The Auburn Observer

Justin and Dan share their thoughts on what they saw from a lengthy Saturday practice for Auburn football at Jordan-Hare Stadium before giving a firsthand report from the athletic department’s Under Armour sale on campus. Topics include:

* Omar Mabson II, Durell Robinson and an interesting running back room

* Jackson Arnold’s up-and-down day, along with the other quarterbacks

* why the defense beating the offense should be expected right now

* what to make of Auburn’s offensive line through the first few days of camp

* Malik Blocton’s big start to his second preseason at Auburn

* Eric Singleton Jr. living up to the hype so far

* great days for Kayin Lee, Raion Strader and a deep Tigers secondary

* the increased speed at linebacker (hello, Bryce Deas) and what that could mean

* Amaris Williams looking more and more like a breakout option

* why Preston Howard’s stock is on the rise

* Dan’s report from the Under Armour sale on campus

* an ObservFour of the guys’ favorite movie theater snacks

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Football is back, y’all. Justin and Dan share what they saw and heard from the first two days of Auburn training camp. Topics for this podcast include:

* how the Baylor game changes the format of camp

* Auburn’s theme of “expectant” — or is it “expecting”

* Malik Blocton and a defensive line that wants to go even deeper this fall

* the running back room, with two i…

Justin and Dan make one final tuneup before the start of preseason practices for Auburn football by going back and forth with their picks of who they think will break out for the Tigers this fall. Topics on this podcast include:

* Champ Anthony and his return from injury

* Amaris Williams and his much-needed reset after a tough freshman season

* Keyron Crawford and the race to replace Jalen McLeod

* Perry Thompson and the potential for a sophomore surge

* Damari Alston and his chances of becoming the feature back

* Rayshawn Pleasant and his multi-positional ability as a transfer

* Xavier Chaplin, Mason Murphy and the all-important offensive line reload

* Jourdin Crawford and the fast-moving hype train

* Alex McPherson and his return from a serious illness

* Bryce Cain and the dart throw

* the weirdness of the Auburn-Baylor point spread in late July

* the free stuff you get from brands on your birthday

* an ObservFour on breakout performances in film and TV

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Follow Dan (@dnpck) and Justin (@JFergusonAU) on Twitter.

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Justin and Dan share what they’re wanting to see the most out of Auburn football’s preseason camp, which starts next week. Topics for this subscribers-only podcast include:

* early returns on the Grubserver Awards ballots

* the Durell Robinson factor in the running back situation

* why Jeremiah Cobb has the potential to be a unique weapon in this offense

* Perry Thompson, Bryce Cain and Sam Turner’s situations at wideout

* is there any room for a shakeup on the offensive line?

* how there shouldn’t be much focus on the QB2 situation

* the race to figure out who will contribute on the defensive front

* Demarcus Riddick’s skill set and how that impacts the linebacker room

* the freshmen vs. the transfers at defensive tackle

* who will become the next wave in the secondary?

* how quickly Jacoby Matthews could emerge as a contributor

* the increasingly interesting races in the return game

* a Top Four of things Justin and Dan have eaten/watched/listened to/read

* what are your four favorite non-sports buildings at Auburn?

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Justin and Dan are discussing freshmen, both current and past, for Auburn football heading into a make-or-break 2025 season. Topics for this episode include:

* Auburn landing 4-star linebacker Jaquez Wilkes right before recording

* the news that the Tigers will play Middle Tennessee State in 2027

* a look back at the freshmen who broke through for Auburn last season

* the position groups that Justin thinks will have the most freshman contributions

* why the secondary is always a position to watch for newcomers

* an eye on the defensive front, particularly Jourdin Crawford and Malik Autry

* Jared Smith’s potential as a true freshman edge rusher, plus linebacker picks

* why the offensive line and the tight ends feel light on freshman involvement

* Sam Turner, the Smith brothers and a redshirt bonus pick of Bryce Cain

* the interesting situation facing the freshman running backs for Auburn in 2025

* Deuce Knight and the art of patience in an era with very little of it

* The Painter Sharpless Memorial Auburn Observer Scholarship Fund

* Vote for The 2025 Auburn Grubserver Awards later this week!

* Justin and Dan’s Top Four Auburn football freshman seasons

* some homework for the listeners on a different Quadserver

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Justin and Dan open the next 500 episodes of the Observer podcast with a gigantic mailbag episode that covers a whole lot of offseason ground. Topics for this subscribers-only podcast include:

* SEC teams we’re higher on after our time in Atlanta

* the 2025 team’s talent level is the highest for Auburn football since…

* the Jackson Arnold love from non-Auburn figures at SEC Media Days

* Auburn’s play-calling setup on offense

* Top 4 Auburn kick and punt returners

* the Tigers’ running back by committee approach for the fall

* Justin’s Top 4 Truist Park concessions and Dan’s Top 4 ballpark foods

* the guys’ Top 4 favorite stadiums they’ve visited

* outside of the expected starters, which WR are you the highest on?

* Top 4 helmet designs in college football

* the most bizarre (but good) dining experiences

* the SEC’s grandstanding about a 9-game conference schedule

* playoff expansion

* which play-by-play commentators would make the best coaches

* Justin and Dan book an Auburn-centric wrestling show at Beard-Eaves

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Follow Dan (@dnpck) and Justin (@JFergusonAU) on Twitter.

It’s the 500th episode (!!!) of The Auburn Observer podcast, with Justin back in Auburn and Dan holding down the fort in Atlanta for the final stretch of SEC Media Days. Topics for this landmark show include:

* the “small room” at SEC Media Days and why it’s important

* Hugh Freeze wanting to shift the narrative around Auburn football this week

* the change from “gotta make a bowl game” to… potential playoff hopes?

* why projecting confidence is necessary after four straight losing seasons

* Dan’s insight on what he heard from others about Auburn QB Jackson Arnold

* the decision to send Arnold to SEC Media Days and why that matters

* Connor Lew’s impressive stretch in front of the microphones in Atlanta

* Keldric Faulk’s leadership, both on and off the field

* the Jourdin Crawford hype train

* Justin’s take on the Baylor game and how it could affect “fall” camp

* how the 9-game schedule debate was leverage for something else all along

* which 2025 Auburn opponents stood out at SECMD to Dan

* the guys’ preseason picks for SEC champion and Auburn All-SEC first-teamers

* a tribute to those of you who helped us get to HALF OF A THOUSAND episodes

* FOR THE SICKOS

* a reminder to send your mailbag questions and Top Four prompts to [email protected] for Friday’s subscribers-only episode

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Follow Dan (@dnpck) and Justin (@JFergusonAU) on Twitter.

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.auburnobserver.com/subscribe

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Justin and Dan gear up for SEC Media Days next week with some deep dives into the player reps for Auburn football. Topics for this subscribers-only podcast include:

* why Auburn decided to send Jackson Arnold to Media Days

* what that says about his importance to the Tigers in 2025

* where Arnold needs to improve the most — and whe…

Justin and Dan are talking big men on this podcast, with a breakdown of Auburn football’s 2025 offensive line taking center stage in this episode. Topics include:

* why all the fuss about Auburn football’s recruiting shouldn’t be that big of a deal

* how Xavier Chaplin impacts the Tigers’ offensive line for 2025 and beyond

* a look back at Auburn’s inconsistent offensive line over the past several years

* the underrated success of Dillon Wade and the importance of him at guard

* breaking down Mason Murphy and why he fits the Tigers so well

* Tyler Johnson, Too Tall Miller, DeAndre Carter and other linemen to watch

* how it’s difficult to talk about offensive line play with any sort of expertise

* another quick look at that Week 1 Friday night opener against Baylor

* a Quadserver of Justin and Dan’s favorite Auburn football and basketball names

* a Quadserver of Justin and Dan’s favorite superhero movies

* Dan Peck’s Exotic Bird Emporium

* “Let Jeff Goldblum Cook!”

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Follow Dan (@dnpck) and Justin (@JFergusonAU) on Twitter.

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NOTE: The Auburn Observer podcast is about to take a quick summer break. The next episode will be a premium one for subscribers on either July 3 or July 4.

Justin and Dan run down some of the latest news involving Auburn football and Auburn basketball in this freewheeling offseason episode. Topics include:

* Auburn football losing three commitments in less than two weeks

* why the Tigers might have cooled off on the recruiting trail

* how Auburn can’t sell early playing time and “potential” anymore

* the very different situation Hugh Freeze and his staff are about to find themselves in this fall, barring a big summer surge on the trail

* the increasing importance of getting it right on offense — specifically at quarterback — this fall

* the Auburn University Marching Band getting a prominent spot in CFB26

* a look back at CFB25 and what we’re hoping from the new game

* a discussion of whether CFB video games can create new fans in this day and age

* Johni Broome’s stock in this week’s NBA Draft

* Jabari Smith being teammates with Kevin Durant in Houston, at least for now

* Dylan Cardwell’s growing NBA hype

* a reader-suggested Top Four of favorite recent Auburn basketball dunks

* another reader-suggested Top Four of Auburn athletes we wished we could have seen in different sports

* Dan’s Top Four of favorite non-Auburn college football quarterbacks

* The New York Times’ ballot of the top 10 movies of the 21st Century

If you’re receiving this free podcast episode and would like to upgrade to a paid subscription that gives you access to all stories and premium podcast episodes, subscribe using the button below or clicking this link.

Follow Dan (@dnpck) and Justin (@JFergusonAU) on Twitter.

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.auburnobserver.com/subscribe