A-Day Basics

Hey everyone. Here are some numbers from A-Day, which you may or may not find significant.

PASSING
N. Caudle was 11-of-16 for 161 yards and 2 TDs.
K. Burns was 3-of-8 for 48 yards.

RUSHING
O. McCalebb had 2 carries for 75 yards, 1 TD
B. Tate had 4 carries for 72 yards

RECEIVING
D. Adams caught four balls for 103 yards, 1 TD
M. Fannin caught four balls for 71 yards

MVPs
Wes Byrum (special teams) ... hit a 46-yard FG
Michael Goggans (defense) ... two tackles, one sack
Ben Tate (offense) ... see above

RECRUITING FALLOUT
Our friends at AuburnSports.com and AuburnUndercover.com are reporting that Mississippi OL Shon Coleman has committed to the Tigers. He is the fourth player to make that leap. Coleman is 6-foot-7 and weighs 275 pounds. Players in the 2010 class aren't yet rated by the recruiting services, but I expect him to emerge as a three-star guy.



Photo credit: Todd Van Emst/Auburn University

It's A-Day ... today.

Hey everyone. Auburn holds its 14th spring practice annual A-Day Game today at 1 p.m.

I'm sure many of the HOTTIES will be in attendance. I will not ... for reasons we've already discussed for too often. My man Bag Moon will be there to chronicle the day's events for you all ... in the newspaper.

I'll see if I can get him to post on the blog as well.

For those of you who will be there, definitely post your observations in the comments section. I'd love to keep up with the game here.

Photo credit: Todd Van Emst/Auburn University

Looking ahead to A-Day, Part II

Hey everyone. I'm in suburban Louisville, Ky., for a family event that was non-negotiable. You know that. You also know I won't be attending A-Day for the same reason. So it goes.

Our man Josh "Bag" Moon will be on the scene and will provide blanket coverage of this fine event.

Before we get started, here are the facts about A-Day.

Time: 1 p.m.
Place: You Know Where
Tickets: $5. Bring cash or checks if you plan to buy at the gate. Credit not accepted.
Television: Live on CSS. It'll re-air on Sunday and Tuesday, 6 p.m.
Radio: WKKR (97.7 FM) in Auburn
Other stuff: Autograph session with The Head Coach, The Assistant Coaches and players will be held after the event.

Now we may get to business. What other items of relevance are worth watching tomorrow? Here are a few non-player issues I find intriguing:

• Line of scrimmage: We've heard plenty this spring about how the defensive front has overpowered the offensive front once stunts and blitzes are in play. How big is that advantage? Auburn's offensive line will be in the spotlight today.
  
  
• The feel of Malzahn's attack: The Tigers' new offensive coordinator has gone to great lengths to differentiate his attack from what Tony Frankin attempted to run in 2008. How big is the difference? Look for more play-action runs. As for the passing, expect more deep throws. What to expect beyond that? I have no idea.
  
  
• Coaches' behavior: Gene Chizik said all nine assistants will spend their afternoon on the sideline. It'll be interesting (to me, at least) to see how some of these guys interact with players in real-time situations. If I had to choose, I'd keep my binoculars focused on Trooper Taylor and Jay Boulware. They seem most likely to become entertainingly animated.
  
  
• The crowd: Big? Average? Are Auburn fans really geeked about things overall?
  
  
• Other things: After watching Auburn operate under Tommy Tuberville's tutelage for 10 seasons, what looks different? Do players appear to hustle on and off the field more often? Do the huddles look different? Is Meerkat Manor officially over? Do the offensive tackles use two- or three-point stances more often? How does the team operate as a unit?
  
  

Photo credit: Todd Van Emst/Auburn University

Looking ahead to A-Day, Part I

Hey everyone. So we're coming up on the most anticipated Auburn A-Day in a decade. There will be plenty of side stories worthy of regard as things unfold Saturday.

You wanna know which player-related tangents I find most appealing? Sure you do.

• Quarterbacks: That's the story at this point. To put an even tighter focus on it, I want to know if Neil Caudle is as bad as Tony Franklin reported. I sense that his skill set -- specifically his cleaner throwing mechanics -- eventually may lead him to the starting lineup.
  
  
• Onterio McCalebb: As I said on the Gridiron Breakdown earlier this week, McCalebb has a singularity of purpose I haven't seen at Auburn since Rudi Johnson. Can McCalebb provide the same kind of boost Johnson made during the 2000 season? Probably not, but we'll be able to see Saturday if McCalebb is capable of immediate contribution.
  
  
• Mike Slade: Can he play? He looked pretty good the one time I noticed him playing in 2008 ... at Ole Miss.
  
  
• Justin Albert: You looking for a sleeper in your Auburn Fantasy Football draft? His walk-on status will keep the bidding low, but it's clear offensive coordinator Gus Malzahn believes in Albert. The former Prattville tailback will have a (previously unforseen) chance to make a mark in 2009 ... provided that trust remains steadfast through the summer. Why is Malzahn smitten? Saturday could provide some answers.
  
  
• Defensive front freelancing: DT Mike Blanc indicated last week that assistant coach Tracy Rocker wants his players "doing what they do best." Blanc, a noted "bull" rusher, said he's been given the green light to use that technique as needed. Will Rocker's relaxed approach to conformity of technique result in better production?

Photo credit: Todd Van Emst/Auburn University

Video report, 4/14

Hey everyone. I have disabled auto-play for this fine video.

If you missed it, you should feel shame. You may click below to make restitution.

• 4/13 Pre-practice chatter

AFTERNOON NOTE: I will be out of pocket this afternoon. Please have fun in my absence.

It's down to two

Gene Chizik says it's down to Kodi Burns and Neil Caudle at quarterback.

He cautioned that Barrett Trotter isn't off the map. Still, there are your two finalists.

Chizik on the quarterback situation: "What we decided, we’re getting to the point now where we’re coming down to the end of spring practice and you’ve got to try to decide where you’re going to put your reps. Neil and Kodi took a lot of the reps tonight, not that Barrett didn’t. It’s not over at all. Again, as you come down this path at the end you’ve just got to decide – it’s hard to evenly divide up reps between three people. That being said, we just decided to give a few more reps to Neil and Kodi. Really, that’s the extent of it."

Chizik on Montez Billings' situation: "Montez right now, we’re trying to clear up an academic situation. We’re still working on that as we go."

Early Tuesday report

Hey everyone. Pre-practice interviews have concluded, so please allow me to pass along the information I have gleaned.

It wasn't exactly a smorgasbord of profundity.

• S Mike Slade now is running with the first- and second-team defense with Mike McNeil out until the summer. Slade said everyone expects McNeil to be ready by two-a-days. (He suffered a compound fracture of his right fibula last weekend.)
  
  
• Slade said McNeil has been in "good spirits" since the injury. Slade and several teammates have visited McNeil at East Alabama Regional Medical Center.
  
  
• QBs Kodi Burns and Neil Caudle offered no new insights about the brewing depth-chart situation. Offensive coordinator Gus Malzahn said he's prepared to cut the list of prime quarterback candidates to two. When will he do that? Nobody knows. It could be today. Maybe we'll learn tonight. Or maybe not.
  
  
• OL Ryan Pugh said he's working exclusively at center this spring. He no longer is shuttling between center and tackle. He said that's a relief. I think it's a relief to Auburn fans as well. One thing to watch: Pugh's official understudy is walk-on Andrew Parmer.
  
  
• __ Mario Fannin, asked directly which position he plays, couldn't generate a solid answer Tuesday. He finally settled on "H back," but acknowledged that it doesn't mean anything. Fannin spends most of his time at inside receiver, but lately has been moonlighting at tailback.
  

Photo credit: Todd Van Emst/Auburn University

Schedule update

Hey everyone. Glad to see the cable vs. DirecTV vs. Dish Network debate raging. I have strong opinions. You know them.

TODAY: Players will be available around 4 p.m. I'm aiming to get a Players Report (I guess you'd call it that) around 5:30 p.m. Maybe a video after that. Practice commences at 7 p.m. I'll be around for that, too.

In other words, I'll probably be updating into the wee hours. If you don't stay up late, just come check us out in the morning.

Only six days until 4/20 ...

Football chatter, 4/13

Photo credit: Todd Van Emst/Auburn University

Hey everyone. In lieu of any substantive news to report today, how about we examine a few things that have caught my eye during the past few weeks?

I discussed a few of these things on the radio today. So what?

• I get a lot of questions about the wideouts. I often give different answers because, well, it's a complicated situation right now.
  
  Montez Billings hasn't been practice as best I can tell. We haven't received any answers about why he's not practicing. Tim Hawthorne is a solid contributor. I sense that Quindarius Carr can be a solid contributor. PPL? Can't tell yet. Terrell Zachery appears to have some star power, but I'm still waiting to see potential meet performance.
  
  One thing is for sure: DeAngelo Benton and Emory Blake will have a chance to play immediately.
  
  
• Depth along the offensive line is laughably barren. Auburn has almost no safety net in place. With Kyle Coulahan now off the team, the Tigers have seven healthy scholarship linemen. When Bart Eddins returns from his injury, that makes eight. Freshmen Andre Harris and John Sullen arrive this summer, but you know how that goes. Plus, Sullen is a long-shot prospect from the start.
  
  
• Eltoro Freeman has a real chance to get everything you wanted Tray Blackmon to be. Freeman has all the speed, bloodthirst of the LBOH ... but adds an awareness that was missing from the Tigers' last Impossibly Hyped Linebacker. I like him.
  
  
• Mike McNeil sounds like he may be out for a while with the leg injury he suffered last weekend. If that's true, remember that broken bones can heal firmly within six months.
  
  Also, Christian Thompson is one heck of an understudy. He has some star potential.
  
  
• I couldn't make a list without mentioning the weird, unnecessary decision to close practices and scrimmages to the media. Gene Chizik said he didn't want distractions. I guess Tigerettes and hordes of high-school coaches never cause distractions.
  
  Judging from the message-board gossip posted by one of those high-school coaches last week (re: the imagined "fight" between Coleman and Rocker), Chizik may want to reconsider his reasoning.
  

Radio Appearance Forthcoming

Hey everyone. I will be a guest host on today's production of the MAX Roundtable on WMSP-AM 740 here in Montgomery. That program runs from noon to 2 p.m. CDT today.

Of course, it's streamed on the Interwebs.

It'll be me, Josh Moon and Kelvin Datcher.

Sunday chatter

Hey everyone. Sorry again for p00ping out on you yesterday. I'm not one for missing work, believe me, but there was no avoiding Saturday's mess. That's just how it goes sometimes.

The good news: I feel great now. So let's try to get caught up.

The team's second scrimmage, held Saturday morning, appeared to be more defense-oriented this time. Quarterback Kodi Burns engineered a first-drive touchdown, but offensive highlights seemed sporadic after that.

The basic themes gleaned from people who watched the action and a few fellow beat hacks, who were gracious enough to share some insights.

• S Mike McNeil went down with an injury to his right shin. It is said that the injury included a fracture. The new coaching staff is much more guarded when it comes to discussing injury information.
  
  
• TB Onterio McCalebb broke away for a long touchdown run and impressed with above-average speed/acceleration in all directions.
  
  
• The front seven defenders were allowed to run some stunts/twists that caused a lot of blocking problems. This is how things go during the spring -- particularly when you're infusing new starters (Big Snacks Berry and Andrew McCain) into the fray.
  
  
• Offensive coordinator Gus Malzahn said he's ready to whittle The Quarterback Race down to two contestants. "That'll be our goal for this last week," he said.
  
  Chris Todd, we hardly knew ye.

Photo credit: Todd Van Emst/Auburn University