The replacement oaks at Toomer's Corner at Auburn will be ready to roll come the 2016 football season.
A sign on the fence out front of the trees reads "Rolling Returns Fall 2016," which is a welcome sight to Auburn fans that felt the 2015 season's celebrations were lacking as wires were hung to support the rolling tradition.
#jordanhare Rolling returns Fall 2016 #ProtectTheOaks by sports_paraphernalia pic.twitter.com/Grwp9UPjoC
— SECstagram (@SECstagram) September 30, 2015
The current oaks were planted last year to replace those poisoned by Alabama fan Harvey Updyke in 2010. After one tree failed to take hold, it was replaced in July with a live oak from Florida, which is doing well.
Auburn professor of horticulture Gary Keever spoke with ESPN's Edward Aschoff and expressed optimism that the two trees at Toomer's Corner were taking to the transplant well and would grow and flourish without any more stepbacks.
“There’s nothing to indicate that there’s anything wrong with either tree at this point,” said Keever.
The hope is that the trees will continue to thrive and return a sense of normalcy to post-game celebrations at Auburn, especially following a disappointing season for Auburn on the field in 2015.
“It’s gonna be like Auburn didn’t miss a beat,” Keever said. “Fans are going to relish the opportunity to get back out on that corner and enjoy the larger plaza. The temporary rolling of the cables across the intersection, that was fine for a short period, but the fans are really going to embrace the new trees."
If the Tigers can upset Clemson in the season-opener at Jordan-Hare on Sept. 3, it would be quite the inaugural rolling for the new trees at Toomer's Corner.
