Category: Auburn News

Landen King to join the transfer portal once again

King enters his name on the final day of the spring transfer portal window.

Wide receiver and tight end [autotag]Landen King[/autotag] will be entering the transfer portal for the second time since November. King broke the news via his personal Twitter account on Sunday.

In 2021, King’s first season with the program, King caught five passes for 59 yards and one touchdown. In 2022, King caught one pass for 24 yards in Auburn’s loss to the Penn State Nittany Lions.

The Humble, Texas native was a three-star recruit with a 0.8748 composite according to 247Sports. King was the No. 592 ranked player nationally, the No. 29 ranked tight end and the No. 88 ranked player in the state of Texas in the class of 2021.

With King’s departure from the program, 15 of the 18 signees from Auburn’s 2021 recruiting class are no longer with the program. This includes each of the top 10 signees.

King joins edge rusher [autotag]Dylan Brooks[/autotag] and offensive tackle [autotag]Colby Smith [/autotag] as the third member of the team to enter the portal this weekend and the ninth to do so since the portal reopened earlier this month.

Contact/Follow us @TheAuburnWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Auburn news, notes, and opinion. You can also follow Daniel on Twitter @DanielJLocke

[mm-video type=playlist id=01eqbyzb4ahnasj2m3 player_id=01f5k5y2jb3twsvdg4 image=]

[lawrence-auto-related count=3 category=702301474]

South Carolina blanks Auburn softball to even series

Auburn will get another chance to win the series tomorrow afternoon.

The Auburn Tigers (36-15, 12-8 SEC) fell 8-0 at the hands of the South Carolina Gamecocks (33-16, 8-12 SEC) on Saturday afternoon.

Auburn did not record a hit in the run-rule affair and only had two base runners during the contest. [autotag]Carlee McCondichie[/autotag] walked and[autotag]Bri Ellis[/autotag] was hit by a pitch.

The Gamecocks took a 1-0 lead on a throwing error in the 2nd inning and began to run away from the Tigers in the 4th inning. South Carolina’s Guilia Desiderio hit her first of two home runs in the game when she cranked a three-run blast to left field to extend South Carolina’s lead to 4-0 in the 4th.

South Carolina added four more runs in the 5th inning when Desiderio and Jordan Fabian each hit two-run homers. Desiderio’s second home run of the game was the final blow, which put the run rule into effect.

[autotag]Annabelle Wildra[/autotag] got the start for the Tigers and allowed four runs off of two hits, walked three batters, and struck out five in 3.2 innings in the circle.

Donnie Gobourne got the start for the Gamecocks, only walking one batter and striking out seven in five innings of action.

RELATED: How to watch Auburn softball’s series at South Carolina

The rubber match is set for Sunday at 12:00 p.m. CDT and will broadcast on SEC Network+.

Contact/Follow us @TheAuburnWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Auburn news, notes, and opinion. You can also follow Daniel on Twitter @DanielJLocke

[mm-video type=playlist id=01eqbyzb4ahnasj2m3 player_id=01f5k5y2jb3twsvdg4 image=]

[lawrence-auto-related count=3 category=692566218]

Auburn baseball takes series opener in Columbia

Auburn hands South Carolina just its’ second home loss of the season.

The Auburn Tigers (24-17-1, 8-11 SEC) opened up the weekend series in Columbia with an 8-3 win over the No. 3 South Carolina Gamecocks (34-7, 13-5 SEC).

“The guys did an amazing job,” head coach [autotag]Butch Thompson[/autotag] said. “We’ve been here before, and we’re at the stage now where this is a good win but we know we’ve got to get right back in the middle of this because we have to have more before we leave town.”

[autotag]Tommy Vail[/autotag] got the start and earned the win for Auburn in a 5-inning outing. [autotag]Tanner Bauman[/autotag] and [autotag]Will Cannon[/autotag] provided three and one inning(s) of relief respectively.

“I knew I had to go as deep as I could, trust the guys behind me and trust the bullpen,” Vail said Friday. “Luckily, I was able to give us a couple more good innings and get us in position to win. I was able to get some swings and misses up in the zone. I knew the defense was going to play well behind me. I knew I could fill it up and let them work.”

The Tigers got the scoring started in the first inning and the Gamecocks answered back. [autotag]Cole Foster[/autotag] hit a two-run homer in the top of the fourth that spared an Auburn rally.

Auburn added three runs in the top of the fifth inning to take a 6-1 lead. The Tigers tacked on two more runs in the top of the seventh inning and ended up winning 8-3.

The second game is set for Saturday at 3:00 p.m. CDT and will be televised on SEC Network+.

Contact/Follow us @TheAuburnWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Auburn news, notes, and opinion. You can also follow Daniel on Twitter @DanielJLocke

[mm-video type=playlist id=01eqbyzb4ahnasj2m3 player_id=01f5k5y2jb3twsvdg4 image=]

[lawrence-auto-related count=3 category=691343809]

Auburn drops midweek contest to Troy

The Tigers drop their first home midweek contest of the year to an in-state foe.

Despite scoring six runs in the bottom of the first inning, the Auburn Tigers (23-17-1, 7-11 SEC) fell 8-7 at the hands of the Troy Trojans (29-13) at home in Plainsman Park Tuesday night.

“We just couldn’t do enough,” head coach [autotag]Butch Thompson[/autotag] said. “That’s a good ball club. That’s a team with an RPI higher than ours and doing good in their league. We couldn’t muster enough on the mound to be competitive at home.”

[autotag]Hayden Murphy[/autotag] got the start for Auburn and allowed five runs off of five hits, walked two batters, and struck two out in two innings of work. [autotag]Parker Carlson[/autotag] ended up with the loss in 3.1 innings of work that saw two runs off of one hit, three batters walked and three struck out.

Noah Manning earned the win for Troy in 4.1 innings of work in which he held the Tigers scoreless, only allowed three hits, walked one batter, and struck two out.

The Trojans had two two-run homers in the top of the second inning to cut the deficit to one. They tacked three more runs on in the top of the sixth inning to take a two-run lead.

The Tigers put across one more in the bottom of the seventh inning when [autotag]Justin Kirby[/autotag] hit a sac fly to right field to bring home Kason Howell.

Auburn will be back in action this weekend against the South Carolina Gamecocks on the road. First pitch is set for 6:00 p.m. CDT on Friday, 3:00 p.m. CDT on Saturday, and 11:30 a.m. CDT on Sunday. The first two games will be broadcasted on SEC Network+ and the final game will be on SEC Network.

Contact/Follow us @TheAuburnWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Auburn news, notes, and opinion. You can also follow Daniel on Twitter @DanielJLocke

[mm-video type=playlist id=01eqbyzb4ahnasj2m3 player_id=01f5k5y2jb3twsvdg4 image=]

[lawrence-auto-related count=3 category=691343809]

Former Auburn WR finds new home

Tar’varish Dawson is looking to make a fresh start with a Big 12 program.

A former Auburn wideout will look to get a fresh start with a new member of the Big 12 Conference.

Wide receiver [autotag]Tar’Varish Dawson Jr.[/autotag] announced his committed to the Cincinnati Bearcats via his personal Twitter account on Friday. Dawson entered his name into the transfer portal on April 15, which was the second time of doing so since the conclusion of the 2022 season.

Dawson caught two passes for 30 yards as well as rushing for 10 yards off of two carries during his two seasons with the program. His best game as a member of the Tigers’ receiving corps was in Auburn’s 24-16 win over San Jose State on Sept. 10, when he hauled in one pass for 22 yards.

The Lehigh Acres, Florida native was a four-star recruit coming out of high school. Dawson was the No. 351 player nationally, the No. 22 ranked athlete and the No. 54 ranked player in the state of Florida per 247Sports.

Dawson was never able to find his footing and breakthrough in the wide receiver rotation. A new start will likely do his football career good.

[mm-video type=playlist id=01eqbyzb4ahnasj2m3 player_id=01f5k5y2jb3twsvdg4 image=]

[lawrence-auto-related count=3 category=702301474]

Tigers takes down Tide in game three to win series

Auburn earns their first series win in Tuscaloosa since 2017.

The No. 19 Auburn Tigers (35-14, 11-7 SEC) picked up a 3-1 victory over the No. 14 Alabama Crimson Tide (34-15, 10-8 SEC) to clinch the series victory at Rhoads Stadium in Tuscaloosa this afternoon.

“I’ve been telling people all year that if you don’t come watch this team play, you are missing it,” head coach [autotag]Mickey Dean[/autotag] said Sunday. “That was one hell of a matchup between (Maddie) Penta and (Montana) Fouts. That was fun to watch. Maddie kept her composure. They threatened. We made mistakes, but she kept her composure.”

[autotag]Maddie Penta[/autotag] pitched the whole game for Auburn and allowed one run off of six hits, walked one batter, and struck out eight in seven innings of work.

Montana Fouts pitched the whole game for Alabama and allowed three runs off of seven hits, walked one batter, and struck out 11 in seven innings of work.

The Tigers got the scoring started in the top of the third inning when senior [autotag]Carlee McCondichie[/autotag] hit a solo home run down the right-field line.

The Crimson Tide evened it up in the bottom of the fourth inning when senior Jenna Johnson scored on a groundout to short by junior Bailey Dowling.

Auburn took control and never gave it back in the top of the sixth inning when sophomore [autotag]Bri Ellis[/autotag] singled to right field to drive in sophomore [autotag]Kenadie Cooper[/autotag] and junior [autotag]Denver Bryant[/autotag] doubled to left center to score freshman Skylar Elkins. That was all of the scoring in the 3-1 Tigers victory.

Auburn will be back in action next weekend when the Tigers travel up to Columbia, South Carolina for a three-game set with the South Carolina Gamecocks (32-15, 7-11 SEC). First pitch will be set for 5:00 p.m. CDT on Friday, 1:00 p.m. CDT on Saturday and 12:00 p.m. CDT on Sunday.

 

Jaylin Williams becomes latest Tiger to test the NBA draft waters

Williams throws his name into NBA draft consideration while maintaining his college eligibility.

Auburn Tigers forward [autotag]Jaylin Williams[/autotag] announced Thursday that he would be declaring for the NBA Draft while maintaining college eligibility via his personal Instagram.

“Auburn Family, thanks to you my basketball journey has been unforgettable,” Williams said. “Without you all, I wouldn’t be where I am today. An Auburn Man. From traveling all over the world, to being the number one team in the country, my time at Auburn has been unforgettable.

With that being said, I will be entering my name into the 2023 NBA Draft while maintaining my college eligibility.”

Williams saw his role increase each season with the Tigers, going from appearing in 14 games and averaging seven minutes per game during his freshman season to starting every game this season.

Williams averaged 27.8 minutes per game this season and was one of the most important players on the floor for the Tigers at any given point. Williams averaged 11.2 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 2.2 assists per game this season as well as shooting 46.6% from the field this season.

This offseason will be a transitional one for the Tigers and there will be a lot of places to fill. If Williams does decide to play at the next level, Auburn will have to fill the role of the three spot and a guy that had a lot of experience within the program.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CrQ-3ZBs5l0/?igshid=MDJmNzVkMjY=

[mm-video type=playlist id=01eqbyzb4ahnasj2m3 player_id=01f5k5y2jb3twsvdg4 image=]

[lawrence-auto-related count=3 category=1365]

247Sports becomes latest outlet to forecast Auburn’s 2023 record

According to this projection, the Tigers will do just enough to become bowl eligible.

ESPN recently dropped its early rankings through the Football Power Index and now 247Sports wants to try its hand at predicting Auburn Football’s 2023 record.

247Sports is not overly high on the Auburn Tigers in [autotag]Hugh Freeze[/autotag]’s first year at the helm of the program.

The projections had this to say about the Tigers:

2023 schedule predictions (6-6, 2-6): UMass (Win), at Cal (Win), Samford (Win), at Texas A&M (Loss), Georgia (Loss), at LSU (Loss), Ole Miss (Win), Mississippi State (Win), at Vanderbilt (Loss), at Arkansas (Loss), New Mexico State (Win), Alabama (Loss)

The skinny: A .500 finish is obviously not what Hugh Freeze has in mind for his first season at Auburn, but this roster simply isn’t strong enough yet to fight for a spot near the top of the division standings. It’ll come, though. There’s a three-game stretch during the first half of the 2023 campaign that will be season-defining and they all come against who we consider to be top-15 teams.”

There is a lot of work left to do before the season starts but most Tiger fans are anticipating anywhere from seven to nine wins. A lot of them would probably accept a season ending with a bowl game victory after the last few seasons.

Time will tell if Auburn is able to put itself in a position to be competitive in 2023.

[mm-video type=playlist id=01eqbyzb4ahnasj2m3 player_id=01f5k5y2jb3twsvdg4 image=]

[lawrence-auto-related count=3 category=1364]

Four-star 2025 wide receiver Josiah Abdullah offered by Auburn

Auburn becomes the latest program to jump into the running for one of Georgia’s top 2025 recruits.

The Auburn Tigers have offered a scholarship to [autotag]Josiah Abdullah[/autotag], a wide receiver in the class of 2025, Abdullah announced via Twitter on Saturday.

The Atlanta, Georgia native attends Woodward Academy and holds offers from many top programs such as Alabama, Tennessee, Texas, Arkansas, Florida State, Texas A&M, LSU, Michigan, Florida, Georgia, Ohio State, and Clemson.

On3’s recruiting prediction machine is not high on Abdullah’s chances of committing to Auburn at this time. That could easily change as [autotag]Hugh Freeze[/autotag] and company start to ramp up their recruiting efforts towards the receiver.

The prediction machine currently gives Tennessee a 53.2% chance and Alabama a 16.5% chance of landing Abdullah.

Abdullah is the No. 126 player as well as the No. 22 wide receiver in the class of 2025 according to On3. According to Rivals, he is a four-star wide receiver and the No. 9 prospect from the state of Georgia for the 2025 cycle. He has yet to receive a ranking from 247Sports.

[mm-video type=playlist id=01eqbyzb4ahnasj2m3 player_id=01f5k5y2jb3twsvdg4 image=]

[lawrence-auto-related count=3 category=1367]

Eli Stove to make gridiron return in USFL

The former Tiger wideout is set to make his return to football by debuting with the New Orleans Breakers on Sunday evening.

Former Auburn Tigers wide receiver [autotag]Eli Stove[/autotag] is set to make his return to the game of football for the New Orleans Breakers of the USFL against the Pittsburgh Maulers on Sunday in Birmingham.

Stove was an effective receiver for the Tigers during his five years with the program. Stove rushed for 554 yards and four touchdowns off of 55 carries and caught for 1186 yards and six touchdowns off of 136 catches.

Stove was signed as an undrafted free agent by the Los Angeles Chargers in 2021. Injuries prevented Stove from ever making it to the Chargers’ minicamp.

Stove is one of four former Auburn players that will begin the season on a USFL roster. Several notable former Tigers include OT [autotag]Broadarious Hamm[/autotag] (Michigan Panthers) and C [autotag]Xavier Dampeer[/autotag] (Pittsburgh Maulers.) New Orleans leads all USFL teams with two former Auburn players on its’ roster. Stove is teammates with former Auburn LB [autotag]Zakoby McClain[/autotag], who played for the Tigers from 2018-21.

The Breakers game against the Maulers is set for 5:30 p.m. CDT on Sunday at Protective Stadium. FS1 will have the television broadcast of the game.

[mm-video type=playlist id=01eqbyzb4ahnasj2m3 player_id=01f5k5y2jb3twsvdg4 image=]

[lawrence-auto-related count=3 category=1364]