« on: April 02, 2012, 06:52:08 AM »
AUBURN, Alabama - Who's kidding who? Nobody is predicting a perfect first spring scrimmage at Auburn today, not with new offensive and defensive coordinators who have changed the playbook and the approach to the game.
"Mistakes," said offensive coordinator Scot Loeffler, "are going to be made."
Receiver Travante Stallworth said a week of spring practice has taught him to handle the miscues.
"They tell us if you make a mistake, just go 100 miles per hour doing it," Stallworth said. "We're just going to go out there run fast and play fast and do whatever we've got to do."
Loeffler and new defensive coordinator Brian VanGorder have worked their players for five days of spring ball, and post-game practice comments Friday continued to suggest Auburn will have a new defense based more on simplicity and attack; and an offense that will be more diverse than last year's plan in which everything ran out of the shotgun.
This morning's scrimmage in Jordan-Hare Stadium will be closed to the public as more of Auburn's new look will be installed without prying eyes.
Loeffler said his goal is to "get a good evaluation of where we're at on Day Six and see where we need to go for Week 2 and Week 3."
The scrimmage will provide another opportunity for Loeffler to assess the open quarterback race. He said Clint Moseley, who had been limited by a sore shoulder Monday and Wednesday, threw Friday and his set to join Kiehl Frazier and Zeke Pike running the show.
On defense, coordinator Brian VanGorder said he will be looking at everything from body language to the mechanics of the huddle.
And this: "I'm interested in being a more disciplined defense right now."
More and more of Auburn's new playbook seems to be emerging this spring. Defensive end Dee Ford said Friday defensive lineman no longer make calls before the snap. That's left up to the linebackers and defensive backs.
Defensive end Corey Lemonier said there will be less switching from strong side to weak side. The defensive ends will simply line up and play.
VanGorder said the secondary is "maybe doing the best job of fighting through" the newness.
Stallworth said the differences between Loeffler and former offensive coordinator Gus Malzahn continues to grow.
"There's so much different stuff. There's not just shotgun -- there's pro, shotgun, pistol. We do a whole bunch of different stuff. Coach Loeffler has a great thing going right now," Stallworth said.
"I think it opens a lot of opportunities for everybody. We're moving everybody around a lot. Nobody has one specific position. They're moving us around to get us different matchups with different people. Whoever has the hot hand that day will get the ball."
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