1.12.24 Football Articles

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Cadillac Williams resigns from Auburn staff

Jason Caldwell

5–6 minutes

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One of the top players in Auburn history and the guy that held things together at the end of the 2022 season following the firing of Bryan Harsin, running backs coach Cadillac Williams is no longer a part of Hugh Freeze’s staff after announcing his resignation on Thursday night in a statement.

“After taking time to pray and reflect, I have made the decision to resign from my position with Auburn football to pursue other opportunities. I love Auburn, the players and AU family with all my heart, but this decision is what is best for me, my wife and sons. I am extremely grateful for the coaching opportunity given to me first by Coach Malzahn and most recently by Coach Freeze. These past five years on the Plains have been nothing short of incredible.

“Auburn is and always will be a special part of my life.”

War Eagle!”

Freeze also had a statement following the announcement from Williams

“We are incredibly appreciative of Carnell and what he’s done for the Auburn football program during his time on the coaching staff," Freeze said. "He led Auburn through a time of transition and is one of the program’s all-time greats. I know this wasn’t easy for him, but I respect his decision and wish him nothing but the best.”

He becomes the most recent coaching change off Freeze’s first staff. Auburn has already announced the firing of offensive coordinator Philip Montgomery with defensive coordinator Ron Roberts expected to move to Florida.

In the search for an offensive coordinator, as we have stated at Auburnundercover.com since before the bowl game loss to Maryland, Freeze is expected to run the Auburn offense and be the primary play caller for the Tigers this season.

As Auburn’s quarterback coach in addition to coordinator, Montgomery is expected to be replaced by current analyst Kent Austin. A former quarterback at Ole Miss and player in the CFL, Austin has been the offensive coordinator at Ole Miss and most recently was the coordinator at Liberty with Freeze from 2019-2022.

A name that could join him on Auburn’s staff is a familiar one, former Southern Miss standout and longtime Ole Miss assistant Derrick Nix. Originally from Attalla, Alabama, Nix has been at Ole Miss since 2008 where he’s served as the running backs coach and also coached wide receivers in addition to being the co-offensive coordinator.

Nix and Freeze worked together from 2012-2016 when Freeze was in Oxford as the head coach of the Rebels.

On the Auburn staff since 2019, Williams has been part of three different staffs on the Plains. Most recently it was as the running backs coach and associate head coach under Freeze. Last season he helped Jarquez Hunter to 909 yards despite missing a game. For his career, Hunter has 2,177 yards rushing and 17 touchdowns. His rushing total is 18th all-time at Auburn.

Under Williams’ tutelage in 2020, freshman running back Tank Bigsby was named the SEC Co-Freshman of the Year and Associated Press SEC Newcomer of the Year after leading all freshmen in the conference with 834 rushing yards. Bigsby was the first Auburn freshman in school history to rush for three consecutive 100-yard games and his 834 yards were the second most all-time at Auburn by a rookie.

During his first season in 2019, the Tigers posted five 100-yard rushing games and D.J. Williams earned SEC Freshman of the Week honors for his performance against LSU. In two seasons, Williams’ backs have tallied nine 100-yard games and three SEC weekly honors.

As a player at Auburn, Williams helped lead Auburn to an undefeated season in 2004 while earning All-America honors that year. The 2005 NFL Rookie of the Year, Williams had a seven-year NFL career before entering the coaching ranks.

A native of Gadsden, Alabama, and product of Etowah High School, Williams finished his Auburn career (2001-04) with 3,831 yards on 741 attempts with 45 touchdowns. He broke the Auburn career record of most running attempts, passing Joe Cribbs, and most touchdowns scored, passing Bo Jackson, while finishing second in total rushing yards and all-purpose yards.

As a senior in 2004, Williams helped lead the Tigers to one of the best seasons in program history, winning an SEC Championship en route to a perfect 13-0 season and a Sugar Bowl victory. He led Auburn in rushing with 1,165 yards and 12 touchdowns while tallying 1,718 all-purpose yards. He earned All-America honors, was the SEC Special Teams Player of the Year, and named to the All-SEC team.

In his four seasons at Auburn, Williams earned nine SEC Player of the Week honors, the most in league history. During his time on the Plains, the Tigers were 37-14 and won three SEC Western Division titles (2001, ‘02, ‘04). He remains as Auburn’s No. 2 all-time rushing and is the Tigers’ career leader in rushing attempts and rushing touchdowns.

The fifth pick overall pick of the 2005 NFL draft by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Williams was named the NFL Rookie of the Year after leading all rookies in rushing yards with 1,178, while posting six 100-yard rushing games in 14 starts. Williams spent six seasons with Tampa Bay before spending his final season in 2011 with the St. Louis Rams.

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247sports.com

 

In Sabans aftermath the time for Auburn to attack the talent gap is now

Nathan King

9–12 minutes

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• 

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The post-Saban era of the Iron Bowl rivalry has now begun after Wednesday's bombshell news

One of Hugh Freeze’s favorite phrases his first year at Auburn was “talent gap” — more specifically, the dire need for Freeze to address it, and ultimately, narrow it in comparison to the elite runs currently enjoyed by the Tigers' two biggest rivals.

And Freeze hopes Wednesday’s bombshell news accelerates that process.

Nick Saban is retiring, ending the most successful run in college football history at Alabama: six national championships and nine SEC titles. The phrase is often cliched, but it truly is the end of an era not only for the Crimson Tide, but also its in-state rival.

Auburn not only watched Alabama go on a historic run under Saban, but also as the Crimson Tide pulled in elite recruiting classes; the two go hand-in-hand, of course. No one knows that better than Freeze, who watched Saban hit his prime while at Ole Miss, and has harped again and again at Auburn about the need to recruit closer to the level of Alabama — and Georgia, for that matter, which has built a powerhouse of its own under Kirby Smart.

Freeze knows that's where he has to start in attacking the void left by Saban. A big domino quickly fell in the wake of Wednesday's news, as 5-star Alabama wide receiver commitment Ryan Williams backed off his pledge with the Tide. He'll sign next month, and Auburn has been right there in his recruitment since Freeze took over. There's probably no one Freeze wanted to call more after Saban retired.

So just how much work is there to be done? For starters, every Alabama recruiting class since 2019 has been ranked either No. 1 or No. 2 in the country. Auburn — nor anyone else in college football, maybe with the exception of Georgia — can hope to even come close to replicating that kind of annual stockpiling of NFL-caliber players.

Freeze is off to about as good a start as Auburn could have imagined, though. His first full recruiting class finished No. 7 nationally after the early signing period. With Williams, it would jump to No. 3 — behind only, you guessed it, Georgia and Alabama.

But Auburn hasn't always needed comparable talent to take down the Tide — especially in Jordan-Hare Stadium. Even this season, with what Auburn certainly hopes is its least-skilled team of the Freeze era, the Tigers were tied with Georgia late in the fourth quarter, and were one play away from upsetting Saban and Alabama.

And it was after Auburn’s agonizing, last-minute loss to Alabama on fourth-and-31 that Freeze — because of how close his team played its top two rivals this season — asserted that the Tigers aren't far away from being on the other end of those results.

“We can close the gap pretty fast on the upper echelon of this conference,” Freeze said.

Does that goal become easier to attain with Saban on his way out? That’s obviously the hope for Auburn and everyone else on a strange-feeling Wednesday in the world of college football. But Alabama will have its pick of what it deems to be the best coach in the country to take over.

Alabama isn’t going anywhere. It may not win national championships right away with someone like Oregon’s Dan Lanning, Notre Dame’s Marcus Freeman, or whoever lands the job, but especially in the upcoming 12-team playoff era, it’d be foolish to expect the Crimson Tide to fall off a cliff in terms of national prominence.

Those coaches, however, are not Nick Saban. It’s possible no one else in our lifetime ever will be — with seven national titles between Alabama and LSU, and double-digit wins every year since 2008.

But for the first time in 17 years, Alabama feels mortal — to the rest of the college football world, at least. Auburn was never afraid to face Saban, and though five wins since 2007 seems like a small number, no other program had more success against Alabama under Saban. LSU also had five wins. There are plenty of SEC head coaches Gus Malzahn never beat as many times as he defeated Saban.

Still, the Iron Bowl series has been grim for Auburn for the past 17 years. The Crimson Tide's current four-game winning streak is Alabama's longest over Auburn since ... right before Bear Bryant retired, when Alabama won nine straight. The Tigers won six of the next eight Iron Bowls after Bryant hung up the houndstooth.

Freeze is nowhere near alone. There are 14 other SEC head coaches licking their chops Wednesday evening at the thought of filling the massive void left by Saban’s retirement.

But from now on, the answer to the question, "Who was Auburn's coach when Nick Saban retired?" will be Freeze. And the next 11 months will be crucial in determining what kind of program Auburn can become in the aftermath.

Jaylin Williams' hot hand drives Auburn's eight-game winning streak

Williams is averaging 16 points on better than 66 percent shooting during Auburn's eight-game winning streak

Jaylin Williams is the first to admit he’s not a young and spry student-athlete anymore. He’s joked this season about early tipoff times and how he doesn’t like rolling out of bed and going straight to Neville Arena.

After Auburn’s 66-55 win over Texas A&M, Williams said he’s been waking up on the wrong side of the pillow lately — another installment in his tongue-in-cheek persona of the old grump of the team.

“Before games I actually haven't been feeling well,” Williams said, as Bruce Pearl smirked sitting next to him. “I wake up in a bad mood — but it's working. Hopefully I wake up every morning in a bad mood and keep playing the way I'm playing.”

Auburn certainly hopes whatever has gotten into Williams over the last month continues to surge for the fifth-year senior as SEC play trudges onward — because right now, it would certainly be a just argument to say Williams has been Auburn’s best player.

And the Tigers needed him to be in Tuesday night’s cathartic win over the Aggies — a team that had been kryptonite for Auburn’s SEC success in recent seasons, including five of the last six games in the series, and three on Auburn’s home floor.

Texas A&M’s tricky pressure defense on the perimeter led to some long and clunky halfcourt possession for Auburn, and Williams was key in breaking it open for opportunities, particularly near the basket. Pearl said it was well-executed slip-screens by Williams, which saw him cutting to the paint while his defender stayed pinned at the 3-point arc, that were a big reason why Williams was so effective.

Williams missed his first two shots of the game — a hook shot and a 3-pointer — before seven straight makes from 2-point range, including a punishing hammer of a dunk on a breakaway play in transition that also included a foul on Texas A&M’s Andersson Garcia.

Evidence: pic.twitter.com/jQbmYRfAnT

— Auburn Basketball (@AuburnMBB) January 10, 2024

The Tigers and Aggies were locked in a nail-biter down the stretch, and after a Tyrece Radford free throw, Auburn led by 4 approaching a minute remaining. Tre Donaldson, who ran point for Auburn in the final minutes Tuesday over starter Aden Holloway, let the shot clock run down close to 10 seconds before setting up the play.

Williams met him at the arc and simply ran a pick-and-pop, and Texas A&M’s Jace Carter left Williams to double-team Donaldson, perhaps thinking the Aggies would rotate out to defend Williams late in the shot clock — or that Garcia, who followed Williams out to the 3-point line but switched to Donaldson during the screen — was accounting for Williams.

Instead, Williams was wide-open. He had a similar open look from the wing a couple possessions before but hesitated to pull the trigger. But this time, he let it fly with no hesitation, burying a 3-pointer with 52 seconds left to put Auburn up by 7.

Donaldson held up three fingers before Williams even released the shot.

HIMMMMM?@iso__jaywill pic.twitter.com/I1KFJLzGl0

— Auburn Basketball (@AuburnMBB) January 10, 2024

“I knew as soon as I caught the ball the next time, I was like, man, I’ve lost to these dudes too many times,” Williams thought to himself. “I've got to knock this down and seal the deal.”

Williams scored 22 points on 8-of-10 shooting — and perhaps the best indication of how key he was in getting Auburn’s offense flowing was the fact that the Tigers assisted on all eight of his made baskets.

“They switch a lot,” Williams said of the Aggies’ defense. “We knew the slips and those things were open. I trust my coaching staff and my teammates to make those plays. We knew they'd fly at balls and ball fakes and all those things. We knew if we moved the ball around, we knew good things were going to happen.”

Sitting currently at career-highs this season in scoring, overall shooting percentage and 3-point percentage, Williams has scored at least 20 points four times during Auburn’s eight-game winning streak. He’s been hyper efficient from inside the arc, shooting 76.5 percent from 2-point range during that span, and has only committed 1.0 turnovers per game.

By most metrics, especially scoring, it is the best stretch of his five-year college career. And Tuesday’s result gave Williams — who was already the winningest player in program history — his 100th career victory wearing orange and blue.

“To me, it was just another shot,” Williams said. “I practice that shot all the time. Like before practice or after practice so it was just another shot for me. Obviously, it was big. Texas A&M had beat me up pretty well the last few years so it was good to make that shot. I had confidence in that one and it went in.”

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al.com

Saraland 5-star WR Ryan Williams decommits from Alabama

Updated: Jan. 10, 2024, 6:59 p.m.|Published: Jan. 10, 2024, 5:51 p.m.

3–4 minutes

Saraland's Ryan Williams celebrates his first touchdown of the game during the AHSAA Super 7 Class 6A championship at Bryant-Denny Stadium in Tuscaloosa, Ala., Friday, Dec. 8, 2023. Williams decommitted from Alabama on Wednesday. (Vasha Hunt | preps@al.com)Vasha Hunt | vhunt@al.com

Saraland 5-star wide receiver and reigning Mr. Football Ryan Williams has decommitted from Alabama following the news of Nick Saban’s retirement from the school.

Williams confirmed the news to AL.com on Wednesday night.

“It’s about the departure of coach Saban and the receivers coach (Holmon Wiggins),” Williams said. “Of course, it’s a hard decision. I don’t really want to do it, but I have to explore my options and see what happens before Feb. 9.”

Williams, the two-time Gatorade Alabama Player of the Year, has said he will sign on his 17th birthday next month. He said he had no idea about Saban’s retirement until the news broke.

“I couldn’t talk to him, so I knew nothing about it,” Williams said. “I found out when everyone else found out. I was shocked. I didn’t believe it and then I saw it on official pages and I was like, ‘Oh, this is real.’”

Williams said he was “still keeping (Alabama) in the equation until proving otherwise.” He committed to the the Tide on Oct. 8, 2022.

He also said he still plans to visit the Crimson Tide on Jan. 20. He has scheduled visits to Texas on Jan. 27 and Auburn on Feb. 2. He also told AL.com on Wednesday that he has added a visit to Texas A&M this weekend.

Williams jumped to No. 1 on AL.com’s A-List of top senior prospects in the state after he announced his reclassification last month. He is No. 2 on the 247 composite rankings and On3 industry rankings of the top seniors in the state behind Auburn signee Cam Coleman of Central-Phenix City.

Williams will be in Montgomery on Tuesday for the Alabama Sports Writers Association Player of the Year Banquet. He is one of three finalists for Class 6A Back of the Year along with teammate KJ Lacey and Alabama signee and Clay-Chalkville star Jaylen Mbakwe.

Williams is the reigning 6A Back of the Year and the reigning Mr. Football in the state.

Scenes from Tuscaloosa’s first full day after Nick Saban’s retirementJan. 12, 2024, 6:03a.m.

Why Mike Norvell makes sense as a candidate to replace Nick Saban at Alabama (and why he doesn’t)Jan. 11, 2024, 7:48p.m.

Nick Saban plans on keeping an ‘Office in the stadium’ after retiring from Alabama footballJan. 11, 2024, 5:31p.m.

Nick Saban retirement: A minute-by-minute look at how it happenedJan. 11, 2024, 5:23p.m.

Nick Saban talks making retirement choice before team meeting, discussion with Miss TerryJan. 11, 2024, 4:46p.m.

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247sports.com

 

Rogers declares for NFL Draft

Jason Caldwell

~3 minutes

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After weighing his options, Auburn's Justin Rogers has declared for the NFL Draft.

AUBURN, Alabama—After a few weeks of going back and forth on his decision, Auburn defensive tackle Justin Rogers announced on Thursday that he's putting his name into the ring for the 2024 NFL Draft following one season with the Tigers. A transfer from Kentucky and a former 4-star recruit, Rogers was a player that Auburn was hoping would bring a major impact to the defense, but he finished with just 17 tackles, one sack and two tackles for a loss.

Now it's on to professional football following his message on Thursday.

"I want to thank God for covering and protecting my family and granting me the knowledge and skills necessary to play this game," Rogers tweeted. "I owe a special thanks to my mother, family, and support system for always standing by me and unconditionally supporting and loving me.

"Special appreciation to coach Stoops and Stu for allowing me to live out my dream of playing football in the SEC. My teammates/brothers and coaches have been instrumental in motivating me to become the best version of myself. BBN will forever hold a special place in my heart.

"A sincere thank you to coach Freeze and the Auburn Family for their warm welcome. The indescribable love and support I've experienced in just one short year here is truly remarkable. Thanks to my teammates and coaches for making this time special.

"With that being said, I will be declaring for the 2024 NFL Draft. Love you, Dad and Grandma."

Even with the hope that Rogers would be returning for the 2024 season, Auburn was already busy in the transfer portal trying to bolster the defensive front under Jeremy Garrett, adding Kansas transfer Gage Keys along with Texas transfer Trill Carter. They join an incoming group of defensive linemen that includes early enrollees Malik Blocton, TJ Lindsey and Amaris Williams. 

Top recruits share differences between Harsin and Freeze recruiting

Hear from some of Auburn's signees on how the Hugh Freeze recruiting was different.

The numbers speak for themselves as Auburn's first full recruiting class under Hugh Freeze was No. 7 in the 247Sports rankings while Bryan Harsin's lone full recruiting class in 2022 was ranked No. 21 by 247Sports, but how was the recruiting different?

For some of Auburn's top signees, it started with them actually being recruited.

To read this full article and more, subscribe now —

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al.com

 

Who will replace Cadillac Williams at Auburn? Hugh Freeze may have his man.

Updated: Jan. 12, 2024, 6:35 a.m.|Published: Jan. 12, 2024, 6:35 a.m.

~4 minutes

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Never to Yield: A cinematic look back at Auburn's momentous win over Texas A&M

In a late Thursday night press release, Auburn announced Carnell “Cadillac” Williams will resign as the team’s associate head coach and running backs coach.

His sudden resignation removes a fan favorite from his alma mater. His five-season tenure as a coach at Auburn included a four-game stint in 2022 as the interim head coach after previous coach Bryan Harsin was fired.

But with Williams out, who’s next?

Auburn currently has three jobs open on the offensive side of the ball: offensive coordinator, quarterbacks coach and running backs coach. The pieces of how Auburn will put its puzzle pieces back together are starting to become clear.

Last week, it was reported Freeze will return to calling plays after passing off the duty in the 2023 season to former offensive coordinator Philip Montgomery. Montgomery was fired on Jan. 5.

In addition to being in charge of the offense, Montgomery was also Auburn’s quarterbacks coach.

In addition to Freeze returning to playcalling, reports have suggested Kent Austin — Freeze’s former offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at Liberty who is currently a special assistant to the head coach at Auburn — will take over the quarterbacks coach role.

That leaves the running backs position, Williams’ old job.

Derrick Nix, the current wide receivers coach and assistant head coach at Ole Miss, has been widely linked to Auburn.

Nix has spent the last 16 seasons at Ole Miss. He has spent more than a decade of that time as the running backs coach.

He was the Rebels’ running backs coach when Freeze was the head coach from 2012-2016. The two have familiarity already.

Nix, a graduate from Southern Miss, was a graduate assistant with his alma mater in 2003 before coaching the running backs there from 2004-2006. He spent the 2007 season as a quality control coach with the Atlanta Falcons and then arrived at Ole Miss as the running backs coach in 2008. He’s been there ever since.

Nix switched from coaching running backs to coaching wide receivers beginning in the 2020 season.

While Nix may not have the heartstring connections to Auburn that Williams did, he does have more SEC coaching experience and is regarded as a better recruiter. Nix is listed as the primary recruiter on three five-star rated commits. Two of those are on the defensive side of the ball.

How Auburn will divide out the offensive coordinator title could be fluid. Freeze has options. With the much larger role he plans to have in the offense, Freeze may as well be effectively the offensive coordinator himself. He could, should he hire both, give a co-offensive coordinator title to both Austin and Nix.

Should one person be given the solo title of offensive coordinator? Nix — should he be hired — would appear the most likely candidate as an incentive to leave Oxford.

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

 

Mississippi State OL Percy Lewis announces transfer, signs to Auburn

Published: Jan. 11, 2024, 7:17 p.m.

2–3 minutes

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After multiple failed attempts to land an offense lineman in the transfer portal, Auburn head coach Hugh Freeze finally got a hit as Mississippi State offensive tackle transfer Percy Lewis picked the Tigers.

Auburn announced the addition of Lewis Thursday night.

He took an official visit to Auburn on Jan. 5.

Lewis, a former No. 1 ranked junior college transfer on the offensive line, played in 15 games over two years with Mississippi State including eight starts. Pro Football Focus statistics show Lewis only allowed one sack on 235 pass-blocking snaps.

Auburn has multiple spots to fill on its offensive line as it prepares to lose Gunner Britton and Kam Stutts to graduation.

Freeze frequently rotated his offensive line, but the group failed to maintain much consistency during the 2023 season.

As Auburn opened its pre-Music City Bowl practices, Freeze said he didn’t feel he did a good job in the transfer portal to that point because he didn’t bring some targets in for visits quickly enough. Freeze didn’t explicitly say who he was talking about, but he was likely referring to his recruitment of offensive linemen where Auburn was beaten to the punch, so to speak, by other programs.

Lewis joins junior college transfer Seth Wilfred as the only incoming offensive lineman with college experience. Four-star signee out of high school DeAndre Carter is regarded as one of the top interior offensive line recruits in the country.

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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be careful out there today folks!

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al.com

 

Auburn officially hires former Colorado DC, Auburn player Charles Kelly as co-DC

Updated: Jan. 12, 2024, 11:58 a.m.|Published: Jan. 12, 2024, 11:48 a.m.

~4 minutes

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Colorado defensive coordinator Charles Kelly speaks at an NCAA college football Pac-12 media day Friday, July 21, 2023, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Lucas Peltier)AP

Reports that Auburn might hire former Colorado defensive coordinator Charles Kelly first surfaced Dec. 30, just before Auburn’s Music City Bowl matchup against Maryland.

However, official word of Kelly’s hiring didn’t come until Jan. 12, when Hugh Freeze and the Auburn football program publicly announced the addition of Kelly, who is a native of Ozark, Ala. and played for the Tigers from 1986-89.

“Charles is an outstanding football mind who is an excellent recruiter and understands the landscape of Auburn and the Southeastern Conference,” Freeze said Friday in a release. “We are excited to have Charles on our staff as we continue building a strong foundation for the future success of Auburn football.”

Kelly’s return to his alma mater comes after a season spent in Boulder, Colo., where he served as Colorado’s defensive coordinator under Deion Sanders.

“I am very grateful to return to a university and a football program that have meant so much to me growing up in this state and playing for Coach Dye,” Kelly said Friday in a release. “It’s an honor to work with Coach Freeze, whom I have a tremendous amount of respect for, and I’m appreciative of him for this opportunity.”

The hiring of Kelly also follows the departures of a pair of Auburn defensive assistants in secondary coach Wesley McGriff, who jumped ship to Texas A&M, and defensive coordinator Ron Roberts, who reunited with Billy Napier at Florida.

Prior to joining Sanders’ staff, Kelly was at Alabama, where he served as the Crimson Tide’s associate defensive coordinator and safeties coach from 2019-22. During his four-season tenure under Nick Saban in Tuscaloosa, Kelly helped Alabama to a 47-6 record, which included winning a national title in 2020.

Kelly’s time at Alabama succeeded one season at Tennessee (2018), which came after five seasons at Florida State. Kelly served as the Seminoles’ special teams coordinator and linebackers coach in 2013 and was later promoted to FSU’s defensive coordinator — a role he held from 2014-17.

In his five seasons in Tallahassee, Florida State’s defense ranked among the top 25 in his final three seasons.

During his time with the Seminoles, Kelly also coached 10 NFL Draft picks, including a pair of first-rounders in Jalen Ramsey and Derwin James, who were taken No. 5 overall in the 2016 NFL Draft and No. 17 overall in the 2018 NFL Draft.

Kelly got his start in the FBS ranks in 2006 as the special teams coordinator at Georgia Tech, where he spent the next seven seasons.

The addition of Kelly is also bound to boost Auburn’s red-hot recruiting efforts as Kelly was named last year’s national recruiter of the year by 247 Sports.

“I look forward to helping Coach Freeze and this staff bring our program back to the caliber of championship football that Auburn deserves,” Kelly said. “As the Auburn Creed states, ‘I believe in work, hard work.’ I do not take this opportunity lightly and am ready to go to work. War Eagle!”

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al.com

 

Auburn’s coaching carousel: The timeline of the Hugh Freeze and the Tigers’ staff shakeup

Updated: Jan. 12, 2024, 12:14 p.m.|Published: Jan. 12, 2024, 8:57 a.m.

5–6 minutes

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The Auburn coaching carousel was wound up tight.

And before Hugh Freeze’s first season with the Tigers could conclude, someone let go of the key and the carousel started spinning.

It was back in October that Auburn saw its first staff “change” as Wesley McGriff, the Tigers’ secondary coach, stepped away from his on-the-field role and instead slipped into the shadows in an off-the-field role that centered around in-house recruiting.

After that domino fell, there was a long pause before the next toppled over as it was reported that Colorado’s defensive coordinator Charles Kelly would be joining Freeze’s staff on The Plains two hours before the Music City Bowl kicked off on Dec. 30.

Since then, the carousel has kept spinning and the dominoes have continued to fall.

Here’s a timeline of Auburn’s coaching changes.

Oct. 18 — Auburn secondary coach Wesley McGriff steps back

Late in the evening of Oct. 18, 247Sports’ Brandon Marcello reported McGriff would be “temporarily stepping away from on-field duties for a ‘personal matter.’”

Five days later, Freeze told reporters McGriff was still with the Tigers’ program, but had taken on a role overseeing “in-house recruiting.”

Dec. 30 — Auburn to hire Colorado defensive coordinator Charles Kelly

Auburn’s players and coaches were warming up on the field of Nashville’s Nissan Stadium as they prepped for their Music City Bowl matchup with the Maryland Terrapins when 247Sports’ Matt Zenitz reported that Auburn was expected to add Colorado defensive coordinator Charles Kelly to its staff.

It was never reported what role Kelly might have with Auburn’s defense.

Kelly, a former Auburn player, previously held coaching stints at Alabama, Tennessee and Florida State, among others.

Dec. 31 — Texas A&M expected to hire Wesley McGriff

Less than 24 hours after Auburn’s season officially ended with a loss to Maryland in the Music City Bowl, it was reported that Auburn secondary coach Wesley McGriff was on the move.

After taking a step back in October, Billy Liucci of TexasAgs.com was the first to report that McGriff was expected to be added to Mike Elko’s assembling staff at Texas A&M.

Jan. 3 — Texas A&M officially announces hiring of McGriff

Texas A&M officially announced the hiring of McGriff on Jan. 3, introducing the former Auburn secondary coach as the Aggies’ pass game coordinator and defensive backs coach.

Jan. 5 — Auburn fires offensive coordinator Philip Montgomery

Auburn was less than a week removed from its 31-13 loss to Maryland when Freeze announced the firing of first-year offensive coordinator Philip Montgomery.

“I informed Philip today he would not be retained as our offensive coordinator,” Freeze said in a press release. “Philip is a good coach and a good man. Decisions like this are never easy, however, I decided this is best for our program moving forward. I’m appreciative of his efforts this past year and wish him nothing but the best.”

Freeze hired Montgomery to call the plays for the Tigers’ offense in early December 2022.

Jan. 8 — Auburn defensive coordinator Ron Roberts leaves for Florida, per reports

Three days after firing its offensive coordinator, Auburn learned it would also be looking for a defensive coordinator after it was reported that Ron Roberts would be leaving his role with the Tigers to take on a similar one at Florida.

Matt Zenitz of 247Sports was the first to report Roberts’ move.

Jan. 11 — Auburn running backs coach Cadillac Williams steps down

After spending his playing career and the past five seasons at Auburn, Cadillac Williams resigned from his position as the Tigers’ running backs coach and associate head coach late in the evening on Jan. 11.

Williams cited the pursuit of other opportunities as reason for his resignation.

Jan. 12 — Auburn defensive backs coach Zac Etheridge resigns

Less than 12 hours after the resignation of Cadillac Williams, Auburn defensive backs coach Zac Etheridge was the next to follow suit.

Etheridge took to X, the social platform formerly known as Twitter, to confirm his departure.

Matt Zenitz of 247Sports reported that Etheridge is expected to join Willie Fritz’s staff at Houston.

Jan. 12 — Auburn announces hiring of Charles Kelly as co-DC

Just shy of two weeks after the initial reports that Auburn was looking to hire Colorado defensive coordinator and former Auburn player Charles Kelly, the Auburn football program finally made it official.

Kelly was officially announced as the Auburn’s co-defensive coordinator the afternoon of Jan. 12, filling one of the vacancies on the Tigers’ defense.

This is a developing story and will be updated should additional staff changes and hires be announced.

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