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(07/17/14 4:00pm)
In a time when America's government is as polarized as it's ever been, our country has looked for something to come together on. That something is sports.
In February, we saw our nation unite behind our Olympians in Sochi, Russia, at a time where tensions are high between our nations.
Even those who don't follow hockey most likely know about the "Miracle on Ice" game, where the US men's team pulled off one of the most improbable upsets in the history of sports by defeating the juggernaut Soviet hockey squad at Lake Placid.
The rivalry was renewed this year, and with the elite performance of TJ Oshie, the Americans pulled out a win against Russia on their home turf, 4-3.
The true beauty is America was watching, and the games were typically before 7 a.m. If others are like me, not much can get my attention athat early in the morning.
But I found myself glued to the television, feeling elation while watching the U.S. defeat Russia and then feeling crushed when the American's run ended with a lopsided loss against Finland.
While the Olympics were a good boost in patriotism, from what I saw in our local community, it was nothing compared to the World Cup.
As the popularity of soccer continues to grow in America, this year's World Cup saw the most passionate following of the American fan base ever.
The Americans' knockout stage loss against Belgium was the result of that passion as 16.5 million people watched it in the States.
Anyone in Auburn who was near downtown during the United States' four games saw everyone fully decked out in their America gear.
All of the bars were packed to the brim with roaring crowds, even at the early 11 a.m. games.
It was like the Fourth of July for several weeks, and for a while I forgot about all of the problems our nation is facing.
Sports are a gift to us because they allow us a reprieve from what is affecting you as an individual.
For a brief moment you can become so involved in the game, where your nation's pride is on the line, you forget about everything else.
It didn't matter if Clint Dempsey was Republican or Democrat.
Nobody cares if Tim Howard voted for Obama or Romney.
America came together and rallied around our boys in the red, white and blue.
When we won, we cheered and celebrated.
And when we lost, we rallied around our team and celebrated a good run, while looking forward to what the future holds with our nation and it's soccer history.
But at the end of the day, it was all about what sports is truly about. It may not be for everyone, but if sports can put our government's issues in the shadows for a full month, somebody has to take notice.
America has taken notice, and hopefully our government will do the same and quit with it's bickering.
At the end of the day our sports teams can teach us that, regardless of our individual differences, we can all unite as Americans.
(07/02/14 8:49pm)
There's no arguing that while the U.S. Men's National Team was eliminated, interest in soccer in the United States has been growing since the beginning of the World Cup, with American flags flying on street corners and residences, people walking around with American jerseys on and the huge crowds showing up to watch Team U.S.A. play.
The growing interest has been helpful for local businesses across America, including those located in downtown Auburn. On game days, bars and eateries near Toomer's Corner were packed to the brim with American supporters.
Bars like Skybar and Quixotes opened earlier than usual for the games, with nearly every establishment offering food and drink specials to entice fans to watch the game at their place of business.
Many places like Skybar, which had a lack of seating area for the game, set up chairs and even offered free pizza during the Germany game.
Halftime Sports Bar hosted the local unofficial chapter of the American Outlaws, the U.S. Team's main fan group.
During games, Halftime was an Auburn game day-like scene.
Elizabeth Scott, a senior in psychology and human development studies is a server at Halftime, and said that while the later games drew larger crowds, Halftime was always full.
"You have that huge rush of people swarming in all at once with people jumping up and down and sitting in the floor," said Scott.
While the crowds can bring stress to the workers, Scott attributed having worked during football season to helping the workers maintain order.
"The fans have been great," said Scott. "They've been loud and we want them to be loud and energetic."
A little ways down College Street, Moe's Original Bar B Cue also saw a large influx of business during the games. When asked how full Moe's was during the games, bartender Cate Babin immediately responded, "It was packed inside and out."
Babin said that Moe's hung American flags and banners along with including the game on all of the televisions and turning up the sound.
Next door at Little Italy, Corey Maygille was also pleased with the turnout.
"The restaurant got full at 2:30 and it didn't stop until well after the game," said Maygille. "A lot of people stayed, some folks stopped in and went somewhere else."
While the Americans weren't able to quite get it done in Brazil, the World Cup has provided economic benefits to many local businesses.
As Maygille said, "Everyone was chanting 'USA! USA! It was a good day."
(06/30/14 1:11am)
Since receiving the news of Philip Lutzenkirchen's death this morning, many thoughts have run through my head. The main thing that continually comes to mind when I think about Lutzenkirchen is legacy.
Auburn University produces thousands of graduates into society every year. Many go on to build a name for themselves and earn their respect after many years.
However, in an age where arrogance and selfishness is celebrated in athletes like Johnny Manziel, Lutzenkirchen was a shining example of the opposite of that mindset.
When I met Lutzenkirchen in a class several years ago, I never expected him to give me the time of day due to his status. He was an elite Auburn football player, a superstar on campus. However, when I approached Lutzenkirchen and Jeffrey Whitaker about signing a poster for Sean Fredella, a Birmingham boy battling cancer, I saw for the first time the kind of man that Lutzenkirchen was.
Not only did he and Whitaker sign the poster, they got the entire team to sign the poster along with having the team sign a game ball that they gave to Sean.
After immediately gaining my respect for their incredible act of kindness, I was able to get to know Lutzenkirchen a little more during our time in class. When asked about a crazy athletic feat he had performed in high school, he simply responded, "It wasn't talent, it was lucky."
When I advised him to stick to saying, "Thanks," he laughed it off like it was nothing.
For someone with the athletic talent and popularity to shrug it all off and be a genuine person, when he could have had the superstar athlete mentality and ignored those less talented than him, it left a lasting impression.
For us to say that the Auburn Family has lost someone dear isn't sufficient, because Lutzenkirchen's life has affected so many more people.
In one of those instances of rare unity in college football, fan bases from all over the nation are expressing their sympathy.
After Lutzenkirchen was waived from the St. Louis Rams, he began working as an assistant financial advisor at McDonald & Barranco, Wealth Management in Montgomery. On the side, he found a way to get back on the football field, as an assistant coach at Montgomery private school St. James.
Again, Lutzenkirchen showed his desire to help others. Not only did he share his football talents with the St. James Trojans, he also stepped in on behalf of Michael Sam, after Sam became the first openly gay player in the NFL.
After seeing homophobic tweets, Lutzenkirchen immediately took to Twitter to defend Sam. He could have easily ignored the tweets and let Sam fend for himself, but he wouldn't stand by and watch someone be bullied.
As the mourners continue to gather around Toomer's Corner to pay their respects, we could easily dwell on the fact that Lutzenkirchen has left us. We could mourn for days wondering what could have been from such a gifted and kind individual.
Instead, let's think like I believe Lutzenkirchen would think.
Let's not think about what we no longer have, let's celebrate the legacy that Lutzenkirchen has left with not only our great university, but with the entire world.
In his 23 years, Philip Lutzenkirchen did a lot of amazing things. He won an SEC Championship and a National Championship, and had an incredibly successful career as a football player on the Plains.
While those feats are incredible, his most incredible feat lies in the establishment of a legacy that will live on forever in only 23 years. Many people die at an old age without ever coming close to touching the number of lives that Lutzenkirchen affected.
Number 43 will always live on in Auburn, as he exemplified the Auburn Creed more than any individual I have ever met.
He will also live on in many other places, through those who were touched by Lutzenkirchen's legacy. We should all strive to leave our mark on the world just as Lutzie did.
(06/24/14 3:00pm)
For those of you who don't know much about soccer on the international stage, Team USA has a bitter rival. The nation below our border holds the title for America's most disliked opponent.
Both teams compete in the Confederation of North, Central American and Caribbean Association Football (CONCACAF). The teams have seen each other on the soccer pitch in friendlies as well, playing 63 times since their first meeting in 1934. Mexico has an advantage in the win column with a record of 33-18-14, but America has an edge in the past 10 years with a record of 7-4-4 against "El Tri."
The rivalry holds severe hostility on both sides, with numerous matches ending with neither sides lining up for the customary post-game handshake.
The Mexican side is particularly nasty. In several instances, the Mexican fans chanted, "Osama" during the game, as a taunt aimed at the World Trade Center tragedy. The Mexican fans also have booed the playing of the "Star Spangled Banner."
More disgusting antics from the Mexican side have included the throwing of gallon-sized bags of urine at American players.
In 2009, Mexican assistant coach Francisco Ramirez attacked former American midfielder Frankie Hejduk, slapping him in the tunnel at the Columbus Crew stadium in Columbus, Ohio.
As Americans, our competitive nature loves a good rivalry. While LSU fans have been known to act similarly by tossing urine at an opposing team or players, and Bama fans occasionally poison our trees, the Mexican fans have mocked America on a personal level and should be viewed as a vicious rival that we should enjoy rooting against.
Regardless of if you are a fan of the world's most popular game, the World Cup has gripped America. We can all get behind our nation and enjoy the uncommon unity of an entire nation standing together and rooting for our boys in Brazil.
A fierce rivalry dating back to 1932 always helps stoke the fire in competition, and America is hoping to go further than their biggest rivals if they can survive the group stage.
Now that Mexico has advanced to the knockout stage, all the USA has to do is either tie or beat Germany to advance. While unlikely, the two rivals could meet again if both teams make historic runs, setting up one of the most anticipated match-ups in this storied rivalries history.
While soccer may not be considered the most "American" sport, it's always fun getting behind your nation and supporting the red, white and blue. Heading downtown to watch the game at Halftime with the American Outlaws while jamming to "Danger Zone" by Kenny Loggins embodies the American spirit.
(06/09/14 6:00pm)
When Kasey Cooper came to Auburn last year after a dominant high school career at Dothan High School, she probably didn't realize the impact she would have on the team in the upcoming season.
Cooper was named the 2013 Alabama Gatorade Player of the Year along with being named to Alabama Super All-State Team and the MaxPreps All-American Team.
Her high school stats were a batting average of .569 and 22 home runs in her senior high school season.
In her first year on the Plains, Cooper broke Auburn's single-season home run record, blasting 18 homers.
Dothan High School head coach Patricia Bell expected big performances from her former star player.
"(Kasey's) mindset was always to put in the hours to play at the top of her game," Bell said. "Whatever it took to make the team better was her approach to the game."
Cooper finished her freshman season with a .418 batting average with 77 RBIs and 70 runs scored.
Cooper's record-breaking year didn't go unnoticed, as she was awarded the National Fastpitch Coaches' Association Freshman of the Year Award.
Auburn head coach Clint Myers said he believes the award was given to the right player.
"I'm extremely proud of a deserving young lady," Myers said. "We're excited that she is able to represent Auburn in such a great way and she had such a wonderful season that we're happy to see her hard work pay off."
While breaking records and garnering national attention can inflate egos, Cooper remains humble about her success.
"It's a humbling experience knowing people think I am a pretty good ball player," Cooper said. "Just seeing the girls that I'm up against who dominated and were in the Top-25 and Top-10 makes it a great experience."
The power-hitting Cooper firmly believes the batter shouldn't focus on hitting home runs.
"We don't focus on home runs," Cooper said. "That was one of the focuses, was having quality at-bat because quality at-bat leads to a good swing, then a good swing leads to line drives and then home runs."
Cooper expects big things from Auburn next season. Until then, she'll be preparing herself for another title run.
"We had a great run and we're going to use everything we did this year for next year," Cooper said. "We're going to push to be that much better next year because we know what it takes."
(05/20/14 10:54pm)
The Auburn Tigers basketball team snagged it's third commitment today, when three-star T.J. Lang of McGill-Toolen High School in Mobile announced his commitment to Auburn via Twitter.
The 6'6 small forward was signed by Virginia Tech, but decommitted after Virginia Tech fired coach James Johnson.
Lang is the third commitment in the Tigers recruiting class, joining New Mexico State transfer K.C. Ross-Miller and Cinmeon Bowers, a 6'7 power forward from Chipola (Florida) College.
Signing Lang is another step in reversing the Auburn basketball team's recent struggles, even though Bruce Pearl still hasn't met any of the three recruits due to the NCAA's Show-Cause Penalty that expires in August.
Lang isn't the first in his family to play college ball, as his father Antonio Lang had a very successful career at Duke, winning the national championship in 1991 and 1992 before having a brief stint in the NBA.
(05/10/14 5:11am)
The Auburn baseball team fell to the Kentucky Wildcats in a rainy duel in Lexington, Ky. Friday 6-3.
The Wildcats struck first, taking a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the second inning.
The Tigers (26-24, 9-16 SEC) got on the board in the fourth inning when Damek Tomscha scored Damon Haecker, leveling the score at 1-1. Auburn took the lead 3-1 in the sixth inning when Ryan Tella blasted a two-run double.
Kentucky wasted no time responding to Auburn's runs, blasting a homerun in the bottom of the sixth to bring the Wildcats within one run.
Kentucky took a 4-3 lead in the seventh inning, and then the Wildcats wrapped up their scoring with a two-run hit to stretch the lead to 6-3.
The rain began after the seventh in Lexington, delaying the game for some time, but the Tigers could never muster the offense required to win the game.
The Tigers will face the Wildcats in the second game of the series tomorrow in Lexington at 6 p.m.
(05/04/14 11:00pm)
The Auburn Tigers fell to the Mississippi State Bulldogs 12-1 on Sunday to complete a three-game sweep by the Bulldogs.
The Tigers' bats were cold, with the only Auburn run of the series scoring in today's blowout loss.
The Tigers kept it close in Sunday's game until the seventh inning, when the Bulldogs scored 8 runs on 9 hits to take the lead 11-0.
Auburn's sole run of the series came in the bottom of the seventh when Daniel Roberts hit his first home run of the year.
The Bulldogs concluded their scoring when Reid Carter walked in a batter in the eighth inning.
The Tigers next face Bethune Cookman on Tuesday at 6 p.m. at Plainsman Park.
(04/27/14 8:23pm)
The No. 20 Auburn softball team clinched a three-game series sweep over No. 18 Texas A&M on Sunday after crushing the Aggies 9-1 behind a barrage of offense, led by Branndi Melero.
Melero hit a two-run shot in the first inning to break the scoreless tie, and Kasey Cooper brought Tiffany Howard in for the run to go up 3-0 in the second.
Melero then quickly put the game out of reach, blasting a three-run homerun to give the Tigers a 6-0 lead.
After Morgan Estell brought the Tigers to a 7-0 lead with an RBI, the Aggies got on board in the fourth, reducing the deficit to 7-1.
The Tigers answered in the fifth inning with a solo homerun by Emily Carosone and a sacrifice fly by Jenna Abbott brought Cooper in to score and win the game on the run-rule.
Macy Harper earned the win in the Tigers 37th victory of the season.
The Tigers close out the regular season with a three-game series at South Carolina, with the first game set to start at 6 p.m. on May 2.
(04/26/14 1:52am)
Facing a four-run deficit heading into the final inning against Texas A&M on Friday night, the Auburn softball team needed something special to pull off a win.
Clint Myers' squad did just that thanks to its tried and true weapon--the home run.
The Tigers won their first game of a weekend series against No. 18 Texas A&M in dramatic fashion of Friday, beating the Aggies 7-6.
Kasey Cooper hit a one-out grand slam in the bottom of the seventh to tie the SEC clash at six, and Branndi Melero finished the job with a walk-off solo shot to give Auburn a massive conference win.
Texas A&M wasted no time getting on the board Friday night, blasting a grand slam to take a 4-0 lead in the first inning.
After an Aggie hit brought in their fifth run, Emily Carosone reduced the deficit to 5-1 with a solo homerun in the third.
The Aggies brought in another run in the seventh, making the score 6-2 and giving the Tigers a four-run deficit going into the final inning.
After loading the bases in the bottom of the seventh inning, Cooper tied the game at 6-6 with a one-out grand slam.
The Aggies brought in a new pitcher, however it wouldn't be enough as Melero hit a walk-off solo shot to give the Tigers the win.
The win gives the Tigers a 35-14-1 overall record, with an SEC record of 9-11.
The Tigers host the Aggies for game two of the series tomorrow at Jane B. Moore Field at 1 p.m.
(04/19/14 12:53am)
While the Auburn Tigers offensive line is losing Greg Robinson to the NFL Draft, the line is still one of the most experienced units on the team.
Senior center Reese Dismukes anchors the line with experience, with this upcoming season being his fourth consecutive year starting at center.
"It's good having so many guys back, especially that started last year," Dismukes said. "We have been able to go out there and know what's going on and really just perfect techniques and work on getting better and gelling every day."
With a line that is so familiar with each other, it shouldn't be a difficult task to form a cohesive unit.
Sophomore Avery Young is expected to start at the right tackle position, with junior Patrick Miller and sophomore Shon Coleman battling for the left tackle job.
After missing three seasons due to his diagnosis with Leukemia in 2010, Coleman has put on some weight and has impressed teammates with his strength.
"If you ever thought Greg (Robinson) was strong, you've got another thing coming," said defensive tackle Gabe Wright. "Shon is probably two times stronger than Greg."
Miller, a 6-foot-7, 289-pound junior started the first five games last season, before losing his starting job to Young. With Robinson's departure, Miller will be looking to use his massive frame to his advantage to earn a spot on the line.
After taking Miller's starting job last season, Young made himself a valuable asset to the line, becoming a permanent fixture for the Tigers offensive line for the remainder of the 2013 season.
The Tigers also return three guards with experience.
Sophomore Alex Kozan started last season for the Tigers at left guard, with junior Devonte Danzey backing him up.
"(We) have definitely improved this spring," Kozan said. "Overall as a unit, I think we've got a lot of depth, as much as anyone in the nation."
At right guard, senior Chad Slade will look to continue his role as a fixture on the offensive line, having started 36 games for the Tigers.
As the Tigers look to protect their quarterback and open up lanes for the running game, this group of experienced veterans will look to take the extra step and help bring home the title this season.
(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.
(04/03/14 7:00pm)
Auburn's women's tennis team is off to the hottest start in school history, surprising everyone except for the Tigers themselves. The No. 20 Tigers boast a 15-6 overall record, with an SEC record of 5-3.
Coach Lauren Longbotham Meisner took the reins as the head coach in 2012, immediately turning around a team that was struggling mightily.
In the year before Meisner arrived at Auburn, the tennis team went 5-18, only winning one conference match.
When Meisner got to Auburn, everything changed.
Meisner spoke of the talent base already at Auburn, but said her first step in rebuilding the squad was to "get everyone on the team physically and mentally healthy."
Senior Jackie Kasler has witnessed the program's transformation first-hand.
"[Mesiner's] record shows, we were unranked after my freshman year and, now, we're ranked No. 20," Kasler said.
One thing that both Kasler and Meisner stressed was the team's family dynamic with Meisner as the matriarch, allowing them to play their style of tennis and helping them improve.
While Kasler credits Meisner for the turnaround, Meisner credits Kasler as being "the heart and soul" of the team.
"[Kasler's] work ethic is incomparable, and her leadership and personality on and off the court is great," Meisner said. "She's everything Auburn athletics stands for, as far as being an amazing student, an amazing person, an amazing athlete, and she reps everything our athletic departtment family preaches every day. "
While last year's squad got to 19 wins and reached the second-highest win total in school history, this year's squad has 15 wins with six matches left.
After a pair of 4-0 losses at Kentucky and Vanderbilt, the Tigers must regroup heading into their final stretch of the season.
Their run to the finish line this season will not be easy, though, as two of the final four match are against No. 3 Georgia and No. 7 Texas A&M.
The Tigers are confident in their chances to succeed in the postseason because of how rigorous an SEC schedule is.
"I think that if you can withstand the SEC schedule and then withstand the SEC tournament that it prepares you," Meisner said. "To be honest, the SEC tournament is harder for us than the actual NCAA Tournament because you don't get an easy first round. They're all good."
As the squads only senior, Kasler has absolute faith in her team.
"When we step out on the court and believe we are going to win, there's nothing that can stop us as long as we give 100 percent and fight every match," Kasler said. "As long as we have that winning mentality, I don't see anything stopping us."
The Tigers return to action, April 4, with a home match against Missouri.
(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 10:05pm)
After winning the first game of its weekend series against the No. 10 Kentucky Wildcats, the No. 21 Auburn softball team split a Sunday doubleheader to grab the road series win.
The Tigers took game two over Kentucky 6-4 to win the series, but a lack of offense kept the 31-5-1 Tigers from the sweep in game three.
Jade Rhodes was the difference maker for Auburn in game one of the doubleheader, giving the Tigers a 4-0 lead with a grand slam in the third inning.
Auburn had a 6-0 lead heading into the bottom of the final inning. Kentucky attempted a dramatic comeback, but the Wildcats were only able to score four runs before their final out.
Auburn pitcher Marcy Harper and the Auburn defense kept Kentucky in a deadlock with the Kentucky defense stifling Auburn's bats until Branndi Melero put Auburn ahead hitting Tiffany Howard in for the score to take a 1-0 lead.
The Wildcats ended Harper's shutout bid in the sixth inning, after Kentucky loaded the bases and took a 2-1 lead.
Auburn loaded the bases in the top of the seventh, but Jade Rhodes popped up with two outs to end the game.
The series win is the first road series win over a Top-10 ranked team in Auburn softball history.
The Tigers next face the No. 4 Florida Gators in a three-game series in Gainesville on April 4-6.
(03/29/14 1:35am)
The No. 20 Auburn Tigers softball team defeated the No. 10 Kentucky Wildcats in dramatic fashion in game one of their weekend series Friday.
After a flurry of Kentucky runs, including two home runs in the fifth inning, Kentucky took the Tigers into the bottom of the fourth inning with a 5-0 lead.
The Tigers responded when Jenna Abbot hit in a runner on a bases loaded single. Auburn immediately roared back to tie the game after a single scored a run and two sacrifice hits scored runners.
Auburn ace Lexi Davis kept the Tigers momentum going in the fifth, striking out the side.
Auburn slugger Branndi Melero increased the Auburn lead to 7-5 after a blast to left-center field.
Davis continued to shut the Wildcats down until the seventh inning, when Kentucky hit a solo shot to make the score 7-6.
Closer Marcy Harper came in as relief for Davis after the home run to earn the Tigers' 30th win of the year.
Auburn faces Kentucky for game two of the series against Kentucky tomorrow at 2 p.m. in Lexington.
(03/20/14 2:45am)
Wednesday's Auburn softball doubleheader against Murray State was a spot-on reflection of its season so far as the Tigers both blew out and rallied from behind the Racers to pick up a pair of victories.
The No. 21 Auburn softball team won the first game of their doubleheader against the Murray State Racers 10-0 after the game stopped in the sixth due to the mercy rule.
But in the second game, Auburn rallied from a 3-0 deficit in two innings to win a wild 6-4 game and earn the series sweep.
The Tigers lead the nation in homeruns and scoring, and in true Tiger fashion, there were plenty of runs in the first game. The blow-out victory was the sixth consecutive mercy rule victory for the Tigers, who had outscored their opponents 79-8 in the past six games.
The Tigers wasted no time in getting the ballgame in their favor, with Ashley Melero, Jade Rhodes and McKenzie Kilpatrick all batting in runners. The Tigers scored four in the first, and quickly shut down the Racers batters in the top of the second.
Morgan Estell brought Tiffany Howard in for the Tigers fifth run, and then Melero and Estell scored off of a base hit single from Rhodes to make the score 7-0. Auburn Ace Lexi Davis continued to shut down the Murray State batters, pitching a third consecutive inning to take the Tigers to the bottom of the third, where Morgan Estell continued her monster game with a homerun crushed into right-center field to extend the Tiger lead to 8-0.
The Tigers loaded the bases, and then scored two runs off of walks to give Auburn a 10-0 advantage going into the fifth.
Jenna Abbott came in as relief to Davis and closed the game out, with Auburn earning their 25th victory in easy fashion.
In game two, Auburn's offense cooled off in a major way. The Tigers did not get a single CheyAnne Gaskey until the third inning.
The Racers built up a 3-0 lead into the fourth inning before Auburn made its first comeback.
A pair of walks and an Emily Carosone base hit, all with the bases loaded, gave Auburn a 4-3 lead. Carosone finished the game 2-for-3 with two RBI and one run scored.
But the Racers answered back in the top half of the fifth with four more runs to re-take the lead at 7-4.
The Tigers' offense roared again in the bottom of the sixth with home runs from Abbott and Cooper to finish the game.
Auburn will be back on the field Friday for its second SEC series of the 2014 season, facing Mississippi State for a traditional weekend slate of three games.
(03/21/14 3:45pm)
Auburn prides itself on being a family.
A few years ago, one member of the family found a way to capture the hearts of the Auburn faithful like few have managed to do.
His name is Phil, but he is also known as "Lutzie."
Philip Lutzenkirchen was a tight end on the Auburn football team from 2009 until 2012.
In that span of time, he became the top scoring tight end in Auburn career history with 14 career touchdowns.
He broke the single-season touchdown record for touchdowns by a tight end in 2011.
Lutzenkirchen also caught three game-winning touchdowns during his Auburn career, including the famous fourth-quarter touchdown to complete the "Camback" in 2010's Iron Bowl at Bryant-Denny Stadium.
At 6-foot-5, Lutzenkirchen could catch and run as well as he could block in Gus Malzahn's Hurry Up, No Huddle offense.
"He'll fit in well in any system," Malzahn said at the 2013 Senior Bowl. "He's very flexible. That's his biggest asset. He can do a lot of different things well, and he'll be very successful."
After winning a national championship in 2010 and breaking records in 2011, Lutzenkirchen's collegiate career ended in the 2012 Ole Miss game after trying to play the entire season with a hip injury.
"I heard if I had come out last year, I would have been taken in the third or fourth round," Lutzenkirchen said before the 2013 NFL Draft. "But I've never regretted coming back to play my senior year and getting my degree. We didn't finish the way we wanted to, but I still thought I'd be a fourth- or fifth-round pick in this year's draft.
"It was a long and frustrating day for me that Saturday by not getting taken."
Regardless of his absence on the field, fans still cheered on "Lutzie."
After graduating from Auburn, Lutzenkirchen was signed as a free agent by the St. Louis Rams. The hip injury, however, lingered and affected Lutzenkirchen's play.
Lutzenkirchen was released several months later, but said he has no regrets.
"I got released, and I could tell it was the right time to step away from it," Lutzenkirchen said. "It was a tough decision, but not many people get that opportunity, and I'm just glad I got the shot."
After being cut from the Rams, Lutzenkirchen delayed making any decisions about his future for a few more months.
"I gave it about a month or two to see if any teams would call," Lutzenkirchen said. "After I had my hip surgery, it kind of went downhill from there, and I didn't get back to my career here, athletically and physically.
"So, I decided to look elsewhere and hang up the cleats."
Soon afterward, Lutzenkirchen met Brandt McDonald at Tim Hudson's annual Iron Bowl Charity Golf Tournament.
Brandt is the Owner & President at McDonald & Barranco, Capital Wealth Management in Montgomery and graduated from Auburn in 1989 with a degree in finance.
It didn't take long for the two to hit it off.
"We started having a conversation about life after football, and it just so happened that he was looking and trying to figure out what he was going to do," McDonald said. "He's got honesty and integrity, he's an honorable person and he's proven that to the Auburn people, so that was a hurdle that we didn't even have to overcome because I knew that immediately."
McDonald hired Lutzenkirchen shortly afterward as an assistant financial adviser. McDonald saw Lutzenkirchen's knowledge of sports and connection with Auburn as a business advantage.
"We manage money for a lot of [professional] athletes and a lot of them have gone to Auburn and so it was like a hand in glove for Phil to join us," McDonald said.
When asked if McDonald would do the famous "Lutzie" dance after Lutzenkirchen signs a big client, McDonald said there would be a good chance.
"If he brought on board a first-round draft pick, I'd do it," McDonald said. "I might not look as good as him, but I'd do it."
(03/18/14 3:13pm)
Six days after firing Tony Barbee, Auburn men's basketball has its new head man: former Tennessee head coach Bruce Pearl.
Auburn athletics announced the hiring of Pearl on Tuesday, the head coach's 53rd birthday
"I'm humbled and blessed to be back in the game that I love," Pearl said. "I don't know how long it will take, but it's time to rebuild the Auburn basketball program, and bring it to a level of excellence so many of the other teams on campus enjoy."
Pearl has an NCAA Division I overall record of 231-99 in 10 seasons as a head coach.
After winning an NCAA Division II National Championship with Southern Illinois in 1995, Pearl was hired as the head coach at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, where he won the Horizon League Regular Season Championship and Tournament in 2004 and 2005.
While at Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Pearl was voted the Horizon League Coach of the Year in 2003, 2004 and 2005.
After his noticeable success, Pearl was snatched away from the Panthers by Tennessee.
Pearl had a very successful six seasons at Tennessee, making the NCAA Tournament all six years.
Pearl led the Volunteers to an SEC Regular Season Championship in 2008 and took Tennessee to the Sweet 16 in 2007 and 2008 while going to the Elite 8 in 2010.
"From the moment I met Coach Pearl and heard his vision for our basketball program, it was clear he's the right man at the right time for Auburn," said athletics director Jay Jacobs. "Coach Pearl is a proven winner who will bring energy and excitement to our program. We have raised the bar for Auburn basketball, and I could not be more excited for our student-athletes and our future under Coach Pearl's leadership. I know he agrees with me -- it's time to win."
While at Tennessee, Pearl was named the SEC Coach of the year in 2006 and 2008 while also being named the Adolph Rupp National Coach of the Year in 2008.
After an NCAA investigation into recruiting violations cost Pearl his job in 2011, he was placed under a three-year show cause penalty. Since his departure from Tennessee, Pearl has been an analyst at ESPN and an executive at H.T. Hackney Company in Nashville.
(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.