Auburn TE Rivaldo Fairweather 'looking to double every number' from a year ago

AUBURN – Auburn tight end Rivaldo Fairweather, who has the NFL’s attention, gave excellent insight on the new offense as well as many of the new faces on the roster. He sees an opportunity to take his numbers up a notch with the new offensive game plan, especially with the speed of the offense.

“I’m looking to really double every number I had last year,” Fairweather said. “I’m trying to set a standard that I want to be the number one tight end in the nation. This offseason putting the extra work in is really going to show on the field. Whatever you do in the dark is going to come to light.”

Fairweather seems to have a no nonsense approach to how the team will act and go about day to day business this spring. He went from transfer in from FIU to one of the leaders on the team very quickly.

“I just feel like it is a different culture in here now,” Fairweather said. “From the first day, we had a player’s meeting and we set the standard of how this team is going to operate and how we will do stuff around here. We have some of the leaders taking care of the accountability. When you’re doing something you’re not supposed to be doing, you get punished for it. That makes everybody lock in and not try to mess around.”

The consequences are, apparently, strong enough to keep everyone accountable.

“We will keep that classified, but it’s stuff that you wouldn’t want to do,” Fairweather said while laughing.

Cam Coleman, Rico Walker, Payton Thorne, Hank Brown

Fairweather thinks Cam Coleman‘s presence will be enough to free up other receivers. The Tigers didn’t have much of an outside threat a year ago, but Coleman can almost immediately bring that, Fairweather says.

“He’s very athletic, he can really go up and get it,” Fairweather said. “He’s going to be a good addition to this offense. We need that guy on the outside who can go up and make plays for us. That helps everybody around you, the slot, the tight ends, the running backs. Then they have to focus on everybody.”

Fellow tight end and Maryland transfer tight end Rico Walker is a specimen who has a 3 years to play. Fairweather likes what he has seen from him so far.

“Rico (Walker) is a good player,” Fairweather said. “He’s kind of young, so he has a lot of time to develop, but he’s a good route runner. He’s going to get to where he needs to be. Coming here has helped him with Coach Dom’s conditioning program. He’s going to be good.”

What about the quarterbacks throwing him the ball? With Hank Brown, who is competing for a job, Fairweather sees big improvement and some grit to his game.

“He really progressed more, and he is starting to make the big time throws now,” Fairweather said. “He’s a gutsy quarterback, so he is always going to give us a chance to make a play. Me, Hank, and every other quarterback have all been putting the work in before we started spring. We have seen that catch in the offseason just being outside against our DB’s. The work we put in behind the cameras will always come to light when we step on the field.”

As for Payton Thorne, who is the returning starter, Fairweather senses big leadership ability. He is always consistent and puts in the work to lead the team. He also picks things up with the new playbook quickly.

“Payton is always going to stay locked in and do what he can do and control what he can control,” Fairweather said. “He’s an older quarterback, so stuff develops for him faster. We all are learning this new playbook now, so we have been coming in and doing extra stuff. When we go out there on the field, running certain formations and certain plays, he is a guy who is a leader to us. He is going to put his head down and work.”

The offense

Fairweather says there have been some early similarities to Freeze’s old Ole Miss offense, which Derrick Nix was a part of.

“I think Coach Nix was with Coach Freeze before, so it is kind of like some of the stuff they ran before at Ole Miss,” Fairweather said. “Watching film and seeing that stuff, it’s kind of similar, but Coach Nix has brought some of the new stuff he’s got with what Freeze had and combine it for real.”

“It’s really good stuff, it’s kind of different. I know last year it was fast, but his offense is like way faster. When we catch the ball, you know, I like to celebrate, but you have to spot the ball and get back in the huddle and look for the next play. I feel like this offense will take the next step this offseason.”

Now, Nix is adjusting to having a full tight end room. All of which have made big plays for Auburn in some capacity.

“Coach Nix at Ole Miss wasn’t used to having a lot of great tight ends around, but he sees that we can make the plays out there and we will be a good piece for this offense,” Fairweather said.