2011 Spring Football

[Jumbo]

He was great in Smokey and the Bandit 3.

Horrible Trans Am in movie 3.

[djsimp]

http://www.al.com/sports/index.ssf/2011/03/auburns_gene_chizik_likes_the_1.html

Auburn's Gene Chizik likes the feel of practice; Tigers will go in full pads Saturday in Jordan-HarePublished: Friday, March 25, 2011, 12:32 PM     Updated: Friday, March 25, 2011, 12:35 PM
By Charles Goldberg/Auburn Bureau, The Birmingham News, Press-Register, and The Huntsville Times

AUBURN -- Gene Chizik has a lot of holes to fill in his starting lineup, but the Auburn coach seemed quite pleased at how the first two spring practices have gone toward finding replacements.


"I'm excited where we're at in terms of guys stepping up and being eager," he said Friday.


Chizik says while he doesn't have many returning starters - as in six - he does say the reserves "do know what great looks like" after the Tigers won the national championship.


"I told them you don't have game-type experience. You'll have to get practice experience."


Chizik said Saturday's practice will be in full pads in Jordan-Hare Stadium.


"We'll hit some. We plan to have a physical spring practice, but we have to be smart because our numbers are low," Chizik said.


**We'll be back with post-practice video in a bit.


**We already posted actual practice video.


**Chizik said offensive lineman Ed Christian isn't practicing, but has walked around the track.


"He's just a little beat up," Chizik said.


Linebacker Jessel Curry hasn't been at practice.


"He's got some personal issues he's got to handle," Chizik said.


Also missing, Philip Pierre-Louis, Andre Harris and Robert Cooper.


"If you don't seem them out there, that's where they're at," Chizik said. "We'll proceed with the players we have out there."


And on the arrest of four players, who were kicked off the team:


"I'm only going to talk about spring practice and the guys on our team."


**On Mike Pelton replacing Tracy Rocker as the defensive line coach.


"I'm blessed to have two defensive line coaches who carry the same torch. He fits in well with the players."


**On the field are January enrollees defensive back Jonathan Rose and offensive lineman Reese Dismukes.


"It's hard for guys to jump right in," Chizik said.


"I think the tempo of practice was a little different for them. Right now, I'm really pleased with all of them."


Chizik said Dismukes has "done a great job."


**On the arrival of basketball player Jake Drum as a wide receiver.


"He's a big athletic body. I wouldn't make more out of it than it is," Chizik said.


**Anthony Morgan, the sometimes-defensive back, who is a full-time tailback again. He said he took all the snaps with the second team Friday.

[djsimp]

http://www.al.com/sports/index.ssf/2011/03/video_its_day_2_of_auburn_spri.html

http://bcove.me/g1vcguky

Video: It's Day 2 of Auburn spring practice with basketball player Jake Drum catching passesPublished: Friday, March 25, 2011, 10:34 AM     Updated: Friday, March 25, 2011, 11:54 AM
By Charles Goldberg/Auburn Bureau, The Birmingham News, Press-Register, and The Huntsville Times


AUBURN -- Auburn is back on the practice field this Friday morning, officially Day 2 of spring football.


We have video evidence to prove it featuring the likes of Gene Chizik working with the defensive backs, quarterbacks throwing and other things of practice.


They're still practicing as we post this. We'll be back with a post-practice report.


Some notes:


**Basketball player Jake Drum, a junior from Spain Park High School, is on the field as a receiver. He's even in the video catching a pass.


**Redshirt freshman linebacker Jawara White is on the field, but isn't wearing a helmet for the second straight practice. He had surgery last year.


Here are some notes that appear in Friday's newspapers:


**Wide receiver and potential Wildcat quarterback Trovon Reed is back from the sore knee that cost him his freshman season last year.


"He looked pretty fast to me, looked like he was back," said offensive coordinator Gus Malzahn. "He's one of those guys who we need to be on the field. Before he got hurt in the fall, he made some 'wow' plays."


Reed can play his way into a starting role at receiver, considering Auburn lost all three of its starters from a year ago.


**Auburn, officially, returns one starter in the offensive line. That's right tackle Brandon Moseley. But before there was a Brandon Mosley there was A.J. Greene, who started in front of Mosley before breaking his leg and dislocating his ankle and having 12 screws inserted into his foot.


Greene is back and ready to go. He'll be a left tackle now.


**Malzahn is looking for more players to play the H-back/blocking back position now that top-blocker Eric Smith was dismissed from the team. He still has tight end/H-back Philip Lutzenkirchen and a few other options.


"We've a lot of different answers," Malzahn said. "Lutzenkirchen, we know what he can do at that position. We've like to move him around a little more. Ladarious Phillips is a guy. Davis Hooper is a guy we have there. We're trying a lot of different things right nw."


** HBO's promotional video of a Real Sports show devoted to college athletics does not feature former Auburn player Stanley McClover saying he received money when he signed with the Tigers, a claim he made during a taping for the show.


Former teammates and his high school coach disputed McClover's claim.


The HBO promotional information does not say whether McClover's interview will be aired. But another former Auburn player, Troy Reddick, is featured in a discussion about recruiting, saying he was "well aware that they're going to throw women at you, they're going to throw alcohol at you. Your player hosts are going to try to get you drunk and try to get you to sleep with somebody," according to the website SportsByBrooks.


The promotional video does not show Reddick making a direct accusation that Auburn did anything wrong.


Another segment of the show called Pay to Play discusses the fact players can't be paid legally, but their schools make millions while they're playing. Former Alabama receiver Tyrone Prothro, who suffered a leg injury that cost him a chance to play in the NFL, says in that segment that, "I definitely don't think it's fair."


**New defensive line coach Mike Pelton said he was more excited than the players when practice began Wednesday. Special teams coach Jay Boulware, who he coached with on Gene Chizik's staff at Iowa State, told him so.


"Coach Boulware is like, 'Coach Pelton's on the Kool-Aid today.' And I was. It was a natural high just to be back at Auburn. Every day is like that."

[Snaggletiger]

Yeah, but what about Trovon Reed?

[AUTiger1]

Yeah, but what about Trovon Reed?

Huh?  I thought we were talking about guitar playing actors that drove horrible cars.

[Townhallsavoy]

Huh?  I thought we were talking about guitar playing actors that play coaches who coach against Bobby Boucher.

Even better.

[djsimp]

http://www.al.com/sports/index.ssf/2011/03/auburn_notebook_tigers_need_ne.html

Auburn notebook: Tigers need new starters, but `tradition never graduates,' says Trooper Taylor
Published: Monday, March 28, 2011, 12:25 PM     Updated: Monday, March 28, 2011, 12:25 PM
By Charles Goldberg/Auburn Bureau, The Birmingham News, Press-Register, and The Huntsville Times


AUBURN -- Auburn practiced in full pads under dreary clouds Monday, but that didn't stop receivers coach Trooper Taylor from popping up with the quote of the day on the young Tigers.


"Players graduate. Tradition never graduates. We're going to play with a hard edge."


The Tigers are missing most of their starters who won the national championship, and Taylor has to replace all three of his starting wideouts.


 On this season's likely starters, Taylor said, "I think they are pretty much comparable" to the departed players.


"These guys have to fit the same mold," Taylor said. "The numbers are down, but I tell these guys it's an opportunity."


Taylor said Emory Blake, who finished strong last season, "is not getting as many reps as the others because I know what Emory can do."


**Blake said practice is different with Barrett Trotter and Clint Moseley at quarterback - and without Cam Newton -- because the threat of the run is diminished.


**We'll be back with post-practice video in a bit.


**Auburn practiced in full pads for the second time this spring. One reason is because the Tigers  are working toward their first scrimmage of the spring, set for Saturday in Jordan-Hare Stadium. Like all practices, it'll be closed to the public.


**Coach Gene Chizik said Auburn worked in full pads because "we were able to do some contact and get more reps in there to evaluate guys."


"Our experience right now is every single day in practice," he said. "We've got some numbers we've got to be careful of."


With a thin roster, Chizik conceded he'll be playing true freshmen in the fall.


"That's where we're at. We know that," he said.


**Auburn offensive line coach Jeff Grimes has to replace four long-time starters, but he says that's not changing his approach to spring practice.


"There's no change in coaching style, because you are who you are as a coach, but we're going back to square one with these guys," he said. "Even if these guys who have experience, it's very limited."


The Tigers return only Brandon Mosley to an offensive line that featured four senior starters that combined for more than 160 starts.


"There's nothing that can substitute for real game experience, that's for sure. But you can build as many reps as you can in spring ball," Grimes said.


**Running backs coach Curtis Luper said big Ladarious Phillips is coming back from the foot injury that sidelined him last year.


"His issue is he's putting 300 pounds on it every time," Luper said. "He is physical and he has great hands. We want him to win that spot."


He'd replace Eric Smith, who was the designated blocking back last year.


"It's like Eric and a half," Luper said of Phillips' size.

[djsimp]

More video....
http://bcove.me/81xfgtl4
http://bcove.me/922tb356

[AUChizad]

"It's like Eric and a half," Luper said of Phillips' size.

If that don't give you wood, I don't know what will.

[djsimp]

If that don't give you wood, I don't know what will.

Thats funny you said that. I'm not usually the one to make bold certain parts of an article, but I actually second guest myself in this particular article. I love that statement made by Luper. I am one that thinks that this statement was made for more than just one reason.

[CCTAU]

Thats funny you said that. I'm not usually the one to make bold certain parts of an article, but I actually second guest myself in this particular article. I love that statement made by Luper. I am one that thinks that this statement was made for more than just one reason.

Who was your first guest?

They should put that onthe back of his jersey:
Backandahalf

[djsimp]

Who was your first guest?

They should put that onthe back of his jersey:
Backandahalf

I like that. As far as what Luper said, two things came to mind from his statement. One was directly associated with Phillips size, and second was concerning Phillips mind set and where he is mentally. In retracting my earlier statement, though, about there being multiple motives in what Luper said, I don't think Luper was trying to take a shot at Eric Smith. When I first read it I did, but I think that was more of me implying my own opinion.

[GH2001]

I like that. As far as what Luper said, two things came to mind from his statement. One was directly associated with Phillips size, and second was concerning Phillips mind set and where he is mentally. In retracting my earlier statement, though, about there being multiple motives in what Luper said, I don't think Luper was trying to take a shot at Eric Smith. When I first read it I did, but I think that was more of me implying my own opinion.

The genius of Simp. Fucking brilliant.

[djsimp]

The genius of Simp. Fucking brilliant.

You better lock your doors in Vegas wise guy.

[wesfau2]

Who was your first guest?

I like that. As far as what Luper said, two things came to mind from his statement. One was directly associated with Phillips size, and second was concerning Phillips mind set and where he is mentally. In retracting my earlier statement, though, about there being multiple motives in what Luper said, I don't think Luper was trying to take a shot at Eric Smith. When I first read it I did, but I think that was more of me implying my own opinion.

It's like boxing a dwarf, the shots fly so far over his head.

The genius of Simp. Fucking brilliant.

That's one thing to call it.

[djsimp]

It's like boxing a dwarf, the shots fly so far over his head.

Its funny that you say that. Don't flatter yourself Frodo, I saw the typo.

That's one thing to call it.

Oh hell GH, Tommy DeVito has spoken so you best pay attention.

[wesfau2]

Its funny that you say that. Don't flatter yourself Frodo, I saw the typo.

Oh hell GH, Tommy DeVito has spoken so you best pay attention.

A moment of coherent clarity.  Praise jesus and pass the offering.

[Snaggletiger]

Wes is rollin' the fo-twinneys at O'Quigs while the waitress is beggin for me to motorboat Bert and Ernie.

[djsimp]

Coach Grimes on his new OL.
http://bcove.me/dlqh4o6k

[GH2001]

That's one thing to call it.

Hey - I was trying to be nice and give him a chance to correct it. Subtle of course.