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(09/09/13 2:08am)
Ball security, effort and tackling was the focus as offensive and defensive coordinators Rhett Lashlee and Ellis Johnson, met with the media on Sunday night to review the Arkansas State game.
Offensively Auburn had a good night, rushing for 302 yards and throwing for 167 yards resulting in a total of almost 500 yards of offense.
"I saw guys play hard and there were definitely some areas that I think we got better in," Lashlee said.
A main focus for the offense on Sunday was ball security. Auburn had three fumbles against Arkansas State. Even though only one of the fumbles was recovered by the Arkansas State defense the coaches still addressed it on Sunday.
"We preach it from day one over and over again that the football is the important thing we've got, and we can't put our defense in bad situations," Lashlee said. "At some point it's got to become a habit and it's got to become important to everybody."
Defensively Auburn did not give up any touchdowns on Saturday, but Arkansas State did move the ball well against the Auburn defense.
"We were really pleased with the effort," Johnson said. "The effort is really what kept us from giving up points because we really had some trash plays all over the field that could have created some problems for us."
Tackling has been a major issue for Auburn defenses the past few years. Ellis Johnson has seen tackling improving, but it is still inconsistent.
"Tackling was probably an A minus," Johnson said. "It was good at times and it was physical. It was more physical than it has been, but we had some that looked a little ugly. Space tackles we've got to start making, those are critical because it gives up a lot of extra yardage. Guys, I think, are taking a little too aggressive shot. Sometimes you just need to make the sure tackle."
Injured defensive players Dee Ford and Justin Garrett are still considered day-to-day, and Johnson is still not sure if they will play against Mississippi State.
Players will be off on Monday and then return to the practice field on Tuesday to begin preparing for Mississippi State.
(09/07/13 4:25am)
With game one under their belt and a 1-0 start to the season, the Auburn Tigers now turn their attention to head coach Gus Malzahn's former team, the Arkansas State Red Wolves.
Arkansas State was dominant last week with a 62-11 victory over FCS team Arkansas-Pine Bluff. While Arkansas-Pine Bluff is not a SEC team like Auburn, the Red Wolves still did some impressive things in the victory.\0x2028 They had four different players rush for more than 100 yards, adding up to a total of 509 yards rushing for the team.
This was something the Tigers did not see much of last week when they faced Mike Leach's "Air Raid" offense, but when the Cougars did run the ball, they had success. Washington State finished with 120 yards on 23 carries.
This is not a mind-blowing statistic, but for a team that does not run the ball often, it does not speak highly of Auburn's run defense.
With an Arkansas State team that does run the ball well coming to town, this will be a concern for defensive coordinator Ellis Johnson.
The good news is Auburn's week one opponent was a quality team, while Arkansas State's was not.\0x2028 Auburn was tested last week, and while they did not play a perfect game, they did earn valuable experience and confidence.
On offense, Auburn's run game should be an ad- vantage against Arkansas State. The Tigers finished with 297 yards rushing on 45 attempts, averaging more than six yards per carry.
If the Tigers can repeat their success on the ground, with a little improvement thrown in, the Tigers will take a major advantage into week two.
A negative for the Tigers offense will be the passing game.
Nick Marshall's debut was far from impressive. He finished 10-for-19 for 99 yards with no touchdown passes. This must improve if the Tigers want to pull off a victory.
An improved passing game would also help make the run game more effective by not having the offense to be one-dimensional.
On defense, the Tigers have work to do from top to bottom. While the defense struggled at times last week, they did a lot of good things considering that four players were missing because of injury.
In 2012, the Auburn defense had two interceptions total for the entire season. In week one of the 2013 season, they had three.
Freshman defensive tackle Montravius Adams had a solid first game, finishing with two solo tackles and one sack. There are aspects he can, and must, improve, but he should be a solid player this week.
The biggest area Auburn will have to overcome this week is a lack of motivation.
Arkansas State, going into this game, has everything to gain and nothing to lose, while Auburn has nothing to gain and everything to lose.
The Red Wolves, a solid football team, will come into Jordan-Hare Stadium and look to get revenge on their former coach.
If Auburn does not take this team seriously, the Tigers could be in trouble.
While I think Auburn should be on upset alert, I still think the Tigers will come away with the victory.
But the victory will have to be earned with focus, motivation and solid execution.
Last week's performance should be a wake-up call for the Tigers, and it will help motivate them as they prepare for the Red Wolves.
The game will probably stay close for most of the game, but I predict Auburn will pull away to a 31-17 victory.
(09/05/13 6:51pm)
Former Auburn safety Zac Etheridge, who came back from a neck injury he suffered in 2009, will be the recipient of the 2013 James Owens Courage Award during halftime of the Arkansas State game on Saturday.
This is the second year the James Owens Courage, which is given to a player who has shown courage in the face of adversity, will be awarded.
Etheridge has certainly seen his share of adversity.
After tearing ligaments in his neck against Ole Miss in 2009, it was questionable whether he would ever play football again.
But after wearing a neck brace for six months Etheridge returned to the team in 2010, and had the second-most tackles with 69, three interceptions and returned a fumble for a touchdown in the fourth quarter against Arkansas.
He also started for Auburn in the 2011 BCS National Championship Game.
After playing one season with the Oakland Raiders, Etheridge returned to college football as a graduate assistant for former Auburn defensive coordinator Ted Roof at Penn State.
He is currently a graduate assistant under Roof at Georgia Tech.
(09/02/13 4:45pm)
Robenson Therezie's strong defensive performance against Washington State on Saturday earned him SEC defensive Player of the Week honors.
Justin Garrett was expected to start for the Tigers at the "Star" position, but because of an injury Therezie made his first career start, and took advantage of the opportunity.
Therezie finished the night with two interceptions, a pass break up and seven tackles. His second interception helped seal the win for the Tigers in the fourth quarter.
"I had to make a big play there," Therezie said. "We knew as a defense they were going for the end zone, and we communicated the right read and I made the play."
He is the first Auburn player to be named SEC defensive Player of the Week since Corey Lemonier after his performance against Florida in 2011.
(08/31/13 2:44pm)
Two big-time defensive stops in the fourth quarter helped push Auburn to their first victory of the year over the Washington State Cougars.
"There was a lot of adversity and we made a lot of mistakes, but our guys found a way to overcome them," coach Malzahn said. "Very proud of our defense they got us three turnovers and they had two fourth down stops late."
Robenson Therezie finished the game with two interceptions with one being late in the fourth quarter preventing the Cougars from tying the game.
"I told him big-time players make big-time plays, and that is exactly what he did tonight," said cornerback Chris Davis. "
Washington State started the game fast with a 12-play 75-yard opening game touchdown drive.
Auburn got off to a shaky start, but after Connor Halliday's pass was intercepted by Therezie the Tigers got going and took the lead with an 8-yard touchdown run by Tre Mason and a two-point conversion by Ryan White.
Washington State got back on the board with a 7-yard touchdown pass from Halliday to Bobby Ratliff.
But Auburn answered back quickly with a 100-yard kickoff return by Tre Mason.
Jeremiah Laufasa added another seven points for Washington State after a 1-yard touchdown run.
Corey Grant had a solid first half after rushing for 102 yards with one touchdown. His 75-yard touchdown run gave Auburn a 22-21 lead.
"I have to give the credit to the offensive line and the recievers they sealed the edge and it was just wide open," Grant said.
Grant finished the night with 149 yards rushing on nine carries.
Cody Parkey then added three more points for the Tigers before the end of the half with a 47-yard field goal.
The third quarter was not as exciting as the second quarter was, but both teams did trade field goals putting the score at 28-24 going into the final quarter.
Auburn did miss a couple of opportunities to score touchdowns in the third. One being a Nick Marshall touchdown run that was called back because of a holding call, and later in the third Jonathan Wallace missed a wide-open receiver on a reverse pass attempt.
Heading into the fourth it looked as if the game was setting up to be a thrilling finish.
Parkey added to the Tigers lead with a 42-yard field goal giving them a 31-24 lead.
The Cougars then drove inside the Tigers 10-yard line before Halliday threw his third interception of the day to Therezie with a little more than four minutes to go.
It looked as if the Tigers had the game in control, but a Mason fumble around the 50-yard line gave the Cougars one more chance.
Washington State would pick up one first down before Auburn stopped the Cougars on fourth down giving Auburn a 31-24 victory over the Cougars.
"They found a way to win," Malzahn said. "Our goals are to get better each practice and to get better each game, and we've got a lot of work to do but we are committed to doing that."
(08/29/13 9:00pm)
Auburn will make a return visit to the Chick-fil-A Kickoff Game in 2015 when they face off against the Louisville Cardinals, giving Auburn a strong non-conference opponent for the 2015 season.
"We are really looking forward to playing in the Chick-fil-A Kickoff Game to open the 2015 season," said Auburn Head Coach Gus Malzahn. "It will be a great opportunity for us to play on a national stage to kick off the college football season against a very good Louisville program. We love playing in Atlanta at the Georgia Dome in front of our fans who live in the area or who can make the short drive to see Auburn play in a first-class event."
This will be the second time Auburn has played in the Chick-fil-A Kickoff Game after losing to Clemson 26-19 in 2012.
Louisville will be making its first trip to the high profile game. Going into the 2013 season Louisville is ranked 9th in the AP top 25 rankings, and has won its last three games against SEC opponents including a dominant victory over Florida in the Sugar Bowl last season.
"The Chick-fil-A Kickoff Game has an outstanding tradition of putting together great match-ups, and facing Auburn in this type of event is great for our program and university," said Louisville Head Coach Charlie Strong. "We look forward to opening the 2015 season against a great SEC opponent like Auburn. I'm very excited for our fans that will get the opportunity to be a part of a great game and an exciting atmosphere. The exposure our football players and our program will get from a match-up like this is tremendous as we continue to build this program, and it is going to be a great experience for our fans."
This will be the second time Auburn and Louisville have played with the last time being in 1974 when the Tigers won 16-3 at Legion Field in Birmingham.
"Louisville and Auburn represent two great football brands with incredible fan bases and a tradition of winning," said Gary Stokan, Chick-fil-A Bowl president and CEO. "The ACC vs. SEC is a tremendous rivalry that has proven to be a recipe for sellouts, high TV ratings and close, competitive games."
Tickets for the game will be evenly split between the two teams and can be bought through the universities' athletic departments.
"The Chick-fil-A Kickoff Game has established itself as one of the best neutral-site games in the country to kick off the college football season, and we can't wait to get back to Atlanta and the Georgia Dome," said Auburn Director of Athletics Jay Jacobs. "A match-up with an outstanding program like Louisville will give us a challenging contest to start the 2015 season. We are excited about the chance to return to Atlanta and the Chick-fil-A Kickoff Game, which has become a first-class event thanks to the vision of Gary Stokan and his staff. With more than 20,000 Auburn alumni in the Atlanta region, it will be a great way to kick off the college football season for Auburn University."
(08/28/13 3:30am)
Being in a four-way battle for a position in big time college football can be an intimidating process.
Having your coaches and teammates judge your every move and decision can sometimes make you timid, but once you are chosen to play the position, then your confidence can increase exponentially and you become an instant leader.
This situation was true for new starting quarterback Nick Marshall, resulting in players and coaches seeing a different Marshall on the field since he was named the starting quarterback.
"There's something to be said about being given that confidence from your coaches that says 'hey you are the guy,'" said offensive coordinator Rhett Lashlee. "I think it kind of forces you to step up and lead a little more than even you were before when you were competing with other guys, so I think he is trying to be more vocal and lead the guys."
Not only does Marshall feel the need to make sure the rest of the offense is executing plays like they are supposed to, but he said he is also now holding himself to a higher standard.
"You know he's extremely tough on himself, which is usually a really good sign," said coach Gus Malzahn. "When he makes a mistake he is just as disappointed as the coaches, and anytime you have a player like that it is a really good sign."
Not only are the coaches noticing Marshall's new sense of urgency on the practice field, but the players are as well. They said they see him becoming more knowledgeable about his new offense.
"He's stepping up and taking charge, which is what he is supposed to do," said receiver Quan Bray. "He is looking more and more comfortable, and he is answering a lot more questions quicker than he was before, so I definitely think he is getting a feel for it and that's a good thing."
Marshall arrived on campus late in the summer, so he did not have much time to study the offense before he was thrust into a competitive quarterback battle.
With the season opener against Washington State quickly approaching, Marshall needs every second available to continue improving.
"Bottom line is he's only had three weeks or so with us," Lashlee said. "You're talking about just weeks in a system, and now you're asking him to go out and run it in a real game so he needs every rep he can get to feel comfortable."
Even with the short time Marshall has had to learn the offense, both players and coaches said that Marshall's strengths can't be fully seen in practice, and once the game starts Saturday, Marshall's strengths will be in full force.
"He's a ball player," Bray said. "He told me, 'I'm a game player, and once the lights hit I'm a different player.' That day we went live in practice he really showed me that."
Marshall will make his first start Saturday, Aug. 31, against Washington State.
(08/26/13 1:08am)
After winter workouts, summer practices and fall camp, game week is finally here and it's now time for the football team to take everything they have learned this offseason and condense it down and start preparing for their week one opponent Washington State.
"It's game week and I think everybody is excited that it's game week, but at the same time as many young and new guys as we are playing for the first time, from a coaching standpoint, I'm glad for every second we have between now and then to try and keep covering everything as much as we can," offensive coordinator Rhett Lashlee said on Sunday.
Defensive coordinator Ellis Johnson thinks that game week has not set in on the players just yet, but it will hit them soon enough.
"I think the players are to a point where they aren't bored, but they are repetitious," Johnson said. "I think this extra day really helped us. When they come in on Tuesday they will realize just how close it is and get tuned in."
Junior wide receiver Quan Bray echoed Lashlee and Johnson's statements that they need to continue to improve this week.
"It's been looking pretty good," Bray said. "It wasn't too good today, but we have Tuesday to come out, refocus and do better."
For the seniors, it's their last first game of their Auburn careers and they are excited to get things started and reap the rewards of their hard work this offseason.
"We've been preparing for this since January, and it's finally here," senior defensive end Craig Sanders said.
Coaches are also getting extra work in with the team to make sure they are prepared when game time comes around on Saturday.
"Sunday practices in the past have been like 12 periods, but today we came out and had a 20 period practice," Sanders said.
The team will take Monday off, and then will return to the practice field on Tuesday to continue preparation for game one against Washington State at 6 p.m. Saturday at Jordan Hare Stadium.
"The Guys are really locked in, and we'll have tomorrow off and then we'll come back to work on Tuesday," Sanders said.
(08/23/13 2:20am)
After news of two injuries earlier this week, there was finally good news on Thursday regarding injuries, as Justin Garret was able to return to the field and participate in practice.
"He (Garrett) moved around well," Gus Malzahn said after practice.
Garrett's leg was stepped on during the team's second scrimmage on Aug. 10 and he had been wearing a medical boot ever since.
A key player in defensive coordinator Ellis Johnson's scheme, it is good news he will not have to miss the Tiger's first game.
Jonathan Jones, on the other hand, did not get good news regarding his injury suffered earlier in the week. Malzahn was not able to give a timetable for his return to the football field, but it does not look like it will be anytime soon.
Kiehl Frazier has made his way into the mix at boundary safety after moving from quarterback to safety last week.
With Demetruce McNeal's dismissal from the team, Frazier's transition has been accelerated, but he seems to be handling it well.
"I talked to Ellis about it the other day, and he is in the mix," Malzahn said. "I think everyday he feels more comfortable. It's like anything else, the more you do the better you'll get at it. He is a competitor and a smart football player. He understands offensive concepts and he has a good chance to get out on the field."
With the heavy amount of rain during fall camp forcing many of the practices to be indoors, the team was finally able to practice outside in the heat on Thursday.
"We were out in the heat and it was good to be out in it," Malzahn said. "Our guys for the most part were flying around and I think they responded well to it."
The Tigers will practice inside Jordan Hare Stadium on Friday, beginning the week of preparation for the season opener against Washington State.
(08/19/13 4:08am)
After a competitive quarterback battle, that included four guys at the beginning of fall camp, it is finally Nick Marshall's job.
"It was tough because all four were good quarterbacks, and every one of them worked hard each day," Marshall said on Sunday. "They've really supported me through camp."
Since Auburn fans saw the first highlight video of Marshall from Garden City Community College they all said the same thing.
He's the next Cam Newton.
He has also received comparison to Johnny Manziel because of his smaller size and athleticism.
But Marshall is not worried about being the next Newton, or the next "Johnny Football". He's only worried about what he can control.
"I can't compare myself to them," Marshall said. "I just have to be myself."
Marshall did not arrive on campus until late this summer and did not participate in spring practice, so he had to play catch up once fall camp arrived. But once he started learning the playbook his playmaking ability became obvious to the coaches.
"The bottom line is when Nick knew what to do he out performed the others," Gus Malzahn said. "We really feel like he will have a chance to improve and get better each practice and each game."
Last season Marshall's stats were very impressive, but the one stat that drew a lot of attention was his turnovers. He had 20 turnovers last season at GCCC, but Marshall is not worried about that this season.
"We have coaches that ring that in our heads about ball security, and it has stuck to me and I'm not really worried about turnovers," Marshall said.
Marshall is also not concerned with his dismissal from the University of Georgia, and does not have anything to prove. He just wants to play football.
"I don't really worry about that," Marshall said. "I'm an Auburn player now, and that's in the past and I'm just going to move forward."
Now that the job is Marshall's he has started taking more of a leadership role.
"It felt different. He was a lot more vocal and I think his teammates really responded to him," Malzahn said. "That's normal, it usually happens and it's always interesting to see how a guy responds once you give him the keys to the car."
Backing up Marshall this season will be Jonathan Wallace, and if anything should happen to Marshall then Wallace would take his place. But Jeremy Johnson made the decision tough.
"(Johnson) really impressed us. He has a lot of physical tools and he understands how to run a fast paced offense because he did it in high school," Malzahn said.
At this point the plan is to red shirt Johnson, but Malzahn did not rule out the possibility of him playing if something happens to Marshall.
"Right now, at this point, it wouldn't be a bad thing if he red shirts, because that means the other guys stayed healthy, but we are still bringing him along and he's going to get reps in practice," Malzahn said. "He made it interesting, and that's very hard for a true freshman, and that says a lot about him."
(08/17/13 11:07pm)
After 16 days of fall practice Gus Malzahn has named Nick Marshall as the starting quarterback, making him the seventh different opening-day starter in the last seven years.
"Nick Marshall has emerged and earned the right to be our starting quarterback," Malzahn said in a press release. "As I've said, we wanted to go with the guy that gives us the best opportunity to win football games and Nick is that guy. He has caught on quickly in the short period of time he has been with us. He is a playmaker with a big upside, and once he becomes more comfortable with the offense, he has the chance to improve each week."
Malzahn made the announcement that Marshall would be the starter through Twitter.
"I've named Nick Marshall our starting QB. He's earned that opportunity. Auburn family lets get behind him and the team. #WarEagle," Malzahn wrote.
Marshall was chosen over freshman Jeremy Johnson and sophomore Jonathan Wallace after a competitive neck-and-neck battle for the starting position.
Marshall signed with the University of Georgia as a defensive back coming out of high school in 2011, but was dismissed from the team for a violation of team rules.
He played last season at Garden City Community College passing for 3,142 yards, 18 touchdowns and also had 1,095 yards on the ground with 19 rushing touchdowns.
A big concern with Marshall going into fall practice was ball security. He threw 20 interceptions last season at Garden City. This has been a big focus for Marshall so far in fall practice, and offensive coordinator Rhett Lashlee and Malzahn believe he has improved enough in this area to earn the starting job.
Regardless of his interceptions last season, Marshall's athletic ability and strong arm appears to be exactly what Malzahn is looking for in his starting quarterback.
Marshall will make his first start for Auburn against Washington State on Aug. 31 as he looks to help the Tigers rebound from a disastrous 3-9 campaign in 2012.
(08/17/13 9:42pm)
Gus Malzahn has dismissed safety Demetruce McNeal from the team following an arrest for possession of marijuana.
"After visiting with Demetruce, I made the decision to dismiss him from our team," Malzahn said in a press release on Saturday. "We have high expectations both on and off the field for our players."
McNeal was arrested on a second-degree possession of marijuana charge along with former linebackers Jawara White and Jonathan Evans. They were booked at the Lee County Detention Center either late Friday night or early Saturday morning and released on a $500 bond, according to online records.
McNeal did not practice Saturday morning, and Malzahn did not meet with McNeal until after practice later that afternoon.
McNeal was the Tiger's leading returning tackler from 2012 with 90 tackles. He missed the first part of fall camp because of a staph infection, but he had returned to the practice field this week and was expected to compete for a starting role on defense.
He also missed the end of spring practice, and did not participate in A-Day because of personal issues.
Sophomore Joshua Holsey moved from corner to safety during McNeal's absence last spring, and should replace McNeal as the starter in the opening game against Washington State. Former quarterback Kiehl Frazier who moved to safety on Monday may be asked to contribute once the season begins also.
(08/17/13 1:35am)
In Auburn's second scrimmage, last Saturday, explosive plays were the highlight of the day. The majority of those explosive plays were the result of sophomore wide receiver Ricardo Louis' play.
"They told me before the scrimmage they were going to try and get me the ball and they got me the ball and I made plays," Louis said. "We've been working hard this whole offseason, and I just felt like I had to show them what I could do and make a lot of plays."
Louis was a highly touted high school recruit who was expected to come in and contribute early to the Tiger's offense, but things didn't work out that way for him as he had some growing pains just like many freshman do.
This season he wants to rebound from his average freshman season, and live up to the high standard the coaches have for him.
"Last season everybody was saying I was going to be a good receiver for the quarterbacks to throw it to, and now I want to live up to that standard and keep it up," Louis said. "I just want to compete for a starting spot and produce for this offense."
While last season did not go the way Louis would have liked it to have gone he does not regret his freshman season.
"I learned a lot, actually. It wasn't frustrating because I was learning behind Emory Blake and all the senior receivers. I just took it all in as a learning experience and learned from what they did, so I can make my game better."
What he took away from playing behind Blake was the importance of running crisp smooth routes. So far this has really improved Louis' game.
Louis is a very versatile receiver that can do several different things, something that Gus Malzahn can utilize in his offense.
"I pretty much can do anything you want me to do, go deep, little short routes, screens and whatever else they need me to do," Louis said.
Even with his strong performance in the second scrimmage, Louis is still looking to earn a starting spot and Saturday's scrimmage will go a long way toward helping him solidify his role in this offense.
"It's going to be pretty big," Louis said. "I'm just going to do what they ask me to do, and try to get the ball in my hand as much as possible and do what I can."
Auburn will hold it's fourth scrimmage in Jordan Hare Stadium on Saturday morning.
(08/16/13 10:13pm)
One of the main reasons new head softball coach Clint Myers made the move from Arizona State to Auburn was the opportunity to coach with his sons. He made part of that opportunity official on Friday by hiring his son Corey Myers as an assistant coach for the Tigers.
"Corey brings a great deal of excitement and energy to our program," Clint Myers said. "He is a very knowledgeable coach and a good teacher. One of the qualities he brings that I really like is that he is constantly looking for new ways to teach the game, to keep it fresh and exciting."
Corey has spent the past year as an assistant coach and director of player development for the Birmingham Thunderbolts 18 Gold softball team.
He also owned and operated the CM Baseball and Softball Academy in Chandler, Ariz. from 2009-2012, and served as a volunteer coach for Arizona State softball from 2007-2008, where he helped the Sun Devils to the 2008 NCAA championship.
In addition to Corey Myers, the Tigers also added Brittney Lindley, Brianna Smith, Brianna Hesson and Ryan Stefankiewiez as graduate assistant managers.
(08/16/13 4:17am)
With a little more than two weeks before the first game against Washington State, head coach Gus Malzahn would prefer to name a starting quarterback no later than next Monday.
"It could be tomorrow, it could be the next day. Anytime before next Monday would be really good for us, but like I've said before, we're not sure," Malzahn said Thursday.
Auburn will have their fourth scrimmage on Saturday at Jordan Hare Stadium, and it's possible a starter could be named before then. It's also possible that this could be the scrimmage that decides who the starter will be.
Malzahn said the sooner they can name a starter the better.
"Well you want as much time as possible," Malzahn said. "Ideally it would have been a week ago, and you get three weeks, but the earlier the better will help."
Quarterback won't be the only position that is going to get another look in Saturday's scrimmage. This scrimmage will help the coaches finalize other position battles as well.
"We got a lot of stuff figured out, but there are still a few question marks," Malzahn said. "Obviously that will be two weeks before the first game, and you would like to have the pieces of the puzzle in place."
In other news, Dee Ford has suffered an injury and did not practice Thursday morning.
Malzahn did not go into detail on the injury, but he said that he didn't feel like it would be long before he was able to return to the field.
With Ford's injury Malzahn feels the veteran depth behind him will be helpful if he isn't able to play in the first game.
"We've got some seniors that have experience, and I think that's always very important, and we have some guys that are versatile and can move around," Malzahn said.
Ford is not the only defensive player to have suffered an injury so far in practice. Safety Justin Garrett also suffered an injury, and has not practiced all week.
Even with these two injuries Malzahn does not think the team is in trouble injury wise, but the team is a little banged up.
"We've had a very physical camp, and we are little bit banged up but not bad banged up," Malzahn said. "I think we've been working very hard on getting our edge back and being physical, and that was the plan."
Auburn will have a second practice on Thursday afternoon, and will have two practices on Friday before the scrimmage on Saturday.
(08/13/13 7:28pm)
Tuesday's practice was not as interesting as Monday's, but the Tigers did get a short scrimmage in Jordan Hare Stadium trying to give the two new quarterbacks a chance to separate themselves from one another.
The scrimmage focused on different game-type situations, blitz pick-ups and 7-on-7 pass scale defense.
With Marshall and Johnson getting the majority of the reps this week, the big focus is trying to see separation between the potential starting quarterback candidates.
Considering they both are similar style quarterbacks that may be harder than it sounds.
"Right now it all pretty much looks the same," offensive coordinator Rhett Lashlee said. "We're running the same plays with pretty much all three of the guys rotating in there. Each one of those guys does things a little bit different but I would say right now I don't think there is any part of the offense that we could or could not run with either Jeremy or Nick over the other. I think both could fulfill the same role as far as running the offense."
A big factor on who is the starter could be who takes care of the football better, and right now both Marshall and Johnson have done a good job of that.
"Their ball security is a big focus point for us on offense, and I think they are doing a great job with that," center Reese Dismukes said. "They are competing their (butts) off, and whoever wins the job, may the best man win."
Ball security was a big concern for Marshall after he had 20 interceptions last season in junior college. But so far, Marshall has been focusing on taking care of the football.
"Nick's done well I think he has been very conscience of it," Lashlee said. "We only had them live for that first scrimmage and I don't think we had any turnover issues there, and then the other scrimmages we had the orange jerseys on, but we haven't been throwing a lot of interceptions either, which is a positive."
With the season quickly approaching it's getting to the point where a starting quarterback decision needs to be made.
Lashlee says they still do not have a timetable set for when a starter will be named, but the sooner the better. Right now they are still looking for separation. Since there is little separation in their physical abilities the coaches will be looking at their mental abilities to find what separation they can.
"We are looking for who is going to earn the respect of their teammates, who does the team believe in, who does the offense believe in, who is going to protect the ball and who do we feel like we can trust to execute the game plan, do what we ask them to do and play within the system," Lashlee said.
(08/13/13 4:32am)
Soon after Malzahn made the surprising announcement that Kiehl Frazier would be moving to defense and Kiehl would be speaking to the media, everyone had the same thought.
Here we go again- another Clint Moseley crying at the podium speech.
But what wasn't thought was, yes, this would be similar to another quarterback being told he would not be the starter once the season started, but it wouldn't be like Moseley.
He handled it like Kodi Burns.
I was stunned as Kiehl walked into the auditorium to meet the media with his head held high and a smile on his face.
Instead of choking back tears he was holding back a smile.
He handled this tough situation in such a way that would have made any Auburn fan proud.
He handled it like an Auburn man.
A player that was once considered the next Cam Newton; ranked as the No. 1 dual threat quarterback and the USA Today offensive player of the year coming out of high school.
But when Malzahn and Rhett Lashlee told him the news Sunday night he didn't throw these things in their face and demand to be the starter or else he would transfer.
His response to the news was simple, how can I help the team, coach?
Much like Burns, Kiehl decided to take the high road.
"It was something that I've really been thinking about for a while, and when Coach Malzahn met with all the quarterbacks yesterday we kind of made a mutual decision that it would be best for the team for me to move to safety," Frazier said. "That's something that I'm really going to embrace and try to help the team out."
He also didn't throw the blame for his quarterback career not working out on anyone else.
Even after he was thrown into the impossible situation, last season, of trying to lead a pro-style offensive attack when neither he nor the players around him were suited to execute that type of offense.
No, he again took the high road.
"Everything that happened last year, I wouldn't take it back because it was something that the team learned from, and I think it was something that can help us going into this season," Frazier said.
His attention isn't being spent on what happened in the past, and what he can't control.
He's worried about learning his new position, fitting in with the defensive players and most of all looking the part.
Kiehl went to the equipment guy and changed everything; his pads, his facemask, most likely will be changing his number and he got a visor for his helmet.
"I'm trying to look cool out there," he jokingly said.
With all this being said, it was still probably very tough on him that it didn't work out at quarterback.
But fortunately he has someone to seek advice from, Kodi Burns.
Burns was in almost the exact same situation. He played quarterback for two years and was then demoted to become Chris Todd's backup.
He didn't cry, all he did was move to wide receiver and help his team win a national championship.
Kiehl noticed this and wants to handle things similarly.
"You know if I can make as big an impact as Kodi made, and be the person that Kodi is then I think this will definitely be a good move in the end."
(08/12/13 1:45am)
Normally Auburn football players are shielded between the chalk lines on the football field or the walls of the Auburn Athletic complex, but one day every year Auburn fans are able to meet with players at Fan Day along with Aubie, cheerleaders, soccer players and volleyball players.
Auburn was at it's best as hundreds of Auburn fans met, greeted and otherwise interacted with the team and head coach Gus Malzahn, a fun day for fans and a day of encouraging interaction for the athletes.
"It goes back to what the Auburn family is all about," Director of Athletics Jay Jacobs said. "These guys represent the alumni and the fans. It's important, even though it's brief, that they have a chance to meet them because they are all about the same mission and goal and that is to represent Auburn the best way they can."
Fans of all ages come out to try and catch a glimpse of their favorite player. This is their one chance to tell the players they are behind them no matter what happens once the orchestrated chaos known as SEC football begins.
"I like to make a weekend out of Fan Day, and I like to get up and personal with them and tell them good luck and I've got your back," said Auburn fan Raymond Jones.
Fans do all kinds of fun things with the players during fan day. They let them sign their old lucky t-shirt, football or even their most prized possessions, their children.
Parents bring their children dressed in their little Auburn jerseys or cheerleading uniforms hoping to get a picture with the next stars of Auburn football.
"The fun thing about all of this is seeing the fans under 16, the little Auburn fans. You can see it in their eyes," Jacobs said. "Our guys are so appreciative of our fans and obviously our fans are appreciative of our team, so it's a fun day and it's a great day for Auburn."
After last season's dismal 3-9 record, you would think fans would be expecting a rebuilding year, but this is not the case. Auburn fans are extremely happy with new head coach Gus Malzahn and the work he's done so far. Which includes hiring a stellar coaching staff and signing a top-10 recruiting class.
Fans expect success and they expect it now.
"He's not a new coach to us he's just a new head coach. We know who he is and we know what he represents," Jones said. "I'm always expecting 14-0, and I don't expect anything less. The coach doesn't and I don't either."
With the conclusion of the preliminary tradition of Fan Day, game one of the 2013 season against Washington State inches even closer for fans as they hope the horror of 2012 will soon be only a distant memory.
(08/10/13 7:02pm)
The offense shined and the defense seemed to struggle in Auburn's second scrimmage of fall practice on Saturday.
Several explosive plays gave the offense the upper hand.
"I felt like the offense came out and executed more plays, and the defense gave up some explosive plays, but that's something we are going to get corrected in the film room," cornerback Jonathon Mincy said after the scrimmage on Saturday.
Mincy, fellow cornerback Chris Davis and center Reese Dismukes were, for the most part, held out of Saturdays scrimmage. The coaches felt it necessary to spend more time evaluating the younger players.
"There was a couple guys that we did hold out of the scrimmage," Gus Malzahn said. "If we had the proper information and if we were trying to worry about the guy behind them,"
The absence of Mincy and Davis could have led to some of the explosive plays the offense had in the scrimmage, but Mincy feels the offense was ready and focused no matter who was playing defense.
"They (the offense) had more of a sense of urgency on the field," Mincy said. "They felt like they enjoyed being out there. You could tell by the way they were executing their plays and that's something you like to see from your offense."
Regardless of the way the offense was playing, Mincy believes the defense wasn't focused and they need to have more mental toughness if they want to be successful this season.
"That's something that we have to have a mindset that we don't get beat deep ever," Mincy said. "That's something we are going to get corrected from last year, and something that the defense needs to take pride in," Mincy said.
While the offense gained most of the attention after the scrimmage the defense is still determined to be an improved unit this season, but they are not there yet.
"We still have a lot of adjustments to make as far as making sure everybody is coming up and tackling," Mincy said. "There were so many explosive plays from the offense. We are just going to come out and get better."
Auburn will have another practice on Saturday afternoon and then have practice before Fan Day on Sunday.
Fan Day is scheduled for 3:30 p.m on Sunday at Auburn Arena.
(08/09/13 10:44pm)
Former Auburn golfer Jason Dufner shot a record tying second round at 63 that moved him into the lead at the PGA Championship on Friday Aug. 9.
His performance on Friday made him the 12th golfer in PGA Championship history and the 26th in major history to shoot a 63.
Dufner got off to a good start when he eagled No. 2 and then followed with back-to-back birdies at No. 4.
He then had five straight pars before birdieing three times in six holes on 11, 13 and 16. He also came up short of another birdie on 18, but it stopped just short of the hole.
Dufner has yet to win on the PGA tour this year, but tied for fourth at the U.S. Open in June, and the WGC Bridgestone Invitational last week.
This would be Dunfer's first win at a major