montgomeryadvertiser.com

Sponsored by:
9.03.2007

News of the day, 9/3

Hey everyone. Auburn begins practice today around 4 o'clock. I expect it to be a pretty long session. I'll have fresh information available at 9 p.m. or so.

Auburn picked up a pair of commitments this morning. Check below for details.

In case you were wondering, that picture over there is of the one and only Brad Lester celebrating with TE Gabe McKenzie. He can roam the sidelines. Can't play. I'd hate to be in that position as a junior -- practice all week, spend Saturday watching everyone else have fun.

Thanks, as always, for ingesting another invigorating dose of the HOTTEST Auburn blog on the 'net.

Auburn nabbed two more 2008 commitments during the weekend, and both are from Miami. WR Harry Adams, from Dillard High in Ft. Lauderdale, picked the Tigers over Florida, Florida Stae and LSU among others. Adams (6-0, 175) was a track-only athlete until his junior season, when he began applying his speed to football. He ran a 4.3 40-yard dash at Auburn this summer.

George Baker of Miami's Archbishop High also committed after the Kansas State game. Recruiting services list him as an "athlete," but he's expected to play defensive back at Auburn. He has competing offers from LSU, Kansas State, Ole Miss and Rutgers.

Auburn now has 11 commitments. Three other JUCO/prep-school players -- defensive end Raven Gray, defensive tackle Tim Pugh and tailback Enrique Davis -- are expected to sign with the Tigers as well.

Each week, Auburn defensive coaches closely track some statistical markers they consider critical to success. Here is a look at the defensive goals:

Win: YES, 23-13
Allow 13 pts or less: YES, 13
Allow 3.3 yards per carry or less: YES, 2.6
Allow 5.0 yards per pass or less: YES, 4.45
Create at least 3 turnovers: YES, 3
Allow no big plays (defined as 15+ rush or 20+ pass): NO on run (1); NO on pass (1)
Allow no TDs inside "red area": YES
Force opponent to convert less than 30% on 3rd down: YES, 28%

Also, KSU's YAC (yards after catch) number was 124

Auburn's defensive coaches track their players' individual levels of productivity closely. Points are awarded for good things, taken away for mistakes or loafing. Here are the Tigers' top 10 performers from the KSU game:

DE Antonio Coleman, 34 points
DT Pat Sims, 29
DE Quentin Groves, 24
CB Pat Lee, 24
DT Josh Thompson, 19
CB Zach Gilbert, 18
S Zac Etheridge, 14
LB Tray Blackmon, 12 (only played 1/2 the game)
LB Chris Evans, 12
CB Eric Brock, 10
DE Sen'Derrick Marks, 10

Auburn fans who showed outrage over QB Brandon Cox's omission from the Davey O'Brien Award Watch List now can affect that. The award now includes fan voting. If you think Brandon is worthy of being named America's Best College Quarterback, you can vote once per day.

5 Comments:

Anonymous Anonymous said...

Jay,
2 questions.
I thought Rod Smith looked a little lost on the field, with one or two passes practically hitting him in the face. Comment?
Also, I don't know a lot about K-State's returners, but our kickoff coverage looked like it had a lot of holes. Was it a matter of our coverage or K-State just making plays?

2:42 PM  
Blogger Jay G. Tate said...

Hey Nate.

Rod Smith: I only remember one drop. It was a pass to the left flat. Ball probably was thrown too hard, which is a rare problem for Brandon Cox. Still a drop.

Auburn's KOC: Totally sucked. Tuberville said on Sunday that they'd be making some changes there.

5:36 PM  
Blogger NOLA said...

Good timing on the Brandon cox for Davey O'Brien Award addendum to the Hot blog. Dude had a sub-par and less-than-stellar game Saturday. I wonder if the fans will --heck, should -- vote for the guy. I feel for him. Two years in a row now he's had to fend for himself early in the season with a line that is a work in progress.

Also, how come Jerraud wasn't on that list after you gave him such a good grade? The coaches need to listen to you more.

Also, how about Kentucky this weekend. If only they had Tubby Smith coaching them, they'd be unbeatable.

9:13 PM  
Blogger Jay G. Tate said...

Jerraud made some mistakes on the little things.

Little things are paramount.

9:14 PM  
Blogger NOLA said...

It is, after all, the little things. It's the little things. Little things. Do you think he can correct the little things?

9:20 PM  

Post a Comment

Subscribe to Post Comments [Atom]

<< Home


follow me on Twitter

• THE RING OF FIRE •
INAUGURAL CLASS
Phormerly Phred
Scottie B. in Tennessee
crudup
Hoopie
Ron Mexico
hip-hopanonymous
AUnMobilz
Sullivan013
Scott from Tucson
scottatl
jhag **FRANCHISE PLAYER**

CLASS OF 2008
Peter Frankenschmidt
Mr. Sensible
WarEagleRK

CLASS OF 2009
eddie4au
FakeSteveJobs (aka FSJ)
AUBigCat
michael
Steve from Columbia (aka SteveFC)
kristina
Jet

WHERE EAGLES SOAR
AUFan365 was Larry Bailey, 1948-2010

FEELING THE HEAT
WarEagleGirl
TarHeelTiger
Kathy
D. Miller
Dear Leader
j-z
Norm
digger4au
Harrison
LuvAU1968
cincytiger
mytommyd (is supposed to be mrtommyd)
ehyoutiger
wtc
IV
wakeriderof87
Sean
Scott Chocolate
NoVaTiger
Taylor
BinOBA
wes
Aeronaut
chip chip
Spongeworthy
Loganville Tiger
E-Bro
Ephemeral
au1n04
FearlessFreep
coosa
bear82
wartiger
patdyeswildturkey
atlantatiger
JD the Biscuitator
shesaid
depressedAUfan
dnatl

NOTABLE NEWCOMERS
Cousin Humpers = Bammers (aka CH=B)
dan dan the AU fan
bellefay1
API
Jay 'W. not Tate'
missinit
Craig Miller
AU1292
MLF
Comm'r of Flesh Wounds
Stupup74
61northak
Jimmy
bigdaddy334
Secondaid
Andrew
SCoats
astatguy
Jason Crawford
paulmain
Lowcountry Tiger
BigEZ
Will
WDCWE

MY PEEPS
Wifey
cpf
GritzNGravy
roundtable
Josh_Moon
MrsFrontRim & FrontRim
ChuckCrim
troyznoiz

FIRST DOCUMENTED POSTER
Buck

BANHAMMERED
Hamburglar
ROLLTIDEROLL
hairydawg
DavidOku
Jay_G (an impostor)
WarEagleogDotCom

Powered by Blogger

Subscribe to
Posts [Atom]

Advertisement