First Spring Practice Notes, Pictures, and Videos

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I've got real skreets bitches...

Hey everyone. I'll doll this up as the morning progresses. Here are the basics:

    * Cam Newton is wearing the No. 2 jersey. Photographic evidence above.

    * Daren Bates (shoulder) and Travante Stallworth (knee) didn't participate in practice.

    * Eric Smith did.

    * Philip Pierre-Louis was there, too!

    * Quindarius Carr and Mario Fannin were the only guys fielding punts. That's a stretch, though ... Trooper Taylor had them heading the ball like soccer players. I guess that's a drill to help them align under the ball properly.

    * The new offensive lineman's name is now listed as Roszell Gaydon. Note the "o". His jersey reads "Gayden." We'll have to see which version is correct.

    * The wideout from Brantley is now Anthony Gulley Morgan. His jersey reads "Morgan."

    * Tyrik Rollison was not out there. He's not listed on the roster. He'll remain on scholarship through the school year.

    * Brandon Mosley began the first drill as the top guy at right tackle. Roszell Gaydon was the second guy there.

    * The New Guy numbers: Newton (2), Gaydon (78), Mosley (75), Jessel Curry (33) and Craig Sanders (13).


Brandon Mosley (75) and Roszell Gaydon (78).


Trooper Taylor doing his thing.


Mario Fannin "fielding" punts with his head.


Philip Pierre-Louis -- in the flesh!

http://jaygtate.blogspot.com/

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Gene Chizik and Ted Roof Rusted conferring before practice.


Hot Carter prior to practice.


Cam Newton.


Cam Newton.


Roszell Gayden.

http://jaygtate.blogspot.com/

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http://link.brightcove.com/services/player/bcpid41699769001?bctid=73619669001

Direct link if video player is not working:  http://jaygtate.blogspot.com/ 

[dallaswareagle]

Fielding punts with their head? Why not, did not use their hands that much last year. 

Nice post.

[AWK]

Interview notes, 3/24

Hey everyone. Here's what I heard during interviews this afternoon:

    * Gene Chizik said Tyrik Rollison remains on the team, is still in school and "his concern is solely on academics." The coach said Rollison is eligible.

    * Kicker Morgan Hull has left the program.

    * Fullback John Douglas has left the program.

    * A walk-on named Jason King, who was nabbed for DUI a while back, has left the program.

    * Chizik and defensive coordinator Ted Roof were evasive when asked if Auburn would run a 3-4 front this season.

    * Roszell Gayden's first name is pronounced: "RAWS-el"

    * Gayden, who is left-handed, said he never has played on the right side. Yet he's OK with that, as you'd expect.

    * Chizik said he's decided that upgrading speed on defense is his No. 1 priority, which helps explain why he plans to move safety Daren Bates to outside linebacker. That hasn't actually happened, though, because Bates is out because of shoulder surgery.

All rights and what not go to Jay Tate as photographer, writer, and camera man.

http://jaygtate.blogspot.com/

[CCTAU]

Newton is big, but the other QBs are not small. Moseley is pretty stout.

I wonder what the heading does for that process?

[Buzz Killington]

Just so you will all know...Taylor is my new source.

[jmar]

Is Frenchy's role a secret or is his head too tiny for punts? Good pics. Thx!

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3.24.2010
Cam Newton speaks
Here's what the quarterback had to say about his exit from Florida.

``Of course a lot of people think I got kicked out of Florida. I did not get kicked out of Florida. I transferred from Florida. I had a legal issue, a slip-up with the computer issue that I had bought from a person, which was stolen. That issue was taken care of way before I even left Florida. The charges were dropped and what-not. I left Florida because I felt like the type of player I was, I didn't want to sit behind no one. I have dreams, I have aspirations to be a starter for a Division I NCAA team and I think while I was at Florida, I probably wasn't going to get that. With Tim Tebow at the reigns and John Brantley -- me and him at the same classification -- something was going to have to give."

On taking responsibility surrounding the stolen computer: ``Oh, it's mine. I'm a man. If I did wrong, I'm going to say I did wrong. Knowing what I know now, would I have bought the computer? No. Being a man, you have to take full responsibility for the actions that you do."

http://jaygtate.blogspot.com/

[Snaggletiger]

Just do those actions that you do.

The "Skreets" are now known as Taylor Avenue

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Summary of Practice



Cam Newton Video

http://videos.al.com/birmingham-news/2010/03/cameron_newton_auburn_begin_sp_1.html

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Gene Chizik wants to narrow Auburn QB race, but there's no rush to name a starter

Auburn coach Gene Chizik said he's in no rush to name a starting quarterback this spring, but it's clear the Tigers will start narrowing the field from four.

Auburn started spring work Wednesday with Neil Caudle, Cameron Newton, Clint Moseley and Barrett Trotter in the race.

"I won't put a deadline on `when,''' Chizik said after the first workout. "We're not in any rush to name a starter.''

Offensive coordinator Gus Malzahn said he won't be able to rotate four quarterbacks the whole way.

"You can't do that long,'' Malzahn said.

Chizik said Newton "did a nice job" on his first day.

"I thought all the quarterbacks did a nice job today,'' he said.

Caudle said he's happy to be in the race in his senior year.

"I feel good about it," Caudle said.

Caudle said he knows much of the attention is on Newton.

"But I'm going to go out and do my thing,'' Caudle said.

We've added a new blog on Cam (that's the name he likes) Newton here.

We posted Gold Mine video of practice earlier. It's here.

Some other post-practice notes:

**Chizik wouldn't say that quarterback Tyrik Rollison is transferring, though Rollison said he would last month. Rollison wasn't at practice.

"He's still in school concentrating solely on academics,'' Chizik said. "We'll see how it unfolds. He's still on the football team.''

Chizik said Rollison is eligible.

Mario Fannin: Tailback, only (Birmingham News/Frank Couch)**Malzahn said Mario Fannin, Onterio McCalebb and even Dontae Aycock would work strictly at tailback this spring now that Ben Tate has graduated.

Fannin was used in different roles last season, and ended up with more receiving yards than rushing yards.

"We're going to try to keep him" at tailback,'' Malzahn said.

Caudle said he likes Fannin at tailback.

"I think he feels at home,'' Caudle said.

**Comings and goings: Offensive lineman Darrell Roseman has graduated and is gone. Walk-on fullback Jason King is gone. Fullback John Douglas is transferring. Backup place-kicker Morgan Hull is gone. Tight end Bailey Woods is transferring to Georgia State.

**Chizik said he was happy to see oft-injured defensive backs Aairon Savage and Mike McNeal back on the field.

Chizik said he won't push them, especially after they each missed last season.

"We've got to be smart how we bring them along,'' Chizik said. "To say they're full speed right now wouldn't be necessarily accurate."

And now, a photo gallery by The Birmingham News' own Frank Couch...

http://blog.al.com/goldmine/2010/03/gene_chizik_wants_to_narrow_au.html

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Quarterback Cam Newton looking to earn respect from his Auburn teammates

Cam Newton was cool, relaxed and entertaining.

Auburn's new quarterback didn't duck the hard questions Wednesday in his first meeting with the press -- like, tell us why you left Florida? -- and generally handled his first official football day with the Tigers with ease after his first spring practice.

We'll be back shortly with video of Newton, and there will be a full story in Thursday's Birmingham News. We've already posted a video of Wednesday's practice here, and a post-practice report about quarterbacks, and others, here.

Here's a quick summary of what Newton said Wednesday:

The high-profile quarterback said he's ready for the competition to see who will be the starter.

"I don't want anything given to me,'' he said. "If it's given to you, you won't have the respect from your teammates.

"If I'm not the starter, it's because other guys worked harder than me.''

Newton comes to Auburn, from Blinn Junior College, via the University of Florida. Newton left Florida, he said, because he was behind Tim Tebow on the depth chart, not because of the stolen laptop incident that made headlines. He said he made a mistake when he bought a laptop that he didn't know was stolen.

He said he left Florida in good standing with the team.

"A lot of people think I got kicked out of Florida. I was not kicked out of Florida,'' he said.

"I had a legal issue, a slip-up with the computer issue that I had bought from a person, which was stolen. That issue was taken care of way before I even left Florida. The charges were dropped and what-not,'' he said. "But I left Florida because I felt like the type of player I was, I didn't want to sit behind anyone, because I have dreams, I have aspirations to be a starter for a Division I NCAA team."

Newton said he would stand up to the  negative news about the incident.

"I'm a man,'' he said. "Being a man, I take full responsibility in the things that you do.

"One day you can be on top of the world, the next day the world can be on top of you.''

Newton said his first Auburn practice wasn't anything special, "but I got the cobwebs out."

He said his No. 1 expectation was "to get everyone's trust on my team. I want my coaches and teammates to trust me in a game.''

He said he asks fellow quarterback contender Neil Caudle for advice.

"Neil is a such a good guy to be around. Any time I have a question, he's probably the first person to answer it for me.''

On Auburn's offense: "I think it's a good fit for me, especially with Coach Malzahn.''

Newton checks in at 6-foot-6, 247, a big guy for a quarterback.

 Growing up, he said, "I've always been the youngest, but the biggest'' on his teams.

http://blog.al.com/goldmine/2010/03/quarterback_cam_newton_looking.html

[AWK]

I effing love football.  I also Cam Newton.

[Jumbo]

I effing love football.  I also Cam Newton.

Thanks for the updates, I'm ready for some football! Taylor teabags your inside source.

[Snaggletiger]

Da' Skreets = Taylor Avenue