Tag: ja’varrius johnson

Auburn transfer WR Ja’Varrius Johnson to reportedly visit MSU next week

Michigan State football will reportedly host an Auburn transfer wide receiver for a visit next week

Michigan State football will reportedly host an Auburn transfer wide receiver for a visit next week.

Pete Nakos of On3 is reporting that Ja’Varrius Johnson will visit Michigan State next week. He visited UCF already and will also visit Arizona this week, according to Nakos.

Johnson is listed as a three-star transfer prospect on 247Sports. He’s ranked as the No. 89 wide receiver in the portal class.

Johnson has 64 career receptions for 1,114 receiving yards and eight touchdowns. This past season in particular, he had 347 receiving yards and four total touchdowns (three receiving and one rushing) for the Tigers.

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Spring breakdown: Cam Coleman, Bryce Cain poised to make early impression at wide receiver

Coleman and Cain will bring a boost to Auburn’s wide receiver room during the spring practice period.

Spring practice has officially begun, and it is time to break down another position group ahead of A-Day on April 6.

After examining Auburn’s quarterback and running back situation going into spring, we will now take a look at which receivers will go through spring practice.

Auburn lost a few names from last season such as [autotag]Shane Hooks[/autotag] and [autotag]Nick Mardner[/autotag] due to graduation, as well as [autotag]Ja’varrius Johnson[/autotag] and [autotag]Jyaire Shorter[/autotag] to the transfer portal. Several recognizable names such as Koy Moore and Caleb Burton return to the rotation while true freshmen Cam Coleman and Bryce Cain are getting their feet wet.

Below is a look at every wide receiver participating in this season’s spring drills.

Former Auburn wide receivers coach to join Atlanta Falcons staff

Hilliard served as wide receivers coach for Auburn during the final season of the Bryan Harsin era.

A former Auburn assistant is heading back to the NFL to serve on a professional staff.

[autotag]Ike Hilliard[/autotag], who coached wide receivers and later served as interim offensive coordinator at Auburn during the 2022 season, has been hired by the Atlanta Falcons to coach wide receivers as part of new head coach Raheem Morris’ staff.

During his one season at Auburn, Tiger receivers reeled in 159 passes for 2,072 yards and nine touchdowns. According to Pro Football Focus data, Auburn receivers dropped 17 passes in 2022 and earned an additional 1,077 yards after first contact.

[autotag]Ja’varrius Johnson[/autotag] was the team’s leading receiver with 493 yards and three touchdowns on 26 catches. [autotag]Koy Moore[/autotag] and [autotag]Shedrick Jackson[/autotag] were next in line with a combined 531 receiving yards and one touchdown.

Hilliard returns to the NFL after spending 11 seasons as a wide receivers coach for a variety of teams such as the Miami Dolphins, Washington Redskins, and Buffalo Bills. Before joining the coaching ranks, he played 12 seasons in the NFL for the New York Giants and Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

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Tale of the Tape: Auburn vs. Maryland

The Tigers are a touchdown favorite to win the Music City Bowl, but could this game be closer than oddsmakers expect?

The 6-6 Auburn Tigers return to action for the first time since losing the Iron Bowl later this week when they take on the 7-5 Maryland Terrapins in the Music City Bowl on December 30.

Auburn finished the regular season with back-to-back losses but managed bowl eligibility in the first season under new head coach [autotag]Hugh Freeze[/autotag].

On the other side, Taulia Tagovailoa and Maryland had an up-and-down season in the Big 10, winning 7 games in 12 tries.

The all-time leading passer in Big 10 history has opted out of this game, giving Auburn a significant edge according to oddsmakers. The Tigers are currently a full touchdown favorite on BetMGM.

ESPN FPI believes this game should be much closer, as Hugh Freeze’s squad has just a 52.4% chance to win according to the model.

Will the tale of the tape show us this game will be a Dixieland Delight for Auburn fans, or will Maryland fans be singing the Victory song on Broadway after the Music City Bowl?

As always we’ll start with the quarterbacks.

Tigers quarterback [autotag]Payton Thorne[/autotag] initial season on the Plains was much like a Sky Dog at 2 AM. The junior was a bit disappointing, but ultimately got the job done for the most part.

Thorne finished the regular season with 1,671 passing yards, 15 touchdowns, and 9 interceptions as Auburn’s QB1(a).

Hugh Freeze’s QB1(b), [autotag]Robby Ashford[/autotag], has joined thousands of other players in the transfer portal, leaving Thorne with the keys to the Honda Accord that is the Auburn offense.

With Ashford all but gone and incoming four-star recruit Walker White cooking in the background, Thorne has one final chance in game action to prove he can lead the Tigers into 2024.

As for the team up in Maryland, senior sensation Taulia Tagovailoa has chosen to opt out of this game, leaving sophomore quarterback [autotag]Billy Edwards Jr.[/autotag] and freshmen [autotag]Cameron Edge[/autotag] as the lone signal-callers on the Terps roster.

Both players combined for just 13 passing attempts this season although Edwards Jr. was used as a goal line quarterback, most notably rushing for 3 touchdowns against No. 1 ranked Michigan.

Maryland’s passing offense was explosive this season but the loss of Tagovailoa gives the edge to Thorne and the Tigers.

The skill positions across the offense are a different story. Auburn holds the edge at running back thanks to the electrifying [autotag]Jarquez Hunter[/autotag] but the wide receiver gap is larger than Old Line State’s obsession with Old Bay.

Maryland often employs three-reciever sets with [autotag]Jeshaun Jones[/autotag], [autotag]Tai Felton[/autotag], and [autotag]Kaden Pranther[/autotag]. Those three combined for nearly 500 more receiving yards than Auburn quarterback [autotag]Payton Thorne[/autotag] had in passing yards this season.

The Terrapins fourth target, tight end Corey Dyches, would have paced all Auburn pass-catchers as well.

Auburn tight end Rivaldo Fairweather had a solid season but the edge clearly goes to Maryland, especially considering the Tigers will be without [autotag]Ja’Varrius Johnson[/autotag] in this one.

Auburn’s defense is clearly the better unit on that side of the ball, but defensive coordinator [autotag]Ron Roberts[/autotag] has some work ahead of him due to opt outs.

Cornerbacks [autotag]D.J. James[/autotag] and [autotag]Nehemiah Pritchett[/autotag] as well as defensive lineman [autotag]Marcus Harris[/autotag] won’t be availbile for this one, leaving the 21-ranked defense according to ESPN FPI shorthanded in Nashville.

James and Harris were arguably Auburn’s two best players on the defensive side of the ball this season. It helps that linebacker [autotag]Jalen McLeod[/autotag] and cornerback [autotag]Keionte Scott[/autotag] are staying on the Plains and will be playing, but the loss of Harris, James, and Pritchett will be felt.

Maryland’s defense on the other hand isn’t great but it’s not anemic either. The Terps were solid all year long, but did give up an average of over 30 points per game in losses this season.

Head coach [autotag]Mike Locksley[/autotag] isn’t dealing with any major opt-outs on that side of the ball, making the gap between these two teams closer than the stats say.

Still, Auburn gets the edge here.

There is a reason ESPN FPI has these two teams ranked next to each other in overall ranking. While the loss of Taulia Tagovailoa gives Auburn an edge in this game, the Music City Bowl could very well come down to the wire.

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Auburn updates depth chart for Music City Bowl after departures

Auburn’s depth chart looks quite different for the Music City Bowl.

It is nearly time for Auburn football to return to action in the Music City Bowl against the Maryland Terrapins.

The Auburn team will look quite differently after several players have entered the transfer portal and are no longer with the team. The biggest losses are on the defensive side where starting cornerbacks [autotag]D.J. James[/autotag] and [autotag]Nehemiah Pritchett[/autotag] and starting defensive tackle [autotag]Marcus Harris[/autotag] have all opted-out of the game as they prepare for the NFL draft.

The wide receiver position has been hit particularly hard with four players, including the leading wide receiver [autotag]Ja’Varrius Johnson[/autotag], entering the transfer portal. The group is down to just seven scholarship wideouts. Here is a look at the new depth chart after all of the departures.

Auburn releases depth chart for TransPerfect Music City Bowl

Auburn is lacking depth at several spots for the Music City Bowl.

After a couple of weeks off, Auburn football is set to return to action on Dec. 30 when they play Maryland in the TransPerfect Music City Bowl.

Auburn’s roster will look quite different from the last time they took the field after 12 players have entered the transfer portal and others have opted out to prepare for the NFL draft.

Perhaps the biggest change comes at the wide receiver position where the Tigers have lost [autotag]Ja’Varrius Johnson[/autotag], [autotag]Omari Kelly[/autotag], [autotag]Jyaire Shorter[/autotag], and [autotag]Malcolm Johnson Jr.[/autotag] to the portal, and are now only listing two positions after having three all season.

Some key opt-outs include starting cornerbacks [autotag]D.J. James[/autotag] and [autotag]Nehemiah Pritchett[/autotag] and starting defensive tackle [autotag]Marcus Harris[/autotag], all of whome [autotag]Hugh Freeze[/autotag] said he does not expect to play.

One player who hopes to play is starting safety [autotag]Jaylin Simpson[/autotag], who has already accepted his invitation to the Senior Bowl. He has been battling a hamstring injury and his health will determine if he is able to play in the game, Freeze said.

Here is a look at the full depth chart for Auburn’s final game of the 2023 season.

Auburn leading WR Ja’Varrius Johnson has reportedly entered the transfer portal

Auburn’s wide receiver room is going to look very different next season.

Auburn has reportedly lost its top receiver to the transfer portal. According to a report by Matt Zenitz and Chris Hummer of 247Sports, [autotag]Ja’Varrius Johnson[/autotag] entered the transfer portal on Friday.

Johnson led Auburn’s receivers in yards (347) and touchdowns (3) in what could be his fifth and final season on the Plains. He saved his best performance for the Iron Bowl, catching four passes for 76 yards and one touchdown and running for another.

The Trussville, Alabama product caught 64 passes for 1,114 yards and eigth touchdowns in 35 games for the Tigers.

He is the 12th Tiger to enter the portal so far and is arguably Auburn’s biggest loss yet. He is the fourth wide receiver to enter, joining Jyaire Shorter, Omari Kelly and Malcolm Johnson Jr.

Auburn’s wide receiver group is being overhauled ahead of next season with Jay Fair, Camden Brown and Caleb Burton III being the only scholarship receivers set to return. They will be joined by transfer Robert Lewis and true freshmen Cam Coleman, Perry Thompson, Bryce Cain and Malcolm Simmons, who will all have the option to play early.

You can view all of Auburn’s outgoing transfers HERE.

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Tight end Luke Deal announces return to Auburn football

Deal says that “unfinished business” is the reason that he is coming back to Auburn for a sixth season.

One of Auburn’s most experienced offensive players has announced that he will return to the program for the 2024 season.

[autotag]Luke Deal[/autotag], a former three-star tight end from the 2019 recruiting cycle, revealed Thursday that he will return to Auburn next season for his sixth season of eligibility.

Deal spoke with Jason Caldwell of Auburn Undercover shortly after announcing his decision. He tells Caldwell that he is strong enough to play for another season and is excited to see the progress that the team is expected to make. He also wants to take care of some “unfinished business” before he departs from the program.

“There’s a couple of games, the Georgia game and Alabama game, but especially the Bama game. That will stick in my mind for 364 days,” Deal said in an interview with Auburn Undercover. “That’s something I can’t quite let go yet. My wife and I are here and we love it here. I’m blessed with another year of eligibility. I’m ready to lead this team next year. We’re going to have some serious dudes and we’re going to win some serious ballgames next year.”

His return makes him one of Auburn’s most experienced players. Since arriving in 2019, he has been involved in 1,302 snaps according to Pro Football Focus. He has also participated in 52 games with 16 starts over the last five seasons.

He was a part of Auburn’s 2019 class that was ranked No. 13 according to 247Sports. [autotag]Zion Puckett[/autotag], [autotag]Ja’varrius Johnson[/autotag], [autotag]Jaylin Simpson[/autotag], [autotag]Colby Wooden[/autotag], [autotag]Tyler Fromm[/autotag], and [autotag]Nehemiah Pritchett[/autotag] join Deal as members of the class who are still on Auburn’s roster. The class was headlined by linebackers [autotag]Owen Pappoe[/autotag] and [autotag]Derick Hall[/autotag], as well as former Auburn quarterback [autotag]Bo Nix[/autotag].

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Instant analysis: Auburn boatraces Arkansas to earn bowl eligibility

Auburn took control of the game early, and dominated throughout on its way to a 48-10 victory over the Razorbacks.

Arkansas snapped a six-game losing streak last Saturday by upsetting Florida on the road and hoped to keep momentum going this week by hosting Auburn, a team that needed just one win in order to qualify for a bowl game.

From the very beginning, it was evident Auburn wanted to play the role of villain on Saturday. They set the tone early and dominated nearly every aspect of the game throughout. Because of this, they will strut out of Fayetteville with a 48-10 win.

Auburn (6-4, 3-4 SEC) won many categories on Saturday including total yards (519), first downs (32), yards per play (7), and red zone opportunities (7-of-7). The Razorbacks ended with 255 total yards, and they managed to earn just 10 first downs.

Auburn quarterback [autotag]Payton Thorne[/autotag] and running back [autotag]Jarquez Hunter[/autotag] headlined offensive production yet again, as they were responsible for 374 of Auburn’s 517 yards. Thorne passed for 163 yards and three scores while completing 12-of-20 passes. Hunter posted another triple-digit rushing output by gaining 109 yards on 16 carries.

Defensively, the Tigers recorded eight tackles for loss, with five going as sacks. Linebacker [autotag]Jalen McLeod[/autotag] was the star of the defense by making nine stops, with three sacks and four tackles behind the line of scrimmage.

The opening quarter was dominated by Auburn, as they outgained the Razorbacks 169-24 en route to a 21-3 lead.

Auburn, or should I say [autotag]Payton Thorne[/autotag], set the tone early by playing a key role in two of Auburn’s three scores. He led his team on a six-play, 75-yard scoring drive which ended with a 12-yard touchdown run to push his team ahead, 7-0 with 12:37 remaining.

He paired up with [autotag]Rivaldo Fairweather[/autotag] for the team’s third score of the first quarter with 6:28 remaining. The 11-yard pass pushed Auburn ahead, 21-0. The second score of the quarter for Auburn was a 74-yard punt return by [autotag]Keionte Scott[/autotag], which took place following Arkansas’ first possession.

The Razorbacks’ lone score came with 1:54 to go in the quarter when kicker Cam Little nailed a 39-yard field goal to cut the Tigers’ lead to 21-3. The score was set up by a Thorne interception that was returned 42 yards by Dwight McGlothern.

The second quarter was not as fast-paced, as [autotag]Alex McPherson[/autotag] was responsible for both scores, a 39-yard field goal and a 31-yard field goal, to give Auburn the 27-3 lead. However, the Tigers still managed to gain 108 yards on 20 plays.

The Tigers’ defense played a key role in Auburn’s wide first-half margin. Auburn limited Arkansas to just 110 total yards, with Razorbacks’ quarterback KJ Jefferson only gaining 103. They also posted five tackles for loss with four sacks through the first half.

Auburn’s 3rd quarter brought flashbacks the the 1st quarter of the game, where the Tigers grabbed command early. Auburn scored 21 points in the quarter and posted 143 yards to expand their lead to 48-3 through three quarters. Thorne threw two more touchdown passes, one to Fairweather and another to [autotag]Ja’varrius Johnson[/autotag]. Running back [autotag]Brian Battie[/autotag] entered the chat with 0:14 remaining in the quarter. He rushed from seven yards out for his first touchdown as a Tiger.

The Tigers coasted in the 4th quarter to secure the victory. The lone score in the quarter came with 14:35 in the game when Arkansas quarterback Jacolby Criswell connected with Isaac Teslaa on an 11-yard reception.

Auburn will go for win No. 7 of the season next Saturday at Jordan-Hare Stadium when they host New Mexico State for the nonconference finale. Kickoff is scheduled for 3 p.m. CT and will be broadcast live on SEC Network.

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Music City mash: Tigers crush Vanderbilt for first SEC road win

That’s two wins in a row for the Tigers!

The Auburn Tigers headed to Nashville in hopes of earning their first SEC road win of the season at Vanderbilt. They managed to get the job done, doing so in a dominating fashion.

The Tigers (5-4, 2-4 SEC) outgained the Commodores (2-8, 0-6 SEC), 424-266, and recorded five total sacks on defense in a 31-15 win.

Auburn started fast with two quick scores in the first quarter and pulled away with a solid defensive effort and two third quarter touchdowns.

The big storyline when reflecting on this game, was the quarterback rotation. After spending the first seven weeks of the season splitting time between Payton Thorne and Robby Ashford, head coach [autotag]Hugh Freeze[/autotag] elected to give Thorne a majority of the snaps in Auburn’s win over Mississippi State last Saturday. Freeze turned it up a notch in Saturday’s game at Vanderbilt by giving Thorne 100% of the snaps. His day ended with 194 yards and two touchdowns.

Auburn got off to a hot start by jumping out to a 14-0 lead in the 1st quarter.

Vanderbilt put together a solid opening drive that covered 40 yards in nine plays, but it resulted in zero points as Commodores’ kicker Jacob Borcila missed a 43-yard field goal. The missed field goal proved costly as [autotag]Jarquez Hunter[/autotag] sprinted 67 yards on the second play of Auburn’s ensuing drive to put Auburn on the board, 7-0 with 10:00 remaining in the opening quarter.

Hunter’s incredible run was nearly duplicated two possessions later. Seven minutes after rushing for a 67-yard score, he ran 56 yards to push Auburn’s lead to 14-0 with 3:01 remaining in the quarter. He rushed for 144 yards in last Saturday’s win over Mississippi State, he ended the 1st quarter with 121 yards and two scores on four carries.

Auburn outgained Vanderbilt, 154-83 in the first quarter, with Hunter’s two long runs being the highlights. The Tigers’ defense held both Vanderbilt quarterbacks, Ken Seals and Walter Taylor, to 26 passing yards on five completions.

In a similar fashion to Auburn’s quick 1st quarter start, Vanderbilt had a hot start of their own in the 2nd quarter. On a 3rd down play inside their own five-yard line, Auburn’s [autotag]Payton Thorne[/autotag] threw an interception to Bryce Cowan which was returned for a touchdown. The five-yard pick-six trimmed Auburn’s lead to 14-7 with 12:15 remaining in the first half.

Both teams traded a few possessions throughout the second quarter before another score was added to the board. Auburn’s [autotag]Alex McPherson[/autotag] connected on a 32-yard field goal with 0:20 remaining in the half to give the Tigers the 17-7 halftime lead.

Auburn outgained Vanderbilt, 226-93 in the yards department through one half. Hunter remained Auburn’s top rusher with 131 yards on nine carries while [autotag]Ja’Varrius Johnson[/autotag] led the team in receiving with 23 yards on two catches. Thorne completed 10-of-17 passes for 72 yards in the half, completing at least one pass to five different receivers.

Defensively, [autotag]DJ James[/autotag] led the team in tackles with six. As a unit, the defense created two quarterback hurries and two tackles for loss.

After struggling offensively in the 2nd quarter, Auburn made adjustments in the locker room that were immediately felt.

Auburn needed just three plays on their first drive of the 3rd quarter to extend the lead to 24-7. Thorne connected with tight end [autotag]Rivaldo Fairweather[/autotag] for a 53-yard score with 13:36 to go in the quarter. Then, just four minutes later, Thorne flipped the football to freshman [autotag]Jeremiah Cobb[/autotag] for a five-yard touchdown pass to bump the lead to 31-7 with 9:44 to go in the 3rd.

The 3rd quarter would also see the Commodores’ first offensive touchdown. With 2:43 to go in the quarter, Seals threw a 30-yard touchdown pass to receiver Junior Sherill to trim Auburn’s lead to 31-15 following a successful two-point conversion play.

The 3rd quarter was Auburn’s best quarter offensively, as they gained 167 total yards. Thorne cracked the 100-yard mark for the third straight game by passing for 167 yards in the quarter, which brought his total up to 194 to that point.

Neither Auburn nor Vanderbilt posted a score in the first quarter, but a late interception by Nehemiah Pritchett sealed the Auburn win.

Hunter led the team in rushing with a season-high 183 rushing yards on 19 carries while Rivaldo Fairweather and Ja’varrius Johnson each recorded 62 receiving yards. Defensively, DJ James led the team in tackles with seven while five sacks were split between Eugene Asante, Zykevious Walker, Austin Keys, Jalen McLeod, Marcus Harris, and Cam Riley.

Auburn will hit the road for the second straight week next Saturday when they visit the Arkansas Razorbacks in Fayetteville for a 3 p.m. CT kickoff. The Razorbacks upset Florida on Saturday in overtime, 36-33.

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