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(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."
(04/18/14 11:20pm)
The historic 2013 A-Day game sure does seem like a lifetime ago, doesn't it?
Fresh off the worst season in program history, Auburn's first A-Day under head coach Gus Malzahn coincided with the sending off of the Toomer's Oaks.
These two landmark events on the same day resulted in a spring game that was attended by 83,401 fans, a nation-high and Auburn school record.
As far as the game itself, very little of what the Tigers displayed on the field that spring day made a SEC Championship seem likely.
One of the biggest questions leading into the game was who, if anyone, would make a statement in the quarterback competition.
Kiehl Frazier and Jonathan Wallace took the majority of snaps at the quarterback position for the Tigers.
Future starter Nick Marshall had yet to even reach campus, and neither of the upperclassmen did much to create separation as Malzahn looked for his first quarterback as the head coach of the Tigers.
Wallace had a solid day, going 11-of-15 for 115 yards and a touchdown, but the junior also had an interception and had the first snap of the day go over his head for a scoop-and-score defensive touchdown.
While Marshall had yet to make his way to the Plains, another JUCO transfer quickly established himself as a potential threat out of the backfield.
JUCO running back Cameron Artis-Payne rushed 13 times for 98 yards and made some big plays receiving the ball out of the backfield.
Incumbent starter Tre Mason, who rushed for 1,000 yards despite the team's 3-9 record in 2012, did not see much action in the 2013 spring game.
At the wide receiver position, several players were vying for their share of passes, after the departure of leading receiver Emory Blake.
Ricardo Louis snagged eight catches for 66 yards in last year's A-Day game, seven yards less than the 73 he'd eventually go during The Miracle in Jordan-Hare.
Louis, Quan Bray, Sammie Coates and Jaylon Denson were among the favored targets for Frazier and Wallace that day.
In hindsight, the defensive star of the 2013 A-Day game ended up having a minimal impact for the Tigers on their run to the BCS National Championship.
Justin Garrett manned the "Star" position in Ellis Johnson's 4-2-5 system that day and was making plays all over the field, including the aforementioned scoop-and-score to open the game.
The defensive line was a shade of what was to come, as talented freshmen Carl Lawson, Montravius Adams and Elijah Daniel had yet to arrive on campus.
Overall, the 2013 A-Day game will likely be remembered for off the field reasons as opposed to the product that was on Pat Dye Field that afternoon.
Little did anyone know at the time that Jordan-Hare Stadium was soon to become a theater of dreams for Auburn's record-breaking fan base.
(04/18/14 11:08pm)
Bo Jackson's commemoratory ride across Alabama will continue on the former two-sport athlete's collegiate stomping grounds in 2014.
Bo Bikes Bama, the annual charity event that raises funds for emergency planning in memory of the Alabamians lost in the deadly April 2011 tornado outbreak, will kick off both legs of the cycling event on Saturday morning at the Jule Collins Smith Museum of Fine Arts.
With the ride in its third year of existence, Jackson said his inspiration for the event was born from the terror he felt watching the destruction in his home state that infamous April day.
"With all the loss of life that happened here, I just felt compelled to come home and help in anyway form or fashion," Jackson said.
All funds raised during the ride go toward the Governor's Emergency Relief Fund, which helps to construct storm shelters across the state.
"Everybody knows you can't compete with Mother Nature," Jackson said. "You can't fight her. But you can get out of her way. By raising funds to build tornado shelters all around the state, we've done that in the sense that we want fellow Alabamians, whenever we're having bad weather, to get out of their homes and into a safe place."
Speaking in Foy Hall on Auburn's campus, Jackson said he was recently told by Governor Robert Bentley that almost 200 shelters had been built across the state of Alabama.
Jackson estimated the shelters can house close to 150 people and will withstand 300 mph winds.
"Everybody who has donated is responsible for this structure being here," Jackson said. "It's because of you guys who have donated a few dollars here or there that we were able to get the bank account to where we could make these structures."
In addition to discussing plans for Bo Bikes Bama, Jackson also gave a sneak preview of the upcoming SEC Network documentary "Bo, Barkley and the Big Hurt."
The documentary highlights a period in the 1980's when Jackson, Charles Barkley and Frank Thomas, all of whom went on to become professional athletes, were collegiate athletes in Auburn at the same time.
With his former team's spring game scheduled to take place the same day as his charity event, Jackson, who currently resides in Illinois, said he is happy to be back in his home state.
"The state of Alabama is home to me," Jackson said. "I am proud to be from this state. Sometimes I'm not proud of the way we treat each other, from one side of the state to the other. But this is home to me."
(04/15/14 9:30pm)
For new men's basketball assistant strength and conditioning coach Steven Pearl, basketball isn't just a pastime.
It's a game that runs in his bloodline.
"It's been in my blood since I was born," Pearl said. "I was an extension of the coach when I was a player at Tennessee, so I know the ins and outs of it, and I love it."
Pearl, a forward who played in two Sweet Sixteen's and an Elite Eight under his father Bruce and was renowned for his defense at Tennessee, didn't make the jump to coaching immediately when his playing career ended.
Instead, the former Volunteer got a job in marketing, the field he'd earned a degree in, and worked part-time as a member of the Knoxville, Tenn. sports media.
"Right out of college, I got a job with Stryker doing medical sales, covering all of east Tennessee and southwest Virginia," Pearl said. "Over the past year, I started doing radio with Tennessee Sports Radio on Saturdays, and I had my own show. It was just a little something extra on the side to do fun, make a little money and stay close to basketball."
As well as things were going for Pearl in Knoxville, there was little decision to be made on his future when a dream opportunity presented itself in his father's hiring at Auburn.
"Guys who don't have connections start in Division III, junior college or NAIA, and they're graduate assistants," Pearl said. "Not many have the ability to come in at a high level SEC program like Auburn.
"I'd be crazy if I didn't take advantage of this situation with (Bruce) being the coach and me being able to come in on staff right away."
According to Pearl, the transition from working as a marketing representative to coaching at the Division I level has led to a greater level of satisfaction in his work.
"It's what I'm passionate about, and the 12-hour days that I have here are nothing," Pearl said. "When I was doing medical sales, 12-hour days were the worst. But now, I started at 6 a.m. this morning, and it's now 2 o'clock, and I don't feel like I've been here more than 30 minutes."
Though he is still learning the ins and outs of recruiting and coaching, Pearl said the performances of other coaches' sons have him excited about a future in coaching.
"You look at a guy like Richard Pitino, you know, Rick Pitino's son, he's at Minnesota, and they just won the NIT Championship," Pearl said. "That's the kind of thing that inspires me."
Just four years removed from playing at Tennessee, both he and his father like the potential of using Steven as an intermediary between players and the coaching staff.
"He used to get on to me harder than anyone else, so if a guy gets down because the coaches are getting on to him, I can go over there and talk to him and relate," Pearl said. "I can be that median that a lot of staffs may not have. I think it's a huge asset."
Even though Pearl may one day follow in his father's footsteps as a college basketball head coach, for now he said he's content to assist and learn from his father while rebuilding the Auburn basketball program.
"We'll be running and gunning, shooting a lot of threes, getting up and down, playing crazy defense, and we're excited about it," Pearl said. "We try to create some turnovers and offense out of our defense just to create some chaos."
(04/13/14 5:26pm)
Jay Jacobs made a splash when he brought Bruce Pearl to the Plains.
It hasn't taken long for the first year coach to make a splash on the recruiting trail.
Power forward Cinmeon Bowers, the nation's number one junior college recruit as listed by 247Sports, announced his commitment to Auburn on his Twitter account Sunday morning.
The Marianna, Fla. native was previously committed to play at Florida State but was released from his commitment after a January arrest. Bowers was charged with tampering with evidence after he was found eating marijuana during a traffic stop.
In addition to FSU and Auburn, Bowers had offers from Memphis and Louisville.
A four-star recruit out of high school, the 6-foot-6 Bowers was unable to become academically eligible and instead played at Chipola Junior College in Florida.
Bowers will likely be the first recruit signed during the Bruce Pearl era at Auburn.
(04/12/14 2:33am)
The No. 20 ranked Auburn softball team came up short for the fifth consecutive game Friday night in a tight 4-2 loss to the No. 16 Missouri Tigers.
Kasey Cooper and Branndi Melero drove in both of Auburn's runs, but the Tigers (31-10-1, 6-7 SEC) couldn't overcome Missouri's four-run fifth inning.
"The way we look at it, games are lost and not won," said Auburn head coach Clint Myers. "They didn't beat us, we lost. We didn't capitalize on their mistakes."
Five Auburn batters recorded a hit Friday night at Jane B. Moore Field, but the Tigers struggled to string together enough hits to push across more runs.
"There's an opportunity in almost every inning we've had tonight to do something special," Myers said. "We just didn't get it done."
After the game, Myers said the team's youth could be partially to blame for some of Auburn's mistakes tonight.
"It's a freshman club of various ages because we all haven't been together for a year yet," Myers said. "The confidence is something that is still growing and if we play good, which we didn't, then I think that'll help."
Despite the losing streak, Myers didn't expect any of his players' heads to drop as the Tigers look to rebound and take the next two against Missouri.
"The other team gives you indications of what you need to look for, and I think our preparation was good, so I think our confidence was good," Myers said. "Our confidence will be high tomorrow."
One thing Myers said is for certain, though: his team won't stop fighting to break the losing streak.
"We've got to take advantage of the opportunities that we have," Myers said. "If you've watched any of these games then you'll know our guys just don't quit."
(04/11/14 8:00pm)
This week's happenings in Auburn sports.
(04/08/14 12:33am)
Hiring interior designers and statistical analysts aren't the first needs that come to mind when most think of rebuilding a basketball program.
But those positions, alongside roles as student managers, video production assistants and marketing assistants, are just what new men's basketball head coach Bruce Pearl is hoping to fill with Auburn students.
"When you think about sports in this country and what a big business it has obviously become, if you are able to become a part of this brand, you are so much more marketable," Pearl said.
An estimated crowd of 150 students and faculty were on hand Monday evening in the Auburn Arena to gather information on potential job openings in the Auburn basketball program.
Pulling on his own experience as a student assistant at Boston College, Pearl encouraged students to take advantage of this opportunity to enhance their resume.
"If you're any good at what you do, chances are you had a pretty good teacher," Pearl said. "Just the ability to come to our practices, or Coach Williams-Flournoy's practice, will be incredibly valuable to you as you try to build your portfolio and your base of understanding for the game. You're welcome to come into my classroom in that practice facility."
From the design and furniture of his basketball offices down to the name of the student section, Pearl said he wanted student opinions involved in the future rebranding of the Auburn program.
"If you put your hands on the Auburn brand, regardless of what it is, men or women, you are more hirable by that university or country," Pearl said. "I strongly encourage you to take advantage of this."
Jonathan Wade, who was a student manager under former head coach Tony Barbee, said the change in student interest since Pearl's hiring has been tremendous.
"Last year, just looking around at how many people were here, it was kind of a sad turnout," Wade said. "It's kind of a prestigious program. Even though it's not one of the top programs right now, it could be."
Though many in attendance said they weren't sure exactly how they'd get involved, Rick Perez, a freshman in pre-business, said it was an exciting opportunity for students in many fields.
"Coach Pearl really seems determined to get a lot of students involved and in all different phases," said Perez. "I don't know specifically, because I'm just a freshman, but I'm interested in helping or marketing the program."
(04/05/14 11:45pm)
Auburn's softball team has yet to be swept in the 2014 campaign, but Saturday's 7-6 loss to the No. 7 Florida Gators has put the Tigers on the verge of their longest losing streak this season.
Trailing by two runs in the top of the seventh, Auburn was able to pull back a run, but was unable to push the tying run across the plate.
Branndi Melero and McKenzie Kilpatrick combined to go 4-of-8 on the afternoon and drove in all six of Auburn's runs in the loss.
Stephanie Tofft opened up the scoring for the Gators with a three-run homerun in the bottom of the first inning.
Another run in the bottom of the second gave Florida a comfortable lead, but Melero crushed a two-run bomb to deep center field in the top of the third to cut the deficit in half.
Three batters later, Kilpatrick tied the game back up with another deep shot to center field.
Marcy Harper's struggles on the mound continued in the bottom of the third, however, as Kirsti Merritt put the Gators back in front with a solo home run.
Melero singled in another run in the top of the fourth to claw the Tigers back even, but Merritt struck again in the fifth, crushing a solo home run that would force Harper from the game.
Down 7-5 in the top of the sixth, the Tigers would threaten with two runners on base, but Melero fouled out to third base to end the threat.
Neither starting pitcher had a particularly successful outing Saturday afternoon. Harper gave up six runs (five earned) in four innings of work while Delanie Gourley allowed four runs on three hits in three innings for the Gators.
The Tigers will hope to avoid their first sweep of the season Sunday afternoon in Gainesville, Fla. First pitch is scheduled for 12 p.m.
(04/03/14 4:40pm)
It's been just over two weeks since Bruce Pearl was introduced as the men's head basketball coach, and he's already at work on his first initiative: getting Auburn students involved in the rebuilding process.
"I've always believed that part of my responsibility as a coach and a teacher on a campus is to provide students with access and an opportunity," Pearl said. "The invitation that I'm sending out to the student body is that we're looking for a few good men and women to get involved with the program."
Pearl and his staff will be holding an open meeting for students interested in becoming involved with the program on April 7 at 5 p.m. in the Auburn Arena.
A variety of positions, such as student managers, video production assistants, statisticians and even interior designers, could potentially be made available to students.
"We're just throwing out ideas and trying to take advantage of the talent that's here on campus," Pearl said.
Pearl insists he and his staff aren't just looking for students to come shag balls at practice. Instead, he said students with a range of skill sets could find positions, both paid and unpaid, in the program's rebuilding process.
"Whether it's student-athletes that are playing or it is statisticians with analytics that are interested in dissecting the game from a numbers standpoint," Pearl said. "We've got an incredibly talented video department, and if you can come in here and get trained by these people you are so hirable in television and media."
One position Pearl specifically mentioned creating is a student director of promotions, a position Pearl hopes to fill with a student from the Raymond J. Harbert School of Business.
Pearl, who began his coaching career as a student assistant after walking on at Boston College, said gaining real life experience during college is vital to a successful career.
"Don't wait to pay your dues when you get out of college," Pearl said. "When you get out of college you have to pay your bills. Not that there aren't bills to pay now, but you should pay your dues now. What better thing to put on your resume than the fact that you were involved in helping to build a fanbase for Auburn basketball?"
Brooks Ohman, who has worked as a student manager for the past two years, said the opportunity is almost too good to pass up for fans of the game.
"We watch basketball games on television as a fan, but you don't know what all goes into making sure a team gets there on time and those things," Ohman said.
(04/04/14 2:45pm)
It seems like the phrase "teach the controversy" has become a popular response nowadays for those who disagree with popular scientific theories.
If I'm allowed to have an opinion on topics in sports, politics and religion, why can't I do the same in science?
Unfortunately, that's just not how science works, and teaching kids to think that way is harmful in more ways than one.
A population of scientifically illiterate individuals allows for the spread of fantastic and dangerously misleading ideas, some of which can be fatal.
Take, for example, the not-so-recent debate between Ken Ham and Bill Nye.
Ham, a Young Earth Creationist, used the platform to portray evolution as an embattled theory in the scientific community. He even had a variety of scientists, some with Ph. Ds in microbiology from esteemed universities, on film endorsing his arguments.
These highly educated and peer reviewed scientists were the cornerstones for his idea that there is somehow a "controversy" that needs to be taught on the subject of evolution.
Though it's a fallacious idea, it's an easy tactic to bring in "scientists who doubt said theory" to show there is a controversy. Yet, it is easily outdone.
In response to a list of 700 scientists who denied evolution, Project Steve was founded in 2003 to show just how small the percentage of evolution deniers was in the scientific community.
The light-hearted list, which is only composed of scientists named Steve, has collected 1,328 signatures over the last decade, a significant feat considering "Steves" are only representative of approximately 1 percent of the scientific community.
Despite the overwhelming evidence and support, a recent poll showed that 33 percent of Americans still do not believe in evolution.
That's about 99,000,000 people, equivalent to the entire population of the Philippines, who do not believe in a basic tenet of biology.
So, why should all this scientific literacy stuff matter to you? I mean, a lack of knowledge about evolution and science isn't actually fatal, right?
Directly, it's not. But if a third of our country's population is still in denial about one of the most widely supported scientific theories or like the one involving vaccine use in children?
Despite little to no evidence (except from the Jenny McCarthy, of course), the idea that vaccine use causes autism still lingers, prompting some families to forego critical vaccines in children for illnesses like measles, the flu and hepatitis.
People who think vaccine use is linked to autism are certainly in the minority, but since 2007, 1,375 deaths from vaccine-preventable deaths have been reported to the CDC.
Science is a forum for argument, skepticism and tinkering. No theory is safe from future research that could turn our understanding of a process upside down.
But "teaching the controversy" on topics that have a solid scientific consensus isn't just bad for scientific literacy, it creates a mindset of distrust about the methods and discoveries of hard working scientists who work to fix the variety of dangers facing humanity.
There's nothing wrong with holding unpopular opinions on a subject, but when it comes to science, there's generally a reason those opinions are in the minority.
(03/29/14 6:30pm)
The Auburn football team headed indoors for its first spring scrimmage of 2014 on Saturday morning.
With players split up into three groups, head coach Gus Malzahn said the team ran 90-100 plays looking to gather information on players in game-like situations.
"When you grade scrimmages, from a coaching standpoint, that's when you find out more about your players than you do just on a normal practice," Malzahn said. "The way they react with situations, you gain a lot more information as a coach."
While coaches have plenty of film on returning players, Malzahn said splitting the team into three groups gave new players equal reps and opportunities alongside returning starters.
The open competition of spring practice has forced many players, even those with established team roles, to focus on continuously improving.
"Nobody's position is sold," said defensive lineman Gabe Wright. "Not mine, not anybody's. We got guys trying to fight for first team reps."
Outside of a few pre-snap penalties and a turnover, Malzahn said the offense ran cleanly and at a good pace in the scrimmage.
"Once you get into your third group obviously you're going to go a little slower," Malzahn said. "I thought the first group the pace was good and I thought our defense lined up quick too."
Increasing the pace of play on the defensive side of the ball has been a point of emphasis so far in spring practice. Wright said going up against Malzahn's offense every day in practice has been beneficial to speeding up defensive activity.
"I honestly don't think we can have a better situation than what we have going against a pace offense every day," Wright said. "I believe once our defense gets the communication part down we can play fast and play physical."
Despite a high level of play in the scrimmage, Malzahn said it would be difficult to single out one player as having performed better than expected.
"From my standpoint you're rotating three groups and just trying to administrate to make sure everything goes right," Malzahn said.
(03/28/14 2:48am)
The Auburn women's basketball team's postseason run came to an end Thursday night in Starkville, Miss., where the Tigers fell 59-54 to the Mississippi State Bulldogs in the WNIT Sweet Sixteen.
Auburn (19-15, 7-9 SEC) held a 12 point lead in the opening minutes of the second half and seemed well on its way to a third win over Mississippi State this season, but the Bulldogs (22-13, 5-11 SEC) rallied to put together a 40-point second half and complete the comeback.
Junior guard Hasina Muhammad led the Tigers in scoring with 13 points while leading scorer Tyrese Tanner had just 11 points on 4-of-12 shooting in her final collegiate game.
A strong defensive effort in the first half saw the Tigers jump out to a 12 point lead in the opening minutes of the first half.
Tanner picked up two early fouls and played just three minutes in the half, but Muhammad scored 10 points on 5-of-6 shooting to carry the scoring load for the Tigers.
The Tigers lead would hold their lead until the seven minute mark of the second half, when the Bulldogs got their first lead of the game at 44-43.
Turnovers were a vital component in the Bulldogs' second half comeback. Auburn turned it over 27 times as compared to Mississippi State's 17.
The Bulldogs were led in scoring by Kendra Grant, who scored 20 points on 7-of-17 shooting off the bench. Center Martha Awal contributed 11 points and 11 rebounds in the Bulldog victory.
(03/27/14 8:00pm)
Find out the happenings of this week in Auburn sports.
(03/26/14 5:19pm)
Bruce Pearl's hiring as the Auburn men's basketball head coach not only rejuvenated the former Tennessee head coach's career, it also provided a fresh opportunity for former members of his staff.
"I'm going to bring some of my family members into my coaching staff," Pearl said. "Guys that I've been with before; guys that I've won with before; guys that I've won with; and guys who know my system and how to prepare."
Pearl announced Tony Jones, his former assistant coach at Tennessee, would be a part of his staff at Auburn during his press conference.
Considering the tribulations Pearl and Jones experienced while coaching at Tennessee, it's fair to say there's a certain amount of trust between the two.
"When the SEC suspended me for eight games in my last season, I had to turn the reigns over to my associate head coach," Pearl said. "There aren't many guys in the SEC who can go 5-3, but Tony Jones went 5-3 in the SEC as head coach."
Jones won five consecutive SEC games as interim head coach at Tennessee, a feat that Jones said he was proud of considering the circumstances.
"I was an assistant to the head coach, not in the way I wanted to be, but I won five straight SEC games," Jones said. "I gained a lot of experience after being thrown into the fire."
Pearl's show-cause violation means he cannot recruit for Auburn until August, but Jones and other assistants will be allowed to hit the recruiting trail in the meantime.
Considering his history of recruiting top talent, Jones may help steady Auburn's recruiting until Pearl's sanctions come to an end.
Jones helped the Volunteers sign recruiting classes ranked among the top 10 in the nation twice during his time at Tennessee. Those classes included the likes of McDonald's All-Americans Scotty Hopson and Tobias Harris, the latter of which currently plays for the Orlando Magic of the NBA.
"We have two scholarships right now ,so we're looking to bring in two quality individuals to supplement what we current have," Jones said. "We also have to earmark the top players in Alabama, Georgia, Florida and Mississippi."
Jones admitted that Auburn does not carry a lengthy tradition of winning, but said he didn't think it would be that big of an obstacle on the recruiting trail.
"Once (Pearl) is able to get out and communicate with recruits and once kids are on campus, the university will represent itself," Jones said.
Following his departure from Tennessee, Jones spent two seasons as the head basketball at Alcoa High School in Tennessee, where he led the Tornadoes to a 46-19 record over two seasons.
Jones said he enjoyed his time as a head coach, but hoped he wouldn't be forced into that situation at Auburn.
"Hopefully I won't have to be the head coach here, you know if he gets thrown out or something," Jones said. "But I've worked for the best, and Bruce Pearl is a very talented coach and his record speaks for himself. We've been very successful together and I don't see that changing."
With his collegiate basketball coaching career rejuvenated, Jones thinks he, along with the rest of his staff, can help restore the Tigers to their winning ways.
"The Auburn family and their sports teams have traditionally been successful, so why not men's basketball?" Jones said. "It can be done here, we just have to start the legacy, starting today."
(03/20/14 9:00pm)
This week in sports is back, bringing you the happenings in sports this week in Auburn.
(03/19/14 2:17am)
The Auburn family had a special birthday surprise awaiting its newest men's basketball head coach.
Auburn athletic director Jay Jacobs introduced Bruce Pearl as the program's 20th men's basketball coach Tuesday night in front of a raucous crowd of students and fans in the Auburn Arena.
"We've raised the bar for men's basketball, I'll tell you that," Jacobs said. "Like I've always said, we're committed to winning championships here, and doggone it, we started that right here tonight."
Auburn and Pearl agreed to a six-year, $2.2 million dollar contract Tuesday, making Pearl one of the top 20 highest paid coaches in the nation.
According to Jacobs, Pearl, who celebrated his 54th birthday Tuesday, is a perfect fit for an Auburn program that went just 48-75 in the past four seasons.
"When I started visiting with Bruce, I found a man that had passion, who had a vision, who is a family man, a man that wants to win and do it the right way," Jacobs said. "And to take Auburn basketball to a sustainable level that we haven't had in a long time. We found that in Bruce Pearl."
Pearl remains under a show-cause sanction until August for NCAA violations he committed as head coach at the University of Tennessee.
Pearl was fired in 2011 due to those violations and has spent the last three years in marketing and as a college basketball analyst at ESPN.
"It's been a long three years being away from the game," Pearl said. "When I made the mistakes that I made at Tennessee, I let a lot of people down. I let my family down, I let my university down and I let the people down that believed in me. That's why I still walk around with pain."
Pearl said Auburn's forgiving atmosphere convinced him it was the right place for he and his family to make a fresh start.
"I have found this part of the country to be a part of the country that offers grace," Pearl said. "But for the grace of God, I wouldn't be here today as your next men's basketball head coach."
With an estimated crowd of 2,000 students and fans on hand to see his arrival, Pearl described the reception from Auburn students and fans to be "beyond our wildest dreams and expectations."
"We feel your love, we feel your support and we're going to represent you in a very, very significant way," Pearl said. "Is this not the biggest press conference you've ever been to?"
Pearl has a 462-145 record as a college basketball head coach and carries a history of turning around SEC programs mired in mediocrity.
The former Volunteer head coach gave no timetable for when Auburn would achieve success, but assured fans that he and the players would lay a foundation for future championships.
"We will play for championships at Auburn, there is no question in mind," Pearl said. "These guys have a chance to make history by being the guys to lay the foundation for a championship basketball program."
(03/18/14 9:30pm)
The start of Auburn's 2014 spring practice will bring head coach Gus Malzahn a luxury he's yet to experience as a collegiate head coach.
"This is the first time we will have a quarterback in the spring who started the fall before and I know Coach Lashlee is excited about that," Malzahn said. "It'll be a good thing moving forward."
Elusive senior quarterback Nick Marshall is expected to again lead the Auburn offense in 2014, with goals of improving his throwing ability in the offseason.
"Nick is a very talented player, not just running; he can really throw it," Malzahn said. "I said that a lot during the fall, but now that he has spring he will be more comfortable and more reactive. We feel very good about him throwing the football."
With a season of experience under his belt, Marshall's teammates said they've seen his role change on the team.
"It's good to see him evolving as a team leader," Chad Slade said. "He was a team leader last year, but this year it's getting more and more as he gets used to the offense. He knows the offense like the back of his hand now."
Though he is normally soft spoken, Malzahn said the senior's words carry weight throughout the Tigers' locker room.
"He doesn't say much but when he does, people listen," Malzahn said. "I think he is really looking forward to the spring and being comfortable."
Marshall is also expected to benefit in the passing game from an influx of talented wide receivers in the 2014 recruiting class.
D'haquille Williams, the nation's number one junior college recruit in this year's recruiting class, has already turned heads in the Auburn secondary.
"D'haquille is probably going to be a great player for us this year," defensive back Jermaine Whitehead said. "He reminds me a lot of Sammie (Coates). He can get vertical fast, but he also likes to put his foot on the ground and make plays across the field."
Fellow defensive back Jonathon Mincy said that in addition to Williams' talent, the 6-foot-3 wideout already plays with the attitude of a big-time wide receiver.
"D'haquille is going to talk, get in your face and that's something you want from your wide receivers," defensive back Jonathon Mincy* said. "We're ready to get out there and play with them."
Though not as heralded as Williams, Whitehead said he was already impressed by true freshman receiver Stanton Truitt.
"Truitt is quick with his feet and has great hands," Whitehead said. "I have a lot of confidence about both of those guys."
Malzahn's second season on the Plains will bring new experiences for the 48-year-old head coach, but Malzahn said not to expect his process to change.
"We felt like we got that mental and physical toughness that Auburn is known for," Malzahn said. "Look for a very physical spring, just like we did last spring."
(03/14/14 7:00pm)
After Jay Jacobs quickly pulled the plug on Tony Barbee's disappointing tenure as men's basketball head coach Wednesday night, the Auburn athletic director now has another coaching search to conduct, his fourth since December 2012.Jacobs said he wants a coach to compete for SEC championships in light of the department's major investment in the program with Auburn Arena, and he wants to move with this search as quickly as possible.With Jacobs' hires of Gus Malzahn, Sunny Golloway and Clint Myers this past year, one would think Auburn is going to go for a splash hire in men's basketball.We as the sports staff of The Auburn Plainsman have compiled a list of 10 coaching candidates for Auburn men's basketball. Some are big names, others are lesser-known up-and-comers in the coaching ranks, but we feel each of these candidates are improvements on paper from the program's last few hires.Bruce Pearl (231-99 in 10 seasons at Wisconsin-Milwaukee and Tennessee)Bruce Pearl seemingly is the name at the top of everyone's short list, and for good reason. Pearl has a history of reviving SEC programs mired in mediocrity.After guiding Southern Indiana to a Division II National Championship in the '90s, Pearl made a name for himself at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, where he led the Panthers to 86 wins in four seasons, including a run to the Sweet 16 in 2005. All in all, the Volunteers reached the NCAA tournament in six consecutive seasons under Bruce Pearl, a stretch that included three Sweet 16 visits and the program's first Elite Eight in 2010.Pearl's teams played at a frenetic pace and employed full court pressure, creating energy and passion both on and off the court for the Tennessee basketball program. Pearl doesn't come without baggage, though. Pearl was fired from Tennessee in 2011 after it was discovered he lied about recruiting violations and covered up a substance abuse violation by a player. In addition to sanctions, the NCAA gave Pearl a three-year show-cause penalty, meaning that sanctions would follow Pearl even if he was hired at another school.Pearl's show-cause violation is up in August, meaning he'll be one of the hottest names on the job market. There's certainly baggage here, but if Auburn is looking to make a splash and hire a proven SEC winner, there are few better options than this one.-Eric Wallace / Sports ReporterBen Howland (390-199 in 19 seasons at Northern Arizona, Pittsburgh and UCLA)Auburn fans are howling for Jay Jacobs to hire a winner, and few options have won quite as often as Ben Howland.The former Weber State guard had his first success at Pittsburgh, where he took the Panthers to back-to-back Big East Regular Season Championships and Sweet Sixteens in 2002 and 2003. Howland was then hired at basketball powerhouse UCLA, where winning is counted in NCAA Tournament Championships and not just appearances.Howland's Bruins won three consecutive Pac-10 titles from 2006-2008 and reached three consecutive Final Fours in that same span. In his time at UCLA, Howland was never short for talent. Russell Westbrook, Kevin Love, Jrue Holiday, Darren Collison and Arron Afflalo are just a few of Howland's former players still making a name for themselves in the NBA today.Howland was fired from UCLA in 2013 following a "disappointing" 25-9 season, for a little context on UCLA's impossible standards, so he's certainly one of the most proven names on the market. There are good hires and then there are home run hires, and for Auburn, Howland would certainly be the latter.-Eric Wallace / Sports ReporterTommy Amaker (314-208 in 17 seasons at Seton Hall, Michigan and Harvard)Of all the long shots on this list, Tommy Amaker might be the longest shot. But I would make Amaker tell me he does not want the Auburn job, considering the current success he had at Harvard and the past experience coaching in major conference basketball.Amaker was a fixture at Duke during the Blue Devils' NCAA Tournament success of the late 80s and early 90s as a player and later as an assistant coach. After four consecutive postseason appearances as the young head coach of the Seton Hall Pirates, Amaker left for Michigan, where he consistently posted solid seasons but never was able to break into the Big Dance. Despite his NIT success, he was fired at Michigan and later picked up by Harvard.Amaker took the Ivy League school to its first Big Dance in 2011 after snapping the program's long streak of losing seasons the year before. Harvard has dominated the Ivy League the last four seasons, and Amaker could make the Crimson the next Wichita State or VCU with the recruiting classes he has hauled in recent years.Amaker would be far from the usual mid-major hire. He has experience at the highest level as a player, assistant coach and head coach, and he has taken a program from virtually nothing into one of the most feared teams outside the power conferences. Amaker is a long shot, but I think he deserves at least a call to see if he wants to rebuild a program in a bigger conference.-Justin Ferguson / Sports EditorTubby Smith (525-244 in 23 seasons at Tulsa, Georgia, Kentucky, Minnesota and Texas Tech)Tubby Smith, the current head coach of Texas Tech, has led a long and successful career as a head power-conference coach.Smith has won regular season conference titles nine times, while winning his conference tournament five times.While at Kentucky, Smith led a dominant teams, winning the SEC Tournament in 1998, 1999, 2001, 2003 and 2004. Smith was also named the SEC Coach of the Year in 1998, 2003 and 2005.Although he has been in Lubbock for one year as the Texas Tech head coach, Auburn could realistically make a run at the former SEC coaching giant. With his success at Georgia and Kentucky, Smith definitely knows what it takes to win in this conference.-Taylor Jones / Sports Writer
Rick Stansbury (293-165 in 14 seasons at Mississippi State)Another potential target for Auburn could be former Mississippi State head coach Rick Stansbury.Stansbury was hired at Mississippi State in 1998 after serving as an assistant coach for the Bulldogs since 1990.He led the Bulldogs to two SEC Tournament Championships in 2002 and 2009, while winning the SEC Regular Season Championship in 2004 and winning the SEC West Division Championship five times.Stansbury was named the 2004 SEC Coach of the Year and also led the Bulldogs to their highest win total in Mississippi State history during the 2001-2002 season with 27 wins.With an impressive 11 postseason appearances in his 14 seasons in charge of Mississippi State, Stansbury reportedly has expressed interest in returning to the SEC with the Auburn job. An established name in the conference, Stansbury could be the name to lead Auburn back up the ladder.-Taylor Jones / Sports WriterJeff Capel (175-110 in nine seasons at Virginia Commonwealth and Oklahoma)Jeff Capel, a former standout player at Duke University and current assistant coach there, could be another strong candidate for the Auburn men's basketball head coaching job. He became a head coach at Virginia Commonwealth University at 27 years old and was the coach there for four years. Capel led them to a record 79 wins with a .658 winning percentage.Capel has also been an assistant on the USA Men's team when they won the gold medal in the 2005 FIBA Tournament in Turkey.Capel was named the head coach of University of Oklahoma in 2006 and lasted there until 2011. During his tenure there, he recruited multiple McDonald's All Americans, including current NBA All-Star Blake Griffin. While at Oklahoma, he made two NCAA Tournaments and even advanced to the Elite Eight once. He also averaged 21 wins per season there.-Kyle Van Fechtmann / Sports Reporter
Seth Greenberg (367-276 in 22 seasons at Long Beach State, South Florida and Virginia Tech)
Although Seth Greenberg's coaching tenure ended in April 2012 at Virginia Tech, I think he deserves a solid look as the next Auburn basketball head coach. Greenberg led the Hokies to a No. 5 seed in the 2007 NCAA Tournament and also led them to multiple victories over No. 1 teams in the regular season. Greenberg left Blacksburg with the second-most wins in program history compiling a 170-123 overall record.Despite the fact that Greenberg only made the NCAA Tournament once at Virginia Tech out of nine seasons, several of his assistants left for head coaching jobs elsewhere and he had to fill coaching jobs during each offseason.Even though Greenberg is an analyst for ESPN now, and it may take a lot of money for Auburn to hire him, I believe it's finally time for Auburn to shell out some money and hire a coach who had a good record at an impressive basketball conference like the ACC.-Kyle Van Fechtmann / Sports Reporter Michael White (70-29 in three seasons at Louisiana Tech) \0x200BMichael White is simply the hottest up-and-comer in college basketball at the moment. A former player and assistant coach at Ole Miss who excelled at recruiting the Southeast, the 37-year-old White has spent the last three seasons at Louisiana Tech, where he has posted back-to-back regular season conference championships. White has ties to the SEC and the state of Alabama, where he was a top assistant at Jacksonville State, and his up-tempo, full court-pressing style of basketball would play to Auburn's guard-heavy roster for next season. I know Auburn fans would be wary of hiring another hot mid-major candidate after the failed Tony Barbee experiment, but unlike the former Tigers head coach, the energetic White has had more than just one good year at a smaller school and would come with great coaching and recruiting experience in the SEC. \0x200B-Justin Ferguson / Sports EditorDonnie Tyndall (167-99 in eight seasons at Morehead State and Southern Miss)Donnie Tyndall might not be the most well known name for Auburn fans, but the Southern Mississippi head coach would bring a proven track record of winning to the Plains, should he get the job.The 43-year-old Tyndall inherited a 4-23 Morehead State team as his first head coaching job in 2006 and rapidly turned the Eagles into an Ohio Valley Conference power. The Eagles made the NCAA Tournament twice under Tyndall, including a Third Round appearance in 2011.Now at Southern Miss, Tyndall's Golden Eagles are 53-15 in his two seasons in Hattiesburg and are currently poised to make the NCAA Tournament at 26-5.Tiger fans are certainly tired of mid-major hires, and deservedly so after the failures of Jeff Lebo and Tony Barbee, but Tyndall would bring a more sustained track record of success to the Plains than either of those two. Considering the current state of the program, Jay Jacobs could do a whole lot worse. -Eric Wallace / Sports ReporterTod Kowalczyk (200-175 in 12 seasons at Wisconsin-Green Bay and Toledo)This mid-major, less-intriguing name is completely out of left field for most Auburn basketball fans, and for good reason. Kowalczyk has spent his entire coaching in the Midwest (including an assistant coaching stint at Marquette when NBA star Dwayne Wade was on campus), but his track record with rebuilding programs is stunning.Kowalczyk took over a dreadful Wisconsin-Green Bay team in 2002 and rattled off five winning seasons in eight tries. He never broke into the NCAA Tournament in a one-qualifier conference like the Horizon League, but he is on the verge of a remarkable transformation at Toledo.Following a dismal rebuilding season, Kowalczyk took a senior-less Toledo team from 4-28 to 19-17 and a couple of wins away from the Big Dance. His up-tempo 2013-14 Rockets are on the verge of making it to the NCAA Tournament this season with an impressive 26-5 record in a competitive MAC league.But another thing that sticks out about Kowalczyk is that he has turned around the Toledo program while being sponsored by Under Armour. After Allen Payne's tweet Wednesday night about Auburn continuing to struggle with the Maryland-based apparel company sent Auburn fans and writers in a frenzy (I for one think the UA ordeal is a minor issue that people are blowing out of proportion, but that's all for another post), Kowalczyk is proof that you can succeed in this game while being an Under Armour school.-Justin Ferguson / Sports EditorWhat do you think of our list? Have any more candidates you think we should add? Who is your pick for Auburn's next men's basketball head coach? Tweet your responses @TheAUPlainsman or email the staff at sports@theplainsman.com.
(03/13/14 2:41am)
An unexpected shower of three-pointers made Auburn's trip to the Georgia Dome for the SEC Tournament a brief one.
South Carolina buried the Tigers under a barrage of 3-pointers, with many coming from unlikely sources, to defeat Auburn 74-56 in the opening game of the 2014 SEC Tournament.
The Gamecocks (13-19, 5-13 SEC), who entered the game shooting just 37 percent from deep on average, shot 73 percent (11-of-15) from behind the arc and raced away from the Tigers (14-16, 6-12 SEC), who scored just two more points than their season-low.
"It's hard to overcome the shooting effort that we had, and then give them credit for a team that hasn't shot particularly well from three all year long, they made 11-of-15 in this game," said head coach Tony Barbee.
Freshman guard Duane Notice, who shot just 30 percent from three during the regular season, was 4-of-4 from behind the arc on his way to a career high 23 points off the bench.
Notice, who made just one 3-pointer in South Carolina's two previous losses to the Tigers, outplayed Auburn's scouting report, according to senior forward Allen Payne.
"Our scouting report on him was that he was a driver, but he got hot and was able to make some shots from the perimeter," Payne said.
In support of Notice, senior Brenton Williams, who shot three pointers at a 43 percent clip in the regular season, also splashed four three pointers on his way to a 16-point outing.
"They're not a particularly good3-point shooting team outside of Williams, but obviously Notice stepped up and the four threes were big for him," Barbee said. "Give those guys credit off the bench."
Auburn's leading scorer Chris Denson, who finished the regular season second in the SEC in scoring, was unable to find enough space to operate against the Gamecock defense.
The senior guard finished with 14 points on 3-of-6 shooting in his final collegiate game.
"They definitely clogged the paint more this game," Denson said. "They were able to take my driving lanes away, and that's on me, KT and Tahj. We weren't explosive tonight and they made us shoot from the outside."
The Gamecocks' shooters weren't the only problems for Auburn on Wednesday night.
The Tigers were outrebounded 39-25, including 17-8 on the offensive glass, and allowed South Carolina to score 22 second chance points.
"Obviously, you don't want to ever give up 17 offensive rebounds," Barbee said. "When you look at it, I don't think their first shot offense beat us this game. It was the 17 offensive rebounds they collected that was big in this game."
In addition to the discrepancy on the glass, Auburn's bench was outscored 34-9, with Notice's 23 points accounting for a large portion of that total.
Auburn's second leading scorer KT Harrell was the only other Tiger to reach double digit points, but his 13 points came on just 4-of-13 shooting.
True freshman point guard Tahj Shamsid-Deen ended the season with one of the worst performances of his career, a 4 point outing on just 1-of-10 shooting.