Although the Tigers are winding down with only a week left in their allotted 15-practice spring, don't expect to see a depth chart any time soon.
Similar to last week, Coach Gus Malzahn cancelled Monday's practice in order to further evaluate what he has seen so far this spring, from both the team as a whole and individual players.
However, Malzahn seemed more pleased today with the way the team responded to Monday's off day. He has rescheduled those practices for next Monday and Wednesday to make some final adjustments after Saturday's A-Day game, before the spring concludes on April 24.
The coaching staff has continued to mix and match personnel in order to see what kind of packages might be available to them.
"We are letting all of our guys compete," Malzahn said. "Once we get through our A-Day game, the pieces of the puzzle will fall into place."
However, junior Justin Garrett has continued to get recognition from his teammates and the coaching staff with his emergence as a playmaker on the defensive side of the ball this spring.
"I'm ecstatic to get the opportunity to get to show what I can do," Garrett said. "But, I know that I have a long way to go before the start of the season."
The coaching staff has also taken note of the downhill running style of Allan Hancock Junior College transfer Camerson Artis-Payne.
"I feel like it was an adjustment when I got here for the first couple of days," Artis-Payne said. "But, just getting comfortable with the pace made it easier to transition. I've always liked being physical, so it hasn't been too bad."
Malzahn is not overly concerned with the Xs and Os at this point. He wants to see what kind of attitude and character his players have and how they respond to adversity.
"It's right in the middle of the grind," Malzahn said. "It's been a very physical spring, and this is the time when you find out a lot of information about your guys."
The Tigers stressed physicality in last Saturday's scrimmage and will look to do the same during A-Day. The NCAA only allows each team three full-contact practices during the spring, and so far, the Tigers have made the most out of theirs.
Junior running back Tre Mason, although somewhat limited, was in the mix of practice today and may see some action on Saturday. Junior defensive lineman Angelo Blackson also saw some repetitions and should be available for Saturday as well.
The Tigers will take to the practice field on Friday morning for the final time before they look to impress the fans at A-Day with their new offensive and defensive schemes.
Malzahn said that they have tried to stay away from getting too fancy, and that they are wanting to get good at a few things for now.
"We are going to try to make A-Day as close to a game as possible, not only for our fans, but for our coaches and players as well." Malzahn said. "It will be a good way to evaluate our guys in front of a crowd and see how they react."
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