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(01/18/15 2:30pm)
The Auburn University Medical Clinic will put into effect a new digital system of immunization record keeping that will be fully operable in the fall 2015 semester, according to John Adams, practice manager.
"We're trying to make the system of record keeping more efficient," Adams said. "The current system involves the transferring of paper and hand written documentation that can lead to errors. The new system not only will decrease errors but will also allow students to log on to their online account to access their records should they need a copy at any time."
According to Adams, the new software is encrypted with codes that prevent the input of incorrect information.
"For example, in fields where alpha characters belong, the system will block users from entering numerical data," Adams said.
Adams said the new system will be available this spring 2015 semester; however, the system will not be completely functional for student use until fall 2015.
"We're going to start out slow and then we'll be in full swing by fall 2015," Adams said.
The digital system is a product of a healthcare software company called Med+Pass that specializes in and is equipped to guard the privacy of students with firewalls and other features including confirmation texts, according to Adams.
"One of the first questions we were asked when we proposed the new system was how well the system would protect the privacy of students' records," Adams said. "People will probably think this system is too safe."
"We could use a cloud-based technology platform to process forms that would have previously been mailed in by incoming students," Med-Pass representative Jim Wills said.
Magan Hamner, marketing coordinator for the Med Clinic, said the implementation of the new system would come at no cost to students.
"The Medical Clinic bills students for the services they use during visits directly," Hamner said. "Funding for projects such as this come from the Medical Clinic's independent budget."
According to Adams and Hamner, incoming fall 2015 student immunization records will be processed free of the old paper transfer system.
Fred Kam, medical director, said the system is innovative.
"The majority of universities are currently not using a system like this," Kam said. "We always want to be on the cutting edge of technology. The new software is more user-friendly and customer-focused with its ability to eliminate steps in the transfer of student information."
(02/25/15 6:19pm)
With 2,336 yards, 26 touchdowns and a Heisman ceremony to his name, the talent of Melvin Gordon is likely no secret to Auburn fans.
Gordon receives just under 24 carries per game and will most certainly be priority one for interim defensive coordinator Charlie Harbison and the Auburn defense.
But the Big 10 runner ups aren't a one-horse show.
With the Outback Bowl lingering just a few short days away, here are four other Badgers Auburn fans should keep an eye on:
Joel Stave
2014 has been a bit of an enigma for Joel Stave.
A productive starter a year ago, the junior quarterback's season got off to a rocky start when he was benched prior to the Badgers' opener against LSU with a case of the "yips."
A "mental block" cost Stave four games before he regained the starting job from Tanner McEvoy in Week 5 against Northwestern.
Even after he regained the starter's job, the junior quarterback has struggled, completing just 53.6 percent of his passes and failing to top 225 passing yards in a single game this season. Each of Wisconsin's losses with Stave under center saw the quarterback toss three interceptions (Northwestern, Ohio State).
Despite the initial struggles, Wisconsin won its final seven games of the regular season with Stave at the helm, and the junior threw just one interception in that span.
With the dynamic backfield of Gordon and Corey Clement at his side, Stave is clearly the secondary option in the Badgers' offense.
If Auburn can jump out to an early lead, it could force Stave into uncomfortable situations, and possibly more turnovers.
Michael Caputo
The Badgers spent a large portion of 2014 ranked in the top 10 in most major defensive categories.
A 59-0 drubbing against Ohio State in the Big 10 Championship Game did damage to those statistics, but the consistency of players such as junior safety Michael Caputo helped make this a top 16 unit in all four major defensive categories (scoring, passing, rushing and total defense).
Caputo leads the Badgers with 99 total tackles on the season and is considered a "glue" guy in the Badgers secondary.
The Badgers' secondary has just four interceptions on the season, but solidarity from Caputo and the rest of the defensive backs has the Badgers ranked No. 5 nationally in pass defense, allowing just 164.3 yards per game.
Derek Landisch
One of the biggest question marks facing Wisconsin coming into the season was replacing 2013 Big Ten defensive player of the year Chris Borland.
While it may not be possible to replicate Borland, senior linebacker Derek Landisch has stepped in admirably in 2014, leading the team in sacks with eight. Landisch also sits just a half tackle for loss shy of the team lead at 15.
The Badgers will be faced with the tough task of stopping the SEC leading rusher Cameron Artis-Payne alongside the dynamic Nick Marshall and Corey Grant.
Last time out, the Badgers allowed Ohio State to rush for 301 yards as a team. Landisch is certain to be a key to Wisconsin if they plan to regroup.
Vince Biegel
It's difficult to choose between Biegel and fellow linebacker Marcus Trotter for the final spot, but we'll give the edge to Biegel for his more than memorable hair.
Biegel's already impressive mullet has been accented with the Chevrolet logo ahead of the Outback Bowl. But this linebacker is more than just the hair flair.
(12/13/14 6:32pm)
The hunt for Will Muschamp kept the Auburn fanbase on the edge of its seat for 13 days.
Rumors swirled of a potential head coaching job at Houston or even taking over as defensive coordinator at South Carolina.
But in the end, it wasn't a tough decision for Muschamp on where he'd be coaching in 2015.
"This is a very easy decision for us to have the opportunity to come back to Auburn, which we think is a very special place," Muschamp said. "We're certainly back to be a part of the family."
The decision may have been easy, but Muschamp is now tasked with revamping a defense that allowed more than 30 points in the final six SEC games this season.
The Tigers are 61st in the nation in total defense this season and finished 87th nationally in 2013, creating a perception that it's difficult to field a top-tier defense alongside a "Hurry Up, No Huddle" offense.
Muschamp, whose defenses ranked in the top 10 nationally during five years as a SEC defensive coordinator, dismissed this notion, stating that the difference in plays is not as vast as some believe.
"Last year at Auburn, they averaged 72 plays per game offensively," Muschamp said. "At the University of Florida, we averaged 70. There's a huge difference sometimes between perception and reality."
An area of focus for Muschamp will be along the defensive line. The Tigers are 95th nationally in total sacks this season and allowed 197 rushing yards per game in their final six conference games.
Muschamp complimented the strength of Auburn's front seven, and said he is looking forward to working with a number of players he recruited at Florida.
"Especially in this division, you better win the line of scrimmage, or you're not going to have a chance," Muschamp said. "So in terms of that, you've got to be able to stop the run."
From a coaching standpoint, Muschamp said little has changed in the seven years since he left The Plains.
"From the standpoint of basic fundamentals, we're never going to change," Muschamp said. "Give me great effort, have a great attitude when you get on the field and give me great energy."
Head coach Gus Malzahn said Muschamp was the perfect fit for the position, hitting "all the above" in their search criteria.
"After I decided to make a change, my goal was to go out there and get the best defensive coordinator in the country," Malzahn said. "I also wanted a class guy. A true professional. Will fit all of the above."
Malzahn singled out Muschamp's energy as a defining characteristic of his coaching style.
"I love his energy," Malzahn said. "You know, I'm an energy guy, too. I was really wanting someone who had great energy and intensity to really have that defense take on his personality."
The dynamic between Malzahn and Muschamp will be interesting considering the latter's recent stint as a head coach in the SEC.
That said, Muschamp said he is merely considered with winning championships, no matter if it's as a head coach or a coordinator.
"It's not about being a head coach," Muschamp said. "I'd rather be defensive coordinator at Auburn and have a chance to win championships."
(11/20/14 10:00pm)
There are a lot of classic Christmas movies and shows that have been adapted into plays over the years, like A Christmas Carol and Rudolph the Red nosed Reindeer. The Auburn Area Community Theater has chosen to do the play It's a Wonderful Life, adapted from the 1946 movie.
Unlike other Christmas movies however, It's a Wonderful Life has a darker part of the storyline when the main character, George Bailey, contemplates committing suicide by jumping off of a bridge.
"He's an ordinary man from a small town in New York and he's had big dreams from a young age where he wants to get out of town and see the world and do great things, but just events in his life keep him in town and eventually he feels like he has failed by not achieving his dreams," said Ashley Hansana, assistant director of the play. "He gets pretty depressed and decides that he wishes he had never been born."
At just the right time, an angel is sent down to show Bailey what the world would be like if he weren't there, if he had never been born, to show him how important he actually is, Hansana said.
The cast for the play is 21 people, six of which are children.
"We haven't actually talked to the children too much about that topic," Hansana said. "The children did not rehearse with us on the darker scenes."
Hansana said they portray the scene when George is contemplating taking his life by having him standing on the bridge looking over the edge as if he were about to jump, but he doesn't because the angel arrives.
Too offset the darker part of the play, the cast has added some humor of their own.
"We've found little spots that might not have been written in the script that we are trying to kind of make it more lighthearted to balance that all out," said Keith McDow, an actor playing four different characters in the play. "There are some pretty intense serious moments, you try to kind of throw some humor in there when you can and lighten in up."
Teressa Morbidelli, superintendent angel in the show, said that the moment with Bailey on the bridge is portrayed as more of an "I wish I'd never been born," moment instead of him having thoughts of suicide.
"It's a very good spring board for them to work of off for you know, life will get hard but that you never give up on it," Morbidelli said about the children learning about that moment in the play.
Morbidelli's character shows the other angel all about Bailey's life, with flashbacks of his past.
"An individuals life may not seem very significant to them, but you don't always realize the impact you might have on those around you," McDow said about the underlying message of the play.
McDow said that he thinks the story itself became a Christmas classic because it is set in that time period, but that the message it has could be just as powerful any time of the year.
Hansana said that the play is a family story and suitable for children.
The cast has already performed the play a few times, and they will have a show at 7 p.m. November 20-22, and November 23rd at 2:00 p.m. Tickets can be purchased here.
(11/20/14 4:00pm)
The confident, but nervous 6-year-old quietly observed from the side of the pool as girls swam butterfly at her first summer league swim practice.
Aubrey Peacock didn't know any swimming techniques or breathing pattern, so when shehopped in the pool and beat everyone in a butterfly race, her mother didn't know what to think.
"Aubrey had never been taught to do butterfly, she watched somebody do it," said her mother, Susan Peacock.
Her strong kicks and quick strokes made it look like she had been swimming for a long time.
Aubrey half jokes with her mom about having a sixth sense that allows her to have an unusually close connection with her body that most people don't.
"I'm very visual," Aubrey said. "If I watch someone do something, I'm able to digest it and do it."
It's an ability you cannot teach, according to Susan.
"She had a very good mind and body connection from a very young age because she could literally just watch something and recreate it in the water," Susan said. "With her, she can just watch it and do it."
Aubrey and her mother believe her body awareness came from swimming and her medical problems.
An autonomic nervous system disorder that caused her to lose consciousness taught her how to read her body the most when she was young, Peacock said.
A broken pinky, torn quad and fractured spine taught Aubrey how to push herself to an edge she knows will not hurt her.
"I think I know my body so well, I kind of know exactly where the line is that you can push it, and there is a time where you can cross the line," Aubrey said. "I think I am really good at determining when I get to that line. I know when I'm pushing myself too hard, and I know when I'm not pushing myself hard enough."
The 2012 U.S. Olympic Trials qualifier was also born with a heart defect that required doctors to open up her pulmonary valve when she was an infant.
After heart surgery, Peacock had to have regular checkups every five years. Doctors discovered an electrical problem in her heart called Wolf-Parkinson syndrome on a checkup when she was 13.
The bleach blonde with a chip on her shoulder started swimming because she did not like sports that made her sweat.
The Georgia native's passion for the sport grew when she moved to Jacksonville, Florida. There, she started swimming for the Bolles School swimming and diving team, a program that has won more state championships and more consecutive championships than any other team in the history of Florida swimming.
After four years at Bolles, she spent her first two years of eligibility at the University of Arizona. Because of a coaching change, she transferred to Auburn in 2012.
"The new coach that we got (at Arizona), our values just didn't align," Aubrey said.
Auburn head coach Brett Hawke said she came in with a really positive attitude, and wanted to be a role model and leader right away.
"She came in a little hesitant, but she came in with the idea that she was going to set a great example from the get go and prove herself as a leader," Hawke said.
Peacock did not let the bad times at Arizona frustrate her, and made All-American six times in college.
She loved competing for Auburn with her teammates, but her most cherished time in the water was the years she competed in the United States Olympic Trials, and qualified in 2012.
"That was something I can never duplicate," Peacock said. "That was just amazing. If I could swim on Team USA every year, and make the team every year, I would. That is probably what kept me going."
Peacock considered the idea of swimming after graduation, but figured it was time to find a job.
Memories of when she swam in a warm-up lane with Michael Phelps, the most decorated Olympian of all time, and chatted by the pool with Ryan Lochte, 11-time Olympic medalist, made it a difficult decision to hang up the torch.
She said she would miss the competitive spirit that came with swimming the most.
"When you're on a college team or Team USA, it just adds a different component to it," Aubrey said. "It just adds so much to the sport."
Aubrey said she will also miss proving people wrong, such as the doctors who told her she would need several months to heal from her spinal fracture. She cut the time in half.
"I'm one of those people that when you tell me I can't do something, I'm like 'Watch me,'" Aubrey said.
Aubrey said she still gets in the pool once a week, and still hangs around the Auburn swimming and diving team. She works 20 hours a week for the Auburn athletics department to keep her fifth-year scholarship.
"I work with the captains," Aubrey said. "I was captain last year, so whatever they need, I kind of understand it. I help out with that and recruiting. I still hang out with all the teammates. You become family."
After she graduates in December with a business marketing degree, she said she wants to do marketing for television.
"I would love to work for SEC Network, ESPN, Time Warner, Fox, pretty much anything that has to do with television I am really passionate about," Aubrey said. "The way you can use a program to market to the consumer and attract them to your program. I think that's really cool."
Aubrey went to her first summer league practice where she swam butterfly for the first time because a friend invited her.
Her friend ended up quitting, but Aubrey stayed with it, and found out something about herself, something rare. Swimming taught her a constant awareness of how she feels, both physically and mentally.
"I think the deal is your looking at this certain level of swimmer, and to get to that level most of them have had to have a great amount of body awareness," Susan said. "Obviously there are ones that have more than others. I think they just learn to know what their body needs, and they get better if they know how to do that."
(11/18/14 8:39am)
For one half Tuesday morning, Bruce Pearl and the Auburn Tigers went toe-to-toe with the Colorado Buffaloes, a 2014 NCAA Tournament team.
But then the second half started.
The Tigers' (1-1) shooting went cold in the second half in Boulder, Colorado, where Auburn picked up its first loss of the Pearl era, 90-59.
After shooting 39 percent from the field in the first half of this midnight matchup, the Tigers' shot just 18.2 percent in the final half of play.
Auburn pulled within two on a KC Ross-Miller jumper just 20 seconds into the second half, and then had several opportunities to either tie or take the lead from Colorado (2-0).
But the Buffaloes countered, ending the game on a 38-13 run over the final 12 minutes and stifling the Tigers to the tune of three field goals over that span.
Colorado took control of the game while Auburn missed 17 consecutive field goal attempts and cruised to a comfortable 31-point victory.
Without the presence of fellow scorer Antoine Mason, KT Harrell led the Tigers with 20 points, but struggled shooting the ball, going 5-of-17 (29 percent) from the field.
Cinmeon Bowers recorded a double-double with 11 points and 13 rebounds, his second in two career games for the Tigers.
However, the former JUCO transfer struggled shooting the ball against the Bufaloes' lengthy frontcourt, limiting his field goal percentage.
Colorado's size advantage led to a 46-35 rebounding advantage and a 42-24 edge in points in the paint.
Auburn will look to move above .500 on Friday, Nov. 21 when they'll welcome the Louisiana-Lafayette Rajin' Cajuns (1-1) to the Auburn Arena. Tipoff is scheduled for 8 p.m. CT.
(11/15/14 2:35am)
The Auburn swimming and diving team faced Tennessee and Louisville at the Allan Jones Intercollegiate Aquatic Center in Knoxville, Tennessee Friday.
The women's team (6-0-1, 3-0-1 SEC) kept its winning streak alive as they opened the meet with a second-place finish in the 200 medley relay (1:40.35).
The men topped Tennessee 157-143, but fell to Louisville, 171-129, while the women tied Tennessee with 150 apiece and defeated Louisville, 185-114.
The women continued their run as sophomore Ashley Neidigh won the women's 1000 free with a personal-best time of 9:44.82. Freshman Valerie Hull earned a win in the 200 free, touching in at a season-best 1:49.58. Junior Jillian Vitarius posted a time of 54.54 to win the 100 back. Junior Alexandria Merritt finished second in the women's 200 fly (1:59.17), and sophomore Kristen Murslack took third (1:59.84) for the Tigers. Junior Carly Scheper had a strong showing on the 1-meter. She posted a score of 270.00. Senior Shanna Schuelein took third (265.40). Senior Megan Fonteno took second in the 100 fly (54.14) followed by Merritt, who placed third (54.34). Neidigh picked up her second win of the day with a time of 4:28.22 in the 500 free. Junior Annie Lazor finished third in the 200 IM with a time of 2:02.40, her best time of the season in the event. Auburn's women took second in the 200 FR (1:30.86).
For the men's (3-2, 3-0 SEC), they took second in the 200 MR with a 1:28.72. Sophomore Joe Patching won the 200 free with a time of 1:37.16, the 200 IM with a time of 1:46.60 and second in the 200 back (1:44.02). Senior Alex Hancock claimed second in the men's 200 fly (1:48.30), just edging junior Arthur Mendes (1:48.31) who finished third. Sophomore Kyle Darmody took second in the men's 50 free with a time of 20.25.
In diving, McKean placed second in the men's 1-meter competition with a 344.55, while junior Justin Youtsey finished third with a score of 339.55. Women's senior Cinzia Calabretta won the 3-meter springboard vs. Tennessee and Louisville with a score of 296.90. McKean earned the win in the 3-meter competition, taking first with a score of 413.40.
Auburn will compete next at the Georgia Invitational in Athens, Georgia on Dec. 5-7. The Tigers' divers will compete next at the Georgia Tech Diving Invite on Nov. 20-22 in Atlanta, Georgia.
(11/13/14 2:30pm)
Since Auburn's unexpected loss to Texas A&M, it seems the majority of national coverage is declaring our luck has run out.
"Auburn's luck runs out versus Texas A&M," an ESPN headline announced.
"It's as if karma has caught up to No. 3 Auburn after the prayer at Jordan-Hare," said Jon Solomon, national college football writer.
"The string of victories was already unnatural," wrote Dan Wolken with USA Today wrote.
The word luck has become closely associated with Auburn football over the past few years.
There have been moments of luck, such as last year's game against Georgia.
It was lucky the ball deflected into the hands of Ricardo Louis, allowing him to score the game-winning touchdown.
Even then, the team traned for long passes and that training paid off after the deflecion.
However, saying every close game Auburn has won is the result of luck is a disservice to the team and coaching staff.
In the 2013 Iron Bowl, Chris Davis returned a missed field goal to win the game. While the play was difficult to achieve, it was practiced. Coach Gus Malzahn even called a timeout before the play to put Davis, the team's usual punt returner, in as the return man instead of defensive back Ryan Smith.
Auburn's coaching staff has put in hard work to get the team to where it is now. It's important to remember that two years ago, in the 2012 season, the Tigers were 3-9. In a single year under Malzahn, we were SEC champions.
This year, we've lost twice already, yet we're still in the top 10 and are the highest ranked two-loss team in the nation.
Luck plays no part in Auburn having one of the best offensive lines in the country.
Luck didn't give Cameron Artis-Payne 1,190 rushing yards on 208 carries, making him the top rusher in the conference.
Luck didn't make Auburn the top rushing offense nationally in 2013, and it certainly wasn't what put Tre Mason in New York City for the Heisman Trophy ceremony.
This year the media seems to be on the edge of their seats, watching anxiously for Auburn to lose and break this unnatural string of miracles.
We have lost, twice, and each time because of mistakes that could have easily been avoided.
Wolken claimed a majority of Auburn fans will say we lost the Texas A&M game because our luck ended, when most fans have said we lost because our defense couldn't tackle and gave up too many points to recover from.
Any good team in the top level of college football is going to need a bit of luck to be champions.
A fumble recovery is lucky. Two seasons of remaining in the top 10, despite losses, is not luck. It's hard work and dedication.
It's long days of practice over scorching summers and nights of film study after hard defeats.
It's our players and our coaches that have determined their place in college football, not Lady Luck.
(10/28/14 10:10pm)
Head coach Gus Malzahn talked about a stout Ole Miss defense on his 49th birthday at his weekly press conference Tuesday.
It will be the first ever meeting of top-10 teams in Oxford, Mississippi as Auburn (6-1, 3-1 SEC) takes on Ole Miss (7-1, 4-1 SEC) Saturday at 6 p.m.
The Rebels' defense has scored almost as many touchdowns as they have allowed this season.
"I would say it's the best defense that Ole Miss has had that I've went against, and they've had some good ones when I was a coordinator here before," Malzahn said. "They're extremely fast. They're very good up front, and they've got speed everywhere. I think they are good tacklers. This is one of the better defenses in the entire country. No doubt about that."
Ole Miss leads the nation in scoring defense and has given up a nation low eight touchdowns.
They lead the nation with 17 interceptions. Senior Senquez Golson is tied for the lead with eight.
The Rebels are the only school in the nation that hasn't allowed an opponent to score more than 20 points. They limited the last Alabama offense in Vaught-Hemingway Stadium to just 10 total points.
The defense ranks second nationally with 24 turnovers, and holds the longest streak of consecutive games forcing at least one turnover (31).
"Their defense does an excellent job of making offenses execute on a consistent basis, which is extremely hard to do," Malzahn said. "They don't give up a lot of big plays, and they do a good job of keeping things in front of them. The big thing to me is they get turnovers."
Ole Miss defensive end Marquis Haynes is only 1.5 sacks behind former South Carolina standout Jadeveon Clowney for the SEC freshman sacks record and leads the SEC with three forced fumbles this year, while junior cornerback Mike Hilton is tied for fourth in the SEC with three interceptions.
"That's got to be a focus of ours, protecting the football," Malzahn said. "It will be a big factor in the game."
Defensive tackle Robert Nkemdiche has started every game this year for the Rebels. The sophomore may not have intimidating stats, but he can draw consistent double-teams and be another way to hurt the Tigers' offense.
"Great player," senior center Reese Dismukes said. "I think he is up to his game this year. I think he is playing with more of an edge. We're going to have to be on our 'A game.'"
It will be an SEC West battle continued as Auburn's high-powered offense and a fierce Rebels' defense look to clinch a spot in the College Football Playoff.
"There are a lot of good defensive lines in this league and they're definitely up there with the best of them," Dismukes said. "They do a lot of good stuff. They play with an edge, and they have fun out there. I think that is one of the things they do well."
(10/26/14 11:55pm)
A successful night from quarterback Nick Marshall usually means a win for Auburn.
The Tigers' (42-35) victory over South Carolina Saturday night at Jordan-Hare stadium confirmed that.
When a big play needed to be made, the senior shined.
"It felt like last year," Marshall said. "But that was last year, and I'm just going to focus on this year's team and getting better."
The signal caller's 228 yards of total offense against the Gamecocks moved him into seventh place on the school's career list with 4,728 yards of total offense.
Marshall was the definition of a dual-threat quarterback in an offensive shootout against opposing quarterback Dylan Thompson, who threw for five touchdowns against the Tigers.
The Tigers' signal caller ran for three touchdowns. His 89 rushing yards on the night put him second in Auburn career quarterback rushing with 1,649 yards.
Marshall, who has had some inconsistencies through the air, threw for 139 total passing yards and a touchdown. He completed 12 of his 14 passes and had no interceptions.
"He played extremely well tonight," head coach Gus Malzahn said. "He's got a pretty good record from the last two years, considering how many ranked opponents we've played. He's played as many if not more ranked opponents than any other quarterback out there right now."
A touchdown pass to senior Brandon Fulse to tie the Gamecocks in the first quarter was the beginning for the elusive quarterback. It was Fulse's first career touchdown.
"I was thinking, 'no one's ripping it out and I'm not dropping it,' Fulse said. "I wanted to catch it and no matter what I was going to do."
By Halftime, Marshall had a rushing and a passing touchdown. He also caught a 17-yard pass from junior backup Jonathan Wallace for a first down on a trick play in the second quarter.
"They were playing man to man," Malzahn said. "That's a play we've had up and running for the last month and we've repped it 50 times so we felt pretty confident. That was a big third down play."
Auburn down again in the second quarter, Marshall tied things up with a 37-yard rush up the middle to make it 21-21 heading into the locker room. It was the longest run by an Auburn player against South Carolina since Cam Newton had a 54-yard rush in the regular-season meeting in 2010.
"I just felt it naturally," Marshall said. "I just read the block the offensive line gave me, then I just let my legs do the rest."
Strong running from freshman Roc Thomas and senior Cameron Artis-Payne, and a 24-yard catch from Fulse in the third quarter put the Tigers in scoring position. Marshall called his own number once again, and dashed four-yards to the end zone to put Auburn up 28-21.
Marshall's third rushing touchdown that put the Tigers up 42-35 came early in the fourth quarter after completions for over 48 yards to seniors Quan Bray and Corey Grant.
"Going into the game, we knew it was going to be a shootout," Marshall said. "We knew we were going to get South Carolina's best effort on the offense and defense so we just prepared for the shootout."
Continued development from Marshall is what the Tigers need to overcome a tough second half of the season. More performances like Saturday nights can keep a team that is in the toughest division in the playoff race.
"It feels great because we got back to playing Auburn football," Marshall said. "Last week during the bye week we went back to the basics and focused on getting our edge back on offense."
(10/26/14 2:54am)
In a back-and-forth game, Auburn was able to make big plays in clutch situations to come away with the victory over South Carolina 42-35.
With the Tigers leading by a touchdown, South Carolina was driving inside the Auburn redzone, seemingly destined to tie the score.
But Auburn's defense held strong, as they forced the Gamecocks to turn the ball over on downs with 5:28 remaining.
The Tigers were then able to run down the clock and stop a last minute South Carolina drive with an interception in the endzone.
"It went down to the very end," head coach Gus Malzahn said. "There was a lot of adversity that we faced and our guys found a way to win."
The two teams combined for 1,086 yards, but they did their damage in different ways.
Auburn's offense was paced by the running game, as the Tigers ran for 395 yards, while South Carolina leaned on the passing game, throwing for 416 yards.
"We went into this thing feeling like we needed to run the ball," Malzahn said. "We felt like we could have success with the read zone, which we did."
Cameron Artis-Payne led the Auburn attack with 167 yards and a touchdown, averaging 6.7 yards-per-carry.
"(Artis-Payne) was patient in the zone read and he was just hitting the holes how he was supposed to," quarterback Nick Marshall said.
Marshall also added 89 on the ground and three touchdowns, as well as 139 passing yards and a touchdown.
For South Carolina, Dylan Thompson's 402 yards and five touchdowns fueled the offense, and Mike Davis also added 88 yards on the ground.
After looking out-of-sync against Mississippi State, the Auburn offense finally looked like the offense of a season ago.
The Tigers put together scoring drives of 92, 93, and 88 yards, as they were able to find a rhythm in Gus Malzahn's hurry-up offense.
"We were back to playing Auburn football," Marshall said. "In the bye week, we went back to the basics and focused on getting our edge back."
The Tigers were 6-8 on third down, and they were only forced to punt on the first and last drives of the game.
The Auburn defense could not match the play of the offense though, as they forced South Carolina to punt only once. Malzahn is confident that they will improve though.
"Our defense has played well up to this point and we'll correct it and get better," Malzahn said.
While Auburn held South Carolina to 5-13 on third down, the Gamecocks were able to convert on 5 of 6 fourth-down conversions, keeping key drives alive.
"They made it just about every time," Malzahn said. "It was frustrating being on the other sideline."
The Gamecocks' offensive success can be attributed to Steve Spurrier though, who Malzahn has much respect for.
"Their coach is one of the better coaches to ever walk the sidelines," Malzahn said. "I think you saw that with the fourth down calls and the tricks plays tonight."
(10/23/14 6:00pm)
In his first season on the Plains, true freshman defensive back Nick Ruffin has already made his presence felt with the Tigers.
With Justin Garrett moving back to linebacker, Ruffin now sits at No. 2 on the depth chart at the star positon behind senior Robenson Therezie.
"(Ruffin) has a lot of the same skills that Therezie has," said defensive coordinator Ellis Johnson. "He's a natural DB. The biggest thing he's had to improve on right now is the big receivers stock blocking him out in space or coming off the edge and having to take on a running back on a blitz or an outside run play. He's kind of got DB skill sets, and he's looked very comfortable out there."
Just because he's a backup doesn't mean Ruffin hasn't made a significant contribution to the Auburn defense. The true freshman has seen time on the field in all six games this season, recording five tackles and two pass breakups.
Cornerbacks coach Melvin Smith said he appreciates the way Ruffin approaches the game and the passion he brings to the field.
Smith also said Ruffin is one of the most important players in his recruiting class, and Auburn knew it wanted him wearing orange and blue for a long time.
"We had coaches on the staff who had a connection with him since he was a ninth grader," Smith said. "He came down here, and he liked what coach Malzahn and all the coaches were about. He committed early. To me, he's one of the most critical guys in the class because he was a guy everybody wanted, but he chose us before we did anything (on the field)."
Malzahn agreed with Smith.
"(Ruffin is) one of the top corners on our board early on, and coach Melvin Smith and coach Dameyune Craig did a great job of recruiting him," Malzahn said. "He's long, he's athletic and he's got very good ball skills and high character. We're really excited about Nick."
Since his arrival, Malzahn has taken notice of his on-field contributions in the defensive backfield.
"He's got some natural football instincts," Malzahn said. "Sometimes freshmen come in with bright eyes, and he really wasn't that way. You could see he was real confident when he would get out there. He's a very good tackler. We think he's got a chance to be a real special player."
The star position is fairly new to Ruffin, but safeties coach Charlie Harbison said he is confident Ruffin can thrive there.
"He can already do things that Therezie did last year," Harbison said.
"Really athletic, really smart, gym rat, loves the game," Smith said. "He has the right kind of spirit."
(10/14/14 6:00pm)
What was a hipster move has turned into a mainstream trend. Contrary to popular belief, the hipster style is more than flannel, flower crowns and high-waist shorts.
"I would define a hipster as someone that makes it a personal goal not to be the norm," said Sarah Hagale, senior in graphic design.
She said she believes the stereotypical hipster style includes statement pieces such as thick-rimmed glasses, flannel, skinny jeans and graphic tees.
"I think some people think that it's trying too hard," Hagale said. "I really think it's just people expressing themselves."
Hagale said she would not consider herself a hipster, and that her closet consists of a limited color palette of black, blue, white and grey.
"I appreciate a good hipster," Hagale said, "but I don't think any hipster would call themselves a hipster."
Hagal said she recognizes the hipster trend is one that has recently become popular and goes against what she would define as a hipster. Hagale encourages students to be themselves.
"I would encourage other students to dress the way they feel comfortable," Hagale said. "You shouldn't be so affected by a trend that you think about it more than important things."
Chandler Roberds, senior in human development and family studies, works at Wake Up Coffee Company.
"I see a lot of the weird haircuts and facial hair like rugged and unkempt beards and mustaches," Roberds said.
According to Roberds, a hipster is "an individual that is wanting to be ahead of the mainstream." He describes the hipster style as trendy, independent, cutting edge and going against the grain.
In addition to the haircuts and facial hair, Roberds said he sees a lot of thrift-store bought clothing and skinny jeans, which he believes to be part of the hipster trend.
Although he said he is definitely not a hipster, Roberds said he recognizes it is a current trend.
"Maybe it's because it's new and we tend to gravitate toward new styles and clothes," Roberds said. "And it's cheaper."
Pamela Ulrich, professor in consumer and design sciences, teaches fashion from the 1910s to the present.
"I would think (hipster) is a word that has been used in different ways over time," Ulrich said.
According to Ulrich, in the 1940s, musicians' style was described as being hipster. In the 60s, popular hip-hugging pants defined hipster style. Recently, the hipster style is related to urban lifestyle and associated with young people, according to Ulrich.
"Fashion is a style that is accepted at some point in time by a group of people," Ulrich said.
After researching what the modern hipster style consists of, Ulrich said, the trend looks like hipsters are trying to be anti-fashion.
She said she doesn't see her students dressed in what she believes to be their personal fashion.
As a professor, Ulrich said she does not influence what students wear.
"Nobody in our program encourages people to dress in a certain way," Ulrich said. "Our job is to analyze it."
Whether it fits into a trend or goes against the norm in true hipster fashion, individual style serves as another way for students to express themselves.
(09/25/14 3:02am)
The Paul Taylor Dance Company performed at the Opelika Center for the Performing Arts at 7:30p.m. on Sept. 24, 2014.
This was the opening night of the East Alabama Arts performance series season. Philip Preston, director of the program, has dubbed this season with a theme: The Stage is Set.
Prior to the performance, Preston sat at the edge of the stage and spoke to the audience on what he anticipates to be an exciting season.
"It takes a great community to have great arts," Preston said.
The performance soon began with a number called Arden Court. The focus of the stage for this portion was a large pink rose backdrop.
The performance began with six muscular men taking the stage in pastel speckled tights who were soon joined by female partners dressed in a similar fabric.
According to dancer, Michael Apuzzo, the athletic look is much of what attracted him to the company.
"I immediately fell in love with the athleticism and the artistry of the choreography," Apuzzo said.
This portion was largely couple-based and had a ballet emphasis.
Arden Court was followed by a break before the American Dreamer dancers took the stage.
This portion had a wider variety of styles of dance to offer. Dancers wore costumes of a similar loose-fitting style in neutral colors, but each were unique.
Props such as fans and bonnets were also used.
The music used in this number had lyrics, unlike Arden Court, which helped illustrate what was happening in each scene.
All songs were selected by Stephen Foster and sung by Thomas Hampton.
Finally, after intermission, came the part of the show named Company B.
This section was broken up into 10 distinct parts.
The first part was performed by the entire cast. The eight parts that followed kept only two or three dancers on stage at a time before the cast came back together for the last part, which was effectively the finale.
Every portion of Company B was meant to reflect the sentiments of Americans during World War II.
When dancer, Christina Lynch Markham, reflected on what made each dance so special. She points to Paul Taylor's artistry.
"It's the way that he plays with the music and uses the stage as his canvas that makes it a beautiful dance," Markham said.
(09/03/14 12:30am)
From kindergarten through high school, students learning English as a second language are usually separated in the classroom from native English speakers, but not by choice.
In a new program at Auburn University, teachers are developing curriculums designed to not only involve emerging and native English speakers together, but also instruct students in their primary language.
As immigrant populations continue to rise and the diversity of languages increases, English-centric curriculums are being questioned as limiting to, or not providing clear information for, English for speakers of other languages (ESOL)students.
While students will usually develop conversational English skills outside the classroom, their poor marks in school reflect on their inability to grasp new concepts taught to them in academic English, according to Jamie Harrison, associate professor of ESOL education.
Literacy and inquiry in the content areas, a graduate-level online course co-taught by professors Harrison and Vicki Cardullo, assigned both professors and students exercises. The exercises were meant to make them think about teaching ESOL students and communicating the lessons in ways they can understand.
"We didn't want to overload the student and make the content too difficult or too much, because it is basically two different contents: reading and English as a second language," Cardullo said. "For the most part, really, there was nothing that showed students how to develop an ESL stance in order to effectively teach them how to teach the students. This is cutting-edge for us."
Cardullo said attempting to prepare for every language is impossible.
Teaching ESOL students classroom skills and providing them with resources in their own native language is far more practical.
"If they're reading about science, it might not be that they don't understand the science content, it's the language that they have to maneuver through to get to the content that is the problem," said Kelly Hill, associate clinical professor of curriculum and teaching.
Hill said many teachers are not aware of the cause of their students learning delays.
"Many teachers don't really know what to do to help them," Hill said. "Many of them don't realize that it's not a cognitive issue, it's a language issue."
Hill, recent addition to the Auburn faculty, will be assuming Harrison's co-teaching position in reading and inquiry.
Harrison will head fundamentals of language and literacy instruction this fall.
In the spring of 2015, both will present Auburn's ESOL programs as part of a research panel on the reading development of bilingual students, hosted by ESOL Education in Ontario, Canada.
ESOL training at Auburn is already underway and in the process of expanding to all departments in the College of Curriculum and Teaching.
However, the programs do come with a price.
In order to accommodate the new program's place in the curriculum, other classes had to be cut or merged.
"It was a departmental decision," Cardullo said. "I think everyone on the faculty floor felt it was a hot topic looking in how we're preparing our teachers to help prepare our students."
Marti Dunaway, graduate student who took Harrison and Cardullo's class over the summer, called the experience "eye-opening."
"I had never even really thought about teaching kids English as a second language [before this class]," Dunaway said. "We all acquire language the same way, even if it's a new language. If an adult is learning English it's the same as a 3- year-old learning English."
Both classes are filled to capacity.
"All teachers, when they graduate here, will have the foundational understandings to work with the students right when they hit the door," Harrison said.
(09/02/14 10:00pm)
A new era is ready to take root at Toomer's Corner just in time for football season.
Phase one of the renovation project was completed on schedule, paving the way for planting the trees as part of phase two later in the year.
"The gates went down Sunday night before class started on Monday [Aug. 18]," said Ben Bermester, campus planner for Auburn's Facilities Management Office. "The next steps for the project will be the tree replacement. We plan to replace the two Oaks, probably in February of next year when in the dormant time for trees. It's the best time of year for transplanting them."
Bermester, design project lead for phase one of the project, said the most demanding aspect of the operation was removing 1,700 tons of contaminated soil from the northeastern corner of Samford Park.
Soil removal continued until the State Pesticide Reside Lab considered the soil acceptable for planting, going as deep as 6 feet in some places.
Tebuthiuron Spike 80DF, the herbicide used to poison the tree beds, also infected some trees along the edge of Samford Park where the circular seat wall now sits, which had to be removed.
While the soil has been deposited safely off-site, the corner is beginning to look like its former self, ensuring the successful growth of the future trees will take time and patience, especially during football season.
Horticulture professor Gary Keever, who also serves on the president-appointed Tree Preservation Committee, cautioned that anything from car accidents to unruly fans could disrupt the growing process.
"The rolling probably wouldn't harm it, but since 2010, the trees have been lit on fire at least twice, after Georgia in 2010 and in 2013 after the Alabama-A&M game," Keever said. "We have to have security and have education and make our fans aware that these trees are a valuable resource and we need to protect them. That doesn't mean that we can't roll them eventually, we just have to recognize that they won't be ready as soon as we put them in the ground."
The previous Toomer's trees were live oaks, a non-native species common throughout the Southeast, but respond to certain latitudes and climates, Keever said.
An adviser for the tree selection process, Keever said the committee narrowed its options to nursery-grown live oaks in central Georgia, South Carolina and near Birmingham, where the climate is most similar to Auburn's.
Despite much speculation, the offspring of the original Toomer's Oaks were eliminated from consideration early on.
"The Toomer's seedlings that we looked at had not been grown well," Keever said. "The ones that we were able to locate were not nursery grown. Nursery grown trees are pruned at a certain age so that they have a long, straight trunk, you get the branching that you want and the canopy will continue to grow. The quality just didn't warrant being placed back up there."
Dan King, associate Vice President of facilities management and one of the restoration project leaders, said there was no update on the tree selection process yet, but that phase one was "a good first step" to restoring the corner.
"I think the finished product looks great, I think the quality of the workmanship is excellent, [overall] I think it was a success," King said. "We're working on phase two and we'll share that with campus when it get finalized, but I think phase one went well and I think Auburn Nation will be pleased with phase two as well."
King said the selection should take place during the 2014 fall semester, with the planting taking place in the spring.
The trees are expected to be planted on the corner by the start of the 2015 football season.
In the meantime, the legacy of the Toomer's Oaks is producing unexpected benefits around campus.
"One of the great things that's come out of this is the greater awareness of the importance of trees on this campus," Keever said. "The University is currently having a landscape master plan prepared and it calls for greater tree protection measures. I don't know whether we could have gotten that beforehand. I think it's because of the importance of these trees."
(08/30/14 5:18pm)
The Auburn Tigers defeated the UC Irvine Anteaters 3-0 in their home opener Friday night at the Auburn Soccer Complex.
The Tigers were pumped and ready to take the field after waiting all summer according to sophomore Casie Ramsier said.
"It was awesome," Ramsier said. "I mean we were so pumped before the game. It was like the home opener. We've been waiting all of the summer and finally we got to it, so we were pretty pumped and ready."
Auburn's first goal came from senior Chelsea Gandy-Cromer, who scored off Ellie Leek's play from the corner kick seven minutes into the second half.
"I want to point out some things that we have kind of been stressing, especially in halftime," Gandy-Comer said. "That is just kind of be fearless in the box, own our box. We had corner after corner and Coach had just been stressing to get something on the end of it, I knew that I had it, and it bounced back, and I was just there and finished it."
Ten minutes later freshman Ellie Leek scored again off a play from freshman Kristen Dodson. It was Leek's first career goal for the Tigers.
"Kristen popped right up when I was on the edge of the box, and she played me like the perfect ball and I took the shot," Leek said. "I didn't even think that it went in, and then it hit the crossbar and went in. It was like a bit of a delayed reaction."
Sophomore Casie Ramsier would top off Auburn's victory with a third goal off a free kick played by junior Haley Gerken.
A productive Tiger defense held the Anteaters scoreless and only allowed their opponents one shot in the match.
"Defense wins championship games, so we are always going to keep that focus," Gandy-Comer said.
The loss they took to UC Irvine two years ago played a big role in Friday night's win, head coach Karen Hoppa said.
"For us, it was also about avenging our loss two years ago," Hoppa said. "We went out there and we lost 1-0, so that was a big factor as well."
Not having the season they wanted last year made starting out the home opener with a 3-0 win mean that much more , Hoppa said.
"We're excited about this group, and what you saw tonight that I think is really important is we have great depth," Hoppa said. "We're able to sub a lot deeper and that's a big difference especially this time of year when it's hot and everything. I think this team has loads of potential and I'm excited to see where we go."
The Tigers will face the Georgia Southern Eagles in the last match of the Tiger Classic on Sunday at 2:30 on SEC Network Plus.
(08/16/14 4:49am)
With only two weeks before the season opener, the offense is confident in Jeremy Johnson and Nick Marshall and both Johnson and Marshall are confident and ready to lead the team at quarterback.
Head coach Gus Malzahn has already announced that Marshall will not get the starting nod against Arkansas on Aug. 30. Since then Marshall has taken responsibility and put the work in to earn back the team's respect, according to senior tight end C.J. Uzomah.
"He's been tremendous," Uzomah said. "I think aside from Reese (Dismukes) who has been a four-year starter in this league and a huge leader on our team, I think that Nick is right next to him."
Marshall also has become much more vocal this fall and it has shown during practice and after practices.
"After practice we needed an extra pace period, which is the worst thing," Uzomah said. "And he said, 'yeah, we need another pace period, let's do two.' That just shows his drive and willingness to win."
Marshall knows how important those pace periods are to their hurry-up no huddle offense.
"The pace is what our edge is," Uzomah said. "That's what we thrive on. I think as far as a leadership standpoint, (Marshall) is back to where we want him to be."
Marshall has also been taking advantage of the free time before classes begin by getting extra reps in with the receivers and other quarterbacks outside of practices.
"He texts everyone," Uzomah said. "He has a group message where he'll text the receivers letting us know that we need to get out there and throw."
Johnson has also grown into more of a leadership role before his sophomore season.
"(Johnson) knows that we trust him," Uzomah said. "He knows where we're going to be. We know that he's going to put the ball where it needs to be. His connection with receivers has boosted his confidence tremendously."
Marshall isn't the only quarterback who has been speaking up at fall practices.
"If we drop a ball Jeremy will get on us to do it again and run the same play," Uzomah said. "He wants to make sure that we're clicking."
Although Johnson has become more vocal this year, Uzomah is even more impressed with his skills and abilities at quarterback.
"I think he could start anywhere else in the SEC," Uzomah said. "That's no disrespect to any other SEC team, that's just how we feel about him. We have all the confidence in the world in him."
(08/04/14 9:22pm)
Junior Star safety Justin Garrett isn't dragging his feet in his return to the field.
One year after foot injuries cut his promising 2013 season short, Garrett is looking to make up for lost time in fall practice.
"He already knows all the checks and calls and everything," junior linebacker Kris Frost said. "He looks like he's in mid-season form already."
Prior to the 2013 season, Garrett was widely considered one of the most promising pieces in the implementation of defensive coordinator Ellis Johnson's 4-2-5 scheme.
A rash of foot problems prevented Garrett from starting the year at the Star position however, and a broken foot prior to the Ole Miss game ultimately ended his season.
Garrett turned to doctors in the offseason to help correct his foot problems. Now using corrective orthotic soles and a specialized pair of cleats, Garrett is hoping to cash in on the potential he's shown coaches.
"He made a lot of plays for us in the spring and he had a great spring the year before, but the injuries unfortunately have always kept him from having a really stellar season," defensive coordinator Ellis Johnson said. "Hopefully good luck will follow us this year. If that kid can have a full season of practice and games, I think he can be one of our most dynamic playmakers. He's done a really good job out there so far."
Garrett may have been an outside linebacker coming out of high school, but his athleticism made him a good fit for Johnson's Star position, which requires the safety to step up in run support and drop into coverage.
"I think he's a better space player," Johnson said. "He's a great blitzer off the edge and he's improved his cover skills out there tremendously."
According to Frost, Garrett's on-field motor is another quality he brings to the table.
"He brings a different component to everything we do as far as how hard he works and gets after it no matter what," Frost said.
While Garrett is back up on his feet, he's now facing the harsh reality of being a backup after senior Robenson Therezie had a breakout 2013 campaign at the Star position.
Therezie's presence will likely keep Garrett as a backup at Star early on, but depth issues at linebacker could present the junior with an opportunity at his original position.
Either way, Frost said it's good to see his fellow recruiting classmate back on the field, lifting up teammates as much as he can along the way.
"Me coming in with him, I've always known him as the kind of guy you can look for if you're feeling kind of down on yourself or if you're having a hard time with plays," Frost said. "He's always going to lift you up. Having him out there is a really good thing."
(07/16/14 6:45pm)
GE Aviation announced plans Tuesday, July 15, to install the additive manufacturing process at its current facility in Auburn.
Gov. Robert Bentley and GE Aviation's president and CEO David Joyce, as well as other representatives of GE and Alabama, were on hand to celebrate the announcement made at the Farnborough Air Show at Farnborough Airport in Hampshire, England.
The Auburn additive manufacturing facility, the first of its kind, will start production in 2015.
The component the Auburn facility will produce is a fuel nozzle for the best-selling LEAP jet engine that CFM International is developing for service in 2016. The engine will power the Airbus A320neo, the Boeing 737 MAX and COMAC (China) C919 aircraft.
Additive manufacturing uses a metal powder, which is then melted with a computer-guided laser, to grow thin layers of metal. The metal particles fuse together to make the exact component needed, according to Tony Overfelt, professor of mechanical engineering at Auburn University.
Traditional manufacturing begins with large chunks of metal that are then machined, creating the needed component but also leaving a pile of unwanted remaining metal chips.
Additive manufacturing and, its more commonly used name, 3D-printing are the same concept.
Kelly Walsh, GE Aviation spokesperson, said plans for the additive manufacturing facility in Auburn were first talked about at last year's Paris Air Show when Joyce met with Bentley and Auburn mayor Bill Ham, Jr. At the show, the next generation of technology, and what it will look like, was discussed.
During the past year, GE Aviation, who has a proven track record because of increasing Auburn's workforce at its existing plant, recognized the benefits of placing additive manufacturing in Auburn.
Walsh said having additive manufacturing in Auburn would expand internship and full-time employment opportunities for engineering graduates at the University.
"This is a whole new generation of cutting edge technology," Walsh said.
Installation of equipment, for the facility, will continue throughout 2014. GE is expected to invest $50 million in preparation for production at the existing 300,000-square-foot facility, which opened in 2013.
Production will begin with approximately 1,000 nozzles the first year.
Production is expected to reach 40,000 nozzles at the end of the decade, and, as production increases, hiring at the facility will also increase.
Ham said he is excited about this the process coming to Auburn and expects over 200 well-paying jobs, with excellent benefits, to be created.
Ham also expects a positive effect on Auburn graduates as the facility hires more engineers.
"GE Aviation choosing Auburn is a testament to the cooperative efforts we have with Auburn University, the state and GE," Ham said.
Walsh said the additive manufacturing process will give mechanical engineers fewer limits, and more opportunities, to innovate in other components of jet engines.
"Additive is really the future of the industry," Walsh said.
