Auburn will bring a set of captains into Saturday’s 3:30 p.m. CT matchup with Vanderbilt, and the group says plenty about where the Tigers are leaning as they try to bounce back from last week’s loss to Florida.
The university announced Friday that the leadership group for the game includes offensive lineman Best, quarterback Byrum Brown, defensive lineman Melendez, defensive tackle Sigler and defensive back Smith-Reed. With two SEC teams still trying to find their footing, those voices could matter just as much as the playbook.
Best arrived on the Plains this offseason as one of the many players who followed Alex Golesh over from USF, and he has quickly become the steady hand on an offensive line that has had its share of issues. Even with Auburn rotating as many as three players beside him at a time, Best has remained the most reliable piece in protection, continuing the kind of work he had been doing with Brown for a while before the move.
Brown, meanwhile, has been improving week by week as he adjusts to SEC life. His showing against Florida didn’t produce a win, but it did offer a clearer sign that the quarterback is settling in after drawing plenty of criticism from analysts around the country. Vanderbilt gives him another chance to make a statement, and perhaps his first true SEC breakthrough, whether at Auburn or during his USF days.
On defense, Melendez has been the biggest name for DJ Durkin’s unit. In only his second collegiate season, he leads Auburn in total tackles, solo tackles, sacks and pass deflections. He has nine more tackles than Eric Winters, the team’s next-highest tackler, and his value has been obvious as Auburn has worked through early-season growing pains.
Sigler has also given Auburn a major edge up front. The Arkansas State transfer came into the season as PFF’s highest-graded SEC returning defensive tackle, and he has backed that up by producing the Tigers’ lone safety this year while ranking fifth on the team in total tackles and tying for second in sacks. His biggest value is against the run, where he can shut things down almost by himself, which could be a problem for a Vanderbilt ground game that has struggled early.
In the secondary, Smith-Reed continues to serve as one of Auburn’s most vocal leaders. He has been a steady part of the team’s culture for years and has added six tackles and a pass deflection this season.
The numbers only tell part of the story, though, because opposing offenses rarely test him. Against Vanderbilt and true freshman quarterback Jared Curtis, Smith-Reed will have a key role in limiting the passing game, and one mistake could give him a chance to add to the single interception he has collected in his four-year Auburn career.
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Auburns latest off-field headache came in the form of a commemorative ticket for the Vanderbilt game, a small piece of memorabilia that instead managed to stir up a much bigger reaction. The athletic departments move was quickly criticized by fans who saw it as another money grab, and the timing did not help, with many already feeling squeezed by the broader economic climate and increasingly wary of how the program is asking them to keep paying up.
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Auburns Captain Picks Say A Lot Before A Dangerous Vanderbilt Game
Auburns leadership group was set early this week as the Tigers named five captains for Saturdays SEC matchup with Vanderbilt at Jordan-Hare Stadium. Byrum Brown, Elijah Melendez, Cole Best, Cody Sigler and Sylvester Smith-Reed will represent a roster that has spread that responsibility around all season, with each of them having worn the captain label at least once already.
The timing matters, too, with Auburn trying to steady itself after the loss to Florida and turn the page quickly in conference play. With a 3:15 p.m. Central kickoff ahead, the captain selection offers a small but telling look at where the Tigers are leaning as they prepare for a game that feels like one they cannot afford to treat lightly. [Read more 🡒]
Auburn Assistants Face Immediate Heat If Vanderbilt Exposes These Problems
Auburns coaching staff is already feeling the pressure after a shaky stretch that has fans looking hard at Alex Goleshs staff, especially defensive coordinator DJ Durkin and offensive line coach Tyler Hudanick. The concern has only grown because the defense was overwhelmed against Florida, giving up 495 yards, while the running game has still not matched expectations despite Auburn bringing back personnel that should have offered more stability.
Vanderbilt now gives the Tigers a quick chance to settle things down, and the stakes are simple for the assistants who have drawn the most scrutiny. If Auburns defense keeps leaking yards or the offense continues to stall on the ground, the dissatisfaction around the program is only going to get louder, putting even more immediate heat on a staff that already knows patience is thinning. [Read more 🡒]