​​Lyle's Corner

Thursday, August 31st, 2017

With Auburn's season opener against Georgia Southern set for 6:30 p.m. CT (7:30 p.m. ET) Saturday night, news broke yesterday as to who would be calling the action on the SEC Network. Tom Hart will handle the play-by-play, while Jordan  Rodgers (former Vanderbilt quarterback) will provide the color. Meanwhile, Cole Cubelic (a former Auburn offensive lineman, no less) will be the sideline reporter. The Tigers are a 34.5-point favorite over the Eagles. Not that I'm taking any of that seriously, of course. Remember what happened in 2013 when those exact same Eagles beat Florida - AT Florida, no less? It could happen again.

In other news....

- Auburn defensive coordinator Kevin Steele reported last night that redshirt freshman defensive end Nick Coe, who  was previously listed as backup to Marlon Davidson on the depth chart, will start against Georgia Southern. Coe, who redshirted last year, was listed as a four-star recruit in the class of 2016. He was ranked as the No. 13 overall strong-side defensive end in his class.

This is proof that you should never write depth charts in stone.

That's all for now. Until next time, God Bless, and WAR EAGLE!

Monday, August 28th, 2017

Auburn announced today that Saturday's season opener against Georgia Southern at Jordan-Hare Stadium has officially sold out. The team offered tickets to the game for $20 in August as part of a promotion linked to the solar eclipse.

The program's 17-game home sellout streak dating back to the 2013 campaign ended with a 51-14 victory over Arkansas State last season. A final group of tickets for the game could become available Friday through the university's Reply Buy program, which offers unused reserved allotments online.

There is some good news: Single-game tickets are still available for games against Mercer, Mississippi State, Ole Miss and ULM. If you're interested, get them while they last!

In other news....

- Auburn basketball released its full 2017-18 schedule this afternoon. I'll get right to it.

 - Nov. 2nd - Barry University (exhibition)

- Nov. 10th - Norfolk State

- Nov. 16th - Indiana State; Charleston Classic

- Nov. 17th - Temple/Old Dominion; Charleston Classic

- Nov. 19th - Clemson/Dayton/Hofstra/Ohio; Charleston Classic

- Nov. 24th - Winthrop

- Nov. 29th - at Dayton

- Dec. 3rd - George Mason

- Dec. 6th - Gardner-Webb

- Dec. 9th - UAB

- Dec. 16th - Middle Tennessee; Birmingham, AL

- Dec. 19th - at Murray State

- Dec. 23rd - UConn

- Dec. 30th - Cornell

- Jan. 2nd - at Tennessee

- Jan. 6th - Arkansas

- Jan. 9th - Ole Miss

- Jan. 13th - at Mississippi State

- Jan. 17th - at Alabama

- Jan. 20th - Georgia

- Jan. 24th - at Missouri

- Jan. 27th - LSU

- Jan. 30th - at Ole Miss

- Feb. 3rd - Vanderbilt

- Feb. 7th - Texas A&M

- Feb. 10th - at Georgia

- Feb. 14th - Kentucky

- Feb. 17th - at South Carolina

- Feb. 21st - Alabama

- Feb. 24th - at Florida

- Feb. 27th - at Arkansas

- March 3rd - South Carolina

- March 7th-11th - SEC Tournament; St. Louis, MO

That's all for today. Until next time, God Bless, and WAR EAGLE!

Saturday, August 26th, 2017

For the second time in over a year, a former Tiger is joining the Auburn Network broadcast team.

Former Auburn quarterback Jason Campbell has been added to the roster for Auburn's pre-game radio show "The Tiger Tailgate Show" this season. The show, presented by CraneWorks and Southeastern Pond Management, begins three hours prior to kickoff every week and features regulars Paul Ellen, Andy Burcham, Rod Bramblett, Stan White, Ronnie Brown, and Brad Law - and now Campbell will be part of the clan.

"This is such a great opportunity to join the Auburn Sports Network, where I already feel part of the team," Campbell stated in a news release. "When I finished my football career, they welcomed me into the broadcasts, on signing day and with the spring game. I feel comfortable with those guys and we have a lot of fun. I'm glad to be back on campus with the Auburn Family."

Campbell quarterbacked the Tigers from 2001-04. In his final season, he guided the Tigers to a perfect 13-0 season and an SEC title. Unfortunately, the team ended up being left out of the BCS National Championship game, which instead was played between USC and Oklahoma, both of whom were also undefeated. Now, with Campbell joining the broadcast crew, he'll be reunited with Brown, who was also part of that '04 squad, and became the network's sideline reporter last season, replacing Quentin Riggins, who walked away from that role after 25 years.

The broadcast stage will be located on the east side of Jordan-Hare Stadium, right across from the Cam Newton statue. I'm confident that Jason will bring a broad scope of knowledge of all of Auburn's opponents to the broadcasts every week. On that note, I don't want to get ahead of myself, but if, for whatever reason, Stan White decides to step aside as the color analyst down the road, who's to say that Jason won't be called upon to succeed him? You just never know. Oh, yeah: Did I mention that the 2017 season kicks off a week from today? I'm counting the minutes.

That's all for today. Until next time, God Bless, and WAR EAGLE!

Friday, August 25th, 2017

Shocking news came about on Wednesday evening when head softball coach Clint Myers announced in a press release that he was retiring after leading the most successful stretch in program history. In his Auburn tenure, Myers was 205-54-1 and won two SEC Tournament crowns while also advancing to two Women's College World Series.

"After 40 years of coaching and reflecting on the importance of spending quality time with my wife, my children, and my grandchildren, I have decided to retire from a sport that I love dearly and which has brought so much joy to me," he said in a statement. I have had the chance to coach many great student-athletes. I have seen them grow to be outstanding contributors to society. My time in coaching has been a source of great pride. I appreciate the opportunity to coach at Auburn and am proud of our successes.  I know the program has a bright future. The community and group of fans have been incredible and I have truly appreciated their support. Auburn is a special place."

The timing of this decision has surely left many Auburn fans scratching their heads. Auburn started fall classes on Wednesday. Myers had agreed to a contract extension through 2023 last month. The school had also intended to upgrade its softball facilities, including Jane B. Moore Field, with an initial price tag of $4.8 million. The search for a new coach will begin immediately. Personally, I was pretty stunned by this myself. Regardless, I wish Coach Myers a wonderful retirement. He took our softball team to new heights, and I and all Auburn fans will be forever grateful for that.

In other news....

- Auburn football landed another commitment yesterday morning when Asa Martin, one of the nation's top 2018 running backs, pledged to the Tigers over Alabama and Clemson. The 5-feet-11.5, 200-pound Martin announced his decision at a ceremony at his school, Austin High. He is ranked as the No. 10 back nationally in the 247Sports Composite.

With Martin's pledge, Auburn now has 13 commitments, leaving about 11 or 12 vacancies to fill. He said that the family feel at Auburn and his relationships with the staff were the biggest factors. The Tigers offered him a scholarship Feb. 13 - less than a full month after Chip Lindsey had been hired as offensive coordinator - and that played a big role. After taking multiple visits in June and July, Martin spent much of August mulling over where to go. He finally made his choice yesterday.

"They're really family-oriented," he stated. "That's real important, just having that feeling." With Martin's addition to the list, Auburn may be done at running back in this cycle. The Tigers also have all-purpose back Shaun Shivers of Florida in the class. Martin plans to enroll at Auburn in January. He will also attend the Tigers' season opener against Georgia Southern on Sept. 2nd at Jordan-Hare Stadium.

That's all for now. Until next time, God Bless, and WAR EAGLE!

Tuesday, August 22nd, 2017

Today, I will write about another opposing quarterback that Auburn will go up against this season. This time, however, it's that of Clemson.

To say that there will never be another Deshaun Watson in Clemson would be a gross understatement. However, the defending national champions have officially settled on his successor. News broke today that junior Kelly Bryant, who has played in 12 contests thus far with the Tigers, will take the snaps. Bryant has completed 13 of 18 passes for 75 yards and a touchdown, while rushing 35 times for 178 yards and three more scores. 

Last year, Auburn gave the eventual title winner one heck of a fight, taking Watson and head coach Dabo Swinney right down to the final play in a hard-fought 19-13 loss at Jordan-Hare Stadium in the 2016 opener. This fall, Auburn will be seeking revenge on Sept. 9th when they take a trip to Clemson. Kickoff is slated for 7 p.m. ET (6 p.m. CT) on ESPN. (Just for the record, Auburn's last visit to Clemson came in 2011. That one didn't turn out so well for the War Eagles, as the homestanding Tigers clinched a 38-24 win.)

In other news....

- Two Auburn players were named to AP All-America teams today. Kicker Daniel Carlson and offensive guard Braden Smith each garnered the honors. The preseason list includes a first and second team. Carlson was chosen to the first team and Smith was a second-team pick as a guard. The preseason AP list was selected by 51 voters.

That's all for now. Until next time, God Bless, and WAR EAGLE!

Monday, August 21st, 2017

Although Auburn is not practicing today due to the start of the fall semester, word is now out as to which opposing quarterback the Tiger defense will face when it kicks off the 2017 season against Georgia Southern in 12 days.

The Eagles announced today that redshirt freshman Shai Werts has won the starting job. Werts was rated as a two-star prospect and the No. 47 dual-threat quarterback in the 247Sports Composite in 2016. His high school stats are Earth-shattering. During his career at Newberry (S.C.) High, he racked up more than 6,000 yards and 73 touchdowns. In his senior season, he ran for 1,308 yards and passed for 1,204 more while scoring 32 TDs.

No. 12 Auburn will host Georgia Southern on Sept. 2nd in Jordan-Hare Stadium. Kickoff is set for 6:30 p.m. CT on the SEC Network. Considering Werts' stats, and the fact that Auburn offensive coordinator Chip Lindsey wants to put the ball in the air more frequently this year, I can certainly see an aerial circus coming on in this contest, if you know what I mean.

That's all for today. Until next time, God Bless, and WAR EAGLE!

Friday, August 18th, 2017​

Auburn football has clinched its 12th commitment - and it's a major one.

Matthew Hill, a 4-star receiver from Snellville (Ga.) Brookwood, pledged to the Tigers over Alabama and South Carolina yesterday. When asked what drew him in, he responded, "Basically, it was just the coaching staff. Wherever I go, I wanted to feel like home. And just playing time." He also noted that he knew what his choice would be "a month and a half, two months ago." This shouldn't be a surprise considering that Hill grew up an Auburn fan. 

He is Auburn's second receiver to commit, joining Shedrick Jackson of Hoover (Ala.). The Tigers will likely add one or two more wideouts to the class. The 6-feet-2, 185-pound Hill ranks as the No. 32 receiver and the No. 160 overall prospect in the 247Sports Composite.  

"It's a lot of stress off of me," Hill pointed out. "Because I know I can start focusing on my academics and just the team in general." Hill is noteworthy for his excellent speed and big-play ability. Although he never outright stated a leader prior to his commitment, Auburn has been the presumed favorite for quite awhile. His love for the Tigers was infused at an early age when his god-father ran cross country at Auburn. 

The Tigers began to pursue him during his junior year. He's already made at least four known visits to Auburn this year, most recently in July when he caught passes from 5-star quarterback Justin Fields, a close friend. "We played in the Rising Seniors game last year and that's when me and him really got that bond," Hill stated. 

Hill was second-team all-state as a junior after catching 41 passes for 849 yards and nine touchdowns, rushing for 625  yards and making 24 tackles on defense. He also returned 19 kickoffs for 512 yards. In one game, a playoff victory over West Forsyth (Ga.), Hill racked up 347 all-purpose yards and five TDs. 

In other news.....

- Six walk-on football players were awarded scholarships last night. Receivers Will Hastings and Griffin King, defensive lineman Gary Walker Jr., tight end Tucker Brown, linebacker Chase Ritter and fullback Keenan Sweeney received scholarships, according to a person familiar with the decisions. Auburn had plenty of openings to add players on scholarship and gained another vacancy when John Franklin III left the team earlier this week. 

Hastings plays the most out of the six players, although Walker Jr. has made a climb in the rotation at defensive tackle over the past two weeks. Sweeney serves as starter Chandler Cox's backup.

That's all for now. Until next time, God Bless, and WAR EAGLE!   

Wednesday, August 16th, 2017

Isn't it amazing just how wishy-washy people can be?

Less than two weeks ago, Auburn quarterback-turned-wide receiver John Franklin III assured that transferring was the furthest thing from his mind. Now, just 10 days after graduating, Franklin announced via Twitter yesterday morning that he was leaving The Plains. He quickly decided to play his final college season at Florida Atlantic, coached by Lane Kiffin. Franklin has clearly taken advantage of the graduate transfer rule.

Since he hails from Ft. Lauderdale, Fla., his decision to play closer to home makes relatively good sense. He also obviously felt he wasn't getting enough playing time. Personally, I was a bit shocked by this, although I've come to terms with it by now. I do wish him the best as he winds up his collegiate playing career.

In other news...

- The Tigers have finally chosen a starting punter. Ian Shannon has regained his leading status over Daniel Carlson, walk-on Aidan Marshall and holder Tyler Stovall with a superb performance in recent practices. As such, head coach Gus Malzahn announced to the team before yesterday's practice that Shannon will handle the punting duties. "It means the world to me," Shannon said.

"He (Gus) wanted to strain us all," he continued. "It was pretty much a four-man battle. He wanted to see what the best option was and everybody brought their 'A' game every single day." Shannon began setting himself apart from the group after Auburn's second scrimmage that included a period of live punts. That improved consistency carried over into Monday's practice. The battle for the position has weighed heavily on Malzahn's mind since fall camp began.

Shannon served as back-up to Kevin Phillips last season, but averaged a mere 30.7 yards per punt on just three attempts. I'm hopeful, however, that he'll fare much better this year. Plus, I'm glad that Daniel Carlson won't have to handle double-duty again.....unless, of course, Ian (or, for that matter, the others who battled for the position) get hurt or struggle statistically.

That's all for now. Until next time, God Bless, and WAR EAGLE!

Monday, August 14th, 2017

Even in today's world that's dominated by social media, rumors don't always translate into reality. But for the 2017 Auburn football team, that's not the case. This morning, head coach Gus Malzahn tweeted the news that virtually every Auburn fan saw coming: Jarrett Stidham is officially the Tigers' starting quarterback heading into the season opener on Sept. 2nd against Georgia Southern at Jordan-Hare Stadium.

Stidham, a Baylor transfer, edged out junior Sean White, who appeared in 11 contests last year and 18 combined for the Tigers over the past two seasons. In his lone season as a true freshman at Baylor in 2015, Stidham passed for 1,265 yards and 12 touchdowns with just two interceptions.

Auburn's season kicks off at 6:30 p.m. CT on the aforementioned date, and will be televised on the SEC Network. From my point of view, I'm obviously very happy and excited for Jarrett, but I hope that he (and the rest of the team, for that matter) won't pay attention to the giddy expectations the Tigers are getting. Plus, Jarrett can't let his superb stats go to his head. The team will have to take this one game at a time. Otherwise, it will spell certain doom for them.....and more significantly, Gus as well.

In other news....

- Former Auburn defensive back Robenson Therezie is now a New York Jet. The team claimed Therezie off the waiver list yesterday after the New Orleans Saints parted ways with the former Tiger. Therezie originally signed with the Atlanta Falcons in 2015 as an undrafted free agent. As a rookie, he amassed 33 combined tackles and an interception. Last season, he only made three combined tackles and was released on Dec. 22nd, 2016 before being picked up by New Orleans.

The Jets have apparently grown fond of former SEC defensive backs, having drafted former LSU safety Jamal Adams and former Florida safety Marcus Maye this spring. New York latched onto Therezie after backup safety Doug Middleton sustained a torn pectoral muscle Saturday in preseason action.

That's all for now. Until next time, God Bless, and WAR EAGLE!  

Sunday, August 13th, 2017

The Tigers could be down one running back heading into the 2017 season opener. Running back JaTravious Whitlow may be sidelined when Auburn hosts Georgia Southern on Sept. 2nd.

"Whitlow is the only one," head coach Gus Malzahn said after the Tigers' second preseason scrimmage yesterday. "He had an ankle issue this week. He's the only guy that will have a chance at not being ready for the first game. Everybody else will be ready for the first game." 

A former quarterback and wide receiver, Whitlow is vying for Auburn's third-string running back spot behind Kamryn Pettway and Kerryon Johnson. Fortunately for the Tigers, depth at running back is not a large concern with Malik Miller, Kam Martin and Devan Barrett still available to get touches behind Pettway and Johnson. A Lafayette, Alabama, native, Whitlow was rated as a three-star prospect and ranked as the nation's No. 36 overall athlete and the state's No. 26 overall player regardless of position. He was switched to running back this summer due to depth issues. He was a three-time All-State player in 2A.

Now, it's relatively apparent to me at this point in time that Whitlow won't see much action this season based on his position on the depth chart. Still, you never know when he might be called upon if one of our starters gets shaken up. No matter what happens, I hope JaTravious heals soon.

That's all for now. Until next time, God Bless, and WAR EAGLE!

Friday, August 11th, 2017

Auburn defensive line coach Rodney Garner gave some encouraging news yesterday on injured defensive linemen Marlon Davidson and Andrew Williams. He doesn't expect either of them to miss an extended period of time.

When asked about Davidson, Garner said, "He should be fine. I don't know when Robbie (Stewart) and those guys have his return date and all that, but Marlon isn't the kind of kid who's trying to milk anything. Nobody is questioning him. The thing about it is he has a little bruise. It was a non-contact thing (during a drill)."

Davidson hurt his knee after an open-viewing period at last Saturday's practice and missed the team's first preseason scrimmage. The sophomore could be seen limping around practice Monday with a large brace around his left knee. Still, Garner isn't concerned. The 6-foot-3, 282-pound Davidson started all 13 games last year for the Tigers. He recorded 38 tackles (23 solo), six tackles for loss and 2.5 sacks. This season, he's expected to be a vital contributor for Auburn as a returning starter at defensive end.

"We need Marlon out there, it's all the things he brings to the table, those intangibles," Garner explained, describing him as a crucial part of the Tigers' defensive front. The injury comes in the wake of Davidson's revelation that he sprained his UCL in the spring and will wear a brace on his left arm for the 2017 season. As for Williams, who amassed 13 tackles and 2.5 sacks in 2016, he's also expected to return to the field soon. "I think Andrew should be back shortly," Garner assured. 

Both of those kids definitely dodged bullets. There's no serious or major injury. They will definitely be back in the next week."

Let's all keep our fingers crossed that Garner's prediction will ring true.

In other news....

- The Tigers are still having a tough time finding a starting punter as preseason camp enters its closing weeks. It's now become a four-man race, as holder Tyler Stovall has been added to the mix. Stovall punted in practices in 2014 but has been a holder since. But things may be different this season as Ian Shannon and walk-on Aidan Marshall continue struggling to win the job.

"Still open," Auburn special teams coordinator Tim Horton said. "Really we're looking at four guys now and we just need the cream to rise to the top, so to speak. My vote is we don't punt but I don't know that Georgia Southern or Clemson will go for that. There are four guys we're looking at and they're working good but we're still in the midst of the competition."

Kicker Daniel Carlson, a two-time Lou Groza Award finalist, is also in the race. He punted in 2014, but coaches hope he can concentrate exclusively on place-kicking so as not to tire his leg.

Stovall has never punted in a game. Shannon averaged 30.7 yards per punt on just three attempts last year. He served as backup for Kevin Phillips, a junior college transfer out of Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College. Phillips is gone. Meanwhile, Marshall is a walk-on out of Virginia, where he played Class 4A football. His father ran track and cross country at Auburn.

Personally, I hope the Tigers can make a clear-cut choice for the starting punter soon. A woeful punting game can spell certain doom for your defense. Also, I share the coaching staff's hopes that Carlson won't have to pull double duty again. That can't be helpful to any kicker's leg. If there's one image from the 2014 season that still burns through my mind, it's Carlson's 45-yard game-tying field goal attempt in the Outback Bowl against Wisconsin. A successful boot would have extended the game to a second extra period. Instead, it clanked off the right upright, and the Tigers lost 34-31. 

That's all for now. Until next time, God Bless, and WAR EAGLE!  

Thursday, August 10th, 2017

Auburn football has scheduled another non-conference game for the future. News broke via Twitter this morning that the Tigers will host the University of Massachusetts at Jordan-Hare Stadium in 2020. The contest will be played on November 14th of that year. UMass joins the Tigers' non-conference schedule with Southern Miss on September 26th and Alabama A&M on November 21st that season.

UMass is currently an Independent school. The Minutemen are going into their fifth season in FBS play after being promoted prior to the 2013 season. The way things look right now, Auburn's 2020 non-conference slate is lackadaisical at best. It will be quite interesting to see who the Tigers schedule for their remaining non-conference contests that season...and beyond, for that matter.

That's all for today. Until next time, God Bless, and WAR EAGLE!

Wednesday, August 9th, 2017

The injury bug remains merciless for Auburn. Here are a few notes from yesterday's practice, which, incidentally, was the last with an open viewing session to the media in preseason camp.

- Offensive tackle Calvin Ashley did not appear prepared to practice yesterday, as he did not wear a helmet during warmup drills. Ashley joins a mounting list of injured players to not take part in practices.

- Despite that, there was some good news. Freshman linebacker T.D. Moultry returned to the field after missing the last two days of preseason camp, including Auburn's scrimmage Monday.

- Sophomore defensive end Marlon Davidson wore a brace on his left knee and hobbled from station to station. He didn't participate in drills and has been on the sideline for the past three days, including yesterday. Losing him for an extended period would be costly, although coaches are confident that he will return to action soon.

- Defensive tackle Andrew Williams was sidelined for the third straight practice and was wearing a brace on his right knee.

- Prince Tega Wanogho Jr. and Darius James occupied the left and right tackle spots, respectively, and James moved inside to right guard with the first-team unit. Apparently, Auburn's coaching staff is mixing and matching players more often as they explore all possibilities on the offensive line.

- Auburn Undercover's Brandon Marcello noted that Ian Shannon stood out as the better punter compared to walk-on Aidan Marshall. Shannon was apparently much more consistent and had greater reach with his kicks. On that note, head coach Gus Malzahn spent an entire period of practice with the punters. He's spent a lot of time with them in preseason practices. 

- Atlanta Falcons personnel attended practice and kept a close eye on kicker Daniel Carlson early in drills. If you ask me, Carlson is more than capable of playing in the professional ranks.

- Ryan Davis, Griffin King and Stephen Roberts continued to work on punt returns, with Roberts as the obvious favorite.

- Defensive tackle Byron Cowart worked with the third-team defensive line along Markaviest "Big Cat" Bryant.

Auburn's next scrimmage is scheduled for Saturday.

That's all for now. Until next time, God Bless, and WAR EAGLE!

Tuesday, August 8th, 2017

Today's post will focus solely on injuries.

At least three players sat out during Auburn's first scrimmage of preseason camp yesterday due to injuries. Defensive end Marlon Davidson, linebacker Tadarian Moultry and defensive tackle Andrew Williams did not participate because of undisclosed injuries. Head coach Gus Malzahn confirmed that they didn't take part in the 100-play scrimmage.

Moultry and Williams were also held out of practice last Saturday, although they didn't show any obvious signs of injury.

"They did not take part but it won't be long for either one of them," Malzahn stated. Davidson, a projected starter, was injured at practice Saturday. "Marlon did not go (Monday)," Malzahn said. "It will be shortly, a couple of days probably."

Davidson wrapped up his freshman campaign last season with 38 tackles (six for loss) and 2.5 sacks. Moultry is a four-star newcomer aiming to break into the rotation at inside linebacker. Williams, meanwhile, is expected to contribute to the two-deep depth chart along the defensive line.

The Tigers return to the practice field today for their seventh practice of preseason camp. The next major scrimmage is slated for Saturday.

That's all for now. Until next time, God Bless, and WAR EAGLE!

Monday, August 7th, 2017

I'll briefly cover a couple of notes related to Auburn football's recent practice sessions.

- Defensive end Marlon Davidson was injured Saturday and did not take part in drills today. The Tigers held their first major scrimmage of preseason camp today, running exactly 100 plays. Head coach Gus Malzahn said that Davidson is expected to be out at least two more days, although he was not clear on the exact nature of the injury at the moment. "Marlon did not go," he said. "It will be shortly, a couple of days probably."

- Aside from injuries, it was apparent that the defense ruled today's scrimmage. Linebacker Darrell Williams said that Jarrett Stidham, whom many assume will win the starting QB job, threw two interceptions, one of which was returned for a touchdown by cornerback Jamel Dean. Also, incumbent starter Sean White threw a couple of scoring strikes, but threw a couple of picks himself in his time with the first- and second-team offenses. Plus, the quarterbacks were sacked at least three times - twice by Williams and once by Paul James III.

Offensively, running back Kam Martin scored a touchdown. The first-team offense scored only once: a touchdown run after a failed-to-call sack by Williams. Malzahn noted that all three quarterbacks vying for the starting job, including third-stringer Malik Willis, did some encouraging things, but also "have numerous things to work on. That's probably the best way to answer it without evaluating the film."

Now, I would be willing to bet that many of you would feel uneasy after reading the above figures on Stidham. You may be thinking, "Oh, great. If he gets the nod, he's going to turn into a carbon copy of Jeremy Johnson." If that's the case, I'm going to repeat a comment that I made on a Facebook page earlier this afternoon: "Don't panic , folks. There's still plenty of time to correct those mistakes."

The Tigers will conduct their second preseason scrimmage Saturday.

That's all for today. Until next time, God Bless, and WAR EAGLE!

Saturday, August 5th, 2017

John Franklin III is officially an Auburn graduate. The quarterback-turned-wide receiver shared the news today by tweeting a photo of himself at the graduation ceremony.

Franklin started his college career at Florida State before playing one season at East Mississippi Community College and appearing on the Netflix documentary "Last Chance U." Auburn fans will find out this fall if he has a fairy tale season in 2017.

Franklin saw action in 13 games for the Tigers last season, primarily in mop-up duty for starter Sean White at QB. He completed 54 percent of his passes for 204 yards and a TD while rushing for 430 yards and two more scores. As for this season, Franklin is hoping for a smooth transition to WR after Baylor transfer QB Jarrett Stidham's much-hyped arrival on The Plains.

That's all for now. Until next time, God Bless, and WAR EAGLE!

Friday, August 4th, 2017

An interesting turn of events has transpired for Auburn signee Carlito Gonzalez. The three-star defensive back did not qualify to enroll at Auburn, but will enroll at Memphis. The news broke just three days after it was believed that he was headed to a junior college for the fall semester.

On Monday, Auburn head coach Gus Malzahn stated that Gonzalez failed to complete the necessary coursework to enroll at Auburn and was headed to a junior college for enrollment. Yesterday, however, a Memphis spokesperson confirmed that Gonzalez had instead enrolled in classes and will play football at Memphis, an AAC school. According to the Memphis Commercial Appeal, Gonzalez attended practice yesterday at Memphis but will not be eligible to play until the 2018 campaign due to NCAA transfer rules.

During SEC Media Days in mid-July, Malzahn said that Gonzalez had a class to finish, but expected the final member of the 2017 signing class to report before the team reported for fall camp on July 30. "He's in the process of looking for a junior college. He'll go to a junior college and try to get here," Malzahn said Monday. But those plans apparently changed out of the blue following Malzahn's comments at the start of preseason camp.

Gonzalez is the only member of Auburn's 2017 signing class to not make it to campus. Auburn Undercover has attempted to contact him multiple times this summer, but he has not returned messages. While on the topic of Memphis, here's a trivial tidbit: Auburn routed Memphis 31-10 in the 2015 Birmingham Bowl to close out a 7-6 season. Does anyone remember that game?

That's all for today. Until next time, God Bless, and WAR EAGLE!

Wednesday, August 2nd, 2017

Former Auburn head coach Gene Chizik is now back on your TVs, folks. He will join the SEC Network as an analyst this season. This marks Chizik's second stint with the network. After being fired from Auburn after the 2012 season, he became a studio analyst during the SEC Network's first year in 2014. He stayed in that role for only one year before being hired as North Carolina's defensive coordinator. However, he left the Tar Heels' staff this past off-season citing his desire to spend more time with his family.

Chizik tweeted a photo of himself in studio last night preparing for his first show of the year. This is a welcome endeavor for him, as he has a fountain of knowledge about the SEC and, of course, football. Aside from being Auburn's head coach from 2009-2012, he was also the defensive coordinator there from 2002-04 and played linebacker at Florida. Chizik won the Home Depot Coach of the Year Award in 2010 after guiding the Tigers to a perfect season and national title. He's only the second coach in collegiate history to be recognized as both the head coach of the year and the nation's top assistant coach.

While it's currently unclear exactly what Chizik's role will be, he will certainly be a valuable asset to the SEC Network.

One final note: I read an article yesterday that listed all of the broadcasting teams on ESPN's family of networks for the upcoming college football season, and it's been confirmed that Tommy Tuberville will be paired with veteran play-by-play man Mike Patrick in the booth. I can't remember the sideline reporter's name, but only time will tell if Tuberville gets the chance to call an Auburn game. If he does, I'm sure that mixed feelings will come with it.

That's all for now. Until next time, God Bless, and WAR EAGLE!

Tuesday, August 1st, 2017

Well, football season is upon us once again, folks, as Auburn's preseason camp got underway yesterday afternoon. I read one article containing many crucial notes about yesterday's practice session. However, I'm only going to write about what I believe were the most pivotal tidbits.

- Sean White and Jarrett Stidham split 50-50 reps with the first-team offense yesterday, so the starting QB spot is apparently still very much up for grabs despite Stidham being the overwhelming favorite.

- Auburn signee Carlito Gonzalez will not make it to campus this upcoming season. According to head coach Gus Malzahn, the three-star defensive back did not complete the necessary coursework to enroll on The Plains and will instead seek a junior college for enrollment. Malzahn said at SEC Media Days that Gonzalez had a class to finish, but expected the final member of the 2017 signing class to report before the team reported to campus for fall camp two days ago.

Auburn Undercover has attempted to contact Gonzalez multiple times this summer, but has failed to get in touch with him. We can only keep our fingers crossed and hope that he will find success at whatever junior college he chooses and be able to return to Auburn down the road.

- The Tigers' depth chart took another hit yesterday, as cornerback Michael Sherwood has left the team and will transfer as a fifth-year player, Coach Malzahn said. Sherwood, a former walk-on, served as high as the third corner on the depth chart during his Auburn stint. He combined for five tackles in 2015 and 2016. "Mike's done a super job for us," Malzahn stated. "He was an energy guy and we wish him nothing but the best."

- Senior Jason Smith has switched positions for the second time in his career, converting from receiver to defensive back. He's also changed jersey numbers, and is now wearing No. 25 instead of No. 4. This move could prove beneficial to a Tiger secondary that is a bit thin at safety. Smith's tenure with Auburn has been relatively quiet. Last season, he had four receptions for 60 yards and one rushing attempt for no gain. With several young and talented receivers on the roster, Smith apparently saw an opening to play more on defense. He came to Auburn as a quarterback in January 2015 but quickly moved to receiver.  The former Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College star had 203 receiving yards in 2015. His highlight that season was a 77-yard touchdown reception from QB Jeremy Johnson in the Iron Bowl.

That's all for now. Until next time, God Bless, and WAR EAGLE!