Tag: Wesley McGriff

Zac Etheridge departs Auburn, expected to be hired at Houston

Etheridge resigns after spending three seasons on his alma mater’s staff.

The Auburn coaching staff continues to see shake-up as the offseason heats up.

Late Thursday, Auburn associate head coach and running backs coach Cadillac Williams announced his resignation from the staff to “explore other opportunities.” Early Friday, another alum followed suit.

[autotag]Zac Etheridge[/autotag], a former Auburn defensive back who spent three seasons on Auburn’s staff, also announced his resignation via X (formerly Twitter). Matt Zenitz of 247Sports has reported that Etheridge’s next move will be joining the staff at the University of Houston.

Auburn head coach [autotag]Hugh Freeze[/autotag] released a statement Friday to show gratitude for Etheridge’s service to Auburn’s staff.

“Auburn football would like to thank Zac for his contributions to the program the last three years. He played a vital role in establishing the foundation of the future. Zac is a relentless recruiter and tireless worker who has a bright future in this profession. I look forward to watching his career develop and wish him nothing but the best.”

Etheridge joined Auburn’s staff in 2021 as part of [autotag]Bryan Harsin[/autotag]’s first staff. He was retained by Freeze and continued his role as defensive backs coach for the 2023 season. It was announced on Dec. 30 that Charles Kelly was hired to serve as co-defensive coordinator with an expected role working with defensive backs. Since then, both defensive backs coaches from the 2023 staff, [autotag]Wesley McGriff[/autotag] and Zac Etheridge, have both departed.

In addition to his on-field role, Etheridge was known as an elite recruiter. Etheridge played a role in Auburn landing four-star talent such as [autotag]Keldric Faulk[/autotag] and [autotag]Robert Woodyard[/autotag]. He was also the primary recruiter for current commits [autotag]Antonio Coleman[/autotag], [autotag]Kendarius Reddick[/autotag], and [autotag]JaKaleb Faulk[/autotag].

Etheridge’s departure is the fifth move of the offseason for Auburn’s coaching staff. Offensive coordinator [autotag]Philip Montgomery[/autotag], defensive coordinator [autotag]Ron Roberts[/autotag], defensive backs coach Wesley McGriff, and running backs coach Cadillac Williams have also departed the staff.

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Cadillac Williams resigns from position as Auburn’s associate head coach

The former Auburn running back resigns after spending five seasons as an assistant coach under three different head coaches.

The latest move regarding Auburn’s coaching staff involves a program legend.

[autotag]Cadillac Williams[/autotag], who played for Auburn from 2001-04 and served as an assistant coach for his alma mater over the last five seasons, resigned from his position as associate head coach and running backs coach late Thursday evening.

Williams shared his reasoning for the move in a press release. He says that he is looking to pursue other opportunities.

“After taking time to pray and reflect, I have made the decision to resign from my position with Auburn football to pursue other opportunities. I love Auburn, the players and AU family with all my heart, but this decision is what is best for me, my wife and sons. I am extremely grateful for the coaching opportunity given to me first by Coach Malzahn and most recently by Coach Freeze. These past five years on the Plains have been nothing short of incredible. Auburn is and always will be a special part of my life.”

War Eagle!

Williams first joined Auburn’s football staff during the 2019 season under head coach [autotag]Gus Malzahn[/autotag], and would go on to serve on the staffs of [autotag]Bryan Harsin[/autotag] and [autotag]Hugh Freeze[/autotag]. Following the firing of Harsin during the 2022 season, Williams was named interim head coach. During his time as interim, Williams led the Tigers to a 2-2 record which included an emotional home win over Texas A&M.

Williams is also known as an effective recruiter, as he played a role in landing running backs [autotag]Tank Bigsby[/autotag], [autotag]Damari Alston[/autotag], and [autotag]Jeremiah Cobb[/autotag]. He was also the primary recruiter for offensive linemen [autotag]Clay Wedin[/autotag] and [autotag]Bradyn Joiner[/autotag].

Williams’ resignation marks the fourth assistant coach to leave the staff since the offseason began. Defensive coordinator [autotag]Ron Roberts[/autotag] is now a member of the staff at Florida while defensive backs coach [autotag]Wesley McGriff[/autotag] has joined Mike Elko’s staff at Texas A&M. Auburn has also parted ways with offensive coordinator [autotag]Philip Montgomery[/autotag].

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Bryant Gross-Armiento retained by Texas A&M to serve as senior defensive analyst

Texas A&M head coach Mike Elko is a very smart man and knows when you have a good person already in your building, you do everything you can to keep them, which is exactly what he did this week.

Texas A&M head coach Mike Elko is a very smart man and knows when you have a good person already in your building, you do everything you can to keep them, which is exactly what he did this week.

According to Carter Karels, the Texas A&M beat writer for 247Sports, the Aggies will retain Bryant Gross-Armiento in an off-field role. Gross-Armiento previously served as defensive backs coach under Jimbo Fisher. As noted in the report, the Aggies Athletics website recently updated Gross-Armiento’s title from secondary coach to “senior defensive analyst.”

After serving as cornerbacks coach for Elko at Duke, Ishamael Aristide was hired to the same role in Bryan-College Station on Dec. 5. In the final hours of 2023, Wesley McGriff was hired from Auburn to serve as co-defensive backs coach and passing game coordinator. Per Karels, Gross-Armiento is expected to work directly under Aristide and McGriff.

Gross-Armiento has been in Aggieland since 2021 and boasts an impressive factoid. Back in July, he was named the fifth-best recruiter in the country and fourth-best in the SEC.

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Report: Auburn starting cornerback Keionte Scott to enter the transfer portal

Auburn could be losing one of its most important players to the transfer portal.

Auburn could be losing one of its top returning players to the transfer portal as starting cornerback [autotag]Keionte Scott[/autotag] is expected to enter the portal, according to a report from Matt Zenitz of 247Sports.

Scott has been one of Auburn’s most productive and vocal players over the past two seasons after starting his career at Snow College, a JUCO program. He has excelled as the starting STAR (nickel) cornerback and punt returner in that time.

With starting outside cornerbacks [autotag]D.J. James[/autotag] and [autotag]Nehemiah Pritchett[/autotag] off to the NFL, Scott was expected to transition to outside corner, a role he played in Auburn’s loss to Maryland in the Music City Bowl.

Prior to the bowl game, there was speculation that Scott would also declare for the 2024 NFL draft, but he announced he would be returning for the 2024 season on social media. It was a massive break for a secondary that has already lost James, Pritchett and starting safeties [autotag]Zion Puckett[/autotag] and [autotag]Jaylin Simpson[/autotag].

Since then Auburn underwent coaching changes in the secondary with cornerbacks coach [autotag]Wesley McGriff[/autotag] leaving to take a job at Texas A&M and [autotag]Hugh Freeze[/autotag] bringing on former Colorado and Alabama defensive coordinator [autotag]Charles Kelly[/autotag].

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Auburn announces changes to football staff

One longtime Auburn coach’s departure makes way for an Auburn alum to return home.

The first major shakeup of the 2023 offseason has officially taken place.

Before Auburn’s TransPerfect Music City Bowl loss to Maryland on Saturday, it was announced that former Colorado defensive coordinator and Auburn alum [autotag]Charles Kelly[/autotag] would join the staff as a co-defensive coordinator.

Sunday, it was reported by TexAgs that Auburn secondary coach [autotag]Wesley McGriff[/autotag] is expected to take on a defensive role on Mike Elko’s staff at Texas A&M, thus paving the way for Kelly to replace him.

Kelly joins Auburn’s staff after building a successful track record at Alabama. Tennessee, Florida State, and Georgia Tech. Before joining Deion Sanders’ initial staff at Colorado in 2023, Kelly served as the assistant defensive coordinator and safeties coach at Alabama for four seasons. During that time, Kelly worked with several great athletes such as DeMarcco Hellams, Brian Branch, Jordan Battle, and Xavier McKinney. He was also a part of the 2020 staff that led Alabama to a College Football Playoff National Championship in 2020.

Kelly is also known as an avid recruiter. According to 247Sports, Kelly was responsible for being the head recruiter for nine five-star recruits during his coaching career. Several recruits he has worked with in the past include Caleb Downs, Will Anderson, Isaiah Bond, and Aaron Beasley.

McGriff departs Auburn after completing his third stint as a defensive assistant coach. He was responsible for being the secondary recruiter for recent Auburn signees such as [autotag]Amon Lane-Ganus[/autotag], [autotag]Kensley Faustin[/autotag], [autotag]Jayln Crawford[/autotag], and [autotag]Kayin Lee[/autotag].

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Auburn CB target PJ Woodland decommits from Mississippi State

It is an SEC West battle for PJ Woodland as Auburn, LSU, Ole Miss and Mississippi State are all working to land the talented cornerback.

[autotag]PJ Woodland[/autotag] has emerged as an Auburn target and the three-star cornerback has decided to re-open his recruitment. The Hattiesburg, Mississippi, native decommitted from Mississippi State on Sunday, breaking the news on social media.

Auburn extended an offer to Woodland back in March and cornerbacks coach [autotag]Wesley McGriff[/autotag] is leading Auburn’s charge for him. They are far from the only SEC team recruiting him as Ole Miss, LSU and Mississippi State are also “actively involved” in his recruitment, according to On3’s Sam Spiegelman,

Auburn has its work cut out for it as Spiegelman believes Ole Miss has “jumped to the front of the line” for Woodland.

Woodland is the No. 557 overall player and No. 19 athlete in the On3 industry ranking. He is also the No. 18 player from Mississippi.

The 5-foot-11, 155-pounder plays both ways for Oak Grove High School but is expected to play corner at the next level. Auburn has three four-star cornerbacks committed in [autotag]A’mon Lane[/autotag], [autotag]Jayden Lewis[/autotag] and [autotag]Jalyn Crawford[/autotag].

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Auburn’s secondary is back, and stronger than ever

Auburn’s secondary has a chip on its shoulder heading into the 2023 season.

Everywhere you look, it seems that each position group has been upgraded thanks to the transfer portal. However, there is one group that will return most of its experienced players.

The defensive backfield at Auburn will have the most “homegrown” players heading into the 2023 season as players such as [autotag]Nehemiah Pritchett[/autotag], [autotag]Zion Puckett[/autotag], [autotag]Keionte Scott[/autotag], [autotag]Jaylin Simpson[/autotag], and [autotag]D.J. James[/autotag] return. In fact, four of those five previously named players are among the Auburn defense’s top returning players.

Although this unit is the most experienced, they are still learning new things ahead of the season. Auburn’s secondary welcomes the new strategies and ideas set forth by defensive coordinator [autotag]Ron Roberts[/autotag] and secondary coach [autotag]Wesley McGriff[/autotag] to go along with the familiar style of safeties coach [autotag]Zac Etheridge[/autotag].

When it comes to McGriff and Etheridge, defensive back Keionte Scott compares their relationship to one of the NBA’s best duos of all time, Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O’Neal.

“Chemistry, They’ve got chemistry already,” Scott said. “You’ve got an old-school coach with more old-school tradition and you’ve got a new-school coach. Being able to merge those together — it’s crazy to see it sometimes.”

The unit appears to be meshing well with the new style, but what does that mean for expectations? Scott says that the transition has been easy, as the expectations for Auburn are considered to be low.

“Everyone knows we have one of the top groups in the country. Just being able to go to practice knowing that we’re not nowhere, we’re not anybody, we’re not ranked in the country, we’re not anything… Offensive coordinators around the country are going to know,” Scott said. “We just want to live in that. We want to let everyone know that there’s not going to be a person you can pick on in our DB group.”

Auburn’s projected rotation in the defensive backfield combined to make 248 stops last season and accounted for four interceptions.

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Auburn cornerback target trending towards SEC rival ahead of his commitment

Jalewis Solomon will be making his commitment on Saturday and it’s down to Auburn, South Carolina, Florida State, Texas A&M and Kentucky.

Secondary coaches [autotag]Zac Etheridge[/autotag] and [autotag]Wesley McGriff[/autotag] have assembled an impressive cornerback class, landing four-star targets [autotag]A’Mon Lane[/autotag], [autotag]Jalyn Crawford[/autotag] and [autotag]Jayden Lewis[/autotag] but they are not done yet.

The top remaining target is four-star [autotag]Jalewis Solomon[/autotag] and he is set to make his commitment at 3 p.m. CT on Saturday,  Aug. 5. While he has a top five of Auburn, South Carolina, Florida State, Kentucky and Texas A&M, he admitted after Big Cat Weekend that Auburn and South Caroline were the two schools he was “focused on.”

The Ellaville, Georgia product was able to check out both programs last weekend and while he said his trip to Auburn “went great,” it’s the Gamecocks that are trending for him.

They have received three crystal ball predictions to land him, including one from Steve Wiltfong, the director of football recruiting for 247Sports.

Solomon is the No. 230 overall player and No. 19 athlete in the 247Sports Composite ranking. He is also the No. 30 player from Georgia.

While losing out on Solomon would hurt, the Tigers and Ohio State are the only two programs to have commitments from three four-star cornerbacks in the 2024 recruiting cycle.

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Auburn target Jalewis Solomon is focused on two schools ahead of his commitment

He is set to announce his commitment on Aug. 5th.

Auburn has plenty of momentum on the recruiting trail and looks to keep it going when four-star cornerback [autotag]Jalewis Solomon[/autotag] makes his commitment on Saturday, Aug. 5.

He has a top five of Auburn, South Carolina, Florida State, Texas A&M and Kentucky but admitted over the weekend that two schools are standing out to AuburnUndercover’s Christian Clemente.

“South Carolina and Auburn are probably the top two schools right now,” Solomon said. “Those are the top two schools I’m probably just focused on, I’m not going to lie. It’ll probably come down to those two schools. Both have an eagerness to win and they’re both on the come up right now, rising up. Like for Auburn, I just saw two commits just flipped and they’re on the rise for sure.”

Solomon visited both programs over the weekend, checking out South Carolina on Friday before heading to Auburn for its Big Cat Weekend on Saturday.

It was his third trip to the Plains this year and it once again went extremely well.

“Man, it went great,” Solomon said. “I loved it, I loved it.”

While plenty can change between now and the early signing period, he would likely be the final piece of Auburn’s impressive cornerback class. Secondary coaches [autotag]Wesley McGriff[/autotag] and [autotag]Zac Etheridge[/autotag] have already landed [autotag]Jalyn Crawford[/autotag], [autotag]A’Mon Lane[/autotag] and [autotag]Jayden Lewis[/autotag], who are all four-star prospects.

Solomon is set to announce his decision at 3 p.m. CT on Aug. 5 and is looking for a place where he is comfortable.

“I want to feel where I’m comfortable at, I want to feel love from the team and coaching staff, everybody outside the school,” Solomon said. “I just want to be cool with everybody and have a relationship with everybody. Relationship is like the main thing.”

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Key Auburn target KJ Bolden locks in commitment time

It’s down to Auburn, Florida State, Georgia, Alabama and Ohio State for the best safety in the country.

[autotag]KJ Bolden[/autotag] is one of the top recruits in the country and Auburn is one of the finalists for the five-star safety. His recruitment is nearing an end as he is set to make his commitment on Aug. 5 at 6:30 p.m. CT on the On3 YouTube Channel.

He will be deciding between Auburn, Florida State, Georgia, Alabama and Ohio State. The Bufford, Georiga product has officially visited Georgia, Alabama and Ohio State with one scheduled to Auburn on Oct. 6, which is their bye week. He is also set to be on the Plains for Big Cat Weekend, his last visit before his commitment.

Bolden is the No. 8 overall player and No. 1 safety in the On3 Industry Ranking. He is also the No. 2 player from Georgia.

Bolden is being recruited by [autotag]Zac Etheridge[/autotag] and [autotag]Wesley McGriff[/autotag] who have already teamed up to land four-star cornerbacks [autotag]Jalyn Crawford[/autotag], A’mon Lane, Jayden Lewis and three-star safety Kensley Faustin. While each one of them was a key target, Bolden would kick Auburn’s class to another level.

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