Tag: Izavion Miller

Auburn showing interest in Texas A&M OL Chase Bisontis

Bisontis is one of the most popular names currently in the transfer portal.

[autotag]Chase Bisontis[/autotag] was a productive member of Texas A&M‘s offensive line in 2023.

In 12 games, he played 544 snaps, with 543 of those at right tackle according to Pro Football Focus. Bisontis also allowed just four sacks in 290 pass plays this season for the Aggies.

So it is easy to see why he is gaining interest from several Power Five programs, including Auburn, now that he has officially entered the transfer portal.

Bisontis has received interest from over 20 programs according to On3’s Hayes Fawcett. Auburn is one of 10 SEC programs that have reached out to Bisontis in hopes that he will choose them as his next home. On3’s Pete Nakos lists LSU as the early favorite to land Bisontis, but Bisontis has not officially announced a commitment date.

It never hurts to have depth at the offensive line unit, but the tackle position is not an immediate need for the Tigers heading into 2024. The team’s primary tackles, [autotag]Dillon Wade[/autotag] and [autotag]Izavion Miller[/autotag], are eligible to return to the team next season. However, Bisontis was a talented piece of the 2023 recruiting cycle by being ranked the No. 2 offensive lineman of the class, and the No. 1 player out of New Jersey. If he were to consider Auburn, Freeze and offensive line coach [autotag]Jake Thornton[/autotag] could work with him in order to find the role that is best suited for him.

Contact/Follow us @TheAuburnWire on  X (Twitter), and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Auburn news, notes, and opinions. You can also follow Taylor on Twitter @TaylorJones__

Auburn tweaks depth chart ahead of Week 7 game against LSU

Each of these changes were expected.

After a week away, Auburn football is set to return to action and [autotag]Hugh Freeze[/autotag] and Co. have made some changes to the depth chart ahead of their matchup with the LSU Tigers.

The moves were largely expected as [autotag]Gunner Britton[/autotag] is now listed as the starter at left guard and [autotag]Izavion Miller[/autotag] at right tackle. This had already been happening for the past weeks but it is now official.

The other change comes along the defensive line where true freshman [autotag]Keldric Faulk[/autotag] has been named the starter at defensive end, replacing the injured [autotag]Mosiah Nasili-Kite[/autotag].

Here is a look at the full-depth chart for Auburn’s trip to Baton Rouge.

Brian’s Column: Auburn’s running game needs to show up against Texas A&M

The Auburn Tigers have gotten off to an undefeated start this season, but the running game has struggled. It needs to be better on Saturday.

For the past decade, the Auburn football offense has run through the running game.

The best player on the offensive side of the ball for the Tigers has always been their running back, whether it’s [autotag]Tank Bigbsy[/autotag], [autotag]Kerryon Johnson[/autotag], [autotag]Cameron-Artis Payne[/autotag], or Tre Mason, the offense has literally run on running the ball.

This year that has not been the case. The team’s leading rusher through three weeks is quarterback [autotag]Payton Thorne[/autotag].

The team’s leader in rushing touchdowns is backup quarterback [autotag]Robby Ashford[/autotag]

In a year in which starting running back [autotag]Jarquez Hunter[/autotag] was voted to the preseason All-SEC team, he has rushed for a grand total of 90 yards and 1 touchdown in non-conference play.

If Hugh Freeze’s team is going to be successful in SEC play, the running backs are going to have to start running the ball and running it well.

This week Auburn travels to play a familiar opponent, the Texas A&M Aggies, who are currently giving up just over 4 yards per carry on the ground.

Auburn’s running backs are averaging 4.3, and that number dips almost below 4 if you take away long touchdown runs by [autotag]Jeremiah Cobb[/autotag] and [autotag]Sean Jackson[/autotag] against UMass.

That is simply not good enough for a team that has issues throwing the ball as well. This week the Tigers are going to have to score points against an A&M offense that averages 44 points per game.

If Thorne and the receivers falter in the passing game, the running game has to pick them up.

While Payton Thorne ran free last week, it was mostly due to him being a superior athlete against FCS competition. The run game needs to be more fundamentally sound against A&M and avoid sequences like the one below.

This sequence is downright brutal from first to fourth down.

Auburn tries to run an outside concept on first down, and it get’s completely blown up. The line of scrimmage immediately shifts to the Auburn backfield, and [autotag]Damari Alston[/autotag] is left with little to do but string out the run as long as he can before hoping a hole develops.

It does not, and Auburn is left with a second and long.

Now for second down.

Everything about this play is executed perfectly besides the most important part.

#77 [autotag]Jeremiah Wright[/autotag] and #72 [autotag]Izavion Miller[/autotag] execute their pulls perfectly, and have the edge completely locked up for Payton Thorne to follow them to the endzone.

Wide receiver #0 [autotag]Koy Moore[/autotag] does his part as well, taking his defender completely out of the would-be-play.

This should have been 6 points for Auburn. Instead, [autotag]Payton Thorne[/autotag] handed the ball off and the Tigers gained one yard.

Fourth down is just as bad as first and second. Just like they did on the outside run, the Auburn lines gets bullied on this inside run, leaving [autotag]Jarquez Hunter[/autotag] with nowhere to go.

Auburn had many drives similar to this one during their 45-13 win last week. They were able to get away with it because of their talent,

That won’t be the case this week.

If Auburn is going to win as 8-point underdogs, the running game has to show up. The offensive line and running backs need to take some of the pressure off of Payton Thorne.

We’ll see if they can when the Tigers kick off SEC play Saturday at 11 CST.

Contact/Follow us @TheAuburnWire on  X (Twitter), and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Auburn news, notes, and opinion. You can also follow Brian on Twitter @TheRealBHauch

Former Western Kentucky OT Gunner Britton to visit Auburn

Britton has appeared in 51 games over the past five seasons.

Auburn has already landed Tulsa transfer [autotag]Dillon Wade[/autotag] from the transfer portal but they are still looking to add at least one more offensive tackle from the portal.

One of the Tiger’s targets is former Western Kentucky left tackle [autotag]Gunner Britton[/autotag] and the interest is mutual. He is set to take a visit to Auburn from Wednesday to Thursday, according to Christian Clemente of Auburn Undercover.

Britton entered the transfer portal on Nov. 29, 2022, as a grad transfer after appearing in 51 games for the Hilltoppers over the past five seasons.

The 6-foot-6, 305-pounder was named to the All-Conference USA Second Team in 2022 and has one season of eligibility left.

Auburn is returning just one true offensive tackle from last year’s team in rising redshirt-sophomore Colby Smith. They have already landed JUCO offensive tackle [autotag]Izavion Miller[/autotag] to go with Wade.

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Experienced OL from Eastern Michigan earns offer from Auburn

Hugh Freeze and staff are continuing to work towards building the best OL in the SEC by offering talented options from the transfer portal.

[autotag]Hugh Freeze[/autotag] and staff are continuing to address its need for experienced offensive linemen by extending an offer to a three-year starter.

[autotag]Marcellus Johnson[/autotag], who has spent the last three seasons as Eastern Michigan’s starting left tackle, received an offer from Auburn over the weekend.

Signing day was kind to Auburn in the form of offensive linemen, as the Tigers were able to secure [autotag]Bradyn Joiner[/autotag], [autotag]Clay Wedin[/autotag], [autotag]Connor Lew[/autotag], [autotag]Tyler Johnson[/autotag], and [autotag]Izavion Miller[/autotag] during the early signing period as well as [autotag]Dillon Wade[/autotag] from the transfer portal. However, improving the offensive line is a dire need, and Freeze wishes to lay the foundation for his younger linemen by adding experience, which can be found in Johnson.

Johnson was the fourth-highest-graded blocker for Eastern Michigan last season with a grade of 71.6 according to Pro Football Focus, with his strong suit being pass blocking, which goes together with Freeze’s offensive philosophy.

Johnson tells Jeremy Werner of Illini Inquirer, a division of 247Sports, that he will take visits to programs that he is interested in between the dates of Jan. 4 and Jan. 8, although he has not stated publically his intent to visit Auburn during those dates.

“I plan on taking all of my visits from the 4th through the 8th, and I will make my decision while I am either on a visit or soon after,” Johnson said. “I will try to hit East Coast to West Coast first. But the biggest deciding factor for me is the O-line coach. I want to make sure I have a great connection with him.”

Since entering the portal, Johnson has received 18 offers, which include Colorado, Wisconsin, Kentucky, South Carolina, and Troy in addition to Auburn.

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Auburn adds valuable OL from transfer portal

The No. 2 offensive tackle in this year’s transfer portal is coming to the Plains

One of Auburn head coach Hugh Freeze’s goals in rebuilding the program is to win the trenches.

He has gotten off to a great start at reaching that goal.

He earned the flip of JUCO offensive tackle [autotag]Izavion Miller[/autotag] from Ole Miss on signing day, and has now added one of the best available linemen from the transfer portal. Former Tulsa offensive tackle [autotag]Dillon Wade[/autotag] announced Friday that he is committed to Auburn.

Wade comes to Auburn as the No. 2 offensive tackle in 247Sports transfer portal rankings, and the No. 23 overall player in the transfer portal. He follows offensive coordinator Philip Montgomery, who was Wade’s head coach at Tulsa. Wade says that he is excited for the opportunity to follow Montgomery to the Plains.

“Coach (Philip) Montgomery is an outstanding person, he’s a great play-caller, I really appreciate him giving me this opportunity because he gave me the same opportunity out of high school,” Wade told Auburn Undercover. “I really haven’t took that for granted because he was one of the first people that made me feel like I can play at this level.”

According to Auburn Undercover, Wade had offers from USC, Oklahoma, and Colorado, among others. Wade says that he chose Auburn due to the culture that the program has built, and he wants an opportunity to make a statement.

“Ever since I was a kid Auburn’s been a school of interest and as I’ve gotten older, the opportunity came in hand and I feel like I could make something happen here,” Wade said.

Wade becomes the third transfer portal addition that Freeze and staff has signed. He joins former Vanderbilt EDGE [autotag]Elijah McAllister[/autotag] and former FIU tight end [autotag]Rivaldo Fairweather[/autotag] as new members of Auburn’s roster.

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Auburn adds three-star offensive tackle during recruiting spree

Auburn’s recruiting spree continues.

The Auburn Tigers have done quite a bit to boost their recruiting rank on Tuesday.

The squad added yet another recruit, this time Izavion Miller, a three-star offensive tackle junior college prospect out of Southwest Mississippi Community College. Miller hails from Summit, Mississippi, and is the fifth-best JUCO recruit in the state.

Miller is another flip for head coach Hugh Freeze. Miller had committed to the Ole Miss Rebels at the end of July. Like all flips typically go, though, Miller was swayed after an official visit. He visited the Auburn campus on Dec. 17 and was offered the next day. Miller decommitted from the Rebels on Monday and announced his commitment to the Auburn Tigers on Tuesday.

Auburn’s 2023 class continues to grow with Miller’s commitment. The class is No. 22 in 247Sports’ rankings, jumping ahead of UCLA and making its class the seventh-best in the SEC. With how active the Tigers have been in the portal as of late, it stands to reason Auburn could see more flips heading to The Plains as the year continues.

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Auburn OT target Izavion Miller decommits from Ole Miss

Could he be Auburn’s next flip?

[autotag]Hugh Freeze[/autotag] and Auburn have already flipped five recruits this cycle and they look to be closing on a sixth.

[autotag]Izavion Miller[/autotag] officially visited Auburn this weekend and on Monday morning he announced he was decommitting from the Ole Miss Rebels, a program he had been committed to since July 31.

A major reason for his commitment was [autotag]Jake Thornton[/autotag] who is now Auburn’s offensive line coach after having the same role at Ole Miss. The move and a path to immediate playing time opened the door for Auburn to make a push for Miller.

The 6-foot-5, 318-pounder is expected to sign on Wednesday when the early signing period opens, and Christian Clemente of Auburn Undercover thinks it will be with the Tigers. He submitted a crystal ball in their favor Monday shortly after Miller announced his decommitment.

Mississippi State is also battling for Miller and a lot can happen between now and when he signs his national letter of intent.

He is the No. 2 junior college offensive tackle and No. 9 overall JUCO player according to the 247Sports composite. He has spent the past two seasons at Southwest Mississippi Community College.

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