Retaining DJ Durkin gave Auburn a chance to keep much of its defensive backbone intact, but the Tigers still had real work to do in the transfer portal. They signed 13 defensive transfers this offseason, and five games into the season, a few of those additions have already become meaningful pieces.
The most impactful group so far has been the defensive line, even if Auburn still isn’t as strong up front as it was a year ago. That unit had to absorb the biggest offseason losses, with Keldric Faulk, Malik Blocton, Bobby Jamison-Travis and others gone.
The portal class has helped steady things, and Arkansas State transfer Cody Sigler has been the headliner. Through five games, he has 19 tackles, four tackles for loss, one sack and one forced fumble, and he’s been one of the best defenders on the roster.
Walter Mathis Jr. has also been a solid pickup, while Appalachian State transfer Saint Farrior has seen limited action. Auburn’s run defense hasn’t been nearly as effective as it was last season, but the transfer help on the line has been solid enough to earn a B.
At edge rusher, the Tigers brought in two players: Ole Miss transfer Da’Shawn Womack and Missouri transfer Nate Johnson. Womack has been a regular starter, while Johnson has worked mostly in a rotational role.
Womack did flash with two sacks against Tennessee, but the overall production has been modest. In his four appearances, he has recorded just four quarterback pressures, according to Pro Football Focus.
That doesn’t make the group a disappointment, but it also hasn’t moved the needle much yet, which is why it lands at C+.
Linebacker barely registers as a portal storyline for Auburn. The Tigers added only Hampton transfer Michael Matthews-Canty, and he has played just 12 snaps this season, according to PFF.
With Elijah Melendez, Xavier Atkins, Bryce Deas and De’Marcus Riddick all back from last year, there simply wasn’t much room for a transfer addition to matter. That’s why this one gets an N/A.
Cornerback was one of the clearest needs on the board after Auburn lost both starting corners from last season, and the Tigers responded by bringing in five transfer corners. Still, only two of them - Andre Jordan Jr. and Gavin Jenkins - have logged significant defensive snaps.
Jordan opened the year as a starter, but struggled at times during the first three weeks and eventually lost the job. Even so, the UCLA transfer remains part of the mix.
Jenkins has had a more rotational role, and the former USF corner didn’t play in Auburn’s most recent game against Tennessee. With that level of production, this group checks in at C-.
Safety, like linebacker, didn’t offer much portal drama. Auburn returned most of its safeties from last season and added just two through the transfer market, with neither making a significant impact so far.
Arizona transfer Jack Luttrell medically retired after spring practice, and Fred Gaskin III has yet to break into the rotation. That leaves the group without enough on-field contribution to warrant a grade, so it comes in at N/A.
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The follow-up, though, was a reminder of why the job never looked fully settled. Pitt dropped its Week 6 game at North Carolina and slid out of the rankings, with Geriner throwing two interceptions and taking two sacks as the Panthers again ran into the sort of issues that have followed him before, especially with mobility and holding onto a starting role. For Pitt, the early buzz has cooled quickly, and the bigger question is whether Geriner is a bridge or something more lasting. [Read more 🡒]
Tennessee Still Has The Same QB Problem Auburn Just Exposed
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Josh Heupel has already acknowledged Brandons shoulder issue, and both quarterbacks remain available, which keeps the decision in motion rather than settled. For Auburn fans watching from a distance, the update is a reminder that the loss still carries some aftereffects for Tennessee, and that the Volunteers are carrying real questions into a crucial SEC stretch. [Read more 🡒]
Auburn Fans Will Recognize The Frustration In Florida's Latest Spiral
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For Auburn fans, the resemblance to Alex Goleshs early challenges is easy to spot. Both coaches have had to navigate quarterback uncertainty while making staffing decisions that are supposed to help solve the problem, not create more of it, and Floridas choice to bring in offensive coordinator Buster Faulkner and quarterback Aaron Philo only adds to the sense that the margin for patience is shrinking. [Read more 🡒]