Keldric Faulk – Syndication Server

Roc Bellantoni set to re-join Auburn coaching staff

Hugh Freeze’s latest hire has previous experience with the program.

Auburn Football has called upon an old friend to fill the EDGE coach vacancy.

[autotag]Roc Bellantoni[/autotag], who served as EDGE coach and special teams coordinator under [autotag]Bryan Harsin[/autotag] during the 2022 season, is heading back to the Plains after a two-year stint with Tom Herman’s staff at Florida Atlantic. On3’s Justin Hokanson reported this news.

He joined Auburn’s staff in 2022 after serving as special teams coordinator at Utah State. He has also coached at Washington State, Buffalo, Villanova, and Eastern Illinois. Bellantoni spent the last two seasons as FAU’s defensive coordinator. Last season, FAU finished No. 10 in the American Athletic Conference in points allowed (30.3) and No. 9 in yards allowed per game (416.7).

During the 2022 season, Bellantoni coached [autotag]Colby Wooden[/autotag] and [autotag]Derick Hall[/autotag], who would become the defense’s top pass rushers. The duo ended the season in the top two in pressures created. Hall led the team with 47 pressures (28 quarterback hurries), and Wooden was next in line with 35 pressures (24 quarterback hurries). Both players were taken in the top four rounds of the 2023 NFL draft.

Similar success is possible for Bellantoni in his second stint as Auburn’s EDGE coach. [autotag]Keldric Faulk[/autotag] returns to the unit after making 81 stops with eight sacks and a forced fumble during his first two seasons on the Plains. Freshmen [autotag]Amaris Williams[/autotag] and [autotag]Demarcus Riddick[/autotag] had great first seasons and will be key players on defense again this season.

The future at the position is bright as well. Five-star freshman [autotag]Jared Smith[/autotag] is set to join the program in the fall, and Auburn also added former Sam Houston EDGE rusher [autotag]Chris Murray[/autotag] from the transfer portal to add depth.

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Auburn among programs in pursuit of former Alabama EDGE Jeremiah Alexander

Alexander signed with Alabama as the No. 1 EDGE from the 2022 recruiting cycle.

Auburn football recently added an EDGE transfer in Chris Murray from Sam Houston State. However, their pursuit of adding talented pass rushers is not over.

[autotag]Jeremiah Alexander[/autotag], a former EDGE rusher at Alabama, recently visited Auburn according to Hayes Fawcett of On3. Auburn joins Clemson, Oklahoma, and Ole Miss as programs showing heavy interest in the ex-Alabama defender.

Alexander signed with Alabama as the No. 1 EDGE prospect from the 2022 class, which ranked No. 2 in the nation. He was the sixth-highest-rated signee in Alabama’s 2022 class, trailing several talented players including EDGE Jihaad Campbell, quarterback Ty Simpson, and wide receiver Isaiah Bond.

Despite his high recruiting ranking, Alexander has only logged eight tackles in three seasons in Tuscaloosa. He participated in eight games throughout his Alabama career, making one tackle in each game. In 2024, Alexander played in four games, most recently seeing action in Alabama’s Reliaquest Bowl loss to Michigan.

[autotag]Keldric Faulk[/autotag] is the headlining returner at EDGE, with five-star signee [autotag]Jared Smith[/autotag] expecting to play a role this season. [autotag]Hugh Freeze[/autotag] is looking to add depth at EDGE to keep Faulk fresh and aid in the development of Smith.

What is Auburn getting in ex-Sam Houston EDGE Chris Murray?

Murray announces his intent to transfer following a successful weekend visit.

A successful weekend visit leads to another transfer portal commitment for Auburn football.

[autotag]Chris Murray[/autotag], formerly of Sam Houston State, announced Sunday that he will transfer to Auburn after spending the last two seasons with the Bearkats.

Murray took an official visit to the Plains on Saturday, Jan. 4, and by Sunday night, he became a Tiger one day later. Murray brings a heavy sack presence to the Auburn defense after posting a team-leading 5.5 sacks this season for Sam Houston. He ended the season with 35 total tackles and two forced fumbles.

Murray participated in 435 snaps over 13 games this season at Sam Houston State and was the second-highest graded defender according to Pro Football Focus at 78.1. He created 34 total pressures with 24 quarterback hurries.

He recorded a season-high six tackles in three games this season, most recently in Sam Houston’s 21-11 loss to Jax State on Nov. 23. His most notable game of the season came against UTEP on Oct. 3 when he logged six tackles with 1.5 sacks and a forced fumble.

Auburn looks to replace [autotag]Jalen McLeod[/autotag] at EDGE this season, and Murray is a viable option. [autotag]Keldric Faulk[/autotag] returns to the position, and true freshman [autotag]Jared Smith[/autotag] is also expected to see significant action at EDGE. Murray gives Auburn a solid option to keep Faulk fresh and allow more time for Smith to develop.

Clemson transfer edge A.J. Hoffler expected to take trip to the Plains

The former Clemson Tiger accumulated 15 tackles in two seasons before entering the transfer portal.

Transfer portal defensive end [autotag]A.J. Hoffler[/autotag] is expected to visit Auburn on Sunday according to Auburn Live.

Hoffler spent two seasons in the ACC at Clemson, and was the No. 25 ranked edge rusher in his class coming out of high school. Now 20 years old, the Atlanta, Georgia native may be looking to move down I-85, and up a shade of orange, next season.

In two seasons with the Tigers, Hoffler collected 15 total tackles, defending one pass as well. While the 6-4 EDGE physically gifted edge rusher saw limited snaps with his original team, his seniority and tools may give him a chance to become an impact member of Auburn’s defensive front.

As it currently stands, Auburn’s starting edge rushers are likely breakout star [autotag]Keldric Faulk[/autotag] and highly-touted freshman [autotag]Jared Smith[/autotag]. With Smith having not played a single snap of college football, Hoffler could have an early advantage for snaps if he were to join Hugh Freeze’s squad next season.

With Hoffler’s visit imminent, Auburn’s head coach and his staff will look to add the talented edge rusher to an already great transfer portal class that mostly includes offensive weapons such as quarterbacks [autotag]Jackson Arnold[/autotag] and [autotag]Ashton Daniels[/autotag], wide receiver [autotag]Eric Singleton[/autotag], and offensive lineman [autotag]Xavier Chaplin[/autotag].

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Former Sam Houston EDGE Chris Murray schedules visit to Auburn

Could another “sack machine” make his way to the Plains?

Could another “sack machine” join Auburn’s roster?

According to a report by Jeffrey Lee of Auburn Live, former Sam Houston EDGE rusher [autotag]Chris Murray[/autotag] will be on Auburn’s campus this weekend for an official visit beginning Saturday, Jan. 4.

Murray entered the transfer portal after the Bearkats’ historic season that resulted in 10 wins. He played a major role in Sam Houston’s success by leading the team in sacks (5.5) and forced fumbles (2). Overall, he finished seventh in tackles by registering 35 stops.

According to Pro Football Focus, Murray earned a final grade of 78.1, the second-highest among Sam Houston defenders. Pass rushing proved to be his key strength, as he logged a team-leading 34 pressures in 260 opportunities and 24 quarterback hurries. In three seasons at Sam Houston, Murray has participated in 729 snaps with two starts at defensive end.

Auburn is looking to replace [autotag]Jalen McLeod[/autotag], who recorded 106 tackles and 13.5 sacks in two seasons. [autotag]Keldric Faulk[/autotag] returns to the position while [autotag]Jared Smith[/autotag] is set to earn valuable field time as a true freshman. However, Auburn will need another experienced EDGE rusher to aid in the development of Smith while providing a breather to Faulk. Murray is viable option due to his ability to force opposing quarterbacks into making quick, questionable decisions.

Amaris Williams changes course, elects to stay with Auburn

Williams briefly considered entering the transfer portal after his debut season on the Plains.

Auburn fans can breathe a sigh of relief as a key true freshman has backed off his intent to enter the transfer portal.

Earlier this week, it was reported that freshman EDGE Amaris Williams filed the paperwork necessary to enter the transfer portal. After taking a couple of days to weigh options, Williams announced Tuesday that he will change course and stay with Auburn for the 2025 season.

As a freshman, Williams recorded seven tackles with 0.5 sacks. Williams was Auburn’s 13th-highest-graded defensive player in 2024 according to Pro Football Focus (71.2), with tackling being his strong suit at 78.3. He logged five total pressures last season in 120 snaps over 10 games.

The news of his return is important for Auburn football as he is expected to fill the role of outgoing EDGE Jalen McLeod, who logged 106 tackles and 13.5 sacks over the last two seasons for Auburn. With the return of Williams, [autotag]Keldric Faulk[/autotag], and [autotag]Zykeivous Walker[/autotag], along with the signing of five-star EDGE [autotag]Jared Smith[/autotag], the EDGE position will continue to be a strong point within the Tigers’ defense.

The only question surrounding Auburn’s EDGE rushers is “Who will lead the position group?” Hugh Freeze is looking to fill the slot of EDGE coach following the departure of [autotag]Josh Aldridge[/autotag], who accepted the defensive coordinator position at ECU earlier this week.

Auburn EDGE coach Josh Aldridge to become defensive coordinator at ECU

After coaching Jalen McLeod and Keldric Faulk to success in 2023 and 2024, Aldridge is ready to take on a larger role at an AAC program.

The first coaching move of the offseason has officially taken place.

[autotag]Josh Aldridge[/autotag], who spent the previous two seasons as Auburn’s EDGE coach, departs the program for the defensive coordinator position at East Carolina according to a report by ESPN’s Pete Thamel.

Auburn’s EDGE rushers were arguably the strongest unit on Auburn’s defense the past two seasons under Aldridge. This season, [autotag]Jalen McLeod[/autotag] and [autotag]Keldric Faulk[/autotag] were the highest-graded defensive players according to Pro Football Focus at 85.5 and 84.7 respectively. The pair combined to create 74 quarterback pressures with 16 sacks and three forced fumbles. Backup EDGE rushers [autotag]Zykeivous Walker[/autotag] and [autotag]Amaris Williams[/autotag] had solid seasons as well by combining to make 13 pressures and 12 quarterback hurries.

McLeod found similar success in 2023 by creating 37 quarterback pressures with six sacks. As a freshman that season, Faulk made 36 tackles with a sack.

Before his time at Auburn, Aldridge spent four seasons under head coach [autotag]Hugh Freeze[/autotag] at Liberty, where he began as a defensive line coach before being promoted to defensive coordinator, becoming a Broyles Award nominee in 2021. He has also spent time at Lenor-Rhyne and West Georgia.

ESPN predicts the winner of Auburn vs. ULM

Will Auburn handle business on Saturday against ULM?

The Auburn Tigers return to Jordan-Hare Stadium on Saturday for the first time since Sept. 28 when they host ULM to close out the nonconference schedule.

Auburn (3-6, 1-5 SEC) dropped its most recent game to Vanderbilt on Nov. 2, 17-7, erasing the momentum built from its first SEC win on Oct. 26 at Kentucky. The Tigers look to take momentum back on Saturday against ULM (5-4, 3-3 Sun Belt) as they enter the most important stretch of the season.

Will Auburn handle business? ESPN’s matchup predictor favors Auburn in a major way by giving the Tigers a 96.2% chance to beat ULM on Saturday.

Auburn needs to win its final three games to qualify for a bowl game and a win over the visiting Warhawks will push them in the right direction. ULM is in a rough patch, dropping three straight contests by an average margin of 18.3 points after beginning the season with a 5-1 record.

Auburn will look to win the game by stopping ULM’s run game. The Warhawks rank No. 8 in the Sun Belt in rushing by averaging 172.1 yards per game. However, ULM’s run blocking is no match for [autotag]Keldric Faulk[/autotag], [autotag]Jalen McLeod[/autotag], and the rest of the Auburn defense. The Warhawks’ average grade in run blocking is 60.9 according to Pro Football Focus and has not graded above 69.1 in the category. On the contrary, Auburn averages 76.6 in run defense and has graded above 80 four times this season.

Auburn football hosts ULM on Saturday for an 11:45 a.m. CT kickoff at Jordan-Hare Stadium. The game will be broadcast live on SEC Network.

Four-star DL Joseph Mbatchou has ‘good visit’ to the Plains

Mbatchou has now taken a pair of visits to the Plains this football season

Four-star defensive lineman [autotag]Joseph Mbatchou[/autotag] was in attendance for Auburn’s most recent loss to Vanderbilt last Saturday.

Although the game did not go the way the Tigers wanted, the Loganville, Georgia native said he had a “good visit” per On3’s Jeffrey Lee. A consensus top-30 defensive line prospect in the country, Mbatchou was also on the Plains for Auburn’s loss to California earlier in the season.

While the two losses could be seen as frustrating, the four-star prospect was intrigued with what he saw from the defensive line, specifically standout sophomore [autotag]Keldric Faulk[/autotag]. Speaking further with On3, Mbatchou explained his excitement.

“I think [Faulk]’s a dog and he surrounds himself with dogs,” Mbatchou said. “Everyone on the d-line was eating…it shows you what the standard is if the d-line… I care about that more than the loss.”

That takeaway, along with the Georgia native’s budding relationship with defensive line coach Vontrell King-Williams, has Auburn among the teams in Mbatchou’s top three. The Tigers, along with Michigan and Texas, are the three top-ranked destinations on the four-star recruit’s list right now. Two recruiting experts from On3 submitted predictions last week in favor of Auburn landing him for their 2025 recruiting haul.

Like so many recruits before him, Mbatchou said one of the reasons Auburn is among his top schools is because of the atmosphere surrounding the Auburn family.

“The best part about Auburn is the people… It’s a family-oriented place with a lot of love for their brothers,” Mbatchou said. “They are building it back up the right way by getting young players.”

We may not get an answer soon either, as the high school senior is set to take official visits to USC and Florida this fall before choosing a school around signing day next spring. If Hugh Freeze and his staff can sway him to the Plains, Mbatchou’s commitment would add to an already top-five-ranked 2025 recruiting class.

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Keldric Faulk tabbed SEC Defensive Lineman of the Week

Faulk continued a fantastic sophomore campaign on Saturday by registering his third multi-sack game of his season.

Auburn sophomore [autotag]Keldric Faulk[/autotag] was named SEC Defensive Lineman of the Week for the first time in his career following his phenomenal performance against Kentucky in week nine.

The second-year Tiger continued a fantastic sophomore campaign on Saturday by registering his third multi-sack game of his season against the Wildcats, showcasing his presence early and often during the 24-10 win in which Auburn’s defense held Kentucky to just 224 total yards.

The 6-6, 288-pound lineman created chaos throughout the night despite only accumulating 3 tackles. After his two early sacks, Faulk consistently drew double teams from the Wildcats offensive front, allowing his teammates to win one-on-one matchups. His presence on the line helped the Tigers stuff nearly every run scheme Kentucky head coach Mark Stoops attempted, as the Tigers front seven allowed just 70 rushing yards in 60 minutes of action.

Faulk’s pair of sacks vaulted his season total up to seven this season. He trails only South Carolina’s Kyle Kennard (8), LSU‘s Bradyn Swinson (8), and stand-out Ole Miss linebacker Suntarine Perkins (8) for the top spot in the conference. With a guaranteed four games left on the schedule, Faulk has the opportunity to be the first Tiger to register double-digit sacks since 2017, when linebacker [autotag]Jeff Holland[/autotag] had 10.

If the sophomore can manage 4 more sacks, he would tie defensive tackle Nick Fairly (12) for the most in Auburn history. His next chance to register a sack will come this Saturday against a Vanderbilt squad that has only allowed 11 this season.

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