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Gus Malzahn spoke to the media last night after Auburn's first bowl practice. He spoke of the Jakell Mitchell murder and said that the team will honor Mitchell with a "31" decal on their helmets during the bowl game. Hundreds of people gathered in downtown Opelika last night for a candlelight vigil to honor Mitchell. Funeral arrangements for Mitchell have been set for Saturday in his hometown of Opelika. Meanwhile, the Lee County District Attorney is researching whether the amount of violent crime events at the Tiger Lodge apartments are enough to have the complex declared a public nuisance.
In football news, Sammie Coates confirmed earlier reports from Monday afternoon when he announced his intentions to go pro. There's one little Auburn fan in particular whom I think expresses the way all of us feel. Still, you have to feel good for Sammie. Phillip Marshall points out that while we rightly praise players who come back to finish their degree after leaving early, Sammie Coates will be leaving with degree already in hand. He is graduating in 3.5 years. Congrats, Sammie. We're all proud of you and proud to call you an Auburn Man.
The Columbus Ledger-Enquirer is now on to the offensive guards in their projections of where Auburn will stand next season. The whole offensive line should be a strength next season. Especially if Kozan returns to the team healthy.
5* JUCO RB Jovon Robinson got some work at practice yesterday. The Tigers are wasting no time in ensuring he learns the offense and is ready to go for next season. Auburn could have a backfield that consists of Robinson, Roc Thomas, Peyton Barber, and Kerryon Johnson. I must express my thoughts on this backfield with a short Not-Safe-For-Work clip from the FX TV show "Archer."
In things that get you thinking about next season and provoke similar reactions, Will Muschamp was observing practice yesterday during bowl prep. Got to love seeing him back in the proper shade of orange and blue.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>New defensive coordinator Will Muschamp watches his first Auburn practice Monday <a href="http://t.co/dmShYy25dv">pic.twitter.com/dmShYy25dv</a></p>— Auburn Gold Mine (@AUGoldMine) <a href="https://twitter.com/AUGoldMine/status/544623642764906496">December 15, 2014</a></blockquote>
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Oh, and speaking of what Muschamp will have to work with:
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>God is good! First day back out with my team <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WDE?src=hash">#WDE</a></p>— carl lawson (@carllawson14) <a href="https://twitter.com/carllawson14/status/544618925770932224">December 15, 2014</a></blockquote>
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Carl is ready to start laying down the Law, Son.
Yeah, it was weak, shut up.
In other Auburn-related news (since I decided to forgo sectioning off today's post), Auburn's gymnastics team will start the season ranked 12th in the nation. Congrats, ladies!
Auburn basketball will play a double-header in Auburn Arena tomorrow night. First up are the women at 5:30pm CDT against Savannah State, followed by the men at 8pm CDT against Winthrop.