2024 Auburn football defensive lineman commit Dimitry Nicolas out of Opa Locka, Florida bought into the Auburn family dynamic the Plains has to offer — relaying as much on August 25 following his decision of AU over Florida, Pitt, and Miami.
“Just cause of the atmosphere over there,” Nicolas said on why he chose Auburn (h/t Rivals). “Everything is like a family vibe over there. They don’t treat you like a player, they treat you more like a brother or like a son to the coaches, we just got that connection.” Nicolas shouted out Hugh Freeze and DL coach Jeremy Garrett for their efforts on the trail and in promoting a culture that’s attractive to talent.
“I feel like (Freeze’s) bringing back the Auburn culture,” Nicolas said. “My coach used to play for Auburn, Junior Rosegreen, he used to tell me how great it used to be over there. I can see it with Coach Freeze trying to bring it back with the class of 2024 kids. (Garrett’s) just a humble, great guy to be around. A generous guy, I feel like he’s a good all-around person to be with on and off the field.”
Auburn football head coach Hugh Freeze making believers of us all
The specific aspect that makes Nicolas’ recruitment such a win for Freeze is that Junior Rosegreen, a star of the highly successful mid-Tommy Tuberville era — which included the undefeated 2004 season — sensed that there was a return of the Plains’ greatest days under the Oxford, Mississippi native.
Bringing Auburn back to its former glory will require more harmony than the Bryan Harsin years offered; much, much more. It will also require a coach who understands the hook of recruiting for AU.
Freeze seems to be that with every new commitment for the 2024 season and beyond; the years in which the sport will allow for more playoff teams in a re-imagined conference map.