Football News: 12-16-2025
0 views
Skip to first unread message
Dudley Dent
Dec 16, 2025, 8:04:05 AM (10 days ago) Dec 16
to Tiger Tracks
Auburn Football News: 12-16-2025
Auburn expected to hire current FCS head coach as next tight ends coach, reports say:
https://www.al.com/auburnfootball/2025/12/auburn-hires-away-current-fcs-head-coach-as-next-tight-ends-coach-reports-say.html
Auburn set to hire Larry Scott as new tight ends coach:
https://247sports.com/college/auburn/article/auburn-football-coaching-staff-larry-scott-tight-ends-266609122/
5 Auburn players who raised their stock in 2025:
https://www.al.com/auburnfootball/2025/12/5-auburn-players-who-raised-their-stock-in-2025.html
Jason Caldwell's end of season awards:
https://247sports.com/college/auburn/article/a-look-at-the-top-perfomers-for-the-2025-auburn-tigers-266635626/
3-star former Michigan signee commits to Auburn:
https://www.al.com/auburnfootball/2025/12/3-star-former-michigan-signee-commits-to-auburn.html
Former Michigan signee Bear McWhorter commits to Auburn:
https://247sports.com/college/auburn/article/bear-mcwhorter-commits-to-auburn-tigers-football-recruiting-266513622/
COMMITMENT: Former Michigan signee Bear McWhorter commits to Auburn:
https://www.on3.com/teams/auburn-tigers/news/former-michigan-signee-bear-mcwhorter-commits-to-auburn/
Auburn reserve wide receiver plans to enter transfer portal:
https://www.al.com/auburnfootball/2025/12/auburn-reserve-wide-receiver-plans-to-enter-transfer-portal.html
Auburn reserve offensive lineman announces plans to enter transfer portal:
https://www.al.com/auburnfootball/2025/12/auburn-reserve-offensive-lineman-announces-plans-to-enter-transfer-portal.html
Former Auburn quarterback seeks seventh season, enters portal:
https://www.al.com/auburnfootball/2025/12/former-auburn-quarterback-seeks-seventh-season-enters-portal.html
Where will each SEC team be playing this postseason?:
https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/where-sec-team-playing-postseason-114500171.html
Auburn expected to hire current FCS head coach as next tight ends coach, reports say
By Peter Rauterkus
al.com
New Auburn head coach Alex Golesh has reportedly finalized his on-field coaching staff.
Auburn is expected to hire Howard head coach Larry Scott as its next tight ends coach, according to reports from CBS Sports and On3. He replaces Ben Aigamaua, who had been Auburn’s tight ends coach for all three seasons under Hugh Freeze.
Scott comes to Auburn after spending the previous five years at Howard. During that time, he compiled a 23-37 record as head coach, but won MEAC titles in 2022 and 2023.
Prior to his stint as a head coach, Scott spent time coaching in the SEC at Florida and Tennessee, most notably working with Kyle Pitts at Florida. He also spent a season as Tennessee’s offensive coordinator in 2017.
Over his 19-year college coaching career, Scott has made stops at USF and Miami, along with his stints at Howard, Florida and Tennessee.
Throughout his college coaching career, he’s worked as a graduate assistant, offensive line coach, running backs coach, tight ends coach, offensive coordinator and head coach.
*********************
Auburn set to hire Larry Scott as new tight ends coach
By Nathan King
Alex Golesh will finalize his Auburn staff with a sitting head coach.
Larry Scott, who has been the head coach at Howard University since 2020, is set to be hired as Auburn's new tight ends coach, Matt Zenitz of CBS Sports reported Monday.
Scott's son, Larry Scott III, was announced last week on Auburn's staff as a defensive line analyst.
Scott is also a former SEC offensive coordinator at Tennessee in 2017. He spent time in the league as an assistant with the Vols and at Florida, where he coached No. 4 overall pick Kyle Pitts.
From Sebring, Florida, Howard was a player and longtime assistant at USF, where Golesh served as the head coach the past three seasons. They did not cross over, but Scott coached at USF from 2006-12 and played offensive line for the Bulls in the late '90s.
Howard went 23-37 in six seasons under Scott. He served as Miami's interim coach in 2015 and went 4-2.
Scott's impending hire means Golesh's first-year Auburn coaching staff is complete: Joel Gordon (offensive coordinator and quarterbacks), Tyler Hudanick (offensive line), Kodi Burns (wide receivers), Larry Porter (running backs), Scott (tight ends), DJ Durkin (defensive coordinator and linebackers), Coleman Hutzler (outside linebackers), Vontrell King-Williams (defensive line), DeMarcus Van Dyke (cornerbacks) and Tim Banks (safeties).
*************************
5 Auburn players who raised their stock in 2025
By Peter Rauterkus
al.com
With the 2025 season over, many Auburn players are now faced with decisions of whether to stay with the program or continue their careers elsewhere.
Roster turnover is common when there’s a coaching change, and 14 Auburn players are already expected to enter the transfer portal when it opens on Jan. 2. The staff will try and retain at least a handful of this season’s contributors, but that doesn’t mean they all will stay.
A number of players had breakout seasons in 2025, going from unknown or low in the depth chart to key players on the team. Many of those players could return next season too, giving Alex Golesh and his staff a good foundation to build on.
With that said, here’s a look at five Auburn players who raised their stock this season. This list excludes players who are out of eligibility or have already announced their intentions to leave the program.
Xavier Atkins, LB
No Auburn player had a bigger season in 2025 than Atkins, who was named a second team All-American by the Walter Camp Football Foundation.
He finished the season with 84 tackles, 17 tackles for loss and nine sacks. Atkins’ 17 tackles for loss lead the SEC, and 13 of them came in conference play.
They were also the most ever by an Auburn inside linebacker and the most by any Auburn underclassman since Antonio Coleman in 2007.
Atkins’ big year came after he spent one season at LSU, but hardly played. He was seen as a promising young player when he transferred to Auburn, but few expected him to break out the way he did.
He told reporters after the Iron Bowl that he plans to stay at Auburn, and that seems even more likely after defensive coordinator DJ Durkin was retained by Golesh.
Jeremiah Cobb, RB
Cobb’s production was the only thing Auburn’s offense had going for it during stretches of this season. In his first year as the starting running back, Cobb rushed for 969 yards and five touchdowns on 175 carries.
He often showed flashes of his explosiveness and hard running ability during his freshman and sophomore seasons, but never saw significant snaps behind Jarquez Hunter. Former head coach Hugh Freeze often mentioned him as a potential breakout player during the offseason, and that prediction came true.
After finishing his third college season, Cobb will have multiple options this offseason. He’s eligible for the NFL Draft, but the market for running backs isn’t what it used to be, and Cobb isn’t viewed as one of the top draft eligible running backs.
He could also consider transferring after losing his head coach and position coach, but he’d likely be someone Golesh and the staff would want to keep.
Robert Woodyard Jr., LB
Despite not seeing the field much during his first three seasons on the Plains, Woodyard stuck around last offseason, and that decision paid off.
He started alongside Atkins at inside linebackers and became one of the most consistent players on the Tigers’ defense. Woodyard finished the season with 67 total tackles, which ranked second on the team, only trailing Atkins.
Woodyard was expected to play a bigger role in 2025 than he had in previous seasons, but there’s always uncertainty around a player when he hasn’t yet played significant snaps. He won the starting job over Maryland transfer Caleb Wheatland and was solid in the middle of the defense all year.
With one year of eligibility remaining, Woodyard is expected to carry the same role in 2026 alongside Atkins.
Elijah Melendez, LB
Melendez wasn’t the highest ranked recruit in Auburn’s 2025 signing class, but he had arguably the best season among the Tigers’ freshmen.
His play earned him a spot on the SEC All-Freshman team, joining Kail Ellis as one of just two Tigers on the team this year. Melendez finished the season with 29 tackles, three tackles for loss, two interceptions and a pick-6.
With Atkins and Woodyard likely returning, it will be hard for Melendez to break into the starting lineup in 2026, but he’ll likely earn more snaps. Durkin often rotates linebackers, and Melendez will be a big part of that rotation if he’s back next season.
Deuce Knight, QB
Knight played fewer snaps than any of the other players on this list, but his performance against Mercer late in the season undoubtedly raised his stock going into the offseason.
The former five-star recruit brought plenty of hype with him to Auburn, and his performance against Mercer, albeit against an FCS team, showed what he’s capable of. Knight threw for 239 yards and two touchdowns on 15-for-20 passing in that game, while rushing for 162 yards and four touchdowns on just nine carries.
Whether or not Knight stays with Auburn will be one of the biggest developments to watch this season. He’d attract plenty of interest in the transfer portal, and Auburn’s 2026 plans at quarterback are still unclear.
Golesh said during an interview on The Next Round that he thought Knight would be “special” when watching him as a freshman in high school. Whether or not he plans on starting Knight next season remains unclear, but even if he’s not, his talent is undeniable.
***********************
Jason Caldwell's end of season awards
By Jason Caldwell
It wasn't the season that anyone at Auburn hoped for, but there were still some impressive individual performances this year for the Tigers. With that in mind I wanted to recognize what I thought were the top performers in the 2025 season. Here are my thoughts.
MVP
There is little question who the best player on 2025 Auburn Tigers was, linebacker Xavier Atkins. A player that transferred in from LSU with very little experience, he hit the ground running in DJ Durkin's defense and never looked back. Finishing the season with 84 tackles, 9 sacks and 17 tackles for a loss, he became the first All-American linebacker for Auburn since Karlos Dansby in 2003. Enough said.
Offensive MVP
This is one where you could have easily gone with Cam Coleman after he went over 700 yards receiving with 5 touchdowns, but for me the MVP of Auburn's offense in 2025 was junior running back Jeremiah Cobb. Despite having just 175 carries on the season, Cobb ran for 969 yards on the year. A lack of touches in the red zone limited him to just 5 touchdowns, but he was a bright spot on offense for the Tigers. He had more than 16 carries in just four of 12 games last season and had just 10 carries in Auburn's Iron Bowl loss to Alabama.
Defensive MVP
With Atkins being the overall MVP, I thought Keyron Crawford was the second-most disruptive player on Auburn's defense this season. He had 36 tackles on the year with 5 sacks and 9.5 tackles for a loss. He also added an interception, a forced fumble and also a fumble recovery. I'm not sure anyone on the roster helped their NFL chances more than Crawford did this season.
Special teams MVP
There is little question who Auburn's MVP on special teams is. Coming back from a more than year-long battle and surgeries, Alex McPherson was tremendous for the Tigers. He was 20-23 on field goals for the season with all three misses coming in one game. Building up his leg strength throughout the year, he was kicking as well as anytime during his career by the end of the regular season.
Offensive Freshman
There weren't a lot of names to choose from on offense with only a few true freshmen playing for the Tigers, but Kail Ellis was impressive in his time on the field and showed the ability to be a building block for the future. Graduating high school early, Ellis still has a lot of growth potential left in his game and that's exciting news for Auburn down the road.
Defensive Freshman
Unlike offense, there are a lot of options on the defensive side of the ball for the Tigers but nobody made a bigger impact than linebacker Elijah Melendez. Safety Eric Winters finished with more tackles, but Melendez had 29 tackles, a sack, 3 tackles for a loss and also added a pair of interceptions. No question the young linebacker showed he's got a bright future.
Good guy award
Despite the outcome and situations, senior guard Jeremiah Wright was always faithful to come talk to the media and never backed away from one of his roles as a leader on the team. There were a bunch of guys on this team that always had time for us during the year, but Wright's willingness to talk and share what he was thinking was impressive. Another player that deserves a mention is Robert Woodyard. He stepped up time and time again to talk to the media this season, earning a lot of respect from those who cover the Tigers.
*************************
3-star former Michigan signee commits to Auburn
By Peter Rauterkus
al.com
The early signing period concluded just under a week and a half ago, but that didn’t stop Auburn from adding a 2026 prospect to its class on Monday.
Three-star offensive lineman Bear McWhorter is the latest player to commit to Auburn, doing so after being released from his letter of intent from Michigan. He announced his pledge in a post on X (formerly Twitter).
https://twitter.com/BearMcWhorter/status/2000657587390570843?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E2000657587390570843%7Ctwgr%5Ea102311cf524bf07036f3b32b1bce3291c13c7eb%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.al.com%2Fauburnfootball%2F2025%2F12%2F3-star-former-michigan-signee-commits-to-auburn.html
McWhorter signed with the Wolverines during the early signing period, but was able to re-open his recruitment after Michigan head coach Sherrone Moore was fired.
The former head coach was fired for cause last week after he was found to have “engaged in an inappropriate relationship with a staff member,” according to the university. Moore was later arrested and charged with multiple crimes, after prosecutors said he broke into the staffer’s home and threatened to harm himself.
After re-opening his recruitment, McWhorter eventually chose Auburn, becoming the 19th player in the Tigers’ 2026 class. He’s also the fifth offensive linemen to join the class, joining Wilson Zierer, Parker Pritchett, Mykall Lundy-Foster and Mason Mathis.
A native of White, Georgia, McWhorter is the No. 514 overall player in the country and the 40th-best interior offensive lineman. He’s the second highest-ranked offensive linemen in Auburn’s class, only behind Zierer.
*********************
Former Michigan signee Bear McWhorter commits to Auburn
By Christian Clemente
Signing with Michigan, Bear McWhorter opted to ask out of his NLI following the firing of Sherrone Moore and was granted his release.
When that news hit, offensive line coach Tyler Hudanick and Auburn head coach Alex Golesh wasted no time getting to work. McWhorter has announced his commitment to Auburn, becoming a late addition to the 2026 class on Monday.
From Cass, Georgia, McWhorter is listed at 6-foot-3.5 and 293 pounds. He's ranked in the industry-generated 247Sports Composite as the No. 514 player, No. 40 interior offensive lineman and No. 53 player from Georgia. 247Sports tabs McWhorter as the No. 124 interior offensive lineman and No. 163 player from Georgia.
McWhorter is the former high school teammate of Auburn freshman offensive lineman Kail Ellis. Now the two are set to reunite on the Plains after one season apart.
During the recruiting process originally, McWhorter did hold an offer from Auburn but he was not really a target for the previous staff. He committed to Michigan back in February in a decision that came down to the Wolverines and Alabama.
Performing well at the Under Armour Atlanta camp back in the offseason, that earned McWhorter an invite to play in the Under Armour All-American Game this upcoming January.
The 2026 class grows by one after Golesh and his staff signed 18 in the early signing period. McWhorter becomes the fifth offensive linemen in the fold, joining offensive tackles Wilson Zierer and Mason Mathis, along with interior options Parker Pritchett and Mykall Lundy-Foster. Auburn's class jumps from No. 41 to No. 35 in the 247Sports team recruiting rankings in the 2026 cycle with the addition of McWhorter.
**********************
COMMITMENT: Former Michigan signee Bear McWhorter commits to Auburn
By Jeffrey Lee
Auburn has added another high school offensive lineman to its 2026 signing class.
Bear McWhorter, an interior offensive lineman from Cass High School in Cartersville, Ga., will enroll at Auburn for the spring semester. McWhorter announced his decision Monday night on social media.
McWhorter signed with Michigan during the early signing period, but requested and was granted a release after Sheronne Moore was fired. He committed to the Wolverines in February over Alabama, Clemson, Florida and South Carolina.
McWhorter is no stranger to Auburn. He visited campus as an underclassmen and has family in nearby Opelika. McWhorter’s former high school teammate, Kail Ellis, will be sophomore at Auburn in 2026. He also has a prior relationship with new Auburn coach Alex Golesh and offensive line coach Tyler Hudanick. Golesh and Hudanick offered and recruiter McWhorter while at USF.
McWhorter is the 19th member of Auburn’s 2026 class and fifth offensive lineman, joining Wilson Zierer, Parker Pritchett, Mykall Lundy-Foster and Mason Mathis.
**********************
Auburn reserve wide receiver plans to enter transfer portal
By Peter Rauterkus
al.com
Auburn is now expected to lose four scholarship wide receivers to the transfer portal.
The latest receiver to make his intentions known is Cam’Ron King, who was one of the Tigers’ reserves this season. He appeared in just three games in 2025, finishing the year with one catch for six yards.
King began his college career as a walk-on at Auburn, but was awarded a scholarship prior to the 2025 season. Former head coach Hugh Freeze made the announcement in front of the team, and the video of them celebrating with King spread across social media.
With King planning to enter the portal, he joins fellow receivers Perry Thompson, Horatio Fields and Malcolm Simmons in doing so. He also becomes the 13th Auburn player overall expected to enter the portal.
The transfer portal officially opens on Jan. 2 and will remain open until Jan. 16.
*************************
Auburn reserve offensive lineman announces plans to enter transfer portal
By Peter Rauterkus
al.com
Auburn’s numbers on the offensive line continue to decrease.
The latest expected departure is reserve offensive lineman Seth Wilfred, who announced his plans to enter the transfer portal on his Instagram story on Monday. He becomes the third Auburn offensive lineman expected to enter the portal.
Wilfred spent the 2024 and 2025 seasons at Auburn after transferring from Snow College, where he was a JUCO All-American. Wilfred never became a contributor at Auburn, though, appearing in just one game over two seasons.
He becomes the third Auburn offensive lineman expected to enter the portal, joining DeAndre Carter and Favour Ebuka Edwin. Wilfred’s announcement also makes him the 14th Auburn player overall who’s expected to enter the portal.
The transfer portal will officially open on Jan. 2 and remain open until Jan. 16.
**********************
Former Auburn quarterback seeks seventh season, enters portal
By Andrew Hammond
al.com
The transfer portal for college football is weeks away from opening officially, but as soon as season have ended, players from various team have put their name into the portal.
A familiar name to Auburn, and the SEC has once again put his name in the portal.
On Monday, former Auburn quarterback TJ Finley entered the transfer portal once again and will apply for a seventh year of eligibility. Finley issued a statement on social media announcing his move.
“The last two years have been the most challenging seasons of my life. Balancing new fatherhood, injuries, and adversity off the field has tested me in ways football never could,” Finley said.
Through it all, my love for the game never left. Football is who 1am. I still love competing, leading, and playing at the highest level.
Due to a season-ending injury sustained in 2024, am applying for a 7th year - and l’ve decided to pursue it fully. I thank God for carrying me through the storm and allowing me to put everything behind me as I move forward to 2026. I’m focused, healthy, and motivated.
I look forward to finishing my career at a University that gives me an opportunity to compete, lead, and finish strong. The story isn’t over."
If Finley is approved for a seventh season, he will be looking for his sixth stop. What began at LSU went to Auburn for two seasons from 2021-22, after that he went to Texas State and Western Kentucky. From there, he transferred to Tulane before transferring once again following some off-field issues involving a stolen truck.
This past season, Finley played at Georgia State going 1-3 in four starts throwing for 725 yards and four touchdowns.
***********************
Where will each SEC team be playing this postseason?
By Samuel Hahn
SB Nation
It’s bowl season. And College Football Playoff season.
Or maybe it’s only CFP season and bowl season doesn’t matter anymore. It’s not that extreme yet, but the CFP is slowly taking it over, just like the NCAA Tournament took over the NIT many decades ago.
Anyway, most of the Southeastern Conference has at least one more game remaining before their offseasons begin. Five of them are playing in the playoff for a chance at a national championship (though one of those team’s coaches decided he’d rather go to a 7-5 team in Louisiana and recruit all December and January) and six teams are bowling—of whom five are bowl eligible (5-7 Mississippi State, don’t get used to it!)
Let’s see where everybody’s heading in these next few weeks:
#3 Georgia (12-1)
Next Game: CFP Quarterfinals (Sugar Bowl)
The Georgia Bulldogs are the only SEC team getting a first round bye and will be awaiting the winner of Tulane and Ole Miss on January 1st. That gives them a lot of time to prepare as well as rest up. Oh, and of course, enjoy Christmas!
#6 Ole Miss (11-1)
Next Game: CFP First Round (Home)
The Rebels are CFP-bound, but as the whole sports world knows, Lane Kiffin abandoned ship right after the Egg Bowl. Regardless, their first-round game is at home and against the American champ: the Tulane Green Wave. Coincidentally, they played them back in September and blew them out 45-10 in Oxford. All they have to do is invite all the fans back and play it again.
#7 Texas A&M (11-1)
Next Game: CFP First Round (Home)
The Aggies are hosting a first round game in their massive Kyle Field and will be welcoming the Miami Hurricanes from the ACC. These Hurricanes are the only other team besides these Aggies that beat Notre Dame, who is kicking and screaming because they can’t be playing this game and rematching the Aggies they lost to in September.
#8 Oklahoma (10-2)
Next Game: CFP First Round (Home)
OU is 2-0 against Alabama since joining the SEC and is hosting them for a chance at 3-0 with everything on the line. These advantages help the Sooners a lot, but it’s still Alabama, and nothing will be easy.
#9 Alabama (10-3)
Next Game: CFP First Round (Road)
The last SEC team to get in the field, the Crimson Tide, will be on the road in Norman, Oklahoma, facing a team that has had its number these past two years, and they are itching to beat. If Alabama wins, they will advance to face the 13-0 Indiana Hoosiers in the Rose Bowl, which would be a heavyweight bout of epic proportions.
#13 Texas (9-3)
Next Game: Citrus Bowl
The Longhorns did not make the CFP, but made the best bowl outside of it. They will face Michigan in the Citrus Bowl in Orlando on December 31st for a chance at a 10-win season. That would still be a big accomplishment given how things were after the first month of the season.
#14 Vanderbilt (10-2)
Next Game: ReliaQuest Bowl
Vandy put up one of their best seasons in school history, winning ten games for the first time ever and capping their season with an epic road beatdown of archrival Tennessee. Now they’ll be facing Iowa in Tampa, FL for the ReliaQuest Bowl, another high-profile bowl against another high-profile opponent—the Iowa Hawkeyes.
Missouri (8-4)
Next Game: Gator Bowl
The Tigers will also be going to Florida to bowl and will be doing so against Virginia. The game will give them a chance for a 9-win season and a chance to beat a 10-win team and take momentum into the offseason.
Tennessee (8-4)
Next Game: Music City Bowl
One of the Volunteers’ biggest advantages in bowl season comes when it can play in its own backyard in Nashville and pack the stands with orange. This year, they’ll be doing that against Illinois, who also had an 8-4 season and will be coming in with lots of orange fans as well.
LSU (7-5)
Next Game: Texas Bowl
LSU wanted to go 11-1 and make the playoff, but will instead have to take 7-5 and the Texas Bowl with Houston. Will they show up to play at all or will they roll over? There’s a fair chance it will be the latter.
Mississippi State (5-7)
Next Game: Duke’s Mayo Bowl
What?!? What are they doing here? That’s right—the Mississippi State Bulldogs, who went 1-7 in the SEC, won all four of their nonconference games and took Kansas State’s bowl invitation after the Wildcats declined it. They might only have five wins, but they’re taking on Wake Forest in the Duke’s Mayo Bowl and Wake better watch out!
Auburn expected to hire current FCS head coach as next tight ends coach, reports say:
https://www.al.com/auburnfootball/2025/12/auburn-hires-away-current-fcs-head-coach-as-next-tight-ends-coach-reports-say.html
Auburn set to hire Larry Scott as new tight ends coach:
https://247sports.com/college/auburn/article/auburn-football-coaching-staff-larry-scott-tight-ends-266609122/
5 Auburn players who raised their stock in 2025:
https://www.al.com/auburnfootball/2025/12/5-auburn-players-who-raised-their-stock-in-2025.html
Jason Caldwell's end of season awards:
https://247sports.com/college/auburn/article/a-look-at-the-top-perfomers-for-the-2025-auburn-tigers-266635626/
3-star former Michigan signee commits to Auburn:
https://www.al.com/auburnfootball/2025/12/3-star-former-michigan-signee-commits-to-auburn.html
Former Michigan signee Bear McWhorter commits to Auburn:
https://247sports.com/college/auburn/article/bear-mcwhorter-commits-to-auburn-tigers-football-recruiting-266513622/
COMMITMENT: Former Michigan signee Bear McWhorter commits to Auburn:
https://www.on3.com/teams/auburn-tigers/news/former-michigan-signee-bear-mcwhorter-commits-to-auburn/
Auburn reserve wide receiver plans to enter transfer portal:
https://www.al.com/auburnfootball/2025/12/auburn-reserve-wide-receiver-plans-to-enter-transfer-portal.html
Auburn reserve offensive lineman announces plans to enter transfer portal:
https://www.al.com/auburnfootball/2025/12/auburn-reserve-offensive-lineman-announces-plans-to-enter-transfer-portal.html
Former Auburn quarterback seeks seventh season, enters portal:
https://www.al.com/auburnfootball/2025/12/former-auburn-quarterback-seeks-seventh-season-enters-portal.html
Where will each SEC team be playing this postseason?:
https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/where-sec-team-playing-postseason-114500171.html
**************************
By Peter Rauterkus
al.com
New Auburn head coach Alex Golesh has reportedly finalized his on-field coaching staff.
Auburn is expected to hire Howard head coach Larry Scott as its next tight ends coach, according to reports from CBS Sports and On3. He replaces Ben Aigamaua, who had been Auburn’s tight ends coach for all three seasons under Hugh Freeze.
Scott comes to Auburn after spending the previous five years at Howard. During that time, he compiled a 23-37 record as head coach, but won MEAC titles in 2022 and 2023.
Prior to his stint as a head coach, Scott spent time coaching in the SEC at Florida and Tennessee, most notably working with Kyle Pitts at Florida. He also spent a season as Tennessee’s offensive coordinator in 2017.
Over his 19-year college coaching career, Scott has made stops at USF and Miami, along with his stints at Howard, Florida and Tennessee.
Throughout his college coaching career, he’s worked as a graduate assistant, offensive line coach, running backs coach, tight ends coach, offensive coordinator and head coach.
*********************
Auburn set to hire Larry Scott as new tight ends coach
By Nathan King
Alex Golesh will finalize his Auburn staff with a sitting head coach.
Larry Scott, who has been the head coach at Howard University since 2020, is set to be hired as Auburn's new tight ends coach, Matt Zenitz of CBS Sports reported Monday.
Scott's son, Larry Scott III, was announced last week on Auburn's staff as a defensive line analyst.
Scott is also a former SEC offensive coordinator at Tennessee in 2017. He spent time in the league as an assistant with the Vols and at Florida, where he coached No. 4 overall pick Kyle Pitts.
From Sebring, Florida, Howard was a player and longtime assistant at USF, where Golesh served as the head coach the past three seasons. They did not cross over, but Scott coached at USF from 2006-12 and played offensive line for the Bulls in the late '90s.
Howard went 23-37 in six seasons under Scott. He served as Miami's interim coach in 2015 and went 4-2.
Scott's impending hire means Golesh's first-year Auburn coaching staff is complete: Joel Gordon (offensive coordinator and quarterbacks), Tyler Hudanick (offensive line), Kodi Burns (wide receivers), Larry Porter (running backs), Scott (tight ends), DJ Durkin (defensive coordinator and linebackers), Coleman Hutzler (outside linebackers), Vontrell King-Williams (defensive line), DeMarcus Van Dyke (cornerbacks) and Tim Banks (safeties).
*************************
5 Auburn players who raised their stock in 2025
By Peter Rauterkus
al.com
With the 2025 season over, many Auburn players are now faced with decisions of whether to stay with the program or continue their careers elsewhere.
Roster turnover is common when there’s a coaching change, and 14 Auburn players are already expected to enter the transfer portal when it opens on Jan. 2. The staff will try and retain at least a handful of this season’s contributors, but that doesn’t mean they all will stay.
A number of players had breakout seasons in 2025, going from unknown or low in the depth chart to key players on the team. Many of those players could return next season too, giving Alex Golesh and his staff a good foundation to build on.
With that said, here’s a look at five Auburn players who raised their stock this season. This list excludes players who are out of eligibility or have already announced their intentions to leave the program.
Xavier Atkins, LB
No Auburn player had a bigger season in 2025 than Atkins, who was named a second team All-American by the Walter Camp Football Foundation.
He finished the season with 84 tackles, 17 tackles for loss and nine sacks. Atkins’ 17 tackles for loss lead the SEC, and 13 of them came in conference play.
They were also the most ever by an Auburn inside linebacker and the most by any Auburn underclassman since Antonio Coleman in 2007.
Atkins’ big year came after he spent one season at LSU, but hardly played. He was seen as a promising young player when he transferred to Auburn, but few expected him to break out the way he did.
He told reporters after the Iron Bowl that he plans to stay at Auburn, and that seems even more likely after defensive coordinator DJ Durkin was retained by Golesh.
Jeremiah Cobb, RB
Cobb’s production was the only thing Auburn’s offense had going for it during stretches of this season. In his first year as the starting running back, Cobb rushed for 969 yards and five touchdowns on 175 carries.
He often showed flashes of his explosiveness and hard running ability during his freshman and sophomore seasons, but never saw significant snaps behind Jarquez Hunter. Former head coach Hugh Freeze often mentioned him as a potential breakout player during the offseason, and that prediction came true.
After finishing his third college season, Cobb will have multiple options this offseason. He’s eligible for the NFL Draft, but the market for running backs isn’t what it used to be, and Cobb isn’t viewed as one of the top draft eligible running backs.
He could also consider transferring after losing his head coach and position coach, but he’d likely be someone Golesh and the staff would want to keep.
Robert Woodyard Jr., LB
Despite not seeing the field much during his first three seasons on the Plains, Woodyard stuck around last offseason, and that decision paid off.
He started alongside Atkins at inside linebackers and became one of the most consistent players on the Tigers’ defense. Woodyard finished the season with 67 total tackles, which ranked second on the team, only trailing Atkins.
Woodyard was expected to play a bigger role in 2025 than he had in previous seasons, but there’s always uncertainty around a player when he hasn’t yet played significant snaps. He won the starting job over Maryland transfer Caleb Wheatland and was solid in the middle of the defense all year.
With one year of eligibility remaining, Woodyard is expected to carry the same role in 2026 alongside Atkins.
Elijah Melendez, LB
Melendez wasn’t the highest ranked recruit in Auburn’s 2025 signing class, but he had arguably the best season among the Tigers’ freshmen.
His play earned him a spot on the SEC All-Freshman team, joining Kail Ellis as one of just two Tigers on the team this year. Melendez finished the season with 29 tackles, three tackles for loss, two interceptions and a pick-6.
With Atkins and Woodyard likely returning, it will be hard for Melendez to break into the starting lineup in 2026, but he’ll likely earn more snaps. Durkin often rotates linebackers, and Melendez will be a big part of that rotation if he’s back next season.
Deuce Knight, QB
Knight played fewer snaps than any of the other players on this list, but his performance against Mercer late in the season undoubtedly raised his stock going into the offseason.
The former five-star recruit brought plenty of hype with him to Auburn, and his performance against Mercer, albeit against an FCS team, showed what he’s capable of. Knight threw for 239 yards and two touchdowns on 15-for-20 passing in that game, while rushing for 162 yards and four touchdowns on just nine carries.
Whether or not Knight stays with Auburn will be one of the biggest developments to watch this season. He’d attract plenty of interest in the transfer portal, and Auburn’s 2026 plans at quarterback are still unclear.
Golesh said during an interview on The Next Round that he thought Knight would be “special” when watching him as a freshman in high school. Whether or not he plans on starting Knight next season remains unclear, but even if he’s not, his talent is undeniable.
***********************
Jason Caldwell's end of season awards
By Jason Caldwell
It wasn't the season that anyone at Auburn hoped for, but there were still some impressive individual performances this year for the Tigers. With that in mind I wanted to recognize what I thought were the top performers in the 2025 season. Here are my thoughts.
MVP
There is little question who the best player on 2025 Auburn Tigers was, linebacker Xavier Atkins. A player that transferred in from LSU with very little experience, he hit the ground running in DJ Durkin's defense and never looked back. Finishing the season with 84 tackles, 9 sacks and 17 tackles for a loss, he became the first All-American linebacker for Auburn since Karlos Dansby in 2003. Enough said.
Offensive MVP
This is one where you could have easily gone with Cam Coleman after he went over 700 yards receiving with 5 touchdowns, but for me the MVP of Auburn's offense in 2025 was junior running back Jeremiah Cobb. Despite having just 175 carries on the season, Cobb ran for 969 yards on the year. A lack of touches in the red zone limited him to just 5 touchdowns, but he was a bright spot on offense for the Tigers. He had more than 16 carries in just four of 12 games last season and had just 10 carries in Auburn's Iron Bowl loss to Alabama.
Defensive MVP
With Atkins being the overall MVP, I thought Keyron Crawford was the second-most disruptive player on Auburn's defense this season. He had 36 tackles on the year with 5 sacks and 9.5 tackles for a loss. He also added an interception, a forced fumble and also a fumble recovery. I'm not sure anyone on the roster helped their NFL chances more than Crawford did this season.
Special teams MVP
There is little question who Auburn's MVP on special teams is. Coming back from a more than year-long battle and surgeries, Alex McPherson was tremendous for the Tigers. He was 20-23 on field goals for the season with all three misses coming in one game. Building up his leg strength throughout the year, he was kicking as well as anytime during his career by the end of the regular season.
Offensive Freshman
There weren't a lot of names to choose from on offense with only a few true freshmen playing for the Tigers, but Kail Ellis was impressive in his time on the field and showed the ability to be a building block for the future. Graduating high school early, Ellis still has a lot of growth potential left in his game and that's exciting news for Auburn down the road.
Defensive Freshman
Unlike offense, there are a lot of options on the defensive side of the ball for the Tigers but nobody made a bigger impact than linebacker Elijah Melendez. Safety Eric Winters finished with more tackles, but Melendez had 29 tackles, a sack, 3 tackles for a loss and also added a pair of interceptions. No question the young linebacker showed he's got a bright future.
Good guy award
Despite the outcome and situations, senior guard Jeremiah Wright was always faithful to come talk to the media and never backed away from one of his roles as a leader on the team. There were a bunch of guys on this team that always had time for us during the year, but Wright's willingness to talk and share what he was thinking was impressive. Another player that deserves a mention is Robert Woodyard. He stepped up time and time again to talk to the media this season, earning a lot of respect from those who cover the Tigers.
*************************
3-star former Michigan signee commits to Auburn
By Peter Rauterkus
al.com
The early signing period concluded just under a week and a half ago, but that didn’t stop Auburn from adding a 2026 prospect to its class on Monday.
Three-star offensive lineman Bear McWhorter is the latest player to commit to Auburn, doing so after being released from his letter of intent from Michigan. He announced his pledge in a post on X (formerly Twitter).
https://twitter.com/BearMcWhorter/status/2000657587390570843?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E2000657587390570843%7Ctwgr%5Ea102311cf524bf07036f3b32b1bce3291c13c7eb%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.al.com%2Fauburnfootball%2F2025%2F12%2F3-star-former-michigan-signee-commits-to-auburn.html
McWhorter signed with the Wolverines during the early signing period, but was able to re-open his recruitment after Michigan head coach Sherrone Moore was fired.
The former head coach was fired for cause last week after he was found to have “engaged in an inappropriate relationship with a staff member,” according to the university. Moore was later arrested and charged with multiple crimes, after prosecutors said he broke into the staffer’s home and threatened to harm himself.
After re-opening his recruitment, McWhorter eventually chose Auburn, becoming the 19th player in the Tigers’ 2026 class. He’s also the fifth offensive linemen to join the class, joining Wilson Zierer, Parker Pritchett, Mykall Lundy-Foster and Mason Mathis.
A native of White, Georgia, McWhorter is the No. 514 overall player in the country and the 40th-best interior offensive lineman. He’s the second highest-ranked offensive linemen in Auburn’s class, only behind Zierer.
*********************
Former Michigan signee Bear McWhorter commits to Auburn
By Christian Clemente
Signing with Michigan, Bear McWhorter opted to ask out of his NLI following the firing of Sherrone Moore and was granted his release.
When that news hit, offensive line coach Tyler Hudanick and Auburn head coach Alex Golesh wasted no time getting to work. McWhorter has announced his commitment to Auburn, becoming a late addition to the 2026 class on Monday.
From Cass, Georgia, McWhorter is listed at 6-foot-3.5 and 293 pounds. He's ranked in the industry-generated 247Sports Composite as the No. 514 player, No. 40 interior offensive lineman and No. 53 player from Georgia. 247Sports tabs McWhorter as the No. 124 interior offensive lineman and No. 163 player from Georgia.
McWhorter is the former high school teammate of Auburn freshman offensive lineman Kail Ellis. Now the two are set to reunite on the Plains after one season apart.
During the recruiting process originally, McWhorter did hold an offer from Auburn but he was not really a target for the previous staff. He committed to Michigan back in February in a decision that came down to the Wolverines and Alabama.
Performing well at the Under Armour Atlanta camp back in the offseason, that earned McWhorter an invite to play in the Under Armour All-American Game this upcoming January.
The 2026 class grows by one after Golesh and his staff signed 18 in the early signing period. McWhorter becomes the fifth offensive linemen in the fold, joining offensive tackles Wilson Zierer and Mason Mathis, along with interior options Parker Pritchett and Mykall Lundy-Foster. Auburn's class jumps from No. 41 to No. 35 in the 247Sports team recruiting rankings in the 2026 cycle with the addition of McWhorter.
**********************
COMMITMENT: Former Michigan signee Bear McWhorter commits to Auburn
By Jeffrey Lee
Auburn has added another high school offensive lineman to its 2026 signing class.
Bear McWhorter, an interior offensive lineman from Cass High School in Cartersville, Ga., will enroll at Auburn for the spring semester. McWhorter announced his decision Monday night on social media.
McWhorter signed with Michigan during the early signing period, but requested and was granted a release after Sheronne Moore was fired. He committed to the Wolverines in February over Alabama, Clemson, Florida and South Carolina.
McWhorter is no stranger to Auburn. He visited campus as an underclassmen and has family in nearby Opelika. McWhorter’s former high school teammate, Kail Ellis, will be sophomore at Auburn in 2026. He also has a prior relationship with new Auburn coach Alex Golesh and offensive line coach Tyler Hudanick. Golesh and Hudanick offered and recruiter McWhorter while at USF.
McWhorter is the 19th member of Auburn’s 2026 class and fifth offensive lineman, joining Wilson Zierer, Parker Pritchett, Mykall Lundy-Foster and Mason Mathis.
**********************
Auburn reserve wide receiver plans to enter transfer portal
By Peter Rauterkus
al.com
Auburn is now expected to lose four scholarship wide receivers to the transfer portal.
The latest receiver to make his intentions known is Cam’Ron King, who was one of the Tigers’ reserves this season. He appeared in just three games in 2025, finishing the year with one catch for six yards.
King began his college career as a walk-on at Auburn, but was awarded a scholarship prior to the 2025 season. Former head coach Hugh Freeze made the announcement in front of the team, and the video of them celebrating with King spread across social media.
With King planning to enter the portal, he joins fellow receivers Perry Thompson, Horatio Fields and Malcolm Simmons in doing so. He also becomes the 13th Auburn player overall expected to enter the portal.
The transfer portal officially opens on Jan. 2 and will remain open until Jan. 16.
*************************
Auburn reserve offensive lineman announces plans to enter transfer portal
By Peter Rauterkus
al.com
Auburn’s numbers on the offensive line continue to decrease.
The latest expected departure is reserve offensive lineman Seth Wilfred, who announced his plans to enter the transfer portal on his Instagram story on Monday. He becomes the third Auburn offensive lineman expected to enter the portal.
Wilfred spent the 2024 and 2025 seasons at Auburn after transferring from Snow College, where he was a JUCO All-American. Wilfred never became a contributor at Auburn, though, appearing in just one game over two seasons.
He becomes the third Auburn offensive lineman expected to enter the portal, joining DeAndre Carter and Favour Ebuka Edwin. Wilfred’s announcement also makes him the 14th Auburn player overall who’s expected to enter the portal.
The transfer portal will officially open on Jan. 2 and remain open until Jan. 16.
**********************
Former Auburn quarterback seeks seventh season, enters portal
By Andrew Hammond
al.com
The transfer portal for college football is weeks away from opening officially, but as soon as season have ended, players from various team have put their name into the portal.
A familiar name to Auburn, and the SEC has once again put his name in the portal.
On Monday, former Auburn quarterback TJ Finley entered the transfer portal once again and will apply for a seventh year of eligibility. Finley issued a statement on social media announcing his move.
“The last two years have been the most challenging seasons of my life. Balancing new fatherhood, injuries, and adversity off the field has tested me in ways football never could,” Finley said.
Through it all, my love for the game never left. Football is who 1am. I still love competing, leading, and playing at the highest level.
Due to a season-ending injury sustained in 2024, am applying for a 7th year - and l’ve decided to pursue it fully. I thank God for carrying me through the storm and allowing me to put everything behind me as I move forward to 2026. I’m focused, healthy, and motivated.
I look forward to finishing my career at a University that gives me an opportunity to compete, lead, and finish strong. The story isn’t over."
If Finley is approved for a seventh season, he will be looking for his sixth stop. What began at LSU went to Auburn for two seasons from 2021-22, after that he went to Texas State and Western Kentucky. From there, he transferred to Tulane before transferring once again following some off-field issues involving a stolen truck.
This past season, Finley played at Georgia State going 1-3 in four starts throwing for 725 yards and four touchdowns.
***********************
Where will each SEC team be playing this postseason?
By Samuel Hahn
SB Nation
It’s bowl season. And College Football Playoff season.
Or maybe it’s only CFP season and bowl season doesn’t matter anymore. It’s not that extreme yet, but the CFP is slowly taking it over, just like the NCAA Tournament took over the NIT many decades ago.
Anyway, most of the Southeastern Conference has at least one more game remaining before their offseasons begin. Five of them are playing in the playoff for a chance at a national championship (though one of those team’s coaches decided he’d rather go to a 7-5 team in Louisiana and recruit all December and January) and six teams are bowling—of whom five are bowl eligible (5-7 Mississippi State, don’t get used to it!)
Let’s see where everybody’s heading in these next few weeks:
#3 Georgia (12-1)
Next Game: CFP Quarterfinals (Sugar Bowl)
The Georgia Bulldogs are the only SEC team getting a first round bye and will be awaiting the winner of Tulane and Ole Miss on January 1st. That gives them a lot of time to prepare as well as rest up. Oh, and of course, enjoy Christmas!
#6 Ole Miss (11-1)
Next Game: CFP First Round (Home)
The Rebels are CFP-bound, but as the whole sports world knows, Lane Kiffin abandoned ship right after the Egg Bowl. Regardless, their first-round game is at home and against the American champ: the Tulane Green Wave. Coincidentally, they played them back in September and blew them out 45-10 in Oxford. All they have to do is invite all the fans back and play it again.
#7 Texas A&M (11-1)
Next Game: CFP First Round (Home)
The Aggies are hosting a first round game in their massive Kyle Field and will be welcoming the Miami Hurricanes from the ACC. These Hurricanes are the only other team besides these Aggies that beat Notre Dame, who is kicking and screaming because they can’t be playing this game and rematching the Aggies they lost to in September.
#8 Oklahoma (10-2)
Next Game: CFP First Round (Home)
OU is 2-0 against Alabama since joining the SEC and is hosting them for a chance at 3-0 with everything on the line. These advantages help the Sooners a lot, but it’s still Alabama, and nothing will be easy.
#9 Alabama (10-3)
Next Game: CFP First Round (Road)
The last SEC team to get in the field, the Crimson Tide, will be on the road in Norman, Oklahoma, facing a team that has had its number these past two years, and they are itching to beat. If Alabama wins, they will advance to face the 13-0 Indiana Hoosiers in the Rose Bowl, which would be a heavyweight bout of epic proportions.
#13 Texas (9-3)
Next Game: Citrus Bowl
The Longhorns did not make the CFP, but made the best bowl outside of it. They will face Michigan in the Citrus Bowl in Orlando on December 31st for a chance at a 10-win season. That would still be a big accomplishment given how things were after the first month of the season.
#14 Vanderbilt (10-2)
Next Game: ReliaQuest Bowl
Vandy put up one of their best seasons in school history, winning ten games for the first time ever and capping their season with an epic road beatdown of archrival Tennessee. Now they’ll be facing Iowa in Tampa, FL for the ReliaQuest Bowl, another high-profile bowl against another high-profile opponent—the Iowa Hawkeyes.
Missouri (8-4)
Next Game: Gator Bowl
The Tigers will also be going to Florida to bowl and will be doing so against Virginia. The game will give them a chance for a 9-win season and a chance to beat a 10-win team and take momentum into the offseason.
Tennessee (8-4)
Next Game: Music City Bowl
One of the Volunteers’ biggest advantages in bowl season comes when it can play in its own backyard in Nashville and pack the stands with orange. This year, they’ll be doing that against Illinois, who also had an 8-4 season and will be coming in with lots of orange fans as well.
LSU (7-5)
Next Game: Texas Bowl
LSU wanted to go 11-1 and make the playoff, but will instead have to take 7-5 and the Texas Bowl with Houston. Will they show up to play at all or will they roll over? There’s a fair chance it will be the latter.
Mississippi State (5-7)
Next Game: Duke’s Mayo Bowl
What?!? What are they doing here? That’s right—the Mississippi State Bulldogs, who went 1-7 in the SEC, won all four of their nonconference games and took Kansas State’s bowl invitation after the Wildcats declined it. They might only have five wins, but they’re taking on Wake Forest in the Duke’s Mayo Bowl and Wake better watch out!
Reply all
Reply to author
Forward
0 new messages