PREP BLITZ PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Auburn High’s Augustus Brooks

Augustus Brooks, RB, Auburn High
Year: Senior
Ht/.Wt.: 5-10, 175

About Brooks: The senior has stood out in a crowded Tigers backfield this season, leading the team with 108 carries for 778 yards and 13 touchdowns. Brooks has paced the Auburn ground attack — which averages 245.4 yards per game this year — in rushing yards in five of the eight games he’s played this season.

What he did: Brooks rushed 18 times for 128 yards and three scores in the Tigers’ 41-15 win over rival Opelika on Friday, Auburn’s most lopsided win in the series since 1979 and a victory that marked the first back-to-back wins for Auburn in the series since 1989-90. The senior has rushed for 446 yards and eight scores over the past four weeks.

In his words: “The first quarter, we really weren’t for sure what we wanted to do. But we found their weakness and just went with it. And I guess that was to run the ball. We knew if we lost to our rival, our season wouldn’t be as good as it could have been. We knew we had to come out and play hard, because we also knew they were a good team.”

In his coach’s words: “He’s been with us three years, and he’s kind of waited his turn. We’ve always had good running backs, and he’s really performed well this year as a senior. He plays his best in big games. A lot of kids can play when you’re beating up on somebody, but he likes the big games.” — Auburn coach Tim Carter

Votes: 278 (87 percent)