After a rough start for Auburn's offense during the A-Day scrimmage they were able to settle down and bounce back for a good day and have some new players step up and begin making a name for themselves.
"The biggest thing the coaches told us is if you mess up go on to the next play, and we were able to do that," Jonathan Wallace said. "The next drive after the interception we scored. So it's just about putting things behind you and fighting through adversity."
Wallace's first play of the day was a high snap that was picked up by Justin Garrett who then ran it in for the first score of the day for the defense.
"Just miscommunication, but we bounced back and fought through the adversity and got some positive things going," Wallace said.
After the disastrous season last year it looked as if things had not changed much, but this years team and coaches are determined to not let that happen again.
"That's one of the things the coaches have been telling us is if something happens don't let it get you down you've got to look past it and keep playing," Sammie Coates said. "If you get down then it is going to hurt you as a team. So as a team we've been trying to look past the bad things that have happened and get it going again."
After the offense settled down and got into a rhythm fans were able to see new running back Cameron Artis-Payne show off what he can bring to the table this fall.
"He made some really good runs. He's a big downhill back and he's gotten better," Gus Malzahn said. "He was a junior college guy coming in, and after his first few practices I think his head was spinning, but things have slowed down for him and he made some really good runs today."
Artis-Payne finished with 117 yards rushing and 47 receiving yards with a 27-yard touchdown run in the first quarter earning him the Lionel James Offensive MVP Award.
"I thought it was really good day today," Payne said. "I think I am finally starting to get the offense down. We're working hard and the team is starting to come together."
Even though Artis-Payne had a good performance today he can still see places that he can improve on this summer.
"I feel like there are a couple things I could have done better, and when we get back and look at the film I am going to find some things to work on," Artis Payne said. "All in all, we had a good day as an offense."
With Malzahn changing the practice schedule up the past couple of weeks the Tigers will have some additional practices next week to try and correct some of the mistakes they made in today's game.
"I think it's really important, especially for us to grade the scrimmage, to come back and try to get corrections the last two practices." Malzahn said.
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