< PreviousSTATS COMPARISONS AUBURN STATS LEADER RUSHING ATT NET AVG TD LONG AVG/G Jarquez Hunter 72 309 4.3 5 53 51.5 Payton Thorne 61 259 4.2 2 61 37.0 Brian Battie 40 182 4.6 0 24 26.0 PASSING CMP-ATT-INT PCT YDS TD AVG/G Payton Thorne 80-130-5 61.5 845 5 120.7 Robby Ashford 14-26-1 53.9 145 2 20.7 Holden Geriner 4-9-0 44.4 67 0 22.3 RECEIVING NO. YDS AVG TD LONG AVG/G Jay Fair 22 241 11.0 2 36 34.4 Rivaldo Fairweather 21 184 8.8 2 41 26.3 Shane Hooks 8 106 13.3 1 32 15.1 DEFENSE UA A TOT TFL-YDS SACKS-YDS Eugene Asante 30 22 52.0 5.5-31 3.5-24 Larry Nixon III 18 19 37.0 1.5-11 0.0-0 Marcus Harris 14 15 29.0 7.5-24 4.0-17 MISSISSIPPI STATE STATS LEADER RUSHING ATT NET AVG TD LONG AVG/G Jo’Quavious Marks 97 500 5.2 4 52 71.4 Mike Wright 31 198 6.4 3 53 28.3 Seth Davis 25 142 5.7 1 25 20.3 PASSING CMP-ATT-INT PCT YDS TD AVG/G Will Rogers 105-171-4 61.4 1,275 10 212.5 Mike Wright 16-23-1 69.6 146 2 20.9 RECEIVING NO. YDS AVG TD LONG AVG/G Lideatrick Griffin 32 494 15.4 3 65 70.6 Justin Robinson 14 184 13.1 0 30 36.8 Zavion Thomas 12 154 12.8 0 22 25.7 DEFENSE UA A TOT TFL-YDS SACKS-YDS Jett Johnson 29 48 77.0 7.5-36 4.0-22 Nathaniel Watson 21 50 71.0 8.5-52 7.5-50 Decamerion Richardson 29 14 43.0 1.0-6 1.0-6 Here is a quick look at the top team statistics for the Tigers and the Bulldogs. Quick Look n Total Touchdowns 2423 n Rushing Yards 1,3021,037 n Passing Yards 1,0571,421 20 STATS COMPARISONS AUBURNTIGERS.COM® FAVORITE CHIP OF THE22 MIDSEASON ALL-AMERICAN JAYLIN SIMPSON As Jaylin Simpson finished his inter- views with the media this week in the Woltosz Football Performance Center and started to walk out, teammate Eu- gene Asante called out, as if doing a wres- tling promo, “There goes the most elec- trifying safety in college football.” “I call Jaylin Simpson the most elec- trifying safety in college football,” Asante said. “He’s certainly lived up to that brand of football every Saturday. Simp is some- body that you know is a security blanked on the back end. He has range to go from the middle of the field to one side of the field. He’s got that speed, that range, that ability to make big plays on any given down. “Simp is somebody we appreciate and we’re grateful to have on this defense. He’s going to be somebody where that (game) translates to the National Football League.” Simpson is enjoying his best season yet at Auburn. Through the first seven games, he has four interceptions and his pass break-up against LSU led to another interception for D.J. James. He’s among the national FBS leaders in interceptions per game (0.60) this season and was rec- ognized by multiple national outlets last week. ESPN, the Associated Press, CBS Sports, Pro Football Focus, Fox Sports, USA Today, Sporting News, The Athletic, 247 Sports and the Reese’s Senior Bowl all had Simpson as one of their midseason All-Americans. Simpson usually doesn’t look at that kind of thing, especially during the sea- son, but Auburn secondary coach Zac Etheridge showed him some of the vari- ous All-American accolades. “I looked at it, and it had all the guys. I usually don’t try to pay attention to it. I try to stay focused,” Simpson said. “But then I went back and looked at it again because I thought it was only SEC, and I was like, ‘Hold up, that’s a team way out on the West Coast.’ So, then I’m like, ‘Oh, this is everybody in the country? That’s a big deal.’ “I’m proud of myself. This is what I al- ways wanted to do since I’ve been here.” In his fifth year at Auburn, Simpson has already surpassed the number of inter- ceptions he had in his first four years (3) this year alone. His first pick wasn’t until his junior year in 2021 against Ole Miss, and it would have never happened had Derick Hall not missed a sack. “I’m kind of glad he missed it,” Simpson said. Ole Miss quarterback Matt Corral rolled to his right, avoided Hall, and took a shot to the end zone. He never saw Simp- son who stepped in front of the receiver and snatched it away. “It didn’t even look real as the ball was coming,” Simpson recalled. “It looked like MIDSEASON ALL-AMERICAN JAYLIN SIMPSON AUBURNTIGERS.COM HOW JAYLIN SIMPSON HAS BECOME ‘THE MOST ELECTRIFYING SAFETY IN COLLEGE FOOTBALL’ BY GREG OSTENDORFa carton or something. I couldn’t believe it. It just didn’t look real. But it was there, and the only thing I was thinking in my mind was, ‘Don’t drop it.’ And I just re- member saying to myself, ‘Do not drop it, do not drop it, do not drop it,’ as the ball was coming. “I caught it. I was actually going to try to return it, but I looked and saw a lot of jerseys. I was in the end zone, so I just dropped to the ground.” In that moment two years ago, the ball didn’t look real. Simpson couldn’t be- lieve what he was seeing. This year, when he sees the ball coming his way, it’s still a sense of disbelief. But it’s more of, “I can’t believe the quarterback threw that.” Simpson, who moved to cornerback after his freshman year at Auburn, credits his move back to safety for part of the rea- son why he’s had so many interceptions this year. Though he misses cornerback, and the 1-on-1 battles specifically, he can see the ball a lot more playing safety, and it’s allowed him to showcase his ball skills. But it’s more than that. Simpson is playing with more confidence and intelli- gence this year. “I think the biggest thing from (two years ago) to now is I’m a lot smarter play- er,” he said. “The IQ, the recognition of the offensive plays. A lot of times, I kind of know what the offense is running before they snap the ball. They give tips and and hints all over the place. You watch enough film, and you’ll see that stuff. I try to notify my teammates of what I’m seeing. That’s probably the biggest difference. I can recognize things.” “He’s a very instinctive player,” Auburn wide receiver Jay Fair said. “Just always around the ball making plays. Smart play- er. Athletic. Right place, right time. It’s no surprise to me that he’s doing what he’s doing right now.” Since Simpson arrived at Auburn, he’s had players in the secondary to look up to, mentors to guide him. Players like Noah Igbinoghene, Roger McCreary, Daniel Thomas, Smoke Monday – all of whom have gone on to make NFL rosters. This year, Simpson is that mentor. He’s the one his teammates are looking up to. “He brings that veteran mindset into things,” junior cornerback Keionte Scott said. “He’s been in the program for a while. He’s been playing for a while. He just un- derstands certain situations, what needs to be done, and also just has guidance for you. When you come to him and ask him a question, he’s on it. He’s been in it for a long time, and he’s in a situation where he’s getting ready to exit so he’s trying to give us all the game he can.” Though Simpson has never been much of a vocal leader – he’s more of a leader by action – it dawned on him in fall camp the responsibility he has to lead this next group. “The young guys that are here, they’re going to have to step in and play at some point,” he said. “This is going to be their team, their secondary at some point. That’s when I realized I have an obligation to get these guys ready to play for when our time is up here at Auburn.” “I’ve embraced it. I like it. And I don’t have to be the type of guy that nobody wants to hear talk. Usually when I talk, they listen because I don’t speak up a lot.” The single season record for intercep- tions at Auburn is nine (Buddy McClinton, 1969). Simpson would have to average an interception per game the last five games to match that. But with just two more in- terceptions, he could move up into a tie for fifth all-time. Knowing Simpson, he’s not worried about being fifth. He’s gunning for the record. AUBURNTIGERS.COM 24 MIDSEASON ALL-AMERICAN JAYLIN SIMPSON MIDSEASON ALL-AMERICAN JAYLIN SIMPSONsave on auto insurance spend on Tiger merch *INSURANCE FEATURE NOT AVAILABLE IN EVERY STATE. Countrywide average premium savings for customers with safe driving discounts and Drivewise vs. those without. Savings vary by state, based on driving behaviors & based on how you buy. Subject to terms, conditions & availability. In some states, through your participation in Drivewise, your driving data may be used for purposes of rating & your rate could increase with high-risk driving. Allstate Fire and Casualty Ins. Co. & affiliates. 3100 Sanders Rd, Northbrook, IL. © 2023 Allstate Insurance Co. Marks are registered trademarks of their respective owners. PROUD PARTNER Safe driving and Drivewise® saves you 40%*28 HEAD COACH HUGH FREEZE Hugh Freeze became the 31st head football coach in Auburn history in No- vember, 2022. Freeze has nearly three decades of continued coaching success, including head coaching experience that has led to conference titles, nationally ranked recruiting classes and bowl appear- ances at multiple stops during his highly decorated career. Freeze came to Auburn from Liber- ty University, where he was head coach from 2019-22. Freeze led the Flames to four bowl games and a 34-15 record. Freeze experienced similar success at each of his head coaching stops prior to Liberty that include Lambuth Univer- sity (2008-09), Arkansas State (2011) and Ole Miss (2012-16). Freeze led each school to double-digit win seasons, while helping Ole Miss to a top 10 national fin- ish in 2015. His on-field coaching record in 12 years is 103-47. Liberty was just one of five FBS teams in the country to win a bowl game each season from 2019-21, joining Alabama, Georgia, Kentucky and Louisiana. It was the second team in NCAA history to win a bowl game during its first three full sea- sons at the FBS level, all coming under Freeze’s leadership. Freeze guided Liberty to a 10-1 overall record in 2020 and the team’s first-ever national ranking as it finished No. 17 in the country. That season, Lib- erty had the best start in program history (8-0), tied the program record for wins (10) and defeated two Power 5 programs in Syracuse and Virginia Tech. For his ef- forts, Freeze was a finalist for the George Munger Collegiate Coach of the Year Award. Known for his fast-paced offensive style, Freeze’s 2020 Liberty team set a school record for rushing yards in a sea- son in 2020 (2,776) and ranked No. 9 in the country in rushing offense. Liberty also ranked No. 15 nationally in total of- fense (482.7 yards per game) and No. 11 in total defense (317.7 yards per game). The Flames were one of three teams in the country to rank in the top 20 in both total offense and total defense in 2020, joining Clemson and BYU. Spearheading Liberty’s outstand- ing offense in 2020 was former Auburn quarterback Malik Willis, who burst into the spotlight leading the nation in rushing yards (944) and touchdowns (14) by a FBS quarterback. Willis earned All-America honors, was named to the Davey O’Brien Award Quarterback Class of 2020 and was on the 2020 Maxwell Award watch list. The Flames posted an eight-win sea- son in 2021 after facing eight bowl-eli- gible teams during that campaign. Lib- erty’s defense finished the 2021 season ranked No. 7 nationally in passing yards allowed, No. 11 in total defense and No. 24 in scoring defense. Offensively, Lib- erty finished 2021 ranked No. 25 in the country in scoring offense and No. 8 in passing yards per completion. Leading the charge for the Flames in 2021 once again was Willis, who was a semifinalist for the Davey O’Brien Na- tional Quarterback Award and the Max- well Award and a top 10 candidate for the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award. Willis was a third-round draft pick of the Ten- nessee Titans in the 2022 NFL Draft. In 2022, Liberty finished the regu- lar season 8-4 with wins over Arkansas and BYU; three of the four losses came by a combined five points. The Flames earned a berth in the Boca Raton Bowl. While head coach at Ole Miss, Freeze took the Rebels to bowl games in three of his five seasons, including wins in the 2013 Music City and the 2016 Sugar bowls. Freeze’s time in Oxford was highlight- ed by a 10-3 campaign in 2015, the pro- gram’s first 10-win season since 2003. The Rebels won their first four games of the 2015 season, including a 43-37 road victory over No. 2 Alabama, Ole Miss’ first win in Tuscaloosa since 1988. The Rebels were ranked as high as No. 3 in the national polls in both 2014 and 2015 and finished in the national Top 10 for the first time since 1969 after the Sugar Bowl win. Ole Miss was ranked in the top 25 for 45 weeks over Freeze’s five-year tenure, including a string of 27 straight weeks in the polls for the first time since 1957-62. Freeze collected four nationally ranked recruiting classes at Ole Miss. In 2013 and 2016, his recruiting classes ranked in the top five nationally, the best in program history. Freeze and his staff developed 20 players who earned all-SEC honors, in- cluding All-Americans Cody Prewitt, Senquez Golson, Robert Nkemdiche, Laremy Tunsil, Evan Engram, Laquon Treadwell and Trae Elston. AUBURNTIGERS.COM HUGH FREEZE HEAD COACH® TRUCKWORX.COMNext >