Tag: ja’varrius johnson

Instant Analysis: Auburn ends losing streak with win over Mississippi State

A strong first half allowed Auburn to cruise to its first SEC win of the season.

It took five tries, but Hugh Freeze has earned his first SEC win as Auburn’s head coach.

Auburn used a dominating first half to coast past Mississippi State, 27-13, on Saturday afternoon at Jordan-Hare Stadium.

Auburn (4-4, 1-4 SEC) jumped out to a dominating 24-3 halftime lead after posting 301 total yards. Quarterback [autotag]Payton Thorne[/autotag] appeared to be comfortable throughout the game, as he tossed three passing touchdowns in the first half on his way to a 230-yard performance. Mississippi State (4-4, 1-4 SEC) busted for 223 total yards in the second half, but they could not overcome the giant first-half deficit laid out by Auburn.

The Tigers dominated the first quarter by outgaining the Bulldogs, 163-77 en route to a 14-3 lead. Thorne completed eight passes for 120 yards and two touchdowns. On the Tigers’ initial drive, he connected with [autotag]Shane Hooks[/autotag] on a 27-yard pass with 11:38 remaining in the quarter to put the Tigers up, 7-0.

After a Mississippi State field goal on their first possession, Thorne again led Auburn on a 75-yard drive that ended with a 45-yard touchdown pass to [autotag]Ja’Varrius Johnson[/autotag] to extend the Auburn lead to 14-3. [autotag]Jarquez Hunter[/autotag] was the Tigers’ leading rusher with 61 yards on six carries.

Auburn added 10 points to their total in the second quarter to take a 24-10 lead into the locker room for halftime. Kicker [autotag]Alex McPherson[/autotag] jumped into the box score by connecting on a 39-yard field goal with 7:18 remaining in the 2nd quarter. The Tigers ended the half on a touchdown connection between Thorne and freshman running back [autotag]Jeremiah Cobb[/autotag] for a seven-yard touchdown pass to extend the Auburn lead to 24-10 with 0:09 remaining.

Auburn’s first half ended with 301 total yards, compared to Mississippi State’s 122-yard output. Thorne ended the half with 192 passing yards and three scores with a completion percentage of 75%. He completed a pass to 11 different receivers in the first half, with [autotag]Rivaldo Fairweather[/autotag] hauling in three passes for 22 yards. Defensively, Keionte Scott and [autotag]Eugene Asante[/autotag] recorded five tackles each. Asante and [autotag]Jalen McLeod[/autotag] had a tackle for loss.

The third quarter was rather quiet, as both teams traded field goals. Mississippi State’s Kyle Ferrie nailed his second field goal of the day from 40 yards with 9:10 to go in the quarter. McPherson answered with 3:14 to go in the 3rd quarter to extend Auburn’s lead to 27-6. Thorne added 32 yards to his passing total in the quarter to break the 200-yard mark for the second time this season.

State opened the 4th quarter by scoring their first touchdown of the game. Wright found Zavion Thomas from 14 yards away on the first play of the quarter to trim Auburn’s lead to 27-13. Mississippi State had a chance to cut the lead even more, but a fourth down attempt from the Auburn 13-yard line did not work in their favor, allowing Auburn to run out the clock.

Auburn outgained Mississippi State, 416-345. Thorne completed 20 passes to 11 different receivers, with Rivaldo Fairweather making four catches for 31 yards. Yardage-wise, Ja’Varrius Johnson led the team with 59 yards on two catches. Hunter’s day ended with 144 yards, which goes down as his first 100-yard game of the season.

Defensively, [autotag]Eugene Asante[/autotag] led the team in tackles with nine, while [autotag]Jalen McLeod[/autotag] recorded two tackles for loss. [autotag]Zion Puckett[/autotag] recorded his second interception in as many games in the 4th quarter.

Auburn will go for their second SEC win of the season next week on the road at Vanderbilt. The Tigers and Commodores will face off at FirstBank Stadium next Saturday at 3 p.m. CT on SEC Network.

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Hugh Freeze provides injury update ahead of Auburn’s game against LSU

Hugh Freeze provided an injury report ahead of Auburn’s matchup with LSU.

Auburn had an extra week to get healthy ahead of their game against LSU but they are still pretty banged up [autotag]Hugh Freeze[/autotag] revealed Monday.

Starting linebacker [autotag]Austin Keys[/autotag] and nickel cornerback [autotag]Keionte Scott[/autotag] are both still out for the “foreseeable future.” He also reiterated that starting defensive end [autotag]Mosiah Nisili-Kite[/autotag] is done for the season.

He did provide positive news about starting safety [autotag]Jaylin Simpson[/autotag] who he expects to return.

“He’s day-to-day and said he’s feeling better each day, so I’m hopeful and expecting that he will go.”

Switching to the offensive side of the ball, running back [autotag]Damari Alston[/autotag] is doubtful, wide receiver [autotag]Malcolm Johnson[/autotag] is day-to-day and [autotag]Ja’Varrius Johnson[/autotag] is questionable with an elbow injury.

“So, that’s where we are,” Freeze said. “It’s the next man up, and we’ve got to get some of these younger kids to play more consistently. We worked on that hard last week in the open week. They got a ton of reps, because we’re going to need them before this season is over, with the remaining seven games we have.”

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Brian’s Column: Auburn needs to develop a passing attack following the bye

Auburn’s passing attack needs to be better in the second half of the season

The Auburn Tigers have lost two games in a row to drop to 3-2 (0-2 SEC) overall entering the bye week.

Those two losses are not on the defense.

If Auburn is going to go bowling this year, the offensive side of the ball needs to be better. Specifically, quarterback [autotag]Payton Thorne[/autotag] and the group of pass-catchers Thorne is throwing the ball to.

The Tiger’s offensive line and running backs improved greatly against Georgia last week after struggling for much of the season, but the one-dimensional Auburn offense fell flat in the second half, ultimately leading to Georgia storming back to steal on in Jordan-Hare.

It is pretty clear that head coach [autotag]Hugh Freeze[/autotag] is not interested in making a change at the quarterback position, at least for now.

While Thorne hasn’t been very good, his receivers have not helped him out much at all.

The headline of this tweet is slightly misleading as some of these catches have a high level of difficulty.

Still, when you are playing the number-one team in the country, some of these plays need to be made.

The first thing the Auburn coaching staff should be evaluating this week is the rotation at wide receiver.

[autotag]Jay Fair[/autotag] has been fine in most games and above average in a few, as the junior leads all Auburn wide outs with 18 receptions and 196 receiving yards through five games.

[autotag]Rivaldo Fairweather[/autotag] has also done his part. The Auburn tight end is second on the team in receptions and yards, with 15 and 145, respectively.

The next four recievers on the Auburn depth chart, [autotag]Shane Hooks[/autotag], [autotag]Ja’varrius Johnson[/autotag], [autotag]Jyaire Shorter[/autotag] and [autotag]Camden Brown[/autotag] have combined for just 15 catches combined.

The aformentioned Johnson going down with an injury in week 2 hasn’t helped, but one or two of Auburn’s pass catching threats needs to step up in the second half of the season to give [autotag]Payton Thorne[/autotag] another option besides his slot receiver, tight end, or running back.

Auburn’s quarterback needs someone else he can trust. Until then, he’s going to continue making mistakes.

This game-ending interception is a perfect example of Thorne not trusting any of his receivers.

Auburn’s quarterback spends the majority of his time in the pocket staring down [autotag]Jay Fair[/autotag] before attempting to force a ball into tight coverage.

It doesn’t work, and Auburn loses the football game.

The Tigers need another option to step up in the passing game after the bye, or interceptions, drops, and misreads will continue to be an issue for the offense.

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Auburn DE Mosiah Nasili-Kite out for season with torn bicep

The veteran appeared in every game before suffering the injury against Georgia.

Auburn’s defense has lost yet another starter to injury, and this time it’s for the rest of the season.

Starting defensive end [autotag]Mosiah Nasili-Kite[/autotag] suffered a torn bicep in Auburn’s game against Georgia and will miss the rest of the 2023 season [autotag]Hugh Freeze[/autotag] announced Wednesday.

“Unfortunately, we lost Mosiah for the year,” Freeze said. “That’s really going to hurt us in the defensive line.”

Nasili-Kite played in all five games this season, making 10 tackles, 0.5 for loss and two quarterback hurries. True freshman [autotag]Keldric Faulk[/autotag] has emerged as his backup and will likely see a larger role moving forward.

Auburn is dealing with a rash of injuries and is hoping to use its bye week to get healthy ahead of next week’s game against LSU. On the offensive side of the ball, running back [autotag]Damari Alston[/autotag] is recovering from a separated shoulder and wide receiver [autotag]Ja’Varrius Johnson[/autotag] is battling a hamstring injury.

Defensively, safety [autotag]Jaylin Simpson[/autotag] left the Georgia game with a calf injury, defensive back [autotag]Keionte Scott[/autotag] is recovering from surgery to address a high ankle sprain and middle linebacker [autotag]Austin Keys[/autotag] is still weeks away from returning after breaking his thumb.

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 JD on Twitter @jdmccarthy15

Fourteen Tigers named to Reese’s Senior Bowl watch list

Auburn has plenty of talented veterans on its roster.

Auburn has struggled to produce draft picks over the past few NFL drafts but that could be changing soon. The Reese’s Senior Bowl revealed its annual watch list on Wednesday and the Tigers are well represented with 14 players making the list.

The group includes six offensive players and eight defensive players. The offensive group consists of quarterback [autotag]Payton Thorne[/autotag], left tackle [autotag]Dillon Wade[/autotag], tight end [autotag]Rivaldo Fairweather[/autotag] and wide receivers [autotag]Jyaire Shorter[/autotag], [autotag]Ja’Varrius Johnson[/autotag] and [autotag]Shane Hooks[/autotag].

Auburn’s secondary is full of players to monitor with cornerbacks [autotag] DJ James[/autotag], [autotag]Nehemiah Pritchett[/autotag], [autotag]Keionte Scott[/autotag] and safety [autotag]Jaylin Simpson[/autotag] making the list. They are joined by defensive linemen [autotag]Justin Rogers[/autotag] and [autotag]Elijah Mcallister[/autotag] as well as linebackers [autotag]Larry Nixon III[/autotag] and [autotag]Jalen McLeod[/autotag].

The 2024 Reese’s Senior Bowl will be played on Feb. 3, 2024, and will be shown on the NFL Network.[lawrence-auto-related count=3 category=1364]

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 JD on Twitter @jdmccarthy15.

In Photos: Auburn’s first scrimmage of fall camp

The Tigers had their first scrimmage of fall camp saturday, here are the top photos.

[autotag]Hugh Freeze[/autotag]’s first fall camp at Auburn is in full swing and the Tigers completed their first scrimmage Saturday in Jordan-Hare Stadium.

Freeze met with the media after the scrimmage and admitted that it has caused him to reevaluate some things about the battle between [autotag]Payton Thorne[/autotag], [autotag]Holden Geriner[/autotag] and [autotag]Robby Ashford[/autotag] to become Auburn’s starting quarterback.

“Yesterday, I had my mind made up,” Freeze said. “And after today I need to watch the film before I say.”

In addition, [autotag]Koy Moore[/autotag] is limited due to an ankle injury and [autotag]Malcolm Johnson Jr.[/autotag] is dealing with a shoulder injury.

The Tigers will be off tomorrow before getting back into camp Monday as they get closer to the season opener on Saturday, Sept. 2 against UMass. Here is a look at the best photos from Auburn’s first scrimmage of fall camp.

Auburn Tigers Snapshot Profile: No. 10 Caleb Burton

He is one of Auburn’s most intriguing pickups.

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 transfer wide receiver [autotag]Caleb Burton[/autotag]. The talented wide receiver spent one season at Ohio State before entering the portal and is one of Auburn’s most intriguing pickups.

Preseason Player Profile

Hometown: Austin, Texas

Height: 5-11

Weight: 171

Previous School: Ohio State

Class in 2023: Redshirt Freshman

247Sports Composite Ranking

Four-Star / No. 22 in Texas / No. 21 WR

Depth Chart Overview

Unlike most of Auburn’s transfer additions, Burton is just starting his college career and is far from a finished product. The former top 150 recruit didn’t see the field last season partially due to an injury but spent time at Ohio State, the school that is the best in the country at producing elite wide receivers.

He fits best in the slot and will likely back up [autotag]Ja’Varrius Johnson[/autotag] as he gets valuable experience and learns the offense. Burton’s role may be limited in the 2023 season, but he has the talent to carve out plenty of playing time and will be a key member of the wide receiver room moving forward.

 Caleb Burton’s Photo Gallery

Does Shane Hooks’ first season at Auburn have breakout potential?

He was Jackson State’s leading receiver last season. Can Shane Hooks produce at a higher level this season?

When Deion Sanders announced that he would be leaving Jackson State to take the same role at Colorado last December, he was poised to bring many of his playmakers with him to Boulder.

One player, however, did not make the trip.

[autotag]Shane Hooks[/autotag] was the go-to target for Shedeur Sanders last season at Jackson State, as he led the team in receptions (64), receiving yards (748), and receiving touchdowns (10). So it was easy to see why Hugh Freeze and staff were eager to get him on campus.

They succeeded, and now Hooks is a member of the Tigers’ receiving corps. He will be a giant asset to Auburn’s offense and will complement [autotag]Ja’varrius Johnson[/autotag] in the receiving unit. Hooks’ potential on the Plains has one outlet predicting the newcomer to have a “breakout” season.

Roll Tide Wire recently selected a potential “breakout” player for each SEC program heading into the 2023 season and has listed Hooks as Auburn’s representative.

There will be a new No. 1 wide receiver on the Plains in 2023. Jackson State transfer Shane Hooks has the frame and skillset to become the go-to wide receiver option for quarterback Robby Ashford. At 6-foot-4, Hooks uses his size to overmatch opposing defenders. Not to mention, Hooks has a track background. Meaning he has enough speed to blow by defenders. In two seasons at Jackson State, Hooks hauled in 80 receptions for 947 yards and 12 touchdowns.

Hooks is one of several pieces from the transfer portal that is expected to become immediate contributors to the Auburn offense, joining offensive linemen [autotag]Avery Jones[/autotag] and [autotag]Gunner Britton[/autotag], and quarterback [autotag]Payton Thorne[/autotag].

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Auburn Tigers Snapshot Profile: No. 6 Ja’Varrius Johnson

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 wide receiver [autotag]Ja’Varrius Johnson[/autotag]. The senior was Auburn’s leading wide receiver last season and should benefit from Auburn’s reworked passing attack.

Preseason Player Profile

Hometown: Trussville, Alabama

Height: 5-10

Weight: 167

Class in 2023: Senior

247Sports Composite Ranking

Four-Star / No. 10 in Alabama / No. 29 WR

Career Stats

Year G Receptions Yards YPC YPG TDs
2020 1 0 0 0 0 0
2021 12 19 274 14.4 22.8 2
2022 12 26 767 19.0 41.1 3

PFF Grades

Year Offense Receiving Drops Run Blocking
2020 54.9 55.6 – 60.0
2021 65.4 65.7 50.6 50.7
2022 70.3 73.1 78.4 49.1

Depth Chart Overview

Johnson led Auburn’s wide receivers in every significant category last season and is poised for another big year. The fifth-year senior brings plenty of experience to the table and with Auburn’s addition at the quarterback and other wide receiver spots they should have a much more successful passing attack.

With Johnson’s ability to get open in the slot and Auburn’s expected use of short-quick passes he has a great shot to once again lead Auburn in receptions out of the slot.

Ja’Varrius Johnson’s Photo Gallery

On3 Roundtable highlights Auburn’s playmakers at wide receiver

Who will be the Tigers’ top receiving targets in 2023?

The 2023 edition of the Auburn Tigers will look vastly different.

Auburn’s offense will see notable changes at offensive line and wide receiver. The latter position group was discussed on a recent episode of The On3 Roundtable.

Host J.D. PicKell welcomed Auburn Live’s Justin Hokanson to chat about the Tigers last week. Auburn will have several new faces lining up to catch passes from either [autotag]Robby Ashford[/autotag] or [autotag]Payton Thorne[/autotag] this season thanks to the transfer portal. Players such as [autotag]Jyaire Shorter[/autotag], [autotag]Shane Hooks[/autotag], and [autotag]Nick Mardner[/autotag] will be tall targets for Auburn’s quarterbacks, but the one transfer receiver that Hokanson is most looking forward to watching is FIU transfer [autotag]Rivaldo Fairweather[/autotag].

Fairweather comes to Auburn after reeling in 28 catches for 426 yards and three touchdowns last season at FIU and is poised to help out the Tigers at tight end.

He’s only played football for four or five years of his life, but played basketball, played soccer in high school, super athletic and super raw,” Hokanson said. “That kid’s got NFL potential written all over him. He’s going to be really interesting to see. Is he involved in just the red zone or is he involved all the way up and down the field? He’s a guy that’s going to be a big target.”

Outside of the new transfers, Auburn’s leading receiver from a season ago returns to the roster.

[autotag]Ja’Varrius Johnson[/autotag] caught 26 passes for 493 yards last season for the Tigers. Hokanson believes that Auburn’s fresh receivers will provide relief to Johnson.

“I think there’s a lot to be determined. I don’t know that there will be a premier pass catcher,” Hokanson said. “I feel like you’ve got some guys that can maybe turn into reliable guys across the board but I would probably start with those four.”

According to Pro Football Focus, three of Auburn’s top offensive players reside in the receiving corps.

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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 Taylor on Twitter @TaylorJones__