'We love our fans so much': Auburn football notebook

'We love our fans so much': Auburn football notebook'We love our fans so much': Auburn football notebook

Chandler Cox and Marquel Harrell celebrate after Cox's touchdown on Auburn's opening drive. Photo: Todd Van Emst/Auburn Athletics

AUBURN, Ala. – Speaking to reporters after a disappointing SEC defeat, senior fullback Chandler Cox empathized with Auburn's fans.

"We take that on us because we love our fans so much, and they stick with us, they cheer for us, and we didn't get it done," Cox said. "It's heartbreaking, it's disappointing."

Cox, who culminated Auburn's opening drive with his second career rushing touchdown, vowed to press on.

"Leadership. It comes back on me," he said. "I'm a senior. This is my last year. I take tremendous pride in that because I've been here four years. I'm supposed to be a leader. I'm supposed to give that energy and be positive. I've got to do a better job. I'm an energetic guy and I've got to look at the guys beside me and encourage them and help them. It's not the coaches, it's not anybody else. It's us as leaders."

DOUBLE DIGIT DAVIS

One week after a scary knee injury at Mississippi State, senior linebacker Deshaun Davis led Auburn with 10 tackles against Tennessee.

"I had a couple plays where it bothered me but I was able to go out and compete," said Davis, who also had a tackle for loss. "I didn't feel like I was a liability. I didn't feel like I was hurting my team. I felt like I was helping them.

Davis addressed Auburn's second half of SEC play, which includes Saturday's game at Ole Miss, a November home game against Texas A&M, and Amen Corner on the road at Georgia and Alabama.

"When you play those two teams, the records go out the window," Davis said. "We've got to get bowl eligible and see whatever lies before us. I just want to win, I don't care what happens at the end of the season, I hate losing, I want to win. Like I've been saying, we've got to find a way to fix Auburn and win some football games."

LEGENDARY

Removing his earpiece and setting aside his microphone, Auburn sideline reporter Ronnie Brown stepped back onto Pat Dye Field to receive a roaring ovation.

Auburn's 2018 SEC Football Legend, Brown was recognized during the second quarter of the Tennessee game.

"It means a lot," Brown said before resuming his radio duties. "Auburn did so much for me, and it was an important time in my life. For me to able to come back and participate, doing the sideline radio, but also to get in the stadium and get the feel, it feels good."

Brown and his fellow Class of 2018 SEC Football Legends will be honored in Atlanta before and during the SEC Championship Game in December.


Brown starred for the Tigers from 2001-04, earning first-team All-SEC honors as a senior while helping the Tigers win the SEC Championship to cap a 13-0 season.
 


AUTLIVE

A special guest joined Auburn men's basketball coach Bruce Pearl on-field after the Auburn University Marching Band's AUTIVE: Fight Against Cancer halftime performance.

Chris Lofton, the SEC's all-time leading three-point shooter, was diagnosed with testicular cancer after earning SEC Player of the Honors for Pearl at Tennessee in 2007.

"He battled, he fought, and with his teammates, his family and his friends and the Vol Nation, beat cancer," said Pearl, who created the OUTLIVE program in Lofton's honor to support local cancer patients. When Pearl came to Auburn in 2014, he changed the spelling to AUTLIVE.

"The thing I'm so proud about Chris is, he's willing to be able to be out there in front of everybody and say, 'Go get screened. Go get checked. If you're like me, and you detect it early, you live.'"

The SEC's all-time leading 3-point shooter, Lofton has played professionally overseas for a decade.

"The program he started in my name has been great," Lofton said. "I'm glad he brought it to Auburn to keep it going. I'm thankful for Vol Nation. They stood behind me. My teammates, they stood behind me. Very thankful for everybody.

"It could happen to anybody. As a college athlete, you don't realize how this can affect you, but it happened to me. I want everybody to know that it's okay. You can fight through it. Keep God first, and anything's possible."
 



Jeff Shearer is a Senior Writer at AuburnTigers.com. Follow him on Twitter: @jeff_shearer