ross-miller2
(05/20/14 2:53am)
K.C. Ross-Miller drives against UTEP in a game on 11/24/13. (Photo via New Mexico State University)
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Basketball picks up commitment from NMSU transfer Ross-Miller
(05/20/14 2:37am)
With a thin returning backcourt, head coach Bruce Pearl and staff have searched the country for players who could help immediately. They found one Monday night, as former New Mexico State guard K.C. Ross-Miller committed to Auburn. He will be eligible immediately with 2 years left to play. As a redshirt sophomore at New Mexico State last season, Ross-Miller averaged 8.3 points, 2.2 rebounds, and 3.5 assists in 30 games, while shooting 43.7% from the field and 39.3% from three-point range. His journey to Auburn is an interesting one. After committing to Kentucky in high school, he ended up signing with LSU. After not meeting academic qualifications, he played his freshman season at the University of New Orleans. He then transferred to NMSU last season, where he was involved in controversy. On February 27, after a loss to Utah Valley, Ross-Miller threw the basketball at the head of a Utah Valley player as the fans stormed the court, leading to a post-game brawl, players and fans included. Ross-Miller was suspended for 2 games, but he did not see any action for the rest of the season. Ross-Miller joins top junior college forward Cinmeon Bowers, forward Jack Purchase and forward Sam Logwood in the 2014 Auburn class.
ross-miller
(05/20/14 2:46am)
K.C. Ross-Miller played his freshman season at New Orleans prior to transferring New Mexico State University. He will be eligible to play immediately at Auburn after transferring. (Photo via nmstatesports.com)
Auburn softball staves off South Carolina in SEC Tournament opener
(05/08/14 5:20am)
Auburn's women's softball team defeated South Carolina with a final score of 7-5 in the first round of the SEC Tournament Wednesday in Columbia, S.C. Auburn made good contact with the Gamecocks' pitching for most of the game. Coach Clint Myers and his Tigers (39-16-1, 11-13 SEC) had a great offensive approach going into the game and executed it early on. The winning pitcher was Lexi Davis. She allowed six hits, five earned runs and had two strikeouts. Marcy Harper finished the game for Auburn in the final two innings, striking out two and only allowing one hit and no earned runs. South Carolina took two of three from Auburn last weekend in the regular season, but Wednesday, the Tigers showed up to play. Auburn started off hot in the first inning with a first-pitch homerun by Emily Carosone and then back-to-back doubles that resulted in a two-run lead. In the third inning, Davis had two strikeouts and Auburn remained at a two-run lead. Austyn West exploded on a hanging curveball for a homerun to lead off the fourth inning, giving the Tigers a 3-0 lead. After 40 pitches and West's homerun, South Carolina replaced their pitcher, Julie Sarratt, with Nickie Blue in the fourth. Auburn's fourth run scored in the fourth inning after a wild pitch from South Carolina. The bottom of the fourth inning is when South Carolina got back in the game with an RBI double by Kristen Struett and a homerun by Victoria Williams. South Carolina started to attack Davis' pitching in the fifth inning and tied it up after Ashlyn Master's solo home run. Auburn was shut out in the fifth inning, but capitalized in the sixth inning when they scored two runs to lead 6-4. Harper entered the game as pitcher after South Carolina hit a homerun in the bottom of the sixth to cut the Tigers' lead to 6-5. Auburn extended their lead to two in the seventh inning and held on to beat South Carolina 7-5. The Tigers will play Alabama tomorrow night at 5:30 p.m.
Softball ends season with series loss in South Carolina
(05/04/14 9:43pm)
The Auburn softball team ended the season on a low note Sunday, dropping game three of the weekend series with a 4-2 loss to South Carolina. The Tigers took the lead early on a sacrifice fly from Tiffany Howard that scored Mackenzie Kilpatrick in the top of the second inning. South Carolina grabbed the lead back in the home half of the third off of a solo homerun from Ashlyn Masters that put the score at 2-1. The Tigers tied the game in the top of the fifth on a throwing error that allowed Morgan Estell to come in and score. Auburn wouldn't see the lead again. South Carolina followed with two runs of their own in the bottom of the fifth, and the score wouldn't change from there. Auburn stranded one runner in the sixth, and went three up, three down in the bottom of the seventh to end the game. The loss was the second straight for the Tigers after Saturday's defeat ended a six-game winning streak. Auburn finished the season 38-16-1 overall, with an 11-13 mark in conference play. They'll get the ninth seed in the SEC tournament, which will start on May 7 in Columbia, S.C.
Softball's win streak ends at six after Saturday loss to South Carolina
(05/03/14 11:00pm)
Auburn softball's six-game winning streak came to an end Saturday afternoon after a 7-4 loss at South Carolina. The Tigers (38-15-1, 11-12 SEC) jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the second inning, but the Gamecocks exploded for five runs in the bottom of the third inning. Chelsea Hawkins and Sarah Mooney connected for back-to-back home runs in the third, with Hawkins' grand slam accounting for four of South Carolina's runs in the inning. Gipson drove in another run for the Tigers in the top of the fourth, but the Gamecocks extended their lead to 7-2 in the bottom half of the inning, a deficit the Tigers were never able to overcome. Marcy Harper took the loss for Auburn after giving up seven earned runs on six hits in six innings of work. Auburn struck out just once on the afternoon, but Emily Carosone, Kasey Cooper, Branndi Melero and Morgan Estell, the Tigers' first four batters, went just 2-of-13 for the game. The Tigers will look to win the series Sunday in the regular season finale from Columbia, S.C. First pitch is scheduled for 12 p.m.
Auburn falls to No. 23 Miss. St. in game one of home series
(05/03/14 2:24am)
After winning the series at No. 24 Arkansas last weekend, Auburn baseball dropped game one of their home series losing 3-0 to No. 23 Mississippi State. The game remained scoreless through the first three innings as Dillon Ortman pitched 1-2-3 second and third innings. In the bottom of the third Damon Haecker hit a hard ball to third that could have scored Jordan Ebert from second but Mississippi State's third baseman made a great play at third base to end the inning and prevent the RBI single. Mississippi State struck first in the top of the fourth when C.T. Bradford led off with a solo home run. But after the homer Ortman was able to get the next three Bulldog batters out. Auburn got runners on the corners with two outs in the bottom of the fourth but the inning ended when they tried to double steal and Blake Austin got thrown out at home. Mississippi State hit another solo homer to take the 2-0 lead in the top of the fifth. Auburn left two more runners in scoring position in the bottom of the sixth. Ortman pitched another 1-2-3 inning in the seventh. In the top of the eighth the Bulldogs hit an RBI double to take a 3-0 lead and that was it for Ortman as Justin Camp replaced him and managed to escape the inning. Auburn went down in order in the bottom of the eighth. The Bulldogs got their first two batters on in the ninth and then Daniel Koger came in. But then they loaded the bases and with no outs Reid Carter escaped the bases loaded jam to end the inning. In the bottom of the ninth Auburn got two runners on with no outs but they could not manage to bring a run home, which clinched Mississippi State's victory. Auburn will look to bounce back tomorrow in game two tomorrow at 6 p.m. at Plainsman Park.
Auburn's newest apartment complex, 319 Bragg, to open for fall 2014
(04/23/14 2:45pm)
Auburn is stepping up its game with the opening of yet another apartment complex geared toward students. The University enrolls roughly 25,000 students, and they all need a place to live. 319 Bragg, opening in fall 2014, is the newest apartment complex near campus. 319 Bragg offers a variety of apartment layouts and includes 86 apartments total. The apartment complex, which is still under construction, has a functioning downtown office where students can call or drop by with questions. "What makes us different from other apartments in Auburn are the five bedroom options. The only other complex that offers that is Creekside," said Logan Sowers, an employee at the downtown main office. "We've got an elevator, a full-size gym equipped with separate men and women locker rooms and steam rooms." 319 Bragg offers amenities such as a water volleyball court, beach hammocks, grilling stations, a dog park, a putting green and a study lounge, just to name a few. The complex is also three blocks from campus and provides students with the luxury of many amenities with a close proximity to campus. "My sister and I looked at almost every apartment complex in Auburn and what stood out most about 319 Bragg was that it was brand new and close to Lowder," said Katherine Justice, junior in marketing. "It's only a five minute walk and I'm looking forward to the pool and how everything will be brand new." According to Sowers, Bragg is almost full to capacity. Students and parents can come by the main office for a virtual tour or to sign a lease. "Our main office has a floor plan constructed so students who are interested can take a virtual and see the renderings of the building," Sowers said. 319 Bragg also started a social media campaign far in advance. It includes a Facebook page, interactive website with a parents page, a blog and a Hummer decked out with the 319 logo. Students are set to move in Aug. 15. South Donahue was the most recently completed complex on campus and brought luxury to on campus dorms. South Donahue, completed in fall 2013, houses 418 students in the suites, complete with a living room and small kitchen. Each apartment is complete with a washer and dryer, a 42' flat screen in the living room, queen-sized beds and personal bathrooms. The dorm also has a convenience store on site, and a wellness kitchen will open across the street in fall 2014. "I like the privacy of my own new bathroom, queen-size bed and C Store right downstairs," said Tony Castro, freshman in political science. "I also have my own washer and dryer, so that's pretty nice too." Pricing for these new apartments run a little steeper than surrounding apartments. In 319 Bragg prices range from $675 for a two-person apartment, to $565 for a five bedroom. These prices are per month. At South Donahue, a one bedroom is $5,200, a two bedroom is $5,000 and a four bedroom is $4,500. These prices are per student per semester.
Marshall, wide receivers display aerial potential in A-Day game
(04/19/14 11:31pm)
Gus Malzahn and his staff have made it a point of emphasis this offseason to become more balanced offensively in preparation for the 2014 season. The performance of Nick Marshall and his stable of wide receivers during Saturday's A-Day game showed the potential impact that the Tigers' passing game can have upon the SEC this fall. "Our emphasis was obviously throwing the football," Malzahn said. "That's been one of our main points offensively this spring was to get our guys throwing and catching the ball in front of a crowd." Auburn's running game was second to none in 2013, but the progression of Marshall, who threw for 236 yards and four touchdowns Saturday, means the aerial route may become more of a focal point in the offense moving forward. "I am a way better passer than last year," Marshall said. "I took note of all the little things and what the coaches told me and put it towards my progress. I just focus on putting the ball in a place where my receivers can catch it and make a play on the ball." Malzahn said an important part of Marshall's progression was that he went through spring practice this year, something that benefited the senior on the field and in the locker room. "He earned the respect of his teammates last year, but now he has a chance to go through spring," Malzahn said. "Nick is more of a leader by example. He does not say a lot, but when he does they listen." Sammie Coates' one-handed touchdown grab in the second quarter showed the pair still have a connection from last year, but JUCO transfer D'haquille Williams' 88 yards and a touchdown proved the Tigers may have their hands upon yet another dangerous aerial threat. "He is just an awesome kid to have on your team," Marshall said. "He is one of those receivers who you just put it in his sight and he will come down with the catch for you." It wasn't just newcomers who made an impact during Saturday's game, either. Senior receiver Quan Bray had 89 receiving yards and two touchdowns, while sophomore Tony Stevens tallied 58 receiving yards and two touchdowns as well. "We have a lot of guys that are veterans and go out every day to work on our craft," Bray said. "We're working on our releases and we just harp on Coach (Dameyune) Craig telling us this is your craft." With Ricardo Louis, Marcus Davis, C.J. Uzomah and Melvin Ray also pushing for playing time, there likely won't be a shortage of options for Marshall to throw to this fall. According to Malzahn, that, alongside his own improvements, has made the Tigers' quiet leader feel totally at home in the offense. "I think the big thing is just being more comfortable," Malzahn said. "He is just more under control. His balance is good. His eyes and progression are good. So you can tell that he has really improved."
Defensive line season preview: Plenty of options across the front four
(04/19/14 1:19am)
Auburn will have the tall task of replacing Dee Ford, Nosa Eguae, Craig Sanders and Kenneth Carter along the defensive line but Auburn still has plenty of star power returning in 2014. Of the many players returning for Auburn on the defensive line, sophomores Carl Lawson, Elijah Daniel and Montravius Adams are looking to make immediate impacts after all three had impressive debuts for Auburn as freshman in 2013. Counter that with the senior leadership of Gabe Wright and Jeffrey Whitaker returning with plenty of experience and this defensive line could make a lot of noise in 2014. "As a defensive unit, we are so athletic," said Lawson. "Everyone on D-end and D-tackle can go back and forth between two positions. Elijah has been working hard as always. He's trying to get his fundamentals right, same thing as me. Just working hard to get better that's all he can do. Mon is a freaky athlete." In spring practice this year Auburn has tried rotating three different sets of only defensive tackles. The name "Rhino Package" was coined after senior Gabe Wright ran the idea across position coach Rodney Garner. Returning senior tight-end C.J. Uzomah has liked what he's seen so far in the Rhino package and explained the problems Auburn could cause for other SEC opponents who rely heavily on big offensive lines and dual tight-end sets. "That's something completely different than blocking against like Dee, someone who's extremely quick and fast," said Uzomah. "Blocking against someone like Gabe and Montravius, they're [huge]." Even with their success last season, the defensive line has problems it wants to fix in 2014. "As a defensive unit, we need to establish more communication," said Lawson. "We had a lot of problems with that last year. It's a big spring for me because last year I was a little bit disappointed about my performance, and I can't wait to get better."
Wide receivers season preview: Returning veterans, dynamic newcomers
(04/19/14 12:39am)
Finding a true aerial threat to line up opposite Sammie Coates was a never-ending carousel in 2013. A committee approach saw Ricardo Louis, Marcus Davis, Quan Bray and eventually Melvin Ray step up and make an impact in various key moments. While the lack of a true number-two receiver was overcome by a record-breaking rushing attack last year, a fresh batch of receiving talent and returning quarterback depth have Gus Malzahn and company savoring over Auburn's aerial potential in 2014. Number one JUCO recruit D'haquille Williams, freshman speedster Stanton Truitt and a healthy Tony Stevens will join Coates, Louis, Bray and Ray in a crowded wide receiver field. "We've got depth now, we've got size and we've got speed," offensive coordinator Rhett Lashlee said. "That's all three pretty good things to have. I would hope that could become a strength for us." It hasn't taken long for Williams to show his new teammates the level of talent he'll bring to the table as the Tigers hunt for another SEC Championship. "He's a freak, he's a monster," tight end C.J. Uzomah said. "I'm not sure if I've seen someone have as much presence attacking the ball. He's making unbelievable catches down the field and making plays with his feet." Lashlee said he thinks the addition of Williams and Stevens, who are 6-foot-2 and 6-foot-4 respectively, to the physical duo of Coates and Louis will give Auburn versatility in its passing game. "That's four pretty big guys that all can go make plays on the ball, whether it's on deep balls, in the middle of the field or in the red zone," Lashlee said. One person who is particularly pleased with the additions in the receiving department is quarterback Nick Marshall, who will likely be the first quarterback to start two seasons under Malzahn. "We've got great receivers," Marshall said. "It's going to be sick watching us this year."
Quarterbacks season preview: Marshall ready to lay down the law
(04/19/14 12:28am)
Auburn running back Tre Mason made it to New York City as a Heisman finalist in 2013. Now, in 2014, Nick Marshall could be the next Auburn star to vie for the famous stiff-arm trophy. Marshall exploded onto the SEC scene last season and has looked much more comfortable as the first returning starting quarterback in Malzahn's hurry-up, no huddle offense. "It's just the way he's carrying himself," Malzahn said. "You can just tell he's getting more comfortable. The game is a lot slower for him, I'd say." Marshall has used his first spring at Auburn to his advantage in order to perfect the Tigers' fast-paced offense. "Coming into the spring coming off last season, the expectation this year is high," Marshall said. "I know everything about the offense now. I'm just playing ball right now and executing the plays well." Auburn led the country in rushing yards last season, but next season, the offense is expected to throw the ball more. Marshall is confident in his passing abilities and is looking forward to throwing more next season. "I'm excited about that because I like throwing the ball," Marshall said. "But when it comes down to it, we still are going to run the football. We've got more receivers coming in, so that gives us more weapons on offense." The coaches want Marshall to have at least a 65 percent completion percentage next season, which only four starting quarterbacks have done in Auburn history. "It shouldn't be a goal, because like I said the expectations for us are higher this year," Marshall said. "I'm just trying to do what the coaches tell me and then just complete the passes like they want me to." Marshall's knowledge and confidence in the offense gives the rest of the team confidence by having a leader they know they can rely on. "He knows what Coach Malzahn or Coach Lashlee is going to call in certain situations and kind of understands what play works," tight end C.J. Uzomah said. "Having that and having that confidence in himself brings out everything in us."
The Battle of Running Back U: Two seniors, a former scout team star and a 5-star recruit fight to be No. 1
(04/18/14 11:56pm)
As spring rolls onto the Plains, the Auburn football team has been left with a dilemma. Who will replace Tre Mason? After Mason declared for the NFL Draft, the conversation began as to who would be the Tigers No. 1 for next season. The competition will be fierce, with the Tigers returning four running backs, three with experience from last year. Senior Cameron Artis-Payne joined the Tigers before last season as the No. 1 JUCO back in the nation. Artis-Payne saw the majority of last season's action in the first several games, before Mason was named the starter, and was able to accumulate 610 yards and 6 touchdowns on 91 carries. Artis-Payne is seen by many as the favorite for the starting job, given his experience and ability to run through the tackles. Artis-Payne won last year's A-Day MVP award and said he hopes to do the same this year. Offensive coordinator Rhett Lashlee has high praises for Artis-Payne. "(Artis-Payne) practices like a pro," Lashlee said. "He doesn't have bad days. He's always attentive. He's always trying to get better." While Artis-Payne has the lead in experience on his fellow Auburn backs, the competition will be fierce, and he said he believes that the battle is a good thing. "You've got a bunch of a good running backs in a room, and everybody's trying to push each other," Artis-Payne said. "Everybody wants to be the guy to step up and be the lead back. It's a healthy competition. We all feed off of it." Senior Corey Grant also saw a decent amount of playing time in 2013 at the speed-back role. On 66 carries, Grant accumulated 647 yards and 6 touchdowns. While Grant will most likely not take the starting role, he will almost assuredly be an integral part in Auburn's run game and is happy with his role as the speed back. "It's kind of to my advantage," Grant said. "My speed is a little bit more of me than power, but I accept that role and like that role." While Grant is largely known for his speed, the team knows him for his strength. Head coach Gus Malzahn is impressed with what Grant has done in his tenure on the plains. "He's very physical," Malzahn said. "He's one of our stronger guys in the weight room, and he's a veteran guy, too." Sophomore offensive lineman Alex Kozan is also impressed with Grant, calling him a "freak athlete." "Pound for pound, I'd say he's probably the strongest guy on our team," Kozan said. "A lot of those speed guys, they're not really tough, but Corey's one of the toughest." Sophomore Johnathan Ford moved to cornerback last year to help with the secondary's depth issues, but Ford is also probably in the mix for the running back race. Last year, Ford was able to get in against Western Carolina, having a breakout game and running the ball six times for 73 yards and a touchdown. Peyton Barber, who redshirted last year, has also generated a lot of buzz with his work ethic in the past year. Barber even got some pretty serious accolades from Tre Mason. "[Barber] is probably, skill wise, the best out of all of us," Mason said. "That guy is good. He's very consistent when he's scrimmaging." Barber originally committed to Ole Miss, but was persuaded by high school teammate and Auburn defensive star Carl Lawson to flip to Auburn. While redshirting last year, Barber was able to gain valuable experience using the year to improve. Tight end C.J. Uzomah has high hopes for Barber. "I've been hearing from some of the defense that Peyton is untouchable," Uzomah said. "Going against our first team all last year helps him tremendously as a running back." While the stable of backs returning is already strong, the Tigers will bolster their strength with the addition of Racean "Roc" Thomas and Kamryn Pettway. Thomas, out of Oxford High School, was a five-star prospect who put up crazy numbers in his senior year of high school ball, running the ball 226 times for 2,211 yards and 32 touchdowns. Thomas brings elusiveness and power, and will have the chance to compete immediately for this next season's running back job. Thomas was named to the 2014 U.S. Army All-American Bowl and to the 2014 Under Armour All-American game. Thomas was also named the 2013 Alabama Player of the Year and was second-team All-USA by USA Today in 2013. The Tigers signed long-time commitment Kamryn Pettway out of nearby Prattville High School. Pettway has clocked a 4.46 40-yard dash time, and was listed as a three-star recruit, running the ball 169 times for 1,402 yards and 17 touchdowns in his senior season with Prattville. Artis-Payne, Grant, Barber and Thomas -- the battle to be the best back at Auburn is just getting started.
2014 A-Day Game Numerical Roster
(04/18/14 10:00pm)
1 Montravius Adams DT 6-4 306 So. Vienna, Ga. (Dooly County HS) 1 D'haquille Williams WR 6-2 216 Jr. LaPlace, La. (Mississippi Gulf Coast CC) 3 Jonathan Jones DB 5-10 182 Jr. Carrollton, Ga. (Carrollton HS) 3 Dominic Walker WR 6-1 217 RFr. Orlando, Fla. (Evans HS) 4 Quan Bray WR 5-10 187 Sr. LaGrange, Ga. (Troup County HS) 5 Ricardo Louis WR 6-2 212 Jr. Miami Beach, Fla. (Miami Beach HS) 6 Jonathan Mincy DB 5-10 200 Sr. East Atlanta, Ga. (SW Dekalb HS) 6 Jeremy Johnson QB 6-5 223 So. Montgomery, Ala. (Carver HS) 8 Cassanova McKinzy LB 6-3 249 Jr. Birmingham, Ala. (Woodlawn HS) 8 Tony Stevens WR 6-4 198 So. Orlando, Fla. (Evans HS) 9 Jermaine Whitehead DB 5-11 193 Sr. Greenwood, Miss. (Amanda Elzy HS) 10 LaDarius Owens DL 6-2 259 Sr. Bessemer, Ala. (Jess Lanier HS) 10 Stanton Truitt WR 5-9 175 Fr. Atlanta, Ga. (Monroe Area HS) 11 Brandon Fulse TE 6-4 272 Sr. Fort Meade, Fla. (Fort Meade HS) 12 Jonathan Wallace QB 6-2 207 Jr. Phenix City, Ala. (Central HS) 12 Mack VanGorder DB 6-1 201 Jr. Gainesville, Ga. (North Hall HS) 14 Nick Marshall QB 6-1 210 Sr. Pineview, Ga. (Garden City CC) 15 Joshua Holsey DB 5-11 192 Jr. Fairburn, Ga. (Creekside HS) 16 JaViere Mitchell LB 6-2 203 So. Leeds, Ala. (Leeds HS) 16 Tucker Tuberville QB 6-0 180 So. Auburn, Ala. (Texas Tech) 17 Kris Frost LB 6-2 234 Jr. Matthews, N.C. (Butler HS) 17 Ben Durand QB 6-3 205 Jr. Tyngsborough, Mass. (Tyngsborough HS) 18 Sammie Coates WR 6-2 201 Jr. Leroy, Ala. (Leroy HS) 20 Corey Grant RB 5-11 203 Sr. Opelika, Ala. (Opelika HS) 21 Mackenro Alexander DB 5-11 203 So. Immokalee, Fla. (Immokalee HS) 22 Khari Harding DB 6-0 224 So. Edmond, Okla. (Edmond HS) 23 Johnathan Ford DB 6-0 199 So. Big Cove, Ala. (New Hope HS) 24 Derrick Moncrief DB 6-2 218 Jr. Pratville, Ala. (Mississippi Gulf Coast CC) 25 Trovon Reed DB 6-0 188 Sr. Thibodaux, La. (Thibodaux HS) 25 Peyton Barber RB 5-11 225 RFr. Alpharetta, Ga. (Milton HS) 26 Justin Garrett LB 6-1 224 Jr. Tucker, Ga. (Tucker HS) 27 Robenson Therezie DB 5-9 212 Sr. Miami, Fla. (Jackson HS) 28 T.J. Davis DB 6-1 196 So. Tallahassee, Fla. (Godby HS) 28 Jimmy Hutchinson P 6-2 198 RFr. Marietta, Ga. (Harrison HS) 29 Brandon King DB 6-1 213 Sr. Alabaster, Ala. (Highland CC) 29 Tyler Stovall P 6-1 207 RFr. Hokes Bluff , Ala. (Hokes Bluff HS) 30 Damian Lewis RB 5-9 201 So. Wetumpka Ala. (Wetumpka HS) 31 Mark White WR 5-10 168 So. Pike Road, Ala. (Trinity Presbyterian HS) 32 Wade Norberg TE 6-6 216 Jr. South Lake Tahoe, Cal. (Santa Barbara CC) 32 Nosakhere Griggs DB 5-10 149 Jr. Fayetteville, Ga. (Sandy Creek HS) 33 Kenny Flowers LB 6-1 230 Jr. Lilburn, Ga. (Hutchinson CC) 33 Niko Anthony DB 6-1 203 Sr. Lithia, Fla. (Newsome HS) 35 Ricky Parks FB 6-3 268 So. Hogansville, Ga. (Callaway HS) 36 Michael Sherwood DB 5-8 170 RFr. Fairburn, Ga. (Creekside HS) 37 Kamryn Melton DB 5-10 182 So. Dothan, Ala. (Dothan HS) 38 Daniel Carlson K 6-4 216 RFr. Colorado Springs, Colo. (Classical Academy) 39 B.J. Trimble WR 5-10 165 Jr. Fayetteville, Ga. (Sandy Creek HS) 39 Alex Kviklys K 6-1 191 Jr. Marietta, Ga. (Pope HS) 40 Gage Batten FB 6-0 232 So. Palm Beach Gardens, Fla. (Dwyer HS) 40 Daniel Pond LB 6-1 207 Jr. Spanish Fort, Ala. (Spanish Fort HS) 41 Patrick Lymon RB 5-10 191 Sr. Huntsville, Ala. (Sparkman HS)
Vintage cigarette machines turned into art
(04/18/14 1:15pm)
Clark Whittington, artist from Winston Salem, S.C., recently installed an Art-o-mat in the Jule Collins Smith Museum of Fine Art. Art-o-mats are vintage cigarette machines that have been transformed into venders of handmade art. For $5, one can purchase a token at the museum's gift shop to place in the Art-o-mat and choose a small piece of art. Marilyn Laufer, director of Jule Collins Smith Museum, got in touch with Whittington about purchasing an Art-o-mat. "For me, I love, even more than a cool machine that is all decked out, that he makes a very bold and very strong statement that art can be affordable," Laufer said. "Each one of those are handmade by an artist and for five dollars you will be able to have a real piece of art, and making it not only accessible because of the price range, but making it easily attainable as a vending machine." Whittington invites all artists interested in submitting art to be sold in the Art-o-mats to contact him through his webpage. All works of art are no bigger than a cigarette package and are wrapped in cellophane. The art ranges from little objects to drawings to jewelry and more. Laufer anticipates the Art-o-mat will have a longer situation than just the next exhibition in the museum. "I don't know if it's a draw in and of itself," Laufner said. "Maybe in the first couple of months and weeks it'll be a curiosity kind of thing. I think eventually it'll be something that when you come to the museum you're going to say, 'What is that? Oh that's totally cool. I want one,' and participate." Christine Meir, shop manager at Jule Collins Smith Museum, will be accessible to purchase tokens from for the machine. "I think it's fantastic," Meir said. "I think it will be a lot of fun, and it will bring a lot of different art to a lot of people who might not ordinarily be able to purchase it." According to Laufner, Whittington's Art-o-mats address a very wide and diverse. "I think he is trying to make people aware that art is accessible and that you can easily own a real work of art," Laufner said. "I think that making them accessible through this kind of interaction eliminates a lot of the intimidation." The machine will be up and running after Whittington gives a lecture at the museum, at 5 p.m. Thursday, April 10. Cynthia Kristan-Graham, professor in art history, said she heard about the Art-o-mat and is curious to learn more about it. "It seems like a unique opportunity to talk about commercialism and contemporary art and we are the first one in Alabama that's going to have it," Kristan-Graham said.
Updated: Campus operations will resume as normal at 5:30 a.m., Thursday, April 17
(04/16/14 3:31am)
UPDATE: April 16, 2014 at 4:01 p.m.
Hazing laws around the country: Where does Auburn stand?
(04/10/14 6:00pm)
It is hard to ignore the controversy surrounding fraternity hazing, especially on a college campus. Fraternities and sororities have to meet certain guidelines to avoid suspension. However, there is no one set of rules Greek organizations have to abide by. Joshua Sheffer, an attorney with the Washington, D.C., firm of Bode and Grenier, is a member of the firm's Hazing Law Team. According to Sheffer, fraternities are usually subject to at least two sets of laws. "The organization is bound by the state and the university policies," Sheffer said. "How the hazing laws are written really differs from state to state. Some states just require the universities to have an anti-hazing policy. Other states have specific things the organizations are not allowed to do." William Whittelsey, president of Auburn's Interfraternity Council, said one set of laws can override the other. "Just as federal law has authority over state law, each Greek organization must follow state law above Auburn University law," Whittelsey said. "However, at the same time if the university law has certain policies that are more strict than state law, the university law must be complied with first followed by what the state law states." Sheffer said most hazing laws are similar, but there are glaring differences. They generally cover the same kinds of things," Sheffer said. "But they differ more than you think. Some make hazing a felony if it causes injury or death, and some make it a misdemeanor no matter what. Some only deal with Greek organizations at universities or colleges, and others deal with any organization at all. They can vary quite a bit." According to Alabama Code - Section 16-1-23, hazing is considered a crime. People who commit an act of hazing could be found guilty of a Class C misdemeanor. Alabama is one of six states that has a "Duty to Report" clause in its anti-hazing statute. Because of this clause, knowing about an instance of hazing and failing to report it is illegal. Auburn University's hazing policy was adopted in 1989 and was last amended in 2003. The policy is made up of three parts: the Alabama State Hazing Statute, Auburn's definition of hazing, all organizations, and reporting violations. Auburn University defines hazing as "any action taken or situation created intentionally or unintentionally whether on or off campus, to produce mental or physical discomfort, embarrassment, harassment, or ridicule." In the third part, the University stresses that the policy applies to all student organizations and not just the Greek system. The final part encourages students to report all instances of hazing to the Division of Student Affairs. These rules may seem harsh to some, but they are lenient compared to other states. Of the 44 states with anti-hazing laws, California's is among the strictest. Matt's Law was signed into law by Arnold Schwarzenegger in 2006. Prior to Matt's Law, hazing was considered a misdemeanor, even when it resulted in death. California now allows felony prosecutions when hazing causes serious injury or death. Violators can now face up to a year in prison and a fine between $100 and $5,000. Sheffer said lawmakers in other states could learn a thing or two from California. "If you look at California's anti-hazing statute, it actually holds the organization liable for the conduct of its members more than a lot of hazing laws do," Sheffer said. "I think that's important." California is not the only state looking to put a stop to hazing. Sen. Jamie Raskin of Maryland wants to raise the fine for hazing from $500 to $5,000. This legislation comes on the heels of the recent hazing controversy at the Salisbury University chapter of Sigma Alpha Epsilon. Hazing in Florida can result in up to six years in prison, and a fine of up to $5,000. According to Bradford Ladner, LLP, an Alabama law firm, a Class C misdemeanor in Alabama can result in only three months in jail and a $500 fine. Sheffer said he believes it would be beneficial if states had more similar anti-hazing laws. "It would be nice to have a little more uniformity, but it would also be nice if more of them actually held the organization responsible." Jill Moore is Auburn's director of Greek life. According to Moore, while there are policies in place to prevent and discipline hazing, it is up to students to report it. "If a student is a victim of hazing or witnesses hazing, he or she should report it," Moore said. "If the problem is going to be addressed, the hazing must be reported. If students will recognize and report hazing, we can work together to address that behavior and eliminate hazing on our campus"
New core classes added to the School of Music
(04/08/14 3:17am)
The core of Auburn's music studies is expanding beyond the basic appreciation of music. The history of popular music, offered in the summer and science and music, offered in the fall, will be offered as core fine arts credit classes for College of Liberal Arts majors starting in the 2014 summer semester. "We just wanted to give the student body more options to complete their fine arts course," said Sarah Collins, administrative assistant with the department of music. "Right now, the department of music only has music appreciation as our only contribution to the fine arts core. If students really enjoy these courses, we might think of some new ones later on." Starting in the 2014 summer semester, the history of popular music, taught by Howard Goldstein, offers an alternative introduction to understanding music. According to Goldstein, rather than beginning with the birth of western music during the middle ages, this class will start shortly before the start of the twentieth century. "We'll start somewhere at the end of the 19th century with the composers of Tin Pan Alley, Ragtime and Blues," Goldstein said. "From there we progress through the 20th century to jazz, rock, big band, tango music, world music, anything considered to be of a popular origin." In the School of Music's bulletin the history of popular music is listed as not counting for core credit hours, a false statement students should disregard when applying. The class is indeed worth the standard core fine arts credit hours. While Goldstein's class centers on the history of contemporary music, science and music, taught by Ann Knipschild, will study music's relationship to mathematics, physics, biology and human behavior. Rather than analyzing the music itself, science and music Knipschild said she found inspiration for the class's curriculum while listening to a radio broadcast of Daniel Levitin's book "This Is Your Brain On Drugs." "How do we perceive music, how do we react to music, why do we like certain types of music; these are some of the things that we'll be talking about as a class," Knipschild said. "Back in the time of Pythagoras around 800 b.c. music was considered a science. We're going to start there and talk about the origins of music, how music relates to the different sciences, instrument construction, acoustics and more." Music and science will be offered for the 2014 fall semester. Knipschild said these kind of classes are perfect examples of the type of curriculum expansion that her and Goldstein have been trying to implement. While courses in jazz history and American music are available this fall as directed studies for music majors only, these two new classes will be offered to all levels as core classes without prerequisites. Because of faculty constraints, classes are usually introduced as directed studies before they are added into the curriculum. "If the only fine arts departments on campus are music, theater and art, it really doesn't make sense that we only have one of these options," Collins said. "There's so many different options that we could have."
Defensive line reloads in hopes of a return trip to Atlanta
(04/01/14 8:03pm)
While replacing potential first-round draft pick Dee Ford will be a tough task to handle for defensive coordinator Ellis Johnson and defensive line coach Rodney Garner, the Tigers have solid depth all across the defensive line for their upcoming season on the Plains. The defensive tackle position returns senior veterans Gabe Wright, Angelo Blackson and Jeff Whitaker, who received a medical redshirt last season. Whitaker's return to the squad after recovering from a torn right meniscus means a lot to the team, both mentally and physically. While Whitaker wasn't able to help the Tigers last year after his injury on the field, he took it upon himself to ensure that his presence was felt on the sideline and in the locker room. "(Whitaker) is in the mix, practicing with us every day," Blackson said. "Jeff is a great leader. He's one of those guys we can go to about anything. We look up to him." As Auburn looks to turn their defensive lines into one of the most ferocious front fours in football, coaches say it will take leadership from veterans such as Jeff Whitaker to help guide newcomers and help keep the unit cohesive. "He has a lot of wisdom for his age," Malzahn said. "Coaches have a lot of confidence in him, as well as his teammates." After an impressive 20-tackle freshman season, Montravious Adams will also look to find a spot on the starting roster against the two incoming defensive tackle signees, four-star Dontavious Russell and three-star Devaroe Lawrence. Auburn is also set at defensive end, returning sophomore sensations Carl Lawson and Elijah Daniel. "As a defensive unit, we are so athletic," Lawson said. "Everyone on D-end and D-tackle can go back and forth between two positions." The two sophomores will join returning starter LaDarious Owens, a junior who will miss all of 2014's spring practice with a foot injury. Auburn signed four defensive ends in its highly touted 2014 class, including JUCO transfer Davonte Lambert. Lambert, a 6-foot-3, 275-pound rusher, will look to make an immediate impact with the Tigers after accumulating 36 tackles, eight sacks and four forced fumbles last season at Georgia Military College. The other defensive end commitments are four-star recruit Andrew Williams out of Eagle's Landing Christian in McDonough, Ga., four-star recruit Justin Thornton out of Vigor High School in Prichard and three-star Raashed Kennion out of First Coast High School in Jacksonville, Fla. The Tigers will look to utilize their size and depth as they endure the brutal SEC regular season and try to make it back to the national title game. Due to the experience and depth of the line, the Tigers will also look at potentially playing four defensive tackles to try and give the Tigers defensive front a new and larger look. Wright calls it the "Rhino Package," and Auburn tight end C.J. Uzomah thinks the unique look could work for the Tigers' defense. "That is something completely different than blocking against a guy like Dee (Ford), who is extremely quick and fast," Uzomah said. "Blocking against someone like Gabe (Wright) and Montravius (Adams), they are hosses."
Foodie Corner: Conecuh sausage, shrimp and quinoa casserole
(03/30/14 3:30pm)
I'm an adventurous chef, but I like to stick to a recipe. I'm not great at just throwing things together from memory or imagination. That's why I love Pinterest. I spend the majority of my free time browsing the "Food and Drinks" category for anything that catches my eye, whether it's homemade sushi, frozen Greek yogurt or a variety of desserts that utilize the phenomenon that is dark chocolate. However, I recently found a recipe that blew my taste buds out of the water. Its name intimidated me at first, but I decided to brave the task and try it out for my boyfriend's birthday dinner. This Cajun Conecuh Sausage, shrimp and quinoa casserole was dynamite and easy to make, and I can't wait to make it again. I got it from a blog called This Gal Cooks, and the original recipe doesn't call for Conecuh sausage, but, hey, what's a Cajun meal without Conecuh sausage? Plus, it's one of my boyfriend's favorite foods, and it transformed the flavors of this dish. Anyone with an appreciation for Cajun cuisine and healthy-spins on meals will love this recipe as much as I do. Also, if you're not fan of quinoa, you can sub the quinoa with brown rice. Nutritional content: Calorie content for 4 large (approximately 1.5 C) servings is around 410 calories per serving. For 6 (approximately 1 C) small servings, the calorie count is about 270 calories per serving. Ingredients: