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re: Spring Practice Thread
Posted on 3/7/18 at 10:24 am to Rhino5
Posted on 3/7/18 at 10:24 am to Rhino5
quote:We are in really good hands with Horton and Harrell but I don't think we are that deep at the OG spot. Its good to have a solid backup plan in case either of those two gets injured, which is very likely as the season progresses next year. Just look to last year where Horton lost a few games due to injury.
Are we really that weak at guard?
Posted on 3/7/18 at 10:33 am to Rhino5
quote:
Are we really that weak at guard?
I think depth is a concern. Horton & Harrell appear like locks to start. After that there's Tyler Carr & Brodarious Hamm that's it until Irvin & Stutts arrive. My guess is also that Manning just isn't gonna breakthrough at DT so they trying to find him a place he can better contribute
Nick Brahms could probably play guard if needed but he's only working at C right now
This post was edited on 3/7/18 at 10:34 am
Posted on 3/7/18 at 11:27 am to AUtigerNOLA
Auburn football spring practice stock report: Depth chart update after Week 1 (SECCountry)
quote:
AUBURN, Ala. — The first week of Auburn football spring practice is in the books, with the Tigers hitting the field for their three on-field workouts of what could be a big 2018 season.
Auburn coach Gus Malzahn wants a solid two-deep depth chart in place by the end of camp, and he’s well on his way at plenty of positions.
While a lot of the current depth chart projection has stayed the same, several newcomers and additions to positions of need are turning heads early. It’s apparent that Auburn isn’t afraid to turn early enrollees and redshirt freshmen loose this spring.
With one week down, here is the latest SEC Country projection of Auburn football’s 2018 depth chart — featuring the players currently on campus, of course. This piece also highlights 10 different players who created the most buzz for themselves in Week 1.
Posted on 3/7/18 at 11:30 am to TigerPaw1
quote:
Quarterback
Jarrett Stidham
Malik Willis
Joey Gatewood
Running back
Kam Martin
Devan Barrett
JaTarvious Whitlow or Asa Martin (Up)
Malik Miller
Once again, Whitlow has been a popular name among teammates after practices. Chandler Cox described him as a mix between Kerryon Johnson and Kamryn Pettway, and Mike Horton raved about his toughness in running through tackles. The redshirt freshman is becoming a more vocal player in practice and has a shot at becoming a key running back in 2018.
Martin wasted no time in getting on the field early when he took a pace drill rep with the first-team offense on the first day of camp. Gus Malzahn liked his offseason work and has been a big fan of his all-around skill set, particularly in the area of pass protection. Most early enrollees don’t have that ability right out of the box. Kam Martin and Devan Barrett are the top two names, but these freshmen are on the rise.
H-back
Chandler Cox
Spencer Nigh
Wide receiver – X/split end
Darius Slayton
Nate Craig-Myers
Marquis McClain
Wide receiver – Y/big slot
Nate Craig-Myers
Marquis McClain
Sal Cannella
Wide receiver – Z/flanker
Eli Stove
Shedrick Jackson (Up)
Noah Igbinoghene
Jackson’s “rise” up the depth chart has a lot to do with Noah Igbinoghene’s move to a two-way role — more on that later — but he’s done great work early, too. The freshman looks like a polished playmaker, which is to be expected from a powerhouse high school program such as Hoover (Ala.). Darius Slayton said Tuesday “it’s pretty evident that he’s related” to Bo Jackson. That’s high praise for the new guy to watch at second-team flanker.
Wide receiver – slot
Ryan Davis
Will Hastings
Eli Stove
Tight end
Jalen Harris
Tucker Brown
Left tackle
Prince Tega Wanogho
Bailey Sharp
Left guard
Marquel Harrell
Brodarious Hamm
Tyler Carr
Center
Kaleb Kim
Nick Brahms
Right guard
Mike Horton
Tyler Carr
Tashawn Manning (new position)
Manning was going to have a tough road toward playing time at defensive tackle. Auburn’s staff needs more bodies on the interior offensive line, so he made the long-rumored move official Tuesday. Manning worked with the second team in the pace drill. While he needs a lot of teaching from J.B. Grimes, there’s potential here for the redshirt freshman.
Right tackle
Calvin Ashley (Up)
Austin Troxell
Ashley taking first-team reps on the offensive line isn’t a surprise. But he’s worth highlighting here for how sharp he’s looked in open viewing periods. Ashley has slimmed down from the 350 pounds he was listed at last season, and he has the physical tools needed to succeed. It’s been a strong start for the 5-star tackle.
This post was edited on 3/7/18 at 11:31 am
Posted on 3/7/18 at 11:34 am to TigerPaw1
quote:
Buck defensive end
T.D. Moultry (Up)
Big Kat Bryant
Moultry was already the expected replacement for Jeff Holland at Buck. But the early reviews of Moultry heading into his sophomore season are phenomenal. Teammates recalled Moultry hawking down Malik Willis multiple times during the Tigers’ first full day in pads. Moultry’s speed is standing out early, as he’s shown an impressive burst during chute and dummy drills during viewing windows. Auburn is expecting big things from him in 2018.
Nose tackle
Derrick Brown
Andrew Williams
Jaunta’vius Johnson
Defensive tackle
Dontavius Russell
Tyrone Truesdell
Alec Jackson
Defensive end
Marlon Davidson
Nick Coe
Middle linebacker
Deshaun Davis
K.J. Britt (Up)
Auburn’s pace drills call for two sets of two linebackers. In both viewing windows, K.J. Britt has joined seniors Deshaun Davis, Darrell Williams and Montavious Atkinson for reps. Britt has a key role to play behind Davis this season, and he could become the “fourth starter” that Atkinson was last season for the Tigers. Britt’s stock continues to rise.
Strongside linebacker
Darrell Williams
Chandler Wooten
Weakside linebacker
Montavious Atkinson
Richard McBryde
Cornerback
Jamel Dean
Christian Tutt (Up)
Travion Leonard
Auburn wasted no time throwing its newcomers into second-team reps on defense. Tutt has the potential to be a Carlton Davis-type cornerback for the Tigers, and he’ll challenge for playing time as a true freshman. With Igbinoghene moving to cornerback, it’s clear Auburn is looking for people to step up at this position. Jeremiah Dinson spoke highly of Tutt’s speed and footwork, and he’s made a big impression on other teammates already this spring.
Cornerback
Javaris Davis
Noah Igbinoghene (new position)
John Broussard Jr.
Igbinoghene is now playing both sides of the ball for the Tigers, and he looks like a good fit at cornerback. The track star has elite speed and great hips. One Auburn coach said Igbinoghene could have a future in the secondary — and he wasn’t just talking about his playing days on the Plains, either. Auburn is giving him second-team reps already, so the opportunity is there for this ultra-athletic talent.
Nickel back
Jordyn Peters
Daniel Thomas
Jayvaughn Myers
Malcolm Askew
Free safety
Jeremiah Dinson
Smoke Monday (Up)
Monday is becoming one of the most popular names of the offseason, and it’s not because he’s going by Smoke. Monday was a second-team safety alongside fellow freshman Jamien Sherwood early. Deshaun Davis told reporters Tuesday that Monday rotated in with the first-team defense, as well. Monday has the body type to play both free and strong safety, so he could be in a future starter pairing with new full-time deep man Jeremiah Dinson.
Strong safety
Daniel Thomas
Jamien Sherwood
Kicker
Anders Carlson
Ian Shannon
Punter
Aidan Marshall
Holder
Ian Shannon
Will Hastings
Griffin King
Long snapper
Bill Taylor
Kick returners
Noah Igbinoghene and Kam Martin
Devan Barrett and Javaris Davis
Punt returner
Ryan Davis
Noah Igbinoghene
Griffin King
This post was edited on 3/7/18 at 11:35 am
Posted on 3/7/18 at 11:55 am to TigerPaw1
This one's for you Lanier
Firmly Auburn’s backup QB, Willis ‘looks like a starter’ filling in for injured Stidham (OANow)
Firmly Auburn’s backup QB, Willis ‘looks like a starter’ filling in for injured Stidham (OANow)
quote:
Auburn went through spring practice the last two years entirely unsettled at quarterback.
Sean White, Jeremy Johnson and John Franklin III battled for the job in 2016 before White eventually emerged in the starter in the fall. Johnson graduated after that season and Franklin moved to wide receiver before eventually transferring, which led to Jarrett Stidham getting most of the reps in 2017 while White recovered from a broken arm.
Stidham was the favorite all along after joining the program as a highly touted transfer from Baylor, but he wasn’t named the starter until Aug. 14.
That won’t be the case this spring. Stidham has been limited by an offseason surgery on his left (non-throwing) shoulder and may not fully begin throwing until sometime after the team returns from spring break on March 20, but he’s still the starter after completing 66.5 percent of his passes for 3,158 yards and 18 touchdowns in his first season on the Plains.
It doesn’t sound like there’s any question about who his backup will be, either. Asked last week if there was a competition between Malik Willis and early enrollee Joey Gatewood, head coach Gus Malzahn, after a pause, simply said “we've got a lot of confidence in Malik.”
“He really is taking a step forward and he looks like a starter out there. You know, I'd say right now Joey is just learning the foundation,” he continued. “Last year, Malik would have played — especially the second half of the season, we would have felt pretty good that we could have run most of our offense. We've got a lot of confidence in Malik.”
Willis has taken the bulk of the first-team reps through Auburn’s first three practices this spring while Gatewood continues to learn the ropes, and teammates say he’s taking advantage of the opportunity.
Wide receiver Darius Slayton said he feels like the rising sophomore is “getting the hang of” commanding the first-team unit on the field. Eli Stove said the wide receivers’ chemistry is growing with Willis, who he added is a “good thrower.”
The 6-foot-1, 202-pound former three-star athlete out of Roswell High in Atlanta completed 6 of 7 passes for 45 yards and a touchdown over parts of seven games in relief of Stidham last season. He also rushed 16 times for 221 and another score, showing off the Nick Marshall-type skill set Malzahn said he saw in him when he first arrived last spring.
“I think Malik has taken a great step in the right direction. You can tell he’s maturing, taking advantage of the opportunity actually controlling the one unit. He actually looks like an SEC quarterback when he is out there,” senior linebacker Deshaun Davis said. “He has total control of that group. Everyone is listening to him. He’s made some great throws. There’s still room to get better, but that’s for everybody though. You can still see the young flash. He’s have a great spring so far.”
Gatewood has drawn positives early in his first spring, too. Stove said the 6-foot-5, 235-pound true freshman out of St. Augustine, Fla., has showed off a strong arm and looks, physically, like Cam Newton, which is what Malzahn said when he signed.
But it seems clear right now that Willis is first up behind Stidham and may get the first crack at being the future beyond him.
“I think the coaches have all the confidence in him,” junior guard Mike Horton said. “It’s just about what he does from now on. You talk about freshmen taking that next step, like I just said, that’s another guy that has to take that next step. Coach Malzahn talks about that all the time. I think they have confidence in Malik and it’s all about what he does from here on out.”
Posted on 3/7/18 at 12:22 pm to TigerPaw1
quote:
“we've got a lot of confidence in Malik.”
Posted on 3/7/18 at 12:40 pm to TigerPaw1
I refuse to believe any preseason QB hype. JJ crushed my soul.
Posted on 3/7/18 at 1:11 pm to TigerPaw1
quote:
Tight end Jalen Harris Tucker Brown
Surprised Shanker isn't even getting mentioned. Staff was high on him last season
Posted on 3/7/18 at 3:36 pm to AUtigR24
Calvin Ashley 'needs that nastiness to come out' to succed at right tackle (AL.com)
quote:
Mike Horton believes Calvin Ashley has what it takes to start along the offensive line in the SEC, and that new Auburn offensive line coach J.B. Grimes will bring out the best in the redshirt freshman this year.
Ashley, a former five-star prospect who was the prize of Auburn's 2017 signing class, redshirted last season but is eyeing a starting job this season and has been repping with the first-team offense at right tackle so far this spring.
"I think with Calvin, he has all the physical ability," said Horton, who has been working at right guard. "It's just mental with him. I think that's what he's going to do this year, and this spring I think that's what he's gotten better at."
Horton painted the picture of a redshirt freshman who is starting to come into his own this spring after spending much of his first year on campus trying to figure things out.
Ashley was the Tigers' highest-rated recruit a year ago, and there was talk of him immediately competing for the team's starting left tackle job last fall. That never came to fruition, as he arrived on campus at 350 pounds and settled in as the backup at right tackle on the depth chart despite never seeing the field.
"You know, everybody has their freshman, you know, just coming in you don't really know what to expect yet so you're just kind of feeling around," Horton said, "but I think he's ready to take that next step."
Ashley has been looking leaner this spring, and Horton said he believes the 6-foot-6 lineman has lost about 20 pounds since arriving on campus. Now, Horton said, Ashley is starting to look more like the "great player" he saw glimpses of in practice while observing him last season.
Horton believes some of that is due the Tigers' change of offensive line coaches. Grimes replaced Herb Hand as Auburn's offensive line coach in January, and Horton firmly believes the veteran assistant coach, who was previously at Auburn from 2013-15, will push Ashley "to the next level" this year.
"I think Coach Grimes is just bringing that nasty out of him, because that's what Calvin needs," Horton said. "He needs that nastiness to come out of him, and I think he has it in him, but I think Coach Grimes is definitely going to push him."
Posted on 3/7/18 at 4:22 pm to AUtigR24
quote:
Surprised Shanker isn't even getting mentioned
He was one of the lowest rated recruits if I recall. Can't believe he's on scholarship.
Posted on 3/8/18 at 7:20 am to Rhino5
VIDEO: Spring Ball, 3-6-18 (Rivals)
Man I love watching JB coach
Man I love watching JB coach
This post was edited on 3/8/18 at 7:21 am
Posted on 3/8/18 at 8:12 am to TigerPaw1
Nick Brahms dad and Bruce Pearl.
Holy shite
Holy shite
Posted on 3/8/18 at 8:54 am to TigerPaw1
quote:
Punt returner Ryan Davis
FAP FAP FAP FAP
Posted on 3/8/18 at 9:08 am to LanierSpots
Gatewood will start in 2019. DWI
Posted on 3/8/18 at 9:10 am to jvilletiger25
quote:You and Jang just keep drinking that coolaid. I will stick with Malik Willis as the guy for the 2019 season.
Gatewood will start in 2019. DWI
Posted on 3/8/18 at 9:20 am to jvilletiger25
quote:
Gatewood will start in 201
The only way hat happens is if Malik turns into JJ when it's game time and forfeits the starting job. I think we'll see 2 years of Malik.
Posted on 3/8/18 at 9:31 am to Rhino5
From a psychological standpoint, I could see Gatewood being more like JJ than Malik like JJ
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