Tyler Booker: Auburn should send Demarcus Riddick to media training after Iron Bowl comments

On Nov. 25, Auburn freshman Demarcus Riddick went off-script. Ahead of Auburn’s showdown against Alabama in the Iron Bowl, Riddick made several bold criticisms about Crimson Tide stars Ryan Williams and Jalen Milroe.

“Ryan Williams is Ryan Williams,” Riddick said. “Yeah he’s electric, all this and that. In my eyes, he ain’t really nobody to me. Ryan Williams is himself. He ain’t no big time player to me.”

Riddick didn’t stop there, doubling down on the trash talk.

“He is a good quarterback,” Riddick said of Jalen Milroe, per BamaCentral‘s Katie Windham. “He’s fast, but I mean, he’s not faster than me. He will not get out of that box this week.”

Riddick’s words came back to bite him this weekend when Alabama dominated Auburn 28-14. In the win, Williams tallied three catches for 53 yards. However, the true star of the show was Milroe, who exploded for 104 rushing yards and three touchdowns on 17 carries.

Additionally, Milroe completed 18-of-his-24 pass attempts for 256 yards. During an appearance on The Next Round on Monday, Alabama offensive lineman Tyler Booker reflected on how Riddick’s comments motivated the Crimson Tide.

“Honestly, we all just laughed at it because we knew that he was going to have to see us eventually,” Booker said. “He did and I think Ryan showed how special he was and Jalen showed how fast he was. So, I think he’s going to have to go through a little bit of media training this offseason.”

In the loss, Demarcus Riddick recorded just two tackles. Worse, Milroe outran him up the right sideline to secure Alabama’s first touchdown and crack the game wide open.

In head coach Hugh Freeze‘s second year at the helm of the program, Auburn finished the regular season 5-7 and 2-6 in conference play. For reference, Auburn posted a 6-7 record and 3-5 mark against SEC foes in Freeze’s first season at Auburn last year.

“Disappointing we get to end the season like we did,” Freeze said after the game. “Lot to build on, for sure, with those young guys and the class that we can sign next week. Nonetheless, that hurt is still there.”