Auburn Tigers News: Sickness ahead of the bowl game, Cal QB transfer addition

In today's edition of Auburn Tigers News, the football team is struggling with sickness ahead of the Music City Bowl, the Tigers add a transfer QB from Cal, and more

The Auburn Tigers are gearing up to take on the Maryland Terrapins in the Music City Bowl in Nashville this weekend, but it has not been an easy week of preparations.

According to AL.com, the team has been dealing with a bout of sickness, and quarterback Payton Thorne missed nearly every practice held on campus before Christmas due to the flu. Though Thorne is back at practice now, head coach Hugh Freeze said multiple players have been dealing with illness:

“Yeah, we’ve had a run of sickness,” Freeze said Wednesday. “We actually left two guys at the hotel today, too. We had a run, last week, of guys missing practice with flu-like symptoms. (Thorne) seems to be feeling good, but it’s really good to let him get outside and hopefully get him today and tomorrow. I haven’t seen the weather for tomorrow, but this is a good day for him to have a good practice, for sure, because he did miss — shoot — last week, I think every day but one.”

Auburn football adds transfer QB Sam Jackson to play wide receiver

Earlier this year, Fly War Eagle reported on the reunion of Cal QB Sam Jackson and Auburn QB Payton Thorne, high school teammates and close friends, when the Tigers traveled across the country to take on the Golden Bears on the west coast.

Now, they will have another reunion, but one of a different sort. The Auburn football program announced earlier this week that former Cal QB Sam Jackson will transfer to the Plains as a wide receiver. He is the fourth transfer to join the Tigers so far following WR Robert Lewis, DL Gage Keys, and LB Dorian Mausi. He will have two years of eligibility.