News of the day, 8/9

Hey everyone. Auburn started early this morning, 8:30 to be exact, and there was some fun stuff happening. I brought along my small camera and tried to take some pictures, including the one of Hugh Nall to the right. I need a bigger lens. Oh, and a shred of skill.

Today was a great day for material on the field.

• DE Mike Goggans hit RT Oscar Gonzalez so hard in the chest that Gonzalez nearly left his feet. Assistant coach Hugh Nall's assessment: "That may be a moment in football history. Nobody's been that high before."
  
  
  
• RG Leon Hart strugged during an 11-on-11 drill. Nall's loud assessment: "Why are you stopping? Get me another guard, right guard. We don't quit."
  
  
  
• FB Danny Perry, after subbing out of an 11-on-11 drill, walked over to strength coach Kevin Yoxall and said: ``Pat Sims is a big dude."
  Yoxall's reply: "Yes, he is a large individual."
  
  
  
• QB Steven Ensminger hesitated badly while calling an audible during the 11-on-11 drill. Offensive coordinator Al Borges said: "Call something! The clock is running!"
  
  
  
• Coach Tommy Tuberville during the end-of-practice assembly: "The quarterbacks have to pick it up. You are a part of this team even though your name is in the paper everyday."
  

Tuberville added more criticism of the quarterbacks: "I'm going to have a little talk with them. We've got to have some leadership out of them. We're out here going through the motions and they need to be the leaders."

Brent Slusher now is working at linebacker after a, um, difficult week at defensive end. That's a nice way to put it. His body seems to fit the linebacker mold more closely.

Brad Lester played a more central role in practice. Since being banished to newcomer practices during the first three days of camp, Lester hadn't earned many 11-on-11 carries until today.

Here is the run-down from the morning 1-on-1 pass rush drills.

Sen'Derrick Marks (94) vs. King Dunlap (77) -- even, 77.
Tez Doolittle (99) vs. Ty Green (71) -- 71, 71
Josh Thompson (97) vs. Jackson Timmerman (64) -- 97. Only needed one.
Pat Sims (95) vs. Mike Berry (66) -- 66, 95.
Brandon Haley (93) vs. Lee Ziemba (73) -- even, even.

Mike Goggans (49) vs. Dunlap (77) -- 77.
Kyle Coulahan (58) vs. Green (71) -- 71.
Bryant Miller (51) vs. Timmerman (64) -- even.
Darrell Roseman (41) vs. Berry (66) -- 66.
AJ Greene (90) vs. Ziemba (73) -- 73.
Quentin Groves (54) vs. Ziemba (73) -- 54. Speed rush from wide set.
Antonio Coleman (52) vs. Ziemba (73) -- 52. Speed rush from wide set.

Goggans (49) vs. Antwoin Daniels (70) -- 49, 70.
Coulahan (58) vs. Byron Isom (57) -- 58, 57. The above picture was taken after the first play of this series.
Miller (51) vs. Will Guth (51) -- Guth, Guth. Oh boy.
Roseman (41) vs. Bart Eddins (53) -- 41, 53.
Antoine Carter (45) vs. Oscar Gonzalez (78) -- 45. Carter still looking good.

Haley (93) vs. Daniels (70) -- 93.
Greene (90) vs. Isom (57) -- 90, 57.
Coulahan (58) vs. Guth (51) -- 58, 58.
Pat Sims (95) vs. Eddins (53) -- 95, 53. Eddins fought hard the second time.
Goggans (49) vs. Gonzalez (78) -- 49. Really embarrassed him with a blow to the chest.
Antonio Coleman (52) vs. Lee Tilley (74) -- 52, 52.
Roseman (41) vs. Chaz Ramsey (76) -- 41, even, 76.
Miller (51) vs. Rudy Odom (69) -- 51, 69.