While five of the football team's seniors graduated Monday, head coach Gene Chizik didn't think his team made the grade at practice.
Monday's practice was the first in full pads with full-contact.
Chizik said he was disappointed in the tempo of practice and hoped it would be more physical.
"After having a kind of off day yesterday, I really felt like today would be more high energy," Chizik said. "That's not to say there weren't some good things happening, but overall I'm not pleased with the day."
Redshirt freshman defensive end Nosa Eguae said he felt he performed well at practice, but still wants to improve.
"For me, it's all about making plays, and I didn't feel like I made the plays I'm ready to make," Equae said.
Offensive coordinator Gus Malzahn usually doesn't single out individuals for praise, but had high praise for sophomore tight end Philip Lutzenkirchen Friday.
Lutzenkirchen said he felt reassured to hear compliments from coaches.
"I just feel a lot stronger and a lot faster, and I guess it is showing out on the field," Lutzenkirchen said. "I've been blocking the power well at the tight end, and I think now that I can do that, my role is going to expand much on offense."
Joel Bonomolo, a defensive end junior-college transfer took 29 academic hours in a semester and a half to begin playing for Auburn in the fall. Bonomolo said he matured at junior college as a player and a person.
"I became a lot better player," Bonomolo said. "It was frustrating to not play college ball right away, but everything happens for a reason, and I'm in a much better situation now."
As the team moved into two-a-days Tuesday morning, Chizik noted an improvement in the day's work.
"I thought we had a much better practice this morning as far as tempo, and effort, and energy," Chizik said. "Obviously we have to be very demanding on that every day, and yesterday we didn't. We probably took a step back, but, this morning, I think we accomplished what we needed to accomplish."
Chizik also mentioned several standouts since the beginning of fall practice, notably junior linebacker Eltoro Freeman. However, when asked about the freshman class in particular, the head coach didn't miss a beat.
"Cory Lemonier is doing a great job," Chizik said. "He's going to push somebody for a position, and I usually don't say that this early, but he's really coming on strong. He's exactly what we thought he'd be."
Lemonier, a 6-foot-4 defensive lineman from Hialeah, Fla., was optimistic about his performance as well.
"The sky's the limit," Lemonier said. "Coach has really liked how I've been practicing out there."
Lemonier said he owes much of his success to defensive line coach Tracy Rocker, a 1988 Outland Trophy and Lombardi Award winner under Auburn coach Pat Dye.
"I'm not even homesick," Lemonier said. "This is home to me now.
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