June 2017

Lyle's Corner

Friday, June 30th, 2017

Those who intend to catch a first glimpse of the 2018 Auburn football team can now start making plans. This afternoon, the university announced via Twitter that the Tigers will conduct their 2018 A-Day scrimmage on April 7th of that year. The date marks the earliest yet in the Gus Malzahn era.

Next year's spring scrimmage will mark the third straight year that the program wraps up spring drills in early April. This year's game was played on April 8th. From 2013 to 2015 - the beginning of the Malzahn era - the games were played on April 18th, 19th and 20th. From my point of view, it's nice to know that next year's spring scrimmage date has been penciled in. However, the team should naturally only be concerned about this coming fall for now. We Auburn fans can only hope that they aren't buying into all of the preseason hype that they're getting. And here's an even bigger question: Will Gus even still be around come next spring? That will obviously hinge on how this season plays out.

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

Wednesday, June 28th, 2017

Auburn basketball gained its fourth commitment for the 2017 recruiting class yesterday: Virginia Commonwealth transfer Samir Doughty. According to a statement put out by the university, Doughty signed his financial aid agreement this week. The 6-foot-4 guard will have two years of eligibility remaining after sitting out as a transfer this season.

"Samir brings experience, versatility and the ability to make his teammates better as a play maker and slasher," Auburn head coach Bruce Pearl said in the release. "Samir can play several positions on the floor. Like a lot of Philly guards, he's got swag to his game and will enjoy the fast tempo of Auburn basketball."

Doughty averaged 9.0 points, 3.6 rebounds and 2.1 assists as a redshirt freshman for VCU. A native of Philadelphia, Pa., he attended Mathematics, Civics and Sciences Charter School. "I am just happy to be a part of the Auburn family," Doughty stated. "It is very friendly-oriented. I am able to play for Coach Pearl. He is one of the best coaches in college basketball right now. He has some very good assistants who can help me get through this process. I am just ready to enjoy the process."

Doughty joins freshman signees Davion Mitchell and Chuma Okeke and junior college transfer Malik Dunbar in this year's recruiting class. Mitchell and Okeke are already on campus, while Dunbar is expected to report later this summer.

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

Tuesday, June 27th, 2017

Auburn football's seventh commitment of 2018 is kin to a legendary former Tiger. Shedrick Jackson, the nephew of Bo Jackson and a talented receiver from Hoover (Ala.), pledged to the Tigers yesterday morning. He picked Auburn over schools such as Georgia Tech, Mississippi State and Missouri. After a recent visit to The Plains, Jackson called it a "special place."

The 6-feet-1, 195-pound Jackson is ranked as the No. 89 receiver in the 247Sports Composite rankings and holds a three-star rating. While guiding Hoover to a state championship in 2016, he caught more than 40 passes for 600-plus yards. Soon after that, Jackson had a strong showing on the camp circuit. First in January and then in March, he performed - and tested - well during trips to San Antonio, Texas, and Atlanta Ga. Shortly after the latter event, Auburn offered Jackson a scholarship, and he quickly became a major Tiger target and a crucial recruit option.

While camping at Auburn on June 17, he recorded a time of 4.34 seconds (hand-time) in the 40-yard dash, a broad jump of 10 feet, 11 inches and a 40-inch vertical jump. Obviously, that athleticism has paid huge dividends for him. Jackson has made at least four trips to Auburn this year. Now, he's officially ready to don the orange and blue.

In other news....

- Word came out yesterday that Nova, also known as War Eagle VII, will not take part in the pre-game activities for the 2017 football season. Faculty at the Auburn University College of Veterinary Medicine diagnosed the 18-year-old eagle with cardiomyopathy, a chronic heart disease. Nova is currently on a variety of medications to prevent the condition from worsening.

"Vessels that are constricted, like those that are seen in Nova's scan, can have dangerous complications when put under increased stress from exercise," assistant professor of cardiology at the Department of Clinical Sciences at the College of Veterinary Medicine Dr. Seung-Woo Jung said in a statement. "This includes aneurysm or clot formation that could lead to vascular rupture, stroke, aortic thromboembolism or heart attack."

In the meantime, Spirit, a bald eagle, will take over all the pre-flight duties.

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

Sunday, June 25th, 2017

Here's a bit of encouraging news on freshman basketball player Chuma Okeke. According to a source, Okeke has a bone bruise that will only keep him out for one to two weeks. The forward returned home from the USA Basketball tryouts last Thursday for further evaluation of a left knee injury that he suffered earlier in the week.

That time frame means that Okeke should be back on the court for most of Auburn's grueling practices as it prepares for its overseas trip to Italy at the beginning of August. Personally, I believe that Chuma will be a valuable asset to our team down the road, and will certainly be capable of making big plays. As long as Bruce Pearl is in charge of the program, we truly do have a monster growing.

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

Saturday, June 24th, 2017

Auburn and UAB don't exactly have a storied rivalry on the football field. Far from it. But with the Blazers' program set to return this season after being defunct in 2015 and 2016, Auburn athletic director Jay Jacobs told AL.com this week that the two in-state schools have kicked off the process of facing each other again.

"We've had conversations with them," Jacobs said. "We'd love to play them again if we can work it out on the schedule, but finding a common date is often difficult to do sometimes." Auburn and Alabama-Birmingham, a member of Conference USA, have only squared off on the gridiron once. That came in 1996, when the Tigers kicked off that season with a 29-0 victory at Jordan-Hare Stadium.

UAB athletic director Mark Ingram is very confident that a game will happen. The only uncertainty lies in exactly when, as Auburn has filled most of its non-conference schedule through 2020. "It's really just a matter of both of us having a year where they are looking for a guarantee game and us also needing a game in that year," Ingram stated. "I don't like to go too far out because I feel like philosophically, we are better off waiting."

Despite not playing Alabama or Auburn, UAB has played nine other SEC teams since the 21st century commenced. The only exceptions are Missouri and Texas A&M - who joined the conference in 2012 - and Kentucky. From my point of view, it would be very interesting to see how this plays out. One thing's for sure: We can't take this team lightly. A few years back, UAB played Georgia, and almost overtook the Dawgs by a 16-13 count. Almost. Oh, the pain of that word.

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

Friday, June 23rd, 2017

Auburn pitcher Keegan Thompson's time on The Plains is in the books. According to Jim Callis of MLB.com, Thompson signed a $511,900 deal with the Chicago Cubs after he was chosen in the third round by the defending World Series champions.

This past season, Thompson was a fourth-year junior for the Tigers. He earned All-American honors in 2014 and missed the entire 2016 campaign after undergoing Tommy John surgery. He was 7-4 this spring with an ERA of 2.41. Personally, I was rather surprised by Thompson's early exit. Then again, perhaps I shouldn't be. In any case, I can only wish him the best of luck with the Cubs. I'm confident that his presence will be welcome in the Windy City.

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

Thursday, June 22nd, 2017

Mark your calendars, Auburn fans. Coach Gus Malzahn tweeted a countdown clock yesterday afternoon that indicated the remaining days until Auburn's fall camp begins. At the time of that post, it read, "38 days, 10 hours, 36 minutes, 27 seconds."

The team will report for fall camp on Saturday, July 29th, and will have meetings that day before taking the practice field in the days following. Given the hype surrounding the program (not to mention the mounting pressure on Malzahn to get the program back into shape), the early days of fall camp are sure to be exciting as the Tigers get to work for the 2017 season. (Let's all hope that they aren't paying any attention to all of these giddy predictions. Predictions mean nothing.)

In other news....

- On the basketball front, head coach Bruce Pearl will be part of NBA TV's draft preview show tonight from 4 to 6 p.m. CT. He shared his thoughts on the assignment with the school's official website. "The fact that ESPN, or in this case, Turner Sports, values my opinion and my ability to deliver that opinion, it adds credibility to our men's basketball program," Pearl stated. "And it gives our fans an opportunity to put their chest out. Their basketball coach is on TV talking about the NBA draft."

Pearl will head to Turner's studio in Atlanta for the telecast. "I think it's important for our Auburn fans to see their men's basketball coach being looked at as an analyst or a quasi-expert as it relates to player personnel, and offering opinions of guys, who can and can't play, what kind of college players they were, what kind of pros I think they're going to be," he said.

In recent weeks, Pearl devoted time to reaching out to NBA general managers, which he is confident will benefit his own players down the road. "For our current players who have goals, dreams and aspirations of getting there, my being in that setting can only help," Pearl noted. "It's given me an opportunity to connect with them, so that when the time comes for me to connect with them for Austin Wiley, Mustapha Heron or Danjel Purifoy, I've built that relationship with them."

I'm confident that he will accomplish that task. As long as he's on The Plains, our men's basketball program is in good hands.

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

Wednesday, June 21st, 2017

I'm still alive, but computer trouble has kept me away for a few days. Fortunately, all of that is behind me now, and I'm ready to write about a couple of bits of news: One regards baseball, while the other concerns basketball.

- Auburn baseball signee Tanner Burns has been named the national high school player of the year by Collegiate Baseball. Burns, from Decatur High School, was previously named Alabama's Mr. Baseball, the Alabama Gatorade Player of the Year and the 6A Player of the Year.

Burns was 10-1 as a pitcher with an 0.88 ERA, eight complete games, 116 strikeouts and 22 walks in 64 innings. He hit .467 with 10 doubles, four triples, 16 home runs and 46 RBI. He expects to be a two-way player at Auburn. Burns was projected to be a high-round draft pick last week, but made his plans to come to The Plains clear. He was picked by the New York Yankees in the 37th round, but quickly tweeted that he was not interested and would play for Auburn for the next three seasons.

- Auburn basketball has added George Mason to its 2017-18 non-conference slate, as confirmed Auburn Undercover last week. The exact date for the game at Auburn Arena has yet to be determined in what will be the first meeting between the two teams. The Patriots went 20-14 (9-9 in the Atlantic 10) and lost in the first round of the College Basketball International last season.

George Mason joins UAB, Middle Tennessee State, UConn and Dayton on the Tigers' non-conference schedule. Auburn will also take part in the Charleston Challenge this year. Head coach Bruce Pearl is still looking for a high major game to add to his team's schedule to replace the Big 12 opponent it would have played in the Big 12/SEC Challenge. "We're trying to find another high major game," Pearl said at an alumni club event in Huntsville. "I don't know whether or not we'll be able to get that done."

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

Thursday, June 15th, 2017

The Auburn softball program has endured a very significant loss.

Catcher Carlee Wallace is planning to transfer for her senior season, head coach Clint Myers confirmed last night. "She had a great three years here at Auburn," he said in a statement. "We hate to see her go, but wish her well. She will always be a Tiger."

Apparently, Wallace made her decision on Tuesday. "She was just not happy," one source told AuburnUndercover. "She felt like it was time to move on." As of this post, Wallace has made no announcement and also has yet to reveal her future plans. Wallace, who hit .833 with seven home runs and drove in 52 runs last season, requested a release and it was granted. She will be able to play next season at the school of her choice, likely to be closer to her California home.

Wallace was a first-team All-SEC performer and a three-year starter. She was a standout in the 2015 and 2016 Women's College World Series. A popular teammate and vocal leader, Wallace was very disappointed after the Tigers fell to Oklahoma in the super regional. Soon after, she began to talk to people close to her about the possibility of transferring. Sources said no other defections are expected.

Even if she's been strongly considering this for a while now, I personally can't help but be a bit taken aback. However, the program will move forward and get stronger. I wish Carlee the best in the future, and am confident that she will flourish wherever she goes next.

In other news....

- Former Auburn offensive tackle Greg Robinson has been traded by the Los Angeles Rams, and is headed to the Detroit Lions. The Rams made Robinson the No. 2 overall selection in the 2014 NFL Draft. During his three-year stint with the Rams, he played in 44 games, starting 40 of them. However, he never quite lived up to his high draft position with that squad, and starting from scratch with a new offense may be just what the doctor ordered to revamp his career heading into his fourth year in the pros. Let's hope so.

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

Tuesday, June 13th, 2017

Today, I have a small bit of basketball-related news to share.

There's a good reason why Bruce Pearl is not ready to announce his team's 2017-18 schedule. "We are trying to find another high, major game," he recently stated at an alumni club event in Huntsville, Ala. "I don't know whether or not we'll be able to get that done. That's why we're one or two away."

At this point, Auburn has already announced non-conference games scheduled against Dayton, Middle Tennessee State, UAB and UConn this season. The Tigers are also one of the participants in the Charleston Challenge. For Pearl, however, the real challenge lies in replacing a major hole in the schedule. He now clearly sees why his team was left out of the annual Big 12/SEC Challenge - the SEC left out the bottom four teams in the league. Still, that didn't lessen his disappointment in not making the field.

"I love the challenge," he emphasized. "I think it's great. Last year, we went on the road, beat TCU at TCU. They won the NIT. Not that I pay much attention to the margins, but it was the biggest upset in that tournament and it allowed the SEC to tie the Big 12 at 5-5 in that challenge." Pearl hopes to have the schedule finalized by the end of the month. "We still haven't finalized and we'll get those probably out in the next couple of weeks," he said.

Regardless of the schedule, I think it's safe to say that Auburn fans are beyond anxious to see their team make a serious run at a championship instead of settling for mediocrity, as has usually been the case since the Cliff Ellis era ended.

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

Monday, June 12th, 2017

Former Auburn offensive tackle King Dunlap is retiring from the NFL after nine seasons. His agents announced the news today, several months after he was cut by the San Diego Chargers. According to Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network, Dunlap had explored other options to sign elsewhere, but decided not to do so. Dunlap started 46 games in the last four years with the Chargers.

He was initially a seventh-round pick by the Philadelphia Eagles in 2008. He started 13 contests for Auburn in 2006, but struggled in 2007 as his draft stock took a plunge. Dunlap signed a four-year, $38 million contract with the Chargers in February 2015, but was released on March 13th of this year. Whatever he chooses to do next with his life, I wish him all the best.

In other news....

- Auburn baseball is welcoming a familiar face back to its coaching staff. Word came out today that Butch Thompson has hired Karl Nonemaker as the team's newest assistant coach and recruiting coordinator. He replaces Brad Bohannon, who left to take the head coaching job at Alabama on June 1. Nonemaker, who spent the previous six seasons as an assistant and recruiting coordinator at Old Dominion University, had previously served on the Tigers' staff from 2005-07. For complete details on his hiring, you can go to www.auburntigers.com. When you get there, highlight "TEAMS" at the top of the page, highlight "BASEBALL" on the drop-down list, and click "News." The headline of Nonemaker's hiring should be at the top of the page.

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

Wednesday, June 7th, 2017

The Auburn football team had a few players hindered by injury - and absence - during spring practice, but that has improved entering summer workouts and fall camp. When head coach Gus Malzahn spoke at the SEC Spring Meetings at Hilton Sandestin last week, his report on the team's overall health was quite optimistic.

"Right now, everybody is back, cleared and full-throttle," he stated. "So that was exciting that we're ready for the summer." That includes quarterback Sean White, who was limited to non-contact work during spring as he continued recovery from a broken forearm he suffered in the Sugar Bowl on Jan. 2 against Oklahoma. Asked if the junior signal-caller has been cleared to throw and take contact, Malzahn replied, "Oh, yeah." White is expected to compete with Jarrett Stidham for the starting QB job this fall.

Other players who missed most or all of spring due to injury include freshman linebacker K.J. Britt (leg), cornerbacks Jamel Dean and Jayvaughn Myers (knee), defensive lineman Jaunta'vius Johnson (knee), offensive lineman Nick Brahms (knee) and defensive tackle Tashawn Manning (foot). Also, sophomore wide receiver Kyle Davis was away from the team for the entire spring due to a personal matter, but he is back in action and, according to Malzahn, "getting himself back in shape. I've heard nothing but good things."

Malzahn also noted that several players have spent time at the football complex working out together and watching film since the team reconvened on campus late last month. "We've got some good leadership. We've got some experience back," he said. "Any time you do that, you have guys who are working on their own and trying to do that extra on their own, and I think that's very important."

Indeed. Hopefully it will serve the squad well when they kick off the season on Sept. 2.

In other news...

- Former Auburn right tackle Robert Leff was signed by the Green Bay Packers on Tuesday. He went undrafted in the 2017 NFL Draft, but was signed by the Atlanta Falcons, only to be cut a month later. Leff played in 53 career games with 15 starts at Auburn. Last season, he started all 13 contests at right tackle for the Tigers. Now, he has another chance to impress a pro team in the hopes of making it on the final roster by the end of training camp.

As a Packer, Leff will be coached by Green Bay offensive line coach James Campen, who is known for molding developmental prospect at the game's highest level.

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

Tuesday, June 6th, 2017

My view of Auburn baseball's 6-0 season-ending loss to Florida State last night in the NCAA Tallahassee Regional final is simple: Our offense was as listless as all get out, only smacking two hits on the night. Plus, it seemed like every time we tried to get some momentum going in our favor, the Seminoles always had an answer. As such, the Tigers' season came to a close with a 37-26 record. This marked their farthest advancement in the postseason since 2010, and their 20th all-time regional bid.

"I thought we were going to get them," head coach Butch Thompson said. "Getting to coach against Coach (Mike) Martin is a big deal to me, personally. (Florida State) has a feeling in their program of an expectation of winning, and that's what we're trying to build. Hopefully, we can get to (that level) very soon. We're in a good place. We have a lot to keep looking forward to. You can't ever stop. We have to do more and we have to get better. ...I have never been more proud of a group I've had an opportunity to work with."

Indeed, the Tigers are scrapping and fighting to reach the pinnacle of college baseball with each passing season. As long as Coach Thompson is there, the monster will continue to grow. In my mind, our biggest task is recruiting solid pitchers. We ended this season with an ERA of 4.36 on the mound, led by Casey Mize's 2.06. We can't afford to give up so many walks. If we can get the kinks worked out in the offseason, the future of Auburn baseball will certainly be very bright.

In other news....

- Former Auburn defensive lineman Gabe Wright has been signed to a one-year contract with the Philadelphia Eagles, the team announced yesterday via its official Twitter account. Wright was originally drafted in the fourth round of the 2015 NFL Draft by the Detroit Lions, but hasn't quite enjoyed fairy tale success yet. He played in only 134 snaps with the Lions before being released. After signing with the Eagles, it will be his third NFL team in as many seasons. Wright played in just five games with the Cleveland Browns last season before being let go two weeks ago.

During his four-year career at Auburn, Wright made 20.5 tackles for loss and six sacks.

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

Monday, June 5th, 2017

As was the case with my last post, I'm going to be short and to the point on this one. Auburn baseball rallied from a 6-2 deficit last night against Florida State in the Tallahassee Regional, but it wasn't enough in the end as the Seminoles topped the Tigers 8-7 in 10 innings, forcing a winner-take-all match tonight at 6 p.m. CT. Starting pitchers are unknown, but it has been confirmed that the game will be televised on ESPN2. However, if you want to listen to your radio, please refer to my last post from last Friday for details.

In other news....

- This past weekend, reports surfaced that former Auburn defensive tackle Nick Fairley, who is coming off his best NFL season with the Saints, has undergone tests indicating that he has heart troubles that could put his career in jeopardy. Fairley had missed offseason workouts for quite some time now, and the reason has now come to light. My heart and prayers go out to him, and I wish him a full recovery. May God's healing power be upon him.

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

Friday, June 2nd, 2017

I'm going to keep this post short and sweet, because I've had a very busy day today, and I've got another full day on tap for tomorrow (including some time with my family).

Auburn baseball kicked off NCAA Regional play on the right foot today with a 7-4 victory over Central Florida at Dick Howser Stadium in Tallahassee. Junior Keegan Thompson recorded a career-best nine strikeouts, and a three-run homer by Will Holland made a big difference in the outcome. The Tigers (36-24) will play again tomorrow night at 6 p.m. CT against the winner of Florida State vs. Texas Tech. Whether or not Auburn's game will be televised is currently not clear. Perhaps I'll find that information tomorrow. In case it's not, however, you can listen on your radio, on the Auburn app, or online at www.auburntigers.com. To listen online, find the "Connect" button on the homepage, highlight it, and then find "How to Listen" on the drop-down list, and click it. You will then see a list of the sporting events broadcast for both desktops and mobile devices. Go down to "Baseball Games" at the bottom of the list, and click AuburnTigers.com to listen on your desktop, or Auburn Gameday App to listen on your mobile device if you can't be near your computer.

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

Thursday, June 1st, 2017

As I write this, Auburn baseball's first game in the Tallahassee Regional is 24 hours and 36 minutes away. Unfortunately, the Tigers are saying goodbye to one of their assistant coaches. Alabama has hired Brad Bohannon to be its next head baseball coach. Bohannon has been at Auburn the last two seasons on Butch Thompson's staff. He previously served as an assistant at Kentucky from 2004-15. During that stint in Lexington, he recruited 13 players who went on to play professional baseball. His first recruiting class at Auburn was ranked No. 9 by Collegiate Baseball.

"This is the opportunity of a lifetime, and I cannot wait to get started," Bohannon said in a statement. "My goal is to make The University of Alabama the best baseball experience in the country. We're going to recruit at the highest level, coach and develop our student-athletes and create a positive team culture that ultimately will help us to be successful. Every aspect of our program will play an important part, and Alabama has incredible resources to help us reach our goals. I truly believe we can accomplish anything here."

This news is obviously abrupt, but all we can do now is wish Brad the best in his new venture. Don't forget: The Tigers will face Central Florida tomorrow morning at 11 a.m. CT at Dick Howser Stadium. The game will be televised by ESPN2.

In other news....

- Former Auburn special teams coach Scott Fountain is moving on to the SEC East, as he has accepted a job at Georgia. Fountain's contract at Auburn ended today and the hiring, which has been in the works for quite some time, was announced today on Twitter. Fountain will work in Georgia's football operations for head coach Kirby Smart, according to a source.

Fountain spent the past four seasons as Auburn's special teams/H-backs coach. Gus Malzahn demoted him from the staff and left open the possibility of him rejoining the staff in a support role following the 2016 season. However, it was apparent from the start that Fountain was looking for a job elsewhere in the South. He was previously director of player personnel for the Tigers under then-head coach Gene Chizik from 2009-2012 before taking an on-the-field role in Malzahn's staff in 2013. During that time, he coached Auburn tight end C.J. Uzomah and fullback Jay Prosch.

Auburn has since moved on and hired other analysts and operation members to its staff. Malzahn is expected to announce assignments in his administration within the next week following the recent resignations of his director of football operations and an assistant athletics director on the football staff.

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