Tag: Connor Lew

Auburn guard Jeremiah Wright announces return to Auburn football

Wright is set to return after taking over the right guard slot on Auburn’s offensive line in 2024.

Auburn head coach [autotag]Hugh Freeze[/autotag] received great news Monday as he looks to construct his 2025 roster.

[autotag]Jeremiah Wright[/autotag], who took over as the Tigers’ starting right guard in 2024, announced Monday that he will return to the team for his fourth season.

Wright is no stranger to seeing time on the offensive line by participating in over 1,200 snaps over the last three seasons. He took over as the Tigers’ starting right guard in 2024, allowing just nine quarterback pressures in 418 opportunities according to Pro Football Focus. Among the pressures were six hurries and two sacks.

As a freshman in 2022, Wright participated in 234 snaps over seven games at left guard, making one start on Auburn’s road trip to Ole Miss. He made the move to right guard for his sophomore season in 2023, where he split time with [autotag]Kam Stutts[/autotag]. Wright saw action in 11 games and totaled 308 snaps.

With the return of Wright, Auburn will return four linemen from its 2024 season including [autotag]Dillon Wade[/autotag], [autotag]Connor Lew[/autotag], and [autotag]Bradyn Joiner[/autotag]. Freeze will look to fill the right tackle position left vacant by outgoing transfer Percy Lewis with either Virginia Tech transfer [autotag]Xavier Chaplin[/autotag] or USC transfer [autotag]Mason Murphy[/autotag]. Both transfers bring a wealth of experience to the Tigers’ front.

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Auburn adds former USC tackle Mason Murphy from transfer portal

Matt Zemek of Trojans Wire sheds light on what Auburn fans can expect from Murphy following his commitment.

Auburn fans woke Tuesday to the news that an experienced offensive lineman would join.

[autotag]Mason Murphy[/autotag], a 22-game starter for the USC Trojans at right tackle, announced his commitment to Auburn on Tuesday morning. His commitment is welcomed as head coach [autotag]Hugh Freeze[/autotag] and offensive line coach [autotag]Jake Thornton[/autotag] are searching for a replacement at right tackle for the outgoing [autotag]Izavion Miller[/autotag].

What exactly is Auburn getting in Murphy? We asked Matt Zemek of Trojans Wire for insight on Murphy’s time in Los Angeles, and he delivered.

Murphy started all 12 of USC’s games this season, with his best game coming in the Trojans’ 42-20 win over Rutgers on Oct. 25. Pro Football Focus graded his performance 81.0 overall, with an 83.6 in pass blocking. However, he failed to grade above 71.0 in his remaining 11 starts, which caused frustration among the USC fanbase according to Zemek.

“Maybe (Thornton) can create improvements from Murphy, but USC fans winced (and probably yelled with anger) when Murphy made key mistakes which kneecapped the Trojans in 2024,” Zemek said.

Several of Murphy’s mistakes included losing a block against Minnesota on Oct. 5, which forced a momentum-swinging interception that led to a Trojan loss. Murphy also committed four false start penalties in USC’s loss to Washington on Nov. 2.

However, Zemek feels Murphy could become a high-level player with great coaching.

“To be fair to Auburn, USC offensive line coach Josh Henson has not done a good job with the Trojans,” Zemek said. “If Auburn thinks it can coach Murphy better than Henson did at USC, this could all work out. If that was the thought process behind this pickup, it makes sense. Just beware: Mason Murphy was not part of the solution at USC.”

Last season, Izavion Miller earned a grade of 64.4 from Pro Football Focus after allowing 17 pressures with four sacks in 570 snaps at right tackle. However, two key linemen: [autotag]Dillon Wade[/autotag] and [autotag]Connor Lew[/autotag], were graded above 70 for the season.

Murphy will compete alongside Virginia Tech transfer [autotag]Xavier Chaplin[/autotag] for the role of Auburn’s starting right tackle this spring. Chaplin committed to Auburn Monday after starting 25 games at left tackle for the Hokies over the last two seasons.

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Connor Lew makes PFF’s All-Freshman team

Connor Lew did not allow a sack and surrendered just three quarterback pressures in nine games.

It didn’t take long for [autotag]Connor Lew[/autotag] to cement himself as one of Auburn’s best players and a building block for [autotag]Hugh Freeze[/autotag] and Co.

The true freshman turned heads once he arrived on campus and became the backup center behind veteran [autotag]Avery Jones[/autotag]. When Jones went down with an injury in Week 8, Lew was inserted into the starting lineup and the offense did not miss a beat.

According to Pro Football Focus, he did not allow a sack and surrendered just three quarterback pressures in nine games this season. His PFF pass-blocking grade of 75.5 was the highest on the team and they honored him by naming him to their 2023 All-Freshman Team.

Lew is expected to start in Auburn’s bowl game against Maryland and will enter his sophomore seasonas the clear starter and someone Auburn can build the offensive line around,

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Connor Lew named Freshman All-American by 247Sports

Lew did not allow a sack and surrendered just three quarterback pressures in nine games.

The hype around [autotag]Connor Lew[/autotag] started building the second the talented center arrived on campus and he exceeded all expectations as a true freshman, taking over starting during the second half of the season.

Forced into the starting lineup after [autotag]Avery Jones[/autotag] suffered an injury, Lew quickly cemented himself as one of Auburn’s best players. He did not allow a sack and surrendered just three quarterback pressures in nine games, according to Pro Football Focus. His PFF pass-blocking grade of 75.5 was the highest on the team.

The recognition is starting to pour in for his great work and on Tuesday 247Sports named him a Freshman All-American.

Lew started the final five games of the season for the Tigers, allowing no sacks and three pressures during that five-game stretch. He also helped an excellent Auburn rushing attack to keep rolling.

Lew was one of [autotag]Hugh Freeze[/autotag]’s patented flips in the 2023 cycle, originally committing to Miami before ultimately picking the Tigers.

He now enters his second season on the Plains as the clear starter at center and someone Auburn can build the offensive line around, as they look to replace starting guards Kam Stutts and Guner Britton, who are out of eligibility.

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Three Tigers named to All-SEC Freshmen Team

Auburn’s Alex McPherson, Keldric Faulk, and Connor Lew have been named to the All-SEC Freshmen team.

Three young Auburn Tigers have received All-SEC Honors.

Kicker [autotag]Alex McPherson[/autotag], edge rusher [autotag]Keldric Faulk[/autotag], offensive lineman [autotag]Connor Lew [/autotag] were all named to the All-SEC Freshmen team on Thursday.

McPherson was not only one of the best place-kickers in the country this season, but one of the best kickers period.

The younger brother of Bengals’ kicker Evan McPherson, Alex drilled every single one of his attempts this year, including 13-of-13 field goals and 39-of-39 extra points.

McPherson showed accuracy and power throughout his freshman campaign, connecting on a 53-yard try as well as 3 more attempts from 40-plus yards.

The College Football Network Freshman Kicker of the Year seems ready to continue Auburn’s recent run of strong kickers on the Plains.

Unlike McPherson, [autotag]Keldric Faulk[/autotag] and [autotag]Connor Lew[/autotag] weren’t major cogs in head coach [autotag]Hugh Freeze[/autotag]’s lineup until late in the season.

Lew started Auburn’s last five games, earning Freshmen of the week honors in his first start filling in for the injured [autotag]Avery Jones[/autotag] against Mississippi State.

The freshmen ran with the momentum, usurping Jones as the starting center for the final stretch of the season.

Lew helped a solid Tigers offensive line become great, specifically against Alabama in the Iron Bowl, when Auburn rushed for 244 yards against the SEC’s College Football Playoff representative.

Edge rusher [autotag]Keldric Faulk[/autotag] was also a late-bloomer for the Tigers in his first season on the plains.

The freshman started the final 7 games of the season for Auburn, collecting 12 of his 32 total tackles in the final three games of the season.

He played an important role in attempting to shut down Alabama quarterback [autotag]Jalen Milroe[/autotag] in the Iron Bowl, and did a decent job for the most part.

These three freshman will enjoy the honor before retunring to practice to prepare for the Music City Bowl against Maryland on December 30 in Nashville.

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Auburn announces depth chart for Week 10 game against Vanderbilt

Auburn made some minor changes to the depth chart after beating Mississippi State.

Auburn picked up its first SEC win of the season last week over the Mississippi State Bulldogs and they are looking to keep the momentum going when they head to Nashville to take on the Vanderbilt Commodores.

The Tigers announced the depth chart for the game on Monday with some slight changes from last week’s edition. The only change on the offensive side was listing both [autotag]Avery Jones[/autotag] and [autotag]Connor Lew[/autotag] at center, separated by an or.

Jones is battling an injury and was replaced by Lew in last week’s starting lineup last week. The freshman had a great game and was named the SEC Freshman of the Week for his performance.

The other changes come on special teams where [autotag]Keionte Scott[/autotag] and [autotag]Koy Moore[/autotag] are listed as co-starters at punt returner and Reed Hughes and Jacob Quattlebaum are now co-starters at long snapper.

Here is a look at Auburn’s full depth chart.

Hugh Freeze previews Auburn’s upcoming game at Vanderbilt

Here’s a recap of everything Hugh Freeze said during his weekly press conference on Monday.

Hugh Freeze had plenty of positive things to say during Monday’s press conference.

His team snapped a four-game SEC skid last Saturday afternoon by defeating Mississippi State, 27-14, and the Tigers have a great chance of earning another win this Saturday on the road at Vanderbilt.

Quarterback [autotag]Payton Thorne[/autotag] and running back [autotag]Jarquez Hunter[/autotag] each reached season-highs in yards last Saturday due in part to solid offensive line play. [autotag]Gunner Britton[/autotag] was named SEC co-offensive lineman of the week after allowing just two hurries on Saturday, while [autotag]Connor Lew[/autotag] earned SEC Freshman of the Week following his first start at center.

Freeze said Monday that he was impressed with Lew’s first start.

“I heard this morning that (Lew) is going to get freshman player of the week from SEC Network. So, congratulations to him. He graded out well. I’m thankful that he waited till the last possession to snap a ball and hit his own butt. If that would have happened the first possession, I would have been a nervous wreck the rest of the game. I asked him what happened, and he said, ‘I have no idea Coach.’ He did well. He made most of the calls the right way. He is very athletic, sometimes that hurts him a little, truthfully. He’s moving at a speed that maybe he needs to move a little slower. I thought he played solid for a freshman.”

Freeze discussed Payton Thorne’s breakout game, Vanderbilt’s offense, and much more on Monday. Here is a recap of what Freeze said during his weekly press conference.

Auburn linemen Gunner Britton and Connor Lew named to SEC team of the week

Auburn utility lineman Gunner Britton and freshmen center Connor Lew have been named to the Week 9 All-SEC team after Auburn’s 27-13 win.

Auburn linemen [autotag]Gunner Britton[/autotag] and [autotag]Connor Lew[/autotag] have been named to the SEC team of the week after their strong performances in Auburn’s 27-13 win over Mississippi State.

Britton was named the SEC Co-Offensive Lineman of the Week, while center Conner Lew has been named the SEC Freshmen of the Week.

Both linemen earned the award after they helped Auburn’s offense eclipse 416 yards of total offense, 186 of which came on the ground. They also were able to keep a clean sheet for quarterback Payton Thorne in the sack category for the first time since week 1.

This is the second time this season Britton has won SEC team of the week honors, the first time being the aforementioned week 1 game.

Auburn’s best lineman didn’t allow a quarterback hurry or a sack in the contest, and repeatedly made good blocks in the run game.

As for Lew, he wins Freshmen of the Week honors in his first career start on the Plains, as he was forced into action after Avery Jones injured himself against Ole Miss.

Lew had a great game, allowing only one quarterback hurry and no sacks. It will be interesting to see if head coach [autotag]Hugh Freeze [/autotag] opts to rotate him in at center and the guard positions moving forward.

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Auburn Tigers Snapshot Profile: No. 75 Connor Lew

He has all the makings of Auburn’s center of the future.

Going into the 2023 football season, Auburn Wire will be looking at each scholarship player listed on the Tigers’ roster.

Over the preseason, each profile will cover where the player is from, how recruiting websites rated them coming out of high school, and what role they will play for [autotag]Hugh Freeze[/autotag] in his first season on the Plains.

Up next is freshman offensive lineman [autotag]Connor Lew[/autotag]. He has quickly established himself as Auburn’s center of the future behind veteran [autotag]Avery Jones[/autotag].

Preseason Player Profile

Hometown: Kennesaw, Georgia

Height: 6-3

Weight: 290

Class in 2023: True Freshman

247Sports Composite Ranking

Four-Star / No. 47 in Georgia / No. 33 IOL

Depth Chart Overview

Lew was one of the standouts of spring practice and that has carried over into fall camp. With Jones being the top option at center for the 2023 season, Lew has been getting reps at guard and if anyone goes down he could factor into the rotation at guard. That could be key as he projects as Auburn’s top center for next season.

Connor Lew’s Photo Gallery

Auburn Tigers Snapshot Profile: No. 50 Jalil Irvin

The veteran is one of Auburn’s most experienced linemen.

Going into the 2023 football season, Auburn Wire will be looking at each scholarship player listed on the Tigers’ roster.

Over the preseason, each profile will cover where the player is from, how recruiting websites rated them coming out of high school, and what role they will play for [autotag]Hugh Freeze[/autotag] in his first season on the Plains.

Up next is veteran offensive lineman [autotag]Jalil Irvin[/autotag]. He has spent played both center and guard during his time at Auburn and he gives them needed depth at several key positions.

Preseason Player Profile

Hometown: Stone Mountain, Georgia

Height: 6-3

Weight: 319

Class in 2023: Senior

247Sports Composite Ranking

Three-Star / No. 49 in Georgia / No. 22 OG

Career Appearances

Year G
2019 4
2020 4
2021 11
2022 12

PFF Grades

Year Offense Pass Blocking Run Blocking Special Teams
2019 59.2 16.3 64.1 61.0
2020 50.9 74.1 50.9 60.7
2021 52.5 76.4 52.3 61.0
2022 47.6 50.8 47.4 61.7

Depth Chart Overview

Entering his sixth year on the Plains, Irvin gives Auburn an experienced player who can play both center and guard when needed.

Transfer [autotag]Avery Jones[/autotag] has the starting center spot locked up and Irvin is in a battle with [autotag]Connor Lew[/autotag] and [autotag]Tate Johnson[/autotag] to be the No. 2 center. With both guard spots still up for grabs, it could take some time to determine what the best combination is for the offensive line.

Regardless of where he starts on the depth chart, Irvin is an experienced option that Auburn’s coaches know they can count on at either guard spots or center when needed.

Jalil Irvin’s Photo Gallery