​​Lyle's Corner

June 2018

Saturday, June 30th, 2018

It looks like Johnny Manziel has some company in the Canadian Football League. 

Former Auburn quarterback Jeremy Johnson's career with the Tigers had its highs and lows, and he didn't go to the NFL after closing his playing days. However, he's now back on the gridiron and will resume his career north of the border. The Saskatchewan Roughriders announced yesterday that Johnson had been signed to their practice squad. 

Saskatchewan's starting QB, Zach Collaros, is currently injured, and Brandon Bridge of South Alabama has stepped in to take the snaps. Johnson is being inserted to provide depth at the position, but if he thrives well in his new role, maybe the future will treat him kindly in the CFL. Go for it, J.J. Best of luck to you!

I don't want to ramble, but can you believe we're already at the end of June? In a couple of weeks, SEC Media Days will be here, which brings us one step closer to the 2018 football season! Man, I can feel the excitement growing by the day. Can't you? 

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

Thursday, June 28th, 2018

​Incoming freshman QB Joey Gatewood has yet to take a snap for the Tigers, yet he is already drawing comparisons to Cam Newton (perhaps unfairly). Needless to say, those are enormous shoes to fill, but Gatewood, a four-star dual threat QB, is eager to step into that role for Auburn. That said, however, it may take some time for him to get a snap since he is reportedly backup to the backup. Jarrett Stidham is entering his second year as the starter, and even though head coach Gus Malzahn hasn't outright said it, he's implied that Malik Willis has secured the second-string role. 

​However, Malzahn is excited about Gatewood's future with the team. "Gatewood could earn the role of Wildcat quarterback," he told SEC Country. "He's got the potential, but it's up to him to prove he doesn't have the mentality of a freshman. He's going to have to show he can perform in Jordan-Hare like he can in the athletics complex. It's possible, but for now, fans should be prepared to wait to see the Gatewood they are dreaming of." 

​If Gatewood can indeed prove his dual-threat athleticism as well as a mature attitude and mentality, he will be Auburn's QB of the future. Hopefully, he won't even have to wait a full season to see the field. 

In other news....

- Former Auburn offensive lineman Braden Smith has a future set with the NFL's Indianapolis Colts. Yesterday, the team announced Smith signing his rookie deal as their second-round pick from April's NFL Draft. Smith was the No. 37 pick in the draft. According to the Colts' press release, Smith started 53 games as a Tiger and started 41 straight contests dating back to his freshman campaign. The terms of the deal have yet to be released.  

For Auburn, Smith was the first of four NFL Draft picks this year. He joins running back Kerryon Johnson (43rd overall), cornerback Carlton Davis (63rd overall), and place-kicker Daniel Carlson (167th overall) as Tigers chosen in this year's draft. Auburn has had 20 players drafted since Gus Malzahn took over the program. Smith is the earliest Auburn pick since Greg Robinson went second overall in 2014. 

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

Sunday, June 24th, 2018

This has been a busy weekend for Auburn football on the recruiting front. The Tigers have gained two commitments in as many days, and lost one as well. I'll cover all of them now, starting with the lost pledge.

- Shea Dixon of 247Sports reported via Twitter that three-star 2019 CB Cordale Flott flipped from Auburn to LSU today. According to the 247Sports Composite, Flott is the No. 51 cornerback in the Class of '19 and the No. 22 overall recruit from the state of Alabama. The Bayou Bengals now have 17 players in their '19 class, which currently ranks third in the SEC and third in the nation, per 247Sports. Flott was LSU's fifth commitment of the week. 

- Now, let's move on to the gains. Four-star athlete Jashawn Sheffield from St. Simons Island (Ga.) Frederica Academy, who named Auburn his leader two months ago, officially pledged to the Tigers during his official visit yesterday. For Auburn, Sheffield is commitment No. 12 for the Class of '19. When asked what endeared him to the Tigers, he replied, "It's the atmosphere there and the relationships. And I have a bunch of friends going there." 

The 6-fee-t1, 178-pound Sheffield ranks as the No. 10 athlete and the No. 150 overall recruit nationally in the 247Sports Composite. He checks in as the No. 15 recruit in talent-laden Georgia. His teammate, four-star cornerback Jaylin Simpson, pledged to Auburn in April. "We always wanted to play together," Sheffield stated. The Tigers now have five Georgians in the Class of '19. 

Sheffield could play on either side of the ball in Auburn, either safety or receiver. He named Auburn his leader in April, and seemed ready to give his commitment soon after. However, he and his mother wanted to make one more visit to the campus, just to be absolutely certain. They arrived in Auburn on Friday for his official visit. Sheffield is not only closely connected to Simpson, but is also good friends with five-star Tiger linebacker commit Owen Pappoe. 

- Finally, Justin Osborne,  a three-star offensive tackle from Bradenton (Fla.) IMG Academy and a former TCU pledge, committed to the Tigers yesterday, less than a week after de-committing from the Horned Frogs. Osborne ranks as the No. 40 tackle nationally in the 247Sports Composite. The 6-feet-4, 300-pound Osborne is not considered tall by offensive tackle standards, but he has a 35-inch arm length, which most NFL scouts believe is ideal for that position. To quote Pro Football Weekly, "For many clubs, the minimum arm length for an offensive tackle is 33 inches." 

Auburn's recruitment of Osborne started earlier this year. Offensive line coach J.B. Grimes and secondary coach Greg Brown, Osborne's area recruiters, made stops at his school during the spring evaluation period to check him out. The Tigers determinedly strived to get Osborne on campus, and he officially visited Auburn on the weekend of June 15th. Two days after that official visit ended, he backed out of TCU. After not signing a tackle in the 2018 class, it has been a position of desperate need for the Tigers in this recruiting cycle. 

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



Saturday, June 23rd, 2018

As any loyal Auburn fan knows, quarterback Jarrett Stidham was recovering from offseason shoulder surgery throughout spring practices, and therefore was severely limited in availability. But never fear. Now that summer is in full swing, Stidham told AL.com that he's feeling much better and is eager to get back on the field. 

"I feel great," he said. "Shoulder's good finally, and it's been a good summer so far. Just continuing to get momentum as we go forward into the rest of the summer." In regards to any restrictions, Stidham assured that he should be full-go when preparations for the 2018 season begin in earnest. "Now, I'm good to go," he said. 

Obviously, having Stidham fully healthy will be a major help for the Tigers as they try to repeat as SEC West champions and clinch a berth in the College Football Playoff. Fortunately, for Gus Malzahn, the signs are certainly encouraging for the time being. However, I'd like to give my two cents. As much as I'd like to see those goals be reached, it's a bit too much to expect in my mind considering the question marks we have on the offensive side of the ball, especially at receiver (injuries) and the offensive line (mostly youngsters). I'd personally be happy with a decent year at best, especially qualifying for a bowl. Only time will tell the story.

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



Friday, June 22nd, 2018

After three relatively uneventful days in the regard of Auburn news, the Tigers got some good news for their baseball program last night. Head coach Butch Thompson has been secured to a contract extension through 2024. He is set to earn in the neighborhood of $1 million a year throughout that span. This past season, Thompson led Auburn to its first NCAA Super Regional appearance in 19 years, and was one win away from the College World Series. 

"Butch is the epitome of an Auburn man," athletics director Allen Greene said in a news release. "He cares deeply about the young men in his program and the Auburn community at large. The recent successes of Auburn baseball over the past few years indicate that Coach Thompson is one of the best skippers in the country, and we're fortunate to have him. I'm excited to lock arms with Butch as he continues to build a program that galvanizes the Auburn fan base and captures national acclaim." 

In three seasons at the helm, Thompson has accumulated 103 victories, leading the team to consecutive NCAA Tournament berths for the first time in 15 years. Pitcher Casey Mize was the No. 1 overall MLB draft pick this year. Thompson is nothing less than excited about his long-term future on The Plains. "Auburn is a special place for my family and me," he said. "I'm very fortunate to have a great group of young men to lead, a tremendous staff and a great fan base and community that support our program. I'm proud of the accomplishments we have made on and off the field, yet there is still much work to be done. I'm appreciative and thankful for the commitment and support from Dr. Steven Leath and Allen Greene and blessed to have the opportunity to lead the Auburn baseball program every day." 

The Tigers were eliminated from the NCAA Tournament on a walk-off home run at Florida last week. Thompson replaced Sunny Golloway as Auburn's head coach in the fall of 2015. 

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



Monday, June 18th, 2018

Auburn football clinched its 11th commitment for 2019 today. Four-star defensive end Jaren Handy gave his pledge to the Tigers. 

During an interview with AuburnUndercover at his family's home in early May, Handy said that he got a different feeling when he visited the Plains than at other schools, and that there was something unique about Auburn. Handy, a Hattiesburg, Miss. native, chose the Tigers over Alabama, Ole Miss and others. "I feel comfortable there and I built a relationship with the people I met down there," he stated.  

Handy most recently visited campus earlier this month for Big Cat Weekend. During that trip, he stayed for four days. This is one of the Tigers' biggest gains to date for the 2019 class. The 6-feet-5, 278-pound Handy ranks as the No. 8 strong side end and No. 108 prospect nationally in the 247Sports Composite. If he continues to grow, he could very well play tackle in college. 

 With his pledge, the Tigers climbed up from No. 18 to No. 13 in the recruiting team rankings. Handy is the second Mississippian to pledge to Auburn in three days. Three-star defensive end Jamond Gordon committed to the Tigers on Saturday. Secondary coach Marcus Woodson is Handy's area recruiter. Defensive line coach Rodney Garner - and others - played an active role as well. 

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



Saturday, June 16th, 2018

It's fun to change your mind. A month ago, Jamond Gordon, who was committed to Ole Miss at the time, gave this insight on the state of his verbal: "Auburn is second, so if I ever decide to de-commit, decide to open it back up, they would have a good shot." On May 22nd, the three-star defensive end from Meridian (Miss.) backed out of his pledge to the Rebels. Today, he committed to Auburn.

"I like everything there," Gordon told AuburnUndercover. "It's just different from other schools." He is Auburn's 10th commitment for the Class of 2019. He ranks as the No. 18 recruit in the state of Mississippi in the 247Sports Composite. Gordon had 18.5 sacks as a junior. He's the first 2019 defensive line pledge for the Tigers, who would like to take four or five in the class. With his commitment, Auburn climbed to No. 19 in the recruiting team rankings. 

Secondary coach Marcus Woodson is Gordon's area recruiter. Unsurprisingly, defensive line coach Rodney Garner and defensive coordinator Kevin Steele also played a large role in his recruitment. Speaking of Garner, Gordon noted, "I know he's going to develop me into a better player and make me a better person." Gordon, a priority recruiting target for the Tigers, has visited Auburn three times this year, and was on campus Friday. Gordon came to the Plains to watch a teammate camp with the Tigers. But once he arrived on campus, several Auburn coaches spent time with him. Gordon was also seen hanging around defensive tackle Derrick Brown, who has also played a major role in Gordon's recruitment. 

During his visit yesterday, however, Gordon officially chose to don the orange and blue. Prior to that, he had visited campus earlier this month for Big Cat Weekend. He was on campus multiple days for that occasion. Auburn is vehemently recruiting in Mississippi for the 2019 cycle. Gordon is the first 2019 commitment from the state for the Tigers - and they hope he is not the last. They are also on the cards for players like defensive ends Jaren Handy and Charles Moore and buck linebacker Derick Hall - all four-star recruits. Five-star linebacker Nakobe Dean of Horn Lake (Miss.) will officially visit The Plains next weekend. 

In other news....

- Basketball guard J'Von McCormick, who committed to Auburn on Tuesday, arrived on campus today. McCormick, a Lee College point guard, signed a financial aid agreement Friday to play basketball for the Tigers and is now ready to take part in offseason workouts with his new teammates. He will have two years of eligibility left  to play at Auburn, and is expected to be immediately eligible for playing time this fall.

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



Friday, June 15th, 2018

A former Minnesota Golden Gopher is headed to The Plains to be part of Auburn's football team. News broke yesterday that safety Kendarian Handy-Holly, who played for Minnesota as a freshman last season, will transfer to Auburn later this summer. 

Handy-Holly, a Jackson, Ala. native, is expected to arrive on campus in August, just in time for preseason camp. Inevitably, he'll have to sit out a year due to NCAA transfer rules, and will be a walk-on for the Tigers. Handy-Holly was rated a three-star prospect by the 247Sports Composite and the nation's No. 38 safety in the Class of 2017. He played in eight games as a true freshman for the Gophers, registering 12 tackles, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery during the 2017 campaign. 

​He played safety and wide receiver at Jackson High in Alabama, and during his senior year, recorded 72 tackles (32 solo), six pass breakups and four interceptions as the team advanced to the Class 5A semifinals. He also forced three fumbles and recovered one. On offense, he caught 36 passes for 698 yards and five touchdowns. In the rushing department, he had 23 carries for 321 yards and six scores. He was named a first-team selection to the Alabama Sports Writer's Association's all-state team in 2015 and 2016. 

Handy-Holly was reportedly on campus yesterday watching Gus Malzahn's annual 7-on-7 high school tournament. He should be able to ease any depth concerns Auburn has at the safety spot, but not until 2019 rolls around. The Tigers lost 2017 starters Stephen Roberts and Tray Matthews and will try to replace them as several players, including newcomer Smoke Monday, vie for playing time during preseason camp in August. Handy-Holly will not be on scholarship during the upcoming season. He requested his release from Minnesota in February so that he could be closer to home. 

 He was initially offered scholarships by Kentucky, Florida, Ole Miss, NC State and Wake Forest out of high school, but neither Auburn nor Alabama were highly on his list. He played in every Big Ten conference game except the Michigan contest due to injury last season. The 6-foot-2, 215-pound safety was named to the Big Ten Network Freshman All-Conference Team following last season. 

Handy-Holly is the second transfer to join Auburn's roster in the offseason. UMass offensive tackle Jack Driscoll was added to the team in May as a graduate transfer and, unlike Handy-Holly, will immediately be eligible for the 2018 campaign. Driscoll is expected to compete for the starting spot at right tackle during preseason camp.   

Handy-Holly will have three years of eligibility left once he sits out this season due to transfer rules. At the time of his release, Minnesota blocked him from transferring within the Big Ten conference and any other teams on the Gophers' schedule through 2021, according to multiple reports. 

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

Thursday, June 14th, 2018

Today's post isn't directly Auburn-related, but it does regard two major rule changes that the NCAA has made. Last time I checked, Auburn was a member of the NCAA. Therefore, these rules will impact them at some point, just like all the other teams. 

First off, a major rule change in transfers has been approved, as student-athletes will no longer be required to gain permission to contact schools once they decide to leave their current institution, virtually ending the practice of blocking transfers by schools. The new rule will not go into effect until Oct. 15th. 

The new rule comes after a recommendation from the NCAA's 19-member Division I Transfer Working Group, who studied, researched, and debated the matter for six months. Under previous rules, programs could deny student-athletes consent to seek transfers to schools for any reason, no matter how inconsequential. One example of this is Alabama recently denying graduate transfer Brandon Kennedy from seeking a possible transfer to The Citadel because the opponent is on the Tide's schedule this coming season. Schools would often block permission to conference opponents, rivals, or programs that recruited prospects out of high school, often requiring student-athletes to transfer down to junior college before settling at their school of choice.   

Don't be misled, though: Undergraduates will still have to sit out a year when transferring. This new rule does not grant immediate eligibility. Rather, it simply removes the requirement of approval from a student-athlete's current institution. In an effort to prevent schools from tampering with student-athletes already enrolled at other institutions, the NCAA has made tampering a Level 2 violation. This is only one step removed from the most serious infraction, a Level 1 violation.  

Nicholas Clark, a former Costal Carolina football player and member of the Division I transfer group, offered comments on the new rule. "This creates a safe place for student-athletes to have a conversation with their coaches and makes the whole process more transparent," he said. "This will clean the whole process up and give more influence and flexibility to the student-athlete." 

- The second rule change is more significant. Beginning immediately, college football players of any year of eligibility can compete in up to four games and still maintain their redshirt status. This means that true freshmen can now see the field in their first season on campus, and possibly return the next season as redshirt freshmen - provided they don't compete in five games. 

Teams will also have more depth for games in the fall. Prior to this, some coaches would understandably neglect to pull a redshirt on a player just to sub in to finish out a game, but now every coach has the choice to do so. Bowl games will be impacted as well. With the additional practices that come with bowl invitations, young players will get that much more time to learn all they need to know before hitting the field. It would be hard to fathom a coach not allowing a redshirt player to see the field for a bowl if he hasn't played in four games to that point.  

This new rule could also allow redshirt players to become more engaged in the season. In the past, once a player was redshirted, he didn't have much motivation from week to week. Now they will have the knowledge that they could see the field for a few games. If they flourish throughout that time, coaches could decide to permanently keep them on the turf, thereby removing their redshirt status completely.  

Division I Council chairman and Miami (FL) athletic director Blake James gave his views on this new rule. "This change promotes not only fairness for college athletes, but also their health and well-being. Redshirt football student-athletes are more likely to remain engaged with the team, and starters will be less likely to feel pressure to play through injuries," James stated. "Coaches will appreciate the additional flexibility and ability to give younger players an opportunity to participate in limited competition." 

It's important to note, however, that early enrollees are not allowed to play for their schools immediately upon arriving on campus. For instance, if Alabama and Georgia wanted to use any of their 2018 signees in the previous playoff, that action will not be permitted. 

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



Wednesday, June 13th, 2018

Auburn basketball latched onto another commitment last night - this time, a junior college guard. J'Von McCormick pledged to the Tigers yesterday, and is expected to be immediately eligible to play starting this fall. He fills a void left by the transfers of DeSean Murray and Davion Mitchell, as well as former five-star prospect Mustapha Heron. 

McCormick, a 5-feet-11, 170-pound guard out of Lee College in Baytown, Texas, announced the news on Instagram. "Want to thank all the schools that recruited me, Specially Coach Pearl and Flannigan (sic) for giving me the opportunity to be apart of a family and great team while making history!! #wareagle," McCormick wrote. 

Although he's expected to play point guard, McCormick could also play off the ball behind Bryce Brown at shooting guard. Jared Harper is expected to remain Auburn's starter but could share playing time with McCormick, who was recruited by Wichita State. Additionally, McCormick fits the small-and-fast mold coach Bruce Pearl likes to utilize at point guard. He is incredibly speedy as a ball handler and often dashes to the basket to draw fouls. He was among the country's best in free throw attempts last season at the junior college level. 

Wes Flanigan, a former Auburn guard, joined the Tigers' staff as an assistant during the offseason and was a point man in recruiting the Texas native. According to the NJCAA, McCormick averaged 18.5 points, 6.4 assists and 5.3 rebounds per game. The Katy, Texas native nailed 42.8 percent of his shots, including 36.4 percent of the free throws he tried. 

McCormick has two years of eligibility left to play at Auburn. 

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



Tuesday, June 12th, 2018

I'm going to keep my take on Auburn's season-ending 3-2 loss to Florida in the decisive game of the Gainesville Regional last night short and sweet. 

The Tigers fought the Gators tooth and nail for 11 innings. I applaud that with every ounce of my being. But like sands through the hourglass, Auburn let a trip to Omaha slip through its fingers - literally. In the bottom of the 11th, with the score tied at 2 apiece, Florida's Austin Langworthy stepped up to the plate. Cody Greenhill tossed a pitch, and Langworthy smacked it. As it soared toward the fence, Auburn's Steven Williams desperately raced toward the wall to catch it for a crucial out. As he reached the fence, the ball fell into his glove - and glanced off of it and over the fence for a walk-off homer. Game and season over for Auburn, and a trip to Omaha for Florida to have a chance at the whole shebang. 

No doubt about it, that was a mighty bitter pill to swallow. It was a heartbreaking conclusion to an incredible season for the Tigers. They went 43-23, winning a super regional contest for the first time in program history, and two SEC Tournament games and an NCAA Regional as well. Despite the unhappy ending, I am confident that the future is more than bright for our baseball program as long as Butch Thompson is in charge. I commend him, the team, and the fans, for rallying around each other. Here's to 2019. 

In other news....

​- This isn't directly related to Auburn, but it does concern the SEC. The league could soon be sending one of its teams to Las Vegas on an annual basis starting in 2020 when the new bowl cycle gets underway. In a follow-up to a report he provided last week, college football insider Brett McMurphy maintains that the SEC is interested in taking the Mountain West's place in the Las Vegas Bowl starting in 2020. 

​The bowl game plans to move from Sam Boyd Stadium to the new home of the NFL's Raiders when they make the move to the desert. According to McMurphy, who posted the plans on his Facebook page, the SEC and Pac-12 are looking to make the game one of the more marquee events of college football's postseason. To quote a portion of the post, "I'm told the matchup could be the Pac-12's second or third selection vs. the SEC's third or fourth selection and the game obviously would be moved off the first Saturday of bowl season. 

Additionally, McMurphy reported that the NCAA is expected to add another three games to the bowl schedule starting in 2020, including a Chicago Bowl - to be played at Wrigley Field, and a Myrtle Beach Bowl. The SEC is also expected to have 10 bowl tie-ins starting that season, not counting the league's tie to the Sugar Bowl. The NCAA is expected to announce its new bowl plans by the beginning of July. 

Obviously, this will be very intriguing to see. Bowl-free seasons are a rarity for Auburn (at least for as long as I've been around, anyway), and it would be cool to see a trip to Las Vegas on the cards (no pun intended). 

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



Monday, June 11th, 2018

​The Tigers are now one step away from their first trip to Omaha in 21 years. Luke Jarvis singled home pinch runner Cade Evans in the bottom of the ninth to give Auburn a dramatic 3-2 victory over Florida yesterday, the program's first super regional win in history. 

"That was pretty cool," Jarvis said of his moment of triumph. "Trying not to do too much. Just trying to see it and hit it, and thank God it worked out." Brendan Venter opened the bottom of the ninth with a walk, advancing to second on Jay Estes' single, with Evans then pinch running for Venter. Jarvis smacked a single to left-center field on the first pitch from Florida's Michael Byrne, the Gators' all-time saves leader, easily allowing Evans to score. 

"Pandemonium," said Jarvis, who came into this game 0-for-7 in the super regional. "That's as cool as it gets. You're not hitting the ball well, and sure enough, you come up in a big situation and all you've got to do is put the ball in play. These guys played amazing. It was a big team win." Freshmen pitchers Cody Greenhill and Tanner Evans worked together to beat the Gators in Gainesville for the second time this year, giving them two of their six home losses.  

"Good things happen when the defense is in the dugout," stated Burns, who only gave up one run in six innings. "They're a good hitting team, they're good hitting fastballs. Trying to keep them off balance, and mainly trying to get the defense in the dugout." Greenhill earned the win, pitching the final three innings while only yielding one run. 

Auburn head coach Butch Thompson was just as excited for his team's victory. "I appreciate my ball club so much, the way they competed and played the game today," he said. "If you get to this level with an opportunity to move forward, you're going to have to pitch at an elite rate." The first three innings were pitching duels before Florida drew first blood with a run in the top of the fourth. But the Tigers quickly retaliated as freshman Steven Williams hit a solo homer in the bottom of the frame. It was Auburn's first hit against Jackson Kowar. 

In the bottom of the eighth, Josh Anthony got an infield single before Will Holland's double to the wall in left-center field allowed Anthony to score and put Auburn on top 2-1. Florida's Austin Langworthy, however, deadlocked the score with a home run in the top of the ninth. The Gators had the possible go-ahead run on base, but Auburn registered its second 5-4-3 double play, with Venter fielding and throwing to Jarvis who relayed to Anthony to end the frame. 

Auburn (43-22) will now square off with Florida (46-19) once again tonight at 7 p.m. CT on ESPN with the winner advancing to the College World Series. The Gators are 30-6 in their ballpark this season, and haven't lost consecutive contests at McKethan Stadium since April of last year. "Anything is possible with our program," Thompson said. "A lot of hard work, and some young men have come to campus, our program, who are making real impacts and making a difference." 

Senior Andrew Mitchell will start for the Tigers tonight, hoping to get them back to Omaha for the first time since 1997. "You don't know what's going to happen in one game, but I think there's enough going on that we feel like anything can be possible," Thompson said. "To be able to hang with great teams, winning teams, at least I would want our people, our fans, our university, and above all, our fans, to feel like we belong. All of these things are barriers or walls or doors we're trying to knock down. Every day we do this, we're inching toward making that a reality." 

Let's all hope that that reality indeed comes to fruition. 

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



Saturday, June 9th, 2018

​Auburn football gained its ninth commitment for the Class of 2019 yesterday - and quite by surprise. Just hours after wowing the Auburn staff in camp, the Tigers offered three-star receiver Ja'Varrius Johnson of Hewitt-Trussville (Ala.). He quickly made up his mind, pledging to the Tigers on the spot. 

The 5-feet-10, 165-pound Johnson is a speedy slot receiver. He has recorded 40-yard dash times in the 4.36 to 4.45-second range. Mississippi State offered him last Saturday, but Auburn swiftly followed suit. Johnson is the second receiver on the Tigers' 2019 list, joining George Pickens of Hoover (Ala.). Auburn now has the No. 20 recruiting class in America, with about 14 or 15 vacancies left to fill. 

Before yesterday, it wasn't clear if Johnson was a serious Auburn target. But after his impressive 40-yard dash performances, he was equally excellent in positional drills and one-on-ones. That caught the eyes of head coach Gus Malzahn, offensive coordinator Chip Lindsey and receivers coach Kodi Burns. After camp, Johnson met with the staff, then toured the school. 

Johnson is a transfer from Odenville (Ala.) St. Clair County. As reported by Maxpreps.com, he caught 56 passes for 854 yards and 12 touchdowns in 2017 - in eight games. He added 146 rushing yards as well. Auburn's recruiting has really picked up steam over the last several weeks. A pledge from four-star cornerback Jaylin Simpson of St. Simons Island (Ga.) Frederica Academy got things started. That was followed by a pledge from five-star linebacker Owen Pappoe of Grayson (Ga.) and three-star tight ends Tyler Fromm of Warner Robins (Ga.) and Luke Deal of Greenwood (S.C.) Emerald. 

With Johnson's pledge in the bag, here's how things look for Auburn's Class of 2019:

- Quarterback: With four-star recruit Bo Nix of Pinson Valley (Ala.) on board, the Tigers are likely done at this spot. 

- Running back: Auburn has none committed here and could take one or two. Noah Cain of Bradenton (Fla.) IMG Academy is believed to be the top target. 

- Tight end: With the two mentioned above on board, the Tigers are done here. 

- Receivers: With Johnson and Pickens on board, Auburn could still add one or two more to the class. 

- Offensive line: Center Jakai Clark of Grayson (Ga.) gave his pledge, leaving three or four spots to fill here.

- Defensive line: No commitments here yet, but the Tigers hope to take around four. Defensive end Colby Wooden of Lawrenceville (Ga.) Archer could be the closest to joining the class. 

- Linebacker: With Pappoe intact, the Tigers would like to add two more here. 

- Cornerback: Auburn has two committed and could get up to two more. 

- Safety: No pledges here yet, but four-star recruit Jashawn Sheffield of St. Simons Island (Ga.) Frederica Academy could be closest to joining the ranks here. 

One last reminder: Don't forget to tune in at 11 a.m. CT this morning when the baseball team takes on Florida in Gainesville in the NCAA Tournament on ESPN. 

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



Friday, June 8th. 2018

Jordan-Hare Stadium will soon be getting a makeover. By that, I mean that the school's board of trustees approved plans to renovate the stadium today. According to OANow.com, the planned renovation will be to Jordan-Hare's suites and will be completed in two phases. The process will serve two purposes: to enhance the gameday experience of the suites and to improve the overall quality of the suites. 

​Work will begin immediately following ​the upcoming season, not before. "The initiation of the project and selection of the architect of record will enable the first phase of the project to commence after the completion of the 2018 football season, with the goal being to have the first phase complete prior to the start of the 2019 football season," a proposal document obtained by OANow.com states. 

Jordan-Hare is already getting a bit of a facelift right now as the program's recruiting center and locker rooms are currently being renovated this offseason. For those who are still attending the games, I'm sure you'll be very impressed by the end results of both of these projects. 

In other news.....

- Don't forget that Auburn baseball will play at Florida tomorrow morning at 11 a.m. CT in the NCAA Tournament, with the game being televised by ESPN. 

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



Wednesday, June 6th, 2018

Auburn basketball's SEC schedule for the 2018-19 season was released today. The Tigers' schedule will include two games against Kentucky. Meanwhile, the team's usual home-and-home games against rivals Alabama, Georgia and Ole Miss will remain intact. 

​The home-game schedule is especially strong with single contests against Arkansas, Florida, Missouri and 2018 SEC co-champion Tennessee slated to travel to the Plains. Kentucky will also travel to Auburn as part of a home-and-home series. Game dates and times have yet to be determined. The Tigers have already set a portion of their non-conference schedule that includes a trip to the Maui Invitational as well as games with Arizona, Duke, Gonzaga, Illinois, Iowa State, San Diego State and Xavier. 

Auburn enters the upcoming season coming off its third SEC crown in school history. The Tigers return four of five starters while losing leading scorer Mustapha Heron (16.4 ppg), who transferred to St. John's to be closer to his ailing mother. Guard Danjel Purifoy and center Austin Wiley, the team's five-star center, will return to the lineup after sitting out last season serving a punishment related to FBI allegations that their families received money from former assistant coach Chuck Person. Wiley will be eligible to play for the entire 2018-19 campaign, while Purifoy must sit out the first 10 games of the season. 

The Tigers' home-and-home SEC contests will be against Alabama, Georgia, Ole Miss, Kentucky and Mississippi State. Auburn will travel to LSU, South Carolina, Texas A&M and Vanderbilt for single-game matches. Single-game home matches are scheduled against Arkansas, Florida, Missouri and Tennessee. This should all make for very entertaining basketball. 

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



Tuesday, June 5th, 2018

Auburn pitcher Casey Mize was chosen with the No. 1 overall pick in the MLB Draft by the Detroit Tigers yesterday evening, ​which can very well pave the way for a successful career in the professional ranks after Auburn's postseason run wraps up this month. 

​"I think I'm exceeding some expectations I had for myself," Mize told reporters last Saturday. "I know I wanted to be a high pick coming out of Auburn, but I never assumed it would be top of the first round or potentially No. 1." Mize has led the Tigers to their first Super Regional appearance since 1999 and has an eye-popping 319 career strikeouts. On top of that, he's only the second player in Auburn history to be a two-time All-American. 

However, this season, his junior one, has been the right-hander's best. He has recorded 151 strikeouts in 109 2/3 innings, tying for the third-best mark in school history. Opponents have hit .195 against him this season. The Tigers will take on Florida in Gainesville on Saturday at 11 a.m. CT for a chance to reach the College World Series for the first time since 1997. That game will be televised by ESPN.

Mize is also only the seventh player in history to go undrafted in high school and later become the No. 1 overall pick in their amateur career. The last player to own that honor was Stephen Strasburg, who was picked first overall by the Washington Nationals in 2009. Mize's assigned value as the first overall pick is $8,096,300. He recorded 11 strikeouts in a 12-1 win over Army in an NCAA Regional in Raleigh, North Carolina, where he was also named to the all-tournament team. 

Mize tied the school record for strikeouts in  a game with 15 in a 4-1 win over Vanderbilt on May 4th. The highest selection of an Auburn player in school history heading into the draft Monday occurred in 1988, when Gregg Olson was selected No. 4 overall. 

In other news....

​- Auburn sophomore walk-on wide receiver Pace Ozmint ran afoul of the law this past weekend, as he was arrested on charges of possession of alcohol as a minor and presenting a fake ID to a police officer, both of which are classified as misdemeanors in Alabama, according to AL.com's James Crepea. 

​According to the report, a possession by a minor charge "carries a fine of no less than $25 and no more than $100 and up to 30 days in jail." Meanwhile, a fake ID fine is "no less than $50 or more than $500 and could also include a jail sentence of three months maximum, as well as the accused turning in his or her license for a minimum of three months and no more than six months.  

Ozmint has never appeared in a game during his time at Auburn, and this incident will obviously not help his case with the coaching staff. Only time will tell how they handle this. 

- Television viewers will see a new sideline reporter starting this fall when they tune in to "SEC on CBS." Jamie Erdahl will step into that role, replacing Allie LaForce, who had been with the network since October of 2012. Reportedly, CBS and LaForce could not agree on a new deal. As for Erdahl, if you are unfamiliar with her, she has been with the network since 2014. 

"We are excited to add Jamie to our 'SEC on CBS' coverage," said Harold Bryant, Executive Producer and Senior Vice President of Production on CBS Sports. "Since joining CBS, Jamie has established herself as a talented, versatile and knowledgeable reporter. She is a rising star and someone we know that will connect with and earn the respect from the coaches, players and passionate fans in the SEC." 

The main booth tandem of Brad Nessler and Gary Danielson will stay intact. The first "SEC on CBS" game this season will be the Tennessee-West Virginia game from Charlotte. The Week 2 game will feature Georgia's trip to South Carolina, while Week 3 will feature LSU's trip to Auburn. 

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



Monday, June 4th, 2018

In four seasons at the helm, Bruce Pearl has turned Auburn basketball's fortunes around. And he's sticking around for the foreseeable future. News broke this morning that Pearl has received a contract extension through the 2022-23 season. Pearl has gone 70-62 while in charge of the program, including leading the Tigers to their first SEC regular-season championship since 1999 last season. 

​Pearl made a prepared statement on the extension. "Our coaches and student-athletes believe in Auburn and we love it. We came here to work hard, make a positive difference on the campus and in the community and bring credibility and championships back to Auburn basketball. I'm grateful to President Dr. Steven Leath and Director of Athletics Allen Greene for their commitment and support. My family is blessed to be a part of the Auburn Family." 

​Greene added his own comments in the prepared statement. "We take great pride in providing our student-athletes with an abundance of resources to help with their overall development. Coach Pearl shares my commitment to ensuring the holistic development of our student-athletes and adhering to the mission of Auburn University as an institution of higher learning." 

In other news.....

Auburn baseball pounded N.C. State last night 15-7 to sweep the Raleigh Regional and, more importantly, advance to the Super Regionals for the second time in program history and first time since 1999. The Tigers will now advance to take on the winner of the Gainesville Regional this coming weekend. 

In closing, I'd like to dedicate this post to my grandmother, affectionately known by me and my family as "Memie", who passed away three years ago today. 

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



Sunday, June 3rd, 2018

I'm in "short and sweet" mode today, so here goes. No. 19 Auburn pocketed a spot in the Raleigh Regional final by burying Army 12-1 yesterday at Doak Field in Dail Park. On offense, the Tigers (41-21) recorded eight extra-base hits with four doubles, one triple and three home runs, marking their eighth contest with three or more homers. Auburn had had only seven such games combined in the past seven seasons. All nine Tiger starters got a hit in the game and six of them had two or more hits. 

Pitcher Casey Mize (10-5, 2.95) tossed 7.0 innings, allowing just one run on four hits with two walks and 11 strikeouts. This marked his sixth game with 10 or more strikeouts this season, moving him past  Ryan Halla and into a tie with Brent Schoening for third in single-season history with 151 strikeouts on the year. Auburn has now posted seventeen hits for two consecutive days. Plus, the 11-run margin of victory is tied for the Tigers' third-largest in NCAA postseason action. Over the course of two days, the Tigers have scored 25 runs on 33 hits with 12 coming on going extra bases. 

Auburn will now move on to play the winner of this afternoon's elimination game between top-seeded N.C. State and No. 4 seed Army. That game started at 1 p.m. CT (and is almost an hour and 45 minutes old as I write this), and Auburn's game will be played tonight at 6 p.m. CT. While on the subject of Auburn vs. Army, I don't usually like to get off topic, but who remembers when the two teams met in football in the 1996 Independence Bowl? I certainly do. 

Going into that game, the Tigers were still feeling the pain of consecutive heartbreaking losses to their two biggest rivals, Georgia and Alabama. The Bulldogs had upset the Tigers 56-49 in four overtimes, the first ever OT game in SEC history. Then, to add salt to the wound, the Tide pulled out a last-second 24-23 decision at now-defunct Legion Field in Birmingham to capture the SEC Western Division crown. Well, Auburn seemed destined to heal the wounds as they destroyed Army for three quarters, building a seemingly insurmountable 32-7 lead. 

Not so fast. What could have been a blowout turned into a horror fest. Army reeled off 22 unanswered points to pull to within three at 32-29. Then, they recovered an onside kick, and moved to the Tigers' 10-yard line with just seconds left to play. Coach Bob Sutton then opted to send in placekicker Joseph Parker to force overtime with a 27-yard field goal attempt. But lo and behold, the usually dead-accurate Parker's kick sailed wide right by a mere two feet. Only then could Auburn breathe a sigh of relief. I can still see Army's comeback and that final kick burning in my mind. Can you? 

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



Saturday, June 2nd, 2018

Auburn baseball defeated Northeastern 13-4 in runaway fashion yesterday afternoon in the first game of the Raleigh Regional at Dail Park. Freshman Tanner Burns (7-4, 3.12) clinched his third straight victory on the mound, while Edouard Julien and his roommate, Steven Williams, combined for six runs, seven hits, two home runs and seven RBI in the contest. 

This was Auburn's 40th win of the season, marking only the 12th season with as many victories in program history, and was also the 100th win of head coach Butch Thompson's career. He has become the fourth head coach in program history to reach that milestone in just his third season in charge. In addition, the Tigers' (40-21) nine-run margin of victory tied for the team's fourth-largest in NCAA postseason action. 

"I just thought the first inning was huge," Thompson said. "They had bases loaded and we wound up getting out of the inning with a pop-up and ground ball. Then (Edouard) hitting a home run, going up 3-0 in the first inning was huge in the ball game even though it was early in the ball game. We're thankful to get this first win."

Burns was the first freshman since 1998 to start a regional opener for Auburn and pitched 6.0 innings. He gave up three runs (two earned) on seven hits with one walk and two strikeouts. Welby Malczeski came on in relief in the seventh and got his second save of the season after tossing the final 3.0 innings and allowed just one run on two hits with one walk and two strikeouts. After Burns got the bases loaded in the top of the first, Julien came up to bat with runners on the corners and two outs and smacked his team-leading 16th home run of the year over the wall at left-center field. The play increased Julien's RBI total to 65, tying assistant coach Gabe Gross and Todd Faulkner for the second-most by an Auburn freshman in program history. 

Northeastern got two runs back on a RBI double and a couple of Auburn fielding mistakes in the third, but the Tigers answered in the bottom half as Jay Estes nailed a RBI single back up the middle with two outs and the bases loaded. Then, Burns returned to the circle and retired the Huskies in order in the fourth before Williams largely put this one on ice. He was already 2-for-2 in the game, but wasn't finished. With two on and one out, and sent the seventh pitch of his at-bat over the wall at right field to increase the Tiger advantage to 7-2. 

Auburn put at least one base runner on board in each frame and posted six more runs over the final three innings to put this one away. Will Holland and Williams exchanged RBI doubles in a three-run sixth inning, and the Tigers got two more in the seventh on a RBI single by Williams and a wild pitch. Auburn concluded the scoring as another wild pitch brought home its 13th and final run of the afternoon in the eighth. 

The Tigers went 8-for-19 with runners in scoring position en route to recording 17 hits. Those 17 hits are the most in the NCAA Tournament since recording that same figure in a pair of games in the 2010 Auburn Regional.

Williams went 4-for-4 in this match with a walk, four runs scored, one home run, one double and four RBI. He matched the school record for runs scored in an NCAA Tournament game. Brett Wright and Julien added a trio of hits, with the latter scoring twice and driving home the aforementioned three runs. Holland and Josh Anthony each got two hits and scored twice. 

Second-seeded Auburn advances to the winners' bracket in a regional for the second straight year and will face Army tonight at 6 p.m. CT. Army (36-22) knocked off then-top-seeded N.C. State 5-1 yesterday. Tonight's game will be available online at ESPN3. You can also listen on the Auburn Sports Network. 

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