SEC Football

Amid ongoing speculation regarding Bryan Harsin's status as Auburn's head football coach, one former player has opened up about what he experienced playing for the Tigers. 

Defensive tackle Lee Hunter, who transferred to Central Florida last month, wrote about Harsin in an Instagram post on Friday. 

"The reason I chose to leave Auburn because we got treated like we wasn't good enough, and like dogs," Hunter wrote.

Per Nathan King of 247Sports, Hunter's post has been liked by several current and former Auburn football players. 

Hunter's comments come in the wake of multiple key departures from Harsin's coaching staff. 

Offensive coordinator Mike Bobo was fired on Nov. 30. Austin Davis, who was hired as Bobo's replacement on Dec. 18, resigned on Monday for personal reasons. 

Derek Mason announced last month he was leaving the Tigers after spending one season as defensive coordinator. ESPN's Adam Rittenberg reported on Jan. 26 that Mason will take the same position at Oklahoma State. 

Defensive line coach Nick Eason left the program to join Dabo Swinney's staff at Clemson as defensive-run game coordinator and defensive tackles coach. Eason is a Clemson alum and played in 47 games for the program from 1999 to 2002. 

Per Bennett Durando of the Montgomery Advertiser, a total of 19 players from the 2021 Auburn roster have entered the transfer portal. 

Quarterback Bo Nix, who started 34 games over the past three seasons, announced in December he was transferring to Oregon. 

Coming out of National Signing Day on Wednesday, Auburn ranked eighth among SEC schools by 247Sports' composite rankings.  

Despite the recent coach and player turnover, Harsin told ESPN's Chris Low and Pete Thamel he remains committed to the program:

"I'm the Auburn coach, and that's how I'm operating every day. I want this thing to work, and I've told our players and told everybody else there is no Plan B. I'm not planning on going anywhere. This was and is the job. That's why I left the one I was in, to come here and make this place a championship program and leave it better than I found it."

Harsin was hired by Auburn in December 2020 to replace Guz Malzahn as head coach. The 45-year-old was coming off a successful seven-year run as head coach at Boise State where he went 69-19. 

After a 6-2 start under Harsin, the Tigers finished the 2021 season with five consecutive losses. They were competitive in their final three games, losing to South Carolina, Alabama and Houston by a total of 10 points.     

Joe Burrow grew up in Ohio, graduated from the state's flagship university and is the quarterback for one of its two NFL teams. It should come as no surprise, then, that he considers himself a Buckeye even though he transferred to LSU to continue his football career.

"I'm definitely still a Buckeye," he told reporters Thursday. "I graduated from there."

Burrow arrived at Ohio State as a 4-star prospect in the class of 2015, per 247Sports' composite rankings.

He was competing for the backup job behind the entrenched J.T. Barrett in 2017 but suffered a broken hand. That allowed Dwayne Haskins to move ahead of Burrow on the depth chart.

It ended up being a critical injury because Barrett later suffered his own injury during the rivalry game against Michigan. Haskins entered and rallied the Buckeyes to a comeback victory, essentially cementing himself as the starter for 2018 when Barrett would no longer be on the team.

Perhaps if Burrow did not break his hand, he would have been the one to come in and start building his Ohio State legacy.

But Burrow transferred to LSU and won a national championship with the Tigers during the 2019 campaign. It's not like Haskins was a bad choice for the Buckeyes, though, as he set the Big Ten record for passing yards and passing touchdowns during a dominant 2018 season while Burrow was inconsistent in his first year at LSU.

The Buckeyes also landed Georgia transfer Justin Fields for the 2019 season after Haskins went to the NFL. And Ohio State nearly faced Burrow and LSU in the National Championship Game but lost to Clemson amid a couple of questionable calls in the College Football Playoff semifinals.

Burrow has been much better in the NFL than Haskins, which has fueled discussion about how things played out at Ohio State.

The No. 1 pick of the 2020 draft is now the face of the Bengals and has led them to the Super Bowl for the first time since the 1988 campaign. They will face the Rams on Feb. 13.

That has surely further endeared Burrow to football fans in Ohio—at least the ones who don't cheer for the Cleveland Browns—and he made sure to let everyone know he still considers himself a Buckeye.

The New England Patriots and Bill O'Brien reportedly have "mutual interest" in a reunion to fill the team's offensive coordinator vacancy, a job he previously held for the Pats in 2011.

Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reported Thursday on WEEI's Gresh and Keefe (via NESN's Zack Cox) that the return of O'Brien, the offensive coordinator at Alabama, to replace Josh McDaniels, who became the Las Vegas Raiders' head coach, "makes a lot of sense for all parties":

"As far as Bill O'Brien, the NFL's process is slow. Everyone wants answers now, but the reality is the process is slow. So in order for the Patriots to hire Bill O'Brien—and I do believe there's interest. I think there's interest from them, and I think there's interest from him, and a lot of times when that's the case, these things end up working out. But they've got to go through a process. They have to interview multiple candidates. They have to interview candidates who are minorities. They have to go through all that.

"So we are not there yet, and I would say typically, the Patriots work very, very slow on staffing. Like, I can remember many times they would go to the combine and not be set on staffing. So I'm not sure that will happen imminently, but I do believe there's mutual interest. And honestly, it just makes a lot of sense for all parties."

While there is reported interest in O'Brien, the Patriots must comply with the Rooney Rule, which requires teams to interview multiple external candidates from historically excluded groups for vacant coordinator and other positions.

That is especially notable amid the lawsuit former Miami Dolphins head coach Brian Flores levied against the NFL on Tuesday, alleging racist hiring practices and discrimination.

O'Brien first joined the Patriots in 2007. He filled multiple roles across five years, rising to the coordinator position in his final season before leaving to lead Penn State in 2012.

He returned to the NFL as the Houston Texans' head coach in 2014 and was modestly successful, posting a 52-48 record with four playoff appearances in six-plus seasons, but he was dismissed following an 0-4 start to the 2020 campaign.

O'Brien joined Nick Saban's staff at Alabama for the 2021 season. The Crimson Tide offense ranked sixth in scoring (39.9 points per game) and seventh in yards (488.2 per game).

Now the 52-year-old Dorchester, Massachusetts, native could return to New England. The Pats ranked second in total offense (428 yards per game) and third in scoring offense (32.1 points per game) in 2011, but that comes with the caveat that Tom Brady was the quarterback.

Posting similar success with Mac Jones would be a tougher task.

Jones put together a solid rookie season after being selected in the first round of the 2021 draft. He completed 67.6 percent of his throws for 3,801 yards with 22 touchdowns and 13 interceptions, but he still has work to do before he's locked in long-term.

The New England front office must also put more playmakers around him if the passing game is going to take a step forward.

Meanwhile, no interviews for the vacancy have been reported, so the Pats are seemingly in the early stages of their search. As Rapoport suggested, it could take a while before they make a choice.

It sounds like O'Brien will emerge as a top contender, though.

Alabama head coach Nick Saban isn't planning to be in the market for a new offensive coordinator this offseason.

ESPN's Adam Schefter last week named Crimson Tide offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach Bill O'Brien as a possible replacement for Josh McDaniels as the offensive coordinator for the New England Patriots.

On Wednesday, Saban downplayed the rumors.

"We have no indication of that, other than what y'all put on the internet right now, which is a lot of maybes," he told reporters. "We're not trying to address anything that might happen."

Nobody expects O'Brien to be on the Alabama staff for the long haul.

Following the success of Lane Kiffin from 2014-16, the Crimson Tide offensive coordinator position has served as a springboard to bigger and better things.

Kiffin returned to the head coach ranks at Florida Atlantic in 2017 and has spent the last two years as the head coach at Ole Miss. His replacement, Brian Daboll, was at Alabama for only one season before filling the Buffalo Bills' offensive coordinator vacancy and just became the head coach for the New York Giants. It was Steve Sarkisian's turn in 2019, and he parlayed two years with the Tide into the head job at Texas.

O'Brien's experience with New England makes a move to the Patriots plausible. He joined the franchise as an offensive assistant in 2007 and moved up to become offensive coordinator in 2011. He then became the head coach for Penn State (2012-13) and the Houston Texans (2014-20).

"His experience developing quarterbacks and calling plays would make him a strong [fit] for the role," The Athletic's Matthew Fairburn wrote of the 52-year-old's potential to succeed McDaniels. "Belichick typically hires coaches he's familiar with, and O'Brien checks that box as well."

Alabama's offensive coordinator turnover has done little to hurt the team on the field. The Tide won the national championship in 2017 after Kiffin left and were the national runners-up following Daboll's and Sarkisian's departures.

Should O'Brien bolt, it will probably be business as usual for Saban, and he'll have no shortage of interested candidates for the position.

Texas A&M landed one of the best recruiting classes in the country for the 2022 cycle, and head coach Jimbo Fisher didn't hesitate to rebut rumors suggesting the program paid players a hefty sum via name, image and likeness rules to commit. 

"That had nothing to do with this class. ... This was hard work by our staff," he said during an appearance on CBS Sports' national signing day show. "... It's insulting to the kids who come here that you insinuate that. And people insinuate that off things that were taken off a message board BroBible by a guy named Sliced Bread, whoever the heck that is, who has no clue about what goes on."

As for the rumor Fisher was addressing, BroBible published an article titled "Texas A&M Boosters Spent Unfathomable Amount of Money to Land No. 1 Recruiting Class, per Report."

The article included a rumor from the message board user SlicedBread suggesting the Aggies paid up to $30 million to secure their recruiting class:      

Regardless of such speculation, Texas A&M has impressed on the recruiting trail. In fact, it has the No. 1 overall class, per 247Sports' composite rankings, and finished ahead of traditional powerhouses such as Alabama and Ohio State, as well as the defending national champions in Georgia.

Brian Perroni of 247Sports noted Wednesday's commitment of defensive lineman Shemar Stewart clinched Texas A&M's spot as the highest-rated class ever based on the site's composite ranking system that goes back to 2010.

The Aggies have 328.59 points compared to Alabama's record of 327.76 set last year.

Insinuating rival schools are cheating to land recruits has long been a part of college football fandom, especially when it comes to message boards. The formation of the NIL rules will likely only fuel speculation that programs are paying head-turning amounts of money for players.

Rarely does it reach the level that a head coach addresses it, but Fisher did Wednesday while putting the finishing touches on his class.

Next up for the Aggies' fifth-year coach is parlaying this impressive recruiting class into a double-digit win season, which Texas A&M has done just once since the 1998 campaign.    

LSU head coach Brian Kelly may have to work on his dance moves and recruiting ability.

Bruce Feldman of Fox Sports and The Athletic reported prospect Danny Lewis chose Alabama over LSU. That is notable for more than just the recruiting battle between SEC West rivals, as Lewis happened to be the player Kelly danced with during a viral video:

The video even inspired some trolling from Ole Miss head coach Lane Kiffin:

As for Lewis, he is a 3-star prospect and the No. 31 overall tight end in the 2022 recruiting class, per 247Sports' composite rankings. He is from Louisiana but chose the Crimson Tide over his state's flagship program in a move that may even have Nick Saban dancing.

Just not on TikTok.       

Shemar Stewart, a 5-star defensive end from Opa Locka, Florida, committed to Texas A&M on Wednesday.

"I feel like we have the potential to be the best in the nation, especially in that front four," he said of A&M to Andrew Ivins of 247Sports. "I feel like if everything clicks and we come together as a team, I don't think anyone is going to be able to stop us."

Stewart is the No. 3 defensive lineman and No. 10 overall player in the 2022 recruiting class, per 247Sports' composite rankings.

Being a man among boys is a tired cliche, but it applies to Stewart. He's 6'6" and 272 pounds, so he almost looks out of place physically at the high school level. For context, Jadeveon Clowney was 6'5" and 255 pounds coming out of South Pointe High School in 2011, and Chase Young was 6'5" and 251 pounds before signing with Ohio State in 2017.

Barton Simmons of 247Sports evaluated Stewart in March and unsurprisingly rated him a 10 out of 10 in "frame."

He also graded the Monsignor Pace star as a nine out of 10 in point of attack, closing speed and athleticism while comparing him to Kansas City Chiefs star Chris Jones: 

Long, lean, muscular defensive lineman with no bad weight, an imposing frame, long arms and thick lower half. Body type has the potential to continue to bulk up as a jumbo edge rusher or even kick inside long term given early stage of his development. Plays to his size on film. Brutish pass rusher that has an effective long-arm, can walk offensive tackles back to the quarterback and can win with speed. Has top end combine athleticism. Controls and sheds blocks effectively against the run. Has downfield speed in pursuit. Very limited nuance or finesse in his pass rush. Has some stiffness in space. Plays too high right now but can get away with it.

Simmons said Stewart has the potential to be a No. 1 pick in the NFL draft if he hits his ceiling.

Stewart owes some of his success to the fact that he can overpower opposing blockers, whether he's facing single- or double-teams. His advantage in that regard could wane in FBS, but he'll still have an edge in size and strength over a lot of offensive tackles and tight ends.

At worst, Stewart should become a very good pass-rusher who piles up a handful of sacks. If he can hone his technique, he can be a dominant All-American-type defender who wreaks havoc in the pocket on almost every play, much like Clowney and Young did.

Stewart is a massive addition for the Aggies defense in 2022 and beyond.

When he denied any interest in the LSU job, Jimbo Fisher pointed to the 2022 recruiting class as one reason why he was staying in College Station. 

The Aggies are first in 247Sports' composite team rankings with previous commitments from six 5-star players: wide receiver Evan Stewart, defensive lineman Gabriel Brownlow-Dindy, quarterback Conner Weigman, cornerback Denver Harris, defensive lineman Walter Nolen and edge defender Enai White. Now, Stewart is entering the mix.

An 8-4 regular season wasn't what fans expected, but 2022 could be a pivotal year for Fisher and A&M.

Former Alabama Crimson Tide linebacker Trey DePriest was arrested in Ohio Thursday, according to WHIO TV.

DePriest was wanted on armed robbery, assault and felonious assault charges filed on Nov. 11 in Detroit. In a statement, Detroit police said they investigated a robbery at a hotel in which one of the suspects fired a shot, striking the victim, who was treated at a hospital and released. 

Per the report, police are still looking for the other suspect, Adrian Chilton. 

DePriest joined the Crimson Tide in 2011 out of Springfield (Ohio) High School. He was ranked as the No. 3 inside linebacker and No. 2 prospect in Ohio by 247Sports, and he chose Alabama over Ohio State, Michigan and Notre Dame, among others. 

DePriest spent four seasons at Alabama where he recorded two sacks, 232 tackles, 18 tackles for a loss, one interception, two forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries. He went undrafted and signed a free-agent deal with the Baltimore Ravens, spending most of the 2015 season on the team’s practice squad. 

DePriest hasn't played for any NFL team since 2015.