Tag: Ricardo Louis

Auburn football’s all-time record vs. Mountain West teams

Auburn faces San Jose State at Jordan-Hare Stadium this Saturday. How has Auburn fared historically against the Spartans’ home conference?

As the days continue to dwindle down to the opening day of the College Football season, Auburn Wire will take a look at each nonconference opponent that Auburn football will face this season and break down its’ history against teams in their opponents’ home conference.

This edition takes a look at the Mountain West Conference, home of Auburn’s second nonconference foe, San Jose State.

Auburn will face the Spartans at 6:30 p.m. CDT on Sept. 10 at Jordan-Hare Stadium. The game has been scheduled to take place since 2019, when Auburn agreed to pay San Jose State a cool $1.85 million to travel across the country to play.

The next meeting between the Tigers and Spartans will be the third meeting all-time between these two squads, all three being played on the Plains.

Auburn welcomed San Jose State to town for the first time in the school’s history on Sept. 10, 2014, as the second game on the schedule.

Auburn had just come off of a national championship appearance in 2013 and opened the season with a convincing 45-21 win over the Arkansas Razorbacks a week prior. Auburn struck first when [autotag]Nick Marshall[/autotag] completed a four-yard touchdown pass to [autotag]Ricardo Louis[/autotag] to give Auburn the 7-0 lead with 8:15 remaining in the opening quarter.

San Jose State quickly answered when Blake Jurich found Tyler Ervin 75-yards downfield to tie the game at 7-7 just 12 seconds after Auburn got on the board.

Auburn scored 28 unanswered points before the Spartans struck for another touchdown in the first half, and would go on to score three more times in the second half to win, 59-13.

The result of the second-ever meeting between these two squads one year later was a little too close to comfort for Auburn.

Auburn entered the game feeling tons of pressure after squeaking by FCS’ Jacksonville State at home and losing two straight games to LSU and Mississippi State in three consecutive weeks. Auburn really needed a dominating win to rebuild confidence in the program heading into the rest of the season.

[autotag]Peyton Barber[/autotag] led the way for Auburn offensively by rushing for 151 yards and all five of Auburn’s touchdowns in the Tigers’ 35-21 win over San Jose State. Auburn jumped out to a 21-7 halftime lead, but did not see a surge in the second half to run away and put the blowout into effect.

Although brief, Auburn does have a history against teams currently affiliated with the Mountain West Conference, sporting a perfect 5-0 record all-time against the conference. Here is a look at Auburn Football’s history against the Mountain West:

Two of College Football’s most depressing losses of all-time were Auburn’s fault

Thankfully, Auburn was on the right side of these two games.

The year is 2013, and Auburn has reached the SEC Championship, due in part to several breaks bending in their direction.

The first came on November 16 against Georgia. Auburn grabbed a 34-17 lead over the Bulldogs heading into the 4th quarter. Georgia would then catch momentum and score 21 unanswered points to take a 38-37 lead with 1:49 remaining.

On Auburn’s final drive of the game, they were stuck with a 4th and 18 situation from their own 27 yard line. Quarterback [autotag]Nick Marshall[/autotag] delivered a desperation pass down the field, where the football would be tipped by two Georgia defenders (one of those defenders, [autotag]Tray Matthews[/autotag], would finish his career at Auburn) and would land in the hands of [autotag]Ricardo Louis[/autotag]. Louis caught the pass in stride and ran into the end zone to stun the Bulldogs, who had almost completed a monumental comeback.

The second miracle that Auburn would receive came just two weeks later. Auburn and Alabama were tied at 28 in the 4th quarter. On the next to last play of the game, Alabama running back T.J. Yeldon stepped out of bounds as time expired. However, after instant replay review, it was determined that he stepped out of bounds with one-second remaining in the game.

That second would go on to be the most important second of the season, and maybe in college football history.

Alabama elected to kick a 57-yard field goal in hopes to break the tie, and to give Alabama the Iron Bowl win. But, fate wanted another outcome.

Adam Griffith of Alabama’s kick was just short, and allowed Chris Davis to return the kick. He zoomed down the field sparingly touched, and ended his dash in the end zone, where Auburn rose victorious over the Crimson Tide.

Those two finishes have special places in the hearts of Auburn fans, but not so much in the hearts of those on the other side.

Riley Gates of 247Sports recently ranked College Football’s 10 most depressing losses of all-time, with both “The Prayer at Jordan-Hare” and “The Kick Six” being listed.

Here is where each game is ranked on the list, as well as 247Sports’ reasoning behind placing the games where they did:

Gus Malzahn calls the ‘Kick Six’ the best play he has seen in person

Is this play the best one you’ve seen in person?

During his time at Auburn, former head coach Gus Malzahn achieved plenty. The only thing lacking was a national championship. He came close but it just wasn’t meant to be as the Tigers fell to the Florida State Seminoles back in 2013, his first season back on the Plains.

There were plenty of good memories as well as some that were not so great. The not-so-great moments ultimately ended his tenure after returning to lead the program where he won a national championship with as the offensive coordinator.

One of the great moments included the hail mary pass that was dubbed the “Prayer at Jordan-Hare.” Needing a final desperation touchdown with time winding down, Auburn snapped the ball on fourth and 18. Quarterback Nick Marshall threw a pass that bounced off a Georgia Bulldogs defender and landed in the hands of Ricardo Louis, who scampered into the end zone for the game-winning touchdown. What a moment.

However, when Paul Finebaum asked about the greatest college football play you’ve seen in person, Malzahn had another play in mind and it took place just a week later against the Alabama Crimson Tide.

Late in the Iron Bowl game with the Tide, Marshal once again had a big play as he found Sammie Coates for a 39-yard touchdown pass to tie the game after the Cody Parkey extra point with just 32 seconds left. Alabama and Nick Saban opted for a long field goal attempt to win the game and head to the SEC Championship. However, with the 57-yard field goal try landing short, Chris Davis took care of the rest.

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Happy Anniversary, ‘Miracle at Jordan-Hare!’

The “Miracle at Jordan-Hare ” happened exactly seven years ago today. Relive the magical pass from Nick Marshall to Ricardo Louis.

It has been seven years since Nick Marshall dropped back on fourth down, threw a prayer of a pass down the field and Ricardo Louis came down with the tipped ball as Jordan-Hare Stadium erupted in a crowd of noise hardly ever heard in any stadium anywhere.

For the sake of Auburn fans everywhere, and to rub it in to those Georgia fans who are reading, let’s take a look at the “Miracle at Jordan-Hare” once again.

Two former Tigers cut by Miami Dolphins

The two former Auburn stars were part of five players cut by the AFC East team.

This Saturday is the deadline for NFL teams to cut their rosters down to 53 players and on Monday, the Miami Dolphins announced the release of five players which include two former Auburn Tigers.

Former Auburn safety Jeremiah Dinson and wide receiver Ricardo Louis will not begin this NFL season playing for the Dolphins.

Dinson, who went undrafted this spring, originally signed with the Detroit Lions but was released on August 14th. The Dolphins claimed the former Auburn standout one day later.

Dinson came to Auburn in 2015 from Miami, Florida. As a freshman he showed great promise in early season play before sustaining a gruesome knee and shoulder injury that would require season-ending surgery. He returned to play in 2017 and became one of the Tigers’ biggest assets on defense. Dinson finished his Auburn career with 214 career tackles and three interceptions. He was named SEC defensive player of the week following Auburn’s thrilling season-opener victory over Oregon where he led the team with 13 tackles and a six-yard sack.

Louis finished his Auburn tenure with 98 career receptions for 1,338 yards. He was most notably known for catching the 73-yard hail mary pass thrown by Nick Marshall against Georgia in 2013, the play that went on to be called “The Miracle in Jordan Hare.”

Louis was selected by the Cleveland Browns in the fourth round of the 2016 NFL Draft. He spent three seasons in Cleveland before signing with the Dolphins in April 2019. The former Auburn standout has not played since 2017 due to various injuries. During his two-year stint with the Browns Louis totaled 45 receptions for 562 yards.

Miami Dolphins narrow field, waive two wide receivers

Miami Dolphins narrow field, waive two wide receivers

The Miami Dolphins have narrowed the field at the wide receiver position. This was a group that saw the Dolphins avoid making sweeping changes this past offseason — making the receivers one of the few position groups that didn’t get turned upside down during the Dolphins’ continued rebuilding efforts. And, with the upcoming deadline to cut rosters down to 53 players, Miami’s process of formalizing the roster has begun.

It is fitting that the first cuts come at wide receiver, where less evaluation is needed thanks to Miami’s familiarity with the key players on the roster.

The Dolphins waived veteran receivers Chester Rogers and Ricardo Louis on Tuesday, according to a report by ESPN’s Adam Schefter. The transactions will mark the second time Louis has been cut by Miami, both he and Rogers were brought into the fray by the Dolphins in the aftermath of the team learning both Allen Hurns and Albert Wilson had opted out of the 2020 season amid concerns regarding the coronavirus.

For Miami, the transactions make it clear that the team was unable to find a diamond in the rough in summer free agency and the team will be forced to forge ahead with the players they’ve got. Miami’s receiver room currently projects to be:

  • DeVante Parker 
  • Preston Williams
  • Jakeem Grant
  • Isaiah Ford
  • Mack Hollins
  • Malcolm Perry (Rookie)

The only other receivers on the roster at the time of Miami releasing Louis and Rogers are 2019 waiver claim Gary Jennings, UDFAs Kirk Merritt and Matt Cole and recent signee Andy Jones.

Report: Dolphins summon two free agent wide receivers for physicals

Report: Dolphins summon two free agent wide receivers for physicals

In the immediate aftermath of the NFL’s opt-out deadline passing on Thursday, the Dolphins now officially know which players will be remaining in the picture for the 2020 season — which is shaping up to be a challenging year from a personnel perspective.

The Dolphins will likely be pressed into making some changes offensively after Albert Wilson and Allen Hurns elected not to partake in the 2020 season — and it seems as though the team’s first move is to see if they are comfortable with any potential replacements on the free agent market. According to Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald, the Dolphins summoned two free agent wide receivers to the team facility in Davie yesterday to participate in physicals — former Dolphins receiver Ricardo Louis and former Indianapolis Colt Chester Rogers.

Louis spent the 2019 season with the Dolphins but has not played in a game since the 2017 NFL season, he injured his neck and missed all of 2018 recovering from the subsequent surgery — and then hurt his knee and was forced to sit out the entirety of the 2019 season while under contract with the Dolphins. Louis was cut as Miami looked to trim down their roster ahead of the start of training camp, which isn’t a great endorsement of Miami’s thoughts of Louis entering 2020.

Rogers, on the other hand, has been an intermittent starter for Indianapolis — he’s a fifth year pro who enjoyed a career year in 2018 with Andrew Luck — he logged 53 receptions for 485 yards and two scores that season. His production plummeted in 2019, however, a troubling indicator that he may have plateaued as a player.

Miami may end up needing the depth, however. The team’s de facto WR3 is now Jakeem Grant, who has struggled with durability over the course of the last few seasons despite never logging more than 362 snaps in any of his four NFL seasons to date.

Dolphins announce two additional roster cuts ahead of training camp

Dolphins announce two additional roster cuts ahead of training camp

The Miami Dolphins have had a busy weekend. The team traded for tight end Adam Shaheen from the Chicago Bears while simultaneously passing down a few roster cuts — difficult decisions ahead of training camp, especially when you take into consideration the players who were cut. The Miami Dolphins announced yesterday that they had released WR Ricardo Louis and waived QB Jake Rudock.

One would have to assume that the Dolphins would have preferred to keep both players for training camp, especially Louis — who the team targeted last season only to see him go down with an injury that cost him his second consecutive NFL season in 2019. Miami re-upped Louis’ contract this offseason, but the trying times of the COVID-19 pandemic seem to have forced the Dolphins’ hand. If the alternative to keeping Louis is dropping one of Miami’s physically gifted UDFA wide receivers (Kirk Merritt and Matt Cole), we seem to now know what priority the Dolphins are taking.

Any fringe wide receiver faces a tough task to make the roster — not because the Dolphins are loaded at the position but rather because they have a slew of depth at receiver and opportunities to push for playing time will not be easy to come by.

At quarterback, Rudock’s release isn’t too surprising given the Dolphins’ quarterback room status. The Dolphins have long-time veteran QB Ryan Fitzpatrick and they also boast two recent top-10 overall picks in Tua Tagovailoa and Josh Rosen. Regardless of Rosen’s struggles on the field last season during Miami’s rebuild, he’s still a physically gifted passer who will likely welcome a more simple offense in 2020 — like the one being brought to town by new offensive coordinator Chan Gailey. Rudock was inevitably the low man on the totem pole and with padded practices looming on the horizon in a few weeks, Miami needs to be honest about how many quarterbacks they’ll realistically need to get through camp.

Holding on to QB4 instead of giving someone else a spot on the roster feels redundant — and apparently the Dolphins agree.

Dolphins resign wide receiver Ricardo Louis

The Miami Dolphins have resigned wide receiver Ricardo Louis on a 1-year contract.

If there were one position on the Miami Dolphins’ roster that it could be argued didn’t need any reinforcements, it would be the wide receiver position. Between Preston Williams, DeVante Parker, Jakeem Grant and Allen Hurns, the Dolphins have four viable receiving threats — and still need to decide what they’re planning on doing with Albert Wilson as well. But the Dolphins indeed tacked on another wide receiver to their ranks yesterday, signing receiver Ricardo Louis to a one-year contract extension for the 2020 season according to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero.

Louis was supposed to be a low risk buy for the Dolphins in 2019, but he suffered a knee injury at the beginning of the season and spent the entire season in injured reserve. Louis, who came to Miami from the Cleveland Browns, hasn’t played in an NFL contest since December 31, 2017 — the final game of Cleveland’s 0-16 campaign before ultimately drafting QB Baker Mayfield with the first overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft.

Louis missed 2018 with the Browns on account of a neck injury before missing 2019 in Miami and will look to bounce back for good in 2020. Louis brings explosiveness to Miami’s wide receiver room and his two-year layoff from the gridiron will make him an interesting sleeper to watch in training camp this summer as the Dolphins look to start their rise through the AFC East ranks.

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