2018 was the year of Boobee Whitlow when it came to standout players on the Auburn football team. Originally a 3-star recruit out of the state of Alabama, Whitlow joined Gus Malzahn’s Tigers in 2017 and after a year of redshirting emerged as Auburn’s leading rusher the following season.
When injuries held him to only 11 games in the 2019 season, he faded into a more standard role with Shaun Shivers and D.J. Williams taking more carries. As his RB1 role grew less secure, he entered the transfer portal the following February.
After spending months in the portal, the running back dropped to the FCS level and landed at Western Illinois. FCS football was played in the spring of 2021 due to COVID-19, and Whitlow made no appearance on the field for Western Illinois.
Today, Matt Zenitz of On3Sports reports that Boobee Whitlow has once again entered the transfer portal. With the departure of Devan Barrett, could Whitlow be trying to get back down to the Plains?
Ex-Auburn running back JaTarvious Whitlow, who transferred to Western Illinois last year, has re-entered the transfer portal, @on3sports has learned. Was Auburn's leading rusher in 2018 and 2019.
— Matt Zenitz (@mzenitz) July 2, 2021
It’s too early to tell, but this late in the summer, and with the hints at how well incoming freshman Jarquez Hunter is doing, it’s probably not likely that the former Tiger will return. However, some Auburn football fans seem to be 100 percent on board if the running back were to return to the Plains.
*to the tune of Gary Come Home*
— Nathan Deal, now on BlueSky (@NattyD13) July 2, 2021
“Boobie, come hooooooome” https://t.co/2vlyUFSNw4
Come back https://t.co/s7GFMz2hYK
— esoteric (@Im_aSuperhero) July 2, 2021
When it comes to the running backs room, it seems that head coach Bryan Harsin is completely focused on new recruits and backing up Tank Bigsby with the best of the best, but FWE wishes Boobee the best of luck wherever he ends up.