A member of Auburn’s 2020 haul, Height is seeking other opportunities following a two-year stay at USC.
A member of Auburn’s 2020 recruiting haul is exploring new opportunities.
[autotag]Romello Height[/autotag], a former four-star EDGE who signed with Auburn during the 2020 recruiting cycle, announced Friday that he is entering the transfer portal after spending two seasons at USC.
He played in nine games in two seasons at Auburn, recording 18 total tackles. His best games in an Auburn uniform took place during the 2021 season against Alabama State and Arkansas when he made four stops each.
His most productive season at USC was in 2023, where he competed in 11 games and recorded 20 tackles. Six of those tackles were for a loss. He recorded a season-high five tackles in the Trojans’ win over Arizona State on Sept. 23. He also recorded two tackles for loss, and recovered a fumble.
Height was a part of Auburn’s 2020 class that ranked No. 8 in the nation and turned out to be the final signing class under former head coach [autotag]Gus Malzahn[/autotag]. He was the No. 16 recruit of Auburn’s 27-member signing class. Several headliners of the class include [autotag]Wesley Steiner[/autotag] and [autotag]Tank Bigsby[/autotag] and several who transferred away from the program such as [autotag]Kobe Hudson[/autotag], [autotag]JJ Pegues[/autotag], and [autotag]LaDarrius Tennison[/autotag].
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Pegues came to Auburn as a tight end but moved to the defensive line during Bryan Harsin’s first season with Auburn. The 6-foot-3, 308-pound Pegues played every game this season and finished the year with 17 tackles, 2.0 tackles for loss, and forced one fumble.
As a tight end in 2020, he rushed for 14 yards on five carries and caught seven passes for 57 yards.
Pegues will have up to three seasons of eligibility at his next school.
The Flying Pegasus has made a return to the field, ladies and gentlemen.
The Flying Pegasus has made a return to the field, ladies and gentlemen.
Fan-favorite JJ Pegues made his move to defensive tackle over the spring, and he’s been relatively quiet since.
However, new defensive coordinator Derek Mason had a lot to say about Pegues.
“JJ is getting progressively better every day,” Coach Mason said to media Monday. “Coach (Nick) Eason and Coach (Bert) Watts do a good job of pushing these guys in terms of finishing. I think it is a process so for him, just challenging him every day to be his best self, not getting frustrated if it doesn’t go exactly the way he wants it to go that day…
“JJ is a guy who is extremely athletic and talented. He wants to do everything right, and sometimes that can be a frustrating process. He picked it up fast and is getting better every day. The nuances are about repetition, but for him the more reps he is taking the better he gets.
“It’s just good to see this big, explosive, strong and extremely athletic guy up front because when you watch him in one-on-ones or watch him in nine-on-seven he can move the line of scrimmage. He can move laterally. I just like the temperament that he has shown since he has come back from offense to defense.”
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In the last several years, Auburn has recruited a handful of high-rated tight ends. This year it looks like we’ll finally see them emerge as regular contributors on the Tigers’ offense.
It’s inexcusable that this position has been underutilized as of late, but Bryan Harsin realizes the advantages he has within this unit. From 2002-2005 he served at Boise State’s tight ends coach during which the Broncos’ scoring offense led the nation in scoring twice and never once fell out of the top 10. In his final year as tight ends coach, four Boise State tight ends finished the season with combined stats of 27 receptions, 298 yards, and three touchdowns.
Last season four Auburn tight ends finished the season with combined stats of 20 receptions, 178 yards, and 0 touchdowns.
In January Harsin announced the addition of former Boise State offensive line coach Brad Bedell to his Auburn staff to assume the role of tight ends coach. In Bedell’s four seasons at Boise State he saw nine offensive lineman receive 13 All-Mountain West honors. When Harsin named Bedell as tight ends coach he said,
“Tight end play is a critical part of our offensive attack and Coach Bedell brings a unique perspective to what we want to do with that position group. Brad has coached with me at a couple different places and is a relationship driven coach with six years of NFL playing experience, making him an exceptional recruiter. His versatility as a coach and strong recruiting ability make him a great fit for the Auburn football family.”
Bedell and Harsin will have no problem finding talent in this position. Outside of linebackers Auburn’s most talented group very would could be its tight ends. Here’s a look at Auburn’s tight end corps that is poised to make a statement this fall:
Grant Loy to John Samuel Shenker for the 2-point conversion. This was the first time Auburn ran the swinging gate 2-point conversion play since 2013. #Auburnpic.twitter.com/mQZMzN3gkp
2020 stats: 9 receptions, 97 yards, 26-yard season long reception vs Alabama
Buzz: Shenker must balance football, baseball, and school once again this spring. The infielder and tight end was absent in Saturday’s open practice due to Auburn baseball’s matchup against Ole Miss. So far this baseball season, Shenker has 3 runs, 3 hits, and 3 RBIs. The veteran of this tight end corps, Shenker still makes himself available to practice when he can and has been praised by Harsin for his tenacious work ethic.
2020 stats: 14 rush yards on 5 carries, 11-yard season long vs Arkansas/7 receptions, 57 yards, 16-yard season long vs LSU
Buzz: For Ole Miss JJ Pegues will always be the one that got away. Maybe it’s his frame that let Pegues escape to Auburn out of Ole Miss’ backyard, but don’t let that deceive you. Out of high school Pegues was ranked nationally as a top 10 tight end prospect by ESPN, Rivals, and 247Sports. His versatility at the line and in motion make him capable of creating nightmare matchups against defenses. In Saturday’s spring practice Pegues flattened Auburn LB Zakoby McClain while lined up at fullback. Auburn offensive coordinator Mike Bobo says that a focal point this spring has been moving Pegues around and playing him in a lot of positions.
Jeff Blake-USA TODAY Sports
Luke Deal, sophomore
6’5″, 255 lbs
2020 stats: 2 receptions, 11 yards
Buzz: As a senior Deal was ranked by ESPN as the nation’s 10th highest rated tight end. Deal didn’t see game action until the Arkansas game last year and only recorded stats against South Carolina and Mississippi State. In Saturday’s open practice Deal was given first team reps and lined up in the slot as well as at fullback. His highlight from Saturday was an impressive one-handed grab on a great pass by Bo Nix.
Buzz: Frazier didn’t see game action until the Tigers played Tennessee last season and recorded stats against Mississippi State and Northwestern. As a high school prospect, ESPN, Rivals, and 247Sports rated Frazier as a top-25 tight end. During spring practice on Saturday Frazier impressed media, coaches, and fans by showing out as a passing game mismatch.
2020 stats: injured in 2019, saw game action against LSU
Buzz: As a senior, Fromm was rated by ESPN as the nation’s 8th highest ranked tight end prospect. He comes from a pedigree of talented brothers: his twin Dylan plays quarterback for Mercer and his older brother Jake played quarterback at Georgia and is now with the Buffalo Bills. In Saturday’s practice Fromm got several first team reps.
Auburn continues its hot streak on the recruiting trail in the Lone Star State as 6-foot-5, 215-pound ⭐️⭐️⭐️ tight end Landen King commits to the Tigers over offers from Texas, UGA, and Arizona St. among others. In 2019, King collected 53 receptions for 853 yds & 9 TDs #WarEaglepic.twitter.com/poFyTzQIfL
Buzz: Rated the ninth overall tight end prospect nationally by ESPN, King is a matchup nightmare in the passing game and will excel as a playmaker in Auburn’s offense.
The Tigers have plenty of depth at tight end with Pearl River Community College transfer Hayden Brice (senior) and Flynn Driscoll (junior). Bryan Harsin is a man with a plan and after Saturday’s practice it appears that he aims to get the talented corps of tight ends more involved in the offense.
Auburn will need to play nearly a perfect game on Saturday if the Tigers want to upset top-ranked Alabama in Tuscaloosa.
In the year of 2020 anything is possible. No. 19 Auburn travels to Tuscaloosa this weekend to take on Alabama. Currently, Alabama is favored to win by 25.
The major storyline that developed this past week was that Alabama head coach Nick Saban tested positive for COVID-19 on Wednesday and will not be coaching during the Iron Bowl. That’s not really going to matter as Auburn still has to face Heisman front-runner quarterback Mac Jones and Heisman hopeful running back Najee Harris. The Tigers are outmanned in personnel on both sides of the ball, but there are a few things we can cling to in hopes of securing the win. Here they are.
1. Tank Bigsby returns
The Tigers’ phenomenal freshman running back left the Tennessee game with an undisclosed lower body injury. As of today, Bigsby is still listed as questionable and has not practiced this week. Through seven game,s Bigsby has rushed for 527 yards and 5 touchdowns. He’s a huge catalyst for Auburn’s momentum offensively. Just look at his performances against Ole Miss and Arkansas. If Tank is unable to return, the Tigers will need players like DJ Williams, Shaun Shivers, and Mark Anthony Richards to step up. Don’t be surprised if we see a JJ Pegues wildcat package to shake things up a bit (I really hope we get to see that, PEGUES FOREVER)!
2. The Tigers negate Bama’s passing offense
The Tide ranks third overall in NCAA passing offense this season. Per play Alabama picks up an average of 11.81 yards and they amass 380 passing yards per game. There’s a reason Mac Jones is the Heisman front-runner and its because his passes are fast and accurate, and he’s improved dramatically since his mistakes in last year’s Iron Bowl. Mac Jones has only thrown two interceptions all season and is playing perfect football right now while wide receivers Devonta Smith and John Metchie have been unstoppable since Jaylen Waddle’s injury against Tennessee. Auburn’s secondary will have their hands full with this unit.
3. Auburn’s offense regains efficiency, become masters of the clock
I really thought after the two-week bye that Auburn would be able to regain some of that offensive finesse we saw them showcase against LSU, but I was wrong. The Tigers were just straight up sloppy coming out of the gate against the Volunteers and kept that game close up until the fourth quarter.
Out of Auburn’s 25 red zone trips this season they have left with 10 rushing touchdowns, 6 passing touchdowns, and 5 field goals. Not bad, but what’s killing Auburn on both sides of the ball is quick non-sustainable drives. Last week against Tennessee the Volunteers dominated time of possession leaving Auburn’s defense absolutely gassed. The Tigers are going to have to slow the game down against Bama and give their defense plenty of time to regroup, otherwise they’ll get whipped on both sides.
These three things sound much easier said than done, but they aren’t impossible. Tank will most likely not return against Bama, so Gus Malzahn and running backs coach Cadillac Williams will need to adjust accordingly. It will be most interesting to see how Kevin Steele schemes against that passing game. I’m not expecting Auburn to win by any means, but if they shock the country by doing these three things successfully I like their chances.
For the first time in a long time Auburn fans could enjoy a football game without nearly having a heart attack. Auburn defeated LSU 48-11 and exorcised some demons from the last three years. This was a fun one to watch folks. Here’s what people had …
For the first time in a long time Auburn fans could enjoy a football game without nearly having a heart attack. Auburn defeated LSU 48-11 and exorcised some demons from the last three years. This was a fun one to watch folks. Here’s what people had to say:
It started off in scary Halloween fashion when Zakoby McClain was nearly ejected for targeting and Seth Williams fumbled near the end zone for a touchback.
— Tank Bigsby For Heisman Barstool Auburn (@WarDamnStool) October 31, 2020
As time waned off the clock, it became apparent to all of America that this game was a good ole-fashioned butt whooping. Auburn fans loved every minute of it.
Twitter was on fire following Auburn’s victory over Kentucky.
Auburn vs Kentucky quickly became the most discussed SEC game of the 2020 conference opener. In a top-25 matchup featuring the No. 8 Tigers vs the No. 23 Wildcats, social media reactions ran rampant. The following are key tweets throughout the game that showcase both the highs and lows of gameday.
Do NOT take this win for granted! We got a lot of new guys out there! This team will learn a lot! GREAT START TIGERS! Loved GUS honoring Coach Dye! 3 straight opening wins over ranked teams! @AuburnTigers
A large majority of “experts” picked Kentucky to not only cover the spread but to win the game outright. They did neither. Kentucky returned one of the most experienced teams in cfb, but Auburn made it look easy pulling away from the Wildcats in the 2nd half. AU 29 UK 13 final pic.twitter.com/ZoizXlUn4D
Gus Malzahn: "We really wanted to give a shoutout to our students. It was extremely loud, specifically in the fourth quarter. We didn't know what to expect (but the students made a difference)."
