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tkmedia · 3 years

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The key storyline to follow for every top 25 college football team

The 2021 college football season will have no shortage of storylines. All four of last year's College Football Playoff teams are replacing their starting quarterbacks, which gives hope to a new group of teams (like Iowa State, North Carolina, and Texas A&M) that they have a shot to find a way into the final four.Talks of expanding the Playoff will continue during this season. Speaking of "talks of expanding", Oklahoma's and Texas' defection from the Big 12 to the SEC has set college athletics ablaze with rumors of a massive realignment of some leagues and the folding of others. The NCAA is even signaling that their time as the complete umbrella of college sports is coming to an end. The name and image likeness rules get their first real test with the upcoming football season while transfer rules and the extra year of eligibility due to the pandemic season add extra intrigue to what should be an exciting ... and somewhat normal ... college football season.But that's the storylines of the sport as a whole. Each team enters the season with their own questions and concerns; dreams and goals. So here are the key storylines for every top 25 team.

Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports Can Nick Saban win his 8th national championship? A lot of teams have the question of "how do you replace this guy" or depth problems or inexperience or whatever. Alabama has those issues too but we've moved past that. They've won championships with different kinds of quarterbacks. They've stocked the NFL with first-round picks and are the epitome of next man up. Heisman Trophy winners have come and gone. Alabama has all of those issues to deal with in 2021 but they're back as the title favorites yet again. You don't question how Nick Saban will manage as much as you just believe he will. The man has won seven national championships -- six of them at Alabama in the last twelve years. His legacy is cemented, as we are at the point of him just piling on the superlatives. The question really isn't "can Nick Saban win his 8th national championship" as much as "who is gonna stop him". Ken Ruinard / staff via Imagn Content Services, LLC Moving on from the Trevor Lawrence-Travis Etienne era.Clemson was 39-3 during the Trevor Lawrence era in Clemson, which included three ACC titles and a national championship. It also included two blowout losses in the College Football Playoff that have abruptly ended the Tigers' last two seasons. Lawrence is gone, as is the ACC's all-time leading rusher Travis Etienne. Clemson has two guys they feel are capable of keeping the ball rolling in D.J. Uiagalelei and Lyn-J Dixon, but it is a major reload to deal with as teams like Miami and North Carolina feel as if they have a shot at taking down the six-time conference champions. Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports Will Spencer Rattler be the next Sooner Heisman winner? The biggest story around the Oklahoma program this year will likely be the school's move to the SEC in a few years, but on the field, it will be about quarterback Spencer Rattler. As a freshman in 2020, he threw for 3.031 yards, 28 TDs, and just 7 interceptions despite not having a normal offseason program. He followed Jalen Hurts (national champion), Kyler Murray (Heisman winner; No. 1 overall draft pick), and Baker Mayfield (Heisman winner; No. 1 overall draft pick). The four playoff teams from a year ago will be replacing their quarterbacks, giving Oklahoma a distinct advantage heading into the season. Joseph Maiorana-USA TODAY Sports Who is the quarterback?Like the other three schools who were in last year's College Football Playoff, Ohio State will be replacing their quarterback. The big difference in Columbus is that they aren't exactly sure who the new guy will be. Signs point to freshman C.J. Stroud as the favorite to start when the season begins, but fellow freshmen Kyle McCord and Jack Miller III will be chomping at the bit to step in. Stroud and Miller played sparingly during garbage time last season as backups to Justin Fields, but McCord is the higher-rated recruit who may eventually secure the job. Add to the mix Quinn Ewers, who in early August decided to skip his senior season of high school and enroll at Ohio State early. It is doubtful he could win the starting job, but he may end up being the best of the bunch. In any event, someone needs to take the reins if the Buckeyes are to get back to the national championship game. Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports Is it finally Georgia's time?Kirby Smart is 44-9 over his last four seasons in Athens, winning 28 of 33 SEC games, three bowl wins, and an SEC championship. They've finished either first or second in the East division every year and played for the 2017-2018 national championship with a freshman quarterback. The program is ready to enter that elite level that has eluded them for far too long. The offense is stacked with an experienced quarterback (JT Daniels), a talented running attack (led by Zamir White), and a group of skilled receivers ready to break out. The key will be a very young defensive secondary who will need to grow up quickly for the Dawgs title dreams to be realized. Gary Cosby Jr/The Tuscaloosa News via USA TODAY Sports Who is replacing Kellen Mond? Kellen Mond, who it seems as if was at Texas A&M for a decade, is now in the NFL and head coach Jimbo Fisher must find someone to replace him. The candidates are both really good and really diverse. Zach Calzada has the big arm who can stretch defenses and opens up the playbook. Haynes King is more athletic and spent last season as Mond's backup on the depth chart. King's speed and ability to move around may be more valuable as the Aggies are rebuilding their offensive line. The good news is that A&M's first five games allow them to learn on the fly before their big showdown with Alabama at Kyle Field in mid-October. Tim Heitman-USA TODAY Sports Can the Cyclones cash in on the perfect storm?Everyone should be rooting for Iowa State. They are the little guy trying to punch their way up to the big time. They've got a Heisman candidate quarterback in Brock Purdy, who may be the best QB in program history. They've got another Heisman candidate in running back Breece Hall, who was a first-team All-American last year. The entire starting offensive line is back as well as much of the defense, led by linebacker Mike Rose. Don't forget that Iowa State won the Big 12 regular season by two games in 2020, before losing to Oklahoma in a thrilling Big 12 title game. Head coach Matt Campbell is on nearly every NFL GM's list to call when they have an opening. Add in the current turmoil in the Big 12 which will lead to an anti-Oklahoma and Texas sentiment and it creates a perfect storm for Iowa State to strike for a conference title and more in 2021. Purdy, Hall, much of the defense, and Campbell could all be gone after the season. Make this season count. Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports Is rebuilding an offense around two really good backs the right move?Notre Dame could be due for a bit of a drop-off in 2021. Most of the offense from last year turned over (nine starters gone), Wisconsin grad transfer Jack Coan takes over for Ian Book at quarterback, and are rebuilding their offensive line. So backs Kyren Williams and Chris Tyree will be the focal points of the offense as everyone else get comfortable in their roles. Offensive coordinator Tommy Rees loves a solid running attack and will need to get that going in a hurry as the Irish have a difficult schedule to navigate. Notre Dame has four straight 10+ win seasons coming into the year, but with games on tap against Florida State, Wisconsin, Cincinnati, USC, and North Carolina, that streak could be in jeopardy if the offense struggles. Brad McClenny-USA TODAY NETWORK Fixing a defense that collapsed last year.Of the top nine schools on this list, only Oklahoma, Iowa State, and Georgia aren't breaking in new starting quarterbacks (the Gators will be replacing Kyle Trask with Emory Jones), but that's not where the questions lie. What's up with the defense? Florida was on the cusp of gaining a College Football Playoff berth when their defense just fell apart. A stunning home loss to a bad LSU team in the regular-season finale (37-34) began the puzzling trend. Then came a loss to Alabama in the SEC championship, which was competitive but saw Florida give out 52 points to the Tide. Finally comes a 55-20 spanking at the hands of Oklahoma in the Cotton Bowl and fans are upset at high-priced defensive coordinator Todd Grantham. There is talent all over that defense but stunning breakdowns keep happening. Corner Kalir Elam, DL Zachary Carter, and rusher Brenton Cox Jr. are great pieces to build around with the hope that a second-year under Grantham's scheme will net better results. Sam Greene via Imagn Content Services, LLC Can the Bearcats do it again?In 2020, Cincinnati went 8-0 in the regular season, beat Tulsa in the AAC title game and pushed Georgia to the brink before losing in the closing seconds of the Peach Bowl. One of the best seasons in Bearcats football but one that felt unfulfilled. Fans felt that they were not only robbed of a spot in the College Football Playoff but disrespected after ranking just 8th in the final poll. So can the Bearcats pull it off again? After all, quarterback and AAC Offensive Player of the Year Desmond Ridder returns and is a darkhorse Heisman candidate in 2021. Also back is that punishing defense, who held 7 of 10 opponents to 20 points or less and only one opponent, UCF, to score more than 24 points. Head coach Luke Fickell has also beefed up the schedule with road trips to Indiana and Notre Dame, so an undefeated record against an admittedly soft AAC schedule this year will look better if they can beat the Hoosiers and Irish. Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports Will Oregon's defense carry them into the playoff?The Ducks' 2020 season was a bit rocky. Justin Herbert was tearing it up in the NFL and not in Eugene anymore, the season was initially canceled before being thrown back together at the last minute, and several high-profile players opted out of the season. Despite all of that, Oregon did win the Pac-12 championship (head nod to Washington) and looks to pull off a third straight title. This defense is stout. End Kayvon Thibodeaux may be the best defensive player in the country, linebacker Noah Sewell had a fantastic freshman season and the secondary is filled with playmakers. Sure, defensive coordinator, Andy Avalos is now the head coach at Boise State, but new DC Tim DeRuyter wants his troops to be aggressive creating turnovers. With yet another new quarterback this fall, the defense may need to carry the load -- especially in Week 2 when the Ducks waddle to Columbus to face Ohio State. Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports Can Sam Howell offset losing a lot of offensive power? Sam Howell is a Heisman candidate in what likely will be his final season before becoming one of the top picks in the 2022 NFL Draft. He's clutch has swagger and has all the tools to be a star. What he doesn't have are all those skill guys that had big seasons in 2021. Michael Carter and Javnonte Williams were the best running back duo in the nation last year and he won't have Dyami Brown and Dazz Newsome to throw to anymore. Mack Brown has done an exceptional job recruiting in his second stint in Chapel Hill, and those guys stepping in must produce if the Tar Heels are going to take the next step towards a conference title. Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports Can Clay Helton save his job by getting USC back to where they belong? You know how you view Alabama right now? That's how we used to feel about USC in the 2000s. Now we view USC a bit like Alabama in the 2000s -- during the Dennis Franchione/Mike Shula era. Last year was a start in the right direction as the Trojans went 5-0 in league play before getting dumped by a 3-2 Oregon team in the Pac-12 title game. Needless to say, Clay Helton didn't cool off his hot seat very much as he enters 2021 as one of the top names on the pre-season chopping blocks. This Trojans team is good, as Kedon Slovis has a chance to be one of the best QBs in the country and this defense can be one of the best in the conference. If USC doesn't contend for a league title, another coaching change is likely. Stephen Lew-USA TODAY Sports What was the fluke: 2019 or 2020?LSU followed up one of the most magical and dominating seasons in college football history with one of the most puzzling and uneven years a defending champion has gone through. Yes, LSU filled the 2020 NFL Draft with a lot of talent that was going to be next to impossible to replace. Sure, Ed Orgeron's assistants used the success of their national championship in 2019 to move up the coaching ladder, and the replacements didn't fill their shoes very well. So Orgeron has hired two new coordinators to right the ship. On offense, Jake Peetz's job will be to figure out who their starting quarterback is: Senior Myles Brennan (who missed most of the season with an abdominal tear), Max Johnson, or TJ Finley ... sophomores who took over when Brennan went down. On defense, Daronte Jones is tasked with fixing the worst passing defense in the nation last year (and that was with Derek Stingley Jr. in the secondary). The Tigers have a lot of talent coming back, but can this coaching staff capture just a little bit of that '19 magic to calm down a notoriously fickle fan base? Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports Can Michael Penix Jr. Read the full article

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thatstrueonline · 5 years

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BMI celebrated the songwriters, producers and publishers of the past year’s most-performed R&B/hip-hop songs during the 2019 BMI R&B/Hip-Hop Awards held at the Sandy Springs Arts Center in Atlanta. Multiple-award-winning singer/songwriter and actress Brandy received the BMI President’s Award in recognition of her powerful impact on the entertainment industry and her timeless hits, which have secured her place in R&B history.

Hosted by BMI President & CEO Mike O’Neill and BMI Vice President, Creative, Atlanta, Catherine Brewton, the evening included stellar performances by some of the hottest artists on the music scene. The ceremony kicked off with a moving tribute video in honor of the late rapper and activist Nipsey Hussle to celebrate his musical legacy and remarkable philanthropic work. Atlanta-based rapper Gunna followed with a medley of his biggest hits, ending with his smash “Drip Too Hard,” featuring Lil Baby, who joined him on stage for the performance. Afterwards, Gunna received a special award in recognition of the song garnering one billion streams. Television personality and comedian, DC Young Fly then presented Memphis rapper NLE Choppa with the 2019 BMI Social Star Award.

The evening also featured a series of special tributes to Brandy, beginning with contemporary R&B singer/songwriter Jade Novah performing a beautiful rendition of “Talk About Our Love.” The tributes continued with Samoht singing a stripped-down version of “Brokenhearted,” followed by gospel singer Kierra Sheard’s sultry performance of two of Brandy’s ballads, “Have You Ever” and “He Is.” Eric Bellinger rounded out the tributes with “Baby” and “Nothing” which had the audience singing along. Brandy’s brother, Ray J, took to the stage and serenaded his sister with “Best Friend” before she was presented with the BMI President’s Award. Brandy accepted the accolade with an impromptu performance, encouraged by the audience, of “I Wanna Be Down,” before singing her iconic hit “Almost Doesn’t Count.”

The event also honored the top producers and songwriters of the previous year’s 35 best-performing R&B/hip-hop songs in the U.S. from BMI’s repertoire of more than 14 million musical works. Wheezy Beatz tied for Producer of the Year with Tay Keith. Keith also received the coveted Songwriter of the Year award, an honor he shared with Post Malone, marking his second tie for the evening. Song of the Year went to “God’s Plan” by Yung Exclusive and Marciano and Sony/ATV was named Publisher of the Year for having 18 of the most performed songs of the year including “Sicko Mode,” “I Like It” and “In My Feelings.”

As the 2019 BMI President’s Award honoree, Brandy joins previous recipients Curtis Mayfield, Ludacris, Toni Braxton and Will.i.am, among others in sharing this distinction.

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MAJOR WINNERS: 2019 BMI R&B/Hip-Hop Awards

R&B/HIP-HOP SONG OF THE YEAR God’s Plan Daveon “Yung Exclusive” Jackson Brock “Marciano” Korsan Annuity Songs Nasrock Music Publishing Songs of Kobalt Music Publishing Yex Publishing

R&B/HIP-HOP SONGWRITER OF THE YEAR BryTavious “Tay Keith” Chambers Look Alive Nonstop Sicko Mode

Post Malone Better Now I Fall Apart Psycho

R&B/HIP-HOP PUBLISHER OF THE YEAR Sony/ATV Music Publishing Be Careful Better Now Boo’d Up Butterfly Effect Fefe Finesse (Remix) I Fall Apart I Like It In My Feelings Lucid Dreams MotorSport No Limit Nonstop Pray for Me Psycho Sicko Mode Sky Walker Taste

R&B/HIP-HOP PRODUCER OF THE YEAR BryTavious “Tay Keith” Chambers Wesley “Wheezy Beatz” Glass

PRESIDENT’S AWARD Brandy

SOCIAL STAR NLE Choppa

BMI 35 Most Performed R&B/Hip-Hop Songs

All the Stars Kendrick Lamar SZA Anthony “Top Dawg” Tiffith Songs of Kobalt Music Publishing Songs of Universal, Inc.

Bartier Cardi Samuel “30Roc” Gloade Jaucquez “London Jae” Lowe Darryl “Cheeze Beatz” McCorkell Lamont “EZ Elpee” Porter BMG Platinum Songs US Have We Got Music For You Mushie Music Ten Down Muzik TJK Forever Publishing Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp.

Be Careful Adam “Frank Dukes” Feeney (SOCAN) Ghostface Killah Lamont “U-God” Hawkins Jason-Scott “Rebel-INS.” Hunter Method Man Ol’ Dirty Bastard RZA Jorden “Pardison Fontaine” Thorpe Corey Woods EMI-Blackwood Music, Inc. MYNY Music Sam Fam Beats Sony/ATV Ballad Sony/ATV Songs LLC Universal Music-Careers Wu Tang Publishing, Inc.

Better Now Adam “Frank Dukes” Feeney (SOCAN) Post Malone Austin Rosen Electric Feel Music EMI-Blackwood Music, Inc. MYNY Music Posty Publishing Sam Fam Beats Songs of Universal, Inc. Sony/ATV Songs LLC

Big Bank DJ Mustard Nye “NANO” Lee, Jr. Nicki Minaj YG Ce A Million Music Irving Music Kjack Publishing Mustard on the Beat Publishing Songs of Roc Nation Music Songs of Universal, Inc. Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp.

Boo’d Up DJ Mustard Larrance Dopson Ella Mai Blue Nike Publishing Ella Mai Publishing Mustard on the Beat Publishing peermusic lll, Ltd. Songs of Roc Nation Music Songs of Volume Ventures Sony/ATV Ballad Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp.

Butterfly Effect Felix Leone (SOCAN) Travis Scott Sony/ATV Ballad Travis Scott Music

Crew Brent Faiyaz Teddy Walton Songs of Kobalt Music Publishing Teddy Walton Publishing

Fefe Kevin Gomringer Tim Gomringer Andrew “Trifedrew” Green Nicki Minaj Tekashi 6ix9ine Create Digital Music Songs of Universal, Inc. Sony/ATV Ballad

Finesse (Remix) Ray Romulus Jonathan Yip Music for Milo Please Enjoy the Music Sony/ATV Songs LLC Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp.

God’s Plan Daveon “Yung Exclusive” Jackson Brock “Marciano” Korsan Annuity Songs Nasrok Music Publishing Songs of Kobalt Music Publishing Yex Publishing

Good Old Days Ben Haggerty Andrew Joslyn Bengal Yucky Publishing D.B. Joslyn Music Songs of Kobalt Music Publishing

Him & I Dakari Ashley Frangipane Edgar “Edd Grand” Machuca 17 Black Music BMG Platinum Songs US Cider Sounds Songs of Kobalt Music Publishing Songs of Universal, Inc.

I Fall Apart Carlo “Illangelo” Montagnese (SOCAN) Post Malone Posty Publishing Songs of Hear The Art Songs of Universal, Inc. Sony/ATV Ballad

I Get the Bag Southside Leland “Metro Boomin” Wayne Irving Music Pluto Mars Music Royal Legend Publishing Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp.

I Like It J Balvin Edgar “Edd Grand” Machuca Luian Malave Marcos Masís “Tainy” Tony Pabon Manny Rodriguez Jorden “Pardison Fontaine” Thorpe Anthony “J.White Did It” White BMG Platinum Songs US EMI-Blackwood Music, Inc. EMI-Longitude Music Co. Songs of Kobalt Music Publishing Songs of LVS Music Publishing Sony/ATV Ballad Universal-Música Unica Publishing

In My Feelings Jim Jonsin Lil Wayne Magnolia Shorty Adam “BlaqNmilD” Pigott Benny Workman Rex Zamor Eighth And Groove Music EMI-Blackwood Music, Inc. Jimipub Music Laumar Music Co. peermusic lll, Ltd. Songs of Kobalt Music Publishing Songs of Volume Ventures TrapMoneyBenny Songs Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp. You A Genius Publishing Young Money Publishing, Inc.

Lemon Rihanna Monica Fenty Music Publishing Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp.

Look Alive Paul “DJ Paul” Beauregard BlocBoy JB BryTavious “Tay Keith” Chambers Jordan “Juicy J” Houston Patrick “Project Pat” Houston Bloc Nation BMG Bumblebee BMG Platinum Songs US Lakeith Legacy Publishing Tefnoise Publishing LLC Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp.

Lucid Dreams Juice Wrld Dominic Miller (PRS) Nick Mira Taz Taylor Sting (PRS) Artist 101 Publishing Group BMG Platinum Songs US Electric Feel Music EMI-Blackwood Music, Inc. Nick Mira Publishing Songs of Kobalt Music Publishing Songs of Universal, Inc. Taz Taylor Beats

MotorSport Kevin Gomringer Tim Gomringer Nicki Minaj Songs of Universal, Inc. Sony/ATV Songs LLC

Nice for What Jerome “5th/Ward Weebie” Cosey Ghostface Killah Lamont “U-God” Hawkins Jason-Scott “Rebel-INS.” Hunter Mannie Fresh Method Man Ol’ Dirty Bastard Adam “BlaqNmilD” Pigott RZA Bryan “Baby” Williams Corey Woods Fresh Is The Word Money Mack Music Songs of Kobalt Music Publishing Songs of Universal, Inc. Universal Music-Careers Wobblemart Publishing Wu Tang Publishing, Inc. You A Genius Publishing

No Brainer Nick Balding DJ Khaled Nolan Lambroza David Park BMG Platinum Songs US Give Thanks Publishing Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp.

No Limit A$AP Rocky Jay Anthony Edgar “Edd Grand” Machuca Jorden “Pardison Fontaine” Thorpe A$AP Rocky Publishing LLC BMG Platinum Songs US Sony/ATV Ballad Sony/ATV Songs LLC

Nonstop BryTavious “Tay Keith” Chambers Sakata Oatis Kenza Samir (SOCAN) EMI-Blackwood Music, Inc. Great South Bay Music Lakeith Legacy Publishing Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp.

Plug Walk Grant “Lab Cook” Dickinson (SOCAN) JRHITMAKER Tay Taylor Annuity Songs Artist 101 Publishing Group Electric Feel Music JR Hitmaker Publishing Songs of Kobalt Music Publishing Songs of Universal, Inc. Taz Taylor Beats

Pray for Me Adam “Frank Dukes” Feeney (SOCAN) Kendrick Lamar Anthony “Top Dawg” Tiffith EMI-Blackwood Music, Inc. MYNY Music Sam Fam Beats Songs of Kobalt Music Publishing Sony/ATV Songs LLC

Psycho Tyrone “Ty Dolla $ign” Griffin, Jr. Post Malone Austin Rosen Electric Feel Music EMI-Blackwood Music, Inc. Its Drugs Publishing Posty Publishing Songs of Universal, Inc.

Ric Flair Drip Leland “Metro Boomin” Wayne Songs of Universal, Inc.

Sicko Mode Khalif “Swae Lee” Brown Busta Rhymes Luther “Uncle Luke” Campbell Rogét Chahayed BryTavious “Tay Keith” Chambers Mike Dean Rick Finch Kevin Gomringer Tim Gomringer John Hawkins Bryan Higgins Chauncey “Hit Boy” Hollis James “Dinco D” Jackson KC Travis Scott Fred Scruggs, Jr. Tyrone “Sonny Seeza” Taylor Cydel Young BMG Platinum Songs US EMI-Longitude Music Co. Fat Pat Lives Music Ill Hill Billy’z Muzik, Inc. Lakeith Legacy Publishing Mr. Redan Music of Ever Hip-Hop Music of Evergreen Papa George Music Songs of Universal, Inc. Sony/ATV Ballad Sony/ATV Melody Travis Scott Music Tziah Music U Can’t Teach Bein’ The Shhh, Inc. Universal Music-Z Songs Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp.

Sky Walker Rogét Chahayed Happy Perez Travis Scott Songs of Universal, Inc. Sony/ATV Ballad Travis Scott Music

Stir Fry Harry Palmer (PRS) Embassy Music Corporation

Taste Cameron Forbes Tyga EMI-Blackwood Music, Inc. Sound of Money Tygaman Music Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp.

Walk It Talk It Grant “Deko” Decouto DJ Montay Harbosky Martiniz Gordon Frederick D. Hall “Jamezz Bonn” Donald B. Jenkins Brian Nash Korey “Big Oomp” Roberson Howard “MC Assault” Simmons Southern Style Techniques, Inc. Top Quality Publishing Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp.

Yes Indeed Branden Brown aka B-Rackz Wesley “Wheezy Beatz” Glass Annuity Songs Songs of B-Rackz Ultra Empire Music

Brandy Honored with the BMI President’s Award at the 2019 BMI R&B/Hip-Hop Awards BMI celebrated the songwriters, producers and publishers of the past year’s most-performed R&B/hip-hop songs during the 2019 BMI R&B/Hip-Hop Awards held at the Sandy Springs Arts Center in Atlanta.

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auburnfamilynews · 6 years

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We are officially less than a month from early signing day, so here are some storylines to track over the next few weeks.

Early signing day is less than a month away which means it’s reached crunch time for the majority of the recruits in the 2019 class. With the regular season coming to an end this weekend, teams will one again be able to hit the road and visit with prospects in person. There will be a flurry of official visits leading up to December 19th and as always, plenty of drama. Here’s a look at the biggest storylines to track over the coming weeks for the Tigers.

Will Auburn hang onto to Owen Pappoe?

Coaching change rumors can be the death knell to a solid recruiting class. As much as we all like the sentiment of “pick the coach not the school” in reality that rarely happens. If you don’t like the man in charge of the program, it can be difficult to love the school. On the other hand, if you love the head coach then you might all of a sudden find yourself much more attracted to a program.

I say all this because it explains why 5* LB Owen Pappoe has gone from one of Auburn’s most solid commitment to a possible toss up between the Tigers and the Tennessee Volunteers. Everything changed after that lost to the Vols back in early October. Not only was Pappoe in attendance with his close friend and Tennessee commit 5* OT Wanya Morris but immediately following that loss is when the cries for Gus’s job became much louder and more realistic. That hasn’t gone unnoticed by Auburn’s top rated prospect.

Jeremy Pruitt and the Volunteer staff have used that controversy to make a strong push. Helped out by Pappoe’s teammate and close friend Morris, the Vols have hosted Pappoe twice in recent weeks in Knoxville. The biggest red flag coming when Pappoe elected to not attend Auburn’s dramatic come from behind win over Texas A&M but instead watched the Vols stumble their way to a 14-3 victory over Charlotte.

Now, with recent support from both Allen Greene and Steven Leath, it seems extremely unlikely a coaching change will happen for Auburn after this season. That also guarantees that Travis Williams will be back as well next year. For pretty much his whole recruitment, the word from all of Auburn’s insiders have been that as long as T-WILL is at Auburn, Pappoe will sign with the Tigers. That still appears to be the belief on the Plains though I am nowhere near as confident as I once was in that statement. But if there’s any coach Auburn fans should trust on the recruiting trail it’s Travis Williams. The Tennessee threat is very real but as of today, I still think he signs with Auburn though that confidence has greatly diminished.

Can the Tigers land Kelly Bryant?

Most of the time a senior quarterback leaving because he was beat out by a true freshman would not be someone highly sought after by top programs. However, this is a very unique case. Bryant led Clemson to an ACC title last season and an undefeated record through the first three weeks of the 2018 campaign. But it was pretty clear that phenom freshman Trevor Lawrence was very much living up to the hype and Dabo made the tough decision to switch to Lawrence before Clemson’s showdown with Syracuse.

Thanks to the graduate transfer rule and the new redshirt rule, Bryant could still preserve his senior year of eligibility because he had only played in 3 games and had graduated. He’s now one of the prized “free agents” of this recruiting class. Auburn is one of many teams that have thrown their hat in the ring.

Arkansas was considered the initial favorite but things have muddied some since then. Bryant has taken official visits so far to Arkansas, Missouri, Mississippi State and North Carolina. All four are legitimate threats to land the talented dual threat QB. He was expected to use his final official visit on a trip to Miami and then take a mid week unofficial visit to the Plains. But plans have apparently changed.

News: Source tells me that former Clemson QB Kelly Bryant has scrapped his official visit to Miami this weekend and will instead use his last official visit to go to Auburn next week.@CaneSport @JLeeAURivals

— Woody Wommack (@RivalsWoody) November 20, 2018

This is pretty huge news for the Tigers. It seems pretty obvious that Jarrett Stidham won’t be back next season and it appears the staff might not be comfortable turning this offense over to Malik Willis. While I am the lead conductor of the Bo Nix hype train, I have to imagine that turning this offense over to a true freshman on what could be a do or die year for Malzahn does not seem appealing. Bryant is a talented QB who is a very good fit for what Gus likes to do. Auburn will get a chance to make the last major pitch to Bryant and then he’s expected to make his decision on December 4th. Do not be surprised if the Tigers trot out another transfer QB to start the season in 2019.

What Top 100 talent might Auburn land in December?

The Tigers currently have four commitments ranked in the 247 Composite Top 100. Auburn is hoping to add a few more before in a few weeks. 5* WR Jadon Haselwood, 5* OT Wanya Morris, 5* LB Nakobe Dean, 5* C Clay Webb, 4* CB Tyrique Stevenson, 4* OT Amari Kight, 4* OG William Putnam and 4* LB Trezman Marshall are all top Auburn targets that are expected to sign early. The Tigers would LOVE for a few of those names to sign with Auburn when that time comes.

As of today, I think the only name on that list Auburn probably leads for is Putnam. Haselwood appears to be trending elsewhere, Morris firm with Tennessee, Dean a Bama/UGA battle, Webb a Bama/UGA/CLEM battle, Stevenson an UGA lean, Kight a pretty solid Bama commit and Auburn trailing Tennessee as the threat to flip Marshall from UGA. Putnam, on the other hand, might be trending Auburn but the Tigers will have to fight off a strong push from Clemson. The Tampa native took an official visit there this past weekend and is now expected to have a decision in the coming weeks. Given Auburn’s struggles in the interior, you could make the argument that he’s Auburn’s most important target on the board right now. He’s supposedly close with a number of Auburn commits, most notably 3* TE Luke Deal. As of today, I think he will end up a Tiger.

As for Marshall, he seems far from solid with Georgia. He took an OV to Tennessee this past weekend and admitted he’s having a hard time with his decision. The Vols appear to have made a surge but the Tigers will more than likely get his last official visit. He’s extremely close with both Owen Pappoe and Travis Williams. Can T-WILL steal another elite LB target from the Dawgs?

One final name on that list to maybe keep an eye on might actually be Amari Kight. The longtime Alabama commit chose the Tide over the Tigers earlier this spring and for the most part appears to be extremely solid. But Alabama is trending for 5* OT Evan Neal which would give them 3 Top 100 OTs in the class. Maybe that doesn’t matter to Kight but if Auburn can get him on campus again for an official visit and can sell him on the huge need right now on the Plains, maybe they pull off the surprise. I suspect though he will stick with the Tide.

Any Surprise Flips?

Auburn has already landed four commitments from recruits formerly committed to a different school in 4* DL Jaren Handy (LSU), 4* DB Cam’Ron Kelly (Virginia Tech), 3* DL Jamond Gordon (Ole Miss) and 3* OT Justin Osborne (TCU). They are pushing hard to add a few more names to this list.

4* DL Charles Moore (Mississippi State), 4* DE Curtis Fann (Florida State), 4* LB Kalen Deloach (Florida State), 3* DT LeDarrius Cox (Tennessee) and 3* OG Kingsley Eguakun (Miami) are all realistic flip options for the Tigers. Per AuburnUndercover’s Keith Niebuhr, Moore is expected to take an official visit to the Plains December 7th. He’s very close with Auburn commit Jaren Handy and was on campus a bunch earlier this year. This won’t be an easy pull but Auburn continues to make it interesting.

Fann and Deloach both chose the Noles over the Tigers this past summer but they may be reconsidering. Deloach has already taken an official visit to Auburn earlier this fall and admitted he was giving Auburn some serious consideration. Fann is expected to OV in December. I would not be surprised if either ended up on the Plains.

Finally, there is Cox and Eguakun. It feels like all year it’s been said that Cox was going to flip to Auburn but that’s yet to happen. Could it be because Auburn has made a strong push for Moore and Fann? Maybe. More than likely it could just be that Cox wanted to finish his high school season before focusing once again on recruiting. I expect he will be on an official visit to the Plains in December. Eguakun, on the other hand, seems to still be wrestling with his decision. Earlier this week 3* OG Kamaar Bell told Rivals Auburn was his leader. Would the Tigers take all three of Putnam, Bell and Eguakun if given the chance? I don’t know but that would be a nice problem to have.

Who Signs Early?

Finally, who exactly signs early will be interesting to see, especially among Auburn’s commitments. Last year, all but Coynis Miller, Matthew Hill and Richard Jibunor ended their recruitments in December. Jibunor only went that late because he didn’t understand the signing process while Miller and Hill both wanted to use some official visits in January. The Tigers kept all 3 in the class.

This time around, it looks like there will be three more commitments that will wait until February to sign. George Pickens, Jaren Handy and Jamond Gordon all appear poised to wait until the original National Signing Day to officially sign their letters of intent. I think Auburn will have to fight hard to keep all three on board during that time period but feel pretty good about them all ending up with the Tigers. It might actually be Gordon of that group that’s the least solid.

Despite the struggles on the field, Auburn is still poised to land an outstanding class in 2019. If they can close on a few of these top targets late then it could still end up as one of Gus Malzahn’s highest ranked classes ever.

War Eagle!

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musicdish · 7 years

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Bongo Boy Records Gospel Blues Volume One By Various Artists A Must Have

Review by – The Grouch | Sweden July 18, 2017 Record Label: Bongo Boy Records Territory: Worldwide Godmorgon från Sweden America! As it is currently morning here in Sweden I thought there would be no better time than now to give a listen and share my thoughts about Bongo Boy’s first Gospel Blues album. As anyone who has read my reviews knows, I really like the blues and growing up in Detroit I was heavily influenced by Motown. Given that the vast majority of the Motown greats learned to sing in church, it stands to reason that I would dig Gospel Blues. Naturally, I jumped at the chance to review the first album Bongo Boy has released that is comprised of exclusively Gospel Blues tracks. 1. Big Chris & D'Bare Bones Band - When Your Time Comes 2:48 - I like this song. I have head Big Chris on other Bongo Boy albums and know that he has a great voice for this type of music. There is something ominous, yet very cool about the guitar. This song actually strikes me as clos-er to the Crossroads than the Church, but there is no denying that this band has soul. I am groov-ing to the stings as Chris’ thundering voice tells me that I had better get everything worked out with Jesus before it is too late. This song is a great way to start the album. 2. Barb Maxey - Day by Day 4:14 - Oh yeah! I love that funky walkdown that starts the song. This song is a very standard blues progression and I love it. The thing about Barb is that while there is no doubt her band can smoke, the thing that blows my mind is her voice. I have heard Barb before and can say I am still amazed. When Barb is not singing she lets her band just groove. The guy playing keys really makes me smile! Then the guitar comes in with a huge bolt of lightning and I think it simply cannot get any better, but it does. A second guitar comes in for a duel that ends in a draw when Barb takes the song into the ending with her fantastic voice. 3. Bob Birthisel - Walkin' (To The Beat Of The Lord) 3:46 - The intro is killer! The thump of the bass drum sets the groove while Bob comes in with some fantastically soul filled vocals. Then the band hits its stride and all funk breaks loose. The background singers just add to the utter coolness of this track. All I can say is if Reverend Bob is preaching, I am there every Sunday morning! The Grouchette and I are going to a place about an hour away this afternoon, she doesn’t know it yet, but we will be driving to the beat of the Lord. 4. Mandy Brooks - God Don't Ever Change 3:18 - Man, Oh man I am such a sucker for slide guitar. This song is pure gold. This is a blend of Country and Blues filled with a huge dose of lyrics which are sung in an utterly stunning twang. I have not been this moved by, what I would call old-school Country music since Hank III showed me the light. Well done, Mandy, well done! 5. Terry Fellers - Lay Your Hands Upon The Rock 3:13 - Oh WOW! This reminds me of the old Messiah Prophet Band. Simply put, this is blues based metal that rocks for Jesus. What would Jesus do? He’d rip it up on a Stratocaster with a Marshall stack. I dig this song! Terry sounds like Bon Scott would have, if he had found religion. 6. Terry Fellers - He's Alive He's Alive 2:25 - Terry is back and this time the track starts out with a bit more mellowness, but no less intensity. I am digging the string work as Terry tells the story of the Resurrection. He manages to throw in a little slide and the song just explodes with soul-filled emotion. Terry, you are a very good player! I am truly impressed. 7. Wily Bo Walker - Long Way To Heaven ft. The Brown Sisters of Chicago 4:12 - This track starts out with some beautiful piano and then some angelic voices come in. This is followed by a slow grind of horns, the rhythm section and the prototypical blues voice of Wily Bo Walker. The only way to describe this song is spellbinding. I am not even moving in time with the drum-mer. All I can do is sit her totally stunned and amazed. If you want to hear soul music the way it should be done - LISTEN to this track. 8. The Rev Jimmie Bratcher - Pray For Me 3:56 - I dig the keys and the organ that start out while the drummer keeps a mellow beat with his brushes. I grew up Lutheran and I always wish our church had music like this. The Reverend has managed to pack an entire sermon inside some very moving, and wickedly played, blues based music. 9. Bill Irwin - Jonah 4:45 - We are back to the funky grind as we swing to the story of Jonah. I just dig this song. The guitar is one bolt of lightning after another as the band moves through a simple blues progression. The blues is not complex, but that does not mean it is easy. Bill has managed to take a story almost everyone in the Western world has heard a thousand times and spiced it up with some really cool licks! Put another way, had the stories in church been presented this way, I might have paid attention. 10. Blind Dawg Ben Miller - I Need To Pray 5:18 - I first heard the Dawg on another Bongo Boy release and I really liked what I heard. I feel the same way about this track. I really like the harp. As an amateur harp player myself, all I can say is this guy is wicked! Then there is the gui-tar which is simply sublime while the bass and drums lock in - combine this with the Dawg’s absolutely killer voice and you wind up with a track that really should go gold. I defy anyone to listen to this song and not be blown away. When they hit that break and the vocals go into the repetition of “I need to pray” at a gradually increasing tempo, all I can think is YES! I’ve got that goofy grin I get when I totally dig what I am hearing. Fantastic work! 11. Gar Francis - God's On My Side 3:30 - Sir Gar chimes in with a funky groove that makes me smile. Gar Francis is one of my favorite musicians and this track is a great example of why. Gar is playing no-holds barred old school rock and roll with a heavy nod to the blues. The slide work rocks and the guy on keys is just jamming! I love it when you can tell the band is playing for themselves. I really dig the drummer’s groove as he tries to take a bit of attention away from the slide guitar and the keys. Then boom the bass pops in and says check this out - all of this leads to the inevitable end. They could have kept going, but in the words of John Belushi “Noooooooooooo”. 12. The Rev Jimmie Bratcher - One Rock 3:34 - The Good Reverend is back with another track. This time he cranks up the volume a bit and lets his ax man blast out some truly divinely inspired licks. The background singers, in combination with Jimmie’s vocals and that wickedly smoking lead guitar make me thing they might just be able to actually move that mountain. Amen brother! 13. The Hallelujah Blues Band - Saved From Hell 3:11 = With a name like this, you know this band is going to rock! Rock they do! Can I get another two string lick for Jesus? Amen! All I can do is smile and think we all own a debt to Chuck. Man, I really want to see this band live. I have a feeling they may be akin of a religious Ram Jam. 14. Mandy Brooks - You Gotta Move 3:15 - Mandy is back with her slide guitar and stunning voice. This is pure and simple heartfelt Gospel Blues. Musically I am in love. The band can jam in a slow smoldering sort of way that really hits me hard. This combined with Mandy’s voice is nothing less than simply incredible! You really *must* listen to this track! All I can say is: WOW. 15. Bill Irwin - Standing On The Rock 4:04 - Bill is back and standing on The Rock. I know the Rock is meant to be Jesus, but it very well could be Jimmy Page. I hear a heavy Zeppelin vibe here. This really reminds me of when Zeppelin did heavy blues. I like Bill’s music; I like it a lot! I would really like to see Bill’s live show. 16. K.L. Williams and Rebel Soul - If You Don't Have Jesus 4:40 - The old school electric blues is alive and well This is a blues band through and through. I could listen to this stuff all day long. Eric Clapton has nothing on the guitarist from Rebel Soul. The man is fantastic!! If you dig Clapton you will love this band. So folks, what is the bottom line? The bottom line is this: Bongo Boy has outdone itself. This is, hands down, a fantastic album that is more than worth the purchase price. I am going to keep my promo copy for a very very long time! Thank you Bongo Boy! Gospel Blues Volume One album by Various Artists release on Bongo Boy Records on 7.14.17 WORLDWIDE WEBSITE: bongoboyrecords.com/gospelbluesvol1/ 1. Big Chris & D'Bare Bones Band - When Your Time Comes 2:48 2. Barb Maxey - Day by Day 4:14 3. Bob Birthisel - Walkin' (To The Beat Of The Lord) 3:46 4. Mandy Brooks - God Don't Ever Change 3:18 5. Terry Fellers - Lay Your Hands Upon The Rock 3:13 6. Terry Fellers - He's Alive He's Alive 2:25 7. Wily Bo Walker - Long Way To Heaven ft. The Brown Sisters of Chicago 4:12 8. The Rev Jimmie Bratcher - Pray For Me 3:56 9. Bill Irwin - Jonah 4:45 10. Blind Dawg Ben Miller - I Need To Pray 5:18 11. Gar Francis - God's On My Side 3:30 12. The Rev Jimmie Bratcher - One Rock 3:34 13. The Hallelujah Blues Band - Saved From Hell 3:11 14. Mandy Brooks - You Gotta Move 3:15 15. Bill Irwin - Standing On The Rock 4:04 16. K.L. Williams and Rebel Soul - If You Don't Have Jesus 4:40 Website: http://bongoboyrecords.com Music: http://soundcloud.com/user-76274453/gospelbluesvolume1 Source: http://mi2n.com/press.php3?press_nb=199062

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jersey286-blog · 8 years

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Cleveland Browns Free Agents: Making The Case For LB Melvin Ingram

Cleveland Browns free agents watch: With Jamie Collins re-signing, the team could really roster the linebacker corps with the signing of Melvin Ingram.

Well, another season has passed. 1-15 is now the starting point for a team with a number of issues.

However, if you’ve been watching the NFC Super Bowl representative Atlanta Falcons, the media makes it seem like Taylor Gabriel and Alex Mack were the answer to all the Cleveland Browns problems.

I know the team has hit rock bottom, but don’t insult the intelligence of NFL fans.

If you’ve read my Dawg House articles–which I apologize for not continuing due to circumstances, fans are aware of my disdain for the linebackers the team has.

In almost every article, I had Christian Kirksey and Demario Davis in the top 3 of potential Dawg House picks or in it. They were atrocious in covering opposing tight ends, and they missed more tackles than they completed.

Kirksey was third in the NFL in total tackles at 148, but just because a player racks up a lot of tackles doesn’t make them elite.

Andra Davis and D’Qwell Jackson both led the team in tackles at one point, but they’ll never be mentioned among Ray Lewis, Luke Kuechly, Brian Urlacher, Patrick Willis, Clay Matthews, etc. It takes more than making tackles–a lot which were 15 yards down the field.

I think Kirksey is good, but he’s not a premier inside linebacker in the NFL. He might change that sentiment next season under new defensive coordinator Gregg Williams, but I don’t see it. The same goes for Davis too.

While inside linebacker has been an issue, outside backer is intriguing. Jamie Collins re-signed with the Browns wholesale jerseys china on Monday for four-years, $50 million. $26 million is guaranteed. If only I didn’t have a bad left knee, I would still give it a go on the field with those prices.

Collins will be the staple at the WILL, or weakside position for years to come hopefully. That still leaves cheap jerseys from china a question at SAM backer, or strongside.

Follow Ian Rapoport ✔ @RapSheet The contract extension for #Browns LB Jamie Collins: 4 years, $50M, source said. $26M in guarantees. Large. 6:45 AM - 24 Jan 2017 1,071 1,071 Retweets 1,436 1,436 likes For most of the season, Cam Johnson, Joe Schobert and current New York Jets backer Corey Lemonier played at the strongside position. Combined, they had 68 tackles and 5.5 sacks. That’s not good production from that position–especially when a majority of the plays involve rushing the passer.

A player that would fill that void is free agent backer Melvin Ingram. In 2016 alone, he had 60 tackles and cheap nfl jerseys eight sacks.

He’s one of the most underrated backers in the NFL.. It took him a few years to get to the level he’s at now, but since being drafted by the San Diego/LA Chargers in 2012, he’s been solid.

He has a nose for the ball, and is an above average pass rusher. Ingram is also versatile and impactful with his hand down. He’s strong for his size and is tough for opposing offensive linemen to block.

I would compare him to a young James Harrison. He would bring a toughness to the Browns defense that has been nonexistent since their return in 1999. The last linebacker that brought attitude to every game was Jamir Miller.

MORE FROM FACTORY OF SADNESS Cleveland Browns: Two Former Starters Will Play In A New League15h ago Cleveland Browns: Why Kevin Zeitler is a Great Signing17h ago Cleveland Indians: Yandy Diaz Is Worth A Roster Spot1 d ago Brock Osweiler Finally Visited Cleveland Browns Headquarters1 d ago Browns Rumors: Trade Attempt For Jimmy Garoppolo Coming at Owner’s Meetings1 d ago He only had one 10-plus sack season, but he was always around the ball and made an impact for a defense that was lacking significant talent. Ingram’s best season was in 2015 when he delivered 65 tackles and 10.5 sacks.

He didn’t build on cheap jerseys that production last season, but he still had a solid year.

The biggest issue with wholesale jerseys Ingram in his career so far has been durability. He missed 13 games in 2013 after suffering an ACL tear in OTAs. In 2014, he missed the remaining eight games of the season after dealing with hamstring and hip injuries.

The last two seasons, he’s maintained good health, and has played in every game.

I can already see Collins and Ingram rushing off the edges with Emmanuel Ogbah and Myles Garrett doing the same–if that’s the direction the Browns decide to go.

Follow Dane Brugler ✔ @dpbrugler 1) Long chat w/ a NFL scout today in Mobile. His opinion: "If Myles Garrett isn't a Cleveland Brown, I'll be floored. Can't overthink it." 11:50 AM - 24 Jan 2017 146 146 Retweets 190 190 likes I can dream right?

Since coming back, Cleveland never had two good pass rushers. They’ll have one, but never multiple players. With that trio, along with Garrett, you could potentially have four cheap jerseys china players that can rush the passer consistently.

I don’t know if the Browns will pursue him after signing Collins to his huge deal on Monday, but it would make the linebacking core one of the best in the NFL. Yes, I believe in Williams defense that much.

Anybody that can bring a defense from 32nd to 1st is fine in my book.

NEXT: Even The Browns Think They Overpaid For Collins Getting Ingram would also show Browns fans that the organization is serious about turning the team around and not just settling for second best.

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musicdish · 7 years

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Bongo Boy Records Gospel Blues Volume One By Various Artists A Must Have

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auburnfamilynews · 7 years

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Quite a few AU targets plan to go public with their decisions this month.

August is going to be a very busy month for recruiting. Unfortunately, I am not so sure Auburn is going to end up on the positive side of many of these decisions. Here’s who is expected to commit in the coming weeks

3* LB Rosendo Louis - August 16th

4* DE Azeez Ojulari - August 17th

3* CB Jamari Brown - August 17th (247 is having some glitches which is why he shows up as 2*)

4* WR Kearis Jackson - August 19th

4* RB Asa Martin - August 24th

I feel pretty confident in saying that Auburn is probably not the pick for any of those guys. Louis is trending to Florida State right now, though I am not 100% sure if he would be take for the Tigers as of this moment. I could be wrong and that could obviously change. Ojulari is a top AU target but that seems to be shaping into a Dawgs/Gators battle with UGA looking like the team to beat. Brown landed an Auburn offer recently but it sounds like he might not be a take just yet as the Tigers are being patient at cornerback. Kentucky looks like it will be the pick. It would be the shock of the year so far if Kearis Jackson didn’t pick UGA. That means the only prospect that looks like Auburn has a legitimate shot to get would be Asa Martin but there seem to be a whole lot of confidence coming out of the Alabama side which never bodes well for Auburn.

Then there’s the news that’s already happened. 3* DB Juanyeh Thomas chose the Yellow Jackets earlier this week but that isn’t a huge surprise as AU has filled up at safety recently. Auburn’s other top RB target, 4* Dameon Pierce, surprised everyone by committing to Florida. It was thought to be an AU/UF battle but many thought the decision wouldn’t come until after the season. However, the Gators are on a tear right now on the trail and stayed hot by getting Pierce on board. Add in 4* DT Coynis Miller now pushing his decision back after visiting Florida, along with some buzz that 3* DE Andres Fox might be trending LSU and it just seems like the big August dreamed up earlier this summer isn’t going to happen....

Fun article so far right? Well don’t worry it’s not all bad. I do think there are two guys Auburn could get on board before kickoff. They are two familiar names that have been on commit watch for sometime now but it seems like they might finally be narrowing in on a decision: 4* WR Matthew Hill and 4* Buck Richard Jibunor.

Yes I know, I have been hyping Hill committing to AU since basically I started covering recruiting for this site but he has said recently a decision is likely to come in the next two to three weeks. It appears the battle is down to Auburn, Alabama and South Carolina. Make no mistake, the Tide would love to have Hill but I get the impression they are running #3 right now. The main challenger is South Carolina who seem to have sold Hill hard on the opportunity to play early. However, it still looks like the Tigers are the team to beat and should hopefully get some good news in the near future.

Jibunor on the other hand, might not commit in August but he could in early September. He’s made it known he wants to take a few more visits before making the final call, most notably to Florida who is becoming increasingly annoying to deal with on the recruiting trail. He’s made it clear though that one school continues to stick out to him and it sounds like many think that school is Auburn. For Auburn, landing Hill and Jibunor before kickoff against Georgia Southern would be a great way to head into the 2017 season. A season that has the opportunity to be special which in turn could help this 2018 recruiting class turn into something special as well.

2019 Ranking Updates

Yes you read that right. I am about to talk some about prospects that won’t see a collegiate football field for two years. But recruiting starts early people!

Rivals released their first rankings for the 2019 season this past week. Auburn’s only commit, 4* WR George Pickens, debuted at #131 making him the 22nd ranked wide receiver and 6th ranked player in the state of Alabama. That’s pretty darn good for a guy that has seen limited varsity snaps in his career. A strong junior year should see the AU commit rise even higher in future rankings.

Here are ten names to file away for next year’s recruiting class that made it into Rivals first 2019 rankings:

#4 - 5* WR Jadon Haselwood (UGA Commit) - He’s currently committed to the Dawgs but has said in the past he still plans on taking his visits. If Auburn can both land Justin Fields and demonstrate a renewed passing game, that recruitment could get interesting.

#8 - 5* C Clay Webb - You don’t often seen centers given five stars and ranked in the top 10 but Webb is not your usual center prospect. The Oxford, AL native has been dominant in camps this summer and has been on Auburn’s radar since he was an 8th grader. Unfortunately, Alabama seems to be trending in his recruitment.

#19 - 4* LB Owen Pappoe - There’s no doubt who is #1 on Travis Williams’s want list for 2019. Pappoe was the first ever rising sophomore to participate in The Opening Finals and hold scholarship offers from pretty much everywhere.

#41 - 4* QB Bo Nix - That last name should be familiar to AU fans. Patrick Nix’s son is expected to be one of the top QB targets in the 2019 class. I think he has a shot to end up a 5* prospect in next year’s class.

#76 - 4* LB King Mwikuta - Mwikuta has been very honest about the fact that Alabama is his leader. But he’s also made it clear that AU has a real shot to land him considering he plans to visit for almost every home game he can get to this fall. A big year on the field could help the Tigers land the Troup County stud.

#78 - 4* OT Amari Kight - The state of Alabama is loaded at OL in 2019. Kight joins Alabama commit Pierce Quick and Clay Webb in the top 100. Just like Webb, Alabama appears to be the favorite right now to land the 6’6” 300 lb monster out of Maylene, AL.

#125 - 4* ATH Mark Antony-Richards - Miami is the apparent favorite for Richards as his older brother, Ahmmon Richards, signed with the Hurricanes over the Tigers in 2016. However, Antony-Richards had a lot of positive things to say about the Tigers on a recent visit and might not be a lock to follow his brother.

#144 - 4* RB John Emery - Every year there is a RB that jumps to the top of my want list. Devan Barrett was that guy two years ago and this year it was Ohio State commit Master Teague. Emery is my guy in 2019. The Louisiana native is one of the smoothest runners I have ever seen coming out of high school and will be a top RB target for plenty of big time schools. LSU looks to be the early favorite.

#188 - 4* WR Ramel Keyton - You might not find a WR prospect with better hands than Keyton. The 6’2” 180 lb wideout from Marietta, GA is already garnering plenty of interest from SEC schools, including Auburn.

#221 - 4* DE Mohamoud Diabete - Here we go again. Seems like every year there is a player local to Auburn that the Tigers are battling the Tide to keep home, a battle AU often loses. Can Auburn change that trend in 2019 with Auburn High School’s Diabete?

War Eagle!

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auburnfamilynews · 7 years

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Although Auburn landed no commitments, it was another successful Big Cat event on the Plains.

I apologize ahead of time for this obnoxiously long article but there’s a whole lot of information to cover.

Last Thursday, I speculated that AU could see as many as five commits this past weekend. Realistically, I didn’t think that would happen but felt pretty confident Auburn would get two in 3* WR Shedrick Jackson and 4* WR Matthew Hill.

Auburn got zero....

I want to take this moment to remind the wonderful readers here at College and Magnolia that I am not a paid expert….

The zero commitments aside, it appears the Tigers had a great weekend. Auburn solidified themselves as leaders, or at least appeared to do so, with some of their top targets including Shedrick Jackson, Matthew Hill, 3* S Joseph Foucha, 3* DE Andres Fox, 3* CB Juanyeh Thomas and S Charles McClelland. It appears Auburn has also battled their way to a close #2 for 4* LB JJ Peterson (Alabama #1), 4* LB Channing Tindall (South Carolina #1) and 4* LB Michael Harris (Ohio State #1). I think Travis Williams will get one, if not more, of those 3 before it’s all said and done.

If you want a play by play recap of this past Saturday, I highly recommend the 247 live thread that Keith Niebuhr ran. It’s long but gives you an idea of the flow of the day. Also, Benjamin Wolk over at SECCountry put together a nice recap as well. Based on those and reports by AL.com and Rivals, I have compiled a list of players that made the trip. I have it broken down by position with notes on each player:

Quarterback

Auburn had zero QB visitors this weekend but that shouldn’t worry anybody. Auburn commit 4* Joey Gatewood and the Tigers’ top target, 5* Justin Fields (more on him later), were both in Oregon at the Elite 11 competition.

Runningback

4* Asa Martin - Martin’s recruitment has become a 3 team battle between Auburn, Alabama and Florida. There hasn’t been much info out on his visit this past weekend but from what I can tell it was another successful trip. He will be choosing between his top 3 on August 24th. I personally think he lands with Auburn though Alabama is absolutely a major threat.

Wide Receiver

Unfortunately, 4* Jacob Copeland did not make the trip. I have seen a few reports that Auburn might be focusing in on some different guys but not sure how true or not true that might be. There was apparently also a chance 4* Marquez Ezzard might stop by but didn’t. However, as you see below, there were plenty of big names on hand

4* Justyn Ross - This was a big visit as Ross was accompanied by his mom who is back from serving overseas. His name is consistently brought up by AU commits as a guy they are recruiting hard to Auburn. More than likely his recruitment will last to National Signing Day in February and the results of the season will have a big effect. It appears Auburn, Alabama and Clemson all feel good about their chances right now.

4* Tommy Bush - Now this was one of the big surprises of the day. Bush is on a tour of the SEC and stopped by AU for Big Cat Weekend. The visit apparently `exceeded expectations` and he plans on making a return trip at some point. Although Bush currently resides in Texas, his father serves in the military so he’s been all over the country making him not a typical Texas recruit. Will be interesting to see if AU can become a factor.

4* Kearis Jackson - Georgia has been considered the frontrunner for sometime but Auburn is hanging around. He’s been very vocal about waiting to see how his top teams perform this fall before making a decision. He also hopes to be a package deal with 4* OG Trey Hill. That would be a major boom to land both of those targets.

4* Matthew Hill - Honestly thought Hill would jump on board if he made the trip but sounds like he wants to wait a bit longer. He did name Auburn his leader and you have to feel good about the Tigers chances.

4* Lawrence Keys - Unless something drastic changes, it doesn’t appear Auburn is going to be a major player in his recruitment. Still, recruiting moves fast so if he visits again this summer that could change. LSU is probably the likely landing spot.

3* Shedrick Jackson - I am honestly shocked Jackson didn’t pull the trigger this weekend but it sounds like it could come in the next 2 weeks. I will be even more stunned if he doesn’t pick Auburn.

2019 Dominick Blaylock - Blaylock will be one of the top players in the 2019 class and is a big time AU target. This is the 3rd time he’s visited AU and it sounds like it went real well. As of now though I think Georgia lands his commitment.

Tight End

2019 Austin Stogner - Stogner was the only player to leave Big Cat Weekend with an offer. Auburn will be looking to sign at least one TE each class moving forward and Stogner appears to be an early top target.

Offensive Line

4* OG Trey Hill - Auburn is quietly hanging around for the stud offensive guard out of Warner Robins. I think there’s a very good chance Hill ends up a composite 5* before this cycle is over. Hill said the visit gave AU a bit of a bump up and that there is still no timetable for his decision.

4* OT Christian Armstrong - The Seminoles appear to be the team to beat for Armstrong but Auburn seems to be trying to make this a contest. Not much info has come out on his visit or how it might affect his recruitment but with Auburn searching hard for OTs I think Armstrong is a name to track.

3* OG/C Jalil Irvin (AU Commit) - I thought a few more commits would stop by and it was good to see both Irvin and Stutts make the trip. There’s a very good chance Irvin ends up at center when he gets to Auburn.

3* OG Kameron Stutts (AU Commit) - Stutts proved his eating prowess this past Saturday winning the pie eating contest. I say this every time I mention his name but I think Auburn is getting a beast in this kid.

2019 OT Amari Kight - The state of Alabama looks to be loaded in 2019 and Kight is one of those top prospects. He holds an Auburn offer and will camp with Alabama this week to try and earn one from the Tide. Remember this name as it will pop up a bunch in next year’s cycle.

Defensive Line

4* DT Coynis Miller - I am a big Coynis Miller fan but I have a hard time seeing him sign anywhere other than Alabama. Still, Rodney Garner is selling early playing time hard and his former teammate Tadarian Moultry is on campus, so who knows what might happen. FWIW Keith Niebuhr swapped his Crystal Ball pick to Alabama Tuesday night only to switch it back to Auburn not long after. He has a VIP post talking about all that but to summarize, AU is definitely in this race.

4* DT/DE Daquan Newkirk - Newkirk originally planned to sign with Auburn in the 2016 class before grades forced him to JUCO. Despite all that he has been committed to Auburn though had not returned to the Plains in sometime. He was back on campus this past weekend and it sounds like he’s still very much in love with the Tigers.

4* DE/Buck Caleb Tannor - This was Tannor’s 4th trip to Auburn this year and it’s becoming clear that this will be an Auburn/Georgia battle. As of right now, I think the Dawgs are the favorite but when it comes to DL out of GA, you can never count Rodney Garner out.

3* DE/Buck Andres Fox - Fox has a top 3 of Auburn, Alabama and LSU with the two Tigers most likely tied at the top. Ed Orgeron has been a thorn in AU’s side since landing at LSU swiping away targets such as Arden Key and Tyler Taylor. At this time though I like Auburn’s chances just a bit more.

3* DT Jalen Cunningham - Well the good news is Cunningham no longer hates Auburn. The bad news is we are still only #3 on his list. Unless the Tide pass on Cunningham the 6’6” 350 lb giant will be wearing Crimson in the not too distant future.

3* DT Tramel Walthour - Walthour was recently offered by Auburn and it appears to have become a priority for the Tigers. No doubt UGA will be tough to beat but I suspect Auburn makes it a race.

Linebacker

Unfortunately 3* Richard Jibunor and 4* Zakoby McClain were unable to make the trip. Still Auburn had quite a few of their top targets on hand:

4* JJ Peterson - His recruitment is reminding me a lot of Nate McBride’s last year. McBride always had UGA as a clear leader but loved Travis Williams and kept taking visits. Eventually though he picked who everyone knew he would and I think the same probably happens with Peterson but this time the other team being Alabama. Still, T-WILL is giving it his best shot and every visit increases Auburn’s chances.

4* Channing Tindall - It wasn’t all that long ago Tindall was a relatively unknown prospect with a few offers including Auburn and South Carolina. Now he’s a composite 4* that is flying up recruiting rankings and team’s boards. He said that AU moved to #2 on his list just behind South Carolina after his recent visit but don’t count out the Georgia Bulldogs either.

4* Michael Harris - I have written about Harris’s recruitment before and things still remain the same. He wants to be a Buckeye but Auburn is making it tough. Ohio State landed a bit of a surprise in 5* Teradja Mitchell who was trending FSU. Now the question will be if Ohio State will take him when he visits June 17th. If not, then I think he ends up an Auburn Tiger. I will say it again, I think this kid is the best LB in the southeast and would be an absolute huge pull for Travis Williams.

4* Quay Walker - It’s really looking like Walker is going to be rolling with the Tide in the not too distance future. He left Big Cat Weekend early to head to Tuscaloosa.

3* La’Dedrick Jackson - Lanier has some serious talent this year but none have an Auburn offer. I have said before that I wish they would take 4* DT Alfred Thomas but Jackson is another name to watch. He will camp this summer in hopes of landing an offer.

Cornerback

4* Jalyn Armour-Davis elected to go to Tuscaloosa Saturday instead of Auburn. That ship looks like it has all but sailed away... The good news is Auburn has emerged as a top threat for another highly rated CB.

4* Kyler McMichael - That other highly rated CB is McMichael. Auburn really wasn’t on his radar a few months ago but now might be battling Clemson for the top spot. He was set to commit soon but Auburn’s recent push has made him hold off. Definitely a name to watch moving forward.

3* Juanyeh Thomas - I thought there was a chance Thomas might commit this past Saturday and he even said the thought crossed his mind. However, the talented athlete out of Florida decided to hold off and take his visits. He didn’t eliminate the possibility he could commit on a return trip in July.

Xavier Lanier - I know nothing about this kid and it doesn’t appear the recruiting services do either. However, the fact he got a Big Cat Weekend invite shows that AU has some serious interest in him. Lanier said that if AU offers, then it will be tough to turn that down.

2019 Jammie Robinson - Crisp County has become a fertile recruiting ground with Markaviest Bryant in 2017, Quay Walker in 2018 and now Robinson in the 2019 class. As of now the Tide are the leader.

Safety

3* Jamien Sherwood - After the evaluation period, Sherwood has emerged as one of Greg Brown’s top safety targets. I have seen some make Jabrill Peppers comparisons in that he’s a hybrd safety, linebacker and even wide receiver type of player. It will be hard to pull him out of Florida but Auburn is making a push.

3* Joseph Foucha - Foucha was another recruit that almost pulled the trigger Saturday. The New Orleans native plans to release a top 3 later this summer and Auburn should make the cut. I personally think Foucha is one of the top safeties in the southeast and if AU could get him and Quindarious Monday that would be a major success.

3* Charlie Thomas - Thomas committed to Georgia Tech this week so obviously Big Cat Weekend didn’t have too big of an affect on him.

Charles McClelland - AU offered McClelland last week and the GA native decided to make the trek to Auburn for Big Cat Weekend. I am unsure where he is on Auburn’s board but he’s definitely somebody to keep an eye on.

Athlete

The athlete tag means that either the coaching staff isn’t quite sure what spot they want them at but still want to sign them or there are multiple positions they think they could play once they arrived.

3* Kolbi Fuqua - I have never been completely sold on Fuqua being an SEC WR. Not that he’s a bad player just that I think he projects more as a safety at the next level. It’s starting to sound like that’s where he might end up next season. Barring something crazy happening Fuqua seems like a lock to sign with the Tigers.

3* Tae Provens - This is an interesting recruitment to track. He has had Tennessee as his favorite but AU has recently gotten back involved. As Saturday progressed, rumors started emerging he might commit but it never happened. It could be because he wants to play running back but Auburn wants him as a defensive back. If he rejects the athlete label he will probably pick Tennessee when he commits in August, if not then I like AU’s chances.

Justin Fields Decommits

Buckle up folks, things are about to get wild. This past Tuesday night, Auburn’s top remaining QB target, 5* Justin Fields, announced he was decommitting from Penn State. This isn’t a shock but it no doubt ramps up the recruitment for the 5*. If you don’t know why there is so much hype around this kid, watch his highlights. Seriously do it right now:

Fields has gone from a player that was considered a quality QB in this class to challenging all world recruit 5* QB Trevor Lawrence for the top spot in this class. Fields is a true dual threat QB who can take it 80 yards with his feet or chuck it 80 yards down the field.

Auburn, Florida, Florida State and Georgia appear to be the top four teams though Alabama, LSU and of course Penn State will also try to get in the picture. For Auburn, Cam Newton could prove the difference as Fields plays for his 7v7 team and the two have become close. The Tigers need to get him on campus before you can feel confident about AU landing him. I personally think Auburn has a better than good chance of snagging Fields but it’s going to be an insane battle no matter what. No doubt I will be talking more about him in future posts.

Other News

I have been on the Master Teague bus since AU offered back in February. I personally think he’s the 4th best RB in this class behind Zamir White, Lorenzo Lingard and James Cook. I could even be convinced he’s #2 behind White. Well I think more people are catching on especially after his ridiculous performance at Alabama’s camp Sunday.

I give God the glory 4 my performance 2day at Nick Saban Camp. 5"11' 212lbs 40=4.31 Vertical=40.7 Long Jump=10ft 10in. Short Shuttle=4.0O http://pic.twitter.com/h8BaV0TfTn

— Master W. Teague III (@33_blackman) June 5, 2017

At this time it sounds like the Georgia Bulldogs are trending but Auburn’s a threat. Watch out though for Alabama and Ohio State who could both be offering soon.

Speaking of offers, it was not a great weekend for AU and 4* S Quindarious Monday. He camped at Georgia Thursday, who is pushing hard for the talented safety, missed Big Cat Weekend because of a 7v7 event and now a school he has been wanting an offer from the most in Clemson finally pulled the trigger over the weekend. It will be interesting to see how this affects his recruitment. Just a few months ago I thought AU was in line to land both 4* CB Jalyn Armour-Davis and Monday but now there’s a very good chance they get neither. That’s recruiting for you…

Finishing on a happier note, I do think things are going to pickup for Auburn over the next few months. I know I hinted at big things that didn’t happen this Saturday but it does seem like a number of top targets are getting closer to decisions and quite a few I think will pick the Tigers. Camp season is now underway so some new names might pop up too. After the next two weeks of camp, I plan on doing a big update on Auburn’s recruiting board and possibly even attempt a class projection. All that to say, stay patient, good news should be on the way soon for Auburn Recruiting.

War Eagle!

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auburnfamilynews · 8 years

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An early look at Auburn’s 2018 defensive targets

Yesterday we looked at Auburn’s top targets in the front four, today we look at the back seven. The Tigers have the potential to bring in some big time players at both the linebacker and the defensive back position. Here are some names to watch over the coming months.

Linebacker

Top Targets: 4* Quay Walker, 4* JJ Peterson, 4* Nathaniel Watson

Travis Williams had quite the freshman campaign as an FBS football coach. Deshaun Davis and Darrell Williams emerged as legitimate SEC LBs under his watch and he signed an outstanding 2017 LB class. Now the hope is he can build on that in 2018 both on the field and on the recruiting trail. It's still early, but the Tigers are in the conversation for some more great LB talent, most notably Big Cat's teammate and buddy 4* Quay Walker. At one point in time, Walker was considered "Mr. UGA" by many other recruits. However, two weeks ago he named Auburn his new leader. So why the change? Well, first off, he is very close with Big Cat Bryant. Two months ago Bryant seemed like a heavy Dawg lean but ended up instead signing with Auburn. Then there are the rumors that his high school coach might be joining Auburn's staff as a defensive analyst. Finally, Travis Williams has made Walker a priority and the two seem to have really clicked. If T-WILL can get Walker onboard early that would be a huge momentum boost for this class.

Walker isn't the only big fish Williams is trying to reel in. 4* JJ Peterson and 4* Nathaniel Watson are top targets as well. Peterson plays at Colquitt County where Auburn just signed 3* TE John Samuel Shenker from. Chip Lindsey is close with head coach Rush Propst so there's definitely some relationships already built there. In the early going though it's hard to get a read on where Peterson is leaning. His highlight film though is pretty odd for a LB target. He returns kicks, catches passes and plays wildcat QB on top of being an outstanding LB so there's no doubt he is an elite athlete. Things are a little clearer with Watson. He named Auburn his leader last July and that appears to still be the case. He could play WR or LB in college but the Tigers want him at LB. Watson is the great nephew of Tommie Agee so that should help Auburn as well though we don't always have the greatest history of signing legacies. Overall though there is a lot to like about where Auburn stands in the early part of this cycle at linebacker.

Other Names to Watch: 4* Teradja Mitchell, 4* Quin Williams, 3* Richard Jubinor, NR Matthew Flint

Cornerback

Top Targets: 4* Jalyn Armour-Davis, 4* Al Blades Jr, 4* Christian Tutt, 3* Chris Smith

The 2018 cycle is loaded at the CB position. It’s also loaded with the sons of former big time CBs. 5* Patrick Surtain Jr, 4* Al Blades Jr and 4* Asante Samuel Jr are three of the top 14 rated CBs in the 2018 class. Unfortunately for Auburn, none of them appear very high on the Tigers right now though we were thought to be Blades #2 team until McGriff left for Ole Miss. Instead, the top guy on the board is 4* Jalyn Armour-Davis who is ranked the #2 player in the state. Armour-Davis attends St. Paul’s in Mobile, AL where Auburn has made some inroads. We were also his first offer, which seems important to him, and it sounds like he is clicking with new DB coach Greg Brown. I don’t like labeling guys must-signs, especially this early, but I do think Armour-Davis would be a more important get than someone like Coynis Miller or Justyn Ross because the Tigers usually struggle to sign big time CBs. Armour-Davis is a guy that could come in and compete for a starting spot day 1 in 2018.

After him, the board is a bit fuzzy for the Tigers. Per usual, Auburn is recruiting the state of Georgia hard for defensive back talent and two names that have popped up a bunch are 4* Christian Tutt and 3* Chris Smith. Both might be UGA leans early but these days every Georgia DB is labeled an UGA lean to start the cycle. I expect over the coming months we will get a clearer picture on guys that not only Auburn wants but have a good chance at landing.

Other Names to Watch: 4* Kyler McMichael, 3* Cam Taylor, 3* Stanley Garner, 3* Juanyeh Thomas

Safety

Top Targets: 4* Myles Sims, 4* Myles Mason, 4* Quindarious Monday

Auburn’s top need this cycle has to be the safety spot. Auburn will lose three senior safeties after the 2017 season in Tray Matthews, Nick Ruffin, and Stephen Roberts. The Tigers have been bringing in some guys with some high upside but there isn’t a ton of proven talent behind those three seniors. A must get this class is an impact safety who could step in as a freshman and contribute. Auburn could get that guy in someone like 4* Myles “Spider” Sims. Before McGriff left, Auburn seemed like the leader for the talented safety but since then there hasn’t been a lot of news. Sims actually played a bunch of CB last season but due to his frame, he will probably end up at safety at the next level.

After him, like the CB board, it’s really hard to tell who might be the next realistic target. Instate wise, 4* Myles Mason would be a guy Auburn would love to have but considering he seems to have only visited Alabama ever I think chances are pretty slim right now. Quindarious Monday is an interesting prospect whose recruitment has blown up just recently. He’s another big kid that could play either on the offensive or defensive side of the ball. It will be interesting to see who Brown prioritizes over the summer and whether the allure of early playing time can help the Tigers land one or two big time S targets in 2018.

Other Names to Watch: 4* Otis Reese (MICH COMMIT), 4* Gurvan Hall, 4* Brendon Harris, 3* Joseph Foucha

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