Harsin gives power to the players

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Auburn Football Notebook: Harsin gives power to the players

By Nathan KingSun Aug 08 2021

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Biggest Questions Around The SEC In 2021 (Late Kick Cut)

AUBURN, Alabama — It's been a weekend for celebration for the Tigers, as families flooded campus for summer graduation ceremonies.

A handful of Auburn players had busy Friday and Saturday mornings. Names like cornerback Malcolm Askew received their graduate degrees Friday morning before rushing over to the practice field for the first session of fall camp. The next day, players like Roger McCreary, Zakoby McClain, Smoke Monday and Shedrick Jackson finished out their undergraduate careers at the commencement ceremony inside Auburn Arena. When they were finished celebrating and taking photos with family, golf carts were waiting at the arena to take them to Saturday morning practice as quickly as possible.

'PLAYER-DRIVEN' CHAMPIONSHIPS

It's not often a team has two returning team captains, let alone on the same side of the ball. It's obviously not a given that running back Shaun Shivers and quarterback Bo Nix will be voted captains again, but their experienced leadership is rare, and it's something Bryan Harsin plans to tap into over the course of the next month.

This reporter asked Shivers on Saturday about what having a pair of team captains back can mean for a team's unity and chemistry, and how much he and Nix are working together this preseason to coordinate various goals with the team.

Shivers explained that, when Harsin has brought in former Auburn players to speak to the team this offseason, those from the 2010 and 2013 championship teams preached about how the most successful teams are run by the players. Harsin said the same about the success he found at Boise State. He wants leaders like Shivers and Nix to feel empowered to put their stamp on the program from a leadership standpoint, and keep the Tigers all pulling in one direction, especially on offense.

"Coach (Harsin) talked about this team has to be player-driven," Shivers said. "They said they when they won championships it was player-driven, player-driven. So when we're out there, we take it upon ourselves to lead the team. We know what the expectations are. We know what the standard is for the team. We want to implement that each and every day."

IMPORTANT FALL FOR QB1

Now working with his third offensive coordinator in as many seasons, Nix enters an important preseason in his journey as Auburn's starting quarterback. Regardless of how he performs over the next year — or maybe the next two years — he'll finish his career as one of the program's top passers, yards- and touchdowns-wise, of all time. But efficiency and consistency have been lacking for the former five-star recruit over the past two seasons.

Nix's fellow returning team captain has seen an urgency out of his QB this offseason and in the first couple days of preseason camp.

"Bo has always been a great quarterback," Shivers said. "I can tell that he's more locked in, he's more focused. And even the people around him, Coach Harsin and Coach Bobo have coached him hard. They're on him every play, and you can just see that each and every day, he progresses. He's making this throw, he's making that throw. He's making the right read. He's just locked in to everything. He improved every year to me."

SHIVERS' SENIOR SIZE

Shivers said he'll play this season around the 190-pound range, as he looks to take full advantage of a "more downhill" Auburn running back with Bobo at the controls.

Does he still have his signature speed at that size?

"Oh yeah, yeah," he said. "That speed's not going anywhere. That's natural. That's God-given talent right there. That speed's not going nowhere."

Shivers, who has received some early NFL draft buzz this offseason and could be a mid-to-late-round pick if he closes out his Auburn career strong, sounds as if he'll be a fixture in the kick-return game yet again, even with Auburn adding Vanderbilt transfer Donovan Kaufman. In spring practices, Tank Bigsby, Shivers, McCreary and Ladarius Tennison were the top options on kick returns.

"This year, I'm expecting myself to get a lot more on kick returns," Shivers said. "I'm trying to score. Every time back, I'm trying to score. And every time I'm back, I'm trying to create a big play, put the offense in good field position. I feel like once I get it and I go, I know no one can catch me."

D-LINEMEN WHO COULD STEP UP

Colby Wooden was asked who from the defensive line might be in line for increased production in 2021.

"Yeah, Zykeivous Walker and Dre Butler," Wooden said. "Those two really took a step forward, and I feel like it will be a breakout year. They're going to have a great year this year."

Wooden also had plenty of praise for UAB defensive tackle transfer Tony Fair, whom Wooden said he "loves" playing alongside because "he's guaranteed to take up two (offensive linemen)." With Tyrone Truesdell's status uncertain along the interior defensive front, Auburn could need names like Fair, Marquis Burks, Walker, Butler and others to prepare for increased roles.

ALL'S FAIR AT DEFENSIVE TACKLE

After Wooden's comments, this reporter poked around a bit more for some insight on Fair and what he could mean for this defensive front in 2021.

"He's exactly that plugger you want," one source said. "He'll absorb guys and also get into the backfield. He's going to get guys out of the way and then get his teammates set up, too."

At 6-foot-1 and 330 pounds, Fair still wants to improve his athleticism over the course of the season in Auburn's conditioning program. But the early returns on a possible starter for the Tigers now that Truesdell could be out have been strong.

FINALLY TIME FOR MOULTRY?

T.D. Moultry is a preseason hype magnet, having received plenty of it over the past few seasons. The former four-star out of Birmingham has just two sacks over the past two seasons, though, after a strong start to his career as an underclassman.

Will the fifth-year senior put everything together in 2021 for a successful send-off campaign? Wooden said Moultry could be one of Auburn's biggest beneficiaries from new defensive coordinator Derek Mason's scheme as a 3-4 edge rusher.

"I feel like for him, he's finally put in a position that showcases what he can do best," Wooden said. "And he's just going to kill it this year. I'm excited to play alongside him and watch what he does."

A FOCUSED STAR ON OFFENSE

Bigsby has been named to almost every awards list a returning offensive player can be named to this offseason, along with a first team preseason All-SEC nod and multiple preseason All-American recognitions.

The sophomore running back is no stranger to the bright lights, however, and has taught himself how to tune out the noise and focus on his game.

"To be honest with you, I really don’t pay attention to it and all that social media stuff and all that talk and stuff like that," Bigsby said. "I never really paid attention to it growing up, even when it was all that (recruiting rankings) and all that stuff. Uncalled for, if you ask me. It’s good to be on lists and stuff and it’s a blessing, but I feel like you hype yourself up when you get on the field — and if you love doing it, you’re gonna do what you’re gonna do."

YOUNG DEPTH AT RB

All of the players previously expected to be on Auburn's depth chart at running back were on campus this weekend. Former four-star prospect Devan Barrett, who announced his transfer to Troy this weekend, graduated from AU on Saturday, while the Tigers' two newcomers at the position practiced across the street.

Jarquez Hunter and Jordon Ingram round out the running backs room behind Bigsby and Shivers this season. Presenting complementing skill sets — Hunter a strong, straight-ahead runner, while Ingram is smooth with the ball in his hands and can be an effective receiver, too — the young pair practiced with Auburn for the first time over the past couple days.

Shivers has enjoyed what he's seen from both thus far. On Ingram, a transfer from Central Michigan: "I was just saying earlier today when we watched film from practice, I said he reminds me of Kerryon (Johnson), just with how patient he is and how he can hit it. He's real patient and then once he sees it, he hits it."

On Hunter, a three-star true freshman from Mississippi: "Strong, physical and downhill. Jarquez, he's real strong. He's physical. I watched a lot of film of him today, too. He hit the hole. He's explosive. That's a downhill runner right there."

BUZZ WORD: DOWNHILL

Bigsby and Shivers both on Saturday expressed multiple times that the Tigers' new running game will feature more of an emphasis on downhill carries between the hashes.

"It's just going to be really my best year of football I believe because I like the new offense that we have," Shivers said. "It's more downhill. That's what style of runner I am: downhill."

Shivers on Bigsby, whose 834 rushing yards last season were the second-most by an Auburn freshman in team history (Michael Dyer): "He's looking way better than he looked last year. I think this offense is really good for him, too, because now we'll be getting him downhill. He's one cut and go. That's the type of player that he is: a real explosive player. You know when you put the ball in his hands you can expect a big play every time."

MORE NIL COMING FOR BIGSBY

Nix has been Auburn's most popular NIL athlete to this point, but Bigsby has some more deals in the works, he said, including merchandise sporting his personal logo that he shared last month. But that takes a backseat to football, obviously.

"I really haven’t really been focusing on that right now," Bigsby said. "I’ll do it when I have some time."

EMPTYING THE NOTEBOOK

• Freshman wide receiver Tar'Varish Dawson is a name that's come up when talking about newcomers who impressed this weekend.

13COMMENTS

• Offensive line coach Will Friend will do plenty of mixing and matching this preseason, so nothing is set in stone, but true freshman Garner Langlo is currently repping at tackle after playing guard as an early enrollee in the spring.

• With the way offensive line recruiting has gone recently for Auburn, the Tigers' two freshman in the room will need to develop well. Said senior center Nick Brahms of freshman tackle Colby Smith: “He’s big. He’s long. He’s going to play tackle, I think. He’s got good feet. He’s able to process information and has gotten a good understanding of the offense so far. He’s looking forward to building off that.”

• Staying with the O-line, former JUCO product Kilian Zierer, who has been working back from a torn ACL for the past two years, has looked strong at left tackle through the first couple days. Brahms on Zierer: “I think he’s bigger now and he’s maintained that quickness he had when he was lighter. The knee injury kind of slowed him down a little bit. This spring and summer being full speed and doing everything, he’s gotten that step back. He’s got a chance to play.