​​Lyle's Corner

May 2019

Friday, May 31st, 2019

​Auburn football's first three games of the 2019 season will be played in primetime. The team's kickoff times for Weeks 2 and 3 of the season were announced yesterday by ESPN. The Tigers will host Tulane for a 6:30 p.m. CT kickoff on Sept. 7th. That game will be televised by ESPN2. The contest will serve as Auburn's home opener after traveling to Arlington, Texas to face Oregon at AT&T Stadium on August 31st. That game will air on ABC at 6:30 p.m. CT. 

​The Tigers will host Kent State on Sept. 14th, with the match slated for a 6 p.m. CT kickoff on either ESPN2 or ESPNU. The network designation will be decided on at a later date. Even though the temperatures will likely still be sizzling hot, I'm personally very glad that these games will be played under the lights (especially the Kent State game). 

In other news....

- The baseball team will face Costal Carolina in the Atlanta Regional at 11 a.m. CT this morning on ESPNU. 

- I watched Rod and Paula Brambletts' memorial service online via auburntigers.com yesterday, and it was absolutely incredible. Several people got the chance to speak, but in my opinion, Bruce Pearl gave the best speech. The icing on the cake, however, was hearing Rod's epic "Kick Six" call at the end of the service. As tragic as his and Paula's deaths were to me, and all Auburn fans, we will always keep them in our hearts, souls and minds. Rod's enthusiastic voice, numerous incredible calls, and, most importantly, kind and caring soul, will never be forgotten. God Bless him, his wife, his children, his family, and his colleagues. 

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



Thursday, May 30th, 2019

​The SEC announced Auburn's men's basketball league schedule for the 2019-20 season yesterday. Head coach Bruce Pearl's squad will tackle home-and-home series against Alabama, Georgia, Kentucky, Ole Miss and Tennessee. 

​Other SEC games at Auburn Arena will be against LSU, South Carolina, Texas A&M and Vanderbilt. The Tigers will face Arkansas, Florida, Mississippi State and Missouri on the road and will not have a return game vs. those opponents at Auburn Arena. The dates and times for all of those games, in addition to non-conference games, will be announced later this year (unsurprisingly). 

​Auburn won the 2017-18 regular-season SEC crown and advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament. Meanwhile, the 2018-19 ball club won the SEC Tournament and advanced to the Final Four, a first for Auburn men's basketball. (BTW, yes, I know that our season ended in a very controversial manner, and I was every bit as disappointed as any Auburn fan. But those things happen, and life goes on. That wasn't the first time that an unfair call was made, and it certainly won't be the last. For those who are still complaining about it, get over it and move on. As the saying goes, "There's always next year.")

In other news....

- Rod and Paula Brambletts' memorial service will be held today in Auburn Arena. Visitation will take place from noon to 2 p.m., with the service to follow. After the service, a private burial ceremony will take place. For those who can't make it to the service, it will be streamed live at www.auburntigers.com. 

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



Wednesday, May 29th, 2019

​Auburn baseball learned its NCAA Tournament destination on Monday, as it was announced that the Tigers would play in the Atlanta Regional with Georgia Tech as the top seed in the four-team regional. Auburn, the No. 2 seed, will take on Costal Carolina on Friday at 11 a.m. CT, while Tech faces Florida A&M at 6 p.m. CT. Auburn's game will be televised by ESPNU. 

​This marks the Tigers' 21st regional appearance in school history and second trip to Atlanta. In 2000, Auburn lost to Stetson in its first match before beating Georgia Southern in game two. Unfortunately, Stetson eliminated the Tigers in the third contest. This is also the first time that Auburn has made three straight regionals since reaching seven straight from 1997-2003. 

​The Tigers enter the postseason with a team batting average of .260, 41 home runs and 98 doubles. Conor Davis leads the team at the plate with a ,290 average and has six home runs with 32 RBI. Shortstop Will Holland leads the team in home runs with nine while Edouard Julien has registered eight home runs and a team-high 48 RBI.

​On the mound, Auburn has a team ERA of 4.53 going into the regional with sophomore lefty Jack Owen (4-2, 2.29 ERA) coming off a sparkling performance in the SEC Tournament in Hoover. The good news is that sophomore right-hander Tanner Burns (4-3, 2.80) is expected to be back in the starting lineup after missing the SEC Tournament due to a sore shoulder. 

With Elliott Anderson entering the starting rotation in the final weekend of the regular season and the SEC Tournament, Auburn's bullpen looks different with Bailey Horn taking over his role and pitching well in his last two outings. Since Cody Greenhill is stretching out more and being used more late in the season, Auburn's bullpen has some uncertainties going into regional play. Head coach Butch Thompson noted that the team must figure that out before hitting the road this week. 

"Kind of the challenge for us moving forward, is trying to create depth now getting into a regional atmosphere so we have our work cut out," Thompson said. "We have to pay a lot of attention in how we figure that out moving forward." 

Most significantly, however, is the fact that for the first time in 27 years, the Tigers will play a baseball game without its longtime voice, Rod Bramblett, calling the action. Rod and his wife, Paula, were tragically killed in a fatal two-car accident last Saturday night between Shug Jordan Parkway and Samford Avenue. In addition to baseball, Rod had been the voice of Auburn football and men's basketball since 2003 after his predecessor, Jim Fyffe, died just as suddenly from a brain aneurysm on May 15th of that year. 

I can't begin to describe the shock, sadness and devastation I felt when I received the news last Sunday morning. For me, I not only lost one of my links to Auburn sporting events, but also a dear friend. I saw and spoke to Rod many times when I went to home football games from 2003-2011. He was not only a true professional, but a kind, caring and sweet man. 

However, one occasion will always stand out above the rest. It came exactly four weeks ago, on the first day of this month. That night, Bramblett, Gus Malzahn and Bruce Pearl took part in a speaking engagement at the Ambush building in my area. I got my picture taken with both of the aforementioned coaches, but seeing Rod was the highlight of the evening for me. 

When I approached him, he immediately knew who I was, saying, "Hey, Lyle! How are you doing, buddy?" I replied that I was doing great, and also noted that I would never get tired of his calls of the "Prayer at Jordan-Hare" and the "Kick Six." For those who may be unaware, he wrote and published a book on his life and career that was released two and a half years ago. It's appropriately called Touchdown Auburn: Carrying on the Tradition of the Auburn Tigers. I have it, and enjoyed it tremendously.

I asked him to autograph it, which he did. More significantly, I requested him to include the words "There goes Davis!" with it. As any Auburn fan should know, that was a portion of his epic "Kick Six" call. To top it all off, my mother took my picture with him. 

As we briefly spoke, I asked him, "Do you think that maybe, down the road, you might write another book?" In a tone that, in my mind, didn't necessarily indicate a definite answer, he responded, "I don't know. That was a lot of work, and I'm lazy at heart." Sadly, he'll never get that opportunity now. Near the end of his book, he wrote, "Are there 25 more years of this in front of me? There's no way to know." Sure enough, that proved to be true. Little did I, and everyone else at the Ambush that night know that within a month, his life (and his wife's) would be taken. Rod was just 53, and Paula was 52. 

Rod was a true professional, and had genuine passion for the university, the teams, the listeners, and his colleagues. For over 30 years, he took us an incredible journey of towering highs and plunging lows on the baseball diamond, the basketball court and the football field. From my point of view, though, he gained the most notoriety in football. In 16 years behind the mic, he experienced two undefeated seasons, three SEC championships, and two national title game appearances (one of which ended happily (22-19 over Oregon), the other quite the contrary (a 34-31 slip against Florida State)). 

As unthinkable as this loss is for all of us, we can take great comfort in knowing that, much like Jim Fyffe, there will be plenty of ways to keep Rod's voice and great calls alive forever. Above all, my heart goes out to his two children, Shelby and Joshua. Where will they go from here with no parents? Also, the Auburn Network crew must begin the search for a new voice in the exact same manner as 16 years ago when Fyffe passed away. Obviously, they have plenty of time to figure that out before the football and basketball seasons roll around. 

Until next time Rod, War Eagle, and so long, my friend. 

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



Wednesday, May 22nd, 2019

Auburn running backs coach Carnell "Cadillac" Williams (a former Tiger RB himself) has his first commit. This afternoon, four-star back Armoni Goodwin of Hewitt-Trussville pledged to the Class of 2021. He announced his decision via Twitter.

The 5-feet-8, 190-pound Goodwin is Auburn's first commitment for 2021. "Well, first off, Armoni is a great kid," said Hewitt-Trussville coach Josh Floyd. "He's a great kid that works hard. He's super explosive and has legit speed. He's definitely one of the fastest, if not the fastest kid I've ever coached. He also has incredible balance and that's the thing about him - he can take a hit and stay up."

Floyd further noted that Williams played a large role in landing Goodwin's verbal. "I think he did a great job on him," Floyd said. "I met Cadillac for the first time during the spring recruiting period. He's got a big name obviously with Auburn ties. People know him and families know him. Armoni's mom knew him and that made a big difference. I know he has developed a real good relationship with Armoni." 

Goodwin had a superbly productive sophomore campaign last season. He had 212 carries for 1,458 yards and 15 touchdowns. He also caught six passes for 45 yards. What follows is 247Sports" evaluation of Goodwin:

"Short, compact build. Is filled out with muscle mass from top to bottom relative to this stage in development. Has the thick lower body of a sprinter. Has long possessed high-end top speed, running a sub-11-second 100-meter time as a freshman in high school. That top end speed transfers over to the football field. Consistently rips off long runs and pulls away from defenses with ease. Has outstanding pace once he's in the open field. Had a productive sophomore year, averaging nearly 7 yards per carry. 

Dangerous on screens, draws, misdirection plays that can get him in space. Runs with nice lean and contact balance, particularly for a smaller back. Shows ability, but will need to continue improving his production as a pass catcher to fully maximize his value at the next level. Projects as a contributor and potential feature back for a Power Five program with the upside of developing into a high NFL Draft pick." 

In other news.....

- The baseball team beat Tennessee 5-3 in a single-elimination game. Now, the Tigers will move on to a double-elimination tournament, starting with this afternoon's game against top-seeded Vanderbilt at 4:30 p.m. CT on the SEC Network. To be honest, I haven't really kept up with the tournament bracket, so I don't know which teams are playing which games. All I can tell you is this: Regardless of tonight's outcome against the Commodores, Auburn won't be through just yet.

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



Saturday, May 18th, 2019

Auburn football added a graduate transfer wide receiver to its commitment list today. Zach Farrar, who has played at Oklahoma, Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College and Youngstown State all in the last three years, announced via Twitter that he has pledged to Gus Malzahn's Tigers for the next two years. He will arrive at Auburn in July and be eligible to play immediately. Farrar was on campus this weekend for an official visit. 

"It was amazing," he said. "It's SEC football and you can't get any better than that. I really like how the coaches drew everything up. They showed me where I would fit in and how they have an immediate need at that position. It was good." Indeed, the Tigers have a couple of voids to fill after losing Ryan Davis and Darius Slayton, the latter of whom declared for the NFL Draft after his junior season. That leaves them lacking veterans, save for Eli Stove, Will Hastings and Sal Cannella. 

 Farrar said the need for someone to step up at Slayton's spot (X position) is a big deal for him, and he's excited about the opportunity. When asked what stands out about Auburn, he said, "It's the immediate need at the position. That's the bottom line. I'm coming from a I-AA school, but Auburn sees my potential and they know I can play."

​Last season, Farrar played in six games for Youngstown State, grabbing 20 passes for 303 yards and one touchdown. In 2017, at MGCCC, he made 11 catches for 266 yards and four TDs. 

His best game came against West Virginia in Morgantown last year. He caught six passes for 135 yards. Originally pledging to Mississippi State out of high school before starting his career at Oklahoma, Farrar said he's excited for the chance to play in the Southeastern Conference. "I had in my mind that I was going to play in the SEC," he explained. I have the mindset of a player in the SEC. I want the ball. Obviously, I want to help the team get better, but I want the ball and the SEC is where I want to be."

​A two-sport athlete, Farrar was drafted in the 26th round out of high school after earning honorable mention All-American honors as a baseball outfielder. He played at both Oklahoma and Youngstown State, and said that he would like to do the same for Auburn. 

"I'm not done with baseball," he insisted. "Coach said I would get the opportunity (to play baseball here). "My main goal, though, is to make it to the (NFL) in one year. I have two years of eligibility left,  but I'm trying to get in, help the team as much as possible, and get to the (NFL)."

He will graduate from Youngstown State this summer. He also considered taking visits to Arizona State, Baylor and Illinois before finally settling on the Tigers. 

In other news.....

- The softball team faces Arizona in the Tucson Regional tonight at 5 p.m. CT.  The Tigers beat Colorado State last night by a score of 10-5. 

​- The baseball team lost the first two games of its series at LSU by respective scores of 7-1 on Thursday, and 5-1 yesterday. As I write this, Auburn is trailing in today's game 4-2 in the top of the 9th. 

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



Friday, May 17th, 2019

Add another Auburn football player to the NCAA transfer portal, this time a defensive lineman. Matt Zenitz of AL.com reported last night that Jaunta'vius Johnson, who began his college football career at Colorado, then transferred to Auburn in January, is on the move once again. 

​Johnson was a former four-star prospect coming out of high school in 2015. He opted to transfer from the Plains when a few defensive linemen announced that they would return to the team in 2019. Colorado hired former Georgia defensive coordinator Mel Tucker to take charge of the program in '19, and apparently, Johnson wasn't satisifed in Boulder either. 

​Johnson redshirted in '15 and missed the 2016 campaign with an injury. He has one year of eligibility remaining. 

In other news....

- The softball team plays Colorado State in the Tucson Regional tonight at 8 p.m. CT on ESPN.

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



Thursday, May 16th, 2019

Auburn football has one less signal-caller. Quarterback Malik Willis entered his name into the NCAA transfer portal this afternoon after informing the Tigers' coaching staff of his desire to leave the team. The junior was set to be the third-string QB after vying for the starting job in the spring. Bo Nix and Joey Gatewood, both freshmen, will compete for the job in August. 

​Willis entered his name into the transfer portal today, the first day of summer classes for Auburn University. He came to the Plains as a three-star prospect, but showed promise in his freshman and sophomore campaigns as a backup to Jarrett Stidham in 2017 and 2018. He was especially impressive on zone-read plays. He could seemingly take any carry into the end zone during his freshman year. 

Many considered Willis the next man up when Stidham's career ended, but things took an unpleasant turn. He started making the wrong decisions in the zone-read offense during the 2018 season and was even sacked for a safety against inferior Alabama State. As a freshman, he amassed 221 yards on just 16 carries, including a 67-yard TD against Mississippi State. He closed out last season with 88 yards on 12 carries with a score. In 2017, his 16 rushes included gallops of 48, 62 and 67 yards. In the passing department, he went 11-for-14 for 69 yards and a touchdown. He played in 15 contests. 

​Near the end of the '17 campaign, coaches felt he had a bright future ahead. "He's getting better," then-Auburn offensive coordinator Chip Lindsey said in late October that year. "He's obviously very talented. He's getting a better grasp of the offense than he had early on and I think he's more and more comfortable. We've been able to get him into some games because we've had the lead, which has been really nice, getting him some quality playing time. I think that's going to pay off, maybe in this season, but for sure down the road." 

​Willis was handed the first-team controls of the offense in the spring of 2018 as Stidham recovered from shoulder surgery, but did not improve his stock. He struggled in that year's A-Day game, going just 8-of-20 passing for 45 yards. He also fumbled once, but recovered. Poor reads on option plays during the '18 season, combined with his troubles in the spring, led to him taking mostly second- and third-team reps during this spring. When the A-Day scrimmage rolled around, it was clear that Willis would be the backup QB in a best-case situation. Instead, he ended the spring as the third-string signal-caller behind Gatewood, a redshirt freshman, and Nix, a true freshman. Malzahn listed Nix and Gatewood as "1 and 1A" on the depth chart earlier this month.  

The Georgia native was electrifying on the Class 7A level in high school. He threw for 2,562 yards and rushed for 1,033 as a senior, while scoring 37 TDs. He indeed had promise and potential all around, but knowing that he was behind Nix and Gatewood after spring practice, I can't say that this news is a total surprise. I do wish him success wherever he goes next. War Eagle, Malik!

In other news....

​- The baseball team begins its series at LSU tonight at 6:30 p.m. CT. The game will be available online at SECN+.

- The softball team faces Colorado State in the Tucson Regional tomorrow night at 8 p.m. CT on ESPN. 

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



Wednesday, May 15th, 2019

I'm sure Auburn fans are already excited about its match with Oregon to open the 2019 football season. Well, the hype has now been increased even more, because the game has been slated for primetime. 

The 2019 AdvoCare Classic between the Tigers and Ducks will kick off on Sat. August 31st at 7:30 p.m. ET/6:30 p.m. CT from Arlington, Texas, and be televised nationally by ABC. The game will be played in AT&T Stadium, home of the NFL Dallas Cowboys. The two teams have only met once before in the 2011 BCS National Championship Game. Auburn, led by QB Cam Newton, beat Oregon 22-19 on a 20-yard Wes Byrum field goal at the buzzer to give the Tigers their first national title in 53 years. 

Auburn went 8-5 last season, but closed out the year with a 63-14 smothering of Purdue in the Music City Bowl. Meanwhile, the Ducks went 9-4 and edged Michigan State in the Redbox Bowl, 7-6. 

In other news.....

- The baseball team squeaked by North Alabama last night in 11 innings by a score of 8-7. The Tigers improved to 31-21 overall, 13-14 in SEC play. Auburn will travel to Baton Rouge for a series with LSU from Thursday-Saturday. Game 1 is set for 6:30 p.m. CT Thursday. Game 2 will be played at 7 p.m. CT on Friday night, with Game 3 to follow on Saturday afternoon at 2 p.m. CT. All three contests will be available online at SECN+.

- In closing, I dedicate this post to the late Auburn broadcaster Jim Fyffe, who died all too soon and suddenly sixteen years ago today at age 57 from a brain aneurysm. May his signature phrase "TOUCHDOWN, AUBURN!" forever resonate in the ears, hearts, souls and minds of all Auburn fans who knew and loved him. 

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



Tuesday, May 14th, 2019

Auburn football's Class of 2020 got a bit thinner today. Damarjhe Lewis, a three-star defensive tackle from Griffin (Ga.), de-committed from the Tigers via Twitter this morning. "I haven't been feeling the love lately," Lewis wrote in part. "After talking to God, my family and close friends, I have decided to de-commit." 

​According to the 247Sports Composite, Lewis ranks as the No. 47 defensive tackle recruit in the country. His decision leaves the Tigers with six commitments for '20. Auburn, a team that rarely has de-commitments, now have four in the 2020 class alone - all on the defensive side of the ball. 

Despite this, Lewis said that he still plans to consider Gus Malzahn's troops. "Yes sir, the love for Auburn is still there," he told 247Sports and Auburn Undercover. "I want to play for Auburn. I just haven't been talking to coaches lately. I hope to get the love back for Auburn and re-commit to Auburn University to play with my family. I love Coach (Rodney Garner) and the coaching staff." 

In other news....

- Don't forget: The baseball team will host North Alabama tonight at 6 p.m. CT in Plainsman Park. The game will not be televised, but you can listen on the Auburn Sports Network, as always. 

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



Monday, May 13th, 2019

Auburn basketball forward Chuma Okeke is officially finished on The Plains. A source told Auburn Undercover that Okeke has signed with an agent and intends to stay in the NBA Draft rather than return to Auburn for his junior season. The news comes on the heels of Okeke backing out of the interview process at the NBA Combine in Chicago. ESPN first reported his decision to stay in the draft. 

Interviews with teams were expected to start tonight for players. Okeke was one of three players to pull out of the process. He is the second Auburn player from its Final Four squad to remain in the NBA Draft after leaving Auburn before exhausting their eligibility. Point guard Jared Harper declared for the NBA Draft to test the professional waters, and later revealed he would stay in the draft. He is taking part in the NBA-G League Elite camp this week.  

​Okeke will not be able to participate in workouts slated to begin tomorrow and run throughout the week in Chicago due to a torn ACL he suffered in the Tigers' 97-80 win over North Carolina in the Sweet 16. He underwent surgery and the earliest he is expected to return to competitive action is January, though a source close to Okeke tells Auburn Undercover that that timeframe is likely February or March. 

​The junior is ranked as the 38th-best prospect by NBADraft.net, and as the No. 41 prospect in the draft, according to ESPN.com. He has dropped one and four spots, respectively, in those ratings since he announced his intentions April 20th to enter the draft. There are 30 picks in the first round. 

In other news....

- The baseball team will return to action tomorrow night when it hosts North Alabama at 6 p.m. CT in Plainsman Park. As usual, you can listen on the Auburn Sports Network. 

​- The softball team will enter the NCAA Regional as the No. 2 seed, and will face Colorado State in Tuscon, Arizona, on Friday night at 8 p.m. CT. 

In closing, I dedicate this post to a dear friend of mine who loved Auburn as deeply as I do. Sixteen years ago today, he died at his home of an apparent heart attack at age 40. God Bless You, my friend! I love and miss you terribly!

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

Saturday, May 11th, 2019

​Bad news for Auburn football: An offensive lineman will miss the entire upcoming season due to injury. Austin Troxell, a backup right tackle and future starter, will be sidelined for the 2019 campaign after tearing an ACL in a knee in mid-April, a school spokesperson confirmed yesterday. Troxell underwent surgery this week. 

While the injury was initially thought to be only a torn meniscus, inflammation in the knee made it difficult during an examination to pinpoint whether there was ligament damage. Further examination, however, revealed the torn ACL. Troxell sustained the injury in the early moments of Auburn's annual A-Day game on April 13th. 

​Head coach Gus Malzahn deflected a question on team injuries before a speaking engagement at a booster club event in Dothan on May 1st. "No, no updates as far as there was a couple things they did, minor things, but we expect everybody to be back for the first game at this point," Malzahn said. "Anything else?" 

Troxell, a sophomore, was expected to be the top backup behind starter Jack Driscoll at right tackle and the first man off the bench possibly at both tackle positions. Troxell came in for an injured Driscoll several times last season. Troxell has a history of knee injuries. He suffered two ACL tears during his high school career at Madison Academy in 2016 and 2017. 

Auburn returns all five of its starters along the offensive line from last season: left tackle Prince Tega Wanogho Jr., left guard Marquel Harrell, center Kaleb Kim, right guard Mike Horton and Driscoll. The Tigers kick off the 2019 season on August 31st against Oregon at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. Should Troxell fully recover before the 2020 season, Troxell is expected to be the de facto starter at right tackle. 

In other news.....

- The baseball team lost to Georgia last night by a score of 11-2. However, Auburn returned the favor this afternoon with a 4-3 10-inning victory. Game 3 will be played at about 3:45 p.m. CT as the final game of a doubleheader. As I write this, the Tigers are 29-20 overall, 12-13 in conference play. 

- The softball team's time in the SEC Tournament ended early as Florida beat the Tigers yesterday by a sore of 3-0. Auburn fell to 37-19 overall, 10-14 in the SEC. Auburn will now turn its focus to the NCAA Regional. The Tigers will learn their postseason destination during the NCAA Softball Selection Show tomorrow night at 8 p.m. CT on ESPN2. 

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



Friday, May 10th, 2019

​I'm in "short and sweet" mode today. 

​Auburn softball posted a second straight shutout at the 2019 SEC Tournament, as pitcher Ashlee Swindle led the Tigers to a 2-0 win over Tennessee yesterday afternoon. Auburn, the 10th seed in this year's tournament, is now the lowest seed in tournament history to advance to the semifinals. This is the first time the Tigers (37-18) have advanced to the SEC Tournament semifinals since 2017, when the tournament was played in Knoxville. 

The Tigers will continue their tournament run this afternoon at 3:30 p.m. CT when they face No. 6-seed Florida. The game will be televised by ESPN2. The two teams squared off at Jane B. Moore Field in the regular season, with the Gators claiming two of three. Auburn's lone success in the series came when Chardonnay Harris struck out 17 batters in a 10-inning triumph.  

In other news....

- The baseball team begins its weekend series with Georgia tonight at 6 p.m. CT in Plainsman Park. Game 2 is slated for tomorrow at 2 p.m. CT, with Game 3 to follow on Sunday at 1 p.m. CT. All three contests will be available online at SECN+.

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



Sunday, May 5th, 2019

​Auburn was down by three in the bottom of the eighth, and it looked bleak for the Tigers. They surged back with four runs to take the lead, but in the end, Alabama took a 7-6 victory in Game 2 of the series at Plainsman Park last night. 

​Trailing 5-2 with two outs in the aforementioned frame, Will Holland got Auburn (28-18, 11-12 SEC) to within one on a two-RBI single to right-center before Judd Ward put the Tigers on top with a two-RBI double down the right-field line. But the Crimson Tide (27-20, 6-17 SEC) got two runs in the top of the ninth to snag the lead back, then retired Auburn's ensuing batters to end the contest.

​"It just wasn't enough tonight," Auburn head coach Butch Thompson said on the Auburn Sports Network. "But the guys battled, and you have to understand we have a big series to try to finish off tomorrow. We battled all the way back and will have to try to keep them energized and play with a lot of enthusiasm tomorrow." 

Each team's closing pitcher played a role in the final outcome as Cody Greenhill (1-2, 3.38) took the loss for the Tigers, while Jeremy Randolph (2-2) took the win for Alabama. The Tide's Deacon Medders earned the save. Will Holland led the Tiger offense, going 3-for-4 with two runs and a RBI. Ward, Ryan Bliss and Conor Davis each made two hits as well, and the four accounted for nine of Auburn's 10 hits. 

​Bama scored in each of the first two frames to take a 2-0 advantage. The first run came on a bases-loaded walk, while the second came on a fielder's choice in the next frame. But the Tide stranded five runners in the first two at-bats. Auburn, however, chopped the score in half in the bottom of the third. Holland began that inning with a double and came around to score as Ward dropped a sacrifice bunt down the third-base line and the throw to first shot past the first baseman.  

Alabama increased its lead with two runs on a RBI double and a RBI groundout in the fifth before adding a RBI single to that in the sixth to make it a 5-1 Tide cushion. But the Tigers retaliated in the home half with Bliss stealing two bases on one play and came in to score on a RBI single from Davis. They continued to battle on as three straight two-out singles loaded the bases in the bottom of the seventh, but a ground ball to second ended the frame. 

The two squads will conclude the series this afternoon at 3 p.m. CT in Plainsman Park. The game will be televised by the SEC Network. (For the record, I doubt we'll have any weather-related concerns today. Last night's game was delayed until 8:30 p.m. (90 minutes late) due to inclement weather in the Auburn area (and much of the state, for that matter)).

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



Saturday, May 4th, 2019

Auburn dominated Alabama in the first game of the series last night in Plainsman Park by a score of 5-1. The Tigers (28-17, 11-11 SEC) tallied double-digit hits, including five for extra-bases, while the pitchers gave up one run or fewer to the opponent for the 10th time this year. On the defensive side, Auburn tied a season-high with three double plays.

​"Offense, defense and pitching; we hung in there," head coach Butch Thompson said on the Auburn Sports Network. "I want us to stay locked in and focused and keep doing that. It shows what can happen when we play in all three phases. All in all, we played at a higher speed and a higher tempo being back home." 

In his first start since March 16th, sophomore Jack Owen (4-0, 0.70) earned the victory. The lefty tossed 5.0 innings and yielded one run on five hits with two walks. "It felt good," Owen stated. "I struggled with my command a little bit, but my defense helped me out, which was big time." 

Auburn quickly took a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first. Matt Scheffler struck first with a sacrifice fly to left-center. Soon after, Rankin Woley drove in another on a double to the same vicinity of the park. Owen held the Tide (26-20, 5-17 SEC) scoreless in the first three frames, but Bama trimmed the margin with a run in the fourth. However, the Tigers retaliated quickly in the bottom of the fifth when Woley got two more runs on a double to right field. This marked Woley's second game this year with two doubles. He has tallied six runs in the last two matches and also started a pair of double plays in the field last night. 

​"I knew I wanted to get on one," Woley said. "I wanted to jump on a fastball if it was there. That's something I've been trying to work on these past couple of weeks is hitting the fastball early and not worry about the breaking ball." After reliever Elliott Anderson tallied 3.0 scoreless innings with three strikeouts, the Tigers concluded the scoring for the night when Ryan Bliss and Edouard Julien smacked consecutive extra-base hits in the bottom of the eighth. 

Sophomore reliever Cody Greenhill stepped in in the top of the ninth and turned in a perfect frame to lock up the win. Woley led the Tiger offense going 3-for-4 with two doubles and three RBIs, while Bliss countered with two hits and two runs. Auburn and Alabama will square off again tonight at 7 p.m. CT in Game 2. The contest will be televised by the SEC Network. 

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



Thursday, May 2nd, 2019

When players decide to transfer, their choices are usually firm. But Auburn football got a rare exception yesterday. Nearly a month ago, wide receiver Kolbi Fuqua entered the NCAA transfer portal after appearing in only one game last season. However, according to AL.com's Matt Zenitz, Fuqua has had a change of heart and will stay on board with the Tigers. 

​Fuqua was rated as a three-star receiver in the 2018 class, and maintained his redshirt with his lone game appearance last fall. It's not clear exactly what made him change his mind, but with Auburn losing receivers Ryan Davis and Darius Slayton, among others, this offseason, maybe Fuqua will establish a larger role for himself this season. If so, he may give the Tigers' passing game the tonic it needs - especially with a new starting QB taking the snaps. 

In other news....

- Gus Malzahn reported last night during a booster club event in Dothan (which I was blessed to attend) that the starting QB race is officially down to two candidates: Bo Nix and Joey Gatewood. While both are dual-threat signal-callers, they have different statures and styles. Nix is a pocket passer, but can run zone-read plays to the outside much like the departed Jarrett Stidham. Nix, however, is faster. 

​Meanwhile, Gatewood (6-5, 233) is one of the taller, thicker QBs Auburn has had since the legendary Cam Newton. He matches the inside-zone scheme, and gave a glimpse of his skills in the Tigers' blasting of Purdue in the Music City Bowl last December, nearly scoring on a 20-yard scamper. The next few months will tell which of the two will be better equipped to begin life in the rugged SEC. 

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