AUBURN, Ala. – Defensive tackle Tony Fair may be on the Plains for only one season but the UAB graduate transfer from South Bend, Indiana, has fully embraced what it means to be an Auburn Tiger.
After graduating from Washington High School in Indiana in 2014, Fair has been on quite the journey to Auburn, the final destination of his college career.
"Auburn had a lot of positive things to offer," he said. "Not only great coaches, but it was the ballers on both sides of the ball. I'm extremely excited. I promised my mom that one day I'd be playing on a stage and in an environment like Auburn."
Fair began his college football career at Indiana State. After a concussion near the end of his first season, Fair served as team manager for two seasons until being medically cleared to play again.
That's when a friend called to encourage Fair to join him at Pima Community College in Arizona.
In his first season at Pima, he recorded 98 tackles, including seven for loss, and was honored as a 2017 junior college All-American. After another solid year with Pima in 2018, Fair received offers from UAB, Indiana and Nebraska, ultimately choosing UAB.
After two productive years with the Blazers where he played in 23 games, making 57 tackles, including eight for loss, Fair could see his dream of playing in the SEC within reach. On May 5, Fair received an offer from the Tigers and committed just a week later, thanks to the defensive staff led by coordinator Derek Mason.
"My teammates and coaches have been great so far," Fair said. "Everybody has welcomed me with open arms and the vibe has been great."
Playing for his fourth different collegiate team, adapting to new systems and cultures has become a strong suit for Fair, who has already latched onto the 1-0 mentality that head coach Bryan Harsin and staff preach.
"You have to keep the key things that you've learned, but then you have to take in every single thing that your new coaches teach," Fair said. "You have to be open-minded and adapt, or it's not going to work.
"I plan on being better than I was the day before; that's my goal. I've got to make sure that every single day that I'm out there, I get 1% better. That's what Coach Harsin teaches us -- that 1-0 mentality. There will not be any loose ends on this team. You've got to get with the program, or you've got to go.
"You have to focus on today and the now. As a whole team, we've got to be 1-0 every day to get where we want to be. Right now, we are working on getting our communication locked in. You can't play football without communication."
Another key factor in the process that made Tony Fair the man he is today is his daughter Armanee. He believes that without her, he may not have ended up at Auburn.
"Being a father has taught me a lot," he said. "It has made me mature a whole lot more than I probably would have in college and some of those aspects have carried over into being a better teammate."
In the trenches: Tony Fair, 6-1, 330 pounds, prepares for battle
While Fair is the Tigers' elder statesman, his jovial and lighthearted spirit provides a much-needed respite from the grit and grind of football.
"They call me big bear," Fair said jokingly. "I also love me some Frosted Flakes and have been called Tony the Tiger by my mom and others in the past."
Fair graduated from UAB in the spring with a bachelor's degree in communication and looks forward to where that will take him after football.
In the meantime, Fair focuses on the here and now and is ready to do whatever he can to help the team win this fall.
"I don't want to be that 'would've, could've, should've' guy," he said. "I'm ready to grind and show people what I'm all about."
After playing D-I football for a couple years, it's safe to say that Fair has played in some big games and experienced some high-profile environments. However, he understands that he is walking into a different intensity level when playing in Jordan-Hare and the SEC.
"I love the fans and the support and passion they bring," he said. "I'm from Indiana, so we have Notre Dame and Michigan up there, but the support does not compare to the fans here at Auburn and in the SEC. I just can't wait to get in there and experience it."
His message to the fans is simple and to the point but carries the spirit and mentality that the team lives by.
"Stay faithful because we are working hard every day to be 1-0," he said. "I don't care who's on the schedule, it's 1-0."Tony the Tiger: Auburn defensive lineman Tony Fair participates in TIger Walk
Lawrence Merrill is a student worker in Auburn Athletics media relations
