Tag: Philip Montgomery

Two transfer targets pay visit to Auburn over the weekend

Auburn welcomed two transfer players from their wishlist to campus in hopes to sway them to join the roster.

[autotag]Hugh Freeze[/autotag] is working to fill key needs during the second transfer portal window and is on the right track by welcoming two players from his wishlist to campus.

Over the weekend, Cincinnati’s [autotag]Jaheim Thomas[/autotag] and Tulsa’s [autotag]Jaden Muskrat[/autotag] each paid a visit to the Plains.

Muskrat was one of the first players to receive an Auburn offer once the second transfer portal window opened. According to Jason Caldwell of Auburn Undercover, Muskrat was on campus Saturday and was even spotted at Auburn’s baseball game against Mississippi State at Plainsman Park. Over the last three seasons, Muskrat has played on new offensive coordinator [autotag]Philip Montgomery[/autotag]’s offensive line. Last season, he played right tackle for the Golden Hurricane, opposite transfer [autotag]Dillon Wade[/autotag]. According to Pro Football Focus, Muskrat allowed just three sacks in 848 snaps in 2022.

On Sunday, Christian Clemente of Auburn Undercover reported that Cincinnati linebacker Jaheim Thomas was also on campus Sunday for an official visit. Thomas made 70 stops for the Bearcats last season and recorded nine quarterback hurries according to Pro Football Focus. Thomas is seen as a potential candidate for Auburn’s new Jack linebacker position.

Auburn will continue to search for new additions to its roster over the next week, as the transfer portal window is set to close on Sunday.

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__

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Ben Bryant becomes another transfer option for Auburn

Bryant has thrown for 5,853 yards over the last two seasons. Could Auburn use his services?

The final week of the spring transfer portal window is here. If Hugh Freeze and staff are looking to add another quarterback to the competition, the experience of former Cincinnati quarterback [autotag]Ben Bryant[/autotag] may be what they are looking for.

Bryant entered his name into the transfer portal last weekend after spending four seasons at Cincinnati, and one at Eastern Michigan. In his career as Cincinnati’s starting quarterback, he has tossed 3,285 yards and 23 touchdowns. Last season, he completed 61% of his passes for 2,732 yards and 21 touchdowns.

Bryant’s passing numbers are similar to what Freeze and offensive coordinator [autotag]Philip Montgomery[/autotag]’s quarterbacks are accustomed to doing, so if Auburn elects to pursue Bryant, he may fit in with the scheme well. He has one season of eligibility remaining, which could be a good buffer to allow [autotag]Robby Ashford[/autotag] and [autotag]Holden Geriner[/autotag] more time to learn the system.

In a recent post by Andrew Florio of BVM Sports, Auburn is listed as one of five great fits for Bryant.

The Tigers were heavily linked to Coastal Carolina’s Grayson McCall before he decided to return to the Chanticleers. Does Auburn still want to bring in a veteran signal caller? Robby Ashford has a lot of potential, but it would not hurt to bring in more competition. It still has Holden Geriner, a former four-star recruit, on the roster, so maybe Auburn just lets him compete for the job instead.

By entering his name into the transfer portal, Bryant is now the top available quarterback according to On3. Who else makes up the list?

Here’s a look at the top uncommitted quarterbacks who are currently in the transfer portal according to On3:

Former Tulsa OL Jaden Muskrat receives Auburn offer

Could Muskrat join Dillon Wade in making the move from Tulsa to Auburn?

The spring window of the transfer portal officially opened on Saturday, and Auburn is already busy reaching out to potential suitors.

The day began with wide receiver [autotag]Tar’varish Dawson[/autotag] re-entering the transfer portal, becoming the second player to announce their intent to enter the portal, joining [autotag]Jeffrey M’Ba[/autotag].

On the flip side, a former Tulsa offensive lineman announced Saturday that he had received an offer from Auburn.

[autotag]Jaden Muskrat[/autotag], a rising junior from Bentonville, Arkansas, has received an offer from Auburn, becoming the second former Tulsa offensive lineman to hear from the Tigers. The first, [autotag]Dillon Wade[/autotag], followed his former head coach, [autotag]Philip Montgomery[/autotag], to the Plains during the winter transfer portal window.

According to Pro Football Focus, Muskrat played 848 snaps last season primarily at right tackle, opposite Wade. He allowed just three sacks and four quarterback hits in 2022.

RELATED: Auburn transfer portal tracker

Auburn has added three talented, experienced linemen through the transfer portal in Wade, [autotag]Avery Jones[/autotag], and [autotag]Gunner Britton[/autotag]. If the Tigers were able to add Muskrat, it would allow for more opportunities for the offensive backfield to do damage this season.

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The fighter: T.J. Finley continues to face competition head on

Finley is keeping a positive attitude during the ongoing quarterback battle.

The 2023 season was a tested one for Auburn quarterback [autotag]T.J. Finley[/autotag].

After winning the quarterback battle during the summer, Finley would go on to play in just three games before a shoulder injury sidelined him for most of the season.

In those three games, however, he endured heavy criticism after throwing four interceptions to just one touchdown. Once his shoulder was back in playing shape, he elected to take a leave of absence from the program over the final four games of the season.

“I’m not really sure what triggered it, what prompted it,” Finley said Saturday when explaining his leave of absence. “I like to leave the past in the past and focus on the future. All I know is I’m a completely better person now mentally, physically, emotionally, spiritually, and hopefully who I am right now can lead this team to a national championship.”

Now that he has returned to the team under new leadership, he is ready and willing to do whatever it takes to win the starting quarterback role. He says that it is his nature to compete, and he feels that he can contend with any quarterback in the country.

“I believe I can compete with anybody in the country, and that’s why I transferred here from LSU; I felt like I can compete with [autotag]Bo Nix[/autotag],” Finley said. “Competition doesn’t scare me. I know who I am. I know what I can do, and with the right coaches, I know who I can grow into, and hopefully, this is the place. Competition brings the best out of everybody, and if you can’t handle competition, you don’t need to be in this industry.”

Now that Auburn’s football staff includes the likes of [autotag]Hugh Freeze[/autotag], [autotag]Philip Montgomery[/autotag], and [autotag]Kent Austin[/autotag], former Auburn running back Tank Bigsby says that Finley will have the best chance to compete as opposed to his chances during the [autotag]Bryan Harsin[/autotag] years.

“All the adversity he’s been through, he keeps going. He keeps fighting. He’s looking for more. I can relate to guys like that,” Bigsby said during the NFL combine in March. “He’s great. He’s going to be great. He’ll be fine. He’s just going to get around the right guys, and I feel like he is now. The right coaches are in, and he’s going to do what he has to do.”

Finley will be in stiff competition with [autotag]Robby Ashford[/autotag] and [autotag]Holden Geriner[/autotag] for the top spot on Auburn’s quarterback depth chart. In last Saturday’s A-Day game, Finley completed one pass for four yards in a rain-soaked contest.

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Taking a look at Philip Montgomery’s top quarterbacks

Who will be the next great quarterback under Philip Montgomery?

For the fifth time in five seasons, Auburn football will have a new offensive coordinator.

However, as the program begins to transition to the [autotag]Hugh Freeze[/autotag] era, the newest offensive coordinator brings an impressive track record with him, which could lead to an ultimate uptick in offense production.

[autotag]Philip Montgomery[/autotag] joins Auburn’s coaching staff after spending the last eight seasons as the head coach of Tulsa, where he built a 43-53 record and appeared in four bowl games. Before that, he orchestrated high-powered offenses for Art Briles at Houston and Baylor.

Montgomery says that he wants to restore the winning tradition that Auburn is known for, and hopes to do so by installing an up-tempo offense that will excite Auburn fans. In order to do so, he will need a quarterback that can keep up with his pace.

RELATED: Ranking Freeze-coached QBs by yearly production

Is the next great Philip Montgomery-coached quarterback currently on Auburn’s roster? It is very possible. What can Auburn fans expect to see out of Montgomery’s quarterbacks? Here’s a look at the leading passer in each season of Montgomery’s FBS coaching career (Houston: OC from 2003-07) (Baylor: OC from 2008-14) and Tulsa (HC from 2015-22).

Damari Alston continues to impress coaches this spring

The sophomore RB is working hard to earn valuable carries this season.

Hugh Freeze said last week that quarterback [autotag]Holden Geriner[/autotag] has turned heads during spring practice and is grasping the new system with ease.

This week, there appears to be another third-teamer from last season’s roster that is making a great impression on coaches.

In a recent meeting with the media, offensive coordinator [autotag]Philip Montgomery[/autotag] says that he has been surprised by the efforts of sophomore running back [autotag]Damari Alston[/autotag].

“From Day 1, I thought (Alston) had a pretty good feel with what we were trying to do in the run game, with seeing it, setting up blocks, and still had that physicality about him,” Montgomery said. “But the speed that he brings… man, he’s got gears in there.”

How has Alston worked his way into the running back rotation this spring? He has split time with USF transfer [autotag]Brian Battie[/autotag] in the second-team offense, with [autotag]Jarquez Hunter[/autotag] spending the most time with the first-team squad. Montgomery says that he hopes to use a true three-man rotation at running back, which will mesh well with the expected uptick in tempo.

“It’s probably going to be some version of a rotation that’s going to happen in the backfield. I think being able to keep a guy healthy throughout the season is important for us,” Montgomery said. “We know what Jarquez (Hunter) is going to bring and how tough he is and the physicality that he brings, and being able to catch the ball out of the backfield and do those things. But I think all of those guys are bringing the same thing to the table and I’ve been really impressed with that room.”

Alston appeared in 12 games during his freshman campaign in 2022, where he rushed for 85 yards on 14 attempts. His highest output last season was a 38-yard outing against San Jose State on Sept. 10. He also broke open a 35-yard rush in the game, which is the longest run of his career.

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Hugh Freeze shares first thoughts on QBs following opening day of spring practice

Did Hugh Freeze like what he saw out of Auburn’s quarterbacks on Monday?

The day that head coach Hugh Freeze and Auburn fans alike have waited for has finally arrived…  it is officially spring football time.

One of the many questions surrounding Auburn football this spring is the quarterback battle between [autotag]Holden Geriner[/autotag], [autotag]T.J. Finley[/autotag], and incumbent [autotag]Robby Ashford[/autotag]. Fans expect to see a change in the lineup or an improvement in skills from those three candidates, but what needs to be done?

Freeze got his first chance to truly evaluate the position on Monday, and shared his genuine assessment of what he saw with the media.

“I thought our quarterbacks threw some decent balls, at times, and other times where our mechanics were really bad,” Freeze said following Monday’s spring practice opener. “But I kind of expected that.”

Freeze said earlier this month that it was difficult to evaluate Auburn’s returning options because of the inadequate time they had in the pocket last season. Auburn now has a revamped offensive line, which may solve some of the issues. Freeze also has two great consultants on staff in offensive coordinator [autotag]Philip Montgomery[/autotag] and quality control analyst [autotag]Kent Austin[/autotag] that will aid in the effort of finding ways to improve each quarterback.

Despite the less-than-ideal start to the spring for Auburn’s quarterbacks, Freeze says that their attitude towards improving leaves him feeling optimistic.

“If they’ll keep giving the same energy and effort that they gave today, we’ll get better throughout spring,” Freeze said.

Auburn will continue their spring practice on select dates from now until Saturday, April 8, when the annual A-Day game is set to take place.

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247Sports names Auburn a winner of the coaching carousel

There is plenty of excitement about Hugh Freeze coming to the Plains.

[autotag]Hugh Freeze[/autotag] has yet to coach a game as Auburn’s head coach but there is plenty of optimism around his tenure.

While some of this is the excitement that Bryan Harsin has been replaced and that the next head coach surely won’t be as disastrous, Brandon Marcello of 247Sports believes there was a lot to like about Auburn hiring Freeze. In fact, he named Auburn one of his winners of the coaching carousel for the hire.

Freeze, however, is the man who has proven capable of not just challenging Nick Saban but is also a threat to beat him every year — even in seasons Freeze has less talent. He did it at Ole Miss and he’ll do it again at Auburn, where talent is not in short supply. The trajectory has certainly changed for the Tigers. Freeze quickly turned Auburn into a top-5 spot in the Transfer Portal while elevating a high school recruiting class that ranked in the 60s nationally under Harsin to 17th in a matter of weeks, according to the 247Sports Composite.

While having a good head coach is important, it is equally important that he surrounds himself with good coordinators and assistant coaches. Freeze appears to have done this by retaining several stars from the previous coaching staff and bringing in his guys.

There is no better example than him retaining and promoting [autotag]Cadillac Williams[/autotag] who helped bring Auburn’s program back to life after he was named the interim head coach to end the season. He also retained ace recruiting [autotag]Zac Etheridge[/autotag], who has already landed several key recruits.

The staff Freeze built is anchored by Auburn legend Cadillac Williams, who successfully lifted the Tigers out of the dirt as interim head coach in November, and veteran coordinators in former Tulsa head coach [autotag]Philip Montgomery[/autotag] and Baylor defensive coordinator [autotag]Ron Roberts[/autotag], who turned down overtures from Arkansas to choose Auburn. Freeze also brought former Auburn receiver [autotag]Marcus Davis[/autotag] home to coach receivers and hired his right-hand recruiting man at Ole Miss in 2012: secondary coach [autotag]Wes McGriff[/autotag].

The staff will soon have its first test as spring practice is set to start on Feb. 27 and end with the A-Day game on April 8.

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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 JD on Twitter @jdmccarthy15.

Paul Finebaum is impressed with Auburn’s offseason momentum

The famed radio show host says that Auburn has the most momentum of any program in the SEC currently.

Despite finishing the 2022 season with a 5-7 record, Auburn Football has taken a drastic turn for the better since the offseason began.

Following Auburn’s loss to Alabama in the Iron Bowl, athletic director John Cohen announced the hiring of [autotag]Hugh Freeze[/autotag] as the program’s next football coach. Not long after being officially named as the new leading man, Freeze got to work constructing a staff and recruiting the best players for his system.

The result? A stellar unit of coaches including former Tigers [autotag]Cadillac Williams[/autotag], [autotag]Zac Etheridge[/autotag], and [autotag]Marcus Davis[/autotag], in addition to reputable coordinators [autotag]Philip Montgomery[/autotag] and [autotag]Ron Roberts[/autotag], and a veteran defensive backs coach in [autotag]Wesley McGriff[/autotag].

Auburn also turned its’ recruiting class around. Prior to Freeze’s arrival, Auburn was ranked in the sixties for the 2023 recruiting cycle. Now, Auburn sits at No. 18 according to 247Sports, and continues to welcome viable options from the transfer portal.

All of this added momentum that Auburn has built in two short months has caught the attention of famed radio show host Paul Finebaum.

In a recent episode of “McElroy and Cubelic in the Morning” from JOX 94.5 in Birmingham, Finebaum says that Auburn has the most momentum heading into next season of any fellow SEC program.

“To me, for the first time in three years, Auburn is moving forward versus just being stuck in the mud and with a coach who simply didn’t understand the way the current structure of college football works. I’m not predicting anything dramatic yet, because I really think we need to get a better look at what the roster looks like. But at least I feel momentum at Auburn, and that is a new story because we haven’t seen that in a while.”

In addition to a top-20 high school recruiting class, Auburn is currently No. 3 in 247Sports Transfer Portal rankings, behind only Florida State and Colorado.

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USF RB Brian Battie becomes latest name on Auburn’s radar

Battie, who rushed for 1,186 yards in 2022 at USF, visited Auburn on Sunday.

Auburn has done well in the pursuit of transfer portal talent, as they have added seven players since the open period that began on Dec. 5.

Most of its’ finds have been on the offensive and defensive line, as well as one tight end and a linebacker. The Tigers have yet to earn the signature of a skill position player, although many prospects have taken a visit to campus.

The most recent skill player to partake in a visit to Auburn is former USF running back [autotag]Brian Battie[/autotag]. Battie, who has accumulated 1,842 yards in three seasons with the Bulls, visited Auburn’s campus on Sunday. While there, he talked with running backs coach [autotag]Cadillac Williams[/autotag], offensive coordinator [autotag]Philip Montgomery[/autotag], and head coach [autotag]Hugh Freeze[/autotag].

After his discussion with Auburn coaches, he came away feeling that he is a great fit in the Tigers’ system. He was also impressed with Auburn’s newly-built Woltosz Football Performance Center, saying that it “looks like something that colleges not even supposed to have.”

Auburn looks to add depth to its running back room following the departure of [autotag]Tank Bigsby[/autotag], who will take part in the upcoming NFL Draft. [autotag]Jarquez Hunter[/autotag] and [autotag]Damari Alston[/autotag] return to Auburn’s rotation, and four-star commit [autotag]Jeremiah Cobb[/autotag] is set to join this summer. Battie would be a great addition, as he rushed for 1,186 yards and eight touchdowns for the Bulls in 2022.

According to Auburn Undercover, Battie will visit Colorado in the upcoming days and will make his decision on Jan. 15.

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