News of the day, 8/16

Hey everyone. Today is a day for rest at Auburn. No practices. If I owned a beach house in Destin, I'd be there today. Sadly, I'm a few years away from affording two mortgages. One day...

I'm going to stay in Montgomery and work on a story about the 1957 team, which earned the program's first SEC title. I made Red Phillips, Lloyd Nix, Burkett and Zeke Smith off-limits. I'm talking with more low-profile guys. It'll be fun.

BASEBALL: Auburn coach Tommy Slater scored a major coup Thursday morning when first baseman/outfielder Hunter Morris attended class. He was a second-round pick of the Boston Red Sox. Morris and the organization couldn't agree on contract terms, so now Auburn gets him for at least three years. Morris is a power bat from the left side that may provide some immediate brawn to the Tigers' lineup.

Auburn landed a few other big names include 1B Kevin Patterson (White Sox draft pick), shortstop Brian Fletcher (Astros draft pick) and infielder Wes Gilmer.

Slater also announced that Arizona State infielder Matt Hall. who hit .315. He went 8-for-11 in the Sun Devils' series against Auburn last season.