News of the day, 8/12

Hey everyone. Thanks for tuning in. Practice has ended. It was pretty short, 13 periods or so, in reasonably cool conditions. They started at 7 p.m.

There is some engaging stuff to discuss.

Center Jason Bosley went down with an injury to his left knee during the late stages of practice. I'm not a doctor, I don't play one on T.V., but this looked pretty serious to me. He was in a lot of pain. Bosley is a tough dude, too. He disappeared into a van a few minutes after the injury, which tells me it's serious business.

My guess is that Leon Hart gets shifted to center. Mike Berry would take over at right guard. True freshman Ryan Pugh is the only other real center on the roster. He looks like he'll be a really good player. I just don't think he's ready to be the starting center at Auburn right now. There is too much real-time administrative responsibility at center. Inexperience there is a killer.

Quarterback Neil Caudle has been diagnosed with a separated throwing shoulder. Tommy Tuberville said he expects Caudle to miss at least four weeks. This development could generate some ire toward Tuberville. Caudle was injured after being tackled during the scrimmage. The decision to allow tackling on the quarterbacks was curious. Now the team is without the guy who looked like the second-best quarterback in camp.

CB Jerraud Powers picked off a pair of passes during Sunday's workout. He nearly had a third, too. It's obvious that Powers has emerged as the team's best cover corner. I wasn't a believer. I didn't see how a kid who's 5-foot-9 could be a good SEC corner but I have changed my mind. He's pretty damn good. After the first pick, which saw Powers step in front of a Brandon Cox-thrown out route, defensive coordinator Will Muschamp said: "That's perfect. That's how we play."

Offensive line coach Hugh Nall had some nice things to say to tackle Antwoin Daniels on Sunday. After Daniels shut down end Michael Goggans on a power rush, Nall said: "Nice job. That's what I'm talking about. You're moving your feet and staying with him." Then Nall patted him on the helmet.

Nall wasn't as nice when Berry completely missed Darrell Roseman during a pass-rush drill. "You've got good feet. Move 'em!"

Here are the results from today's pass-rush drill. Abbreviated because they spent some time on formations and schemes.

Quentin Groves (54) vs. King Dunlap (77) -- 54, 77.
Pat Sims (95) vs. Ty Green (71) -- 95, 95. Green wasn't embarrassed. Gave up too much penetration.
Josh Thompson (97) vs. Jackson Timmerman (64) --97. No contest.
Zach Clayton (98) vs. Timmerman (64) -- 98.
Darrell Roseman (41) vs. Mike Berry (66) -- 41, 66.
Sen'Derrick Marks (94) vs. Antwoin Daniels (70) -- 94, even.
**Notice than Daniels was running with the 1s, not Ziemba.

Antonio Carter (52) vs. Oscar Gonzalez (78) -- 52. 52. Speed domination the first time. Gonzalez offside the second time.
Bryant Miller (51) vs. Green (71) -- 71, even. Miller lined up offside the first time.
Clayton (98) vs. Timmerman (64) -- 98, 98. The kid will be a player.
AJ Greene (90) vs. Berry (66) -- 90, even, 66.
Mike Goggans (49) vs. Daniels -- 70, 49, 70. Goggans' win prefaced by a blow to the chest.
Antoine Carter (45) vs. Lee Tilley (74) -- 45. Not close at all.
Sims (95) vs. Byron Isom (57) -- 95.
Brandon Haley (93) vs. Lee Ziemba (73) -- 93, even, 73.

In team, Ziemba blocked Quentin Groves well the first time. Then Groves got mad, unleashed an outside speed rush and that was that. Carter used a speed rush to beat Gonzalez badly to end the drill.

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I won't inundate y'all with my love for Manchester United. I did watch a portion of my boys' opening match against Reading today. I wasn't happy. 1-1.

I love soccer because it's a sport I can play (sort of) and I don't ever have to deal with it professionally. I have a hard time watching football for fun because I watch football for a living. Soccer and NASCAR? I can just enjoy them and be a fan.

My friend Gentry, who soon will be covering Alabama for the Mobile Register, cheers for Man U's arch rivals. So we get to talk soccer smack. Not a lot of that happening in Alabama.