Owen Pappoe looks to step up in sophomore season
“Now that I’m familiar with the coaches and the system, I just feel more free when I’m out there,” Pappoe said. “I play way faster and make a lot more plays.”
“Now that I’m familiar with the coaches and the system, I just feel more free when I’m out there,” Pappoe said. “I play way faster and make a lot more plays.”
After playing at Auburn, Tre' Williams spent time in the NFL and XFL. Now, he's an assistant coach at Thompson High School, where he can continue to help others on and off the field.
The departures of Derrick Brown and Marlon Davidson to the NFL leave gaps that Auburn will have to replace on the defensive line and will force new players to step into leadership roles. Big Kat Bryant, a senior from Cordele, Georgia, is stepping into a leadership role as one of Auburn’s returning starters from last season’s defensive line.
"At the end of the day, whoever gets the most carries or whatever, all us are going to go out there and do what we do, because that's why we came to Auburn — to make plays, do what we're being taught and add more explosiveness to the offense."
In the preseason AP Top 25, Auburn is ranked No. 11. The preseason AP Poll includes teams that will not be playing in the fall, but once the season begins, those teams will be dropped from the rankings.
The NCAA’s Division I Board of Directors voted Friday to approve an additional year of eligibility for all fall sport student-athletes. The board also met to work out a plan to move all fall championships to the spring.
“It goes back to the Auburn Family and the Auburn mentality,” Nix said on Tuesday. “They did come through here and… Auburn’s a different place, and we have different people and different players, and I think getting to hear what they’ve done in 2010 and 2013… I think it’s really important for them to share with us.”
“We were put in the fire real fast,” Monday told reporters Thursday. “So I feel like it developed us to be the leaders we are today, and we can lead the defense in a really good way this year.”
We look forward to having Auburn students in attendance at our season opener and appreciate everyone’s flexibility and understanding as we adjust to this temporary reality of reduced capacity at Jordan-Hare Stadium,” Athletic Director Allen Greene said. “All attendees will share a responsibility for health and safety. A zealous commitment to face coverings, physical distancing and personal hygiene will lead to the best outcome.”
With students returning to campus, Auburn football players have begun to speak out reminding everyone to stay responsible and take the virus seriously. "It's really simple, just put your mask on," senior linebacker K.J. Britt said Tuesday.
Fall camp started Monday, and with the season scheduled to begin Sept. 26, adjusting will be a crucial factor this season. Whether that comes from preparing for an opponent, having someone test positive before the game or a multitude of other reasons, Auburn head coach Gus Malzahn is making sure his team is ready for anything.
On Tuesday, the SEC announced a list of fan health and safety guidelines for each of its 14 schools to follow this fall. Each school will determine attendance, and face coverings will need to be worn when entering, exiting and moving around the stadium.
On Monday, Auburn added another player to its class of 2021, with a commitment from the fifth-ranked JUCO cornerback, Kamal Hadden.
“The thing about our team is it has done a lot of sacrificing during the summer,” Malzahn said. “Our team came together and has been accountable to each other... Our players have done a super job.”
Auburn is set to face Kentucky as its new Week 1 opponent on September 26. The rest of the schedule will be released at 6 p.m. CST this Monday. The full schedule will be added to this story when it is available.
Auburn has a new addition to its roster, this time with 4-star wide receiver Malcolm Johnson Jr. hopping onboard. Johnson also announced he would be reclassifying to the class of 2020 and enrolling next week.
Auburn will be without senior defensive back Traivon Leonard this season after he announced on Instagram he is opting out of the 2020 season.
Following changes to the schedule and going conference-only, Auburn's final two opponents have been announced. Along with its previously known eight opponents, Auburn will be playing at South Carolina and hosting Tennessee.
Going into his third year as a starter, Anders Carlson is the X-Factor of special teams for Auburn. Carlson had an up-and-down 2019, but the Tigers are hoping he'll be able to provide consistency similar to his Iron Bowl performance in 2020, where he earned SEC Special Teams Player of the Week.
Chandler Wooten announced via social media that he will opt out this season and redshirt over health concerns for him and his family. The senior linebacker graduated last December but still has a year of eligibility left.