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For Pappoe, who ended the day with eight tackles and one sack, the strong finish after a so-so start was only natural given how long the Tigers had gone without a game. "I think, obviously, with the first game since last year - since earlier this year in the bowl game - we had some rust to knock off. At the end, we ended up pulling through and did a good job," Pappoe said. "We're going to correct all the mistakes we made this week in practice, so we're going to be even better next week." The Tigers were on their heels at times Saturday, although even their worst points only led to seven points for Kentucky in the first half and six in the second.

Now, Auburn hopes to grow from the performance when it hits the road to face a Georgia offense that is still trying to figure things out. "It's the saying that everybody knows: It's not about how you start. It's how you finish," Pappoe said. "We were rusty the first half, but we knew we had to come out the second half and execute. We just knew the ultimate goal is to win. That means do whatever you can. No matter what the situation is, make sure you win. We just knew the ultimate goal, and everybody kept the course." - Opelika-Auburn News

(DS#5 ILB) Sr/2023

ILB Owen Pappoe, Auburn
News Source: Opelika-Auburn News
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09/28/20 - Roger McCreary, Sr/2022, Auburn, 5-11, 191 (DS#6 CB) + More +

Auburn cornerback Roger McCreary delivered what looked to be the game-changing play in the first half with a 102-yard pick-six to pad the Tigers' lead. While the interception return was ultimately reversed, McCreary still had an outstanding day for the Tigers. McCreary's interception still counted to end Kentucky's would-be scoring drive to end the half, and he came through on multiple plays to the tune of four tackles and a pass break-up. McCreary was part of the game's first turnover and ultimately its last, as he punched the ball out of Kentucky receiver Demarcus Harris' hands on the Auburn 11-yard line with just under two minutes to go in the game, at which point linebacker Owen Pappoe fell on the loose ball to effectively end the Wildcats' hopes of a wild comeback. "At the end of the day, big-time players make big-time plays when we need one, and he did," Auburn safety Smoke Monday said of McCreary. "He prepared himself for this moment, and when it came, he seized it. That was a big play by Roger. He's one of the veteran guys that's really good on our defense who's going to really help us this year." - Opelika-Auburn News

(DS#6 CB) Sr/2022

CB Roger McCreary, Auburn
News Source: Opelika-Auburn News
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09/28/20 - *Seth Williams, Jr/2021, Auburn, 6-3, 211 (DS#14 WR) + More +

Seth Williams says it's his, any time the ball is in the air. Saturday when that ball floated toward him in the end zone in the fourth quarter, Kentucky's chances hung in the air with it. Williams reached up and snatched it down for another game-breaking score in another clutch moment - stretching Auburn's lead from two points to two scores as the students in Jordan-Hare Stadium roared, and as Williams flexed his muscles looking like every bit the superstar player that he has become. Williams finished with six receptions for 112 yards and two touchdowns on Saturday in Auburn's 29-13 win over Kentucky, that second one coming on third-and-goal as Auburn led just 15-13 in the fourth.

Williams reached up over Kentucky defender Kelvin Joseph, hauled it in behind him then shoved Joseph away, sending his teammates to jump in jubilation. "Seth Williams absolutely Moss'd him," SportsCenter tweeted out to its national audience. Plenty all around the country reacted the same way. Williams proved he's still that playmaker. "When the ball goes up, you've got to have that feeling where you're going to come down with it," Williams said after the win. "You've got to know it's your ball when it's in the air." - Opelika-Auburn News

(DS#14 WR) Jr/2021

WR *Seth Williams, Auburn
News Source: Opelika-Auburn News
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09/26/20 - *Seth Williams, Jr/2021, Auburn, 6-3, 211 (DS#14 WR) + More +

Bo Nix threw for 233 yards and three second-half touchdowns, including a pair to Seth Williams, and No. 8 Auburn scored twice in the fourth quarter to pull away from No. 23 Kentucky for a 29-13 victory Saturday in the season opener. The Tigers turned a three-quarter scare into a comfortable win by capitalizing on a late turnover and Kentucky's failed fake punt in the lone Top 25 matchup of the Southeastern Conference's opening weekend.

The game was played before a COVID-19-limited crowd of 17,000-plus - mostly Auburn students - and the most electric moment for the sparse in-person audience was a 100-yard interception return called back by targeting just before halftime. Nix delivered some big plays to start an encore to a promising freshman season, especially to Williams. He completed 16 of 27 passes and also ran for 34 yards. - AP College Football

(DS#14 WR) Jr/2021

WR *Seth Williams, Auburn
News Source: AP College Football
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09/24/20 - *Colby Wooden, Jr/2023, Auburn, 6-4, 278 (DS#16 DE) + More +

Two players really stood out at "surprises" on the top line at their respective positions - redshirt freshman defensive tackle Colby Wooden and redshirt freshman cornerback Jaylin Simpson. Wooden, who was praised by defensive coordinator Kevin Steele as one of Auburn's biggest risers this offseason, earned the defensive tackle spot previously held by consensus All-American Derrick Brown, beating out senior Daquan Newkirk for the starting job, while Simpson secured the No. 2 cornerback spot opposite Roger McCreary. - Birmingham News

(DS#16 DE) Jr/2023

DE *Colby Wooden, Auburn
News Source: Birmingham News
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09/18/20 - Shedrick Jackson, rSr/2023, Auburn, 6-1, 193 (DS#46 WR) + More +

Shedrick Jackson has been a key part of Auburn's receiving corps the last two years, but the junior out of Hoover may finally be on the verge of becoming an integral part of the Tigers' passing attack. After spending much of the last two seasons excelling as a blocker at receiver, Jackson has found a new sense of confidence as an all-around receiver looking to carve out a role for himself in new offensive coordinator Chad Morris' system. "Shedrick Jackson is a guy that's really coming along," Auburn coach Gus Malzahn said. "He came off the end of last year and is just a really confident guy who is having a really good camp." Jackson, a former three-star recruit out of Hoover and the nephew of Auburn legend Bo Jackson, has appeared in 20 games during his first two seasons at Auburn but has recorded just four receptions for 46 yards and a two-point conversion.

The 6-foot, 201-pounder was lauded as being a polished receiver when he signed with Auburn in 2018, but much of his early playing time was earned due to his toughness and willingness to be a physical and effective perimeter blocker in the run game. That physicality continued to shine through as a sophomore last season, particularly down the stretch as he started in each of the Tigers' final four games of the season - against Georgia, Samford, Alabama and Minnesota. That late surge into the lineup, which included a career-long 25-yard reception against Georgia, provided a welcome confidence boost for Jackson, who has carried that into the offseason and through fall camp. Now the junior is looking to assert himself as the fourth receiver behind the productive veteran trio of Seth Williams, Anthony Schwartz and Eli Stove. - Birmingham News

(DS#46 WR) rSr/2023

WR Shedrick Jackson, Auburn
News Source: Birmingham News
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09/18/20 - Anders Carlson, rSr/2023, Auburn, 6-5, 219 (DS#7 K) + More +

Anders Carlson's 2019 campaign wasn't as consistent as he had hoped, but the high note he finished on has given him confidence heading into his redshirt-junior season. The Auburn place-kicker finished last season second to last in the SEC in field goal accuracy, connecting on just 72 percent (18-of-25) of his tries, but he closed the year by making each of his final six attempts, including a 4-for-4 effort in the Iron Bowl. It was a fitting redemptive arc for Carlson in what was an uneven season, as all seven of his misses in 2019 came from at least 42 yards out, but each of his four makes during the win against rival Alabama came from at least 43 yards out. "It's huge," Carlson said of the impact of his Iron Bowl performance on his own confidence. "Me as a player, you can kind of look at it going from season to season, but I kind of look at it from game-to-game learning. Your first year and even your first two years, you are learning a lot. I think throughout last season from Game 1 to game 12, I was a much different kicker in my mindset.

"I'm just carrying a simple mindset into the season like I did in the Iron Bowl. Just treating it like a game. In the offseason I got to think about it a lot and trying to do the same things going into this season. It's huge. I think mindset is everything. Mindset is what separates people." Now entering Year 3 as Auburn's starting kicker, Carlson hopes that mindset can lead to a more prosperous season for himself and the Tigers' special teams unit in what will undoubtedly be the most unconventional and potentially chaotic season imaginable, given the circumstances surrounding college football in America in 2020. - Birmingham News

(DS#7 K) rSr/2023

K Anders Carlson, Auburn
News Source: Birmingham News
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09/16/20 - *Colby Wooden, Jr/2023, Auburn, 6-4, 278 (DS#16 DE) + More +

Colby Wooden wasn't himself during his first season on the Plains. The former four-star defensive end redshirted in 2019, appearing in just four games after a bout of mono set him back as a true freshman. He couldn't work out with his teammates during that time and dropped a bunch of weight - dipping below 240 pounds. Toward the end of the season, though, Wooden bounced back. He was stronger and "leaner and more powerful and explosive," former defensive end Marlon Davidson said in December, and his weight was back up to 260. As Davidson put it, Wooden got his "juice back." Following a prolonged and unusual offseason, Wooden has the juices flowing again and could take the biggest step forward this season among Auburn's returning defensive linemen as the Tigers try to maintain their dominance up front following the departures of Davidson, Derrick Brown and Nick Coe.

"Colby Wooden is a guy that you would have to say is not the star, but you would have to say he's one of the guys that has just taken a big jump from last year to this year," defensive coordinator Kevin Steele said. "He's played really well. Very mature." A big reason for that jump in readiness, Steele said, is credited to the work of strength and conditioning coach Ryan Russell this offseason. After Wooden shed all that weight last season during his bout with mono, he certainly had the most to gain from a full offseason of work with Russell. - Birmingham News

(DS#16 DE) Jr/2023

DE *Colby Wooden, Auburn
News Source: Birmingham News
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09/09/20 - Kassidy Woods, rSr/2024, Auburn, 6-2, 211 (DS#239 WR) + More +

Approximately one month after a controversial phone call between Nick Rolovich and Kassidy Woods leaked to members of the media, the Washington State wide receiver has indicated he plans to finish his college football career somewhere other than Pullman. According to 247Sports.com, Woods, a redshirt sophomore, entered the transfer portal Monday, becoming the fourth WSU receiver to make that decision in a span of just three weeks. The Cougars have now lost Woods, fellow redshirt sophomore Rodrick Fisher, senior Tay Martin and freshman Mike Pettway to the portal since Aug. 18. Seeing Woods' name in the portal doesn't come as a great surprise one month after he was in the middle of an incident with Rolovich, WSU's first-year coach, that drew national headlines. - Spokesman-Review

(DS#239 WR) rSr/2024

WR Kassidy Woods, Auburn
News Source: Spokesman-Review
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09/09/20 - Crimmins Hankinson, Jr/2023, Auburn, 6-0, 198 (DS#999 P) + More +

An Auburn punter is set to leave the program. Reserve punter Crimmins Hankinson entered the NCAA transfer portal Tuesday morning, AL.com has learned. Hankinson transferred to Auburn from Gardner-Webb, where he served as the team's starting punter in 2018. However, Hankinson was behind Oscar Chapman and Aidan Marshall on the Tigers' punter depth chart. - Birmingham News

(DS#999 P) Jr/2023

P Crimmins Hankinson, Auburn
News Source: Birmingham News
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09/05/20 - *Anthony Schwartz, Jr/2021, Auburn, 6-0, 186 (DS#18 WR) + More +

Anthony Schwartz anticipated coming to a crossroads in 2020 and having to potentially decide whether to pursue a career in track or remain focused on football. It was a moment he braced for after Auburn's season came to an end on Jan. 1 in the Outback Bowl, as his focus shifted to spring track season with the expectation that he wouldn't participate in spring football. Those plans were thrown out the window as the COVID-19 pandemic saw spring competition halted in March, and Schwartz's decision was seemingly made for him - at least for now. "When everything got canceled, that kind of just put my mind towards football, trying to improve on football," Schwartz said Friday. "Being able to hone in on my craft, I feel like football is the way for me. I feel like I'm locked in 100 percent on football right now and that's how I'm looking toward the future."

Schwartz has long been a world-class sprinter with Olympic aspirations. He was the 2018 Gatorade National Boys Track and Field Athlete of the Year coming out of high school, and he competed in the IAAF under-20 world championships in Finland before he arrived at Auburn that same year, winning silver in the 100-meter dash and taking home gold as part of Team USA's 4x100 relay team. At American Heritage High in Plantation, Fla., Schwartz also set the world youth record in the 100, running a wind-legal 10.15 at the 2017 Florida Relays, and he won the Florida Class 2A state title in the 100 and 200, clocking in at 10.07 and 20.41 seconds, respectively. - Birmingham News

(DS#18 WR) Jr/2021

WR *Anthony Schwartz, Auburn
News Source: Birmingham News
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09/05/20 - Brandon Council, rSr/2023, Auburn, 6-3, 302 (DS#53 OG) + More +

The two players who have received the most reps on either side of Brahms at guard this fall have been grad transfer Brandon Council on the left side and redshirt junior Tashawn Manning. Council, who arrived this summer after starting 24 consecutive games (when healthy) at Akron over the last three seasons, has been lauded for his versatility this fall, with the ability to play anywhere along the line, as well as the experience he brings to the position - which is something the rest of Auburn's linemen, Brahms excluded, lack at the college level. "What impresses me the most with him, though, is his versatility," Brahms said. "He can transfer his skills to tackle, guard. It's pretty impressive to watch. He's really quick. I think that's what really makes the difference with him. And getting off the ball. I think that's a key for offensive linemen, getting off the ball, really, before the defense sets. If you can time it up before even the center starts to snap the ball, that's perfect, and I think he does a good job of that. So, I think that's really why he can play all five positions because he's so good."

Versatile grad transfer Brandon Council "feels like he has something to prove" While Council has shown flexibility in being able to move to any position on the offensive line, he has emerged as the favorite at left guard, where offensive tackle Alec Jackson has been the one primarily working behind him. Manning, meanwhile, has stepped up at right guard, where he has been competing with redshirt freshman Keiondre Jones for the starting job. - Birmingham News

(DS#53 OG) rSr/2023

OG Brandon Council, Auburn
News Source: Birmingham News
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09/04/20 - Demetris Robertson, rSr/2022, Auburn, 6-0, 183 (DS#47 WR) + More +

2021 SENIOR BOWL WATCH LIST: Demetris Robertson, Georgia,...Robertson played in 13 of 14 games in 2019, with four starts, and finished with 30 catches for 333 yards (both third-best on team) and three TDs...scored the Bulldogs' first TD of the season, a 3-yard pass in the first quarter vs. Vanderbilt...season-high five receptions for 51 yards and a fourth-quarter TD vs. South Carolina. - Georgia Football

(DS#47 WR) rSr/2022

WR Demetris Robertson, Auburn
News Source: Georgia Football
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09/03/20 - Eugene Asante, rSr/2025, Auburn, 6-1, 223 (DS#13 OLB) + More +

If North Carolina sophomore linebacker Eugene Asante ends up playing like Chazz Surratt did last season, it won't be a coincidence. Asante said as soon as the team got its new software for viewing game clips, he studied every single play from Surratt's performances against Georgia Tech, Duke and Temple. "I watched everything he was doing, his movements, the way he takes on blockers, the way he sheds blockers, the way he blitzes and covers," Asante said during a Zoom call with reporters. "I analyzed it and I took little notes." Asante primarily appeared on special teams last season. He'll likely see a lot of snaps this season, albeit in a backup role to Surratt, and he feels much better prepared to take on a larger role. He felt it was imperative he get mental reps in before the team began practicing again in the summer.

Asante said he spent a lot time studying the game, often quizzing coaches and also his teammates. "That was one thing I struggled with the cerebral part of football," Asante said. "I felt like I had the athletic ability but the cerebral part wasn't always there. The speed of the game changed." He feels very much up to speed now. The confidence the coaches have in playing him could allow a new wrinkle for Surratt. UNC coach Mack Brown mentioned the way Asante has looked in practice, Surratt could move to the outside when needed in specific situations to help conjure up a better pass rush. "Eugene had a big scrimmage this last one," junior Tomon Fox said on the call. "He made every play that came to him - even plays that were away from him." - Raleigh News Observer

(DS#13 OLB) rSr/2025

OLB Eugene Asante, Auburn
News Source: Raleigh News Observer
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08/30/20 - Owen Pappoe, Sr/2023, Auburn, 6-0, 225 (DS#5 ILB) + More +

Owen Pappoe had his eye on the No. 0 long before the NCAA approved the change to make it an eligible jersey number back in April. It's actually something Pappoe has wanted since well before he stepped foot on the Plains. "I was trying to get it in high school, but it was the same as college; it wasn't an eligible number," Pappoe said. "So, when I heard they were going to pass it, I told Coach, 'Hey, Coach, I want to one of the first guys to get dibs.'" Pappoe, who wore No. 10 as a freshman last season, heard rumors about a looming change in the legality of the No. 0 months before the NCAA voted on the change. It was back in December or January, he said, that he first became aware of the possibility and approached his coaches about it.

According to Pappoe, Auburn's coaches had not heard about the possibility of that change yet-but assured him that if it happened, he would get the opportunity to change jersey numbers Then in February, the NCAA Football Rules Committee recommended the change to allow players to wear No. 0 in response to the popularity of single-digit numbers. Two months later, in April, the NCAA Playing Rules Oversight Panel approved of the new rule, opening up an opportunity for hundreds of players across the country to rock the peculiar jersey number. - Birmingham News

(DS#5 ILB) Sr/2023

ILB Owen Pappoe, Auburn
News Source: Birmingham News
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