AUBURN, Ala. – As Auburn prepares for the first A-Day under Hugh Freeze, many other members of the staff and players are gearing up to grace Jordan-Hare for the first time. With the new look team, fans will be able to catch a glimpse of the seemingly reinvented team.
This year’s spring game will look slightly different than years past. The defense will start with a 24-0 lead and will have to prevent the offense from matching or exceeding that through a 60-minute period. There will be no quarters and no stoppages throughout, as a running clock will be implemented.
Among the newcomers will be Elijah McAllister, who will be taking to Pat Dye Field for the first time. McAllister comes from Vanderbilt as a graduate transfer and will look to utilize valuable experience gained through the five seasons with the Commodores.
The defensive lineman will be crucial to Auburn’s success in limiting opposing offenses all year long. McAllister’s experience will play yet another pivotal role in the development of others in the position group, most notably freshman Kevin Faulk.
In addition to the newcomers, there are a few familiar faces on the offensive side of the ball all eyes will be on.
Robby Ashford and T.J. Finley headline the quarterback room, but Holden Geriner is not to be underestimated. Greiner will look to cement his place in contention for the starting role in front of a crowd after having an impressive spring.
While Geriner looks to make a name for himself, Ashford will try and clean up costly mistakes from last season, most notably seven interceptions. It is crucial to keep an eye out for if Ashford can limit those mistakes and build off the good, which was the 1,613 yards and seven touchdowns thrown last season.
Jarquez Hunter will be crucial to Auburn this year. After backing up NFL talent Tank Bigsby, many believe it will be the junior's time to take the reins of the running back core. While fans know what Hunter can do, another new face, Brian Battie, will have to show Auburn faithful the talent that is being brought to the program.
Battie, a junior transfer from USF, looks to make a mark on the program this A-Day. The Florida native was primarily a kickoff returner up until last year, as Battie took on the starting role prior to the start of the 2022 season at South Florida and rushed for 1,186 yards in 2022. Although Hunter will more than likely be the starter, Battie will certainly provide the one-two punch Bigsby and Hunter did a year ago.
Longtime mainstay John Samuel Shenker has finally left Auburn after a career to remember. In response, Rivaldo Fairweather transferred from Florida International after Freeze came calling. The 6-foot-4 tight end accumulated 838 yards and five touchdowns in a three-year span with Florida International. Fairweather is expected to play a crucial part in Auburn’s receiving core and fans should expect to see a snapshot of the future Saturday.
A-Day will officially kick off at 1 p.m. CT on Saturday, April 8, with streaming on ESPN+ and SEC Network+.
