When it comes to how the Auburn football defense is shaping up for the 2022 season, it can’t all be good news.
With the loss of DL coach Nick Eason to his alma mater Clemson, that position remains unfilled. Perhaps having someone explain to 2021 signee Lee Hunter what his role would have been moving forward and the vision for the DL could have swayed him…perhaps not.
Either way, this is the first significant loss to the transfer portal for the Tigers when it comes to the defensive side of the ball. The unit had gotten great news from the likes of Eku Leota, Derick Hall, Owen Pappoe, Colby Wooden regarding another season on the Plains, and is adding the #1 JUCO transfer in the country, DL Jeffrey M’ba…a man otherwise known as Thanos.
Fans were bummed by the news that Hunter–who, as Justin Ferguson of the Auburn Observer pointed out, didn’t record a stat this past season–is entering the transfer portal without truly getting a chance to shine on the Plains:
Damn. Wanted to see him play
— Brandon 🅿️otter WDE🐯🦅🥶❄️ (@9377_potter) January 16, 2022
Good grief.
— Stan (Christi’s husband) (@KO3Radio) January 16, 2022
Competition has went out the window. https://t.co/aSFsiL8U4b
— Steve (@scubbba_steve12) January 16, 2022
Remember folks, it’s basketball season. I’ll talk to football in a few months. https://t.co/9sGRKh0urM
— AU_Propaganda (@AuPropaganda) January 16, 2022
Uggghhhh, that one hurts. https://t.co/2jfvZQmLeM
— Walt 🦚 (@AU_GS_Walt) January 16, 2022
You win some, you lose some.
Bryan Harsin and co. has had an impressive recruiting period, coming away with 15 total signees at Early Signing Day last month. Their late push for guys like Austin Ausberry, JD Rhym, Enyce Sludge, and Robert Woodyard Jr. got Auburn football into the top 13 of 247Sports’ 2022 recruiting class rankings.
But Hunter being gone is a tough loss for the Tigers’ depth, though one that was somewhat expected given his initial signing happened before Harsin was implemented as the head coach.