2.3.24 Football Articles

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247sports.com

Auburn DL coach Jeremy Garrett leaving for NFL job

Nathan King

5–6 minutes

SEC commissioner Greg Sankey looks for answers.

To be sure, the NCAA has had some ridiculous rules and lack of rules over the years. Most of those rules, at least the worst of them, have gone away, and rightfully so. Following are a few of them of the rules that were once enforced.

 --Athletes could not have training table meals outside of their sports’ seasons.

--Coaches could block athletes wishing to transfer from transferring to specific schools.

--Athletes could get no financial help getting home for emergencies or, really, for any other reason. They got room, board, tuition and fees paid. Anything above that was against the rules.

--Even if it was accidental, it was a violation for a coach to be photographed with a prospect. As an assistant coach, Alabama’s Mal Moore was sanctioned because he was in the background when a photograph was taken. He was talking to a group of people with his back turned and didn’t even know the photograph was being taken.

--There were no limits on practice time or days of contact, no rules requiring water breaks, really nothing to protect players.

Over the decades, those kinds of rules and prohibitions went away, one after another. And they should have. But even in those days, I never once heard an athlete say he was being “exploited.” Would they have liked to have money? Of course. Wouldn’t we all? But they loved to play and they loved the experience of competing in college athletics and being part of a brotherhood that would last a lifetime.

And they still do. Almost every athlete I have talked to over the years has told me it was an experience they cherished and that they would do it all again.

Free labor? Cheap labor? Those are phrases invented by others seeking to enrich themselves, not by the male and female college students who love to compete.

In recent years, even before NIL, power conference athletes received room, board, tuition and fees. But they also received $1,000 a month or more in full cost of attendance cash. They received $6,000 in “educational expenses” that they could spend on anything they wanted. Tutors were available if needed. There were funds available to help with family emergencies. They got world-class nutrition, training and facilities. They still get those things, in addition to NIL money.

Those things aren’t available in the same ways for athletes in lower divisions, but there certainly does not seem to be any issue finding enough people who want to compete. FCS athletes work just as hard as power conference athletes. They have the same demands on their time. Nobody seems to be concerned about them being “exploited.”

We have reached the point of absurdity. We now have programs suing the NCAA, which amounts to actually suing themselves as NCAA members. The NCAA is widely viewed as an evil behemoth, when what it is in truth is an organization charged with carrying out the wishes of its members.

Regardless of anyone’s opinion about what is right or wrong, there is an air of desperation around college athletics these days. College football, which pays the bills for so-called Olympic sports, is under fire from every direction.

Nobody believes NIL money is going away. I don’t believe most believe it should go away. They just want some reasonable guardrails. Coaches hate penalty-free transfers, but they aren’t likely going away either. Those two things together have created an untenable situation. So, what now?

SEC commissioner Greg Sankey and Big Ten commissioner Tony Petitti, the two most powerful people in the college athletics enterprise, have announced they will come together to form an advisory group to search for a way out of the morass in which they find themselves. They were quite specific in saying they did not want to leave the NCAA.

Meanwhile, college football careens toward becoming NFL Lite. The traditions that made it special are often tossed aside. That is a bad place to be going, because the love of college football is connected much more to love of a school and the players representing that school than it is to feats of athletic greatness. The best players in the world play in the NFL. Why would people continue to watch what would amount to minor league competition?

Any town with a minor-league baseball team sees players pass through on their way to the major leagues. They see far more players who, once they are gone, are never heard from again. Is that where college football is headed?

I hope not, but these are treacherous times.

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si.com

Auburn loses position coach to the NFL

Zac Blackerby

~2 minutes

Auburn will be looking for another defensive line coach.

Right when Hugh Freeze appeared to finish the 2024 Auburn coaching staff, they lost a coach to the NFL.

Freeze made the hire of DJ Durkin to be Auburn's next defensive coordinator official earlier in the week. With that move, it completed the coaching staff for the time being. 

Reports have come out that Auburn is losing defensive line coach Jeremy Garrett to the NFL. He will coach for the Jacksonville Jaguars.

"It's just the technique, being consistent with the technique every play," former Auburn defensive lineman Marcus Harris said about Garrett after the first Senior Bowl practice. "Just the energy and being myself. He allowed me to be myself. Coach Garrett is going to be a great coach in the future." 

Garrett was a large part of Auburn's recent recruiting success. Auburn made a strong push for defensive linemen in the 2024 class adding players like TJ Lindsey, Amaris Williams, and Malik Blocton. Auburn also has several key defensive linemen committed in the 2025 class. Auburn also added two defensive linemen in the transfer portal in December: Gage Keys from Kansas and Trill Carter from Texas. 

Garrett took the Auburn defensive line job after holding the same position at Liberty. Garrett followed Freeze to Auburn before taking a chance to coach at the NFL level. Liberty's defensive line under Garrett was seen as very effective. Auburn's defensive line in 2023 played better than many expected entering the season.

Before Garrett's stint at Liberty, he spent two years with the Clevland Browns as an assistant defensive line coach.

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Auburn Tigers – Quarterback

 

(Photo: Jason Caldwell/Auburn Undercover)

Auburn showed its hand late in the transfer portal cycle by making a last-second run at Cameron Ward. Previously, the Tigers had seemed content to stand pat with their quarterback room. Then Auburn’s three QBs (Throne, Holden Geriner, Hank Brown) combined to finish 21-for-42 passing with 224 yards and one touchdowns to two interceptions against Maryland in the Music City Bowl. But by that time in late December, it was too late to nab any of the top signal-callers on the open market.

Thus, Auburn enters the spring with a big question at quarterback for the second offseason in a row. There’s also the added wrinkle that the Tigers made an offensive coordinator switch, firing Philip Montgomery — who passed on a few transfer QBs this cycle — in favor of Derrick Nix.

Expect Michigan and Auburn to control the pace of the spring transfer quarterback market, which will mean watching crowded rooms at places like Ohio State. It’s also important to remember that the multi-time transfer rule has no effect this cycle, so quarterback-needy teams can potentially get creative to find their next signal-caller.

 

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247sports.com

Auburn looks to Keionte Scott as heartbeat of newlook secondary

Nathan King

8–10 minutes

'He’s going to direct traffic, and all of the younger guys are going to follow.'

Jaylin Simpson’s eyebrows raised, and his face lit up.

He had been at Auburn’s bowl practices when Keionte Scott moved from nickel to outside cornerback, helping offset the opt-outs by D.J. James and Nehemiah Pritchett. But Scott’s plan, as he explained late last season, is to remain at cornerback in 2024 for his final college season.

When informed the move was permanent for next year, Simpson cocked his head and smiled.

“He did? I didn't even know that,” Simpson said this week in Mobile. Simpson then gestured to a few soon-to-be NFL draft picks around him after a Senior Bowl practice: “He could come out here and play any position right now.”

Auburn will hope Scott has the type of season in 2024 that will put him in contention to be an NFL selection. Set to be a three-year starter next season, Scott, despite moving positions within the secondary, will be the unquestioned leader of the group, after four starters — Simpson, Zion Puckett, James and Pritchett — are all off to the pros. Veteran Donovan Kaufman, who played a sizable role behind Scott at nickel, also entered the transfer portal.

And Scott’s role as one of the most important pieces of Auburn’s roster in 2024 is one the Tigers breathed a huge sigh of relief over. Scott intended to transfer last month, Auburn Undercover reported, before opting to return.

So instead of Auburn being in a completely dire spot in the secondary Scott will be back for the Tigers in 2024 as the team’s leading tackler over the past two seasons. And for a multitude of reasons both beneficial to Auburn and himself, Scott will slide from nickel to the outside.

“He can do it all,” Simpson said. “He's definitely going to be at this game next year. That's an All-SEC player right there.”

Scott played cornerback when he was a JUCO All-American at Snow College in Utah before coming to Auburn, and as he explained during Auburn’s bowl practices, he’s also excited about the opportunity to put more versatility on film for the NFL.

That’s not to mention Auburn’s need at cornerback with James and Pritchett — who were also at the Senior Bowl — both set to be drafted.

“When you get to be able to use the sideline as your friend, I feel like it helps me more,” Scott said in December. “Because I've gone from having to (defend) guys with so much space to guarding guys that if I do win a certain leverage that I can force them to one side and basically turn it to a one side release. I'm definitely excited to get back outside and get some sideline help and my eyes on the ball.”

With Scott’s move and Kaufman’s transfer, however, Auburn has some added question marks at nickel. Players like Champ Anthony and Caleb Wooden should be the immediate contenders in spring practice.

A likely pairing with Scott at corner would be Kayin Lee, who started three games last season as a true freshman and was the team’s No. 3 cornerback for the rest of the year.

Under the direction of returning cornerbacks coach Wesley McGriff — and new assistant Charles Kelly also in the secondary — Auburn will lean on Scott's veteran presence, both on and off in the field, in a secondary that went from the most experienced group on the team to one of the greenest.

“Keionte can play both corner and nickel — I really think he’s going to be the heartbeat of the secondary,” Pritchett said at the Senior Bowl. “When he’s in, he’s going to direct traffic, and all of the younger guys are going to follow.”

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al.com

Hugh Freeze and Auburn’s defensive staff is set for 2024. Here’s a look at the final product

Updated: Feb. 02, 2024, 5:25 p.m.|Published: Feb. 02, 2024, 9:58 a.m.

5–6 minutes

Auburn head coach Hugh Freeze watches from the sidelines during the first half of an NCAA football game against Mississippi State Saturday, Oct. 28, 2023, in Auburn, Alabama. (Julie Bennett | preps@al.com)Julie Bennett | preps@al.com

After the departure of Ron Roberts, who went on to take a job a Florida after serving as Auburn’s defensive coordinator in 2023, and the resignation of defensive backs coach Zac Etheridge, who took a similar role at Houston, Auburn head coach Hugh Freeze was forced to make some staff changes on the defensive side of the ball.

And with Wednesday’s news of Freeze and the Tigers adding D.J. Durkin as Auburn’s second defensive coordinator, Freeze and the Tigers’ defensive on-field staff is set for the 2024 season.

Update: Reports of Auburn defensive line coach Jeremy Garrett being hired away by the Jacksonville Jaguars surfaced on the evening of Jan. 2

Here’s a look at the final product:

Defensive coordinator: D.J. Durkin

Former Texas A&M defensive coordinator and Maryland head coach D.J. Durkin was officially brought aboard Freeze’s staff at Auburn on Jan. 31, joining Charles Kelly as defensive coordinator.

Durkin joins Auburn’s staff after spending the last two seasons in College Station, where he served as Texas A&M’s defensive coordinator and linebackers coach. Prior to his time with Aggies, Durkin had also served assistant coaching stints at Ole Miss, Michigan and Florida.

The addition of Durkin to Auburn’s staff means the Tigers’ defensive coordinator will come with head coaching experience after Durkin spent two seasons at the helm of the Maryland football program in 2016 and 2017. Durkin’s time with the Terrapins ended in controversy following the death of Maryland offensive lineman Jordan McNair, who collapsed during a workout and later died.

Durkin is a native of Youngstown, Ohio and spent his playing career at Bowling Green.

Co-Defensive coordinator: Charles Kelly

Auburn officially announced the addition of Charles Kelly on Jan. 12 — less than two weeks after Kelly was initially linked to the job on Dec. 30.

Kelly joins the Tigers after spending last season at Colorado, where he served as the Buffaloes’ defensive coordinator. Kelly has also served coaching stints at Alabama, Tennessee and Florida State and comes with a remarkable recruiting track record.

A native of Ozark, Kelly went on to spend his playing career at Auburn, suiting up for the Tigers from 1986-89.

Linebackers coach: Josh Aldridge

Hired in late December of 2022, Josh Aldridge was a member of Freeze’s inaugural staff at Auburn, jumping down to The Plains after working with Freeze at Liberty.

In his four seasons at Liberty, Aldridge served as defensive line coach, linebackers coach and co-defensive coordinator. Aldridge also served as interim head coach for Liberty in the 2022 Boca Raton Bowl as Freeze had already been hired away to Auburn.

Before Liberty, Aldridge spent time as an assistant at Lenoir-Rhyne and West Georgia.

Aldridge spent his playing career at Harding, a Division II program in Searcy, Ark., from 2008-11.

Defensive line coach: Jeremy Garrett

Introduced as the Tigers’ defensive line coach in December of 2022, Jeremy Garrett also jumped down to Auburn after working with Freeze at Liberty for one season.

Prior to joining Freeze’s staff in 2022, Garrett worked in the professional ranks, serving as an assistant defensive line coach for the Cleveland Browns. Before his jump to the NFL, Garrett got his start as defensive quality control assistant at Vanderbilt.

As a player, Garrett played at Ole Miss from 2004-07.

Update: Reports of Auburn defensive line coach Jeremy Garrett being hired away by the Jacksonville Jaguars surfaced on the evening of Jan. 2

Secondary coach: Wesley McGriff

After briefly flirting with a job at Texas A&M, Auburn secondary coach Wesley McGriff is set to return to Auburn for his second season as the Tigers’ secondary coach under Freeze. McGriff also coached at Auburn in 2016 and from 2019-20.

Aside from Auburn, McGriff has also spent time coaching at Louisville, Florida, Ole Miss, Miami, Baylor and three seasons with the New Orleans Saints.

McGriff got his coaching start at his alma mater, Savannah State.

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al.com

Report: Jacksonville Jaguars hiring away Auburn defensive line coach Jeremy Garrett

Updated: Feb. 02, 2024, 4:56 p.m.|Published: Feb. 02, 2024, 4:46 p.m.

2–3 minutes

Just when it seemed Auburn’s coaching carousel was beginning to slow, it appears it could be revving back up again.

According to Matt Zenitz of 247Sports, the Jacksonville Jaguars are expected to hire away Auburn defensive line coach Jeremy Garrett.

Should Garrett make the move to join Doug Pederson’s staff in Jacksonville, it would mark a return to the NFL for Garrett, who previously worked as an assistant defensive line coach for the Cleveland Browns in 2020 and 2021.

After his time with the Browns, Garrett joined Hugh Freeze at Liberty in 2022, only to head south to Auburn after Freeze took the reins of the Tigers’ program in November of 2022. Garrett was officially announced as a member of Auburn’s coaching staff on Dec. 23, 2022.

In a way, Garrett joining Freeze in the coaching ranks was a reunion of sorts as Garrett was a defensive lineman at Ole Miss during the same period of time in which Freeze was a tight ends coach for the Rebels from 2006-07.

Now, Garrett’s expected departure makes for the fifth Auburn assistant to depart The Plains this offseason as he joins offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach Philip Montgomery (fired), defensive coordinator Ron Roberts (took another job), running backs coach Cadillac Williams (resigned) and defensive backs coach Zac Etheridge (resigned).

So far, Freeze has filled each vacancy with the additions of offensive coordinator and running backs coach Derrick Nix, co-defensive coordinator Charles Kelly and defensive coordinator D.J. Durkin, as well as the elevation of Kent Austin to quarterbacks coach.

And with Friday’s reports of Garrett’s departure, it appears Freeze’s hiring frenzy isn’t quite over.

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happy saturday

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