Tag: Rivaldo Fairweather

Lindy’s Sports shares strengths, potential problem areas with Auburn football in 2024

Auburn will look to eclipse the six-win mark for the first time since 2019 this season. What stands in their way?

Auburn football will look to eclipse the six-win mark for the first time since 2019 this season. There are plenty of reasons why reaching seven wins should be easy for the Tigers, but there are just as many reasons why it will not.

In its preseason magazine, Lindy’s Sports broke down several factors for Auburn’s success in 2024, and several reasons why Auburn could struggle. Starting with the bad news, the changes surrounding Auburn’s coaching staff and a brutal October stretch could make or break the Tigers this season.

Auburn will have two new coordinators this fall, [autotag]Derrick Nix[/autotag] (offensive coordinator) and [autotag]DJ Durkin[/autotag] (defensive coordinator). The revolving door of Auburn’s coordinators has coincided with its lack of success on the field due to inconsistency in mindset and expectations. Success on both side of the football this season could lead to Auburn’s coordinators staying an extra season or beyond, which could benefit the program in the long run.

Auburn will also face three tough opponents on the road in October, starting with Georgia on Oct. 5. After a bye-week, Auburn will travel to Cotton Bowl winner Missouri on Oct. 19 then cap the month with a trip to Kentucky on Oct. 26. After starting the season with five winnable home games, we will learn just how much Auburn has improved during the month of October.

Quarterbacks are seen as a problem area for Auburn this season as well according to Lindy’s after the Tigers’ finished No. 121 nationally in passing last season. Quarterback play can also be seen as a strength following the addition of six talented receivers from both the transfer portal and high school recruiting. It also helps that the team’s leading receiver, tight end [autotag]Rivaldo Fairweather[/autotag], returns for another year. Auburn will also sport an experienced offensive line this season, and special teams will be as strong as usual.

Overall, Lindy’s Sports expects Auburn to move in a positive direction this season.

Auburn should be improved and more consistent than in 2023 with talented newcomers and experienced veterans on both sides. A lot of coaching staff changes, including both coordinators, should have a positive impact. But with games at Georgia and Alabama, plus Oklahoma playing at Jordan-Hare, will the overall record also improve?

Auburn football will welcome back 14 starters next season, and has added experience in several key areas. How many wins will Auburn reach in 2024?

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How does Auburn’s skill players stack up with the SEC’s best?

Auburn’s skill players are talented, but young. Can they produce numbers to rival the SEC’s best offenses?

Auburn football’s skill players are incredibly talented despite their youth.

Auburn returns a veteran running back room led by [autotag]Jarquez Hunter[/autotag] and [autotag]Damari Alston[/autotag], and Michigan State transfer [autotag]Payton Thorne[/autotag] enters his second season as the Tigers’ starting quarterback.

The headliners on offense are the wide receivers. Auburn signed a quartet of impressive wide receivers such as [autotag]Cam Coleman[/autotag] and [autotag]Perry Thompson[/autotag]. [autotag]Robert Lewis[/autotag] and [autotag]KeAndre Lambert-Smith[/autotag] bring experience from the FBS level and tight end [autotag]Rivaldo Fairweather[/autotag] returns after hauling in a team-leading 394 yards on 38 catches with a career-high six touchdown receptions in 2023.

It is easy to see why the hype surrounding Auburn’s offense is growing, but how does it stack up with the rest of the SEC? Brad Crawford of 247Sports digs deep to find the answer.

In his early SEC football power rankings, Crawford examined each SEC programs’ skill lineup. He determined that Auburn ranks No. 9 out of 16 SEC teams. His biggest question surrounding Auburn football this season is the play of Thorne.

Can Thorne be a difference-making quarterback in the SEC? That’s the major question concerning this offensive arsenal for the Tigers, who landed a couple high-end wideouts this cycle in the portal and recruiting its 2024 freshman class. Coleman is a future superstar at the position and the post-spring addition of Lambert-Smith from Penn State was a major development.

Auburn looks to take a giant step forward in year two under [autotag]Hugh Freeze[/autotag]. In 2023, Auburn finished No. 10 in yards per game (351.2), No. 14 in passing yards per game (162.2), and No. 11 in points per game (26.2).

Auburn had the SEC’s fourth-best rushing offense last season by averaging 189 yards per game on the ground, but premier back Jarquez Hunter failed to reach the 1,000-yard mark. If Hunter reaches the goal of 1,000 yards, and Auburn improves in the passing department, the Tigers could easily climb into top-five territory within the SEC in yards and improve drastically from last season’s six-win campaign.

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Auburn’s use of tight ends sparks four-star Emaree Winston’s interest in Auburn

The Texas commit came away from last weekend’s visit with nothing but good things to say about his time in Auburn.

[autotag]Emaree Winston[/autotag], a 2025 four-star tight end, visited Auburn last week and left with a good impression.

The Texas commit, who hadn’t visited the Plains since middle school, explained his re-kindled relationship with the Auburn staff, including tight ends coach [autotag]Ben Aigamaua[/autotag], in an interview with Auburn Undercover.

“We had never talked. Now we talk every day. I wake up and I get a Bible verse every morning. My mom loves that, I love it,” Winston said. “That means a lot because at the end of the day God comes first, and he’s putting that first.”

The Calhoun, Georgia native originally made his decision to commit to Texas because of the way the Longhorns used tight ends in the passing game. While Winston originally didn’t see that same kind of tight end development when looking at Auburn, his opinion changed last season with the emergence of [autotag]Rivaldo Fairweather[/autotag]. It also helps that his hometown is much closer to Auburn than Austin, Texas.

“When I first made my decision, it was towards the development of the tight ends. A couple of years ago they didn’t really use them,” Winston said of Auburn’s use of tight ends. “and (Auburn is) two hours from my house.”

With Winston already verbally committed to an SEC rival, it may be tough for [autotag]Hugh Freeze[/autotag] and the Auburn staff to flip him in time for signing day later this year. However, it does seem like the four-star is more open to weighing his options than he was prior to his visit.

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Four-star Texas commit Emaree Winston schedules official visit to Auburn

Summer recruiting efforts continue to heat up this week as a four-star SEC pledge plans to visit the Plains this weekend.

Summer recruiting efforts continue to heat up this week as a four-star SEC commit plans to visit the Plains.

[autotag]Emaree Winston[/autotag], a 2025 four-star tight end from Calhoun, Georgia, has scheduled an official visit to Auburn. According to Jeffrey Lee of On3, the Texas commit will begin his visit on Friday, May 31, lasting until Sunday.

The news of Winston’s visit comes as a surprise, as he has never visited Auburn to this point in his recruitment. Auburn tight ends coach [autotag]Ben Aigamaua[/autotag] has pursued Winston heavily, translating into a summer visit.

Winston committed to Texas last December, choosing the Longhorns over UCF and Ohio State. He opened up to On3’s Chad Simmons about his Texas commitment, saying that the Longhorns checked all the boxes.

“Texas has what I am looking for. Since I was a little kid, I wanted to play in the SEC. As a tight end, I want to be used in the offense and Texas is a great fit for that. Austin is a place I can grow and start the next chapter in my life. I have great relationships with Coach Jeff Banks and Coach Tashard Choice, too. As my recruitment progressed, things just led me to Texas. I have known for a little while that is where I wanted to be.”

Based on Winston’s reasoning for choosing Texas, it is easy to say that Auburn can present a competitive pitch to Winston this weekend. Auburn tight end [autotag]Rivaldo Fairweather[/autotag] finished last season as Auburn’s leading receiver by hauling in 38 catches for 394 yards and six touchdowns. Auburn is also a founding member of the SEC. It will be interesting to see how this weekend’s visit unfolds for the nation’s No. 12 tight end from the 2025 class.

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Former Auburn WR Ja’Varrius Johnson transfers to UCF

With the transfer portal window coming to an end in the college football offseason, former Auburn WR Ja’Varrius Johnson commits to UCF

The transfer portal window is coming to an end in the college football offseason and rosters are becoming set for the 2024-25 year. A lot of moves are being made all around the country, especially ones that should be put on high notice.

One that is potentially very impactful comes from former Auburn wide receiver, [autotag]Ja’Varrius Johnson[/autotag], who has committed to the UCF Knights for next season.

Johnson entered the portal on Dec. 15 with one year of eligibility remaining in his college career. He has spent every season up to this point on the Plains, going through three different head coaches in his time.

The senior racked up 64 receptions for 1,114 yards and eight touchdowns with the Tigers. He capped the 2023 season off with the best game of his season in a loss to Alabama, where he had four catches for 76 yards and a touchdown.

He joins former Auburn head coach [autotag]Gus Malzahn[/autotag] in Orlando, as well as former players in wide receiver [autotag]Kobe Hudson[/autotag] and defensive tackle [autotag]Lee Hunter[/autotag].

The Tigers now only notably return their top receiver from last year in [autotag]Rivaldo Fairweather[/autotag], to go along with Camden Brown as main contributors in pass catching from last season.

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Auburn reaches out to Arizona State transfer WR Elijhah Badger

Badger hauled in 141 catches for 1,640 yards and 10 touchdowns in four seasons at Arizona State.

Auburn football has enhanced its wide receiver room more than any position group this offseason. However, following the departure of Koy Moore to the transfer portal, [autotag]Hugh Freeze[/autotag] and his staff are looking to add one more to the rotation.

According to a report by On3, former Arizona State wide receiver [autotag]Elijhah Badger[/autotag] has heard from over 20 programs since entering the transfer portal on April 20 including Auburn. Auburn is one of six SEC programs that have expressed interest in Badger including Florida, Texas A&M, and Arkansas.

Badger was a highly-touted recruit from Folsom High School in Sacramento, California. He was a four-star athlete ranked No. 6 in the nation and was the No. 14 overall product from California from the 2020 recruiting cycle.

His play at Arizona State was indicative of his recruiting rankings as he hauled in 142 catches for 1,640 yards and 10 touchdowns in four seasons in Tempe. He was the Sun Devils leading receiver in both 2022 and 2023, where he combined to catch 135 passes for 1,579 yards and 10 scores. The 2022 season was his best to-date where he reached career-bests in receptions (70), yards (866), and touchdowns (7).

Auburn will have plenty of weapons in its receiving room this season. The Tigers’ leading receiver from last season, [autotag]Rivaldo Fairweather[/autotag], returns while former Penn State stand out [autotag]KeAndre Lambert-Smith[/autotag] joins the roster from the transfer portal. Adding a receiver such as Badger would bring more experience to the roster, which will be a great development tool for freshmen receivers [autotag]Cam Coleman[/autotag], [autotag]Perry Thompson[/autotag], [autotag]Malcolm Simmons[/autotag], and [autotag]Bryce Cain[/autotag].

Jay Fair becomes second Tiger to enter transfer portal

Fair logged 34 catches for 358 yards and two touchdowns in two seasons at Auburn.

The spring transfer portal window has been relatively quiet for Auburn, as just two players have declared their intention to depart from the program.

Joining defensive lineman [autotag]Brenton Williams[/autotag], wide receiver [autotag]Jay Fair[/autotag] has also elected to dip into the transfer portal after spending two seasons on the Plains.

Fair was a notable player heading into the 2023 season following a successful training camp. The hype bled into the season as he made 14 catches for 174 yards and two touchdowns in Auburn’s first three games. However, his production dipped as he managed to record just 17 catches for 150 yards and zero scores over the final 10 games.

Despite his late struggles, Fair was second in receptions with 31, third in yards with 324, and tied for third with two touchdown catches. Auburn’s leading receiver, [autotag]Rivaldo Fairweather[/autotag], returns to the team for the 2024 season. At the same time, true freshmen [autotag]Cam Coleman[/autotag], [autotag]Bryce Cain[/autotag], [autotag]Malcolm Simmons[/autotag], and [autotag]Perry Thompson[/autotag] are expected to enter the receiver rotation.

Auburn has received one commitment from the spring window, former Indiana defensive lineman Philip Blidi. Former Penn State receiver [autotag]KeAndre Lambert-Smith[/autotag] and former USC [autotag]Isaiah Raikes[/autotag] are also high on Auburn’s board.

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Maryland transfer TE Rico Walker nearing decision after Auburn visit

Decision time is approaching for Auburn transfer tight end target Rico Walker.

[autotag]Rico Walker[/autotag]’s time in the transfer portal could be coming to a close.

The former Maryland Terrapin visited Auburn on Thursday and after his upcoming visit to USF, it will be decision time, he told On3’s Cole Pinkston. He also revealed what stands out about Auburn.

“Facility for sure,” Walker said. “Coach (Hugh) Freeze, and of course Coach B ([autotag]Ben Aigamaua[/autotag]). They’re good, honest people. I can tell they’re family-oriented too.”

An Auburn legacy, Auburn recruited Walker in the 2023 recruiting cycle but he ultimately signed with Maryland. He appeared in eight games, catching four catches for 27 yards and will have three seasons of eligibility at his next stop.

His youth plus his ability to be a hybrid tight end, serving as both a blocker and pass catcher, make him a perfect fit for Auburn. The Tigers have not signed a high school tight end since [autotag]Micah Riley[/autotag] in 2022 and will likely lose [autotag]Rivaldo Fairweather[/autotag] and [autotag]Luke Deal[/autotag] after this season.

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Five-star wide receiver Cam Coleman signs letter of intent with Auburn

Five-star wide receiver Cam Coleman has signed with the Auburn Tigers

The Auburn Tigers have secured their highest-rated wide receiver recruit in program history.

The No. 1 rated high-school prospect in Alabama and No. 6 rated prospect nationally, Cameron Coleman, has officially signed his letter of intent to take his talents to Auburn this summer.

The highly-touted wide receiver had verbally committed to rival Texas A&M last year, but coaching changes along with newfound life at Auburn led the Alabama native to ultimately change his mind.

Coleman is an absolute superstar on the football field and will immediately slot in as the top option for either [autotag]Payton Thorne[/autotag] or freshman [autotag]Walker White[/autotag] on the Auburn offense.

In his senior season for Central High School in Phenix City, AL, the 6-foot-3 wideout averaged 105.5 yards per game. He collected 1,372 yards total, scoring a team-high 18 touchdowns over 13 games.

Most importantly, Coleman helped lead his team to a State Championship just a few weeks ago. The receiver found the end zone on a long catch-and-run in that game as well.

The Coleman signing officially gives Auburn it’s best wide receiver class of all time. Coleman, [autotag]Perry “Uno” Thompson[/autotag], and [autotag]Bryce Cain[/autotag] all rank in the top 30 nationally and should immediately step in as the top weapons alongside tight end [autotag]Rivaldo Fairweather [/autotag] on Auburn’s offense.

Thompson and Cain should have fantastic careers at Auburn, but the prize all offseason has been a commitment from [autotag]Cam Coleman[/autotag]. Hugh Freeze finally got it on Wednesday.

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Rivaldo Fairweather to return for second season on the Plains

Rivaldo Fairweather will be back for a second season on the Plains.

Auburn is getting its top receiving threat back for the 2024 season.

Tight end [autotag]Rivaldo Fairweather[/autotag] made it official Monday, announcing he would be back for a second season on the Plains instead of entering the NFL draft.

Fairweather became Auburn’s top receiver during his first season on the Plains, leading the team in receptions (33), yards (349) and touchdowns (6). He was named to the AP’s All-SEC second team for his work.

He is setting high expectations for himself next season.

“I just felt like I left a lot of food on the table,” Fairweather said. “It’s unfinished business here. I know Coach (Hugh) Freeze has a great plan for us here and that we will be way better than we were last year. Last year was just the first step and this year I feel like we’re going to take a second step and definitely make that 12-team playoff for next year.”

He joins defensive back [autotag]Keionte Scott[/autotag] and linebacker [autotag]Euegen Asante[/autotag] as key contributors to announce their return for the 2024 season.

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