special teams battles continue

[aubiefifty 18,231]

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Auburn special teams battles continue

By Giana Han

4 minutes

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Nine days before Auburn’s first game of the 2020 season, the team has its deep snapper set but still hasn’t worked out who will be the holder or the punter will be.

Anders Carlson, Auburn’s returning kicker, said junior Bill Taylor has the snapping job locked down. Taylor didn’t finish out as the starter last season, but he was dealing with an injury. Now, he’s back and healthy and has reclaimed his position.

“Bill Taylor is my go-to guy,” Carlson said.

However, the other position battles are still going strong, Carlson said.

At holder, there are three main players competing for the job that former Auburn punter Arryn Siposs left behind. Sophomore wide receiver Jackson McFadden, transfer quarterback Grant Loy and backup kicker Ben Patton have been rotating at the position. They’re all doing well, and no decision has been made yet, Carlson said.

“We’re working all three and giving them a shot to see what’s best for the team,” Carlson said.

The fight for the starting job at punter has narrowed down to two players — Aidan Marshall and Oscar Chapman. Watching them, Carlson has seen them both looking good while showing off that they each have different strengths.

“One is more traditional and one has a little more variety in his background,” Carlson said without identifying who was who. “I think that’s an advantage for Auburn, especially if we’re creative.”

Both players just joined the team, although Carlson has a longer acquaintance with Marshall. A junior at Auburn, Marshall came in with Carlson as a freshman. After losing the starting job to Siposs, he left the team. With Siposs' early departure for the NFL Draft, the punting position was once again open, and Marshall decided to return.

“It took about a week, and then he was back like he never left,” Carlson said. “He’s fit right in. He understood the system, and it’s his job to win.”

Meanwhile, Carlson has been impressed with how well Chapman has adapted to his new team. Like Siposs, Chapman came to Auburn after training with Prokick Australia. He arrived in the US right at the beginning of fall camp and had to quarantine upon arrival.

“I know it must be hard, coming to the USA during all this time and then joining Zoom class instead of going to class,” Carlson said. “But I’ve heard no complaints from him.”

Watching the two battle it out has been exciting, Carlson said. Although just one will be named the starter, Carlson said both should have the chance to contribute. No one knows how the season will pan out, so the team needs to be flexible, as coach Gus Malzahn has preached many times. Overall, there’s about nine or 10 specialists, Carlson said, so they all work to help each other get better. The punting competition is just another way to do that.a

“I don’t know what’s going to happen in the season, but I think both of the guys are doing great and it provides a big advantage for us having both of those guys,” Carlson said.

Malzahn said Saturday that they’re also still working out who will be the kick returner, naming Shaun Shivers, Eli Stove and Mark-Antony as possibilities. The Tigers have just over a week until they face Kentucky on September 26 for their home opener.

[toddc 13,197]

I would love to se Mark-Antony-Richards running back kick returns!

[AuburnNTexas 7,317]

Shivers, Stove, and Richards are all three players I would be happy with. Shivers low to ground hard to see strong catches a seam and goes to the house. Richards shifty and powerful, can make make 1st tackler miss or break tackle. Stove good size and speed with sure hands each has strengths the coached get to see them in Practice but I can see it being a tough choice. The good news if all are really good choices.

I predict Chapman will win out but might see both in Kentucky game to see how they work under pressure.