Auburn safety Chancellor Anthony is deserving of the ‘Champ’ nickname. Every time he geared up to chart a solid season, a series of nasty injuries beat him down. Now, waiting in line for three years, the Champ is back to live up to his name in the Alex Golesh era. 

Anthony was present at Auburn’s first official practice under new head coach Golesh on March 17. However, coming back after a surgery,” the safety was restricted to stretching, jogging, and sprinting, reported On3’s Jay G. Tate. Even then, he displayed a positive attitude about his return. 

“I’ve been through this before,” Anthony said. “Nothing matters to me except the games, I’m gonna be real. I don’t personally have a timeline (of returning to drills in full swing). This staff — they came in and they’re taking everything real slow, especially with my history and how the surgery went.”

Injuries have followed Anthony like a shadow in Auburn. In 2024, he broke his leg in the Arkansas game, right after knocking down WR Anthony Armstrong on a harsh tackle. The setback limited his season to three games as he had to be surgically treated. Anthony might have thought of coming back as a bigger force in the 2025 season, only to be caught by the injury bug again. This time, it got him twice. 

During Auburn’s season opener against Baylor, Anthony injured his thumb, which required minor surgery. Thinking that he might be safe for the rest of the season, he sustained another hit to his leg against Kentucky. However, he still showed up in practice before the Vanderbilt face-off on crutches. But the injury was soon discovered to be serious and ended Anthony’s season with seven appearances. 

The 2026 season is probably going to be the last chance for Anthony to prove himself as he enters his fourth year. In case of a return, Golesh might lock in on him as a do-it-all option, someone who has contributed at multiple positions. During his three-year stay in Auburn, in his first year, he stood out as a reserve cornerback and special-teams contributor. From 2024 onwards, Anthony has been listed at safety 

With Anthony now spotted in the spring practice, Golesh already might be envisioning an Auburn defense with the safety lined up in the gridiron.

Alex Golesh is counting on Champ Anthony’s role as a leader

There is a mix of old and new faces at Auburn this season, with some of them having followed Golesh from USF. But when it comes to the returnees, the new head coach is keen on Champ Anthony taking on a leadership role in the locker room.

“It’d be awesome to have him [Anthony]. He’s such a vocal leader back there,” Golesh said about Anthony. “He truly is the pulse of that secondary now. You can hear him from just about anywhere, but he’s working really hard to get back.”

Well, Golesh is right about Anthony being the heartbeat of the Auburn team. Also known as “Pirate,” Anthony was named one of Auburn football’s four team captains for the 2025 season. He shared the honor with Damari Alston, Keldric Faulk, and Connor Lew. Now a senior, Anthony has carved a special position for himself. But he will always have a chip on his shoulder. 

He transferred to Auburn in 2023 after playing one season of JUCO football; Anthony has yet to enjoy his time in the elite ranks. Golesh also said that Auburn is taking a “guarded” approach with letting the safety back on the field. Anthony’s health is the priority here, but both he and his team are looking forward to seeing him padding up for games. This time, he will hopefully make zero trips to the injury list.