Tag: Oscar Chapman

Asante, Hunter headline Auburn’s Senior Bowl watchlist representation

Auburn football is well represented on this season’s watchlist.

The coveted Senior Bowl watchlist has been released, and Auburn is well represented.

A total of 14 players on Auburn’s roster made the cut, with linebacker [autotag]Eugene Asante[/autotag] and running back [autotag]Jarquez Hunter[/autotag] headlining the representation.

Asante broke onto the scene last season by recording a team-leading 86 tackles with 8.5 going for a loss. He also tipped a pass and returned a fumble 67 yards for a touchdown in Auburn’s loss to Texas A&M. As for Hunter, he came close to reaching the 1,000-yard mark in rushing for the first time in his career last season. He ran for 909 yards and scored seven touchdowns while reeling in 18 passes for 118 yards.

Joining Hunter as offensive players to make the list are QB [autotag]Payton Thorne[/autotag], WRs [autotag]KeAndre Lambert-Smith[/autotag] and [autotag]Robert Lewis[/autotag], tight end [autotag]Rivaldo Fairweather[/autotag], and offensive linemen [autotag]Percy Lewis[/autotag] and [autotag]Dillon Wade[/autotag].

Thorne is projected to take a step forward this season thanks to the additions of Lambert-Smith and Lewis, who were stars at Penn State and Georgia State respectively. Fairweather will be a great threat in the passing game as he returns after hauling in 38 catches for 394 yards and six scores last season. Finally, Lewis joins an experienced offensive line after spending the previous two seasons at Mississippi State. Wade’s 819 snaps were the most among Auburn offensive players last season. In that frame, he allowed just two quarterback sacks.

Six defensive players were also labeled. Outside of Asante, DLs [autotag]Jayson Jones[/autotag] and [autotag]Jalen McLeod[/autotag], LB [autotag]Austin Keys[/autotag], and defensive backs [autotag]Keionte Scott[/autotag] and [autotag]Jerrin Thompson[/autotag] are also considered for a roster spot.

McLeod holds the highest grade among returning defenders from PFF with an 80.8, which was third-highest behind [autotag]DJ James[/autotag] and [autotag]Marcus Harris[/autotag], who has since departed for the NFL. Scott had a great season by leading all defensive backs in tackles with 42 with five pass deflections in 2023. He will team up with Thompson, who hauled in three interceptions at Texas last season, to provide experience to the Tigers’ defensive backfield. In two seasons at Auburn, Jones has complied 48 tackles with one registering as a loss.

The final representative on the Senior Bowl watchlist for Auburn is punter [autotag]Oscar Chapman[/autotag]. Chapman recorded 61 punts last season for a career-high average of 44.6 yards.

The 2025 Senior Bowl will take place on Saturday, Feb. 1 at Hancock Whitney Stadium in Mobile. The game will begin at 1:30 p.m. CT and will be broadcasted live on NFL Network.

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Auburn gains commitment from punter John Alan McGuire

Auburn football earned a commitment from the nation’s No. 2 punter from the 2025 class.

Auburn football has been on a tear as of late in the recruiting game, racking up many of the nation’s top high school prospects during and immediately following its annual Big Cat Weekend. The Tigers are making themselves on notice, something that has not been seen in a handful of years.

One commitment that came out of the weekend of festivities on the Plains was that of [autotag]John Alan McGuire[/autotag], a punter out of Thompson High School (Ala.), on Sunday.

McGuire already has a legacy with the football program, as his older brother Evan was a kicker that served as a backup to [autotag]Anders Carlson[/autotag] and [autotag]Alex McPherson[/autotag] from 2020-2023.

McGuire’s time with the Thompson Warriors has been nothing short of exceptional, helping the Warriors to two state championships out of the three seasons that he has played so far.

His talent level will put him into a position to succeed, as Auburn’s current punting duties will be open following the 2024 season with the graduation of [autotag]Oscar Chapman[/autotag]. According to the Kohl’s Kicking National Punter Rankings, McGuire is ranked the No. 2 punter in the nation with a five-star rating in the class of 2025.

With the announcement of his commitment via his social media, the Tigers beat out Florida State for the specialist, making yet another in-state player to land on the Plains.

While Auburn has the option of using him as a kicker or kick-off specialist when necessary, his primary role will be pinning opposing offenses deep when the Tigers stall on drives.

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Oscar Chapman wins Ray Guy Punter of the Week award

Oscar Chapman had one of the best games of his career against Georgia.

[autotag]Oscar Chapman[/autotag] has been named the Ray Guy Punter of the Week after his great performance against the Georgia Bulldogs, the Augusta Sports Council and the Ray Guy Award announced Tuesday.

Chapman averaged 51.2 yards on his five punts against the Bulldogs including a booming 71-yarder, the longest punt of his career. That punt was just one of his three punts that was downed inside the 20-yard line.

The Adelaide, South Australia, native made the Ray Guy Award preseason watch list ahead of the season and was also named to the 2023 Preseason Coaches All-SEC Third Team.

He is averaging 42.8 yards per punt and 9 of his 22 punts have been downed inside the 20-yard line and five have travelled over 50 yards.

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Five Tigers named to preseason All-SEC third team

Georgia and Alabama led the way with 14 selections, followed by LSU.

Five Auburn Tigers were selected to the preseason All-SEC third team on Tuesday.

Running back [autotag]Jarquez Hunter[/autotag], tight end [autotag]Luke Deal[/autotag], offensive guard [autotag]Kam Stutts[/autotag], cornerback [autotag]Nehemiah Pritchett[/autotag], and punter [autotag]Oscar Chapman[/autotag] received the honor after being selected by SEC coaches. No players on Auburn’s roster cracked the first or second team.

[autotag]Jarquez Hunter[/autotag] may be the name most familiar to Auburn fans. The junior tailback is coming off a strong season in 2022, totaling 899 all-purpose yards and nine touchdowns. He should be a focal point of [autotag]Hugh Freeze[/autotag]’s offense in 2023, and it wouldn’t be a very big surprise to see him jump up to the second, or even first team by season’s end.

Senior tight end [autotag]Luke Deal[/autotag] has yet to see significant playing time during his Auburn career but brings leadership and experience to an Auburn locker room filled with new faces. Deal also has an opportunity to break out with [autotag]Payton Thorne[/autotag], who threw for 546 passing yards and four touchdowns to tight ends in 2022.

Guard [autotag]Kam Stutts[/autotag] has been locked in a positional competition all camp long. The sixth-year lineman was shaky in 2022 but will hope to have a starting role throughout the season on a revamped offensive line.

The lone Auburn defensive player to be selected by SEC coaches to the preseason All-Conference team, cornerback [autotag]Nehemiah Pritchett[/autotag] has been a key member of Auburn’s secondary for the past three seasons, totaling 89 tackles, 4.5 TFL, 25 PD, and two interceptions in that span.

Aussie punter [autotag]Oscar Chapman[/autotag] rounds out the Auburn selectees. The senior punter’s boot has been electric at times during his tenure on the plains. Chapman averaged 43.9 yards per punt last year, sending 12 of them over 50 yards.

Auburn’s five selections to the All-Conference team were among the lowest in the SEC. Georgia and Alabama led the way with 14 selections a piece, with LSU closely trailing behind with 11 players selected.

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Oscar Chapman named to the Ray Guy Award watch list

After being a semifinalist last season, Chapman is looking to win the whole thing this time.

Auburn punter [autotag]Oscar Chapman[/autotag] has been named to the Ray Guy Award watch list. He is one of 50 punters to make the watchlist, which will be given to college football’s best punter in December, the Augusta Sports Council announced Wednesday.

From Adelaide, South Australia, Chapman is entering his fourth season as Auburn’s starting punter and was a semifinalist for the award last year after averaging 43.8 yards on 57 punts. He also pinned opposing offenses inside their own 20-yard line 18 times and had 12 punts go over 50 yards.

A complete list of candidates for the award will be released on Nov. 6 and on Nov. 10 the Ray Guy Award committee will announce 10 semifinalists. The winner will then be announced in December from three finalists.

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Auburn picked to finish 6th in SEC West, 6 Tigers make All-SEC

Brian Battie was named First-Team All-SEC with five others making the third team.

There is optimism about [autotag]Hugh Freeze[/autotag]’s time at Auburn but it might take some time for that to turn into wins. The Tigers were picked to finish sixth in the SEC West by the media in this year’s preseason poll, the SEC announced Friday morning.

The Georgia Bulldogs were predicted to win the SEC East with 265 first-place votes and Alabama received 165 to win the West, edging out LSU who received 117. The Bulldogs were picked to win the SEC Championship with 181 points.

Six Tigers were named to the All-SEC teams with [autotag]Brian Battie[/autotag] being the first team kick returner. Running back [autotag]Jarquez Hunter[/autotag], cornerbacks [autotag]D.J. James[/autotag] and [autotag]Nehemiah Pritchett[/autotag], punter [autotag]Oscar Chapman[/autotag] and kicker [autotag]Alex McPherson[/autotag] all made the third team.

Here is a look at the full poll.

Six Tigers earn place on Phil Steele’s preseason All-SEC team

Jarquez Hunter and Nehemiah Pritchett headline Auburn’s representation in the preseason publication’s rankings.

As a program looking to get back to its traditional winning ways, Auburn will have plenty of tools to get them on the right track this season.

Phil Steele has dropped his selections for preseason All-SEC and has included six Tigers.

Steele’s list is headlined by running back [autotag]Jarquez Hunter[/autotag] and cornerback [autotag]Nehemiah Pritchett[/autotag]. Hunter is set to be the team’s premier back after serving two seasons as Tank Bigsby’s protege. As for Pritchett, he returns as one of the top defensive players for the Tigers.

Also included in the list are USF transfer [autotag]Brian Battie[/autotag], linebacker [autotag]Cam Riley[/autotag], kicker [autotag]Alex McPherson[/autotag], and punter [autotag]Oscar Chapman[/autotag].

Battie will be a part of a three-headed monster at running back alongside Hunter and [autotag]Damari Alston[/autotag], but will also be a vital piece to Auburn’s return game. Cam Riley was the team’s second-leading tackler last season and looks to anchor the linebacking corps.

Oscar Chapman returns to Auburn for his third season as the team’s punter, while Alex McPherson takes over the kicking duties to become the first Auburn kicker not named “Carlson” to assume the role since 2014.

Here’s a deeper look at Auburn’s representatives on the preseason All-SEC team from Phil Steele.

Six Auburn Tigers make Phil Steele’s All-SEC team

Four defensive players, one offensive player and one special teams player made the cut.

Players on Auburn’s 2022 team continue to receive accolades during college football’s postseason.

Sports writer Phil Steele, who is known for his yearly College Football Preview magazine, released his All-SEC picks on Friday. The list featured six different Auburn players on his second, third and fourth teams consisting of four defensive players, one offensive player and one special teams player.

Defensive end Derick Hall is thus far the center of Auburn’s award-winning talents, being named to an All-SEC team earlier in the month. Hall was given his due in Steele’s list, too, but it also features other Auburn players that haven’t gotten as much attention.

Take a look at which Tigers received their honors below:

Oscar Chapman named a Ray Guy semifinalist

Oscar Chapman is one of the best punters in the country and is getting the recognition he deserves

Auburn punter [autotag]Oscar Chapman[/autotag] has been named a semifinalist for the 2022 Ray Guy Award, the Augusta Sports Council announced Monday.

The award is presented to the nation’s top punter and the 10 semifinalists were selected from a field of 81 nominees.

Chapman, a junior from Adelaide, South Australia, has had a great season for Auburn. He is averaging 43.9-yards per punt on 53 attempts. He has had 12 punts go 50 or more yards and has had 17 downed inside the opponent’s 20-yard line.

A national voting body of Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) sports information directors, national media, and previous Ray Guy Award winners will decide the three award finalists who will be announced on Tuesday, November 29th. Voters will then vote again to determine the winner who will be announced live on Thursday, December 8th at The Home Depot College Football Awards Show on ESPN.

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Winners and Losers from Auburn beating Missouri

It was ugly and a bad game but several players had good games for Auburn.

Auburn needed a win to prevent their season from being derailed. They got the win but I doubt anyone is feeling better about this team than if they had lost.

Outside of their first two drives, Aburn’s offense was completely unable to move the ball against Missouri. Thankfully for them and [autotag]Bryan Harsin[/autotag], the defense and [autotag]Oscar Chapman[/autotag] stepped up and were able to keep the Tigers in the game and eventually win 17-14 when Missouri gave the game away, twice.

Here are the winners and losers from Auburn’s first SEC win of the season and a must-win game for Harsin.