1.31.24 Football Articles

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al.com

3 Auburn signees win awards at Alabama Mr. Football banquet

Updated: Jan. 30, 2024, 2:22 p.m.|Published: Jan. 30, 2024, 2:15 p.m.

3–4 minutes

Central-Phenix City's Cam Coleman celebrates his touchdown during the AHSAA Super 7 Class 7A championship at Bryant-Denny Stadium in Tuscaloosa, Ala., Wednesday, Dec. 6, 2023. (Vasha Hunt | preps@al.com)Vasha Hunt | vhunt@al.com

Three Auburn signees won awards at the 2023 Alabama Mr. Football awards presented on Tuesday in Montgomery.

Five-star wide receiver recruit Cam Coleman out of Central-Phenix City was named the Class 7A Back of the Year, four-star linebacker recruit Joe Phillips out of Booker T. Washington in Tuskegee was named the Class 4A Lineman of the Year and three-star linebacker recruit DJ Barber out of Clay-Chalkville was named the Class 6A Lineman of the Year.

Auburn signees Perry Thompson and Malik Blocton were nominated as well but did not win their categories. Thompson lost to Coleman and Blocton lost to Barber.

Alabama commit and five-star receiver Ryan Williams from Saraland was named the state’s overall Mr. Football. He made history as the first-ever two-time winner of the award.

Coleman was the last of the three winners to be announced.

“War eagle,” Coleman said as he walked off the stage in the front of the ballroom at the Rennaissance hotel in downtown Montgomery.

When he walked up on stage, Auburn wide receivers coach Marcus Davis, who was in the crowd, smiled in his seat.

Davis led the way to Auburn signing the best wide receiver class in program history with Coleman, Thompson, four-star receiver Bryce Cain and four-star receiver Malcolm Simmons.

“First off, it takes a village with the help of Coach Freeze and the rest of the staff,” Davis told AL.com after the awards ceremony. “It takes a village to get those guys. You’ve got a couple guys that’s the best in the state that want to compete and get better. That’s a big part of it as well. It’s a testament to those guys and what they want to build as players.”

Davis wasn’t able to talk explicitly about Auburn’s recruiting goals ahead of the Feb. 7 National Signing Day, especially after Williams re-committed to Alabama last week. He said the plan at this point is to “finish strong.”

“You’ll see as you go,” Davis said.

Coleman is currently on campus going through workouts at Auburn. Thompson hasn’t arrived yet. Davis said Coleman has gotten better throughout winter workouts and gotten acclimated to college since his January arrival.

“That’s going to be fun,” Davis said of when he can get all his receivers on campus. “It’s a process. Those guys are going through this process right now. We’re looking forward to it with them.”

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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Edited January 31 by aubiefifty

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saturdaydownsouth.com

 

Greg McElroy calls Auburn’s reported new defensive coordinator DJ Durkin a ‘runaway bride’

Keith Farner | 20 hours ago

3–4 minutes

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Cole Cubelic and Greg McElroy reacted to Hugh Freeze’s latest coaching staff moves, including reportedly hiring DJ Durkin as defensive coordinator. They noted the backlash about the hire, but McElroy shared that Durkin was in the mix to be on Nick Saban’s staff at Alabama had the coach not retired.

Cubelic first noted that Durkin at Texas A&M had an elite defensive line, which feasted on a lot of different offenses.

“But the talent was something that I don’t think you had to really scheme up, based on what they had, the depth and the overall ability of that defensive line,” Cubelic said. “We’ve had our complaints about him schematically. One of the nicest guys you’ll sit down and talk to.”

Known around the SEC, and a coach who knows the SEC, Cubelic said Durkin is known as a good recruiter and someone who has plenty of experience.

“DJ Durkin’s really well liked, and really well respected as a football coach,” McElroy said. “The problem that I have with it is I don’t know what style of defense is his. I feel like he’s been runaway bride. Every single time she was dating somebody, she changed her favorite eggs. I don’t know what he is.”

McElroy then recalled Durkin’s previous SEC stops at Ole Miss, Florida and Texas A&M, and the circumstances around the head coaches, like Lane Kiffin and Will Muschamp.

“I don’t know what his defensive identity is,” McElroy said. “That’s what I’m most curious about. It’s not that I don’t think it’s a good hire, it’s I don’t know what style of defense he’s going to employ.”

Cubelic recalled how Durkin came up with an odd-front alignment philosophy, but then he flipped to an even front. Then Kiffin stepped in and said he wanted to run the 3-3-5.

“I think we know how that worked out, it’s not a defense that’s going to work in this league,” Cubelic said. “There’s too much power, there’s too much oomph, you’re just not going to be able to get away with it.”

Then at A&M, Cubelic figured Durkin would play a 4-down linemen setup because of the talent, but instead the Aggies used more 3-down linemen than they ever thought he would.

“I think the acumen is great, I think the experience is great,” Cubelic said. “But I have had some issues with how he’s called it the last couple of years.”

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Keith Farner

A former newspaper veteran, Keith Farner is a news manager for Saturday Down South. Follow on Twitter.

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‘They’re going to be just fine’: What Jaylin Simpson sees in Auburn’s young group of DBs

Published: Jan. 31, 2024, 6:40 a.m.

4–6 minutes

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American team safety Jaylin Simpson of Auburn practices for the Reese's Senior Bowl on Tuesday, Jan. 30, 2024, at Hancock Whitney Stadium in Mobile, Ala. (Mike Kittrell/AL.com) Mike Kittrell/AL.com

A recent dream left former Auburn defensive back Jaylin Simpson with no choice but to text Auburn junior defensive back Caleb Wooden.

“You know, I text(ed) Caleb the other day because I had a dream – a weird dream,” Simpson said, standing on the field of Hancock Whitney Stadium at the conclusion of his first Senior Bowl practice Tuesday. “I dreamed about him that he caught like two interceptions in one game. And I had to tell him.”

Simpson’s anecdote came as the result of being asked about the room of defensive backs he, DJ James, Nehemiah Pritchett and Zion Puckett are leaving behind at Auburn as the veteran quartet preps for the 2024 NFL Draft, which starts this week at the Senior Bowl.

Simpson, James and Pritchett are all set to appear in Saturday’s 2024 Reese’s Senior Bowl game.

And as evident by his dream about Wooden, Simpson is confident in the talent left on the Tigers’ roster — despite most being “rookies” by Simpson’s count.

With James and Pritchett leaving, Auburn will be tasked with replacing its two starting outside cornerbacks from the 2023 season.

Fortunately for Auburn and to the surprise of Simpson, one of the team’s key returners in the defensive secondary is expected to make a slight position change to help fill the void left by James and Pritchett.

Rising senior Keionte Scott is expected to jump over to outside cornerback after having previously played nickel back — or inside cornerback — for the Tigers.

“He did? I didn’t even know that, man,” Simpson said of Scott’s plans to change positions. “I mean, he could come out here and play any position right now. He can do it all. He’s definitely going to be here at this game next year, for sure. All-SEC player right there.”

Scott was extended an invitation to this year’s Reese’s Senior Bowl, but ultimately declined as he decided to return to Auburn for his senior season.

Otherwise, Auburn’s defensive secondary is sure to see some new faces in 2024 — some “rookies” and some transfers.

Auburn’s options at cornerback include junior Champ Anthony, sophomore Kayin Lee, sophomore J.D. Rhym, sophomore Alabama transfer Antonio Kite, redshirt freshman Colton Hood, redshirt freshman JC Hart, redshirt freshman Tyler Scott and two true freshmen in Jalyn Crawford and A’Mon Lane-Ganus.

Meanwhile, the Tigers’ room of safeties will feature senior Texas transfer Jerrin Thompson, junior Caleb Wooden, junior JUCO addition Laquan Robinson, sophomore Terrance Love, redshirt freshman Sylvester Smith, redshirt freshman C.J. Johnson and a pair of freshmen in Kensley Faustin and Kaleb Harris.

“You know, Sylvester (Smith), the transfers that are coming in, I think they’ll get the job done. Colton (Hood), (Kayin Lee)… Caleb (Wooden),” Simpson said. “All them guys, man. They’re going to be just fine.”

Speaking to the safeties returning to Auburn, Simpson says they all “watched and learned” as he and Puckett led the room in 2023.

“I know for a fact, one thing that I didn’t want to do when I left was not lead them in the right direction,” Simpson said. “And I think me and Zion... we took pride in that. And I think we showed them a lot of ways to go about Auburn and how to be an Auburn DB – you know, what that means and all that.”

And without a doubt, though Simpson hopes to be playing on Sundays in 2024, he’ll spend his Saturdays keeping up with his alma mater.

“I’m excited to see them boys play, man. I been training and sometimes I just find myself thinking like, I can’t wait for college football season. I’m just ready to see them play. I get to watch them from the outside now,” Simpson said.

“I’m just thankful for everything Auburn did for me. And those guys still on the team who pushed me to get where I’m at right now — I’m just thankful for all that and I can’t wait to watch them ball out.”

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al.com

Auburn set to add former Houston, Liberty staffer in player personnel, scouting role

Published: Jan. 30, 2024, 3:25 p.m.

~3 minutes

It appears Hugh Freeze has made another addition to his staff at Auburn, this time bringing aboard former Liberty and Houston staffer T.J. Randall as Auburn’s assistant director of player personnel and scouting.

Randall announced his move to Auburn in a post on X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter.

“Blessed beyond measure, excited to run it back,” Randall wrote in the post that featured a photo of he and Freeze at Liberty.

Auburn linebackers coach Josh Aldridge went on to issue his support of the addition.

Randall spent the last two seasons at the University of Houston, where he served as the Cougars’ assistant director of player personnel in 2022, followed by the director of scouting after being retained by first-year head coach Willie Fritz in 2023.

According to Randall’s biography on Houston’s website, as director of scouting, he focused on “player evaluations with an emphasis on the transfer portal while assisting with all offensive-related recruiting efforts.” Randall also helped scout upcoming opponents.

Randall’s emphasis on the transfer portal is of note considering Freeze’s self-confessed struggles in dealing with the transfer portal.

“I don’t think I have done very well, truthfully,” Freeze said in December when asked about how he thought he fared during the early transfer portal window. “It’s difficult.”

Prior to his time at Houston, Randall spent four seasons at Liberty — all with Freeze at the helm of the Flames’ program.

Under Freeze, Randall helped with football operations in 2018, was a recruiting graduate assistant in 2019, a recruiting assistant in 2020 and was eventually elevated to assistant director of player personnel in 2021.

News of Randall’s addition comes after the reported hiring of LSU’s Will Redmond in an executive, general manager-like role, as well as the departure of Trovon Reed, who served as Auburn’s director of football and recruiting relations. Reed went on to be added by Gus Malzahn as UCF’s cornerbacks coach.

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Former Auburn DB discusses a current player changing positions

Andrew Stefaniak

~2 minutes

A position change won't hurt this Auburn DB.

In this story:

Auburn Tigers

A position that will be a question mark heading into the 2024 season is the Auburn secondary. 

There is a ton of young talent in that room and a few veteran players but a handful of starters and role players left for the NFL Draft. Three former Auburn defensive backs are currently representing Auburn at the Reese's Senior Bowl. Jaylin Simpson, Nehemiah Pritchett, and DJ James are the former DBs at the Senior Bowl, along with former Auburn defensive lineman Marcus Harris. 

Simpson not only had an excellent season for the Auburn Tigers but really turned heads at the first day of the Reese's Senior Bowl. He had 37 tackles, four interceptions, one of which was a pick-six, and a fumble recovery last season. 

At the Senior Bowl, Ainslie Lee of AL.com asked Simpson about Keionte Scott's plan to change position from nickel to outside corner. This is what Simpson had to say to Lee about Scott's position change, “He did? I didn’t even know that man. I mean, he could come out here and play any position right now. He can do it all. He’s definitely going to be here at this game next year, for sure. All-SEC player right there.”

It's great to hear that Simpson is confident that wherever Scott lines up, he will be an outstanding player for the Auburn Tigers. If Simpson keeps turning heads at the Reese's Senior Bowl, he could work his way into day two consideration when talking about the upcoming 2024 NFL Draft. 

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si.com

 

Former Auburn defensive lineman praises his position coach at the Reese's Senior Bowl

Andrew Stefaniak

~2 minutes

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The Reese's Senior Bowl is going on right now, and a handful of former Auburn Tigers are looking to raise their draft stock.

Four former Tigers are in Mobile, Alabama, for the Reese's Senior Bowl, including Marcus Harris, Jaylin Simpson, Nehemiah Pritchett, and DJ James. The Senior Bowl is a perfect opportunity for these college stars to showcase their skill against the best talent in college football, hoping to make some money in the NFL Draft. 

Harris had a really good season for the Auburn Tigers, totaling 40 tackles, seven sacks, a forced fumble, and a fumble recovery. He was at Auburn for three seasons after starting his career at Kansas and elevated his game to the next level during his time on the Plains. With the season Harris had this year for the Auburn Tigers, he has himself in consideration to be a late day two pick or early day three pick which not many would have expected heading into 2023. 

Host of Locked On Auburn Zac Blackerby asked Harris what he learned from Coach Jeremy Garrett during his one season with him. Harris had this to say about Garrett," It's just the technique, being consistent with the technique every play. Just the energy and being myself. He allowed me to be myself. Coach Garrett is going to be a great coach in the future." 

Coach Garrett did a terrific job in his first season coaching at Auburn after following Coach Freeze from Liberty. Thanks to the impact of what Harris did during his time at Auburn and Coach Garrett developing talent the defensive line room is in an excellent spot for the future. 

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si.com

Auburn NFL Draft Hopeful Shares Who Will Step Up Next Season For The Tigers

Zac Blackerby

~2 minutes

Auburn will need some younger players to step up in 2024.

Hugh Freeze and the Auburn Tigers will need his seventh-ranked recruiting class to step up immediately. 

The Auburn Tigers lost a ton of leadership on the defensive side of the ball and four seniors are aiming to improve their NFL Draft stock in Mobile, Alabama in the Senior Bowl.

Former Auburn defensive lineman Marcus Harris discussed who could step up for the Tigers up front in 2024 to help match the production he found a year ago.

"A lot of guys. Jayson Jones, Malik Blocton, Darron Reed," Harris said. "Just guys like that. Zykevious Walker, he had a big year last year. All of those guys will have a huge role this year."

True freshman defensive lineman Malik Blocton is the younger brother of Harris. He was asked about what Auburn fans could expect from the true freshman early enrollee.

"A little bit of me but a better version of myself," Harris said. "I'm going to teach him a little bit of the stuff I know from the next level and how it will translate to the college level. I want him to be a better version of me."

Harris is one of four Tigers that went through the first practice of Senior Bowl Week. He was joined by his teammates DJ James, Jaylin Simpson, and Nehemiah Pritchett. 

Harris appeared to have a good day of drills in practice. He won some one-on-one drills and the defense dominated in the team drills. Harris is projected to get drafted anywhere from the second round to a day three selection in the 2024 NFL Draft.

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si.com

Auburn Podcaster Names New Defender As An Impact Transfer

Andrew Stefaniak

~3 minutes

This Auburn Tiger will have an instant impact.

In this story:

Auburn Tigers

The transfer portal window has come and gone, with Hugh Freeze bringing in nine new players. 

Coach Freeze didn't bring in as many players in the portal as many expected, but you can see a path to playing time for each one of the players heading to the Plains. Auburn had a few needs in the portal in the secondary, receiver, and defensive line rooms, and the staff made additions in all three. With these portal additions, the talented freshman coming in, and the players back from last season, Auburn could take that next step in 2024. 

One of the transfers to be excited about is former Texas Longhorn safety Jerrin Thompson. Last season for the Longhorns, Thompson had 38 total tackles, seven pass breakups, and three interceptions. One of his three interceptions came when Texas made the trip to Tuscaloosa and took down the Crimson Tide 34-24.

On the Locked On Auburn, host Zac Blackerby asked guest Charlie 5 to talk about some instant impact transfers, and he brought up Thompson. Charlie 5 had this to say about Thompson, " We needed a veteran safety in this room so incredibly bad. You have a ton of really young talent. A ton, okay. You have a ton coming in. You have a really talented recruiting class full of secondary players, and you have a talented freshman class coming in, but you did not have the guy who has multiple starts and experience against older, seasoned SEC college players. You add a guy who has got tons of starts. He has played in probably 30-plus 40-plus football games in his career. Three interceptions last year big interception against Alabama. Not someone who will wow you with his physicality and his overall physical tools but somebody who has just been there. He knows how to practice, play, and read defenses. That puts a veteran back there with all of these young dudes at corner and opposite him at safety. You will have a new face there, so I think it was our biggest need, to be honest. A guy who can play a veteran safety."

Thompson is just what Auburn needed in the secondary to help these young Tigers adjust to college football and playing in the SEC. If Auburn has a dominant defensive backfield in 2024 Thompson will be a big reason why. 

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si.com

Three things to think about Auburn's new defensive coordinator

Andrew Stefaniak

2–3 minutes

Three things to think about the new Auburn defensive coordinator.

Hugh Freeze has been in the market for a new defensive coordinator. 

Ron Robers left for a position on the staff at Florida, and that left Auburn with a vacancy at a very important position. We found out late last night that DJ Durkin would be the new defensive coordinator for the Auburn Tigers. Durkin was the defensive coordinator for Jimbo Fisher at Texas A&M last season and led an overall solid defense. This seems to be a solid hire for the Tigers. Let's take a look at three things to think about with Durkin taking over as the DC at Auburn. 

1. Texas A&M led the SEC in sacks last season

Durkin's Texas A&M defense led the SEC with 42 sacks last season, which was also good for seventh best in all of college football. He got sacks from all over the field, including the front seven and secondary. Hopefully, Auburn is able to record more sacks than they did last season (31) in Durkin's first season on the Plains. 

2. Durkin's defense at Texas A&M stopped the run 

Last season in College Station, Coach Durkin's defense only allowed 108.8 yards per game on the ground and 3.36 yards per carry. This was good for 13th best in all of college football. The Tigers want to win in the trenches, and bringing in Durkin will help that happen on the defensive side of the football. 

3. Durkin has expertise in all defensive positions

During his long coaching career as a defensive mind Durkin has helped at nearly every position on defense. This is good as it will help him be able to coach every position on the field rather than just being an expert coaching one. 

Coach Hugh Freeze made the right hire, bringing in an experienced defensive mind who can take this Auburn defense to the next level. 

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si.com

Auburn Has Seven Future Stars Ranked In The Top 200 Players On On3

Zac Blackerby

~2 minutes

Auburn football's 2024 recruiting class continues to look like a sign of great things to come.

Auburn football's future seems strong thanks to landing the top seven class in the 2024 rankings. 

In On3's top 200 players in the 2024 class, Auburn has seven players who could all play early during their time on the Plains in Hugh Freeze's program.

Cam Coleman, the wide receiver from Central Phenix-City, is Auburn's highest-rated signee. He is the third overall player in the class and the second-ranked wide receiver.

Auburn quarterback signee Walker White is Auburn's second highest-rated player in the 2024 class by On3. He's ranked as the 95th overall player in the class.

Auburn wide receiver Perry Thompson is the 98th overall player in the rankings. Fellow wide receiver signee Bryce Cain from Baker, Alabama is ranked as the 147th player in the class.

A late addition to the 2024 class, defensive end/EDGE Amaris Williams is ranked as the 150th-best player in the class and Auburn's overall best defensive standout.

Linebacker Joseph Phillips from Booker T Washington in Tuskegee, Alabama came in as the 177th player in the 2024 class. He will be playing next to Demarcus Riddick, the linebacker standout from Chilton County, is ranked as the 189th player in the class.

Auburn's freshman class will need to be ready for action early in their time on the Plains, especially the wide receiver group and defensive linemen. Freeze may elect to go younger in those two key position groups in 2024 to help prepare for the future of the Auburn football program. 

Auburn opens the season on August 31 against Alabama A&M.

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247sports.com

Freeze talks hire of Durkin as DC why he was the right fit

Jason Caldwell

38–49 minutes

How Hugh Freeze leaned on Charles Kelly during Auburn DC search

'If I was in Charles' shoes 10 years ago, I would have been clamoring, 'I'm the guy, man. I'm the one that you should hire.' I wish I was more like Charles because that would have been me.'

MOBILE, Alabama — One of the most involved people in Auburn’s defensive coordinator search was one of the newest members of the staff.

It took Hugh Freeze nearly three weeks to land on a replacement for Ron Roberts, doing so this week by giving D.J. Durkin his third SEC coordinator job in the last five years. Freeze said Wednesday that “I know I’ve got to get this right,” and that athletic director John Cohen was “so supportive” during the process.

Another pillar of support Freeze leaned on was Charles Kelly, Auburn’s new safeties coach and co-defensive coordinator and someone Freeze has wanted to work with for a long time. Kelly has coordinator experience, and some thought that may be the direction Freeze would go as the search dragged on.

And Freeze wouldn’t have blamed Kelly for feeling that way, either.

“I cannot speak highly enough of Charles Kelly,” Freeze said Wednesday at the Senior Bowl. “... If I was in Charles' shoes 10 years ago, I would have been clamoring, 'I'm the guy, man. I'm the one that you should hire.' I wish I was more like Charles because that would have been me.”

Freeze said he involved Kelly, the Auburn alum who was most recently Colorado’s defensive coordinator last season after four seasons as an assistant at Alabama, in the searches and even had him sit in on the candidates’ interviews for his feedback.

“Charles, all the way through it, he sat through the interviews with me,” Freeze said. “If it were me, I would have been trying to poke holes in everything and make sure you knew I was the best fit for it. When I watched him and how he handled everything, the humility he exhibited — and his whole deal all along was, 'Coach, get the best guys in the room. However you want my role to be, just tell me what you want my role to be.’”

Set to coach the Auburn secondary with Wesley McGriff, Kelly’s primary draw as a coach throughout his career, particularly in the southeast, has been his elite recruiting chops. Coming off his final season on Nick Saban’s staff at Alabama before he took the Colorado DC job, Kelly was named the 247Sports Recruiter of the Year for 2022.

Between stops at Alabama, Florida State and Tennessee, Kelly — who played under Pat Dye at Auburn — has been the primary or secondary recruiter for nine 5-star prospects and 21 top-100 recruits in the 247Sports rankings.

“We've had many recruiting battles, and he's tough to beat, particularly in this state,” Freeze said.

The Tigers are off to a strong start in that area for the 2025 class, currently with three of the top 10 players in the state of Alabama committed, and in strong contention for most of the others in that group.