Huge Freeze’s overhaul of the Auburn Tigers roster continues apace with the capture of former USF running back and return specialist Brian Battie from the college football transfer portal.
Brian Battie Transfers to Auburn
Battie announced his intention to transfer to Auburn via a message on his social media less than two hours before the kickoff of the 2023 College Football National Championship. Auburn fans will hope that the capture of the electric multi-use weapon will help the Tigers return to relevance in their bid for a first national title since 2010.
The addition of a running back from the transfer portal comes following the decision of star rusher Tank Bigsby to declare for the 2023 NFL Draft. Bigsby paced the Tigers’ offense in 2022, rushing for 970 yards and averaging 5.4 yards per carry while finding the end zone 10 times.
The Auburn offense only tallied nine passing touchdowns the entire season.
Despite the presence of Jarquez Hunter — 668 yards, 6.4 YPC, seven touchdowns — in the Auburn running back room, Battie’s addition from the portal is significant for a team that was expected to be in the running for former Mississippi State running back Dillon Johnson. Ultimately, Johnson headed out of the SEC to the Washington Huskies.
MORE: NCAA Transfer Portal Tracker
A former three-star running back in the 2020 class out of Sarasota High School in Florida, Battie held offers from Power Five programs Kansas State and Kentucky before committing to USF. He saw time as a freshman in 2020, ending the season on a high with 264 yards and a score in his three outings.
While he only tallied 324 rushing yards and a score in 2021, Battie was named a consensus All-American as a kick returner and earned the reputation as one of the most dangerous special-teams players in the nation.
Averaging 32.5 yards per return, the USF special-teams weapon tallied three kick-return touchdowns. He was named a College Football Network All-American Special Teamer as a kick returner for his efforts.
Handling a substantial load in 2022, Battie established himself as a genuine rushing threat in his final season with the Bulls. Averaging 6.7 yards per carry, the new Auburn RB tallied a career-high 1,186 rushing yards and eight touchdowns.
Meanwhile, his rare return ability continued with 659 kick-return yards and another mention on the College Football Network All-American Team as a second-team special teamer.
The king of the kick return. A cutback connoisseur. A savant in space. Battie’s diminutive frame might not exactly fill the hole left behind by the bullying Bigsby, but he’s an excellent addition to an Auburn offense that simply can’t be any worse than it was in 2022.
After all, “it’s time to get to work.”
Battie Quick Facts
- Class: Senior
- Height: 5’8″
- Weight: 165
- Hometown: Sarasota, FL
- Career carries: 280
- Career rushing yards: 1,842
- Career yards per carry: 6.6
- Career rushing touchdowns: 10
- Career kick-return yards: 1,427
- Career kick-return touchdowns: 3
