Auburn football transfer deemed a ‘game-breaking type’

Auburn football transfer portal running back Brian Battie, who left USF following the 2022 season to join the Tigers on January 9, was deemed a “game-breaking type” by Bleacher Report’s Brad Shepard — who included Battie on a list of his 2023 transfer portal sleepers. Shepard believes Battie’s skillset will be a great match with new head coach Hugh Freeze.

“(Battie) was a force in the return game at Tampa, and he’s coming off a season in which he ran for 1,186 yards and eight scores on a 6.7 average,” Shepard wrote. “Think Freeze can’t use that skill set? He will put Battie in a position to make plenty of plays. Look for him to be a game-breaking type this year for the new-look Tigers.”

Shepard called Battie the biggest get for Auburn football in the transfer portal. “The biggest get may just be former South Florida running back Brian Battie, who is going from a terrible program to a proud one to test his skills against the SEC,” Shepard wrote. “He joins Auburn at an ideal time, too, as the team lost Tank Bigsby to the NFL.”

Brian Battie not big enough to carry load for Auburn football but can do ‘plenty with the ball in his hands’

Battie won’t be RB1 for Auburn football, but Shepard does believe he has the chance to show his game-breaking abilities behind Jarquez Hunter.

“Jarquez Hunter is back after piling up 668 yards a season ago, but Battie is another speed-burning potential star who, at 5’8″, 170 pounds, probably isn’t big enough to carry the load but can do plenty with the ball in his hands,” Shepard wrote.

Because of the unresolved quarterback battle, Shepard sees the RB room getting good burn under Freeze. “The Tigers need to find an answer at quarterback among several experienced but mediocre (at least, so far) options,” Shepard wrote. “Until they find the right field general to lead the way, you’d better believe Freeze will be run-heavy.”