Spring Practice

[AUChizad]

The Malzahn era begins now.

http://www.al.com/auburnfootball/index.ssf/2013/03/auburn_2013_spring_practice_re.html

Auburn 2013 spring practice report: Defensive position changes galore on Day 1
Joel A. Erickson | jerickson@al.com By Joel A. Erickson | jerickson@al.com
on March 27, 2013 at 8:58 AM

AUBURN, Alabama -- After one open media session of Auburn's spring practices, it's clear that the Tigers' shift to the 4-2-5 defense has caused a position shuffle among some of the returning defensive players.

With more bodies needed to play the Star position, a safety in Ellis Johnson's defense, the Tigers have moved several players to safety, where the Tigers lost Erique Florence, based on position drills from the first 30 minutes of practice.

For starters, former linebackers Justin Garrett and JaViere Mitchell were working with the safeties, as was T.J. Davis, a 6-1, 184-pounder who played cornerback last season.

Making those moves left a few numbers open at linebacker, where LaDarius Owens, who has played defensive end since arriving on campus, moved to the position, and Chris Landrum, who was moved to H-back last season, also made the switch back to linebacker for the 4-2-5.

** In addition to Kiehl Frazier and Jonathan Wallace, Auburn has two walk-on quarterbacks available for spring practice in Tate O'Connor, who was on the team last year, and Ben Durand, a walk-on from Tyngsborough, Massachusetts.

** Quan Bray, who has played the slot/speed back role for Gus Malzahn in the past, was taking a few read-option snaps at quarterback in the open viewing period.

** Any looks at the starters right now are incredibly premature, but in defensive pursuit drills, what appeared to be the first unit looked like this: DE Dee Ford, DT Gabe Wright, DT Angelo Blackson, DE Nosa Eguae, LB Cassanova McKinzy, LB Jake Holland, Star Justin Garrett, CB Chris Davis, CB Jonathon Mincy, S Demetruce McNeal, S Jermaine Whitehead.

** Again, any No. 1 team observations are tough at this point, but the initial offensive line in drills was LT Greg Robinson, LG Jordan Diamond, C Reese Dismukes, RG Chad Slade, RT Patrick Miller. The quarterback with that group was Kiehl Frazier, and Corey Grant and Tre Mason were working with that group.

** Here was the offensive line with what appeared to be the No. 2 unit: LT Avery Young, LG Devonte Danzey, C Alex Kozan, RG Tunde Fariyike, RT Shon Coleman. There's another interesting position change, as Kozan played guard last season and Fariyike started two games at center.

** On Auburn's list of return men, Trovon Reed was listed ahead of Quan Bray, and at kick returner, Quan Bray and Robenson Therezie were ahead of Jonathan Jones and Corey Grant.

** Auburn's punt formation appears to be of the quick snap variety. In special teams drills, the Tigers were huddling, then breaking quickly and snapping at the line.

http://www.al.com/auburnfootball/index.ssf/2013/03/fast-paced_practice_provides_a.html

AUBURN, Alabama – Kiehl Frazier worked with the first-team offense on the first day of spring practices.
AUBURN SPRING PRACTICE
Julie Bennett | jbennett@al.com

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http://video-embed.al.com/services/player/bcpid1949044313001?bctid=2257331455001&bckey=AQ~~,AAAAPLMIMAE~,kKetLjW2WxUgiRmvwWvrX1zHOEtf9iIT

Much can change this spring, but the good news for Auburn is that, as expected, four quarterbacks dressed and participated in drills Wednesday morning on the practice fields. Frazier and Jonathan Wallace, who supplanted Frazier and started the last four games of the 2012 season, were joined by walk-ons Ben Durand and Tate O'Connor.

"We'll start out with equal reps," Auburn coach Gus Malzahn said Tuesday. "Probably the biggest concern they worry about is their arms. You've got to protect your arms. We went through this my last year here with only two quarterbacks in spring. Me and Coach (Rhett) Lashlee will really keep an eye on both of those guys. The positive is that they're getting a lot of reps. They both need that."

RELATED: Day 1 practice observations

Receiver Quan Bray even saw some time with the quarterbacks, taking some snaps and a few hand-offs from the quarterbacks in positions drills.

Auburn opened the first 30 minutes of its first spring practice of the Malzahn era on Wednesday morning. Video of the quarterbacks going through drills, which included a fast-paced two-minute drill, is included with the post.

[dallaswareagle]

Any looks at the starters right now are incredibly premature, but in defensive pursuit drills, what appeared to be the first unit looked like this: DE Dee Ford, DT Gabe Wright, DT Angelo Blackson, DE Nosa Eguae, LB Cassanova McKinzy, LB Jake Holland, Star Justin Garrett, CB Chris Davis, CB Jonathon Mincy, S Demetruce McNeal, S Jermaine Whitehead.


For all that is holy please fuck no.   

[bottomfeeder]

#17 - Ryan Carter has a nice release on his passes.

Marcus Williams
After workouts, Reed said players are in shape to play at Malzahn's tempo, but they have to clear up the small things: penalties, execution.

[AUownsU]

After reading all I've read today, I'm finally getting excited about football for the first time since before the seaon opener last year. As a matter of fact, I'm 100% Nazi now and I see a blitzkrieg about to be laid down on the rest of the SEC's bitch asses. Gustav 2013.

[Snaggletiger]

After reading all I've read today, I'm finally getting excited about football for the first time since before the seaon opener last year. As a matter of fact, I'm 100% Nazi now and I see a blitzkrieg about to be laid down on the rest of the SEC's bitch asses. Gustav 2013.

Settle down, Beevis.  We still suck.

[dallaswareagle]

Settle down, Beevis.  We still suck.

But I feel the suckage will be less. I think when the clock hits zero on the first game we will know what kind of season we are in store for. 

[Snaggletiger]

But, but, but....we have Jake running first team and he doesn't understand the term, "resultnique".

[GH2001]

Any looks at the starters right now are incredibly premature, but in defensive pursuit drills, what appeared to be the first unit looked like this: DE Dee Ford, DT Gabe Wright, DT Angelo Blackson, DE Nosa Eguae, LB Cassanova McKinzy, LB Jake Holland, Star Justin Garrett, CB Chris Davis, CB Jonathon Mincy, S Demetruce McNeal, S Jermaine Whitehead.


For all that is holy please fuck no.   

Shitty coaching can do that though. I have nothing against jake. In fact, I hope he gets better with the new staff. The guy was a 4 star blue chip player that many wanted. Like someone else said, the players get a clean slate with the new staff. Let's see what they can do.

[The Prowler]

I still see one player lagging behind, #62 Chad Slade. It's not that he's lazy, it's that he doesn't have that killer instinct needed to play on the OL/DL and he doesn't have a sense of urgency about him.

Btw, the players will have nightmares of S&C Ryan Russell and his... NEEEEXXXTTTT!!!!!, NEEEEXXXTTTT!!!!!, NEEEEXXXTTTT!!!!!, NEEEEXXXTTTT!!!!!, NEEEEXXXTTTT!!!!!, NEEEEXXXTTTT!!!!!

[AUChizad]

Shitty coaching can do that though. I have nothing against jake. In fact, I hope he gets better with the new staff. The guy was a 4 star blue chip player that many wanted. Like someone else said, the players get a clean slate with the new staff. Let's see what they can do.

^ Gets it.

[dallaswareagle]

Shitty coaching can do that though. I have nothing against jake. In fact, I hope he gets better with the new staff. The guy was a 4 star blue chip player that many wanted. Like someone else said, the players get a clean slate with the new staff. Let's see what they can do.

Agreed, but this is not exactly a powerhouse of teams.

Auburn COMMITTED (04/04/2009) Offered 01/15/2010 Tommy Thigpen
Florida St. None Offered None 
Kentucky None Offered None 
Mississippi None Offered None 
Mississippi St. None Offered None 
Stanford None Offered None 
Tennessee None Offered None 
UCLA None Offered None 
Vanderbilt None Offered None

[The Prowler]

Agreed, but this is not exactly a powerhouse of teams.

Auburn COMMITTED (04/04/2009) Offered 01/15/2010 Tommy Thigpen
Florida St. None Offered None 
Kentucky None Offered None 
Mississippi None Offered None 
Mississippi St. None Offered None 
Stanford None Offered None 
Tennessee None Offered None 
UCLA None Offered None 
Vanderbilt None Offered None

He was also ranked the Top 5 run stopper and #8 ILB in the Country, per Rivals.

[GH2001]

Agreed, but this is not exactly a powerhouse of teams.

Auburn COMMITTED (04/04/2009) Offered 01/15/2010 Tommy Thigpen
Florida St. None Offered None 
Kentucky None Offered None 
Mississippi None Offered None 
Mississippi St. None Offered None 
Stanford None Offered None 
Tennessee None Offered None 
UCLA None Offered None 
Vanderbilt None Offered None

All bsc conf and bowl teams in 2012 aside from Tenn and Kent. That's a decent list to me.

I think a lot of his issue was the coaching. I mean, that's pretty apparent. And if he doesn't cut it under the staff, then we can talk. Until anyone fucks up, I'm holding judgement. I'm def not going to root against the guy as he actually seems like a good kid otherwise.

[Snaggletiger]

Okay, honest thoughts on Holland.  When we signed him, I thought the guy would set records at AU.  From the film I saw and the write ups on him, he looked like the kind of player who was always around the ball, in on everything.  Here's kid who we can beef up to about 235 and he'll be a mainstay in the middle for several years.  But then...I'm obviously not exactly the best judge of talent or performance on the field.

The last couple of years, even my untrained eye could see a guy totally out of position on play after play.  Someone who couldn't make the tackle even when he was in the right place.  A guy who would seemingly stand there and let the play come to him, getting shielded and owned by centers and guards.  Then, you see them insert McKinzy in his place and here's a guy flying to the ball arriving with bad intent.  He was all over the field. 

I have no idea what the problem has been.  I have no clue if Holland is just out of his league at this level...or if the coaching the last few years has been that bad that the guy's head isn't on straight.  We heard numerous reports and I saw with my own eyes that practices under Chizik were not physical.  No real hitting or intensity.  Was that the problem?  All indications were that he was playing over McKinzy/Frost etc. because they couldn't learn the calls.  But what good does it do to know the calls if you're going to stand 7 yards behind the LOS and wait on a center to come knock you on your ass?

I really have no idea what his problem has been.  Like many have said, nothing against the guy personally.  But you play like that and you're going to be on the ass end of a lot of jokes...especially on the X.  I'm in the same boat as others here.  I hope like hell this new staff gets him and quite a few others back on track.  Would love to be saying, now that's more like it. 

[AUChizad]

http://www.thewareaglereader.com/2013/03/no-huddle-notebook-happy-new-year/#.UVNHN3lsh8F

No-Huddle Notebook: Happy New Year

Spring practice is in the air and Sir Justin Lee is back — Was he ever gone? Was he ever really here? — to bring us the most notable notes from each fine football morning. You can call it the No-Huddle Notebook. We’ll call it that, too.

It’s officially the new football year, sports fans: That time of year where the smell of spring is in the air, everyone is undefeated (and winless), and last year becomes “last year” and this year becomes “this year.”

The Tigers took to the field in shorts for their first practice of the spring today, with the theme of the day being the adjustment from Scot Loeffler’s pro-style offense — or whatever that was — to Gus Malzahn’s hurry-up, no-huddle scheme.

They’ll be in shorts again Friday before their first practice in full pads on Saturday. But for now, there were plenty of notes and quotes to be had from the first day of spring ball. Let’s get it:

Gus Malzahn likes things fast. It was a tough first-day adjustment for the Tigers to get back in Malzahn’s break-neck tempo, both on the offensive and defensive side of the ball. He talked about it in his post-practice press conference, which clocked in at just under nine minutes.

“It’s great to be back on the practice field with our team and our new coaches out there,” Malzahn said. “A lot of excitement. A lot of flying around. I told our team at the very end of practice when I called them up, the main thing is we just have to learn how to practice at the pace and the intensity and the tempo both offensively and defensively. The X’s and O’s will come.

“Our main focus right now is learning how to practice and being able to process things by practicing them fast.”

Quan Bray called it “hectic.” Demetruce McNeal called it “mind-boggling.” Malzahn called it Wednesday.

“It is about learning how to line up correctly, learning how to process information quickly and having great body language and hustling,” Malzahn said. “It’s all that combined. How we did today, we’ve got a ways to go as far as learning how to practice at the pace and the tempo that we want. But that’s to be expected. We will get better each day at that.”

Wide receiver Trovon Reed compared the tempo to Malzahn’s last season as an offensive coordinator in 2011 (and perhaps confirmed an oft-rumored tactical change of the time):

“It was that fast (in 2011), but sometimes Coach Chiz slowed us down to get the defense — now, pffff, it’s fast,” Reed said. “For the first day, that was fast. I only can imagine that as we get better as a team, they’ll keep pushing us, and it could get extremely fast.”

McNeal explains the 4-2-5. Demetruce McNeal says he’s at the “boundary safety” spot in new defensive coordinator Ellis Johnson’s three-safety scheme. McNeal said that the new spot puts more of an emphasis on his range than the free safety spot he played at last year, where he spent a lot of time in the box (and, consequently, lassoed in 90 tackles and was the Tigers’ second-leading tackler.)

Now, McNeal’s focus is on flying to the ball and picking off more passes.

McNeal definitely looks like the odds-on favorite at the boundary safety spot, while the “field safety” spot is wide open. Auburn worked two guys at the third safety — the linebacker hybrid called the “star” — namely, junior Justin Garrett and redshirt freshman JaViere Mitchell.

“It’s a great defense,” McNeal said. “It gives us a chance to spread our wings and show athleticism. That third guy, that star, he’s the key guy in the defense. He has to be a key guy in the defense for the defense to work. He has to be set, and all of us go off of him.”

McNeal said that the system, and new defensive backs coach and co-defensive coordinator Charlie Harbison, allow the players a certain new level of freedom and puts an emphasis on athleticism.

“I feel more free with Coach Harbison than I ever did with any coach, because he just lets me do what I want to do,” McNeal said. “Do what I do, but just do it within the system. That’s just the difference. With (former defensive backs coach Willie) Martinez, I didn’t really feel that free within the defense, because I felt like a robot, just staying within the defense but doing what he wanted me to do.

“But now with Harbison I can do what I want to do but just do it within the defense. So that’s really the big difference and I think I’ll have a better year because I’m just feeling in my comfort level back there at safety.”

Multiple roles. Wide receiver Quan Bray looks like the leading man for the 2013 version of Malzahn’s Wildcat package, as he took snaps from the formation in team drills and worked some with the quarterbacks today.

“I’m looking forward to playing a lot of different roles,” Bray said. “Just trying to be all over the field and learn different things for me to be able to help my team and be a playmaker for the team.”

Meanwhile, Robenson ‘Cadillac’ Therezie said it looks like he’ll be playing as a “boundary cornerback” in the new defense, but that he could be experimenting on the offensive side of the ball at some point in the future as well.

“It will be a possibility,” Therezie said. “I spoke with Coach Malzahn and it seems like a plan. I won’t mind at all playing (Onterio McCalebb’s) position.”

Corey Grant also mentioned stepping in to fill the void left by McCalebb, even though he can go between the tackles as well, and Bray mentioned Ricardo Louis and Trovon Reed as guys that could take jet sweeps in the backfield.

So, yes, this offense is still just as crazy as you remember it being.

Next up: Another day in shorts Friday morning. They’ll start going full pads on Saturday.

Bonerz.

[dallaswareagle]

Okay, honest thoughts on Holland.  When we signed him, I thought the guy would set records at AU.  From the film I saw and the write ups on him, he looked like the kind of player who was always around the ball, in on everything.  Here's kid who we can beef up to about 235 and he'll be a mainstay in the middle for several years.  But then...I'm obviously not exactly the best judge of talent or performance on the field.

The last couple of years, even my untrained eye could see a guy totally out of position on play after play.  Someone who couldn't make the tackle even when he was in the right place.  A guy who would seemingly stand there and let the play come to him, getting shielded and owned by centers and guards.  Then, you see them insert McKinzy in his place and here's a guy flying to the ball arriving with bad intent.  He was all over the field. 

I have no idea what the problem has been.  I have no clue if Holland is just out of his league at this level...or if the coaching the last few years has been that bad that the guy's head isn't on straight.  We heard numerous reports and I saw with my own eyes that practices under Chizik were not physical.  No real hitting or intensity.  Was that the problem?  All indications were that he was playing over McKinzy/Frost etc. because they couldn't learn the calls.  But what good does it do to know the calls if you're going to stand 7 yards behind the LOS and wait on a center to come knock you on your ass?

I really have no idea what his problem has been.  Like many have said, nothing against the guy personally.  But you play like that and you're going to be on the ass end of a lot of jokes...especially on the X.  I'm in the same boat as others here.  I hope like hell this new staff gets him and quite a few others back on track.  Would love to be saying, now that's more like it.

Word^^^^^^^

[GH2001]

Okay, honest thoughts on Holland.  When we signed him, I thought the guy would set records at AU.  From the film I saw and the write ups on him, he looked like the kind of player who was always around the ball, in on everything.  Here's kid who we can beef up to about 235 and he'll be a mainstay in the middle for several years.  But then...I'm obviously not exactly the best judge of talent or performance on the field.

The last couple of years, even my untrained eye could see a guy totally out of position on play after play.  Someone who couldn't make the tackle even when he was in the right place.  A guy who would seemingly stand there and let the play come to him, getting shielded and owned by centers and guards.  Then, you see them insert McKinzy in his place and here's a guy flying to the ball arriving with bad intent.  He was all over the field. 

I have no idea what the problem has been.  I have no clue if Holland is just out of his league at this level...or if the coaching the last few years has been that bad that the guy's head isn't on straight.  We heard numerous reports and I saw with my own eyes that practices under Chizik were not physical.  No real hitting or intensity.  Was that the problem?  All indications were that he was playing over McKinzy/Frost etc. because they couldn't learn the calls.  But what good does it do to know the calls if you're going to stand 7 yards behind the LOS and wait on a center to come knock you on your ass?

I really have no idea what his problem has been.  Like many have said, nothing against the guy personally.  But you play like that and you're going to be on the ass end of a lot of jokes...especially on the X.  I'm in the same boat as others here.  I hope like hell this new staff gets him and quite a few others back on track.  Would love to be saying, now that's more like it.

I think guys like Nova can survive in a game somewhat just off athletic ability and instinct. I don't think jake has that luxury. He has to be smarter, be a student of the coachinh and learn. Which is/was a problem under Chizik and co. Nova thrived in spite of chiz.

[AUownsU]

Settle down, Beevis.  We still suck.

Thanks for pooping on da carpet and ruining the par-tay Jennifer.

Seriously, there is noway in hell a team with this much talent can continue to suck. I understand 3 or 4 kids not panning out but 85? Impossible. We all know talent isn't the issue here. The problem is 100% desire and attitude. I honestly believe Gustav will take care of that shit.

[bottomfeeder]

I think we kick some serious ass this year on the scoreboard.

http://auburn.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=1488767

Jennifer Richardson
Was told by a couple of players this morning that this teams looks and feels 100% different than they have looked the last couple of years and That "What AU fans are gonna notice is we wont be like the Auburn Teams from the 80's,We are not gonna resemble what Alabama or LSU are now ...if you wanna know what we are gonna be it is the Oregon of the SEC,We will play strong and Fast,Very Fast..Malzahn will be the new Chip Kelley in college football..AU fans can get ready,We wanna score a minimum of 50 in each game is our mentality".......hmmmm sounds promising-David Fish

[WiregrassTiger]

  But then...I'm obviously not exactly the best judge of talent or performance on the field.

But what good does it do to know the calls if you're going to stand 7 yards behind the LOS and wait on a center to come knock you on your ass?

It's obvious that you are just a casual observer and your question is not a stupid question. Afterall, there are no stupid questions. There are only stupid people who ask questions that sometimes make the the questions seem stupid.

You see, the reason that it is important to wait on the center to come knock you on your ass as you are playing 7 yds off the LOS is that it will eventually wear the center down from running 7 yards on every play, in hopes that he will eventually be too tired to snap the ball, late in the 4th quarter. Granted, it's not a conventional strategy and it never worked last year but if you will notice from game one to the end of the season, Jake got much better on his landings. And he stuck most of them.