​​Lyle's Corner

Thursday, February 28th, 2019

Auburn basketball got a pivotal 78-75 win at Georgia in Athens last night. But it came with a taste of suspense. Sophomore Chuma Okeke nailed the game-winning three-pointer with 24 seconds left. The shot came off an  out-of-bounds play with just three seconds to go on the shot clock.  Normally, Okeke inbounds the ball. However, Auburn head coach Bruce Pearl knew time was running out, and told the 6-foot-8 Okeke to catch it and either drive to the bucket or take the shot if it was open. 

​"Coach drew the play up for me," Okeke explained. "He had enough trust in me with the ball in my hands. He just said, 'If they play off, let it fly.'" Point guard Jared Harper echoed that trust. "We all have confidence in Chuma," he said. "He's a great player. Initially, he was supposed to catch it and look to go to the rim. But the whole play was set up for him. The guy gave him space. Coach (Pearl) told him if he backs up, let it go. We all have the confidence in him to make the shot."  

It was Okeke's second trey of the night, an exclamation point on his 13-point, six-rebound performance. Harper was equally effective, tallying a game-high 22 points and five assists. He went 7-of-15 from the field and 5-of-10 from 3-point range. He has averaged 20.2 points and 6.2 assists in his last four matches against Georgia. 

"As a leader, it was up to me to step up and to produce for my team," Harper said. "This was a big game for us. It was kind of a do-or-die game for us. I knew I had to step up, and I knew I had great teammates to make big plays." Auburn's determination was clear from the opening tip as they took an early lead thanks to successful long shots. The Tigers sank five treys in a row at one point and took a 50-40 advantage into intermission. 

But the Bulldogs wouldn't lie down, going on a run of their own to re-claim the lead near the halfway mark of the second half. However, Auburn's Horace Spencer swung the momentum back in the visitor's favor. With six minutes left, he crashed the boards and made a put-back dunk to put the Tigers ahead. They went on a 6-0 run after that. Spencer finished the night with 10 points and five rebounds in 17 minutes off the bench. 

​"I thought Horace Spencer showed great leadership as a senior coming off the bench," Pearl said. "Bottom line, this was a game we had to have. It's a road win in the SEC. Those are hard to come by. Now we have to go get ready for Mississippi State on Saturday, a team that's playing as good as anybody in our league right now."

Despite not having the services of Austin Wiley or Malik Dunbar, the Tigers clinched their fourth straight victory over Georgia, marking the first time since 1979 that they've accomplished that feat. Pearl is hopeful that one or both of the aforementioned players can return to action on Saturday when Auburn (19-9 overall, 8-7 SEC) hosts Mississippi State at 3 p.m. CT. The game will be televised on ESPNU. 

In other news.....

- The women's basketball team will host South Carolina tonight in Auburn Arena. The game is set for 6 p.m. CT, and will be available online at SECN+.  

- The baseball team will begin its weekend series with Cincinnati tomorrow night at 6 p.m. CT in Plainsman Park. The game will be available online at SECN+.

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



Wednesday, February 27th, 2019

Bad news broke for the Auburn men's basketball team yesterday. Austin Wiley is doubtful for tonight's game at Georgia following another recent setback with his injured leg. 

Head coach Bruce Pearl said yesterday that the 6-foot-11 center aggravated the lower-leg injury in his right leg. Despite that, Pearl clarified that Wiley did not "re-injure" the leg. "More than anything, I feel for Austin," Pearl told reporters. 

Wiley went to the floor in pain grabbing his right ankle after a basket with under 16 minutes left in an 80-53 loss at No. 4 Kentucky last Saturday. Pearl anticipates that Wiley will return to the court before the end of the season. Four regular-season matches and at least one postseason game in the SEC Tournament remain on Auburn's schedule. 

Wiley injured the leg last month, and hasn't been able to stay fully healthy since. He missed nearly a month of action and hasn't scored in double digits in the six games since his return to the court, including two scoreless outings. Wiley has averaged 8.2 points and 4.9 rebounds per game. He has yet to score in double figures in an SEC game, with the last such performance coming on Dec. 29th with 13 points against North Florida. He did have one double-double: Against Murray State on Dec. 22nd, he tallied 17 points and 10 rebounds. 

Wiley has battled lower leg issues since high school. His leg injury this season is at least his third over the past year. He sat out last season amid an FBI investigation involving former Auburn assistant coach Chuck Person, who allegedly funneled money to Wiley's parents in an effort to steer him to an agent. Wiley tested the NBA waters after the 2017-18 campaign and took part in the NBA Combine in the spring.  He then decided to return to the Plains for his redshirt sophomore season. 

​Auburn (18-9 overall, 7-7 SEC) and Georgia (10-17 overall, 1-13 SEC) will face off in Athens tonight at 8 p.m. CT. The game will be televised by ESPNU. 

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



Monday, February 25th, 2019

Auburn football got its seventh commitment for 2020 yesterday - a wide receiver. J.J. Evans, a four-star wideout from Montevallo, Ala., verbally pledged to the Tigers yesterday. The 6-feet-2, 185-pound Evans is coming off a superb season in which he registered more than 1,700 receiving yards. 

"Man, as soon as I got there (Saturday for Junior Day), I felt at home," he told Auburn Undercover. "They treated me with so much love. I have a great relationship with all the coaches there." According to the 247Sports Composite, Evans is the No. 16 recruit in the state of Alabama. He visited Auburn this past Saturday and Sunday. It was his second trip to the Plains. Unsurprisingly, he said the Tigers were recruiting him the hardest. 

"It's very big," Evans said. "It makes me feel like they want me very bad. I don't want to be on a team that treats me one way the first time and the second time treats me different. This is my second time coming down here and they have treated me the same." Evans further pointed out that, among Auburn coaches, he is closest to receivers coach Kodi Burns and offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach Kenny Dillingham. "With those guys, I can't explain it - they're just hyped all the time," Evans said. "They like to have fun." 

Evans is the second receiver to join Auburn's Class of 2020, the other being top-100 commit Kobe Hudson. Among Auburn commits, Evans has the third-highest rating. The Tigers jumped three spots from No. 12 to No. 9 in the 247Sports recruiting team rankings with his pledge. 

In other news....

​- The baseball team beat UCF 13-9 yesterday at John Euliano Park in Orlando to claim the series 2-1. The Tigers improved to 6-2 on the season. Auburn tallied 15 hits on the day, with Steven Williams and Matt Scheffler each making three. Judd Ward, Will Holland, Conor Davis and Ryan Bliss each had a pair. 

Auburn will return to action this Friday with a weekend series against Cincinnati at Plainsman Park. The first pitch is set for 6 p.m. CT, with the game being available online at SECN+. 

- Former Auburn offensive lineman Greg Robinson, the No. 2 pick in the 2014 NFL Draft, has signed a new contract with the Cleveland Browns. He joined the Browns last season and appeared in all 16 games, starting the last eight at left tackle. Cleveland only allowed five sacks in the second half of the season - the fewest of any team in the league - compared to 33 in the first half. Robinson protected for QB Baker Mayfield and RB Nick Chubb.

Financial details of Robinson's contract haven't been released yet, but the Browns are clearly pleased with his performance. 

- The men's basketball team returns to action on Wednesday night in a trip to Georgia at 8 p.m. CT. The game will be televised by ESPNU. 

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



Sunday, February 24th, 2019

I'm in "short and sweet" mode once again today. Auburn's 80-53 loss at Kentucky yesterday turned very ugly, very quickly. The Tigers were outplayed and outmatched in every aspect. Chuma Okeke led Auburn with 14 points, while Jared Harper scored 12 and Anfernee McLemore registered 10, and Bryce Brown had six. Of course, that wasn't nearly enough in this case. The Wildcats had an overwhelming 43-24 lead in rebounds. 

UK improved to 23-4 overall, 12-2 in SEC play, while Auburn fell to 18-9 overall, 7-7 in the league. While the Tigers won't have to deal with the Wildcats again this year, they are now even more desperate for a win that would move them up in the SEC standings. They'll get that chance on Wednesday in a trip to Athens to face Georgia at 8 p.m. CT. The game will be televised by ESPNU. 

In other news.....

- The baseball team is in the midst of a weekend series at Central Florida. The Tigers won the first game on Friday by a score of 4-1, but lost Game 2 yesterday by a score of 6-1. Game 3 is being played today. Assuming time allows, I'll write about that game tomorrow. 

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



Thursday, February 21st, 2019

​Another former Auburn assistant coach is heading back to the Plains. Wesley McGriff was hired as the Tigers' secondary coach yesterday. 

"We're excited to have Wesley return to our program," head coach Gus Malzahn stated. "He is an outstanding coach and recruiter. He brings great passion and energy and will be a great fit with our defensive staff." McGriff spent the previous two seasons as defensive coordinator at Ole Miss before being fired by head coach Matt Luke at the end of the 2018 season. Prior to that, he had served as Auburn's secondary coach in 2016. 

​"I'm very appreciative and excited to be rejoining Coach Malzahn and the staff at Auburn," McGriff said via a statement released by the university. "Auburn is a program with outstanding players, coaches and tradition. Coach Malzahn is a great coach and leader and I look forward to helping Auburn win championships." 

​McGriff replaces Greg Brown, who left Auburn for Purdue last week following two seasons with Malzahn's staff. During McGriff's stint at Ole Miss, the Rebels' defense went backward, finishing last in the SEC in total defense in 2017 and allowing 36.2 points per game in 2018, ranking last in the SEC and 113th nationally. 

On the other side of the coin, during McGriff's first tenure at Auburn, the Tigers leapt from the bottom third of the SEC to second in scoring defense, third in rushing defense, and second in third-down conversion defense in 2016. McGriff is well-known as a superb defensive backs coach and recruiter. He has landed multiple five-star recruits during his college career and even has experience in the professional ranks, having previously served as a defensive backs coach for the New Orleans Saints. 

In other news....

- Auburn basketball stormed out of the gate against Arkansas last night, mounting a 22-1 lead and coasting to a 79-56 win over the Razorbacks at Auburn Arena. Bryce Brown led the Tiger offense with 18 points. Auburn out-rebounded Arkansas 42-34, and held the Hogs to only 33 percent from the field and 15 percent from 3-point range. Plus, the Razorbacks' leading scorer, Daniel Gafford, was allowed just 10 points. 

The 23-point margin of victory is the second-largest ever against the Hogs, and is tied for the third-largest against an SEC team at home since 2010. The Tigers improved to 18-8 overall, 7-6 in the conference, while Arkansas slipped to 14-12 overall, 5-8 in the SEC. Next up for Auburn is a trip to Lexington to face Kentucky on Saturday afternoon at 12:30 p.m. CT. The game will be televised by CBS. 

- The rumors of a switch are now true. Georgia president Jere Morehead confirmed yesterday that the Deep South's Oldest Rivalry between Auburn and Georgia will now be moved to earlier in the season, flipping spots with the Bulldogs' series against Tennessee starting in 2020. 

The Tigers and Bulldogs have faced off in November every year since they first met in 1937. I'm sure that there will be mixed opinions on this, but it may also make each team's schedule slightly more manageable. 

- The baseball team completed a midweek sweep of Alabama A&M yesterday with a 10-2 win over the Bulldogs at Plainsman Park. Kason Howell led the Tiger offense with three hits, two runs and one RBI in four at-bats. The defense, meanwhile, allowed the Bulldogs just two unearned runs. 

Auburn will be on the road in non-conference play for the first time since 2012 this weekend when they have a three-game series with Central Florida from Friday-Sunday. In the first game, sophomore Tanner Burns will pitch against UCF's Grant Schuermann. Friday's first pitch is set for 5 p.m. CT.

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



Wednesday, February 20th, 2019

The Deep South's Oldest Rivalry has always been played in November for the past eight decades. However, a big change could be on the horizon. 

​Auburn, Georgia and the SEC are nearing an agreement to move the storied rivalry to earlier in the 2020 season in an attempt to ease scheduling issues for both schools, industry sources told Auburn Undercover. While there are still hoops to jump through, it's expected that the 14 SEC teams and commissioner Greg Sankey will go forward to move the game to September or October, the sources said. 

The change would alleviate an already brutal November schedule for the Tigers, which was set to feature away games for both Georgia and Alabama during the last three weeks of the regular season. The Tide won the SEC crown in 2018, while Georgia beat Auburn to win it in 2017. One source said that it's possible that the Deep South's Oldest Rivalry could remain in September and October through 2024, but those details have not yet been finalized. This would obviously mark a huge change for the rivalry, as the Tigers and Bulldogs have met in November every year since 1937. 

Auburn is currently scheduled to face UMass on Nov. 14th, 2020. The date is usually set aside for Auburn vs. Georgia. The Tigers have faced both Alabama and Georgia on the road in even years and at home in odd years since the conference expanded from 12 to 14 teams in 2012. Georgia was forced by the SEC to travel to Auburn in back-to-back years in 2012 and 2013 to accommodate the league's expansion and scheduling issues.  

Auburn athletics director Allen Greene said in November that there is not "an avenue" for the Tigers to fix the schedule with Georgia and Alabama alternating home and away games until the current SEC rotation ends with the 2024 football season. Greene said yesterday when contacted by Auburn Undercover that the school is pursuing a change with the schedule that would move the Georgia game to earlier in the season, but declined to comment further. 

The SEC has yet to discuss the issue in Auburn's schedule that requires the Tigers to travel to Georgia and Alabama in even years on the calendar. The sources said that such a move will not happen until at least the 2025 season. Greene said in November that he planned to present the idea to the SEC during a meeting of athletics directors in February and again at the SEC's spring meetings in May. "It can be done," Greene said at the time. "It's a matter of will it be and what are we willing to give up and other teams willing to give up to make that happen and if there's a benefit to them. If we can find win-wins, then it'll make it a heck of a lot easier for us." 

​Auburn head coach Gus Malzahn wants a permanent fix to the schedule to move to a home-away schedule every year for the Georgia and Alabama contests. "Whatever Allen wants is fine, but what I want is one home and one away," Malzahn said in November. Greene said in November that Auburn is willing to travel to Georgia in back-to-back years after the conference's 2024 scheduling cycle to return the favor to Georgia doing the same in 2012 and 2013. Doing so would fix the scheduling issue. 

 Playing Georgia and Alabama on the road every other year in November hasn't done the Tigers any favors. They haven't beaten either team on the road since the schedule changed on the heels of the league's expansion in 2012. Auburn's only victories over the Bulldogs and the Tide since Malzahn took over as head coach occurred in 2013 and 2017, when the Tigers hosted both squads in the final two weeks of the regular season. Sadly, Auburn is a combined 0-8 against both rivals in even years since 2012. 

​Then-Auburn athletics director Jay Jacobs played devil's advocate at the SEC's spring meetings in 2017 by publicly discussing the idea of moving Auburn to the SEC East. Part of the idea was moving the Iron Bowl to earlier in November. However, Jacobs never presented the idea to the SEC despite stating that he would do so. 

"My sense of it, and I feel like I've got a pretty good sense of it, everybody is interested in what is going to make us all very competitive," Jacobs told reporters in May 2017. "I don't really think other ADs think about it one way or the other which (division) I'm in. What fills up our stadiums on Saturday and Missouri playing Florida, does that help fill up Florida's stadium with those fans having to travel so far? It's not just football: it's volleyball, it's tennis, it's everything we do." 

Jacobs announced his plans to step down as Auburn's athletics director in November 2017 and Greene replaced him starting in February 2018. 

In other news...

​- The baseball team dominated Alabama A&M yesterday afternoon in Plainsman Park by a score of 10-1. The real highlight was the pitchers, as they struck out 17 Alabama A&M batters. That marked Auburn's most strikeouts since the Tigers posted 21 against Charleston Southern on March 17th, 2009. 

The Tigers improved to 3-1 on the season and are now 10-0 all-time against Alabama A&M. Auburn has outscored the Bulldogs 110-18 in those contests. The teams will close out the two-game midweek series today at 2 p.m. CT in Plainsman Park. Fans can use their tickets to the originally scheduled 4 p.m. CT game to enter the stadium.

- The men's basketball team hosts Arkansas tonight at 7:30 p.m. CT in Auburn Arena. The game will be televised by the SEC Network.  

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

​

Monday, February 18th, 2019

​Auburn women's basketball enjoyed a 77-38 throttling of Alabama yesterday afternoon in Auburn Arena, completing a series sweep for the third time in the last six years, as well as posting the third-largest margin of victory in the 90-game series against its in-state rival. The Tigers improved to 19-7 overall, 7-6 in the SEC.  

"I thought our ladies came out and jumped on Alabama right away," head coach Terri Williams-Flournoy said. "They listened to what we talked about, how important this game was for us. They came out and that's what they displayed right off the bat." Indeed. Daisa Alexander led the Tiger offense with 22 points, marking the second straight match that she scored that many. It also equaled her point total from the last time the two squads met in Tuscaloosa on Jan. 10th. She also yanked down seven rebounds, along with four assists and three steals. 

Janiah McKay, Robyn Benton and Brooke Moore all tallied 11 points. McKay led Auburn in assists with six. The defense, meanwhile, held the Tide to its worst scoring output this season, and allowed them to sink only 10 shots for the day. They also outrebounded Alabama 42-27, their largest rebounding margin in SEC play, and every Auburn player grabbed at least one rebound. The Tigers also forced 22 turnovers, turning them into 26 points. 

​On the offensive side, the Tigers shot 25-of-59 from the field (42.4 percent) and went 8-of-19 on 3-pointers (42.1 percent), tied for their highest total in league play this season. However, Auburn was nearly flawless in free throws, nailing 19-of-22 (86.4 percent). The Tide shot a paltry 23.3 percent for the afternoon, the lowest by a Tiger opponent this season. 

Auburn came out exceptionally sharp, jumping out to an 18-5 lead in the first quarter. Alabama didn't make a field goal for almost a 12-minute stretch spanning the first and second quarters. The Tigers mounted their lead past 20 with just over five minutes left in the half. The Tide never pulled any closer than 20 for the rest of the afternoon as the Tigers led 38-12 at intermission. Auburn shot 42.9 percent for the first half, while Bama went just 3-for-20 (15 percent). 

"That's about as good as you can ask for right there," Williams-Flournoy said of the Tigers' stellar first-half defensive performance. "They had some shots that they just missed because some of those were open, so we were lucky enough for them to miss. But we did get the defensive rebounds, though, which we usually don't do. We usually get the offensive rebounds, but we got the defensive rebounds this time."

The Tigers continued their assault in the third period, increasing their lead to as much as 39. During that period, they nailed 7-of-8 free throws and converted seven Tide turnovers into nine points. When that quarter ended, Auburn had an almost overwhelming 59-26 advantage. Auburn's bench got substantial playing time down the stretch with the outcome already locked up.

Ariyah Copeland led Alabama with 12 points and 12 rebounds. The Tigers will not return to action until next Sunday, February 24th when they host Missouri during Senior Day in Auburn Arena. The game is set for 2 p.m. CT, and will be available online at SECN+. 

In other news.....

​- The baseball team defeated Georgia Southern 4-3 in 13 innings yesterday to claim the series 2-1. The Tigers will return to action for the first of a two-game home series with Alabama A&M tomorrow at 4 p.m. CT. The game will be available online at SECN+.

- The men's basketball team will return to action on Wednesday when it hosts Arkansas in Auburn Arena at 7:30 p.m. CT. The game will be televised by the SEC Network. 

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



Saturday, February 16th, 2019

Auburn football is losing an assistant coach. Greg Brown, who has coached the Tigers' secondary over the past two seasons, is set to take the same position at Purdue. Since 2013, Brown has coached for three different SEC squads: Alabama (2013), Missouri (2016) and Auburn (2017-18). Sandwiched in between those was a stint with Louisville from 2014-15. 

​Brown is set to replace Derrick Jackson as the Boilermakers' corners coach. Jackson left Purdue to take the defensive coordinator spot at Northern Illinois on Monday. Naturally, I wish Coach Brown and his family nothing but the best. Say, isn't it quite ironic that we're losing a coach to the very same team that we trounced almost two months ago in the Music City Bowl? 

In other news.....

- Auburn men's basketball got a crucial road win today in beating Vanderbilt 64-53. The program hadn't won in Nashville since 2000. The Tigers improved to 17-8 overall, 6-6 in the conference. Meanwhile, the Commodores fell to 9-16 overall, 0-12 in league play. 

Jared Harper led the Auburn offense with 16 points, including three 3-pointers and five made free throws. The defense forced 19 Vandy turnovers, converting them into 17 points. They allowed the Commodores to go only 16-of-48 (33 percent) from the field and a paltry 5-of-23 (22 percent) from beyond the arc. 

The Tigers will return home on Wednesday to host Arkansas in Auburn Arena. Tipoff is set for 7:30 p.m. CT on the SEC Network. 

​- The baseball team opened its season in superb fashion with an 11-2 home win over Georgia Southern in Game 1 of the series. Will Holland led the Tigers with three runs. Game 2 of the series is in progress this afternoon as of this writing. 

​- The women's basketball team will host Alabama tomorrow afternoon in the annual "Pink Game" at 3 p.m. CT. The game will be televised on the SEC Network.

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



Friday, February 15th, 2019

​I'm going to be short and to the point on Auburn's 60-55 loss to Ole Miss on Wednesday night. The Rebels stymied our offense pretty well, and although we had a chance down the stretch to at least cut into their lead or tie and force overtime, it just wasn't meant to be. For some unexplainable reason, our offense hit a major lull. 

This defeat left the Tigers at 16-8 overall, 5-6 in the SEC. They are now even more desperate to turn a corner as they play at Vanderbilt tomorrow morning at 11 a.m. CT. That game will be televised by ESPNU. "We're not going to panic. We're going to grind," Auburn head coach Bruce Pearl said. "This is a really good league. These are really good teams, and we're going to focus on the next one." Good attitude, but there's just one question: Can they get their offense in gear and get back on the winning track? 

In other news.....

- The women's basketball team lost to Tennessee last night, 73-62. The Tigers will return to action on Sunday afternoon when they host Alabama at 3 p.m. CT. The game will be televised on the SEC Network. 

- The baseball team kicks off its 2019 season tonight in the first of a three-game series with Georgia Southern in Plainsman Park. The first pitch is set for 6 p.m. CT, and the game is available online at SECN+. 

- The 2019 SEC Media Days schedule has been set, save for the times for each team's appearance, and the players who will represent their respective teams. The event is headed back to the state of Alabama. Auburn is in the strange position of waiting until the final day of the four-day event. 

​Coach Gus Malzahn and his players will appear on July 18th at the Hyatt Regency Birmingham Wynfrey Hotel. The event kicks off on July 15th. The College Football Hall of Fame in Atlanta hosted the event last year, marking the first time since 2001 that it was not held in Hoover, Alabama. 

Interestingly, the media at the event has correctly predicted the SEC champion seven times, including three of the last five seasons, since 1992. Exact times and players appearing at this year's event will be announced at a later date. In the meantime, the schedule is as follows:

Monday, July 15th

​Florida: Dan Mullen

LSU: Ed Orgeron 

Missouri: Barry Odom


Tuesday, July 16th

​Georgia: Kirby Smart

Ole Miss: Matt Luke

Tennessee: Jeremy Pruitt

Texas A&M: Jimbo Fisher



Wednesday, July 17th

​Alabama: Nick Saban

Arkansas: Chad Morris 

Mississippi State: Joe Moorhead

South Carolina: Will Muschamp

Thursday, July 18th

​Auburn: Gus Malzahn

Kentucky: Mark Stoops 

Vanderbilt: Derek Mason

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



Wednesday, February 13th, 2019

Auburn football has latched onto another offensive line commit for 2020. Less than a week removed from National Signing Day, offensive tackle Jonathan Buskey of Coffeyville Community College in Kansas, was offered a scholarship and pledged to the Tigers yesterday. Buskey, a 3-star prospect, plays left and right tackle for Coffeyville, but was recruited as a left tackle by Auburn. 

The Tigers visited him during the 2018 campaign, but the situation quickly turned serious yesterday. "I'm very excited about Auburn," Buskey said. "I haven't really talked to any coaches. I've been really loving Auburn since high school. Two years later I get to be part of them. I feel very confident to go all in this far ahead of time." 

Buskey will have two years left to play two seasons at Auburn. He will be a redshirt sophomore this upcoming season for Coffeyville. Buskey is originally from LeFlore High in Mobile, Alabama. One of his cousins currently attends Auburn University. Buskey has visited the campus as a fan in the past. He stands 6-feet-7 and weighs 320 pounds. He played basketball in high school at LeFlore.  He stated that he recently posted a time of 4.9 seconds in the 40-yard dash.

​Buskey also noted that Auburn coaches were quickly drawn in by his footwork in junior college. "There are a lot of great tackles out there but I feel like I can be one of the top ones," he said. "I play every down and keep on working every down." Buskey could come to the Plains and immediately replace Prince Tega Wanogho Jr., who opted to return to Auburn for his senior season in 2019 after contemplating an early jump to the NFL, as a starter in 2020. Buskey may climb in the 247Sports rankings as he is re-evaluated throughout his sophomore campaign in 2019.

Texas has shown interest in him, but has not offered him a scholarship. He said that he doesn't plan to consider other schools. 

In other news....

- Auburn men's basketball hosts Ole Miss tonight at 7:30 p.m. CT. The game will be televised by the SEC Network. 

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



Monday, February 11th, 2019

​Auburn football was dealt a big blow to its offensive line today. Calvin Ashley announced on Twitter that he will leave the program and transfer to another school. "After much thought and consideration and talking to my family, I have decided to enter my name in the NCAA transfer portal and will explore my options," Ashley tweeted. "I would like to thank the great fans and the coaching staff at Auburn for believing in me. To my teammates/brothers, I will indeed miss the moments shared with you all and wish you all the best." 

Ashley, who took a month-long break from the program in December, is declining interviews. It's unclear as to when he made the decision. A source said that he has yet to enter his name into the NCAA transfer portal. Last week, head coach Gus Malzahn said that no changes beyond names already in the transfer portal had taken place on Auburn's roster. 

Ashley is another highly-regarded high school prospect to leave the team without having made much of a mark. Former Auburn receivers and blue-chip prospects Kyle Davis and Nate Craig-Myers, and five-star defensive end Byron Cowart have left the program over the past two years. Three of nine 5-star signees have left Auburn since Malzahn's first recruiting class in 2013: Ashley, Cowart and running back Roc Thomas. Ashley missed the second half of the 2018 season due to what Malzahn described at the time as a "medical issue", and did not take part in bowl practices. He also did not travel to Nashville for the Music City Bowl and appeared to be in Orlando, Florida, at that time, according to his social media accounts. 

​Ashley, a redshirt sophomore, is enrolled in classes, which began Jan. 9th, and was expected as recently as Friday to take part in spring drills. Practices begin March 18th and will close out April 13th with the annual A-Day scrimmage inside Jordan-Hare Stadium. The former 5-star prospect appeared in five games and made one start last season when he replaced injured starter Jack Driscoll at right tackle Oct. 6th in a 23-9 loss at Mississippi State. 

​Ashley was not on the sideline the week after in Auburn's 30-24 home loss to Tennessee, and did not participate in any games after the start against MSU. His medical issue has been kept private. Ashley was thrust into action in the second half of a 24-13 win over Southern Miss on Sept. 29th and started the MSU contest when Driscoll hurt his left knee against the Golden Eagles. Driscoll returned to the starting lineup against Tennessee on Oct. 13th. 

​Then-Auburn offensive coordinator Chip Lindsey said Ashley's first start had its ups and downs. "There were some areas, I thought, in the run game where (Ashley) did a nice job," Lindsey stated at the time. "He's a big body, and an athletic guy, just did a nice job of maintaining blocks and pretty much assignment-wise he was in good shape. Just technique, he's still got to improve technique in pass pro, but first live action against one of the best pass-rushers in the league. I thought he did OK. But he's got some work to do and he'll get better."  

Driscoll transferred to Auburn from UMass last summer, starting 12 of 13 matches at right tackle and is in line to be the starter once again in the fall. 

In other news.....

- The men's basketball team returns to action when it hosts Ole Miss on Wednesday at 7:30 p.m. CT on the SEC Network. 

- Auburn's A-Day football game is set for 3 p.m. CT on April 13th, and will be televised on the SEC Network. 

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



Saturday, February 9th, 2019

I'm in "short and to the point" mode tonight, and I've got a busy day on tap for tomorrow. Auburn basketball lost at LSU 83-78 this afternoon in Baton Rouge to snap a three-game winning streak for the visiting Tigers. Auburn had a 16-point lead at one point, and then LSU was up by 10 later. 

Auburn never gave in, chopping that margin to one with just 26 seconds left. But the Bayou Bengals fed the ball inside against an outmatched Auburn defense, and nailed four free throws. Then, Bryce Brown misfired on a 3-point try that would have sent the game to overtime. 

"Great effort. We played really well," Auburn head coach Bruce Pearl said. "We're a much better basketball team than we were three weeks ago." While the visiting Tigers canned 11 treys in the first half, they sputtered quite a bit late in the first half and early in the second half while LSU started a 22-5 run in that span that gave it a lead that never completely disappeared. 

One key factor in this one was 19 Auburn turnovers, which LSU converted into 31 points. Another was second-chance points. LSU had 29 of those. The home Tigers also had a 38-18 advantage with points in the paint. "Give them credit for taking advantage of their size," Pearl said. "But we still have to call ourselves out and be accountable. Bigger, stronger, athletic, get your a-- in the weight room." 

Jared Harper led Auburn with 25 points, including five 3-pointers, while Chuma Okeke got a double-double with 11 points and 14 rebounds. Bryce Brown and Anfernee McLemore each scored 11. On LSU's side, Skyler Mays led with 20 points, including an 8-for-10 mark in free throws. 

Auburn's defense has been susceptible on the road, as the Tigers have allowed SEC teams to score an average of 81 points per game in road contests. The lone exception was an 85-66 win over Texas A&M in College Station, Texas. Auburn will return to action on Wednesday when it hosts Ole Miss in Auburn Arena at 7:30 p.m. CT. That game will be televised on the SEC Network. 

In other news.....

- The women's basketball team plays at Arkansas tomorrow afternoon at 1 p.m. CT on the SEC Network. 

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



Friday, February 8th, 2019

Auburn football has one less signee in its 2019 class. Four-star commit Charles Moore, a defensive end and Mississippi native, reportedly signed with Jones County Community College yesterday. 

The 6-feet-4, 268-pound Moore ranks as the No. 69 overall prospect, the No. 6 strongside defensive end in the nation and Mississippi's No. 4 recruit in the 247Sports Composite. Moore, who had once been long committed to Mississippi State,  then chose Auburn on National Signing Day over MSU, LSU and Florida. 

However, yesterday morning, Jones County announced that they had signed Moore to its 2019 recruiting class. It was the second hit Auburn took in as many days as receiver George Pickens flipped his choice from Auburn to Georgia. Moore was an Under Armour All-American selection after concluding his high school career at Louisville High School in Louisville, Mississippi. He also took part in the 2019 Alabama-Mississippi All-Star Game. 

With this news, Auburn's recruiting class slipped a spot to No. 12 in the country and No. 7 in the SEC. The Tigers still managed to get 20 prospects, 13 of whom were ranked as either five-star or four-star commits. On a personal note, I was completely unaware of this news yesterday until I posted my list of signees. I was likely still in the process of writing at the time. However, with Moore's departure in mind, I have accordingly edited the list of signees from yesterday, as you should clearly see if you look at that post now. 

In other news.....

- On the fortunate side, Auburn gained a new commit last night, this time in a place of desperate need: the offensive line. Avery Jernigan, a Georgia native, publicly pledged to the Tigers. The 6-feet-3, 278-pound Jernigan is a four-star junior from Blackshear (Ga,) Pierce County. He chose the Tigers over South Carolina, and has made several visits to Auburn, most recently last weekend. 

Jernigan is rated as a tackle but will likely play inside for Auburn. According to the 247Sports Composite, he ranks as the No. 32 recruit in Georgia. Jernigan is Auburn's fifth commitment for 2020, but is the first offensive lineman in the class. He told Auburn Undercover that he informed Tigers head coach Gus Malzahn of his decision yesterday afternoon. 

Auburn urgently needs linemen for the '20 class. The Tigers signed just three of them in the 2019 class and just two in 2018. "With the three guys that we have, the good thing is that all three of these guys, we feel like, are impact players," Gus Malzahn stated. "You will see us probably sign the largest offensive line class we've done since I've been here with (the 2020) class, and I think we're already in a pretty good spot with 2020 going into this class." 

Offensive line coach J.B. Grimes targeted Jernigan early. His first known visit to Auburn was last June. The Tigers offered him a scholarship that same day. He then attended multiple games at Jordan-Hare Stadium in the fall.

- Auburn Buck pass rusher Big Kat Bryant may miss spring practices after undergoing shoulder surgery. Bryant was seen wearing a protective sling on his right arm Tuesday while watching Auburn basketball's 76-62 win over Florida in the Auburn Arena student section. "It's minor," head coach Gus Malzahn said Wednesday. "We expect him to be back pretty quick, and possibly even back for the start of spring practice." 

The Tigers begin spring practices March 18th, the latest start date in Malzahn's seven years as Auburn's head coach. The team will conduct four practices per week leading up to the A-Day Game, the annual intrasquad scrimmage open to the public on April 13th in Jordan-Hare Stadium. 

Auburn's top two Buck pass rushers have undergone surgery since December. While Bryant spent most of the 2018 campaign as Nick Coe's backup, he did start in three games, including two of the final three. He started in the Music City Bowl against Purdue while Coe nursed a surgically-repaired right wrist. Bryant returned an interception 20 yards for a TD in Auburn's 63-14 whipping of Purdue. He only had 18 tackles in 12 games in his sophomore season, but was quite productive in his time on the field. He registered four tackles for loss, 3.5 sacks and a forced fumble. He contributed on one sack in the Music City Bowl. 

- The women's basketball team lost to Kentucky 78-68 last night. Unique Thompson led the Tigers with a game-high 20 points, but a string of 3-pointers in the first half by the Wildcats proved too much for Auburn to overcome. UK improved to 19-5 overall, 6-4 in the SEC, while the Tigers dropped to 17-6 overall, 5-5 in conference play. Auburn will be on the road for its next two contests, beginning on Sunday afternoon against Arkansas at Bud Walton Arena in Fayetteville. Game time is set for 1 p.m. CT. It will be televised on the SEC Network. 

- The men's basketball team plays at LSU tomorrow afternoon at 1 p.m. CT, and that will be televised by ESPN2. 

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



Thursday, February 7th, 2019

Another National Signing Day has come and gone. I will try to cover all of Auburn's 2019 signees as briefly as possible. So, here we go. The signees are alphabetized by last name.

​1. Kamaar Bell: Offensive lineman. 6-feet-4, 325 pounds. Hometown: Moultrie, Ga. From Colquitt County High School. Team offensive player of the year for Coach Rush Propst as the Packers advanced to the state championship game. Top 50 overall prospect in Georgia by ESPN. 

​2. Octavius Brothers: Linebacker. 6-feet-2, 230 pounds from Titusville, Fla. From Rockledge High School. Athletic linebacker prospect with great reaction time. Made 99 tackles (6 for loss) and five interceptions for Coach Wayne Younger as the Raiders advanced to the second round of the Class 5A playoffs. Also a basketball letterman.

3. Kameron Brown: Linebacker. 6-feet, 230 pounds from Sugar Hill, Ga. Attends Lanier High School. Aggressive, physical, high-energy defender. Made 187 tackles (24 for loss), six sacks, and recovered a fumble for a TD as a senior for Coach Korey Mobbs at Lanier High. Team captain who led the Longhorns to the Class 6A semifinals. Also a basketball letterman. Older brother Derrick is a senior defensive lineman at Auburn.

4. Luke Deal: Tight end. 6-feet-5, 245 pounds from Greenwood, S.C.  Attends Emerald High School. Versatile, athletic tight end prospect. Passed for 742 yards and eight TDs as a senior, while adding 332 rushing yards and seven scores and nine receptions with one receiving TD for Coach Tim McMahon at Emerald High. Also a basketball letterman. 

5. Tyler Fromm: Tight end. 6-feet-5, 225 pounds, from Warner Robins, Ga. Attends Warner Robins High. Coveted tight end prospect. Two-year starter for Coach Mike Chastain at Warner Robins High, leading the Demons to the Class 5A state championship game.  Also a basketball letterman. Younger brother of starting Georgia QB Jake Fromm. 

​6. Derick Hall: Buck linebacker. 6-feet-4, 225 pounds from Gulfport, MS. Attends Gulfport High. Long, athletic pass rusher with a broad wingspan. Made 83 tackles as a senior for Coach Mike Archie and the Admirals. Also a basketball starter and a state finalist at 200 meters in track. 

​7. Jaren Handy: Defensive lineman. 6-feet-5, 280 pounds from Hattiesburg, MS. Attends Hattiesburg High. Prospect who brings size and strength to the defensive line. Made 14 tackles for loss as a senior for Coach Tony Vance at Hattiesburg High. Played in the Alabama-Mississippi All-Star Game. Also a basketball letterman. 

​8. Ja'Varrius Johnson: Wide receiver. 5-feet-9, 170 pounds from Trussville, Ala. Attends Hewitt-Trussville High. Made 87 catches for 1,683 yards and 15 scores as a senior for Coach Josh Floyd at Hewitt-Trussville High. Class 5A all-state first team. Played in Alabama-Mississippi All-Star Game. 

​9. Keiondre Jones: Offensive lineman. 6-feet-4, 325 pounds from LaGrange, Ga. Attends Callaway High School. Has outstanding potential. Four-year starter for Coach Pete Wiggins and the Cavaliers. Played in Under-Armour All-American Game. Consensus four-star prospect at offensive guard. 

10. Cam'Ron Kelly: Defensive back. 6-feet-1, 205 pounds from Chesapeake, Va. Attends Oscar Smith High. Superb two-way athlete who projects as a cornerback. Played in state title game as a sophomore and junior for Coach Scott Johnson at Oscar Smith High. Consensus four-star prospect at corner. Also a baseball letterman and honor student. 

​11. Bo Nix: Quarterback. 6-feet-2, 210 pounds from Pinson, Ala. Attends Pinson Valley High. Decorated QB who set Alabama state records with over 12,000 career total offensive yards and 161 career TDs (127 passing, 34 rushing). Led Pinson Valley High to consecutive Class 6A state titles. Father Patrick Nix (a former Auburn QB himself) was his coach. 

12. Justin Osborne: Offensive lineman. 6-feet-4, 305 pounds from Flower Mound, Texas. Attends Marcus High. Promising offensive tackle with strong potential. Outstanding senior season. Three-year starter for Coach Kevin Atkinson at Marcus High. Three-star prospect rating by ESPN, 24/7, Rivals and PrepStar. 

​13. Owen Pappoe: Linebacker. 6-feet-1, 215 pounds from Lawrenceville, Ga. Attends Grayson High. Nation's top outside linebacker prospect. Made 121 tackles (14 for loss) as a senior for Coach Christian Hunnicutt at Grayson High. Rated as a five-star linebacker prospect by PrepStar, 247Sports and ESPN. 

​14. Nehemiah Pritchett: Defensive back. 6-feet, 200 pounds from Jackson, Ala. Attends Jackson High. Versatile athlete who projects as a corner in college. Key contributor on both sides of the ball for Coach Danny Powell at Jackson High. Consensus three-star athlete. Also a Class 5A all-state first team outfielder in baseball. 

15. Zion Puckett: Defensive back. 6-feet, 200 pounds from Griffin, Ga. Attends Spalding High. Talented prep athlete who projects as a corner. Made 93 career tackles for Coach Nick Davis and the Spalding High Jaguars. Class 4A Georgia all-state. Consensus four-star prospect at cornerback. Also a basketball and track and field letterman.  

16 Mark-Antony Richards: Running back. 6-feet-1, 200 pounds from Wellington, Fla. Attends Wellington High. Versatile offensive weapon for Coach Tom Abel and the Wellington High Wolverines. Gained more than 3,000 all-purpose yards and 1,300 rushing yards as a senior. Palm Beach County player of the year finalist. Consensus four-star prospect.

17. Jashawn Sheffield: Wide receiver. 6-feet-1, 180 pounds from Brunswick, Ga. Attends Frederica Academy. Exceptional on both sides of the ball. Two interceptions, two fumble recoveries and 959 all-purpose yards as a senior for Coach Brandon Derrick and the Knights, leading them to the state title. Consensus four-star prospect at wide receiver. Also a track and field letterman. 

​18. Jaylin Simpson: Defensive back. 6-feet, 175 pounds from Brunswick, Ga. Attends Frederica Academy. Talented defender who projects as a safety. Made 48 tackles and four interceptions as a senior for Coach Brandon Derrick's Knights. Consensus four-star recruit. State high jump champion and a basketball letterman. 

​19. D.J. Williams: Running back. 5-feet-11, 205 pounds from Lake Placid, Fla. Attends Sebring High. Gifted running back who had an amazing senior season. Rushed for 1,221 yards and 21 TDs, and passed for 1,113 yards and 13 scores as a senior for Coach LaVaar Scott and the Sebring High Blue Streaks. ESPN rates him as a four-star prospect at running back. Also a baseball letterman. 

20. Colby Wooden: Buck. 6-feet-4, 235 pounds from Lawrenceville, Ga. Attends Archer High. Athletic defender with plenty of potential. Key contributor for Coach Andy Dyer and the Archer High Tigers, advancing to the state Class 7A semifinals. First team all-state, all-county and all-region. 247Sports and Rivals rate him as a four-star prospect. 

I fully realize that I left a few details out of each name on the list, but this is a lot of work, as I'm sure you can only imagine. You can find complete details on each signee at auburntigers.com.  

In other news.....

- The women's basketball team will host Kentucky tonight at 6 p.m. CT in Auburn Arena. The game will be available online at SECN+. 

- The men's basketball team will play at LSU on Saturday at 1 p.m. CT. The game will be televised by ESPN2. 

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



Wednesday, February 6th, 2019

Auburn closed out its three-game homestand in solid fashion last night, defeating Florida 76-62 in Auburn Arena. It was the team's first win over the Gators since 2009, and its first regular-season win in the series since January 16th, 1999. 

"I hope our fans got their fill of some great college basketball this week," Tigers head coach Bruce Pearl said. "We sure needed their help. Coming off the road 2-4 (in the SEC), we needed to win these games. And we did. We just beat a good basketball team...so it's a great win and a great program win." 

Bryce Brown led the Tigers with a game-high 14 points, but he wasn't alone in his contributions. Ten different Tigers sank at least one shot. That especially proved pivotal when Jared Harper and Chuma Okeke both left the game due to injury before the first media timeout. Auburn continued to click, however. Samir Doughty had a stellar night as well, scoring 10 points in the first half and finishing the contest with 12. 

"I was just playing," Doughty said. "Whatever I had to do, I just did it. I was just playing my game, honestly. I knew they were going to be all right. They told me they were coming back, so that wasn't really a big focus of mine. I was just taking what the defense gave me."  

Coach Pearl was pleased with Doughty's showing. "I thought Samir was terrific," he said. "He played confident offensively, played with some of that Philly swag, but he took on some defensive identity in taking on (Florida's) KeVaughn Allen and doing a great job using his length and being physical. He used his smarts to be able to get to where he needed to be on the floor in order to be able to make plays defensively and offensively." 

​Okeke (hip) and Harper (ankle) both later returned to action and each played 27 minutes. Okeke tallied 11 points, a team-best eight rebounds and three steals, while Harper got eight points and three assists. Most importantly, however, Auburn got Austin Wiley back. Although he only played for five minutes, he scored two points and had two rebounds. Wiley had not played since Jan. 16th. 

However, the defense was the real highlight in this one. The Tigers forced 17 Florida turnovers, the most the Gators have had all season. Also, they only allowed four successful three-point tries. Florida had averaged 10 treys per game coming into this one. In its current three-game homestand, Auburn has forced a total of 59 turnovers and held its opponents (Missouri, Alabama, Florida) to 61 points a match.  

​"That's been our main focus in practice - playing defense and just trying to grow in that area," senior Horace Spencer said. "The offense takes care of itself. We can put 100 points on the board, no problem. It's just time to stop other teams from doing what they do." 

Auburn will be on the road again on Saturday when they face 21st-ranked LSU at 1 p.m. CT. That game will be televised by ESPN2. Let's hope the visiting Tigers can maintain the momentum that they've gotten from a very pleasing three-game home streak. 

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



Tuesday, February 5th, 2019

Auburn football's annual A-Day game will be played in the afternoon on April 13th. The intrasquad scrimmage has been set for 3 p.m. CT in Jordan-Hare Stadium. Tickets for the game will cost $5 apiece, while Auburn University students will receive free admission. 

​All seats are general admission. Tickets can be purchased in advance at the Auburn ticket office and online. Tickets may also be purchased on the day of the event. As is customary, Auburn will conduct an autograph session with fans on the field following the game. Only one signable item per person is allowed on the field. 

A TV network for the scrimmage has yet to be determined. Also, Auburn has not announced the starting date for spring practice. The NCAA allows schools to conduct 15 practices during the spring. As all Auburn fans know, the Tigers will hold a fierce battle for their new starting quarterback among Malik Willis, Joey Gatewood, Cord Sandberg and newcomer Bo Nix. Auburn must also replace three starting linebackers. 

In other news....

- The men's basketball team hosts Florida tonight in Auburn Arena at 8 p.m. CT. The game will be televised on ESPNU. 

- National Signing Day falls tomorrow. 

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



Sunday, February 3rd, 2019

​I'm going to be short and sweet on Auburn's 84-63 pounding of Alabama. The offense started off slow, but became nearly relentless as the game wore on. Bryce Brown led the Tigers with 23 points. The defense was equally outstanding, forcing 21 turnovers and converting them into 30 points. 

Simply put, Auburn proved that it can win with or without Austin Wiley, who was absent yet again due to his lower leg injury. The Tigers improved to 15-6 overall, 4-4 in the SEC. Meanwhile, the Tide slipped to 13-8 overall, 4-4 in the conference. Auburn closes out its three-game home stretch on Tuesday night in hosting Florida at 8 p.m. CT. The game will be televised by ESPNU. 

In other news...

- Auburn football gained its fourth commitment for 2020 this afternoon. Defensive end Daniel Foster-Allen of Mobile (Ala.) St. Paul's Episcopal has given his pledge to Gus Malzahn's program. He visited the campus for a junior day yesterday. "I just knew what I wanted to do because I grew up an Auburn fan," Foster-Allen said. "When I went up there I just felt like I was at home. The coaches had great hospitality. It felt like I already had that great bond with somebody you had met two or three years ago. I thought about it (on Saturday night), but I went to sleep on it. When I woke up I was like, 'Yeah, that's what I want to do.'"

​Foster-Allen, 6-feet-4 and 250 pounds, ranks as the No. 24 prospect in the state in the 247Sports rankings. Although he's ranked as a strong-side end, he could very well grow into a tackle with his frame. Last week, 2020 defensive end Quandarrius Robinson of Birmingham (Ala.) Jackson-Olin de-committed from Auburn. Robinson, like Foster-Allen, visited the Tigers last Saturday. 

​Of Auburn's four 2020 pledges, two are defensive linemen. Prior to Foster-Allen's pledge, the Tigers had the No. 19 class in the nation for 2020. Another commitment may be on the cards in the foreseeable future. After visiting yesterday, linebacker Rodney Groce of Pleasant Grove (Ala.) said that Auburn was well out in front and that he could be on the brink of pledging to the Tigers. 

Defensive coordinator Kevin Steele is Foster-Allen's primary recruiter. 

That's all for today. Now I can turn my attention to the Super Bowl. Until next time, God Bless, and WAR EAGLE! 

​February 2019