​​Lyle's Corner

July 2020

Friday, July 31st, 2020

I'm going to keep my last post for this month fairly blunt. First and foremost, after months of mystery, uncertainty and debate, the SEC finally reached a definitive decision regarding the 2020 college football season yesterday. The league will play a 10-game, conference-only schedule this year. It's also been confirmed that the start of the season has been pushed back to September 26th, and the same holds true for the SEC Championship Game, which is now set for December 19th. 

Unfortunately, the decision scraps Auburn's originally-scheduled Week 2 marquee game with North Carolina at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta. But there's still a window of opportunity for that game to be played in the Tar Heel State down the road. Assuming it's played at all, it will obviously have a different location. Bottom line: Unlike most people feared, we WILL have a college football season after all. We'll just have to wait a bit longer for it to get underway. 

In other news......

- Alabama fan Harvey Updyke, who attracted national headlines by poisoning the original Toomer's Corner trees, died on Thursday afternoon in Louisiana of natural causes, according to his son, Bear Updyke. He was 71. The elder Updyke called The Paul Finebaum Show on January 27th, 2011 to admit to poisoning the trees with Spike 80DF after Auburn's historic come-from-behind 28-27 win over Alabama in the Iron Bowl three months prior. The call was traced, and Updyke was arrested. 

​In 2013, Updyke pleaded guilty to a felony charge of criminal damage of an agricultural facility. He spent more than 70 days in jail and was ordered to pay $800,000 in restitution. However, reports indicate that he had paid less than $7,000 total of it by last October. 

Despite valiant efforts to save the trees, they were unsuccessful and the trees had to be replaced. 

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

Monday, July 27th, 2020

​A former three-star linebacker from the Mountain Athletic Conference and Hoover (Ohio) High School graduate is headed to Gus Malzahn's program. 

Nick Curtis, who spent his freshman season at Kent State last year, announced his plans to transfer to Auburn yesterday evening, making his decision public via Twitter. "Thank you Kent State for the opportunity to play football at the next level, but I will be transferring to Auburn University. #WarEagle," Curtis posted on Twitter. 

​After graduating from Hoover in 2019, Curtis played in just one game for Kent State last season, seeing action during the team's match at Wisconsin. However, the 6-foot-5, 205-pounder did not record a stat. According to 247Sports, Curtis was rated as a three-star prospect out of high school. Although Auburn has one open scholarship spot available for the 2020 campaign, he is expected to join the team as a preferred walk-on. I'm obviously excited about this young man's arrival, but at this point in time, the obviously larger subject weighing on our minds is whether or not there will be a football season. Personally, I smell a decision about that coming on before the end of this month. The suspense continues. 

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

Friday, July 24th, 2020

I've decided to take another random trip down memory lane and talk about one of my favorite Auburn football games. Today, let's flash back to October 13th, 2007, when then-No. 22 Auburn traveled to Arkansas. 

This was Tommy Tuberville's ninth season in charge of the Tigers, while Houston Nutt was in his tenth season at the helm of the Razorbacks. Arkansas was 3-2 overall, 0-2 in SEC play entering this match. In Auburn's case, it appeared its season was on the edge of going up in smoke after early back-to-back losses to South Florida and Mississippi State. But then came signs that things were turning around considerably. Auburn blew out New Mexico State for a happy Homecoming, then notched a stunning 20-17 upset of then-4th-ranked Florida in Gainesville on a 43-yard Wes Byrum field goal at the buzzer. That was followed by a 35-7 shellacking of Vanderbilt at Jordan-Hare Stadium. Arkansas was next on the docket. 

To put it bluntly, this contest didn't produce many points, but it did produce excitement. The Tigers came out of the gate with an effective opening drive, going 67 yards in 14 plays and chewing 6:12 off the clock. Byrum came on to boot a 22-yard field goal to give the visitors an early 3-0 lead. From this point on, both teams' defenses stole the stage. 

The Razorbacks came into this one averaging 338 yards rushing. Darren McFadden and Peyton Hillis led the vaunted rushing attack. But on this night, McFadden, who had been the Heisman Trophy's runner-up the previous season, was held in check by a ferocious Tiger defense, amassing a paltry 43 yards. Hillis didn't fare much better, with just 59 yards to his credit. Meanwhile, on Auburn's side, Ben Tate rushed for just 91 yards, while Brad Lester mustered only 89. Quarterback Brandon Cox went 13-for-23 for 101 yards on the evening. 

​Not exactly explosive offensive numbers, right? Indeed. Less than five minutes into the fourth quarter, Byrum's toe delivered again for the Tigers, as he nailed a 38-yard field goal to conclude a 23-yard, eight-play march to double Auburn's advantage to 6-0 with 10:11 left to play. The way this game was going, it seemed as if that would be enough for the visitors to go home happy. However, the Tigers could have widened their lead quite a bit. Byrum missed two other tries. One came from 36 yards out on the final play of the third quarter. The second was a 46-yarder with 4:19 remaining in the game. 

After the second misfire, Arkansas' offense began to click. Starting on their own 29, the Razorbacks used quite a bit of trickery, with McFadden and wide receiver Robert Johnson each throwing passes on the drive. But QB Casey Dick finished the 6-play, 71-yard journey, hitting Lucas Miller on a fade pattern in the front corner of the end zone for a 13-yard TD pass. Alex Tejada's extra point put the home-standing Hogs in front by one, 7-6, with 1:36 to go. 

Things looked bleak for Auburn. But it didn't take long for the Tigers to get a boost. The ensuing kickoff went out of bounds. When Arkansas kicked again, Brad Lester returned it 22 yards to the Tiger 47. All Auburn needed was a field goal. A key pass play set them into perfect position for it. Cox hit Robert Dunn on a 30-yard catch-and-run. It was the longest offensive play by either team. Then, thanks to three carries by Tate, the Tigers were at the Arkansas 3-yard line with 25 seconds left. 

Now, Byrum, a freshman from Fort Lauderdale, Fla., was called upon to give Auburn a possible win. He had done so two weeks prior on the aforementioned game-winning 43-yard kick. This time around, he was trying from 20 yards away. Sure, it was less than an extra point, but the pressure was still on. Robert Shiver snapped it. It came to holder Matthew Motley. Byrum smacked it. It was good. The visiting crowd went nuts. The Tigers were ahead again, 9-7, with just 21 seconds to go. 

Byrum kicked off to Arkansas, which began a last-ditch drive at its 32. A long pass by Dick for Marques Wade went incomplete, and a Hail Mary as time expired was intercepted by Auburn's Jerraud Powers. The Tigers had won in thrilling fashion, with Byrum having kicked his second game-winner in three weeks. Sure, defense was the story in this one, but it's pretty safe to say that the fans got their money's worth on this night in Arkansas. 

Tuesday, July 21st, 2020

Auburn football has once again gone Down Under to land its new punter. Oscar Chapman of ProKick Australia announced via Twitter today that he has been offered and accepted a blue shirt offer to play for the Tigers. Auburn had clinched its previous punter - Arryn Siposs - from that exact same organization. It's anticipated that Chapman will join the program later this summer. 

When Siposs opted to leave early for the NFL after the 2019 season, the Tigers had a large void to fill at punter.​ ProKick Australia has developed a plethora of college and pro kickers in recent years. Siposs, a former Australian rules footballer, had to switch sports due to injuries. He was trained to kick the American football by ProKick Australia and was a crucial commodity in his two seasons on the Plains. He has since signed a free agent contract with the Detroit Lions of the NFL. 

In other news.....

- Now, I must change course and touch on some bad news. One piece of Auburn's football season has already been lost, as the SWAC announced yesterday that it has postponed all fall sports, thereby eliminating Auburn's scheduled 2020 season opener with Alcorn State on Sept. 5th. However, there's a bright side. Apparently, it's possible that the game could be rescheduled for a future date, with the earliest possible date of that happening being 2023. The Tigers' complete non-conference schedules are set through 2022. We can only hope that the Tigers and Braves can work something out. 

Elsewhere, Auburn's Week 2 matchup with North Carolina in Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta is still intact, but any necessary precautions will be taken to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Again, we can only hope that, Good Lord willing, SEC football will be played - even if it is quite different than we're used to. I can sense a definitive decision coming by the end of this month. 

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

Wednesday, July 15th, 2020

Yet another member of Gus Malzahn's squad has entered the transfer portal. This time, he's a wide receiver. Zach Farrar, a 6-feet-4, 210-pound graduate transfer from Texas, came to the Plains from Youngstown State last offseason. He caught three passes for 41 yards and two touchdowns in his debut campaign with the Tigers last season. He closed out his 2018 season in Ohio with 20 catches for 307 yards and a TD. 

Farrar originally signed with Oklahoma out of Southlake Carrol High School in Texas, where he ranked as the No. 540 overall player in the Class of 2016. The NCAA introduced the portal on Oct. 15th, 2018, giving players a way to explore other school options. Players do not need to ask permission from their coaching staff in order to transfer. They only need to request that compliance enter their name. Generally, it takes a player 24-48 hours to appear following their request. Schools are free to contact a player without restriction once their name appears in the portal. 

​While a player intends to explore his options once his name enters the portal, it does not necessarily mean they will leave. A player is allowed to withdraw his name at any time. However, schools are not required to keep a player on scholarship once they enter the portal. 

I hate to digress, but I want to wrap up this post with a comment about the now-departed Malik Miller, about whom I wrote yesterday. In truth, I meant to point this out, but forgot to do so. You may or may not remember this, but in my mind, the biggest play of his career came in 2017 at Texas A&M in College Station. With 29 seconds left in the first half of that game, Auburn was clinging to a 14-13 lead. The Aggies were set to punt from deep in their own territory. The Tigers' Nick Ruffin stormed through to block Shane Tripucka's kick, which bounded back to A&M's end zone. Miller fell on the ball amongst a host of Tigers for the touchdown, which gave Auburn a 21-13 advantage. They would go on to top A&M, 42-27. 

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

Tuesday, July 14th, 2020 

Auburn football now has one less running back, as word came out today that fifth-year senior Malik Miller has decided to leave the program. 

Miller saw action in 26 games over four seasons including last year in which he rushed for 42 yards on 12 carries and caught four passes for 49 yards as well. During his time at Madison Academy in Huntsville, Miller led his team to three consecutive state titles before enrolling with Auburn. With his departure from the Plains, the running back competition has dwindled down to D.J. Williams, incoming freshman Tank Bigsby, Shaun Shivers, Harold Joiner and Mark Anthony-Richards. 

Of course, the top question looming on all of our minds right now lies in whether or not we'll even have a football season at all. From the looks of things, that answer will come near the end of the month. The suspense and uncertainty continue to mount. 

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

Wednesday, July 8th, 2020

After an otherwise quiet and uneventful week, Auburn baseball landed an infielder for the Class of 2023 yesterday. Kevin McGonigle, 5-feet-10, 175, committed to Butch Thompson's Tigers Monday. He had received offers from Arkansas, Costal Carolina and Virginia Tech.

McGonigle visited the Plains with his father, and that tied the ribbon for the sophomore-to-be. However, his first sign that Auburn was unique came from assistant coach Karl Nonemaker. "That first phone call from Coach Nonemaker, he was the first college coach to ever want to talk to my mom," McGonigle explained. "I could just tell by the way he was talking to me and how interested he was in me and the way he was talking to my mom. They went right up to number one for me even without seeing the campus. 

"I did weekly calls with him and then I had a meeting with all of the coaches," he continued. "It was awesome. It was the best coaching staff I had talked to out of all the staffs I have been in contact with. It was over a phone call, but I was on the speaker so I could talk to all of them." That convinced McGonigle and his family to make the trip to Auburn. McGonigle, a native of Aldan, Pa. (located just outside Philadelphia), made the journey with his father, and was quickly endeared by the school. 

"Last week I was at the campus," he stated. "I couldn't talk to any of the coaches there, but it was awesome. Right when I stepped foot on campus I could tell it was home. I loved it there. Everything about it was awesome, even involving the food. We went to Mellow Mushroom, that was the best pizza I've ever had in my life. Then I also went to dinner at Hamilton's and that was awesome. I loved it." 

McGonigle bats from the left side and throws with his right hand. He said that although he feels that his defense comes naturally, his bat is his strong point at the moment. "My mentality for hitting is being focused before I get in the on-deck circle," he said. "I focus on the pitcher and try to get my timing. Also, I'm a good two-strike hitter. My mentality with two strikes is really to relax. It's just another pitch. Have a good eye and fight off anything close to the strike zone. That's my mentality." 

Even though he didn't get to play any of his freshman season at Monsignor Bonner and Archbishop Prendergast Catholic High, McGonigle turned in an auspicious showing at the 14U World Wood Bat tournament last summer. In seven games, he batted .421 with two doubles and six triples. 

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