Article in this morning's local kitty litter liner. Sigler is now at 285 and playing DE. That's about 40 pounds since he left HS. Anyway, some good stuff on our young guys.
Tigers return to work in Atlanta as bowl game approaches
By: David Morrison | Dothan Eagle
Published: December 25, 2011 Updated: December 25, 2011 - 11:19 PM
Alright, back to work.
After taking four days off from practice for a Christmas break, Auburn is refocusing itself on the task at hand – the Chick-fil-A Bowl against Virginia on Dec. 31 – at a new locale – Atlanta.
The Tigers arrived in Atlanta on Sunday night and will get four practices and a walkthrough at the Georgia Dome before their date with the Cavaliers at 6:30 p.m. on New Year’s Eve.
And, while the Chick-fil-A Bowl might not hold quite as much cache as Auburn’s postseason destination last season, the Tigers still have the same goal as they did last winter.
Just win.
“If you’re not excited about getting another opportunity to play football, you recruited the wrong kid,” wide receivers coach Trooper Taylor said. “Fortunately, we don’t have anybody out there like that. Do they want to play for championships? Yes. That’s our goal.
“We’re not a team that’s just happy to go to bowl games. But the way they’re practicing, they’re happy to have an opportunity to get better.”
Here are some things to keep in mind as Auburn’s bowl week kicks off:
3 Tigers primed for a breakout
– Kiehl Frazier, QB: Frazier and Clint Moseley both have said they’re splitting reps with the whole offense in the lead-up to the bowl. That means Frazier’s getting extensive work outside of the mostly running package he played in during the year. That means the Tigers might give him more liberty to air the ball out than he has all season. That could mean a pretty telling preview of Auburn’s 2012 offense.
– Tre Mason, RB: Onterio McCalebb needs some help now that Mike Dyer has been suspended. Mason is basically the only one on the Tigers’ roster that can give it to him. He’s got the bulk and speed to run inside or outside, and could easily be the power complement to McCalebb’s finesse. He might match his season total of 19 carries Saturday night.
-- Devaunte Sigler, DE: Defensive line coach Mike Pelton could not have raved more about the job the Tigers’ freshman has done in pre-bowl practice. Sigler has bulked up – he’s up to 285 pounds – found his niche at end after moving from tackle in the middle of the year and is poised for some playing time against the Cavaliers.
3 Cavaliers to know
– Perry Jones, RB: Auburn – on the whole – has shown an ability to stop big, conventional backs over the past three years. It’s the scatbacks that cause heartache. Jones, at 5-foot-8, 185 pounds, is just the type of small, shifty runner that’s given the Tigers fits. And he’ll be itching to get back on track after an abysmal season finale against Virginia Tech.
– Chase Minnifield, CB: Virginia’s top cover corner will get the task of locking down Emory Blake, who has been basically all the Tigers have in the wide receiving corps this year. The senior has three interceptions and eight pass breakups this year. And he’s a bit of a talker. Just ask Duke coach David Cutcliffe.
– Austin Pasztor, LG: At 6-7, 305 pounds, the Cavaliers’ second-team All-America offensive lineman is a bit of a handful. He anchors a Virginia offensive line that starts two seniors, a junior and two sophomores and averages 6-6, 306 pounds. Auburn’s shown an inability to deal with big, experienced offensive lines this year.
3 Storylines to Watch
– Malzahn swan song: It’s Gus Malzahn’s last week as Auburn’s offensive coordinator. Allow that to sink in for a minute. Now, ask yourself what he’s going to do as a grand finale. Is it possible to run a trick play on every play? Or will he go out with a whimper. In the same vein, how will Gene Chizik’s defense look now that it’s entirely up to him? Will there still be some Ted Roof flourishes? Or will the Tigers have transitioned completely to the Tampa 2 that Chizik loves so? If it’s the latter, Eltoro Freeman better brush up on his pass coverage.
– Fire away, freshmen!: Frazier, Mason and Sigler aren’t the only three Auburn freshman that could see their roles increased significantly in the bowl game. Yes, the Chick-fil-A Bowl will be about ending the season on a win. But it’s also an early audition for which players can be big pieces next year. That means you, Quan Bray. And you, Jermaine Whitehead, Robenson Therezie and Erique Florence. And you, Gabe Wright and Angelo Blackson. And so on.
– Who wants it more? Virginia has already exceeded expectations this year. But now that the Cavaliers have made it this far, why not exceed some more? Some Auburn players have called this a “must-win” to send Malzahn out on a high note, but there’s more to it than that. Namely, proving the team is making some progress with its youth and keeping the fans’ hope alive that tomorrow will bring better things.
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