WAR EAGLE EXTRA: January 2011

Monday, January 31, 2011

Highly-ranked cornerback Marcus Roberson commits to Auburn; Tigers up to 23 commitments

Two days before National Signing Day, Auburn added a commitment from one of the top cornerbacks in the country.

Marcus Roberson, a four-star recruit Rivals ranks as the No. 2 cornerback nationally, became the Tigers' 23rd commitment for 2011, announcing his intentions to sign with Auburn on his Facebook page.

"I (committed) to Auburn," he wrote. "(I) appreciate every school for recruiting me and (I) think all of them (are) great places."

The 6-foot-1, 170-pound Roberson is from St. Thomas Aquinas High School in Fort Lauderdale.

He is ranked as the No. 2 cornerback nationally by Rivals and the No. 37 player overall. Scout lists him as the No. 4 safety in the country, while ESPN has him at No. 9.

Roberson committed earlier this month to Texas Tech, where his uncle, Otis Mounds, is a defensive graduate assistant.

But he maintained his commitment was open. With offers from Florida, Georgia and USC, among others, he chose Auburn, which he had visited in September.

He is the fourth defensive back to commit to the Tigers for 2011. Jonathan Rose of Leeds, Ala., is already enrolled in school. Anthony Swain of Gadsden, Ala., and Robenson Therezie of Miami, Fla., are also defensive backs who intend to sign with Auburn. Rose and Roberson are expected to play corner, while Swain and Therezie will begin at safety.

With Roberson's commitment, the Tigers' 23-member class is ranked third nationally by Scout, sixth by Rivals and eighth by ESPN.

Auburn can sign up to 28 players on Wednesday but can enroll only 25 in August.

Two four-star players announcing on signing day — Columbus tackle Gabe Wright and Valley, Ala., safety Erique Florence — are considered to be strong Auburn leans.

Roberson is Auburn's 23rd commitment for 2011. Teams can sign up to 28 on National Signing Day and enroll 25 in August.

Here's an updated list (rankings are by Rivals):

Angelo Blackson, DL, 6-5, 289, 3-star, Bear, Del. (Red Lion Christian Academy)
Quan Bray, ATH, 5-11, 178, 4-star, LaGrange, Ga. (Troup County High)
Brent Calloway, RB/LB, 6-1, 210, 4-star, Russellville, Ala. (Russellville High)
Sammie Coates, WR, 6-3, 170, 3-star, Leroy, Ala. (Leroy High)
Jaylon Denson, WR, 6-3, 190, 4-star, Hoover, Ala. (Hoover High)
Reese Dismukes, C, 6-3, 272, 4-star, Spanish Fort, Ala. (Spanish Fort High)
Kiehl Frazier, QB, 6-3, 215, 4-star, Springdale, Ark. (Shiloh Christian)
Kris Frost, LB, 6-3, 210, 5-star, Matthews, N.C. (Butler High)
Brandon Fulse, TE, 6-4, 247, 4-star, Fort Meade, Fla. (Fort Meade High)
Justin Garrett, OLB, 6-2, 185, 3-star, Tucker, Ga. (Tucker High)
Keymiya Harrell, DE, 6-5, 235, 3-star, Plantersville, Ala. (Dallas County High)
Chris Landrum, LB, 6-2, 215, 3-star, Sweet Water, Ala. (Sweet Water High)
Tre Mason, RB, 5-10, 190, 4-star, Lake Worth, Fla. (Park Vista High)
JaBrian Niles, DE, 6-2, 270, 3-star, Mobile, Ala. (Davidson High)
Thomas O'Reilly, OL, 6-3, 315, 3-star, Marietta, Ga. (Pope High)
Greg Robinson, OL, 6-5, 296, 4-star, Thibodaux, La. (Thibodaux High)
Marcus Robersson, CB, 6-1, 170, 4-star, Fort Lauderdale, Fla. (St. Thomas Aquinas)
Jonathan Rose, CB, 6-2, 170, 4-star, Leeds, Ala. (Leeds High)
Devaunte Sigler, DE, 6-4, 250, 3-star, Mobile, Ala. (B.C. Rain High)
Anthony Swain, S, 6-3, 215, 3-star, Gadsden, Ala. (Gadsden City High)
Robenson Therezie, DB, 5-10, 180, 4-star, Miami, Fla. (Jackson High)
C.J. Uzomah, TE/HB, 6-5, 230, 3-star, Suwanee, Ga. (North Gwinnett High)
Christian Westerman, OL, 6-5, 290, 4-star, Chandler, Ariz. (Hamilton High)

Recapping the recruiting weekend that was

The final recruiting weekend before Wednesday's National Signing Day is in the books.. Here's a brief wrapup of what happened on the Plains.

Hat tips the HABOTN and the Gold Mine, two friends of the blog who staked out 'cruits on Sunday morning. Their work is top notch:

Cyrus Kouandjio, the No. 1 offensive tackle in the country, left without giving an indication where he'll end up signing. The 6-foot-7, 285-pound Kouandjio is considering Auburn, Alabama, Iowa, USC and New Mexico. His brother, Arie, redshirted with the Crimson Tide this season. Although the Tigers already have four offensive line commitments for 2011 (Reese Dismukes and Thomas O'Reilly are already enrolled in school and Christian Westerman and Greg Robinson are committed), they would definitely welcome a talent like Kouandjio, especially with having to replace four senior starters. Kouandjio said his decision will be a "gut feeling." He'll make his intentions known on signing day at 9:05 a.m. ET.

Columbus defensive tackle Gabe Wright also made another visit to the Plains, what he estimated was about his 30th trip to Auburn. The Carver standout, who ESPN ranks as the No. 3 defensive tackle, made his final official visit. He's down to Auburn, Alabama and Tennessee. From the sounds of it, the Tigers have a pretty good chance for the 6-foot-3, 285-pound recruit. His words Sunday: "I was always told to put your favorite school last so you get the best last so you can make all the necessary choices.” Auburn lost Lombardi Award-winner Nick Fairley to the draft, but also bid adieu to senior tackles Zach Clayton and Mike Blanc. Rising sophomores Jeffrey Whitaker and Kenneth Carter are the next two players on the projected depth chart, so immediate playing time is possible. The only other Auburn commit in 2011 listed as a tackle (by Rivals, at least) is Angelo Blackson of Bear, Del. Wright will announce his school at 1:30 p.m. ET on signing day, doing it at the same time as Carver teammate and highly-coveted running back Isaiah Crowell, who is down to Georgia and Alabama.

Another weekend visitor, cornerback Jermaine Whitehead of Greenwood, Miss., decommitted from Mississippi State. He is considering Auburn, Ole Miss and Mississippi State. Rivals lists him as a four-star recruit and the No. 24 cornerback in the country.

As noted on the HABOTN, Nashville, Tenn., offensive lineman Antonio Richardson and Hamilton, Ga., defensive lineman LaMichael Fanning also made visits. Richardson, Rivals' No. 1 player in Tennessee, is down to Auburn, Georgia, LSU, Miami and Tennessee. Fanning is an Alabama commit, but some think Auburn might still be in the mix.

Meanwhile, Alabama-turned-Auburn commit Brent Calloway, who pulled the switcheroo earlier this month because of an opportunity to play running back with the Tigers, visited Tuscaloosa last weekend instead of coming to the Plains. Calloway is the No. 1 recruit in the state. Apparently his flip-flop to Auburn didn't sit well with his father. Calloway's adoptive dad -- Harland "Peaches" Winston -- told the Times Daily that whatever school his son chooses, he's "behind it 100 percent." A source told the paper that the Russellville star remains "100 percent" solid on Auburn. Nothing's finalized until Wednesday, however.

Another announcement on Wednesday is Valley safety Erique Florence, who will make his decision known at 9:15 a.m. He's considered a strong Auburn lean, although, according to various recruiting websites, USC has made a push late in the process.

Auburn has 22 commitments for 2011. Although ESPN lists 23, including offensive tackle Shon Coleman, a signee last year who enrolled just recently after undergoing successful chemotherapy treatments for leukemia last spring. Not sure yet exactly when Coleman, who intends to redshirt next season, will count on Auburn's scholarship numbers. The Tigers can sign up to 28 on Wednesday but can admit only 25 in August. Three of its 2011 recruits -- Dismukes, O'Reilly and cornerback Jonathan Rose -- are already enrolled in school.

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Saturday, January 29, 2011

Tigers get into SEC win column, knock off South Carolina 79-64 in Columbia

Auburn coach Tony Barbee earned his long-awaited first SEC win Saturday, as the Tigers pulled away for a surprising 79-64 victory against South Carolina in Columbia, S.C.

The Tigers (8-13, 1-6 SEC), who had lost their first six SEC games, got career highs from Rob Chubb and Josh Wallace, who finished with 18 and 17 points, respectively.

Earnest Ross had 10 points and 7 rebounds. Chris Denson added 10 points and Kenny Gabriel 13 rebounds.

Auburn went into halftime ahead 33-28 and grew that lead to double digits in the second half.

The Tigers, who hadn't shot better than 38 percent in any SEC game this season, shot 41.3 percent from the floor (26-for-63). The SEC's worst free throw shooting team went 26-for-34 from the line.

South Carolina (12-7, 3-3 SEC) went just 7-for-33 from 3-point range.

Auburn is in action again Thursday at home against Tennessee. Tipoff is 9 p.m. ET.

Thursday, January 27, 2011

Four-star tight end Brandon Fulse commits to Auburn; Tigers up to 22 commitment for 2011

Four-star tight end Brandon Fulse said on ESPNU Thursday that he'll sign with Auburn on National Signing Day next week.

The 6-foot-4, 247-pound Fulse is the Tigers' 22nd commitment for 2011.

"When I went up there it just felt like home and I really felt comfortable around the coaches," Fulse said.

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Fulse went to the same high school in Fort Meade, Fla., as current Auburn running back Onterio McCalebb.

"When I get up there he can teach me the ropes and everything he's done," Fulse said.

ESPN lists him as the No. 5 tight end nationally. Rivals has him as the No. 10 tight end and No. 162 player overall. Scout ranks him as the No. 13 tight end.

He picked Auburn over Tennessee, North Carolina and Miami.

Fulse had 43 receptions for 730 yards and 10 touchdowns his senior year. He also had eight sacks on defense, according to Scout.

Fulse is Auburn's second tight end commitment for 2011, joining C.J. Uzomah of Suwanee, Ga. Uzomah, who played quarterback his final season of high school, is a versatile athlete who might play a variety of roles on offense.

The Tigers’ class is now ranked third nationally by Scout, sixth by Rivals and ninth by ESPN.

Here again is an updated commitment list for 2011 (star ratings are by Rivals):

Angelo Blackson, DL, 6-5, 289, 3-star, Bear, Del. (Red Lion Christian Academy)
Quan Bray, ATH, 5-11, 178, 4-star, LaGrange, Ga. (Troup County High)
Brent Calloway, RB/LB, 6-1, 210, 4-star, Russellville, Ala. (Russellville High)
Sammie Coates, WR, 6-3, 170, 3-star, Leroy, Ala. (Leroy High)
Jaylon Denson, WR, 6-3, 190, 4-star, Hoover, Ala. (Hoover High)
Reese Dismukes, C, 6-3, 272, 4-star, Spanish Fort, Ala. (Spanish Fort High)
Kiehl Frazier, QB, 6-3, 215, 4-star, Springdale, Ark. (Shiloh Christian)
Kris Frost, LB, 6-3, 210, 5-star, Matthews, N.C. (Butler High)
Brandon Fulse, TE, 6-4, 247, 4-star, Fort Meade, Fla. (Fort Meade High)
Justin Garrett, OLB, 6-2, 185, 3-star, Tucker, Ga. (Tucker High)
Keymiya Harrell, DE, 6-5, 235, 3-star, Plantersville, Ala. (Dallas County High)
Chris Landrum, LB, 6-2, 215, 3-star, Sweet Water, Ala. (Sweet Water High)
Tre Mason, RB, 5-10, 190, 4-star, Lake Worth, Fla. (Park Vista High)
JaBrian Niles, DE, 6-2, 270, 3-star, Mobile, Ala. (Davidson High)
Thomas O'Reilly, OL, 6-3, 315, 3-star, Marietta, Ga. (Pope High)
Greg Robinson, OL, 6-5, 296, 4-star, Thibodaux, La. (Thibodaux High)
Jonathan Rose, CB, 6-2, 170, 4-star, Leeds, Ala. (Leeds High)
Devaunte Sigler, DE, 6-4, 250, 3-star, Mobile, Ala. (B.C. Rain High)
Anthony Swain, S, 6-3, 215, 3-star, Gadsden, Ala. (Gadsden City High)
Robenson Therezie, DB, 5-10, 180, 4-star, Miami, Fla. (Jackson High)
C.J. Uzomah, TE/HB, 6-5, 230, 3-star, Suwanee, Ga. (North Gwinnett High)
Christian Westerman, OL, 6-5, 290, 4-star, Chandler, Ariz. (Hamilton High)

Wednesday, January 26, 2011

Running back Tre Mason commits to Auburn

Auburn continued its recruiting surge in late-January, adding a commitment from Lake Worth, Fla., running back Tre Mason.

The South Florida Sun-Sentinel first reported the news earlier this afternoon. Mason announced more officially later in the afternoon during a press conference at his high school.

The 5-foot-10, 190-pound running back had narrowed his finalists to Auburn and Ole Miss.

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Rivals and Scout both rank Mason as a four-star recruit. Rivals has him as the No. 14 running back in the nation. Scout lists him as No. 29.

Mason ran for 1,643 yards and 24 touchdowns as a senior. In his final two seasons at Park Vista High, he ran for 3,103 yards and 46 touchdowns.

He is Auburn's second potential running back in the class. Four-star recruit Brent Calloway switched from Alabama to Auburn because he said he'll get a shot at running back. Calloway is listed as the No. 5 linebacker recruit in the country by Rivals.

Mason is the Tigers' 21st commitment for 2011, joining Mobile defensive end Devaunte Sigler, who committed earlier Wednesday.

Auburn can sign up to 28 players on National Signing Day a week from today. Per NCAA rules, it can only enroll 25 in August.

Here is an updated commitment list for 2011 (star ratings are by Rivals):

Angelo Blackson, DL, 6-5, 289, 3-star, Bear, Del. (Red Lion Christian Academy)
Quan Bray, ATH, 5-11, 178, 4-star, LaGrange, Ga. (Troup County High)
Brent Calloway, RB/LB, 6-1, 210, 4-star, Russellville, Ala. (Russellville High)
Sammie Coates, WR, 6-3, 170, 3-star, Leroy, Ala. (Leroy High)
Jaylon Denson, WR, 6-3, 190, 4-star, Hoover, Ala. (Hoover High)
Reese Dismukes, C, 6-3, 272, 4-star, Spanish Fort, Ala. (Spanish Fort High)
Kiehl Frazier, QB, 6-3, 215, 4-star, Springdale, Ark. (Shiloh Christian)
Kris Frost, ATH, 6-3, 210, 5-star, Matthews, N.C. (Butler High)
Justin Garrett, OLB, 6-2, 185, 3-star, Tucker, Ga. (Tucker High)
Keymiya Harrell, DE, 6-5, 235, 3-star, Plantersville, Ala. (Dallas County High)
Chris Landrum, LB, 6-2, 215, 3-star, Sweet Water, Ala. (Sweet Water High)
Tre Mason, RB, 5-10, 190, 4-star, Lake Worth, Fla. (Park Vista High)
JaBrian Niles, DE, 6-2, 270, 3-star, Mobile, Ala. (Davidson High)
Thomas O'Reilly, OL, 6-3, 315, 3-star, Marietta, Ga. (Pope High)
Greg Robinson, OL, 6-5, 296, 4-star, Thibodaux, La. (Thibodaux High)
Jonathan Rose, CB, 6-2, 170, 4-star, Leeds, Ala. (Leeds High)
Devaunte Sigler, DE, 6-4, 250, 3-star, Mobile, Ala. (B.C. Rain High)
Anthony Swain, S, 6-3, 215, 3-star, Gadsden, Ala. (Gadsden City High)
Robenson Therezie, DB, 5-10, 180, 4-star, Miami, Fla. (Jackson High)
C.J. Uzomah, TE/HB, 6-5, 230, 3-star, Suwanee, Ga. (North Gwinnett High)
Christian Westerman, OL, 6-5, 290, 4-star, Chandler, Ariz. (Hamilton High)

ESPN's Mel Kiper Jr. talks about the NFL Draft and when Auburn's players might be selected

ESPN draft guru Mel Kiper Jr. was kind enough to have a teleconference this morning about the upcoming NFL Draft.

He talked at length about what Cam Newton and Nick Fairley have to do to impress teams in the next three months.

Kiper currently has Fairley going No. 1 overall to the Carolina Panthers. He had Newton going No. 10 the Washington Redskins.

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I'll have a full story tomorrow, but here are some raw quotes on both players. On Newton, who he said "has all the upside you could want":

"I think Cam Newton, the interview process, the due diligence that teams go through over the next two to three months with every prospect is going to be important. Intangibles is a word you're going to hear a lot about. That's going to define whether Newton is a top-10 pick or if (Ryan) Mallett is even a first-round pick, for that matter. So I think intangibles are going to be critical. They're going to be checked out in the next couple months. It's still three months before draft day and between now and then Cam Newton is either going to be in the top 10 or he's going to slide into the late first round. It's going to be a very fluid grade depending on how that goes.

"And remember, he's only got 14 starts and people are going to be looking at that Florida situation and what went on there, what went on in the recruiting controversy with Mississippi State and Auburn and look into all that. And if they feel he is worthy of being the face of an organization, worthy of getting a lot of guaranteed money and a guy you want to move forward with as your quarterback, then Cam Newton, based on what I saw this year, on his performance and his upside, I think he's worthy. If all that falls into place, he's certainly worthy of being a top-10 pick."

Kiper had similar things to say about Fairley, who had one dominant season in college:

"He went from one and a half sacks to 11. From three and a half tackles for a loss to 24. From 28 tackles to 60 in one year. The dramatic improvement was obvious. i think there were some games here he kind of paced himself. He didn't go all out on every play and attack on every play and in the NFL you've got to adjust to that. That's the case for a lot of defensive tackles. That's why I think the comparisons to Ndamukong Suh I think are overrated. Suh had a higher grade with me. Suh was my No. 1 player all year last year. He played all out every play and he was a dominant player for two, three years. Really, it was a great performance for three years because he was out there making his presence felt. Fairley was only doing it for one year, so there's a big difference between Suh and Fairley and their body of work. So that's why I don't give Fairley nearly the grade I gave Suh.

"But I think in terms of being the No. 1 overall pick, Carolina needs a defensive tackle more than it needs an end. I know Da'Quan Bowers will be in the discussion. But I think Fairley could win out. If the interviews go well and they're solid on him, he was a guy who was a one-year wonder, but he's got so much talent, so much ability that we're going to forget about the fact that he only dominated for one year."

Kiper expects WR Darvin Adams, OL Lee Ziemba and LB Josh Bynes to be taken on the third day of the draft (rounds 4-7). Right now -- and this an extremely early projection -- he had Adams going early on the third day, Ziemba in the middle and Bynes late.

Of the three, he had the highest interest in Adams, who he called "intriguing ... just because of the talent he showed in a number of games that I watched this year."

B.C. Rain's Devaunte Sigler commits to Auburn

Devaunte Sigler, a defensive end/linebacker from Mobile, Ala., announced his intention to sign with Auburn in a week on National Signing Day.

AuburnSports.com, Inside the Auburn Tigers and AuburnUndercover.com reported the news first.

Sigler, a 6-foot-4, 250-pound recruit, played outside linebacker in B.C. Rain's 3-4 scheme but expects to be a defensive end at the college level.

He picked Auburn over Mississippi State and LSU.

Rivals and Scout both list him as a three-star recruit. Rivals has him as the No. 64 outside linebacker in the country, while Scout ranks him as the No. 44 defensive end.

Sigler is Auburn's 20th commitment for 2011. The Tigers could get another this afternoon when Lake Worth, Fla., running back Tre Mason makes his announcement. The South Florida Sun-Sentinel says Mason-to-Auburn is already a done deal.

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Tuesday, January 25, 2011

Second half shooting slump too much for Auburn to overcome in 73-64 loss at Arkansas

Auburn missed 22 straight shots to start the second half Tuesday night in Fayetteville, Ark., digging too deep of a hole in a 73-64 loss to Arkansas at Bud Walton Arena.

The Tigers (7-13) dropped to 0-6 in SEC play for the first time since the 1993-94 season.

Arkansas (13-6, 3-3 SEC) turned a four-point halftime lead to 24 with a 21-1 run to open the second half.

Rotnei Clarke and Julysses Nobles both had 16 for Arkansas. Marshawn Powell added 13 points and 11 rebounds.

The Tigers managed to get as close as six with less than a minute to play, but they couldn't get any closer.

Earnest Ross led Auburn with 15. Freshmen Allen Payne (13 points) and Adrian Forbes (11) also reached double figures.

Auburn plays again Saturday at South Carolina at 1:30 p.m. ET.

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Auburn's BCS title celebration at Jordan-Hare condensed to 30-minute show on CSS

The Auburn football's teams BCS national championship celebration that took place at Jordan-Hare Stadium last Saturday will be shown in a 30-minute program Tuesday night on CSS.

The show -- "Auburn Football 2010 National Champions: The Celebration" -- will air at 10:30 p.m. ET. It is produced by the Auburn Sports Newtork from IMG College.

It features highlights from the celebration, with speeches from Cam Newton, Nick Fairley, Lee Ziemba, Kodi Burns, Gene Chizik and Jay Jacobs, among others.

It also has these rebroadcast times (all times ET):

Wednesday: 4 p.m. on Cox Sports
Friday: noon on CSS
Friday: 5 p.m. on Cox Sports
Saturday: 9:30 p.m. on CSS

(Check your local listings for other stations which may choose to rebroadcast the show as well.)

Auburn seeks answer for offensive woes

Auburn will try to get off the SEC schneid tonight at Arkansas. Here's how today's story starts:

AUBURN, Ala. -- The effort is there. The offense is not.

At 0-5 in SEC play, Auburn’s has a long list of shortcomings in Tony Barbee’s first season as head coach, but none have been more striking than the Tigers’ inability to score.

“This isn’t baseball,” said Barbee, whose Tigers travel to Arkansas tonight at 9 (ESPNU). “You are not going to pitch many shutouts in college basketball.

“At the end of the day, you have to score the ball, and the team with the most points wins. We struggle to score, and it is what it is.”

Auburn is averaging only 62.5 points a game this season, something that hasn’t happened on the Plains since the 1961-62 season, more than two decades before the introduction of the shot clock and 3-point line in the college game.

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Sunday, January 23, 2011

Ed Dyas, former Auburn great and Hall of Famer, dies at 71 after battle with stomach cancer

Former Auburn great Ed Dyas, a College Football Hall of Famer, died Sunday night after a battle with stomach cancer. He was 71.

"We are deeply saddened by the death of Dr. Ed Dyas," Auburn athletics director Jay Jacobs said. "He was a fighter who embodied the values of the Auburn Creed that we all hold dear.

"Dr. Dyas was one of Auburn's all-time greats, but he was much more than a great athlete. He was a scholar, a gentleman, a successful surgeon, a civic leader and a trusted friend. We extend our deepest condolences to the Dyas family and will keep them in our thoughts in prayers."

A star fullback, linebacker and kicker for the Tigers from 1958-60, Dyas joined the Hall of Fame in 2009, the 12th Auburn player or coach to be inducted.

He finished his career as Auburn's sixth all-time leading rusher with 1,298 yards. He was named the SEC's most outstanding back after leading the Tigers in rushing and scoring his senior year in 1960.

Dyas also had four game-winning kicks that season, setting an NCAA record for field goals in a season with 13. He finished fourth in the Heisman Trophy voting that year.

A three-time academic All-American, Dyas turned down a chance to play in the NFL to go to medical school. He became a respected orthopedic surgeon in his native Mobile, Ala.

Dyas is survived by his wife Diane and four children, Laurie Chunn, Katherine Watts, Edmund Dyas V and David Dyas.

Dyas’ service will be Thursday, Jan. 27 at St. Pius Catholic Church in Mobile. Mass will be held at 9:30 a.m. CT with the memorial at 12:30 p.m.

Women's hoops: No. 5 Lady Vols tower over Tigers, cruise to 73-53 victory

AUBURN, Ala. — The Lady Vols are tall, quick, talented and deep, calling back to vintage teams under Hall of Fame coach Pat Summitt’s watch.

It was all on display Sunday in No. 5 Tennessee’s 73-53 win against Auburn, leaving Tigers coach Nell Fortner with little to add afterward.

“I think Tennessee’s really good,” she said with a chuckle, knowing she was stating the obvious. “I think they’re definitely one of the top five teams in the country.”

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Shekinna Stricklen matched season-high with 18 points and Glory Johnson came off the bench to finish with 16 points and 13 rebounds for the Lady Vols (19-2, 7-0 SEC), who have won 10 straight and sit in their usual spot this time of year — alone atop the SEC standings.

“I thought our team came ready to play,” Summitt said. “You never know when you are on the road and in this environment.”

It was a reality check for Auburn (12-8, 5-2 SEC), which was on a roll after struggling through a tough non-conference slate. Only one of the Tigers’ five SEC wins (LSU) have come against a team with a winning conference record.

The game took place almost two years to the day after an overflow crowd of 12,067 packed Beard-Eaves-Memorial Coliseum to watch DeWanna Bonner and Auburn’s veteran squad end a 16-game losing streak to Tennessee with an 82-68 victory on its way to an SEC championship.

In front of a crowd of 7,356 at the new Auburn Arena, the Lady Vols showed Sunday that order has been restored to the league.

They overwhelmed the Tigers with their size, rotating in a seemingly endless parade of players 6-foot-3 or taller against Auburn’s undersized frontcourt.

“Whenever we use (our size) to the best of our ability we normally dominate,” Johnson said.

Tennessee worked the ball inside whenever it wanted, finishing with 38 points in the paint to Auburn’s 20.

The Lady Vols also grabbed 49 rebounds, 18 coming at the offensive end. Six-foot-six center Kelley Cain had 12 rebounds, five on the offensive end.

“We’re not used to playing teams with that kind of size,” said Tigers guard Alli Smalley, who scored 13 points.

It worked to the Lady Vols’ advantage on defense too. Tennessee’s long, rangy athletes played an aggressive trap defense once Auburn moved the ball past halfcourt, hounding the Tigers into 20 turnovers.

“It wears you out,” Fortner said. “And then they keep bringing players up off the bench, that continue to put the pressure on you.”

Tennessee clamped down defensively at the end of the first half, holding Auburn to two points in the final 8:37 as it took a 34-19 lead into the locker room.

Auburn got as close as 10 at 52-42 with 9:56 left in the game on a layup by Morgan Toles, who finished with 13 points and 7 assists.

The Lady Vols answered with a 10-0 run, forcing turnovers on four straight possessions to put the game out of reach.

“Anytime you go on the road, if you don’t pack your defense and your board play, you can lose at any time,” Summitt said. “I think our team has finally bought into that.”

Saturday, January 22, 2011

Late-game offensive drought does in Auburn in 68-58 loss to rival Alabama

AUBURN, Ala. — While Anthony Grant has Alabama’s program humming in Year 2, it’s becoming clear to Auburn’s Tony Barbee the long, arduous road ahead on the Plains.

The first-place Crimson Tide improved to 4-1 in SEC play for the first time in six years following a 68-58 win against the rival Tigers at the Auburn Arena on Saturday.

Tony Mitchell and JaMychal Green both scored 15 points for Alabama (12-7), which avoided a letdown after upsetting No. 12 Kentucky earlier this week, winning in front of a sellout Auburn crowd enjoying a weekend-long football national championship celebration.

“In a lot of ways, it was a perfect storm for them with the emotion that was on campus today,” Grant said. “Just really, really proud of our guys for their perseverance, for the resilience that we showed.”

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For Auburn (7-12), which dropped to 0-5 in SEC play for the first time in five years, it was the same old story. The out-manned Tigers stayed close with a scrappy defensive effort but were doomed by a four-minute scoreless drought in crunch time.

The Tigers committed 21 turnovers and shot 38 percent from the field, failing to top 60 points for the fourth time in league play.

“It is what it is. We can’t score,” Barbee said. “It’s the theme of the year."

Nobody could pull away for most of the see-saw game, which featured 19 lead changes and nine ties. Neither team led by more than five before Auburn went ice cold at the five-minute mark of the second half.

“When we get a chance to make plays, make plays,” said Auburn guard Earnest Ross, who was one of the Tigers’ few highlights, finishing with 20 points and 13 rebounds.

Alabama took advantage, scoring eight straight points to open up a 59-49 lead with a minute left. The Crimson Tide made 24 free throws in the game, 14 of which came in the final two minutes.

Senario Hillman and Trevor Releford had 10 points apiece. Hillman added five assists for the first-place Tide, which has a week off before playing at LSU.

“They don’t hand out trophies in January,” Grant said. “So we’ve got to continue to understand who we are and continue to take it one day at a time and control the things we can control.”

Meanwhile, the losses continue to mount for Auburn, which figures to be underdogs in all 11 of its remaining SEC games.

“It’s frustrating because I hate losing no matter what it is,” Barbee said. “Ping pong, checkers. My wife still won’t play Monopoly with me over a game from 10 years ago. I’m being serious. I hate losing. I hate losing more than I like winning.”

Barbee praised the sellout crowd of 9,121, the Tigers’ first since opening night of the Auburn Arena, which predictably got its loudest when the football team was presented the ODK Foy Sportsmanship Trophy at halftime for winning the Iron Bowl.

But he knows it will take more crowds like that to get the struggling program on the right track.

“If we’re going to make this a top-20 program in the country, they come to every game, regardless of who you’re playing,” Barbee said. “Hopefully the fans understand and see that these kids are giving them everything they’ve got on the floor, playing unbelievably hard.

“And they need to be rewarded by a turnout like that every single game if this program is going to get to that level that they want and I want to get to.”

Video: Auburn fans celebrate a championship

Here's some video of today's BCS championship celebration at Jordan-Hare Stadium. Enjoy.

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Crowd of 78,000 on hand at Jordan-Hare Stadium to cheer on national champion Tigers

OK, here's a more polished version of my story that will be in tomorrow's paper:

AUBURN, Ala. — They lined up down the block more than two hours beforehand, bundled up on a sunny, cool January afternoon, eager to fill even the upper reaches of Jordan-Hare Stadium.

By the end, an estimated crowd of 78,000 packed the stadium Saturday, wanting to celebrate Auburn’s 2010 national championship in style.

“I will say it again, and it’s not kind of, sort of, almost — you are the best fans in the United States of America,” Tigers head coach Gene Chizik said. “And you have helped us and been a huge part of being the best football team in the United States of America.

“War ... Damn ... Eagle!”

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Auburn pulled out all the stops to celebrate its first national title since 1957, putting on an hour-long program of player introductions, video highlights and speeches that concluded with a well-attended reverse Tiger Walk from the stadium to the athletics complex.

Jordan-Hare’s HD video boards showed the BCS title game in its entirety beforehand, with fans cheering the Tigers’ big plays as though they were happening live.

The stadium scoreboard read the BCS title game’s final tally — Auburn 22, Oregon 19 — and a large national championship logo was painted on the field, a popular photo opportunity for those who had field access.

Once the program started, school president Jay Gouge, newly inaugurated Alabama governor Robert Bentley, Auburn mayor Bill Ham and former Auburn athletics director David Housel addressed the crowd.

But the day belonged to the players, most of whom were able to attend. The Tigers were announced one-by-one as they came out of the tunnel, starting with the underclassmen before moving to the seniors and finishing with the stars.

The loudest ovations were saved for Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback Cam Newton and Lombardi Award-winning defensive tackle Nick Fairley, who soaked up their final moments in college by bouncing past rows of Auburn fans and doling out high fives.

Auburn was presented with all of the trophies it won this season — the Heisman, the Lombardi, the crystal football — as several departing players said their goodbyes.

“I told coach (Tracy) Rocker one day I’m going to have my picture on this stadium just like him,” Fairley said to loud cheers.

When it was Newton’s turn to speak, Fairley got up and gave him a bear hug from behind before he could start his speech.

“You never lost faith in me, and that means more to me than words could ever say,” Newton told the crowd. “You will be in my heart forever. ... I believe in Auburn and I love it.”

Senior wide receiver Kodi Burns, a fan favorite, got one of the loudest ovations of the afternoon. After Fairley was presented with the Lombardi and Newton the Heisman, Burns waited for some hardware from athletics director Jay Jacobs.

“Jay Jacobs, where’s my award?” Burns joked before talking about his time on the Plains.

“People ask me all the time, why did you come to Auburn?” Burns said. “One, because of this awesome Auburn family. And two, to win a national championship. It’s been an unbelievable year, one I’ll remember for the rest of my life.”

Near the end, Jacobs introduced Chizik, the man he was roundly criticized for hiring to turn around the stagnating program in December of 2008.

On stage, Chizik hearkened back to an early discussion he had with Jacobs.

“I said, I don’t know how long it’s going to take, I’m not going to put a time limit on it, but we will win a championship,” Chizik said. “You can bank that.”

The celebration hadn’t been over long before talk turned to the future. With Auburn losing a large senior class in addition to early NFL draft entries Newton, Fairley and receiver Darvin Adams, the Tigers figure to take a step back next year.

But it won’t take long to get back to the top, departing senior left tackle Lee Ziemba said.

“With the coaching staff we have here and the administration, the fire they have recruiting, the talent that’s still on this team that continues to work hard and improve every day, the sky’s the limit for any Auburn team,” he said.

“That fight isn’t just something that lasts for one season. That’s something that’s embedded in the Auburn spirit.”

Friday, January 21, 2011

Information about Saturday's BCS championship celebration at Jordan-Hare Stadium

Here's a full rundown of Saturday's festivities, courtesy of the fine folks at Auburn media relations (all times CT). If you can't make it, the Auburn athletics website will be broadcasting it live:

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Auburn University will celebrate the Tigers' 2010 National Football Championship Saturday, January 22 at 1 p.m. in Jordan-Hare Stadium. The celebration will last approximately one hour and admission is free. Tickets are not required to enter the stadium, and all seating is general admission and will be first-come, first-served.

Fans can access the stadium via gates 2, 4, 5 and 7 on the east side of the stadium and gates 12, 14, 15, and 17 on the west side. All gates will open at 11 a.m., two hours prior to the event.

Auburn students with a valid Auburn Ignited card will be allowed to stand on the field. Students can access the field though the field level gates located at the northwest and northeast corners of the stadium below sections 46 and 35.

Due to the academic calendar, public parking will be available at the hayfields on South Donahue Drive. Shuttles will run from the hayfields from 10 a.m. until two hours post-event. Donahue Drive will be closed from Samford to War Eagle Way starting at 5:00 a.m.

A limited number of disabled parking spaces will be available in the east Coliseum lot on the day of the event.

Stadium concessions on the lower level will be open for this event and no outside food or drinks will be allowed into the stadium.

The AU Team Shop will be open before, during and after the event at several locations around and inside the stadium and at the Auburn Arena location. Officially licensed National Championship products, apparel and more will be available for purchase.

A limited number of official National Championship posters will be distributed free of charge as fans exit the stadium following the event.

Approximately 30 minutes following the celebration, a reverse Tiger Walk will be held from Stadium Gate 10 towards the Athletics Complex.

Celebration Timing Schedule

6:00 a.m. Street Barricades are set up Athletics Reserved Parking Lots Open
10:00 a.m. Tiger Transit Services Begin
11:00 a.m. Gates Open
1:00 p.m. Program Begins
30 Minutes post Reverse Tiger Walk
3:30 p.m. Auburn Arena Gate Open
5:00 p.m. Auburn Basketball vs. Alabama

Parking/Traffic

East Coliseum - Donor RVs will be allowed to park here on Friday. The lot will be released Saturday morning for public HC parking. Access from Samford to Biggio.
Parking Deck - Held for Scholarship Donor parking starting at 6 a.m. Saturday. Access via Duncan Dr.
Auburn Arena Lot - Basketball Scholarship Donor parking. Access via Wire Rd. Basketball parking pass required.
Hayfields & other lots will be open to public. (Shuttle will run from Hayfield lot beginning at 10 a.m.)
Small hay field lot at Lem Morrison - Only Public RV Parking location
Off campus Tiger Transit pick up locations include: Facilities, Mall, Tiger Town & Sams Club
The public is being directed to park in the Hayfield - East lots. Also, all campus lots NOT listed above are available for legally parked cars (excludes R lots).
Public RV parking - West Hayfield lots, first come first served
Tiger transit will run from the hayfields, take a left on Samford, right on Biggio and drop at the Coliseum turn around.

Stadium Access

EOG will staff bag searchers. Gates open at 11 a.m.Fans - Access the stadium through Gates 2, 4, 5 & 7 on the East and 12, 14, 15 & 17 on the West.
Students - Access the stadium via any open gate. Access the field through the field access gates on the NW & NE corners (sections 36 or 46). Auburn Ignited card required.
Main concourse large concessions stands and all restrooms will be open. East / West club restrooms will be open.

Ty Armstrong talks about his surprising return to the court after offseason knee surgery

Auburn might be winless in SEC play but it got a shot in the arm when forward Ty Armstrong made his season debut Thursday after having offseason ACL surgery.

Armstrong, a sophomore who injured himself this summer and had surgery in August, made his return to the court against Florida, playing 8 minutes and finishing with 2 points and 3 rebounds.

Because he returned in the second half of the season, he is no longer eligible for a medical redshirt.

"We've been going through ups and downs and I couldn't just stand back and not just play," Armstrong said. "I still have two years left, so I just think those two years I can use to get better as well. I just feel like I didn't play much last year. I just wanted some more experience."

Head coach Tony Barbee thinks the 6-foot-9 Armstrong will help Auburn in the post, where center Rob Chubb is the only other player taller than 6-8.

Frankie Sullivan returned last month from a similar injury but suffered from lingering effects that will force him out the rest of this season. Naturally, Barbee is going to be cautious with Armstrong.

"You always want a player who wants to do more, but there's also realization that he wasn't ready for more," Barbee said. "And that's where I want to keep him taking baby steps. You're not ready for 25 minutes. You're not ready for us to be just jamming the ball down your throat.

"But you just keep taking baby steps, because he's not even close to game sharp, game ready, any of those things. So he's going to have to gradually work his way into that."

Here's what Armstrong had to say today:

(You're back)

"I've been practicing with the team, doing a lot of the drills, workouts, doing a lot of the plays, whatever, and I felt like it was in my best interest to play. And I talked to coach about it and asked him if it was OK to get back out there. Everything went well, so I got back in the game and tried to help my team."

(Did Frankie's knee injury give you pause?)

"I thought about it, but I feel like as long as I do things that I'm supposed to with rehab and take those precautions seriously and taking things slow when I get in the game, I'll be fine."

(Is the brace you have to wear an adjustment?)

"Actually, they told me once I put the brace on and I realize it's on there, but yeah, it really didn't bother me at all. The first week I got it it was kind of a weird feeling, but after that I was fine. I've been wearing it for so long."

(Frankie pushed you during rehab and vice versa)

"It was fun. It was crazy how competitive it was. We were always competitive before the knee injury. We were in the weight room, we were always looking at each other, 'I'm going to do more than you,' and stuff like that. We always went at each other in a fun kind of way. Once we both got knee injuries, we both wanted to come back and play, so every day we were pushing each other, not in a negative way, making fun of each other and just having fun with it. Trying to make something good out of a bad situation."

(How can you help this team?)

"I feel like right now, my position I'm not fully back to offensive-wise, doing things I know I can do or should be doing. But I feel I can definitely get in there and rebound and be an extra big body to the team and bring some physicality when we're playing in the SEC against other big people. So I think me being a physical presence in the game is something I can contribute to."

Top offensive line prospect Christian Westerman picks Auburn over Texas

Christian Westerman, one of the top offensive linemen in the country, committed to Auburn at his high school in Chandler, Ariz., Friday morning.

Westerman, a 6-foot-5, 290-pound lineman who is the top player in Arizona, originally committed to Texas last spring but re-opened his recruitment after the Longhorns' coaching staff overhaul. He visited Auburn in December.

Scout lists him as a five-star recruit, the No. 1 offensive guard and No. 17 player overall. Rivals ranks him as a four-star recruit, the nation's No. 3 offensive tackle and No. 27 overall recruit.

Westerman is Auburn's 19th commitment for 2011. He is the fourth offensive lineman in the class, joining Reese Dismukes (Spanish Fort, Ala.) and Thomas O'Reilly (Marietta, Ga.), who are both already enrolled in school, and Greg Robinson (Thibodaux, La.).

Auburn, which loses four senior starters on its line, has had 11 offensive linemen in its last two recruiting classes.

National Signing Day is Feb. 2.

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Here's an updated list of Auburn's commitments (star ratings are by Rivals):

Angelo Blackson, DL, 6-5, 289, 3-star, Bear, Del. (Red Lion Christian Academy)
Quan Bray, ATH, 5-11, 178, 4-star, LaGrange, Ga. (Troup County High)
Brent Calloway, RB/LB, 6-1, 210, 5-star, Russellville, Ala. (Russellville High)
Sammie Coates, WR, 6-3, 170, 3-star, Leroy, Ala. (Leroy High)
Jaylon Denson, WR, 6-3, 190, 4-star, Hoover, Ala. (Hoover High)
Reese Dismukes, C, 6-3, 272, 4-star, Spanish Fort, Ala. (Spanish Fort High)
Kiehl Frazier, QB, 6-3, 215, 4-star, Springdale, Ark. (Shiloh Christian)
Kris Frost, ATH, 6-3, 210, 5-star, Matthews, N.C. (Butler High)
Justin Garrett, OLB, 6-2, 185, 3-star, Tucker, Ga. (Tucker High)
Keymiya Harrell, DE, 6-5, 235, 3-star, Plantersville, Ala. (Dallas County High)
Chris Landrum, LB, 6-2, 215, 3-star, Sweet Water, Ala. (Sweet Water High)
JaBrian Niles, DE, 6-2, 270, 3-star, Mobile, Ala. (Davidson High)
Thomas O'Reilly, OL, 6-3, 315, 3-star, Marietta, Ga. (Pope High)
Greg Robinson, OL, 6-5, 296, 4-star, Thibodaux, La. (Thibodaux High)
Jonathan Rose, CB, 6-2, 170, 4-star, Leeds, Ala. (Leeds High)
Anthony Swain, S, 6-3, 215, 3-star, Gadsden, Ala. (Gadsden City High)
Robenson Therezie, DB, 5-10, 180, 4-star, Miami, Fla. (Jackson High)
C.J. Uzomah, TE/HB, 6-5, 230, 3-star, Suwanee, Ga. (North Gwinnett High)
Christian Westerman, OL, 6-5, 290, 4-star, Chandler, Ariz. (Hamilton High)

Thursday, January 20, 2011

Historically bad offensive performance dooms Auburn in 45-40 loss to Florida

AUBURN, Ala. — After teams scored with ease against Auburn in its first three SEC games, coach Tony Barbee made practice all about defense earlier this week.

“We didn’t do anything offensively and it probably shows, right?” he said.

The Tigers played scrappy, relentless defensive Thursday night but couldn’t overcome an historically abysmal offensive showing, falling 45-40 to Florida at the Auburn Arena.

Florida guards Kenny Boynton and Erving Walker shook off an ugly shooting night, hitting back-to-back 3-pointers in the final two minutes to help the Gators (14-4, 3-1 SEC) escape.

It was the fewest points Auburn (7-11) has scored since the advent of the shot clock in 1985.

The Tigers, who will likely be underdogs in their remaining 12 league games, fell to 0-4 in SEC play for the first time since the 2005-06 season.

“Our guys want to win, so it might be disheartening for them,” Barbee said. “But I’m happy with the way we fought. We lost that for a while.”

Auburn trailed by 20 or more points in the first half of its first three SEC games but led 24-23 at the break Thursday. The second half devolved into a one-upsmanship of offensive ineptitude, however.

Florida, which had its lowest point total in coach Billy Donovan’s 15 years, shot 28 percent from the field and made only 5 of 26 3-point attempts.

“I’ve never been a part of holding a team to 28 percent (shooting) and you lose,” Barbee said.

The Tigers didn’t do much better but got four straight points from Kenny Gabriel late in the game. The forward, who tied for game-high honors with 12, scored on a backdoor layup and a follow-up dunk on a fastbreak to give Auburn a 40-37 lead with 3:30 to play

But the offensively-challenged Tigers, who are last in the SEC in scoring, didn’t score the rest of the way, going 0-for-4 from the field and committing two turnovers.

Auburn shot 38 percent from the field (18-48), went 3-for-11 from 3-point range and was a dismal 1-for-8 from the free throw line.

“We’ve had our opportunities but we’ve got to be more competent on the offensive end of the floor,” Barbee said. “We’ve got to continue to play tough, hard-nosed, nasty, mean defense like we did tonight and give ourselves a chance.”

Another injured Auburn player made a surprising return. Forward Ty Armstrong played after missing the first 17 games following ACL surgery in August.

The 6-foot-9 forward played sparingly as a freshman, averaging 2.0 points and 1.6 rebounds in 30 games, but was expected to play a major role in Barbee’s first season. Wearing a bulky brace on his left knee, he finished with two points and three rebounds in eight minutes Thursday.

“He wanted to play and he begged me to play,” Barbee said.

Because he returned in the second half of the season, Armstrong is no longer eligible for a medical redshirt like guard Frankie Sullivan.

Chris Denson, a freshman guard from Shaw High in Columbus, made his first career start for Auburn after scoring 12 points Sunday at Mississippi State. He went scoreless but had four assists in 15 minutes Thursday.

Wednesday, January 19, 2011

Cam Newton, on if he thinks his achievements will have an asterisk by them: 'No sir, I do not'

There was a short conference call with Cam Newton today for winning the Manning Award. Here's what Cam had to say:

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What has the last week been like for you?

"The past couple of days, this past week has been kind of drastic. In the morning I've been working out and in the early part of the evening, I've been meeting with agents, marketing people, accounting firms and all that."

What do you want your college legacy to be?

"My legacy at Auburn or I hope the impact I've put on the NCAA is that here's a young man that was very resilient and left it all on the field. I really wanted to come out and try to be the best. I think any athlete doesn't play the game just to play the game with other people. I play football to try to be the best, and that's what I was striving to be this whole season."

Have you settled on an agent?

"I really haven't. I have narrowed it down to about three of them. I think my decision will be made early tomorrow evening or early Friday morning. This process is not just a process that has to be made on my terms, because by all means, I would have made this decision, but it's something I just have to sit down with family about, close friends and the people I have the utmost respect for."

You blocked stuff out all year. Was it ever too much?

"I wouldn't say that. Because football is a game that I truly love. I'm a firm believer in the faith of God. And the Bible says, God won't put too much on a person that that person can bear. And obviously this season, I have been tested not only on the field but off the field. I think for me to play as well as I did, there are a lot of things that come into play: my supporting cast off the field, my family, just keeping my head clear throughout this trying time, and my teammates and obviously my coaches."

Do your worry there will be an asterisk by your name in the record books at the conclusion of the NCAA's investigation?

"No sir, I do not."

How is your back?

"I feel great. I was just another football game. I think this football game was different, due to the fact that the pain that I had after the game. That's the price you have to pay to sign up to play the physical sport of football. But right now, I'm going throughout my workouts every single day and I feel great. I feel like I'm continually trying to get better. By the time I have to perform in front of people, I'll be in tip-top shape."

One for the road: Auburn's Cam Newton wins Manning Award as nation's top quarterback

Auburn quarterback Cam Newton got one more parting gift before he embarks on his pro career -- the Manning Award, which is given out after the bowl games to the nation's top quarterback.

Newton previously won the Heisman Trophy, Maxwell Award and Davey O'Brien Award, in addition to being named Walter Camp and Associated Press National Player of the Year.

Newton ran for 1,473 yards and 20 touchdowns and threw for 2,854 yards and 30 scores this season.

Although he didn't put his usual big numbers in the BCS championship game, he still threw for 265 yards and two touchdowns to go along with 64 rushing yards in Auburn's 22-19 win over Oregon.

“I’m not sure if we’ve ever seen a player put up numbers like Cam Newton did this year,” said former Ole Miss quarterback Archie Manning, one of the award's namesakes. “It’s amazing for a guy to account for over 50 touchdowns in a career, let alone one season, and to also lead his team to the SEC Championship and the BCS championship, it’s no surprise that our voting panel selected Cam as this year’s winner."

Newton is third SEC quarterback to win in the award's seven years, joining LSU's JaMarcus Russell (2006-07) and Florida's Tim Tebow (2008-09).

Newton beat out a field that included Stanford's Andrew Luck, Boise State's Kellen Moore, Ohio State's Terrelle Pryor, Michigan's Denard Robinson, Oregon's Darron Thomas, Oklahoma State's Brandon Wheeden, TCU's Andy Dalton, Nevada's Colin Kapernick and Arkansas' Ryan Mallett.

The award is voted on by a panel of local and national media, as well as Archie, Peyton and Eli Manning.

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Tuesday, January 18, 2011

Gene Chizik wins Paul 'Bear' Bryant Award, his third national coach of the year honor

Auburn coach Gene Chizik won the Paul "Bear" Bryant Award as national coach of the year, the third such honor he's received this season.

Chizik, who led the Tigers to a 14-0 record and their their first national championship since 1957, was given the honor during the 25th annual Paul "Bear" Bryant Awards at the Hilton Americas Hotel in Houston on Tuesday night.

"You work so hard and you're so demanding on yourself, it's really hard to grasp everything until there's a month or two that passes," he told the Associated Press. "You really don't have time to sit back. A month or two later when it really slows down and you get a chance to back off is when you really realize it."

Chizik beat a field that included seven other finalists: Nevada's Chris Ault, Wisconsin's Bret Bielema, Michigan State's Mark Dantonio, Stanford's Jim Harbaugh, Oregon's Chip Kelly, Arkansas' Bobby Petrino and Texas A&M's Mike Sherman.

Chizik was previously named national coach of the year by Liberty Mutual prior to the BCS national championship game and the Home Depot in December.

He joined Terry Bowden (1993) and Tommy Tuberville (2004) as Auburn coaches who have won the Bryant Award, which is named for the former Alabama coaching legend.

"When you can have your name associated with a guy that's done so much for the sport, it's a blessing," Chizik said.

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Kris Frost commits to Auburn after all

Auburn accepted a commitment from Kris Frost after all.

The 6-foot-3, 210-pound Frost, a five-star athlete from Butler High in Matthews, N.C., originally committed to Auburn during the U.S. Army All-American game earlier this month, although there were questions about whether the Tigers would accept his commitment.

Ten days later, they finally did, according to AuburnSports.com, AuburnUndercover.com and Inside the Auburn Tigers.

Rivals, which adjusted its ratings today, ranks Frost as the No. 4 athlete in the country and the No. 20 player overall. He played linebacker and receiver in high school.

Frost originally committed to Michigan but switched after the Wolverines fired Rich Rodriguez.

He is Auburn's 18th commitment for 2011. National Signing Day is Feb. 2.

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Here's an updated list of Auburn's commitments (star ratings are by Rivals):

Angelo Blackson, DL, 6-5, 289, 3-star, Bear, Del. (Red Lion Christian Academy)
Quan Bray, ATH, 5-11, 178, 4-star, LaGrange, Ga. (Troup County High)
Brent Calloway, RB/LB, 6-1, 210, 5-star, Russellville, Ala. (Russellville High)
Sammie Coates, WR, 6-3, 170, 3-star, Leroy, Ala. (Leroy High)
Jaylon Denson, WR, 6-3, 190, 4-star, Hoover, Ala. (Hoover High)
Reese Dismukes, C, 6-3, 272, 4-star, Spanish Fort, Ala. (Spanish Fort High)
Kiehl Frazier, QB, 6-3, 215, 4-star, Springdale, Ark. (Shiloh Christian)
Kris Frost, ATH, 6-3, 210, 5-star, Matthews, N.C. (Butler High)
Justin Garrett, OLB, 6-2, 185, 3-star, Tucker, Ga. (Tucker High)
Keymiya Harrell, DE, 6-5, 235, 3-star, Plantersville, Ala. (Dallas County High)
Chris Landrum, LB, 6-2, 215, 3-star, Sweet Water, Ala. (Sweet Water High)
JaBrian Niles, DE, 6-2, 270, 3-star, Mobile, Ala. (Davidson High)
Thomas O'Reilly, OL, 6-3, 315, 3-star, Marietta, Ga. (Pope High)
Greg Robinson, OL, 6-5, 296, 4-star, Thibodaux, La. (Thibodaux High)
Jonathan Rose, CB, 6-2, 170, 4-star, Leeds, Ala. (Leeds High)
Anthony Swain, S, 6-3, 215, 3-star, Gadsden, Ala. (Gadsden City High)
Robenson Therezie, DB, 5-10, 180, 4-star, Miami, Fla. (Jackson High)
C.J. Uzomah, TE/HB, 6-5, 230, 3-star, Suwanee, Ga. (North Gwinnett High)

Monday, January 17, 2011

Auburn guard Frankie Sullivan to miss remainder of season with lingering knee problem

Tigers guard Frankie Sullivan, who had surgery on a torn ACL this summer, will miss the remainder of the season after suffering from lingering knee problems, Auburn announced Monday.

The school will seek a medical hardship wavier for the junior, who would give him two more years of eligibility if the NCAA grants the request.

"Frankie Sullivan means so much to our team, on and off the court," Auburn head coach Tony Barbee said. "He is a team leader. Frankie's health is our number one concern with him."

Sullivan, a 6-foot-1 guard, missed the first eight games after surgery this summer but returned for a six-game stretch in December. He averaged 8.2 points and 3.0 assists in 24.7 minutes. Auburn went 4-0 in games he started.

But Sullivan hasn't played since league play began this month. The Tigers (7-10) are 0-3 in the SEC.

Sullivan was Auburn's only returning starter from last season. He averaged 12.7 points, 3.7 rebounds and 2.0 assists last season.

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Darvin Adams leaving a year early for NFL draft

Auburn's leading receiver the last two years is taking his talents to the NFL.

Darvin Adams, a 21-year-old junior, has submitted his name for this April's NFL draft. Adams made himself eligible prior to the Jan. 15 deadline for underclassmen to declare but made no formal announcement.

Adams joins quarterback Cam Newton and defensive tackle Nick Fairley in leaving school a year early to enter the pros. He is projected to go in the late rounds of a draft flush with quality receivers.

The 6-foot-3, 185-pound Adams, who is originally from Canton, Miss., but played at Harrison High in Kennesaw, Ga., was the Tigers' top receiving threat each of the last two years.

He finished his Auburn career third on the school's career receiving touchdowns list (17), sixth in receptions (115) and sixth in yards (1,978).

After a quiet freshman season, Adams thrived his sophomore year in 2009 after Gus Malzahn became offensive coordinator. With Chris Todd as quarterback, Adams set the school's single-season record for receptions with 60. He finished with 997 receiving yards and 10 touchdowns.

He earned MVP honors in the Outback Bowl by catching 12 catches for a bowl-record 142 yards.

With the Tigers more focused on the run this season, Adams' number took a slight step back his junior year, but not much. He finished with 52 catches for 963 yards and seven touchdowns.

He again saved one of his best games for the biggest stage, catching seven passes for a SEC championship game-record 217 yards — all in the first half — against South Carolina in the Georgia Dome. He caught two touchdowns, one coming on a tipped 51-yard Hail Mary just before halftime, to be named the game's MVP.

Adams' departure means Auburn will lose its top two receiving threats from last season. Adams and senior Terrell Zachery accounted for 95 of Auburn's 194 receptions (49 percent) and 1,568 of the Tigers' 3,002 receiving yards (52 percent).

Rising junior Emory Blake is the team's leading returner at receiver, with 33 catches for eight touchdowns in 2010.

A group of receivers are expected to see increased time in Adams' absence, including junior DeAngelo Benton, senior Quindarius Carr and redshirt freshman Trovon Reed. Those three caught four passes for 118 yards last season.

Sophomores Travante Stallworth, Antonio Goodwin and Shaun Kitchens are also in the mix for more snaps.

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Sunday, January 16, 2011

Auburn hoops loses at Mississippi State 85-66

Auburn fell to 0-3 in the SEC following an 85-66 loss at Mississippi State in Starkville on Sunday.

Earnest Ross scored 15 points and Kenny Gabriel 14 for Auburn (7-10), which fell behind 22-3 in the first half and never got closer than 12 in the second. Former Shaw guard Chris Denson scored a career-high 12.

Guard Frankie Sullivan (knee) did not play for a third straight game and might not anytime soon. He remains eligible for a medical redshirt if he does not play another game this season.

Ravern Johnson scored 21 points and Renardo Sidney 15 for the Bulldogs (10-7, 2-1), who shot 62 percent.

Auburn is back in action Thursday, hosting Florida at 7 p.m. ET.

After interviewing with Texas, offensive line coach Jeff Grimes staying at Auburn

After interviewing with Texas last week, Auburn offensive line coach Jeff Grimes coach has decided to stay put.

Grimes, who is from Garland, Texas, played at Texas-El Paso and had several coaching stints at schools in Texas, announced his intentions to stay with the Tigers on Sunday.

He flew to Austin to interview with the Longhorns shortly after the Tigers won the BCS national championship.

“The University of Texas has a great football program and I have a tremendous amount of respect for Mack Brown,” Grimes said. “As a Texas native, the position was very enticing, however, I have decided to remain at Auburn. My family and I love being a part of the Auburn family, the Auburn community and this football program.”

Grimes’ decision raises the chances that Auburn coach Gene Chizik keep his original staff together for a third straight year. Offensive coordinator Gus Malzahn turned down a head coaching offer from Vanderbilt in December.

Texas has had a habit of plucking away Auburn coaches. It did so with Chizik as defensive coordinator after the 2004 season and Will Muschamp after 2007.

“We’re pleased to move forward with a coaching staff that will remain intact for a third straight year,” Chizik said. “Our staff retention was a huge factor in our national championship run and will be important as we prepare for 2011 season.”

The 42-year-old Grimes had three All-SEC picks this season on a line that helped the Tigers set the single-season school records for points and total offense for a second consecutive year.

But the Tigers face a substantial challenge up front in 2011, with four seniors who combined for 165 starts graduating. The majority of Auburn’s returning linemen will be freshmen or sophomores.

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NOTE: Here's the list of early entries to the NFL draft. Auburn WR Darvin Adams is not on it, but apparently it's unofficial at this point.

Special section: Auburn's season to remember

The Ledger-Enquirer ran a special section today to commemorate Auburn's first football national championship since 1957. In case you didn't get your copy today -- and I hear it's got a bunch of snazzy photos and extra stuff -- here are my stories from it.

Also, there are links to a column from Guerry Clegg and the trophy viewing in Columbus on Saturday:

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