Football News: 8-14-2026
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Dudley Dent
Aug 14, 2026, 8:07:38 AM (3 days ago) Aug 14
to Tiger Tracks
Auburn Football News: 8-14-2026
On the Plains with Andre Jordan Jr.: ‘Football means a lot to me’:
https://auburntigers.com/news/2026/08/13/on-the-plains-with-andre-jordan-jr-football-means-a-lot-to-me
Auburn preseason camp: Da’Shawn Womack, Chris Murray lead edge rushers in Thursday’s practice:
https://www.al.com/auburnfootball/2026/08/auburn-preseason-camp-dashawn-womack-chris-murray-lead-edge-rushers-in-thursdays-practice.html
Auburn Co-OC Kodi Burns Talks Importance of Playing Tiger Defense, DJ Durkin in Fall Camp:
https://www.si.com/college/auburn/football/auburn-co-oc-kodi-burns-talks-importance-of-playing-tiger-defense-dj-durkin-in-fall-camp
Auburn Continues Top-Tier Offseason Work With Surprising Strategy:
https://www.si.com/college/auburn/football/auburn-continues-top-tier-offseason-work-with-surprising-strategy
Who Will Be Auburn’s RB2 This Year? Analyzing Auburn’s Running Back Room:
https://www.si.com/college/auburn/football/who-will-be-auburn-rb2-this-year-analyzing-auburn-running-back-room
Auburn kicker Alex McPherson listed on two award watchlists:
https://auburnwire.usatoday.com/story/sports/college/auburn/football/2026/08/13/auburn-football-alex-mcpherson-included-on-two-preseason-watchlists/91287895007/
Auburn redshirt freshman making strong case in crowded OL battle:
https://flywareagle.com/auburn-redshirt-freshman-making-strong-case-crowded-ol-battle
One of Hugh Freeze's former Auburn QB commits is now a tight end at Penn State:
https://flywareagle.com/hugh-freeze-former-auburn-qb-commit-tight-end-penn-state
Sean Payton updates Bo Nix’s status ahead of Broncos’ preseason opener vs. Falcons:
https://www.al.com/sports/2026/08/sean-payton-updates-bo-nixs-status-ahead-of-broncos-preseason-opener-vs-falcons.html
On the Plains with Andre Jordan Jr.: ‘Football means a lot to me’
Defensive back Andre Jordan Jr. spent most of his childhood cheering on one particular athlete, his father.
“I got started watching my dad play football,” Jordan said. “He played in the Indoor Football League and I used to go to all of his games, so that's how I started.”
Although football was integrated into his life, Jordan learned that it was not just a sport but could also supply valuable life lessons, providing structure in his daily life and a comfort in the chaos.
“Football means a lot to me,” Jordan said. “It taught me perseverance. Do not let something affect you too much because the next time you get knocked down, you have to get back up.”
Jordan credits a lot of his success to his support system and shares his gratitude for his family’s continued presence.
“I have my mom, dad and little sister,” Jordan said. “As well as my friends back home, my grandparents and my cousin. He helps me out, too.”
Jordan came to Auburn after stints at Oregon State (2023-24) and UCLA (2025), where he played in 30 games over those three seasons with 17 starts. He earned 2025 All-Big Ten Honorable Mention honors last year with the Bruins.
Now on the Plains, Jordan is ready to make his Southeastern Conference debut. Determined to make his mark, he knew Auburn was the right place to wrap up his college career.
“When I came on my visit, I really liked coach DeMarcus Van Dyke,” Jordan said. “He played in the league, so if he played in it, he could coach me on how to get there. When I heard about the fanbase here, that's really when I knew this is where I wanted to be.”
Auburn’s strong culture and sense of brotherhood helped smooth the transition.
“My whole DB room, we connect really well,” Jordan said. “I have a good friendship with everyone in that room. This culture is like a brotherhood. We all try to get each other better. For this year, we are going to be out here playing together. Attacking every day, getting better and working hard to win a lot of games.”
After leading UCLA in passes defended during the 2025 season, Jordan has new goals for his senior year.
“My goal is to help the team out the best I can,” Jordan said. “My personal goal is to get some picks under my belt.”
Preparation for the game happens both on and off the field as Jordan leans into his routine.
“I go over my playbook, so I can know the plays we are running that week,” Jordan said. “I try to tune all the extra stuff out, so I am not on my phone too much. I listen to music and that helps me.”
With plans of playing professional football, Jordan is working to make that dream a reality.
“I want to go pro after this year,” Jordan said. “After I’m done here, I want to go work out with my trainer back home and prepare for the league.”
Inspired by those who have walked before him, Jordan plans to become a high school football coach after his playing career.
“I want to go back and coach my old team back home,” Jordan said. “My head coach (Marcus Yzaguirre) back home, he inspired me a little bit, but it always seemed fun.”
Jordan’s plans for his future do not stop there. A jack of all trades, he is also heavily interested in the fashion industry and is inspired by his inner circle’s creative minds.
“I want to get into fashion,” Jordan said. “Back home, a lot of my friends are into fashion. One of my friends has a clothing brand and one of my other friends sells clothes. If I can get into the clothing world, I can help my friends out.”
For Jordan, helping others has always been his main priority and can be displayed in the way he lives his life. Encouraged and inspired by new coaches and a new program, he hopes to give back to the undying loyalty the Auburn fanbase possesses and pave a way for his future.
When asked to share parting words to the Auburn family, he simply replied, “War Eagle!”
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Auburn preseason camp: Da’Shawn Womack, Chris Murray lead edge rushers in Thursday’s practice
By Jerry Humphrey III
al.com
Reporters observed 20 minutes of the indoor session as Auburn football wrapped up its fifth open practice of preseason camp.
The focus was on edge rushers during Thursday’s practice, as Auburn prepares for its first official scrimmage on Friday inside Jordan-Hare Stadium.
Here’s what we saw from the position group:
https://x.com/peter_rauterkus/status/2087917994416455931?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E2087917994416455931%7Ctwgr%5Ea36afbd63a79c1dbf10ec860951407d35aba7e87%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.al.com%2Fauburnfootball%2F2026%2F08%2Fauburn-preseason-camp-dashawn-womack-chris-murray-lead-edge-rushers-in-thursdays-practice.html
The first drill featured the defense organized into first, second, and third team units.
Da’Shawn Womack and Jared Smith were with first team. Chris Murray subbed in for Smith with the second team and JJ Faulk came in for Murray with the third team.
The second drill was a ball pursuit drill in which players met in the middle and swatted at the football.
Womack attacked each drill with intensity, showing off his quick instincts to the ball with his speed and active hands.
Faulk had a solid rep with how fluid he moves in his lower body.
Smith’s height was evident in his rep allowing him to get to the runner faster than the majority of his teammates.
The third drill was a footwork drill around a series of padded dummies, as the players worked on their cuts off the line.
Womack had the sharpest cuts during his reps and his speed made for a consistent motion throughout the drill.
Murray’s footwork was among the fastest in the drill, drawing praise from position coach Coleman Hutzler.
Smith was a little tight in his cuts, but his length allowed him to fly around the dummies.
Freshman Jaquez Wilkes slipped during his drill, prompting Hutzler to provide instruction on his footwork.
The final drill was a coverage drill in which players backpedaled as if they were covering wide receivers and tight ends.
Womack commanded the drill again showing off his elite technique in space.
Faulk had a solid rep as he was smooth overall at every cone checkpoint during his lateral movements.
Smith was slower in his get off but his length made up ground for him in space.
Overall, Womack looks very good in camp, and the entire room looks to him to set the standard. Murray and Smith will provide a strong rotation on the opposite side of Womack.
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Auburn Co-OC Kodi Burns Talks Importance of Playing Tiger Defense, DJ Durkin in Fall Camp
By Brooks Crew
Auburn Tigers on SI
One of the biggest questions surrounding the new offense of the Auburn Tigers is quite simple: how will the team adjust to playing an SEC schedule? After all, most of the Tigers’ 2026 offense will be imports, largely from USF, the new Tiger head coach Alex Golesh’s former school.
One major concern has been that the Tigers’ new transfers, particularly the ones who came in from USF, will not be well-adjusted to SEC defenses by the time the Florida game rolls around in September, but there is one aspect that many fans may be forgetting about this offense: they have been playing against one of the SEC’s best defenses all offseason.
Yes, the defense that kept a struggling Hugh Freeze offense in contention in even some of the biggest games of the year is, in large part, the same defense that the Tigers’ new offense is practicing against this year.
Admittedly, the Tigers are down a few pieces on defense with the losses of Keldric Faulk, Keyron Crawford and a few others to the NFL Draft and Transfer Portal, though the pieces they have reloaded with can be described as nothing short of dominant, including PFF’s top-graded returning SEC defensive tackle, Cody Sigler.
In fact, Kodi Burns, the Tigers’ co-offensive coordinator, spoke recently on the impact practicing against Durkin’s defense has had on his offense.
“Going against Coach Durkin, it’s been good,” he said. “It’s madness. It’s impressive what they do on defense. It gives you headaches. And so for our guys to be able to adjust and learn and continue to grow throughout the springtime, and really get more confident… [Durkin] does a great job, and so I think every single rep these guys get, they get more confident.”
The Tigers still have quite a lot of unanswered questions on offense, but their output against this defense is certainly a great way to answer the question of how they will be able to adjust to the SEC. However, no team in the SEC has taken on a nine-game in-conference slate before, so the Tigers are now faced with the same question that faces just about every team in the SEC: how will the Tigers be able to perform over a long, grueling stretch of some of the SEC’s best?
That question, unfortunately, cannot be answered in practice, so Tiger fans will have to wait and see exactly what the team does when faced with one of their multiple brutal stretches this season.
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Auburn Continues Top-Tier Offseason Work With Surprising Strategy
By Brooks Crew
Auburn Tigers on SI
The Auburn Tigers, now under former USF head coach Alex Golesh, have been working this offseason tirelessly in an effort to prevent the program’s sixth straight losing season. The team has employed a number of strategies to accomplish this goal, most famously staying in a hotel for the duration of fall camp, but the Tigers’ newest strategy may be the most interesting one yet.
On Wednesday, in the middle of regularly scheduled practice, sounds of horns and whistles suddenly began to rain down on the Tigers, who were all quickly rushed to a specific field for an impromptu 11-on-11 scrimmage that simulated real game pressure.
The exercise was kept highly secret from the players, and even some of the coaches, as defensive line coach Vontrell King-Williams recounted later that day.
“I had no idea,” King-Williams said. “It was good… You never know what’s getting ready to happen in the game of football. You really don’t know, and so you have to be able to adapt. That was fun. I actually enjoyed it a lot, and shoot, you get to play more football.”
This choice to exclude some coaches from any advance notice paints an interesting picture of Golesh’s strategy on the Plains this preseason: he is not just looking to have his players ready for the upcoming season; he is also training specific position coaches to be ready to make massive changes (or even small tweaks) at a moment’s notice.
“The ability to say, ‘Alright, put the ball down, let’s go,’” King-Williams continued. “It was a surprise to everybody, and I thought they all brought the juice that came with it.”
The Tigers have been relentlessly working at having their team–and now, clearly, their coaches– ready for the upcoming season, as it will certainly be a grind in the SEC’s new nine-game in-conference schedule.
Golesh’s squad is set to face a litany of top teams, including Georgia, LSU, Ole Miss, Alabama and more, so every extra second of preparation, every moment where something can be taught and every situation needs to be hammered in to be ready for top matchups like these if Auburn wants to compete–particularly because of the team’s relative youth.
“Just as a group, it’s very interesting, very fun to coach,” King-Williams concluded. “At the core, we’re a very young group, and it’s really exciting to see it because you start seeing the growth, and while everyone has played a bit, it’s still about getting those guys Saturday-ready and putting some adversity on them. That’s what camp is about. It’s been fun to coach those guys. They’ve been growing every day, been challenging them, and it’s been fun to see.”
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Who Will Be Auburn’s RB2 This Year? Analyzing Auburn’s Running Back Room
By Brooks Crew
Auburn Tigers on SI
The Auburn Tigers have been abundantly clear about their offensive philosophy in 2026, and it boils down to one pretty simple sentence: run the (you know this one) ball. New Tiger head coach Alex Golesh has been hell-bent on that specific point from his first press conference as a Tiger, before he even knew who his running backs would be.
Now that we are further into preseason training, we have an idea of how Auburn’s backs will operate: RB1 and RB2 will rotate on specific drives, with RB3 getting a few reps here and there to relieve the others and provide a bit more unpredictability to the offense.
Auburn senior returner Jeremiah Cobb seems to have the RB1 position almost completely locked down, so who could the Tigers’ RB2, and potentially RB3, end up being?
The most popular pick for RB2, when he first transferred in from Baylor, was junior Bryson Washington, a veteran back who has had some impressive production throughout his career. Washington missed a good chunk of last season with an injury, but he still managed to put up 788 yards and six touchdowns on an average of 5.1 yards per carry.
However, Washington missed nearly all of spring camp, as well as the beginning of fall camp, with another injury, so he has certainly left the door open for others to take the spot that many believed to be his by default. Such is the nature of Golesh’s offense– there is no guaranteed playing time, no matter how good you have been in the past.
The next most likely pick for RB2, or at the very least RB3, is a man who has been all over the highlight reels from fall camp: sophomore Omar Mabson. Mabson, like Cobb, is an Auburn returner this year, though Mabson only carried the ball 16 times for 71 yards and a touchdown last season. However, as mentioned, Mabson has been showing up in a big way during the Tigers’ training time, so there is certainly an argument for him to earn the RB2 spot ahead of week one.
Then, there is Tae Meadows, a transfer back from Troy. Meadows averaged 4.4 yards per carry last season on a total of 695 rushing yards and six touchdowns, but the factor that may set him apart from the group is his experience, as Meadows is now a senior who has been a part of college football since 2023, unlike the younger players he is contending with.
Of course, Alex Golesh brought over his RB1 from USF, Nykahi Davenport, a Roswell, Ga., native who was once one of the more highly sought-after backs in recruiting. Davenport was a true freshman last season, so he still has plenty of eligibility left, and since there is really no need to force early development in a prospect in this running back room, I expect him to watch most games from the sideline this year.
Finally, there is a player who was once one of Auburn’s biggest recruits of all time, but has now faded into something resembling obscurity: Alvin Henderson. Henderson, who, like Davenport, will be a sophomore this season, was a five-star prospect out of high school who is still waiting for his chance to step up on the Plains. Similar to Davenport, I expect him to take this season to develop, though he may find a few snaps at RB3 as Golesh acclimates him to the SEC.
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Auburn kicker Alex McPherson listed on two award watchlists
By Taylor Jones
Auburn Wire
Alex McPherson's senior season with Auburn football is shaping up to be special. The senior kicker begins the season on the preseason watchlists for the Lou Groza Award and the Danny Wuerffel Trophy for his incredible work both on and off the field.
The first award McPherson is on the watchlist for is the Wuerffel Trophy, which recognizes FBS players "who lead through community service while excelling in the classroom and on the field." He won several awards following his recovery, including the FWAA Courage Award and the Pat Sullivan Award, and has since become an advocate for Crohn's disease awareness.
McPherson's on-the-field performance is being recognized by the Lou Groza Award, which included him on its preseason watchlist. McPherson, a semifinalist for the award in 2023, joins a plethora of SEC kickers, including Vanderbilt's Brock Taylor, Texas A&M's David Olano, and Florida's Patrick Durkin, on the watchlist. The Lou Groza Award is given annually to the nation's top kicker, and three SEC kickers have won the award since 2019, most recently by Oklahoma's Tate Sendell last season.
McPherson returned to full-time status as Auburn's placekicker last season after battling health issues in 2024, but he was still not at full speed. Still, he managed to connect on all 35 of his point-after attempts and made 20 of 23 field goal tries, with a long of 47 yards. Now at full strength, McPherson aims to end the season with a few awards.
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Auburn redshirt freshman making strong case in crowded OL battle
By Mary Kate Hughes
Fly War Eagle
Ahead of the 2026 season, Auburn football head coach Alex Golesh and his staff had to work hard to rebuild several position groups on the roster. Between players hitting the transfer portal or exhausting their eligibility, only three offensive linemen from the 2025 team returned to the Plains.
Former USF offensive linemen Cole Best and Cole Skinner have emerged as leaders in the group as the fourteen newbies and three returners compete for starting roles on the offense. It has turned out to be one of the more intense position battles in fall camp, according to offensive line coach Tyler Hudanick, but redshirt freshman Jacobe Ward is making a strong case for playing time.
"He’s been a guy that’s been a bright spot this camp," Hudanick said of Ward, per Auburn 247. "You know, coming off his freshman year, how quickly can a redshirt freshman play in this league? Obviously you guys see him and he’s physically gifted but from the mental side of things and just processing at this level, especially how we play, he’s been impressive.”
Hudanick emphasized the importance of being able to process things quickly and go into the play, especially with the high tempo offense that Joel Gordon has expressed he plans to run this fall.
Ward was recruited to the Plains by former head coach Hugh Freeze's staff as a member of the Tigers' recruiting class of 2025. From Savannah, Georgia, Ward was ranked as the No. 99 interior offensive lineman in the class and the No. 141 recruit out of the Peach State. A product of Benedictine Military School, he was the fifth offensive lineman to commit to Freeze's Tigers.
While Ward has been impressive, Hudanick went on to say that the final rotation is "close" to being decided, but they aren't there yet. He noted that there were still a handful of strong position battles, especially on the inside at the guard spots.
With redshirt freshman Tai Buster, who generated a lot of buzz throughout the offseason, out for an extended period of time with an injury, other members of the offensive line will have to step up to fill his spot.
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One of Hugh Freeze's former Auburn QB commits is now a tight end at Penn State
By Andrew Hughes
Fly War Eagle
Hugh Freeze never had much of a grasp on the quarterback position at Auburn. Not only did he frequently have one-and-dones, like Walker White and Deuce Knight, and misfire on both of his QB1s, Jackson Arnold and Payton Thorne, but one of his 2026 QB recruits before flipping to Penn State, Peyton Falzone, has already been turned into a tight end in Happy Valley.
Falzone has thrived in his new position during the Nittany Lions' fall camp practices, according to 247 Sports' Tyler Donohue's sources.
"Penn State freshman Peyton Falzone was one of two quarterback prospects who signed with the program's 2026 recruiting class. As the Nittany Lions entered Week 2 of preseason camp, he is getting practice work at tight end, Lions247 learned Wednesday via multiple on-field sources and confirmed with the program," Donohue wrote.
"As mentioned in an 8 p.m. post on our Lions247 preseason updates thread this evening, staff feedback was that Falzone made a positive impression during Wednesday practice."
Falzone's senior season at Nazareth City was cut short, but in four games, he had 1,176 passing yards and threw 12 touchdown passes. He also amassed 216 rushing yards and six touchdowns via his legs. Falzone was good at the QB position, but clearly not a natural.
This is not an indictment of Falzone. The fact that he has a 4-star QB skill set but could thrive in protection and receiving means he's a special athlete.
It is, however, just another sign that Freeze was in over his head on the Plains.
Alex Golesh must prove his offensive merit with an eye for QBs
Alex Golesh must be better at spotting talent who can step in, learn the playbook, and run the offense effectively. That is the job description for every offensive-minded head coach. Freeze just didn't do aspects of his job well enough to justify the continued losing.
Freeze's inability to find up-to-snuff QB1s throughout the years can't be a staple of Golesh's tenure. Tiger fans' patience can't deal with the continued decline at the position since Bo Nix left in 2021.
Byrum Brown is a nice start. Many knock his throwing mechanics, but Brown is a proven entity at USF. Granted, Thorne was a proven entity coming from Michigan State, but he had Freeze's convoluted multi-man play-calling setup to deal with in year two.
Where Golesh takes the position beyond Brown could define his Auburn tenure. In 2027, Tristan Ti'a looks like the presumptive starter after showing out at A-Day. In 2028, Sam Sollie joins the room, but probably needs a year in the system to be comfortable with the playbook. Looking too far beyond that is tough at this point.
It'll come down to Golesh finding his guy and giving that guy a fair shot. Freeze didn't seem capable of that. Who knows if he would've had the attention to detail to make Falzone a tight end. He didn't seem to pay much attention to White during the 2024 season, or Holden Geriner during his two seasons under Freeze.
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Sean Payton updates Bo Nix’s status ahead of Broncos’ preseason opener vs. Falcons
By Creg Stephenson
al.com
There won’t be a Tua Tagovailoa vs. Bo Nix matchup in Friday’s NFL preseason opener between the Denver Broncos and Atlanta Falcons.
Nix won’t play Friday but will play in the Broncos’ next two preseason games, Denver head coach Sean Payton said. The former Auburn, Oregon and Pinson Valley High School star continues to recover from a broken ankle suffered in last season’s playoff victory over the Buffalo Bills.
“He’ll play the next two weeks,” Payton said of Nix, via Romi Bean of CBS News Colorado. “So I think that was probably something that was already decided maybe like a month ago. But if we were playing a (regular-season) game, I would say he would play. And probably — you’d have to ask him, but I would say 100%.”
Nix’s absence Friday means another former Auburn star will get plenty of reps behind center. Eighth-year pro Jarrett Stidham — who started last season’s AFC championship game loss to New England in Nix’s absence — will play the first half, with fellow veteran backup Sam Ehlinger going in the second.
Payton said the rest of the Broncos’ starters will get about 15 reps against the Falcons. That includes a pair of former Alabama stars — wide receiver Jaylen Waddle (who joined Denver in an offseason trade with the Miami Dolphins) and veteran All-Pro cornerback Patrick Surtain.
The Falcons announced Wednesday that Tagovailoa — also an offseason free agent signee — will start at quarterback on Friday. Michael Penix continues to recover from a late-season knee injury and has not yet been cleared for contact.
Kickoff Friday in Atlanta is set for 6 p.m. Central. The Broncos’ next preseason game is set for Aug. 21 at home vs. Green Bay.
On the Plains with Andre Jordan Jr.: ‘Football means a lot to me’:
https://auburntigers.com/news/2026/08/13/on-the-plains-with-andre-jordan-jr-football-means-a-lot-to-me
Auburn preseason camp: Da’Shawn Womack, Chris Murray lead edge rushers in Thursday’s practice:
https://www.al.com/auburnfootball/2026/08/auburn-preseason-camp-dashawn-womack-chris-murray-lead-edge-rushers-in-thursdays-practice.html
Auburn Co-OC Kodi Burns Talks Importance of Playing Tiger Defense, DJ Durkin in Fall Camp:
https://www.si.com/college/auburn/football/auburn-co-oc-kodi-burns-talks-importance-of-playing-tiger-defense-dj-durkin-in-fall-camp
Auburn Continues Top-Tier Offseason Work With Surprising Strategy:
https://www.si.com/college/auburn/football/auburn-continues-top-tier-offseason-work-with-surprising-strategy
Who Will Be Auburn’s RB2 This Year? Analyzing Auburn’s Running Back Room:
https://www.si.com/college/auburn/football/who-will-be-auburn-rb2-this-year-analyzing-auburn-running-back-room
Auburn kicker Alex McPherson listed on two award watchlists:
https://auburnwire.usatoday.com/story/sports/college/auburn/football/2026/08/13/auburn-football-alex-mcpherson-included-on-two-preseason-watchlists/91287895007/
Auburn redshirt freshman making strong case in crowded OL battle:
https://flywareagle.com/auburn-redshirt-freshman-making-strong-case-crowded-ol-battle
One of Hugh Freeze's former Auburn QB commits is now a tight end at Penn State:
https://flywareagle.com/hugh-freeze-former-auburn-qb-commit-tight-end-penn-state
Sean Payton updates Bo Nix’s status ahead of Broncos’ preseason opener vs. Falcons:
https://www.al.com/sports/2026/08/sean-payton-updates-bo-nixs-status-ahead-of-broncos-preseason-opener-vs-falcons.html
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Defensive back Andre Jordan Jr. spent most of his childhood cheering on one particular athlete, his father.
“I got started watching my dad play football,” Jordan said. “He played in the Indoor Football League and I used to go to all of his games, so that's how I started.”
Although football was integrated into his life, Jordan learned that it was not just a sport but could also supply valuable life lessons, providing structure in his daily life and a comfort in the chaos.
“Football means a lot to me,” Jordan said. “It taught me perseverance. Do not let something affect you too much because the next time you get knocked down, you have to get back up.”
Jordan credits a lot of his success to his support system and shares his gratitude for his family’s continued presence.
“I have my mom, dad and little sister,” Jordan said. “As well as my friends back home, my grandparents and my cousin. He helps me out, too.”
Jordan came to Auburn after stints at Oregon State (2023-24) and UCLA (2025), where he played in 30 games over those three seasons with 17 starts. He earned 2025 All-Big Ten Honorable Mention honors last year with the Bruins.
Now on the Plains, Jordan is ready to make his Southeastern Conference debut. Determined to make his mark, he knew Auburn was the right place to wrap up his college career.
“When I came on my visit, I really liked coach DeMarcus Van Dyke,” Jordan said. “He played in the league, so if he played in it, he could coach me on how to get there. When I heard about the fanbase here, that's really when I knew this is where I wanted to be.”
Auburn’s strong culture and sense of brotherhood helped smooth the transition.
“My whole DB room, we connect really well,” Jordan said. “I have a good friendship with everyone in that room. This culture is like a brotherhood. We all try to get each other better. For this year, we are going to be out here playing together. Attacking every day, getting better and working hard to win a lot of games.”
After leading UCLA in passes defended during the 2025 season, Jordan has new goals for his senior year.
“My goal is to help the team out the best I can,” Jordan said. “My personal goal is to get some picks under my belt.”
Preparation for the game happens both on and off the field as Jordan leans into his routine.
“I go over my playbook, so I can know the plays we are running that week,” Jordan said. “I try to tune all the extra stuff out, so I am not on my phone too much. I listen to music and that helps me.”
With plans of playing professional football, Jordan is working to make that dream a reality.
“I want to go pro after this year,” Jordan said. “After I’m done here, I want to go work out with my trainer back home and prepare for the league.”
Inspired by those who have walked before him, Jordan plans to become a high school football coach after his playing career.
“I want to go back and coach my old team back home,” Jordan said. “My head coach (Marcus Yzaguirre) back home, he inspired me a little bit, but it always seemed fun.”
Jordan’s plans for his future do not stop there. A jack of all trades, he is also heavily interested in the fashion industry and is inspired by his inner circle’s creative minds.
“I want to get into fashion,” Jordan said. “Back home, a lot of my friends are into fashion. One of my friends has a clothing brand and one of my other friends sells clothes. If I can get into the clothing world, I can help my friends out.”
For Jordan, helping others has always been his main priority and can be displayed in the way he lives his life. Encouraged and inspired by new coaches and a new program, he hopes to give back to the undying loyalty the Auburn fanbase possesses and pave a way for his future.
When asked to share parting words to the Auburn family, he simply replied, “War Eagle!”
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Auburn preseason camp: Da’Shawn Womack, Chris Murray lead edge rushers in Thursday’s practice
By Jerry Humphrey III
al.com
Reporters observed 20 minutes of the indoor session as Auburn football wrapped up its fifth open practice of preseason camp.
The focus was on edge rushers during Thursday’s practice, as Auburn prepares for its first official scrimmage on Friday inside Jordan-Hare Stadium.
Here’s what we saw from the position group:
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The first drill featured the defense organized into first, second, and third team units.
Da’Shawn Womack and Jared Smith were with first team. Chris Murray subbed in for Smith with the second team and JJ Faulk came in for Murray with the third team.
The second drill was a ball pursuit drill in which players met in the middle and swatted at the football.
Womack attacked each drill with intensity, showing off his quick instincts to the ball with his speed and active hands.
Faulk had a solid rep with how fluid he moves in his lower body.
Smith’s height was evident in his rep allowing him to get to the runner faster than the majority of his teammates.
The third drill was a footwork drill around a series of padded dummies, as the players worked on their cuts off the line.
Womack had the sharpest cuts during his reps and his speed made for a consistent motion throughout the drill.
Murray’s footwork was among the fastest in the drill, drawing praise from position coach Coleman Hutzler.
Smith was a little tight in his cuts, but his length allowed him to fly around the dummies.
Freshman Jaquez Wilkes slipped during his drill, prompting Hutzler to provide instruction on his footwork.
The final drill was a coverage drill in which players backpedaled as if they were covering wide receivers and tight ends.
Womack commanded the drill again showing off his elite technique in space.
Faulk had a solid rep as he was smooth overall at every cone checkpoint during his lateral movements.
Smith was slower in his get off but his length made up ground for him in space.
Overall, Womack looks very good in camp, and the entire room looks to him to set the standard. Murray and Smith will provide a strong rotation on the opposite side of Womack.
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Auburn Co-OC Kodi Burns Talks Importance of Playing Tiger Defense, DJ Durkin in Fall Camp
By Brooks Crew
Auburn Tigers on SI
One of the biggest questions surrounding the new offense of the Auburn Tigers is quite simple: how will the team adjust to playing an SEC schedule? After all, most of the Tigers’ 2026 offense will be imports, largely from USF, the new Tiger head coach Alex Golesh’s former school.
One major concern has been that the Tigers’ new transfers, particularly the ones who came in from USF, will not be well-adjusted to SEC defenses by the time the Florida game rolls around in September, but there is one aspect that many fans may be forgetting about this offense: they have been playing against one of the SEC’s best defenses all offseason.
Yes, the defense that kept a struggling Hugh Freeze offense in contention in even some of the biggest games of the year is, in large part, the same defense that the Tigers’ new offense is practicing against this year.
Admittedly, the Tigers are down a few pieces on defense with the losses of Keldric Faulk, Keyron Crawford and a few others to the NFL Draft and Transfer Portal, though the pieces they have reloaded with can be described as nothing short of dominant, including PFF’s top-graded returning SEC defensive tackle, Cody Sigler.
In fact, Kodi Burns, the Tigers’ co-offensive coordinator, spoke recently on the impact practicing against Durkin’s defense has had on his offense.
“Going against Coach Durkin, it’s been good,” he said. “It’s madness. It’s impressive what they do on defense. It gives you headaches. And so for our guys to be able to adjust and learn and continue to grow throughout the springtime, and really get more confident… [Durkin] does a great job, and so I think every single rep these guys get, they get more confident.”
The Tigers still have quite a lot of unanswered questions on offense, but their output against this defense is certainly a great way to answer the question of how they will be able to adjust to the SEC. However, no team in the SEC has taken on a nine-game in-conference slate before, so the Tigers are now faced with the same question that faces just about every team in the SEC: how will the Tigers be able to perform over a long, grueling stretch of some of the SEC’s best?
That question, unfortunately, cannot be answered in practice, so Tiger fans will have to wait and see exactly what the team does when faced with one of their multiple brutal stretches this season.
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Auburn Continues Top-Tier Offseason Work With Surprising Strategy
By Brooks Crew
Auburn Tigers on SI
The Auburn Tigers, now under former USF head coach Alex Golesh, have been working this offseason tirelessly in an effort to prevent the program’s sixth straight losing season. The team has employed a number of strategies to accomplish this goal, most famously staying in a hotel for the duration of fall camp, but the Tigers’ newest strategy may be the most interesting one yet.
On Wednesday, in the middle of regularly scheduled practice, sounds of horns and whistles suddenly began to rain down on the Tigers, who were all quickly rushed to a specific field for an impromptu 11-on-11 scrimmage that simulated real game pressure.
The exercise was kept highly secret from the players, and even some of the coaches, as defensive line coach Vontrell King-Williams recounted later that day.
“I had no idea,” King-Williams said. “It was good… You never know what’s getting ready to happen in the game of football. You really don’t know, and so you have to be able to adapt. That was fun. I actually enjoyed it a lot, and shoot, you get to play more football.”
This choice to exclude some coaches from any advance notice paints an interesting picture of Golesh’s strategy on the Plains this preseason: he is not just looking to have his players ready for the upcoming season; he is also training specific position coaches to be ready to make massive changes (or even small tweaks) at a moment’s notice.
“The ability to say, ‘Alright, put the ball down, let’s go,’” King-Williams continued. “It was a surprise to everybody, and I thought they all brought the juice that came with it.”
The Tigers have been relentlessly working at having their team–and now, clearly, their coaches– ready for the upcoming season, as it will certainly be a grind in the SEC’s new nine-game in-conference schedule.
Golesh’s squad is set to face a litany of top teams, including Georgia, LSU, Ole Miss, Alabama and more, so every extra second of preparation, every moment where something can be taught and every situation needs to be hammered in to be ready for top matchups like these if Auburn wants to compete–particularly because of the team’s relative youth.
“Just as a group, it’s very interesting, very fun to coach,” King-Williams concluded. “At the core, we’re a very young group, and it’s really exciting to see it because you start seeing the growth, and while everyone has played a bit, it’s still about getting those guys Saturday-ready and putting some adversity on them. That’s what camp is about. It’s been fun to coach those guys. They’ve been growing every day, been challenging them, and it’s been fun to see.”
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Who Will Be Auburn’s RB2 This Year? Analyzing Auburn’s Running Back Room
By Brooks Crew
Auburn Tigers on SI
The Auburn Tigers have been abundantly clear about their offensive philosophy in 2026, and it boils down to one pretty simple sentence: run the (you know this one) ball. New Tiger head coach Alex Golesh has been hell-bent on that specific point from his first press conference as a Tiger, before he even knew who his running backs would be.
Now that we are further into preseason training, we have an idea of how Auburn’s backs will operate: RB1 and RB2 will rotate on specific drives, with RB3 getting a few reps here and there to relieve the others and provide a bit more unpredictability to the offense.
Auburn senior returner Jeremiah Cobb seems to have the RB1 position almost completely locked down, so who could the Tigers’ RB2, and potentially RB3, end up being?
The most popular pick for RB2, when he first transferred in from Baylor, was junior Bryson Washington, a veteran back who has had some impressive production throughout his career. Washington missed a good chunk of last season with an injury, but he still managed to put up 788 yards and six touchdowns on an average of 5.1 yards per carry.
However, Washington missed nearly all of spring camp, as well as the beginning of fall camp, with another injury, so he has certainly left the door open for others to take the spot that many believed to be his by default. Such is the nature of Golesh’s offense– there is no guaranteed playing time, no matter how good you have been in the past.
The next most likely pick for RB2, or at the very least RB3, is a man who has been all over the highlight reels from fall camp: sophomore Omar Mabson. Mabson, like Cobb, is an Auburn returner this year, though Mabson only carried the ball 16 times for 71 yards and a touchdown last season. However, as mentioned, Mabson has been showing up in a big way during the Tigers’ training time, so there is certainly an argument for him to earn the RB2 spot ahead of week one.
Then, there is Tae Meadows, a transfer back from Troy. Meadows averaged 4.4 yards per carry last season on a total of 695 rushing yards and six touchdowns, but the factor that may set him apart from the group is his experience, as Meadows is now a senior who has been a part of college football since 2023, unlike the younger players he is contending with.
Of course, Alex Golesh brought over his RB1 from USF, Nykahi Davenport, a Roswell, Ga., native who was once one of the more highly sought-after backs in recruiting. Davenport was a true freshman last season, so he still has plenty of eligibility left, and since there is really no need to force early development in a prospect in this running back room, I expect him to watch most games from the sideline this year.
Finally, there is a player who was once one of Auburn’s biggest recruits of all time, but has now faded into something resembling obscurity: Alvin Henderson. Henderson, who, like Davenport, will be a sophomore this season, was a five-star prospect out of high school who is still waiting for his chance to step up on the Plains. Similar to Davenport, I expect him to take this season to develop, though he may find a few snaps at RB3 as Golesh acclimates him to the SEC.
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Auburn kicker Alex McPherson listed on two award watchlists
By Taylor Jones
Auburn Wire
Alex McPherson's senior season with Auburn football is shaping up to be special. The senior kicker begins the season on the preseason watchlists for the Lou Groza Award and the Danny Wuerffel Trophy for his incredible work both on and off the field.
The first award McPherson is on the watchlist for is the Wuerffel Trophy, which recognizes FBS players "who lead through community service while excelling in the classroom and on the field." He won several awards following his recovery, including the FWAA Courage Award and the Pat Sullivan Award, and has since become an advocate for Crohn's disease awareness.
McPherson's on-the-field performance is being recognized by the Lou Groza Award, which included him on its preseason watchlist. McPherson, a semifinalist for the award in 2023, joins a plethora of SEC kickers, including Vanderbilt's Brock Taylor, Texas A&M's David Olano, and Florida's Patrick Durkin, on the watchlist. The Lou Groza Award is given annually to the nation's top kicker, and three SEC kickers have won the award since 2019, most recently by Oklahoma's Tate Sendell last season.
McPherson returned to full-time status as Auburn's placekicker last season after battling health issues in 2024, but he was still not at full speed. Still, he managed to connect on all 35 of his point-after attempts and made 20 of 23 field goal tries, with a long of 47 yards. Now at full strength, McPherson aims to end the season with a few awards.
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Auburn redshirt freshman making strong case in crowded OL battle
By Mary Kate Hughes
Fly War Eagle
Ahead of the 2026 season, Auburn football head coach Alex Golesh and his staff had to work hard to rebuild several position groups on the roster. Between players hitting the transfer portal or exhausting their eligibility, only three offensive linemen from the 2025 team returned to the Plains.
Former USF offensive linemen Cole Best and Cole Skinner have emerged as leaders in the group as the fourteen newbies and three returners compete for starting roles on the offense. It has turned out to be one of the more intense position battles in fall camp, according to offensive line coach Tyler Hudanick, but redshirt freshman Jacobe Ward is making a strong case for playing time.
"He’s been a guy that’s been a bright spot this camp," Hudanick said of Ward, per Auburn 247. "You know, coming off his freshman year, how quickly can a redshirt freshman play in this league? Obviously you guys see him and he’s physically gifted but from the mental side of things and just processing at this level, especially how we play, he’s been impressive.”
Hudanick emphasized the importance of being able to process things quickly and go into the play, especially with the high tempo offense that Joel Gordon has expressed he plans to run this fall.
Ward was recruited to the Plains by former head coach Hugh Freeze's staff as a member of the Tigers' recruiting class of 2025. From Savannah, Georgia, Ward was ranked as the No. 99 interior offensive lineman in the class and the No. 141 recruit out of the Peach State. A product of Benedictine Military School, he was the fifth offensive lineman to commit to Freeze's Tigers.
While Ward has been impressive, Hudanick went on to say that the final rotation is "close" to being decided, but they aren't there yet. He noted that there were still a handful of strong position battles, especially on the inside at the guard spots.
With redshirt freshman Tai Buster, who generated a lot of buzz throughout the offseason, out for an extended period of time with an injury, other members of the offensive line will have to step up to fill his spot.
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One of Hugh Freeze's former Auburn QB commits is now a tight end at Penn State
By Andrew Hughes
Fly War Eagle
Hugh Freeze never had much of a grasp on the quarterback position at Auburn. Not only did he frequently have one-and-dones, like Walker White and Deuce Knight, and misfire on both of his QB1s, Jackson Arnold and Payton Thorne, but one of his 2026 QB recruits before flipping to Penn State, Peyton Falzone, has already been turned into a tight end in Happy Valley.
Falzone has thrived in his new position during the Nittany Lions' fall camp practices, according to 247 Sports' Tyler Donohue's sources.
"Penn State freshman Peyton Falzone was one of two quarterback prospects who signed with the program's 2026 recruiting class. As the Nittany Lions entered Week 2 of preseason camp, he is getting practice work at tight end, Lions247 learned Wednesday via multiple on-field sources and confirmed with the program," Donohue wrote.
"As mentioned in an 8 p.m. post on our Lions247 preseason updates thread this evening, staff feedback was that Falzone made a positive impression during Wednesday practice."
Falzone's senior season at Nazareth City was cut short, but in four games, he had 1,176 passing yards and threw 12 touchdown passes. He also amassed 216 rushing yards and six touchdowns via his legs. Falzone was good at the QB position, but clearly not a natural.
This is not an indictment of Falzone. The fact that he has a 4-star QB skill set but could thrive in protection and receiving means he's a special athlete.
It is, however, just another sign that Freeze was in over his head on the Plains.
Alex Golesh must prove his offensive merit with an eye for QBs
Alex Golesh must be better at spotting talent who can step in, learn the playbook, and run the offense effectively. That is the job description for every offensive-minded head coach. Freeze just didn't do aspects of his job well enough to justify the continued losing.
Freeze's inability to find up-to-snuff QB1s throughout the years can't be a staple of Golesh's tenure. Tiger fans' patience can't deal with the continued decline at the position since Bo Nix left in 2021.
Byrum Brown is a nice start. Many knock his throwing mechanics, but Brown is a proven entity at USF. Granted, Thorne was a proven entity coming from Michigan State, but he had Freeze's convoluted multi-man play-calling setup to deal with in year two.
Where Golesh takes the position beyond Brown could define his Auburn tenure. In 2027, Tristan Ti'a looks like the presumptive starter after showing out at A-Day. In 2028, Sam Sollie joins the room, but probably needs a year in the system to be comfortable with the playbook. Looking too far beyond that is tough at this point.
It'll come down to Golesh finding his guy and giving that guy a fair shot. Freeze didn't seem capable of that. Who knows if he would've had the attention to detail to make Falzone a tight end. He didn't seem to pay much attention to White during the 2024 season, or Holden Geriner during his two seasons under Freeze.
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Sean Payton updates Bo Nix’s status ahead of Broncos’ preseason opener vs. Falcons
By Creg Stephenson
al.com
There won’t be a Tua Tagovailoa vs. Bo Nix matchup in Friday’s NFL preseason opener between the Denver Broncos and Atlanta Falcons.
Nix won’t play Friday but will play in the Broncos’ next two preseason games, Denver head coach Sean Payton said. The former Auburn, Oregon and Pinson Valley High School star continues to recover from a broken ankle suffered in last season’s playoff victory over the Buffalo Bills.
“He’ll play the next two weeks,” Payton said of Nix, via Romi Bean of CBS News Colorado. “So I think that was probably something that was already decided maybe like a month ago. But if we were playing a (regular-season) game, I would say he would play. And probably — you’d have to ask him, but I would say 100%.”
Nix’s absence Friday means another former Auburn star will get plenty of reps behind center. Eighth-year pro Jarrett Stidham — who started last season’s AFC championship game loss to New England in Nix’s absence — will play the first half, with fellow veteran backup Sam Ehlinger going in the second.
Payton said the rest of the Broncos’ starters will get about 15 reps against the Falcons. That includes a pair of former Alabama stars — wide receiver Jaylen Waddle (who joined Denver in an offseason trade with the Miami Dolphins) and veteran All-Pro cornerback Patrick Surtain.
The Falcons announced Wednesday that Tagovailoa — also an offseason free agent signee — will start at quarterback on Friday. Michael Penix continues to recover from a late-season knee injury and has not yet been cleared for contact.
Kickoff Friday in Atlanta is set for 6 p.m. Central. The Broncos’ next preseason game is set for Aug. 21 at home vs. Green Bay.
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