Three Tigers are walk-ons no more.
Auburn head coach Gus Malzahn awarded three walk-on players with scholarships Monday evening during a team meeting, as shown on the Auburn football Instagram.
The recipient were defensive back Devin Guice, wide receiver James Owens Moss and H-back Spencer Nigh, the latter of which was recognized for his scholarship given earlier in the year. The three additions push Auburn’s scholarship players to the full 85, as limited by the NCAA.
Guice hails from Opelika, just down the road from Auburn. He’s been on the team since 2016 but didn’t see action until 2017, when he played defensive back in two games. He continued with the action last season facing Alabama State, Liberty and Purdue in the Music City bowl. He’s totaled four tackles in his Auburn career.
Owens is also a native of Opelika, where he rushed more than 1,700 yards in his high school career. Since his arrival at Auburn he’s only played in the 2018 season. He first saw the field against Alabama State, then Liberty and Purdue in Auburn’s bowl game.
Nigh, a native Texan, is entering his final year at Auburn. Nigh played three games as a freshman before becoming a consistent fixture in the offense. In 2017 he played fullback in 10 of the Tigers' 14 games, whereas last season Nigh became the backup H-back and played every game.
“Really, there’s five to six guys that are deserving of the scholarship that we’re not going to be able to give a scholarship to,” Malzahn said in the video. “You scholarship guys — I really want you to have appreciation. Not just for the guys we're able to put on scholarship, but the guys you all know who has been a great teammate, a great scout team person, always there.”
Auburn starts its season Aug. 31 against Oregon in Arlington, Texas.
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Mattison Allen is a senior from Springville, Ala. She's majoring in public relations communications with the goal of becoming a sports information director one day.
