went up multiple scores in a hurry. But this time — as compared to a mostly pro-Auburn crowd at Vanderbilt — the Tigers silenced those wearing red in Razorback Stadium.

Payton Thorne was crisp early, including a 45-yard completion to Caleb Burton III on the second play from scrimmage, as Auburn scored an opening-drive touchdown for the third straight game. The Tigers quickly notched a three-and-out on their first defensive possession, and after Keionte Scott’s 74-yard touchdown on the ensuing punt — Auburn’s first punt-return touchdown since 2014 — they were up 14-0 less than five minutes into the game.

Another Arkansas three-and-out followed, as the Tigers’ defensive front executed at a high level and left little room for the Razorbacks on the ground or through the air. Thorne took Auburn down the field again on a six-yard drive, and he flipped a pass to Rivaldo Fairweather on third-and-3 in the red zone for an 11-yard touchdown.

The early advantage marked Auburn’s biggest first-quarter lead in an SEC game since 2019, when it also led 21-0 over Mississippi State in Jordan-Hare Stadium.

Despite a third straight three-and-out for the Auburn defense, the Tigers’ magic eventually wore off on offense. They were threatening across midfield again before Thorne threw an interception to Dwight McGlothern, who returned it 42 yards to Auburn’s 22-yard line.

MCLEOD LEADS RAVENOUS DEFENSIVE ATTACK

Arkansas fired its offensive coordinator two games ago, so there were clearly plenty of underlying issues for the Razorbacks on that side of the ball.  But Freeze mentioned this week how much better veteran quarterback KJ Jefferson and crew looked in the 39-36 overtime win at Florida last weekend.

Auburn’s defensive front made them revert to more of what Razorback fans were used to this season, though, and perhaps even worse.

After going three-and-out on their first three drives, the Razorbacks mustered just 3 points in the first half, with those coming off Thorne’s turnover. They didn’t find the end zone for the first three quarters.

Even after Thorne’s pick gave Arkansas a golden opportunity just outside the red zone, Auburn’s defense didn’t slow up. The Razorbacks still went without a first down and had to settle for a short field goal, helped by a Jalen McLeod sack on first down.

The Hogs were set up with a two-for-one opportunity before halftime, when they got the ball back with 71 seconds until the break, and were also set to get the third-quarter kickoff. But Elijah McAllister came busting into the backfield for a strip-sack, and Marcus Harris recovered at the opposing 27-yard line.

And after halftime, the Razorbacks went three-and-out in less than a minute, with McLeod’s second sack of the game pushing them back on second down. The Razorbacks were a paltry 1-for-12 on third down in the game and had five three-and-outs to Auburn’s zero.

A 22-yard field remained the only possession that yielded points for Arkansas until the start of the fourth quarter, when Auburn’s backups were in and the Hogs went down the field in 39 seconds for a touchdown. 

Even after the Hogs’ longest play of the game to that point in the third quarter — a 35-yard dart from Jefferson to Isaiah Sategna inside the red zone — Zion Puckett forced a fumble on the very next play, which Caleb Wooden recovered and ran back 74 yards. 

Thorne immediately lobbed an 11-yard touchdown to Fairweather, and a mass exodus of Arkansas fans underneath a 41-3 scoreboard, as the Auburn contingency that made the trip cheered the rest of a chilly night away before their Tigers came galloping over to celebrate at the final buzzer.

Jefferson’s day was done at QB the next drive, as Pittman put in North Carolina transfer Jacolby Criswell. Nothing changed for the Hogs, who went three-and-out again after another sack by McLeod.

The App State transfer entered Saturday already on a bit of a hot streak, with 13 QB pressures over his last three games. McLeod notched a new career high with three sacks in the game, and is now up to 7.5 on the season — surpassing last year’s sack leader, Derick Hall, who had seven.

Auburn was a stalwart on all levels defensively, with five total sacks, seven tackles for loss and four pass breakups — three of which came from D.J. James.

THORNE’S LEGS OPEN UP OFFENSE

It was clear from the opening drive — where Thorne kept it three times for 28 yards and a 12-yard touchdown where he trucked a defender at the goal line — that the QB was reading the Razorbacks’ defensive front well. Arkansas continually crashed inside with its defensive ends, so Thorne took advantage and slipped into the second level almost every time. The Tigers’ tight ends and receivers held their blocks for him downfield, too. 

Thorne had more first downs with his legs (five) in the first half than Arkansas’ entire offense (four). For the game, he was the more effective running quarterback, with 88 rushing yards to Jefferson’s 50.

And aside from from his first-quarter interception, Thorne was mostly solid passing the ball, too. He was once again hindered by a few drops, including a couple by Camden Brown on third downs, but still finished 12-of-20 for 163 yards, three touchdowns and a pick. 

Thorne now has eight passing touchdowns during Auburn’s three-game winning streak, after he had five all season before that point.

HUNTER, ALSTON RUN OUT THE GAME

Auburn was already plenty successful running the football before the game was a bloodbath, with better than 5 yards per carry for the majority of the first half. And as the Tigers have done so many times against Arkansas over the years, they had their way on the ground for the rest of the night, too.

Jarquez Hunter finished with 109 yards, giving him 527 yards over the past four games. He’ll need 255 yards over Auburn’s final three games to become the program’s third 1,000-yard rusher over the past seven seasons (Kerryon Johnson in 2017, Tank Bigsby in 2021).

In his third game back from a shoulder injury, sophomore Damari Alston poured in 64 yards, and USF transfer Brian Battie scored his first career Auburn touchdown in the third quarter. Auburn finished with its most rushing yards against a Power Five opponent (356) since 2016. 

Auburn looked to be cruising to a fourth-quarter touchdown with its backup offense before Robby Ashford threw an interception in the end zone.

Auburn Undercover will update this game. Check back for additional information.

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si.com

Takeaways: Auburn demolishes Arkansas on the road

Zac Blackerby

4–5 minutes

The Auburn Tigers played their most complete game of the season in their 48-10 win over the Arkansas Razorbacks.

Auburn moved the ball consistently on offense and the defense made the Arkansas unable to move the ball outside of the occasional first down until the game was over in the fourth quarter. Special teams were electric with a return from Keionte Scott that went for a touchdown as well as the kicking game staying perfect with Alex McPherson.

Auburn will be going to a bowl game during the first year of the Hugh Freeze era.

Here are some takeaways from Saturday's action.

Auburn is figuring things out on offense

This looks like a completely different team than it was a month ago. Payton Thorne is getting more comfortable with the offense, pass catchers like Rivaldo Fairweather and Ja'Varrius Johnson are stepping up, and the running game is grinding on all cylinders. 

During Auburn's current three-game winning streak, Auburn's rushing attack is performing as if it was the best running game in the SEC and it's helping Auburn's quarterbacks, the defense, and the overall excitement around the program.

Auburn ran the ball for 354 yards, including 109 from Jarquez Hunter. The Tigers had 517 yards of total offense. 

Auburn's defensive front left no crumbs

I said on my podcast, Locked On Auburn, all week that the biggest mismatch going into this game was Auburn's front seven against the Arkansas offensive line. They were incredible. 

Auburn's front neutralized Arkansas' run game, KJ Jefferson, and was able to create multiple turnovers to keep Arkansas to just three points until the fourth quarter when Auburn was up by over 40 points. 

Jalen McLeod had three sacks and recorded some other pressures. He also was in coverage for the Razorbacks' first third-down attempt of the game. He would get the tackle short of the first down and would force Arkansas to punt early. Marcus Harris also recorded a sack and recovered a fumble that let Auburn add three more points before halftime. 

Arkansas was 1-12 on third down. 

Rivaldo Fairweather 

The transfer tight end has lived up to the hype and has become one of Auburn's most reliable receivers in the passing game. With a score off of an RPO flair to the flat and another one off of a jump ball in the end zone, the big man has shown he can do it all.

Robby Ashford came in at quarterback after Thorne

Some reports surfaced that Holden Geriner had hopped Robby Ashford as the backup quarterback in practice. Ashford went into the game after Thorne was pulled and ran the offense. 

Worth monitoring moving forward. Odds are, we will see a backup quarterback next week against New Mexico State if the game goes how Auburn wants it to. Ashford threw an interception on his first pass after two carries for 32 yards. After the interception, Holden Geriner went in at quarterback and finished the game. 

Auburn is getting better

This team continues to get better as the season goes on under Freeze and this coaching staff. The Tigers will go to a bowl game and will have a shot to have seven wins going into a home Iron Bowl. 

An Auburn team peaking in November hasn't been a thing over the past several seasons. 

Freeze is building Auburn for the future. The fans are excited about it, and the recruits and commits are looking forward to how they can help, but after Saturday's beatdown of an SEC team on the road, it's nice to be excited about the now. 

Recruiting pages to bookmark

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auburnwire.usatoday.com

Instant analysis: Auburn boatraces Arkansas to earn bowl eligibility

Taylor Jones

4–5 minutes

Arkansas snapped a six-game losing streak last Saturday by upsetting Florida on the road and hoped to keep momentum going this week by hosting Auburn, a team that needed just one win in order to qualify for a bowl game.

From the very beginning, it was evident Auburn wanted to play the role of villain on Saturday. They set the tone early and dominated nearly every aspect of the game throughout. Because of this, they will strut out of Fayetteville with a 48-10 win.

Auburn (6-4, 3-4 SEC) won many categories on Saturday including total yards (519), first downs (32), yards per play (7), and red zone opportunities (7-of-7). The Razorbacks ended with 255 total yards, and they managed to earn just 10 first downs.

Auburn quarterback Payton Thorne and running back Jarquez Hunter headlined offensive production yet again, as they were responsible for 374 of Auburn’s 517 yards. Thorne passed for 163 yards and three scores while completing 12-of-20 passes. Hunter posted another triple-digit rushing output by gaining 109 yards on 16 carries.

Defensively, the Tigers recorded eight tackles for loss, with five going as sacks. Linebacker Jalen McLeod was the star of the defense by making nine stops, with three sacks and four tackles behind the line of scrimmage.

The opening quarter was dominated by Auburn, as they outgained the Razorbacks 169-24 en route to a 21-3 lead.

Auburn, or should I say Payton Thorne, set the tone early by playing a key role in two of Auburn’s three scores. He led his team on a six-play, 75-yard scoring drive which ended with a 12-yard touchdown run to push his team ahead, 7-0 with 12:37 remaining.

He paired up with Rivaldo Fairweather for the team’s third score of the first quarter with 6:28 remaining. The 11-yard pass pushed Auburn ahead, 21-0. The second score of the quarter for Auburn was a 74-yard punt return by Keionte Scott, which took place following Arkansas’ first possession.

The Razorbacks’ lone score came with 1:54 to go in the quarter when kicker Cam Little nailed a 39-yard field goal to cut the Tigers’ lead to 21-3. The score was set up by a Thorne interception that was returned 42 yards by Dwight McGlothern.

The second quarter was not as fast-paced, as Alex McPherson was responsible for both scores, a 39-yard field goal and a 31-yard field goal, to give Auburn the 27-3 lead. However, the Tigers still managed to gain 108 yards on 20 plays.

The Tigers’ defense played a key role in Auburn’s wide first-half margin. Auburn limited Arkansas to just 110 total yards, with Razorbacks’ quarterback KJ Jefferson only gaining 103. They also posted five tackles for loss with four sacks through the first half.

Auburn’s 3rd quarter brought flashbacks the the 1st quarter of the game, where the Tigers grabbed command early. Auburn scored 21 points in the quarter and posted 143 yards to expand their lead to 48-3 through three quarters. Thorne threw two more touchdown passes, one to Fairweather and another to Ja'Varrius Johnson. Running back Brian Battie entered the chat with 0:14 remaining in the quarter. He rushed from seven yards out for his first touchdown as a Tiger.

The Tigers coasted in the 4th quarter to secure the victory. The lone score in the quarter came with 14:35 in the game when Arkansas quarterback Jacolby Criswell connected with Isaac Teslaa on an 11-yard reception.

Auburn will go for win No. 7 of the season next Saturday at Jordan-Hare Stadium when they host New Mexico State for the nonconference finale. Kickoff is scheduled for 3 p.m. CT and will be broadcast live on SEC Network.

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__

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al.com

Auburn becomes bowl eligible with 6th win, beating Arkansas

Published: Nov. 11, 2023, 5:59 p.m.

~4 minutes

From adoption to Auburn football commit: The inspirational journey of A’Mon Lane-Ganus

With a dominant 48-10 win over Arkansas, Auburn has gotten to the six-win mark for the 2023 season and achieved bowl eligibility.

It’s a stepping stone accomplishment for first-year head coach Hugh Freeze after Auburn did not go to a bowl game last year.

After a four-game losing streak to begin SEC play, Freeze said he erased all his themes for the season off his whiteboard and replaced it with one focus: getting to a bowl game.

“But I have been pretty open about the fact that I think going to a bowl game in Year 1 is desired, needed, wanted,” Freeze said on Nov. 6. “I want the extra practices, I want our seniors to be honored, I want the program, our fans to still have the same energy moving into Year 2. And I think all of that is a part of us getting to a bowl. We’ve been able to do that at each stop we’ve taken over and I want to do it here. And I think our kids want to do it here, but you’ve got to earn it.”

Auburn came out of the losing streak with consecutive convincing wins over Mississippi State and Vanderbilt putting Auburn right back in the mix to go bowling.

It then sealed its bowl berth with its most complete, most dominant performance of the season winning on the road against Arkansas.

Freeze has noted he brought every team he has coached to a bowl game in his first year on the job. Getting to a bowl game is a sign of improvement and puts Auburn in line to develop further because of the extra practices. Should Auburn have missed a bowl game, it would lose weeks of official practices. Now, a largely inexperienced team will get extra time which, in the grand scope of rebuilding this program, could be invaluable for Freeze.

The improvement to become bowl-eligible is also an important note in recruiting, another key piece of the rebuild. The location of Auburn’s bowl game could have recruiting implications for prospects the team may be able to visit, or as a sign of where the team is headed. Auburn’s 2024 recruiting class currently has 17 commitments and is ranked 17th in. the nation per 247Sports.

Auburn has been to 46 bowl games in program history and is 24-20-2 all-time. Auburn is 2-7 in its last nine bowl games including losing its last three in a row.

Bowl projections are split on where Auburn could be headed. By beating Arkansas, Auburn put itself in a position to get to seven wins with a game against New Mexico State next week where Freeze’s team will be a heavy favorite.

It also would carry Auburn into the Iron Bowl with serious momentum.

Getting to seven wins would put Auburn higher in the SEC pecking order and in line for a more prestigious bowl games. Projections have listed Auburn in the Texas Bowl, Gator Bowl, Music City Bowl, Liberty Bowl and Mayo Bowl.

“The first logistical step in our rebuild is gained bowl eligibility,” Freeze said after Auburn’s win over Vanderbilt.

Matt Cohen covers Auburn sports for AL.com. You can follow him on X at @Matt_Cohen_ or email him at mcohen@al.com

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al.com

3 takeaways from Auburn football’s dominant 48-10 win at Arkansas

Updated: Nov. 12, 2023, 7:06 a.m.|Published: Nov. 11, 2023, 6:01 p.m.

6–7 minutes

With both the Auburn Tigers and the Arkansas Razorbacks coming into this week’s game with momentum at their backs, an old fashioned dog fight was scheduled to take place inside the walls of Arkansas’ Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium on Saturday.

Instead, it was an onslaught as the Tigers played their best game away from Jordan-Hare Stadium and punched their ticket to bowl eligibility in a dominant, 48-10 win over the Razorbacks.

Here are three takeaways from Saturday’s win in Fayetteville.

Auburn strings together dream start

Having not played considerably well in any true road game this season, there were concerns that Auburn might come out flat on the road against Arkansas on Saturday afternoon.

Instead, the Tigers did just the opposite.

After getting the ball first to start the game, Payton Thorne and the Auburn offense quickly put together a 75-yard scoring drive on just six plays. The highlight of the drive was a 45-yard connection between Thorne and Caleb Burton on the Tigers’ second snap from scrimmage.

Auburn went on to polish off its first drive with a pair of runs from Thorne, including a touchdown rush from 12 yards out to put the Tigers out front 7-0.

Less than two minutes later, the Tigers found the end zone again — this time courtesy of a 74-yard punt return touchdown from Keionte Scott, who, as a reminder, had tightrope surgery on his ankle less than two months ago.

The next time Thorne and the Tigers had possession of the football, they marched 56 yards down the field on another six-play scoring drive that ended in an 11-yard touchdown pass from Thorne to tight end Rivaldo Fairweather. That play was the first of two scoring plays between Thorne and Fairweather as the tandem paired for another touchdown in the third quarter.

In a little over half a quarter, Auburn had built a 21-point lead over Arkansas, erasing any fears of a slow start.

In fact, the Tigers’ 21 first-quarter points were the most they’d scored against a SEC opponent since 2017′s game against Mississippi State.

Tigers’ defense stifles KJ Jefferson, Razorbacks’ offense

The Hogs made it hard to believe they managed 39 points and 481 yards of offense against the Florida Gators last week in Gainesville.

In the first half of Saturday afternoon’s game, the Arkansas offense mustered just 24 yards of offense in the first quarter and 86 yards of offense in the second quarter, totaling 110 first-half yards to Auburn’s 277 first-half yards.

Meanwhile, the Auburn defense forced Arkansas to go three-and-out in each of the Razorbacks’ first three possessions.

The Razorbacks’ first bit of momentum came courtesy of Thorne tossing an interception to Dwight McGothern, who returned it 42 yards to the Auburn 22-yard line. From there, Jefferson and the Arkansas offense managed to move the football just two yards in the right direction before having to settle for a 39-yard field goal to give the Razorbacks their first points of the game.

Jefferson and the Arkansas offense didn’t move the chains until the second quarter, when they were forced to go for it on 4th-and-1 from their own 24-yard line. Jefferson ended up churning ahead for an eight-yard gain to give the Razorbacks their first fresh set of downs of the afternoon.

Come the second and third quarters, the Auburn defense’s trend of forcing turnovers continued as Auburn’s Jalen McLeod forced a fumble that was recovered by Marcus Harris in the second quarter, followed by Zion Puckett forcing a fumble that was recovered by Caleb Wooden in the third quarter. Wooden went on to return the fumble 74 yards to the Arkansas 11-yard line, where just one play was required for the Auburn offense to add a touchdown to its lead.

Through three quarters, the Arkansas offense was averaging just 3.9 yards per play and just 2 yards per rush. The Razorbacks were also just 1-for-11 on third-down conversions.

The Hogs finished the game with an average of 5 yards per play, 3.8 yards per rush and 1-for-12 on third-down conversions.

Meanwhile, Jefferson turned in a 10-for-16 passing performance for just 116 yards and added just 50 yards with his legs on 15 attempts, good for an average of just 3.33 yards per game. Against the Gators last week, Jefferson passed for 255 yards and a pair of touchdowns, while adding 92 rushing yards and a 25-yard touchdown with his legs.

Jalen McLeod helps Auburn dominate in the trenches

Coming into Saturday afternoon, Auburn Jack linebacker Jalen McLeod hadn’t tallied more than four tackles and two tackles for a loss in a single game all season.

Against the Razorbacks, McLeod improved those marks two fold as he recorded a total of nine total tackles and four tackles for a loss.

McLeod was also responsible for three sacks on Saturday, a testament in any game, but especially in a game when the opposing quarterback is 6-foot-3 and a hair under 250 pounds, like Jefferson is.

And while McLeod led the charge against the Razorbacks, he wasn’t alone as defensive lineman Marcus Harris added three tackles, 1.5 tackles for a loss and 1.5 sacks. The Auburn defense combined for eight tackles behind the line of scrimmage and five sacks.

On the opposite side of the field, Auburn’s offensive line held its own against Arkansas after a week in which Hugh Freeze was critical about the Tigers’ protection against Vanderbilt last Saturday.

The Razorbacks managed to tally just two tackles for a loss against the Tigers and took Thorne to the turf once. Arkansas also wasn’t credited with a single quarterback hurry on Saturday.

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si.com

Auburn Recruiting Profile: Demarcus Riddick Brings Unique Talent to the Tigers

Brian Smith

5–6 minutes

Going into the home stretch of the Auburn Tigers’ 2023 football schedule, the defense is showing promise. There’s also more reason to be optimistic about the 2024 season and beyond because of linebacker commitment Demarcus Riddick joining the Auburn football program.

It’s time to dig deep and break down this young man’s game and how he can truly become a difference-maker on the Plains.

Demarcus Riddick

Position: Linebacker/Athlete

Size: 6-foot-2, 215 pounds

High School: Clanton (Al.) Chilton County

Recruitment: Originally a Georgia Bulldogs commitment, Riddick made the official flip to Auburn on July 26, 2023. Offers galore for this man, as Alabama, LSU, Ole Miss, Florida State, Oregon, Florida, Tennessee, and Notre Dame are just some of Riddick’s other football scholarship offers.

Athleticism: Notice above where it says “Linebacker/Athlete” after position? That’s not by coincidence. He used his hands as a big-bodied receiver for Chilton County and scored touchdowns in the process, just as one example. Here are the more specific reasons that happened.

Riddick’s tremendous lateral mobility, hitting top gear quickly, and his hand-eye coordination, and quick hands, are some of his best physical attributes. He could play numerous sports and be successful.

Not that he’s interested, but as a mixed-martial arts competitor, Riddick would be a stud. The quickness, speed, size, and power are obvious (see film notes below).

In particular, Riddick shows the quickness to maneuver away from offensive linemen and he could do the same in the octagon. Now back to football.

When watching Riddick make a lateral cut, that’s when it’s obvious why the likes of Kirby Smart, Nick Saban, Mike Norvell, and many other college football head coaches went after this young man in addition to Hugh Freeze and the Tigers.

Especially while playing linebacker, being able to run across the field to make a play in the screen game or chase a mobile signal caller down from behind is the difference between good and great. Riddick’s explosiveness places him in the great category.

Frame: Riddick has the length a college football coach wants to see from a linebacker’s arms. His shoulders are also broad enough to carry 230 pounds without any concerns. He’s also already muscular enough to pack a punch when coiling to strike a ball carrier.

Instant Impact For Auburn: College football is about matchups. The nickel package, the dime package, Auburn fans probably know the terminology. With Riddick, he can stay on the field and match his talents versus a tight end or running back on a seam route or screen pass just as easily as he bangs in the box against a lead fullback on fourth down from inside the one-yard line.

That rare combination of all-around skills also allows him to be an impact player, potentially speaking, on any other given play. There’s one catch.

How quickly does Riddick not only pick up the Auburn defensive playbook, but also are the Auburn coaches willing to put a true freshman at linebacker and let him learn on the fly? No doubt, some mistakes will be made.

As a rule, college coaches are really stubborn about players not knowing the full playbook before seeing significant action. Somehow, in some way, Auburn has to find opportunities for Riddick to get on the field even if he’s not completely ready to understand the playbook in full (this is a common argument about recruits playing early).

Perhaps he’s used as a blitzer off the edge at the beginning of the 2024 season, at the very least. Maybe Riddick plays against 22 personnel, i.e. two running backs and two tight ends, because he’s better against run-heavy formations. Whatever it might be, the Auburn staff has to find a theme where Riddick can be on the field.

Yes, he’s going to be a freshman. Riddick is a special player, however. There’s no reason for him not to at least be contending for a starting spot by the middle of next season. Riddick is that gifted.

Auburn football is improving this season, and Riddick is a big reason why the future is bright in 2024 and beyond. Now, here are those film notes mentioned above.

Film Notes: If you watch Riddick’s junior Hudl film, it’s a good idea to pay particular attention to the following times inside the video.

0:00 - Riddick diagnoses a reverse, changes direction in full stride, and makes a tackle for loss.

0:08 - Punt return for a touchdown.

0:28 - Interception for a touchdown.

0:40 - Another punt return for a touchdown.

1:09 - Makes interception while playing free safety.

1:49 - Takes a pop pass from a jet motion and scores.

2:44 - Runs down a wide receiver from behind to prevent a touchdown.

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auburntigers.com

 

Auburn football's Dr. James Andrews: 'I cherish the memories'

Auburn University Athletics

5–6 minutes

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AUBURN, Ala. – Pat Sullivan's first varsity game at Auburn coincided with the arrival on the Plains of a young doctor who, like the future Heisman Trophy winner, would one day become a household name.
Dr. James Andrews.

In 1969, as a third-year resident at Tulane Medical School, Dr. Andrews came to Auburn to study under orthopedic surgeon Dr. Jack Hughston, a sports medicine pioneer.

"That's how I really got kicked off in the sports medicine field, learning from him," said Andrews, who learned about repairing knees from Dr. Hughston, then, thanks to his mentor's recommendation, received a fellowship at the University of Virginia to study upper extremities in 1972.

Through Dr. Hughston's friendship with Dr. Albert Trillat, chief of orthopedics at Lyon University in France, Andrews' path to becoming the world's preeminent sports orthopedic surgeon included a year studying abroad.  

"The king of knee surgery in Europe," Andrews said of Dr. Trillat. In 1973, after finishing his fellowships, Dr. Andrews came back to work at Hughston Clinic in Columbus, Georgia.

"I practiced with Dr. Hughston with Auburn for 13 years," said Dr. Andrews, who more than a half century later continues his mentor's custom of wearing a sportscoat and tie on the sidelines.

"Which is something he preached all those years," Dr. Andrews said. "'I don't dress up like a coach.' That's just the way I was raised by him. He was a strict disciplinarian. He got my sports medicine career kicked off rapidly. I owe everything back to Dr. Jack Hughston."
In 1984 Dr. Andrews and Dr. Hughston opened the Hughston Sports Medicine Hospital in Columbus.

"The first sports medicine hospital maybe in the world, certainly in the United States," Dr. Andrews said.

When Auburn hosted Ole Miss on Oct. 21, Dr. Andrews was recognized on Pat Dye Field for his long association with Auburn football. To pay tribute to Dr. Andrews' contribution and impact on Auburn's program, the training room in the Woltosz Football Performance is named in his honor.

"I cherish the memories, let me tell you," said Dr. Andrews, the 2022 recipient of Auburn's Jack Meagher Award for significant contributions to society through athletics, an award Dr. Hughston received posthumously in 2005.

When Auburn hosted Mississippi State on Oct. 28, Dr. Andrews walked to the Bulldogs' sideline before the game to greet their team doctors.

"I heard somebody hollering at me from the crowd, one of our former football players from about 25 or 30 years ago. He said I operated on his knee. He told me how much he appreciated being taken care of when he played football here 30 years ago just out of the blue," Dr. Andrews said. "You run into those guys all the time. That's how rewarding it is."

The previous week, Auburn honored the 1993 Tigers for their undefeated season.

"I saw a whole slew of them that I'd taken care of and worked with," Dr. Andrews said. "By and large, Auburn has been a powerhouse in football and in other sports, too."

Dr. Andrews' appreciation for elite athletes and passion to help them traces back to his own athletic career as an SEC pole vault champion at LSU, a feat that stemmed from humble origins.

"I was from a little bitty town (Homer) in north Louisiana and I vaulted in the woods with a bamboo pole as a kid," said Dr. Andrews, who will be inducted as a competitor in the Louisiana High School Sports Hall of Fame's Class of 2024. "I held the state record for a long time."

Dr. Andrews' athletic scholarship covered not only his undergraduate graduate tuition at LSU, from which he graduated in 1963, but also his tuition and expenses at LSU School of Medicine, from which he graduated in 1967.

"Didn't cost me a cent," he said. "Just from being an athlete. I'm indebted to my athletic career, believe me. It made me a better sports medicine doctor having been an athlete myself. I understand the psychology of how these guys think, a little bit, and it's helped me in taking care of them through the years."

At the conclusion of the 2023 football season, Dr. Andrews will retire from his role as Auburn football's orthopedic surgeon and medical director.

"I'm still going to be around," he said. "It's been a good ride. I'm going to miss being down on the field. It's time for me to turn it over to the younger guys like Dr. Hughston did for me."

Jeff Shearer is a Senior Writer at AuburnTigers.com. Follow him on Twitter: @jeff_shearer

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[aubiefifty 17,072]

 

[aubiefifty 17,072]

Well folks we know arkie hates Auburn so let me just say how refreshing it is we ran the pigs off their own field after they claimed how averaqe we were before the game. i would say let em eat fish heads but everyone knows a hog will eat anything. Last night was as fun for me as it gets. and we are going bowling! in the next day or so i plan to go get me some BBQ. have a good one folks.

[aubiefifty 17,072]

i posted the post game presser and some other goodies last night for those that did not see it.

[SaltyTiger 7,900]

Gorgeous blustery gray morning here on the Plains. Thanks Fiddy