Auburn Tigers Veteran Tight End Reveals Message to Younger Teammates

Auburn Tigers veteran tight end Rivaldo Fairweather has a simple message for the team’s younger players with conference play set to begin this week.

Auburn Tigers tight end Rivaldo Fairweather is using his experience to help a young Tigers team. / Jake Crandall/ Advertiser / USA TODAY NETWORK

After three non-conference games, the Auburn Tigers are set to turn things up a notch this week.

SEC play is here for the Tigers and they get it started against Arkansas, a team they had no difficulty taking care of on the road last season.

Tight end Rivaldo Fairweather has been giving a message to the younger members of the team to remember as the competition gets tougher.

“I tell them just go out there, just be who you are,” Fairweather said. “Just be who you’ve been training your whole life to be because we’re in the SEC for a reason. SEC teams are the best teams in college football. Just going out there to face Arkansas, just be who you are.”

Even with a matchup with an SEC opponent set for the end of the week, the process remains the same for Fairweather.

“For me, it doesn't really go up that much, I treat every game the same,” Fairweather said. “I go into every game with the same mentality, I don’t really change my mindset in any game. We’re just gonna go out there and do what we’ve been practicing the whole year for.”

Auburn will be without veteran tight end Brandon Frazier for an extended period of time as he had surgery on his foot this week. The loss will be felt by the rest of the group.

“That was a tough one,” Frazier said. “Brandon (Frazier), he’s a really good piece of our team. We got Micah (Riley) that can step up, also Rico (Walker) and Luke (Deal). That’s why it’s good to have depth in the room.”

Fairweather made a catch for a touchdown against New Mexico on Saturday and was pleased with the throw from quarterback Hank Brown.

“We practice that everyday,” Fairweather said. “Just drop a step and go make a play for the team and that’s what I did.”

Fairweather and the Tigers host Arkansas inside Jordan-Hare Stadium at 2:30 p.m. CT on Saturday. ESPN will carry the broadcast. Currently, Auburn is a 3.5-point favorite over Arkansas according to ESPN.