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

From the bunker

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With our need at CB, we only have two, Nick Marshall should be playing CB, not QB. He was an SEC CB at Georgia. We have 2 solid QB's that can play.

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And the bum was banded

You can't make that up.

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With our need at CB, we only have two, Nick Marshall should be playing CB, not QB. He was an SEC CB at Georgia. We have 2 solid QB's that can play.

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Need upside down BatCam gif for distress signal of overly stupid

LINK

Comfort zone: Auburn's Cassanova McKinzy feels right at home on the weak side

By Joel A. Erickson | jerickson@al.com
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on August 21, 2013 at 1:30 AM, updated August 21, 2013 at 6:55 AM


AUBURN, Alabama -- The first extended glimpse Cassanova McKinzy offered Auburn last season was all aggression and fury, a 12-tackle performance as the starting middle linebacker against Vanderbilt.

McKinzy played downhill, attacking the line of scrimmage and meeting Commodore running backs with power in the hole.

All of that aggression masked McKinzy's difficulty adapting to being the man at the middle of the defense.

"Last year, I had to play Mike, and it was kind of a hard transition," McKinzy said. "I feel really comfortable at Will. I think I help the team better at Will."

Forced to make all of the calls for the defense in Brian VanGorder's 4-3 scheme, McKinzy struggled to adapt to the complexity of the Tigers' scheme.

He spent most of his time swimming in all of the signals, alignments and countermoves to the offense's shifts. Even in that breakout performance against Vanderbilt, McKinzy struggled with mental mistakes.

All of those responsibilities made it hard for McKinzy to tap into his instincts, his best asset.

"You've got to make the call, make sure all the linemen are right and then you have to do your assignment," McKinzy said. "Then you have to make all the checks. This is SEC football; you have to make a lot of checks."

Ellis Johnson's arrival on campus lifted a weight off of McKinzy's broad shoulders.

From the start, Johnson put McKinzy on the weak side, the same spot where he'd starred at Birmingham's Woodlawn High.

"It's a big difference," McKinzy said. "The only thing I've got to worry about is who I'm playing with -- who is on my left , who is on my right, what my defensive line is doing in front of me. I feel more free."

Freed by the scheme to showcase his natural playmaking ability, McKinzy emerged from spring practice as Auburn's starter on the weak side.

But Johnson still had one more change to make. Obsessed by a desire to put on weight to mix it up in the SEC, Auburn's biggest linebacker put on weight and got all the way up to 254 pounds.

At that weight, McKinzy lost some of his speed and athleticism, and the Tigers' defensive coordinator asked him to drop weight over the summer.

"He would not finish a practice, and I felt like he was too heavy and out of shape," Johnson said. "He did a good job of dropping some pounds and I think it really shows."

His play in August has confirmed the veteran coordinator's suspicions.

A little bit lighter version of his sophomore linebacker -- McKinzy, still the Tigers' biggest full-time linebacker, now hovers between 241 and 246 pounds on his 6-foot-3 frame -- is also a much more devastating player.

"Cassanova, in camp and through the spring, continues to make the best linebacker plays and do some things that you really can't coach," Johnson said earlier in training camp. "He's outstanding physically, technique and those type of things."

On the weak side, McKinzy is being asked to carry more responsibilities in the passing game as a blitzer and in coverage, a rarity last year when the coaching staff saw him as a run defender only.

The clear starter at the Will linebacker spot in Auburn's 4-2-5 defense, McKinzy relishes his new role.

"I get a chance to show what I really can do besides playing the box and stopping the run," McKinzy said. "It gives me an opportunity to show everything I can do."

McKinzy will leave the calls to Jake Holland and Kris Frost, Auburn's new men in the middle.

From his spot on the outside, he's free to concentrate on what he does best.

Unleashing all of that aggression.

A good article about an Auburn LBer?

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He had moments last year where you thought that might be the light going on, but when you put a true freshman out there as the MLB and ask him to make the calls and checks, it's not going to end well.

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Agree completely. When he was in the right spot to make the play he made the play which is more than you can say about the majority of our returning defenders. Moving him outside where he feels more comfortable and has fewer responsibilities should allow him to show a lot of improvement over last year.

He definitely has the physical tools but I remember a few times last year when he absolutely got lost in coverage in the red zone costing us a TD. Hooefuy he's improved there

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I am a little surprised that Brandon King is not in the safety rotation. Is it a problem with him picking up the schemes? Do you think BK will play this year or RS?

JAY G. SAYS: That's a good question. Word is that he's just not getting the defense just yet. I never expected to see him redshirt. I'm just not sure what to make of him at this stage. We need more information.

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I guess this answers my question.

So.... What are they doing now?