There is a new kid in town for the Auburn Tigers.
The Auburn roster welcomed a hometown kicker who recently graduated from Auburn High School and signed with the Tigers in December. Freshman kicker Towns McGough made his Auburn debut on Saturday in the team’s A-Day contest.
McGough sealed the offense’s victory on Saturday with a 58-yard field goal, securing a narrow 28-27 lead for the Auburn offense just as the clock expired.
“Towns just acted like it was kind of a normal thing and had zero issues with any nerves or timing,” said Auburn head coach Hugh Freeze of McGough’s performance. “He seemed very, very calm and didn't get sped up in his motions.”
McGough’s roots in Auburn run deep, and perhaps his lack of nerves came from his familiarity with A-Day and Jordan-Hare Stadium, having grown up participating in Punt, Pass and Kick competitions during A-Day halftimes, immersing himself in the energy of the stadium from a young age.
“The moments I remember were when I competed in the punt and pass competitions when I was a kid,” McGough said. “Third grade, fourth grade, fifth grade I got to be on the field at halftime at A-Day games as a kid. But, to actually get to be on the field today and actually compete was a feeling like no other.”
With Auburn’s first string kicker Alex McPherson out with a hamstring injury, McGough got the A-Day start where made all of his attempted field goals (7-for-7) and kicked an extra point. Of the offense’s 28 points, 22 were scored by McGough. His two longest field goals were a 58-yard kick to end the game and a 49-yard kick in the third quarter.
“I don't praise the specialists enough,” Freeze said. “If you get to a field goal kicking contest like today, I think we have a pretty good chance if it goes kicker on kicker because we've got two of the best.”
Despite his performance, it is unclear whether McGough will see significant playing time come the fall, with McPherson’s return from injury expected soon. McPherson did not miss a kick last season, going 13-for-13 on field goals and 40-for-40 on PAT attempts. He holds the Auburn record for consecutive made field goals at 19.
“I really came here to learn from (McPherson). With him nursing his hamstring right now, I had to step up and do my part,” McGough said. “I'm super glad that Coach Freeze and Coach (Tanner) Burns trust me to do that role right now, and we'll see how it goes. But, whether it's redshirt or not, he's a fantastic kicker to learn from.”
As the season unfolds, McGough's performance will be one to watch, whether he takes the field or continues to learn from the sidelines.
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Grace Heim is a junior from Enterprise, Alabama, majoring in English Literature. She started with The Plainsman in January 2023.
