Auburn righthander Casey Mize has taken a big step forward this fall (Aaron Fitt)

Fall Report: Auburn

AUBURN, Ala. — It’s easy to forget that Butch Thompson’s first day as Auburn head coach was barely one calendar year ago — Oct. 22, 2015. He came in at the end of the fall and took over a program in turmoil after the dismissal of Sunny Golloway. Given the circumstances, it’s no surprise that Thompson’s first season at Auburn was trying; the Tigers went 23-33 overall and 8-22 in the SEC, as the new coaching staff felt like they were stuck in catch-up mode.

They don’t feel like that anymore. As awkward as the timing of coaching[…]