Auburn's new defensive linemen look 'phenomenal'

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Auburn's new defensive linemen look 'phenomenal'

By Giana Han

3-4 minutes

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Jay Hardy (4) and Jeremiah Wright (76) Auburn football practice on Tuesday, Aug. 25, 2020 in Auburn, Ala. Todd Van Emst/AU Athletics Todd Van Emst/AU Athletics

When Auburn defensive coach Rodney Garner starts yelling, Big Kat Bryant makes it a point to tell the newcomers to “embrace it.”

“Everybody knows that G, he’s — he’s different,” Bryant said. “He’s coaching the player, not the person.”

Bryant makes sure to give some extra encouragement to the true freshmen because he understands what that transition to college is like. But whether the players are coming from high school or junior college, there’s a good chance they haven’t been coached the way Garner coaches — with tough love.

Besides adjusting to Garner, all players who are new to college football typically need time to get used to the speed and physicality of the game. With COVID-19 affecting spring ball, the offseason and the confidence in the upcoming season, that learning curve will look a little different. Although he knows the new players may take some more time and more reps than usual to get up to speed, Bryant is confident in his teammates.

“I mean, I ain’t gonna lie — I feel real good in all of them, honestly,” Bryant said.

Auburn’s defensive line welcomed five new faces in the class of 2020. Among them are four-star defensive ends Zykeivous Walker and Deandre Butler, four-star defensive tackle Jay Hardy, three-star defensive end Daniel Foster-Allen and three-star defensive tackle Marquis Burks.

Watching Hardy, Bryant is reminded of Derrick Brown based on his body type and size. Hardy also has a really good “motor and attitude,” so his progress is coming along well. For him, it will just take learning the system, and then everything else will follow, Bryant said.

Walker is another player Bryant expects to see contribute quickly, and he reminds Walker of that, too. He tells Walker “all the time” that he’s going to have to play. Based on coach Gus Malzahn’s approach to the season, it’s likely Walker’s name will be called.

“We always play a lot of guys anyway,” Malzahn said. “But we’ve got to be prepared at all positions to have more depth.”

Bryant also mentioned Burks, a junior college transfer, by name but said all of the new players are “phenomenal.” Linebacker K.J. Britt described the class as being good across the board. He expects everyone to play with no player being too far behind any other player.

It’s something that’s a work in progress, but Bryant sees it coming together “day by day, week by week,” which is exactly how Britt said it goes when a team is replacing two All-Americans like Derrick Brown and Marlon Davidson. Malzahn feels that they have the chance to be a “really good group” once they adjust to the speed — and to Garner.

“If he’s yelling at you, it’s for a reason,” Bryant said. “I just try to tell them, don’t get in your feelings about little things.'

[War to the Eagle 369]

I'm very curious as to how Dre' Butler will fit in.  He seems like a Marlon Davidson-type.  He's a bigger defensive end, but I'm guessing that at his current weight he'll move inside (which is good, because we lack depth there).

Any word on what's going on with Dre' so far?