KeAndre Lambert-Smith – Page 4

Auburn football’s offseason moves pleases former Alabama QB

While Auburn has not had a winning season since 2020, Greg McElroy is optimistic for the Tigers’ future with their recent roster additions.

Auburn football has not been impressive in recent years, pushing out three consecutive losing seasons since 2020. Now, the Tigers are trying to build the program back up to prominence in the SEC, making many additions to their roster through recruiting and the transfer portal.

While the process of rebuilding might take a while, many who follow the team are optimistic that Auburn is on the right track, including analyst Greg McElroy.

The Tigers’ offensive performance was not anywhere close to optimal in 2023, having one of the worst passing attacks in the league. That has a lot to do with who is on both ends of the ball, especially the talent of the wide receivers.

Since the season ended, and even throughout the season, Auburn made pushes on many talented wide receivers and landed a number of them, massively improving the options quarterback [autotag]Payton Thorne[/autotag] has to throw to and something McElroy feels good about.

“I am optimistic, though, that they have added and addressed the issues of last year’s team,” McElroy said. “The biggest problem with last year’s team? People might say quarterback. Might say, at the beginning of the season, the offensive line. Maybe the front seven defensively. I think the biggest issue was wide receiver. They went out and they addressed that very quickly.”

The Tigers added players like the highly powerful [autotag]Cam Coleman[/autotag] in recruiting and transfer [autotag]KeAndre Lambert-Smith[/autotag] in the transfer portal, just two of the standout new faces on the squad.

McElroy believes that if the offense utilizes this talent correctly and has some early success, things could be brewing on the Plains.

“We know what happens with Auburn when they get going a little bit, right? When they get going and they have a really good September, have a good start to October? The momentum gets going. Then, next thing you know, they become very, very difficult to deal with down the stretch,” McElroy said. “That could happen with this year’s team with the schedule, the way it sets up.”

Should that success become present in 2024, Auburn has the opportunity to be dangerous, especially with five straight home games to start before a difficult road slate.

The Tigers will look to start making that happen on Aug. 31 when they kick off their season against Alabama A&M.

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‘They were completely disheveled.’ Anonymous coaches share harsh criticisms of Auburn football

Auburn football has its critics, especially coaches within the SEC.

College football preseason publications are a great way for fans to read up on their favorite teams, and rivals, ahead of an exciting season.

It also provides an outlet for coaches to share their most heated opinions while remaining incognito.

Anonymous coaches were asked to share their hottest takes on SEC programs with Lindy’s Sports, and the best were included in the publication’s 2024 Southeastern preview. While Lindy’s Sports does not disclose if their sources are current coaches or multiple coaches, Auburn’s report was… harsh.

One criticism was at the expense of Auburn’s 2023 season finale, a 31-13 Music City Bowl loss to Maryland. The Tigers fell behind 21-0 in the 1st quarter, and were out-gained by just 10 yards. This source credits the team’s number of bowl game opt outs as the reason for Auburn’s poor showing in Nashville.

“I saw Auburn play in a bowl game and it was the least talented Auburn team I’ve seen in 50 years. They were awful. They lost a lot of kids before the game, a lot opted out. But they were completely disheveled.”

Just one week after losing 31-10 to New Mexico State, Auburn football had the opportunity to take down No. 8 Alabama and to erase their chances of earning a College Football Playoff bid. The game ended on a heartbreaking 4th-and-31 hail mary play from Alabama quarterback Jalen Milroe to wide receiver Isaiah Bond. Auburn left plenty of momentum on the table in the game, and one coach says that the Tigers will move forward without former defensive coordinator [autotag]Ron Roberts[/autotag].

“You’re Auburn in a down year. Alabama is a College Football Playoff team. You’ve got them beat, it’s 4th-and-31 and you lose. That should never happen. It’s got to be the worst play in college football, except maybe Cal scoring against Stanford with the band on the field. The best thing Auburn did was get rid of Ron Roberts.”

The last take centers around [autotag]Payton Thorne[/autotag]. Thorne had a disappointing 2023 season after passing for just 1,755 yards and 16 touchdowns. Auburn has added a plethora of talented wide receivers to its roster, but one coach feels that the team can not reach success with Thorne as its starting quarterback.

“You need a dynamic guy like Cam Newton to run your offense or one of those guys Auburn had in the past. Payton Thorne ain’t going to lead you to the promised land. He’s an average player.”

Auburn football looks to improve upon its 6-7 campaign in 2024. This season will feature several enhancements such as transfers [autotag]Robert Lewis[/autotag], [autotag]KeAndre Lambert-Smith[/autotag], and [autotag]Jerrin Thompson[/autotag]. Not only will Auburn try to improve its record, but they will also try to change the opinions of opposing coaches across the SEC.

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How does Auburn’s skill players stack up with the SEC’s best?

Auburn’s skill players are talented, but young. Can they produce numbers to rival the SEC’s best offenses?

Auburn football’s skill players are incredibly talented despite their youth.

Auburn returns a veteran running back room led by [autotag]Jarquez Hunter[/autotag] and [autotag]Damari Alston[/autotag], and Michigan State transfer [autotag]Payton Thorne[/autotag] enters his second season as the Tigers’ starting quarterback.

The headliners on offense are the wide receivers. Auburn signed a quartet of impressive wide receivers such as [autotag]Cam Coleman[/autotag] and [autotag]Perry Thompson[/autotag]. [autotag]Robert Lewis[/autotag] and [autotag]KeAndre Lambert-Smith[/autotag] bring experience from the FBS level and tight end [autotag]Rivaldo Fairweather[/autotag] returns after hauling in a team-leading 394 yards on 38 catches with a career-high six touchdown receptions in 2023.

It is easy to see why the hype surrounding Auburn’s offense is growing, but how does it stack up with the rest of the SEC? Brad Crawford of 247Sports digs deep to find the answer.

In his early SEC football power rankings, Crawford examined each SEC programs’ skill lineup. He determined that Auburn ranks No. 9 out of 16 SEC teams. His biggest question surrounding Auburn football this season is the play of Thorne.

Can Thorne be a difference-making quarterback in the SEC? That’s the major question concerning this offensive arsenal for the Tigers, who landed a couple high-end wideouts this cycle in the portal and recruiting its 2024 freshman class. Coleman is a future superstar at the position and the post-spring addition of Lambert-Smith from Penn State was a major development.

Auburn looks to take a giant step forward in year two under [autotag]Hugh Freeze[/autotag]. In 2023, Auburn finished No. 10 in yards per game (351.2), No. 14 in passing yards per game (162.2), and No. 11 in points per game (26.2).

Auburn had the SEC’s fourth-best rushing offense last season by averaging 189 yards per game on the ground, but premier back Jarquez Hunter failed to reach the 1,000-yard mark. If Hunter reaches the goal of 1,000 yards, and Auburn improves in the passing department, the Tigers could easily climb into top-five territory within the SEC in yards and improve drastically from last season’s six-win campaign.

Robert Lewis poised to make an immediate impact at Auburn

Lewis’ track record of consistency at Georgia State will be valuable to Auburn’s offense.

Auburn football made history last recruiting cycle by signing four top-tier wide receivers. The Tigers also added valuable experience by reeling in experienced wide receivers such as former Penn State star [autotag]KeAndre Lambert-Smith[/autotag] and former Cal quarterback [autotag]Sam Jackson V[/autotag], who has transitioned to wide receiver.

There is zero doubt that Auburn will be improved on the offensive side of the football, but which addition is poised to make the biggest impact? CBS Sports’ Will Backus has an idea.

Backus revealed his picks for each SEC program’s biggest impact transfers, and he has picked former Georgia State star wide receiver [autotag]Robert Lewis[/autotag] as Auburn’s candidate.

Lewis was stellar in a supporting role under former Georgia State wide receiver Jamari Thrash in 2022 by hauling in 22 catches for 379 yards and six scores. Once Thrash departed for Louisville, Lewis stepped into the premier wide receiver role with ease. Last season, he led all Georgia State receivers by recording 877 receiving yards on 70 catches with seven touchdowns.

His consistency could help Auburn reach new heights writes Backus.

Penn State wide receiver transfer KeAndre Lambert-Smith also deserves a nod here as he likely has more upside, but there’s some concern about his lackluster close to the 2023 season. Lewis provides more consistency and will give the Tigers some much-needed playmaking out of the slot, where he had 877 yards and seven touchdowns at Georgia State in 2023.

Former Texas A&M DL Walter Nolen (Ole Miss), former Utah RB JaQuinden Jackson (Arkansas), and former Georgia QB Brock Vandagriff (Kentucky) join Lewis on Backus’ instant impact transfers list.

Kickoff times, networks announced for Auburn’s first three games

Auburn fans can finally plan tailgates and watch parties for Auburn’s first three games.

Great news, Auburn fans! You can now plan tailgates, watch parties, and even trips to the Plains for Auburn football’s first three games of the 2024 season.

All 16 SEC programs have learned the start times for their first three games of the season and the networks on which they will play. Auburn’s first three games will be played at Jordan-Hare Stadium, with two of those games earning the prime time treatment.

The Tigers’ season opener with in-state foe Alabama A&M will begin at 6:30 p.m. on SEC Network+, ESPN’s digital platform. The Tigers and Bulldogs have played twice in history, with Auburn owning a 2-0 record.

Auburn will host ACC newcomer California in week two, which is a return trip from last season’s 14-10 Auburn win over the Golden Bears in Berkeley. Auburn will face Cal at 2:30 p.m. CT, which should benefit Auburn due to the expected high humidity and temperature in Alabama at that time of year. ESPN 2 will provide live coverage of Auburn vs. Cal.

The final nonconference game before a six-game SEC stretch for Auburn will begin at 6:30 p.m. CT, and will be broadcasted on either ESPN 2 or ESPNU. Auburn’s contest with New Mexico on Sept. 14 will be its first against the Lobos in program history, and will serve as this season’s homecoming game.

Auburn will look to build on its 6-7 campaign in 2023. The 2024 season will be the second under head coach [autotag]Hugh Freeze[/autotag], and will feature several talented roster additions including [autotag]Cam Coleman[/autotag], [autotag]KeAndre Lambert-Smith[/autotag], and [autotag]Jerrin Thompson[/autotag].

First 3️⃣ game times 🙌

📰 https://t.co/vWZKqe4y7F #WarEagle🦅 pic.twitter.com/NeVBVANqb4

— Auburn Football (@AuburnFootball) May 30, 2024

Will Hugh Freeze regret not adding a transfer quarterback this offseason?

247Sports’ Brad Crawford is skeptical of Freeze’s decision not to pursue a quarterback to complement Auburn’s talented receiver haul.

There is zero doubt that [autotag]Hugh Freeze[/autotag] wants to improve upon last season’s passing numbers that ranked last in the SEC.

He added confidence to the offense by landing four talented in-state receivers from the high school recruiting cycle, as well as two experienced wide receivers in [autotag]KeAndre Lambert-Smith[/autotag] and [autotag]Robert Lewis[/autotag]. The question now is at quarterback… will Payton Thorne allow the receivers to reach their full potential?

Brad Crawford of 247Sports has doubts regarding Thorne’s ability to remain consistent throughout the season. In his piece titled 50 thoughts on college football’s 2024 season: Predictions, analysis, more. Crawford predicts that Freeze will regret not pursuing a quarterback within the transfer portal this offseason citing Thorne’s inconsistent tendencies.

Auburn’s quarterback situation is unsettled exiting spring, but chances are last season’s starter — Payton Thorne — will be the guy in charge of this offense. Freeze said ahead of his second season on the Plains he wasn’t willing to spend $1 million plus on a signal caller this cycle. Given Thorne’s up-and-down career, he should have done so now that there’s wide receiver talent on the outside.

Freeze shared recently that he “believed” in his quarterback room, and feels that building a solid receiver room will bring out the best in Thorne. Thorne is poised to return to the QB1 role in 2024, and will look to return to his 2021 form when he threw for 3,240 yards and 27 touchdowns as a sophomore at Michigan State.

KeAndre Lambert-Smith brings ‘consistency’ and ‘experience’ to Auburn football’s receiver room

The Penn State transfer is the final piece to correcting Auburn’s passing woes.

Hugh Freeze and his staff revamped Auburn’s wide receiver room this offseason by adding talented in-state freshmen receivers including [autotag]Cam Coleman[/autotag] and [autotag]Perry Thompson[/autotag].

The transfer portal was kind to Auburn in this regard as they added Georgia State’s [autotag]Robert Lewis[/autotag], Maryland’s [autotag]Rico Walker[/autotag], and former Cal quarterback [autotag]Sam Jackson V[/autotag] in addition to “the Freeze four.” However, there was still a missing piece that Auburn needed to fill, and they were able to fill the void by adding former Penn State wide receiver [autotag]KeAndre Lambert-Smith[/autotag].

Lambert-Smith hauled in 1,721 yards on 126 catches and 11 touchdowns during his four-year career in Happy Valley, which is understandable that he was one of the most sought-after wide receivers in the spring transfer portal window. ESPN ranked Lambert-Smith as the No. 13 overall available player in the transfer portal before being scooped by Auburn due to his potential role of being a solid No. 2 or No. 3 receiver.

Auburn is getting that in Lambert-Smith says ESPN’s Billy Tucker. Lambert-Smith provides a presence that Auburn desperately needs on offense.

This is a much-needed shot in the arm as Auburn finished 121st in passing offense last year and the returning unit lacks experience and proven game-breakers. While the Tigers are bringing an impressive 2024 receiver class, they will be freshmen and adjusting to the speed of the SEC.

Lambert-Smith might not step in and be the go-to target, but he will bring consistency and experience to a complex offense as a No. 2 or 3 target. He will also bring a veteran presence to young receiver room, and that is important as well.

Auburn finished last in passing offense last season by passing for just 2,109 yards and 18 touchdowns. [autotag]Payton Thorne[/autotag] is expected to return to Auburn’s starting quarterback role, and should be more comfortable heading into the 2024 season with a new-look wide receiver room.

College Sports Wire tabs Auburn football as a ‘transfer portal winner’

Hugh Freeze addressed several needs this spring, which puts the Tigers in great position to exceed last season’s win total.

Auburn football is looking to build off of its 6-7 campaign in 2023 and is off to a great start by filling several needs through the transfer portal.

Hugh Freeze and his staff are looking to enhance the production of its wide receivers and defensive linemen and landed several experienced pieces this spring to move forward. Auburn found success within the spring transfer portal haul, which has given them “winner” status from College Sports Wire.

College Sports Wire’s Matt Melton ranks Auburn’s transfer portal class as the third-best within the SEC, topping Ole Miss and Vanderbilt and falling short of Alabama and Florida. Melton says Auburn’s top acquisition is former Penn State wide receiver [autotag]KeAndre Lambert-Smith[/autotag].

Auburn landed their potential WR1 this fall in Lambert-Smith during the spring window, a player that had 1,721 receiving yards and 11 touchdowns across four seasons at Penn State. The Tigers also addressed the defensive line by adding a trio of players that could all potentially make an impact in 2024.

Auburn’s 2024 transfer portal class ranks No. 27 in 247Sports transfer portal rankings. In addition to Lambert-Smith, the Tigers raked in several talented transfers including [autotag]Philip Blidi [/autotag](Indiana), [autotag]Jerrin Thomas[/autotag] (Texas), and [autotag]Robert Lewis[/autotag] (Georgia State).

Where does Auburn stand in USA TODAY Sports’ post-spring re-rank?

Auburn takes a giant leap forward in Paul Myerberg’s rankings after a successful spring period.

After a successful offseason recruiting campaign, the Auburn Tigers are beginning to trend in a favorable direction.

USA TODAY Sports’ Paul Myerberg released his latest re-rank, which lists all 134 FBS programs and has placed Auburn at No. 44 following the spring session. The placement is a giant leap forward from Auburn’s No. 59 ranking ahead of its Music City Bowl loss to Maryland.

Auburn is expected to take a positive step this season, especially on offense. The Tigers added a plethora of wide receivers from both high school and the transfer portal, which should allow quarterback [autotag]Payton Thorne[/autotag] to boost his passing numbers. Freshman [autotag]Cam Coleman[/autotag] had a successful spring that ended with a 4-catch, 92-yard performance at A-Day. He also scored the game’s lone touchdown. Auburn also landed a pair of talented receivers, [autotag]KeAndre Lambert-Smith[/autotag] and [autotag]Robert Lewis[/autotag], from the transfer portal. Both were the leading receivers at Penn State and Georgia State respectively.

Four SEC teams make up Myerberg’s top 10. Georgia takes the top spot, followed by Texas at No. 3, LSU at No. 6, and Alabama at No. 7. The Tigers will face four top 25 teams in Myerberg’s rankings. Outside of Georgia and Alabama, Auburn will play Oklahoma (No. 12) and Missouri (No. 21) in 2024.

Where does Hugh Freeze rank among top head coaches by CBS Sports?

Freeze will look to boost his stock in 2024.

The first season under [autotag]Hugh Freeze[/autotag] did not boast well for the Auburn Tigers.

Auburn closed the 2023 season by losing seven of its final 10 games and finishing dead last in the SEC in passing yards per game. The disappointing first season under Freeze has caused his stock to drop heading into the 2024 season.

CBS Sports recently dropped its head coach rankings ahead of the 2024 season and placed Freeze at the No. 33 slot, a seven-spot decrease from last season. CBS Sports’ Tom Fornelli says that despite Freeze’s slide, Auburn fans should expect a better season from him in year two.

The Auburn coach was ranked 26th last season upon his return to the SEC, but it looks like our voters weren’t overly impressed with the Tigers’ 6-7 season as he drops seven spots this year. I wouldn’t worry about it too much if I’m an Auburn fan, though, because Freeze’s track record suggests there will be improvement. His team’s win total has improved in his second season at every stop.

Freeze has worked this offseason to improve Auburn’s offensive output, especially in the passing game. The Tigers added four talented high school wide receivers including [autotag]Cam Coleman[/autotag] and [autotag]Perry Thompson[/autotag], and have secured two experienced wide receivers from the transfer portal such as [autotag]KeAndre Lambert-Smith[/autotag] and [autotag]Robert Lewis[/autotag]. Time will tell, but the ingredients are there for Auburn to find more success this season.