Auburn Tigers tight end Rivaldo Fairweather has candidly addressed the team’s recent struggles, acknowledging that the Tigers need to do a better job of “getting out of their own way” to turn their season around. Following a string of inconsistent performances, Fairweather’s comments come as a rallying cry for the Tigers to focus on execution and discipline as they approach the critical stretch of their schedule.
“We’ve been our own worst enemy at times,” Fairweather admitted in a post-practice interview. “There are games where we’re hurting ourselves with penalties, missed assignments, and not capitalizing on key opportunities. We have the talent to be a lot better, but we need to get out of our own way if we want to win consistently.”
The Tigers, currently sitting at a 4-3 record, have shown flashes of potential this season but have often been plagued by unforced errors, including penalties, turnovers, and inconsistent play in key moments. Fairweather, one of Auburn’s most reliable offensive weapons, believes that cleaning up those mistakes will be crucial to the team’s success moving forward.
Penalties, in particular, have been a major issue for the Tigers, with Auburn ranking near the bottom of the SEC in penalty yards per game. “It’s hard to win games when you’re constantly moving backward,” Fairweather said. “We’ve got to be smarter and more disciplined. That’s something we can control, and it’s something we need to fix now.”
Fairweather has been one of the bright spots for Auburn this season, providing stability as a pass-catcher and a key blocker in the Tigers’ offense. The 6-foot-5, 245-pound tight end has emerged as a go-to target for quarterback Payton Thorne, especially in critical situations. Fairweather’s leadership on and off the field has been evident, and his willingness to speak openly about the team’s issues has resonated with both teammates and coaches.
Head coach Hugh Freeze echoed Fairweather’s sentiments, stressing the importance of discipline and attention to detail. “Rivaldo is right – we’ve been making things harder on ourselves than they need to be,” Freeze said. “The margin for error in this league is small, and we can’t afford to beat ourselves with mistakes that are avoidable. We’ve got to clean that up if we’re going to compete down the stretch.”
Despite the challenges, Auburn remains optimistic about its chances to finish the season strong. With several key SEC matchups still ahead, the Tigers know that every game is critical. Fairweather believes the team has the talent to compete at the highest level but emphasized the need to execute better and minimize costly errors.
“We know what we’re capable of,” Fairweather said. “We’ve just got to put it all together. If we can stop making things harder for ourselves, we can beat anyone.” As Auburn looks ahead to its next game, the Tigers will be focused on fixing the self-inflicted wounds that have held them back, with Rivaldo Fairweather leading the charge for a more disciplined and successful finish to the season.
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