Roster Management - Spring Game Week Edition

[Win4AU 4,055]

I think Derrick Nix will have the biggest impact.  From all reports Freeze and Montgomery weren’t on the same page all season.  Hopefully Nix and Freeze’s familiarity with each other will make the offense look more competent.  Nix will probably lean more on the running game instead of asking Thorne to carry the team.

[japantiger 4,052]

On 4/2/2024 at 5:16 PM, Old fan 47 said:

Have to agree with you. JH is proven, but as good as Alston and Cobb have looked in limited time, I’m far from convinced either are built for more than 10-12 carries a game in this league. To me,  just as last year, I am already hearing HF being negative about PT. He brought him to AU, didn’t  go after another, even partially proven QB in the portal, but still, unless it’s all smoke and mirrors, continues to be using and treating PT as more of an excuse for failure, instead of building him up any. I mean damn, the kid played QB in the second best conference in the land and put up decent numbers. My point is, I want HF to put up or shut his damn mouth, because he’s proven nothing in the SEC. 

Agree with everything you say about PT and HF.  I don't understand how he's managing the QB room.

As for JH...will he show up ready to play this year? His off-season last year was a disaster and his performance was nothing special.  Big disappointment.

[AUwent 3,778]

While it seems like he won’t be ready this year, is Walker at least showing potential? I had heard (seemingly) bad things about him on the subreddit, unsure how reliable.

Edited April 5 by AUwent

[Old fan 47 775]

2 hours ago, AUwent said:

While it seems like he won’t be ready this year, is Walker at least showing potential? I had heard (seemingly) bad things about him on the subreddit, unsure how reliable.

I wonder that too. I hear of talented QB’s coming out of AR, but once they hit college ball, I tend to hear less and less about them. Would love if we signed JuJu Lewis. Believe that’s his name. 

[Zeek 16,660]

Excited and hoping we get to see a depth chart drop sometime soon. Football starts tomorrow at 1 CST.

Don't love the format but w/e

[AUpreacherman22 3,892]

Y’all forgive me.  I’m sure this has been asked multiple times🤦‍♂️

However, does anyone have info on how we can watch the Spring game without actually attending?

[Eagle-2 255]

50 minutes ago, AUpreacherman22 said:

Y’all forgive me.  I’m sure this has been asked multiple times🤦‍♂️

However, does anyone have info on how we can watch the Spring game without actually attending?

I have an ESPN subscription on my Roku. I'll watch it on that.

Some others more tech savvy mak know another way however.

[WarTim 3,457]

ESPN? Broadcasting the game?

[au701948 1,009]

I believe is on SEC+. This makes it paid streaming.

[Eagle-2 255]

16 hours ago, WarTim said:

ESPN? Broadcasting the game?

Not that I know of, but if you have ESPN subscription on ROKU it comes up. I have Auburn football, and basketball added to my library on there.

[Win4AU 4,055]

Wonder who we see hit the portal now that spring practice is over?  Wonder if there are any surprises? 

[AUGoo 2,666]

With NIL, there are no surprises.  Money talks.  Players walk.

Hard to get excited about recruiting either when I get the feeling a bigger offer is just around the corner for any of our "commits".

[cole256 17,084]

The dreaded the wr can really block evaluation lol. 

We will have to be patient and rely on the running game in the beginning. We need a d tackle to really step up. Need to find the right combination of guys in the secondary so they can start building a chemistry.

We need HB to make a meteoric jump. EVERYTHING will boil down to the QB play. If that doesn't go right the wr will leave everybody will doubt us and not take is serious. 

Very very big year

[HabitualChiller 110]

On 4/2/2024 at 3:16 PM, Old fan 47 said:

Have to agree with you. JH is proven, but as good as Alston and Cobb have looked in limited time, I’m far from convinced either are built for more than 10-12 carries a game in this league. To me,  just as last year, I am already hearing HF being negative about PT. He brought him to AU, didn’t  go after another, even partially proven QB in the portal, but still, unless it’s all smoke and mirrors, continues to be using and treating PT as more of an excuse for failure, instead of building him up any. I mean damn, the kid played QB in the second best conference in the land and put up decent numbers. My point is, I want HF to put up or shut his damn mouth, because he’s proven nothing in the SEC. 

I think the bold is the issue. A guy with as much experience as he has had shouldn't be making basic mistakes. If Auburn were loaded, he'd probably be fine, but when the team's talent isn't great enough to overcome 6-7 miscues a game by the quarterback, then the losses start to pile up. 

 

If he were a sophomore making late reads and missing open receivers, he'd be on the bench. You'd think that a guy with [about to be] five seasons of football under his belt would be able to get the basic things consistently right at a minimum. Freeze knows that he really only has three years to show his mettle, and Peyton wasting two of them is a death sentence unless the team were to win 9-10 games in 2025.

Edited April 13 by HabitualChiller

[AUwent 3,778]

Alright, so please hear me out.

Let’s say by October’s end, we’re *less* than 5-3. This would in all likelihood mean that we will not show any improvement. Keep in mind, this would be despite potentially having as few as EIGHT non-seniors in the starting lineup (O and D).

So, the question is. In that scenario, should we try to give the youth starting experience? Given that any patience amongst the fandom will be gone if no improvement is shown record-wise, CHF is going to need to set up to take a big step in year 3. I recognize how unfair it would be to punish all the senior leadership all because we don’t have a sports mgmt program (imo at least), but something’s going to need to give.

Edited April 14 by AUwent

[Mikey 16,777]

1 hour ago, AUwent said:

Alright, so please hear me out.

Let’s say by October’s end, we’re *less* than 5-3. This would in all likelihood mean that we will not show any improvement. Keep in mind, this would be despite potentially having as few as EIGHT non-seniors in the starting lineup (O and D).

So, the question is. In that scenario, should we try to give the youth starting experience? Given that any patience amongst the fandom will be gone if no improvement is shown record-wise, CHF is going to need to set up to take a big step in year 3. I recognize how unfair it would be to punish all the senior leadership all because we don’t have a sports mgmt program (imo at least), but something’s going to need to give.

Won't happen. Coaches don't think like that. Their main objective is to win the next game, regardless. Player development can come in practices and the off-season. If a youngster wins a spot, great but he won't be starting just to get experience.

[AUwent 3,778]

1 hour ago, Mikey said:

Won't happen. Coaches don't think like that. Their main objective is to win the next game, regardless. Player development can come in practices and the off-season. If a youngster wins a spot, great but he won't be starting just to get experience.

Yeah, we might legitimately need 8 this year—my goal had been 7 wins in 24 and 8 in 25 but the more time goes on the more likely I think the reverse is. Fearing, though, that we just go 6-6 three straight years, and I don’t think that recruits here will have the patience Mizzou’s did.

At very least we’d better have the will and ability to go get a quality transfer QB come December if Walker still isn’t ready. : /

Edited April 14 by AUwent

[woodford 3,677]

Is there a projected depth chart anywhere?

[Hank2020 3,224]

On 4/5/2024 at 1:59 PM, Old fan 47 said:

I wonder that too. I hear of talented QB’s coming out of AR, but once they hit college ball, I tend to hear less and less about them. Would love if we signed JuJu Lewis. Believe that’s his name. 

Seems unreasonable to me to expect less from a player just due to the state he played HS ball in.

[TigerPAC 985]

4 hours ago, Hank2020 said:

Seems unreasonable to me to expect less from a player just due to the state he played HS ball in.

I think it’s bc Arky HS ball may not be that competitive as compared to other states, especially in the speed department.  People remember Mustain and Frazier, and have their hesitation. I’m sure there have been good college QBs from Arky but I have no idea

Edited May 16 by TigerPAC
Spelling

[DAG 34,034]

On 5/15/2024 at 8:54 PM, TigerPAC said:

I think it’s bc Arky HS ball may not be that competitive as compared to other states, especially in the speed department.  People remember Mustain and Frazier, and have their hesitation. I’m sure there have been good college QBs from Arky but I have no idea

Ryan Mallet, Tyler Wilson to name a couple.

[AUwent 3,778]

Here’s my attempt to guess the sterting lineup for this year and next year (where I can):

2024

QB Peyton Thorne (Sr.)
RB Jarquez Hunter (Sr.)
TE Rivaldo Fairweather (Sr.)
WR Robert Lewis (Sr.)
WR Keandre Lambert Smith (Sr.)
WR Cam Coleman (Fr.)
OT Percy Lewis (Sr.)
OT Izavion Miller (Sr.)
OG Dillon Wade (Sr.)
OG Jeremiah Wright (Jr.)
C Connor Lew (So.)

DE Keldric Faulk (So.)
DT Isaiah Raikes (Sr.)
DT Philip Blidi (Sr.)
Buck Jalen McLeod (Sr.)
LB Eugene Asante (Sr.)
LB Austin Keys (Sr.)
CB Keionte Scott (Sr.)
CB Kayin Lee (So.)
Star Champ Anthony (Jr.)
S Jerrin Thompson Sr.)
S Caleb Wooden (Jr.)

 

2025

QB ?
RB Damari Alston (Sr.)
TE Micah Riley (Jr.)
WR Cam Coleman (So.)
WR Camden Brown (Sr.)
WR Bryce Cain (So.)
OT Favour Edwin (So.)
OT DeAndre Carter (So.)
OG Jeremiah Wright (Sr.)
OG Jaden Muskrat (Sr.)
C Connor Lew (Jr.)

DE Keldric Faulk (Jr.)
DT ?
NT ?
Buck Jamonta Waller (So.)
MLB Demarcus Riddick (So.)
WLB ?
CB Kayin Lee (Jr.)
CB ?
Star Champ Antony (Sr.)
S Caleb Wooden (Sr.)
S Laquon Robinson (Sr.)

 

(NOT A RHETORICAL QUESTION, but does this look like a lineup capable of making a leap?)

(@roe4christ I erred on the side of seniors getting the start, which is why Perry still isn’t in this list, though I would certainly PREFER us to be set up for as many returning starters as possible for 2026 if that’s clearly not going to be the case in 2025)

Edited May 21 by AUwent

[roe4christ 943]

Forgot Perry Thompson at WR

[Win4AU 4,055]

2 hours ago, AUwent said:

Here’s my attempt to guess the sterting lineup for this year and next year (where I can):

2024

QB Peyton Thorne (Sr.)
RB Jarquez Hunter (Sr.)
TE Rivaldo Fairweather (Sr.)
WR Robert Lewis (Sr.)
WR Keandre Lambert Smith (Sr.)
WR Cam Coleman (Fr.)
OT Percy Lewis (Sr.)
OT Izavion Miller (Sr.)
OG Dillon Wade (Sr.)
OG Jeremiah Wright (Jr.)
C Connor Lew (So.)

DE Keldric Faulk (So.)
DT Isaiah Raikes (Sr.)
DT Philip Blidi (Sr.)
Buck Jalen McLeod (Sr.)
LB Eugene Asante (Sr.)
LB Austin Keys (Sr.)
CB Keionte Scott (Sr.)
CB Kayin Lee (So.)
Star Champ Anthony (Jr.)
S Jerrin Thompson Sr.)
S Caleb Wooden (Jr.)

 

2025

(NOT A RHETORICAL QUESTION, but does this look like a lineup capable of making a leap?)

(@roe4christ I erred on the side of seniors getting the start, which is why Perry still isn’t in this list, though I would certainly PREFER us to be set up for as many returning starters as possible for 2026 if that’s clearly not going to be the case in 2025)

QB ?
RB Damari Alston (Sr.)
TE Micah Riley (Jr.)
WR Cam Coleman (So.)
WR Camden Brown (Sr.)
WR Bryce Cain (So.)
OT Favour Edwin (So.)
OT DeAndre Carter (So.)
OG Jeremiah Wright (Sr.)
OG Jaden Muskrat (Sr.)
C Connor Lew (Jr.)

DE Keldric Faulk (Jr.)
DT ?
NT ?
Buck Jamonta Waller (So.)
MLB Demarcus Riddick (So.)
WLB ?
CB Kayin Lee (Jr.)
CB ?
Star Champ Antony (Sr.)
S Caleb Wooden (Sr.)
S Laquon Robinson (Sr.)

Good thing for that transfer portal.  This is the result of that whole recruiting class Auburn has lost to transfers or attrition.  This lineup may look more promising by the time December rolls around.  It would be in true Auburn fashion for Hugh to exceed expectations in year 2 and lay a turd in year 3 which sparks the grumblers

[Mikey 16,777]

That '24 lineup has an awful lot of seniors!