Fresh off his 11th Universal Cheerleaders Association national championship, Auburn’s mascot Aubie was honored Saturday with the unveiling of a bronze figure depicting his likeness in front of the Harold D. Melton Student Center.
The 6-foot-2-inch figure shows Aubie holding an Auburn flag, a nod to his commitment as a spirit leader and his gameday tradition of leading the team onto Pat Dye Field.
Artist Alison Brown Caswell consulted on the design and was commissioned to cast the figure. The Oregon-based sculptor is known for creating bronze sculptures of mascots for the University of Oregon, Oregon State University, the University of Southern California and Boise State University, as well as the Buc-ee’s beaver mascot and NBA star and ESPN analyst Bill Walton.
“Aubie is one of the most universally loved Auburn traditions, and he belongs in a permanent location on campus,” said Bobby Woodard, senior vice president for Student Affairs. “He is an important part of our student experience, and we are thrilled that his new home is outside the Melton Student Center.”
President Christopher B. Roberts, Samuel Ginn College of Engineering Senior Director of Development Margaret Arnold, former Student Government Association (SGA) President Jake Haston and Aubie Program representative Logan McKenna were also present for the event.
The figure unveiling — which preceded Aubie’s 45th birthday Wednesday — is the culmination of an idea that had been discussed for nearly a decade.
“After Aubie secured his 10th UCA national championship in 2021, we started conversations again about bringing the project to reality,” said Peyton Alsobrook, director of development for Student Affairs.
In April, the Auburn University Board of Trustees accepted a plan from Woodard aimed at enhancing the student experience. Part of his proposal included a partnership with SGA and the Aubie Program for a permanent, fully donor-funded figure of the mascot to live outside the Student Center.
Haston said the Aubie Program and Student Affairs brought possible plans for the figure to his attention following his election as SGA president. When Haston discussed the plans with student leaders, he saw “their overwhelming excitement about the idea” and advocated for the plan to the trustees.
Philanthropic support from Auburn alumni, friends and fans was vital to bringing the figure to life on campus — from the initial brainstorm through the final unveiling.
“The love the Auburn Family has for the university and Aubie is simply unmatched,” Alsobrook said. “Several Aubie Program alumni and former leaders became key advocates for the project, providing both major philanthropic support, as well as their expertise and leadership in making this project a reality.
“It’s because of their generosity — along with the generous support from alumni and friends over this past year — that we were able to solidify Aubie’s legacy as a beloved Auburn tradition.”
More than 180 individual donors across the university’s 12 colleges made gifts to fund the figure.
Long before his days as an elite mascot and goodwill ambassador for Auburn, Aubie’s existence began as a cartoon character created by Birmingham Post-Herald artist Phil Neel, debuting on the Auburn football program in October 1959. He made his first live appearance on Feb. 28, 1979, at the SEC Basketball Tournament, and has since been a symbol of Auburn’s unwavering school spirit.
Whether you’ve watched Aubie’s antics during sporting events or posed for a photo with him around campus, Auburn fans have a favorite story featuring the mischievous and fun-loving tiger. Ally Mills Dorrough, a College of Liberal Arts alumna, said her favorite memory was when her children first met Aubie at an Auburn baseball game in 2022.
“They couldn’t run any faster and or smile any bigger,” Dorrough said. “It was like they met Santa, but better!”
Aubie, who makes more than 1,000 appearances a year, has won a record 11 mascot national championships — more than any other mascot in the United States. Aubie was named the 2014 Capital One Mascot of the Year and was among the first three college mascots inducted into the Mascot Hall of Fame in 2006.
“I can’t wait to see students embrace this new campus landmark,” Haston said. “I hope the figure serves as a joyful gathering place for those visiting campus for the first time, students meeting before a big game and alumni reminiscing on their experiences on campus.”
Allen Greene, Auburn University athletic director from 2018-2022, found a new home in a familiar conference after moving on from his one-year tenure at Ole Miss.
It was announced Thursday that Greene has officially signed on with the University of Tennessee to become its new Senior Deputy Athletics Director.
“One of the key objectives from our strategic plan ‘Rise Glorious’ was to attract goal-driven and intensely competitive teammates to strengthen our family-oriented, innovative and fearless culture and Allen is a tremendous addition to our leadership team,” Volunteers Athletic Director Danny White said.
“Allen’s one of the most dynamic and engaging leaders I’ve been fortunate to work alongside, and I am thrilled to be able to add one of the stars of our profession and his wonderful family to Rocky Top.”
https://twitter.com/AD_DannyWhite/status/1730294592115716226
Greene said he’s is looking forward to working at Tennessee.
“I’m very appreciative for this opportunity to once again be a teammate with Danny and join the talented executive team he has assembled at Tennessee,” he said in a statement. “The Tennessee brand is second to none and I am looking forward to help propel UT athletics in this modern era of our industry.”
“My family and I can’t wait to get started on Rocky Top.”
From 2015 to 2018 Green was the athletics director for Buffalo.
Austen Shipley is a staff writer for Yellowhammer News.
On Friday, Auburn University’s Board of Trustees didn’t just elect a president pro tempore – they elected Quentin Riggins, an Auburn tiger through and through.
Former linebacker and former member of the radio broadcast team, Riggins earned his bachelor’s degree while leading the Tigers to three consecutive SEC championships from 1987 to 1989.
Today, he’s the Senior Vice President of Governmental and Corporate Affairs for Alabama Power. He worked in state government for 24 years – serving in senior leadership roles for the Speaker of the House and the Governor of Alabama.
#Auburn congratulates alumnus Quentin Riggins for his election Friday as the president pro tempore of Auburn’s Board of Trustees, making him the first African American to serve in this capacity.#WarEagle pic.twitter.com/UcLWV1h2Fd
— Auburn University (@AuburnU) June 9, 2023
As a trustee since 2017, Riggins continues to scale his leadership at Auburn.
He’s served on the Auburn Athletics’ Advisory Committee and is chairman of the capital campaign for the their Office of Inclusion and Diversity.
RELATED: Quentin Riggins wins Auburn’s Walter Gilbert Award
While also staying involved in community service. Riggins currently serves on the boards of the Grandview Medical Center, Voices for Alabama’s Children, the Energy Institute of Alabama and the Business Council of Alabama’s ProgressPAC. His past board memberships included Leadership Alabama and the Baptist Foundation.
As president pro tempore, Riggins will play a key role in the mission and stewardship of Auburn. He, his wife, and daughter reside in Trussville, Alabama.
Grayson Everett is a staff writer for Yellowhammer News. You can follow him on Twitter @Grayson270
Auburn University is the first university in the nation to possess a vehicle designed specifically to make community events accessible for those with sensory needs.
The Sensory Activation Vehicle, or SAV, is one of the programs offered by KultureCity, a Birmingham-based nonprofit dedicated to creating sensory accessibility and promoting inclusivity for all.
Assistant Professor Morgan Yordy, Associate Clinical Professor Ann Lambert and former student advisor Cassandra Jones in Auburn’s College of Nursing were looking for a way to increase inclusivity across campus and discovered KultureCity.
Alabama doctors Julian Maha and Michele Kong started the organization as a result of their son’s autism. It has provided sensory resources for 550 venues in five countries, including all major league baseball stadiums and basketball arenas in the United States. Other KultureCity programs include sensory certification and sensory bags.
Maha said Auburn is the first American university with a SAV.
“We know a lot of families attend Auburn athletic events,” said Yordy. “We also know that more children are facing mental health challenges, beyond conditions like autism and ADHD.”
Through the support of KultureCity and the Merrill Stewart family, Auburn Nursing has a SAV to utilize at events on campus and around the community. The acquisition will allow nursing faculty and students to provide a sanctuary for individuals who need to escape the loud noises and bustling activity at such events.
The SAV is not only a quiet place, which can be quieter with noise-cancelling headphones, but it contains interactive sensory stations to distract from an overstimulating environment and reduce anxiety.
Currently, Auburn Nursing occupies a portion of the first aid station of Neville Arena to provide a sensory room at gymnastics meets. Faculty use KultureCity sensory bags, which contain noise-canceling headphones, fidget tools and other resources, in this space. That is also where Auburn Nursing houses its Tiger Babies program.
Anna Kate Graham, a senior majoring in human development and family science in the College of Human Sciences and an intern in the College of Nursing, said she has noticed children at gymnastics meets who cover their ears to diminish the loud music and enthusiastic fans.
“It’s a lot of lights and a lot of noises,” said Graham. “We’re in the arena right now because parents aren’t aware that this exists for their children. We want to open that door, let people spend time inside and see what we have to offer.”
Nursing faculty has had much success with outreach programs involving Auburn Athletics. The Tiger Babies breastfeeding support tent opened in 2015 to provide a clean and comfortable environment for mothers to nurse prior to Auburn football games. Since 2018, a Tiger Babies station has had a permanent location inside Jordan-Hare Stadium, allowing mothers to nurse before and during football games. The first aid station in Neville Arena also provides such an environment.
Yordy and Lambert are optimistic they can develop a similar arrangement with Auburn Athletics and the SAV. They also want to provide the trailer at local community events.
“Auburn Athletics has been helpful and so welcoming with Tiger Babies, we’re hoping as we introduce more programs to help engage families, that athletics will come on board again, and we can expand throughout athletics,” Yordy said.
“It is something we’ll be proud to take to events on campus and beyond. SAV will be utilized not only on campus, but within the community as part of the SOUND program.”
Based on the line of the creed, “I believe in a sound mind, in a sound body and a spirit that is not afraid…,” Yordy said Auburn Nursing coined the acronym SOUND for the program nursing will develop to support the SAV. SOUND stands for Sensory Outreach Under Nursing Direction.
For a son
Maha and Kong founded KultureCity so everyone, especially children, could enjoy group gatherings, like sporting events, music concerts and birthday parties.
“He loved going to these public events,” Maha recalled of his son, “but because of his sensory needs, he was one of those kids that couldn’t last the entire time as the crowds and the noise overwhelmed him. These trailers can help people regulate themselves, calm down and decompress in the privacy of the room.
“The trailers also educate the general community about the sensory needs of certain individuals and provide tools to organizations to help individuals to stay through an event so they can become part of the community.”
For those places or venues without a trailer or a permanent sensory room, KultureCity offers its sensory bags. In Alabama, staff at the Birmingham Zoo and McWane Science Center have access to the bags and, with KultureCity’s help, are trained on how and when to utilize them with visitors.
For the Auburn Family
Sensory issues aren’t limited to children. In fact, Maha said one in six individuals has a sensory need or an invisible disability, such as post-traumatic stress disorder, autism or dementia or is recovering from a stroke.
Yordy said the vehicle and SOUND program will be aimed to helping families enjoy all events together.
“Sensory needs are a common medical condition in which the brain has trouble receiving and responding to information that comes in through the senses,” explained Maha. “Common sounds, lights, crowds and even certain smells might not only be overwhelming, but also cause physical pain.
“Because of this, these individuals withdraw from communities, not by choice, but by circumstance as they worry about how the world will accept or include them. KultureCity changes that. We make the ‘nevers’ possible.”
KultureCity vows to “make the nevers possible by creating sensory accessibility and inclusion for those with invisible disabilities.” Its website contains videos of people who, thanks to KultureCity, can no longer say they never had a birthday party, attended a concert or ran a marathon.
Merrill H. Stewart Jr., founder, president and CEO of the Birmingham-based construction firm Stewart/Perry Company and an alumnus of Auburn’s Raymond J. Harbert College of Business, vowed that because of Auburn Nursing’s SAV, “lives will be better.”
Linda Gibson-Young, professor and outreach coordinator for Auburn Nursing, is certain the SAV will be the primary way nursing faculty and students will meet the needs of individuals with sensory needs.
In wake of the recent termination of former Auburn head coach Bryan Harsin, the rumors have already begun to circulate as to who could be the next head coach of the Tigers. The Auburn head coaching vacancy will be the subject of sports media speculation until the role has been filled.
The Auburn job is widely considered one of the most desired jobs in the country. In addition to being a tradition-steeped program in the SEC, Auburn’s legacy of winning coupled with significant investment in the program and the fertile recruiting grounds in Alabama and throughout the southeast contribute to the desirability of the job.
The hiring will be one of the most consequential in the program’s history. Auburn fans have been clamoring to return to the consistent success experienced under the likes of Pat Dye and Tommy Tuberville. New athletic director John Cohen will have a monumental task on his hands from Day 1.
Hugh Freeze
Record: 83-41
Freeze has emerged as the front-runner. He has demonstrated his ability to inherit tough situations and instantly get results. When Freeze arrived at Ole Miss, he was able to turn around a midling program quickly. He’s a prolific recruiter, play caller and has the perfect personality for the Auburn job. Freeze has been bowl eligible for four seasons in a row. The primary detractor for many with Freeze was a scandal that he was embroiled in that led to his termination from Ole Miss. That being said, Auburn has had success with coaches that have been previously involved in situations similar to Freeze (see: Bruce Pearl).
Lane Kiffin
Record: 85-44
Kiffin’s name has been tossed around as a potential candidate for the Auburn job. After a couple of underwhelming stints at USC and Tennessee, Kiffin revived his career under the tutelage of Coach Nick Saban as offensive coordinator. He has been innovative in his scheme as well as his recruiting philosophy. His ability to adapt to the new age of college football with NIL and the transfer portal has been a master class. After losing numerous players to attrition after Ole Miss’ first 10-win season a year ago, Kiffin replenished his roster via the transfer portal, and it has paid dividends. It has long been rumored that Kiffin would like to eventually replace Saban. If that’s the case, taking the Auburn job would almost certainly take him out of contention to be the next guy in Tuscaloosa. Additionally, many wonder if leaving an established Ole Miss program that he has firing on all cylinders to take the Auburn job would make sense.
Deion Sanders
Record: 23-5
“Coach Prime” originally received a tremendous amount of buzz when Auburn decided to part ways with Bryan Harsin. He’s proven to be a top-notch recruiter without the benefits and resources that a program such as Auburn provides. But is he prepared to be the lead man at a program of Auburn’s magnitude? He has been a tremendous coach and ambassador for HBCUs, but the SEC/Power 5 is a completely different beast. For context, Jackson State’s football budget in 2021 was $2.1 million while Auburn’s exceeded $133 million. Sanders is the ultimate competitor dating back to his playing days, but would Auburn feel comfortable in his ability to compete against the likes of Saban, Smart, Heupel, et al?
Matt Rhule
Record: 47-43
Rhule didn’t work out as the head coach of the Carolina Panthers, but who does? He was fired after two below-average seasons in the NFL. Before the NFL, Rhule won at Temple and Baylor. He had two 10-win seasons at Temple and an 11-win season with Baylor. Rhule’s offenses have been dynamic in college, and he has done a great job at hiring top-notch staff. He could be a great fit, but is he too much of an outsider for the job? Additionally, it is rumored that Rhule is the frontrunner to take the Nebraska coaching job.
Mark Stoops
Record: 66-57
Stoops checks a lot of boxes. He’s a big name with a proven record of winning in the SEC. He has been at Kentucky for almost 10 seasons, and he has experienced a tremendous amount of success. He’s done a lot with very little. The main question mark for Stoops taking the Auburn job is whether he would even consider leaving. He’s Kentucky’s winningest coach and, at this point in his career, could remain head coach until his retirement.
Jeff Grimes
Record: 0-0
Grimes is a dark-horse candidate. He does not have any experience as a head coach at the collegiate ranks. That aside, Grimes does bolster an impressive resume as an assistant. Early in his career, he was primarily an offensive line coach at a number of different stops, including three seasons with Auburn under former head coach Gene Chizik. Most recently, he has been the running game coordinator and offensive coordinator at LSU, BYU, and Baylor. Grimes has been noted for his ability to develop players and install sound offensive schemes. The drawback on Grimes is going to be the lack of head coaching experience. However, his ties to Auburn coupled with his successful background make him a name to watch.
Carnell “Cadillac” Williams
Record: 1-1
Interim coach Carnell Williams has the Auburn faithful believing. The atmosphere in Jordan-Hare Stadium was undeniable this past weekend as the Tigers defeated Texas A&M to give Williams his first victory as head coach. Williams, like Grimes, has very little-to-no experience as a head coach. That being said, Williams is a true Auburn man through-and-through. The former Auburn running back was one of the 2000s’ most electric players. He racked up countless accolades and awards as a player for the Tigers. Now, he has the team and the fanbase believing again. We have seen the infectious enthusiasm that he and his team exude. He also has the recruiting chops and extremely close ties with high school football juggernaut IMG Academy where he served as running backs coach. Williams will have two to three games left on his audition to be the next man up. Will it be enough for him to earn the removal of the interim title?
Auburn’s coaching search has been the topic of much discussion and speculation. Every week, a new frontrunner emerges for the highly coveted position.
Regardless of the final decision, it will certainly send shockwaves throughout Alabama, the SEC, and the college football world.
Dylan Smith is the editor of Yellowhammer News. You can follow him on Twitter @DylanSmithAL
Ben Richardson is contributing sports writer for Yellowhammer News
The game of football is a grind. Even good teams must endure the physical punishment, monotony of schedule, and weight of expectations that the gridiron provides.
All of those things are true of teams that are in the midst of losing seasons as well, but there is no thrill of victory or hope of fulfilling season goals to help drive them forward.
Teams that struggle to win many games typically need something unusual, unexpected, or unconventional to find the needed motivation to press on in the face of disappointment.
Auburn interim head coach Carnell Williams has provided just that to the Loveliest Village on the Plains over the last two weeks and guided the Tigers to their first win in nearly two months, a 13-10 victory over Texas A&M.
The energy and enthusiasm that Williams and his staff have injected into the team and the fanbase has completely changed feel of Auburn football in 2022.
This Auburn football team still has plenty of flaws and certainly has not been transformed into some kind of football powerhouse.
However, there is an undeniable shift in vibes around the Auburn Tigers football program that completely correlates with Cadillac Williams’ tenure as head coach.
On a cool night in Auburn, the passion of the Auburn coaches, players, and fans burned hot and the Tigers fought their way to victory, giving Coach Williams his first career win.
Take a look at three things that led to Auburn’s 13-10 victory over Texas A&M.
Auburn’s Defense
The Auburn Tigers defense was up to the challenge Saturday night in Jordan-Hare Stadium versus Texas A&M, and provided the performance that was needed to earn a close win.
Texas A&M is far from an offensive juggernaut as currently constructed, but they are a team with considerable talent.
The Auburn defense tightened the clamps on the Aggies for most of the game, including a third quarter performance that kept Texas A&M from converting a single first down.
The Aggies were completely stymied on the ground and their freshman quarterback Conner Weigman was held under 100 yards passing until Texas A&M’s final possession.
The Tigers defense completely controlled the game and might have been able to shut out the Aggies if Auburn’s offense had not turned the ball over a couple of times in the second half.
Auburn’s defensive performance was a collaborative effort, but standout defensive lineman Colby Wooden’s sack that caused Conner Weigman to fumble late in the fourth quarter was an outstanding play that helped put the game just outside of the Aggies reach.
The Tigers’ defense set the tone early against Texas A&M and made big stops late in order to earn a much needed win against the Aggies.
Tigers’ Rushing Attack
Auburn’s offensive line has been the subject of many discussions over the past few seasons, and most of them have not been positive.
The Tigers’ front five on offense may not be world-beaters, but they deserve a ton of credit for helping Auburn earn a victory against Texas A&M.
Auburn ran the ball 55 times against the Aggies for 270 yards and completely controlled most of the game doing so.
The Tigers’ backfield of tailbacks, Tank Bigsby and Jarquez Hunter, combined with quarterback Robby Ashford, found lanes to run for the duration of the contest.
Auburn was not able to get the ball in the end zone on the ground, but the rushing game was the Tigers’ only consistent source of offense and did enough to win the matchup.
Effort
Auburn fans expect their best teams to win championships, but every team that takes the field at Jordan-Hare Stadium in the blue jerseys to display toughness and tenacity.
No one believes that the 2022 Auburn Tigers had quit on this season prior to Bryan Harsin being fired, but everyone can clearly see that the current coaches have tapped into something that was missing for the previous month.
On offense, Auburn has lined up and run the football over and over again in the last few weeks.
The Tigers defense has allowed 19 points in the last six quarters of football that they have played by tightening coverage, harassing the passer, and hitting ball-carriers.
The brand of football that the Auburn Tigers have played in the last two games is what is needed for the remainder of this season’s schedule.
Zack Shaw is a contributing writer for Yellowhammer News and former walk-on for the Auburn Tigers.
Auburn got off to a horrific start, mounted a furious comeback, and ultimately fell short of victory in head coach Cadillac Williams’ first outing leading the Tigers.
To begin the game, Mississippi State put 17 points on the board before Auburn amassed 25 yards of total offense.
Bulldogs’ quarterback Will Rogers was slicing and dicing the Tigers’ defense so easily in the first sixteen minutes of play that at least 50 Mississippi State points seemed like an good bet at the time.
To compound the issues, Auburn’s offense, which has struggled mightily most of the year, looked to be the worst version of itself all season. The Tigers could not muster even a few yards on its opening possessions of the contest.
All of these weaknesses combined with a mix and match coaching staff that had short notice to prepare for the game pointed to a Bulldog blowout.
Auburn did manage to stop the bleeding on defense and only allow one score from Mississippi State over the last 13 minutes of the second quarter while adding two field goals of their own to make it 24-6 at halftime.
It was an incredibly ugly first thirty minutes of action for Auburn on the road in Starkville and Tiger fans could not have been confident it would get any better based on the second half futility of the last 12 or so games.
There is no way to know what exactly was said at halftime or what specific schematic changes were made, but Auburn came out and played its best second half of football in recent memory.
Auburn’s offense, led by quarterback Robby Ashford, still could not consistently block Bulldog defenders or complete passes down the field, but did manage to break several explosive runs that gave the Tigers a chance.
Ashford and junior running back Tank Bigsby combined for three rushing touchdowns, leading Auburn to 27 points in the second half alone.
At the same time the Auburn offense found some rhythm, the Tigers’ defense put a chokehold on the Mississippi State offense for a quarter and a half.
The Tigers defense, led by standout senior pass rusher Derick Hall, forced multiple turnovers, tightened pass coverage, and sacked the Bulldogs’ quarterback four times in the final thirty minutes of regulation.
Both sides of the ball finding their footing at the same time led to an improbable comeback on the road that saw Auburn eventually take a 33-30 lead with just under three minutes left in the fourth quarter.
Unfortunately, Auburn would concede the game tying field goal in regulation that would force overtime in which the Tigers would ultimately fall.
Auburn’s unexpected comeback bid would ultimately fail and the Tigers dropped their fifth consecutive SEC game.
The Tigers are now 3-6 on the season with a 1-5 SEC record. This loss means that Auburn would have to win all of their remaining games to reach bowl eligibility, an unlikely feat.
It is no secret that this Auburn team has deficiencies and weaknesses, many of which remained even after a change at head coach. Auburn was penalized 15 times, the kicking game performance approached a disastrous level, and the Tigers’ coaching staff would likely love to have the opportunity to re-make a handful of decisions regarding 4th down choices and extra points.
Auburn’s game against Mississippi State was often sloppy, disjointed, and quite frankly not very good football. When trailing by nearly twenty points in the first half, it would have been very easy for Auburn to lay down and accept the beatdown that seemed imminent.
But Derick Hall, Colby Wooden, Tank Bigsby, Jarquez Hunter, Robby Ashford and all the other Tigers didn’t do that.
Auburn did not quit because their head coach would not let them.
Auburn University, its football program, and the opportunity to lead it means far too much to Cadillac Williams for that to be an option.
The Tigers’ loss is not a moral victory, and it should not be treated as such. This game counts in the loss column exactly the same as the preceding five in 2022.
However, the effort and enthusiasm exhibited by this group of Auburn Tigers on the road at Mississippi State potentially lays the foundation for something bigger than the result of one game in Starkville.
The 2022 Auburn Tigers won’t be remembered as champions of college football or the SEC, but the amount of effort and toughness that they display over the final three games will determine if these Tigers are the ones who begin to turn this proud program back around.
Zack Shaw is a contributing writer for Yellowhammer News and former walk-on for the Auburn Tigers.
Last Monday, Auburn University President Chris Roberts published a press release announcing a change in leadership for the football program.
That proclamation officially ended Bryan Harsin’s tumultuous tenure as head football coach for the Tigers.
The decision was not terribly surprising to most observers of the Auburn football program, but the press release itself did have one fascinating feature.
Actually, the most distinctive aspect of the announcement is something that was missing – Harsin’s name.
Auburn’s official press release did not mention the former head coach at all.
Unfortunately for Harsin, his name is one that most Auburn fans will want to forget and apparently many recruits never learned.
On the other hand, the man who has now been charged with leading the Auburn football program as the interim head coach needs no introduction.
Auburn football’s all-time rushing touchdowns leader, Carnell “Cadillac” Williams, will also serve as the head coach of the football team for the remainder of the 2022 season.
Williams undoubtedly has the support of Auburn fandom, but a very tall task remains ahead of him that starts tonight on the road at Mississippi State.
Take a look at three things that will play key roles in the outcome of Auburn vs. Mississippi State.
Auburn’s Defense
Entering the season, it was widely expected that the Auburn offense would struggle, but the hope of the team was in the Tigers’ strong defense.
Unfortunately, that defense has really struggled as the 2022 season has worn on.
A unit that does have talented players has been ground down physically and mentally by injuries and the knowledge that they needed to essentially shut out the opponent to have a chance to win.
Even though that is case, there is plenty of blame for the Auburn defense itself.
The Tigers have been unable to stop opponents from running the ball and that has led to conceding more than 40 points in four games already.
Although Mississippi State is far from known for running the ball under head coach Mike Leach, the Bulldogs do score a lot of points their own way.
The Tigers will be tasked with defending passes sprayed all over the field from the very first snap.
Auburn must be able to limit the Bulldogs’ big plays, force at least one turnover, and make Mississippi State kick field goals in order to stay in this game.
Ashford must avoid turnovers
Auburn quarterback Robby Ashford is a dynamic athlete.
The explosive running ability that he brings is the single most concerning aspect of the Auburn offense for opposing defenses.
Conversely, the most concerning aspect of Ashford’s game for Auburn is the freshman’s inclination to turn the ball over.
Earlier in the season, one could pencil the young quarterback in for at least two turnovers a game.
However, Ashford has improved in this area recently and that must continue against the Bulldogs if Auburn is going to score enough points to have a chance in Starkville.
The Auburn offense is not good enough to overcome the critical mistake of giving the ball away, but it might be just good enough to win if the Tigers can eliminate turnovers.
Can the Tigers handle adversity?
Auburn just fired its head coach during the season for the first time in the modern era (depending on how one feels about Terry Bowden’s “resignation”).
And several assistant coaches were let go along with the former head coach.
Naturally, that is going to create a sense of instability and disappointment for many of the players.
As if that wasn’t enough by itself, Auburn is traveling to a place where the cowbells are loud and the quarterback can really throw.
The Tigers, who have lost four straight SEC games, are double-digit underdogs, according to the oddsmakers in the desert.
Does Auburn have the ability or, probably more importantly, the will to persevere and fight to win games in a season that is not going to remembered fondly?
That is what Williams will try and coax out of this version of the Tigers.
Whether or not Auburn shows up with the intention to fight tooth and nail for every yard on the field is the single biggest factor in the outcome of the matchup with Mississippi State.
Zack Shaw is a contributing writer for Yellowhammer News and former walk-on for the Auburn Tigers.
On a day of comings and goings at Auburn, John Cohen was named athletic director by the university Monday. Cohen comes to Auburn after serving in the same role at Mississippi State for the past seven years.
Earlier in the day, Auburn let go of head football coach Bryan Harsin who was on the job less than two years.
Prior to serving as athletic director at Mississippi State, Cohen was the head baseball coach for the Bulldogs and at Kentucky.
Cohen is a native of Tuscaloosa, and he attended Birmingham-Southern College before transferring to Mississippi State where he completed his degree while lettering on the baseball team.
During Cohen’s tenure as AD in Starkville, he oversaw and guided the athletics program to unprecedented success. In addition to winning a baseball national championship, the Bulldogs athletic programs captured multiple SEC championships in a single season for the first time since 1996.
Cohen was also responsible for numerous coaching searches and hirings, including hiring baseball coach Chris Lemonis and football coach Mike Leach. Under his direction, Mississippi State constructed a state-of-the-art baseball stadium and made significant upgrades to the football facility and the Templeton Athletic Academic Center.
It is believed that Cohen’s contract will be a five-year deal that pays $1.5 million annually with additional incentive pay. This compensatory package is a noted increase for Auburn; former AD Allen Greene was paid $625,000 per year.
Coincidentally, the Auburn football team will travel to Mississippi State on Saturday to play the Bulldogs.
Yellowhammer News will update this post.
Ben Richardson is contributing writer for Yellowhammer News.
Auburn University has parted ways with head football coach Bryan Harsin.
Harsin’s termination comes after months of turmoil that had plagued the football program. Auburn was 9-12 during Harsin’s 21-month tenure, including a 4-9 record against SEC opponents.
The university announced that running backs coach Carnell “Cadillac” Williams will be the interim head coach.
In announcing Harsin’s firing, Auburn released the following statement:
“Auburn University has decided to make a change in the leadership of the Auburn University football program. President Roberts made the decision after a thorough review and evaluation of all aspects of the football program. Auburn will begin an immediate search for a coach that will return the Auburn program to a place where it is consistently competing at the highest levels and representing the winning tradition that is Auburn football.”
Harsin and the university originally agreed to a six-year/$31.5 million contract. With the firing, Auburn will owe Harsin $15 million, with $7.5 million due within 30 days.
Auburn will travel to Starkville on Saturday to play the Mississippi State Bulldogs. The kickoff is at 6:30 p.m. and it will be televised on ESPN2.
This article has been updated.
Ben Richardson is a contributing writer to Yellowhammer News.
The first quarter of the Ole Miss vs. Auburn game could not have gone much worse for the Tigers.
Auburn fans have become accustomed to seeing the Tigers struggle, but the first 15 minutes in Oxford were as bad a performance in recent memory.
The defense was unable to keep the Rebels from moving the ball, and the offense could muster only 23 yards while committing two turnovers.
Ole Miss scored early in the second quarter to jump out to a 21-0 lead and put the game seemingly out of reach.
The Rebels continued to score consistently throughout the contest and get the best of the Auburn defense.
On the other hand, Auburn’s offense did find rhythm for the first time in quite a while after shaking off an absolutely atrocious start.
Auburn fought hard and did get back to within one score of Ole Miss in the second half, but could never come up with enough stops to take the lead.
Ultimately, Auburn dropped its third SEC game of the season and Ole Miss stayed in position to compete for the Western Division title.
Take a look below at three things that led to Auburn’s road loss to Ole Miss.
Ole Miss Rushing attack
The single biggest difference in the matchup between Auburn and Ole Miss is that the Tigers could not come close to slowing down the Rebels’ running game.
Ole Miss rushed for 448 yards against Auburn, the most for the Rebels in a game since the 1979 season.
Auburn’s defense had no answers for the dynamic duo of Ole Miss running backs Zach Evans and Quinshon Judkins.
Both players rushed for more than 130 yards and a touchdown.
If that wasn’t enough, Rebels’ quarterback Jaxon Dart added 115 yards on the ground.
Auburn has leaned on its defense all season, and Saturday that unit was unable to bear the weight.
Turnovers
Auburn once again committed multiple turnovers. The Tigers have tried three quarterbacks on the season and in this game, but no one has been able to protect the ball consistently.
Robby Ashford threw an interception early and narrowly avoided a lost fumble as well. These plays led Auburn to give quarterback TJ Finley his first action in a few games.
Unfortunately, Finley promptly fumbled while being sacked on his first pass attempt on the drive.
To Ashford’s credit, Auburn brought him back into the game and he responded with much better play, leading Auburn to 34 points over the final three quarters.
The two critical turnovers early in the game took away Auburn opportunities to score and set up Ole Miss with good field position.
The Rebels were able to score touchdowns following both turnovers and jump out to a lead that they would not surrender.
Calculated Risk
Against Georgia, Auburn coach Bryan Harsin attempted a fake punt in the first quarter but failed to gain the first down.
That turnover on downs gave the Bulldogs a short field to work with and led directly to the first touchdown of that game.
Saturday, Ole Miss head coach Lane Kiffin called for a surprise onside kick that caught Auburn completely off guard.
The Rebels executed the kick perfectly, stole a possession, and extended their lead back to double digits.
The well-timed, if not risky, call from Kiffin helped secure the win for the Rebels.
It is the kind of call that swings games and seasons when executed properly.
The successful Ole Miss onside kick keeps all of the Rebels’ hopes alive in 2022 and puts this Auburn coaching staff on the thinnest ice imaginable.
Zack Shaw is a contributing writer for Yellowhammer News and former walk-on for the Auburn Tigers.
Auburn travels to Ole Miss today for their second consecutive SEC road game in 2022. The Tigers are coming off a lopsided loss to Georgia, while the Rebels are 6-0 and ranked No. 9 in the country.
Auburn football’s season, and potentially its leadership, is teetering on the edge of a cliff and needs a significant turnaround to avoid disaster.
Can Auburn do that? Today’s game in Oxford, Miss. will go a long way in determining the answer to that question.
Take a look at three things that will play a key role in the outcome of the matchup between Auburn and Ole Miss.
Turnovers
Auburn has really struggled with turning the ball over this season. The Tigers have given the ball away 13 times in six games. This issue is compounded by the fact that Auburn has only managed to create four takeaways of their own in 2022.
The turnover margin of -9 leaves Auburn ranked 128th in the country out of 131 teams. It has been proven time and again that this group of Tigers cannot overcome giving the ball away and at the same time providing good field position to the opponent.
In fact, Auburn’s only win against a Power 5 team this year came against Missouri when the Tigers avoided turning the ball over and forced two turnovers from the opponent.
Auburn must find a way to protect the football and avoid turning it over if the Tigers hope to win in Oxford.
This offense is simply not good enough to overcome giving the ball away. The Tigers must be content to grind the game down and try to work in favorable field position in order to score an upset against Ole Miss.
Rushing attack
Ole Miss head coach Lane Kiffin has the reputation of being a quarterback whisperer and passing game savant.
Both of those things are true. But in his third year in Oxford, Kiffin’s offense has transformed into one of the best rushing offenses in the SEC.
The Rebels running game is led by two talented tailbacks that help Ole Miss wear down opponents. One is former five-star recruit Zach Evans, and the other runner is Pike Road’s own Quinshon Judkins.
These two players power a running game that is second in the SEC in rushing yards per game and is tied for first in the country in rushing touchdowns, with 21 on the season. Unfortunately for Auburn, the Tigers came into the season hoping to lean on its own rushing game, but has been completely unable to do so against real competition.
Against Power 5 teams, Auburn is averaging under 100 yards per game on the ground and has just two rushing touchdowns in four games.
The Tigers must find a way to slow down the Rebels’ ground game and jumpstart a rushing attack of their own in order to play a competitive game today.
Motivation
Ole Miss has everything to play for today. The Rebels are 6-0, ranked in the Top 10, and still hopeful about what the 2022 season could deliver to Oxford. The visiting Auburn Tigers have a much different set of circumstances at the moment.
Auburn has already endured two losses of roughly 30 points and blew a double-digit lead at home in a loss to LSU on separate occasions.
The morale for the Tigers’ fan base is certainly low, but the players must find a way to be determined, focused and disciplined today on the road in order to have a chance. It is often challenging for teams to play with great determination once the lure of a championship season has been taken away.
Auburn’s leadership must cultivate an environment within the locker room that promotes the ideal of playing for pride, and one another, or the Tigers’ trip to Ole Miss will have no hope of being successful.
Zack Shaw is a contributing writer for Yellowhammer News and former walk-on for the Auburn Tigers.
Many words could be said, but few do the job in this case. Georgia is a much better football team than Auburn right now.
A rivalry that stretches back to before 1900 is currently incredibly one-sided without much indication that it will change soon.
The Georgia Bulldogs got off to a slow start today, but eventually beat down the Tigers for the sixth straight contest.
An outstanding individual effort by Auburn sophomore Jarquez Hunter on a 62-yard touchdown late in the fourth quarter kept Auburn from suffering the second largest margin of defeat to Georgia in 127 matchups.
Take a look at three things that led to Georgia’s 42-10 victory over Auburn.
Offensive line play
The disparity in offensive line play between these to squads was glaring.
The Tigers offense struggled all day to create any room for tailbacks on rushing attempts and repeatedly suffered run-throughs from Georgia pass rushers throughout the afternoon.
The only plays that provided positive yardage on the ground for Auburn were designed pass plays where quarterback Robby Ashford scrambled for good gains.
The Tigers managed to accrue just 41 yards on the ground from players other than Ashford.
On the other hand, Georgia completely wore down the Auburn defense in the second half on the way to 292 yards and six touchdowns on the ground on the day.
Even though the game of football has evolved to a much more open style that often relies on the passing attack, it is still nearly impossible to overcome a drastic mismatch at the line of scrimmage.
Unfortunately for Auburn, that proved to be the case yet again today.
Undisciplined play
Auburn needed to play a virtually perfect game in order to have a chance to steal a win in Athens, and the Tigers fell well short of that against the Bulldogs.
The visiting Tigers committed 10 penalties in Sanford Stadium. It is not unusual for teams to struggle on the road, but the high number of costly penalties repeatedly put the Auburn in difficult positions.
In addition to penalties, Auburn suffered dropped passes, missed tackles, whiffs on blocks, and a completely unforced turnover.
Especially on offense, this has been the story of the 2022 Auburn season.
The Tigers must greatly improve in this area of the game if they hope to find another SEC win on the schedule.
Questionable call
If Auburn was going to beat Georgia, unexpected plays were needed in the Tigers’ favor.
Coach Bryan Harsin attempted to create one of those situations late in the first quarter.
The Auburn defense had showed great resolve to that point, but the offense was experiencing its now customary struggles.
The Tigers elected to attempt a fake punt on 4th down and six from its own 34-yard line.
Auburn tight end John Samuel Shenker was the ball carrier on the fake punt attempt and was tackled well short of the line to gain.
This gave Georgia the ball on a short field for the first time in the contest and quickly led to the game’s first score. The Bulldogs never looked back from there.
Surely that decision is not worth 32 points, but it felt unwise even at that time in a tie game.
Auburn needed to make up a very real talent gap by having great schemes and timely surprise calls from its coaches. Unfortunately, neither of those things happened in Athens.
Zack Shaw is a contributing writer for Yellowhammer News and former walk-on for the Auburn Tigers.
This weekend, Auburn travels to Athens, Ga., to take on the Bulldogs in “The Deep South’s Oldest Rivalry.”
Unfortunately for Auburn, this matchup has not been all that much of a rivalry for the better part of two decades.
The Tigers have struggled against Georgia in general since the early 2000s and have not won at all in Sanford Stadium since 2005.
Auburn has a very tall task ahead today to change that as the Tigers take on the second-ranked Georgia Bulldogs.
The Tigers have struggled mightily in their last three games, and the competition in Athens will be by far the toughest they have seen in 2022.
Georgia is coming off two lackluster performances of its own, but the Bulldogs enter the matchup undefeated and looking to get back on track to compete for the SEC title.
Here is a look at three key areas that will determine the outcome the 127th meeting of the Auburn Tigers and Georgia Bulldogs.
Auburn Linebackers
The Tigers’ defense has been a much more consistent performer than the offense so far in 2022.
However, the linebacker unit has had more than a couple missed tackles and missed assignments through the first five games.
Today, the Tigers’ linebackers will face their biggest test of the season against Georgia’s tight ends.
The Bulldogs, led by super sophomore Brock Bowers, have as talented of a group as you will ever see at the college level.
Georgia’s tight ends are overwhelming in size and speed, and the Auburn linebackers will often be tasked with containing them.
How well the Tigers can cover Georgia’s tight ends in the passing game and fend off their blocks in the rushing attack will go a long way in determining the Tigers’ success.
Auburn’s Offensive Line
Auburn’s offensive line has been talked about a lot for several years now, and usually it has not been positive.
This season, the front five have not found a great deal of success against Power 5 competition.
The offensive line did seem to take a step forward against LSU last week as they were re-shuffled due to injury.
However, that growth will need to improve exponentially today if the Tigers are going to have any shot to put up more than 10 points.
Georgia’s defensive front was always going to be an immense challenge for Auburn due to the Bulldogs’ size, speed, and strength.
However, it could be even more of an uphill climb after Auburn center Brandon Council had some interesting quotes this week about how the Tigers’ offensive line could “demolish” Georgia’s defensive front in certain personnel groups.
That would be a welcome sight for Auburn fans, but demolition of the Bulldogs defense by this group is something that will have to be seen in order to be believed.
Tigers hit the road
Auburn’s first five games of the 2022 season have all been played in Jordan-Hare Stadium. Today, the Tigers take their first road trip.
It hasn’t always been this way, but since Tommy Tuberville’s tenure as Auburn’s head coach, the Tigers football program has been brutally bad on the road against good competition.
Auburn has won just once in Baton Rouge and Tuscaloosa, respectively, and is winless in Athens since 2007.
Today, Auburn is an unthinkable 30-point underdog heading to Georgia, according to Las Vegas.
So, it seems unlikely that Auburn quarterback Robby Ashford’s first career start on the road will be the game to end the Tigers’ streak of futility in Athens.
If Auburn is going to have a chance in this matchup, the Tigers must find a way to be unaffected by the road environment of Sanford Stadium and play clean football in what will surely be a very hostile atmosphere.
Zack Shaw is a contributing writer for Yellowhammer News and former walk-on for the Auburn Tigers.
The game could not have started much better for Auburn. The Tigers received the ball first and put together a six play touchdown drive that concluded with a 53-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Robby Ashford to receiver Ja’Varrius Johnson.
Auburn’s defense would go on to force LSU to punt each of the first five possessions that they had the ball.
In front of the home crowd at Jordan-Hare Stadium, Auburn would tack on another touchdown and a field goal to jump out to a 17-0 lead over LSU.
It appeared that a brand new Auburn team had arrived for the matchup.
Auburn’s offense seemed to find some new answers behind a reshuffled offensive line, a more spread attack that aligned almost exclusively out of the shotgun, and personnel groups that featured many more wide receivers on the filed than tight ends.
This new offensive paradigm produced 17 points in the first 20 minutes of game action and helped set Auburn on course for a huge SEC win at home.
Then, after the Auburn defense had forced LSU to punt for the fifth consecutive time to open the game, everything changed.
Quarterback Robby Ashford, who had played a clean game to this point and showed flashes of brilliance along the way, fumbled while being sacked and LSU returned the turnover for a touchdown to cut the lead to 17-7 with just over six minutes remaining in the second quarter.
It was a tough break for Auburn on a great play made by standout defensive end BJ Ojulari from LSU. However, looking back, this is where everything changed for Auburn in this game and possibly for the season.
Auburn would get the ball back after the turnover, drive the field with some success, and have a chance to answer this misstep with a score of their own.
Unfortunately, kicker Anders Carlson pushed his field goal attempt wide right, missing the kick, and the score remained at 17-7 in favor of Auburn.
LSU would get the ball back with about 4 minutes left in the half following the missed kick and the Bayou Bengals put together their only touchdown drive of the first half which was heavily aided by Auburn penalties and a blown coverage.
So, after Auburn’s outstanding 17-0 start, the score was 17-14 at halftime and all of the momentum of the contest was squarely behind the visitors.
The second half of the game versus LSU was somewhat reminiscent of the matchup against Missouri last week for Auburn.
It was very ugly for both teams, aside from LSU’s lone touchdown drive in the third quarter.
The final thirty minutes of of action saw five punts between the two teams, four combined turnovers, unsuccessful fourth down and long attempts, and a ton of penalties.
When it was all said and done, LSU managed a 17 point comeback on the road to notch a 21-17 win over Auburn.
It was just the latest disappointment for Auburn in a continuous chain of collapses that reach back to the 2021 season.
At this point, there is a set of numbers and statistics from these Auburn Tigers that are almost impossible to believe, much less achieve.
Auburn has now earned a double-digit lead lead in five consecutive SEC matchups dating back to 2021 where the Tigers jumped ahead 28-3 against Mississippi State.
The mind-blowing part of the story is that Auburn has managed to give away the lead in every one of those SEC matchups.
The only SEC win since November of 2021 was last week’s absurd victory over Missouri in overtime.
Aside from the wins and losses themselves, what stands out the most is Auburn’s complete lack of ability to score points in the second half of games.
This issue has ailed Auburn since the end of 2021 as well. The struggles have been highlighted for a while now, but the ineptitude has peaked in the last two weeks.
Auburn has scored zero points in the second half against Missouri and LSU combined. In that same time frame, Auburn has punted eight times, turned the ball over on downs twice, and committed three turnovers.
In fairness, one of those turnovers was on special teams. So, the Auburn offense has had 12 possessions in the second halves of SEC games in 2022. Those 12 possessions have yielded zero points.
If Auburn is going to turn this around, the second half offensive failings must be corrected at all costs.
If improvement can’t be made, then the cost is going to be coaches’ jobs in the not too distant future.
Zack Shaw is a contributing writer for Yellowhammer News and former walk-on for the Auburn Tigers.
Tonight, Auburn hosts LSU in a critical SEC West matchup at Jordan-Hare Stadium. Auburn tends to be known for strange plays and unusual occurrences, and no series has been weirder than this one.
From “earthquakes”, to fires, to firings of coaches directly after the game, both schools in the spate Auburn vs. LSU games have contributed to one of the most memorable annual games on the schedule.
Considering the craziness that Auburn fans witnessed last week against Missouri, fans may be on high alert for more confounding happenings this evening.
Regardless of whether or not the contest is marked by hijinks, Auburn has a tall task to overcome LSU at home.
The Bayou Bengals have been far from perfect thus far in the 2022 season, but they are likely to give Auburn all they can handle, if not more, in Jordan-Hare Stadium tonight.
Take a look at a few things that will be critical to the outcome of Auburn vs. LSU.
Auburn’s offensive line
This is very straight forward. Auburn’s offensive line must produce better results and consistency against LSU than they have in the other games against Power 5 teams or this game could be ugly.
Two weeks ago Auburn attempted 45 passes against Penn State. Penn State pressured the Auburn quarterbacks on 40 of those throws.
On about 89% of pass plays in that matchup, the Auburn quarterback was pressured. That is an unthinkable number and makes it impossible for any regular production through the air.
Last weekend against Missouri, Auburn ran the ball for only 82 yards on 45 total carries.
That is a very bad average per carry. Unfortunately, the numbers look even worse on the ground for Auburn if quarterback Robby Ashford’s scrambles on called pass plays are taken out of those 82 yards.
Whether Auburn needs to change personnel, scheme, a combination of the two, or something else entirely, the Tigers must find a way for this offensive line to produce at least average results in order to have an opportunity to win tonight against LSU.
Defending a mobile quarterback
Assuming that Robby Ashford is the starting quarterback for Auburn tonight, then both teams’ signal callers are major threats to run the ball.
Ashford is known as a running quarterback at this point, but LSU quarterback Jayden Daniels has more rushing attempts, rushing yards, and rushing touchdowns than Ashford on the season so far.
That means that both defenses must deal with the headache of a quarterback who can break a big play at anytime with their legs.
The major difference between the two quarterbacks this year to date is that Daniels is completing 73% of his passes and has yet to throw an interception. Ashford on the other hand completes 57% of his throws right now.
Auburn must contend with a true dual threat and must be very disciplined in their assignments to do so.
If one defense can successfully negate at least one aspect of the opposing quarterback’s game, then that team will have a great chance to score a victory by the end of the game.
Second half adjustments
Auburn’s abysmal second half performances have been a problem for nearly a full calendar year.
Assuming that the home team can at least keep it close during the first thirty minutes of action, Auburn coach Bryan Harsin and his staff must find a way to make adjustments that can provide the necessary spark to his team.
The average score of the second half of Auburn matchups against Power 5 teams since last October is something like 17-3 in favor of the opponent.
Clearly, that is not sustainable if Auburn hopes to win any games the remainder of the year.
Auburn has an opportunity tonight, at home, to get another win and begin the SEC slate 2-0. It seems unlikely that Auburn is going to trounce anyone right now, so their ability to make adjustments and find answers throughout the course of the game is paramount.
Zack Shaw is a contributing writer for Yellowhammer News and former walk-on for the Auburn Tigers.
Gov. Kay Ivey joined students from Auburn University and the University of Alabama on Friday to kick off the Beat Bama Food Drive and Beat Auburn Beat Hunger.
During the seven weeks leading up to the Iron Bowl, the annual, student-led initiative unites the Alabama and Auburn families to fight hunger and poverty throughout the state. Since the inception of the program in 1994, more than 8 million pounds of food have been donated to the Food Bank of East Alabama and the West Alabama Food Bank.
“Food insecurity and hunger are heartbreaking problems all around the world, including here at home. It’s estimated that one in seven Alabamians are facing hunger. Even more tragically, one in five are children,” said Ivey. “Whether you’re an Alabama or Auburn fan, you agree that no child should ever have to wonder where their next meal is going to come from. And no parent should ever have to choose between feeding themselves or feeding their children.”
Last year, despite losing the Iron Bowl on the field, Auburn prevailed in the food drive. In doing so, they also set a record for the most pounds of food collected with 352,389 pounds.
Ivey made the first donations Friday to both the Beat Bama Food Drive and Beat Auburn Beat Hunger with non-perishables.
“So, as a proud Auburn Tiger, I’m going to set an example for Auburn and Alabama fans alike by making the first donations to the Beat Bama Food Drive AND the Beat Auburn Beat Hunger Food Drive.” Ivey said. “I guess we can call this something of a bipartisan compromise.”
For information on how and where to donate, Auburn supporters can visit HERE, and Alabama fans can learn more HERE.
Ben Richardson is a contributing writer to Yellowhammer News
In what was possibly the strangest Auburn football game in decades, if not ever, the home team Tigers left Jordan-Hare Stadium with a 17-14 overtime win.
Auburn managed to jump out to a 14-0 lead in the first quarter behind a sledgehammering Tank Bigsby performance and Robby Ashford’s ability to sprint and scramble for sizeable gains on the ground.
It was clear from the beginning that Auburn had no plans to throw the ball at all.
As the Missouri defense became aware of that realization, they simply put more and more people near the line of scrimmage until the Auburn offense was completely choked out and shutout over the final three quarters.
In that same timeframe, the Missouri offense was far from explosive, but found ways to spark its own rushing attack and scored two touchdowns of its own to tie the game by halftime.
The Auburn vs. Missouri game was completely dormant for the duration of the second half. Both defenses forced punt after punt, while the two offenses struggled to put together anything more than couple of first downs.
This contest was very close to becoming one of the most forgettable SEC games in recent memory.
Then, as the fourth quarter drew to an end, a roller coaster of follies began that would crescendo on the game’s final play in overtime.
Auburn would get completely stonewalled on a 4th down and inches play that gave Missouri the ball back with under two minutes to play.
Missouri inevitably connected on their only big passing play of the game and moved all the way to the Auburn three yard line with fifty seconds remaining on the clock.
This set the stage for the most inexplicable series of events in a football game that I can recall.
The Missouri coaches chose to not even attempt to score a touchdown from the three yard line, but instead moved backwards on purpose to center the ball in the middle of the field for a field goal.
Then, on fourth down Missouri’s kicker missed the simplest of chip-shots to send the game to overtime.
Once in overtime, Auburn narrowly avoided disaster twice on their possession.
First, a Robby Ashford interception was overturned upon review, then Anders Carlson’s missed kick led to a second chance because of a Missouri penalty. Ultimately, Carlson made the field goal and gave Auburn a three point lead.
Finally, on Missouri’s offensive chance in extra time, their running back breaks a long run and begins to reach the ball toward the goal line in order to secure the touchdown and the victory.
As that happens, the Missouri player simply loses control of the ball, it rolls into the endzone, and Auburn’s defense recovers the fumble.
Game over. Auburn wins. Just the way the coaches drew it up.
Well, maybe not quite, but it counts as a win all the same.
This game, and Auburn’s season at large, gives everyone lots to think and talk about.
For instance, two seemingly opposite things can sometimes be true at once. The 2022 Auburn football team has provided the perfect case study for this idea.
The Auburn defense bounced back from last week to hold Missouri to only 3.4 yards per rush attempt. That is encouraging unless one checks Auburn’s own stats and sees where the home team was limited to a brutal 1.8 yards per carry.
Similarly, Auburn scored three points in overtime and was able to win the game. However, the Tigers have now scored six total points in the second half, including zero against Missouri, versus Power 5 opponents this season.
Another interesting note is that Auburn finally forced two turnovers and that was an instrumental part of earning the victory. But, Auburn narrowly avoided disastrous turnovers of their own on Ashford’s late pass ruled incomplete and an earlier fumble of his that a teammate recovered.
Lastly, Auburn is 1-0 in the SEC on the season and therefore has everything left to play for this year.
On the other hand, it is reasonable to wonder if this Tiger team will be able to muster even one more conference win in 2022 based on the last two weeks’ performances.
Whether this is just the first of many more victories this season or the last one that the Auburn Tigers see for a while, I do hold to the axiom that there is no such thing as a bad win.
But, this game against Missouri might make some people think hard about that truism too.
Zack Shaw is a contributing writer for Yellowhammer News and former walk-on for the Auburn Tigers.
The Auburn Tigers need a win. Bad.
Last week Auburn lost by 29 points at home to a Penn State team that is talented, but not expected to contend for conference or national championships.
The embarrassing loss reignited flames of discontent that had been dampened by many due to hopes of an improved season.
It is still possible for a successful 2022 campaign. However, that is difficult to imagine right now based on the end of last year and the Tigers’ matchup against a Power 5 team this season.
If Auburn were to drop today’s contest against the visiting Missouri Tigers, the aforementioned flames in Auburn would turn into an absolute inferno on the Plains.
Auburn can beat this Missouri team, and must do so in order to have any chance of a competitive season going forward.
Below are three things that will play key roles in the outcome of Auburn vs. Missouri in Jordan-Hare Stadium.
Line of Scrimmage
There are endless examples of last week’s game against Penn State that illustrate Auburn’s struggles on the line of scrimmage.
One could talk about the discrepancy in sacks allowed by Auburn versus the absence of even one sack by the Tigers.
Maybe someone considers the stark difference in rushing yards between the Tigers and the Nittany Lions as the most reliable marker of that game’s sizeable mismatch up front.
However, the single biggest thing that was dismal against Penn State that must improve against Missouri is rushing in the redzone.
Auburn allowed Penn State four rushing touchdowns in the redzone last week and was unable to come close to getting one of their own.
Both issues must change today against Missouri for Auburn to be successful.
The home team Tigers must capitalize with touchdowns on redzone opportunities and force Missouri to attempt field goals when they make it inside the 20 yard-line.
Turnovers
Auburn and Missouri have struggled with turnovers through the first three games of the season.
Auburn has committed eight turnovers, while Missouri has given the ball away seven times.
That is telling about both teams, and is a huge reason why both offenses have struggled.
On the other hand, Auburn and Missouri defenses have zero and six takeaways, respectively.
It sounds like a broken record, but Auburn must cut down its own giveaways while finally generating turnovers from the opponent this weekend.
If Auburn can improve on its turnover margin, it will greatly increase their odds of earning a victory in the first SEC contest of 2022.
Help the quarterback
There has been a lot of news this week on the Auburn quarterback front. It appears that TJ Finley will not be available for at least this week and Texas A&M transfer QB Zach Calzada will be taking a redshirt season for shoulder surgery.
That means that redshirt freshman quarterback Robby Ashford is the starter for today’s game against Missouri.
Ashford has shown flashes of athletic brilliance in moments this season, but has also been prone to turnovers and inaccurate throws.
It is critical that Auburn Offensive Coordinator Eric Kiesau design concepts and schemes that maximize Ashford’s athleticism and cover for his lack of experience in order to help the young quarterback improve quickly.
The simplest way to assist Ashford’s progression is likely to get the ball into the hands of running backs Tank Bigsby and Jarquez Hunter early and often.
Asking Ashford to shoulder most of the offensive burden in a game that is his first college start and also a must-win contest would be a mistake.
Auburn needs to scheme Ashford some easy throws and some of his favorite runs early and allow him to settle into the game, so his confidence can grow and the offense can succeed.
Zack Shaw is a contributing writer for Yellowhammer News and former walk-on for the Auburn Tigers.
As Bryan Harsin clings to the head coaching position at Auburn, the rumor mill is vigorously churning.
Many seem to have already written off the head of the Auburn football program and sent him packing. Discussions are heating up on who would be the appropriate replacement.
One name that has to be considered for the Auburn job is Urban Meyer. The Fox Sports analyst is on the wish list of fan bases across the country.
Nebraska and Arizona State are two Power 5 teams that have already moved on from their coaches leaving vacancies that could interest the former coach.
Auburn would be an appealing destination for a proven winner like Meyer, who has had a stint in the SEC with Florida. Auburn is a storied program that is steeped in tradition with one of the most avid fanbases in college football.
Additionally, the university has made significant financial commitment to the athletics program to ensure it remains one of the pre-eminent in the country. In fact, the football program is expected to move into its new $64.6 million facility at the end of the 2022 season.
Although Auburn has struggled recently on the recruiting trail, especially compared to their rivals Alabama and Georgia, Meyer would immediately be able to make the Tigers competitive again on that front.
He has a track record of attracting and landing top talent, and Auburn would be no different. Add NIL opportunities into the mix, and Meyer has the potential to have Auburn recruiting with the likes of Alabama, Georgia, and Ohio State.
Meyer is one of the most successful coaches in college football history. He is one of only three coaches to have won a national title at two major programs (Pop Warner and Nick Saban are the other two). He has won seven conference titles, including two in the SEC, and three national titles.
Despite all of the success and accolades, Meyer would not come without controversy.
While at Florida, player disciplinary issues plagued the Gator program: 31 Florida players were arrested during his six seasons in Gainesville. Meyer was accused of creating a “toxic culture” that set Florida back after he resigned owing to health concerns.
After a year’s leave, Meyer took over at Ohio State. Yet again, despite the success, Meyer was embroiled in scandal.
He was placed on administrative leave in 2018 when the university determined Meyer was aware of spousal abuse allegations levied against one of his assistants, despite Meyer publicly denying any knowledge of the situation. Ohio State suspended him for the first three games of the 2018 season.
Following the 2018 season, Meyer retired again. He spent a couple of seasons as an analyst before accepting a job with the NFL’s Jacksonville Jaguars. His latest stint was the most short-lived. Despite the excitement of pairing Meyer with No. 1 overall pick in quarterback Trevor Lawrence, his tenure with the Jaguars was riddled with issues on and off the field.
During the season, a photo surfaced of Meyer inappropriately touching a woman who was not his wife in one of his Ohio-based restaurants. After apologizing to the team and organization, it was widely noted that he had lost the trust and confidence of Jaguars’ team owner Shahid Khan. Furthermore, Jaguar players and personnel began to leak accounts of poor treatment that circulated amongst the national media. It all culminated when a player accused Meyer of physically abusing him. This would lead to the Jaguars terminating him after 13 games.
As it pertains to Auburn, Meyer would step into one of the most challenging roles in college football. He would have to play two juggernauts every year in Alabama and Georgia, not to mention the rest of the SEC. That said, Meyer has proven that he can develop programs that are on par with what Saban and Kirby Smart have created at their respective schools.
The coaching prowess that Meyer has is undeniable. Equally as undeniable are his off-the-field issues that have plagued one of the most successful college football coaches in recent times.
There is no doubt that he would win games at Auburn, but at what cost? Can Auburn’s leadership and fans ignore his checkered past if it meant the football program could be highly competitive once again?
Ultimately, Harsin is still calling the shots at Auburn. While it may seem nearly inevitable that a change is on the horizon, the rumor mill will not slow down until the university commits to retaining Harsin or announces his successor.
One thing is certain: the coaching decision at Auburn will be one to watch and highly consequential for the program and college football as a whole.
Ben Richardson is a contributing writer to Yellowhammer News.
The Auburn Tigers began their season facing one FCS opponent and followed that up by taking on a Group of 5 squad. Mercer and San Jose State were both greatly overmatched in the talent department, even though the Spartans gave Auburn a competitive game.
Today, Auburn begins the stretch of games against against much stronger teams that will determine the success of the season.
The gauntlet begins as the Tigers face their first-ever Big Ten opponent at home – the Penn State Nittany Lions.
Auburn gets the return trip from Penn State, as the Tigers traveled to Happy Valley last season and returned with a 28-20 loss.
The Tigers hope to return the favor to the Nittany Lions this afternoon in Jordan-Hare Stadium.
Penn State enters the contest 2-0 and ranked 22nd in the country. It remains to be seen exactly how good the visitors are, but Auburn will have to give its best performance to have a chance to defeat Penn State.
Take a look at a few things that will have an impact on whether or not Auburn can earn a victory against Penn State today.
Offensive Line Play
The Auburn offensive line has been widely discussed in Auburn circles for years now, and it usually has not been glowing.
Followers of football know the success the offensive line leads to time for the quarterback to throw and space for the tailbacks to run.
Without those critical elements, offenses grind to a halt. Unfortunately, Tiger fans have become familiar with that scenario playing out far too often against quality opponents.
Today is the first time this year we will see if Auburn’s offensive front can produce winning results against a defensive unit that is talented enough to give them problems.
The Tigers need the offensive line to give quarterback TJ Finley a clean pocket and lanes for the stable of Tiger backs to run.
If the Tigers can get a good push against the Penn State front early and establish a solid ground attack, that will improve Auburn’s chances to win the game.
Turnovers
Auburn has struggled with turnovers this year with four interceptions. The Tigers have fumbled the ball a few times, but have been fortunate to recover them each time.
Conversely, the Auburn defense has been unable to take the ball away at all this season.
It is likely that both of those things must change for Auburn to win today.
The offense has not shownit is good enough to overcome giving the ball away and still be successful.
Their struggles will be magnified against a much more talented defense today.
On the other side of the ball, the Auburn defense has been solid, but unable to consistently generate negative plays for the opposing offense.
The Tigers defenders must produce sacks, tackles for loss, and, for the first time this year, turnovers to slow down Penn State and set up the Auburn offense in position to score.
Home Field Advantage
In seasons that Auburn has been successful, Jordan-Hare Stadium is a house of horrors for the visitors.
In seasons that Tiger fans would rather forget, teams that are average at best have waltzed right down Samford Avenue for road wins.
This afternoon will be the first time in 2022 that Auburn’s home atmosphere really has an opportunity to shine.
If the Tigers can get off to a quick start and help keep the energy at the beginning of the game pulsing throughout all four quarters, then Auburn will have a huge advantage against Penn State.
Auburn must play its strongest game of the season to earn a victory and the home fans have a chance to help make that happen.
Zack Shaw is a contributing writer for Yellowhammer News and former walk-on for the Auburn Tigers.
On a Saturday filled with mid-majors taking out Power 5 programs, the first two quarters in Jordan-Hare Stadium had Auburn on track to become the next casualty.
The end of the first half found the home team trailing the visiting Spartans by a field goal on the scoreboard and by a truckload in the confidence department.
The Tigers’ defense and special teams played well, if not very good, in the first 30 minutes, but the offense struggled to a degree that may have been unprecedented versus an opponent of San Jose State’s stature.
Auburn’s point total in the first half was exceeded by the combined amount of turnovers and penalties committed by the offense.
To the Tigers’ credit, the offense generated more production in the second half and secured a win. But, Auburn has many questions to answer if they have hopes of competing with many of the teams left on their schedule.
Take a look below at three observations from Auburn’s 24-16 victory over San Jose State.
Passing game struggles
To begin with the lesser of the two problems, the Tigers’ defense has room to grow in pass defense.
Auburn has largely avoided allowing huge gains from opponents through the air. However, the Tigers rank near the bottom of the SEC in passer rating allowed and opposing completion percentage.
In addition to those statistics, the Tigers have yet to intercept a pass in two games.
On the other side of the ball, Auburn has thrown for an average of less than 200 yards per game and quarterbacks have thrown four interceptions, compared to only one touchdown.
The Tigers’ offense has been unable to consistently generate big plays through the air and the unit struggles to marry accurate throws down the field with receivers who are able to create separation from defenders.
To sum it up, Auburn is attempting less passes per game than any other SEC team and has thrown more interceptions than all but one.
Through the first two games, one against a Mountain-West opponent and another versus an FCS school, the Tigers average one interception thrown per every 11 attempts. That is incredibly alarming and must be corrected immediately.
Turnovers
Through two games, Auburn has committed four turnovers and forced none.
And the Tigers are not good enough to overcome that kind of negative turnover margin against Power 5 opponents.
Auburn’s quarterbacks must protect the football better and the Tigers’ defense has to find ways to take the ball away to create extra possessions.
At this point, it seems unlikely that the Auburn offense will be a juggernaut this season. So, its main task will be to control the ball and be efficient in advantageous situations.
Auburn’s defense could help that equation by forcing turnovers and giving the offense a short field.
It remains to be seen if Auburn can do those things, but it is certain that if the current trend does not change, the Tigers are in for a very tough season.
Running backs
The biggest bright spot of the season has to be the running back room.
As unsure as Auburn fans may be about how the passing offense will improve, there has to be confidence in the Tigers’ tailbacks.
Junior standout Tank Bigsby has started the season averaging almost 100 yards per game on seven yards per carry. Those are great numbers, but maybe not surprising because Bigsby has proven he is an all-SEC back.
However, the emergence of true freshman Damari Alston and the return to health of sophomore Jarquez Hunter give Auburn three talented options to carry the ball.
Each of those players proved to be productive when given opportunities in the first two matchups. The competition level is about to greatly increase, but the Tigers should be able to generate a reliable rushing attack by utilizing all three backs.
As the level of difficulty ramps up over the coming weeks, Auburn’s offense is likely to go just as far as these tailbacks can carry them.
Zack Shaw is a contributing writer for Yellowhammer News and former walk-on for the Auburn Tigers
Tonight, Auburn plays host to the San Jose State Spartans from the Mountain West Conference.
The Spartans make their way down South as sizeable underdogs. But they are 1-0 on the season and victorious the last time they took on an SEC foe – Arkansas in 2019.
Auburn will certainly have the edge in overall talent but need to answer several questions to put away the Spartans and prepare for the upcoming gantlet of a schedule.
This is the final tuneup for the Tigers before facing Penn State next week and then entering SEC play.
Take a look at three important areas to watch as Auburn takes on San Jose State this evening in Jordan-Hare Stadium.
Quarterbacks
In the season opener, quarterback TJ Finley began the game completing eight of his first nine passes. He was composed against the pass rush and avoidec critical mistakes.
Then, on the final drive of the first half, Finley threw an interception on 3rd and long, setting up Mercer for its only touchdown against the Tigers’ starting defense.
To make matters worse, on the first drive of the second half, Finley tossed his second pick of the game, and then found himself watching the rest of the night’s action.
With Finley on the sidlines, redshirt freshman quarterback Robby Ashford showed flashes of brilliance in his first college action.
To be fair, Ashford also threw a pass or two that could have been intercepted, but the opponent did not make the play.
What makes the freshman so intriguing is that, in addition to completing two of the nicer passes of the game, he also completely outclassed Mercer as a rusher.
This explosive element that Ashford can bring combined with Finley’s turnovers have stoked the quarterback competition flames in the Auburn world.
However, those conversations may be reserved among the fandom. Auburn head coach Bryan Harsin said repeatedly in the last week that TJ Finley is the starter and Robby Ashford will get opportunities to play his role in the offense.
As long as Finley plays a clean game tonight, then all signs point to him remaining the starter. However, if Finley were to struggle and Ashford avoids mistakes and creates big plays, then the position becomes quite interesting.
Regardless of who it is, Auburn needs to have a reliable quarterback with confidence in himself and ready to lead the Tigers in 2022.
Force negative plays
Auburn’s defense did exactly what it was supposed to do against Mercer, especially the starting unit.
The Tigers allowed one touchdown and one field goal, both following Auburn turnovers, before a final score was conceded by the second team following the weather delay.
Auburn’s defense never allowed Mercer to gain any traction running the ball and largely kept the Bears from converting any big gains through the air.
However, if there is an area for the Auburn defense to improve against San Jose State, it could be to create a number of big plays.
The Tiger defense would love to create a turnover or two to set the tone for the game and the rest of the season.
Similarly, Auburn would like to convert some of the pressures on the quarterback that it generated last week into sacks tonight by getting the passer to the ground.
In today’s era of football, a great defense needs to be able to generate takeaways, force negative yardage plays, and hold opponents to field goal opportunities when they reach the red zone.
The contest against San Jose State is a great opportunity for Auburn to get the ball rolling on becoming a great defense.
Pass Catchers
The most proven group of players on the Auburn offense are the tailbacks. That is largely because the Tigers’ best offensive player is junior running back Tank Bigsby.
On the flip side of that coin is the receiving corps. Fifth-year senior Shedrick Jackson has been a staple of the offense for the last few years, but largely as a role player.
Aside from Jackson, the Tigers returned very little production at the receiver position this season.
That is why it was such a welcome sight to see Ja’Varrius Johnson burst onto the scene with a team-high 117 yards on four catches.
The diminutive slot receiver was able to get open down the field and capitalize by making the catch.
Auburn needs Johnson to continue to make plays while other options emerge as real threats in the passing game. This would take pressure off the Tigers’ rushing attack and create big plays.
The matchup against San Jose State is an opportunity for unproven pass catchers to gain repetitions and confidence that can carry them to greater heights that Auburn will need in the games to come.
Zack Shaw is a contributing writer for Yellowhammer News and former walk-on for the Auburn Tigers.
Although it was delayed for about an hour and a half by weather, Auburn earned its first victory of the season Saturday night in Jordan-Hare Stadium.
It was certainly not a perfect performance, where the Tigers dominated from wire to wire, but there was plenty to like in the 42-16 win.
Plenty of Auburn Tigers that have been key players previously helped move the home team to 1-0, like running back Tank Bigsby and defensive end Derick Hall.
On the other hand, a large group of athletes who were elevated to starting roles for the first time or arrived on campus this year contributed to the victory like linebacker Cam Riley and quarterback Robby Ashford.
Auburn head coach Bryan Harsin will be glad to have a game where his team handled business against an overmatched opponent, but he won’t have to look too hard to find things to address and improve upon next week.
Take a look at two key takeaways from Auburn’s first matchup of the 2022 season.
Two Quarterbacks
Fair or not to junior quarterback TJ Finley, this was always going to be a discussion at the end of the Mercer game. The level of competition in game one meant that the good things he did could be downplayed and any mistakes would likely be magnified.
Finley is also done no favors by his past record of performance at LSU and Auburn in the last two seasons. The best outcome for the giant signal caller would have been a clean, efficient performance leading to a blowout win.
For the first 28 minutes of the game, Finley was headed directly toward that aim. He was not spectacular, but Finley completed a high percentage of his passes, delivered throws in the face of pressure, and avoided big mistakes.
Then, on the last Auburn possession of the first half, TJ Finley attempted a throw down the field on third down and was intercepted by a Mercer defensive back.
It was neither a good decision nor an accurate throw and the turnover gave Mercer a short field, which lead to the only touchdown that Auburn’s first team defense allowed against the visitors.
Unfortunately for Finley, on the first drive of the second half he underthrew an open receiver leading to his second interception of the game. Any good feelings or momentum from the first handful of drives melted away.
Finley would not see the field again. Instead the reins were handed over to redshirt freshman Robby Ashford for the remainder of the evening.
Ashford had already made his presence known, getting regular snaps throughout the first half as a change of pace quarterback with dynamic rushing ability. His 49-yard sprint down the sideline in the first quarter was quite an introduction to Tiger fans.
From the first time he took off with the ball it was apparent that the freshman is a big, fast athlete. Ashford was not really given an opportunity to pass the ball until the second half when he replaced Finley for the duration of the competition.
By the end of the game, Ashford completed four of his seven pass attempts for 100 yards, including a 56-yard deep ball to receiver Ja’Varrius Johnson that was extremely well thrown.
Ashford’s performance against Mercer should not have anyone conjuring ideas of a Heisman campaign, but the freshman’s physical talent is obvious. Whether or not Ashford can consistently complete passes and avoid mental mistakes will determine if he can unseat Finley as the full-time quarterback for the Tigers.
Following the game, Coach Harsin declined to say much about the quarterback outlook going forward other than both guys will continue to work hard and will get opportunities to play.
Quarterback performance at Auburn is likely to be the main story on the plains for at least a few more weeks.
New names to know
The first game of the 2022 season brought quite a few names to light that Tiger fans may not have recognized before but are likely to play key roles throughout the season.
Maybe the biggest example of this, other than the aforementioned Robby Ashford, was junior linebacker Cam Riley. Riley has been at Auburn for two years but played mainly as a back up and special teams standout.
Saturday night, Riley earned the first start of his Auburn career and he was all over the field from the outset. The rangy defender racked up 15 tackles on the night, tracking down ball carriers from sideline to sideline.
If Riley can come close to replicating that kind of impact on a regular basis he will be a household name in short order.
Another player who made an impact in his first action as a big time contributor at Auburn was defensive back Keionte Scott. Scott made a handful of tackles, was in good position in pass coverage, and looked explosive in punt return opportunities as well.
Scott’s versatility and athleticism were a welcome sight and could lead to the newcomer playing a key part of the Tigers’ defense and special teams.
Lastly, true freshman running back Damari Alston got a few carries in the first game of his career. Alston was unable to shake free for any big gains, but looked strong and quick in his handful of opportunities.
It was good that the newest tailback saw some action because it is likely that Auburn will need to rely on its rushing attack to generate most of its production. If Alston can give standout runner Tank Bigsby and explosive second teamer Jarquez Hunter a break on occasion, then it can help preserve them all throughout the long season.
Zack Shaw is a contributing writer for Yellowhammer News and former walk-on for the Auburn Tigers.