Tag: Brian Battie

AAC running back and All-American return man transfers to Auburn

The Tigers have found their man to pair with Jarquez Hunter.

Auburn has found its running back to complement Jarquez Hunter.

Former USF running back [autotag]Brian Battie[/autotag] announced on Twitter Monday that he is transferring to Auburn to play for coach Hugh Freeze and staff. Battie is the second AAC player that the Tigers picked up on Monday, with Battie’s announcement coming shortly after Auburn acquired Cincinnati wideout Nick Mardner.

Battie’s resume speaks for itself. He had a stellar year in 2022, rushing for 1,186 yards for an average of 6.7 yards per carry and eight touchdowns on the year. He was also vaunted as a returner, being named as a consensus All-American for his efforts in 2021 where he ran back three kicks for touchdowns — Battie returned 33 kicks for 659 yards in 2022.

Battie will team up with current Auburn running back Jarquez Hunter, who ran for 675 yards and 6.5 yards per carry for seven touchdowns in 2022. The two together create what should be a talented running back corps for Hugh Freeze’s first year as head coach in 2023.

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USF RB Brian Battie becomes latest name on Auburn’s radar

Battie, who rushed for 1,186 yards in 2022 at USF, visited Auburn on Sunday.

Auburn has done well in the pursuit of transfer portal talent, as they have added seven players since the open period that began on Dec. 5.

Most of its’ finds have been on the offensive and defensive line, as well as one tight end and a linebacker. The Tigers have yet to earn the signature of a skill position player, although many prospects have taken a visit to campus.

The most recent skill player to partake in a visit to Auburn is former USF running back [autotag]Brian Battie[/autotag]. Battie, who has accumulated 1,842 yards in three seasons with the Bulls, visited Auburn’s campus on Sunday. While there, he talked with running backs coach [autotag]Cadillac Williams[/autotag], offensive coordinator [autotag]Philip Montgomery[/autotag], and head coach [autotag]Hugh Freeze[/autotag].

After his discussion with Auburn coaches, he came away feeling that he is a great fit in the Tigers’ system. He was also impressed with Auburn’s newly-built Woltosz Football Performance Center, saying that it “looks like something that colleges not even supposed to have.”

Auburn looks to add depth to its running back room following the departure of [autotag]Tank Bigsby[/autotag], who will take part in the upcoming NFL Draft. [autotag]Jarquez Hunter[/autotag] and [autotag]Damari Alston[/autotag] return to Auburn’s rotation, and four-star commit [autotag]Jeremiah Cobb[/autotag] is set to join this summer. Battie would be a great addition, as he rushed for 1,186 yards and eight touchdowns for the Bulls in 2022.

According to Auburn Undercover, Battie will visit Colorado in the upcoming days and will make his decision on Jan. 15.

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