| Auburn High School Tigers | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| |||
| First season | 1911 | ||
| Staff | |||
| Athletic director | Chuck Furlow | ||
| Head coach | Tim Carter | ||
| 3rd year, 27–10 | |||
| Current uniform | |||
 | |||
| Stadium | |||
| Home stadium | Duck Samford Stadium | ||
| Year built | 1968 | ||
| Stadium capacity | 7,120 | ||
| Stadium surface | Grass | ||
| Location | Auburn, Alabama | ||
| League/Class | |||
| League | Alabama High School Athletic Association | ||
| Class | 7a | ||
| Team records | |||
| All-time record | 505–347–33 (0.589) | ||
| Playoffs record | 8–12 | ||
| Awards | |||
| Conference/region titles | 18 | ||
| All-State players | 52 | ||
| All-Americans | 2 | ||
| Pageantry | |||
| Colors | Royal Blue and White | ||
| Fight song | Hooray for Auburn! | ||
| Mascot | Samford | ||
Football was one of the first sports organized at Auburn High, with the first game being played in 1911.[1] In the nine seasons between 1915 and 1923, Auburn High lost only 5 of 62 games, scoring unbeaten records in 1915, 1918, 1919, 1921, and 1923.[2] The Tigers also had unbeaten regular seasons in 1934, 1952, and 2008—Auburn's eight unbeaten seasons rank second among class 6A schools in Alabama.[3] AHS's overall record of 505–347–33 is the third–winningest overall record in 6A.[4]
Auburn High's football team competes in Region 3 of class 6A along with Central High School of Phenix City, Dothan, Enterprise, Northview High of Dothan, Opelika, Russell County, and Smiths Station High Schools.[5] AHS's primary football rival is the Opelika High School Bulldogs from nearby Opelika, Alabama. Auburn and Opelika have played 81 times, including each year since 1933.[6] Auburn also has traditional rivalries with Central High School of Phenix City (44 games), Lanett High School (44 games), and Valley High School (48 games).[7] The Tigers had previous rivalries with Sidney Lanier High School in the 1910s and Columbus and Jordan High Schools of Columbus, Georgia in the 1920s and 1930s.[8]
Since 2004, Auburn High has produced more All-Pro National Football League players than any other high school. AHS alumni in the NFL include Marcus Washington of the Washington Redskins (Pro Bowl 2005), Osi Umenyiora of the New York Giants (Pro Bowl 2006, 2008), and Demarcus Ware of the Dallas Cowboys (Pro Bowl 2007, 2008, 2009).[9] Auburn High's Dee Finley was a USA Today All-American in 2007, as was Philip Yost in 1999.[10]
Auburn High has twice been ranked first in the state (the weeks of October 5 and October 19, 1967), and proceeded deepest into the playoffs in 2001, when the team reached the semifinal round.[11] AHS has won the region, area or conference championship on eighteen occasions since 1921: in 1922, 1923, 1925, 1926, 1927, 1929, 1934, 1937, 1940, 1948, 1952, 1967, 1972, 1973, 1987, 1990, 2004, and 2008.[12]
The football team's home field since 1968 is 7,120 seat Duck Samford Stadium. AHS previously played at Felton Little Park (1949—1968), Auburn Stadium (1939-1947), Drake Field (1911-1920, 1935-1939), and Ross Field (1921-1935). The head coach of the Tigers is Tim Carter, who is 27–10 with three playoff appearances in his three years as AHS coach. Carter replaced Robert Maddox, who in three years at Auburn led the team to three playoff appearances and a region title in 2004. Football games are broadcast on the radio and over the Internet by station WAUD AM 1230.[13]
Facilities
editAuburn High School plays home football games at Duck Samford Stadium in Auburn, Alabama. Duck Samford Stadium was constructed in 1968, and seats 7,120 spectators.[14] The field is named after James Drake "Duck" Samford, a former Auburn University football player and longtime supporter of youth athletics in Auburn who donated the land for the facility.[15] Previous home football facilities included Felton Little Park, Auburn Stadium, Drake Field, and Ross Field.
Traditions
editFight songs
edit
Auburn High School's primary fight song is "Hooray for Auburn!". The lyrics to "Hooray for Auburn!" come from a cheer that was commonly used in the mid-twentieth century. In 1961, Auburn High School band director Tommy Goff wrote music to fit those lyrics to create the current fight song. In subsequent years, the fight song was adopted by other schools, including Prattville High School and Opelika High School. At football games, "Hooray for Auburn!" is played after a touchdown.[16]
"Glory, Glory to Ole Auburn"—often simply "Glory"—was Auburn High's fight song before "Hooray for Auburn!" was written in 1961 and is currently a secondary fight song of Auburn High. "Glory, Glory to Ole Auburn" has the tune of the chorus of the "Battle Hymn of the Republic", while the lyrics are identical to those of the University of Georgia's "Glory, Glory" but substitute the word "Auburn" for "Georgia". At football games, "Glory, Glory to Ole Auburn" is played after a successful PAT conversion.[17]
For the 1955 football season, Auburn High used the Alabama Polytechnic Institute fight song "War Eagle". An earlier school song, "We're Loyal to You, Auburn High", was used from the 1920s through the 1940s. "We're Loyal to You, Auburn High" has the melody of "Illinois Loyalty".[18]
Mascot
editAuburn High's mascot is the tiger. The tiger was chosen because of its association with Auburn in Oliver Goldsmith's 1770 poem The Deserted Village. The first line of the poem is "Sweet Auburn! Loveliest village of the plain", while a later line describes Auburn as, "where crouching tigers wait their hapless prey."
Auburn High's costumed mascot is Samford, an anthropomorphic tiger. Samford was created in 1995 and named for three symbols of the school: Samford Avenue, which runs by the school; Duck Samford Stadium, Auburn High's football stadium; and Samford Hall, the most prominent building in Auburn. Kari Pierce was the first Samford in 1995.[19]
Conference and region championships (18)
editAuburn High has won a combined 18 conference or region championships since 1921.
Conference or region affiliations
Head Coachesedit
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