2.1.24 Football Articles

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247sports.com

Freeze Too early to decide playcalling plan with new OC Derrick Nix

Nathan King

7–8 minutes

'It's a comfort level to have D-Nix and Kent in that room, knowing that the verbiage and terminology and everything that I understand clearly. I can add value to that when I need to.'

MOBILE, Alabama — Hugh Freeze will see a few more familiar faces in offensive meetings this coming season.

His new offensive coordinator Derrick Nix and quarterbacks coach Kent Austin both worked under Freeze previously at Ole Miss and Liberty, respectively. Nix will also coach running backs, filling the vacancy created after Cadillac Williams stepped down from the staff earlier this month.

In the case of Nix, a first-time coordinator after spending 16 seasons at Ole Miss as an assistant, the familiarity in running Auburn’s 2024 offense is something Freeze hopes can be a real boost for a unit that needs some significant improvement heading into next season.

“It's a comfort level to have D-Nix and Kent in that room, knowing that the verbiage and terminology and everything that I understand clearly,” Freeze told reporters Wednesday at the Senior Bowl. “I can add value to that when I need to.”

Nix was on all five of Freeze’s assistant staffs with the Rebels, serving as running backs coach. He’d been on staff at Ole Miss since 2008 and has obviously helped contribute to a number of prolific offensive seasons, both under Freeze and Lane Kiffin. Nix coached running backs for the Rebels from 2008-19 and wide receivers since 2020.

“D-Nix is one of the best recruiters, best men, best football coaches I've been around,” Freeze said. “Good to reunite with him.”

Freeze designated offensive coordinator Philip Montgomery as Auburn’s play caller last season, and as the season progressed, Freeze said he spent more time implementing the game plan for respective weeks. After the Arkansas game, Freeze said he “put his foot down” in the offensive meeting rooms.

Montgomery was fired early this month. While Freeze said he will have a larger role from the jump with Nix as his coordinator, he’s not sure yet how the play-calling marriage will look — only that he’ll be more comfortable working with one of his former SEC assistants.

“I think it's too early,” Freeze said when asked how he and Nix will work together within the offense. “I have great confidence in D-Nix and that room. But just knowing that it's in the verbiage that I completely understand, where I can suggest things or make adjustments.”

Auburn had the SEC's least efficient offense during a four-game losing streak, as quarterback Payton Thorne and the passing attack struggled mightily to find any consistency running Freeze and Montgomery's run-pass option system. There was a relative breakthrough when the competition level lowered, as Thorne and his supporting cast improved during Auburn's three-game winning streak over Mississippi State, Vanderbilt and Arkansas.

The Tigers had an unsightly product on offense in two of their last three games of the season, though, scoring just three combined touchdowns in losses to New Mexico State and Maryland. Auburn finished the season with the SEC's least productive passing offense, and second-to-last in the league in QBR and yards per attempt. As an offense overall, the Tigers were No. 11 in the SEC in both yards per play and scoring.

“I will know how to help more,” Freeze said of the offense’s outlook with Nix in 2024. “I have nobody to blame but myself. I'm going to be more comfortable this year.”

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Harris excited for Senior Bowl following 'amazing' time at Auburn

Marcus Harris talks about the Senior Bowl and his time at Auburn.

MOBILE, Alabama—Coming out of Park Crossing High in Montgomery, Marcus Harris was hoping for an opportunity to show what he could do on the next level. That wound up being at Kansas in the Big 12, but eventually he would make his way back to Auburn after transferring home and the rest is history.

Becoming a huge part of Auburn’s defensive front during his time on the Plains, Harris is once again hoping to prove himself this week in Mobile as one of four Tigers on hand for the Senior Bowl. Getting off to a great start on Tuesday with a strong workout, Harris said he’s excited about his opportunity this week.

“It just feels good being down here playing against the best and competing against the best down here,” Harris said. “The SEC is the best of the best but this is the best of the world so just having that opportunity and having this platform here is a great opportunity.”

Opportunity is what Harris was looking for when he made the move to Auburn before the 2021 season. A three-year starter for the Tigers that improved his game by leaps and bounds while on campus, Harris said he can’t begin to describe how important his time at Auburn was for him.

“It's just been amazing,” Harris said. “Going 12 hours away from home before the transfer portal was big and stuff and then not knowing if I was going to have the opportunity to play close to home or at Auburn. And then get in the portal and Auburn offers, it just meant the most, man. Playing for these great coaches that we've had over the past few years has been amazing. I'm glad I got to come in and witness the new facility and the new coaching staff that's there now.”

With Freeze and a revamped staff in charge now, Harris sees big things ahead for the Tigers as they continue to overhaul the roster in this new age of NIL and the transfer portal. Harris said the open door policy is something that he really enjoyed in his one season with Freeze in charge.

“Yeah it's been amazing,” Harris said. “Coach Freeze comes in as a players coach and if we have any problems we can just go up and talk to him about it. He's very relatable, he can relate to us about anything. So just having that ear and knowing that he's going to always be with us no matter what, it just makes you want to play harder for him.”

Even though his Auburn career is done, Harris said he will forever be an Auburn man following his time spent on the Plains. With younger brother Malik Blocton now on the roster and beginning his career, Harris said all he can do is say thank you.

“War Eagle,” Harris said of his message to Auburn fans. “Thanks for the support throughout my whole Auburn career and right now as I get ready for the NFL they're still showing me a lot of support. Even down here at the Senior Bowl site in Mobile, or when I was training in Pensacola there was a lot of Auburn fans there giving me love. The Auburn family is going to travel wherever, they're going to be there through whatever, I love the Auburn family.”

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DJ Durkin named Auburn’s next defensive coordinator

WSFA 12 News Staff

2–3 minutes

AUBURN, Ala. (WSFA) - Auburn head football coach Hugh Freeze has made a hire to fill the team’s vacant defensive coordinator position, securing DJ Durkin for the key role.

Durkin has spent the last four seasons in the SEC, including the last two in the DC role at Texas A&M. Prior to that he directed defense and linebackers at Ole Miss for two seasons, and is credited with building successful defensive units at Michigan and Florida, among other stops.

In 2023, Durkin’s defense at TAMU was No. 3 in the SEC and No. 19 nationally in total defense (316.0) while leading the conference in rushing defense (108.8), sacks (7.6) and first-down defense (214). The Aggies tackles for loss and sacks per game totals were ranked fifth and seventh nationally, respectively. Under Durkin, the defense was also third in the SEC and No. 18 nationally in third down defense (.332). His first season’s defense led the nation allowing the fewest passing yards per game at 156.2.

“DJ has been a successful defensive coordinator at multiple stops in the Southeastern Conference,” Freeze said. “I’ve always been impressed with his schemes and game plans, including the two times I have faced his teams in recent years. Texas A&M’s defense was fast, physical, and well coached. We are excited to have DJ join our staff here at Auburn.”

“I’m thankful for the opportunity to join Coach Freeze’s staff and be a part of the Auburn Family,” Durkin said. “Auburn has a well-earned reputation for hard-nosed, physical defenses. We will work extremely hard to continue that tradition and make Auburn proud. I can’t wait to get started.”

In addition to college roles, Durkin spent one season in the NFL as a consultant for the Atlanta Falcons in 2018 after serving as the head coach at Maryland for the 2016 and 2017 seasons. He doubled the Terrapins’ win total during his first season at the helm and excelled on the recruiting trail, bringing in consecutive top-30 signing classes for the first time in program history.

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al.com

Auburn's Hugh Freeze is staying ahead of the curve in hiring Will Redmond. Here's how

Updated: Jan. 31, 2024, 3:14 p.m.|Published: Jan. 31, 2024, 2:22 p.m.

7–9 minutes

Auburn head coach Hugh Freeze confirmed the hiring of former LSU director of player personnel Will Redmond Wednesday afternoon during a brief media availability at the 2024 Reese’s Senior Bowl.

News of Auburn hiring Redmond, who is set to take on a general manager-like role on The Plains, was first reported by FootballScoop.com on Jan. 24.

The thought of having general manager-like roles in college football is enough to make the “traditionalists” of the sport shudder. But with the college football landscape changing at a head-spin-inducing rate with the transfer portal and name, image and likeness, there’s an undeniable need for a GM-like position.

“It is different,” Freeze said Wednesday. “But I need help with that, I do. You’ve gotta have somebody you can completely trust help us build the roster and then manage it, whether it’s the NIL discussions or whatever the discussions are. I really need some help with that to take some of that off my plate. And I’ve got a guy that I’ve got great trust in that can do.”

And while Redmond isn’t a coordinator or coach, his addition still might be the biggest one Freeze has made this offseason as it helps solidify the direction the Auburn football program is moving: forward.

What are Redmond’s responsibilities?

In mid-December, Freeze opened up about how difficult it is to craft an 85-man roster in today’s football landscape.

“It’s really hard for me to juggle the numbers in my mind for managing the 85,” Freeze admitted.

Thanks to the revolving door of the transfer portal, it’s exhausting for coaches to have to constantly recruit players already in their locker room, while also keeping close tabs on what’s available in the portal.

Freeze admitted in December that the transfer portal was something he and Auburn’s staff struggled with.

“Don’t think I have handled it very well, truthfully,” Freeze said of the transfer portal. “It’s hard for any of us to truly manage all of it.”

Not to mention, still evaluating recruits in the high school ranks, which is something Freeze has made clear he prefers to be the biggest piece of his roster’s blueprint.

That’s where Redmond’s role comes in.

When Redmond was LSU’s director of player personnel, his greatest responsibility was helping craft and maintain a “recruiting board” for LSU’s coaching staff, meaning Redmond did the work behind-the-scenes to assess the needs of LSU’s roster and then evaluate prospects who could help fill those voids.

Now at Auburn with an elevated title, Redmond will likely do much of the same for the Tigers, as well as possibly helping Freeze identify potential hires as the need arises.

What does Redmond’s track record look like?

When Brian Kelly first arrived at LSU in 2022, LSU’s roster consisted of fewer than 40 scholarship players.

Essentially, unless he could figure something out quick, Kelly was looking down the barrel of a massive, multi-year rebuild in Baton Rouge. But fortunately for the Bayou Bengals, Kelly made the decision to retain Redmond, who was brought to LSU by Ed Orgeron the year prior.

And it was Redmond who acted as the general contractor of LSU’s roster rebuild ahead of the 2022 season.

In 2022, LSU landed the seventh-ranked high school recruiting class.

But more importantly, LSU landed the third-ranked transfer portal class in 2022 as it brought in 15 incoming transfers to help offset the mass exodus that followed Orgeron’s departure. The biggest transfer pickup for LSU in 2022? Former Arizona State quarterback Jayden Daniels, who went on to win the 2023 Heisman Trophy.

For his efforts in helping LSU rebound in 2022, Redmond was awarded with the 2022 Player Personnel Director of the Year Award by FootballScoop.com.

“This is a tremendous honor for Will, and I’m very happy to see him recognized as the recipient of this award,” Kelly said of Redmond winning the honor. “His ability to identify talent and his overall evaluation of players is vital to our program. Whether it’s identifying young players or evaluating players who may be in the transfer portal, Will has been able to adapt to the ever-changing landscape of recruiting and player evaluation.”

With Redmond still in Baton Rouge, LSU went on to land the fifth-ranked recruiting class and fifth-ranked transfer class in 2023.

Before his time at LSU, Redmond served as the director of recruiting at Kansas for more than four years, as well as three years as director of player personnel at Middle Tennessee State.

Former Auburn defensive lineman Marcus Harris was at Kansas at the same time as Redmond and was quick to endorse the hire.

“Great dude, fun guy, great energy. His energy is very contagious and he always comes with a smile on his face,” Harris said after his first Senior Bowl practice Tuesday afternoon. “I can’t wait until he gets to Auburn and the players get in contact with him and interact with him. It’s going to be a great deal.”

Redmond is a graduate of the University of Tennessee, where he received both his undergraduate and graduate degrees in sport management.

Why is the hiring of Redmond needed at Auburn?

Again, while such an addition might be tough for some to wrap their heads around as the need for a general manager-like role in college football still feels so foreign, Auburn fans should be relieved to see Freeze staying ahead of the curve with the hiring of Redmond.

Redmond has a mentor in Ole Miss’ Austin Thomas, who Lane Kiffin hired as the Rebels’ football chief of staff and sport administrator. But before Thomas made his way to Ole Miss, he served in a general manager-like role at LSU, becoming the first in the SEC to hold such a title.

In an interview with ESPN in 2021, Thomas helped explain the reasoning for hires such as himself.

“You think about it, it’s strength staff, training staff, nutrition staff, analysts, recruiting staff, personnel staff ... it’s a lot of people,” Thomas said. “If a head coach doesn’t have help with that stuff to carry his message and implement that on a daily basis, it can go sideways really quick.”

Up in Tuscaloosa, Alabama’s recently hired head coach Kalen DeBoer is expected to bring with him Courtney Morgan, who served as DeBoer’s general manager at Washington.

At Ohio State, Ryan Day has Quinn Tempel, who serves as the Buckeyes’ chief of staff and assistant to the head coach. Meanwhile in Texas, Steve Sarkisian has Jared Blank, who serves as Longhorns’ chief of staff.

The addition of general manager-like roles is the next piece of college football’s evolution.

And the hiring of Redmond is evidence that not only does Freeze recognize the evolving need for a general manager, but also his refusal to be left trying to catch up.

“Will Redmond, I think, is a star,” Freeze said Wednesday. “He blew me away in his interviews and he’s already adding great value to being in there.”

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si.com

D.J. James speaks highly on Kayin Lee: "He's a veteran in my eyes"

Daniel Locke

~2 minutes

Auburn cornerback D.J. James believes that Kayin Lee is capable of stepping up for Auburn next season.

D.J. James was an asset to the Auburn Tigers during his two seasons with the program.

James missed one game during his time with the Tigers. He recorded 75 total tackles, 4.5 tackles for a loss of yards, three interceptions and 21 pass deflections.

In an interview with Zac Blackerby of Locked on Auburn at the senior bowl, James talked about who he believes will step up in the Tigers' secondary and believes Kayin Lee will be up to the challenge.

"Kayin Lee, he's a veteran already in my eyes," James said. "He played as a freshman, he knows the game, he's physical, he's fast, he's fluent. I'm really excited for him."

Lee, a 5-foot-11 cornerback from Ellenwood, Georgia, played in every game for the Tigers during his freshman season.

Lee recorded 18 total tackles, two tackles for a loss of yards, six pass deflections and one forced fumble.

According to 247Sports, Lee was a 4-star recruit with a 0.9386 composite rating. Lee was the No. 2 player in Auburn's 2023 recruiting class behind defensive lineman Keldric Faulk.

Lee was the No. 146 player nationally, the No. 16 cornerback and the No. 11 player in the state of Georgia.

Lee will be expected to take a big jump in 2024 because of everything that Auburn lost, but a revamped coaching staff and an influx of new talent should put him in a position to do just that.

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si.com

Auburn Recruiting Notes

Brian Smith

~4 minutes

One of the players that Auburn wants to flip would be a recruit currently committed to Georgia.

In the SEC, when a top prospect commits to a school that does not automatically mean it's over. From the class of 2024, take a look at Auburn's ability to flip Amaris Williams and Javonta Waller from Florida, as well as Cam Coleman from Texas A&M, as prime examples.

The 2025 cycle has a few prospects that Hugh Freeze and his coaching staff would love to land that pledged to other football programs. One of them would be Jadon Perlotte.

Coming from Buford (Ga.) High School, Perlotte is one of the nation's most highly coveted linebackers. He can play downhill and he's also a capable pass defender. Catching up with him, it's obvious that his recruitment still has a long way to go. That being the case, there are five schools to watch.

Georgia and Auburn, definitely," Perlotte said of a couple of his likely official visits. "Ohio State, Alabama...I'll take all five of my official visits."

Auburn has been working on Perlotte for a long time. He attended the 2023 Iron Bowl and he's been to the Plains multiple times overall.

Perlotte definitely likes Georgia a lot, but the Dawgs are not a lock here. It's going to be a long recruiting process for the Rivals 4-star recruit.

Auburn Hitting Louisiana

Over the years, the Tigers ventured into the state of Louisiana and brought in multiple talented players. It has a great chance to at least gain an official visit from one of the Bayou State's best in 2025.

Wide receiver and kick returner Russell Babineaux is a burner that hails from Lafayette (La.) Acadiana. Auburn must be on his mind because it was mentioned first during an interview Tuesday evening.

"Auburn, (Texas) A&M, Ole Miss, Missouri, Miami, Florida State, Louisville, Houston, Tulane, Mississippi State, and UTSA...that's about it."

That list was off the top of Babineaux's head. LSU is definitely in play as well and that could be the school to watch, as one might expect. Let's see if Freeze and his staff can get the playmaker with 10.7 speed to take an official visit to Auburn.

Durkin Brings Recruiting Experience And Versatility To Auburn

With DJ Durkin being named Auburn's defensive coordinator, there's excitement for how he can construct the defense for the Tigers. He's also someone who's been at multiple stops across the country that will help Auburn's recruiting acumen. Here's his list of college jobs since becoming a graduate assistant.

Notre Dame as a graduate assistant (2003-04), Bowling Green as a defensive ends, linebackers, and special teams coach (2005-06), Stanford as a defensive ends and special teams coach (2007-09), Florida includes Durkin at defensive ends, linebackers, and defensive coordinator (2010-14), Michigan as the defensive coordinator (2015), Maryland as the head coach (2016-18), Ole Miss as the co-defensive coordinator and linebackers coach (2020-21), and Texas A&M as the defensive coordinator and linebackers coach (2022-23).

He's coached from coast-to-coast, as well as up North and down South. Durkin is going to know high school coaches across the country and that's bound to help Auburn's recruiting cause. In particular, his stints at Florida, Ole Miss, and Texas A&M allow Durkin to be familiar with prime Auburn recruiting territory. Look for him to truly help the Tigers reel in talent.