wednesday practice

[aubiefifty 18,231]

Auburn practice observations from Day 5 of fall camp

By Tom Green | tgreen@al.com

5-7 minutes

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Tashawn Manning (56) in practice Tuesday. Auburn football practice on Tuesday, Aug. 10, 2021 in Auburn, Ala. Todd Van Emst/AU Athletics Todd Van Emst/AU Athletics

Auburn was back at it Wednesday morning for the fifth day of fall camp and the team’s final practice in shells before getting into full pads Thursday.

After rain forced the team to the indoor practice facility toward the end of Tuesday’s practice, the Tigers worked mostly indoors again Wednesday -- despite the beautiful weather -- in order to give the outdoor practice field some recovery from the rain. Still, certain position groups spent time on the outdoor field, though most of the team’s work was done indoors. The media was once again granted a brief viewing window during practice for about 20 minutes. Here are AL.com’s notes and observations from that session:

-- The picture on Auburn’s offensive line might be getting clearer. While the Tigers continue to cross-train the offensive linemen, shuffling them around at various positions along the line, Wednesday’s viewing window provided another look at the pecking order up front as offensive line coach Will Friend spent a substantial portion of the viewing window working on zone-blocking drills with his players.

On the right side, Brandon Council got the first-team reps at right guard while Brodarious Hamm was beside him at right tackle. That came a day after the two swapped positions as part of that cross-training plan. Kameron Stutts got the second-team reps at right guard, while Brenden Coffey was at right tackle. On the left side, Alec Jackson got the reps at left tackle, with Tashawn Manning at left guard with the first group, while Kilian Zierer was at left tackle with the second group along with Tate Johnson at left guard. Centers Nick Brahms and Jalil Irvin rotated as the “defenders” on the left side during those drills, but the pecking order at center remains clear.

While Jackson was first up at left tackle during the viewing window, Austin Troxell has been a pretty consistent presence with the first-team line during the limited viewing windows thus far this fall. While there hasn’t been anything official in terms of a depth chart, it certainly seems like Troxell has the advantage on the left side one week into practices.

-- With where the media viewing area was positioned, we got another extended look at Auburn’s quarterbacks. Bo Nix has remained as QB1 in all drills, while LSU transfer T.J. Finley has been the second man in the rotation during each of the last two viewing periods -- and since Auburn combined its veterans and newcomers into practices together. The two have both looked impressive from a mechanics and accuracy standpoint, with Finley throwing some particularly nice-looking passes -- including a handful of them Wednesday to Malcolm Johnson Jr., with the big highlight a deep ball down the middle of the field during a route-tree passing drill toward the end of the viewing window.

-- Staying with the quarterbacks, they opened the viewing window working with offensive coordinator Mike Bobo on footwork drills that included stepping up and throwing on the run while working on accuracy in those situations. The group then shifted to more accuracy drills, with the quarterbacks taking turns throwing to various spots on the field, where the rest of the position group provided stationary targets across the field.

After that, they shifted to drills with the wide receivers in the red zone. They put the ball down at the 10-yard line and took shotgun snaps, taking turns throwing passes to the end zone while receivers ran corner routes. They then moved the ball to the 5-yard line and worked on fades to the end zone. That was followed by the route-tree drills, with receivers and tight ends running various routes to different areas of the field -- crosses, drags, double-moves down the middle, etc. Both Nix and Finley looked solid during these drills, though they were without pressure or coverage.

-- Grant Loy again was the third quarterback in the rotation, with true freshman Dematrius Davis behind him.

-- Bryan Harsin continues to float from position group to position group during practices. On Wednesday, we got to see him spend time with the defensive backs, working with them on change of direction and throwing passes to them during position drills. That came a day after he was seen spending a lot of time working with Auburn’s wide receivers.

-- Georgia transfer Demetris Robertson went through an acclimation day Tuesday, on his first day of practice, but was full-go with the rest of Auburn’s receivers Wednesday.

-- Some long snapper/special teams notes: At the end of the viewing window, Oscar Chapman was on the outdoor field working on punting. Jacob Quattlebaum was providing the snaps, while Kyle Vaccarella and Reed Hughes also got some work in. Who will serve as Auburn’s long snapper now that Bill Taylor is gone remains to be seen, but Quattlebaum -- the veteran of the group -- may be the early favorite, while Chapman appears to be in line to handle starting punter duties.

Tom Green is an Auburn beat reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter @Tomas_Verde.

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[tsande07 271]

What happened to Keondre Jones? Is he injured?

[Sani-Freeze 552]

1 hour ago, aubiefifty said:

taking turns throwing passes to the end zone while receivers ran corner routes.

Wait, you mean this is legal? 

[toddc 13,197]

3 minutes ago, Sani-Freeze said:

Wait, you mean this is legal? 

New regime, new rules.

[Sani-Freeze 552]

1 minute ago, toddc said:

New regime, new rules.

Maybe my biggest frustration (out of many) with Gus was his refusal to throw a ball FORWARD into the end zone. Once we crossed inside the 20, it was all runs, sweeps, reverses and screens. I think a lot of it didn't work in the red zone just simply due to having 11 defenders so close to the line. 

[steeleagle 2,945]

12 minutes ago, Sani-Freeze said:

Maybe my biggest frustration (out of many) with Gus was his refusal to throw a ball FORWARD into the end zone. Once we crossed inside the 20, it was all runs, sweeps, reverses and screens. I think a lot of it didn't work in the red zone just simply due to having 11 defenders so close to the line. 

I just can't believe I saw the word 'route-tree' drill TWICE in one report from an Auburn practice !!

 

[AuburnNTexas 7,317]

1 hour ago, tsande07 said:

What happened to Keondre Jones? Is he injured?

Same question as he looked good last year.

[AUcivE09 582]

Have they practiced going fast yet? Gotta make sure the hurry up dive play works.

[boisnumber1 2,916]

58 minutes ago, steeleagle said:

I just can't believe I saw the word 'route-tree' drill TWICE in one report from an Auburn practice !!

 

Without the word "no" in front of it, no less.

[bigbird 60,939]

1 hour ago, steeleagle said:

I just can't believe I saw the word 'route-tree' drill TWICE in one report from an Auburn practice !!

 

Neither could the receivers

[Randman5000 4,271]

5 hours ago, Sani-Freeze said:

Maybe my biggest frustration (out of many) with Gus was his refusal to throw a ball FORWARD into the end zone. Once we crossed inside the 20, it was all runs, sweeps, reverses and screens. I think a lot of it didn't work in the red zone just simply due to having 11 defenders so close to the line. 

For sure! This was one of my biggest complaints as well. He was afraid of turning the ball over so he would rather play for 3 than do anything risky...you know like throw it in the endzone.

[McLoofus 35,182]

Random thought: It really is the most wonderful time of the year. The feed is filling up with Fifty's article shares and we're talking about football again. Auburn is undefeated and we're staring straight down the barrel of a championship for at least a couple more weeks. Soak it in, fam!

[aubiefifty 18,231]

16 hours ago, Sani-Freeze said:

Maybe my biggest frustration (out of many) with Gus was his refusal to throw a ball FORWARD into the end zone. Once we crossed inside the 20, it was all runs, sweeps, reverses and screens. I think a lot of it didn't work in the red zone just simply due to having 11 defenders so close to the line. 

hey sani you ever miss their foot long chili dogs? we ate there a lot and i was busted with my cousin for pulling used gum from under the table and chewing it. my mom said when she caught me i had a mouthful......................

[Sani-Freeze 552]

12 minutes ago, aubiefifty said:

hey sani you ever miss their foot long chili dogs? we ate there a lot and i was busted with my cousin for pulling used gum from under the table and chewing it. my mom said when she caught me i had a mouthful......................

I was still a kid in the 80s so I probably only got ice cream at the original location. I was too picky for chili dogs back then, I only ate them plain (or "naked" as the Varsity would say). By the time I got to AU in 97, they had moved it out to that dumpy laundromat building on Dean and it wasn't anything special as I recall.

[aubiefifty 18,231]

1 minute ago, Sani-Freeze said:

I was still a kid in the 80s so I probably only got ice cream at the original location. I was too picky for chili dogs back then, I only ate them plain (or "naked" as the Varsity would say). By the time I got to AU in 97, they had moved it out to that dumpy laundromat building on Dean and it wasn't anything special as I recall.

remember the old sears building? my mom took me in there when i was a toddler. she kept hearing laughter and i was no where to be seen. it seems they had a bathroom display and i jumped up there and used in front of a ton of folks. true story.

[au701948 1,064]

23 minutes ago, aubiefifty said:

hey sani you ever miss their foot long chili dogs? we ate there a lot and i was busted with my cousin for pulling used gum from under the table and chewing it. my mom said when she caught me i had a mouthful......................

I worked at the ole-Sani for several quarters when I was in school and really enjoyed it. I especially enjoyed always being able to take home an extra barbecue sandwich for a late evening snack.

[aubiefifty 18,231]

23 minutes ago, au701948 said:

I worked at the ole-Sani for several quarters when I was in school and really enjoyed it. I especially enjoyed always being able to take home an extra barbecue sandwich for a late evening snack.

remember the copper kettle? my moms best friend worked there and i got quite a few meals in that place. man i have to get back to auburn and just soak it all in.

[Sani-Freeze 552]

1 hour ago, aubiefifty said:

remember the old sears building? my mom took me in there when i was a toddler. she kept hearing laughter and i was no where to be seen. it seems they had a bathroom display and i jumped up there and used in front of a ton of folks. true story.

Ha! Was that downtown Opelika? My grandmother worked at Gayfer's for many years, in downtown and then when it moved out to the mall. 

[steeleagle 2,945]

1 hour ago, au701948 said:

I worked at the ole-Sani for several quarters when I was in school and really enjoyed it. I especially enjoyed always being able to take home an extra barbecue sandwich for a late evening snack.

When was that? I was curious since I remember my days in school in the 70's to hitting Sani from time to time...along with other local eats that no longer have survived.

 

[toddc 13,197]

We called it “Sani-flush “ in the early eighties, but ate there quite often.

[EastAl_Tiger 228]

18 hours ago, Randman5000 said:

For sure! This was one of my biggest complaints as well. He was afraid of turning the ball over so he would rather play for 3 than do anything risky...you know like throw it in the endzone.

I for one think that fear rubbed off on the QB's as well.  I remember Stidham always waited just a count too long to throw it when near the endzone; receiver would flash open but he'd hold on to it.