< PreviousSTATS COMPARISONS AUBURN STATS LEADERS RUSHING ATT NET AVG TD LONG AVG/G Damari Alston 16 94 5.9 1 13 47.0 Jeremiah Cobb 8 77 9.6 1 42 38.5 Sean Jackson 5 64 12.8 1 45 64.0 PASSING CMP-ATT-INT PCT YDS TD AVG/G Payton Thorne 19-31-1 61.3 235 3 117.5 Holden Geriner 2-2-0 100.0 59 0 59.0 Robby Ashford 3-9-0 33.3 3 0 1.5 RECEIVING NO. YDS AVG TD LONG AVG/G Jay Fair 7 81 11.6 2 29 40.5 Malcolm Johnson Jr. 2 59 29.5 0 30 29.5 Ja’Varrius Johnson 5 51 10.2 0 33 25.5 DEFENSE UA A TOT TFL-YDS SACKS-YDS Eugene Asante 13 5 18.0 3.5-23 2.0-17 Donovan Kaufman 7 5 12.0 2.5-9 1.0-6 Keionte Scott 5 2 7.0 0.0-0 0.0-0 Jaylin Simpson 7 0 7.0 0.0-0 0.0-0 SAMFORD STATS LEADER RUSHING ATT NET AVG TD LONG AVG/G Mychael Hamilton 11 98 8.9 2 20 49.0 Jay Stanton 11 53 4.8 1 12 26.5 Damonta Witherspoon 17 41 2.4 2 8 20.5 PASSING CMP-ATT-INT PCT YDS TD AVG/G Michael Hiers 49-69-0 71.0 690 6 345.0 Quincy Crittendon 4-7-0 57.1 58 0 58.0 RECEIVING NO. YDS AVG TD LONG AVG/G Ty King 8 157 19.6 0 37 78.5 D.J. Rias 8 144 18.0 0 67 72.0 Chandler Smith 11 130 11.8 2 33 65.0 DEFENSE UA A TOT TFL-YDS SACKS-YDS Noah Martin 15 6 21.0 4.0-15 0.0-0 Josiah Cotton 8 4 12.0 2.0-2 0.0-0 Jaden Mosley 4 8 12.0 0.0-0 0.0-0 Tyrese Ross 9 3 12.0 1.0-1 0.0-0 Here is a quick look at the top team statistics for the Tigers and the Bulldogs. Quick Look n Total Touchdowns 1011 n Rushing Yards 425168 n Passing Yards 297753 20 STATS COMPARISONS AUBURNTIGERS.COM® FAVORITE CHIP OF THE22 2023 HOMECOMING COURT HANNAH KELLEY HOMETOWN: BIRMINGHAM, ALABAMA MAJOR/SCHOOL: BIOMEDICAL SCIENCES, CONCENTRATION IN PRE-MED If you could play any position in foot- ball, what would you play and why? I would be the kicker because I work well under pressure. A lot of the times, football games come down to a one-point difference, and I know I would always deliver that extra point. I am also 5’4”so I think this position would be a great fit for me. What is your major and what made you decide to pursue it? I am majoring in biomedical sciences with a concentration in pre-med. I hope to attend medical school after I graduate to fulfill my dream of becoming a physician. I chose to pursue a career in medicine because I want to care for others, explore my scientific curiosity and be the Lord’s hands and feet. What is your favorite Auburn tradition and why? My favorite Auburn tradition is Tiger Walk. Growing up, my parents would take my siblings and I to Tiger Walk before each game. The feeling of being surrounded by thousands of Auburn fans lined up on South Donahue is indescribable. Tiger Walk brings together members of the Auburn family across all ages, which is something I love about this tradition. If you could walk in someone else’s shoes for a day, who would it be and why? I would love to be an Auburn University Marching Band drum major for a day, specifically on a day that Auburn plays at home in Jordan-Hare. The pre-game performance by the marching band sends chills down every Auburn fans back. The run out onto the field is unmatched and gets the student section the loudest you will ever hear. Being the drum major and running down the field would fill me with so much joy and school spirit. Leading the best marching band in the country, surrounded by 80,000 fans, would be an amazing honor. What does it mean to be on the Homecoming Court? As a top five candidate for Miss Homecoming, I have the op- portunity to share my platform with over 30,000 students at Auburn. My platform, Kinder with Kelley, is all about getting the Auburn students involved in community service. Being on Home- coming Court gives me the opportunity to give back to the amaz- ing community that surrounds Auburn’s campus. I am extremely honored to represent this university as an Auburn woman. What has been your favorite class at Auburn and why? My favorite class at Auburn has been golf. I enjoyed being outside and using that time as study break. I also was able to re- ceive much needed help with my swing thanks to our instruc- tor, Mr. Smallridge. Describe Auburn to someone who has never been here. Think about the happiest day of your life, then multiply that feeling by 100. ELLIE KOROTKY HOMETOWN: HUNTSVILLE, ALABAMA MAJOR/SCHOOL: NUTRITION DIETETICS, COLLEGE OF HUMAN SCIENCES If you could play any position in foot- ball, what would you play and why? Running back! I am small, quick and fast, so I could speed down the field past my opponents just like Brian Battie! What is your major and what made you decide to pursue it? My major is nutrition dietetics. In high school, my favorite class was strength & conditioning. My coach would play differ- ent sports nutrition videos during class, and I became interest- ed in the importance of nutrition in athletes. One day, I would love to be a sports dietitian. I have always loved sports and the environment that comes with it, especially from a dance back- ground of 16 years and growing up in a sports-loving family. This has led to a passion for wanting to help athletes achieve their goals, and an effective diet is necessary for this. What is your favorite Auburn tradition and why? I have two favorite Auburn traditions. The first one is the ea- gle flight, and I love the history behind it. Dating back to 1892 at our first football game makes the tradition unique and some- thing to be so passionate about. Not only do I love the eagle flight, but that the words “War Eagle’’ are used as hello, good- bye and our battle cry. My other favorite tradition is Hey Day. I love that it makes the campus even more connected by say- ing just a simple word, “Hey!” This is a great way to make new friends and connections while walking on campus, grabbing lunch or sitting beside someone in class. If you could walk in someone else’s shoes for a day, who would it be and why? If I could walk in anyone’s shoes for the day, it would be Katherine Cooper Cater, who was once the Dean of Women and Dean of Student Life at Auburn. She lived on campus in what is now Cater Hall. I think it would be fun to live in the mid- dle of campus. There is a rumor that the dean would sit on her back porch on her rocking chair and watch what the girls in the Quad were up to. Imagine sitting outside of your house every day and seeing what the students were up to! What does it mean to be on the Homecoming Court? Being on Homecoming Court is truly an honor. I have been an Auburn fan since the day I was born. I remember attending the Auburn Homecoming game in 2008 and my dad pinning a little corsage on my Auburn cheer outfit. Little did we know that he would be escorting me on the field 15 years later! I am thrilled to represent Auburn as a top five candidate and share my plat- form, Down syndrome awareness, with the Auburn family. What has been your favorite class at Auburn and why? My favorite class was Community Service in Sports Nutri- tion during the Fall 2022 semester. I had the opportunity to see the behind-the-scenes of the nutrition department in Auburn HOMECOMING COURT 2023 AUBURNTIGERS.COMAthletics. I loved helping with snack bags, pre-game meals and protein shakes. I got a glimpse of what it is like to be a sports di- etitian, and it sealed the deal that that’s what I want to do. Describe Auburn to someone who has never been here. Auburn is a family. It is home. The traditions run deep, the people are welcoming and the campus truly is the Loveliest Village on the Plains. We roll trees with toilet paper after a sports win, walk out of our way around the Auburn Seal so we aren’t cursed and chant “War Eagle” as an eagle flies around the football stadium before each game. Members of the family believe in hard work, education, honesty and each other. We bleed Orange and Blue and take every opportunity to cheer on our Tigers. Auburn University provides an incredible education where I am learning not only my major but values that I will take with me for life. I believe in Auburn and love it. War Eagle! LOREN LINDSEY HOMETOWN: DECATUR, ILLINOIS MAJOR/SCHOOL: LAW AND JUSTICE, COLLEGE OF LIBERAL ARTS If you could play any position in foot- ball, what would you play and why? I would want to be a kicker! I’m a very goal-oriented person and think that the accuracy and precision it would take to make good kicks would be challenging and fun. What is your major and what made you decide to pursue it? My major is law and justice with a pre-law concentration. Growing up, I was raised to have a heart of service and to ad- vocate for others so that they may have the bravery to begin to advocate for themselves. When searching for a major, I found that my passions aligned very closely with the coursework of this major, and I have loved every second of it thus far! What is your favorite Auburn tradition and why? My favorite Auburn tradition is the pre-game fanfare! I think that it’s beyond amazing how many moving parts it has, and I love to see how everyone in the stadium - no matter their age, class or major - is able to enjoy it and sing along to the fight song and do the chants. If you could walk in someone else’s shoes for a day, who would it be and why? I would love to spend a day as Alice Walker. She is an incred- ible author and is so talented. I would love to see the world through her eyes and have a glimpse at her writing process and how her brain works. What does it mean to be on the Homecoming Court? Being on Homecoming Court is one of the highest hon- ors that I have ever received, and to me, this means engaging in a true act of selflessness and stepping out of my comfort zone to advocate for a platform I am passionate about and to help people recognize the power of their voice. Homecoming Court is so much more than just a week of awareness or a title at the conclusion of halftime at the Homecoming game, and I hope that the conversations I’ve had during the week and the platform I’ve advocated for have done some good or inspired someone to use their voice. What has been your favorite class at Auburn and why? My favorite class by far has been any class that I have taken in the constitutional law series. Dr. Brown is an amazing pro- fessor, and it is so cool to see all that I’m learning in class be re- flected in my everyday life. When I see a news article about the Supreme Court or an article about a certain bill or law passed by Congress, I can understand the thought process behind the decision and am able to explain it to other people! Describe Auburn to someone who has never been here. Auburn is unlike any other place in the world. Auburn is truly tenderness, hard work and humility wrapped all into one and is re- flected in its people, its programs and its traditions. A five-minute walk around campus will show you what the Auburn family truly means and how beautiful it is to have a community that puts the “love” in the phrase “Loveliest Village on the Plains.” KATE SHACKELFORD HOMETOWN: M c DONOUGH, GEORGIA MAJOR/SCHOOL: EVENT MANAGEMENT WITH A MINOR IN SPORTS COMMUNICATION If you could play any position in foot- ball, what would you play and why? Safety! Safeties need to recognize and adapt quickly to offensive strategies. They must be flexible and quickly adjust to whatever comes their way. They must be confident in their abilities and maintain the trust of their team- mates to cover the play. I’m coming for you, Puckett! What is your major and what made you decide to pursue it? I love sports - the competition, excitement and diehard fans make sporting events so much fun! I’m in the event manage- ment program. After working in the media center for the Mas- ters Tournament, I added the sports communication minor. I want to work in sporting events after graduation. What is your favorite Auburn tradition and why? Growing up an Auburn fan, it is hard to choose just one! The ex- citement I feel when the eagle flies, the nerves from Cater Lawn call outs, the alumni band and the fun of seeing Hey Day reach beyond just the Auburn campus are all part of what make Auburn unique. But my all-time favorite tradition is rolling Toomer’s Corner be- cause every Auburn fan can participate in it regardless of age. It is so much fun watching little kids and their parents rolling the trees just like I did. It is magical at night after a big win! If you could walk in someone else’s shoes for a day, who would it be and why? My favorite tennis player is Roger Federer. The grace he showed in both wins and losses set him apart from most of his competitors. He is known to be kind and humble, and I always enjoyed watching him play! I would love to spend a day in his shoes to feel and understand that level of athleticism and skill. Continued on page 73 AUBURNTIGERS.COM 24 2023 HOMECOMING COURT HOMECOMING COURT 2023save 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 >