Senior H-back Jay Prosch has never played in a no-huddle style of offense, but he and the team are adjusting well and thoroughly enjoy it.
"I think the guys love (the no-huddle offense)," Prosch said. "It's completely different than anything I've ever done, because I've never done no-huddle before."
Prosch said he enjoys the high-octane offense, but he also revealed the first week of spring conditioning was a sharp lesson in brutality for him and the team.
"The first week of spring was a tough week," Prosch said. "Not only is it hard being a player from the sideline, but conditioning wise--(the coaches) stress fast pace, and we're operating at a very fast pace. Our guys have adjusted to it, and I think it's going to be a huge advantage for us this year."
Prosch went on to express that with the new, fast pace the team is going, it is hitting the weights and conditioning drills equally fast.
"It's extremely hard," Prosch said about the team's strength and conditioning drills. "We've been working so hard. We're probably in the best shape of our lives right now, and I can guarantee we're going to be one of the most in-shape teams on the field next year."
Another aspect of play the coaches and team members want to exploit is a new outlook on football after a season with only three wins--none coming in SEC play. Coach Gus Malzahn called it a new day, and the players truly believe it is.
"Coach Malzahn stresses the new day, and that's what it feels like," Prosch said. "The new coaching staff came in and brought a new attitude, a new vibe and brought a fire back. And now our workouts and practices are crazy exciting. Guys have been working hard, and we're getting our edge back."
Malzahn has hammered home that players need to get their edge back in this new day he has brought to Auburn, and it is definitely sinking in.
As the coaches changed, so did Prosch's positional requirements at H-back. He said he will be expected to catch more passes in the open space, and for a player whose nickname is the "Juggernaut," that's not the most appealing prospect for defenders.
"Last year I ran routes and blocked the secondary," Prosch said. "Now it's kind of the same thing as last year, except it might be a double (work load). I'm going to be lining up in different positions, blocking different ways, different angles, and I'll be running more routes and hopefully (catching) more balls. It's going to be fun; I'm looking forward to it."
When Prosch, the lone offensive player at SEC Media Days, was asked the question of the offseason: "Who is going to be the Auburn quarterback next year?" he said his guess is as good as anyone's.
"It's hard to say (who the quarterback will be)," Prosch said. "They're four awesome guys. They're all really football smart; they all have extremely strong arms ... They're all fast guys, level-headed, good, good football players."
While Prosch said he could not tell the players apart physically, he did say he believes the ultimate decision from the coaching staff will come down to which quarterback makes the best decisions under pressure.
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