It's MIKE Dyer. Not Michael. Start Learning It.

[AUChizad]

http://www.al.com/sports/index.ssf/2010/09/mike_dyer_auburn_newest_tailba.html

Mike Dyer: Auburn newest tailback beginning to make a name for himself
Published: Wednesday, September 08, 2010, 8:15 AM 
Charles Goldberg -- The Birmingham News

AUBURN -- Michael Dyer, who signed on at Auburn when he was the No. 1 high school running back in the nation, is no more.

He's "Mike'' Dyer now, per his request, and he started making a name for himself in his college debut last Saturday. He rushed for 95 yards and got more carries than he thought he would in last Saturday's 52-26 win over Arkansas State. He has won the trust of his coaches moving to Thursday night's game at Mississippi State.

"I thought I was going to get in and get a few carries and trying to figure out the differences coming from high school to college,'' Dyer said. "A couple things happened with the game situation and they put me in more than I expected.''

One thing that happened was No. 1 tailback Mario Fannin fumbled on his third carry, and running backs coach Curtis Luper held Fannin out of the next series because of it. Fannin didn't get another carry the rest of the game, though the Tigers had no trouble watching him make the second of his two touchdown catches after the miscue.

Fannin had only two carries in the first half and a quick one in the third quarter.

"I don't think I would necessarily read anything into that at all,'' said coach Gene Chizik.

Luper said it was "no coincidence'' Fannin didn't immediately return after the fumble. But Luper said Fannin was in line to get more carries later but "we had the game well in hand. If it was a close game, it may have been different. But we definitely need him to win.''

Fannin, then, will be fresh for the Tigers' SEC opener in Starkville, the next stop in 11 straight weeks of football. The fumble won Fannin an early exit, but the lack of carries the rest of the way may have been in the plan, anyway, considering he had so little work in the first half.

"We only had three running backs in camp, so we couldn't do a lot with them just because we wanted to get them to the games,'' Luper said. "Generally, you have four, maybe five backs. We only three, so we had to really take care of them physically.''

It was a different kind of opening for the running game. Quarterback Cam Newton had more carries and more rushing yards than any of the tailbacks. With Fannin being rested, and reprimanded for the fumble, Dyer, the No. 3 tailback, led Auburn with 14 carries and those 95 yards.

"If I known he had 95, I would have gotten him five more yards,'' Luper said.

No. 2 tailback Onterio McCalebb, who had 65 of his 76 yards in the first half. Fannin finished with 14 rushing yards.

Fannin had three fumbles early in his career that earned him bench time. But he had only two fumbles the last two years, and shrugged off the fact he only had three carries in the opener. He said he wasn't sure if the fumble was the reason.

"I don't know. Probably could have been. Probably wasn't. I have no clue,'' Fannin said.

He'll be an integral part of Auburn's offense no matter what, considering he had the second most receptions last year when he was the H-back, and already has four catches for 65 yards and those two TDs this year.

"Mario had some great catches out of the backfield,'' Chizik said. "He is a very extremely talented athlete.

"Then, the young guys got a chance to run the football, and we mixed it up pretty good with those guys.''

Chizik praised Dyer for his ball security during his weekly press conference Monday and again during his his weekly Tiger Talk radio call-in show Tuesday night.

"As we went back and reevaluated the film, Michael did a lot of nice job for us,'' Chizik said. "He really ran well, and we anticipate really getting him in the offense. As time goes on, with more experience, we think he'll be a good back."

Dyer said Arkansas State defenders made it difficult by ripping and clawing at the ball.

"Every play, they were trying to get it regardless if we were on the ground of not,'' he said. "They were trying to pull for it. We've worked on ball control and trying to control it and lowering your shoulders to keep from fumbling.

"I didn't fumble much in high school. I'm 5-9. I'm short for a running back. It's easy for me to stay low to the ground. That's probably one of my good qualities.''

Fannin said there's plenty of time for him to run.

"Sure, the carries, they weren't big. But at the same time, it was the first game,'' Fannin said. "You've just got to keep working and just stay humble, and at the end it will work out for you. That's something my mom has told me and I've grown to learn that the humble person is the one that comes out in the end. So you've just got to sit back and just let the coaches do their jobs and just keep pressing forward.''

[War Eagle!!!]

I hope that Fanin's confidence stays strong. If something like fumbling gets in your head, you can let it consume you and then worry about it way too much. I hope he doesn't focus too much on "not fumbling"...

With only 3 RB's, we are going to need all of them healthy and playing god football...

[Saniflush]

We roll five deep at that position.

[JR4AU]

We roll five deep at that position.

None of them is a do-all/every down, 'tween the tackles AND breakaway speed guy.  We really need them all to be complete. Fannin COULD be, but not if he has the dropsies.  Dyer shows great promise, but alas, is young.

[Saniflush]

None of them is a do-all/every down, 'tween the tackles AND breakaway speed guy.  We really need them all to be complete. Fannin COULD be, but not if he has the dropsies.  Dyer shows great promise, but alas, is young.

Apparently the joke is lost.

[Buzz Killington]

Apparently the joke is lost.

I thought I heard something.

[JR4AU]

Apparently the joke is lost.

sorry, I was distracted.

[Snaggletiger]

His mama calls him Michael.  I'm gonna' call him Michael.

[War Eagle!!!]

His mama calls him Michael.  I'm gonna' call him Michael.

You talkin' about Miss Dyah's boy? Yeah, she call him Michael.

[djsimp]

His mama calls him Michael.  I'm gonna' call him Michael.

I knew that was coming.

[JR4AU]

I knew that was coming.

she said

[djsimp]

she said

Like a fast little muscle.

[AUTiger1]

His mama calls him Michael.  I'm gonna' call him Michael.

I wish we had a golf clap smiley I would use it here.


:golfclap:

[Jumbo]

We roll five deep at that position.

Woo Pig