​​Lyle's Corner

July 2019

Tuesday, July 30th, 2019

Auburn football got two commitments in the bag today. One is a quarterback, the other a defensive back. I'll start with the former. 

Four-star recruit Aaron McLaughlin of Alpharetta, Ga., pledged to the Tigers today, three days after attending the school's recruit picnic. It was then that the 6-feet-4, 225-pound McLaughlin, the No. 13 pro-style quarterback and the No. 268 overall recruit nationally in the 247Sports Composite, gave head coach Gus Malzahn and offensive coordinator Kenny Dillingham a silent pledge. 

"Coach Malzahn said I'm exactly what they want for that offense," McLaughlin told Auburn Undercover. "I can run it exactly how he wants it to be run." McLaughlin is Auburn's second pledge for 2021, joining four-star running back Armoni Goodwin from Hewitt-Trussville (Ala.). Arkansas, N.C. State, Ole Miss and Alabama were among the other schools involved. 

McLaughlin camped with the Tigers last Friday and worked closely with Malzahn and Dillingham. In addition to passing the ball, the coaches had him do read option drills so as to evaluate his mobility. "I think it went really well," McLaughlin said. "They said I did great, moved well, threw well. So everything went great. (Malzahn) thought it went well. We do a lot of read option stuff at my school so it's nothing new to me." 

According to McLaughlin, the Tigers began hotly pursuing him in the spring. "They really started to communicate more, they came to my school also," he said. "I went to  a camp there in June. I actually threw it pretty bad, but I tested really well. And they were kind of just like, 'You're our top (2021) guy.' But I wanted to go back and throw for them. I needed to go back and throw for myself. That's basically why I came to camp." 

Reportedly, McLaughlin ran the 40-yard dash in under 4.7 seconds in June and produced a 37-inch vertical. Plus, he can already bench press a maximum of more than 300 pounds. "I can dunk, I'm an athlete...People don't give me enough credit for being athletic," McLaughlin said. 

His high school teammate, 2020 Auburn receiver commit Ze'Vian Capers, gave McLaughlin even more praise. "He's a great leader, a guy that can make plays using his arm and his legs," Capers said. "He's a born natural leader, has a strong arm and I can't wait to see what we do this season." 

Furthermore, McLaughlin commended Dillingham, who spearheaded his recruitment. "I think he's awesome. He's just a great person to be around." While McLaughlin still has two years of high school remaining, he said he plans to enroll early. Also, he said he will attend multiple Auburn games this season. "Auburn," he said, "is home." 

- Auburn's second pledge of the day is a defensive back for the Class of 2022. His name is Andre Stewart. The 5-feet-11, 160-pound sophomore hails from Marietta, Ga., and visited the Tigers last weekend. "I like the daily aspects they bring to the table," Stewart said. "I like the atmosphere. I like how the coaches are really in-depth with their players. I like the scheme and how I can be a big factor there. And I like how I'm a top dog for them in 2022." 

When asked what prompted him to commit so early, Stewart replied, "Why wait, really? They've got everything I like. I love the feel for it. Me and my family were like, why wait? They really have everything I need. My parents think that as well." Stewart, who said he enjoyed Auburn's recruiting picnic, is thought to be one of the top young prospects in Georgia. 

As of today, Stewart also clinched offers from programs such as Florida and LSU, which are known for their superb evaluations of defensive backs.Unsurprisingly, Auburn cornerbacks coach Marcus Woodson played a major role in this recruitment. Other defensive coaches, including coordinator Kevin Steele and safeties coach Wesley McGriff were also actively involved.

"Every time we speak with them, every time we see them, they know my name, they know Andre's name," Stewart's father, Maolo Stewart, said. "When I talked to Coach Steele, they really diagnosed his film. He said he was ready to play now, judging by his skill set. Some coaches said they like you and want you but are kind of just on the bandwagon. These guys did their homework in great detail." 

According to Maxpreps, Stewart made 24 solo tackles for the Marietta varsity team as a freshman in 2018. He also had five pass break-ups. 

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

 

Sunday, July 28th, 2019

After a few uneventful days, Auburn football got a new commitment for the Class of 2020 - and it's yet another offensive lineman. Jeremiah Wright, a 6-foot-4, 320-pound lineman from Selma High, pledged to Gus Malzahn's Tigers yesterday. Wright had said for weeks that he wouldn't announce a decision until signing period in December or February. As it turned out, he had a change of plans. 

For Auburn, Wright is the Tigers' 15th commit for the Class of '20 and ninth this summer. The Tigers have moved up to No. 13 in the class rankings. With Auburn set to lose every projected starter on the offensive line after this upcoming season, the need is clearly tremendous at that spot. Auburn - and offensive line coach J.B. Grimes - have responded with six pledges in that area, including two this week. Kilian Zierer, the No. 1 junior-college tackle in the nation, committed to Auburn last Monday. 

Wright is rated as the No. 50 offensive tackle nationally in the 247Sports Composite. However, he is not locked in at tackle. Sources say that he could line up at tackle or guard. Wright picked the Tigers over programs such as Tennessee and Georgia Tech. Auburn offered him May 22nd and they quickly shot to the top of his list. Reportedly, Wright has been a top priority recruit for several weeks now and been treated as such. He has visited the Plains several times in recent months, often with several family members accompanying him. 

Wright named the Tigers his leader in June and they've remained there ever since. "Because it's close to home, my family will be able to make it to all my games, all the home games, and see me," he stated. "They've got a good engineering program, which is what I want to major in. And their players have a great bond. Everything is great there." 

According to Wright, he often speaks to offensive line coach J.B. Grimes and several other Tiger assistants. However, he also communicates with head coach Gus Malzahn. "I sent him a text (in June) wishing him a happy Father's Day," Wright noted. "He wrote me back. We text every now and then. He's a great coach. He's cool to hang around. He really likes me and wants me to be a part of the program." 

Wright is not an early enrollee. 

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

Monday, July 22nd, 2019

​Auburn football will have a void to fill at offensive tackle after the 2019 season - and they may have found one solution today. Kilian Zierer, a 6-foot-7, 290-pound lineman from College of the Canyons in California, committed to the Tigers today. With TCU, UCLA and others on the cards, Auburn was able to land one of the top players on its board for the Class of 2020. 

Zierer, who originally hailed from Germany before moving to California to play junior college football, developed a strong bond with the Auburn coaching staff, and it made a big difference in his verbal pledge. Zierer was particularly sought by offensive coordinator Kenny Dillingham and offensive line coach J.B. Grimes, and that also played a major role. 

"Auburn is also a great fit," he told 247Sports. "Coach (Kenny) Dillingham and Coach (J.B.) Grimes have been recruiting me. I took my official visit down there in June, too." As Zierer toured the campus, facilities and surroundings in Auburn last month, he felt increasingly confident about his future on the Plains. Also, the opportunity to play early for the Tigers was crucial to him. 

"At Auburn, when I was there almost everything felt good," he told 247Sports' Keith Niebuhr. "What stood out the most probably was that their tackle system fits me very well. They have athletic tackles. Huge, athletic guys. There's not a lot of body fat on them and they still get them to the next level."

Zierer is Auburn's fifth offensive line pledge for the Class of '20, joining fellow junior college offensive tackle Jonathan Buskey, high school offensive tackle Javion Cohen and interior linemen Avery Jernigan and Tate Johnson. 

In other news...

- Bad news came for a former Auburn running back today. Roc Thomas, who had recently been suspended three games by the NFL, was waived by the Minnesota Vikings. Thomas appeared in five games for the team last year. His suspension stemmed from an incident dating back to January, when police found 143 grams of marijuana in his apartment. 

Last season, Thomas recorded eight carries for 30 yards. He also made two catches for 21 yards. He played for Auburn in 2014 and 2015 before closing out his college career at Jacksonville State. The best of luck to him as he tries to find a new NFL home. 

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



Thursday, July 18th, 2019

Auburn men's basketball got a new commitment last night. Devan Cambridge, a 6-foot-6 forward originally from Georgia, verbally pledged to Bruce Pearl's Tigers. He plans to enroll in school this upcoming semester, his high school coach, Hillcrest's Nick Weaver, told 247Sports. 

"He is a great fit for Auburn because he is ultra-athletic and can score from all three levels," Weaver stated. Cambridge picked Auburn over Oregon and West Virginia. He has previously visited the Plains unofficially and plans to take an official visit to campus at the end of July or in early August. 

In 15 games on the Nike EYBL circuit, Cambridge averaged 14.9 points and 5.3 rebounds. He was particularly outstanding during the Nike Peach Jam this past week, going 36-of-62 from the field, including seven-of-18 from three-point range. "Devan is a 6-7 super athletic wing that can shoot the three," Weaver noted. 

With Cambridge on board, the Tigers now have seven newcomers headed their way this season. Cambridge joins a class that consists of Isaac Okoro, Tyrell Jones, Jaylin Williams, Babatunde Akingbola, Allen Flanigan and Javon Franklin.

In other news...

- Gus Malzahn will be speaking at SEC Media Days today from 11:45 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. CT today, the last coach to speak this year. Seniors Derrick Brown, Marlon Davidson and Prince Tega Wanogho Jr. will represent the Tigers. 

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



Wednesday, July 17th, 2019

Former Auburn point guard Jared Harper has agreed to a two-way deal with the Phoenix Suns that would place him in the NBA's G League next season. A two-way deal secures a spot on the Suns' G League roster, and provides a chance to play as many as 45 days on the Suns' active NBA roster. 

During the 2017-18 season, salary figures for two-way players stood at $75,000 for the season in the G League, and about $204,000 if they were to stay on the active roster for 45 days. The contract is not guaranteed, but earnings could reach more than $500,000 if certain benchmarks are met. 

Harper was a standout in the NBA's Summer League earlier this month. He averaged 10.5 points, 2.5 assists and 2.5 rebounds in 21.8 minutes per game in four Summer League contests for the Suns. Harper led Auburn to the Final Four in his junior campaign and opted to leave school early for the NBA Draft in May. He was the NCAA Tournament Midwest Regional's Most Outstanding Player, averaged 15.3 points, 4.8 assists and 2.5 rebounds as a junior. He scored 12 points in overtime of the Tigers' win over Kentucky in the Elite Eight. 

Harper and current Auburn assistant coach Wes Flanigan, along with Doc Robinson, are the only three players in Auburn basketball history to tally 1,000 points while also dishing out 500 assists. He set the school single-season record for assists with 231 while garnering second-team All-SEC honors. 

The four-star guard was routinely criticized for his lack of size at 5-foot-9 and whether he would be a productive player in college or a serious prospect later in the NBA, but he utilized his speed and slashing to the basket, along with his knack for hitting treys, taking over games with the aforementioned drives to the bucket and his stellar passes running the offense to become one of the most prolific point guards in Auburn history. 



In other news....

- Former Auburn assistant coach Chuck Person has avoided time behind bars. He asked for leniency in federal court and received it today. Person pleaded guilty to six bribery and fraud charges after admitting he participated in a basketball bribery scheme. He will serve 200 hours of community service and two years of supervision by the probation department. 

Judge Loretta A. Preska said in court she disagreed "vehemently" with the prosecutor's claim that Person was motivated by "insatiable greed." According to the Associated Press, Preska stated that "He is charitable literally to a fault." Person is alleged to have received $91,500 in bribes to steer two Auburn basketball players to a financial adviser, with hopes of the adviser representing them when they joined the professional basketball ranks. 

Person, a former Auburn and NBA star, faced up to 30 months in prison, though no other coach involved in similar bribery schemes uncovered in a nationwide FBI investigation in 2017 received such a harsh sentence. "I love Auburn, hope they let me come back," Person said in court today, according to New York reporter Matthew Russell Lee. Person was arrested in the fall of 2017 when he was an assistant on Bruce Pearl's staff. His No. 45 jersey was never removed from the rafters inside Auburn Arena.  

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



Friday, July 12th, 2019

​Auburn basketball's game with New Mexico now has a tip time set in stone. The game will be played on Nov. 25th in Brooklyn, N.Y. at 8:30 p.m. CT at Barclay's Center and will be televised by ESPNEWS as the second half of a doubleheader in the Legends Classic. Richmond will face Wisconsin in the first game at 6 p.m. CT. 

The winners will play in the championship match on Nov. 26th at 6 or 6:30 p.m. CT on ESPN2. The third place game is slated for 4 p.m. CT on ESPN2 or ESPNU. Auburn's contest with New Mexico will be only the second time the Tigers and Lobos have competed in basketball. The first time came in the 2015 Diamond Head Classic in Honolulu, HI. The Tigers won 83-78. New Mexico, a traditional hoops juggernaut in the West, is looking to bounce back from a subpar 14-18 season last year. Auburn, the 2019 SEC Tournament champions, advanced to the Final Four for the first time in program history. 

"Growing up in Boston, New York City was always a hub for college and professional basketball," Auburn head coach Bruce Pearl said. "From a standpoint of our student-athletes, getting the chance to visit one of the greatest cities in the world, especially before Thanksgiving and the holiday season, was something I didn't want to pass up. You've got all corners of the country covered in this year's Legends Classic. You've got Wisconsin in the north, New Mexico in the west, Richmond in the east and Auburn in the south. We're looking forward to the competition." 

As part of the Legends Classic, the Tigers will play two games in Auburn Arena as Cal State-Northridge on Nov. 15th and Colgate on Nov. 18th.

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



Thursday, July 11th, 2019

A former Auburn fullback will now be roaming the sideline as a coach. Brandon Johnson, who was a part of the Tigers' "Four Horsemen" backfield for the first four years of the new millennium, has been named the head coach of Alba Middle School, located in Bayou La Batre, Alabama, in Mobile County. 

The school announced the news with the following statement:

"We are pleased to announce that Brandon Johnson will be our new football coach. Brandon will be a great addition to the Alba Middle School football program, and he will be working with Coach (Joseph) Giles and Coach (Michael) Stafford. We are very excited for what the future holds for our student-athletes and this community." 

Johnson played for Auburn from 2000-2003, and largely served as a blocker for Carnell Williams, Ronnie Brown, Brandon Jacobs and Tre Smith. In his playing career, he rushed for 116 yards and added 114 receiving yards with a combined three touchdowns. (Personally, the only TD of his that I vividly remember was in the 2002 game against Georgia, when he caught a 2-yard scoring toss from Jason Campbell. That gave us a 14-3 lead at the time. Sadly, we ended up losing that one to the Dogs 24-21, as they won on a 19-yard TD pass from David Greene to Michael Johnson on 4th-and-15 with 1:25 left to play.) 

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



Tuesday, July 9th, 2019

​A former SEC head coach and a former Auburn quarterback have joined forces. Not too long ago during this offseason, it appeared that Hugh Freeze was about to join Gus Malzahn's staff as the new offensive coordinator and Malik Willis was destined to take over for Jarrett Stidham as the Tigers' starting QB entering the 2019 season. While neither of those things transpired, Willis and Freeze are officially together. 

Reports have confirmed that Willis has decided to transfer to Liberty, where Freeze took over as head coach this offseason. Benjamin Wolk, who formerly covered Auburn for Rivals, first reported the news. Wolk has also reported that Willis is applying for a waiver that will make him eligible to play immediately for Liberty this season. 

Entering this offseason, Willis, a junior, had the most experience of any quarterback on Auburn's roster. But after spring practice wrapped, Malzahn announced that either redshirt freshman Joey Gatewood or true freshman Bo Nix would start in the Tigers' season opener against Oregon. That prompted Willis to explore other options via the NCAA transfer portal. 

In two seasons on the Plains, Willis passed for 69 yards and one touchdown while rushing for 309 yards and two more scores. He appeared in seven games as a freshman and five as a sophomore. Willis signed with Auburn out of Atlanta and was rated as a three-star prospect in the 2017 recruiting cycle. 

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



Monday, July 8th, 2019

​Auburn softball has gained a transfer. Samantha Yarbrough, a two-time All-State selection and the state 7A Player of the Year as a senior at Fairhope High School, has transferred to Auburn from South Alabama and will be eligible to play as a sophomore for the upcoming season. 

​Auburn coaches regard Yarbrough as a two-way player who can contribute as a pitcher and a position player. She was 6-9 with a 4.71 ERA and 103 strikeouts and 92 2/3 innings as a freshman at South Alabama last year. She had just three at-bats on offense. 

In two seasons at Fairhope, Yarbrough combined to smack 25 home runs and drive in 99 runs, while winning 41 games in the circle. She led Fairhope to the 7A state championship as a senior and to the state tournament as a junior. She hit .431 as a senior with 10 home runs and 43 RBIs. She went a perfect 14-for-14 on stolen bases. Although hindered by an injury, she was 13-2 in the circle with a 1.12 ERA. 

As a junior, Yarbrough batted .411 with 14 doubles, 14 home runs, 57 runs scored and 56 RBI. She was 28-6 in the circle with four saves. In 188 innings, she racked up 294 strikeouts, a 1.72 ERA and pitched four no-hitters. Aside from Yarbrough, East Carolina outfielder Tyler King posted on her Instagram account that she plans to transfer to Auburn, but an official announcement has yet to be made. 

Yarbrough will join a Tiger pitching staff that will include senior Ashlee Swindle, junior Lexie Handley and incoming freshman Kaylyn "KK" Dismukes. 

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



Tuesday, July 2nd, 2019

Auburn football has clinched two commitments in as many days - and I'm going to tackle both of them now. 

​- Yesterday afternoon, Ze'Vian Capers, a wide receiver from Alpharetta, Ga., pledged to the Tigers over offers from South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia and Virginia Tech, among others. He was Auburn's 12th commitment for the Class of 2020. According to the 247Sports Composite Rankings, Capers ranks as the country's No. 25 overall WR and the state of Georgia's No. 12 overall prospect for the Class of '20. 

​Capers actually committed to Arkansas early on in the recruiting process, but things turned around when other schools started offering him a scholarship. The 6-feet-4, 195-pound pass catcher shared his decision on video via Twitter. 

​- The Tigers got their 13th pledge for the same class today when four-star athlete Wesley Steiner announced that he would also play for Gus Malzahn's squad. Steiner, from Warner Robins, Ga., ranks as America's No. 6 overall athlete and the state of Georgia's No. 8 overall prospect for the Class of 2020, according to the 247Sports Composite Rankings. He will play linebacker for the Tigers. 

​Steiner pledged to Auburn over offers from Stanford, Alabama, LSU and Georgia Tech, among others. His decision moves Auburn's 2020 recruiting class to No. 12 in the nation. Like Capers, he announced his commitment on video via Twitter. 

I'm confident that both of these athletes will be valuable assets to our program. Hopefully, they'll get their chances, and if so, I hope they both stay healthy and out of trouble. 

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



Monday, July 1st, 2019

​A 16-year-old boy has been arrested and charged as an adult in the two-vehicle crash that killed Rod Bramblett, the voice of the Auburn Tigers, and his wife, Paula. 

​Johnston Edward Taylor was arrested and taken into custody today on two counts of manslaughter, Auburn police announced. A toxicology report revealed that marijuana was in the system of the teenager when he struck the Brambletts' vehicle in the early evening hours of May 25th. The toxicology analysts' report was provided to Auburn investigators today by the Alabama Department of Forensic Sciences, and an arrest was made soon after the findings were acquired. It was additionally determined that the teen was traveling "well over" the posted speed limit of 55 MPH at the intersection of the crash, according to Auburn police. 

Taylor is being held in the Lee County Jail​ on a $50,000 bond. Each count of manslaughter is a Class B felony punishable from two to 20 years in prison. He was arrested at his home. Taylor was traveling southbound in a Jeep Laredo in the outside lane on Shug Jordan Parkway as he approached West Samford Avenue, where the crash took place. The Brambletts were stopped at a stoplight at the busy intersection near the campus of Auburn University in their 2017 Toyota Highlander and were struck in the right of center of their vehicle. The force of the impact caused their Highlander to hit a pedestrian crossing signal and a traffic signal before coming to rest. The teenager was treated for non-life-threatening injuries after the crash. He told police at the time he did not remember what happened. Police ruled out cell phone usage at the time. 

​Rod Bramblett, 53, died late that night from his injuries after being air-lifted to UAB Hospital in Birmingham, according to the Opelika-Auburn News. ​His wife, Paula, 52, died from her injuries shortly after arriving at the East Alabama Medical Center earlier that evening. The accident occurred shortly after 6 p.m. CT. 

In other news....

​- Auburn football scheduled its 2020 season opener today. Per a report by FBSchedules.com, the Tigers will play Alcorn State to open that campaign. The game is slated for Sept. 5th of that year, and Auburn will pay Alcorn State $475,000 for the game, according to the game contract that was obtained. 

​This will mark the first time the two schools have played one another. The Braves play in the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) and the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC). Auburn added Alcorn State following Alabama A&M's cancellation. The Bulldogs opted to play at Mississippi State instead of at Auburn in 2020, and that left the Tigers with a vacancy to fill. 

The Tigers will kick off the 2019 campaign against Oregon on Aug. 31st in the AdvoCare Classic at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. Common sense would tell you that this year's opener will be much more challenging than the ones described in the above paragraphs. 

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