​​Lyle's Corner

Friday, November 29th, 2019

Here we are on Iron Bowl Eve, and the Tigers got another pledge to their football program for the Class of 2020. 

Zykeivous Walker, a 6-feet-4, 270-pound defensive lineman from Schley County (Ga.) High verbally pledged to Gus Malzahn's Tigers today. He told Rivals.com that he informed Auburn's coaching staff of his decision on Wednesday, but waited until today so that he could tell his family at a cookout before going public about it. 

Walker, a four-star prospect, picked Auburn over Florida and Georgia. His commitment gives the Tigers 21 players for the Class of '20, including three defensive linemen. The other two pledges at that spot are Jay Hardy of McCallie, Tenn., and Daniel Foster-Allen of St. Paul's in Mobile, Ala.

"I did not think Auburn would be a school for me back in the summer, but I kept my eyes open," Walker told Rivals.com. Clearly his persistence paid off. Walker is ranked as No. 48 on The Southern 120. AL.com's recruiting rankings for the Class of 2020 is a ranking of the top 120 high school football prospects in the 10-state SEC footprint.

The Iron Bowl between Auburn and Alabama will kick off at 2:30 p.m. CT tomorrow in Jordan-Hare Stadium on CBS. Bragging rights are all that matter in this one. 

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

Saturday, November 23rd, 2019

Sure, it was a rainy day at Jordan-Hare Stadium, but Auburn's performance against Samford was far brighter. The Tigers romped the Bulldogs 52-0 in a tune-up before next week's Iron Bowl against rival Alabama. 

I'm going to be blunt in my takes on today's win, as it's late in the evening as I write. The offense was on a roll today. You can't complain about a team that amasses 544 yards on the day (251 passing, 293 rushing). I was most happy for Cord Sandberg, as he threw two TD strikes to Zach Farrar in mop-up duty. JaTarvious Whitlow also seemed fully healthy, gaining 49 yards on seven touches with a pair of scores himself. 

Defensively, Kevin Steele's troops were once again superb. They held Samford to just 114 yards on the day, including just 35 in the first half. Plus, the Tigers forced four turnovers. That's always big, no matter what the quality of the opponent. The only downer was losing Jamien Sherwood in the second half due to targeting Samford's QB. Consequently, he will miss the first half of the Iron Bowl. 

Special teams fared pretty well, although they only got one kickoff return and one punt return. The only true mishap was Anders Carlson's blocked field goal try in the first half. I'll never give up on him, but there's no denying that the kid has had a rough go lately. I hope things look up for him. Field goal attempts from 40 yards and beyond have always been his trouble spot. 

On the whole, Auburn did about everything it could against an overmatched FCS opponent. Now, the big question: Will they be able to sustain the momentum from today and carry it into their always-big-time showdown with their most detested rival? In seven days, we'll get the answer. 

In other news...

- The men's basketball team will return to action on Monday night against New Mexico in Brooklyn, N.Y. Tipoff is set for 8:30 p.m. CT on ESPNEWS.

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



Friday, November 22nd, 2019

Jordan-Hare Stadium will soon have new lighting. Today, the university's board of trustees approved installation of LED fixtures and 20 new poles inside the stadium. Construction will begin after the 2019 football season and be completed before the 2020 football season. The project is expected to cost between $3.75 million and $4.25 million.

The LED lighting will aim to save energy and reduce costs. The lights currently in place in the stadium are no longer manufactured and spare parts are hard to come by. The new lights will be able to provide a "light show" inside the stadium, with the potential of lights changing colors as well. Athletics director Allen Greene is uncertain if the lights will flicker or change colors during timeouts or stoppages in play. Other SEC foes - Georgia, Alabama and Ole Miss - have picked up on the practice in recent years. 

Within the last several years, Auburn has installed similar LED systems at its soccer field and baseball stadium. The lights provide better coverage of the field and better clarity, shorter warm-up times for the units and little-to-no shadows on the field for television broadcasts.
In other news...

- Auburn football hosts Samford tomorrow in a non-conference match in Jordan-Hare Stadium. Kickoff is set for 11 a.m. CT on the SEC Network. Taylor Zarzour will call the play-by-play, while Matt Stinchcomb will provide the color. 

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



Monday, November 18th, 2019

The Iron Bowl's time and network has been set. Auburn and Alabama will square off at 2:30 p.m. CT on CBS on Nov. 30th. Unfortunately, that spells trouble for many viewers, as color analyst Gary Danielson is apt to talk almost exclusively about Alabama during an Auburn game, Iron Bowl or otherwise. I have to agree that, while I certainly don't hate anybody, he is definitely not one of my favorite sportscasters by any means. Word of advice: Hit the mute button and listen to the Auburn Network, like I always do myself. 

In other news...

- The men's basketball team hosts Colgate tonight in Auburn Arena at 7 p.m. CT. The game will be televised by the SEC Network.

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



Sunday, November 17th, 2019

I'm going to be as blunt and to the point as possible today, as I have quite a few things to cover anyway. Auburn dug itself into a hole yesterday against Georgia at Jordan-Hare Stadium, but then battled back. They very well could have quit after falling behind 21-0 as the final quarter began. But they didn't.  They came to life offensively before finally losing the war by a score of 21-14. Kudos to them for their never-say-die attitude.

All that said, I feel that there were a few key things that kept the Tigers from winning. One was Anders Carlson's missed 47-yard field goal try on Auburn's first possession. That was his fourth miss in his last six field goal tries. An effective opening drive went for naught. Bo Nix's second-quarter fumble in Georgia territory was also costly.

The offensive line also had a shaky performance, as the Tigers only got 84 yards rushing, and Nix spent much of the game under pressure and scrambling. He was sacked twice. His fourth-and-2 incompletion to Harold Joiner on Auburn's next-to-last series (which was thrown slightly behind Joiner) was also a downer. The receivers were pretty solid, save for a few out-of-bounds catches (bogus call or not).

The defense played soundly once again, holding the Bulldogs to just 251 total yards. However, it gave up a big play on Georgia's second drive when Jake Fromm threw a 51-yard scoring bomb to Dominick Blaylock. On the play, there was a clear miscommunication by at least two Tiger defenders. Take away that play, and it very well may have been a different ball game. 

Simply put, Auburn showed pure grit and determination in turning a one-sided affair into an exciting nail-biter. The Tigers had a fighting chance, but it just wasn't meant to be. Instead of dwelling on what could have been, however, the team must turn the page to a non-conference match with Samford next Saturday at 11 a.m. CT. The game will be televised on the SEC Network. This should serve as nothing more than a stress-free tune-up for the Iron Bowl. We'll see if the Tigers have a better day, particularly on offense. 

In other news...

- The men's basketball team smothered Cal State of Northridge last Friday by a score of 116-70 to improve to 4-0 on the season. The Tigers will host Colgate tomorrow night at 7 p.m. CT in Auburn Arena on the SEC Network. 

- Speaking of the basketball program, it got another pledge for the Class of 2020 last night. Four-star forward Chris Moore, a senior at West Memphis High School in Arkansas committed to the Tigers. He announced the news at a press conference. According to the 247Sports Composite, Moore ranks as the No. four prospect in the state of Arkansas and the No. 26 power forward prospect in America. 

Moore picked the Tigers over the University of Arkansas and Memphis. He was recently on Auburn's campus for an official visit, checking out the Tigers' exhibition game win over Eckerd. He is Auburn's third pledge for 2020, joining 6-6 guard Justin Powell from North Oldham High in Goshen, Ky., and 6-0 point guard Sharife Cooper from McEachern High in Powder Springs, Ga. Powell signed with the Tigers this week, and Cooper is expected to do the same in the early signing period, which runs through Tuesday. 

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



Monday, November 11th, 2019

A little more information came to light today about Auburn's game against Samford, its final non-conference opponent of the regular season. 

The Tigers will host the FCS foe in Jordan-Hare Stadium on Nov. 23rd at 11 a.m. CT. The TV network has yet to be determined. It will be broadcast on either ESPN, ESPN2 or the SEC Network. That match will be followed, of course, by the Iron Bowl against Alabama, also in Jordan-Hare. It will be played on Nov. 30th, although the kickoff time and TV network have not been determined. 

Back to the Samford game. I would anticipate that we'll find out who will televise it once this week's games (including Auburn's tangle with Georgia) are in the books. Stay tuned.

In other news...

- Don't forget: The men's basketball team plays at South Alabama in Mobile tomorrow night at 7 p.m. CT. The game will only be available online at ESPN+. You can listen online at auburntigers.com.

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

Sunday, November 10th, 2019

Auburn football may have enjoyed its open date yesterday, but that didn't prevent them from clinching another commitment for the Class of 2020. 

Three-star offensive lineman Brenden Coffey, a JUCO from Butte College in northern California, announced last night via Twitter that he would be headed to the Plains next fall. "It is with deepest gratitude and extreme excitement that I get to say, I have committed to Auburn University. War Eagle!!!!", he tweeted.

According to the 247Sports Composite, Coffey ranks as the No. 2 JUCO offensive tackle in the Class of 2020 and the No. 3 overall JUCO recruit from the state of California. The Tigers now have 20 players in their 2020 class, which ranks No. 8 in the country and No. 5 in the SEC, per 247Sports. 

From my point of view, this is a crucial gain for Auburn, as the team will largely be in rebuilding mode next year, especially on the offensive front.

In other news...

- The men's basketball team beat Davidson last Friday night 76-66 in Annapolis, Maryland to go to 2-0 on the season. Isaac Okoro led the Tiger offense with 16 points. 

Auburn will return to action on Tuesday with a trip to Mobile to face South Alabama. Tipoff is set for 7 p.m. CT. The game will be available online at ESPN+.

- This isn't Auburn-related, but I feel led to share it. Chad Morris was fired today after 22 games as the head coach of Arkansas. The move comes on the heels of a humiliating 45-19 upset to Western Kentucky.  In just less than two seasons, he went just 4-18, including no SEC victories. Tulsa and Colorado State were the only FBS teams that he defeated. The Razorbacks now sit at a bleak 2-8 overall, 0-6 in league action. Barry Lunney Jr. has been named interim head coach. 

As for Morris, I know he's far better than this. Unfortunately, the SEC is the most demanding conference in America in terms of athletic success. I do pray that he finds success wherever he goes next. As for Arkansas, things can obviously only get better from here. The way Morris' stint was going, I strongly doubted that he would make it to a third season, and sure enough, that prediction came true. 

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



Thursday, November 7th, 2019

The football program has scheduled a non-conference opponent for 2025. South Alabama announced today that it will travel to Auburn that season for a non-conference tilt at Jordan-Hare Stadium. 

This game will be Auburn's first non-conference FBS opponent from the state of Alabama since 1996, when the Tigers hosted UAB (and shut them out 29-0 despite a rather lackluster performance). Although Auburn and South Alabama share state lines, this will mark the first meeting between the two schools on the gridiron. 

Contract details have not been released yet, but it appears to be only a one-game deal. "This is a fantastic opportunity for Jaguar football to get to play an in-state SEC school," South Alabama head coach Steve Campbell said in a news release. They are a perennial top-10 program that has produced several Heisman Trophy winners. It will definitely be great to be able to face them. Playing an in-state SEC school will help us in many areas." 

Hopefully, it will help Auburn just as much in the respect of clinching a win. The Tigers will just have to treat this game like any other. 

In other news...

- The men's basketball team will travel to Annapolis, Maryland tomorrow to face Davidson as part of the Veterans Classic. Tipoff is set for 5 p.m. CT on CBS Sports Network. 

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



Wednesday, November 6th, 2019

Auburn football got a crucial commitment today. Jay Hardy, who is ranked as the No. 7 strongside defensive end in the nation, announced his pledge to the Tigers this morning. "I'll be furthering my academic and athletic career at Auburn University," Hardy said in a statement at McCallie School in Chattanooga, Tennessee. 

Hardy picked Auburn over Tennessee, Georgia Tech, Florida and Georgia. His decision comes on the heels of an official visit to the Plains. He and his family spent last weekend in Auburn, which was his third trip there in the last six months.

"(The Auburn visit) went great," Hardy said. "I feel real comfortable (at Auburn) right now. "I had a lot of time with Coach (Gus) Malzahn and Coach (Rodney) Garner. I talked to Coach Malzahn and he said they can't find any big guys like Marlon Davidson and that I could be just like (Davidson) when he leaves." 

Hardy concurred. "(I'm probably like) Marlon a little bit. He's a big, athletic guy and I'm big and athletic just like him. I can also play d-tackle, d-end, anywhere. I think I could fit in tremendously, definitely be able to be a big bulk on the defensive line inside and out.

Hardy is Auburn's 19th pledge for 2020 and second defnsive end, joining Daniel Foster-Allen of St. Paul's in Mobile, Ala.

In other news...

- The men's basketball team kicked off the 2019-20 campaign on the right foot with an 83-74 victory over Georgia Southern in Auburn Arena last night. The Tigers had to overcome 21 turnovers to pull it off. Auburn also led the Eagles in rebounds, 41--27. Samir Doughty led the Auburn offense with 20 points. 

The Tigers will travel to Annapolis, Maryland on Friday to face Davidson as part of the Veterans Classic. Tipoff is set for 5 p.m. CT on the CBS Sports Network. 

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



Tuesday, November 5th, 2019

Auburn football's A-Day Game for next spring has been scheduled. The program announced yesterday evening that the annual end-of-spring scrimmage will be held on April 11th, 2020. As has been the case for a few years now, A-Day will take place on the same Saturday as The Masters. 

A time and TV network have yet to be determined. In recent years, the A-Day game has been televised on the SEC Network. Ticket information will also be reported at a later date, although tickets have typically been $5 each.

I don't want to jump the gun, but I personally can already see the 2020 season as a rebuilding one, mainly because we'll have an entirely new offensive line and also a few new members of the defensive line. Then again, I may be completely off my rocker. Stranger things have happened. Only time will tell. 

In other news...

- The men's basketball team hosts Georgia Southern tonight in its regular-season opener at 8 p.m. CT on the SEC Network. 

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



Monday, November 4th, 2019

The newest chapter in the Deep South's Oldest Rivalry will kick off in the afternoon. On November 16th, No. 12 Auburn and No. 6 Georgia will square off at 2:30 p.m. CT on CBS. This will be the Tigers' fourth appearance on the network this season, although it will be the team's first home game on the network this year.  

The Deep South's Oldest Rivalry will be the second portion of a doubleheader on CBS that day, as the network starts with No. 10 Florida at Missouri at 11 a.m. CT. Auburn is off this week while Georgia hosts Missouri Saturday at 6 p.m. CT. Gus Malzahn is 2-1 at home against the Bulldogs in his tenure as Auburn's head coach. On Georgia's last visit to the Plains in 2017, the Tigers upset the top-ranked Bulldogs in dominating fashion, 40-17.

In other news...

- The men's basketball team hosts Georgia Southern in its regular-season opener tomorrow night at 8 p.m. CT in Auburn Arena. The game will be televised on the SEC Network. 

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



Sunday, November 3rd, 2019

On the stat sheet, Auburn's win over Ole Miss at Jordan-Hare Stadium was a lopsided romp. On the scoreboard, though, it was a bizarre, tight and fierce battle that the Tigers had to earn every ounce of. In the end, Gus Malzahn's troops came out unscathed with a 20-14 decision that was not sealed until the final play. There was good and bad in this one. Let's break it down. 

On offense, Auburn accumulated 507 yards on the night. A figure like that usually results in many more points than just 20. Bo Nix had his best game as a Tiger, going 30-of-44 for 340 yards with one rushing TD. D.J. Williams made his presence felt once again, rushing for 93 yards on 24 carries, including his first Auburn score, a 1-yard plunge that put the Tigers up 10-0 late in the second period. Nix's 78-yard strike to Harold Joiner on a wheel route was Auburn's longest pass play this season. However, the Tigers let several drives stall, and the receivers were prone to drops here and there. Auburn committed two fumbles, losing one. In short, the offense clicked at times, but sputtered at others.

Defensively, we were once again pretty stingy. Auburn only allowed the Rebels 266 total yards (167 rushing, 99 passing). They were clearly tired as the game wound down, but Christian Tutt's interception on the final play (which he nearly took to the house) was equally huge. The unit's performance was even more impressive given that they were without Jeremiah Dinson (stomach virus) and Marlon Davidson (tightness in lower back).

Special teams, however, left the most to be desired. First off, the coverage unit gave up a 55-yard punt return to set up Ole Miss' first score. More significantly, Anders Carlson had a tough outing, going 2-of-5 on field goals. His last miss came on a 47-yard try late in the fourth quarter that hit the crossbar and bounced back into the end zone. That would have locked up a victory. Despite that, Malzahn insists that he's still solidly behind Carlson, and I am, too. Still, plenty of work needs to be done here. 

Overall, it certainly wasn't pretty. Were the Tigers still hung over from the loss at LSU last week? Were they rattled by Joey Gatewood's abrupt exit? Whatever the case, they had to hang on for dear life to avoid a major upset at the hands of a struggling Ole Miss squad. Nonetheless, Auburn is now 7-2 overall, 4-2 in SEC play. 

There's more good news: The Tigers are now entering their second bye week of the season. That will give them plenty of time to clean up the mistakes, and also give those who are still banged up a chance to heal. They had better put this time to good use, because a mighty tough Georgia team will come calling to the Plains next week. If Auburn wants to pull off the upset, it will have to play as clean a game as possible. 

In other news...

- The men's basketball team won its exhibition game this past Friday night over Eckerd by a score of 97-53 in Auburn Arena. The official season opener will be played on Tuesday against Georgia Southern in the aforementioned location. Tipoff is set for 8 p.m. CT on the SEC Network. 

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

 

November 2019