​​Lyle's Corner

Friday, July 29th, 2016

 

The Auburn Tigers are apt to latch onto talent from Florida, and they've hit the jackpot again. 

 

Yesterday, 4-star running back Devan Barrett of Tampa (Fla.) Catholic committed to the Tigers. He is Auburn's top target at that position. 

 

When asked what drew him in to Auburn, Barrett responded, "The environment. It just feels like home every time I go down there. It just feels like family." 

 

Barrett is the 13th commitment for the Tigers, who inched up one spot to No. 12 in the recruiting team rankings. They stood at 45th at the beginning of May.  

 

The 6-feet-1, 190-pound Barrett is the No. 17 running back and the No. 222 overall recruit in the 247Sports Composite, with a 91.31 rating. 

 

He's now the third commit in the class who could play running back, joining 4-star Alaric Williams of Gadsden (Ala.) Southside, and Octavius Matthews of Itawamba Community College (Miss.). However, Williams and Matthews are being recruited as "Athletes," with Barrett strictly at running back. 

 

Of Auburn's 13 commits, three are Florida natives. Barrett will be running behind the other two in college - 5-star franchise left tackle Calvin Ashley (now playing in Washington, D.C.), and 4-star guard Nick Brahms. 

 

Interestingly enough, Barrett will not be the first college player from his family. His father, Reggie Barrett, was a wide receiver at UTEP and later in the NFL. 

 

In 2015, Barrett rushed for 1,891 yards and 21 touchdowns. 

 

Auburn running backs coach Tim Horton offered Barrett in early January. The Tigers really intensified their pursuit of Barrett after Horton, also Barrett's area recruiter, scouted him in person this spring. 

 

Horton has played a large role in this recruiting cycle. He's also the lead recruiter for four other Auburn commits, notably 4-star offensive tackle Austin Troxell. 

 

Barrett has visited the Tigers twice this summer, most recently two weekends ago. In June, he stayed in Auburn for three days with his parents. 

 

He noted that another intriguing element of Auburn was the depth chart. 

 

"I can probably come in and play," Barrett said. "They said I'd play a little bit. There's a junior returning. Me and him will probably share carries." 

 

That's a confident prediction, if you ask me. We'll see if it comes true. 

 

One other notorious bit of news: Today is Auburn fullback Chandler Cox's birthday. Happy Birthday, Chandler! Hope it's a wonderful one! 

 

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

 

​Wednesday, July 27th, 2016

 

This isn't directly related to Auburn, but it is linked to the SEC. Therefore, I've deemed it significant enough to write about. 

 

By March of next year, the Georgia Dome, which has played host to the SEC Championship Game since 1994, will be no more. 

 

According to a report by the ​Atlanta Journal-Constitution ​today, Frank Poe, executive director of the Georgia World Congress Center Authority, a state agency that operates the Dome, that the plan remains to close the venue to events by the date mentioned above, although the new Falcons stadium's completion date has been pushed back to June 1, 2017.  

 

"It doesn't affect anything we're working on as far as decommissioning of the Dome," Poe said of the construction delay. "By March 1 (2017), our plan is to really not have events in the Dome after that." 

 

The Georgia Dome hosted its first SEC Championship Game on December 3, 1994, in which No. 2 Alabama topped No. 12 Florida 28-21. The first two games in the annual series were held at Legion Field in Birmingham, Alabama. 

 

Florida has won a conference-best 10 SEC crowns in the Georgia Dome, while Alabama is second with nine, including a win over the Gators last year. Kentucky, Ole Miss, Vanderbilt and Texas A&M are the only league teams who have not made an appearance in the SEC title game at the Georgia Dome. 

 

As for Auburn, they've made it to the Dome five times, winning three of those games. I was able to attend the 2000 SEC Championship with my family, but we watched the Tigers fall to Florida 28-6 in a game that gave us very little to cheer about. 

 

If there was one league title game that we lost when we really shouldn't have, it was in 1997 against Tennessee. That pitted Auburn quarterback Dameyune Craig against the Vols' signal-caller, Peyton Manning. It proved to be a wild showdown, but in the end, Tennessee slipped past us, 30-29. What made it even more disheartening was the fact that the Vols committed six turnovers. I can still hear this exchange between Bob Griese and Keith Jackson on ABC right after the game ended:

 

Griese: "How many times do you turn the ball over six times, and still come out a winner?"

Jackson: "I've never heard of it, especially in a championship game." 

 

Right on, you two. 

 

But when we had happy outcomes in the conference title game, man, were they joyful! In 2004, we whipped Tennessee, 38-28. Jason Campbell threw three TD passes for us. In 2010, we obliterated South Carolina, 56-17. On the last play of the first half, Cam Newton heaved a 51-yard Hail Mary to the end zone, which was deflected and caught by receiver Darvin Adams for an amazing score that gave us a 28-14 lead and practically put the nail in the Gamecocks' coffin. 

 

Finally, in 2013, we overtook Missouri, 59-42, in Gus Malzahn's first season as our head coach. That game could best be described as the "Tre Mason Show,", as the superb Auburn running back amassed an SEC title game-best 304 yards and four scores. 

 

Of course, as all Auburn fans know, we've only gone backward ever since that fairy tale season in '13, and only time will tell if the Tigers can add a sixth trip to the Dome to their history book. One thing's for sure: It's make or break time for Gus.

 

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

 

 

Tuesday, July 26th, 2016

 

As promised, today I will write about the two commitments Auburn latched onto this past weekend, one in football, the other in basketball. My original plan was to write about these yesterday. Unfortunately, those plans went awry due to my Internet being down nearly all day. Man, is that ever frustrating as heck! Okay, enough rambling. 

 

Let's start with football. Stephen Davis Jr. announced his commitment to the Tigers via Twitter on Sunday afternoon. 

 

Davis is the son of former Auburn running back legend Stephen Davis. 

 

Davis had previously committed to Auburn, but backed out of that pledge last year. Now, he has relented. 

 

Davis informed AuburnUndercover that he will move into his dorm at Auburn on July 31. 

 

The 6-foot-4, 215-pound Davis hails from Dutch Fork School in Irmo, S.C. According to the 247Sports Composite, he is ranked as the No. 20 athlete and the No. 398 overall recruit in the 2016 class. 

 

I, for one, am very glad that he has definitively decided to follow in his father's footsteps. Let's all hope he finds the same success that his elder did. 

 

Now, on to basketball. 

 

Four-star forward Chuma Okeke committed to Bruce Pearl's troops on Sunday. The Tigers now have the top-ranked class in the 2017 247Sports Composite Recruiting Rankings. 

 

Okeke, 6-7, 225 pounds from Fairburn, (Ga.) Westlake High School, is coming off an auspicious performance in Las Vegas. He is ranked No. 57 in the 247Sports Composite. 

 

He joins two highly-ranked prospects in power forward Austin Wiley and point guard Davion Mitchell is the Tigers' promising Class of 2017. 

 

Something tells me that Coach Pearl has a monster growing for the coming years. Would you agree? 

 

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

 

Monday, July 25th, 2016

 

The past couple of days have been very exciting for Auburn in the recruiting department. This past weekend, the Tigers landed a football and basketball commitment. On top of that, another football player pledged to Auburn today. 

 

As I write, it's late in the evening. Therefore, I'll write about today's commitment now, and follow up with this past weekend's commitments tomorrow. 

 

Four-star recruit Tray Bishop of Dawson (Ga.) Terrell County considered delaying his college choice, but after visiting Auburn on Saturday, he decided the time was right to decide. 

 

Today, Bishop publicly pledged to the Tigers. He informed head coach Gus Malzahn of his decision on Sunday. 

 

"Breaking it down with my top three, Auburn topped the list with their honesty and my relationship with the coaches - and the playing time I could get my freshman year," he said. 

 

To say that this is a major commitment for Auburn would be a gross understatement. 

 

The 6-foot-3, 203-pound Bishop is ranked as the No. 3 athlete and the No. 148 overall recruit in the 247Sports Composite. He is the 12th commitment for the Tigers, who jumped from 18th to 13th in the 247Sports recruiting team rankings. More significantly, he gives Auburn a quarterback in the class. Although listed as an athlete, he will get an opportunity at that position. 

 

"With my size and my speed, playing quarterback for the Auburn Tigers I can run or pass, so if you're keying on the run I can hurt you through the air, or vice versa," he stated. 

 

Bishop is a superb athlete all around. He owns the school record of 10.4 seconds in the 100-meters. Plus, he plays baseball and basketball at Terrell County. 

 

In recent months, Bishop has crossed paths with former Auburn quarterback Nick Marshall, now in the NFL. Marshall, like Bishop, hails from Georgia. 

 

"He told me that Gus Malzahn's offense is the perfect offense for a black quarterback," Bishop pointed out. 

 

Bishop, who plans to enroll at Auburn next summer, picked the Tigers over Florida and Georgia. He said the Bulldogs were his No. 2 choice. He still intends to officially visit each. 

 

Even so, he summed up his decision by saying, "Auburn kind of ran away with it." 

 

Why, you ask? "I feel like our relationship is a 10," Bishop explained. "That was very important. That was key to it." 

 

On Saturday, Bishop visited Auburn with nine family members and remained on campus for several hours. 

 

"My parents fell in love," he said. "Everyone loved it there. They said, if they could they would go to school there." 

 

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

 

​Sunday, July 24th, 2016

 

Auburn football has lost yet another one of its greatest players. 

 

Zeke Smith, a member of the 1957 national champion Tigers who won the Outland Trophy in 1958, passed away on Friday. He was 79.

 

Smith's banner now hangs outside Jordan-Hare Stadium with the likes of former Auburn greats Pat Sullivan, Bo Jackson, Cam Newton, Tracy Rocker and Carlos Rogers. Every year, Auburn's top defensive player is honored with the Zeke Smith Award.  

 

"He set a high bar for Auburn football players to try to obtain, and very few have reached a level in college football that he did," said Auburn athletic director Jay Jacobs. "The great thing is that as great a football player as he was, he was a finer man and always an inspiration to be around. The Auburn family will miss him, but his legacy and his expectations for all of us will never be forgotten." 

 

Smith spent two seasons in the NFL from 1960-61, then moved on to the Canadian Football League in 1962 and 1963. In 1982, he was inducted into the Alabama Sports Hall of Fame. 

 

"Zeke Smith is one of Auburn's most iconic players as our first national award winner and member of the 1957 national champions," head coach Gus Malzahn stated. "He has and will continue to be a representation of what an Auburn football player should strive to be. We are saddened by his passing and our thoughts and prayers are with him and his family." 

 

He was born Roger Duane Smith, but became known as "Zeke" when his high school coach called him that because he ran like a pro quarterback of the time, Zeke Bratkowski. He came to Auburn from Uniontown, Ala., and, like his teammates, played on offense and defense. That was the custom back in those days. 

 

"Those were the toughest of the athletes because they played both ways, and they didn't have the benefit of the equipment we have today, the nutritionists and the sports medicine and the training," Jacobs stated. "Those guys just gutted it out. They created an opportunity for those behind them. He demonstrated what being a great football player was all about." 

 

Although he played well before my time, I've seen footage of one of his big plays from the 1957 national championship season. In that year's Iron Bowl, he recovered a fumble by Alabama's Gary O'Steen on the Tide 26-yard Line to set up Auburn's first score in a 40-0 rout that wrapped up the school's first national crown. 

 

God Bless you, Zeke. We will all miss you very much, but you will live on in our hearts, souls and minds forever. I'm sure you're in a better place now. 

 

On a happier note, Auburn is in the midst of its takeover schedule on the SEC Network. As I close out this writing, the "Kick Six" game is about three minutes away. I've already recorded all of the classic football games on the schedule on my DVR, and fully intend to watch them very soon. 

 

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

 

 

 

Friday, July 22nd, 2016

 

A former pitcher for Auburn baseball has stepped into the big leagues.

 

Former All-SEC lefty Grant Dayton's contract was purchased by the Los Angeles Dodgers, and he was in uniform yesterday for the start of a three-game series against the Washington Nationals.

 

Pitching at two minor league levels this season, Dayton was 5-2 with an ERA of 2.44 in 35 games out of the bullpen. He recored 85 strikeouts in 48 innings. With Triple-A Oklahoma City, he posted 57 strikeouts in 32 1/3 innings.

 

Dayton, a Huntsville native, was a staff ace on the 2010 Auburn team that won 20 SEC Games, won the West Division, and hosted a regional. He went 8-3 that season with a 7-1 conference mark, and was an All-SEC selection.

 

I'll wrap up this post with a reminder. Don't forget to tune in to the SEC Network on Sunday when Auburn takes over the channel. You can scroll down the page and refer to my post from last Saturday (July 16th) for the full schedule. Set your DVRs if need be.

 

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

 

​Thursday, July 21st, 2016

 

For 2016 signee Marlon Character, the wait is over. And the outcome is a positive one. 

 

The 3-star safety from Atlanta (Ga.) Grady, who signed with Auburn in February, learned late yesterday evening that he has been cleared academically and can enroll at Auburn in a few weeks. 

 

He plans to enroll in school July 31. 

 

"It's a relief," Character said. 

 

Character appeared all set to go in the spring, but had a test score flagged, meaning he had to re-take it. In the meantime, he also enrolled in an online course. 

 

"It was either/or," he said. "So I did both. I got word on my class (Wednesday). I'm good. I'm just relieved." 

 

With that concern behind him, his main focus now is getting to Auburn. 

 

"I'm ready to put in some work," Character stated. "It's time to work 100 percent on college. I don't have to worry about if I'm going to make it." 

 

One other Auburn signee remains in dire straits - defensive end Nick Coe of North Carolina. He should learn his fate next week. 

 

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

 

Tuesday, July 19th, 2016

 

Auburn will face off against several former Tiger assistants this fall. Take a look at this list, and see if you remember these names.

 

1. Trooper Taylor, CB coach, Arkansas State: Taylor coached wide receivers at Auburn from 2009-2012. He was let go after Gene Chizik was fired following a 3-9 record in 2012. He now coaches cornerbacks at Arkansas State.

 

2. Terry Price, DL coach, Texas A&M: Price spent 10 seasons coaching defensive ends for the Tigers. He moved with head coach Tommy Tuberville from Ole Miss. When Tuberville resigned after the 2008 season, Price moved to Ole Miss and then to Texas A&M, his alma mater. 

 

3. Noel Mazzone, offensive coordinator, Texas A&M: Mazzone bolted from Ole Miss to Auburn with Tuberville in 1999. However, he was fired during the 2001 campaign following a shocking 31-7 upset loss at the hands of a four-win Alabama team. He is entering his first season with the Aggies after leaving UCLA. 

 

4. Jeff Grimes, OL coach, LSU: Grimes came aboard Chizik's staff in 2009, but was not retained following Chizik's dismissal. He then spent one season at Virginia Tech before going to LSU. 

 

5. Dameyune Craig, WR coach, LSU: Craig joined Gus Malzahn's first staff in 2013 as receivers coach and co-offensive coordinator. He helped the Tigers win an SEC title in his first season. One of Auburn's all-time greatest signal-callers, Craig resigned after last season to move on to LSU. 

 

6. Steve Ensminger, TE coach, LSU: Ensminger joined Tommy Tuberville's Auburn staff in 2003 as quarterbacks coach. He later coached tight ends and stayed at Auburn through the 2008 campaign, Tuberville's last. 

 

7. Greg Knox, RB coach, Mississippi State: Knox spent 10 seasons at Auburn, moving from Ole Miss with Tuberville in 1999. He was not retained when Tuberville left after 2008. 

 

8. Paul Rhoads, DB coach, Arkansas: Rhoads was Auburn's defensive coordinator in 2008. He was not retained after Tuberville's departure, but was named head coach at Iowa State. He was let go by the Cyclones last season and is now in his first year with the Razorbacks. 

 

9. Dell McGee, RB coach, Georgia: A former Auburn cornerback, McGee was an Auburn analyst before heading to Georgia Southern in 2013. He was named interim head coach in 2014 and led the Eagles to victory in the GoDaddy Bowl. He joined Mark Richt's staff at Georgia in 2015 and was retained by new head coach Kirby Smart. 

 

10. Tracy Rocker, DL coach, Georgia: The most celebrated defensive lineman in Auburn history, Rocker joined Gene Chizik's staff in 2009. After helping the Tigers win a national title in 2010, he left to coach the defensive line for the NFL Tennessee Titans. He joined the Georgia staff in 2014 and was retained by first-year head coach Kirby Smart. 

 

While all of this may not seem so significant to most readers, I personally find it mighty interesting that the Tigers will go up against so many coaches who once roamed the Auburn sidelines at some point.

 

 One final note: An announcement came out today that the football team will report on August 2nd, and begin preseason camp on the 3rd.

 

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

 

​Saturday, July 16th, 2016

 

The past three days have been pretty quiet as far as Auburn athletics, but I've come across a couple of bits of news to post.

 

First of all, four-star recruit Devan Barrett of Tampa Catholic (Fla.), potentially Auburn's top running back target, is visiting the Tigers this weekend. 

 

Barrett arrived at Auburn last night, and will stay through tomorrow. 

 

"My uncle wanted to come up, so I told him I would come," he stated. 

 

The 6-feet-1, 190-pound Barrett is the No. 17 running back in the 247Sports Composite. Auburn is in his current top 10. 

 

According to Barrett, he communicates often with the Tigers, who have clearly emphasized his vitality to them. 

 

"I talk to Coach (Tim) Horton (Auburn's running backs coach) every day," Barrett said. "He just tells me he wants me to be an Auburn Tiger. He's recruiting me very hard." 

 

When asked what his favorite thing about Auburn was, he responded, "Probably the coaches and the campus." 

 

But don't be misled. Barrett pointed out that he probably won't be on commit watch this weekend. In fact, he said a decision isn't likely to come until "mid-season" at the earliest. All we can do is be patient. 

 

Now, I'll talk about what could be considered the REALLY big news. 

 

Auburn will take over the SEC Network next Sunday on July 24. For the second straight year, each of the 14 SEC schools will get a one-day showcase.  

 

Auburn's list is as follows, with all listed times as Eastern (1 hour earlier in the Central/Mountain zones):

 

- Midnight: Football: 1989 Iron Bowl. For the first time ever, Alabama came to Auburn's Jordan-Hare Stadium. The Tigers made that historic day all the more special with a 30-20 upset of the second-ranked Tide. 

 

- 2 a.m.: Women's basketball: Kentucky vs. Auburn (Jan. 3, 2016)

 

- 4 a.m.: Women's soccer: South Carolina vs. Auburn (Nov. 4, 2015)

 

- 6 a.m.: Football: Auburn vs. Florida, 1994. Coming into this match, no SEC team had ever beaten Steve Spurrier's Gators in Gainesville. But the Tigers shocked the nation with a thrilling 36-33 upset of top-ranked Florida to extend their unbeaten streak to 18 games. 

 

- 8 a.m.: SEC Storied: Bo, Barkley and The Big Hurt

 

- 9 a.m.: Football: LSU vs. Auburn (Sept. 18, 2004). Auburn beat the Bayou Bengals 10-9 thanks to an incredible drive engineered by quarterback Jason Campbell to pave the way for a perfect season. 

 

- 11 a.m.: Gymnastics: Alabama vs. Auburn (Feb. 12, 2016) 

 

- 12:30 p.m.: Football: Auburn vs. Alabama (Nov. 26, 2010). In what stands as the greatest comeback in Auburn history (and Iron Bowl history), the Tigers, led by quarterback Cam Newton, stormed back from a 24-0 deficit to stun the Tide 28-27 in Tuscaloosa. 

 

- 2:30 p.m.: Men's basketball: Kentucky vs. Auburn (Jan. 16, 2016) 

 

- 4:30 p.m.: Football: Alabama vs. Auburn (Nov. 30, 2013). The "Kick Six." The Tigers upset the Tide, 34-28. Need I say more? 

 

- 7 p.m.: "This is Auburn"

 

- 8 p.m.: Softball: 2016 Women's College World Series Championship: Oklahoma vs. Auburn (June 7, 2016) 

 

- 10 p.m.: "This is Auburn" 

 

- 11 p.m.: Women's basketball: SEC Storied: "Mighty Ruthie." 

 

If you're especially crazy about trips down memory lane, I strongly encourage you to set your DVR. I sure as heck will! This makes waiting for football season a bit more bearable. 

 

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

 

​Tuesday, July 12th, 2016

 

Unsurprisingly, Gus Malzahn had a lot to say at SEC Media Days yesterday.

 

First off, he pointed out that fans should expect to see new wrinkles in Auburn's offense this season.  

 

Herb Hand, the Tigers' new offensive line coach, but perhaps more importantly Malzahn's old friend, will play a role in that, as he did when he and Malzahn coached together at Tulsa back in the day. 

 

"You'll see a little bit of tweaks here and there, and a lot of that will have his name on it," Malzahn stated. 

 

He also addressed the most frequently asked question: Who will be the Tigers' starting quarterback? The race is between John Franklin III, Jeremy Johnson and Sean White. 

 

While he still has no definitive decision, Malzahn did say he would like to name the starter "earlier better than later" once fall practice begins. 

 

"I do think all three guys can run our offense. We have to figure out who the main guy is," he said. "We have a good plan in fall camp to escalate that. I don't have preconceived notion who will be the starter. All three are capable of running the offense. That's the positive." 

 

He also made a point that he wants his offense to pick up the pace again. "We know what it looks like. We know the adjustments we need to make." 

 

Here are a few other key points that Malzahn touched on: 

 

- True freshman Woody Barrett is joining the quarterback race. "He's a guy we think is extremely talented. Starting out in fall camp, we'll be focusing on the older guys a little bit more than him. The three older guys will be ahead. We'll bring Woody along." 

 

- Prince Tega Wanogho has moved from the defensive line to the offensive line. "We'll try to develop him in being an offensive tackle. He'll continue to grow. He's got a good attitude. He's a talented young man." 

 

- At receiver: "Stanton Truitt is a guy who can help us if he stays healthy. Marcus Davis is a leader who has taken the bull by the horns working with those young guys." 

 

- The defense has adapted well in the transition from Will Muschamp to Kevin Steele. "I think our defense has a chance to be one of the better defenses since I've been here, maybe the best defense." 

 

- On opening the season against Clemson: "A huge challenge. I know our guys are looking forward to it." 

 

- Auburn looks to finish games better this year. "Last year, we lost close games...that's really a focus. It comes down to execution at the end of the game. If you execute and prepare, you do that. Last year, we didn't do that. It goes back to our execution. That's what I'm focused on."  

 

- On receiving a contract extension: "It shows the administration has confidence in you. This is the place I really love coaching at and expect to be here a long time." 

 

- Leading tackler Rudy Ford is back. "Rudy Ford is one of our leaders. He's playing his best ball right now. He's definitely one of our impact players." 

 

- Byron Cowart, Carlton Davis, Ryan Davis and Jeremiah Dinson will not miss any game time following their offseason arrests. "These four young players made a mistake, we punished them and they won't miss any time. That's behind us." 

 

The only aspect of that case remaining is on the legal end. Only time will tell. 

 

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

 

 

Sunday, July 10th, 2016

 

The Auburn football team has hoped to sign the No. 1 offensive line class in the nation, and the Tigers may be well on their way toward that goal. 

 

Four-star offensive guard Nick Brahms of Navarre, Fla. committed to the Tigers yesterday at The Opening in Beaverton, Ore., giving Auburn another elite recruit up front. 

 

He picked Auburn over Miami (FL), North Carolina and Tennessee. 

 

The Tigers now have verbals by 5-star tackle Calvin Ashley, 4-star tackle Austin Troxell, and Brahms, the No. 9 guard and the No. 153 overall recruit in the 247Sports Composite. 

 

Brahms is the 11th commitment for the Tigers, who have the No. 16 ranked class. 

 

A few factors were key in Brahm's selection. One is his bond with Auburn offensive line coach Herb Hand, who joined the staff earlier this year. 

 

"Me and him have been talking a lot lately," Brahms said. "We have a good relationship. He's intense and he's full of energy. He's the right guy." 

 

Another benefit, Brahms noted, was the vibe at Auburn. 

 

"Just the family - how close they are," he said. "The players, I've talked to them, too, and I like them." 

 

Brahms, an early enrollee, is following in the footsteps of his sister at Auburn. She is enrolling there this fall to study vet medicine. 

 

Auburn offered Brahms in mid-May during a visit and the Tigers instantly became a contender. He followed that up with two more visits, which helped tie the ribbon. 

 

One final reminder: Don't forget that Auburn will take part in SEC Media Days, which kicks off tomorrow morning at 11:30 a.m. CT on the SEC Network. Wide receiver Marcus Davis, a senior, and defensive linemen Montravius Adams and Carl Lawson, both juniors, will represent the Tigers. 

 

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

 

Thursday, July 7th, 2016

 

Like so many things and people do in life, recruitments come and go.  

 

Just five days after pledging to Auburn, 4-star receiver Brandon Martin has de-committed from the Tigers, he Tweeted yesterday evening. 

 

Martin confirmed his de-commitment to Kipp Adams of 247Sports, saying that he informed the coaching staff of his decision earlier Wednesday. 

 

Despite that, he said Auburn still plans to recruit him. Plus, he added, they are still under consideration. 

 

However, Martin declined to say what other schools he is considering - or who he might visit. He cited his desire to focus on academics and his current team as his main reason for backing out of his pledge. 

 

He is the No. 1 junior college receiver in the 247Sports Composite. 

 

Auburn has targeted Martin since he was in high school. He originally signed with LSU, but did not qualify and landed at MGCCC. He redshirted there last fall to focus on academics. 

 

Auburn visited Martin twice during the spring. He visited the Tigers for the first time in June. 

 

Now, Auburn fans everywhere can only hope that he will acquiesce his de-commitment from the orange and blue. 

 

In other news...

 

- News was confirmed yesterday that senior defensive lineman Montravius Adams, senior receiver Marcus Davis and junior defensive lineman Carl Lawson will make appearances for the Tigers at this year's SEC Media Days. The event will take place later this month. 

 

- An announcement leaked out today that Auburn will play home games against Southern Mississippi on Sept. 29, 2018 and Sept. 26, 2020 at Jordan-Hare Stadium. 

 

"I'm excited to announce the renewal of our long series with Southern Miss," athletics director Jay Jacobs said.  

 "I remember kicking off our 1983 SEC Championship season against the Golden Eagles. (Note: Auburn won that game 24-3.) It's fitting to announce these games one month before we each have a player enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame, Auburn's Kevin Greene, and USM's Brett Favre. I know Auburn people will enjoy welcoming the Golden Eagles back to Jordan-Hare in 2018 and 2020." 

 

Auburn and Southern Miss have faced each other 22 times before, with Auburn leading the series by a wide 17-5 margin. They last met in 2008 at Jordan-Hare Stadium, with the Tigers coming away as a 27-13 winner. Last week, Auburn announced an agreement to play Penn State in 2021 and 2022. 

 

- Carolina Panthers quarterback Cam Newton was named the NFL Network's #1 player of 2016 last night. 

 

Last season, the former Auburn star proved himself as a dual-threat quarterback, and also had the size and athleticism of an NFL tight end. He accounted for 45 total touchdowns (35 passing, 10 rushing) in 2015 and became the first player in NFL history to exceed 30. Voted MVP for the season, Newton earned a 15-1 regular-season mark, an NFC Championship and an appearance in Super Bowl 50. 

 

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

​Tuesday, July 5th, 2016

 

I hope you all had a fun-filled 4th of July weekend. I certainly did! The highlight was attending a cookout with some of my close friends. On top of that, there was a karaoke session at the event to boot!

 

Moving on from that, here's a particularly exciting bit of news in the football department: Whether or not John Franklin III wins the starting quarterback job, he's already been assured of some time in the spotlight. 

 

Franklin will be featured in an upcoming Netflix documentary called "Last Chance U." It is set to air on July 29.

The film centers on East Mississippi Community College, a JUCO powerhouse that has been host to many SEC transfers, such as Ole Miss' Chad Kelly, and former Alabama defensive lineman Jarran Reed. 

 

After one season at Florida State, Franklin III passed for 773 yards and seven touchdowns to complement 451 rushing yards and nine scores on the ground last season at East Mississippi. As Auburn fans should be well aware, he is vying for the starting quarterback job this coming season against Jeremy Johnson, Sean White and freshman Woody Barrett.

 

As a side note, SEC Media Days is not far away at this point. It will take place later this month, and I'll be sure to make note of it for all of you.

 

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

Saturday, July 2nd, 2016

 

Former Auburn kicker Cody Parkey's 4th of July weekend just became even more special than usual. He announced his engagement to his long-time girlfriend, Colleen Rick, yesterday evening. 

 

Parkey, who played for the Tigers from 2010-13, posted a picture on Instagram after his proposal. 

 

"She said YES!!! So happy to be doing life with my best friend and now fiancé @colleenrick !!!" Parkey wrote in the caption. 

 

Parkey and Rick began dating as sophomores in high school. They went their separate ways in college, as Parkey left Florida for Auburn and Rick stayed home to attend Florida State, but reunited after Parkey wrapped up his tenure on The Plains and began to pursue his NFL career.

 

In his four seasons with the Tigers, three as the starting kicker, Parkey was 39-of-53 on field goal attempts, placing him sixth in Auburn history in most field goals made and field goal percentage (73.6 percent). He also set an SEC record for consecutive extra points made (90) and led the country in touchbacks his senior season with 69. 

 

Parkey signed with the Indianapolis Colts as an undrafted free agent in 2014 and was traded to the Philadelphia Eagles during the preseason. He set the NFL rookie scoring record with 150 points, earning a Pro Bowl selection during his rookie campaign. 

 

He went 3-of-4 in field goal attempts in 2015 before a groin injury in Week 3 forced him to miss the rest of the season. 

 

I wish Cody and Colleen years of joy and happiness as they enter this new phase of their lives.

 

In other news...

 

Happy 35th birthday to former Auburn cornerback Carlos Rogers! He played under former head coach Tommy Tuberville from 2001-2004, and I can tell you that he was one of the best cornerbacks we've ever had. He recorded seven interceptions in his Auburn tenure, and there are three that I remember most fondly. One came in the closing minutes of the 2002 Iron Bowl (a 17-7 upset of the ninth-ranked Tide that started what would become a six-game winning streak over our arch rival). Another came in the 2004 game against Louisiana Tech, which he returned for a touchdown in our 52-7 whipping of the Bulldogs. That same season, he made another pick against Georgia, intercepting David Greene in the end zone. That was one of two key turnovers we forced in our 24-6 rout of UGA. 

 

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

 

Friday, July 1st, 2016

 

The Auburn football team gained its 11th commitment of 2017 today as Mississippi Gulf Coast's Brandon Martin, the nation's top junior college wide receiver, pledged to the Tigers on Twitter. 

 

"It felt like home," Martin told 247Sports' Keith Niebuhr via text message. "It felt like family. My parents felt the same way. They treat everyone like family." 

 

Although he originally pledged to LSU out of high school, the 6-foot-4, 205-pound Martin should bring an excellent combination of size and athleticism to Auburn's receiving corps. 

 

According to the 247Sports Composite, Martin is ranked as the No. 1 wide receiver and the No. 6 junior college player. 

 

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