Encouraging article on Mr. Frost. If it clicks for him, could we see McKinzy and Frost as our starters? Would be nice if that happens. And with Landrum and Owens making the switch to LB, we've now got 5 guys back there in that 235-245 range. When has that ever happened at AU? They still have to tackle and stop people, but pretty cool to finally have our LB corp on par with most other SEC programs.
copasta al.kum
AUBURN, Alabama -- Kris Frost never really found a fit in Auburn's defensive scheme last season. Kris Frost talks about disappointment of 2012, trying to crack lineup in 2013Auburn sophomore linebacker Kris Frost, a former five-star linebacker, feels like he has more freedom to roam in Ellis Johnson's defense, and he's excited about the chance to earn more playing time after making just five tackles in 2012.
Frost, by his own admission, had trouble learning the defense and playing within the rigors of Brian VanGorder's scheme at weak-side linebacker.
He only started to feel comfortable near the end of the season. By that time, Frost's chance to make an impact on Auburn's defense had already come and gone, but he felt like he really started to get a grasp of football at the college level. "Being out for my redshirt freshman year was a little hard on me because I wasn't able to go out and see and really learn football in a conceptual way," Frost said. "I learned a lot from last season. I learned a lot about myself. I learned a lot about football as a whole."
Frost played sparingly -- mostly on special teams -- and made only five tackles and one tackle-for-loss despite a linebacker rotation that offered plenty of room to steal playing time. Now, after playing on the weak-side in VanGorder's defense and spending most of his time watching former Tigers linebacker Daren Bates, Frost has moved to the "Mike" linebacker spot, lining up inside as one of the two linebackers in Ellis Johnson's defense.
Playing the Mike requires Frost to make a lot of calls, an assignment he relishes. Both the "Mike" and the "Will" linebackers are relatively interchangeable, and Auburn's linebackers will learn both spots.
"I feel comfortable at Mike," Frost said. "Any time I can be vocal, I like it. It's fun making the calls and everything. I had a whole lot of fun out there today."
Frost fits the physical requirements Johnson wants out of his scheme. A former five-star recruit, Frost has good size at 6-foot-2, 235 pounds, and he's got plenty of speed after playing receiver in high school. And he likes Johnson's scheme, a system that allows the inside linebackers more freedom to trust their instincts and flow to the football.
"You get a little bit more space to roam. You get a little more freedom. When you have more freedom, you have more chances to work on instincts," Frost said. "That's where I feel like I'll be my best." Frost has also meshed well with Johnson, who is coaching the linebackers in addition to his coordinating duties.
"He's a very hands-on guy," Frost said. "He knows how to get after you. That's what we all need. In the film room, he's a great teacher. He's teaching us how to do things and allowing us to learn his concepts."
With only two linebackers in the base defense and a few position changes to add bodies there -- former defensive end LaDarius Owens and former fullback Chris Landrum have moved to linebacker -- Frost finds himself in a stiff battle for playing time. But after a disappointing 2012 season, Frost feels like he's ready to contribute. "I'm really confident with my ability now, and my focus, and getting after things in the film room and the weight room," Frost said. "I definitely feel like it's my year."
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