re: Fall Camp Has Ended - The season is upon us

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Auburn's Jeff Whitaker after first day of practice: "It's just a different atmosphere among the whole crew."

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Auburn gave veterans Kiehl Frazier and Jonathan Wallace the first snaps in practice; then Nick Marshall and Jeremy Johnson took a turn

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Auburn's Gus Malzahn on walk-on QB Tucker Tuberville: "He wants to be a coach. Coach's son. He loves Auburn. We're glad to have him back."

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Auburn's Gus Malzahn on QB Nick Marshall: "Very good arm strength, not just the long throws. He throws the short ones hard, too."

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DB Demetruce McNeal didn’t practice. "He's got a medical issue he's working through. Expect him to make a full recovery," says Gus Malzahn

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Gus Malzahn, the familiar new coach

Gus Malzahn is one of four new head coaches in the SEC, but he has something the others don't. He's the only one who has coached in the SEC, thanks to spending three years as Auburn's offensive coordinator.

Defensive tackle Jeff Whitaker said Malzahn's fast-paced offense didn't bother him Friday at the first day of fall practice.. But why should it? He saw it in 2010 and 2011 and again in spring 2013.

"It's my third year doing it. It's no surprise how fast it's going to be," Whitaker said.

Still, the return to fall practice is special.

"First day, it was crazy. I think the new guys will help us," Whitaker said.

But maybe Whitaker's most important comment was this:

"It's just a different atmosphere among the whole crew."

Communication on defense

Auburn's cornerbacks didn't have an interception last season. They didn't have one on the first day of fall practice Friday, either.

Not to worry, says Jonathon Mincy. They will come.

"Just as long as nobody is catching the ball on us, that's something we can make an adjustment on, and that's something we can take as a positive and keep going the rest of camp," Mincy said.

The cornerback talked Friday of positive on-the-field communication. "That's definitely going to be something that is going to be key with us." That's significant because communication was lacking in Brian Van Gorder's defense last year, and it showed. Defensive backs previously said they had trouble getting lined up before the snap, especially late in the season. Quicker calls will be the order of the day in Ellis Johnson's defense.

Dividing up practice

Coach Gus Malzahn said he worked his veterans early Friday before bringing in his freshmen to get work. He'll use that same approach in Saturday's practice, which will begin around 4.

Mincy says the newcomers have looked good through the summer and in the first practice.

"I feel everybody is catching on well and that's something that is going to be key to this defense — just having everybody able to bring something to the table and just having a lot of hands on deck. That's something we definitely appreciate," he said.

Johnson said over the summer the safety position is thin, so that's why freshman Mackendro Alexander was assigned that position — actually the much-talked-about hybrid Star position — to start fall ball. A safety in high school, he'll back up spring star Justin Garrett and Robenson Therezie.

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AUBURN, Ala. — The quarterbacks who played last season received the first opportunity in Auburn's first practice of the fall. Coach Gus Malzahn then handed the keys to newcomers>Nick Marshall and Jeremy Johnson.

"They both have live arms," Malzahn said. "The ball comes out of their hands very well. They get the ball out quick, which is very critical to what we do offensively."

And with that, Marshall, the junior college transfer; and Johnson, last year's Mr. Football in the State of Alabama, officially joined the quarterback race with veterans Kiehl Frazier and Jonathan Wallace.

"The first part of practice we let the older guys who went through spring, and let our two new guys sit back and watch and see how everything went.

"It was very equal among the four of them all day."

Wallace started the final four games last year. Frazier started the first five. But the race this season is far from settled.

"When you've got four guys, it's a challenge. But I really like our strategy trying to divide things up," Malzahn said.

"You're evaluating everything. You're evaluating how quick they can pick up things; you're evaluating how they can execute your base, fundamental offense; and you're also evaluating how the teammates respond to them."

Malzahn's assessment of Marshall went like this: "Very good arm strength, there's no doubt, not just the long throws, but he throws the short throws real hard, too. It's going to be a matter of him learning the offense."

Malzahn said Johnson "has run a similar offense before, so a lot of the communication stuff he's got down. It's just a matter of learning a few new schemes. He also has an outstanding arm. We recruited him for this offense."

Defensive back Jonathon Mincy said Johnson "doesn't look like a freshman."

"I'm just excited to see what he can come in and bring to the table. I'm definitely excited for him."

But it was the experienced quarterbacks, and other veterans, who showed the way Friday.

"We divided up in the first part of practice with an emphasis on the older guys," Malzahn said. "We really let them get out there and show the younger guys the pace and expectations. Halfway through we did some special teams, and then, the second part of practice we really slowed things down and really tried to spend quality time with the young guys at every position. We'll do the same thing tomorrow and see where we're at."

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Coleman was Robinson's backup at left tackle during the spring.

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AUBURN, Ala. - The load got a little heavier Friday for junior Auburn tight ends C.J. Uzomah and Brandon Fulse.

Redshirt freshman tight end Ricky Parks, a 4-star signee from Callaway High School in Hogansville, Ga., in 2012, has been dismissed from the Auburn football team for a violation of team rules, head coach Gus Malzahn announced Friday after the first practice of preseason camp.

Parks, who made a late push for playing time in spring practice, was not on the field Friday. His future plans are not known.

Parks' departure leaves Uzomah and Fulse as the only tight ends with game experience. Parks was also expected to back up senior H-back Jay Prosch. Walk-ons Wirth Campbell, Michael Clifton and Spencer Smith are listed on the roster as tight ends.

As a high school senior, Parks was generally ranked as one of the top five tight end prospects in the nation.

Quarterbacks `pretty equal' the first day of practice

Auburn head coach Gus Malzahn said Auburn's four scholarship quarterbacks were "pretty equal" on the first day of practice. He said junior Kiehl Frazier and sophomore Jonathan Wallace got all the snaps the first half of practice, with junior college transfer Nick Marshall and freshman Jeremy Johnson getting the reps in the second half of practice.

Working with four quarterbacks, Malzahn said, is not easy.

"It's a challenge," Malzahn said, "but I really like our strategy."

McNeal sits out first practice

Senior safety Demetruce McNeal did not practice Friday. Malzahn said he was out because of a medical issue and is expected to be ready to practice full-speed soon.

Malzahn welcomes Tucker Tuberville

Tucker Tuberville, the son of former Auburn head coach Tommy Tuberville, went through his first Auburn practice Friday as a walk-on quarterback. Tuberville transferred from Texas Tech and is not eligible this season because of NCAA transfer rules.

"He wants to be a coach," Malzahn said. "Great kid and loves Auburn. We are glad to have him back."

Coleman works at right tackle

Redshirt freshman Shon Coleman practiced at right tackle Friday, according to sophomore left tackle Greg Robinson.

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I really want to Fap over Craig being back on campus

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2015 we could really be hurting for TEs.

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