Football has returned to The Plains.
Though brief, A-Day, Auburn’s spring football game, will feature the future of Auburn football. Newcomer quarterback Joey Gatewood and second-string quarterback Malik Willis will run the new offense while wide receiver Noah Igbinoghene makes the move to defense.
With 30.6 percent of Auburn’s 2017 receiving yards absent because of injury, the makeshift wide receiver group will pair with the Tigers’ new running-back tandem in Devan Barrett, who will split time at wide receiver, Asa Martin and Kam Martin.
Starting quarterback Jarrett Stidham will be playing on A-Day, but not during the main scrimmage, head coach Gus Malzahn said. Stidham will play during a 10-minute 7-on-7 drill before the scrimmage and will stay on the sidelines.
For more updates throughout Auburn’s spring football game, periodically check back here.
FINAL: Orange beats blue 18-10. C.J. Tolbert finishes with 137 yards rushing on 16 total carries. Nick Coe finishes with sack and a tackle in the blue endzone for a safety.
FOURTH QUARTER
2:15 - Carlson connects again from 53 yards. Orange leads blue 18-10.
6:05 - TOUCHDOWN - Tolbert gets his second touchdown of the day to cap a nine-play, 88-yard drive. Blue trails orange 15-10.
THIRD QUARTER
END THIRD: Orange keeps 12-point lead entering fourth with quiet third, 15-3.
2:45 - Whitlow runs up the middle to the left and through a defender for a gain of 10.
9:00 - Tolbert runs for a gain of 11 to the Blue 34. First down.
9:30 - Barrett runs reverse for a gain of 23.
SECOND QUARTER
HALFTIME: Orange leads blue 15-3 entering the second half. C.J. Tolbert leads in rushing with 84 yards on four carries. Malik Willis has completed eight of 19 pass attempts for a game-high 45 passing yards. Joey Gatewood is 4-of-11 for no yards.
1:22 - Carlson connects from 41 yards. Orange takes a 12-point lead over blue, 15-3.
2:10 - Willis completes 15-yard pass to Nate Craig-Myers. Orange is on the blue 28.
6:10 - TOUCHDOWN - Tolbert follows up his big run with a two-yard touchdown rush. Orange pads its lead over blue, 12-3.
7:19 - Tolbert breaks through the right for a gain of 79. Orange has the ball on the blue 5.
8:25 - Carlson connects from 38 yards. Orange retakes the lead, 5-3.
9:50 - Chambers fumbles the ball, orange takes over at the blue 27-yard line.
FIRST QUARTER
END FIRST: Blue leads orange, 3-2. Malik Willis has completed four of his nine pass attempts for 10 yards. Auburn has a combined five rushing yards.
3:01 - Anders Carlson connects from 45 yards. Blue takes a one-point lead toward the end of the first, 3-2.
4:00 - Willis fumbles exchange with Malik Miller, blue takes over on the orange 29.
4:15 - Whitlow dances in the backfield, only manages to get a gain of one.
4:45 - Nick Coe completes a tackle in the backfield on C.J. Tolbert for a safety, orange takes a 2-0 lead.
6:30 - JaTarvious Whitlow's first carry is good for five yards.
7:15 - Devan Barrett runs up the middle for a gain of nine yards.
8:30 - Gatewood runs to the right for a gain of two yards. Back-to-back three-and-outs for Auburn to start A-Day.
9:00 - Joey Gatewood's first pass goes incomplete to Cedric Chambers
15:00 - Malik Willis can't connect with tight end Sal Cannella deep on the flea flicker.
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