​​Lyle's Corner

January 2018

Monday, January 29th, 2018

Today's post will focus on a bit of good news in the football department.

Although Auburn was left hanging during a couple of official visits in the early signing period, it looks like Coynis Miller is firmly committed to the Tigers. Coming off an official visit to Tennessee, the 2018 Under Armour All-American confirmed that he is "locked in" with Auburn. The hype surrounding his recruitment increased when Jeremy Pruitt was hired as head coach of the Vols.

Tennessee quickly offered the Auburn commit in early December and Miller opted not to sign with the Tigers during the early signing period. Vol fans became even more enthused when Miller's name was mentioned on an Alabama radio station as one to watch as a potential flip candidate. But after official visits to Oregon and Tennessee, Miller has chosen to shut down his recruitment with National Signing Day just over a week away. He tweeted the news yesterday, saying, "I'm done. I'm signing with Auburn."

Miller is ranked as the No. 10 defensive tackle in America and the No. 3 overall prospect from the state of Alabama in the 247Sports Composite Rankings.

In other news....

- The women's basketball team topped Alabama yesterday 69-60 in Auburn Arena. The team is now 11-9 overall, 2-6 in SEC play. They will return to action on Thursday in a trip to Lexington to face Kentucky at 6 p.m. CT. The game will be available online at SECN+.

- The men's basketball team plays at Ole Miss tomorrow night at 8 p.m. CT. That game will be televised by the SEC Network.

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

Saturday, January 27th, 2018

In Auburn's last two home games, Tiger fans watched their team battle back from a first-half deficit to pull out a victory in the second half. But last night's showdown against LSU provided quite a different outcome. This time around, Auburn came out dominant from the opening tip and never eased up in a 95-70 demolition of LSU to improve to 19-2 overall, 7-1 in SEC play. The Tigers extended their lead at the top spot of the conference standings.

The final score marked the Tigers' largest margin of victory in a league match since a 26-point win over Alabama in 2007. Head coach Bruce Pearl was especially impressed with his troops. "What a treat," he said.

"How do you not sit back at Mustapha Heron and go, 'Wow?' The same goes for Bryce Brown or the defense of Jared Harper, Davion Mitchell or Bryce Brown on (Tremont) Waters. I think our fans got treated to some fun basketball." 

They certainly did. With Heron leading the charge, Auburn went on an 18-0 run in the first five minutes to mount a 24-6 advantage. The sophomore started a perfect 6-for-6 from the field, including four 3-pointers, and tallied 16 points in the opening five minutes. He concluded the night with a game-high 21 points and nine boards. Five other Tigers scored in double figures also, including Brown, who nailed five shots from downtown, and freshman Chuma Okeke, who recorded 14 points off the bench.  

Junior Desean Murray also made his presence felt, as the first-year starter scored 18 points with eight rebounds, six on the offensive side. Although Anfernee McLemore and Horace Spencer both fouled out early in the second half, the determined Murray took control to keep Auburn cozily in front. In team stats, Auburn had a solid 38-24 advantage in rebounds over the visiting Tigers. "It was a big emphasis," Murray stated. (Pearl) told us that they were 11-1 when they outrebound opponents, and they have a losing record when they don't. We knew that going into the game, so we knew we had to rebound today."

On LSU's side, Waters didn't sink his first basket from the field until midway through the second half. The freshman point guard, who came into the contest averaging 15.7 points a game, finished with a measly four points against a ferocious Auburn defense. This game marked the third straight sellout crowd in Auburn Arena. Pearl was sure to point out the importance of their support. "The crowd was tremendous," he said.

Auburn will return to action on Tuesday night with a trip to Oxford, Miss. to face Ole Miss. The opening tip is set for 8 p.m. CT on the SEC Network. Fair warning: Since the Rebels lost to Texas last night, the Tigers had better be on alert and not get cocky. Otherwise, it could turn into a long night.

In other news....

- The women's basketball team hosts Alabama in Auburn Arena at 4 p.m. CT this afternoon. That game will be televised on the SEC Network.

Friday, January 26th, 2018

Today's post starts with some good news and bad news on quarterback Jarrett Stidham. A spokesperson confirmed to Auburn Undercover that Sitdham recently underwent surgery on his left shoulder. However, he is expected to return to the field next month.

"Jarrett had a minor procedure on his left shoulder," the spokesperson stated. "Coach (Gus) Malzahn expects him to participate in spring practice." Spring practices commence on Feb. 27th. In the meantime, the right-handed Stidham is wearing a sling to support the shoulder in question. Stidham was reportedly spotted by a student reporter with Eagle Eye TV, the campus television station.

Stidham will become the first quarterback to return for a second season after throwing for at least 3,000 yards. He passed for 3,158 yards in 2017, his first season with the Tigers, and led the SEC in completion percentage at 66.5. He threw 18 touchdowns and six interceptions, with two of the picks coming in a 34-27 loss to UCF in the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl. He also owned a passer rating of 150.99, which was good for fourth in the SEC, as he guided the Tigers to a Western Division title and victories against then-No. 1 Georgia and No. 1 Alabama in the last month of the regular season.

His season ended on a low note, though, as he fumbled in four straight games and threw a pick-6 in the Peach Bowl. His fumble and pick-6 led to 14 points for UCF in Auburn's loss to the Golden Knights. The sophomore was eligible to enter the NFL Draft early, and used a three-day hunting trip in south Texas to recuperate and contemplate his future.

Stidham sat out for the 2016 season at a junior college in Waco, Texas. He played as a freshman in 2015 at Baylor, where he started games against Oklahoma, Oklahoma State and Kansas State before a broken ankle cut that season short. He also rushed for 153 yards and four scores during his debut season with Auburn. I, like all Tiger fans, wish Jarrett the best in his recovery, and look forward to his return.

In other news...

- Former Auburn safety Zac Ethridge is working his way up in the coaching ranks. The former captain on Auburn's 2010 national championship team was hired this week to coach cornerbacks at Louisiana-Lafayette. He joins head coach Billy Napier's staff. Etheridge has been on the move a bit in recent weeks. He had just been hired away from Western Carolina by UT-Chattanooga in the offseason before the Ragin' Cajuns latched onto him for his second move in as many weeks.

Ethridge previously had coaching stints as a graduate assistant at Georgia Tech and Penn State. Many Auburn fans recall his amazing comeback from a nightmarish moment in his playing career when he broke his neck in the first quarter against Ole Miss in 2009. He returned to the field nine months later to help lead the Tiger defense to a national title. He recorded 69 tackles and three interceptions. He also returned a fumble for a touchdown in Auburn's journey to the SEC and BCS crowns.

A native of Troy, Ala., Ethridge was chosen as the winner of the James Owens Courage Award in 2013. He graduated from Auburn in 2009 with a bachelor's degree in political science. Just for the record, I attended the 2009 Ole Miss game at Jordan-Hare Stadium, and I can still see that moment of him lying on the ground on top of Rebel running back Rodney Scott for 20 minutes. Scott said he really wasn't sure why he didn't move one bit. The only explanation he could come up with was that God was speaking to him. Perhaps that was true. Whatever the case, that was one of the most frightening things I've ever witnessed, and I'm so glad that Scott did all he could to save Zac from being permanently paralyzed. I'll never forget that horrific scene.

- Auburn basketball returns to action tomorrow when it hosts LSU in Auburn Arena at 5 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!

 

Thursday, January 25th, 2018

Five players scored in double figures for Auburn last night, and the visiting Tigers turned what had been a see-saw battle for most of the night into a 91-73 decision at Missouri. Jared Harper tallied 21 points, Bryce Brown and Desean Murray scored 16 apiece, and Mustapha Heron added 14 points and a game-best 12 rebounds.

The two teams fought on even terms for the first 25 minutes before Auburn (18-2, 6-1 SEC) used a 20-2 run to pull away from the home Tigers. The stretch featured red-hot shooting and a quick-strike offense that makes the SEC's highest-scoring team go. Another large differential on the final stat sheet lay in turnovers: Mizzou committed 21, while Auburn had just 10. The home Tigers outrebounded the visitors 40-31, but had nine shots blocked as well. Mizzou couldn't overcome its offensive struggles. Anfernee McLemore got six blocks for Auburn, adding to his conference-leading total of 61.

Kassius Robertson led Missouri (13-7, 3-4) with 21 points, while Jordan Barnett had 19. Mizzou heavily depended on 3-pointers, which accounted for 11 of its 21 field goals. Barnett was 5-for-8 in that department, while Robertson was just 3-for-10. In the end, the Orange and Blue latched onto victory in this one. It's clear that Bruce Pearl's troops have recovered nicely from its second loss of the season.

Auburn returns to action on Saturday when it hosts LSU at 5 p.m. CT in Auburn Arena in what will be another "Battle of the Tigers", as it were. The game will be televised on the SEC Network. Let's all hope for the same result.

In other news....

- Auburn football got its 23rd commitment for 2018 last night, as Roger McCreary, a fast-moving defensive back who earned a scholarship in December after a superb senior season at Mobile (Ala.) Williamson, verbally pledged to the Tigers. Fifteen of Auburn's 23 committed recruits signed in December, and the rest will do so on Feb. 7th.

McCreary, 5-feet-11, 178 pounds, ranks as the No. 84 cornerback in the nation in the industry-generated 247Sports Composite. He owns a rating of 85.16 (90 is a four-star). This past season, McCreary recorded 100 tackles, eight interceptions and 14 pass breakups. On offense, he tallied 802 rushing yards, 702 receiving yards, and 600 passing yards. His auspicious play - and his promising size and speed - endeared Auburn to him.

McCreary has a best recorded 40-yard dash time of 4.43 seconds. His times in the 100-meter dash (10.85 seconds) and 200 (21.96 seconds) are just as encouraging. With McCreary in the mix, Auburn now has the No. 9 recruiting class in the 247Sports rankings. He becomes the second cornerback and fifth defensive back in the Class of 2018. The other, U.S. Army All-American Christian Tutt, enrolled earlier this month.

The Tigers now have at least two or three remaining spots to fill, and some difficult choices to make as to who will fill those vacancies.

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

 

Wednesday, January 24th, 2018

Two of Auburn football's assistant coaches will stick around for the foreseeable future thanks to contract extensions. News broke yesterday that receivers coach Kodi Burns and running backs coach Tim Horton have worked out new deals to remain with the Tigers.

Head coach Gus Malzahn confirmed yesterday that Burns has received a new contract after his previous deal, which was agreed upon in February 2016, was set to expire on Jan. 31st. "He's going to be at Auburn for a long time," Malzahn said of Burns. Horton has also agreed to a new deal, a source previously told Auburn Undercover last week. Malzahn's confirmation of Burns' new deal secures all 10 of Auburn's assistants to contracts entering the offseason.

Burns wrapped up his second season as Auburn's receivers coach in 2017 and it was his most successful yet on the staff. Three receivers finished with 500 yards or more and Ryan Davis surpassed the school record for receptions with 84 grabs in a single season. The Tigers return every receiver who played in the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl, including Davis, who finished the year with 815 yards and five touchdowns. Burns was paid $350,000 each season during the span of his two-year deal he signed in 2016, when he replaced former Auburn quarterback Dameyune Craig as the Tigers' receivers coach. Craig left for a similar position at LSU at the time.

Details regarding the length and salary of Burns and Horton's new contracts have yet to be released. Former offensive line coach Herb Hand left the Tigers for Texas last week, but quickly latched onto UConn's J.B. Grimes as his successor. Grimes coached for Auburn during the first three seasons of the Malzahn era (2013-15) and helped coach the first SEC offense to lead the nation in rushing in 2013.

In other news...

- Prepare for Auburn football's earliest spring practices in the Malzahn era. Malzahn reported yesterday after a practice at the Reese's Senior Bowl in Mobile that the Tigers will begin spring practice on Feb. 27th. Auburn opened spring practice on Feb. 28th last year, and March 1st in 2016. The Tigers plan to practice for two weeks before taking an extended break, and will then conclude spring practices in late March and early April. The annual spring game has been set for April 7th at Jordan-Hare Stadium.

Spring practice commences less than two months after the Tigers closed out a 10-4 campaign in 2017 with a 34-27 loss to UCF in the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl on New Year's Day. Malzahn enters his sixth season on the Plains with a 45-22 record, including a 25-15 mark in SEC play.

- Auburn basketball returns to action tonight, as they will play at Missouri at 8 p.m. CT on the SEC Network. Let's all hope the orange and blue can win the "Battle of the Tigers", so to say.

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

 

Sunday, January 21st, 2018

Auburn's loss to Alabama last Wednesday likely left most of the so-called "experts" wondering if the Tigers were for real. Yesterday, such doubts likely increased when Auburn went into halftime trailing Georgia 40-26. Not so fast. The Tigers came out of the locker room with fire in their eyes and outscored the Bulldogs 53-25 in the second half to secure a big 79-65 win in Auburn Arena, improving to 17-2 on the season, 5-1 in the SEC.

This was the fifth time this season that Auburn overcame a double-digit deficit to win, the third in conference action. The Tigers also overtook Ole Miss after trailing by 10 and Mississippi State after being down by 11. Head coach Bruce Pearl was especially proud of his team's persistence in this one. "That was as pretty of a 20 minutes of basketball as I've seen," he said. "Really proud of the chemistry of the team. Not everybody had it tonight, but we had enough to get a great, great win."

Bryce Brown led the way with 28 points, 25 of which came in the second half. He was 4-of-5 in 3-pointers in the final 20 minutes. He had his own explanation for the squad's determination. "One reason is experience.

Another reason is we're just staying together, fighting through adversity," he said. "If we continue to fight through adversity and stay together, we can overcome anything."

Pearl further noted that "They didn't panic. They weren't at each other. They stepped up physically. This team has character. You can't sit back and wait for teams to fail. You've got to force the issue." Mustapha Heron tallied 14 points, all in the second half. Jared Harper scored 13, and Anfernee McLemore had 10. With 13:45 to play, Heron made a baseline slam dunk and free throw to give Auburn the lead and ignite the sellout crowd. "I didn't see that coming," Brown said. "That was amazing."

The Tigers shot a paltry 31 percent in the first half, but Heron's trey to start the second half got Auburn's comeback capers underway. "(Coach Pearl) said he was going to come to me, so I had to knock it down," Heron stated. "We trust each other. We trust BP's process, we try to play for each other, and having fun makes a huge difference."

Brown's trey as the shot clock expired cut Auburn's deficit to a single digit. Harper drained a 3, then assisted on Brown's 3-pointer to trim Georgia's lead to three less than five minutes into the second half. Soon after, another trey by Brown came in the midst of a 25-2 run that put the Tigers ahead by 10. An alley-oop from Harper to Heron increased the margin to 14. Harper recorded six assists and just two turnovers.

The Auburn defense turned up the heat in the second half, applying full-court pressure. In doing so, it held Georgia without a field goal until 6:41 remained in the match. Prior to that, the Bulldogs missed their first 14 shots. That turn of events enabled the Tigers to turn a 14-point hole into a 14-point advantage. The Bulldogs pulled to within eight before Brown's steal, layup and free throw put Auburn up 64-53 with 4:51 to go.

Georgia narrowed the lead to five with 3:45 left, but Malik Dunbar put the icing on the cake with a 3-point play. When the final buzzer sounded, the Tigers had improved to 10-0 at home this season.  McLemore led Auburn in the first half with five boards and 10 points, including two 3-pointers. Auburn's next game will come on Wednesday night in a trip to Columbia, Missouri in a "Battle of the Tigers" against Mizzou. The opening tip is set for 8 p.m CT on the SEC Network.

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

Friday, January 19th, 2018

Al Borges' return to the Plains only lasted one season. Word came out this morning that he is moving on from his role as an offensive analyst for the Tigers to accept the offensive coordinator position at Texas-San Antonio (UTSA). Prior to his return to Auburn, Borges had served stints at San Jose State and Michigan.

He assisted with Auburn's tight ends and H-backs under position coach Larry Porter. Borges was hired for the position last April. His San Jose State offense went up against the Tigers in 2015 (a game that Auburn won 35-21). Borges had previously served as Auburn's offensive coordinator from 2004-2007 before resigning at the end of the '07 season because the offense struggled to score points in the next-to-last season of the Tommy Tuberville era.

The Tigers went 41-9 in his tenure as coordinator, including four straight Iron Bowl victories. He coached Jason Campbell and turned him into one of the country's top quarterbacks. His 2004 offense scored 34 points or more in six SEC games. More recently, Borges interviewed for the offensive coordinator position at Notre Dame in December 2016. He is the second offensive analyst on Auburn's staff to leave for an on-the-field position in the offseason. Brian Blackmon was recently hired as the tight ends coach at Troy.

I wish Coach Borges well in this new venture. I'm sure he'll do a wonderful job at UTSA, and take the offense to new heights.

In other news....

- Auburn basketball hosts Georgia tomorrow at 5 p.m. CT, and the game will be televised on the SEC Network. Here's hoping that they can get back on the winning track after that tough loss to Alabama on Wednesday night.

In closing, I'd like to dedicate this post to one of my closest Auburn buddies, Mr. Bo Meadows, who passed away late yesterday afternoon. He was 81. We talked about all things Auburn every time I saw him, whether at church or when he and his wife visited my home. God rest his soul. He will be sorely missed, but never forgotten.

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

 

Thursday, January 18th, 2018

We all know the old saying, "All good things must come to an end." Such was the case for Auburn basketball last night, as the Tigers dug themselves into an early hole, got out of it, and tried to mount a comeback down the stretch. But their valiant efforts fell short, and the Alabama Crimson Tide prevailed 76-71 in Tuscaloosa, snapping Auburn's nation-best 14-game winning streak. The Tigers had not lost since falling to Temple in the Charleston Classic on Nov. 17th.

Head coach Bruce Pearl offered an explanation for the outcome. "For us, it was a missed opportunity because they were short-handed and we did not play well," he said. "They had a lot to do with it. I didn't think we executed offensively as a result of our assist-to-turnover ratio." Despite an inept performance from the field, Auburn actually had a shot to tie the game with five seconds remaining. However, junior Bryce Brown, who led the Tigers with 12 points, mistakenly stepped out of bounds before he could get a shot off.

Desean Murray (11), Jared Harper (10) and Chuma Okeke (10) also scored in double figures last night, marking the 16th time in 18 games that at least four players have scored in double figures this season. Meanwhile, Malik Dunbar tallied eight points and three rebounds off the bench. In the early going, it looked like it wasn't Auburn's night, as it shot just 1-of-10 in the first four minutes. However, the Tigers rose up with an 11-0 run that included treys from Brown, Okeke and Davion Mitchell. At that point, the game turned into a wild shootout until Okeke drained a 3-pointer at the buzzer to put the Tigers up 33-30 at the half. 

But things quickly went south in the second half, as Alabama cruised to a double-digit lead thanks largely to guard John Petty, who finished the night with a game-high 27 points. The Tigers had numerous opportunities to cut into the margin late, but struggled from the foul line in the closing minutes. That's not common for a squad that entered the game as the SEC's leader in free-throw shooting percentage. They nailed just two three-point tries in the second half after sinking seven in the first half.

Despite the loss, Pearl said the Tigers will strive to move forward. "We can't allow this setback to stay with us very long," he stated. "We're not able to get back to Auburn tonight because of the weather. So we've got to travel back tomorrow and we've got a short turnaround against a pretty good Georgia team. It's one game at a time, one matchup at a time. We've got to find a way to have a little bit more energy out there on the floor."

Auburn falls to 16-2 overall, 4-1 in conference play. They are now a half-game behind Florida in the league standings. The Tigers will have a chance to bounce back on Saturday afternoon when they host Georgia at 5 p.m. CT. The game will be televised by the SEC Network.

In other news....

- A familiar face is returning to the Plains. J.B. Grimes, who previously coached the Tigers' offensive line from 2013-15, is back for a second stint. Grimes replaces Herb Hand, who resigned on Tuesday night to accept the same position at Texas. You can find complete details on this news elsewhere.

- Auburn has reportedly found its new athletic director. Allen Greene, who has served in the same capacity at Buffalo since November 2015, has been chosen to succeed Jay Jacobs, who announced last November his plans to retire in June of this year, or as soon as the school found as a successor. His hiring must still be cleared by the Board of Trustees. The hiring could be made official as soon as this week. Greene, 40, is set to become the third African-American athletic director in SEC history. You can also find complete details on this story elsewhere.

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

 

Tuesday, January 16th, 2018

Auburn football's offensive line coach is exiting. A person familiar with the decision informed Auburn Undercover that Herb Hand is leaving the Plains after two seasons to accept the same position at Texas. Hand will also serve as co-offensive coordinator for the Longhorns. On a personal level, Hand is a longtime friend of head coach Gus Malzahn, as the two had served as co-OCs at Tulsa in 2007 and 2008.

Hand closed out the season in the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl (a 34-27 upset loss to UCF) with a contract set to expire later that evening on New Year's Day. Malzahn, however, later reported that he would return to the staff. "Herb will be back with us," he stated on Dec. 13th. "Herb is one of the best offensive line coaches in college football. You saw what our line did. He's one of the best."

When Hand was asked whether he had worked out terms or signed a new deal with the Tigers, he replied, "I  don't really have any comment on that right now." However, a source told Auburn Undercover last week that Hand had a new contract from Auburn ready to sign. His two-year stint at Auburn was a mix of highs and lows. Shaky starts were frequent. Quarterback Jarrett Stidham was sacked 11 times at Clemson in Week 2 in 2017 and the Tigers finished the year with six sacks against UCF in the Peach Bowl. In addition, the rushing performance was the second-lowest by average (2 yards) of the season. "You know, that was probably the main stat that was disappointing for me," Malzahn pointed out on New Year's Day.

The Tigers only averaged a paltry 0.9 yards per carry against Clemson in Week 2, and the 11 sacks tied for the most allowed by an FBS team in 2017. Hand spoke in detail about recruiting after the Peach Bowl and the two offensive linemen Auburn gained during the early signing period in December. His departure leaves the Tigers in a peculiar spot heading into the second signing day of the recruiting period. Auburn is hoping to secure one or two more linemen over the next three weeks, but now must do so without him.

I'm sure there are plenty of mixed feelings over this news. Regardless, I hope that Coach Hand finds great success at Texas. As for Auburn, well, it's pretty clear to me that the offensive line will largely be in rebuilding mode next fall. I just hope that whoever is chosen to succeed Hand will be able to make the players on that front gel together, mature, and develop good chemistry.

In other news...

- Assuming it's not postponed or canceled due to the winter weather conditions that are moving into the Deep South later tonight, Auburn basketball will play at Alabama tomorrow night at 6 p.m. CT. The game will be televised on the SEC Network.

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

 

Sunday, January 14th, 2018

A four-star running back and U.S. Army All-American has joined Auburn's recruiting class of 2018. Harold Joiner, a 6-foot-2.5, 221-pounder from Birmingham (Ala.) Mountain Brook committed to the Tigers today, the final day of his official visit to the school. Joiner is ranked as the No. 5 running back and the No. 124 overall recruit nationally in the industry-generated 247Sports Composite.

"It's been crazy," he stated. "It really wasn't a hard decision because I've been focused on Auburn for a long time. I just went ahead and ended it right now." Joiner is the third running back in the class, joining December signees Asa Martin and Shaun Shivers, both also four-star recruits. The need for depth at running back increased after Kerryon Johnson, the SEC offensive player of the year, and Kamryn Pettway both announced earlier this month that they were entering the NFL Draft.

Joiner was reportedly torn between LSU and Ole Miss for awhile as well. "Well, it's just a relief, honestly. I'm just happy. I'm done talking about other schools." He went on to say that he will play tailback and slot receiver for Auburn. His final decision was a breeze after he was hosted by defensive player Traivon Leonard.

"Home state team, great players," he said. "I love the players, I know a few players, it's a family team. We get along, the chemistry is already good with me and the players. It fits in perfectly." Joiner is the Tigers' 22nd commitment. Auburn still has three or four vacancies left to fill in that class. The Tigers have the No. 10 running back in the 247Sports rankings. Joiner has been under Auburn's eye since his sophomore year of high school. He has visited the Tigers more than any other school and attended the Georgia and Alabama games at Jordan-Hare Stadium this past November.

His recruitment has been touch-and-go at times along the way. Last summer, he appeared destined for LSU. Needless to say, Auburn is grateful that such was not the case. I'm confident that Joiner will be a welcome addition at a position in which experience will be urgently needed.

In other news...

- Just a brief reminder: The men's basketball team returns to the court on Wednesday night in a trip to Tuscaloosa to face Alabama. The opening tip is set for 6 p.m. CT, and the game will be televised by the SEC Network.

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

 

Saturday, January 13th, 2018

Auburn headed into the locker room at halftime facing a 35-24 deficit at Mississippi State this afternoon, and it looked like the clock was nearing midnight on the Tigers' 13-game winning streak. Not so fast. This never-say-die Auburn squad outscored the Bulldogs 52-33 in the second half to pull out a 76-68 win, extending the nation's longest active winning streak to 14 straight. The Tigers moved to 16-1 on the season, 4-0 in the SEC.

State, meanwhile, fell to 13-4 and 1-3, respectively.

Auburn head coach Bruce Pearl summed up his team's comeback quite elaborately. "Mississippi State played terrific in the first half and frustrated us completely out of sorts," he said. "We only made eight baskets. They had a terrific scout. Everything I was trying to do, they had. Our guys got a little rattled. We didn't look like a team that won 13 or 14 in a row, but we were still within range. At halftime, we regrouped. We were pretty accountable. I think it was really important that we came out and played really well early and cut it to the deficit pretty early and made it a contest. I thought our guys made plays, and to me you have to make plays." 

Doesn't any team have to? Bryce Brown led the Tigers with 23 points, including 5-of-8 from 3-point range. Desean Murray put up 14 points and nine rebounds, while Mustapha Heron got 14 points and five boards. Jared Harper tallied 12 points and four assists. Auburn was also hot in the free throw department, sinking 25-of-32 such shots for a 78 percent mark. Harper and Murray each nailed seven of those. However, the Tigers had to overcome a sluggish first half to get there. They only went 8-of-30 from the floor in the first 20 minutes and were down by 11 at the break.

But Auburn refused to lie down, going on a 15-4 run early in the second half to chop State's lead to two at 41-39 with 14:37 to play. Just over four minutes later, the Tigers grabbed a 52-51 lead on two free throws by Murray with 10 minutes left. Then, with 6:04 to go, a jumper by Chuma Okeke gave the Tigers their biggest lead of the day at 65-54. The team tied the ribbon on this one with four free throws and jumpers from Brown, Heron and Harper. The victory dashed State's 12-game home winning streak this season. 

The Tigers will return to action next Wednesday in another road trip to face Alabama in Tuscaloosa. The opening tip will be at 6 p.m. CT, with the game being televised by the SEC Network.

In other news....

- The women's basketball team hosts Arkansas tomorrow afternoon at 4 p.m. CT. That game will be televised on the SEC Network.

Wednesday, January 10th, 2018

Like father, like son. His father was an excellent quarterback for Auburn, and now, his son will follow in his footsteps.

Bo Nix, a touted signal-caller for 2019 from Pinson Valley (Ala.) committed to the Tigers today. He is ranked as the No. 57 overall recruit and the No. 2 dual-threat QB nationally in the junior class.  Nix chose Auburn over Clemson and Ohio State, the other two schools that made his top three released on Dec. 18th. His father, Patrick Nix, not only serves as Bo's coach at Pinson Valley, but also played QB for Auburn from 1992-95. Additionally, Bo's mother attended Auburn. His sister currently attends school there as well and helps out with the school's recruiting department.

The 6-feet-1.5, 194-pound Nix was arguably the Tigers' top overall target for 2019. He recently guided Pinson Valley to a perfect 15-0 record and state championship. For the season, Nix completed 196 of 307 passes for

2,875 yards, 36 touchdowns and four interceptions in 10 games, although he missed five because of a broken bone in his foot. In the playoffs, he went 110-for-165 for 1,571 yards with 20 touchdowns and just three picks. Auburn offered Nix on June 5, 2016 after he attended a camp with the Tigers.

I do hope that Bo will be able to duplicate his father's success for the Tigers. And just a brief final tidbit on Patrick: Who could ever forget the incredible TD passes he threw to Frank Sanders against Alabama in 1993, then against Florida in 1994?

In other news....

Auburn basketball rallied to defeat Ole Miss 85-70 in Auburn Arena last night. They will return to action on Saturday at 2:30 p.m. CT in a trip to Starkville, Miss. to face Mississippi State. The game will be televised on the SEC Network. Yes, I did watch the Ole Miss game last night, but as I write this, it's late in the evening, so I wanted to keep it brief.

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

Sunday, January 7th, 2018

Auburn basketball continued its winning ways over Arkansas yesterday, upending the No. 22 Razorbacks 88-77 in Auburn Arena to earn its 12th straight victory. Head coach Bruce Pearl gave full credit for the outcome to the 8,950 fans who vehemently supported their Tigers.

"The crowd was awesome," Pearl said. "It makes a big difference. It makes a big difference for television. It makes a big difference with the whole environment. It was a very good basketball game in a really good environment. Two really good teams, and Auburn is one of those really good teams in the SEC."

Five Tigers scored in double figures, with Mustapha Heron leading the way with 17 points. Auburn improved to 2-0 in SEC play and 14-1 on the season. With two straight wins over Top 25 teams for the first time in 32 years, don't be surprised to see Auburn crack the Top 25 this coming week. But Pearl isn't concerned about that. "It puts a bigger target on our head," he said. "But our goals are bigger than being nationally ranked sometime in January."

Desean Murray tallied 15 points and a game-high eight rebounds, while Jared Harper had 14 points and eight assists. Bryce Brown scored 13, while Chuma Okeke got 10 points and six boards. Brown got Auburn going with a 3-pointer on the Tigers' first possession. Auburn nailed its first four shots to take a 10-2 lead.

Soon thereafter, Harper's steal and two-handed dunk made the score 16-8. Heron mounted the margin to 12 with a trey from the corner, and the Tigers increased their lead in the last 5:44 of the first half even though Anfernee McLemore and Horace Spencer were both on the bench with two fouls.

Okeke and Heron each drained treys, then Murray tapped a miss back in, grabbed a steal and scored on a drive with 25 seconds left in the half to give Auburn a 47-30 lead at the break. As the second half began, Malik Dunbar sank a 3-pointer, and Davion Mitchell slammed home an alley-oop to give the Tigers their biggest lead at 67-46 with 11:24 to play.

Arkansas battled back, going on a 7-0 lead to cut Auburn's lead to seven with five minutes left, but Heron nailed a bank shot in the lane to halt the run, then Brown's trey allowed Auburn to regain its double-digit lead. "It's really about just taking advantage of the opportunity," Pearl explained. We're playing good basketball right now. We've got nine guys who are really playing well together. We're in a good place. You've got to take advantage when you get these opportunities."

The Tigers did just that. Despite being outrebounded 35-30 by the Razorbacks, Auburn only committed nine turnovers in the entire game. "Our team is pleased, but our focus is to try to shore it up and get better," Pearl said. Auburn will look to keep its winning streak alive on Tuesday night when it hosts Ole Miss at 8 p.m. CT in Auburn Arena. For the third straight time, the contest will be televised on ESPNU.

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

Saturday, January 6th, 2018

Auburn fans can breathe a sigh of relief. Quarterback Jarrett Stidham announced yesterday evening that he will return for his redshirt junior season next fall and hold off on entering the NFL Draft.

"I feel like coming back and being at Auburn is going to be the best thing for me," Stidham said last night. "I feel like there is a lot of unfinished business for me." Auburn went 10-4 this past season and defeated both teams in Monday night's national title match - Alabama and Georgia. However, the campaign ended on a sour note, as the Tigers lost the SEC Championship rematch to UGA, and then were upset by UCF in the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl.

"This year, we were really close to being where we wanted to be as a team," Stidham pointed out. "I didn't like that taste in my mouth. I want to come back and finish what we started." According to a news release from AuburnTigers.com, Stidham made his decision during an elk hunting trip in Texas. "I went on the elk hunt to get away from everything," he stated. "It's been a long five months since we started fall camp. I wanted to reflect on everything and figure out what was best for me and my future."

He also commended the fanbase. "The Auburn fans, the Auburn family, they're about as good as it can get.

I'm excited to play in front of them and give them everything that I have. It's all about the fans and giving back to them. I'm excited about it. My family's excited about it. We're all in and we're ready to do this thing even bigger next year."

While nobody knows what the future holds, one thing's for sure: Stidham's return will certainly do at least one favor for Auburn's offense. One other note: Former Auburn head coach and current SEC Network studio host Gene Chizik would certainly be proud of the "all in" remark.

In other news...

- Auburn basketball hosts Arkansas this afternoon at 5 p.m. CT. The game will be televised by ESPNU.

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

Friday, January 5th, 2018

Auburn football landed another commitment last night when 4-star wide receiver Anthony Schwartz of Plantation (Fla.) American Heritage chose the Tigers over Florida and Georgia at the Under Armour All-America Game. Schwartz, 6-feet and 175 pounds, is Auburn's 21st member of the Class of 2018. When asked about why he committed to Auburn, he replied, "It's how I feel over there. How comfortable I am over there.

I feel they have a great thing going with their offense."

Schwartz ignited much hype last spring when he turned in a 10.15-second 100-meter dash during a track meet for one of the fastest times ever. He clearly has excellent speed, and that's what Auburn head coach Gus Malzahn wants in his receiving corps. "He said he needs my speed and he needs more receivers," Schwartz said of Malzahn. "We see they're starting to pass the ball more, so he wants us to come in and keep that going."

The Sunshine State native is confident that he will get plenty of balls thrown his way. "My position I'm going to play there, I feel like I can get a lot of touches. They've been passing the ball a lot more this year, and I feel like they are going to keep going that way." As a senior, Schwartz grabbed 25 receptions for 507 yards and seven touchdowns. The 247Sports composite currently ranks Schwartz as the nation's No. 153 overall recruit in the 2018 class.

In other news....

- Former Auburn offensive coordinator Rhett Lashlee is one-and-done at UConn, and has already landed a new gig. He is headed to SMU in the same position. At UConn, he improved one of the country's worst offenses (14.8 points per game in 2016) to average 23.6 PPG in 2017. Lashlee will now serve as Sonny Dykes' offensive coordinator at SMU.

He served as Auburn's offensive coordinator under Gus Malzahn from 2013-2016. Lashlee, who played quarterback for Malzahn in high school, was a Broyles Award finalist in 2013. He left the Tigers after the Sugar Bowl in January 2017 to join UConn. Auburn's offense broke school and SEC records in 2013 and 2014 while the SEC Champions from 2013 became the first team in conference history to lead the nation in rushing (328.3 yards per game). Prior to that, Lashlee had served as Malzahn's coordinator at Arkansas State in 2012 and was also the play-caller for Samford in 2011.

- Auburn basketball returns to action tomorrow afternoon at 5 p.m. CT when it hosts Arkansas in Auburn Arena. That game will be televised on ESPNU.

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

Thursday, January 4th, 2018

I have two major stories to cover today, but I'm going to be short and sweet with the first, and more elaborate on the second. First off, two more football players are moving on to the NFL. Running back Kamryn Pettway and defensive lineman Jeff Holland have both chosen to forego their senior seasons to enter the professional draft. I wish them both nothing but the best.

Now, on to the second headline. Auburn football hired its 10th assistant coach yesterday evening, as former Memphis defensive backs coach Marcus Woodson was tapped to join Gus Malzahn's staff. "I'm very excited and humbled to be a part of the Auburn family and join coach (Gus) Malzahn's staff," Woodson said in a news release. Growing up in Mississippi and playing in the SEC, I am very familiar with the history of success at Auburn and can't wait to  do my part to help with the winning tradition. I look forward to working with the defense and recruiting the best players in the country to Auburn."

The Memphis defense forced 60 turnovers, the second-best total in the country, including 32 interceptions, over the past two seasons. Woodson could play a crucial role in boosting the Tigers' turnover production in the secondary. Auburn only picked off six passes this season, while Memphis recorded 16, the second-most in school history.

"We're very excited to add Marcus to our staff," Malzahn stated. "He's an outstanding coach, recruiter and an even better person. Marcus is a tireless worker and will be a great fit with our staff. He did a super job for coach (Mike) Norvell at Memphis and will do a great job at Auburn." Woodson left Memphis' staff last week in the hopes of landing a job in the SEC. He was in the running at Ole Miss and Mississippi State, but Auburn Undercover learned Tuesday that he was also in the mix at Auburn. Woodson is an Ole Miss graduate and played for the Rebels from 1999-2003.

Woodson will remain as a defensive assistant for the Tigers, but his exact responsibilities are not yet clear.

By next Tuesday, college programs will officially be allowed to add a 10th on-the-field assistant to their staffs. Auburn defensive coordinator Kevin Steele's staff had been outnumbered by two coaches (including Malzahn) on offense, but Woodson's addition will even benefit the staff in the Tigers' athletic complex. At Memphis, Woodson earned a yearly salary of $163,000, the second-lowest pay total on the staff.

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

Wednesday, January 3rd, 2018

Auburn basketball dug itself into a 14-point hole in the first half against Tennessee at Thompson-Boling Arena last night, and it looked anything but promising for the Tigers. But Auburn refused to quit, storming back to overtake the 23rd-ranked Vols 94-84 to pocket its 11th straight victory, extending its longest winning streak since a 14-game run in 1999-2000. On top of that, the Tigers (13-1, 1-0 SEC) snapped a 10-game road skid in this series and beat Tennessee in Knoxville for the first time since a 74-69 decision on Jan. 7, 1998.

This was also significant for former Tennessee coach Bruce Pearl, who won in his old stomping grounds for the first time since taking over Auburn's program in 2014. Pearl, who guided the Vols to six straight NCAA Tournament appearances from 2006-11, has a subpar 2-4 mark against UT as Auburn's head coach, including 1-2 in Knoxville. As for Tennessee (9-4, 0-2), it has now lost two in a row for the first time this season.

Bryce Brown and Jared Harper led the Tigers with 18 points apiece. Mustapha Heron complemented them with 16, while Chuma Okeke had 11 and Horace Spencer added 10. On Tennessee's side, Lamonte Turner scored a season-high 25 points, including all 13 of his free-throw tries before fouling out. Grant Williams recorded 22, while Jordan Bone had 18 and Admiral Schofield tallied 13.

The second half of the contest was wild, with 10 lead changes alone in that final 20 minutes. But Auburn picked up steam from 3-point range in the closing minutes to tie the ribbon on this one. The Tigers misfired on their first nine trey attempts in that span before sinking five of the their last six from beyond the arc. Four of those came in a 2 1/2-minute period that practically secured the outcome.

Brown nailed the first trey to up Auburn's lead to 69-65 with 5:48 to go. Williams converted a conventional 3-point play for the Vols to cut the score to 69-68 with 5:26 left, but Auburn continued its 3-point barrage during an 11-0 run that put this one in the books. That string included two treys by Okeke and one from Brown. The Big Orange came out of the gate on fire, going on a 12-0 run to lead by as many as 14 before Auburn rose up to take a 42-36 lead into the half. It marked the first time all season that Tennessee had trailed, though the Vols were tied at the half of a 78-75 overtime win over 13th-ranked Purdue earlier this year. The Tigers outscored UT 28-8 over the final 10 minutes of the first half.

Auburn returns to action on Saturday when it hosts No. 22 Arkansas at 5 p.m. CT in Auburn Arena. The game will be televised by ESPNU.

In other news...

- I'm going to keep these bits of news short and sweet. The football program is saying goodbye to running back Kerryon Johnson and cornerback Carlton Davis, as both have opted to skip their senior seasons to enter the NFL Draft. You can find complete details elsewhere. I wish both of them nothing but the best.

- Former Auburn quarterback Jeremy Johnson has landed a coaching gig, as he was hired as the quarterbacks coach at his alma mater, Montgomery Carver High, today. I'm sure he'll do a fine job in that capacity.

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