What a weekend for Auburn football.
The Tigers held their annual Big Cat Recruiting Weekend and it was a huge success. They landed two engagements and appear to have improved their position with multiple targets. The weekend wasn’t just about the football program either, the basketball team arrived in Israel on Sunday for a “once in a lifetime” trip as part of their Birthright of College Basketball tour.
In addition to these events, the track and field team announced the schedule for the 2022 cross country season which begins in September.
Read more about these and other stories below in the Monday edition of Auburn Morning Rush.
Recapturing a busy big cat
Matthew Emmons – USA TODAY Sports
Auburn laid the groundwork for its 2024 recruiting class this weekend at the annual Big Cat event.
The Tigers landed commitments from four-star cornerback A’mon Lane and four-star quarterback Adrian Posse moments apart on Saturday. These are their first two engagements of the 2024 cycle and they have already tackled the most important position by landing Posse, which they are struggling to do in their 2023 class.
Although they haven’t landed any commitments in the recruiting class of 2023, they have been making progress. Four-star target Ashley Williams withdrew from Nebraska after his visit and the Tigers are considered his favorites. Another potential candidate is four-star offensive tackle Bo Hughley, who is committed to Georiga, but the Tigers seem to have momentum.
Basketball comes to Israel
John Reed – USA TODAY Sports
Auburn arrived on Sunday for its “one-time trip” to Israel as the team looks to build closer before the season.
“We’re going to share this journey together, seeing things for the first time that we’ll never forget,” Bruce Pearl said. “That’s what makes it so special, and that’s what will give us the chance to come together and get to know each other better.”
The Tigers won’t play their first game until Tuesday when they take on the U20 national team.
ESPN’s Jay Bilas is traveling with Auburn and believes the trip will have huge benefits for the program.
“For a close program like Auburn to come even closer and do it in a setting with a context like Israel will have long-term benefits and ramifications that I don’t think any of us can even imagine right now,” did he declare. “It’s something you have to feel. It’s one thing to tell someone something; it’s another thing to make them feel. And I think everyone involved in this journey is going to feel its significance on a very deep level.
Athletics announces 2022 cross-country schedule
(Photo by Mike Zarrilli/Getty Images)
The Tigers announced their cross-country schedule over the weekend and it will start where they had success last year.
They will open the season Sept. 2 at the Foothills Invitational in Oxford, Alabama. Last season the women finished second here and the men won. The next competition will be the North Alabama Showcase on September 16 in Huntsville, Alabama.
In October, Auburn will travel to Louisville, Ky., for the Live in Lou Cross Country Classic on October 1. The team will conclude the regular season with the Crimson Classic on October 14 in Tuscaloosa, Alabama.
The playoffs begin with the 2022 SEC Cross Country Championships at Ole Miss on Oct. 28. After that, there will be the NCAA South Regional in Huntsville on Nov. 11.
The season will conclude in Stillwater, Oklahoma, where individuals and teams will compete for a national title at the NCAA Championships on November 19.
Overview of the Tigers on Twitter