5.8.24 Football Articles

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si.com

Three Reasons To Be Excited About Auburn's Latest Recruiting Victory

Brian Smith

~2 minutes

Auburn's 2025 recruiting class is gaining momentum.

The Tigers are adding Winona (Miss.) High School linebacker Tyler Lockhart to the recruiting fold. A consensus 4-star recruit by On3, Rivals, 247, and ESPN, Lockhart's speed and natural football talent will do well on the Plains.

Here are three reasons why Auburn fans should be excited about the Magnolia State recruit committing to the Tigers.

1) Lockhart's ability to be a three-down linebacker. Lockhart's ability to cover ground is noticeable when a person watches his HUDL film. Considering he's 6-foot-4 and about 200 pounds, it's also important to note that he changes directions extremely well. Therefore, one should expect Lockhart to be a valuable asset against the run and the pass.

2) Position flexibility is important in today's college football world. Lockhart could be a nickel linebacker versus teams that at least sometimes utilize a tight end in the slot, as well as be a traditional weak-side linebacker with the penchant to play downhill or drop into coverage and be effective. For each opponent, Lockhart will help the Tigers match up with different formations and position groups.

3) For Auburn to be a truly big-time recruiting program, landing top Mississippi talent is a must. He's one of the Magonolia State's best and should be able to help Auburn get its foot in the door for landing more recruits from his home state.

Auburn is adding a top-notch prospect with Lockhart. Expect him to make an impact during his freshman season for the T

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247sports.com

How the transfer portal has treated Auburns 2024 opponents

Nathan King

21–27 minutes

Auburn is a 'winner' in the spring portal window. Can the same be said for the Tigers' 2024 opponents?

The transfer churn isn't complete by any means, but as the 2024 college football offseason inches closer to the summer, most teams have a solid idea of what their portal production looks like — both coming and going.

Auburn and Hugh Freeze, for instance, have brought in four transfers in the spring to bring their total to 14 incoming and 22 outgoing this cycle in total. Freeze and his staff have been able to mitigate major losses, though, and the Tigers have been viewed as one of the more quality transfer teams in terms of their offseason work. 

"Like several SEC teams, Auburn had to get better at defensive tackle this window," said 247Sports' Chris Hummer, who labeled Auburn a "winner" in the spring portal. "They did so quickly. Instead of being caught up in a DT market in which teams are making massive overpays, the Tigers struck reasonably early, adding Philip Blidi from Indiana and Isaiah Raikes from Texas A&M. Both bring proven Power Four experience and, at least in Blidi's case, someone with legit NFL Draft potential.

"... Auburn also made things much easier on quarterback Payton Thorne by adding Penn State wide receiver transfer Keandre Lambert-Smith, who led the Nittany Lions last season with 673 yards and four touchdowns. The addition of Lambert-Smith and five-star true freshman Cam Coleman, who drew rave reviews this spring, give Auburn some much-needed pop on the outside; no Auburn receiver totaled more than 350 yards last season."

Have others in the SEC been as fortunate as Auburn in the transfer cycle so far? Let's take a look at each of the Tigers' 2024 opponents and how the transfer portal has treated them.

GAME 1: ALABAMA A&M

Transfers in: 6

Transfers out: N/A

247Sports transfer class ranking: No. 140

Biggest transfer additions: QB Aveon Smith (Miami Ohio), OL Elias Cloy (Georgia Tech)

Biggest transfer losses: N/A

It's difficult to track down comprehensive transfer data for an FCS team, so we're not able to break down the Bulldogs' big transfer losses here. But the main name to know who will look to give Auburn some problems in Week 1 is quarterback Aveon Smith, who looks primed to be Alabama A&M's starter after starting nine games during the 2022 season.

GAME 2: CAL

Transfers in: 19

Transfers out: 22

247Sports transfer class ranking: No. 14

Biggest transfer additions: QB Chandler Rogers (North Texas), WR Kyion Grayes (Ohio State), DB Ryan Yaites (LSU)

Biggest transfer losses: WR Marquez Dortch, WR Jeremiah Hunter, QB Sam Jackson V, LB Kaleb Elams-Orr, EDGE Myles Jernigan

Justin Wilcox has quietly reloaded his roster well after the Golden Bears won their last three games of the regular season in 2023 to get back to a bowl game for the first time since 2019. The name Auburn fans will obviously recognize is Jackson, who comes over as a receiver after playing quarterback at Cal. A few playmakers on both sides of the ball also portaled, but Wilcox has added some pieces, too, in attempts to capitalize off a solid season for budding quarterback Fernando Mendoza.

GAME 3: NEW MEXICO

Transfers in: 15

Transfers out: 36

247Sports transfer class ranking: N/A

Biggest transfer additions: N/A

Biggest transfer losses: WR Jacory Merritt, LB Alec Marenco

The Lobos had a coaching change in December, pushing out Danny Gonzalez and bringing in veteran Bronco Mendenhall, who has quite a roster rebuild on his hands. New Mexico saw its top receiver and tackler transfer, but Mendenhall has been able to convince a few starting pieces to withdraw from the portal and return to the team. It will be a low-talent group Auburn faces next season, but Mendenhall has taken his teams to 14 bowl games in 17 years as an FBS head coach, and could have the Lobos in a good spot moving forward.

GAME 4: ARKANSAS

Transfers in: 22

Transfers out: 31

247Sports transfer class ranking: No. 25 

Biggest transfer additions: QB Taylen Green (Boise State), OT Fernando Carmona (San Jose State), LB Xavian Sorey Jr. (Georgia), DT Danny Saili (BYU)

Biggest transfer losses: QB KJ Jefferson, RB Raheim Sanders, OT Andrew Chamblee, LB Chris Paul Jr.

Sam Pittman had more roster attrition than he would have liked this offseason, highlighted by exits from his starting quarterback and tailback. Boise State transfer Taylen Green looked like a dynamic option at QB during the Razorbacks' spring game, and Auburn fans will remember Carmona as an offensive tackle the Tigers targeted as one of the best in the portal from the Group of Five level. Simply put, Arkansas' roster will look a lot different next season, and the production of Pittman's deep transfer class could determine whether he keeps his job in 2025.

GAME 5: OKLAHOMA

Transfers in: 16

Transfers out: 25

247Sports transfer class ranking: No. 17

Biggest transfer additions: DT Damonic Williams (TCU), EDGE Caiden Woullard (Miami Ohio), WR Deion Burks (Purdue)

Biggest transfer losses: QB Dillon Gabriel, OT Cayden Green, OT Sayvion Byrd, S Key Lawrence

Gabriel transferred to Oregon to become Bo Nix's successor, but that didn't come as a big surprise to Oklahoma's coaches, who reportedly felt Gabriel would go elsewhere for his final season as the Sooners looked to build for the future at QB. Brent Venables had one of the biggest portal splashes of the year when he landed Williams from TCU last week, and Burks is also a dynamic receiver that Auburn targeted in the first transfer window. Oklahoma's roster is healthy heading into 2024, with strong recruiting to support, though the development of rising QB Jackson Arnold will heavily influence the Sooners' ceiling in their first season in the SEC.

GAME 6: GEORGIA

Transfers in: 9

Transfers out: 24

247Sports transfer class ranking: No. 16

Biggest transfer additions: QB Jaden Rashada (Arizona State), TE Benjamin Yurosek (Stanford), RB Trevor Etienne (Florida), WR Colbie Young (Miami), WR Michael Jackson III (USC), WR London Humphreys (Vanderbilt)

Biggest transfer losses: CB A.J. Harris, LB Jamon Dumas-Johnson, EDGE Marvin Jones, LB Xavian Sorey Jr.

Kirby Smart accomplished what he usually does in the portal: grab quality players at any position he wants. Carson Beck has gobs of receiving talent and production around him, not to mention Etienne coming over from rival Florida to lead Georgia's backfield. There are a few key losses on defense through the portal, though the Bulldogs obviously expect their cycles of elite recruiting to fill in those gaps properly.

GAME 7: MISSOURI

Transfers in: 14

Transfers out: 19

247Sports transfer class ranking: No. 15

Biggest transfer additions: LB Jeremiah Beasley (Michigan), OT Cayden Green (Oklahoma), CB Toriano Pride (Clemson), DT Chris McClellan (Florida)

Biggest transfer losses: N/A

It's difficult to find many key transfer departures for Missouri, which appears to be in a tremendous spot as a program under Eli Drinkwitz. On top of strong recruiting and an 11-win season in 2023, Mizzou has retooled important spots on its roster with other Power Five starters, while returning a ton of its own experience from last season. Of the Tigers' 14 outgoing transfers, most rarely saw the field, if at all. Drinkwitz's roster management this offseason has been one of the SEC's most impressive storylines.

GAME 8: KENTUCKY

Transfers in: 11

Transfers out: 22

247Sports transfer class ranking: No. 21

Biggest transfer additions: LB Jamon Dumas-Johnson (Georgia), QB Brock Vandagriff (Georgia), WR Ja'Mori Maclin (North Texas), OL Gerald Mincey (Tennessee)

Biggest transfer losses: EDGE Keaten Wade

Similar to Missouri, Kentucky has held off any major transfer losses — at least according to face value of stats and production. Twenty-two is a big number for the Wildcats, but their Georgia pickups in particular should be key on both sides of the ball. Dumas-Johnson is a former All-American at linebacker, while Vandagriff could very well be Mark Stoops' starting QB in 2024.

GAME 9: VANDERBILT

Transfers in: 17

Transfers out: 25

247Sports transfer class ranking: No. 41

Biggest transfer additions: QB Diego Pavia (New Mexico State), QB Nate Johnson (Utah), DB Maurice Hampton (Memphis), CB Marlon Jones Jr. (Eastern Washington)

Biggest transfer losses: QB Walter Taylor, QB Ken Seals, QB AJ Swann, WR Will Sheppard, WR London Humphreys, DT Nate Clifton, S DeRickey Wright, LB Ethan Barr, TE Justin Ball, WR Jayden McGowan, DB Savion Riley

It's probably fair to say Clark Lea's roster was gutted by the transfer portal, as three quarterbacks, Vandy's top two receivers, and several defensive starters are gone. The Commodores plucked some nice pieces from across the country, including an FCS All-American at cornerback. Auburn fans will recognize Pavia, who beat the Tigers with New Mexico State last season and could be at QB again when Auburn hosts Vanderbilt in November.

GAME 10: LOUISIANA MONROE

Transfers in: 12

Transfers out: 28

247Sports transfer class ranking: No. 129

Biggest transfer additions: N/A

Biggest transfer losses: LB Michael Batton, CB Lu Tillery, DE Kenard Snyder, OT Keydrell Lewis

With former UAB coach Bryant Vincent at the helm, the Warhawks have brought in several transfers from New Mexico, where Vincent was the offensive coordinator in 2023. So one team's loss from Auburn's schedule is another's gain, though there isn't a ton of proven production on the stat sheet for those New Mexico transfers headed to ULM.

GAME 11: TEXAS A&M 

Transfers in: 27

Transfers out: 31

247Sports transfer class ranking: No. 3

Biggest transfer additions: EDGE Nic Scourton (Purdue), EDGE Cashius Howell (Bowling Green), S DeRickey Wright (Vanderbilt), CB Will Lee III (Kansas State), Cyrus Allen (Louisiana Tech), DB Marcus Ratcliffe (San Diego State), LB Solomon DeSheilds (Pitt), OL Kolinu'u Faaiu (Utah), LB Scooby Williams (Florida), CB BJ Mayes (UAB)

Biggest transfer losses: DT Walter Nolan, QB Max Johnson, DB Jacoby Mathews, DT Isaiah Raikes, WR Evan Stewart, CB Deuce Harmon, EDGE Fadil Diggs, TE Jake Johnson, DT LT Overton, S Jardin Gilbert

Auburn's last two opponents of the season faced massive roster rebuilds this offseason, and one of the biggest transfer classes in the country is that of Mike Elko's Texas A&M squad. To the Aggies' credit, they blended Group of Five and Power Five pickups, with plenty of incoming production, and have replenished the roster with a team that appears ready to compete in Year 1. At the same time, Texas A&M experienced heavy transfer losses after the coaching change, including stars Walter Nolan and Evan Stewart — plus nose tackle Isaiah Raikes, who picked USC in January before dipping out after spring practice and transferring to Auburn.

GAME 12: ALABAMA

Transfers in: 12

Transfers out: 39

247Sports transfer class ranking: No. 4 

Biggest transfer additions: OT Kadyn Proctor (Iowa), DB Keon Sabb (Michigan), OL Parker Brailsford (Washington), WR Germie Bernard (Washington), CB Domani Jackson (USC), DT LT Overton (Texas A&M), 

Biggest transfer losses: CB Caleb Downs, WR Isaiah Bond, QB Julian Sayin, DT Khurtiss Perry, OL James Brockermeyer, TE Amari Niblack, RB Roydell Williams, OL Seth McLaughlin, WR Ja'Corey Brooks

Auburn fans have been monitoring the early days of the post-Nick Saban era closely, as former Washington coach Kalen DeBoer has navigated heavy transfer losses in Tuscaloosa. Some of the Crimson Tide's top contributors are headed out, but it's worth noting Alabama is still expected to add a handful more transfers in the coming weeks. Alabama joined most every other program in college football in being susceptible to transfer raiding. DeBoer has punched back with some nice pickups, but Alabama still won't be at the talent level in 2024 it's come to expect over the past couple decades.

Survey results: How much improvement do Auburn fans expect in 2024?

While there's plenty of support and optimism about the direction of the program, fans want to see at least a couple wins' worth of improvement on the field this fall

What are Auburn fans' expectations for Year 2 under Hugh Freeze?

Results from Auburn Undercover's 2024 fan survey, offered to readers Monday, shows that while there's plenty of support and optimism about the direction of the program, fans want to see at least a couple wins' worth of improvement on the field this fall. Fans were also polled about their thoughts on the 2024 schedule, offseason roster work, transfers and more. We again improved our numbers and voting turnout from last year's survey, so a big thank you is in order to our subscribers and readers.

Let's break down the voting and results.

HOW MANY GAMES WILL AUBURN WIN IN THE REGULAR SEASON?

8 — 41.7% of votes

9 — 26.7%

10 — 15.2%

7 — 14.5%

6 — 1.3%

5 — 0.7%

As evidenced by the fact that only 98 percent of all voters have the Tigers winning seven or more games, Auburn fans expect improvement in Year 2 under Freeze. The fact that Auburn was oh so close to upsetting Alabama and Georgia provided some initial encouragement that the Tigers can compete with the best in the conference, and Freeze has only added more talent since then. Dropping a game like New Mexico State, though, would be even less excusable in Year 2.

HOW MANY SEC GAMES WILL AUBURN WIN?

5 — 34.9% of votes

6 — 26.6%

3-4 — 21.1%

7-8 — 16.4%

0-2 — 1.1%

Five wins in the league would likely mean Auburn falls on the road to its two rivals, then comes up short elsewhere in its remaining six SEC games. A road game at fast-rising Missouri and a home showdown with newcomer Oklahoma are likely the two other biggest matchups of the season for the Tigers. Five SEC wins would be Auburn's most in a season since 2020.

(Jake Crandall / Syndication: Montgomery Advertiser, USA TODAY Sports)

WHERE WILL AUBURN FINISH IN THE SEC?

4th-5th — 47.3% of votes

6th-8th — 27.5%

1st-3rd — 16.8%

9th-11th — 6.3%

12th-14th — 1.6%

15th-16th — 0.5%

The expansion of the SEC to 16 teams means fans will have to adjust their parameters a bit to what constitutes a successful season in the conference, considering a seventh-place finish is still in the top half of the league. Most Auburn fans are eyeing a big season in terms of SEC hierarchy, considering even fifth place would only have a handful of teams finishing better than the Tigers.

WHICH NON-RIVALRY GAME SCARES YOU THE MOST?

vs. Oklahoma — 49.3% of votes

at Missouri — 35.2%

vs. Texas A&M — 9.5%

at Kentucky — 6.1%

Every Auburn fan is well aware of the Tigers' road struggles against their two biggest rivals, having not won in Tuscaloosa since 2010, and not in Athens since 2005. In terms of projections, at least this far out from the season, those are usually chalked up as a couple losses when Auburn plays both its rivals away from home. But what about the other six SEC games? Auburn fans think the most difficult matchup will be Oklahoma, which comes to Jordan-Hare Stadium in Week 5 for its first-ever SEC road game. The Sooners won 10 games last season and are trending in the right direction under Brent Venables.

WHAT WILL AUBURN'S SEC RECORD BE AGAINST TEAMS BESIDES GEORGIA AND ALABAMA?

4-2 — 42.0% of votes

5-1 — 35.3%

3-3 — 13.3%

6-0 — 8.0%

2-4 or worse — 1.6%

In those non-rivalry SEC games, Auburn fans still expect a strong record, though the majority of voters are still affording the Tigers a couple losses. Dropping games to, say, Oklahoma and Missouri but winning out otherwise would put Auburn in line for an 8-4 regular season, a record we've already shown that Auburn fans would be pleased with in terms of year-over-year improvement.

(Wesley Hitt, Getty)

WHO WILL BE AUBURN'S STARTING QB MOST OF THE SEASON?

Payton Thorne — 95.5% of votes

Walker White — 2.1%

Hank Brown — 1.3%

Holden Geriner — 1.2%

Freeze's spring confidence in Auburn's incumbent starting quarterback appears to have eased fans a bit heading into the 2024 season. Thorne had more than his fair share of struggles last year, but Freeze has put in tons of work this offseason attempting to shore up those passing-game issues: taking over more control of the offense, tuning up his coaching staff, and adding a handful of talented receivers. All signs point toward an improved 2024 for Thorne, and Auburn fans believe he'll hold on to the starting job.

WHO WILL BE AUBURN'S LEADING RUSHER?

Jarquez Hunter — 76.6% of votes

Damari Alston — 15.7%

Jeremiah Cobb — 7.1%

Brian Battie — 0.6%

Auburn is running it back — get it? — with almost an identical room from the 2023 season. Hunter returns after falling just short of 1,000 yards, but it will be interesting to see how the workload is divided under first-year coach Derrick Nix, considering how explosive a healthy Alston has looked, and the expected impact from Cobb in his second year with the program.

WHO WILL BE AUBURN'S LEADING RECEIVER?

Cam Coleman — 63.3% of votes

KeAndre Lambert-Smith — 21.5%

Robert Lewis — 7.2%

Rivaldo Fairweather — 6.0%

Perry Thompson — 0.9%

Sam Jackson V — 0.6%

Camden Brown — 0.6%

The addition of Penn State's leading receiver, Lambert-Smith, through the portal last month appears to be the only reason Coleman isn't running away with this category. The 5-star freshman made a huge splash in spring practice, and if this is any indication, Auburn fans aren't going to temper expectations for the program's highest-rated offensive signee in the modern era.

WHO WILL LEAD AUBURN IN SACKS?

EDGE Jalen McLeod — 57.5% of votes

DE Keldric Faulk — 26.8% 

LB Eugene Asante — 8.6%

EDGE Keyron Crawford — 3.9%

EDGE Amaris Williams — 1.2%

DT Philip Blidi — 0.8%

EDGE Jamonta Waller — 0.8%

DT Gage Keys — 0.4%

Auburn's top returning sack-getter from 2023 is McLeod, the former App State transfer who battled injuries most of the season but still came away with some solid production: 10.5 tackles for loss and 5.5 sacks. There are plenty of other candidates here, though, including the now-experienced Faulk in his sophomore season, Asante leading the linebacking corps, and Crawford, the Arkansas State transfer who tallied 5.5 sacks in the Sun Belt last season.

WHO WILL LEAD AUBURN IN PASS BREAKUPS?

CB Keionte Scott — 51.2% of votes

CB Kayin Lee — 38.8%

CB JC Hart — 2.8%

S Jerrin Thompson — 2.0%

NICK Champ Anthony — 2.0%

S Sylvester Smith — 1.6%

S Caleb Wooden — 1.6%

It's no surprise to see Auburn's starting cornerbacks at the top of the list here, with Scott — who's moving from nickel to outside corner — getting the nod over Lee, the sophomore who started three games last season. After Colton Hood's surprising transfer, Auburn will be looking for some players to step up at corner in preseason camp, as the No. 3 spot at the position is open for the taking.

(Austin Perryman / Auburn Athletics)

WHO WILL BE AUBURN'S MOST IMPACTFUL FRESHMAN ON OFFENSE?

WR Cam Coleman — 96.8% of votes

QB Walker White — 1.0%

OL DeAndre Carter — 0.6%

OL Favour Edwin — 0.6%

WR Perry Thompson — 0.4%

WR Bryce Cain — 0.4%

In our most lopsided answer of the survey, there's more hype for Coleman, whose expected role carries much, much more weight than any other spot on offense among the true freshmen. Sure, someone like Thompson, a top recruit at receiver in his own right, could come in and make a splash in preseason camp. But the fact that Coleman has already shown his abilities in the spring — and developed a valuable rapport with Thorne and the passing game — makes him a no-brainer in terms of expectations to succeed in 2024.

WHO WILL BE AUBURN'S MOST IMPACTFUL FRESHMAN ON DEFENSE?

EDGE Amaris Williams — 49.1% of votes

LB Demarcus Riddick — 14.4%

EDGE Jamonta Waller — 12.3%

DT Malik Blocton — 9.8% 

CB Jay Crawford — 4.8%

EDGE Joseph Phillips — 4.6%

DE T.J. Lindsey — 2.1%

S Kaleb Harris — 1.5%

DB Kensley Louidor-Faustin — 0.6%

CB Amon Lane-Ganus — 0.6%

LB D.J. Barber — 0.4%

There's a lot more youngsters to choose from on defense in Auburn's 2024 class, but the 5-star signee still takes the cake. Williams, the No. 30 overall prospect in the country, spent most of his time in the spring working with Auburn's "buck" pass-rushers, where he'll be looking to break into the rotation and earn playing time with the more experienced McLeod and Crawford. Riddick and Waller, also top recruits in the front seven, also get plenty of love here.

WHO WILL BE AUBURN'S MOST IMPACTFUL TRANSFER ON OFFENSE?

WR KeAndre Lambert-Smith (Penn State) — 52.1% of votes

OT Percy Lewis (Mississippi State) — 35.8%

WR Robert Lewis (Georgia State) — 9.8%

WR Sam Jackson V (Cal) — 1.7%

OT Seth Wilfred (JUCO) — 0.6%

Auburn needed someone like Lambert-Smith, who was set to be the top returning receiver in the Big Ten, as the cherry on top of a massive overhaul at receiver. With more than 1,700 career receiving yards and 11 touchdowns to his name, Lambert-Smith rounds out the trio of transfers and quartet of freshmen to give Auburn plenty of excitement in the passing game. Lewis, who immediately grabbed the starting left tackle job in spring practice, also fills a major role on the offense.

WHO WILL BE AUBURN'S MOST IMPACTFUL TRANSFER ON DEFENSE?

S Jerrin Thompson (Texas) — 24.8% of votes

NT Isaiah Raikes (USC) — 20.6% 

DT Philip Blidi (Indiana) — 19.3%

EDGE Keyron Crawford (Arkansas State) — 14.6%

CB Antonio Kite (Alabama) — 13.1%

LB Dorian Mausi (Duke) — 5.3%

S Laquan Robinson (JUCO) — 2.4%

"Bug" Thompson wins out here after an impressive spring, following which he will likely be a starter for the Tigers at safety. But a trio of post-spring additions are right behind him, including Raikes, who played under new Auburn defensive coordinator D.J. Durkin last season at Texas A&M, and brings SEC experience — and size — to a defensive line looking for more playmakers. 

(Mickey Welsh, USA TODAY Sports)

HOW SATISFIED ARE YOU WITH THE TRAJECTORY OF AUBURN FOOTBALL? (5: HIGHEST; 1: LOWEST)

4 — 48.7% of votes 

5 — 37.0%

3 — 11.4%

2 — 1.9%

1 — 1.0%

In last year's survey, the prevailing response to this question was "5," so Auburn fans have cooled down a bit after the Tigers' 6-7 campaign last year. But the fact that more than 85 percent of our voters are at a 4 or above is a good sign for the support Freeze has heading into Year 2. The 2023 season was rocky, yes, but it was followed up by an elite recruiting class and what appear to be some sensible moves on the coaching staff.

WHAT WOULD CONSTITUTE A SUCCESSFUL YEAR 2 FOR FREEZE? (ASSUMING CONTINUED TOP-10 RECRUITING)

8 wins — 57.2% of votes

9 wins — 34.0%

7 wins — 5.0%

10+ wins — 3.9%

This is always the million dollar question in Year 2 under a new coach. The first season is given a pass in a lot of ways, and Year 3 is usually when there needs to be concrete results on the field. As such, Auburn's 2024 season falls in a bit of an interesting spot in terms of Freeze's progression of the program. The SEC is always going to yield a tough schedule, but Auburn fans aren't going to lower their expectations: less than 9 percent of voters would be satisfied with seven or less wins in 2024.

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al.com

What’s Hugh Freeze’s analysis of Auburn’s new crop of spring transfers?

Published: May. 07, 2024, 9:23 a.m.

3–4 minutes

Hugh Freeze shares thoughts on Auburn's spring, Cam Coleman and more at Hoover prayer breakfast

After a two-week window of being open for business, the spring transfer portal closed up shop April 30, meaning incoming and outgoing transactions are coming to a slow.

While last-minute transfer additions are possible, the bulk of Auburn’s work is complete.

Freeze and Auburn’s coaching staff wasted no time and made a beeline towards players they thought the Tigers needed with a specific emphasis on adding depth along the defensive line and additional weapons in the wide receiver room.

And since the transfer portal opened on April 16, the Tigers have addressed those needs with the additions of three defensive linemen and an experienced wide receiver.

Auburn’s haul along the defensive line came quick as Indiana transfer Philip Blidi was the first to commit to the Tigers April 21, followed by former Texas A&M and USC defensive lineman Isaiah Raikes and Arkansas State transfer defensive lineman Keyron Crawford.

All three defensive line commitments came in a stretch of less than 24 hours and will help remedy the losses of former Auburn defensive lineman Marcus Harris and Justin Rogers.

Days later, the Tigers made their splash offensive addition when Penn State transfer wide receiver KeAndre Lambert-Smith, who was regarded as the best available wide receiver in the portal, announced his commitment to Auburn April 24.

And in the case of Lambert-Smith, who hauled in 53 catches for 673 yards and four touchdowns last fall, Auburn not only saw an opportunity to add offensive production, but also an opportunity to add experience to an otherwise inexperienced wide receiver room that’s set to feature a quartet of blue-chip freshmen in 2024.

“That’s really why we brought in a Dre Lambert,” Freeze said Tuesday ahead of his appearance at the City of Hoover’s Mayors’ Prayer Breakfast. “He’s experienced and now you have the combination of the really, really young talented guys and an older guy or two that have played significant snaps to maybe help bridge that gap.”

Auburn also made a late addition via the transfer portal Monday as former Akron offensive lineman Ronan Chambers announced he was flipping his transfer commitment from Tulane to Auburn.

Chambers officially signed later that same day, bringing Auburn’s spring transfer total to five additions and seemingly shoring up Auburn’s roster.

“I think the ones we got in the spring, combined with the high school additions definitely improved us. The late additions that we just added, you know, we haven’t had them yet, but we feel good about them,” Freeze said Tuesday morning. “They added some depth to us, particularly along the D-line, where we added some quality players, we think — and at receiver. So we’re cautiously optimistic about our additions.”

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si.com

Three Reasons Auburn's Passing Game Makes Big Improvements In 2024

Brian Smith

4–5 minutes

Auburn is coming off a woeful 2023 passing attack, but there's good news with the vast number of roster moves.

While the Tigers lose players like Jay Fair (31 receptions, 324 yards, and 2 touchdowns) and Ja'Varrius Johnson (19 receptions, 347 yards, and 3 touchdowns), the overall wide receiver depth chart is in a far better position than it was just last season (statistics from CFBStats.com).

In 2024, here are three prime reasons, among several, why the Tigers will be airing it out with much more success.

1) There's far more wide receiver talent on the 2024 roster and that begins with success from the Transfer Portal. It begins with adding former Georgia State receier Robert Lewis. Per PFF, Lewis is coming off 70 catches, 877 yards, and 7 touchdowns. While a step up in competition, Lewis's consistency is another factor to consider. His 2023 statistics include at least two receptions in every contest.

He's also capable of big games. Against Charlotte, 6 receptions, 220 yards, and two touchdowns. His athleticism and playmaking ability will be welcome additions when the Tigers enter any game. The latest Transfer Portal addition is also a key component for why Tigers fans should be excited.

Former Penn State receiver KeAndre Lambert-Smith is a playmaker with his speed and elusiveness. Even playing in what many PSU fans would consider a subpar passing attack, Lambert-Smith's 2023 numbers were 53 receptions, 674 yards, and 4 touchdowns. Combining Lewis with him, now Auburn has two proven pass catchers for Payton Thorne to throw the football. There's still more.

While he's been recovering from injury, Sam Jackson V is an explosive athlete that grew up playing with Thorne in Illinois. He's going to have his moments this fall, too. Overall, Auburn's wide receiver room has more speed and talent from the upperclassmen ranks than it did one year ago.

2) Here come the freshmen!

The much-anticipated arrival of Bryce Cain, Malcolm Simmons, Perry Thompson, and Cam Coleman. While a group of freshmen typically do not make a big impact, all four of these young men can truly play. It's the best wide receiver recruiting haul in Auburn history.

Coleman and Cain are already enrolled and showed off their talents during spring practice. One could argue that Coleman is already Auburn's best deep threat and is pushing to be the No. 1 receiver overall. Might sound crazy but multiple members of the Auburn media hold similar opinions after seeing Coleman multiple times this spring.

Cain's quickness in space is tremendous. He's the prototypical slot receiver that's all but impossible to defend in space. Coming off a good spring, look for Cain to have some eye-opening plays this fall.

Thompson and Simmons are athletic specimens that should make a run at playing time this fall as well. Most likely, both will see considerable playing time. While this group is going to be counted on quite a bit, do not discount the abilities of Hugh Freeze and his coaching staff scheming up ways for the freshmen receivers to make impacts either. They will help the young players find their groove.

3) Auburn has proven playmakers coming into the program, and do not forget about a proven commodity at tight end either.

Even with teams often keying on his every move, Rivaldo Fairweather is coming off a 2023 campaign with 33 receptions, 349 yards, and 6 touchdowns (Pro Football Focus). He's going to be a fifth-year senior this fall; it's essentially his "money year" as he prepares to make the jump to the National Football League. For one, motivation matters. It's obvious he's continuing to improve, too.

While the media watched during spring practice, Fairweather's presence consistently caused matchup problems. He's too big for defensive backs and more athletic than the majority of linebackers. Making 50-50 grabs is something Fairweather does well, and he runs routes like a much smaller player than his 6-foot-4 and 251-pound frame might otherwise indicate.

With the players Auburn is adding to the wide receiver corps, Fairweather is going to be one-on-one more often and less likely to receive as much defensive attention. He will have a big 2024 season.

 

I cannot remember if i posted this or not..............

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al.com

Hugh Freeze says he and Nick Saban talk frequently post retirement

Published: May. 08, 2024, 7:43 a.m.

~3 minutes

Auburn head coach Hugh Freeze, visor, shakes hands with Alabama head coach Nick Saban before an NCAA college football game, Saturday, Nov. 25, 2023, in Auburn, Ala. At left is Auburn trustee Jimmy Rane. (AP Photo/Vasha Hunt)AP

Regardless of their matchups on the field over the years, Auburn head coach Hugh Freeze and former Alabama head coach Nick Saban have maintained a close relationship. Now, after Saban’s retirement in January, the two have talked more often.

Freeze was asked Wednesday morning before playing in the Pro-Am at the Regions Tradition in Birmingham about his relationship with Saban after his retirement.

“Nick and I, we were in Jupiter for spring break together,” Freeze told reporters on the driving range. “We actually talk fairly regularly now. It’s peaceful. Everybody knows I love Nick. We’re good friends away from the field and when we don’t play each other.”

During that trip, Freeze and Saban played golf together.

“Coach Saban can get it in the hole,” Freeze said. “That was back in March when I hadn’t been playing and I think he got the best of me. I look forward to a rematch now that I’m playing some.”

Saban will also be playing in the Regions Pro-Am on Wednesday, just 40 minutes after Freeze tees off.

Saban retired in early January after Alabama’s loss to eventual national champion Michigan in the Rose Bowl. But Freeze and Saban have a friendship long before the former Crimson Tide coach’s retirement.

“When the game is over, you’re still friends and that’s the way it will be probably with this,” Saban said of Freeze during SEC Media Days.

After Saban retired, Freeze posted on X, formerly known as Twitter, congratulating him.

Saban and Freeze have faced six times as head coaches, and Saban has won four times.

Saban and Freeze only overlapped on opposite sides of the Iron Bowl for one year in 2023. Alabama won the game 27-24 over Auburn at Jordan-Hare Stadium, with Isaiah Bond catching the game-winning touchdown on 4th-and-31 with under a minute to play.

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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Goodman: Inside the ‘insane’ offers for high-value transfers

Updated: May. 07, 2024, 12:04 p.m.|Published: May. 07, 2024, 11:54 a.m.

6–8 minutes

This is an opinion column.

____________________________

A conversation with the parent of a prominent college athlete offered some new insight into the ever-evolving game of recruiting the transfer portal.

“Recruiting on steroids” is what they called it.

The transfer portal closed last week. Players in the portal can still sign with teams, but most of the action is over. Navigating the portal is exhausting for players and coaches, but that’s the new reality of college athletics among the money sports.

What’s it like when a player enters his name into the transfer portal?

“Within 35 seconds — I’m not kidding you — within 35 seconds my phone was blowing up,” said the parent. “When they say it is like recruiting on steroids, the first 36 hours were exhausting. Any school you can think of was either calling, texting, sending DMs. It was unbelievable and some of them were like we’ll just show up with money.”

Some of the offers were “insane,” said the parent.

A few years ago, former Alabama head coach Nick Saban made headlines when he suggested that Alabama quarterback Bryce Young was getting paid seven figures for NIL deals. That blew everyone’s minds. Let’s just say that the marketplace has escalated quickly since the nascent days of NIL. In this last transfer window, seven-figure deals for players without starting experience wasn’t uncommon.

The transfer portal and NIL collectives have changed everything about college football and basketball over the last few years. According to the rules of the NCAA, athletes can be paid by the collectives for the use of their name, image and likeness. To be clear, that’s not how the system actually operates.

In practice, coaches are offering money and managing budgets for their rosters like general managers of pro teams.

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Life’s a Process: Nick Saban grows a mustache

With fewer players to manage, basketball is evolving faster than football. Consider Alabama’s upstart basketball team.

The Crimson Tide reached the Final Four for the first time in school history a month ago. Alabama isn’t going away. After a month of working the portal, Alabama coach Nate Oats has next season’s team looking like a favorite to win the 2025 NCAA Tournament.

Alabama added Rutgers transfer Clifford Omoruyi on Sunday, giving Oats a reliable shot-blocking presence that the team lacked in 2024. A 6-11 center, Omoruyi will take defensive pressure off of forwards Grant Nelson and Jarin Stevenson.

Predicting Alabama’s backcourt is a little more difficult.

Latrell Wrightsell is returning, and Alabama is also adding transfers Chris Youngblood of South Florida, Houston Mallette of Pepperdine and Aden Holloway of Auburn. Mallette is the 6-5 guard who committed to Alabama before the 2024 season even ended. Youngblood, the 2024 co-AAC player of the year, is a 6-4 guard who is originally from Tuscaloosa.

Holloway, the former Auburn five-star, could be in line to start at point guard for Alabama, but not if Mark Sears returns for his final season of eligibility instead of turning pro. In years past, Sears would have turned pro after his fourth season of college basketball. Two things could bring him back to Alabama.

He still has a fifth-year of eligibility remaining due to the COVID-19 pandemic and he could make far more playing college ball if he’s not selected in the first round of the NBA Draft. Currently, Sears is projected as the second-round pick.

Money isn’t everything, said the parent, but they added “I have heard that there are guys who have been told that there’s just not going to be money for you, or we’ll give you $50,000. And that kind of says to me, hmm, how important am I going to be to this team?

“NIL isn’t important, but you don’t want to be the $60,0000 guy.”

Before NIL, $60,000 payments to players would be a major infraction in the eyes of the NCAA. Now it’s the base salary for benchwarmers.

Who’s offering the most money? You’d be surprised.

“I think that the smaller markets struggle more to get players, so the money is bigger,” said the parent. “If you’ve got a powerhouse, then you know you’re going to have eyes on you and you know there is going to be a lot more attention than less-watched schools.”

Where players land isn’t always about the money — playing time is the other currency of the transfer portal — but everyone is getting something on prominent teams. Many NIL collectives now have mechanisms in place to protect the bottom line. Some collectives pay per game in case players are injured. Some collectives pay signing bonuses.

“It’s all kind of convoluted,” said the parent. “You hear about crazy money and sometimes it’s not true. And that’s why you can’t really chase the money. You’ve got to find the right fit.

“And you don’t want to be the cheapest guy on the team. You don’t have to be the most expensive guy either, right?”

The trickle-down effect extends to the high school level, too. Parents and coaches agree that the biggest change in major college athletics due to the transfer portal and NIL is how high school players are now recruited. Many high school players with D-I talent are having to start their careers at the D-II and JUCO levels and then wait their turns.

“From what I see,” said the parent, “the biggest kids being affected are the high school kids. Because once you’re in college, you’ve kind of proven what you can do even if you’re somebody who has just played a little bit. You still would have an advantage over someone in high school.”

From that perspective, major college football and basketball is also experiencing a throwback amid its financial revolution. If everyone is paying for experience over potential, then maybe that will give underclassmen more time to focus on their classwork.

SOUND OFF

Got a question for Joe? Want to get something off your chest? Send Joe an email about what’s on your mind for the weekly mailbag. Let your voice be heard. Ask him anything.

Joseph Goodman is the lead sports columnist for the Alabama Media Group, and author of the most controversial sports book ever written, “We Want Bama: A Season of Hope and the Making of Nick Saban’s Ultimate Team.”

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al.com

Auburn athletics director John Cohen inks two-year contract extension

Published: May. 07, 2024, 4:29 p.m.

2–3 minutes

Auburn Tigers Sports

Auburn athletics director John Cohen inks two-year contract extension, now set to run through 2029

Auburn Athletics Director John Cohen talks after being introduced during a press conference in Auburn, Ala., on Tuesday, Nov. 8, 2022. (AP Photo/Todd Van Emst)AP

Auburn athletics director John Cohen has inked a two-year contract extension which extends his contract through October 2029, according to an addendum to his initial employment contract, which AL.com received a copy of via public records request Tuesday.

The addendum to Cohen’s contract was signed by he and Auburn University president Chris Roberts on May 2.

Cohen initially entered into agreement with Auburn on Nov. 1, 2022 — a contract that was set to run through October of 2027.

Prior to coming to Auburn, Cohen spent six years as the athletic director at Mississippi State, where he also served seven seasons as the Bulldogs’ head baseball coach.

Since arriving to The Plains, Cohen has been tasked with hiring a pair of head coaches in Auburn football’s Hugh Freeze and the recent addition of Auburn women’s tennis coach Jordan Szabo. In addition to those hires, Cohen has also helped spearhead a number of facility improvements to Auburn football’s Jordan-Hare Stadium and Auburn baseball’s Plainsman Park.

Cohen also recently led the effort in landing a partnership with Nike as the official apparel and equipment provider of Auburn athletics.

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Auburn Transfer Linebacker Cam Riley Commits To ACC School

by Staff Reporter

May 8, 20240 Comments

John Reed-USA TODAY Sports

Former Auburn linebacker Cam Riley announced his commitment to Florida State on Wednesday after de-committing from NC State.

Riley, a junior from Evergreen, Ala., rotated in Auburn's linebacker group last season and made 32 tackles and 2.5 sacks.

He had a career-high 65 tackles and 3.5 tackles for loss in 2022.
 

 

Filed Under: Auburn Sports