MOBILE, Ala. — Three weeks ago, Shadarius Toodle was working with Auburn’s scout team. On Monday, the former Cottage Hill Christian standout was named the Southeastern Conference Freshman of the Week after a record-setting performance in the Tigers’ 26-23 win over Arkansas at Jordan-Hare Stadium.
Toodle, a true freshman linebacker from Mobile, finished Saturday’s game with three sacks, 4.5 tackles for loss, 11 total tackles and a pass breakup against the Razorbacks. His three sacks are the most ever by a true freshman in a single game in Auburn football history, and the most by an Auburn linebacker in a game.
A breakout day against Arkansas
Toodle was a constant presence in the Arkansas backfield in a game decided by three points. His 4.5 tackles for loss meant that nearly half of his 11 tackles came behind the line of scrimmage, and his pass breakup added another disruptive play to a performance that stood out across the conference.
For Toodle, the moment was hard to put into words.
Toodle described his performance as truly amazing, saying he felt blessed to be on the field and to have the coaches’ belief in him.
The SEC Freshman of the Week award is one of the league’s weekly honors, chosen from first-year players across the conference’s football programs. For a freshman to earn it in November, against SEC competition and with the season well underway, reflects how quickly Toodle has made an impact once given the chance.
From the scout team to the record book
Toodle’s rise has been rapid. He was moved up from the scout team to a larger role with Auburn’s defense three weeks ago, and Saturday’s game showed why the coaching staff made the change.
Scout team players spend much of their week imitating upcoming opponents so the starters can prepare, which often means little or no playing time on Saturdays. Toodle said he approached that stage of his career by keeping his focus on the work in front of him and leaning on the veterans around him.
He said he kept his head down and continued working, focusing on earning the coaches’ trust and learning from leaders such as Elijah Melendez, one of the country’s top linebackers, who helped and taught him. He emphasized simply showing up to work.
A decorated career at Cottage Hill Christian
Long before he was setting records on the Plains, Toodle was one of the most productive defensive players in Alabama high school football. At Cottage Hill Christian Academy in west Mobile, the 6-foot-3, 235-pounder was a two-time first-team All-State selection by the Alabama Sports Writers Association, earning the honor in each of his final two seasons with the Warriors.
As a senior last season, he was named the ASWA Class 3A Lineman of the Year, one of the top individual honors available to a player in his classification. His career numbers show how often he was around the football:
- 492 career tackles
- 12 career sacks
- 8 career interceptions
The combination of tackling volume, pass rush and coverage ability that showed up in those numbers was on display again Saturday, when Toodle produced sacks, tackles for loss and a pass breakup in the same game.
The Warriors are still playing, too
Toodle’s former program is enjoying its own fall. Cottage Hill Christian closed its regular season with a 53-0 win over Chickasaw, its fourth straight victory, and then won 34-17 at Trinity Presbyterian in the first round of the Alabama High School Athletic Association playoffs. The Warriors now compete in the AHSAA’s new Private Class A bracket and travel to Bayside Academy in the second round on Friday, Nov. 13.
For Mobile-area football fans, Toodle’s success at Auburn adds to a long list of local players who have gone on to make their mark in the SEC. The Mobile and Baldwin County area has long been a productive recruiting ground for college programs across the Southeast.
What’s next for Toodle and Auburn
Toodle and the Tigers return to action Saturday, Nov. 14, when Auburn travels to Starkville to face Mississippi State in an SEC game. Kickoff is set for 11 a.m., and the game will be televised.
After a performance that put his name in the Auburn record book, the trip to Starkville will be a chance for the freshman to show that Saturday was the start of something rather than a one-time breakout. Based on how he described his approach, Toodle plans to handle it the same way he handled his time on the scout team: by putting his head down and continuing to work.
