Your Daily Fix, 7/31
Hey everyone. This is my last day of summer. Beginning Friday, I'll be working on Auburn football exclusively for at least 16 consecutive weeks. It's fun covering a successful and high-profile program, but it can get a tad monotonous.We're not there yet. And it's not your problem anyway. So on we go.
That's a wrap on Josh Dollard's career at Auburn. He was kicked off the team today ... more than a year since his last game in a Tigers uniform. He missed the 07-08 season for a "medical condition."There is no word on his health.
Coach Jeff Lebo, however, insinuated that Dollard has other problems. The dismissal officially is for deviating from "Auburn University Athletic Department policy." Maybe he tried to interview a football coach without prior approval.
``Auburn has supplied Josh with all the resources for him to be successful," Lebo said. ``Josh understood his requirements and responsibilities to be an Auburn student-athlete, and he has fallen short in fulfilling what was clearly communicated to him."
Dollard averaged 12.5 points and seven rebounds per game as a sophomore during the 2006-07 season.
``Due to certain circumstances, I am unable to continue my career here at Auburn," Dollard said in the school's official release. ``I would like to thank everyone who has been involved in my career at Auburn, and I would like to wish my teammates, coaching staff and Auburn family much success in the future."
MY TAKE: Lebo already has a 2008-09 excuse, if necessary.
The players report tomorrow. It's probably the most poorly named event all season. Almost every kid has been on campus for months (or never left after the spring semester) so there's no significance to the day at all.Still, it's a chance for us to talk with players. That's always good. You can expect a full report tomorrow around 7 p.m.
I still can't believe Alabama's Leigh Tiffin was named to the All-SEC team while Wes Byrum was excluded. I know it's not exactly a career-ending snub or anything. Byrum still has a scholarship and all. I keep asking people: Leigh Tiffin?OK. I think this would be a good time to peruse the post-spring depth chart (released in April) and start thinking about what will change.Some stuff we know already:
- DeRon Furr now is at safety.
- Bo Harris is gone.
- Chaz Ramsey is the best right guard. He may or may not play.
RED is where I think change could occur.
OFFENSE
QUARTERBACK
Kodi Burns (6-1, 205, So.) --OR--
Chris Todd (6-4, 212, Jr.)
Neil Caudle (6-3, 200, So.)
TAILBACK
Brad Lester (5-11, 198, Sr.)
Ben Tate (5-11, 215, Jr.)
Tristan Davis (5-10, 217, Sr.)
LEFT TACKLE
Lee Ziemba (6-8, 288, So.)
Jared Cooper (6-4, 297, RFr.)
Andrew McCain (6-6, 300, Jr.)
LEFT GUARD
Tyronne Green (6-2, 307, Sr.)
Kyle Coulahan (6-4, 309, RFr.)
CENTER
Jason Bosley (6-4, 281, Sr.)
Ryan Pugh (6-4, 284, So.)
Big Snacks Berry (6-3, 313, So.)
RIGHT GUARD
Byron Isom (6-3, 291, So.)
Bart Eddins (6-4, 292, So.)
Chaz Ramsey (6-4, 290, So.)
RIGHT TACKLE
Ryan Pugh (6-4, 284, So.)
Big Snacks Berry (6-3, 313, So.)
TIGHT END
Tommy Trott (6-5, 251, Jr.)
Gabe McKenzie (6-4, 253, Jr.)
Brent Slusher (6-3, 231, So.)
RECEIVER (OUTSIDE)
James Swinton (6-0, 178, Sr.)
Chris Slaughter (6-3, 179, So.) --OR--
Charles Olatunji (6-2, 197, Sr.)
RECEIVER (INSIDE)
Tim Hawthorne (6-3, 209, So.)
Mario Fannin (5-11, 217, So.)
RECEIVER (INSIDE)
Robert Dunn (6-0, 178, Sr.)
Terrell Zachery (6-1, 208, So.)
RECEIVER (OUTSIDE)
Rod Smith (6-0, 196, Sr.)
Montez Billings (6-2, 188, Jr.)
Quindarius Carr (6-1, 175, RFr.)
DEFENSE
WEAK-SIDE DEFENSIVE END
Antonio Coleman (6-2, 250, Jr.)
Antoine "Hot" Carter (6-4, 253, So.)
NOSE
Jake Ricks (6-4, 302, Jr.)
Zach Clayton (6-3, 286, So.)
Luke Farmer (5-11, 239, RFr.)
TACKLE
Sen’Derrick Marks (6-1, 288, Jr.)
Mike Blanc (6-4, 287, So.)
Darrell Roseman (6-4, 270, So.)
STRONG-SIDE DEFENSIVE END
Michael Goggans (6-3, 254, So.)
A.J. Greene (6-5, 269, RFr.)
Raven Gray (6-5, 253, Jr.)
WEAK-SIDE LINEBACKER
Chris Evans (6-0, 221, Sr.) --OR--
Merrill Johnson (6-0, 204, Sr.)
Courtney Harden (6-0, 237, Sr.)
MIDDLE LINEBACKER
Tray Blackmon (6-0, 220, Jr.)
Josh Bynes (6-2, 234, So.)
Adam Herring (6-1, 224, RFr.)
STRONG-SIDE LINEBACKER
Craig Stevens (6-2, 218, So.)
Courtney Harden (6-0, 237, Sr.)
STRONG SAFETY
Zac Etheridge (5-11, 206, So.)
Mike Slade (6-2, 189, RFr.)
FREE SAFETY
Mike McNeil (6-2, 201, So.)
Jonathan Vickers (6-2, 216, Sr.)
LEFT CORNERBACK
Jerraud Powers (5-9, 188, Jr.)
Ryan Williams (5-11, 204, So.)
RIGHT CORNERBACK
Aairon Savage (5-11, 190, Jr.) --OR--
Walter McFadden (6-0, 180, Jr.)
SPECIAL TEAMS
PLACEKICKER
Wes Byrum (6-1, 220, So.)
Morgan Hull (6-2, 187, So.)
PUNTER
Ryan Shoemaker (6-0, 192, So.)
Clinton Durst (6-2, 184, RFr.)
Patrick Tatum (6-2, 213, So.)
DEEP SNAPPER
Robert Shiver (6-3, 220, Sr.)
Josh Harris (6-1, 222, RFr.)
Rick Cherry (6-2, 233, So.)
HOLDER
Clayton Crofoot (6-3, 175, Jr.)
John Cubelic (6-0, 201, So.)
PUNT RETURN
Robert Dunn (6-0, 178, Sr.)
Chris Slaughter (6-3, 179, So.)
KICK RETURN
Tristan Davis (5-10, 217, Sr.) &
Brad Lester (5-11, 198, Sr.)
Walter McFadden (6-0, 180, Jr.) &
James Swinton (6-0, 178, Sr.) --OR--
Ben Tate (5-11, 215, Jr.)
********OFF TOPIC STUFF********
After much trial-and-error, I have built what I consider The Best iPod Workout Mix Ever. Sharing is caring, so now I dispense to the HOTTIES.By the way, my first-generation iPod nano (pictured at left) is all I'll ever need. Still going strong. She feels like a real friend of mine. We've been so many places together ... the streets of Rancho Bernardo, Calif., to Portland, Maine. She's basically a perfect woman: Holds quite a charge after extended use, looks outstanding in red and rarely deviates from the plan.
WARNINGS: I am a child of the 80s. I love cheese. I also love Guitar Hero/Rock Band...
"No Complaints," Beck
"Why Pt. 2," Collective Soul
"Australia," The Shins
"The Science of Selling Yourself Short," Less Than Jake
"Dead On Arrival," Fall Out Boy
"No One Else," Weezer
"Closer," Lacuna Coil
"Stricken," Disturbed
"Inside The Fire," Disturbed
"Jordan," Buckethead
"Halfway Till Bliss," Atlas Plug
"Lay Down," Priestess
"Sex Type Thing," Stone Temple Pilots
"3s and 7s," Queens of The Stone Age
"Keep Away," Godsmack (Woodstock '99 version)
"Supernatural Superserious," REM
"Undercover of The Night," Rolling Stones
"I Can't Decide," Scissor Sisters
"Snow (Hey Oh)," Red Hot Chili Peppers
That's just a shade over one hour. It gets me through.
Questions? Comments? Post directly to the blog below or email me at jgtate@gannett.com.
Photo credit: Todd Van Emst/Auburn University
posted by Jay G. Tate at
2:08 PM
28 Comments:
You'll laugh and say I'm weird, but I'm looking for big things out of Mario Fannin. Maybe eventually a little gold statue of a football player in a leather helmet. I think he's that good.
I'm also looking for big things out of Raven Gray.
But I'm weird like that.
Jay G - you have officially hurt my feelings.
Anonymous - see you at Landmark
I was thinking about heading over to Landmark tonight, too. Not sure.
Mario Fannin: At least above-average if healthy.
So JayG, who do you think replaces Vickers at Safety on the depth chart? I heard T'Sharvan Bell broke an ankle this summer, so he's probably off the list of potential replacements...
Also, check my math here please... I have the following list of fellas that didn't make the grade. Everyone else should be reporting tomorrow:
Bo Harris
Onterio McCalebb
Ken Adams
Jermaine Johnson
Freddy Smooth
Brandon Smith
and possibly Reggie Hunt
--
buck
Looks correct to me.
Jay, who do you see replacing Ryan Williams(and will he play at all this year)? I also say by the end of the season Slaughter will push Swinton to a back-up role.
We'll just have to see if Ryan Williams is on the field. He's in the doghouse.
If he's not there, well, I'm not sure what they can do. Tuberville mentioned D'Antoine Hood or Harry Adams. I have to see those kids cover people first ...
Fannin is good but he's no Reggie Bush. Bush had him atheleically and he's got him with the cerebral part. Could you see Fannin dating a celebrity? No...
Also, Gabe is better than Trott. Gabe's a football player and he works like a football player. Trott is a mistake. Mark my words.
Where did I come from here? I read too much and I've seen too much praise for Trott, who looks like a slush puppy.
Let's try again. Athletically.
Thanks,
Bc
You all know where I stand with Trott. Differing opinions are always encouraged, though.
Safety shouldn't be a big deal with Thompson and/or Deron Furr as a backup. One true freshman corner will have to step up altough we have three serviceable ones and you rarely need more than that. We need to build depth at every position except for linebacker, running back and tight end, but i guess that's what practice is for.
Phred the heisman trophy is a laughable award controlled by the hype machine called ESPN. An auburn player will not win that award for a long long time.
I agree with Crudup about McKenzie.
Why is neil caudle red?
(I really hope Jay's reply doesn't include the name Barrett Trotter)
re the ipod list: while it was before your time, i used to get pumped up to thin lizzy's "cowboy song". don't know why that one in particular...war eagle, phred.
It would have to be Trotter. Caudle just would have done something by now. I think Todd is the one that may deserve the adjective "serviceable".
Burns, and I welcome the snickers, is a guy that could harness his talent and win a championship. Talking about Heisman trophies. Burns is the kind of guy they give it to if he can produce big.
This offense mixed with an OC that's really a grizzly bear as much as Muschamp ever was, is what Burns needs to make him 'college great'.
I'm new to reading this blog but I have to say, Jay you do a great job. Fred you might be the most unrealistic Auburn fan that I know. I am very confident that you never played football...at any level. To think that Fannin will ever be mentioned as a Heisman candidate is not wierd, just stupid. Even though I agree with Ron about ESPN choosing the heisman, Fannin just isn't good enough.That being said, I hope that I am very wrong.
Ron: Furr won't step on the field outside of special teams. Definately agree about McKenzie
Jay: how can you have a workout playlist without one Metallica, Ozzie, or GNR song? You don't seem too old for that, even so, any old football player has to be drawn to Enter Sandman. Maybe thats just me
What keeps Fannin from being great to me is his motor. It just doesn't run on all cylinders most of the time. He and Ben Tate, both. Lester, on the other hand, does it one way and one way only. 5th gear.
Bill: Welcome! "Out Ta Get Me" is a song that would make the second list. Appetite For Destruction is a staple. Greatest rock album of the 1980s, just not on this this particular list.
Heisman: I'm a Heisman voter and I have no relationship with ESPN. So there's one.
Then I must put a bug in your ear. No TT this year. That is, unless he wins the SEC.
Bill ... I am not quite sure how you arrived at your conclusions about me based on my opinion. However, I did notice with real interest your circular argument.
For the record, I didn't say that Fannin was a lock. I didn't even say that he was a possible candidate. I said he was a good football player, and I am definitely not alone in that opinion.
Wait and see. I promise you that you will be a HUGE Mario fan by about the UT Game.
JMO
I'm with you, Phred. Fannin has the talent. He's a smooth as a stallion when he's in the zone. Just worried about that shoulder because it's a major weapon of his. Even to his own offensive linemen.
Gotta see how that shoulder works out. I'm 100% sure it'll be sore. How sore? That's the key.
Do we know exactly what kind of surgery he had?
Re fannin's "motor": Fannin runs pretty hard from the tailback position, he just really sucks at returning kickoffs.
Surgery was to tighten the capsule in Fannin's shoulder. Jerraud Powers had a similar procedure done after the 2006 season. Powers was ready for two-a-days, but his surgery was done in January. Fannin's was in late March.
As far as Fannin goes...I ope more than anybody that I am his biggest fan by the UT game. I really like like the guy. My thing with him is I got caught up in all of the hype last year before the season about how unbelievable this guy was and looing back on it Reggie Bush would have had a hard time living up to the hype Fannin was getting. This year I am going to actually wait until he does something spectacular till I jump on the bandwagon.
I'm in a show-me mode with him as well.
Big snacks Berry...classic JGT.
Love it, man!
By the way, I guess the "medical treatment" for symptoms similar to glaucoma were too much for Josh $ollard to handle. *wink *wink
"Dead On Arrival," Fall Out Boy
Nice choice, by the way. Their early stuff is great.
Gut reaction: Fannin will live up to his earlier 'Super Mario' moniker by the UT game. With the ball thrown to him on the outside or across the middle, he's a weapon. Tate will be the bruising three yard touchdown man, Lester the swivelhip speedster after first contact and Tristan Davis will be a blinding flash of light...as long as his toe holds up. He might be out by mid-season.
Just IMHO, you understand.
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