gameday published by The
WHAT’S INSIDE SENIOR DAY
Auburn to honor its fourth-year players
Auburn Plainsman
page 10 IMPROVEMENTS
What Auburn has to improve on to compete against Alabama page 2 DEPTH
Who to look for on Liberty’s depth chart
page 4 & 6 IRON BOWL
Looking ahead to the Iron Bowl in Tuscaloosa page 12 ON THE FIELD
Malzahn ensures improvement for 2019
Auburn vs. Liberty + Bonus Iron Bowl Preview Content MADISON OGLETREE / PHOTO EDITOR
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The Auburn Plainsman: Auburn v. Liberty — Iron Bowl Preview
November 15, 2018
w previe
looking at the flames and ahead to the tide By TYLER ROUSH Assistant Sports Editor
Auburn has one last stop on its schedule before heading into the crimson heart of Alabama. Looking ahead to the top-ranked Tide, the Liberty Flames pose as Gus Malzahn’s last bid to showcase consistency with his squad following a loss in Athens. With 274 yards against the Bulldogs, Malzahn posted the 14th worst offensive outpput as a head coach on The Plains. Now Malzahn looks for a breather against the 4-5 Flames. In a 45-24 loss to Virginia in Charlottesville, Liberty quarterback Stephen Calvert completed 15 of 27 pass attempts for 149 yards and three interceptions. Opposite Calvert, Cavalier quarterback Bryce Perkins went 14-for-22 for 168 yards, two touchdowns and one interception. The Flames found spacing in the running game late, with running back Peytton Pickett eclipsing the century mark with 117 yards on 17 carries to go along with a touchdown. Head coach Turner Gill’s squad couldn’t hold back the Cavalier
rushing attack, with Virginia accumulating 221 yards on the ground. The ACC’s fifth-leading rusher, Jordan Ellis, finished with 106 yards and a touchdown on 25 carries. On the ground for Auburn, JaTarvious Whitlow is the lone back to eclipse 50 yards in the last five in-conference games, with 88 yards against Mississippi State and 170 against Ole Miss. In advance of an Alabama that ranks seventh in the nation for rushing defense, Auburn’s backs face a Liberty team that allows 236.1 rushing yards per game. Despite its defensive blunders, the Flames feaure Independent leaders in both passing in rushing with Calvert and running back Frankie Hickson, respectively. Hickson currently leads the Independents in rushing by a yard over Notre Dame’s Dexter Williams, finishing with 771 yards and 10 touchdowns through nine games. Hickson is complemented by Pickett’s 425 yards and nine touchdowns on 4.5 yards per carry. On offense and defense, Malzahn boiled down his team’s recent struggles to what happens on third down.
“I think really the simplest way to put it is probably third down,” Malzahn said on Tuesday. “We’ve had some trouble in those games. You’re talking about getting off the field on third down, and that allows more snaps, as far as that goes.” Auburn currently ranks 103rd in third down conversion percentage by converting on 35.6 percent of third-down attempts. On defense, Auburn is No. 34 in the nation by only allowing conversions on 34.4 percent of opposing thirddown attempts. In its sixth-straight loss in Athens, Auburn allowed eight conversions on 14 Georgia third downs. Quarterback Jake Fromm completed 6-of-8 passes for 106 yards on third down, with five gaining the first down. Against the Independents’ stastical leaders in passing and rushing, Auburn looks to preview its schemes before taking on the top-ranked Crimson Tide. “They’re very dynamic on offense,” Malzahn said of Liberty. “They do a very good job defensively. You can tell they are well-coached and of course, Turner Gill is a very good coach with his staff, so it’ll be a challenge as far as that’s concerned.”
How Auburn can improve to challenge Alabama By ZACH TANTILLO Sports Editor
Auburn’s offensive struggles are the most evident aspect of the team that has underperformed through 10 games, and going into a hostile Bryant-Denny Stadium will put the unit to its biggest test yet. Here are some things Auburn must do in order have a chance against arguably the best unit Nick Saban has put onto the field: TIME OF POSSESSION For Auburn to have any sustained success against Alabama, the Tigers must improve drastically on its time of possession. Currently, Auburn is ranked 126th in the nation in average time of possession, averaging a lackluster 26 minutes a game. The Tigers cannot go toe-to-toe with Alabama’s offense, so they must abandon the hurry-up offense, run the football, keep players from running out of bounds and kill as much of the play clock as possible before each snap. WIN THE FIELD POSITION BATTLE JOSHUA FISHER/ PHOTOGRAPHER
Jarrett Stidham (8) looks to pass during Auburn football vs. Georgia on Nov. 10, 2018, in Athens, Ga.
Both Auburn and Alabama are top-20 teams in punt coverage this season. The Tide have the best punt coverage unit in the country, allowing only one return the
entire season for minus-9 yards. Auburn is not far behind at No. 17, allowing 37 total yards in opponent return yardage this season. The difference between the two units is Alabama is ranked last in the nation in average yards per punt, while Auburn is 14th. If Arryn Siposs can continue his success and pin Alabama deep into its own side of the field, Auburn has a chance to keep the Tide offense in check. RED-ZONE SUCCESS Teams that can successfully navigate the red zone on both offense and defense are usually some of the best units in the country. Auburn’s defense fully embraces the bend-don’t-break mentality, only allowing touchdowns in the red zone 29 percent of the time. On offense it is a different story, as the Tigers are 79th in the nation in scoring touchdowns once in the red zone. The difference between Alabama and Auburn is the fact the Crimson Tide dominate on both offense and defense in the red zone. Alabama is tied for second in the country in touchdowns scored in the red zone and is third in opponent red zone scoring percentage. If Auburn wants any success against the Tide, it must keep up its pace on defense and start putting the ball in the end zone once the offense makes it into the red zone.
November 15, 2018
The Auburn Plainsman: Auburn v. Liberty — Iron Bowl Preview
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JOSHUA FISHER/ PHOTOGRAPHER
Seth Williams (18) runs onto the field during Auburn Football vs. Georgia on Saturday, Nov. 10, 2018, in Athens, Ga.
Malzahn, seniors ensure offensive improvement in 2019 By NATHAN KING Sports Editor
Ryan Davis can’t bring himself to picture his final home game. He’s tried. Davis, who became the program’s all-time leader in receptions over the weekend, will suit up for the last time inside Jordan-Hare on Saturday in Auburn’s home finale against Liberty. And he’s been thinking about Senior Day for the past few weeks. But he still can’t conjure up a vivid image in his head. “I can’t picture it,” Davis said. “I try to, but you don’t really know how it’s going to be until that moment comes. Just running out of the tunnel the last time I know is going to be a surreal moment for me. The last time being in Jordan-Hare playing.” The state of Auburn football isn’t exactly where Davis and the other seniors probably thought it would be at the conclusion of their final season. “Are we happy with where we’re at offensively? No,” said Auburn head coach Gus Malzahn. “That’s common sense.” Malzahn has ensured next year’s seniors won’t be experiencing the same offensive woes at their Senior Day. “There’s a whole lot of positives once we get to next year,” Malzahn said. “… this year, we weren’t as successful. Next year, we will be.” Malzahn spent a good portion of his Tuesday press conference noting the impressive production from his youngsters and how that should be grounds for future optimism.
That’s a fair point. Auburn’s freshmen have accounted for nearly 54 percent of its total offense and 17 of its 30 touchdowns this season. The rest of the offense — which returned a second team All-SEC selection at quarterback and a slew of talented receivers — is where the disappointment has fallen this year. Malzahn pointed to a lack of experience up front, as well. None of Auburn’s seven offensive line starters this season have been consistent, leading to slim chances for Jarrett Stidham to find rhythm in the pocket. Speaking of rhythm, Auburn’s lack of push up front has the Tigers averaging 4.21 yards an attempt on the ground, which ranks second-to-last in the conference. Auburn’s leading rusher, redshirt freshman JaTarvious Whitlow (668 yards), has at least two games remaining to keep the team’s nine-year streak of producing a 1,000-yard rusher alive. Auburn averages 22.4 points per game against FBS opponents. With a top draft prospect at quarterback, its thirddown conversion rate is 104th in the nation and also secondto-last in the SEC. However, the talent left on the roster for next season gets the seal of approval from the seniors that will hear their names called Saturday. Freshman receivers Anthony Schwartz and Seth Williams are third and fourth, respectively, on the team in receiving yards and combine for nine touchdowns from scrimmage. Whitlow is aided in the backfield by Shaun Shivers, who touts two of Auburn’s four runs of 20-plus yards against FBS foes this season and averages 6.2 yards per carry — the high-
est mark among backs. “Those guys are making plays in big-time games in big moments,” Davis said of the freshmen. “Hopefully they improve on what we definitely did this year. I know the talent those guys have, I can’t wait to see those guys improve and see how they can go from right now to the next level. Auburn is in good hands with playmakers.” Those young skill-position stars may have a different quarterback delivering them the football next season. Stidham, a redshirt junior whom many see as a first-round talent for April’s NFL Draft, hasn’t made up his mind about a pro decision just yet. “I plan to be living and breathing, hopefully, God willing,” Stidham said of his plans for next season. “But I don’t know yet. I’m focused on Liberty and I’m focused on the rest of this season. I haven’t really given it much thought yet.” If Stidham spurns the league again and returns to The Plains, he’d presumably be the first three-year starter at Auburn since Brandon Cox (2005-07). Most assume it will be either Malik Willis (20 career carries, 224 yards, rushing touchdown; 7-for-9 career passing, 48 yards, passing touchdown), Cord Sandberg (3 carries, 35 yards; 1-for-1, 22 yards), true freshman Joey Gatewood or 2019 commitment and 4-star quarterback prospect, Bo Nix. Throw former Clemson quarterback Kelly Bryant, who makes his transfer decision on Dec. 4, into the mix as well. To Malzahn, it won’t matter who takes that first snap under center come Aug. 31, 2019 against Oregon in Arlington Stadium.
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The Auburn Plainsman: Auburn v. Liberty — Iron Bowl Preview
November 15, 2018
LIBERTY FLAMES LEFT TACKLE
LEFT GUARD
CENTER
RIGHT GUARD
RIGHT TACKLE
Julio Lozano (75)
Ben Fiordelise (61)
Thomas Sargeant (65)
Dontae Duff (56)
Tristan Schultz (68)
Cooper McCaw (77)
Ethan Crawford (66)
Damian Bounds (59)
James Passmore (72)
Sam Isaacson (73)
TIGHT END
FULLBACK
QUARTERBACK
RUNNING BACK
WIDE RECEIVER
Jerome Jackson (88)
Mitchell Lewis (21)
Stephen Calvert (12)
Frankie Hickson (23)
B.J. Farrow (82)
Fidel Ogbeifun (18)
Michael Bollinger (30)
Mason Cunningham (4)
Kentory Matthews (9)
Michael Chorowicz (86)
Chris Barrett (15)
Peytton Pickett (25)
WIDE RECEIVER
WIDE RECEIVER
Antonio G.G. (11)
D.J. Stubbs (5)
Khaleb Coleman (17)
J.T. Wood (84)
STRONG SAFETY
FREE SAFETY
NOSE GUARD
CORNERBACK
CORNERBACK
Elijah Benton (31)
Isaac Steele (13)
Devin Pearson (34)
Jamel Dean (12)
Noah Igbinoghene (4)
Cheapell Morris (27)
Benjamin Alexander (43)
Ralfs Rusin (99)
Christian Tutt (6)
John Broussard Jr. (22)
RUSH
DEFENSIVE TACKLE
DEFENSIVE END
SPUR LINEBACKER
WILL LINEBACKER
Juwan Wells (54)
Tolen Avery (55)
Jessie Lemonier (11)
Corbin Jackson (28)
Brandon Tillmon (12)
Austin Lewis (44)
Vincent Elefante (94)
Jayod Sanders (15)
Ceneca Espionza Jr. (6)
David King (48)
MIKE LINEBACKER Soloman Ajayi (14) Remington Green (47)
KICK RETURNER
KICKER Alex Probert (10)
HOLDER Landon Brown (8)
PUNTER
LONG SNAPPER
PUNT RETURNER
Aidan Alves (38)
Austin Mock (51)
D.J. Stubbs (5)
Aaron Peart (41)
David King (48)
B.J. Farrow (82)
Ceneca Espionza Jr. (6) Mitchell Lewis (21) Peytton Pickett (25)
November 15, 2018
The Auburn Plainsman: Auburn v. Liberty — Iron Bowl Preview
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FEB. 1 5 APPLI , 2019 CATIO N DEAD LINE
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The Auburn Plainsman: Auburn v. Liberty — Iron Bowl Preview
November 15, 2018
AUBURN TIGERS LEFT TACKLE
LEFT GUARD
CENTER
RIGHT GUARD
RIGHT TACKLE
P. Tega Wanogho (76)
Marquel Harrell (77)
Kaleb Kim (54)
Mike Horton (64)
Jake Driscoll (71)
Bailey Sharp (66)
Tashawn Manning (56)
Nick Brahms (52)
Calvin Ashley (70)
Austin Troxell (68)
TIGHT END
H-BACK
QUARTERBACK
RUNNING BACK
Z WIDE RECEIVER
Tucker Brown (85)
Chandler Cox (27)
Jarrett Stidham (8)
JaTarvious Whitlow (28)
Ryan Davis (23)
Sal Cannella (80)
Spencer Nigh (99) OR
Malik Willis (14)
Kam Martin (9)
Anthony Schwartz (5)
John Samuel Shenker (47)
Harold Joiner (29)
Joey Gatewood (13) OR
SLOT WIDE RECEIVER
Y WIDE RECEIVER
X WIDE RECEIVER
Sal Cannella (80)
Seth Williams (18)
Darius Slayton (81)
Matthew Hill (19)
Marquis McClain (17)
Shedrick Jackson (11)
Cord Sandberg (24)
STRONG SAFETY
FREE SAFETY
NICKEL/STAR
CORNERBACK
CORNERBACK
Daniel Thomas (24)
Jeremiah Dinson (20)
Javaris Davis (13)
Jamel Dean (12)
Noah Igbinoghene (4)
Jamien Sherwood (9)
Smoke Monday (21)
Jordyn Peters (15)
Christian Tutt (6)
John Broussard Jr. (22)
DEFENSIVE TACKLE
DEFENSIVE TACKLE
DEFENSIVE END
BUCK LINEBACKER
WILL LINEBACKER
Dontavious Russell (95)
Derrick Brown (5)
Marlon Davidson (3)
Nick Coe (91)
Montavious Atkinson (48)
Tyrone Truesdell (94)
Andrew Williams (79)
Big Kat Bryant (1)
T.D. Moultry (55)
Zakoby McClain (35)
Juantavius Johnson (62)
Daquan Newkirk (44)
Gary Walker (97)
Richard Jibunor (27)
OR Coynis Miller (8)
SAM LINEBACKER
MIKE LINEBACKER
Darrell Williams (49)
Deshaun Davis (55)
Chandler Wooten (31)
K.J. Britt (33)
KICKER Anders Carlson (26)
HOLDER Ian Shannon (43)
KICK RETURNER PUNTER
LONG SNAPPER
PUNT RETURNER
Aidan Marshall (41)
Bill Taylor (60)
Ryan Davis (23)
Arryn Siposs (90)
Clarke Smith (53)
Christian Tutt (6)
Noah Igbinoghene (4) JaTarvious Whitlow (28) Shaun Shivers (25) Asa Martin (20)
November 15, 2018
The Auburn Plainsman: Auburn v. Liberty — Iron Bowl Preview
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s e d a r g
analyzing auburn’s sixth-straight loss in athens By SUMNER MARTIN Sports Writer
C-
With a 27-10 loss inside Sanford Stadium, Auburn’s challenges in advance of another top-ranked Iron Bowl matchup have become apparent for head coach Gus Malzahn.
QUARTERBACK
D-LINE/LINEBACKERS
In five years, the Tigers are yet to score a touchdown in the second, third, or fourth quarter in Sanford Stadium. Saturday was no different. After scoring a touchdown in the first quarter to take a 7-3 lead, the Auburn offense stalled out and only managed to add one field goal the remainder of the game. Jarrett Stidham wasn’t great, but it was more a product of an overall uninspired performance from the whole offensive unit. Stidham finished 24-of-36 for 163 yards, and failed to throw a touchdown pass.
Battling injuries and an early first-half ejection, the Auburn defense was dominated the Georgia rushing attack and running back D’Andre Swift on Saturday night. The Bulldogs ran for 303 yards, which was capped off by Swift in the fourth quarter with a 77-yard touchdown run that extended their lead to 27-10. Injuries or not, giving up over 300 yards on the ground will never put you in a position to win an SEC game on the road.
RUNNING BACKS
C
The running game was without a rhythm Saturday night. The Bulldogs, who own one of the better run defenses in the country, stymied the Tigers rushing attack and didn’t give up a rushing touchdown all night. The lone bright spot for Auburn was JaTarvious Whitlow’s 9-yard touchdown pass to John Samuel Shenker out of the wildcat formation that gave the Tigers their only score of the game. Whitlow finished with nine carries for 26 yards and Shaun Shivers led the team with four carries for 43 yards. Auburn totaled 102 yards on the ground as a team.
WIDE RECEIVERS
B-
Ryan Davis set two school records Saturday night, but apart from that it was a quiet night for the wide receivers. Davis, who became Auburn’s all-time leader in receptions, finished with 13 catches for 72 yards. Freshman Seth Williams was next best, finishing with three receptions for 38 yards. The Tigers threw for 172 yards.
D-
OFFENSIVE LINE Auburn’s offensive line, as it has been for almost every game this season, was simply overmatched Saturday. The Tigers did not give up a sack but failed to establish any semblance of a run game and rarely gave Stidham enough time to make accurate throws. When the offensive line is weak, it is hard for the rest of the offense to be anywhere near successful.
C-
SECONDARY It wasn’t just the front seven either as the secondary provided no help against Jake Fromm and the Georgia passing attack. Fromm threw for 213 and two touchdown passes. The Bulldogs were just flat out better on both sides of the ball all night. Georgia finished with 24 first downs and were 8-for-14 on third down conversions, compared to Auburn, which was 3-for11 on third down.
D
SPECIAL TEAMS
B
Anders Carlson converted his only attempt of the night from 27 yards out to put the Tigers up 10-6 in the second quarter.
JOSHUA FISHER / PHOTOGRAPHER
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The Auburn Plainsman: Auburn v. Liberty — Iron Bowl Preview
November 15, 2018
SGA
SE R V E . PR O MO TE . U N I FY
GUIDE TO GAMEDAY 2018 WEEK OF GAME TIMELINE
SUNDAY—11:59 PM
Return ticket for 0 penalty points
SUNDAY—12 PM
Guest pass request begins
FRIDAY—5 PM
Return ticket for 1 penalty point
Last time to request guest pass
• Request guest pass, if desired, at aub.ie/aufstc. • Return ticket to ticket pool if not attending game at aub.ie/aufstc.
NEW FOR 2018
Priority for post season bowl game, conference championship, and/or playoff game tickets will be given to those with the highest number of Auburn University credit hours, pending the number of penalty points collected during the current football season (lowest number of Penalty Points provides higher priority). For more information, visit aub.ie/ticketing.
Failure to arrive by 2nd quarter results in 2 penalty points
FRIDAY—5 PM
THURSDAY—9 AM
DO THIS BY SUNDAY
GAMEDAY
Deadline to pay for guest pass
DO THIS BY FRIDAY
• Pay for guest pass, if selected, by 5 pm at aub.ie/aufstc. • Return tickets if not attending game by 5 pm at aub.ie/aufstc. • Review Jordan-Hare Stadium’s clear bag policy at auburntigers.com/clearbag. • Abide by gameday parking regulations:
CAMPUS LOT CLOSURE TIMES ON FRIDAY
Coliseum Lot (PC1)..............................................................11 AM Stadium Deck (B zone)........................................................10 PM
DO THIS BY THURSDAY
Arena Lot (PC2)...................................................................10 PM
• Continue requesting guest passes, if desired, at aub.ie/aufstc. • Continue returning tickets to ticket pool if not attending game at aub.ie/aufstc. • Review Ignited Card policy:
West Village Lot (PC4).........................................................10 PM
Magnolia/Donahue Lot (PC3)..............................................10 PM West Village Extension (C zone)..........................................10 PM
DO THIS ON GAMEDAY
• Arrive by the second quarter to avoid receiving penalty points. • A student guest must enter with the student who received the guest pass at gate 6. • Abide by the student conduct policy.
An Auburn Ignited Card is required for student admission to ALL ticketed athletic events. Students may collect their Auburn Ignited Card at the Auburn Arena Box Office Monday-Friday from 7:45am to 5:00pm. Students must present their Tiger Card to collect their Ignited Card. A student’s first Ignited Card is free of charge. Ignited Cards may be checked for functionality at the ticket booth next to Gate 6 at Jordan-Hare Stadium beginning Wednesday the week of each home game. Faded ignited cards can be exchanged and replaced free of charge at the ticket office located at Auburn Arena. Replacement fees during football season (June 8 - end of season) are $50 for the first replacement and $100 for each replacement after. The replacement fee outside of football season is $25. Replacement fees cannot be added to a student’s eBill and are cumulative for a student’s entire Auburn academic career.
Individuals found in possession of alcohol or visibly intoxicated will not be permitted to enter an event and /or will be removed from the event. Violators face possible student discipline action, and loss of season ticket privileges. For more information, view the Alcohol Policy online. Smoking is prohibited in Jordan-Hare stadium. This includes all vaping and electronic smoking devices
• • • •
Gates open 2 hours before kickoff. Student entrances are located at gates 6, 7, 8. Students with disabilities should proceed to Gate 6. The student section includes sections 17-27 and part of section 28. Wheelchair seating is available for students in section 25. • Organizations receiving priority seating through OSP must arrive 60 minutes before kickoff and remain seated until the conclusion of the alma mater. • Arrive at least one hour prior to kickoff. Late arrivals should enter through gates 6-8 and head to the tunnels closest to sections 18-21.
November 15, 2018
The Auburn Plainsman: Auburn v. Liberty — Iron Bowl Preview
9
GET TO KNOW THE
FOOTBALL STUDENT TICKETING CENTER AUB.IE/AUFSTC
The football student ticketing center was established to provide a platform where students could access all needed information regarding student football tickets. On this platform you can view your current ticket status, give to the ticket pool, request a ticket, access guest pass information, view any current penalties, and submit penalty appeals.
HOME PAGE
The 2018 season schedule is on the home page. Below the each opponent is a student’s current ticket status. No icons below the opponent name represents that the student has neither requested or been awarded a ticket. • A ticket icon shaded orange represents the student possessing a ticket for that particular game. • A ticket icon shaded gray represents a ticket requested from the pool. • A blue guest icon represents a guest pass awarded. • A gray guest icon represents a guest pass requested.
REQUEST A TICKET
This page allows students to return awarded tickets to the ticket pool. This ticket will then be redistributed to a student who requested a ticket for that particular game. Returned tickets give students without a game ticket an opportunity to attend the game. Returned tickets are not eligible for a refund. To review the terms and conditions for ticketing, please utilize the link entitled “Terms and Conditions” at the bottom of the aub.ie/aufstc site.
GUEST PASSES
Guest passes allow students to bring guests in the student section. A minimum of 250 guest passes are available each game. Only students who have a ticket may request a guest pass. Requests begin Sunday at 12 p.m. and end Thursday at 9 a.m. the week of each home game. Students who receive guest passes may purchase the pass beginning Thursday at 12 p.m. and ending Friday at 5 p.m. Students may only receive one guest ticket per game unless the Athletics Ticket Office makes an alternate announcement. To claim their guest, students must pay the guest pass fee online at www.AubTix.com using their banner number and password. If you do not have a registered account, you will be provided a pin in your email. Guest pass fees must be paid by credit card and cannot be billed to a student’s e-Bill. All guest passes must be claimed during this process. No exceptions. All unclaimed guest passes from the ticket pool will be forfeited after 5:00 p.m. on Friday the week of the game.
PENALTY POINTS
Penalty points act as an accountability system to ensure that students are either utilizing their ticket or returning it to the pool. A student can view their current penalty points by selecting the “My Penalties” page. A clear description of why a student received penalty point(s) is provided on the top of the pop up window. The penalty structure is as follows: • 0 Point Penalty: Ticket was returned before 11:59pm on the Sunday before the game. • 1 Point Penalty: Ticket was returned after Sunday at 11:59pm but before Friday at 5pm prior to the game. • 2 Point Penalty: Student failed to attend the game or failed to arrive to the game by the beginning of the second quarter Penalty points affect post season ticket distribution. The distribution is based on a penalty point-credit hour basis. Penalty points reset after every season.
APPEALS
In the event a student acquires penalty points they would like to appeal, the student can utilize the “appeals” page. On this page, a student can see that particular game to which they are eligible for an appeal. New appeals may only be submitted a maximum of six days after the penalty was initially assigned. After six days, the penalty will be finalized and will no longer be eligible for an appeal. All appeals are reviewed by the appeals committee consisting of both staff and students representatives. Students who submit appeals are encouraged to submit as much supporting information as they can provide such as clear gameday pictures, etc. The more proof a student can provide to why the point(s) were awarded unjustly, the better. For more information about Frequently Asked Questions, Terms and Conditions, paying for a guest pass or submitting feedback, please visit aub.ie/aufstc
SGA
SERVE . PROMOTE . UNIFY
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The Auburn Plainsman: Auburn v. Liberty — Iron Bowl Preview
November 15, 2018
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TIGER WALK
1 p.m.
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1:40 p.m.
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1:45 p.m.
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Ryan Davis (23) sits alone atop Auburn’s all-time receptions list.
Auburn to celebrate decorated senior class By JAKE WEESE Sports Writer
Before traveling to Tuscaloosa next week, the Tigers return home to honor its fourth-year players. Not only will Saturday feature their final game in Jordan-Hare Stadium, the team will also observe the annual Senior Day. Here are the 18 seniors to be honored: Devin Adams came to Auburn after two seasons at Mississippi Delta Community College. In 2017, he saw his first in-game action, completing a pass and rushing for six yards. Ryan Davis has been one of Auburn’s most trusted receivers since his sophomore season. In his senior season, Ryan Davis now sits atop Auburn’s all-time receptions list with 165 catches and counting. Chandler Cox has been predominantly Auburn’s starting fullback since his freshman year. Will Hastings played in the majority of his games in his sophomore and junior seasons. He redshirted 2018 with after season-ending ACL surgery and will return next season. C.J. Tolbert, a walk-on, spent two seasons at Harding University in Arkansas before transferring. Tolbert was named the A-day offensive MVP in 2018 with 137 rushing yards and two touchdowns. Robert Muschamp saw his first in-game action in his sophomore season against Alabama A&M as a fullback. Ian Shannon saw his first in-game action in his sophomore season against Arkansas State. Shannon split starts at punter last season with Aidan Marshall. Chase Cramer is a walk-on fullback for the Tigers. He saw his first in-game action in his sophomore season against Alabama A&M. Montavious Atkinson started as a free safety in his freshmen season and played in ten games. He was
converted into a linebacker in his sophomore season, and he currently has 35 tackles this year. Darrell Williams has seen in-game action since his freshmen year. He has had 50-plus total tackles every season since his sophomore year and currently has 59 this season. Deshaun Davis has been a force on the defense since his sophomore season. Davis started every game that sophomore year, including four tackles for a loss against Alabama, which was the most by an Auburn player since 2009. Davis currently has 95 total tackles on the season. Ryan Meneely saw his first in-game action during his sophomore season. He has been on the SEC Academic Honor Roll every season. Jaunta’vius Johnson saw his first in-game action against Mississippi State in 2017. Johnson missed his 2016 season to recover from injury.. Andrew Williams saw his first in-game action against Louisville in 2015. Andrew got into the defensive tackle rotation in his junior year and finished with 38 tackles for the season. Dalton Brown was at Newberry College before coming to Auburn this season. Dalton also was coached by offensive coordinator Chip Lindsey in high school. Tucker Brown joined the team as a walk-on offensive guard in 2015 and saw his first snaps against Idaho that same season. Brown switched to tight end in 2017 and played in every game. Griffin King was a backup receiver in 2016 and played five games on special teams. In 2017, he played primarily on special teams and forced a fumble against Louisiana Monroe. Dontavius Russell has been at Auburn since 2014, when he redshirted. In his first game in 2015, he had six tackles. He currently has 146 total tackles through four years at Auburn.
November 15, 2018
The Auburn Plainsman: Auburn v. Liberty — Iron Bowl Preview
11
w previe
looking ahead to alabama inside bryant-denny stadium By TYLER ROUSH Assistant Sports Editor
With the Bryant-Denny Stadium crowd on the horizon, Auburn is now just a week away from an Iron Bowl matchup with another top-ranked Alabama. Rolling through 10 games on the year, with an average point differential of 35.9 points in an undefeated season, the Crimson Tide return home to continue a path into the College Football Playoff. And the path so far hasn’t been too difficult. The closest game this season for Nick Saban’s squad came against then-No. 22 Texas A&M in a 45-23 win, with quarterback Tua Tagovailoa throwing for 387 yards and four touchdowns. Before facing Citadel on Nov. 17, the Crimson Tide shut out back-to-back ranked opponents for the first time in program history. In wins over then-No.3 LSU and then-No.16 Mississippi State, Alabama finished with a combined score of 53-0.
With a top-three win, Alabama combined for 576 yards before adding on 305 more against the Bulldogs. Packed onto the yardage comes top-10 rankings in nearly every offensive statistic in the nation and the conference. Offensively, the Crimson Tide have been dominant while ranking third in scoring offense (48.6), eighth in total defense (282.8), fourth in total offense (539.5), seventh in passing offense (323.7) and fourth in passing yards per completion (17). Tagovailoa has taken the crimson helm with authority while leading the SEC in passing touchdowns and completion percentage. His 28 touchdowns through the air overshadow his two interceptions, with each coming in the last two victories. Though keeping the Tide offense off the field appears difficult, Alabama’s defense adds on incredible pressure to opposing offenses. Led by Isaiah Buggs and Christian Miller, both ranked No. 2 and No. 3 in the conference for sacks, respectively, Saban’s defense is tied for third in defensive touchdowns. As a wall facing its rival, the Crimson Tide also rank seventh in rush-
ing defense while allowing just 96.3 rushing yards per game. Through its last five in-conference games, Auburn has averaged 121.2 rushing yards per game. Running back JaTarvious Whitlow is the lone back to surpass 50 yards in any of those games, with 170 yards against Ole Miss and 88 against Mississippi State. Opposite its rushing defense, Alabama ranks 23rd by allowing 186.5 passing yards per game. In those same five games, Auburn has averaged 236.4 yards per game. Following its sixth-straight loss inside Sanford Stadium, Auburn is looking for a glimpse of offensive consistency before heading to Tuscaloosa. For Auburn head coach Gus Malzahn, making progress with the last two games of the season will be a sign of things to come for next season. “We need to do the best plan and execute the best we can these last two games and then we’ll sit back and be able to assess all the above,” Malzahn said. Whether it’s on the ground or through the air, the Tigers will fight for life against the Crimson Tide.