Tag: Rivaldo Fairweather

Brian’s Column: Auburn needs to develop a passing attack following the bye

Auburn’s passing attack needs to be better in the second half of the season

The Auburn Tigers have lost two games in a row to drop to 3-2 (0-2 SEC) overall entering the bye week.

Those two losses are not on the defense.

If Auburn is going to go bowling this year, the offensive side of the ball needs to be better. Specifically, quarterback [autotag]Payton Thorne[/autotag] and the group of pass-catchers Thorne is throwing the ball to.

The Tiger’s offensive line and running backs improved greatly against Georgia last week after struggling for much of the season, but the one-dimensional Auburn offense fell flat in the second half, ultimately leading to Georgia storming back to steal on in Jordan-Hare.

It is pretty clear that head coach [autotag]Hugh Freeze[/autotag] is not interested in making a change at the quarterback position, at least for now.

While Thorne hasn’t been very good, his receivers have not helped him out much at all.

The headline of this tweet is slightly misleading as some of these catches have a high level of difficulty.

Still, when you are playing the number-one team in the country, some of these plays need to be made.

The first thing the Auburn coaching staff should be evaluating this week is the rotation at wide receiver.

[autotag]Jay Fair[/autotag] has been fine in most games and above average in a few, as the junior leads all Auburn wide outs with 18 receptions and 196 receiving yards through five games.

[autotag]Rivaldo Fairweather[/autotag] has also done his part. The Auburn tight end is second on the team in receptions and yards, with 15 and 145, respectively.

The next four recievers on the Auburn depth chart, [autotag]Shane Hooks[/autotag], [autotag]Ja’varrius Johnson[/autotag], [autotag]Jyaire Shorter[/autotag] and [autotag]Camden Brown[/autotag] have combined for just 15 catches combined.

The aformentioned Johnson going down with an injury in week 2 hasn’t helped, but one or two of Auburn’s pass catching threats needs to step up in the second half of the season to give [autotag]Payton Thorne[/autotag] another option besides his slot receiver, tight end, or running back.

Auburn’s quarterback needs someone else he can trust. Until then, he’s going to continue making mistakes.

This game-ending interception is a perfect example of Thorne not trusting any of his receivers.

Auburn’s quarterback spends the majority of his time in the pocket staring down [autotag]Jay Fair[/autotag] before attempting to force a ball into tight coverage.

It doesn’t work, and Auburn loses the football game.

The Tigers need another option to step up in the passing game after the bye, or interceptions, drops, and misreads will continue to be an issue for the offense.

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Everything Hugh Freeze said after beating Samford

Freeze had plenty to say after Auburn’s win over Samford.

Auburn earned its third win of the season Saturday night against Samford, beating the Bulldogs 45-13 in Jordan-Hare Stadium.

The Tigers started out slow due to some costly turnovers by [autotag]Payton Thorne[/autotag] in the endzone, but they were eventually able to separate and put the game away early in the third quarter.

The defense was able to shut down Samford’s impressive offense and continues to look like a unit that is going to lead Auburn to victory.

[autotag]Hugh Freeze[/autotag] met with the media after the game and discussed a variety of topics, including the play of Thorne and [autotag]Rivaldo Fairweather[/autotag], the running back and more. Here is a look at everything he said following the game.

Auburn players discuss the win over Samford

It’s safe to say that they enjoyed the win.

Auburn’s players enjoyed their return to Jordan-Hare Stadium, beating Samford 45-13.

Some early turnovers by Auburn kept the game closer than it should have been but the Tigers were in control and once [autotag]Payton Thorne[/autotag] cleaned up his decision making it was over.

While he did have two interceptions, Thorne showed his upside, throwing for 282 yards and one touchdown and rushing for 123 yards and two more scores.

Thorne and several of his teammates met with the media to discuss the win, here is what they had to say about Auburn’s third win of the season.

Instant Analysis: Slow start leads to homecoming win for Tigers

After a scoreless first quarter, Auburn outgained Samford 444-159 over the final three quarters to run away with the win.

It is not always about how you begin, but it is always about how you finish.

The Auburn Tigers and Samford Bulldogs failed to post any points in the first quarter, but it would be the Tigers who would find momentum and cruise with it to a 45-13 victory.

Auburn (3-0) would outgain Samford (1-2) 444-159 in the yardage department through the final three quarters in the win.

The first half began very slowly for Auburn, as the game remained scoreless through one quarter. Quarterback [autotag]Payton Thorne[/autotag] completed 10-of-14 passes for 93 yards, but could not find the end zone. He had one opportunity to do that in the quarter but threw an interception in the end zone to kill a 3rd-and-goal situation.

The action began to pick up in the 2nd quarter as Auburn delivered the first blow with 9:31 remaining in the half. Thorne connected with [autotag]Shane Hooks[/autotag] for a 32-yard score to push Auburn ahead, 7-0.

Thorne found the end zone one other time in the half, this time with his legs. Thorne rushed for five yards with 3:04 to go in the 2nd quarter to extend Auburn’s lead to 14-0. Thorne tossed another end-zone interception in the quarter that stopped what could have been another scoring play.

Alex McPherson kicked a 22-yard field goal within the final minute of the half to push Auburn’s lead to 17-0 at halftime.

Thorne nearly matched his 2023 season total during the first half. He entered Saturday’s game with 235 yards passing. Through one half against Samford, he passed for 232 yards on 18 completions. [autotag]Jay Fair[/autotag] and [autotag]Rivaldo Fairweather[/autotag] each had over 50 yards of receptions, while Jarquez Hunter rushed for 31 yards in the first half.

After not taking a snap in the first half, quarterback [autotag]Robby Ashford[/autotag] finally played a role in an Auburn score. On the 13th play of Auburn’s first drive of the second half, Ashford scampered across the goal line to increase Auburn’s lead to 24-0 with 8:30 to go in the quarter.

It would not take long for Samford to respond, as the Bulldogs found the scoreboard for the first time on the ensuing drive. Samford used a five-play, 75-yard drive in less than two minutes to strike when Michael Hiers connected with Chandler Smith from 36 yards away to cut the Tigers’ lead to 24-7 with 6:35 to go in the 3rd quarter.

Like the first two possessions of the 3rd quarter, the next two would also result in scores by both teams. Hunter would find the end zone for the first time this season with 4:29 remaining on a one-yard rush. The next drive for Samford would see Hiers rush from three yards out to end the quarter with Auburn ahead, 31-13.

The Tigers would score the final two scores of the game to put the game to rest. Thorne would showcase his wheels again with 9:44 remaining in the game to move Auburn ahead, 38-13, and the final blow came with 5:32 left when Ashford connected with Micah Riley on a 32-yard pass.

Thorne ended the game with 405 total yards (282 passing, 123 rushing) and three total touchdowns. His leading receiver, Fair, hauled in seven passes for 93 yards. Defensively, Caleb Wooden led the team in tackles with six, while Jaylin Simpson recorded an interception for the third-straight game.

Auburn returns to the road next weekend to open SEC play at Texas A&M. Kickoff from Kyle Field in College Station, Texas is set for 11 a.m. CT next Saturday.

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Rivaldo Fairweather listed among SEC’s top performing players from week two

College Sports Wire highlights Fairweather’s performance in Auburn’s victory over California.

The Auburn Tigers departed California with a late win to progress to 2-0 on the young season.

The win would not have happened without the efforts of tight end [autotag]Rivaldo Fairweather[/autotag].

In the 4th quarter of Auburn’s 14-10 win over California, quarterback [autotag]Payton Thorne[/autotag] connected with Fairweather for a five-yard touchdown with 6:31 remaining to push Auburn ahead for the first time since the later stages of the first half.

Following week two’s action across the SEC, College Sports Wire’s Ryan Haley highlighted Fairweather’s performance by including him in the SEC’s top performers list. In the list, Haley listed Fairweather as the SEC’s top receiver from week two.

Who says your leading receiver needs to be a receiver at all? In a low-scoring war of attrition with California out west, Fairweather saved the day for the Tigers. He caught the game-winning touchdown with just over six minutes left to play, and he was the only Auburn player with more than two receptions.

In the young season, Fairweather has hauled in three catches for 31 yards and a touchdown. In three previous seasons at FIU, Fairweather made 54 catches for 838 yards and five touchdowns.

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Photo Gallery: Auburn outlasts Cal to move to remain unbeaten

The Auburn Tigers won a close game over Cal to move to 2-0 on the season. Here are some of the best photos from the game.

The Auburn Tigers did just enough to beat the Cal Golden Bears on Saturday night, grinding their way through a 14-10 win.

The west coast trip treated the Tigers’ defense well, as they held a good Cal rushing attack to just 113 yards on the ground.

The offense struggled all game long before [autotag]Payton Thorne[/autotag] finally put a solid drive together and connected with [autotag]Rivaldo Fairweather[/autotag] for the eventual game-winning touchdown.

Here are some of the best photos from Auburn’s gritty win.

Notes from Auburn’s 14-10 victory over Cal

Here is a look at some noteworthy performances from Auburn’s game against Cal.

It didn’t look the way they wanted it to, but Auburn was able to get the win Saturday night against Cal, beating the Golden Bears 14-10.

Auburn’s defense stepped up throughout the game to keep the Tigers within striking distance and they did just that in the fourth quarter.

[autotag]Payton Thorne[/autotag] marched Auburn down the field in 10 plays and found [autotag]Rivaldo Fairweather[/autotag] in the endzone to take a 14-10 lead with 6:31 left to play.

After Jarquez Hunter fumbled the ball away on Auburn’s next possession the defense once again stood up, picking off Cal quarterback Sam Jackson in the endzone to all but end the game.

The defense was led by [autotag]Eugene Asante[/autotag], who was all over the field and finished the night with 12 tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss, 1.0 sacks, one pass break up and two quarterback hurries.

Here is a look at some noteworthy performances from the game.

Instant Analysis: Auburn gains late momentum, steals win from California

A late touchdown followed by an interception secures Auburn’s west coast trip with a victory over California.

Auburn’s California dream almost ended in a nightmare.

In a game plagued by turnovers and poor offensive play, Auburn caught momentum late and rode it to victory. A late touchdown followed by an interception in the final two minutes lifts Auburn to a 14-10 win over California late Saturday night.

Auburn (2-0) trailed 10-7 with 6:31 remaining in the game before quarterback Payton Thorne connected with tight end [autotag]Rivaldo Fairweather[/autotag] for a touchdown pass to give the Tigers the lead. Later in the quarter, California (1-1) forced and recovered a fumble which gave them one final opportunity to steal a win. However, [autotag]DJ James[/autotag] picked off Steven Jackson’s pass in the end zone with 1:44 remaining to secure the victory.

“A win is a win” head coach [autotag]Hugh Freeze[/autotag] said following the game on the ESPN broadcast.

Auburn’s first drive set the tone for the evening. On 3rd down, quarterback [autotag]Payton Thorne[/autotag] fumbled the football before stepping out of bounds. California’s Jackson Sirmon recovered the fumble with 13:33 remaining in the 1st quarter to give the Bears great field position at the Auburn 35-yard line.

Cal would respond by converting a seven-play drive into three points. Michael Luckhurst nailed a 39-yard field goal to give the Bears the 3-0 lead with 9:42 remaining in the first.

The quarter would end with Auburn obtaining three drives. Two ended on punts, and one would end on a fumble. The Tigers managed to gain just 32 yards of offense in the first quarter, trailing 3-0.

It took Auburn several drives to return the favor, but they managed to record a turnover of their own in the 2nd quarter. Auburn’s [autotag]Jalen McLeod[/autotag] tackled Cal’s Isaiah Ifanse, and the football was stripped away by [autotag]Donovan Kaufman[/autotag]. Kaufman would recover the fumble at the California 17-yard line to give Auburn a new set of downs with 13:01 remaining in the first half.

Like California in the first quarter, Auburn turned a fumble into a score. On the third play of the drive, Thorne connected with [autotag]Jay Fair[/autotag] for the second time this season for a score. This time, Thorne dialed up a 13-yard strike to Fair to give Auburn the 7-3 lead with 11:50 in the 2nd quarter.

The trend continued later in the quarter, as California turned another turnover into points. Damari Alston fumbled the football with 7:20 remaining in the quarter to, unfortunately, end a positive drive at that point. Running back Jadyn Ott rushed for a 14-yard score to push the Bears ahead, 10-7.

Thorne was responsible for Auburn’s third turnover of the game. California’s Nohl Williams picked off Thorne with less than two minutes remaining in the first half to set up the Bears’ final drive of the 2nd quarter. The Bears planned to end the half by kicking a last-second field goal. However, a holding penalty erased the kick, forcing the Bears to try one last play from scrimmage. California quarterback Steven Jackson V threw a desperation pass to the end zone, which landed in the hands of Jaylin Simpson. He returned the pick to the Auburn 25-yard line to cap the first half.

The Tigers gained just 99 yards of total offense in the first half while committing three turnovers. Auburn had just four first downs and converted 1-of-6 third down opportunities. Defensively, the Tigers allowed 129 yards of offense and created two turnovers.

The third quarter featured less action than the previous two. California needed two possessions to set themselves up for a scoring opportunity. The Bears began a nine-play drive with 5:57, which ended in a missed 42-yard field goal to keep the score 10-7 heading into the 4th quarter.

After several frustrating drives that resulted in zero points, Auburn found the end zone again with 6:31 remaining in the 4th quarter. Thorne tossed his second touchdown pass of the game to tight end Rivaldo Fairweather to push Auburn ahead, 14-10. The play was set up by a pass interference call on the Bears two plays prior.

Turnovers woes continued for Auburn on its next possession. Hunter fumbled on the Tigers’ second play from scrimmaged, and it was recovered by Cal’s Ricky Correia for the fourth turnover of the game.

However, that turnover did not plague Auburn as others had done before. On the sixth play of California’s ensuing drive, DJ James picked off Jackson in the end zone to regain possession.

Auburn finished behind California in total yards, 273-230. The Tigers also had fewer first downs than California, and ran 23 fewer plays. Those stats go in-line with the time of possession battle, which Auburn lost by nearly 10 minutes (34:48 for California opposed to 25:12 for Auburn).

Thorne completed 9-of-14 passes for 94 yards and two touchdowns with one interception. Fairweather hauled in three passes for 39 yards and a score. In his return to action, Jarquez Hunter rushed for 53 yards on 11 carries.

Auburn returns to Jordan-Hare Stadium next Saturday to face Samford. Kickoff is scheduled for 6 p.m. CT.

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Fourteen Tigers named to Reese’s Senior Bowl watch list

Auburn has plenty of talented veterans on its roster.

Auburn has struggled to produce draft picks over the past few NFL drafts but that could be changing soon. The Reese’s Senior Bowl revealed its annual watch list on Wednesday and the Tigers are well represented with 14 players making the list.

The group includes six offensive players and eight defensive players. The offensive group consists of quarterback [autotag]Payton Thorne[/autotag], left tackle [autotag]Dillon Wade[/autotag], tight end [autotag]Rivaldo Fairweather[/autotag] and wide receivers [autotag]Jyaire Shorter[/autotag], [autotag]Ja’Varrius Johnson[/autotag] and [autotag]Shane Hooks[/autotag].

Auburn’s secondary is full of players to monitor with cornerbacks [autotag] DJ James[/autotag], [autotag]Nehemiah Pritchett[/autotag], [autotag]Keionte Scott[/autotag] and safety [autotag]Jaylin Simpson[/autotag] making the list. They are joined by defensive linemen [autotag]Justin Rogers[/autotag] and [autotag]Elijah Mcallister[/autotag] as well as linebackers [autotag]Larry Nixon III[/autotag] and [autotag]Jalen McLeod[/autotag].

The 2024 Reese’s Senior Bowl will be played on Feb. 3, 2024, and will be shown on the NFL Network.[lawrence-auto-related count=3 category=1364]

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Hugh Freeze shares thoughts on the enhancement of receiver room

The Tigers needed a boost to its receiving corps, and got just that from the transfer portal.

The position group with the most buzz this fall camp is quarterback. However, a quarterback is only as good as his supporting cast.

In addition to enhancing the quarterback room by adding [autotag]Payton Thorne[/autotag] from Michigan State, [autotag]Hugh Freeze[/autotag] boosted his offensive line and receiving corps.

Auburn failed to have a receiver reach 500 yards last season and the last receiver to come close to a 1,000-yard season was [autotag]Darvin Adams[/autotag] in 2009 when he reeled in 60 catches for 997 yards.

As someone who is known for having solid receivers, Freeze knew that he needed to upgrade his receiver room for his team to reach its true potential.

“We needed to overhaul that room and improve it for sure,” Freeze said Thursday. “I say that and truthfully I don’t know, the evaluation sample was so small for most of them because this system is totally different than what they’ve played in.”

Javarrius Johnson returns as the Tigers’ leading receiver after reeling in 26 catches for 493 yards and three scores last season. [autotag]Koy Moore[/autotag] is back, as are several tight end options such as [autotag]Brandon Frazier[/autotag], [autotag]Tyler Fromm[/autotag], and [autotag]Luke Deal[/autotag].

Freeze enhanced the group by adding [autotag]Shane Hooks[/autotag] and [autotag]Jyaire Shorter[/autotag], who were Jackson State and North Texas’ leading receivers last season respectively. He also grabbed a tall target in [autotag]Nick Mardner[/autotag], as well as another tight end in [autotag]Rivaldo Fairweather[/autotag].

The potential is there, but it is time now for them to prove it on the field.

“I do think we’ve improved that room in recruiting, and I do think there are guys here that can be better than what they’ve shown,” Freeze said. “We’re excited to see, I think we’ve seen glimpses of that but now we’ve got to go and do it when it’s real and live. But we are excited about the fact that I think we’ve improved that room for sure.”

The receivers, as well as the offensive line, will use this two-week period of fall camp to prove that they are worthy of a starting position.

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