aubiefifty 18,398 Posted January 5, 2018 Share Posted January 5, 2018 oanow.com T.D. Moultry could be ready to follow in Jeff Holland’s footsteps at defensive end | Football Josh Vitale | AU Writer Follow on Twitter Like on Facebook 8-10 minutes Auburn buck T.D. Moultry plays on defense in the second half against Arkansas on Saturday, Oct. 21, 2017 in Fayetteville, Ark. Todd Van Emst/AU Athletics During his first two seasons at Auburn, Jeff Holland waited behind Carl Lawson, absorbing everything he could and waiting for his time to take over the buck defensive end role on the Tigers’ defense. T.D. Moultry did the same thing behind Holland this season, watching the breakout star total 45 tackles, 13 tackles for loss, 10 sacks and four forced fumbles in his first year as the starter. And now that Holland has decided to forgo his final year of eligibility and enter the 2018 NFL Draft, Moultry has the chance to follow in his footsteps next season. Just ask the guy he played behind this year. “He’s a freak. So coming up next year, he’s going to keep working hard and he’ll do the same thing I did,” Holland said after Monday’s Peach Bowl, two days before announcing he would enter the draft. “His future is very, very bright.” Moultry finished his true freshman season at Auburn with 15 tackles, 2 ½ tackles for loss, 1 ½ sacks and a pair of quarterback hurries over 13 games, and he did it playing a position that he didn’t expect to play coming in. When the Birmingham product signed with Auburn as a four-star recruit out of Jackson-Olin High this past February, he did so ranked as the No. 3 inside linebacker in the Class of 2017. But as soon as he arrived on campus, defensive line coach Rodney Garner saw pass-rush potential in the 6-foot-2, 240-pound rookie. Before long, he was pestering linebackers coach Travis Williams to let Moultry take some reps at buck. “He’s build like a Greek god,” Garner said this past fall. “He’s explosive, he’s quick, he’s powerful. So I think he has a tremendous skill set. But like I said, I think we need to do more fundamental work to help him with his pass rush. He has natural pass rush ability, so now let’s get everything fine-tuned and get him shined up.” Garner eventually got his wish. When Auburn released its first depth chart prior to its Sept. 2 opener against Georgia Southern, Moultry was listed as Holland’s backup. “I hadn’t envisioned it, but they always told me,” he said Monday. “I didn’t know how true it was until they put me there.” A nagging injury slowed him some early in the season, said defensive coordinator Kevin Steele, who added that he called the true freshman “field goal” until he had a full sack on his stat line. But Moultry came on late in the season, recording the first half sack of his career at Arkansas on Oct. 21 and getting his first full one at Texas A&M two weeks later. “We started feeding him a little bit more at buck and by the end of the year, and he was a very, very effective pass rusher for us,” Steele said last month. “But he had started to play the run technique at another level. He's young, still got a ways to go. But he's got a high motor, tremendous athleticism. Tough guy, and he loves ball. So we've got a good start.” Moultry thinks his background as a standup linebacker helped. “The best thing I love, coming from linebacker, is the physicality I have, so I try to bring that down to the buck,” he said. “I won’t be upset from the pass. But the run, if you running on my side, I’ll be really upset, because I make sure I stop the edge.” That could help him ascend to a starting role as a sophomore in 2018, something Holland did as a junior this past season. The fact that Auburn is returning its three other starters in defensive end Marlon Davidson and defensive tackles Dontavius Russell and Derrick Brown should help the rising sophomore along. Of course, Moultry will have some competition for the role. Returning contributors Nick Coe and Big Kat Bryant showed the ability to provide pass-rush from multiple spots this season, and the Tigers have already added a few newcomers to the defensive line in recruiting. But with a season now under his belt, Moultry might be willing to bet on himself. “I think I grew a lot of confidence,” Moultry said. “I always told myself, nobody can beat you but you.” Josh Vitale is the Auburn beat writer for the Opelika-Auburn News. You can follow him on Twitter at @AUBlog. To reach him by email, click here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Auburn buck T.D. Moultry plays on defense in the second half against Arkansas on Saturday, Oct. 21, 2017 in Fayetteville, Ark. Todd Van Emst/AU Athletics During his first two seasons at Auburn, Jeff Holland waited behind Carl Lawson, absorbing everything he could and waiting for his time to take over the buck defensive end role on the Tigers’ defense. T.D. Moultry did the same thing behind Holland this season, watching the breakout star total 45 tackles, 13 tackles for loss, 10 sacks and four forced fumbles in his first year as the starter. And now that Holland has decided to forgo his final year of eligibility and enter the 2018 NFL Draft, Moultry has the chance to follow in his footsteps next season. Just ask the guy he played behind this year. “He’s a freak. So coming up next year, he’s going to keep working hard and he’ll do the same thing I did,” Holland said after Monday’s Peach Bowl, two days before announcing he would enter the draft. “His future is very, very bright.” Moultry finished his true freshman season at Auburn with 15 tackles, 2 ½ tackles for loss, 1 ½ sacks and a pair of quarterback hurries over 13 games, and he did it playing a position that he didn’t expect to play coming in. When the Birmingham product signed with Auburn as a four-star recruit out of Jackson-Olin High this past February, he did so ranked as the No. 3 inside linebacker in the Class of 2017. But as soon as he arrived on campus, defensive line coach Rodney Garner saw pass-rush potential in the 6-foot-2, 240-pound rookie. Before long, he was pestering linebackers coach Travis Williams to let Moultry take some reps at buck. “He’s build like a Greek god,” Garner said this past fall. “He’s explosive, he’s quick, he’s powerful. So I think he has a tremendous skill set. But like I said, I think we need to do more fundamental work to help him with his pass rush. He has natural pass rush ability, so now let’s get everything fine-tuned and get him shined up.” Garner eventually got his wish. When Auburn released its first depth chart prior to its Sept. 2 opener against Georgia Southern, Moultry was listed as Holland’s backup. “I hadn’t envisioned it, but they always told me,” he said Monday. “I didn’t know how true it was until they put me there.” A nagging injury slowed him some early in the season, said defensive coordinator Kevin Steele, who added that he called the true freshman “field goal” until he had a full sack on his stat line. But Moultry came on late in the season, recording the first half sack of his career at Arkansas on Oct. 21 and getting his first full one at Texas A&M two weeks later. “We started feeding him a little bit more at buck and by the end of the year, and he was a very, very effective pass rusher for us,” Steele said last month. “But he had started to play the run technique at another level. He's young, still got a ways to go. But he's got a high motor, tremendous athleticism. Tough guy, and he loves ball. So we've got a good start.” Moultry thinks his background as a standup linebacker helped. “The best thing I love, coming from linebacker, is the physicality I have, so I try to bring that down to the buck,” he said. “I won’t be upset from the pass. But the run, if you running on my side, I’ll be really upset, because I make sure I stop the edge.” That could help him ascend to a starting role as a sophomore in 2018, something Holland did as a junior this past season. The fact that Auburn is returning its three other starters in defensive end Marlon Davidson and defensive tackles Dontavius Russell and Derrick Brown should help the rising sophomore along. Of course, Moultry will have some competition for the role. Returning contributors Nick Coe and Big Kat Bryant showed the ability to provide pass-rush from multiple spots this season, and the Tigers have already added a few newcomers to the defensive line in recruiting. But with a season now under his belt, Moultry might be willing to bet on himself. “I think I grew a lot of confidence,” Moultry said. “I always told myself, nobody can beat you but you.” Josh Vitale is the Auburn beat writer for the Opelika-Auburn News. You can follow him on Twitter at @AUBlog. To reach him by email, click here.
AUbehemoth 30 Posted January 6, 2018 Share Posted January 6, 2018 Am I the only one that hates Moultry isn't going to be at LB?! I mean let Big Cat get the buck work and keep TD at LB. That would be a monster front! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
autan 813 Posted January 6, 2018 Share Posted January 6, 2018 Moultry is a Buck for sure. Many of us saw that during recruiting. I think he is further along than Holland at this point. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AUbehemoth 30 Posted January 6, 2018 Share Posted January 6, 2018 Not saying he wouldn't be a good buck. But he's a heat seeking missile at LB! He was rated the number 3 inside linebacker. I just don't think he's that big of an upgrade over big cat Bryant at the buck. Id like to see them both on the field at the same time Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alexava 6,976 Posted January 6, 2018 Share Posted January 6, 2018 I didn’t expect Holland to be as good as he is. Maybe Moultry will keep the buck moving. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rtftiger 40 Posted January 7, 2018 Share Posted January 7, 2018 13 hours ago, alexava said: I didn’t expect Holland to be as good as he is. Maybe Moultry will keep the buck moving. This is called player development. I know that it seems foreign because we don't get many glimpses of it on the other side of the ball. However, when Holland played early, he was wild, undisciplined, and occasionally a liability. In a very short time, he was shaped into a pass rushing machine that played the run game well. That's coaching. That's player development. If Moultry develops in that same way, we will have a shot at another dominant front four. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steeleagle 2,945 Posted January 7, 2018 Share Posted January 7, 2018 I kinda of agree of TD at LB. One thing we did not have with Davis was speed. We had power...but not enough speed. Tre's replacement would fit TD perfect. Power, speed...And let Davis call the plays... ofc you can never have enough Speed rushers...and they need to be subbed. but to have Coe and Big Cat split time is a waste of talent to me. But what do iknow... I am just a fan... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AUld fAUx@ 2,584 Posted January 7, 2018 Share Posted January 7, 2018 18 hours ago, alexava said: I didn’t expect Holland to be as good as he is. Maybe Moultry will keep the buck moving. but, where does it stop? [apologies, couldn't help myself] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alexava 6,976 Posted January 8, 2018 Share Posted January 8, 2018 6 hours ago, AUld fAUx@ said: but, where does it stop? [apologies, couldn't help myself] I should have added “ pun intended “. ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Linayus 676 Posted January 8, 2018 Share Posted January 8, 2018 On 1/6/2018 at 5:11 PM, alexava said: I didn’t expect Holland to be as good as he is. Maybe Moultry will keep the buck moving. I'm in the same boat. I knew Holland had talent and potential but I definitely didn't see him performing this well. I am still upset he's not returning. If we had him and Big Cat at Buck, TD could replace Tre' and the defense would be balling hard again. Who knows, we could be surprised again with the development along the line and whomever steps up at LB. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JDUBB4AU 5,366 Posted January 8, 2018 Share Posted January 8, 2018 Saw flashes of this kid being a beast . He needs a great offseason to continue. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
McLoofus 35,182 Posted January 9, 2018 Share Posted January 9, 2018 3 hours ago, Linayus said: I'm in the same boat. I knew Holland had talent and potential but I definitely didn't see him performing this well. I am still upset he's not returning. If we had him and Big Cat at Buck, TD could replace Tre' and the defense would be balling hard again. Who knows, we could be surprised again with the development along the line and whomever steps up at LB. I saw it coming from Holland, but I don't see it coming from Moultry... yet. I see the physicality, but Holland needed a couple years to hone his craft and I think Moultry will, too. But you have to love the potential, especially with the help he'll get from the other front 3. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
milehighfan 1,255 Posted January 9, 2018 Share Posted January 9, 2018 On 1/7/2018 at 7:44 AM, steeleagle said: I kinda of agree of TD at LB. One thing we did not have with Davis was speed. We had power...but not enough speed. Tre's replacement would fit TD perfect. Power, speed...And let Davis call the plays... ofc you can never have enough Speed rushers...and they need to be subbed. but to have Coe and Big Cat split time is a waste of talent to me. But what do iknow... I am just a fan... Speaking of speed I remember a quote from coach bryant, "Isn't it funny how luck always seems to follow speed." You can never have enough speed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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