Riddick: UMass game 'means something'

JEMISON, Ala. — Demarcus Riddick wasn't planning to be in Auburn this weekend.

The initial plan was to head to Alabama, but a midweek call with linebackers' coach Josh Aldridge changed his mind. With the largest crowd in Jordan-Hare Stadium history anticipated for this weekend, the Auburn linebacker commit couldn't be more excited to get back to the Plains.

"I was just thinking ‘I can’t miss this home game," Riddick said. "I’m making it to every single home game this year and I was like I can’t miss this first one. This first one, it means something. I will be there, I’m ready for it."

Auburn takes the field against UMass at 2:30 p.m. CST Saturday, for the first game under new head coach Hugh Freeze. Riddick, along with every Auburn fan, is ready to see how the product looks on the field.

"I feel like he’s gonna turn Auburn around," Riddick said of Freeze. "I feel like this first game is gonna flip a switch and then it’s gonna keep rolling. I’m just focusing on what he’s gonna do and see how the defense plays. We’re a little tight at linebacker, but we’re gonna see what they got."

Meanwhile, Riddick's senior season is in full swing and continued Thursday night in Jemison. Despite falling behind early 21-7, Chilton County rallied with a strong second half, scoring 34 unanswered points to win 41-21.

"Last week, we had a fall down," Riddick said. "We weren’t a second half team last week. We came out the second half and just fell straight down. Tonight, we came out and played strong in the second half. First half, we had some mess ups on defense, but second half we came back and fought and got the dub like we wanted."

It was the first victory for Chilton County this season, which is now 1-1.

"We told each other in the locker rooms that we gotta fix this, we gotta get our heads together, we gotta stay together," Riddick said. "We came out here and did that."

The 6-foot-3, 206-pound linebacker who was previously committed to Georgia flipped his commitment back in late July. Alabama was also heavy in the mix for him, but the Tigers ultimately won out.

Alabama still reaches out occasionally, and while Riddick is respectful of the relationships he's built with the Crimson Tide, he remains all Auburn.

"I’m communicating with [Alabama], but either way I’m not leaving Auburn, that’s home," Riddick said. "I’m loving the school, I’m loving the community, that’s my hometown."