​​Lyle's Corner

Friday, September 29th, 2017

With Auburn's home tangle with Mississippi State set to kick off at 5 p.m. CT tomorrow afternoon on ESPN, word came out yesterday as to who will be describing the action on said network. Dave Flemming will provide the play-by-play, with Brian Griese handling the color commentary. Todd McShay will serve as the sideline reporter.

Auburn enters this game as a nine-point favorite. As I've said already, I can only hope that our team doesn't get fat-headed after blowing out Missouri. Also, Georgia's rout of State last week doesn't mean anything. The Tigers will HAVE to stay grounded and in check to come away from this one with a win. If we play as well as we did at Mizzou last week, the outcome will certainly be a pleasant one.

One final note: Going back to the subject of TV commentators, am I the only one who found it quite odd that ESPNU had no sideline reporter for its telecast of the game at Mizzou last week? Mark Neely and Ray Bentley were in the booth, but that was it. I don't know if the problem was time constraints or that they simply couldn't find one, but whatever the case, that was just totally uncommon.

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

Thursday, September 28th, 2017

Thus far this season, 14 of Auburn's drives have ended in punts. Ian Shannon has handled all 14 of those kicks. However, head coach Gus Malzahn continues to insist that the Tigers' punting job is not secured. "We're going to keep competing," he said. "We'll see who the best is during practice, and we'll put them out there. I'm not ready to say right now, but that's my mindset."

Questions about a potential change in punter arose last week after Shannon turned in inconsistent performances in Auburn's previous two games, including a weak 28-yard punt against Mercer. Although Malzahn claimed that place-kicker Daniel Carlson would possibly take over the punting duties against Missouri, Shannon handled all three such kicks in that game. Shannon averaged 39.3 yards per punt against Mizzou, and none of those three punts were returned. His game average dipped just below his season average, which stands at 39.8 yards per boot. 

By comparison, Kevin Phillips, the Tigers' punter a season ago, averaged a solid 42.3 yards per punt in 11 contests. Fortunately, the rocky punting situation has not spelled doom for Auburn thus far through four games. No kick by Shannon has been returned for more than nine yards. Although Shannon hasn't been awful thus far, Malzahn would like to see improvement in the field position battle as the season progresses. The sophomore punter is expected to brush up on consistency.

From my point of view, if push comes to shove, Daniel Carlson may very well have to handle ALL of the kicking duties for the Tigers as he did in 2014. However, I think anyone would agree that if that were the case, it certainly wouldn't benefit his leg. (I can still see his potential game-tying 45-yard field goal try in overtime against Wisconsin in the 2015 Outback Bowl clanking off the right upright to end the game.)

No. 13 Auburn (3-1, 1-0 SEC) hosts No. 24 Mississippi State (3-1, 1-1) Saturday at 5 p.m. CT in Jordan-Hare Stadium. The game will be televised by ESPN.

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

Tuesday, September 26th, 2017

Head coach Gus Malzahn gave some good news to the media today: Auburn expects to have Kamryn Pettway and Kerryon Johnson on the field at the same time for the first time this season when the Tigers host Mississippi State on Saturday. Pettway was suspended for the season opener against Georgia Southern, while Johnson missed the Clemson and Mercer games due to injury. Pettway then missed last week's game at Missouri (although he did dress out) due to a left ankle injury he suffered against Mercer.

Malzahn said today that Pettway practiced Sunday, and that there was "a high likelihood" that he would play against the Bulldogs. However, he also pointed out that "I need to see him today at practice." Pettway hasn't seen action since he recorded 34 carries for 128 yards and three touchdowns against Mercer, the only Auburn running back to get a carry in that contest. As for Johnson, he had 48 yards on 18 carries with a career-record five touchdowns against Mizzou last week. Overall, Auburn rushed 53 times for 263 yards against the black-and-gold Tigers.

On that note, third-string tailback Kam Martin is expected to play more in the future as Pettway and Johnson strive to return to 100 percent health. However, Martin is dealing with an ankle injury himself, according to a source with knowledge of the situation. Malzahn confirmed that Martin is "a little bit banged up, but I think he'll be fine for this week."

Martin has made his presence felt in the backfield as well, rushing for a team-high 210 yards on just 27 carries. He's done all of that in just two games, with the most recent performance coming with 74 yards on nine touches in last week's 51-14 rout of Mizzou. No. 13 Auburn (3-1, 1-0 SEC) hosts No. 24 Mississippi State (3-1, 1-1 SEC) this Saturday at 5 p.m. CT in Jordan-Hare Stadium. The game will be televised on ESPN. Needless to say, splendid performances from this trio would prove a critical key to victory.

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

Monday, September 25th, 2017

While it's not yet known what network will televise Auburn's home game against Ole Miss on October 7th, one thing can be written in stone: The teams will face off at an early hour. The Tigers and Rebels will kick off at 11 a.m. CT at Jordan-Hare Stadium. The network among the ESPN family has yet to be determined. The match will air on ESPN, ESPN2 or the SEC Network. A final decision will be reached this Saturday night.

Ole Miss is coached by interim head coach Matt Luke, who took over for Hugh Freeze, who resigned in July in the midst of an NCAA investigation and the discovery of phone calls to escorts on his university-owned phone.

Naturally, I'm not very thrilled about this morning kickoff. However, I personally can sort of see one reason as to why this is the case. Due to all of the negative publicity hammering Ole Miss right now, most people aren't expecting them to have a fairy tale season. As for Auburn, it may be true that it doesn't always come out at the top of its game in morning contests, but stranger things have happened. A good example would be last year's tilt with Mississippi State in Starkville, Miss. That game began at 11 a.m. CT, and we put a pretty good shellacking on them, 38-14. Who's to say that we can't get the same result this year against the Rebels if we do enough things right?

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

Sunday, September 24th, 2017

After back-to-back inept performances in two weeks, the Auburn offense desperately needed to come out of the gate in gear in its SEC opener on the road at Missouri. Man, did it ever! The visiting Tigers racked up 482 yards (263 rushing, 219 passing) and had no turnovers after committing five last week against Mercer. Meanwhile, the defense forced four turnovers that proved to be too much for the black-and-gold Tigers to overcome.

When the final whistle had blown, Auburn had laid a 51-14 whipping on Missouri. The 51 total points marked the most Auburn has scored in a road conference match since amassing 55 at Tennessee in 2013. Also, the 37-point margin of victory was the team's most lopsided road victory in an SEC game since a 45-7 romp at Vanderbilt in 2003.

Jarrett Stidham had another red-hot performance, going 13-of-17 for 218 yards and a TD, which came on a 58-yard bomb to Nate Craig-Myers. It was Stidham's first TD pass since the season opener against Georgia Southern. In the game's closing minutes, Malik Willis made his collegiate debut at QB, completing 3 of 4 passes for 1 yard. He also recorded 11 yards rushing on 7 carries. But the real star of the running game was Kerryon Johnson. Although he rushed for a sub-par 48 yards on 18 carries, five of those carries were touchdowns - one shy of the single-game record set by Carnell "Cadillac" Williams against Mississippi State in 2003.

Aside from the four turnovers, the defense also recorded six tackles for loss and two sacks. Not bad considering that they gave up 340 total yards to Mizzou. Special teams was also excellent, as Daniel Carlson nailed all three field goal tries - 41, 52 and 54 yards. His kickoffs were just as outstanding. In the punting department, Ian Shannon seemed to regain his consistency, averaging 39.3 yards on three punts for the night. His longest was 41 yards, and one went inside the 20.

Several players dressed out, but didn't play due to injury. The most significant of these was running back Kamryn Pettway, who stayed on the sideline a week after rushing for 128 yards on 34 carries with three scores against Mercer. According to head coach Gus Malzahn, "He wasn't 100 percent. "It was kind of one of those deals where, if he wasn't going to be 100 percent, we were going to go with the other guys that were. We'll see how he is this week."

To be more specific, Pettway is still dealing with a heel injury (plantar fasciitis), and reportedly, his ankle was heavily taped during pre-game warmups. Only time will tell when he will be able to return to action. Now, with a crucial road win in the bag (no matter the quality of the opponent), Auburn must now turn its focus to a home game with Mississippi State next Saturday. There's one cause for me to be concerned, however: While the Tigers enjoyed a blowout, State took a brutal licking at the hands of Georgia. It was quite the contrary to the wild shootout I had predicted. I can only hope that we don't enter this next game with a fat-headed mindset. One thing's for sure: State will come to town just itching to vent its frustration out on us. I sincerely hope with every ounce of my being that the Auburn coaching staff can keep the team grounded and down to Earth. Otherwise, we may be headed south again.

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

Thursday, September 21st, 2017

A bit of good news came out tonight regarding Auburn defensive end Marlon Davidson. The starter returned to practice Tuesday, and this evening, head coach Gus Malzahn gave a blunt, yet encouraging update on his status. "We expect Marlon to play," Malzahn stated on Auburn's weekly radio show, "Tiger Talk."

Davidson was held out of the Tigers' 24-10 win over Mercer last week. On Wednesday, Malzahn said he was "hopeful" that the highly-touted sophomore would be back in the starting lineup for Auburn's trip to Missouri this week in its first conference game of the season. The two Tiger squads will kick off at 6:30 p.m. CT this Saturday on ESPNU. The teams last met in the 2013 SEC Championship Game, with Auburn clinching a 59-42 victory.

Hopefully, Davidson's presence will give the Auburn defense a spark, as Mizzou's passing game, led by quarterback Drew Lock, is what makes their offense go. Auburn will need to pressure the stew out of Lock. On Auburn's side, since Jarrett Stidham had a solid showing against Mercer last week, this contest could turn into an aerial circus if you know what I mean. However, the offense's key to victory is, above all else, eliminating turnovers. Since we committed five turnovers against Mercer last week, that's a self-explanatory must. 

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

Wednesday, September 20th, 2017

Today's post will cover injuries of four Auburn players, including three starters. However, in this case, the news is potentially good.

Head coach Gus Malzahn reported today that receiver Darius Slayton, who missed last week's game against Mercer due to an unspecified injury, practiced yesterday and will play Saturday at Missouri. Right tackle Darius James (neck) also practiced yesterday, but did so without contact. However, an article confirmed that he would return to contact practices today. While it's not yet clear if he will return to the starting lineup, Auburn is still preparing as if he will. "We're hopeful with him," Malzahn said.

However, if James is unable to start, the Tigers will use the same lineup that they did in the second half of last week's game. From left to right, the line would consist of Prince Tega Wanogho Jr., Mike Horton, Casey Dunn, Braden Smith and Austin Golson. Elsewhere, sophomore defensive end Marlon Davidson also returned to practice yesterday after missing the Mercer game last week. Malzahn said he is "hopeful" that Davidson will be able to return to the starting lineup against Missouri. 

Auburn previously announced that backup running back Kerryon Johnson (hamstring) would return to action this week after missing the last two-plus games. He rushed for 136 yards and a touchdown before injuring himself on a long run in the first half of the season opener against Georgia Southern.

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

Tuesday, September 19th, 2017

The Auburn defense has taken a hit. Defensive tackle Byron Cowart recently requested a release from the football team, and his request was granted this morning. While he may stay in school at Auburn through the end of the fall semester, he is no longer a part of the football program.

"Byron Cowart has come to me numerous times over the last couple of weeks disappointed in his playing time," head coach Gus Malzahn said today. "Yesterday, he came to me and said he wants to quit and pursue other opportunities so we wish him nothing but the best moving forward." The junior has not lived up to the hype that accompanied his arrival on The Plains. In 26 games with the Tigers, Cowart amassed only 15 tackles, including one in last Saturday's 24-10 Homecoming win over Mercer.

Auburn coaches had hoped that a move from defensive end to tackle would boost Cowart's slow start in college football. He bulked up, added weight and appeared destined to crack the rotation this season, but became a backup for the third straight year. All we can do now is wish him the best of luck in wherever he goes next.

In other news....

- Here's a bit of good news: Malzahn announced today that backup running back Kerryon Johnson will return to action this Saturday against Missouri. Johnson, Auburn's top reserve back, injured his hamstring in the first half of the season opener against Georgia Southern. He ran for 136 yards in the game. "I'm not going to say he's 100 percent but he practiced some last week and he practiced Sunday," Malzahn said. "He's ready to play."

The "Battle of the Tigers" will kick off at 6:30 p.m. CT this Saturday on ESPNU.

- The SEC released the complete 2018 football schedules for every league team today. Auburn's schedule is as follows, with home games written in all caps:

        - Sept. 1st: Washington (in Atlanta, Ga.)

        - Sept. 8th: ALABAMA STATE

        - Sept. 15th: LSU

       - Sept. 22nd: ARKANSAS

      - Sept. 29th: SOUTHERN MISS

      - Oct. 6th: at Mississippi State

     - Oct. 13th: TENNESSEE

     - Oct. 20th: at Ole Miss

     - Oct. 27th: Open Date

     - Nov. 3rd: TEXAS A&M

     - Nov. 10th: at Georgia

     - Nov. 17th: LIBERTY

     - Nov. 24th: at Alabama

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

Monday, September 18th, 2017

If you recall, I made a bold prediction yesterday that Sean White's arrest in the wee hours of Sunday morning would seal his fate. Well, that prediction came true this morning. White has been dismissed from the football team. The decision was made less than 24 hours after White was busted for public intoxication near the Auburn Police Department.

"Sean White is no longer a part of our football program at Auburn," head coach Gus Malzahn said in a statement. "He has made poor decisions that are not in the best interest of our program, and more importantly, himself. We appreciate his time at Auburn and wish him nothing but the best." 

White was previously suspended for the first two games of the season. He passed for 1,679 yards, nine touchdowns and three interceptions as the starter in 2016, although that season was cut short by injuries. He hurt his throwing shoulder in late October, but pressed on for the remainder of the year and broke his right forearm on the opening drive of the Allstate Sugar Bowl against Oklahoma, a game that the Tigers lost, 35-19.

White did not play in Auburn's 24-10 win over Mercer this past Saturday, although he had returned from his suspension. Now, his dismissal will likely place true freshman Malik Willis in position to be Jarrett Stidham's backup for the rest of the season. White and walk-on Devin Adams had served as the backups. With White suspended for the first two games, Adams stepped in for mop-up duty. Had Stidham been seriously injured, however, Willis would have been the first signal-caller on the field during the Tigers' first two games against Georgia Southern and Clemson.

No. 15 Auburn travels to Missouri this week in its first-ever trip to Columbia, Mo. Kickoff is set for 6:30 p.m. CT on ESPNU.

In other news...

- Auburn's showdown with Mississippi State has been set for prime-time. The Tigers will face the Bulldogs at 5 p.m. CT on Sept. 30th, with the game being televised by ESPN. Mississippi State crushed LSU 37-7 this past Saturday, and will travel to Georgia this week.

- I don't want to look too far into the future, but word has just leaked out that Auburn has already set another game with Mercer for 2022. The Tigers will host the Bears on Nov. 19th of that year in Jordan-Hare Stadium. The addition of Mercer to the 2022 schedule nearly completes our list of opponents through that season. Auburn has yet to schedule a Power 5 team for 2020 and 2022, though it has already done so for 2023 and 2024 with a home-and-home series against Cal.

One thing's for sure: When we face Mercer again in five years, I and all other Auburn fans sure as heck hope that that game will not be HALF as scary and unsettling as the one this past weekend was.

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

Sunday, September 17th, 2017

I'm going to keep my take on our 24-10 win over Mercer yesterday as brief as possible, because I have a couple of other things to write about.

This one was nowhere near a thing of beauty. Far from it. The defense was solid enough, limiting the FCS Bears to just 246 total yards, including 97 in the first half. The offense, however, was quite the contrary. Yes, we did pile up 510 yards on the day. Sadly, that doesn't erase the fact that we also came down with a severe case of turnover-itis, giving the ball up a shocking five times. You rarely win games with that many miscues. Auburn hadn't had that many turnovers in a single game since a 24-7 loss to Arkansas in 2012. It may be an understatement to say that the Tigers need to clean those mistakes up in a heartbeat.

Special teams was almost as lackluster. Daniel Carlson was successful on kickoffs, but less so on field goal tries, making a 29-yarder, but missing a 26-yarder - his third miss already this season. He needs to work hard and regain his confidence. Also, Ian Shannon struggled with punting, averaging only 36.5 yards on two boots.

On the whole, Auburn got the win, but it wasn't by any means an inspiring performance as all of us had hoped. The Tigers had better spend this next week of practice doing some DEEP digging in preparation for their trip to Missouri next week....which is only the beginning of a brutal seven-game stretch with an off week that doesn't take place until the last weekend in October. This span of games will, in my mind, truly define how the season turns out.

In other news....

- Auburn and Missouri will kick off at 6:30 p.m. CT next Saturday on ESPNU. This will mark Auburn's first ever trip to Columbia, Missouri. The two teams last met in the 2013 SEC Championship, with Auburn claiming a 59-42 shootout victory.

- Things have gone from bad to worse for backup QB Sean White. News broke this morning that White, who had just returned from a two-game suspension, was arrested by Auburn police for appearing under the influence in public. The 21-year-old junior was booked at 3:28 a.m. CT today and is being held on $500 bond. White, a native of Hollywood, Fla., has started games for Auburn in each of the past two seasons, including 10 last year. However, he was beat out by Jarrett Stidham for the starting job this season. His court date has been set for Nov. 30th.

It's certainly not my place to judge Sean, but given that he already served a punishment for the past couple of weeks, I can't help but have a gut feeling that this incident may mark the end of the line for him. Only time will tell how Coach Malzahn responds to this.

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

Friday, September 15th, 2017

Auburn has found its new softball coach. Mickey Dean was announced as the new leader of the program last night. Dean comes to The Plains from James Madison, where he posted a dazzling 237-56 record in five seasons. He had five 40-win seasons to his name, including two with at least 50 victories. In his 11 years at the college level, Dean has coached seven NCAA Tournament teams - and won nine conference titles.

"Coach Dean's accomplishments at JMU are remarkable," Auburn athletic director Jay Jacobs said in a press release. He's won consistently at every level throughout his career. He's done it the right way, winning with class and integrity while graduating his student-athletes at a high level. Auburn already has a winning program and we're going to get even better. He's a great fit for Auburn."

Dean, who offered a brief statement on accepting the position yesterday, will be officially introduced on Sunday in a press conference at the athletic complex at a time to be determined. "It is an honor to be named the leader of the Auburn softball program," Dean said. "I want to thank President Leath, Director of Athletics Jay Jacobs and the Board of Trustees for the exciting opportunity to lead this program. The future is bright for Auburn softball. We want the fans to be as excited as we are to come out and watch the program represent them in the highest standing."

Dean takes over for former coach Clint Myers, who retired in August as the most successful coach in program history with a 205-54-1 record. The program is still intending to upgrade its softball facilities, including Jane B. Moore Field, with an initial price tag of $4.8 million. James Madison had extended Dean's contract through the 2021 season last year. JMU athletic director Jeff Bourne emphasized the long-lasting impact Dean had on the program in announcing the extension.

"Coach Dean's work in his short time at JMU is exemplary," Bourne said. "He has elevated our softball program to the level of being nationally competitive, and has laid a foundation for success that we expect will be sustainable well into the future. His approach to his student-athletes blends perfectly with our strategic vision in terms of commitment to academic achievement, on-field success, holistic development, personal care and community engagement." 

He joined James Madison after six years at Radford where he took the program to its first NCAA Tournament appearances (2009 and 2010). He's also worked on the professional and international levels with tenures as the pitching coach for the Venezuelan National Team (2002-08) and the Chicago Bandits (2004-10) where he coached co-pitcher of the year Jennie Finch.

Dean is an Elon University graduate, where he was a four-year letterwinner on the baseball team. He and his wife, Liz, have one son, Isaac, and one daughter, Caroline.

In other news....

- Don't forget: Auburn football hosts Mercer tomorrow for Homecoming, with kickoff set for 3 p.m. CT on the SEC Network Alternate channel.

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

Thursday, September 14th, 2017

Auburn basketball announced the television networks and times for its 18-game SEC schedule for the 2017-18 season yesterday afternoon. The team will appear five times on ESPN's family of networks, but not on the flagship station. All of the other games will be broadcast on the SEC Network. The full schedule follows, with all times listed as Central.

- Nov. 2nd (Thurs.) - Barry University (exhibition)

- Nov. 10th (Fri.) - Norfolk State

- Nov. 16th (Thurs.) - Indiana State, 10:30 a.m. (ESPNU)

- Nov. 17 (Fri.) - Temple/Old Dominion, 10 a.m/12:30 p.m. (ESPN2/U)

- Nov. 19th (Sun.) - Clemson/Dayton/Hofstra/Ohio, (ESPN2/U), TBA

- Nov. 24th (Fri.) - Winthrop

- Nov. 29th (Wed.) - at Dayton

- Dec. 3rd (Sun.) - George Mason

- Dec. 6th (Wed.) - Gardner-Webb

- Dec. 9th (Sat.) - UAB

- Dec. 16th (Sat.) - Middle Tennessee

- Dec. 19th (Tue.) - at Murray State

- Dec. 23rd (Sat.) - UConn, 1:30 p.m. (ESPN2)

- Dec. 30th (Sat.) - Cornell

- Jan. 2nd (Tue.) - at Tennessee, 6 p.m., ESPNU

- Jan. 6th (Sat.) - Arkansas, 5 p.m., ESPNU

- Jan. 9th (Tue.) - Ole Miss, 8 p.m., ESPNU

- Jan. 13th (Sat.) - at Mississippi State, 2:30 p.m., SEC Network

- Jan. 17th (Wed.) -at Alabama, 6 p.m., SEC Network

- Jan. 20th (Sat.) - Georgia, 5 p.m., SEC Network

- Jan. 24th (Wed.) - at Missouri, 8 p.m., SEC Network

- Jan. 27th (Sat.) - LSU, 5 p.m., SEC Network

- Jan. 30th (Tue.) -at Ole Miss, 8 p.m., SEC Network

- Feb. 3rd (Sat.) - Vanderbilt, 7:30 p.m., SEC Network

- Feb. 7th (Wed.) - Texas A&M, 8 p.m., ESPN2

- Feb. 10th (Sat.) - at Georgia, 2:30 p.m., SEC Network 

- Feb. 14th (Wed.) - Kentucky, 8 p.m., ESPN2

- Feb. 17th (Sat.) - at South Carolina, 2:30 p.m., SEC Network

- Feb. 21st (Wed.) - Alabama, 7:30 p.m., SEC Network

- Feb. 24th (Sat.) - at Florida, 7:30 p.m., SEC Network

- Feb. 27th (Tue.) - at Arkansas, 8 p.m., SEC Network

- Mar. 3rd (Sat.) - South Carolina, SEC Network, 2:30 p.m.

- Mar. 7th-11th (Wed-Sun.)- SEC Tournament, (St. Louis, MO- Scottrade Center) SEC Network/ESPN, TBA

Let's all cross our fingers and hope that this is the year when the Tigers will have a good chance to become a title contender.

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

Wednesday, September 13th, 2017

Today's post will cover injury-related news. Head coach Gus Malzahn reported today that four players will likely miss Auburn's Homecoming game against Mercer on Saturday.

First off, senior safety Nick Ruffin is considered "day to day" after being shaken up late in the 14-6 loss to Clemson last week. Also, running backs Kamryn Pettway (heel) and Kerryon Johnson (hamstring)  and receiver Darius Slayton (undisclosed) could sit out on Saturday against the FCS foe.

Malzahn confirmed today at the SEC coaches teleconference that all four players were at practice today and participated in at least some drills. We can only hope that they will all be back on the field soon, especially considering that the Tigers will begin SEC play next weekend with a trip to Missouri. This week, however, the Homecoming contest against Mercer will kick off at 3 p.m. CT on the SEC Network Alternate channel.

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

Tuesday, September 12th, 2017

Word came out yesterday as to who will call Auburn's Homecoming game against Mercer this Saturday on the SEC Network's Alternate channel. Joel Meyers will handle the play-by-play duties, while Brian Kinchen will provide the color commentary, and Gabe Gross (a former Tiger QB) will be the sideline reporter. The game is set for a 3 p.m. CT kickoff (4 p.m. ET). The Auburn Sports Network will go on the air at noon CT (1:00 p.m. ET). 

Oh, before I move on, here's a stat from the Clemson game that I forgot to mention yesterday. Regardless of the quality of our future opponents, we MIGHT have a better chance of winning if the offensive line doesn't allow 11 sacks. Yes, you read that correctly. Eleven. It doesn't matter if your opposition is inferior or superior. A stat like that is absolutely inexcusable.

In other news....

- Former Auburn defensive end Corey Lemonier just can't seem to latch onto a permanent NFL home. Lemonier was released by the New York Jets, marking the fourth time that he's been cut in the past year. He was drafted by the San Francisco 49ers in the third round of the 2013 NFL Draft, but was let go with an injury settlement yesterday.

A report from AL.com stated that in an injury settlement, an NFL team pays a player a lump sum before releasing him from injured reserve to cover the weeks he's expected to miss. Lemonier injured his foot in the preseason, but will be free to sign with another team whenever he recovers. The former Tiger has struggled to find a good fit in the league.

He spent his first three seasons with the 49ers before being cut and traded to the Cleveland Browns. He was subsequently released by the Browns - and the Detroit Lions - before being axed by the Jets. Lemonier amassed 34 tackles in his last season with Auburn in 2012.

I wish Corey the best of luck as he tries to find new stomping grounds in the league.

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

Monday, September 11th, 2017

First off, I'll note a couple of kickoff times for upcoming games.

Auburn's Homecoming game against Mercer this Saturday will kick off at 3 p.m. CT. It will be televised on the SEC Network's Alternate channel. Also, the Tigers' SEC opener at Missouri on Sept. 23rd will be played in prime-time. Details have yet to be finalized, but the league announced today that the battle of the Tigers will kick off at either 6 or 6:30 p.m. CT. The game will either be televised by ESPN2 at 6 p.m. or ESPNU or the SEC Network at 6:30 p.m. A decision will be reached after games from Week 2 are played this weekend. The Week 4 showdown will mark Auburn's first-ever trip to Columbia, Missouri.

Moving on from kickoff times for the future, I'm sure you're wondering how I felt about our 14-6 loss to Clemson last Saturday. Well, I'll be rather blunt. Our offense was absolutely pitiful, only generating 117 yards. The offensive line was terrible. On the other hand, the defense was superb, only giving up 284 yards to the defending national champions and forcing two turnovers as well.

Unfortunately, it takes more than one side of the ball to win a game. Gus Malzahn and quarterback Jarrett Stidham have already claimed that the offense will turn things around. While I'm going to try my hardest not to give up on this season yet, I think I have the same mindset as virtually all other Auburn fans: I'll believe it when I see it.

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

Friday, September 8th, 2017

Auburn's second-string running back will likely stay on the sideline for the Tigers' match at Clemson tomorrow night.

"Kerryon Johnson hasn't practiced at all this week," head coach Gus Malzahn said in his "Tiger Talk" radio show appearance on the Auburn Sports Network last night. He also noted that the Tigers hope to have him back on the field "in the near future." Johnson went down with a hamstring injury last week in the first half of Auburn's season opener against Georgia Southern.

Although Malzahn did not outright state that Johnson would not be able to play against the defending national champions, the outlook is not optimistic. He said on Tuesday that he was "hopeful" Johnson would be ready to go. Johnson was very dependable as Auburn's No. 2 back last season, rushing for 895 yards and 11 touchdowns behind starter Kamryn Pettway. (Speaking of Pettway, he'll be back in action tomorrow after being suspended last week.)

I'll admit that I myself hoped that Johnson would be recovered in time for tomorrow's game, but in retrospect, perhaps I should have known better. On the other side of the coin, this not only opens the door for Pettway, but also guys like Malik Miller and C.J. Tolbert.

No. 13 Auburn will tangle with third-ranked Clemson tomorrow night at 6 p.m. CT on ESPN.

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

Thursday, September 7th, 2017

For the past couple of days, I've been monitoring Hurricane Irma as closely as anybody in its path. Above all, my heart and prayers go out to everyone who has already felt the wrath of this terrible storm, as well as those who have evacuated to escape its arrival.

Unsurprisingly, this disaster has caused numerous scheduled sporting events to be rescheduled or cancelled altogether. Members of Clemson's athletic department have kept a close eye on Irma as well, but as of right now, there are no plans to change the scheduled match between Auburn and Clemson, which is slated for 6 p.m. CT on ESPN Saturday night. This afternoon, word came out as to who will be calling the action on said network.

Steve Levy will handle the play-by-play, while Brian Griese will provide the color commentary. Meanwhile, Todd McShay will be the sideline reporter. On a personal note, I distinctly remember another Auburn game that Levy covered many years ago: The 1999 contest against Georgia in Athens. We were 4-5 heading into that one, having lost five of our previous six games in Tommy Tuberville's inaugural season as head coach. The Bulldogs, meanwhile, were 6-2 and ranked #16 under fourth-year head coach Jim Donnan, and vying for an SEC title.

Virtually everyone figured that this trip to Athens would not be a pleasant one for us. But boy, were they wrong! We came out of the gate and beat their pants off, storming out to a 31-0 halftime lead and going on to win, 38-21. Quarterback Ben Leard threw for 416 yards and four touchdowns in the upset victory. That's certainly one of my favorite games in the Deep South's Oldest Rivalry.

But as much as I love Auburn football, I always aim to keep it in perspective. Events like Irma should serve as powerful reminders to all of us of what's truly important in life. Personal belongings and homes can always be replaced, but people cannot. Sometimes, it takes a serious wake-up call for so many to realign their priorities. Again, I pray that God's peace, strength and healing will be upon everyone involved in this ferocious storm, which has officially become the worst Atlantic hurricane ever recorded.

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

Monday, September 4th, 2017

Happy Labor Day, everyone! I'm going to be relatively blunt with my insight on Auburn's 41-7 season-opening win over Georgia Southern last Saturday.

The offense sputtered at times and had three turnovers (two fumbles (one of which was returned for the Eagles' only score of the night) and an interception). However, Auburn did pile up 535 total yards (including 351 on the ground). Individually, Jarrett Stidham was a bit rusty at times, but still had a solid showing in his Auburn debut. I'm confident that he'll brush up on his mistakes with time. Kam Martin also had a great night after Kerryon Johnson went down with what seemed to be a pulled hamstring.

On the defensive side, only one word can describe its performance: Outstanding. Sure, the opponent was Georgia Southern, but any time you can limit your opponent to 78 total yards and not allow a single third-down conversion for the entire game, that's a huge accomplishment. The 78 yards given up were the lowest output by an Auburn opponent since Ole Miss only netted nine yards against the Tigers in 1985. That also tied the fewest yards Auburn allowed in a season opener, as UT-Chattanooga had the same figure in 1967. Special teams was a mixed bag. Daniel Carlson only allowed the Eagles two kickoff returns, and Ian Shannon only punted once for the entire game. However, the typically automatic Carlson missed two of four field goal tries. That hadn't happened since Oct. 3, 2015 against San Jose State.

Overall, the Tigers got a solid performance after a slow and jittery start to clinch the season-opening win. That said, they'll need to rectify their mistakes this week in practice to prepare for a crucial trip to Clemson next Saturday. An article I read last night said that Auburn is already labeled as a touchdown underdog, and that could very well motivate the team. And yes, I know about Kamryn Pettway, Sean White and Kyle Davis all being suspended from the first game. Gus Malzahn confirmed that Pettway and Davis will be back for Clemson, while White won't return until Week 3 against Mercer (during which I'm sure he'll get mop-up duty as the game progresses).

In other news....

- The Auburn family lost a legend this past weekend, as former center and linebacker Jackie Burkett, a member of the 1957 national championship squad, passed away on Friday at age 80. After his Auburn career, he played for 10 seasons in the NFL. When he hung up his cleats, he went on to own a restaurant in New Orleans, and later became a county commissioner in Fort Walton Beach, Florida from 2000 to 2008. May God Bless Jackie richly, and give his family, friends and former teammates comfort and peace in this difficult time.

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

Saturday, September 2nd, 2017

I'm sure you'll be very surprised to discover that this post has nothing to do with Auburn's season opener against Georgia Southern (which is three hours and 27 minutes away as I start typing this). Rather, it regards the new NFL home for a former Auburn receiver.

The Pittsburgh Steelers have traded third-year wideout Sammie Coates, a former Tiger standout. He last played for Auburn in 2014 and was a third-round pick in 2015. In two seasons with the Steelers, Coates grabbed 22 receptions for 446 yards, with a high of 21 catches in 2016. However, for most of his time in Pittsburgh, he was hindered by injuries.

To quote Profootballtalk.com, "In Pittsburgh, Coates became expendable when Martavis Bryant was cleared to return from a substance-abuse suspension. The (Cleveland) Browns wanted to give rookie quarterback DeShone Kizer another target, and now they have." It should be noted that with Coates joining the Browns, he's now reunited with another former Auburn receiver: Ricardo Louis.

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

Friday, September 1st, 2017

Former Auburn fullback Jay Prosch has re-signed to the Houston Texans with a new deal. And it's a big one. Adam Schefter of ESPN reported yesterday that the Texans have signed Prosch to a 3-year, $5.75 million extension, including $2.7 million guaranteed.

Prosch, a key member of Auburn's 2013 national runner-up team, was a sixth-round pick of Houston in the 2014 NFL Draft. In three previous seasons, he has been used mainly as a blocker in the Texans' offense. However, he has recorded 10 carries for 42 yards. Six of his touches have gone for first downs. Prosch also has two receptions to his name. I wish him continued success with the Texans for what will hopefully be many more years to come.

One final note: As I write this, we're just 32 hours and 17 minutes away from the start of the 2017 Auburn football season. This is getting serious. I just hope that the team hasn't paid one bit of attention to the lofty expectations that it's been getting. If they do, that could spell trouble. Plus, I think many would agree with me that this is truly a make-or-break year for Gus Malzahn. The rock band Green Day has a song on their latest album (Revolution Radio) entitled Say Goodbye. If we don't turn things around this year, I'm afraid that that's exactly what Gus will have to do to his time on The Plains.

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