AUBURN, Ala. – They arrived on the Plains with lofty credentials and high expectations, then immediately set about fulfilling them, becoming two of Pro Football Focus’ top-rated freshman defenders nationally.
Now, sophomore safeties Eric Winters and Anquon Fegans are back, native Alabamians preparing for an even bigger role in Auburn’s secondary in hopes of restoring the Tigers’ tradition of SEC prominence.
“It’s very important to me,” Fegans said. “I chose to come back for a reason. We didn’t get the job done that we were supposed to do last year, so I wanted to come back this year and put some better stuff on tape.”
“When I was coming up, they won a national championship with Cam Newton,” Winters said. “That’s the reason I came here, to bring this program back to where it was.”
The combination of first-year head coach Alex Golesh and returning defensive coordinator DJ Durkin played a key factor in both safeties’ decision to remain at Auburn.
“That was a real big decision for both of us,” Fegans said. “We’re both from the state of Alabama and we both chose to stay here because we both grew up Auburn fans, we both said why not put it on for the university while we can?”
“Coach Durkin coming back and Coach Golesh,” said Winters, whom Golesh visited soon after his hiring. “My family loved him. Coach Golesh is setting that foundation of what he wants this program to be. That really stood out to me and that’s why I came back.”