Justin Ferguson
@auburnobserver.com
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Auburn just signed an offensive line transfer from James Madison who understood the assignment for the announcement graphic
January 9, 2026 at 6:09 PM
Auburn just signed an offensive line transfer from James Madison who understood the assignment for the announcement graphic
had enough money leftover on a CFA gift card to show that I am a complete mark for retro merch
January 9, 2026 at 5:41 PM
had enough money leftover on a CFA gift card to show that I am a complete mark for retro merch
it’s the first Observer mailbag of 2026:
- how would you grade football’s portal haul so far?
- Alex Golesh and proof of concept
- the OL build
- what will it take for the Tigers to truly compete?
- the panic level for basketball
- how can the defense get better?
- WCW tag teams
- how would you grade football’s portal haul so far?
- Alex Golesh and proof of concept
- the OL build
- what will it take for the Tigers to truly compete?
- the panic level for basketball
- how can the defense get better?
- WCW tag teams
Mailbag 235: How would you grade Auburn's early portal work?
This week: Proof of concept, OL rebuilding, the NIL Era, basketball panic, defensive improvements, salads and WCW tag teams
www.auburnobserver.com
January 9, 2026 at 3:16 PM
it’s the first Observer mailbag of 2026:
- how would you grade football’s portal haul so far?
- Alex Golesh and proof of concept
- the OL build
- what will it take for the Tigers to truly compete?
- the panic level for basketball
- how can the defense get better?
- WCW tag teams
- how would you grade football’s portal haul so far?
- Alex Golesh and proof of concept
- the OL build
- what will it take for the Tigers to truly compete?
- the panic level for basketball
- how can the defense get better?
- WCW tag teams
three straight years without a football national champion
it’s time for the SEC to embrace its fate as a basketball conference
it’s time for the SEC to embrace its fate as a basketball conference
January 9, 2026 at 4:36 AM
three straight years without a football national champion
it’s time for the SEC to embrace its fate as a basketball conference
it’s time for the SEC to embrace its fate as a basketball conference
this is where Trinidad Chambliss was ranked in the portal
January 9, 2026 at 4:08 AM
this is where Trinidad Chambliss was ranked in the portal
beginning to become a guy who hates the “scored too early!” thing unless the offense could have run the clock all the way down
January 9, 2026 at 3:58 AM
beginning to become a guy who hates the “scored too early!” thing unless the offense could have run the clock all the way down
felt like y’all might like this pork chop I had tonight
January 8, 2026 at 1:22 AM
felt like y’all might like this pork chop I had tonight
the mailbag is back this week at The Observer, and we’ve got a lot to talk about between Auburn football’s roster overhaul in the transfer portal and Auburn basketball’s current state
send me your questions here or email them to the1andonlyJF@gmail.com if you need more space
🫵
send me your questions here or email them to the1andonlyJF@gmail.com if you need more space
🫵
January 7, 2026 at 4:08 PM
the mailbag is back this week at The Observer, and we’ve got a lot to talk about between Auburn football’s roster overhaul in the transfer portal and Auburn basketball’s current state
send me your questions here or email them to the1andonlyJF@gmail.com if you need more space
🫵
send me your questions here or email them to the1andonlyJF@gmail.com if you need more space
🫵
Observations: Texas A&M 90, Auburn 88
- the turnovers tell the real story of this game
- Auburn let its offense affect its defense too much
- a thinned roster takes yet another potential hit
- these Tigers don’t know when to die, and that matters
- Rotation Charts
- Nerd Stats
- the turnovers tell the real story of this game
- Auburn let its offense affect its defense too much
- a thinned roster takes yet another potential hit
- these Tigers don’t know when to die, and that matters
- Rotation Charts
- Nerd Stats
Observations: Texas A&M 90, Auburn 88
Auburn hit a second unreal buzzer-beater in four days — only for it to get waved off. But the Tigers shouldn't have been in that spot anyway.
www.auburnobserver.com
January 7, 2026 at 3:27 PM
Observations: Texas A&M 90, Auburn 88
- the turnovers tell the real story of this game
- Auburn let its offense affect its defense too much
- a thinned roster takes yet another potential hit
- these Tigers don’t know when to die, and that matters
- Rotation Charts
- Nerd Stats
- the turnovers tell the real story of this game
- Auburn let its offense affect its defense too much
- a thinned roster takes yet another potential hit
- these Tigers don’t know when to die, and that matters
- Rotation Charts
- Nerd Stats
starting to get over my lifelong hatred of salads, please clap
January 6, 2026 at 11:23 PM
starting to get over my lifelong hatred of salads, please clap
Reposted by Justin Ferguson
Ooooh that’s gonna be nasty
Byrum Brown's Instagram page. As expected, one of the top QBs in the portal is following HC Alex Golesh from USF to Auburn.
January 6, 2026 at 2:23 PM
Ooooh that’s gonna be nasty
Film Room: what Auburn is getting in USF QB Byrum Brown, the nation's leader in total offense
- one of CFB’s very best at deep balls
- an efficient quick trigger, especially off the running game
- elite rushing — and not just compared to QBs
- a constant creator through chaos
- one of CFB’s very best at deep balls
- an efficient quick trigger, especially off the running game
- elite rushing — and not just compared to QBs
- a constant creator through chaos
Film Room: What Auburn football is getting in USF QB Byrum Brown
The nation's leader in total offense is coming to the Plains, where he'll get to pick up where he left off with Alex Golesh and Joel Gordon.
www.auburnobserver.com
January 6, 2026 at 2:09 PM
Film Room: what Auburn is getting in USF QB Byrum Brown, the nation's leader in total offense
- one of CFB’s very best at deep balls
- an efficient quick trigger, especially off the running game
- elite rushing — and not just compared to QBs
- a constant creator through chaos
- one of CFB’s very best at deep balls
- an efficient quick trigger, especially off the running game
- elite rushing — and not just compared to QBs
- a constant creator through chaos
beyond excited to share that @byjustinlee.bsky.social has launched a new Substack dedicated to covering Olympic sports at Auburn
subscribe to The Auburn Torch for as low as $4/month to get “everything else at the Everything School”
he’s already got five stories up!
www.auburntorch.com
subscribe to The Auburn Torch for as low as $4/month to get “everything else at the Everything School”
he’s already got five stories up!
www.auburntorch.com
The Auburn Torch | Justin Lee | Substack
Covering Olympic sports at Auburn University — including gymnastics, volleyball, soccer and more. Click to read The Auburn Torch, by Justin Lee, a Substack publication. Launched 36 minutes ago.
www.auburntorch.com
January 5, 2026 at 1:30 PM
beyond excited to share that @byjustinlee.bsky.social has launched a new Substack dedicated to covering Olympic sports at Auburn
subscribe to The Auburn Torch for as low as $4/month to get “everything else at the Everything School”
he’s already got five stories up!
www.auburntorch.com
subscribe to The Auburn Torch for as low as $4/month to get “everything else at the Everything School”
he’s already got five stories up!
www.auburntorch.com
Observations: Georgia 104, Auburn 100 (OT)
- Auburn’s “terrible” and “horrible” day of 1-on-1 defense
- offense got results but struggled to execute at key times
- Filip Jović and the bright spot on the boards
- why Tahaad Pettiford didn't start
- Rotation Charts
- Nerd Stats
- Auburn’s “terrible” and “horrible” day of 1-on-1 defense
- offense got results but struggled to execute at key times
- Filip Jović and the bright spot on the boards
- why Tahaad Pettiford didn't start
- Rotation Charts
- Nerd Stats
Observations: Georgia 104, Auburn 100 (OT)
The Tigers pulled off a miracle to force overtime on the road. But familiar defensive issues and missed offensive chances cost them in the end.
www.auburnobserver.com
January 4, 2026 at 12:52 AM
Observations: Georgia 104, Auburn 100 (OT)
- Auburn’s “terrible” and “horrible” day of 1-on-1 defense
- offense got results but struggled to execute at key times
- Filip Jović and the bright spot on the boards
- why Tahaad Pettiford didn't start
- Rotation Charts
- Nerd Stats
- Auburn’s “terrible” and “horrible” day of 1-on-1 defense
- offense got results but struggled to execute at key times
- Filip Jović and the bright spot on the boards
- why Tahaad Pettiford didn't start
- Rotation Charts
- Nerd Stats
The Stretch 4 is live from Athens for Auburn’s SEC opener vs. Georgia:
- how do you slow down UGA? start by guarding your yard
- why this is a big matchup for KeShawn Murphy
- good things will happen if you take care of the ball
- how will the Tigers respond when adversity hits?
- how do you slow down UGA? start by guarding your yard
- why this is a big matchup for KeShawn Murphy
- good things will happen if you take care of the ball
- how will the Tigers respond when adversity hits?
The Stretch 4: How Auburn can open SEC play with a bang at UGA
The Tigers only get one shot at the Bulldogs in the regular season. Here's what it will take for Auburn to beat its red-hot rival on the road.
www.auburnobserver.com
January 3, 2026 at 2:48 PM
The Stretch 4 is live from Athens for Auburn’s SEC opener vs. Georgia:
- how do you slow down UGA? start by guarding your yard
- why this is a big matchup for KeShawn Murphy
- good things will happen if you take care of the ball
- how will the Tigers respond when adversity hits?
- how do you slow down UGA? start by guarding your yard
- why this is a big matchup for KeShawn Murphy
- good things will happen if you take care of the ball
- how will the Tigers respond when adversity hits?
Trinidad Chambliss just took a 40-foot heat check
January 2, 2026 at 4:43 AM
Trinidad Chambliss just took a 40-foot heat check
Reposted by Justin Ferguson
the precision of this hoosiers team has been insane to watch all season
January 1, 2026 at 11:55 PM
the precision of this hoosiers team has been insane to watch all season
still wild that this is where the undefeated No. 1 seed in the College Football Playoff sits in terms of on-paper talent
Curt Cignetti is playing a video game
Curt Cignetti is playing a video game
January 1, 2026 at 11:12 PM
still wild that this is where the undefeated No. 1 seed in the College Football Playoff sits in terms of on-paper talent
Curt Cignetti is playing a video game
Curt Cignetti is playing a video game
that I-U celebration with elbows in and then elbows out is pretty sick
January 1, 2026 at 9:58 PM
that I-U celebration with elbows in and then elbows out is pretty sick
Ohio State cruising for an entire regular season but losing these last two games is kind of a good advertisement for “college football is more than just the playoff”
like, I hope OSU fans got to enjoy watching dominance for first 12 games instead of only looking ahead, because…
like, I hope OSU fans got to enjoy watching dominance for first 12 games instead of only looking ahead, because…
January 1, 2026 at 3:50 AM
Ohio State cruising for an entire regular season but losing these last two games is kind of a good advertisement for “college football is more than just the playoff”
like, I hope OSU fans got to enjoy watching dominance for first 12 games instead of only looking ahead, because…
like, I hope OSU fans got to enjoy watching dominance for first 12 games instead of only looking ahead, because…
just attended my first outdoor winter wedding, whole thing took 12 minutes
January 1, 2026 at 1:13 AM
just attended my first outdoor winter wedding, whole thing took 12 minutes
Cristian Pache would at least get one of these calls in play
Yet another game where Rules Expert Matt Austin bats .000 with six strikeouts
December 31, 2025 at 11:51 PM
Cristian Pache would at least get one of these calls in play
to close out 2025 at The Observer:
AUNerd, formerly of College & Mag, shares his highly detailed transfer portal big board for all of Auburn football’s 2026 needs on offense
here’s 5K (!) words on the targets that stand out early, from Byrum Brown to a massive list on the OL
AUNerd, formerly of College & Mag, shares his highly detailed transfer portal big board for all of Auburn football’s 2026 needs on offense
here’s 5K (!) words on the targets that stand out early, from Byrum Brown to a massive list on the OL
The Nerd's Auburn Football Transfer Portal Big Board: Offense v1.0
Who might Alex Golesh and his staff target to reload the Tigers’ offense in a busy window? Let’s dive deep into the names that stand out.
www.auburnobserver.com
December 31, 2025 at 2:16 PM
to close out 2025 at The Observer:
AUNerd, formerly of College & Mag, shares his highly detailed transfer portal big board for all of Auburn football’s 2026 needs on offense
here’s 5K (!) words on the targets that stand out early, from Byrum Brown to a massive list on the OL
AUNerd, formerly of College & Mag, shares his highly detailed transfer portal big board for all of Auburn football’s 2026 needs on offense
here’s 5K (!) words on the targets that stand out early, from Byrum Brown to a massive list on the OL
Observations: Auburn 106, Queens 65
- that was impressive defense against a dangerous offense
- Elyjah Freeman is shining bright off the bench
- welcome back to The KO Show
- look what happens when your best scorers are also facilitators
- Rotation Charts
- Nerd Stats
- more
- that was impressive defense against a dangerous offense
- Elyjah Freeman is shining bright off the bench
- welcome back to The KO Show
- look what happens when your best scorers are also facilitators
- Rotation Charts
- Nerd Stats
- more
Observations: Auburn 106, Queens 65
A better-than-expected crowd witnessed a better-than-expected Auburn victory — just in time for the start of SEC play this weekend.
www.auburnobserver.com
December 30, 2025 at 3:29 PM
Observations: Auburn 106, Queens 65
- that was impressive defense against a dangerous offense
- Elyjah Freeman is shining bright off the bench
- welcome back to The KO Show
- look what happens when your best scorers are also facilitators
- Rotation Charts
- Nerd Stats
- more
- that was impressive defense against a dangerous offense
- Elyjah Freeman is shining bright off the bench
- welcome back to The KO Show
- look what happens when your best scorers are also facilitators
- Rotation Charts
- Nerd Stats
- more
among all the issues in Season 2 of Friday Night Lights, the funniest might be Smash going on an official college visit during the middle of the week
December 29, 2025 at 2:47 AM
among all the issues in Season 2 of Friday Night Lights, the funniest might be Smash going on an official college visit during the middle of the week