< Previouslegacyofhope.org Have a HEART. When you become an organ donor, you’re helping people in need. Please register today. It’s quick, it’s easy and it could save up to eight lives. Scan the code to register now!SENIOR SPOTLIGHT: DERICK HALL 61 As hundreds of fans rushed the field to celebrate the 2019 Iron Bowl win, Derick Hall stood under the bright lights of Jordan-Hare Stadium and knew he had picked the right school. Three years later, his love for Auburn football has never wavered. From the second Hall came to campus for his first recruiting visit, he felt love from the Auburn Family, and he was drawn in. “When I first got on campus, I felt that family atmosphere immediately,” Hall says. “It felt special coming here. It felt like none other.” In addition to that, Hall was drawn to Auburn because of the competitiveness, the dedication to the Auburn Creed and the values of the university as a whole. Hall started playing football at four years old and while other sports were in the picture, football was his first love. The Gulf- port, Mississippi, product grew up playing in pee-wee and rec leagues before moving on to middle school and high school. He credits a lot of his success to the coaches who helped him along the way and still communicates with many of them. “I’m still close with a lot of those coaches,” Hall said. “They’ve all helped me along the way in a lot of places, helped me be- come the man I am, helped me grow my knowledge of football. I’m indebted to them. I can’t repay them enough for what they’ve done for me.” Growth has been the biggest factor in Hall’s success on the Auburn defense. Hall says his growth during his years at Auburn has given him the confidence he needs his senior season. “I feel like I’ve done really well from freshman year to now,” he said. “A lot of knowledge comes with that, whether it be football position knowledge or knowledge of the game, so I feel comfortable.” Hall’s path to his senior season hasn’t come without some hurdles, most notably a global pan- demic and a change in coaching staffs. His freshman season was the last normal one before COVID-19 altered the sports world in March 2020. That fall, football was completely different. “It obviously brought a lot of different challeng- es,” Hall said. “We couldn’t be around each other so we really didn’t get that family bond we usually do. It changes your whole perspective on life. Being able to come out and still focus and put in the work every day knowing there is a pandemic, it really shows how much you can endure.” This week, Hall will lace up his cleats, put his shoulder pads on, eat a Snickers bar and play in front of a packed Jordan-Hare for the last time. The Snickers bar is one of his pre-game traditions. He eats half of it while the team is getting dressed and the other half as they get ready to walk through the tunnel just before kickoff. Hall is taking advantage of the time he has re- maining on the Plains. From the long meetings and practices to lectures and tests, the senior is soaking it up. “The whole college experience – when it’s gone, it’s gone,” he said. “I’m just trying to take it all in. The things that I have in front of me, and the things Auburn has blessed me with are the things I will miss and cherish the most.” While Hall is well-known around campus, he likes to be a regular student. During the 2021-22 men’s basketball season, you could find him in line for three or more hours, waiting to enter Neville Arena. He was often in the front row, cheering and screaming, sometimes shirtless with other football players. The supply chain management major enjoys the feeling of being a regular student and cheering on his fellow student-athletes. But make no mistake about it, Hall is not your average student-athlete. He has dreams of playing in the NFL. When he graduates in December, he will turn his attention to training for a life in professional football and hopes to get an NFL Combine invite. Leaving college and going into the real world presents a lot of challenges, but Hall is confident that Auburn prepared him well. From what he learned in the classroom to all the drills on the football field, the past four years have turned him into a “true Auburn man.” And regardless of where he goes, Hall will always have the support of the Auburn Family. From his first recruiting visit to his last spring game, they have always had his back. “Everyone says if you love Auburn, Auburn will love you back, and that’s 100 percent true,” Hall said. “Thank you to the Auburn fans, thanks for sticking by us. Thank you for helping me become the Auburn man I am today.” ‘AUBURN WILL LOVE YOU BACK’ BY: MADDIE JOINER AUBURNTIGERS.COM SENIOR SPOTLIGHT: DERICK HALL $15billion impact. ServingAlabama's number-oneagricultural industrywitha GoodforYouandGreatforAlabama www.alabamapoultry.org Didyoueatyoureggsthismorning?SENIOR SPOTLIGHT: NEHEMIAH PRITCHETT 63 Gaining preseason All-SEC attention, cornerback Nehe- miah Pritchett is seeking to continue a legacy of distinction in the Auburn secondary. Think of the Auburn defensive backs who have recently gone on to prominent NFL careers: Carlton Davis, Jamel Dean, Jamien Sherwood, Daniel Thomas, Noah Igbinoghene – along with last year’s seniors Roger McCreary, a sec- ond-round pick of the Tennessee Titans, and Smoke Monday, now with the New Orleans Saints. It’s easy to see why Pritch- ett is committed to continuing that tradition while having his most consistent campaign yet and teaching his younger teammates how to be successful. Pritchett has learned from his home life what it means to set the tone. “I have three younger siblings, Princeton, Jordan and Jayce – two brothers and a sister – they’re all knee-highs, still young,” he said. “They look up to me and watch every move that I make. It’s special to have that kind of family. They’re my biggest fans, but they pay attention to everything, so I have to do things right.” It’s much the same with his Auburn football family. “What I tell the young guys is to just stay the course,” Pritchett said. “Be where you need to be, be on time and stay the course. It does go by fast. “When I first came in, (Jaylin) Simp(son) and Ja’Varrius (Johnson) and I were very close, best buddies. My roommate was Kam Brown, so we got very close. Roger McCreary was a little older, so he showed us how to do things. I learned a lot by watching Roger and watching how Noah (Igbinoghene) was learning the position. “Roger’s from Mobile, just a little south of Jackson, where I’m from, so we gained that bond instantly. Just learning from him and him taking me under his wing throughout the whole process made all the difference.” Along with earning Class 5A First Team All-Alabama honors at Jackson High and being selected to play in the Alabama-Mississippi All-Star Game, Pritchett was an all-state outfielder in baseball as well. But he found his love was foot- ball, especially on the defensive side of the ball. “I think catching receivers is fun, I think making an inter- ception is fun, and I think the defense is closer – we’re broth- ers,” the third-year starter explains. “When the defense gets rolling, it’s rolling and you definitely get the momentum. That’s when you make plays – that’s why I love it.” Pritchett has made a number of big plays, including an interception he returned 48 yards in the 2020 LSU game and another pick in last season’s Birmingham Bowl. He also added some special teams production to his resume for last season, scoring on an 80-yard return of a blocked field goal against Alabama State and also returning kickoffs. “Throughout high school, I returned punts, but I had never returned kicks. So, in the spring of 2021, returning kicks was kind of new to me,” Pritchett said. “I had to get used to it throughout spring and fall camp. And when I saw my name on the depth chart, I was like, ‘Why would they put me back there when I’ve never returned kicks?’ But by the end of fall camp, I ended up being the starting kick returner. I think I did a pretty good job at it.” His 165 yards on five kick returns vs. Georgia State was the seventh best kickoff return game in Auburn records; his long that day was a 72-yard return. “I really love game days, starting with Tiger Walk. Going through Tiger Walk seeing all the fans, all the little kids, it’s definitely something to remember – with the fans cheering and getting closer and closer to that big, big stadium,” Pritch- ett said. “Even seeing your name on the jumbotron when they call the lineup – it’s a blessing to have experiences like that and I just take it in.” One of Pritchett’s longstanding goals will be realized in just a few months, when he graduates in December with a degree in kinesiology and minor in sports coaching. “It’s definitely a great achievement to be ready for gradua- tion,” said Pritchett who would like to work in physical therapy or a related field once his football career is over. “One thing my mom preached before I got here is that if I don’t do anything else, I leave here with my degree. I took that to heart and I’m working toward it.” Mostly, Pritchett’s senior season is filled with a large dose of gratitude. “I want to thank my mom and dad for believing in me and bringing me up the right way -- blessing me with everything I needed throughout my life to get to this point,” Pritchett says of his parents Laquita Foxx-White and Kedrick Pritchett. “Also, I want to thank my high school coaches, Coach Danny Powell and Coach Jason Rowell, for believing in me and bringing me up through football. “And I appreciate Auburn. If I had to do it all over again, I would pick Auburn again because of what it’s blessed me with since I’ve been here – the different things I’ve learned, the people I’ve met. ‘War Eagle’ means a family feeling; you can be anywhere and if someone says ‘War Eagle,’ you know that person is an Auburn person and part of your family. I would definitely pick Auburn all over again.” ‘STAY THE COURSE’ BY: SHELLY POE AUBURNTIGERS.COM SENIOR SPOTLIGHT: NEHEMIAH PRITCHETT BUSINESS FRIENDS WORKING FOR THE FUTURE OF AUBURN AL lic #11024 334-501-2426 We Service All Brands • Better lift without underwire Our camis feature: • Digging Underwire For more information: Text the word “curious” to (205) 813-RUBY (7829) • Straps that stay in place all day • Cups designed to custom fit you • Full coverage for no bulge or spillage • Smoothing back and tummy panels • Wicking fabric to stay cooler and dryer • Slipping Straps • Cups That Don’t Fit • Bra Bulge • Bra Lines • Boob Sweat DO YOU HATE WEARING BRAS? -Call for pickups 334-705-8858 - Supporting Hosanna Home and His Place - 2,000 fresh pieces daily! 1750 Opelika Road, Auburn www.harvestevangelism.org AXE Come Check us out in Downtown Opelika... the owner is an Auburn Alum! (912) 322.1699Find us on 223 S 8th St. Opelika AL, 36801 Auburn’s First OFF-LEASH Dog Park & Bar! Bring Your Dog & Come Watch The Game With Us! We Have TV’s, Shade, & Over 16,000 Square Feet Of Turf! No Dog Required! 203 East University Drive gooddog_auburn | gooddogpark.org TASTE WEEKLY 2638 Enterprise Drive Opelika AL 36801 (334) 203-4783 www.Crumblcookies.comPOST SEASON TROPHY WINNERS 65 n Zeke Smith 1958 Outland Trophy n Tracy Rocker 1988 Outland Trophy & Lombardi Award n Carlos Rogers 2004 Jim Thorpe Award n Nick Fairley 2010 Lombardi Award n Reese Dismukes 2014 Rimington Trophy n Derrick Brown 2019 Lott IMPACT Trophy POST SEASON TROPHY WINNERS AUBURNTIGERS.COM66 TIGERS IN THE NFL TIGERS IN THE NFL AUBURNTIGERS.COM C.J. UZOMAH ANTHONY SCHWARTZ DARIUS SLAYTON JOSH BYNES RUDY FORD DERRICK BROWN CARL LAWSONTIGERS IN THE NFL 67 TIGERS IN THE NFL AUBURNTIGERS.COM JOHANTHAN JONES DANIEL CARLSON NOAH IGBINOGHENE Auburn in the NFL (as of Nov. 17, 2022) Montravius Adams DL Pittsburgh Steelers Angelo Blackson DL Chicago Bears K.J. Britt LB Tampa Bay Buccanners Derrick Brown DL Carolina Panthers Josh Bynes LB Baltimore Ravens Daniel Carlson PK Las Vegas Raiders Carlton Davis DB Tampa Bay Buccaneers Jamel Dean DB Tampa Bay Buccaneers Jack Driscoll OT Philadelphia Eagles Rudy Ford DB Green Bay Packers Josh Harris LS Los Angeles Chargers Noah Igbinoghene DB Miami Dolphins Jonathan Jones DB New England Patriots Carl Lawson DE New York Jets Roger McCreary DB Tennessee Titans Anthony Schwartz WR Cleveland Browns Jamien Sherwood DB New York Jets Arryn Siposs P Philadelphia Eagles Darius Slayton WR New York Giants Braden Smith OL Indianapolis Colts Jarrett Stidham QB Las Vegas Raiders Daniel Thomas DB Jacksonville Jaguars C.J. Uzomah TE New York Jets Prince Tega Wanogho OL Kansas City Chiefs Chandler Wooten LB Carolina Panthers Injured Reserve: Smoke Monday DB New Orleans Saints Also AU lettermen: Byron Cowart DL Indianapolis Colts Malik Willis QB Tennessee Titans Practice Squads: Seth Williams (Jacksonville)BUSINESS FRIENDS WORKING FOR THE FUTURE OF AUBURN Make tailgating easy by picking up our homemade dips, casseroles, cookies and cakes! Downtown Opelika • 334-748-9075 • 105 Southridge Ct. Opelika AL, 36804 334-663-2464 LET US MOVE YOU! Recover from Opioid Addiction 205-877-8585 WWW.READYMIXUSA.COM READY MIX USA Concrete Right...The First Time...On Time 334-737-1818 Ready Mix Concrete • Paving Water Proof Concrete • Flowable Fill Internally Reinforced Concrete Lightweight Concrete • Shotcrete Architectural Polished Concrete A Proud Supporter of Auburn University Moving? Let our team at Lambert Moving Systems do the heavy lifting Call us today @ (334) 745-5706 or visit us at www.golambertteam.comBUSINESS FRIENDS WORKING FOR THE FUTURE OF AUBURN WWW.PIEDMONTFERTILIZER.COM Axe Throwing, Darts VR & More! Come check out our great food and drink specials! 706-501-1253 719 3rd Ave West Point, GA 31833 • www.purgenation.com Weagle's One Stop Home for all your tailgate needs Proud supporter of our home team! 305 North Donahue Dr 334-246-3380 ROTC Recruiting Officer Phone: 334-844-4355 Email: AFROTC.Recruiter@auburn.edu Ark Remediation, LLC Environment Contractors - Asbestos Abatement Cell: 205-837-3012 tstuart@arkrem.com O ce: 334-283-5663 Fax: 334-283-8017 Email: o ce@arkrem.com Tom Stuart President 2064 Notasualga Rd. P.O. Box 780727 Tallassee, AL 36078 Salutes the Graduating Class of 2021! Aptar CSP Technologies, Inc. is a supplier of highly technical packaging alternatives for the medical, food and diagnostics companies located in Auburn, AL. We are always looking for talented, self-motivated Chemical, Mechanical and Polymer & Fiber Engineers. Send engineering resumes to careers.aub@aptar.com. 960W. Veterans Blvd. | Auburn, AL 36832 334-887-8300 | Fax:334-887-8328Next >