On the Plains with Antwon Fegans Jr.: Putting others first

For Antwon Fegans Jr., coming to Auburn for his final seasons of college football was an easy family decision. 

“I visited a lot with my younger brother when he was being recruited and it was just the way they (the Auburn football staff) treated everything,” Fegans said. “It was so family oriented. I never had that. I thought it would be more business, but it was really family. They welcomed my whole family with open arms. It was a no-brainer for me to come here, too.”

Fegans came to Auburn prior to the 2024 season after making stops at a pair of mid-majors. He kicked off his career with two years at Arkansas State before moving on to Northwestern State for the 2022 and 2023 seasons. In his first year on the Plains, he saw action at safety vs. Alabama A&M. 

But ultimately, the chance to play a year with his younger brother, Anquon “Newboy” Fegans, was an opportunity he couldn’t pass up. It was a chance to experience this season with one of his many brothers.

The Fegans family is a large one with eight children, all boys. That led to the desire for competition at an early age for Antwon. 

“It was competitive growing up and still is,” Fegans said. “We will compete with everything from eating cereal and who could finish first, who could race and hit the stop sign first, who could throw the ball the farthest. It was always a competition.”

That level of competition in the home helped Fegans and his brothers find success on the playing field as well.

“The competition was good for us because it translated to football well,” he said. 

Football has been a part of his life since Antwon was 4 years old and as the Oxford, Alabama, product continued to develop, success started to follow. He put together a solid prep career at Oxford High School, earning all-state honors as a junior and senior and helping his team win the 2019 Class 6A state championship.

Throughout that time, Antwon had a handful of men in his life guiding him, including his head coach, Keith Etheredge, and his father, Antwon Fegans Sr. 

“Coach Etheredge and my dad were two of the biggest influences on my life growing up in football,” Fegans said. “Also, my little league coach, Coach Darnell. You never know what kind of impact you will leave on people and they definitely had big impacts for me. I’ve realized how much further I’ve gotten in life already with them in my corner.”

It was those relationships that led to Fegans’ focus on the future – his desire to coach after his Auburn playing career ends.

“A lot of guys come here and they want to go to the NFL,” Fegans said. “I want to coach. Coming here, I knew I would get a player’s perspective at this level and see how players react to certain things. How do they react to this? How do they react to this kind of coaching?”

Fegans’ passion to mentor and help others achieve their goals comes across in conversations with the 6-foot-1 senior safety.

”It’s something deep within me to help others,” Fegans said. “I have an innate ability to help, and I want to help them accomplish their dreams. I feel like I can speak life into a lot of people.”

Not only did some of his mentors help him realize this, so too did his previous stops prior to the Plains. 

“I grew up a bit,” Fegans said. “The things that I’ve learned and know and the tools that I have, these things that God has given me, I can help so many other people. That felt way more fulfilling than me fulfilling my own dreams.”

Time spent in two other college football programs provided perspective.

“How to stay happy in the struggle,” Fegans said. “To enjoy the time and the people I was around and help others get through the hard times. Here, I wake up and everything is pretty much taken care of. My schedule, what I’m going to eat. 

“At smaller schools, you have to learn how to do all those things on your own. I’ve learned a lot about gratitude and how to be grateful. How to be humble throughout and how to help those around me.”

Helping those around him this season means putting in the work with the talented and youthful safety room. 

It’s a room that he’s thankful to be a part of and has welcomed him with open arms. 

“Everybody accepts everybody in our room,” Fegans said. “There is no hierarchy like I’ve had at other places. Everyone is treating everyone the same. It’s a fun room to be in.”

When asked what to expect from this talented group this year, Antwon had just one word.

“Turnovers,” Fegans said. “I know we didn’t have the numbers we wanted last year, but I think there’s going to be a lot more. The Auburn Family can expect energy and physicality from this group.”

With a lot of lasts on the horizon, wearing his Auburn uniform in Jordan-Hare for one last season is going to be special.

“I’m mostly looking forward to the fans,” Fegans said. “I love the Auburn fanbase. They show up every week no matter what. We owe them the joy that they’ve been looking for because they come out and support us every single Saturday.”

Being on the same field with his younger brother this season is just the cherry on top.

“I get to walk him through a lot of things,” Fegans said. “We can have those hard conversations that will ultimately lead to his success in the future. That’s what I care about the most. As long as he’s successful and does better than I did. I want him to accomplish and experience everything.”

That goes back to who Antwon Fegans Jr. is at his core – one who helps those around him succeed.