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(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."
(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."
(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."
(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.
(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.
(04/16/14 3:31am)
UPDATE: April 16, 2014 at 4:01 p.m.
(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"
(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."
(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."
(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:
(03/22/14 8:00pm)
After the first week of spring football, the defending SEC champions and BCS National Championship runners-up are setting higher expectations for this season.
"Overall, I thought it was a solid first week," said head coach Gus Malzahn. "I feel like our guys want to practice and they want to get better. They've got the right attitude."
Malzahn pointed out how the difference in this year's first week of practices and last year's is the way his team is approaching each practice.
"I like where we're at as a whole group," Malzahn said. "The way we're approaching each practice with the effort and focus. The way they're responding to coaches. We still need to improve. We're never going to be satisfied. That's probably been the thing I've been most pleased with. Our guys are understanding how to practice."
Malzahn said he has noticed improvements in younger players, such as Carl Lawson and Peyton Barber, but has also has seen a great difference in Nick Marshall.
"It's just the way he carries himself," Malzahn said. "You can tell he's a bit more comfortable. He had a solid first week."
Marshall said he will be more vocal next season.
"I'm expecting to be [a captain] but if not I will still lead by example," Marshall said. "I'm very comfortable, I know everything about the offense now."
Marshall is also looking forward to being a more balanced quarterback next season by throwing the ball more.
"I'm excited about that," Marshall said. "I like throwing the ball."
One of the newcomers that Marshall will be throwing it to is junior college transfer D'haquille Williams, who is already impressing coaches and teammates.
"He's a freak, he's a monster," said tight end C.J. Uzomah. "He's getting after it making unbelievable catches down the field and making plays with his feet. I'm really excited to see what he can do."
Malzahn said he has been impressed with the former No. 1 overall recruit.
"He's off to a good start as far as his ability to learn and effort and everything that Coach Craig and Coach Lashlee are asking him to do," Malzahn said. "He's made some very good 1-on-1 plays, too."
The Tigers are also using these spring practices to work on improving their tempo on offense, as if last year's offense was not fast enough for them.
"We've been in the system before, now Coach Malzahn wants us to pick it up," Uzomah said. "He said last year was nothing compared to the speed that we want to run next year. We're ready."
(03/11/14 5:35pm)
Not only did Chris Denson lead the Auburn Tigers in scoring this season, the senior guard also spent the vast majority of 2014 as the Southeastern Conference's leading scorer. A 19.2 points per game average was good enough to earn Denson All-SEC second team honors on Tuesday morning, as voted on by SEC coaches.
The Columbus, Ga. native finished 2014 as the conference's second leading scorer, just .5 points behind Missouri guard and All-SEC first teamer Jabari Brown.
In addition to all-conference honors, Denson was also named to the U.S. Basketball Writers' Association All-District IV first team. District IV is comprised of Southeast schools representing Alabama, Georgia, Florida, Kentucky, Mississippi and Tennessee.
Denson was the only Auburn player to receive a SEC postseason award for the 2014 season.
First Team All-SEC
Trevor Releford, Alabama - G, Sr.
Casey Prather, Florida - F, Sr.
Scottie Wilbekin, Florida - G, Sr.
Julius Randle, Kentucky - F, Fr.
Johnny O'Bryant III, LSU - F, Jr.
Jabari Brown, Missouri - G, Jr.
Jordan McRae, Tennessee - G, Sr.
Jarnell Stokes, Tennessee - F, Jr.
Second Team All-SEC
Bobby Portis, Arkansas - F, Fr.
Chris Denson, Auburn - G, Sr.
Patric Young, Florida - C, Sr.
Charles Mann, Georgia - G, So.
James Young, Kentucky - G, Fr.
Jordan Mickey, LSU - F, Fr.
Marshall Henderson, Ole Miss - G, Sr.
Jarvis Summers, Ole Miss - G, Jr.
Jordan Clarkson, Missouri - G, Jr.
Rod Odom, Vanderbilt - F, Sr.
(03/01/14 1:10am)
After several of his former assistants left their analyst jobs to take larger responsbilities at other schools, Gus Malzahn is reloading his support staff for a potential SEC title defense.
For one of the vacant spots left on the football coaching staff, Malzahn turned to hiring a successful high school coach, Bobby Bentley, to be the new offensive analyst working strictly with quarterbacks.
Malzahn also hired Travis Williams, former Auburn linebacker and graduate assistant, to become a defensive analyst on Tuesday, Feb. 25.
Williams will reportedly have an off-field role focusing on defensive analysis. Williams is from Columbia, S.C. and played linebacker at Auburn from 2001-2005.
"I'm excited to be back," Williams told AL.com. "Coming back home and being on a great coaching staff is something I couldn't turn down."
Many Auburn fans may be familiar with his 80-tackle campaign during the undefeated 2004 season, which earned him a spot on the All-SEC first team.
Other fans will remember him for the multiple rap songs he wrote while on the Plains, including "Tiger Walk," which has been a favorite at Jordan-Hare Stadium in recent seasons.
After his collegiate playing days, Williams went on to play in the NFL from 2006-2008 and appeared in six games for the Atlanta Falcons.
After his short career in the NFL came to a close, Williams returned to the Plains as a defensive graduate assistant under former head coach Gene Chizik.
Williams was still an assistant during the 2010 National Championship season, but moved on from Auburn in the spring of 2012 to become a linebackers coach at Northern Iowa.
Malzahn filled another support staff spot on the other side of the ball this week, with the hiring of quarterbacks offensive analyst Bentley.
"It will be an honor to work with the SEC champions and work alongside Coach Gus Malzahn," Bentley said to the Spartanburg Herald Journal.
Bentley was the Byrnes High School (S.C.) football coach and assistant athletic director last season, and he led his team to a 12-2 record, a regional title and a state semifinal berth.
Bentley also modeled his high school's offense last season after Malzahn's hurry-up no-huddle offense.
After taking over in 2013 for Chris Miller, who won three state titles as head coach at Byrnes and then took a different coaching job in South Carolina, Bentley moved from offensive coordinator to head coach.
Bentley's son, Jake, is a rising sophomore in high school and was offered a football scholarship to play at Auburn University in June of 2013 before his freshman year.
Jake, a 6-foot-4, 207-pound quarterback, was expected to be the starting quarterback at Byrnes for his last three seasons and already has other scholarship offers from schools, including Clemson University.
Bentley was the Byrnes head coach from 1995-2006 with an overall record of 107-52. From 2002-2005, Byrnes won four consecutive state championships, and Bentley led them to a 57-2 record during that time period.
Bentley was also the head coach at Presbyterian College from 2007-2008 and was 10-13 in those two seasons.
He then returned to coaching at the high school level at Byrnes.
Bentley spent 22 years coaching and teaching at Byrnes High School.
"I had no intentions of leaving Byrnes once I came back [from Presbyterian College]," Bentley said. "We had been to a college, and it is a little different. What happens is you meet a guy like Gus Malzahn and, you say, if you get the chance to work with him, then you do it.
"My wife is excited about it, and anytime your wife is excited it's usually a good sign."
According to GoUpstate.com, Bentley broke the news that he was taking the job at Auburn University to his high school team on Monday Feb. 24.
"I think the older ones could see it all fall into place," Bentley said. "We went to Auburn's 7-on-7, and they knew I was friends with Gus Malzahn. I think it's harder on the younger guys."
Bentley has known Malzahn for many years and turned down an offer to join Malzahn's Auburn coaching staff prior to last year's SEC Championship season, the Spartanburg Herald Journal reported.
"I think it's very important the fact that I've been a high school coach, and I got this opportunity to try to give other people more opportunities," Malzahn said. "Hopefully that'll be a trend in the future."
(02/27/14 8:15pm)
It's easy to see when someone isn't being transparent.
Auburn President Jay Gogue gave his second annual State of the University address Thursday, Feb. 20. According to Gogue, the Auburn University Board of Trustees moved to adopt the new five-year Strategic Plan to improve Auburn University last June.
Gogue highlighted in his speech the plan's goal to increase the graduation rate of Auburn students who obtain their degree in six years from 68 percent to 78 percent by 2018.
This statistic doesn't look terrible. However, most students aim to graduate in four years. When Gogue nonchalantly pointed out the six-year graduation rate and not the four-year graduation rate, our ears perked up.
The four-year graduation rate stands at 42 percent, according to the University's Strategic Plan Metrics, which can be found on the University's website. This statistic shatters the perception obtaining a degree in four years as normal, at least at Auburn University.
It's no surprise Gogue decided to cite the six-year graduation rate rather than the four-year graduation rate at the State of the University address. The four-year rate is embarrassingly low.
We cannot call Gogue a liar for not citing the four-year rate, but we can say he was misleading.
Gogue cited better looking statistic, trying to sweep more relevant information under the rug.
Additionally, Gouge referred to the federal government's "six-year method," which is used "when we look at schools." This vague reference is hardly justification to focus on a six-year graduation statistic rather than a four-year statistic.
Students are intent on graduating in four years, so Gogue's references to a six year graduation track lacks relevancy to the student body.
Spending six years at college is not financially realistic for students. With the high cost of tuition, many students lack the income necessary to do this. Tight budgets, loans or strict four-year deadlines from parents' result in students failing to graduate or taking on massive debt.
The current system at times inhibits students from graduating on a four-year track. Changing majors often results in a loss of hours.
As a result, changing majors as early as sophomore year can be enough to set them behind a year in studies, a year students might not be able to afford.
We're not saying Gogue or the University is completely to blame for this cringe-worthy statistic. We commend Gogue and the Board of Trustees for trying to rework the system to help students graduate on time by enacting this five-year plan.
It outlines the obstacles the University faces and the ideas they intend to implement to fix these issues.
However, the plan uses vague language and lacks direct solutions. We want answers, not bureaucratic lingo intended to appease alumni.
For example, point C of the Strategic Plan reads:
Review existing academic policies and develop new ones that will encourage students to complete their degree requirements within a reasonable period of time.
This does not sound like a plan. Much of the Strategic Plan reads similar to a series of observation. A plan requires a solution, and we see none here.
The information made available is not sufficient in convincing us the University can increase the four-year graduation rate. We would like to see more concrete ideas outlined in the University's Strategic Plan on how to reach these goals.
The University knows what to do; we would like to know how they intend to do it.
(02/20/14 7:15pm)
Dreams of going to medical school in Auburn just became a reality.
Auburn University and the Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine, or VCOM, officially broke ground on a brand new, state-of-the-art facility in the Auburn Research Park, which will provide an immersive education at a graduate level.
"We're looking to have our first class at Auburn in August of 2015," said Dr. Jim Wolfe, president of VCOM. "One of the things coming to Auburn that was attractive to us and attractive to Auburn is that in Blacksburg and over in Spartanburg we're both up to speed, and by doing the same thing and using the same kind of model as them, we can come up to speed pretty quickly [in Auburn]."
VCOM's Auburn campus will be the foundation's third medical school in the southeast, starting first at Virginia Tech in Blacksburg, Va., before moving to Spartanburg, S.C.
An institution in the field of osteopathic medicine, nonprofit VCOM has educated college graduates on diagnosing and treating a wide variety of medical problems for more than 25 years.
Auburn approached VCOM in 2012 with an offer to bring the nonprofit medical school foundation to southeastern Alabama.
"We had been interested in the possibility of a new medical school to address the national need and regional need for a long time," Wolfe said. "[We're] interested in establishing a medical school and providing more doctors for people who really do need physicians."
Sixty-one of Alabama's 67 counties were partially or completely short of primary care physicians, with the biggest disparity being in rural areas, according to the Rural Policy Research Institute's 2007 Community Information Resource Center.
The new 92,000 square foot facility will be part classroom and part hands-on training, said VCOM Media Relations Director Cindy Rawlins.
"There will be partnerships with different schools on campus due to the facilities we have," Rawlins said. "We're already getting ready to work on research projects in sports medicine, in the veterinary school and nursing school. We'll also have the Simulation Technology Center, which has simulated mannequins where people can learn to do procedures, from giving someone a shot to performing surgery."
In addition to providing a quality education on-site, VCOM students from Auburn will have the opportunity to partner with students from the Blacksburg and Spartanburg campuses to go on medical mission trips in Appalachia, Honduras, El Salvador and the Dominican Republic.
"We're very excited about them coming and getting their medical school underway because we see having a medical school here on Auburn's campus will attract other companies into the research park to help with our economic efforts," said Dr. John Weete, executive director of Auburn Research and Technology Foundation.
The school is already in discussion to bring companies and focus groups to the research park, but it's too early to discuss yet, Weete said.
"We're delighted, everybody has really been very gracious and helpful and we've tried to do the same for Auburn," Wolfe said. "It's a really terrific atmosphere, really a terrific place and I think it's going to be a really terrific partnership."
(02/17/14 8:50pm)
The Curious Fox is as intriguing as its name suggests.
Tucked away in Downtown Opelika, walking into the intimates boutique is like stumbling upon a treasured secret. Hardwood floors creak as you walk in. Artisan jewelry and delicate lingerie are displayed on cream-colored walls like art hung in a museum. The aesthetic is minimalist and inviting. Eucalyptus and spearmint waft from a candle burning on the front desk.
The smiling brunette behind the counter is Saramia Arenas, an Auburn native who studied photography at Savannah College of Art and Design.
"When you think of a woman as a fox, it's a woman that's beautiful, confident, cool," said Arenas, who serves as manager, sales associate and buyer for The Curious Fox.
According to Arenas, intimate apparel plays an important role in boosting women's self-confidence. Taking the time to treat herself and feel attractive can change how a woman feels in and out of the bedroom.
"We aim to provide an experience that makes women feel empowered--a place where women can come to celebrate being a woman," Arenas said.
Pieces by Simone Perele, Mary Green and Montelle Intimates are laid out with simplistic visual merchandising.
The airy hues, handcrafted lace and China silk are presented to the shopper as delicate heirlooms--a far cry from flashy, overtly sexual designs found in major retailers.
"The idea from the beginning was to be the complete opposite," said Phil Moody, owner of The Curious Fox. "I just felt like we didn't want to give any kind of image to the women. I didn't want to project anything to them so they can just come and be whoever they wanted to be."
As a small business, The Curious Fox is a champion for shopping local. From pushing customers to sign up for credit cards to impersonal customer service, Moody explained that retail chains are treating shoppers like numbers.
"We as consumers are getting smarter and we're not falling for that as much," Moody said. "I think they've hit a tipping point where they don't deserve to be around. I think places like this deserve to be around, where knowledgeable staff will come help you and spend time with you."
Moody, a graphic designer from Lafayette, La., transformed the former office space in September 2013. While the boutique was his vision, Moody has handed the reins over to an all-female staff to ensure customer comfort and privacy.
"I want people to think of Saramia when they think of the Fox," Moody said.
In addition to promoting female empowerment and local business, The Curious Fox has a commitment to supporting local artists.
"People don't realize how important art is," Moody said. "Artists tend to be mini profits. They bring trends to the area because they see things and create things and if they're artists who are also business-minded, man, they can really do things."
After carrying Opelika-based artist Kate Manning's line of scarves and knitwear in December, The Curious Fox decided to seek out more homegrown artistic talent.
"We're a store, but we like to think of ourselves as very curated, similar to an art gallery," Arenas said. "We're always on the lookout for something cool and unique."
Arenas pointed out two fox paintings hanging on the wall by R.C. Hagans, an Opelika native. A curtain sewn and decorated by Jane Randall of Opelika's Jane Sweet Jane designates the dressing room area, and Oxford shirts designed by Moody's friends, Jonathan and Holly Powell, hang on a silver rack.
"I like the idea of investing in art and people, so I'll always have a piece of RC in here. I'll always have a piece of Jane. I'll always have a piece of Jonathan and Holly in here," Moody said.
Moody has also invested in the talent of Auburn University student, Ashley Kickliter. The junior in graphic design was recruited to produce editorial photography for The Curious Fox.
Kickliter said she was thrilled to be part of this small business.
"I'm a photographer and I've had a portrait business here since I was 16, but fashion photography is what I really want to do," Kickliter said. "They hired me to a shoot for them with models in their products and gorgeous sleep shirts."
The Curious Fox views their lingerie as an investment, and prices of apparel start at $20.
"Hopefully, the idea is that when people buy a piece, they love it, so it's almost like a piece of art that they've taken home," Moody said.
The Curious Fox also carries handcrafted luxury items from Freedom Soap Company and The Green Bottle Candle Company from Birmingham and artisan jewelry from Red Earth Trading Company.
Open only on weekends, The Curious Fox is located at 711 Avenue in Opelika, Ala.
(02/10/14 8:12pm)
Who's next? With formal campaigning underway, candidates contend for top SGA positions as election day nears. DEBATE: Monday, Feb. 10, at 7 p.m. in the Student Center Ballroom. Tweet @AuburnSGA any questions you feel should be asked during the debate. VOTE: Tuesday, Feb. 11, from 7 p.m. until 9 p.m. Log on to AUAccess, click the campus life tab and follow the link to cast your vote. Two polling stations will be open on the Haley and Thatch Concourses as well.CALLOUTS: Elections results will be announced Tuesday, Feb. 11, at 10 p.m. on the back steps of Cater Lawn
* Presidential Candidates *
LOGAN POWELL "Powell to the people"
EXPERIENCE: Powell served on the facilities and campus safety committee of the senate this past year.PLATFORM: One of the ideas Powell said he hopes to implement is a mobile application that shows exactly where security shuttles are. "We want to make it so students don't have to stand outside in the cold or rain while they wait for a security shuttle," Powell said. "We want students to be able to sit in the library and look at their phone and recognize a shuttle is about to be there and then be able to get picked up rather than having to wait." According to Powell, another part of his platform is bettering on-campus dining by ridding the campus of the worst or less popular dining venues. "We want to take out the worst dining venues and give students options," Powell said. "There would be a poll of three or four restaurants and whichever ones won the polling would be brought on campus to ensure students have the dining options they want." Powell said he hopes to emphasize the importance of students completing their Auburn teaching evaluations, as he wants to make those public for students to see. This would allow students to see what teachers are like and see students' reactions to a teacher, making registering for classes easier. Although Powell's platform is full of ideas aimed at bettering student life, one of his ideas will be more popular than the rest. "Once a year, I want to be able to charter buses to a game in close proximity to Auburn," Powell said. "Whether it's Athens, Nashville or Oxford, I want to be able to load up charter buses and get Auburn students who did not have the opportunity to make it to an away game, the chance to make it to one." HAYDEN HARRELSON "A New Day for SGA" EXPERIENCE: Harrleson served as an assistant director for a Freshman Leadership Program and also in the executive office of students enabling students. PLATFORM: Harrelson hopes to restructure the way students register for classes so students are able to take the classes they need when they need to take them. "I tried for nearly three years to get into one class," Harrelson said. "The system needs to be revamped so students are able to sign up for classes they need, when they need them, in order to keep them on track for graduation." Harrelson's plan for Auburn also sets its eyes on student transportation. If elected, Harrelson would change the time parking lots open for students from 5 pm to 4:30 pm. Harrelson has drawn up a bike rental plan to make getting around campus easier for students. "We came up with the idea of having University bikes," Harrelson said. "The bikes would be locked in the racks outside of the library, Haley, Student Center, etc., and students could swipe their Tiger Card, rent the bike, ride it to their destination and return the bike there. Then, if need be, students could rent another bike to get back across campus." Although Harrelson has little experience within SGA, he says he has seen the improvements Auburn needs and is willing to work with students to ensure a better Auburn University. "Although I've never served on SGA before, I do not think it truly matters," Harrelson said. "I think having been a normal student here for the past years is enough qualification in itself. I've heard what students think and I believe I can help better the University for the students." * Vice Presidential Candidates *OLABODE ANISE "O Knows"EXPERIENCE: Anise served as an SGA senator for the past three years. PLATFORM: Anise's platforms consists of four points. First, he said he wants to make sure the senators are active and fulfilling their obligations, one of which is fulfilling the one-hour-a-week mandatory work. Second, Anise said he hopes to revamp the days leading up to exam week. "I really want to revamp those days prior to exam week," Anise said. "I know the administration has thought about it, but I want to make sure that all students have adequate enough time to prepare for their exams." Third, Anise said he plans on improving advising, whether it be academic advising or making registering for classes easier. Lastly, Anise said he plans to improve Wifi in nonacademic areas of Auburn, such as dormitories and the Student Center. If interested in assisting Anise with his campaign, contact campaign manager Rob Garcia via email at rzg0020@auburn.edu. DAVID WISDOM "Walk with Wisdom"EXPERIENCE: Wisdom served as president of the business school. PLATFORM: The first part of Wisdom's platform deals with emphasizing communication and interaction between students. For example, Wisdom said he hopes to revamp senate office hours."Lately, office hours have not been that effective," Wisdom said. "I want to make it so there is a biweekly student interaction report where senators discuss issues with students within their college and then create a report. That way, we can see what is concerning to students, as well as showing them we care about them and what they have to say." Also, Wisdom said he hopes to publish a summary of each SGA senate meeting following each meeting so students are able to follow what is going on within the senate. Wisdom said he hopes to revamp communication by making a Twitter just for SGA senate. "I want to make a Twitter [feed] available for students to read what's going on," Wisdom said. "I also want to broadcast the senate meetings on Eagle Eye TV, so if someone who wanted to come to the meeting could not make it, they could watch it through Eagle Eye and not miss a thing." Wisdom's platform extends past getting students interacting with senate into enhancing the academic experience and bringing new academic resources to Auburn. For example, Lowder has Scantron machines capable of printing student's information onto the Scantron. Wisdom said he hopes to expand those machines to every academic building on campus. Another improvement Wisdom said he hopes to make comes in the form of advising. "If we could have a freshman advising center, it would help guide them into the path they should be in," he said. "It would allow the freshmen resources to pick which major to declare, as well as a resource for skills and personality assessments." If you want to share your thoughts or concerns with Wisdom, look for the red couch with blue cushions on the concourse because according to Wisdom: "Before walking towards a brighter future, we must sit down and decide which way we want it to go." * Treasurer Candidate *RICHMOND GUNTER "Rich Makes Cents"EXPERIENCE: Gunter served as the assistant vice president of finance last year, and also served on the budget and finance committee of SGA senate PLATFORM: Gunter said he uses the last word in his slogan, "cents," to try and get his platform out to students. The first letter, C, represents his character. The second letter, E, represents his experience. The third letter of the word, N, represents Gunter's neighborly attitude. "I want to introduce myself to students and be approachable," Gunter said. "Students deserve to have their voices heard, and I'm willing to hear their stories and prospective in hopes of bettering the University." The fourth letter, T, represents the word thrifty and plays a major role in Gunter's platform. Every year, a portion of student activity fees are used to pay the salaries of involvement advisors. Gunter said he hopes to create an Involvement Advisors Review Board to solicit feedback from students. "The review board would be made up of a mixture of students and faculty," Gunter said. "It would be used to solicit feedback or complaints in which the board could decide what sort of action to take. However, the board would not have the authority to hire or fire." The final letter, S, represents service. Gunter said he hopes to double Miss Auburn's budget from $1,000 to $2,000. This budget increase would allow Miss Auburn to make a larger impact on the University and the community.
(02/06/14 3:30am)
The Auburn men's basketball team earned its first road win of the season Wednesday in Columbia, S.C. where the Tigers defeated the South Carolina Gamecocks 79-74.
The win was Auburn's third consecutive conference victory.
The duo of KT Harrell and Chris Denson again led the way in scoring for Auburn (11-9, 3-6 SEC), with each scoring 25 points on the night.
Late in the first half, Denson became the 34th player in Auburn history score 1,000 career points.
A tight affair through most of the first half, Auburn went into the locker room with a 38-35 halftime lead. Denson led all scorers with 12 points in the half as the Tigers shot 44 percent from the field as a team.
Strong play from Harrell and freshman point guard Tahj Shamsid-Deen saw Auburn extend its lead to 13 with under 12 minutes to play, but the Gamecocks fought back to keep it close until the end.
Shamsid-Deen contributed 12 points and three assists on the night while senior forward Allen Payne added nine points and nine rebounds.
Other than Harrell, Denson, Payne and Shamsid-Deen, the rest of Auburn's roster combined to score eight total points.
The Gamecocks (8-14, 1-8 SEC) were led by senior guard Brenton Williams, who scored 29 points and connected on 6-of-10 three-point field goals.
The Tigers will return to action Feb. 8 when they'll travel to Baton Rouge to take on the LSU Tigers (14-6, 5-3 SEC). Tip-off is scheduled for 3 p.m.
(02/06/14 12:27pm)
Delta Chi fraternity will host a charity event to raise money for cancer research on Thursday, Feb.13, in the Delta Chi house on New Row.
The event, Valentines for Valvano, aims to support The V Foundation for Cancer Research.
Jim Valvano and ESPN established the foundation in 1993, after Valvano was diagnosed with bone cancer, a condition he died of two months later.
Valvano was a legendary basketball coach and broadcaster, most well known for coaching North Carolina State's men's basketball to a NCAA Division 1 championship in 1983.
"Jimmy Valvano, the person who this foundation was named after, believed that cancer brought everyone together because it's something that we all have in common," said Zach St. Clair, chair of external fraternity affairs for Delta Chi. "Our goal is to raise awareness of The V Foundation because it's not a very well-known philanthropy on this campus."
The goal of The V Foundation is to find a cure for cancer by funding physicians' and scientists' cancer research. To date, more than $115 million has been raised and donated to cancer research facilities.
"As part of the function of a fraternity we're supposed to give back to our community," said Michael Hobensack, secretary of Delta Chi. "We are all very passionate about the Jimmy V Foundation. Pretty much everyone in our fraternity has been touched by cancer in some way or another, so we really want to do whatever we can to help out."
Valentines for Valvano centers on a baking contest and is the first event Delta Chi has held for a few years due to scheduling issues.
Guests can get involved in the event by attending as a taster or baker.
"We are having a big all-you-can-eat sweets event at our house that costs $5 to enter," St. Clair said. "Also, we are having a baking contest where you pay $5 to register your baked good and we'll have a taste-testing contest."
Auburn tight end C.J. Uzomah will judge the contest. Prizes will be awarded for the top three baked goods. All proceeds go to The V Foundation for Cancer Research and further donations are accepted at the event.
"It's the first philanthropy event we're pulling off in quite a few years, and it's our national charity that we donate to, so this event means a big amount to us," said Jacob Schwartz, president of Delta Chi. "We make an annual donation to the foundation each semester of $2000, so we hope to raise a chunk of that at this event."
Guests can register their entry for the event up until its start time of 4 p.m. Free parking will be available along the intramural field.
"We talked to parking services and they are going to stop ticketing the intramural fields at 3 p.m., so if people want to come by we'll be setting up the event at that point," St. Clair said. "It will be a casual, fun event that we think people will enjoy and also help raise money for a growing philanthropy."
(02/05/14 12:00pm)
(1:24 p.m.) Auburn's final target, Andrew Williams, has rounded out the Class of 2014 by announcing his commitment to play for the Tigers.The 4-star defensive end from McDonough, Ga., picked Auburn over Clemson and Georgia in a ceremony broadcast on ESPN3.com. Williams, who is rated as the No. 13 defensive end in the nation, was selected to play in the Offense-Defense Bowl after his senior season at Eagle's Landing Christian HS."Auburn was the best decision for me to help grow as a man...everything was right for me there," Williams said. Williams is the final commitment of the day, rounding out Auburn's class of 23 with 18 NSD signees and five early enrollees.--------------------(10:58 a.m.) Auburn's last commitment prior to Signing Day, Markell Boston, has sent his official letter of intent to the Tigers.Boston flipped from East Carolina to Auburn on Monday. A 3-star from nearby Newnan, Ga., Boston will provide depth to an Auburn secondary that is missing several starters due to graduation.-------------------- (10:47 a.m.) The Tigers' top target for National Signing Day is not staying on The Plains.Rashaan Evans, a 5-star outside linebacker who has been called one of the best overall recruits in the country picked Alabama over the hometown Tigers and UCLA at a ceremony during at Auburn High School's gymnasium.-------------------- (10:25 a.m.) Auburn's busy 10 o'clock hour has started with a bang as highly ranked offensive guard Braden Smith has committed to the Tigers.Smith, a 4-star lineman chose Auburn over Texas A&M and TCU in a ceremony at his high school in Olathe, Kan. He is known as a "weight room warrior," as video of him bench-pressing more than 500 pounds went viral on recruiting websites last month."The reason I chose Auburn was because of the opportunity when Greg Robinson left for the NFL," Smith told ESPNU. "I could get that opportunity to play early, and the style of offense they run is similar to the one we run here. I also liked all of the coaches there...they're top of the line people."-------------------- (10:20 a.m.) Another Mobile commitment, De'Shaun Davis, has officially signed with the Tigers.Davis is a borderline 4/3-star linebacker from Vigor who committed to Auburn last April. He was an 6A All-State selection as both a sophomore and a junior and is rated as the No. 13 inside linebacker in the country.-------------------- (9:40 a.m.) The Tigers' first surprise pickup of the day is Ike Powell, a 2-star long snapper from Tift County HS in Chula, Ga. According to Auburn's official website, Powell, who was originally committed to Vanderbilt, will be a preferred walk-on at Auburn.We are about an hour or so out from some major announcements, including 5-star linebacker Rashaan Evans and 4-star guard Braden Smith.-------------------- (9:12 a.m.) Auburn's 14th signee of the day is now official: Dontavius Russell.Russell is a 4-star defensive tackle from Carrollton, Ga., who flipped from Georgia to Auburn in December. Auburn also beat out Alabama, Clemson, Florida and Florida State for the 300-pounder's commitment-------------------- (8:55 a.m.) The national letter of intent is in from Auburn's biggest offensive commitment of the class, Racean "Roc" Thomas.The 5-star Oxford native was Mr. Football for the state of Alabama this past season, giving Auburn back-to-back Alabama Mr. Football honorees (Jeremy Johnson won the award in 2012) for the first time since 2000 and 2001 (Carnell Williams and Brandon Cox). The Under Armour All-American ran for 2,211 yards and 32 touchdowns in his senior season for the Yellow Jackets.Thomas is the No. 4 running back and No. 23 overall player in the country, according to 247Sports's Composite Rankings.-------------------- (8:25 a.m.) The first 5-star signing of the day is official. Tre' Williams is going to be an Auburn Tiger.The 5-star linebacker from St. Paul's Episcopal in Mobile racked up several major awards in his high school career: Under Armour All-American, first-team 247Sports All-American and two All-State selections. He is rated as the No. 2 overall inside linebacker in the country, with several outlets calling him the top ILB in this year's class. Williams was another one of Dameyune Craig's Mobile commitments who stayed true to Auburn since his announcment last May.-------------------- (8:20 a.m.) While many Auburn fans will spend Signing Day interested about the signing of 5-star linebacker Rashaan Evans, another son of a former Auburn player has signed to the Tigers --- Myron Burton.The son of Myron Burton, Sr., a defensive end on Auburn's 1993 undefeated team, Burton was listed as an athlete by most recruiting services. However, the 3-star Suwanee, Ga., native is expected to stay at wide receiver when he arrives on Auburn's campus.-------------------- (8:05 a.m.) Auburn is now at 10 signees as 3-star defensive tackle Devaroe Lawrence has faxed his letter to The Plains.Another signee from Georgia Military College, Lawrence stands at 6-foot-3 and 278 pounds. Auburn grabbed his commitment last May, beating SEC West rival Mississippi State for his services.--------------------(7:54 a.m.) The in-state train keeps chugging along for Auburn as Stephen Roberts and Jakell Mitchell from nearby Opelika have signed their Letters of Intent.The four-star Roberts was originally committed to Alabama, but he flipped to Auburn shortly after his unofficial visit to the now-legendary Auburn-Georgia game from this season. He also played quarterback for the Bulldogs this season, but he is projected to play safety for the Tigers.Mitchell is a versatile player who played several different positions at Opelika, from running back to linebacker. The three-star is expected to play tight end in Malzahn's offense. Mitchell missed his entire senior season at Opelika with a torn ACL injury he suffered during a summer on 7-on-7 camp, but Auburn still honored his commitment.-------------------- (7:35 a.m.) Auburn officially signs its first in-state commitments of the day, 4-star defensive end Justin Thornton from Vigor HS in Mobile and 3-star running back Kamryn Pettway from Prattville.Thornton, a feared pass rusher off the edge, is ranked as the No. 6 defensive end in the country and was named a second-team All-American by 247Sports. He was an early commitment out of the Mobile area, the old stomping grounds of No. 1 ranked recruiter and Auburn assistant coach Dameyune Craig.Pettway was another early commitment to the Tigers who stayed true through his entire senior season. He had back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons for the 6A powerhouse Prattville Lions and is described as a solid, all-around runner for the Auburn backfield.-------------------- (7:16 a.m.) Two more signees are official for Auburn, and they are four stars: Nick Ruffin and DaVonte Lambert.Ruffin is the Top-10 cornerback in the country and hails from St. Pius X in Atlanta, Ga. At 6-foot-1, he is a bigger cornerback who could be an instant boost for the Auburn secondary that will be missing Chris Davis. He played the 2014 Army All-American Bowl.Lambert was a former Tennessee commitment from the JUCO ranks, but he flipped to the Tigers in December on JUCO Signing Day. The defensive end is from the Georgia Military College, who also has several other Auburn commitments in this class.-------------------- (6:48 a.m.) The only quarterback in this year's class of signees, Sean White, has officially signed with Auburn.White, a 4-star pro-style quarterback from the University School in Ft. Lauderdale, Fla., is coming off a senior season full of accolades. The 6-foot-2 signal caller was the MVP of the Under Armour All-America game and was named to the Elite 11 Class of quarterbacks following his performance at Nike's Opening scouting combine.White is the No. 6 pro-style quarterback prospect in this year's class according to 247Sports.com's Composite rankings (our go-to rating system here at The Plainsman). While most people think of dual-threat quarterbacks like Cam Newton or Nick Marshall when they think of Malzahn's offense, White is a skilled passer who has been described as highly mobile inside the pocket.-------------------- (6:44 a.m.) Auburn's first two NLIs of the day are in: Kalvarez Bessent and Raashed Kennion.Bessent is a 4-star cornerback from Camden County HS in Kingsland, Ga. and chose Auburn over Alabama, Florida and Florida State. He was an Under Armour All-American after picking off six passes in his senior season at Camden County.Kennion is a 3-star weak side defensive end from First Coast HS in Jacksonville, Fla. Kennion was originally committed to former Auburn head coach Tommy Tuberville at Cincinnati. He stands at 6-foot-6, already making him one of the Tigers' biggest defensive players. -------------------- (6:37 a.m.) As we wait for the first Letter of Intent to arrive on the fax machine at Auburn, here is a look at the five Class of 2014 signees who are early enrollees and are already on campus:WR D'haquille Williams (4-star WR)6-foot-3, 200 poundsMississippi Gulf Coast Community CollegeWilliams was rated as the No. 1 overall junior college prospect in the country this season and should provide an instant boost to Auburn's passing game next season. He had 733 yards and nine touchdowns in his sophomore season at MGCCC, a solid follow-up to his 17-touchdown freshman season at the junior college powerhouse.S Derrick Moncrief (4-star S)6-foot-3, 226 poundsMississippi Gulf Coast Community CollegeThe Tigers also grabbed a letter of intent one of Williams' most sought-after teammates in December. Moncrief was rated as the No. 1 safety from the junior college ranks and is a graduate of 6A state powerhouse Prattville. The former Lion has been described by many recruiting experts as a hard-hitting defensive back that could step in immediately into an Auburn secondary that lost a few key players to graduation.Stanton Truitt (3-star ATH)5-foot-10, 185 poundsMonroe (Ga.) Area HSTruitt had almost 4,000 all-purpose yards and 60 touchdowns in his senior year of high school as a dual-threat quarterback, but he will most likely play wide receiver or defensive back for Auburn in the future. Chris Laye (3-star TE)6-foot-6, 240 poundsLambert HS (Suwanee, Ga.)Although Auburn has several playmakers already at tight end, the 6-foot-6 Laye's early enrollment could give him an advantage in the race for early playing time at special teams and certain offensive packages.Xavier Dampeer (3-star C)6-foot-4, 300 poundsCopiah-Lincoln Community CollegeOne of the highest rated offensive line prospects from the junior college ranks, Dampeer provides immediate depth to a center spot that will be vacated after next season with the graduation of veteran starter Reese Dismukes. -------------------- (6:00 a.m.) We are officially live from the Auburn Athletic Complex for National Signing Day 2014. Auburn currently has 21 commitments for their 2014 recruiting class, and recruits can start sending in those coveted letters of intent starting right now. The Plainsman will have live updates from the Complex and Auburn High School, where 5-star linebacker Rashaan Evans is expected to make his announcement at around 10:45 a.m. If you will be following the Signing Day action on Twitter, make sure to follow @TheAUPlainsman, sports editor @JFergusonAU and sports writer @AUMcKinney.-------------------- Here is the most up-to-date list of Auburn signees from today:- Racean "Roc" Thomas (5-star RB from Oxford)- Tre' Williams (5-star ILB from Mobile)- Kalvarez Bessent (4-star CB from Kingsland, Ga.)- DaVonte Lambert (4-star DE from Georgia Military College)- Stephen Roberts (4-star CB from Opelika)- Nick Ruffin (4-star CB from Atlanta, Ga.)- Dontavius Russell (4-star DT from Carrollton, Ga.)- Braden Smith (4-star G from Olathe, Kan.)- Justin Thornton (4-star DE from Mobile)- Sean White (4-star QB from Ft. Lauderdale, Fla)- Andrew Williams (4-star DE from McDonough, Ga.)- Markell Boston (3-star S from Newnan, Ga.)- Myron Burton (3-star ATH from Suwanee, Ga.)- De'Shaun Davis (3-star ILB from Mobile)- Raashed Kennion (3-star DE from Jacksonville, Fla.)- Devaroe Lawrence (3-star DT from Georgia Military College)- Jakell Mitchell (3-star TE from Opelika)- Kamryn Pettway (3-star RB from Prattville)
