Eugene Asante 'lays it all on the line' for Auburn

AUBURN, Ala. – Productivity made Eugene Asante a starter. Leadership made him a captain.

Auburn’s leading tackler in 2023, Asante strives to help the Tigers navigate a challenging start to the 2024 season.

“Who you are is developed through the adversity that you go through,” Asante said. “As a leader, I’m being tested every single day in terms of trying to get this team to a better position.”

After five consecutive home games, Auburn makes its first road trip this weekend, renewing the Deep South’s Oldest Rivalry with a visit to No. 5 Georgia at 2:30 p.m. CT on ABC and the Auburn Sports Network. 

“It’s the SEC,” the 6-1, 219-pound linebacker said. “You have to prepare every single weekend to execute to get the results. Anybody can win any given Saturday. The biggest thing for us is to learn from the mistakes on film and play clean football.

“We need to put ourselves in a position to win games. That’s the biggest thing the leaders and I are trying to convey. We’re in these games. We’re trying to emphasize cutting down those mistakes.”

Prior to Auburn’s game against Oklahoma, Asante told reporters the Tigers needed to bring a sense of urgency to each practice.

“In terms of our preparation, we have to up the ante,” he said. “We have to go harder than we went before. We’ve got to play complete football games. It’s demanded out of us.”

Against the Sooners, Asante recorded his 100th career tackle as an Auburn Tiger. Last season, he tallied three games with at least 10 tackles.  

“We have all the resources to be a great football team. As players, we have to evaluate ourselves,” he said. “I try to convey to guys, if you think you’re doing enough, you’re not.” 

Before the Tigers played the Sooners, Asante sent his teammates an encouraging text message.

“I was telling the guys we’re so close,” Asante said. “People may not see that but we’re so close to being the team we want to be.”

To become that team, says Asante, Auburn needs to produce in pivotal moments. Against the Sooners, the Tigers’ defense held Oklahoma to 2-of-11 on third down, a marked improvement. 

“Executing the assignments, making the plays in the key moments,” Asante said. “Be the one to make the play.”

Asante and his fellow captains called a team meeting after Auburn played Arkansas, stressing the importance of positive body language on the sideline, especially after a mistake.

“Continuing to try to build our identity,” said Asante, reinforcing his point about the need to deliver in key situations, regardless of youth or experience level. “As a kid, you dreamed of coming to Auburn and making a play in that stadium. Don’t shy away from it. The moment’s not too big for you.”

That message resonated with true freshman linebacker Demarcus Riddick, who led the Tigers with six tackles against Oklahoma while Asante added a season-high four tackles and his first tackle for loss this season.

With NFL aspirations, Asante views each Saturday as a job interview, an opportunity to show potential employers what he would bring to their organizations.

“I want them to see a player who gives it everything he has every single game,” Asante said. “Somebody who is dependable in terms of my communication, my approach and my physicality. I want that to be something that stands out. My sideline-to-sideline ability, getting to the football, flowing and relentless effort.”

Asante looks back fondly at Auburn’s 14-10 win at California last season, in which he made a career-high 12 tackles and a sack, as his finest performance to date as a Tiger.

“Defensively, we were on the money,” Asante said. “Everybody was making plays. One of our greater moments as a defense.”

Last season against Georgia, Asante made seven tackles in Auburn’s 27-20 loss. Eugene came close to recording his eighth tackle, narrowly missing a third-down sack of quarterback Carson Beck.

“He really gained my respect with that play because I was coming full speed,” said Asante, who has formed a friendship with the Georgia quarterback. “He’s a great guy, a brother in Christ, and I’m excited to go over there and play Georgia and go against elite competition. 

“As a player, you dream of those moments to go against great players. I’m excited for that opportunity and that challenge.”

An avid reader and offseason painter, Asante hopes to leave a legacy at Auburn that teammates, coaches and fans will appreciate.

“I want to be remembered as somebody who laid it all on the line,” he said, “who cared for others and tried to be selfless in everything I’ve done. Someone who tried to help develop this team to the way it needs to be. 

“Someone who truly cares about football, truly cares about others and truly cares about my relationship with God. Those are the biggest things who make me who I am.”

Jeff Shearer is a Senior Writer at AuburnTigers.com. Follow him on X: @jeff_shearer