Auburn football's offseason is almost over | Auburn Tigers Podcast

we are so close to the season starting thank [Music] goodness you are locked on Auburn your daily podcast on the Auburn Tigers part of the locked on podcast Network your team every day yes welcome on into locked on Auburn your daily Auburn Tigers podcast I'm your host Zach blackerby and thank you so much making lock on Auburn your first or second listen every single day it's a happy our edition of the show earlier this week I hopped on Alberto Alica this morning with my very good friend Ben Taylor we discuss media days we discuss recruiting we discuss all sorts of stuff here we go SEC media days this is The Unofficial kickoff Zack of football season is here even though it's really not here everybody thinks it is once SEC media days take place well I mean look after we get back from Dallas we'll blink it'll be a week and a half for so and I think you're going to start seeing some fall camps starting Late July all of them will start by early August I mean it's it's pretty close like I know we like to say it's The Unofficial start but um I mean it is I I think it I mean we're we're here we're almost to the start of football season and of course we all need to bow down to Oklahoma and Texas and the reason being is we've decided to put the SEC media days in Dallas which is only probably a Stones throw away from Los Angeles California so I'm glad that everybody is going to be heading west to Texas in order to accommodate the Longhorns and the Sooners uh however I say that in just because there are two extra teams that will be at SEC media days this year so it should add to a little bit of pageantry that we may see yeah it's going to be a historic one and we've talked about the impact of college football expansion across the entire country and now we finally get to see it we saw a little bit with the big 12 with Houston UCF Cincinnati you know that that crew um BYU all going into that conference but now this year we get to see it up close and personal with Texas and Oklahoma then obviously the big 10's added anybody who has a pulse to their conference and so um I think I think the rest of this I we forget because it happened so long ago but Texas and Oklahoma were first and then the Big 12 and the Big 10 they reacted they were they responded and so happened a few weeks before those media days in Atlanta so I guess two years ago where USC and UCLA the news broke they were going to join the Big 10 and commissioner sanki was asked pretty early on in his his opening press conference of okay there the Big 10 stocking up what's the SEC gonna do and I mean he it was kind of baller it was kind of awesome he was just like they're it took them this long for them to respond to us getting Texas and Oklahoma and I'm like yeah he's right just it happened so long we've been talking about this for years literally for years media days were still in Hoover every year when this happened and this news broke and that seems like it ages ago it's so fun that it's finally here and they're officially in the league at the start of this month and and next week in Dallas it's going to be real seeing Sark up there and seeing venables you know address the media it's it's going to be kind of surreal I think and I'm sure it's going to definitely feel that way for Texas and Oklahoma people it's going to feel that way for abama people because Nick San is not going to be on the podium I really thought about that yeah that's true there's been so much attention to the Texas at Oklahoma but yeah an SEC media dance without Nick sain yeah that's right I don't know if they'll be without now with his contract with ESPN I just think that's gonna be super awkward if he is there with kayin dor because there's already the comparison and the last thing I think you need to do is have Sabin in the room with the boore at the same time but who knows knows what ESPN and the SEC network may try to do in order to make that happen with his new employment with I mean they're in the same room right now sa still got his office in the facility so I'm sure you know what he was signing up for I mean yeah I mean there's no way he took that job wanting to kick Nick Sabin out there's just no way so I um I don't know I don't I don't think it'll be awkward I don't think it'll be awward you you mentioned how long this has been in the works they're already talking about more expansion as well so there's already been names that have been floated out there for maybe the ACC or something of that nature so any surprises we expect to see out of SEC media days that's when we got this a few years ago they went up there and they were like hey welcome Texas and Oklahoma do we get a welcome Clemson and Florida State do we get a Welcome North Carolina and Duke be insane that would be insane I would love for the SEC to go to 20 but I mean you could say what you want about sanky and I think he's done a great job as kind of being the leader the commissioner of the SEC his message has been pretty consistent since Texas and Oklahoma came in is that we're good at 16 then you see the Big 10 get like 35 teams I'm joking I think they got 18 and I think the Big 12 has 18 as well and he his response is we're good with 16 we want to stay you know geography was important to him he said that last year I promise you he'll say it next week and it just kind of limits you but all the schools you just said would make sense from a geography point of view Duke in North Carolina Florida State and Clemson I want Miami and Georgia Tech if it was up to me and the SEC could go to 20 teams I would want Miami Georgia Tech Clemson and FSU I think that would be I think all of those schools kind of have sec Vibes to it Georgia Tech you get all that Atlanta Market I I and it establishes two rivalries you get Auburn and Georgia Tech back you get Georgia Tech and Georgia back I I think that would be big you bring in a Clemson you get to preserve that South Carolina Clemson rivalry and it bails out those teams and I mean it would effectively kill the ACC from an Auburn standpoint pton Thorne did not make the trip last year to SEC media days I told the story earlier uh this week where I said the reason I think that took place is number one his newness to the program as far as last year was concerned number two I think that the staff was trying to take guys out there that would or take guys to the SEC media days that you would want your daughter to date that would put on a good like a good presentation for the Auburn family for the staff for everybody that represents Auburn and that's what they did however this year after freeze has been here a while after Thorne's been here a while it looks like pton Thorn's going to be there some people are saying why would they do that I think that I think a starting quarterback needs to be at the podium whenever SEC media days roll around but that's just my opinion he's going to be taking bullets left and right when fall rolls around might as well take them now oh can you imagine if they didn't take Payton what the story lines would be oh it's that bad oh freeze doesn't trust them oh does Hank Brown have a chance of winning the job from him I all of those I think you had to take them and I'm not saying he do doesn't deserve it like we don't know what he's been doing this off season I've heard good things from folks that I've talked to but I heard good things last year too so who knows but in regards to you know all of these folks have been bashing him all off season and really all of last season too let him go face to face with them let's see how I I bet they treat him a lot nicer when they're asking them questions next week and it's just not pton thorn of course they end up taking three players and the other two who are GNA be who yeah Eugene Assante the linebacker of course and then keldrick Faulk who's going to be the first uh the first true sophomore ever to go represent Auburn at SEC media days pretty cool Asante is phenomenal to me that he's going to be going and the reason being is just because he's one of my favorite Auburn players probably ever because of his attitude and the way he handles himself uh the skit that he did last year prior to the season where he goes around saying let's go on campus I mean that's one of those where anybody that's ever attended Auburn could totally appreciate that he did that and he did it in full uniform uh this is a guy that you definitely want repping Auburn wherever you go I think so yeah and Charlie 5 and I talked about this on on the show yesterday where he's going to be beloved and I I I think there's probably a lot of SEC football fans or fans of an SEC team that don't know a whole lot about Eugene Asante and they're about to and they're they're going to walk away from you know interacting with him in a better mood with a smile on their face and they're gonna say wow yeah I like that guy he's a pretty good football player too yeah and then uh Krick faul of course you talked about it uh one of the youngest to ever go to SEC media days I kind of wonder what went through the coach's mind in order to in order to make that happen you got to think there's a message involved here one of okay he was hughie's first and lone five star in that first class when he took over you know and had a month to kind of build it and put it together it was that first big win and there were other guys too like when they flipped Canley from Ohio State or Connor Lou uh from Miami but keldrick was the big one that was the big one where they kind of slid in in the last second and did everything it took to get him away from FSU and now they get to reap the benefits of that I think this is a message to other five stars even guys that are currently on the team where I don't care how old you are if you're good you're talented and you want to play football at Auburn and you want to be a leader you can be you can be early here and I think he's doing that with keldrick and just talking to everybody about keldrick if you ask a defensive player you know who's going to stand out um they can't quit saying great things about keldrick and it's been that since he Ste foot on campus this isn't just this off season it was all last year too so um there's a lot of pressure on keldrick Faulk I I think there's a lot of questions about Auburn's pass rush but if if keldrick develops at the pace where a typical five star does Auburn's gonna be in great in a great spot in great shape with keldrick get that strong side defensive in roll opposite jayen McLoud and I I think freeze is saying like hey you're ready for the pressure you're ready represent your school let's do this thing will Auburn have a trap game that's coming up plus is Hugh freeze one of the worst coaches in the Southeastern Conference we shall find out but first this yeah yeah oh great tease Ben great tease Today's Show is brought to you by our friends at FanDuel fanduel's America's number one sports book I love sports I love them so much I never want them to stop I'm sure you're the same way but the playoffs are done and major sports and all we've got right now is Major League Baseball which is fun but FanDuel knowes that you want more so this summer FanDuel is hooking up all customers with a boost or bonus daily that's right every single day there's something for someone every day all summer long so head over to fanduel.com and start making the most out of your summer FanDuel is the official sports betting partner of Major League Baseball and of course the locked on podcast Network Ben you laid it out there you laid it out there perfectly um all has been kind of labeled as okay their big Trap game early on this is from 247 is Arkansas the SEC opener at home the fourth game of the season uh against the Arkansas Razer backs that number one is phenomenal to me you and I have had this discussion yeah I think Arkansas is awful I understand every everybody has some sort of a trap game I just for some reason don't think that it's arkans and I I think that Arkansas is not going to do well at all this year and maybe that's just from what I saw last year that's the eye test maybe they've got something up their sleeve that I don't know about maybe they've had some transfers within the program that have come in are GNA make a huge difference that I just don't know about but that kind of baffles me that that's the Trap game not saying that Oklahoma is a trap game but I think with Oklahoma coming here and playing in Jordan hair and it's their first time being on the road in Jordan hair as far as a conference game is concerned as well in the pageantry and the heat that will be behind that I would think even though Oklahoma's going to be ranked higher than Arkansas I still would call something like an Oklahoma Trap game because that is one that I actually have Auburn winning yeah I wonder if it's uh you have Auburn beting Oklahoma yeah yeah I'm not quite there I'm close but I'm not quite there yet but I I think Texas A&M is a big Trap game because you play the iron balll shortly after that I think right now I'm ready to pick Auburn to beat Texas A&M so yeah his name is uh the author is Carter bonds he rides for 247 he went through every SEC team and detailed their Trap game and so for Auburn he said Arkansas and he said auburn has a chance to get the ball rolling in the early portion of its schedule as it may be favored in each of its first four games should be the contest against Arkansas included what follows though are two of the toughest matchups of the Year Oklahoma and Georgia on September 28th and October 5th or ones they're gonna be looking forward to so I mean that's that's what a trap game is you play a game that you're against somebody you're supposed to beat and then you're focused on the big game the following week so you know I get that I get the argument of okay Arkansas does fit that criteria but to me I just don't see Auburn losing that one I see Auburn possibly falling into a trap game scenario against a vanderbild or a Texas A&M more than More Than This One A&M makes a whole lot of sense and the reason being is because I understand that Jimbo's gone I understand that they've had some guys head out of the program however let's keep in mind how many five stars are still on that roster and you and I have said it before they are five stars for a reason whenever they come out of high school and he was able to get some of those and they were able to keep some of those not all of them left the program and if all of a sudden their talent decides to show up on the field that they can be a trap game for anybody they face in the Southeastern Conference this year sure yeah and then in this article where he goes through every team he had Auburn as Missouri's Trap game so I think that's interesting Missouri plays I believe they play Alabama the following week and so if you're Missouri you think internally if it goes the way the season goes the way we think it will for Missouri you pitch it to your team it's like if you beat Alabama and Tuscaloosa you're a college football playoff team that's what you're saying in Missouri and so do you possibly look past Auburn in that scenario who knows and don't get me wrong I I think they deserve all their respect I think that they overachieved and I think that they have a good football program are we giving Missouri way too much credit this year than what they deserve because there are a lot of people that just have them up there at the top echelon the SEC and I'm sitting there going if we're quite there yet but maybe their schedule lends to it I'm not sure I mean they're a good team they are a good team they've got a top three SEC quarterback they have a top three SEC wide receiver they probably have a top three running back throw lines fine like there's a lot to like about Missouri there's a lot to like are we overhyping them because they Missouri and it's kind of the trendy fun thing and they won a lot of games a year ago maybe that absolutely Maybe like I think Miss is better I think Texas is better I think Alabama's better I think Georgia's better so and I think most people would say that but like is Missouri the fifth or sixth best team in the conference probably they probably are and I think that's fair I think that's what most people are saying they are before we go Hugh frees deemed one of the Duds in the Southeastern Conference as far as coach is concerned that's according to will beus that's not according to Ben and Zach that is according to will beus of C BS Sports who wrote A ranking and every SEC coach and his his quote frieza's first year on the planes was a bit of a dud okay first and foremost I disagree with that and the reason being it we didn't win the games that we wanted to as far as an Auburn fan base is concerned however with what disarray that Auburn was left in after the potato gang ended up the potato posi whatever you want to call them tater tots left the state of Alabama then this is what that's the cards that got dealt so it said his first year on the planes was the dud most knew that at least a slight rebu was in order was in order given the rostery inherited former Old Miss boss has set out to improve the talent across the board particularly along the lines line of scrimmage blah blah blah goes on and on is he one of the bottom tiered SEC coaches or is he a better Coach than what they're giving him credit for and an even better recruiter than probably what people give him credit for yeah I mean you hire Hugh freees to to recruit and it hasn't really been long enough to reap the benefits of that so to say last year was a dud you need to say on the field I think or for in the wins and losses category like you can't just say that as a blanket statement um they've got him above Brent venables at Oklahoma which I think I agree with they got him above Shane Beamer at South Carolina I don't think he'll be there next year got him above Billy Napier at Florida I don't think Napier will be there next year Sam Pitman at Arkansas I think he's gone for the season Clark Le Vandy and Jeff leby and Mississippi State of course that's his first season here so we'll um we'll see 10 seems low Mike Elco the first year head coach at Texas A&M like I think free should be ahead of Elco and then Josh hyp at eight I mean I think they're kind of in the same tier right now Eli dritz is at seven which you just kind of talked about with Missouri are we over ranking o over ranking them the March D's at six at Kentucky that seems high to me but that's just phenomenal that he every year is considered the best coach in the country and yet they still can lose as many games as they do I mean I don't think he's ever beat an SEC team with a winning record but yeah he's considered one of top Coes every year yeah I mean he's just benefited from the SEC East being a dumpster for the last decade and Kentucky being decent while Florida and Tennessee for most of the last 10 years haven't been as good as they have been historically so I mean the timing's great for him but how we're all acting like it's some Elite program is silly to me I I don't I don't I don't buy it what's fascinating and this is the way too early predictions when you look at this particular ranking system that he has 12 13 14 and 15 could all be gone at the end of the year yeah you go ahead and you start talking about coaching turnovers or turnover within the Southeastern Conference and you can go ahead and look at four and we haven't even had SEC media days yet that's just uh that's odd to me that's some of those I'm surprised they didn't let go um specifically well and that's probably yes Pitman well Pitman and honestly Napier I'm I'm honestly shocked he's made it as long as he has because that just is nobody in Florida likes him apparently except for the administration and staff well whoever wrote his contract must like him because he's about to get a lot of money when they let him go I know man yeah I think freeze at 10 is too low as always thank you for having me Ben be sure to check him out 6 to9 every single morning on W Andi if you're in the Auburn opal like Elite County area please like the video please subscribe we'll see you tomorrow this has been locked on Auburn