Auburn Spring Game 2016: Recap, Highlights and Twitter Reaction
Apr 9, 2016
AUBURN, AL - APRIL 9: Wide receiver Marcus Davis #80 of the Auburn Tigers catches a ball in front of defensive back Michael Sherwood #36 of the Auburn Tigers at Jordan Hare Stadium on April 9, 2016 in Auburn, Alabama. (Photo by Michael Chang/Getty Images)
The blue and orange side of Alabama might want to try to forget about last season. Auburn football went 7-6 in 2015, its worst mark since 2012, while watching the University of Alabama win its 16th national championship.
Tigers fans had a chance to look ahead on Saturday with the school's annual A-Day—Auburn's version of its spring game—as the Blue team defeated the White team, 19-10.
There are some big-time questions that need answering, especially under center. A transfer from East Mississippi Community College is expected to be the man to lead Auburn.
John Franklin III, who has made his name in football by utilizing his blazing speed, wasn't consistently lighting it up with his arm, as Brandon Marcello of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution noted:
Sources at scrimmage: John Franklin III "can fly," barely missed deep ball on scramble and looks part of starter; needs more consistency.
Franklin might have some competition in Sean White, who had a decent outing himself. But neither came out of A-Day exhibiting the skill or confidence to lead a threatening SEC program. Saturday Down South tried to pick between the two:
https://twitter.com/SDS/status/718910515242778624
Franklin's day was done after the first two quarters, and Auburn Gold Mine took a look at the two quarterbacks' stats at halftime:
A-Day halftime stats: John Franklin III 7-of-10 for 61 yards passing. Sean White 7-of-11 for 124 yards. Jeremy Johnson 1-of-4 for no yards
The busiest member of Auburn and probably the most valuable player of A-Day was kicker Daniel Carlson, who booted five field goals for both teams in the first half alone.
He hit two from 25 yards out, one from 33, another from 52 and another from 55, his longest of the day. Auburn Football had a look at the 55-yarder:
While Carlson was succeeding, Auburn's offense—whether it be the Blue or White team—had problems punching the ball into the end zone, which concerned Marcello:
Daniel Carlson is a very good field goal kicker. Auburn's offense is, man, not promising. https://t.co/NcOfgHyLb5
The Blue team managed to build on its 12-10 halftime lead when quarterback Jeremy Johnson hit Roc Davis for an eight-yard touchdown pass in the third quarter in the last score of the day.
With mental mistakes and sloppy play galore, Auburn has a lot of work to do if it wants to challenge in the always-difficult SEC next season. It will all start at the quarterback position, and if Franklin does get the nod as the team's starter, it might be best for the Tigers to keep the offense simple and utilize him as a dual threat.
Once Franklin's able to grasp the offense, Auburn can play a quick-tempo style and could possibly be a dangerous team to meet in 2016.
Post-Game Reaction
While the offense wasn't exactly impressive, Auburn head coach Gus Malzahn was impressed with his kicker Carlson, via Michael Niziolek of the Ledger-Enquirer
“It was windy as all get out down there and he was just drilling it,” Auburn coach Gus Malzahn said. “He’s one of the best kickers in college football and he’s going to be a huge weapon for us.”
He was also happy with his defense, that held down the trio of quarterbacks trying to make a good impression, via Niziolek.
"I thought our defense was outstanding,” Malzahn said. “I think the one thing that stands out is our depth. I think we got more depth which is great.”
Regardless of his results, Franklin seemed content with the offense, via Niziolek: "“I feel like this offensive is suited for my skill set,” Franklin said. “The more and more I do it the more and more my natural ability is going to come out.”
He has a few more months to sow Malzahn and Auburn that he can really succeed in the role if given the starting job. After that he'd have the tough responsibility of keeping the Tigers in contention in such a tough SEC.
Auburn Spring Game 2016: Live Score, Top Performers and Analysis
Apr 9, 2016
BIRMINGHAM, AL - DECEMBER 30: Head coach Gus Malzahn of the Auburn Tigers celebrates after a touchdown against the Memphis Tigers during the Birmingham Bowl at Legion Field on December 30, 2015 in Birmingham, Alabama. Auburn defeated Memphis 31-10. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images)
2016 Auburn Spring Game
Blue 19, White 10—FINAL
Despite some high hopes last season, the Auburn Tigers limped across the finish line with a 7-6 record that included an abysmal 2-6 record in the SEC. After today's A-Game at Jordan-Hare Stadium, there are at least as many questions coming out of the spring game as going into it.
Auburn Spring Game 2016: Date, Start Time, TV Schedule, Live Stream and More
Chris Roling
Apr 9, 2016
Nov 28, 2015; Auburn, AL, USA; Auburn Tigers head coach Gus Malzahn looks on during the first quarter against the Alabama Crimson Tide at Jordan Hare Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Shanna Lockwood-USA TODAY Sports
A-Day 2016, otherwise known as the 2016 Auburn spring game, has a dramatically different feel to it compared to past years.
The Auburn Tigers don't roll into the event triumphant on the shoulders of head coach Gus Malzahn this time, not after a 7-6 campaign with plenty of jobs riding on the team's 2016 performance.
Those folks on the hot seat have to find new starters under center, in the backfield, in both trenches and yet again re-tool a defense.
With such a theme in mind, here's a look at everything to know about one of the most important Auburn spring games in recent memory.
2016 Auburn Spring Game
When: Saturday, April 9, at 4 p.m. ET
Where: Jordan-Hare Stadium
TV: SEC Network
Live Stream: SECSports.go.com.
It's not hard to figure out where to start when it comes to Saturday's event.
John Franklin III, a transfer, is the man tasked with turning the offense around next season. Considering Jeremy Johnson only threw 10 touchdowns to seven picks last year and Sean White one and four, respectively, it's safe to assume Franklin has his hands on the starting gig.
That doesn't mean he isn't under the microscope. Franklin only comes in at 174 pounds. He's fast and a dual-threat option in every sense of the description, but he'll have to show he can get the most out of guys around him and also hold up under the rigors of play.
At the very least, everyone seems to love Franklin's versatility, as captured by SEC Football:
Auburn DT: QB John Franklin III ‘faster’ than Johnny Manziel, Nick Marshall https://t.co/QEaFyD4QQj
The offense will need to fall in around Franklin. Behind him, running back Jovon Robinson returns after a season in which he turned 117 totes into 639 yards and three scores. Good, but the rest of a committee will need to sort itself out.
It's a similar story at wideout. The top two wideouts from last season (Ricardo Louis and Melvin Ray) are gone, so it will be interesting to see which former depth players can emerge as the best fit for the Franklin-led offense.
Again, same story in the offensive trenches. Xavier Dampeer is the focal point at center. A senior, he'll get the nod as starter with Austin Golson moving to left tackle to shore up the blind side.
“Dampeer is playing at a pretty good level at center right now,” offensive line coach Herb Hand said, according to Bryan Matthews of Rivals.com. “He's another guy that I've been very, very pleased with.”
The same pressure applies to the defensive side of the ball, which suffered last year under the much-hyped Will Muschamp. Now new coordinator Kevin Steele directs the attack, also inspired by the Nick Saban coaching tree.
In other words, fans shouldn't expect to see much difference Saturday compared to last year, except in the effort department.
“We’ve kept it pretty vanilla because we wanted to find out who would play with toughness, who would play with great effort and if you’re thinking and worried about making mistakes and busting then that’s pretty hard to do,” Steele said, according to Brandon Marcello of SECCountry.com. “We’ve kept it very, very vanilla.”
It's hard not to sense the positive vibes around the unit even though the team is on its third defensive coordinator in as many years. With major names such as Carl Lawson returning and high-upside guys like Byron Cowart continuing to emerge, the growth and development in a familiar scheme should pay dividends.
If budding positivity around a defense and a general nervousness about a Malzahn-directed offense seems odd going into a spring game, it most certainly is.
That won't stop fans from flocking to the event, nor should it. While not the bottom line in how a season will play out, should the spring game provide reassurances about both sides of the football, the SEC might have a sleeper on its hands.
While an odd position, it sure makes for quite the interesting A-Day.
Stats and info courtesy of ESPN.com unless otherwise specified. Broadcast and spring game info via AL.com.
Auburn Football: Week 4 Spring Practice Report
Apr 4, 2016
Auburn HC Gus Malzahn
AUBURN, Ala. — This weekend, football and all the necessary fanfare will return to Jordan-Hare Stadium after months of quiet.
Only a couple of practices remain for Gus Malzahn's Auburn Tigers between now and Saturday's A-Day Game, where they'll give the orange and blue faithful its first glimpse at what's coming in a crucial 2016 campaign.
Auburn wrapped up its fourth week of spring practices last Saturday with its second scrimmage of the year, where a certain quarterback got some special spotlight due to his jersey color and more separation developed at key position battles.
Malzahn has said he has a goal of putting together a two-deep depth chart at the end of spring practice, which means these last few practices—and A-Day—will be quite important for the team heading into the long summer months.
Here are all the top news, notes and quotes from Week 4 of Auburn's spring practices, with the grand finale just around the corner.
Auburn OL coach Herb Hand
Shaking things up on the offensive line
Between Auburn's need to replace both of its starting tackles and new offensive line coach Herb Hand's plan to build versatility, there's a new favorite in the race to be the Tigers' next blind-spot protector.
Austin Golson, who started at center last season for Auburn after transferring from Ole Miss, was the Tigers' first-team left tackle during last Tuesday's media viewing window. According to Hand, Golson's move there isn't a one time thing.
"Austin Golson has been repping at both left tackle and center," Hand said. "He's got a lot of experience at center so every rep he takes at left tackle he gets more comfortable, which is big for us."
On Saturday, Malzahn said Golson's move to left tackle might be permanent, according to Ryan Black of 247Sports. The head coach said Golson was still getting used to the position:
Austin Golson is still at tackle.
"He's starting to feel more and more comfortable."
Moving around on the offensive line is natural for Golson at this point in his career. He was a 4-star offensive tackle out of Prattville High School in Alabama, but he played mostly at guard as a true freshman in 2013 with Ole Miss. At Auburn, he quickly became the favorite to replace Reese Dismukes at center.
Senior and experienced backup Xavier Dampeer has stepped in as the first-team center while Golson reps on the outside. Hand said Dampeer has been playing at a "pretty good level at center" and was one of the players he has been pleased with this spring.
Golson's move to left tackle has bumped Robert Leff, who began spring practice as the favorite at left tackle, over to right tackle. The now-eligible transfer Darius James, who sat out Tuesday's practice but returned for Saturday's scrimmage, is primarily competing at left tackle with Golson.
While it seems the Tigers are moving closer to an established depth chart on the offensive line as spring camp winds down, Hand is still making it a point to work players at multiple positions.
"We have to have a contingency plan...and what that means is I can't just go out there and say this guy is our left tackle and this guy is our right tackle," Hand said. "We have to have a plan that if something were to happen and we have to shift some bodies around. What's allowed us to do that is the versatility of guys like Austin Golson."
Auburn QB John Franklin III (left)
Staying live, staying live
Malzahn said at the end of Week 3 that one of the staff's biggest goals from its scrimmage was to get more film on quarterback John Franklin III in live situations.
In Auburn's second scrimmage one week later, Malzahn decided to put his newest quarterback under the microscope again. Reports on Franklin from the closed scrimmage were favorable, per Brandon Marcello of SEC Country:
Sources at scrimmage: John Franklin III "can fly," barely missed deep ball on scramble and looks part of starter; needs more consistency.
According to Wesley Sinor of AL.com, Malzahn left the orange non-contact jersey off of Franklin on Saturday. Former starting quarterbacks Jeremy Johnson and Sean White, however, did not go live.
"We just felt like it was important, one more time, to see how [Franklin] can protect the football," Malzahn said, per Sinor. "Let him make some plays and stuff like that, so it was a good evaluation from that end."
Franklin, who continues to rotate and get first-team reps in practices, has been subject to more hands-on coaching by Malzahn over the last couple of weeks.
Malzahn also "snapped" to John Franklin III again in a footwork drill with the quarterbacks. pic.twitter.com/NqMIbSAXex
That carried over to his teammates on defense, too, and Malzahn sounded pleased with the way Franklin protected the ball—a key focus after some fumbles in Week 3's scrimmage.
In almost every player and coach interview that has mentioned Franklin's name this spring, the transfer's speed has been a hot topic of conversation. But on Saturday, Malzahn focused on the finer details of playing quarterback at Auburn when discussing Franklin's scrimmage.
"We've been impressed the way he's picked up all the things from the sideline―the pre-snap things," Malzahn said, per Michael Niziolek of the Columbus Ledger-Enquirer. "There's a lot to playing quarterback in our system before the play even starts, before you even look at the defense. I've been very impressed the way he's done that."
The next time Franklin goes up against the Tigers defense in a scrimmage setting will be this Saturday's A-Day Game, when Auburn fans will get to see the dual-threat star in uniform for the first time.
Auburn DE Byron Cowart (center)
'Butt beatings' important for heavily hyped linemen
The focus on Auburn's now-deep defensive line this spring has been on two different camps—the veteran leadership of returning starters such as Carl Lawson and Montravius Adams, and the bright potential of underclassmen such as Byron Cowart and Marlon Davidson.
In his first interview session of the year, veteran defensive line coach Rodney Garner spoke highly of both Cowart and Davidson, who are both repping at strong-side defensive end, opposite the "Buck."
Garner said Cowart, who had a microscopic amount of production compared to the hype he received last year as a true freshman, is showing the consistency this spring needed to become a factor at the SEC level.
"He's going to be fine," Garner said. "They have to guard against all this pressure that everybody has placed on them that they're going to come in and be an instant success. ... I don't care about stars. Nobody cares about stars. You think that guy lined up across from him cares about stars? It probably motivates him more to beat his butt."
On Saturday, Cowart faced the media for the first time as a Tiger, and he spoke openly about one of the main areas that was said to have held his development back in 2015—his head.
"I'm trying to improve my mental toughness—that's the biggest thing, and being able to move on to the next play," Cowart said, per Black. "If you mess up on the last play, don't let it affect the next play, because if you let it affect the next play, then it's affecting the whole team."
Garner said making that adjustment comes differently for every highly touted defensive lineman, who is normally used to dominating his competition in high school practices and games.
Davidson, who impressed as the first-team defensive end in a pace drill last Tuesday, is finding that out, to the delight of a smiling Garner.
"It's been great watching him get beat," Garner said with a laugh. "It's been a humbling experience because he hasn't had many of those opportunities. ... For him to have to go in there, because he just thought, 'I'm Marlon Davidson, I'm going to line up and kick your butt,' and then get his butt kicked—it's great."
New Auburn CB Marshall Taylor (right)
No-huddle notebook
Auburn picked up a graduate transfer over the weekend—Georgia native Marshall Taylor, who played cornerback at Miami (Ohio) in the MAC. At 6'2" and nearly 200 pounds, Taylor provides another big body with experience to the Tigers' cornerback room.
Malzahn made a special note to highlight the play of sophomore wide receiver Ryan Davis on Saturday, per Matthew Stevens of the Montgomery Advertiser (via the Anniston Star): "Ryan Davis is a guy that really you can tell has taken that next step. I've been very proud of him. He's got a lot of winner in him. He's wanting to be coached, and he's got some ability."
According to Niziolek, sophomore cornerback Carlton Davis' goals for the defense this season are massive. He wants the Tigers to hold opponents to an average of less than 14 points per game.
New defensive backs coach Wesley McGriff said sophomore defensive back Nick Ruffin has had a "really good spring camp" at safety and raved about his "good football IQ" and "contact skills."
Running backs coach Tim Horton said senior running back Jovon Robinson has been more engaged with his teammates in the past year and has opened up after his tough journey to get back to the Plains.
All quotes obtained firsthand unless otherwise noted. Recruiting rankings are courtesy of 247Sports.
Justin Ferguson is a National College Football Analyst at Bleacher Report. You can follow him on Twitter @JFergusonBR.
Former Tigers-Turned-Coaches Focused on Bringing Auburn Back to Glory Days
Mar 29, 2016
Auburn WR coach Kodi Burns and WR Ryan Davis
AUBURN, Ala. — Kodi Burns and Travis Williams know what the expectations are for the Auburn Tigers football team.
As former players of some of the Tigers' best teams of the last dozen years, the first-year position coaches are focused on getting their alma mater back to championship caliber.
"At this place, you're expected to win," said Williams, who replaced the South Carolina-bound Lance Thompson at linebackers coach after receiving a trial run during the Birmingham Bowl. "I want to win. I want that challenge. You put your back against the wall, and you just scrap it out and put your best foot forward. That’s what this place is about."
NASHVILLE, TN - DECEMBER 31: Travis Williams #51 of the Auburn Tigers in action against the Wisconsin Badgers during the Music City Bowl at The Coliseum on December 31, 2003 in Nashville, Tennessee. Auburn defeated Wisconsin 28-14. (Photo by Joe Robbins/G
They personally know what it takes to compete for SEC and national titles.
"The reason I came to Auburn was that Auburn was built off of toughness, and guys I saw before that paved the way for me were tough, hard-nosed guys," said Burns, who took over as Auburn's wide receivers coach this offseason after Dameyune Craig's departure to LSU. "And that's how Auburn has won."
Burns and Williams also know the expectations for the Tigers outside of the Plains, especially after a 7-6 campaign in 2015. Auburn isn't a preseason darling this time around. Things have changed.
But both former Tigers built their playing careers off defying similar expectations.
Burns was a heavily hyped blue-chip passer who won and lost the starting quarterback job. But instead of transferring out of the program, he made a sacrificial move to wide receiver, where he became a key possession target for Cam Newton in the undefeated run to the 2010 national title.
Auburn WR coach Kodi Burns (left) at 2011 BCS National Championship Game
Williams was a self-described "little skinny linebacker" in the early 2000s for head coach Tommy Tuberville. After a redshirt season and a freshman campaign, he emerged as a starting linebacker in 2003 and became a first-team All-SEC selection in 2004—when the Tigers went undefeated and won the SEC title.
Together with veteran defensive line coach Rodney Garner, offensive graduate assistant Jonathan Wallace and defensive graduate assistant Craig Sanders, Burns and Williams are part of Gus Malzahn's new-look and semi-homegrown coaching staff for 2016.
"What Coach Malzahn has done is he's hired guys that have played here, and have put their blood, sweat and tears in this school and on that field," Burns said. "With recruiting...I'm talking about a school because I played there. I am Auburn. I believe in everything I say about the school. I believe it and really believe from the heart."
Burns and Williams' respective positions at Auburn are under a lot of scrutiny heading in 2016. The Tigers have to replace the top two receivers from a unit coming off its worst statistical year since Malzahn arrived, and they lost three linebackers to graduation ahead of a transition to another new defensive coordinator, Kevin Steele.
Auburn LB coach Travis Williams
Williams is using that as motivation for his younger and thinner unit.
"Right now, I tell them we don't have to say anything. We can walk silent and carry a big stick," Williams said, echoing his own linebacker coach at Auburn, Joe Whitt Sr. "I told them in this room we're going to be a group of overachievers, and that's OK. You have to have that mentality that outside this room nobody thinks you're worth a crap."
For Williams, the focus is on developing his linebackers like Whitt developed him into a feared force for a title-winning defense over a decade ago and being a motivator on the practice field:
Williams even models his practices after Whitt, who started as Auburn's linebackers coach in 1981 and stayed in that role for 25 seasons. Whitt coached on five different SEC championship teams and 17 bowl teams, spanning some of the best years in program history.
"I know it works," Williams said. "I have seen it and actually experienced everything that he's instilled into a linebacker. ... You still have to develop guys. Some coaches like them microwave-ready. They want you to come out of high school and play. That's not realistic. You're paid to coach and paid to develop players."
Williams must develop a unit that currently has a leader in junior Tre' Williams but little else in experience. Jeff Holland is practicing with the edge-rushers on the defensive line, making sophomore Deshaun Davis—who had five tackles in 2015—the second-most productive Auburn linebacker heading into the fall.
The new assistant spoke highly of the progress underclassmen Richard McBryde, Darrell Williams and Montavious Atkinson have showed this spring, but the unit won't be complete until later this year, when Illinois transfer T.J. Neal arrives.
Auburn WR coach Kodi Burns (center)
Burns is experiencing something similar on the offensive side of the ball. The wide receivers he's inherited combined for only 575 yards last year, putting more pressure on a stellar recruiting class Craig signed and other underclassmen such as Darius Slayton and Ryan Davis.
Auburn has physically gifted true freshman Kyle Davis already on campus, but he is limited in what he can do in practices while recovering from shoulder surgery. Four-star signees Nate Craig-Myers and Eli Stove won't arrive until this summer.
But while other coaches may see that dependence on youth as a problem, Burns sees it as a golden opportunity.
"I'm excited to work with these guys," Burns said. "The best thing for me is that they are freshmen, so I get to mold them in how I want them to be—what my expectations are. I can take them personally and show them the way and how we do things at Auburn."
According to Burns, how Auburn does things at receiver has a lot to do with blocking for runs—the base of Malzahn's offense. With an experienced group of running backs and the potential of a quarterback such as John Franklin III or Jeremy Johnson on read options, Burns is placing a high priority on toughness.
"The offensive line has to do its job up front, but we also have an obligation as receivers to block and make sure that runs go from 15-yard runs to 60- and 70-yard runs," Burns said. "That's a mentality in our room we've got to get back...It's the extra-effort things I expect you to do and go over and beyond to be a receiver at Auburn."
Both Burns and Williams say they understand the challenge ahead of them in what will be a make-or-break year for the entire staff.
And they're ready to attack coaching at their alma mater with plenty of excitement and enthusiasm.
"You can't catch me without a smile on my face," Williams said. "In the same breath, I understand the responsibility and expectations. Coming to work every day, it gives you a goal, because a lot of people are depending on you to get this thing right."
All quotes obtained firsthand unless otherwise noted. Recruiting rankings are courtesy of 247Sports.
Justin Ferguson is a National College Football Analyst at Bleacher Report. You can follow him on Twitter @JFergusonBR.
Auburn Football: Week 3 Spring Practice Report
Mar 28, 2016
Auburn TE/ST coach Scott Fountain and HC Gus Malzahn
AUBURN, Ala. — With spring break in the books and the annual A-Day Game a couple of weeks away, the Auburn Tigers returned to practice in what was arguably the most crucial week of camp.
Gus Malzahn's players had to quickly shake off any rust accumulated in the week off and prepare for the first scrimmage of the 2016 calendar.
The scrimmage, which started at Jordan-Hare Stadium on an overcast Saturday morning and was later moved to the indoor practice facility due to rain, was important for building separation at key position battles—especially the one at quarterback.
"During the scrimmage, there were a few scores by the offense, but there were also the defense [getting] some turnovers," Malzahn said. "Energy was good...overall. I thought it was a pretty productive day. We got some good information moving forward."
With the third full week of Auburn's 2016 spring camp in the books, let's recap all the major news and notes from what was an offense-heavy week at the post-practice podium:
Auburn QBs Jeremy Johnson, Sean White and John Franklin III
We'll do it live
Auburn's first scrimmage of spring camp served as an important mile-marker for the quarterback battle. Saturday was the first day Malzahn let the defense tackle the signal-callers.
"It's very good to evaluate those guys in a live situation, and it's very good for our defense to have a quarterback go live," Malzahn said. "You can learn a lot about the pass rushing and everything that goes with that. I thought all three [quarterbacks vying for the starting job] got some good work." Auburn Gold Mine noted the quarterbacks did not wear noncontact jerseys on Saturday:
They took the non-contact jerseys off Auburn's quarterbacks. They were live in Saturday's 100-play scrimmage pic.twitter.com/I4rV0XVBDH
Malzahn said newcomer John Franklin III "got quite a bit of work by design" in Saturday's scrimmage because the staff had never seen him practice with the team in a live situation. Running back Jovon Robinson said Franklin busted a 70-yard run "that surprised everybody in the stadium."
"That's a quick person, man," Robinson said. "When you can move laterally as quick as he can? You can do special things on the field. You saw that today. In the spring game, we can make some people happy."
But Franklin wasn't the only Auburn quarterback to make a big highlight play in the scrimmage Saturday. Former starter Jeremy Johnson hit running back Roc Thomas on a wheel route for 75 yards and a touchdown.
"I was getting some pretty good holes," Thomas said. "At times, the defense would do some different things that the offensive line hadn't seen yet, so I think that was good for them to see. It was a pretty good scrimmage."
Defensive backs Jamel Dean and Stephen Roberts said Johnson's bomb to Thomas was the only "big play" the secondary gave up to the opposing quarterbacks in what was a run-heavy scrimmage. Auburn Gold Mine noted the locations for Saturday's scrimmage:
Auburn started Saturday's scrimmage in Jordan-Hare Stadium. Finishing up in indoor facility pic.twitter.com/xcpqQOo2su
"That's what we do," Robinson said. "We got in the end zone a lot. I managed to get in the end zone today. Going through this offense, we know success is not given; it's earned. But we earned a lot of points today, so we did pretty good."
Malzahn said the rushing attack did well for the most part, but some of the "rookies" in the backfield, such as early enrollee Malik Miller, had issues with ball security. None of the quarterbacks threw interceptions, and the defense's only forced turnovers came from fumbles.
But the Auburn head coach seemed pleased with the overall progress both sides of the ball showed in the Tigers' first scrimmage of 2016.
"Sometimes the offense wins, sometimes the defense wins and sometimes it's pretty close," Malzahn said. "I'd say today it was pretty close. We're rotating a lot of guys and letting everybody play."
Auburn WR Kyle Davis
Receiving high praise
Saturday's scrimmage was also an important time for Auburn's wide receivers, who must step up in 2016 to replace the production Ricardo Louis, Melvin Ray and the dismissed Duke Williams provided.
"They all got opportunities," Malzahn said. "A couple of guys made some catches down the field. They played extremely hard."
Earlier in the week, offensive coordinator Rhett Lashlee spoke highly of several receivers both new and old in the Auburn system.
Early enrollee Kyle Davis continued to be a major discussion subject, even though he has been limited in practices due to a recent shoulder surgery. The 6'2" wideout wears a bright orange noncontact jersey in practice and stands out in other ways as well.
"Physically, just what we call on the hoof, the way you look at him, he looks the part," Lashlee said, per Wesley Sinor of AL.com. "He looks good in pads...just from what we've seen so far we feel pretty good about his chances of having an opportunity to compete for a spot come fall camp."
Redshirt freshman Darius Slayton has been able to do more in practices, and he hit the ground running this spring by battling for playing time, as Alabama Media Group's James Crepea noted in the aforemented tweet. Senior receiver Tony Stevens, a player Lashlee said is in a "time of urgency" after underwhelming so far on the Plains, sees something similar in Slayton.
"He's looking pretty good," Stevens said. "I've seen him improve from last year to this year. He's more urgent now. He wants the ball, wants to be out there making plays, and that's a big plus for us because we're going to need everybody."
Stevens speaks the truth. Auburn's returning receivers who recorded at least a single catch in 2015—Stevens, Marcus Davis, Jason Smith and Stanton Truitt—combined for just 575 yards of production. Auburn Gold Mine shared photos from around the practice field:
Coach Kodi Burns and Ryan Davis, and more scenes from Auburn's return to football practice pic.twitter.com/A4Oodo7pUy
Auburn is going to need everybody, from the experienced ones on down to the underclassmen, to become better playmakers under the guidance of new wide receivers coach Kodi Burns. The former Auburn quarterback-turned-receiver is making his mark with more of a hands-on style of coaching this spring.
"He's out there like he's one of us," Stevens said. "He's really hands-on. He shows it, and then we do it. He does receiver drills that I've never done before, ball drills on the floor. And even before practice, he's out there coming up to us one-on-one and doing drills with us."
Auburn CB John Broussard
New blood boiling in the secondary
The spotlight has been shining brightly on the Auburn secondary this spring, with new defensive backs coach Wesley "Crime Dawg" McGriff taking over a unit that is looking for major improvement.
One of the defensive backs making a strong impression hasn't played a snap of college football yet—cornerback Jamel Dean, who transferred from Ohio State to Auburn last year. Dean suffered a serious knee injury in his junior year of high school and wasn't medically cleared to play for the Buckeyes in the spring of 2015.
After Dr. James Andrews gave him the all-clear on a second opinion, Dean decided to join former Auburn assistants Will Muschamp and Travaris Robinson's growing stockpile of defensive recruits from South Florida. Crepea noted Dean is already "climbing the depth chart":
"I wanted to try something new, and I wanted to be back in the south," said Dean, who made it clear he "didn't hold any grudges" after how things turned out at Ohio State. "I thought it was the best fit for me just because of the defense they run."
Now, Dean is already making a major push for the starting cornerback job opposite fellow Florida native Carlton Davis. At 6'2" and 205 pounds, he's an ideal corner to line up against the larger receivers that are starting to dominate the SEC.
"He has a lot of talent. He can run. He's a physical guy," Malzahn said. "He really caught our attention in bowl practice when we did some scrimmaging and he's carried it over into spring... He's a young guy; he's still learning, but his attitude is good, and he's got a lot of talent."
But while Dean is impressing in his first weeks of full-speed work at Auburn, another young defensive back is catching his own eye.
"John Broussard, man," Dean said. "I see him getting better every day in spring and improvement. I like to see that for later on in his career."
As an early enrollee, Broussard could get a head start in providing depth at cornerback this fall. The true freshman from nearby Central High School in Phenix City, Alabama, stands 6'0" and has room to grow at 170 pounds.
Roberts, who played against Broussard in high school as a converted quarterback at Opelika High School, continues to see plenty of growth in the former 4-star recruit. Evan McCullers of the Auburn Plainsman shared Roberts comments regarding Broussard:
"That's just a guy who likes to work," Roberts said. "I know he may be small now, but he's going to get bigger. Just having him focused and ready to play, ready to come in and do some work, that's what has impressed me about him this spring."
Auburn DE Carl Lawson (center)
Quick hits
Stevens said Franklin started a group text message with all of Auburn's wide receivers the moment he arrived on campus. "He's pretty much a leader in my eyes. On the field, you can see he's having fun out there. He's already at home."
Safety Johnathan "Rudy" Ford returned to practice this week for Auburn. Robinson said Ford, who he called "one of the fastest guys in the SEC," hawked Franklin down on his 70-yard run Saturday.
Starting center Austin Golson got reps at left tackle during the media-viewing portion of Tuesday's practice. According to Malzahn, new offensive line coach Herb Hand is continuing to "mix and match" by cross-training players at other positions for depth purposes.
Dean said he is competing for a starting job with redshirt freshman Javarius Davis at the cornerback spot opposite Carlton Davis.
Junior running back Roc Thomas said sophomore H-back Chandler Cox "ran the ball well" at practice for someone who isn't a natural at the position.
When asked if junior defensive end Carl Lawson was still "unblockable" in practices, Malzahn responded with a trademark "no doubt."
Saturday's scrimmage ended with three live punt returns, which Malzahn said were taken by Ryan Davis, Javarius Davis and Stephen Roberts.
All quotes obtained firsthand unless otherwise noted. Recruiting "star" rankings are courtesy of 247Sports.
Justin Ferguson is a National College Football Analyst at Bleacher Report. You can follow him on Twitter @JFergusonBR.
Auburn Football Signee Brodarious Hamm Diagnosed with Cancer
Mar 22, 2016
Offensive tackle Brodarious Hamm, a member of Auburn's 2016 recruiting class, has been diagnosed with Hodgkin lymphoma, per Keith Niebuhr of 247Sports' AuburnUndercover.
"At first, I was scared," Hamm said. "But I talked with the doctor and he said I'd be all right. He was just like, 'This is nothing to worry about. Believe in the treatment and believe in God and everything will be all right.'"
According to 247Sports' composite rankings, Hamm is the No. 31 offensive tackle and No. 341 overall in the 2016 class. The 3-star recruit also ranks 26th in the state of Georgia.
"Our thoughts and prayers are with him and his family," said Auburn head coach Gus Malzahn, per Niebuhr. "He's a fine young man with a fine family. He has a great attitude. ... We're going to be there for him. He's going to get through this and we expect him to be with us after a short period of time after he gets healthy."
Hamm told Niebuhr he has received a promising long-term diagnosis from his doctor and plans to enroll at Auburn in either May or August, depending on his situation.
Hamm is the second member of the Tigers' incoming class to be diagnosed with cancer. In December, Tashawn Manning confirmed to the Orlando Sentinel's Chris Hays he had acute promyelocytic leukemia.
Gus Malzahn's Reunion with 'Right-Hand Man' Herb Hand Gives New Energy to Auburn
Mar 21, 2016
Auburn OL coach Herb Hand (left)
AUBURN, Ala. — Auburn head coach Gus Malzahn is known for a lot of things, but personality isn't one of them.
Malzahn is normally ultra-guarded with his comments in press conferences and speaking engagements. He is a poster boy for the analytical brand of football coach, saving most of his emotion for his trademark in-game "booms" and fist pumps.
On the other hand, Malzahn's new offensive line coach for the Tigers is completely on the other side of the spectrum.
Herb Hand has made a name for himself in coaching circles for his outgoing nature. The energetic, culinarily skilled coach competed on an episode of the Food Network show Choppedin 2014. He rapped on multiple occasions at his last job.
Hand is also known as a jokester. That doesn't always resonate with Malzahn, as Sports Illustrated's Pete Thamel, then of the New York Times, wrote in 2010:
Malzahn has a reputation of being low key.
One day after Hand told a joke in a meeting, Malzahn said: “I don’t really understand jokes. I don’t get them.”
Hand asked him if he didn’t get that joke, and Malzahn responded: “No, I just don’t get the whole concept of jokes. I don’t even know why people tell them. What’s the point?”
In terms of personality, one would have a hard time finding a more opposite pair of offensive-minded coaches in college football.
"He’s on one end, and I'm on the other. I'll tell you that," Malzahn said earlier this month. "He's got a personality. He's got a good personality. We're different, but at the same time, I think our personalities complement each other on the field and off."
On the field, the first partnership of Malzahn and Hand went extremely well.
In 2007 and 2008, the two served as co-offensive coordinators at Tulsa under current Arizona State head coach Todd Graham. As Smart Football's Chris B. Brown, then of Grantland, wrote in 2014, Malzahn fused his Wing-T style rushing attack with the zone-read concepts Hand learned as an assistant under Rich Rodriguez at West Virginia.
That combination led to two of college football's most prolific mid-major offenses of the last decade:
Year
Total YPG
Passing YPG
Rushing YPG
PPG
2007
544.0 (1st)
371.0 (3rd)
172.9 (42nd)
41.1 (6th)
2008
569.9 (1st)
301.9 (9th)
268.0 (5th)
47.2 (2nd)
The two went their separate ways in 2009, when Malzahn became the offensive coordinator at Auburn and helped the Tigers win the national title in 2010 with Cam Newton. Later, as the Tigers head coach, he would rely heavily on the Hand-inspired zone read with Nick Marshall in Auburn's title game run in 2013.
Hand, meanwhile, stayed one more year at Tulsa and then spent four seasons as an offensive line coach at Vanderbilt—the final three with James Franklin. He then followed Franklin to Penn State, where he served as Franklin's run game coordinator and line coach for the last two seasons.
FAYETTEVILLE, AR - OCTOBER 30: Offensive Line Coach Herb Hand of the Vanderbilt Commodores reacts to a play against the Arkansas Razorbacks at Donald W. Reynolds Stadium on October 30, 2010 in Fayetteville, Arkansas. The Razorbacks defeated the Commodo
When J.B. Grimes left Auburn for Cincinnati in January to coach alongside his son Nick, Malzahn decided to get the band back together by hiring Hand away from the Nittany Lions.
"J.B. Grimes is a great offensive line coach, and did a super job for us," Malzahn said. "Herb—just because I've worked with him before—he was my right-hand man when we were up in the booth at Tulsa. We worked very well together."
Hand's reunion with the Auburn head coach comes after the worst offensive output of a Malzahn team at the college level. Jeremy Johnson and Sean White, who were pro-style quarterbacks out of high school, didn't provide the rushing threat Auburn enjoyed under center in Malzahn's first two seasons.
That's why Hand could be the blast from the past the Tigers need. The expected front-runner in the offseason quarterback battle, John Franklin III, is practically a carbon copy of Marshall—the undersized yet electrifying dual threat who devastated SEC defenses with the zone read in 2013 and 2014.
While any changes in scheme will be kept heavily under wraps this spring by Malzahn, Hand has already made an obvious mark on the Tigers in the handful of weeks he's been on the Plains.
When players talk about the new "energy" on the practice field this spring, Hand's name normally follows.
"He brings something new to the table," center Austin Golson said. "He's very energetic. He's funny. He's a hard worker. You can tell that he loves his job and I really appreciate that. I don't want anybody coaching me who doesn't love their job. I'm very excited to play for him."
Before practice even began, Hand's hire paid dividends on the recruiting trail. He was known as an ace recruiter for Franklin at Vanderbilt and Penn State.
Asked #B1G assistant at #AFCA for reaction to Herb Hand leaving #PennState for #Auburn. Response: "Ouch that's going to hurt OL recruiting."
In the span of three weeks from his arrival at Auburn to national signing day, Hand landed 6'8" Nigeria native and 4-star offensive tackle Prince Sammons from the Big Ten recruiting battleground of Cincinnati.
"[Hand] had a relationship already," Malzahn said on national signing day. "We identified [Sammons] about a month ago and recruited him hard, and Herb did a great job with him. I know he's excited to coach him."
Hand is already hard at work for the class of 2017, too. According to his profile on 247Sports, Hand is either the primary or secondary recruiter for a dozen blue-chip offensive linemen, including 5-star commitment Calvin Ashley and in-state 4-star Austin Troxell.
Home is where your heart is... Home is where you are FAMILY... We're ready to welcome you HOME‼️ 🐅🏈🐯🏈🐅🏈🐯🏈#AmbUsh17pic.twitter.com/iSoeMhaRQF
The nation's No. 4 offensive guard, former Alabama commitment Netori Johnson, has built a strong relationship with Hand in a short time.
"Herb Hand, that's my dog," Johnson told Chuck Kingsbury of SEC Country. "I'm liking him. I'm digging him. He's a great coach. We sat up there, talked about my film. He taught me some things in a matter of a few minutes."
Yet with all the positives that Hand brings to the table for Auburn in strategy, energy and recruiting, there are a few figures that made some wince when he was hired.
At Penn State, Hand's offensive lines were ranked near the bottom nationally in statistical categories—both standard and advanced:
Year
Sacks Allowed
OL Rating
Power Success Rate
Stuff Rate
2014
44 (124th)
86.0 (111th)
62.7% (101st)
26.8% (125th)
2015
39 (111th)
104.6 (45th)
53.1% (122nd)
25.1% (120th)
That's a far cry from the production Auburn has been used to having under Grimes, who helped develop players such as Rimington Award-winning center Reese Dismukes and No. 2 overall NFL draft pick Greg Robinson.
But there was an underlying force at work at Penn State along the offensive line. The sanctions from the Jerry Sandusky scandal crippled the depth there for the Nittany Lions, as Brandon Marcello of AL.com noted:
Herb Hand had to convert two defensive linemen into offensive linemen his first season. It wasn't easy at Penn State https://t.co/nfd7AI4GIi
Depth won't be an issue, though, for Hand at Auburn. He has a strong base of talent and experience to build upon in 2016.
"The nice part about [his experience with Malzahn] is it will be a pretty seamless transition for the players," Hand told Charles Goldberg of AuburnTigers.com. "There may be some terminology that will be a little bit different, but they've had great O-line coaches here and great offensive lines, and I'm just excited to be able to continue [to] build on that foundation and tradition."
The Tigers return star left guard Alex Kozan, Golson down the middle and the freakishly strong Braden Smith at right guard for 2016. Texas transfer Darius James has received rave reviews for his dominant play at tackle, and Auburn can rely on the experienced Robert Leff and the early promise of Mike Horton.
Auburn OL coach Herb Hand (center)
Early on in spring practices, Hand focused on mixing and matching players at different positions on the offensive line in order to find his best five and develop necessary depth at all five roles.
That's business as usual for Auburn's line, which is embracing the changes from its energetic new coach.
"It's been good," Kozan said. "I am thankful for what Coach Grimes has given our offensive line. He really helped us. I'm also excited for Coach Hand bringing new ideas in. You combine that and get better as a player."
For Auburn, those better players on the line—paired with a better scheme—could mean a much better offense in 2016 under the odd couple of Malzahn and Hand.
All quotes obtained firsthand unless otherwise noted. Recruit ratings courtesy of 247Sports.
Justin Ferguson is a National College Football Analyst at Bleacher Report. You can follow him on Twitter @JFergusonBR.
What Can Auburn Expect from Former 5-Star DE Byron Cowart in 2016?
Mar 17, 2016
AUBURN, AL - OCTOBER 31: Byron Cowart #9 of the Auburn Tigers looks on during a game against the Ole Miss Rebels at Jordan-Hare Stadium on October 31, 2015 in Auburn, Alabama. Ole Miss defeated Auburn 27-19. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images)
AUBURN, Ala. — No one player personifies the shifting expectations around Auburn football more than Byron Cowart.
The sophomore defensive end, a unanimous top-five recruit who held the top overall spot at ESPN and Rivals, was projected to be a key figure in the Tigers' 2015 defense. Auburn needed immediate help on the edge after falling flat in that area in 2014.
But while Auburn dropped from preseason title contender to a team that entered the unheralded Birmingham Bowl with a 6-6 record, the buzz around Cowart died down tremendously.
He didn't record a single sack or tackle for loss in 2015. Six total tackles and six quarterback hurries—four of them in the final three games of the year—were the only non-zero numbers on his season stat line, per CFBStats.com.
"He struggled last year a little bit," senior defensive tackle Montravius Adams said earlier this month. "At the end of the season, he did better."
Auburn DE Byron Cowart (center)
Now, as Auburn looks to fly under the radar as a program heading into a make-or-break 2016 campaign, Cowart is also adjusting to a different kind of preseason outlook.
Cowart no longer has to be the guy for the Auburn defense. He is now one of the guys.
That change in designation is important for Cowart and the expectations surrounding him. When Carl Lawson went down with an early-season injury last fall, Auburn had to move veteran linebacker Cassanova McKinzy to "Buck" defensive end.
The line had razor-thin depth, especially with Cowart learning to adjust to the college game and the trademark tough coaching of defensive line assistant Rodney Garner.
"I say [defensive linemen] meet Rodney Garner when they're a recruit, but when they get here, that's 'Coach G,'" Adams said. "You never know if you can get used to it. Everybody still gets it like everyone else."
That includes Auburn's highest-rated signing in the Malzahn era, who let his frustrations boil over in some later-deleted tweets at the end of last August.
"[I'm] being penalized because I was [the] No. 1 player, but I'm struggling, I don't care about the stars," Cowart tweeted, via Michael Niziolek of the Columbus Ledger-Enquirer. "So why when I struggle its thrown in my face? How about help me, huh? I came in humble ready to learn, man, not bragging and flashy. I just wanna learn."
Gus on Byron Cowart's tweets the other day: "He's a young guy. He's going to be fine. He's going to be a real good player for us."
Cowart's snaps and production slightly improved toward the end of the season, but it was far from even the most modest expectations of him on a thin Auburn defensive line that underwhelmed as a whole.
That shouldn't be the case for Auburn in 2016—at least from a depth perspective.
Lawson decided to return to school instead of heading to the NFL early, along with Adams. The Tigers also returned names such as Dontavius Russell, Andrew Williams and Devaroe Lawrence for the upcoming season.
Then there's the 2016 recruiting class, which included seven defensive linemen, including 4-star ends Marlon Davidson and Paul James, both of whom are currently going through spring practices. Five-star tackle Derrick Brown is set to take on a big role from day one, too.
Allie Davison of Rivals summed up Auburn's blue-chip-heavy defensive line depth quite well on national signing day last month:
Marlon Davidson, Paul James III, Antwuan Jackson, Derrick Brown, Nick Coe PLUS Carl Lawson, Byron Cowart and Monty Adams. Oh boy.
With all those pieces in place for the upcoming season, some of the pressure has been taken from Cowart on what is now a deep defensive line.
"Every spring since I've been here, we've been short on D-linemen, so I've been tired," Lawson said last week. "This spring, I haven't been really tired, and that's a good thing."
By the time Auburn starts the 2016 season, Cowart will have a complete offseason of preparation behind him and a year of experience at the collegiate level.
Auburn DE Byron Cowart (center)
According to his teammates, he made quite an offseason impression even before spring camp started. Adams called him the most improved defensive lineman in winter workouts, while Lawrence spoke highly of his overall progress.
"It was different last year," Lawrence said. "But this year he's grown up. You can see the growth in him. He handled it well. He's going to be a good football player."
Auburn DL Montravius Adams: Byron Cowart has stood out during offseason workouts, likes to compete against him in practice
Cowart's work has already caught the eye of new defensive coordinator Kevin Steele, who said he can see the high potential of the 6'4", 250-pound defensive end who has been clocked at a 4.6 in the 40-yard dash, as noted by 247Sports.
"Byron Cowart is a young guy, but he's starting to assert himself," Steele said. "Being a physically dominant player, being physical, playing with great effort—he's bought into that. Obviously we are in college, not NFL, so the technique part of the development of things is an ongoing process."
On paper, Cowart has the strength and the size to excel at the traditional defensive end spot for Steele's defense. He was able to flash his speed several times last season, including his first game as a college player:
And even though Auburn has several options to choose from along the defensive line in 2016, that doesn't mean Cowart is without expectations. He has been a popular pick as a potential breakout player, and Bleacher Report lead SEC writer Barrett Sallee said he was poised to be a star this spring:
Byron Cowart is being counted on to be a difference-maker up front for Auburn's new-look defense under coordinator Kevin Steele, and he has the running mates to help him out. ...
Cowart has the size to be a force against the run, but also the speed to be either a force off the edge or someone who drops down inside in obvious pass-rushing situations to get more speed on the field.
Cowart has the tools and the opportunity to become a dangerous force opposite Lawson on a line that could start nothing but former 5-stars. For Auburn, Cowart's cracking double digits in tackles for loss and getting at least five sacks would make him one of the most productive defensive linemen of the last few seasons.
In 2016, the Tigers should expect a more mature, confident and polished Cowart to push everyone around him for a key role on the defense.
Both on and off the field, Cowart's coaches and teammates are already seeing a difference in the former recruiting superstar.
"He's getting better as a player and as a person," Adams said. "Just coming from his struggles last year a little bit, and at the end of the season, he started picking it up. ... He's trying to run with it."
All quotes obtained firsthand unless otherwise noted. Recruit ratings courtesy of 247Sports.
Justin Ferguson is a National College Football Analyst at Bleacher Report. You can follow him on Twitter @JFergusonBR.
Auburn Football: Week 2 Spring Practice Report
Mar 14, 2016
Auburn QB John Franklin III and RB Malik Miller
AUBURN, Ala. — Don't look now, but the Auburn Tigers are already one-third of the way through their 2016 spring practices.
Last Thursday night, head coach Gus Malzahn's team wrapped up its second week of camp before pausing for the university's spring break.
When the Tigers return to the field on March 22, they'll have three weeks of practice remaining, including the annual A-Day Game at Jordan-Hare Stadium on April 9.
"I just really challenged our guys over spring break to keep their cardio, to work on their own," Malzahn said. "We’ll come back and have 10 practices. They’ll be very important practices. ... When we come back, our guys should have a foundation offensively and defensively to start scrimmaging and tackling."
With no football on the Plains this week, now's a good time to recap the second week of action and the highlights from Thursday night's post-practice interviews.
Auburn DC Kevin Steele
A new attitude
At the end of the second week of spring practice, several Auburn players said they could feel something new in the air—and they weren't talking about the warmer temperatures that have made their way back to the Plains.
"There's just a different feeling out there," H-back Chandler Cox said. "It's a good feeling. ... It's totally different than what it was last year. I don't know what it is. I don't think anyone knows yet. But there's something brewing in the air. Something good."
Starting center Austin Golson felt it, too. He compared the feeling to what he had in the preseason practices before his high school, Alabama powerhouse Prattville, won a state championship.
"I don't think anybody is dreading practice," Golson said. "Last year, I remember that we had some guys [saying], 'Man, I can't wait until spring break.' Nah, today we were like, 'Man, I can't wait to get out there and practice, and then we can worry about spring break.'"
The new buzz around the football complex is a welcome sight to Malzahn, especially after a disappointing 2015 campaign.
Through the sizable coaching staff turnover and a number of notable starter departures, Malzahn likes how his team has come together and worked early in spring ball.
"When I look back on the first five days, I'm really pleased with our energy," Malzahn said. "I'm really pleased with our focus. We've repped everybody on the team, we've repped three groups primarily. The guys want to be coached."
Star defensive end Carl Lawson said that energy began before last season's finale, when the Tigers knocked off a high-powered Memphis team in the Birmingham Bowl. According to Lawson (via Auburn Gold Mine), that momentum carried into winter conditioning and is now evident on the practice field this spring:
Auburn's Carl Lawson says he sees 'a lot more energy, a lot more leadership' in this year's spring practice
The different vibe from some of Auburn's new defensive coaches has been a boost for the program in Lawson's eyes.
"I like Coach [Kevin] Steele's coaching style," Lawson said. "He's making us put in effort without having to do all the screaming and stuff. When we got that, I honestly feel it makes us want to compete."
But does Lawson feel like Auburn needs to keep practicing this week in order to keep that momentum going?
"I won't say that," Lawson said with a big smile. "I like spring break."
Nov 14, 2015; Auburn, AL, USA; Auburn Tigers defensive lineman Carl Lawson (55) walks on the field prior to the game against the Georgia Bulldogs at Jordan Hare Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Shanna Lockwood-USA TODAY Sports
Lawson leading the way
While Lawson was quick to say he would enjoy his time away from the practice field, the Georgia native is just glad he's getting any opportunity to compete again.
After missing all of the 2014 season with a knee injury, Lawson said he felt his hip "crack" on the fifth play of the 2015 season opener against Louisville. But he wasn't going to let that keep him down in the Georgia Dome.
"Adrenaline was going, so I was just gimping around on the field. ... I didn't know what had happened until they told me," Lawson said. "I sat out for a whole year, I wasn’t coming out until I couldn’t play no more. I really wanted to play."
Lawson would miss the next six games with the hip injury, returning in a close loss against Ole Miss. Even though the Tigers went 3-3 with him back on the field, the defense was better in virtually every category after his comeback:
Statistic
With Carl Lawson
Without Carl Lawson
Total YPP
4.85
5.91
Passing YPG
206.57
244.67
Rushing YPG
173.14
232.20
PPG
22.00
27.67
Sacks
12
7
TFL
30
23
But Lawson said he never felt completely healthy last year. That's not the case anymore, and it's drawing the attention of his coaches and teammates.
"He really is looking 100 percent," Malzahn said. "He's a handful, not just in the pass game rushing the passer, but he disrupts stuff in the run game. If the offensive line can get used to blocking him, we feel like we can block anybody in our league."
Once expected to become an early entrant into the 2016 NFL draft, Lawson decided to return to the Plains for the upcoming season alongside defensive tackle and fellow Class of 2013 star Montravius Adams.
The reason for his decision was simple.
Carl Lawson likes the energy at practice & leadership on defense. Embracing underdog role in '16. pic.twitter.com/2YVrGiMGho
"I need to get better as a football player," Lawson said. "That's pretty much it. And I've got a lot to prove, a lot to prove to myself, nobody else. I still have a lot of stuff I want to accomplish."
As Lawson continues to improve on his already game-changing skill set—he rattled off a laundry list of areas he wanted to work on in the spring—he will be looked at as the unquestioned leader of his position group and the defense as a whole.
With Lawson and Adams back, along with a handful of key players from last season and a few instant-impact pickups in this year's recruiting class, Auburn's defensive line is as deep as it's been in a long time.
Auburn DL Carl Lawson: Every spring we have been short on defensive line, not the case this year
So for Lawson, the No. 1 attribute he wants to work on over the next few weeks is leadership.
"That's what you need," Lawson said. "It's a main focus for me trying to become a leader, especially in my redshirt junior season. ... The more leaders you have, the more champions you have, the better team you have."
Auburn RB Jovon Robinson
Rewinding the running back battle
A lot of deserved focus has fallen on the quarterback position so far this spring for Auburn, but there's another battle brewing in the backfield, too.
According to Malzahn, both Jovon Robinson and Roc Thomas are splitting first-team carries at running back as they battle to replace Peyton Barber as the No. 1 rusher.
"Right now, both of those guys we have confidence in," Malzahn said. "They're rotating with the first group. ... We feel good about both those veteran guys."
Robinson, a senior who was the No. 1 player in junior college for the Class of 2015, caught fire late last season for Auburn.
After only playing in two of the first seven games of the season, Robinson rushed for 90 or more yards in five of the last six, including a 159-yard effort against Texas A&M and a 126-yard Birmingham Bowl performance—both wins.
A bigger back (6'0", 230 lbs) with a good amount of shiftiness and burst in the open field, Robinson is the favorite to become Auburn's lead running back in 2016.
"Jovon has been in the offense for one year, and now you can tell he's more confident than he was," Malzahn said. "We can do some more things with him."
But don't count out Thomas, the junior who has created some explosive plays with his speed and agility in his first two seasons with the program.
Malzahn praises Roc Thomas, saying his experience in the offense has helped him this spring.
Consistency has eluded Thomas up to this point in his young career, with injuries and ball security becoming problems several times. He also brings an added receiving threat out of the backfield and has experience in the slot.
"Roc has had a good start so far, too, and he has a really good understanding of the offense after being in the system for so long," Malzahn said.
Outside of the race for the No. 1 job at running back, Auburn has cross-trained H-backs Cox and Kamryn Pettway at the position during the first two weeks of camp.
With sophomore Kerryon Johnson out for the entire spring following shoulder surgery, the Tigers could use some added depth at the position.
Pettway, who said earlier in camp that he wants to be a short-yardage replacement for Barber, was a traditional power running back in high school, while Cox was more of a fullback.
"It's definitely a good time, running the ball," Cox said. "I'll do whatever I have to do to help this team. I'll contribute either way, whatever I have to do."
Even if Pettway and Cox don't log significant playing time in any rushing role this fall, they are expected to play bigger roles in the Auburn offense after impressing in their freshman seasons.
Auburn HC Gus Malzahn
Quick hits
Malzahn expects the injured trio of safety Rudy Ford, defensive end Paul James IIIand versatile defensive back Josh Holsey to return to practice after spring break.
Auburn's quarterbacks could go live in practices next week. Malzahn said those practices will start to feature full tackling instead of just "thudding."
Cox's first impression of new quarterback John Franklin III was short and sweet: "Wow, he's quick." Malzahn also described the JUCO transfer signal-caller as someone with the "wow factor" when he takes off running.
Malzahn on new wide receivers coach Kodi Burns: "He's all over those young receivers. He's running as much as they are out there."
Both Malzahn and Golson mentioned the impressive work so far this spring of Kaleb Kim, a redshirt freshman offensive guard who is getting work at center.
As Kerryon Johnson sits out the spring with his injury, Malzahn said the sophomore has done his part helping coach up his teammates, specifically early enrolleeMalik Miller, who played with Johnson in high school at Madison (Alabama) Academy.
All quotes obtained firsthand unless otherwise noted.
Justin Ferguson is a National College Football Analyst at Bleacher Report. You can follow him on Twitter @JFergusonBR.
