Five Star QB Picks Auburn!

Top JUCO player and five star dual-threat quarterback Cam Newton has picked Auburn and will enroll in the spring! He picked Auburn over Mississippi State and Oklahoma. More to come!

FYI

The Outback Bowl's ESPN announcers are:

• Play-by-play: Dave Pasch
• Color commentators: Bob Griese and Chris Spielman
• Sideline reporter: Rob Stone

Two Updates

• Cam Newton will now announce January 1st at the earliest.
• Ken Adams has decommitted from Tennessee and now appears to be down to either LSU, Auburn or North Carolina.

Confirmed: Newton To Announce

Cam Newton will announce on New Years Eve as previously rumored. It seems as though Newton will choose between Auburn and Mississippi State, with Oklahoma on the outside looking in. Most of the Auburn insiders believe Auburn leads but I am more skeptical. I am not sure if I will be reporting on New Years Eve about it because I will be in Tampa and am not sure if I will find internet. More to come...

Under Armour All American Game

The day after the Outback Bowl, in St. Petersburg (a 30 minute drive from Tampa), the Under Armour All American game will be played at 11 a.m ET. For those Auburn fans who want to see the future of Auburn football but cannot attend, the game will be televised on ESPN. Here are some players to watch:

Commitments:

• Michael Dyer - White Team #5 - RB
• Antonio Goodwin - White Team #7 - WR
• Dakota Mosley - White Team #81 - TE/LS
• LaDarius Owens - Black Team #15 - LB
• Cody Parkey - Black Team #18 - K
• Jake Holland - Black Team #50 - LB

Targets:

• Corey Lemonier - White Team #55 - DE
• James Stone - White Team #64 - OG
• Mike Thornton - White Team #73 - DT

Goings On In Tampa

• The team arrived in Tampa on December 26th.
• Both teams arrived to an all you can eat, catered meal by Outback Steakhouse.
• Last night both Northwestern and Auburn took in the Thrashers-Lightning hockey game in Tampa. The Lightning won 4-3.
• Today was Auburn's first practice in four days. They practiced at 10 a.m. at the University of Tampa. Practices will continue for the next four days. Northwestern is practicing at Tampa Jesuit High School.
• Chizik described today's practice as "rusty and sloppy".
• Gene Chizik, Walt McFadden, Antonio Coleman, Terrell Zachary and Chris Todd visited the St. Joseph's Children's Hospital. Northwestern's head coach Pat Fitzgerald and some of his players. Chizik handed out Auburn hats, posters and pennants.
• Both teams will visit Busch Gardens tomorrow after morning practice.
• Tuesday will include a luncheon and a night out in Ybor City.
• Wednesday will be a trip to Clearwater Beach.
• Thursday, the team will attend a New Year's Eve parade.

Chizik Expects Staff To Return

Gene Chizik says rumors of Tommy Thigpen's interest in the Florida secondary coach position are just that, rumors. Chizik says he expects no staff changes this off season.

A Great Auburn Man Passes

Ronnie Ross, the captain of the 1970 Auburn football team, lost his battle with lung cancer on December 8 at the age 60. Ross passed away at Thomas Hospital in Fairhope, Alabama. The tight end caught Pat Sullivan's first touchdown pass in 1969 against Wake Forest. Mike Kolen officiated the funeral on December 12th. Donations may be sent to the Auburn Football Lettermen Scholarship Fund, P.O. Box 828, Auburn, Alabama 36830. Sorry, I meant to have this up sooner! Prayers are requested for the family!

An online guest book can be signed here.

Here is the eulogy by Pat Sullivan and a video memorial from the funeral home.

New Newton Date

Steve Robertson of Scout.com is reporting that Newton will announce on New Years Eve. He says he received a phone call from Newton's father who says that nothing else will come from the family until that day. Robertson covers Mississippi State for Scout.

Newton: A Christmas Decision?

AuburnEagle.com is reporting that Cam Newton will decide between Auburn, Oklahoma and Mississippi State on Christmas Day. More to come.

Thigpen Interviews With Florida

Auburn secondary coach and possibly their top recruiter, Tommy Thigpen, has interviewed with the Florida Gators as safeties coach, according to Jay Tate. Tate believes Chizik would do anything including raising Thigpen's salary to keep him with the staff. Read more here.

Two Tigers Get DUIs UPDATED

Two Auburn Tigers were issued DUIs in separate incidents according to Evan Woodbery. John Douglas, a sophomore fullback, and Jason King, a junior walk-on fullback, are the players involved. Douglas' occurred on December 5th and King's was Saturday. Both have primarily only seen action on special teams. Gene Chizik will address the media today after practice.

UPDATE: Both players have been suspended for the Outback Bowl.

Dead Period

The recruiting dead period has begun. It will last from now until January 4th. That means coaches cannot have face to face contact with recruits or their families on or off campus. They are allowed one phone call per week.

Newton Leaves Auburn With A Smile

Five star quarterback Cam Newton finished his official visit to Auburn this weekend, leaving with an offer and a smile. Newton says he was on "Cloud Nine" at his visit and it appears it could not have gone much better for the quarterback who could come in and turn the Tigers into a contender.

Cam Newton's player host was Mario Fannin and he says they hit it off immediately. Newton, who will decide between Auburn, Mississippi State and Oklahoma, knows he could come in and start immediately for the Tigers and the Bulldogs but could have competition with the Sooners. Newton, who is 6'6", 245 lbs., is a dual threat quarterback who played one season behind Tim Tebow at Florida before running into some trouble with the law which he claims was a big misunderstanding.

Newton has said similar things about his past visits but it cannot hurt that Auburn is his final visit and that it appears Newton loves the Tigers. Newton liked Auburn out of high school but never picked up an offer after Kodi Burns committed to the Tigers. This time around, it appears Auburn and Newton may have met their matches.

One thing that could hurt Auburn's chances is the fact that his parents did not visit with him but he said he can't wait to go home and tell them about everything. Although he does not currently claim a leader, Auburn fans should feel pretty good right now. A decision is coming within the next ten days but it would not surprise me if one came within the next 2-3.

Former Quarterback Lands Job

Former Tiger quarterback Dameyune Craig has signed on as a coach for his former offensive coordinator, Jimbo Fisher, at Florida State. His role is not yet set but it is known that Fisher will continue to coach quarterbacks. Craig has previously coached receivers for South Alabama and quarterbacks at Tuskegee while helping coach special teams for the Miami Dolphins. He started out as a graduate assistant under Fisher at LSU. He will start after the Gator Bowl on January 1.

UPDATE: FootballScoop is actually reporting that Craig will coach quarterbacks.

News

• Eric Smith is the only academically ineligible player for the Outback Bowl according to Gene Chizik. He will return to the team in January. More to come.
• Antonio Coleman and Ben Tate have been invited to play in the Senior Bowl in Mobile.
• Eight current and former football players earned their degrees today: John Cubelic, Clayton Crofoot, Zac Etheridge, Tim Hawthorne, Jeno James, Montae Pitts, Craig Stevens and Darrell Roseman.

White Commits

Three star athlete Ryan White has committed to Auburn according to Rivals, Scout and ESPN.com. White, who will likely play cornerback for the Tigers, is Auburn's 26th commitment and the 22nd who will count toward the 2010 class. It has just been a waiting game for White, who has 4.4 second 40 yard dash speed, to commit who was blown away on his unofficial visit Wednesday. White was Auburn's top target at defensive back; he had offers from Arkansas, Georgia Tech, Illinois, Ole Miss, Oregon, Oklahoma State and South Carolina, among many others. He will return on an official visit in January.

Confirmed: Newton To Visit

AuburnSports.com and ITAT are now confirming that five star Cam Newton will visit Auburn this weekend. It is an official visit and if an offer is extended, Newton would likely accept within a couple of days it appears. Newton would have two years to play two.

Lattimore Talks Recruiting

In this Rivals AMP video, Lattimore appears to be leaning toward Auburn.

Hawthorne Leaves Team

Junior receiver Tim Hawthorne will graduate from Auburn tomorrow and leave the team according to sources. Hawthorne will not return for his senior season nor the Outback Bowl after being plagued with injuries throughout his Auburn career.

Five Star QB To Visit

Five star JUCO quarterback Cam Newton will take an official visit to Auburn this weekend, according to Pat Tholey of Rivals.com. Newton previously played at Florida and was rated the 28th best player in the nation out of high school according to Rivals. Newton, who is 6'6", 245 pounds, is a dual threat quarterback who possesses 4.5 speed and a 38 inch vertical. He passed for almost 3,000 yards and 22 touchdowns (5 interceptions) and rushed for 655 yards and 16 touchdowns while leading Blinn Community College to a national championship this season. Newton has a top five of Auburn, Oklahoma, Mississippi State, North Carolina and Kansas State, with offers from all except the Tigers. According to Rivals, this will be an official visit.

2009 Signee Non-Qualifier Signs With Toledo

Three star corner Taikwon Paige, who failed to qualify last year for Auburn after signing in 2009, has signed with Toledo. After failing to qualify, Paige returned to Georgia Military for one season.

What They'll Get

Chris Low recently put together a list of the gifts given to SEC teams' players at their bowls this season. The whole list here. Auburn here:

• Best Buy gift card
• Outback Steakhouse gift card
• Pro-Swiss watch
• Jostens ring
• Hat

A Name To Watch

A new name is floating around on recruiting sites regarding Auburn. Five star JUCO quarterback Cam Newton says he has a lot of interest in Auburn and with recent rumors circulating regarding freshman quarterback Tyrik Rollison and his suspension, Newton could be a target of the staff. Newton does not have an offer yet from Auburn but if he does receive one then Auburn would likely be a favorite. Right now people expect Newton to choose between Mississippi State and Oklahoma.

Early Signing

• 10:10 AM - Craig Sanders has signed with Auburn.
• Sorry guys, shortly after the previous post my internet went down.
• 11:30 AM - Commitment Jessel Curry signs with Auburn.
• 12:05 PM - Four star tight end/offensive tackle Brandon Mosley commits and signs with Auburn.
• Four star offensive lineman Roszell Gayden has committed to Auburn and will sign.
• As of 4:55 PM, Auburn has jumped ahead of LSU to 7th in recruiting according to Rivals. Auburn trails Texas, Alabama, Florida, Penn State, Tennessee and Oklahoma, in that order.
• Ken Adams will not be making a decision today, according to VolQuest.com. He will make his decision between Auburn, Tennessee and North Carolina sometime this week.
• 5:13 PM - Roszell Gayden signs with Auburn.

Wednesday Is Early Signing Day!

And Auburn could have as many as five players sign and enroll in January. Here is the lastest on each of them:

• Commitment Jessel Curry graduated high school a semester early and will enroll at Auburn in the spring. He will sign at 11 AM tomorrow.
• Former Alabama commit Craig Sanders will sign with Auburn on Wednesday at 9 AM. The four star defensive end had offers from just about every major southeastern school.
• Tennessee commitment Ken Adams may decide between Auburn and Tennessee tomorrow. He first said he would have a decision yesterday but has been quiet since. No time frame set for an announcement. Adams originally signed with Auburn out of high school.
• Brandon Mosley will decide between Auburn, FSU and Ole Miss tomorrow at noon. Right now he appears to have Auburn ranked 3rd.
• Roszell Gayden will sign at 6 PM CT with either Auburn, California or Oklahoma. California was one of only two schools to offer Gayden out of high school.

Recruiting Catch Up

I wanted to clarify for anyone what exactly is going on with the early signing period for JUCO and early graduates. Wednesday is signing day for January enrollees. Auburn is looking to sign five on Wednesday. They will all roll back to the 2009 signing class.

Jessel Curry and Craig Sanders are likely to sign on Wednesday along with current Tennessee commitment and former Auburn signee Ken Adams. Adams will make an announcement tomorrow as to whether he will stay with the Vols or switch to Auburn, which is very likely. Also, Roszell Gayden could also make a decision soon and could possibly sign with Auburn on Wednesday. Gayden is likely down to just Auburn and Cal.

Here is the latest on other top targets:

• OL - Eric Mack - Feel good about this South Carolina commitment. Auburn is in very good shape to steal him.
• OL - John Cullen - This JUCO lineman will probably not make a decision until close to signing day. Tennessee currently leads for Cullen but he plans to visit Auburn in January and teammate Joel Bonomolo could help pull Cullen to the Plains.
• OL - Brandon Mosley - Appears to be down to Auburn, Ole Miss and FSU. Ole Miss is leading but Mosley visited FSU this weekend and an announcement is expected this week. He will sign in December in enroll in January.
• OL - Laurence Gibson - Gibson committed to Clemson last night.
• RB - Marcus Lattimore - Five star running back still has Auburn and South Carolina on top. I feel great right now about signing Lattimore in February.
• RB - Lache Seastrunk - I am no longer expecting Auburn to have a serious chance with Seastrunk.
• DT - Byran Jones - Arkansas is the public leader for Jones right now but I have heard whispers that Jones could be an Auburn lean. He will take an official visit to Auburn in January and could wrap him up then.
• DT - Mike Thornton - Still an Auburn lean the last I heard but the Tigers have a lot of competition.
• DT - Jeffrey Whitaker - Auburn in awesome shape for this stud defensive tackle. I expect him to sign with the Tigers.
• DE - Corey Lemonier - Auburn has put themselves in good position with Corey. Right now it is a toss up between Florida, Florida State, Auburn, Tennessee, LSU and Miami.
• LB - Vic Beasley - Toss up between Auburn and his current commitment of Clemson. Says he will talk to his parents about visiting Auburn and if he makes it down, we could steal him.
• LB - C.J. Mosley - I would say there is a 85% chance Mosley ends up wearing crimson next season.
• DB - Ryan White - White will take an unofficial visit to Auburn next weekend and could commit then. He is probably Auburn's top uncommitted defensive back target. White also plans an official visit for the last weekend in January.
• DB - Rashad Knight - Visited Auburn this weekend but Auburn wants White over Knight. With Davis committing this weekend and Auburn in good shape with White, there may be no room for Knight.
• DB - Ahmad Dixon - It is questionable right now if Auburn would take Dixon right now. Dixon also has grade issues.
• DB - Bradley Roby - Auburn could make a move for this Vanderbilt commitment if he visits. He currently plans to take an official to the Plains on January 8th.

Davis Skips Visit, Commits

In state athlete Chris Davis has skipped his official visit to the Plains this weekend but committed today anyways. He will play corner and return kicks. Davis comes in at commitment number 23 for the Tigers. Davis has flown under the radar by most recruiting services and has not been rated yet by Rivals nor Scout but is rated 76 out of 100 on ESPN.com and ranked the 90th best athlete. Davis also played quarterback in high school at Woodlawn in Birmingham. He also had offers from South Carolina, Kentucky, Southern Miss and UAB.

Many say he may have the most upside of any player in the state. Here is the article "Woodlawn's Chris Davis is a diamond in the rough".

Quick Recruiting Notes

• Auburn appears set to pick up a new commitment, according to Auburn Undercover. Roszell Gayden says he will make his decision on Monday or Tuesday. Ken Adams could also be close.
• Auburn has many official visitors this weekend including Ken Adams, Chris Davis, Rashad Knight, Demetruce McNeal, Shaun Kitchens, Jessel Curry, Chad Slade and Antonio Goodwin.
• Curry will be coming in on Saturday following his state championship game on Friday.
• The coaches have been on the road, actively recruiting. The staff has made stops to see James Stone, Antonio Goodwin, Steven Clark, Roszell Gayden, Jonathan Mincy, Byran Jones, Michael Dyer/Dakota Mosley and Rashad Knight.
• Look for a name to re-appear from last season. Four star offensive lineman Johnnie Farms chose UNC over Auburn last season but failed to qualify and ended up at Hargrave Military. Farms has since parted ways with the Tar Heels and recently mentioned he is looking toward the SEC. Auburn should be a major player for this star lineman.

Bates Honored

Daren Bates made the Freshman All-SEC team. He had 63 tackles (40 solo), 1 fumble recovery and an interception.

Semester Coming To A Close

Good luck to all the students on finals. I have been stressing so the blog has been put on the back-burner lately but once finals are done it will be back up to date like before!

That Didn't Last Long

Four star wide receiver Antonio Goodwin has re-committed to the Auburn Tigers. He says he never really decommitted in the first place and says he is solid with Auburn, according to AuburnSports.com.

First De-Commitment

Antonio Goodwin has become the first de-commitment of 2009 by opening things back up today. UGA is now making a push for Goodwin. He also has interest in UNC along with still liking Auburn.

Auburn Snubbed in AP All-SEC

The Associated Press has released the All SEC First and Second Teams. Some names surprisingly are missing from both, such as Darvin Adams.

First Team

• Antonio Coleman - DE

Second Team

• Ryan Pugh - C
• Ben Tate - RB
• Walt McFadden - CB

Honorable Mention

• Lee Ziemba - T

Change of Opponent

Auburn will play Northwestern in the Outback Bowl instead of Wisconsin as first reported. The game will be January 1st at 10 am CT.

QB Suspended

Freshman quarterback Tyrik Rollison has been suspended for a violation of team rules. No reason was given by Gene Chizik nor was a time-frame of return set.

Bowl Tickets On Sale Now!

Through AuburnTigers.com. Click here.

CFN All SEC Teams

Full article here

• Darvin Adams - First Team All-SEC wide receiver
• Ryan Pugh - First Team All-SEC center
• Antonio Coleman - First Team All-SEC defensive end
• Josh Bynes - Second Team All-SEC linebacker
• Ben Tate - Third Team All-SEC running back
• Mike Berry - Third Team All-SEC guard
• Walter McFadden - Third Team All-SEC defensive back
• Wes Byrum - Third Team All-SEC kicker

Official Bowl Annoncements

Official SEC bowl game announcements will be held off until Sunday according to Mike Schulze.

Games that have been leaked by media:

• Outback Bowl - Auburn vs. Wisconsin
• Chick-fil-A Bowl - Tennessee vs. Virginia Tech
• Cotton Bowl - Ole Miss vs. Oklahoma State
• Liberty Bowl - Arkansas vs. East Carolina/Houston winner
• Music City Bowl - Kentucky vs. Miami/UNC/GT/Clemson
• Capital One Bowl - LSU vs. Penn State
• BCS National Championship - UF/Bama winner vs. Texas
• Sugar Bowl - UF/Bama loser vs. Cincinnati/TCU
• PapaJohns.com Bowl - South Carolina vs. South Florida
• Independence Bowl - Georgia vs. Iowa State

Bowl Opponent

I have had it confirmed to me that Wisconsin will be Auburn's opponent in the Outback Bowl. It is Auburn's 3rd appearance in the Outback Bowl (record: 1-1) and Wisconsin's 5th (1-3).

Auburn is 1-1-1 all time against the Badgers. Wisconsin won the 2006 Capital One Bowl 24-10, Auburn won the 2003 Music City Bowl 28-14 and the teams tied 7-7 in 1931.

Wisconsin is currently 8-3 and will play at Hawaii this Saturday at 10:30 PM on ESPN2.

CONFIRMED

Auburn WILL play in the Outback Bowl in Tampa, Florida on New Years Day, according to AuburnSports.com. Auburn will play a Big Ten opponent, likely Iowa, Northwestern or Wisconsin. Kickoff is set for 10 am CT on ESPN. An official announcement is coming today with an opponent.

Bowl Rumor!

In a twist, rumors are swirling that the Outback Bowl has passed on Tennessee and will take Auburn. This rumor does not have a credible source, however. Stay posted, a decision could come at any time.

Bowl Projections

• ESPN.com: Schlabach and Feldman predict Independence Bowl vs. Texas A&M
  
• Chris Low agrees with Auburn to the Independence Bowl.
• CBS projects Auburn vs. Iowa State in the Independence Bowl.
• CFN projects Auburn vs. Texas A&M in the Independence Bowl.

Dakota Mosley Commits!

Three star tight end and teammate of Michael Dyer, Dakota Mosley has committed to Auburn. More to come.

Iron Bowl Chat

Weekend Weather

Don't Get Scammed!

Beware of counterfeit Iron Bowl tickets. AuburnTigers.com tells you all the signs to look for here!

Iron Bowl Replays

On ESPN Classic this week:

• Tuesday, 1 PM CT: 1984, Alabama 17 Auburn 15
• Tuesday, 4 PM CT: 1982, Auburn 23 Alabama 22
• Wednesday, 1 PM CT: 1985, Alabama 25 Auburn 23
• Wednesday, 4 PM CT: 1983, Auburn 23 Alabama 20

More On Freeman

Eltoro Freeman took "mental reps" at practice today. Chizik went on to say that his answer to any Freeman questions will remain "day-to-day" until game time.

Big Recruiting Update

• Rivals tells us that Auburn will have many visitors for the Iron Bowl.
• The first name is Brandon Mosley (who could play LB, DL, OL or TE). This guy out of Kansas has visited Auburn's campus before and will take an official visit this weekend. He also plans to take officials to Ole Miss and Florida State according to AuburnSports.com.
• JUCO corner Mike Harris will also be officially visiting. This California JUCO four star has offers from Alabama, Florida, Florida State and Miami (his hometown), among many others. Alabama is currently leading for him and he will also officially visit Ole Miss.
• Antonio Goodwin may be wavering on his commitment. He visited Georgia this past weekend. He will visit Auburn, Tennessee, Georgia and North Carolina before making his decision. His commitment is anything but solid in my opinion right now.
• Other official visits this weekend include Roszell Gayden, Akeem Cunningham, C.J. Mosely and Cody Parkey.
• Other unofficial visitors include Vic Beasley and Laurence Gibson, a huge Hargrave lineman who recently picked up an offer from the Tigers.
• Ahmad Dixon tells Auburn Undercover that Tennessee is now his leader along with Baylor. Due to playoffs, he will not be able to visit this weekend but still plans to take an official visit to Auburn after the season.
• Robert Johnson will visit Auburn in January.
• Auburn legacy Davis Dudchock has changed his commitment from Vanderbilt to Stanford.
• Other commitments who will be in Auburn this weekend include Chad Slade, Jawara White, Jeremy Richardson, Kenneth Carter, Shaun Kitchens, Demetruce McNeal and LaDarius Owens.
• Obviously high school playoffs are hurting Auburn's chances at landing some targets on campus Friday.
• Jay Hughes will take an official visit to the Plains January 21-23.
• Marcus Lattimore's high school teammate Nick Jones has committed to South Carolina.
• Michael Dyer rushed for over 200 yards but his team still came up short this weekend in his state semi-finals loss to Greenbrier.
• Info thanks to AuburnSports.com, AuburnUndercover and TechSideline.
• More to come later this week.

Team Updates

• Eltoro Freeman is working his way back from an ankle injury. Gene Chizik says he hopes he will be back in the next couple of days and says Freeman has "made some headway". Freeman may have practiced tonight.
• Freeman has been seen walking in a boot this past week.
• Chizik: "I think your chances of winning a huge rivalry game is in direct proportion to how you prepare for it."
• Charles Goldberg writes that Walt McFadden planned on giving the message boards some trash talk to post about but he has decided against it.
• Not a whole lot else has been coming out lately. Chizik may still comment on tonight's practice later.
• ALSO: A-Day has already been set for April 17, 2010.

Injury Updates

• Eltoro Freeman missed practice yesterday with a lingering injury from the Georgia game. While some news outlets have stated he had a concussion, I have been told that the more serious injury is actually an ankle injury. My sources say it is somewhat minor though and he could be back soon but that has not been confirmed by Gene Chizik. Chizik says Freeman is day-to-day.
• Onterio McCalebb is looking good according to Gus Malzahn. The three day break seems to have been a big relief for McCalebb. Malzahn said McCalebb was playing on only one foot in the fourth quarter against Georgia.
• Former Tiger and current Miami Dolphin Ronnie Brown is out for the season with an ankle/foot injury.

Tuesday News and Notes

• The Auburn team has had Sunday, Monday and Tuesday off of practice.
• Practice will begin for the Iron Bowl tomorrow.
• Jon Solomon of the Birmingham News has confirmed recent rumors regarding the Eric Smith case. Two other football players were involved in the incident but were not named. The plaintiff contends that two unnamed players began the altercation by punching his friend.
• Right now bowl projections have Auburn going to the Liberty Bowl vs. Houston, Outback Bowl vs. Wisconsin, Music City Bowl vs. UNC, Chick-fil-A vs. Clemson and Cotton vs. Oklahoma State.
• Eltoro Freeman's injury has been stated as either a concussion or a tweaked ankle. No word yet as to if he will return for the Iron Bowl and the way Chizik handles injuries, it is unlikely we will know before kickoff.
• According to the Austin-American Statesman, USC could now be the team to beat for Lache Seastrunk but he still appears to be wide open. According to Rivals, he is NO LONGER visiting for the Iron Bowl. He will be spending time with his family for Thanksgiving.
• New offensive line prospect Adrian Hubbard appears to be gone just as quick as he came onto Auburn's radar. He has narrowed his choices to FSU, South Carolina and Alabama.
• According to Auburn Undercover, Jay Hughes will take an official visit to Auburn in January.

Washington Honored

Demond Washington has been honored by the SEC as the Special Teams Player of the Week. Washington had 202 total kickoff return yards (school record) and 229 total return yards. The highlight was obviously his 99 yard kickoff return for a touchdown early in the fourth quarter.

Auburn vs. Georgia Chat

Reed Chooses Auburn!

Four star wide receiver commitment Trovon Reed announced his intention to play for Auburn over LSU and Oregon this morning. The top player out of the state of Louisiana is Auburn's 21st commitment for the 2010 class. Reed is an Army All American and had offers from nearly every school nationwide. He is ranked the 5th best receiver for 2010 and the 37th best player nationally by Rivals.

Reed To Announce

Trovon Reed now will announce his college decision tomorrow at 10:15 am according to Rivals, AuburnUndercover and ITAT. He will do it in similar fashion to Michael Dyer, announcing after receiving his U.S. Army All American invitation. Reed will choose between Auburn, LSU and Oregon. He seemed to be leaning toward Auburn until his visit to Oregon but I have heard Auburn still has a great shot.

Vote For Tate

Vote for Ben Tate to receive an official vote for the Doak Walker Award. Click here.

Channel Set

Auburn vs. Georgia has been set to be televised on ESPN2.

Malzahn Speaks

Auburn offensive coordinator Gus Malzahn spoke to Evan Woodbery about head coaching openings and gave a quote that will bring a smile to Auburn fans' faces. "I'm flattered if my name gets thrown around, I guess, but I'm extremely happy here...we've got big goals, big dreams here. I'm committed to that. That's the only thing on my mind."

Vote For Auburn

Click here to vote for Auburn to play in the 2010 AT&T Cotton Bowl.

Byrum A Lou Groza Semi-Finalist

Junior kicker Wes Byrum has more than made up for a mediocre sophomore season. Byrum is now among the 20 finalists for the Lou Groza Award which is given out for the top collegiate kicker. He is among 5 SEC kickers who made the cut. He is 13 for 14 on the season in the field goal department and 43 for 43 on extra points.

Full list of semi-finalists here.

Memphis Not Interested In Malzahn

According to FootballScoop.com, Memphis is not interested in Auburn offensive coordinator Gus Malzahn for their opening at head coach. While their local media is speculating Malzahn, FootballScoop says sources close to the school has denied these rumors.

Former, Current AU Coaches Are HC Possibilities

With November upon us, struggling teams begin to weigh their head coaching options. Just 11 months ago, Tommy Tuberville was seemingly nudged out of the way in Auburn to make room for a fresh, new staff. Now teams that are in similar situations to the 2008 Tigers are beginning to scout their options.

CoachesHotSeat.com lists the top 10 hottest seats for NCAA football coaches with first year Hawaii head man Greg McMackin at number one. Today came the news that number five on the list, Tommy West of Memphis, would not be returning next season.

None of Auburn's coaches were on the coaching staff last year and a few shake ups could occur again this season. Current assistants for the Tigers have had their names rumored to be the next rookie head coach pretty much all season.

Offensive coordinator Gus Malzahn gained instant attention this season with Auburn, jumping out to a 5-0 start and being ranked near the top in most offensive categories. Malzahn, just four years removed of being a high school head coach, has been dubbed an offensive mastermind and has had his name float around Memphis and Louisville of late. Gus led the nation in total offense in 2007 and 2008 while offensive coordinator at Tulsa. He rose to fame after being hired out of Springdale High School (AK) by Houston Nutt to head the Arkansas Razorbacks' offense. While there, he got immediate attention running the 'Wildcat' formation with Darren McFadden and Felix Jones and helping lead the Razorbacks to their fourth ever SEC West championship.

Another Auburn assistant who will get serious looks, according to FootballScoop.com, is wide receivers coach Trooper Taylor. The young coach has gained an instant cult-like following at Auburn with his sideline energy and the sale of the "Trooper Towel". Taylor, also the assistant head coach, is a stud recruiter bringing in starting safety Daren Bates and potential future star wide receiver DeAngelo Benton in 2009 and three of Auburn's top 2010 commitments. Trooper played defensive back for the Baylor Bears and has since coached at Baylor, New Mexico, Tulane, Tennessee and Oklahoma State, coaching possibly the best receiver in the nation in Dez Bryant.

Auburn has been a stepping stone to head coaching jobs in recent years. Last season's defensive coordinator, Paul Rhoads, took over the head coaching job at Iowa State after Gene Chizik's departure and has the Cyclones at 5-5 right now looking to make their first bowl since 2005. Chizik himself left Auburn after 2004 to lead the Texas Longhorns' defense to a National Championship in 2005 and then took over as head coach at Iowa State in 2007. Will Muschamp left the Tigers after the 2007 season to become defensive coordinator for the Longhorns and now appears to be the head coach in waiting.

Auburn's previous two head coaches, Tommy Tuberville and Terry Bowden, have also been rumored for some of the Division I jobs. Tuberville has spent this season working with ESPN and relaxing with family while waiting for a tempting head coaching job to open. Terry Bowden jumped back into head coaching this season for the first time since 1998, which was his last season at Auburn. Bowden had the North Alabama Lions football team at 10-0, ranked number one in the nation in Division II until losing Saturday to West Alabama in four overtimes.

It remains to be seen if Gus Malzahn would leave Auburn after just one season. It seems inevitable for Malzahn to be a great head coach but the job has to fit him. I do not believe Tommy Tuberville would be a good fit at Memphis either and I would expect him to hold off for a school such as Virginia, if Al Groh is let go after an underwhelming stint with the Cavaliers. Tuberville has also been rumored to be quite interested in the possibility of coaching at UCF.

Memphis seems to have real interest in Trooper Taylor but in recent interviews Taylor seems to want to stay put in Auburn for a while. I feel pretty good about keeping the key members of the current Auburn staff together for at least one more season.

Bowl Projections

ESPN.com

• Mark Schlabach - Auburn vs. Oklahoma State - Cotton Bowl
• Bruce Feldman - Auburn vs. Iowa - Capital One Bowl
• Chris Low - Auburn vs. Big 12 - Cotton Bowl

CBS.com

• Auburn vs. Oklahoma State - Cotton Bowl

Scout.com

• Auburn vs. Oklahoma State - Cotton Bowl

Updates

• Trying something new...since I have links to recruits and not actual players...I will now link players to their previous stories on the blog.
• No word on Travante Stallworth's knee injury he suffered on Saturday. If I had to guess, I would say he misses this weekend's game at Georgia.
• Onterio McCalebb will likely be back this weekend after missing the last two games with an ankle injury.
• It appears linebacker Adam Herring will likely miss the rest of the regular season with an undisclosed injury.
• While we saw Anthony Gulley in a ton of different positions this weekend (receiver, running the ball, corner back), Gene Chizik says not to expect to see him thrown into the action at corner in these big games. Gulley definitely proved himself worthy down the road to get some serious PT on offense or defense.
• You could, however, see Gulley returning punts this weekend. After Philip Pierre-Louis' mishap this weekend and Gulley proving his athleticism, I like Gulley to return the first punt from the Bulldogs. He fielded substantial punts in practice Sunday.
• Auburn is down to four healthy scholarship linebackers (Freeman, Bynes, Stevens and Evans).
• Let's take a look at recruiting...
• Rivals tells us star receiver Trovon Reed has delayed his public announcement from early this Friday to anytime from immediately following the game on. Auburn Undercover tells us Reed may be leaning toward Oregon over Auburn and LSU following an official visit last weekend.
• AuburnSports.com, Scout.com and Auburn Undercover reported about Vanderbilt commitment Bradley Roby visiting the Plains this weekend. Don't be fooled by him being committed to Vanderbilt nor his three star ranking, Roby is a stud. He previously listed Auburn his leader before committing to Vandy. He says he has renewed interest in Auburn and make take an official visit to the Plains but will not be able to make it for the Iron Bowl.
• 
  

Auburn Cracks Top 25

The Auburn Tigers returned to at least one top 25 ranking this weekend with a dominating win over Furman. The Tigers came in at number 25 in the USA Today Poll. Auburn is currently at 28th in the AP poll. Auburn and Virginia Tech are the only two 3-loss teams in the USA Today top 25.

Auburn vs. Furman Chat

Sorry there was no chat last weekend. Here ya go:

Top Running Back Chooses The Tigers!

The top running back in the nation according to ESPN.com, Michael Dyer, has announced his intention to play football at Auburn. The all time leading rusher in the state of Arkansas chose Auburn over Arkansas and Tennessee but held offers from just about every school in the nation.

Dyer is Auburn's biggest commitment thus far for the 2010 class. He named Auburn his leader very early in the process and the Tigers never really lost the lead. He even announced he would be committing to Auburn last Thursday but wanted to hold off on an official announcement for this morning after receiving his invitation to the Under Armour All American Game. His teammate, Dakota Mosley, has also named Auburn his leader.

Dyer Decision Tomorrow

The number one running back recruit in the nation, according to ESPN.com, will announce his college choice tomorrow between Auburn, Tennessee and Arkansas. Michael Dyer, who recently set the Arkansas state rushing record, will likely announce for Auburn tomorrow morning at 9:30. He will first accept his invite to the Under Armour All American Game and then make the announcement.

ALSO: Trovon Reed has set an announcement date for next Friday. It appears Auburn is in great shape to land him.

Q&A with Tuberville

OnlineAthens had a pretty interesting Q&A with former head coach Tommy Tuberville. Click here.

Latest On Etheridge

Photo: Jay G. Tate

• Zac Etheridge was walking in a neck brace and shoulder harness. Will have to wear the brace 24/7 for the next 3-4 months.
• Thanks Auburn fans for support and prayers.
• Damaged ligaments in neck and cracked 5th vertebrate.
• He has not undergone any surgeries but will meet with the doctors again.
• Hopes to play again and says the doctors think he will be able to.
• He called Rodney Scott to thank him for his actions (or no actions) but Scott was in class. Had a conversation with Houston Nutt.
• He has not decided on if he will finish classes this semester.
• Says he was paralyzed for the first couple of minutes after the hit.

Etheridge Released; Full Recovery Possible?

Zac Etheridge has been released from the hospital after suffering a neck injury during the Ole Miss game. Etheridge was reportedly walking and Chizik said the medical staff is optimistic Etheridge will make a full recovery.

A Few Bowl Projections

• ESPN.com's Mark Schlabach and Bruce Feldman project Auburn vs. Wisconsin at the Outback Bowl.
• CBSSports.com projects Auburn vs. Miami in the Chick-fil-A Bowl.
• Scout.com projects Auburn vs. Oklahoma in the Cotton Bowl.
• The Rivalry, Esq. blog projects Auburn vs. Virginia Tech in the Chick-fil-A Bowl.

John Thrower, Dead At 56

Local radio personality and regular on SportsCall has been found dead of natural causes. Thrower was an attorney, SportsCall regular and writer for the Auburn Villager. More to come...

Article from the Villager here.

Auburn-Georgia Set For Night

Auburn will face the Georgia Bulldogs at night in two weeks on either ESPN or ESPN2. Kickoff is set for 6 PM CT.

NOTE: ESPN will decide between this game and the Alabama-Mississippi State game for which will be shown on ESPN or ESPN2...

Two Tigers Honored

Two Auburn Tigers were honored by the SEC for their play on defense this weekend.

• Walt McFadden was named SEC Defensive Player of the Week with 5 tackles (1.5 for loss), and 2 interceptions (1 returned for a touchdown).
• Antonio Coleman was named SEC Defensive Lineman of the Week with five tackles (four for loss), 2 sacks, one forced fumble, four QB hurries and one blocked kick.

Former Signee To Tennessee

Former Auburn signee Ken Adams has committed to Tennessee according to VolQuest.com. Adams, a defensive end and tight end at Copiah-Lincoln Community College signed with Auburn out of high school in 2008 but failed to qualify. He was not a top priority for the new staff.

Zac Etheridge Update

Sources close to Zac Etheridge are saying he will miss the rest of the season and may have to give up football. Etheridge suffered a neck injury on Saturday and spent the night at UAB Hospital in Birmingham.

Dyer: "I'm going to commit to Auburn..."

Michael Dyer has told VYPE writer Nate Olson that he plans on committing to Auburn next Friday morning but the recruiting process will continue. Click the link for more on the number one running back in the nation.

NOTE: Olson may have gotten his quote from ArkansasVarsity.com...

Updates

• Information on Michael Dyer's announcement has bounced around wildly lately. As of now he plans on holding his press conference to accept his Under Armour game invite on November 6th and commit according to AuburnSports.com. This is constantly changing, however, so stayed tuned for more.
• Get the Al.com Auburn-Ole Miss game factsheet here.
• Trooper Taylor still has faith in DeAngelo Benton. He is just a freshman who has been out of football for a year after all. Taylor says he guarantees Benton will light up the Auburn record books before he leaves.
• According to Evan Woodbery, Philip Pierre-Louis will likely return punts again this week.
• According to Charles Goldberg, Mario Fannin will likely see more action this weekend due to Onterio McCalebb's ongoing ankle injury.

An Open Letter From SGA President Jacob Watkins

Friends,

I heard a story yesterday that I felt is worth sharing with you all. In the heat of the battle against LSU on Saturday, Kodi Burns took a shot to the chin that cut open his lip and knocked out two of his teeth. Kodi came to the sidelines with the teeth in his hand. The trainers sewed his mouth up, wiped off the blood and Kodi went right back in the game and ran the ball as hard as ever. He never quit.

The game was a tough, tough loss, but none of our players ever quit. They scored their only touchdown of the night on the last play of the game.

One thing I noticed was that the LSU student section got there early, stayed late and made a lot of noise until the very end. They made the difference for their team.

We play Ole Miss on Saturday in a game that we need to win to become bowl-eligible. Between now and Saturday, you might see signs or stickers that simply say "11:21, be the difference." We had those signs and stickers made to remind all of you that kickoff is early on Saturday. It's at 11:21 a.m and you need to be there to "be the difference." We need to get there early, stay late and be loud to show our team we are behind them no matter what.

This season is not even close to being over. There are some big games left that we can win, but we need your help to give our team the home-field advantage that Jordan-Hare Stadium has always been known for!

11:21. Get there early. Stay late. Be loud. Be the difference.

War Eagle!

Jacob Watkins
Auburn University Student Government Association President

Lester To The CFL

Former Auburn running back Brad Lester has signed with the British Columbia Lions of the Canadian Football League.

Monday Wrap Up

• Michael Dyer has made up his mind and will make his announcement on November 6th, according to Scout.com. He has decided between Alabama, Auburn, Ole Miss, Tennessee and Arkansas. I am expecting him to commit to Auburn. He will take all five official visits after his commitment. His game will be on ESPNU that night.
• AuburnUndercover tells us Dyer needed only 28 more yards coming into his game Friday to break the Arkansas career rushing record. He broke it on his fourth carry of the game with a 22 yard TD run.
• AUC also reports that Marcus Lattimore will take his official visit this weekend to Auburn.
• Just about every state media outlet has reported that the team and Gene Chizik are behind Chris Todd and Todd will start this weekend against Ole Miss.
• A reminder that this weekend's game is the "Navy Nightmare" so fans in attendance are asked to wear navy.

Smith Granted Youthful Offender Status

Auburn back Eric Smith has been granted youthful offender status for his August 21 arrest for disorderly conduct. Smith was suspended for one game. The charges may be dropped or expunged after completing certain requirements. Read more here.

Auburn vs. LSU Chat

I'm heading to New Orleans today then off to Baton Rouge. Posting the chat already for tomorrow:

Weekend Weather

Todd Added to Manning Award List

Quarterback Chris Todd has been added to the Manning Award watch list for the nation's top quarterback.

Defensive Back Dismissed

Sophomore Harry Adams has been dismissed from the team for an undisclosed violation of team rules. Adams has played both defensive back and wide receiver for the Tigers in his year and a half on the Plains.

Links

• According to Phillip Marshall of Auburn Undercover, a decision from Michael Dyer will come in about three weeks, during week 10 of the season. I still expect him to commit to Auburn.
• Walt McFadden speaks to Auburn beat writer Evan Woodbery about team morale and playing against LSU.
• Gus Malzahn tells Charles Goldberg he will have to add new wrinkles to the offense to get it back on track against LSU. He also talks about the lack of discipline resulting in offense penalties.
• Eltoro Freeman has a chance to return to the linebacker rotation this weekend according to Gene Chizik. He did not travel with the team to Arkansas and had limited PT against Kentucky on special teams due to an undisclosed violation of team rules.
• Evan Woodbery questions whether SEC defenses are catching onto Gus Malzahn's offense.
• One of the top high school junior players in the nation, Enrique Florence, visited the Plains this past weekend, according to Jeffrey Lee of AuburnSports.com. Florence plans to return for the Iron Bowl and lists his top schools as Auburn, Alabama, Clemson, Georgia and Troy.
• Top linebacker prospect C.J. Mosley tells Inside the Auburn Tigers about his visit to the Plains this past weekend. He says he is still just deciding between Auburn and Alabama but I still believe he is a strong lean to the Crimson Tide.

LSU, Ole Miss Time/TV Set

• LSU's TV has been set for ESPN2. The game has previously been set for 6:45 PM kickoff but it was not clear whether the game will be on ESPN or ESPN2.
• The Ole Miss game will kickoff at 11:21 CT on the SEC network. Find the SEC Network near you by clicking here.
• The Ole Miss game on Halloween has also been dubbed the "Navy Nightmare" game. Fans are asked to wear navy to the game instead of orange.

Ed Christian Commits!

Big time offensive lineman Ed Christian has committed to Auburn! Christian took his official visit to Auburn this weekend and came away very impressed. He was previously committed to Florida State but de-committed after visiting Auburn for the Ball State game.

Christian, a 6'5", 280 lb. offensive lineman out of Valdosta, Georgia, says he pretty much knew he would be an Auburn Tiger after his first visit but decided to come back for an official. He is Auburn's 19th commitment in the 2010 class. He is a part of the Atlanta Journal Constitution's Super 11 for the best players from the state of Georgia.

Rivals rates him as a four star and the 29th best offensive tackle in the nation. Scout rates him at three stars and the 17th best tackle. He also had offers from Alabama, Clemson, Florida State, Tennessee and South Carolina, among others.

Auburn vs. Kentucky Chat

A Look At The Weather

Furman Time Set

Auburn's homecoming game with Furman has been set for 12:30 PM CT. It will be televised on pay-per-view.

Phillips Leaves and Other Notes

Sorry I have not been updating very often lately.

• Rivals is reporting that offensive lineman Aubrey Phillips has left the team and Auburn. He suffered a heat related illness.
• They are also reporting that Philip Pierre-Louis could see action at receiver this weekend.
• Auburn worked indoors today due to large amounts of rainfall.
• Auburn seems to be preparing for Randall Cobb to contribute greatly for Kentucky this weekend. He started the last four games at quarterback of the season last year.
• There are still tickets available for Saturday night's game.
• Auburn Undercover is reporting that visitors this weekend include Ed Christian (official), Michael Thornton, C.J. Mosley and 2011 defensive end LaMichael Fanning. Numerous current commitments will also be visiting.

Practice Notes

• Eltoro Freeman returned to practice today, as first reported by ITAT. It is not cleared as to if he will play this weekend against Kentucky after not traveling to Arkansas.
• Josh Bynes says today was a great, physical practice according to Auburn Undercover. He said Auburn's defense has to get their focus back.
• Practice started with first offense against first defense, head to head, and the pads were clacking.
• Onterio McCalebb says he was full speed today and will play Saturday, according to Charles Goldberg.
• AuburnSports.com is reporting Eltoro Freeman as day-to-day with personal issues, as is Zach Clayton with an undisclosed injury. Walt McFadden will be a gametime decision.

Links

• "Auburn's Chizik calls Coleman 'ultimate teammate' after meeting" - Charles Goldberg
• You can vote here for SEC Midseason Rookie of the Year for the Birmingham News. Daren Bates and Onterio McCalebb are on there ballot.
• Philip Marshall of Auburn Undercover says Auburn is actually able to sign 33 in this year's class due to the lack of scholarship players who reported in August.
• Kentucky's quarterback, Mike Hartline, is hurt and will not play against Auburn. Charles Goldberg reports about it here.
• Big time lineman Ed Christian is looking forward to his Auburn official visit this weekend. He will show up in Auburn on Friday because he does not have a game this week, according to ITAT.
• Auburn's loss to Arkansas did not affect Michael Dyer's favorites according to Jeffrey Lee of AuburnSports.com. Auburn appears to still be the team to beat.

Coleman

Shon Coleman has jumped in the Rivals rankings. He went from a three star to a four star and sprung into the Rivals 100 at number 76. He is Auburn's highest ranked commitment according to Rivals but I still am likely switching to using ESPN.com's rankings. He is a three star (78/100) on ESPN.com. Coleman is considered a soft verbal and is looking around at other schools.

Time Set For LSU

The Auburn-LSU game has been set to kickoff at 6:30 CT on either ESPN or ESPN2.

Arkansas Game Stats And Figures

• Auburn drops its first game of the season. It was also Auburn's first day game of the season. Auburn has dropped their last 5 daytime (including a 4 PM kickoff) FBS games.
• Coach Gene Chizik goes to 10-20 on his head coaching career and 5-1 at Auburn.
• Ben Tate led the game in rushing with 184 yards on 22 carries (8.4 YPC) and 2 touchdowns. The big stat is his fumble inside the Arkansas 5 yard line. Tate also had a long of 60 with his long touchdown run in the third quarter.
• Chris Todd was 15 for 28 for 133 yards (4.8 AVG).
• Auburn's 375 yards is their least on the season. It is also their first game being held under 400 total yards.
• Auburn's scoring streak of 20 straight quarters was snapped by a scoreless first quarter. Last season, Gus Malzahn's Tulsa offense had scored in every quarter before the fourth quarter of Tulsa's loss to Arkansas.
• "You can't play like we did today and win in the SEC," - Gene Chizik.
• Auburn's leading receiver was Quindarius Carr who caught one pass for 32 yards.
• Auburn had 5 players return 8 kickoffs in the game. Mario Fannin returned 4 for a total of 84 yards. Tate, Harry Adams, McCalebb and Zachery also returned kickoffs.
• Philip Pierre-Louis had Auburn's only punt return for 15 yards.
• Wes Byrum was one for one on field goals; now at 11 for 12 on the season.
• Auburn rushed for 207 yards in the third quarter while outscoring Arkansas 21-7.
• Ben Tate passed Tennessee's Hardesty for the lead in SEC rushing. Hardesty rushed for 97 yards, lowering his average per game from 115 to 112. Tate raised his average per game from 108 to 120.6.
• As of 6:00 PM CDT, Ben Tate leads the nation in rushing this week.

Auburn vs. Arkansas Chat (Bumped)

Pick'Em

Make your picks!

Profile Comparisons

For you to compare for the poll, I like ESPN.com's rankings better:

• Rivals: LaDarius Owens
• Scout: LaDarius Owens
• ESPN.com: LaDarius Owens

I will bump the chat back up to the top at game time tomorrow.

Notes

• It has come to my attention that Rivals does not want subscriber information released on my blog. While I grab whatever information from whichever sites I can find including often posting rumors on here, I will no longer post Commitment Weekend Wrap up which I used Rivals and AuburnUndercover as a source for. I also will not have as many recruiting notes. I usually wait until information is common knowledge on message boards such as TigerDroppings and AuburnEagle anyways. I am by no means trying to post "insider" knowledge.
• I have kind of been planning on switching using profiles from Rivals to ESPN.com's anyways. I would love feedback about that. I will post a poll.
• I am looking into posting a chat online tomorrow for game time. I hope it will work out. This is the only game this season I will not be attending so I look forward to discussing it live.

Alabama All Star Roster

The Alabama roster has been released for the Alabama-Mississippi All Star Classic. It will take place December 12th. Some commitments and notable targets for the game include:

RB - Corey Grant

RB - Jamaal Woodyard

WR - Jeremy Richardson

OL - Quinterrius Eatmon

DL - Craig Sanders

LB - C.J. Mosley

LB - LaDarius Owens

LB - Jawara White

Todd Added To Maxwell Watch List

Chris Todd has been added to the the Maxwell Award Watch List. Ben Tate is already on the list. The Maxwell Award is given to the best player in the country every season.

Future Opponents (Opponent in Bold and This Week's Game)

Texas A&M 19

Arkansas 47 - vs. Auburn - 11:00 AM, ESPN

Alabama 38 - @ Ole Miss - 2:30 PM, CBS

Kentucky 20 - @ South Carolina - 11:30 AM, Fox Sports South/Sun Sports

LSU 20 - vs. Florida - 7:00 PM, CBS

Georgia 13 - @ Tennessee - 11:21 AM, SEC Network

Ole Miss 23 - vs. Alabama - 2:30, CBS

Vanderbilt 7

Elon 19

Furman 12 - BYE

Pybus Out For The Season

Linebacker Spencer Pybus is likely out for the rest of the season with a concussion. He has not played this season. Harris Gaston also suffered an undisclosed injury and could miss the rest of the season.

Recruiting Notes

• C.J. Mosley will take in the Auburn-Kentucky game next weekend. He will be at LSU this weekend.
• Vic Beasley will take an official visit to Auburn for the Iron Bowl.
• Trovon Reed's top three are still Auburn, LSU and Florida. Auburn appears to currently hold a lead over the other two.
• I would expect to see Shon Coleman, Jake Holland and possibly D.J. Howard pick up a fourth star on Rivals when the updated rankings come out.
• Ed Christian still appears to be taking his official visit next weekend for the Kentucky game. It appeared as if he would possibly commit after the Kentucky game but he has now opened up to even more schools such as Alabama, Florida, Tennessee and Clemson.
• Offensive lineman Daryl Williams will likely take an official visit to Auburn in January.
• Auburn is the early leader for 2011 offensive tackle Alan Posey. Posey is from Athens, GA but does not seem to want to go to Georgia. Posey has only visited Auburn, UGA and Georgia Tech.

Commitment Weekend Wrap Up

Sorry I did not publish this last week. I had it almost completely typed up and then forgot I did not publish. Here is this week's:

• Joel Bonomolo - season high six tackles, two for a loss and one sack
• Kenneth Carter - nine tackles, five solo, three for loss and one QB pressure
• Steven Clark - did not get to punt this week
• Shon Coleman - played despite a torn miniscus, no stats released in a 34-6 loss
• Jessel Curry - ten tackles, two for loss...16 rushes for 108 yards
• Justin Delaine - five tackles, one for loss and four QB pressures
• Antonio Goodwin - no stats released in a 28-20 win
• Jake Holland - sixteen tackles, 11 solo, an interception, pass breakup, forced fumble and three QB pressures
• D.J. Howard - DNP due to a minor hip injury, could return this week
• Shaun Kitchens - BYE
• Demetruce McNeal - BYE
• Jonathan Mincy - BYE
• LaDarius Owens - 12 tackles, two sacks, a safety and a forced fumble
• Cody Parkey - 1 for 1 on FGs (19 yards), 1 for 1 on PATs, three kickoffs through the endzone (2 split the uprights)
• Jeremy Richardson - DNP due to stitches in his hand
• Craig Sanders - 8 tackles on defense...33 carries for 278 yards and three touchdowns on offense
• Chad Slade - five pancake blocks...two tackles, one for loss and a sack
• Jawara White - five tackles, three solos and one for loss

Isom Possibly To Return

I have heard Byron Isom will likely be back this week. Bart Eddins still may get the start depending practice.

Target Reed Out 2-4 Weeks

Auburn target Trovon Reed will miss 2-4 weeks with a slight tear in his left MCL. No surgery will be required according to his head coach. He was injured in the first quarter of his game on Friday.

Byrum Honored

Junior kicker Wes Byrum was honored by the Lou Groza Award Committee as the National Kicker of the Week. He was 4 for 5 on field goals against the Vols on Saturday and is 10 of 11 on the season.

Vic Beasley Update

Victor Beasley, Jr. is still committed to Clemson but is leaning heavily toward Auburn. He says Auburn is the team he likes the most other than Clemson. He plans another visit to Auburn and I could see his commitment change. Auburn's success this season seems to have renewed Beasley's interest. His top three seem to be Clemson, Auburn and Tennessee, in that order.

How The AP Voters Voted Auburn

Courtesy of Pollspeak.com:

Doug Lesmerises	7
Ray Ratto	8
Kirk Herbstreit	9
Tom Hart	9
Eric Schmoldt	11
Chris Fowler	13
Tom Keegan	13
John Adams	14
Steve Campbell	14
Adam Van Brimmer	15
Barker Davis	15
Chadd Cripe	15
Jeff Gravley	15
Matt McCoy	15
Rick Nyman	15
Andy Staples	16
Garland Gillen	16
Ryan Finley	16
Doug Doughty	17
John Davis	17
Mike DiRocco	17
Alex Abrams	18
Dave Matter	18
Mike Finger	18
Mike Herndon	18
Angelique Chengelis	19
Bob Asmussen	19
Jake Schaller	19
Jay G. Tate	19
Brett McMurphy	20
Glenn Guilbeau	20
John Clay	20
John Hunt	20
Kirk Bohls	20
Teddy Feinberg	20
Tom Mulhern	20
Jimmy Burch	21
Joe Giglio	21
Mitch Vingle	21
Wade Denniston	21
Desmond Conner	22
Marcus Fuller	22
Mark Anderson	22
Scott Wolf	22
Steve Conroy	22
Eric Hansen	23
Israel Gutierrez	23
Ray Fittipaldo	23
Rich Kaipust	23
Travis Haney	23
Craig James	24
Joe Rexrode	24
Jon Wilner	24
Paul Arnett	24
Bob Condotta	25
Mike Hlas	25
Mike Strain	25
Sal Interdonato	25
Austin Ward (REPLACED BY ERIC SCHMOLDT)	N/A
Keith Sargeant	unranked
Kevin Gorman (REPLACED BY RAY FITTIPALDO IN WEEK 3)	N/A
Pete DiPrimio	unranked