aubiefifty 16,803 Posted January 23 Share Posted January 23 al.com Nehemiah Pritchett becomes third Auburn DB to accept invitation to NFL Combine Published: Jan. 22, 2024, 12:53 p.m. ~2 minutes Auburn cornerback Nehemiah Pritchett celebrates the teams win against Vanderbilt after an NCAA college football game Saturday, Nov. 4, 2023, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/George Walker IV)AP Auburn will have three representatives from the defensive secondary in Indianapolis from Feb. 27 to March 4 as former Auburn defensive back Nehemiah Pritchett has accepted his invitation to the 2024 NFL Scouting Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium. Pritchett will join fellow former Auburn defensive backs Jaylin Simpson and DJ James in Indianapolis for the invite-only event, which allows NFL Scouts to evaluate some of the top draft-eligible talent in the country. Pritchett’s invitation to the combine comes on the heels of his fifth season on The Plains, which saw him appear in nine of Auburn’s 13 games in 2023. Pritchett missed the first three weeks of action in 2023 with injury and later opted out of the Tigers’ Music City Bowl matchup with the Maryland Terrapins. Through nine games in 2023, Pritchett tallied 22 total tackles and logged an interception. In his five seasons at Auburn, Pritchett tallied a total of 115 tackles, three interceptions and 29 pass breakups. According to Pro Football Focus, Pritchett ranks at the 15th-best cornerback in the 2024 NFL Draft and was given a 71.2 season grade for his 2023 campaign. If you purchase a product or register for an account through a link on our site, we may receive compensation. By using this site, you consent to our User Agreement and agree that your clicks, interactions, and personal information may be collected, recorded, and/or stored by us and social media and other third-party partners in accordance with our Privacy Policy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aubiefifty 16,803 Posted January 23 Author Share Posted January 23 247sports.com Jason Caldwells Monday morning quarterback column Jason Caldwell 4–5 minutes Finishing off a strong staff There’s still one more position left to fill for Hugh Freeze as he looks to finish off his staff heading into year two with the Auburn Tigers, but to this point it looks like a group that has a chance to do some good things on the Plains. Bringing back Wesley McGriff was a big part of keeping this secondary group together following the move of Zac Etheridge to Houston. Relationships are big and he’s someone that this group already knew and trusted. Bringing in veteran Charles Kelly only added to the secondary settling in. He had a big part in Antonio Kite making the move from Alabama to Auburn and those two should be a formidable duo on the recruiting trail and the field for the Tigers. On the offensive side of the ball, the duo of Kent Austin and Derrick Nix bring plenty of experience and the knowledge of what Hugh Freeze wants on that side of the ball. Austin is an interesting guy because of his history coaching the quarterback position in college and in the CFL. He was the QB coach at Ole Miss in 2008 in the first season for Houston Nutt in Oxford. Taking over a team that went 3-8 under Ed Orgeron, Nutt led them to 9 wins and Austin’s offense was a big reason why. He had transfer Jevan Snead at quarterback and he threw for 2,044 yards and 21 touchdowns and nine interceptions. That was in an offense that saw the Rebels run the ball nearly 200 more times than they threw it. Known for his work with the fundamental side of things with quarterbacks, Austin is someone that could make a big difference with the group as he moves into the full-time role on the field. Just getting into town and starting his job at Auburn, Nix was already busy over the weekend meeting with recruits, talking to current players and also meeting everyone he could find around campus and the community. Before and during Saturday’s basketball game against Ole Miss, Nix and Kelly were talking to scholarship donors, fans and others. For Kelly it was a homecoming as he caught up with former teammates like Jeff Burger and Benji Roland before the game. As for the defensive coordinator spot, I think we’ll know something in the next 48 hours or so. We’ve talked about two guys since this started and I still think that Chris Kiffin and D.J. Durkin are the two guys I would watch for the most. Does that mean someone else couldn’t be involved? No, but I would still lean towards one of those two guys being the guy for Freeze and the Tigers when the dust settles. Big 5-game stretch for Auburn basketball There are no easy stretches when you’re playing in the Southeastern Conference and with a three-game stretch of Kentucky, at Georgia and at Tennessee coming up later in the regular season, the next few weeks are going to be really important for Auburn’s chances of making a push for a regular season SEC title. A stretch of three road games in the next four is what’s ahead for the Tigers with games at Alabama and Mississippi State this week, a home game against Vanderbilt, and a road trip to Ole Miss to finish off the second week for Bruce Pearl’s team. Then you get Alabama at home in the fifth game before going to Florida. Auburn has put itself in a great position early in the SEC race, but the Tigers will have earned everything they get if they can get through these next two weeks without a loss or having just one loss. If they’ll keep playing team basketball like they’re doing now, this is an Auburn team that can beat anyone, anywhere. It’s not a team that has some of the elite talent we’ve seen on the roster in previous years and probably not full of draft prospects like a Kentucky or Tennessee, but this team is extremely deep and playing perfect complimentary basketball. We’ve seen teams like Florida Atlantic, San Diego State and others ride that wave deep in the NCAA Tournament. This Auburn team has that same possibilit Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aubiefifty 16,803 Posted January 23 Author Share Posted January 23 Auburn signs Alabama defensive back transfer Kite Josiah Elmore 1–2 minutes AUBURN, Ala. (WHNT) — A former Alabama Crimson Tide player is crossing over rival lines and joining the Auburn Tigers, Auburn announced Wednesday. Former Tide defensive back Antonio Kite signed with the Tigers Wednesday afternoon marking the 9th transfer portal pickup for the Tigers and a rare instance in which a player transfers from one side of the Iron Bowl to the other. Kite, who entered the transfer portal following the retirement of Nick Saban, is believed to have visited Auburn on Wednesday before committing and signing to play for Hugh Freeze in the 2024 season. His addition is one that the Tigers will welcome as they lost their top three defensive backs from the 2023 season to the NFL Draft and have lost other members of the secondary to the transfer portal. Kite was a four-star prospect coming out of Anniston High School in Anniston, Alabama. He committed to the Tide over offers from several Power Five schools. Kite finishes his Alabama career as mainly a special teams contributor in two seasons in Tuscaloosa. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aubiefifty 16,803 Posted January 23 Author Share Posted January 23 Auburn Football Auburn AD John Cohen gives update on Jordan-Hare north endzone, facility changes Updated: Jan. 23, 2024, 6:43 a.m.| Published: Jan. 23, 2024, 6:32 a.m. Outside Jordan-Hare Stadium on the Auburn University campus on Thursday, Nov. 9, 2023. (Ben Flanagan / AL.com)Ben Flanagan Subscribers can gift articles to anyone By Matt Cohen | mcohen@al.com One of the first things John Cohen noticed since he was hired as Auburn’s athletic director in late 2022 was the north endzone at Jordan-Hare Stadium and its antiquated scoreboard and layout. He has long stated a goal of a wide-ranging construction project to update not just the scoreboard but to develop the entire end of the stadium into a space including far more premium options for fans — expanding on an already existing push for premium seating under Cohen’s tenure. “I think one of the things, and this is long before John Cohen, but one of the things that we had to address in all of our facilities is a little bit of a lack of premium options,” Cohen said in a January sit-down with AL.com. “We’ve added some premium options in basketball, we’ve added some premium options in baseball. We’ve actually added a premium opportunity quite frankly at softball that we’re quite excited about. We’ve added some premium options over at football. We’re going to continue to enhance our premium options cause that’s what this fanbase demands.” Cohen seems to be envisioning creating an experiential area on that end of the stadium with a plaza as well as suites, similar to several other recent projects across the country. Cohen said he and his staff traveled to and studied other school’s projects including at Arkansas, Florida State, Nebraska and Notre Dame. While he was the athletic director at Mississippi State, Cohen oversaw a renovation of the north endzone at Davis-Wade Stadium. Though Cohen said he anticipates the Auburn project to be “more different than alike” to his previous experience. For now, Cohen said the project is in a “dream phase,” and he does not have a budget or a timeline for completing the project. He said he and his staff are working on preparing a blueprint to present internally. “What all of us are fighting is that living room, and the very comfortable chair, and the personal refrigerator,” Cohen said. “We’re fighting that. We’re asking fans to fill up their tank with gas. We’re asking them to make time that they sometimes don’t have and come experience Auburn University. In doing that, we have to make the environment as conducive and as enjoyable an opportunity as possible.” Cohen said the north endzone project is one of a series of facilities updates and upgrades on his agenda. In large part, every project is still in the brainstorming phase and not much has been finalized. That includes developing a plan to spread out congestion at Neville Arena between the three teams competing for practice space: men’s basketball, women’s basketball and volleyball. The volleyball team, Cohen said, has practiced in three different places since he arrived at Auburn including the Student Activities Center. Head coach Brent Crouch’s team has made two consecutive NCAA Tournaments. “Our volleyball team has needs that we have not yet met,” Cohen said. Cohen is looking to create a “permanent” facility for volleyball. Exactly how that will come about is not clear. He said he has spent a great deal of time thinking about uses for the essentially vacant Beard-Eaves Coliseum. Save for a small patch of office space, the athletics department does not use the building. Cohen did not reveal exactly what his plans are for the building, whether that means re-purposing it or knocking it down entirely. Matt Cohen covers Auburn sports for AL.com. You can follow him on X at @Matt_Cohen_ or email him at mcohen@al.com If you purchase a product or register for an account through a link on our site, we may receive compensation. By using this site, you consent to our User Agreement and agree that your clicks, interactions, and personal information may be collected, recorded, and/or stored by us and social media and other third-party partners in accordance with our Privacy Policy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aubiefifty 16,803 Posted January 23 Author Share Posted January 23 Auburn Football Statistically speaking, what did Auburn’s offense lose and gain in the transfer portal? Published: Jan. 23, 2024, 6:01 a.m. FAYETTEVILLE, AR - NOVEMBER 11 - Auburn Wide Receiver Ja'Varrius Johnson (6) during the game between the (24) Auburn Tigers and the Arkansas Razorbacks at Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium in Fayetteville, AR on Saturday, Nov. 11, 2023. Photo by Zach Bland/Auburn TigersZach Bland/Auburn Tigers Subscribers can gift articles to anyone By Ainslie Lee | alee@al.com When Hugh Freeze first arrived at Auburn, he had no choice but to hit the transfer portal hard as he set out to strengthen Auburn football’s roster, which had been neglected by his predecessor for two seasons. So Freeze and the Tigers welcomed in more than 20 new faces last offseason. This time around, however, between what he retained and what he brought in from the high school ranks, Freeze and Auburn’s staff didn’t need to do as much work in the portal. However, he and the Tigers still made a few moves in the portal during the first portal window. On the offensive side of the football, Auburn lost six players to the portal and added four. Here’s a look at the statistical impacts of Auburn’s transfer portal moves on the offensive side of the ball: Who and what did Auburn lose? QB Robby Ashford 2023 stats: 14-for-27 passing, 145 passing yards, 2 passing touchdowns, 2 interceptions, 46 carries, 217 rushing yards, 5 rushing touchdowns Career stats: 137-for-277 passing, 1,758 passing yards, 9 touchdowns, 9 interceptions, 199 carries, 927 rushing yards, 12 rushing touchdowns WR Ja’Varrius Johnson 2023 stats: 19 receptions, 347 yards, 3 touchdowns Career stats: 64 receptions, 1,114 yards, 8 touchdowns WR Omari Kelly 2023 stats: 2 receptions, 45 yards Career stats: 3 receptions, 56 yards WR Jyaire Shorter 2023 stats: 1 reception, 10 yards Career stats: 59 receptions, 1,330 yards, 20 touchdowns TE Tyler Fromm 2023 stats: 3 receptions, 21 yards Career stats: 14 receptions, 165 yards, 1 touchdown Who and what did Auburn gain? Georgia State WR Robert Lewis 2023 stats: 70 receptions, 877 yards, 7 touchdowns Career stats: 102 receptions, 1,323 yards, 14 touchdowns Cal QB Sam Jackson V 2023 stats: 51-for-96 passing, 556 passing yards, 5 touchdowns, 2 interceptions, 26 carries, 59 rushing yards, 1 touchdown Career stats: 57-for-102 passing, 681 passing yards, 5 touchdowns, 2 interceptions, 41 carries, 138 rushing yards, 3 touchdowns Note: Jackson will transition to wide receiver for the first time since high school when he arrives to Auburn Maryland TE Rico Walker 2023 stats: 4 receptions, 27 yards Career stats: 4 receptions, 27 yards Mississippi State OL Percy Lewis 2023 stats: 7 starts, 12 game appearances Career starts: 8 starts, 25 game appearances How does it all add up? With what’s come and gone on the offensive side of the football, looking at stats from the 2023 season, Auburn is gaining... 411 passing yards 3 passing touchdowns 49 receptions 481 receiving yards 4 receiving touchdowns 7 starts along the offensive line With what’s come and gone on the offensive side of the football, looking at stats from the 2023 season, Auburn is losing... 188 rushing yards 4 rushing touchdowns If you purchase a product or register for an account through a link on our site, we may receive compensation. By using this site, you consent to our User Agreement and agree that your clicks, interactions, and personal information may be collected, recorded, and/or stored by us and social media and other third-party partners in accordance with our Privacy Policy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aubiefifty 16,803 Posted January 23 Author Share Posted January 23 Auburn athletics reports decreased profits, increased support payments from institution Updated: Jan. 22, 2024, 11:56 a.m.|Published: Jan. 22, 2024, 11:54 a.m. ~3 minutes AUBURN, AL - November 25, 2023 - An Auburn cheerleader waves an Auburn flag in the end zone before the start of the fourth quarter during the Iron Bowl game between the Alabama Crimson Tide and the Auburn Tigers at Jordan-Hare Stadium in Auburn, AL. Photo by Austin PerrymanAustin Perryman Auburn’s athletics department blasted past its previous record revenue set in the 2021-22 fiscal year by more than $20 million but did so with a significantly decreased profit and higher institutional support payments, according to a copy of Auburn’s 2022-23 revenues and expenses report obtained by AL.com in a public records request. Auburn reported a total revenue of $195,301,922 in 2023, up from last year’s record $174,568,422. The overall profit declined from the $22.9 million mark in the 2021-22 fiscal year to only $3.2 million last year. That comes after Auburn also operated at a record-high cost of $192 million in operating expenses. Last year, Auburn saw a significant increase in severance payments, cutting into its previous record profit. That is largely because Auburn fired previous head coach Bryan Harsin one month into the 2022-23 fiscal year so payments owed to him were not factored into the previous year’s report. Auburn owed $19.8 million in severance payments in 2022-23 compared to $8.2 million in the previous cycle. Auburn reported it received $25 million in institutional support payments, a big increase from the $9.7 million in 2022. Ticket sales actually decreased during the 2022-23 fiscal year despite record season ticket purchases for Jordan-Hare Stadium football games this year. Part of the difference can be explained in the fiscal year not covering the entirety of the 2023 football season. The fiscal year runs from October 1, 2022, through Sept. 30, 2023. Thus the ticket sales include only the end of the 2022 season and the beginning of the 2023 campaign. Auburn reported $32.3 million in ticket sales for 2023, down from $34.1. million. That decrease came almost entirely from football, which dropped from $30 million to $28.7 million. This story will be updated. Matt Cohen covers Auburn sports for AL.com. You can follow him on X at @Matt_Cohen_ or email him at mcohen@al.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aubiefifty 16,803 Posted January 23 Author Share Posted January 23 al.com Bo Nix on Senior Bowl: ‘I just love playing football’ Published: Jan. 22, 2024, 3:55 p.m. 6–7 minutes Bo Nix got a warm ovation during an appearance at an Auburn basketball game at Neville Arena earlier this month, and he’s anticipating more pleasant interactions with Tigers fans during the upcoming Reese’s Senior Bowl week. Nix, the former Auburn quarterback who played his final two seasons at Oregon, is one of seven quarterbacks who will participate in the 2024 Senior Bowl. The annual college football all-star game and NFL draft showcase is set for Feb. 3 at Hancock Whitney Stadium in Mobile. “It feels good to be back in the South and getting ready for the game we’ve got coming up,” Nix said. “It’s just always fun to be around other guys and train with them, get to hear their stories and see how this draft process goes. “I expect great competition, a lot of learning and a lot of growth just within one week. I’m excited to be around other people, other coaches, different players from around the country that I’ve been able to watch from afar.” Nix will play for the National team in the Senior Bowl, alongside fellow quarterbacks Michael Penix of Washington and Sam Hartman of Notre Dame. There are four quarterbacks on the American team: South Alabama’s Carter Bradley, Tennessee’s Joe Milton, South Carolina’s Spencer Rattler and Tulane’s Michael Pratt. The Senior Bowl could add an eighth quarterback or go with just seven, executive director Jim Nagy said Monday. Either way, Nix is certainly going to be among the game’s most intriguing players. “When we start this process at the beginning of every fall, there’s certain players that you want to have in the game, you feel like you need to have in the game, to have a great game — Bo Nix and Michael Penix were two of those guys,” Nagy said. “So we’re excited to get both of them. Bo, obviously, being from the state and having the Auburn connection, it’s a really cool homecoming for him. And the fact that he’s doing all his pre-draft training down here with David Morris at QB Country, it’s awesome that he’s right here in our backyard.” It’s been a circuitous route for Nix to get back to his home state after winning two state championships at Pinson Valley High School with his father, former Auburn quarterback Patrick Nix, as head coach. He was Mr. Football as a senior in 2019, and signed with Auburn as one of the most celebrated recruits in the program’s modern history. Nix’s college career got off to an excellent start, but things unraveled under former head coach Bryan Harsin in 2021. He transferred to Oregon and revived his career in the Pac-12, finishing this past season with 4,508 yards and 45 touchdowns passes with just three interceptions, ending up third in the Heisman Trophy balloting behind winner Jayden Daniels of LSU and runner-up Penix. 26 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aubiefifty 16,803 Posted January 23 Author Share Posted January 23 al.com Former Auburn quarterback T.J. Finley transferring to WKU Published: Jan. 22, 2024, 4:33 p.m. ~3 minutes Sports Former Auburn QB T.J. Finley transferring to Western Kentucky, which opens 2024 at Alabama Texas State quarterback TJ Finley (7) throws a pass as tight end Titus Lyons (86) blocks Rice defensive end Coleman Coco (44) during the first half of the First Responder Bowl NCAA college football game Tuesday, Dec. 26, 2023, in Dallas. (AP Photo/LM Otero)AP By Creg Stephenson | cstephenson@al.com T.J. Finley is headed to his fourth school in five years, having announced Monday he will transfer to Western Kentucky. Finley, who played the 2021 and 2022 seasons at Auburn and spent 2023 at Texas State, has two seasons of eligibility remaining. He threw for 3,439 yards and 24 touchdowns for the Bobcats this past season, leading them to an 8-5 record and their first bowl victory. The 6-foot-7, 255-pound Finley passed for 941 yards and five touchdowns in five games as a true freshman at LSU in 2020. He started five games in 2021 at Auburn amid injuries to Bo Nix, passing for 827 yards and six touchdowns with one interception. Finley started Auburn’s 2022 season opener vs. Mercer after Nix transferred to Oregon, but came off the bench behind Robby Ashford in the next three games before sitting out the rest of the season and taking a redshirt year. He started all 13 games at Texas State this past season, but re-entered the portal last week after the Bobcats signed former Arizona quarterback Jayden de Laura. Western Kentucky, a member of Conference USA, opens the 2024 season at Alabama on Aug. 31 in a game that will mark Kalen DeBoer’s debut as Crimson Tide head coach. Finley started the 2021 Iron Bowl at Jordan-Hare Stadium, nearly leading Auburn to a massive upset of Alabama before the Tigers lost 24-22 in four overtimes. Western Kentucky is looking to replace two-year starter Austin Reed, who is out of eligibility after combining for 8,086 yards and 71 touchdowns passing for the Hilltoppers in 2022 and 2023. If you purchase a product or register for an account through a link on our site, we may receive compensation. By using this site, you consent to our User Agreement and agree that your clicks, interactions, and personal information may be collected, recorded, and/or stored by us and social media and other third-party partners in accordance with our Privacy Policy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aubiefifty 16,803 Posted January 23 Author Share Posted January 23 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aubiefifty 16,803 Posted January 23 Author Share Posted January 23 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aubiefifty 16,803 Posted January 23 Author Share Posted January 23 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aubiefifty 16,803 Posted January 23 Author Share Posted January 23 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aubiefifty 16,803 Posted January 23 Author Share Posted January 23 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aubiefifty 16,803 Posted January 23 Author Share Posted January 23 (edited) well finally something to post. i feel like i finally earned my money in about a week. also salty left so i made sure to post the good stuff so he would be jealous..........grins Edited January 23 by aubiefifty Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SaltyTiger 7,814 Posted January 23 Share Posted January 23 18 minutes ago, aubiefifty said: well finally something to post. i feel like i finally earned my money in about a week. also salty left so i amde swure topost the good stuff so he would be jealous..........grins Reading with bacon and eggs this morning. Thanks Fiddy….going to take another piece of bacon to finish reading Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aubiefifty 16,803 Posted January 23 Author Share Posted January 23 1 minute ago, SaltyTiger said: Reading with bacon and eggs this morning. Thanks Fiddy….going to take another piece of bacon to finish reading i love me some bacon salty. we should hang out. they would call us sweet and salty.................... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aubiefifty 16,803 Posted January 23 Author Share Posted January 23 Paul Finebaum shares thoughts on Auburn’s recent coaching changes Taylor Jones Mon, January 22, 2024 at 12:00 PM CST·2 min read 4 The month of January for Auburn football has been filled with staff changes across the board. Several have been replaced while others have been promoted. Among the changes are the departures of former Tiger players Cadillac Williams and Zac Etheridge. Changes such as those have caused an uproar from the Auburn fanbase, and an SEC analyst feels that it is only right for head coach Hugh Freeze to address their exits. Radio show host Paul Finebaum was a guest on Monday morning’s edition of McElroy and Cubelic in the Morning on Jox 94.5 in Birmingham, where he discussed the recent moves within Auburn’s coaching staff. He says that Freeze could lower confusion within the fanbase by explaining the moves, especially the one concerning Auburn’s interim head coach during the final two games of the 2022 season. “When you have one of the most famous players in your history depart without explanation and then another one who is, I believe a captain and very popular, you have to explain these things, or if you don’t you’re going to lead people to wonder,” Finebaum said. “I don’t need to remind you (Cole Cubelic) because you were at the epicenter of the Cadillac Williams thing on national television 14 months ago how popular he was and what an emotional story that is.” Even though the loss of Williams and Etheridge stings Auburn fans, Finebaum understands that those moves are expected due to the need to hire new coordinators. Despite the change, Finebaum still feels that Auburn is on the right track with its recent hires. “I think that’s part of it. I think when you unload your top two coordinators and there’s change and there’s chaos, you really are going to draw the wrath of the crowd,” Finebaum said Monday. “Having said all that, I think some of the changes have been positive. I think Hugh Freeze realized he needed an upgrade and I think he’s got it. I still think the sour taste at the end of the season is pretty hard to deal with, but I would still argue that if you take a deep breath and look forward, Auburn is in very good shape.” Auburn has hired Derrick Nix to serve as offensive coordinator while Charles Kelly returns to his alma mater to take over the co-defensive coordinator role. Matt Zenitz of 247Sports reported Sunday that former Texas A&M defensive coordinator DJ Durkin is a target to work alongside Kelly in a coordinator role. 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__ Story originally appeared on Auburn Wire Up next Everything Bruce Pearl, Auburn’s players said after dominating Ole Miss JD McCarthy Sun, January 21, 2024 at 12:00 PM CST·6 min read The Auburn Tigers are the hottest team in the SEC and maybe the entire country. They picked up their 11th straight win Saturday night over Ole Miss 82-59 in Neville Arena and are now in sole lead of the SEC with a perfect 5-0 record. The Tigers took control of the game in the first half and enjoyed a 19-point lead at the break. Unlike past games, they did not take their foot off the gas and only built on the lead after the break, winning by 23 points. Auburn’s depth was once again key as all 11 rotation players scored and each played 10 or more minutes. The bench, led by Dylan Cardwell and Lior Berman, had a particularly great night, scoring 40 points and playing great defense. The win finally impressed Bruce Pearl, who along with Cardwell, and Berman spoke with the media after the game. Here is a look at everything they had to say. Pearl's opening statement... “Well, two weeks from now we have to go back to Oxford, so I’m already starting to get prepared, so I’m not going to get too happy. I told our guys before, every now and then, they’re asking me, ‘coach, are you impressed yet?’ Well, I really haven’t been. Part of it is just we haven’t played that many ranked teams yet, right. But, you know, Ole Miss comes in ranked and they’re a good team. They are really well-coached and have a really good personnel of older guys. And gah lee, when you look at Jaemyn Brakefield, Matthew Murrell or Allen Flanigan, and the kid (Jaylen) Murray. Those guys have played a lot of basketball, all of those, each one of them are 20 points a night guys. To play that well and control the game like we did was impressive. I thought particularly the way we guarded, and again we did a good job, especially in the first half, guarding without fouling. I thought it was a great example of what I want this team to try to be like. A couple of things, momentum helps with the substitution. Lior Berman got a rotation in there and was playing really well. Particularly on the defensive end, he was physical. He had gone up against Al (Flanigan) for four years and really did a nice job. He was working really hard defensively. He was effective out there. It was more than his time to come out and Chad Baker-Mazara was due to come in. Chad Baker-Mazara says I should leave him in there, because Lior was playing so great. When you hae teammates like that, that’s really special. So, let’s hope we can keep that going. We turned it over a little bit too much, but other than that, played well.” On the defense... “They were locked in. I think they are beginning to enjoy the fact that they have the ability to make it difficult on the opponent and they’re creating some offense from their defense. I get it, it goes back to being unselfish. You realize the effort that it takes to be in the right spot at the right time. To do the things that they have to do to be able to, you know, sit down and guard. Matthew Murrell averaged 24 against us last year. Averaged. He shot two free throws tonight and he shot like 22 last year in two games. The defense can carry us, if we can continue to do this. Obviously, our mind is set. We know where we have to go on Wednesday. We understand what an unbelievably tough cover Alabama is. It’s going to be important and we know how physical and athletic, and how hard, Mississippi State plays.” On the bench having a big night... “Well, we’ve been saying all along that when we go to the bench, we don’t drop off. My question was, is it because our bench is that good or that our starters aren’t good enough. All summer and fall, it was even. I could start Aden (Holloway) or Tre (Donaldson). I could start K.D. (Johnson) or Denver (Jones). I could start Chad Baker-Mazara. He’s my best three man. Chris (Moore) and Lior (Berman) would tell you that. He’s coming off the bench. Jaylin (Williams) has been terrific. But Chaney Johnson, did he not show you some freak tonight? I mean, that was some freaky stuff he was able to do out there man, let me tell you. I was happy for Chaney. I’m hard on Chaney. My boy works hard and I mean, ‘wow.’ Then Dylan (Cardwell) and Johni (Broome) – two really, really good centers that are both different, but are both extremely impactful. (Associate Head Coach) Steven Pearl had the scout tonight. He had a brilliant, brilliant game plan.” Cardwell on stopping Ole Miss' big four... “First and foremost, they (Ole Miss) are a great transition team. A lot of their points come off block shots and Al (Flanigan) is just so hard to stop. We knew that from playing with him last year. Just looking at those top four guys: (Brandon) Murray, (Matthew) Murrell, Flanigan and (Jaemyn) Brakefield. After watching their LSU game, we realized just those four guys scored 87 points. You realize, if you want to win that game, you have to start with those four first.” On the final play and the team's chemistry... “First and foremost, I want to apologize if that came off as classless. That is not who we are storming the court up 30. I apologize if I came across disrespectful. It was not any disrespect towards Ole Miss, but more towards our genuine friendship and being proud of our team. That was Addarin’s (Scott) first field goal made, so that was fun. It was a testament to his hard work. It was one of the craziest things I have seen in awhile (Scott’s made layup over 7-foot-6 Jamarion Sharp of Ole Miss with 43 seconds left in regulation).” Berman on the team's confidence... “When we bring our effort and energy – that is when we are best. It does not matter who we play. Sometimes, we can be our own worst enemy. If we are flying around making plays, we can run with anyone. If we continue to do that, we will have continued success.” On what clicked with this team... “We are deep in every position. We have each other’s backs. If we have one guy off, we have another coming in. We will support each other through that. Having that at each spot and position has allowed us to be effective every night.” Story originally appeared on Auburn Wire Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aubiefifty 16,803 Posted January 23 Author Share Posted January 23 (edited) DJ Durkin emerges as a candidate for Auburn’s defensive coordinator job Taylor Jones Mon, January 22, 2024 at 10:33 AM CST·2 min read Auburn may be on the verge of adding a defensive coordinator with SEC experience. According to Matt Zenitz of 247Sports, former Texas A&M defensive coordinator DJ Durkin has become a target to replace Ron Roberts on Auburn’s staff. If hired, Durkin would split defensive coordinator duties with Charles Kelly, who returns to his alma mater after most recently spending a season on Deion Sanders’ staff at Colorado. Under Durkin’s leadership, Texas A&M has posted a top-five defensive within the SEC over the last two seasons. The Aggies ended the 2023 season with the conference’s fifth-best defense, allowing 22.1 points and 316.2 yards per contest. Texas A&M’s defense was considered to be better than Ole Miss, South Carolina, and LSU last season. Before his time in College Station, Durkin was defensive coordinator for Lane Kiffin at Ole Miss during the 2020 and 2021 seasons. The Rebels’ defense progressed in his two seasons, moving from No. 14 in the SEC in 2020 to No. 8 in 2021. He also served as defensive coordinator at Florida from 2013-14, where he coached the Gators’ defense to a No. 3 ranking in the SEC in 2013. In between stops in SEC country, Durkin led the Maryland Terrapins as head coach from 2016-18, where he failed to win more than six games during his stay. Head coach Hugh Freeze has added three assistant coaches to his staff since the end of the 2023 season. Joining Kelly is Derrick Nix, who joins Auburn’s staff as offensive coordinator and running backs coach after spending 16 seasons at Ole Miss. Freeze has also promoted Kent Austin to quarterbacks coach after he spent last season as an assistant to Freeze. 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__ Story originally appeared on Auburn Wire Edited January 23 by aubiefifty Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now