< PreviousSTATS COMPARISONS AUBURN STATS LEADER RUSHING ATT NET AVG TD LONG AVG/G Jarquez Hunter 124 745 6.0 7 67 82.8 Payton Thorne 93 425 4.6 3 61 42.5 Brian Battie 51 227 4.5 1 24 22.7 PASSING CMP-ATT-INT PCT YDS TD AVG/G Payton Thorne 129-203-7 63.6 1,432 13 143.2 Robby Ashford 14-27-2 51.9 145 2 16.1 RECEIVING NO. YDS AVG TD LONG AVG/G Rivaldo Fairweather 30 305 10.2 5 53 30.5 Jay Fair 30 300 10.0 2 36 30.0 Ja’Varrius Johnson 13 225 17.3 2 45 28.1 DEFENSE UA A TOT TFL-YDS SACKS-YDS Eugene Asante 44 31 75.0 8.0-43 5.0-35 Larry Nixon III 22 20 42.0 1.5-11 0.0-0 Marcus Harris 20 18 38.0 9.5-39 6.0-32 NEW MEXICO STATE STATS LEADER RUSHING ATT NET AVG TD LONG AVG/G Diego Pavia 126 705 5.6 5 44 64.1 Monte Watkins 49 531 10.8 2 80 48.3 Star Thomas 88 515 5.9 4 40 46.8 PASSING CMP-ATT-INT PCT YDS TD AVG/G Diego Pavia 157-263-6 59.7 2,257 19 205.2 Eli Stowers 4-8-0 50.0 99 1 9.0 RECEIVING NO. YDS AVG TD LONG AVG/G Jonathan Brady 29 489 16.9 3 80 44.5 Trent Hudson 22 351 16.0 7 78 31.9 Eli Stowers 25 278 11.1 1 32 25.3 DEFENSE UA A TOT TFL-YDS SACKS-YDS Keyshaun Elliott 40 37 77.0 7.5-30 2.5-15 Jordan Vincent 26 33 59.0 3.0-16 2.0-6 Myles Rowser 33 23 56.0 0.0-0 0.0-0 Here is a quick look at the top team statistics for the Tigers and the Aggies. Quick Look n Total Touchdowns 3739 n Rushing Yards 2,0722,251 n Passing Yards 1,6442,356 20 STATS COMPARISONS AUBURNTIGERS.COM® FAVORITE CHIP OF THE22 COVER FEATURE After shaking hands with Arkansas players Saturday, Keionte Scott jogged to the corner of the stadium where Au- burn’s fans, pep band and cheerleaders were waiting, to thank them for traveling all the way to Fayetteville to see the Tigers prevail 48-10. “It’s super important to thank the fans for going on the road and purchasing those tickets,” Scott said. “I always want to show our appreciation and show them the same love they show us.” To those he can’t reach personally, Scott sends social media shoutouts. “Complete stadium takeover,” he posted after Auburn fans filled FirstBank Stadium in Nashville on Nov. 4 when the Tigers beat Vanderbilt 31-15. “We love you Auburn family.” “It’s very big for me to give them in- sight and keep them excited about the program,” Scott said. “It’s very important to me.” On the third play of Auburn’s game against Samford on Sept. 16, Scott suffered a high ankle sprain that required a proce- dure called tightrope surgery to mend. After missing three games, Scott re- turned 35 days later when Auburn played Ole Miss on Oct. 21. The following week, he made seven tackles against Mississip- pi State to help the Tigers earn the first of three consecutive SEC victories. “During the surgery and the healing, Auburn fans flooded my DMs showing their love and appreciation for me,” Scott said. “I read a bunch of messages and was very encouraged by it. I’m not shocked at all by the love I received during that time. “Being in the training room and not out there was hurting me. The main goal was to get back and get healthy. The training staff put together a great plan thanks to Robbie (Stewart, Auburn’s head football athletic trainer) and his team. To get back and play confidently was my main thing, and I feel like I’ve done that.” Scott’s swift return earned his team- mates’ respect. “Being able to come back, I feel like a light in the room,” Scott said. “It motivates guys to see what I went through and be able to stay focused in that moment and get back. It showed how much I care for this football team and they appreciate that. “I appreciate them. We have a good connection. To be able to make plays, I think they feed off that and we feed off each other.” A two-year starter in the second- ary, Scott also shines on special teams. Against Arkansas, he returned a punt 74 yards for a touchdown, earning SEC spe- cial teams player of the week honors. “My main goal is to work on catching the ball and getting my eyes down to scan the field. As soon as I got my eyes down, I saw green grass,” Scott said of Auburn’s first punt return for a touchdown since 2014. “To get vertical on that return was super big thanks to great blocks from my teammates.” COVER FEATURE AUBURNTIGERS.COM THE CLOSER: SCOTT’S RETURN MAKES AN INSTANT IMPACT BY JEFF SHEARER Scott credited fellow Auburn special teamers Champ Anthony and Kayin Lee for blocking Arkansas’ gunners, providing Keionte space to operate. “It’s a goal to provide that edge on special teams,” said Scott, who logged a 56-yard punt return in Auburn’s season opening win vs. Massachusetts. “Being recognized throughout the conference is big for me. Being able to make that play was big for the team.” Scott’s dedication to Auburn ex- tends beyond his leadership and on- field productivity. He’s also earned the nickname “The Closer” for his recruiting prowess, con- necting with prospective student-athletes during their visits to Auburn. “Being able to give information on the player side of things is very important to me, and it’s big for them,” Scott said. “I take pride in getting guys to come and buy in. It’s not necessarily selling anything because this is the real deal. “I want to leave this place better than I found it. That’s something my mom raised me on. Being able to set the standard and lay the foundation is big for me. “I want to be able to come back and see the DB room, the ‘JackBoyz’ (as Auburn’s secondary members refer to themselves) carrying on the standard.” After two junior college All-America seasons at Snow College in Utah, Scott signed with Auburn in 2022, making 53 tackles, four tackles for loss, a sack and an interception in his first season. “Everything I was told during recruiting has been lived upon,” he said. “My main goal is to be completely honest with how I was accepted, being able to preach that and for them to feel that exact same feel- ing and get those same type of vibes from the program. It’s an easy thing to do.” With the Dec. 20-22 early signing peri- od drawing near, Scott takes pride in help- ing Auburn land a strong class. “It’s getting a little close to Flipmas,” he said, referencing a recruiting term that indicates when a prospect decides to sign with a different school than the one to which he had been committed. “It’s going to be exciting, where this place will go. I’m excited to see where it will end with some of the guys who’ve seen how we finish the season.” Recruiting success goes hand in hand with on-field success. Auburn’s three- game SEC win streak creates momen- tum that translates into increased interest from high-level re- cruits. “I don’t think a lot of teams could flip the script like we have,” Scott said. “It’s important to finish strong this year.” After two con- secutive road games, the Tigers return to Pat Dye Field Saturday to play New Mexico State at 3 p.m. CT. “Going on the road is cool but it’s nothing like Jordan-Hare,” Scott said. “I’m ex- cited to get back around the fans, and I know the team is too.” When his football career con- cludes, Scott aspires to open a train- ing facility in his hometown of San Diego that prepares kids athletically and academically in hopes of earning scholarships to create a pathway to a debt-free education. “How important that is and taking that load off your parents,” Scott said. “Give back to the community. I love being around kids, helping them achieve their goals and reach their dreams. I’m not sure if it will be coaching but it will involve mentoring.” From San Diego, California - 2,000 miles from the Plains - Keionte Scott found a second family at Auburn. “A home, literally,” Scott said. “A lov- ing place that values football very highly as I do. It’s an easy place to become com- fortable in.” AUBURNTIGERS.COM 24 COVER FEATURE COVER FEATUREsave 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 >