1st practice in full pads

[aubiefifty 18,231]

Observations from Auburn’s 1st practice in full pads

Updated Aug 12, 2021; Posted Aug 12, 2021

Auburn quarterbacks Bo Nix, T.J. Finley, Dematrius Davis throw on 1st day of pads in fall camp

 

 

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By Tom Green | tgreen@al.com

The sixth day of fall camp was a big one for Auburn, as it was the team’s first day in full pads.

 

It was also the last scheduled day, as of now, with a viewing window for the media. Reporters were given a 30-minute look at the Tigers in pads on Thursday, which provided perhaps the most in-depth view into the team so far this preseason -- including 11-on-11 drills that lent an early look at the depth chart, or at least the pecking order at various positions.

 

Here are AL.com’s observations from Thursday’s full-pads practice:

 

 

-- Let’s start with that aforementioned depth chart, as Auburn closed out the viewing period with 11-on-11 work.

 

 

The first-team offense was run by Bo Nix at quarterback. The offensive line, from left to right, saw Alec Jackson, Jalil Irvin, Nick Brahms, Brandon Council and Brodarious Hamm. Tank Bigsby was at running back, while John Samuel Shenker got the first reps at tight end. The wide receivers were Demetris Robertson, Malcolm Johnson Jr. and Ja’Varrius Johnson.

 

 

The first-team defense in that situation had T.D. Moultry and Derick Hall on either edge, with Colby Wooden and Marcus Harris on the interior of the defensive line. Chandler Wooten and Owen Pappoe took first-team linebacker reps, with Nehemiah Pritchett and Roger McCreary at cornerback, Zion Puckett at nickel, and Smoke Monday and Donovan Kaufman at safety.

 

 

-- The second-team offense was led by T.J. Finley, with Shaun Shivers at running back. The offensive line, from left to right, was Kilian Zierer, Tashawn Manning, Tate Johnson, Kameron Stutts and Brenden Coffey. Brandon Frazier was at tight end, while Elijah Canion, Kobe Hudson and Caylin Newton lined up at receiver.

 

 

The second-team defense had Northwestern transfer Eku Leota and Romello Height on the edges, with Dre Butler and Zykeivous Walker on the interior of the line. Cam Riley, Joko Willis and Bartson Lester were at linebacker, while Ro Torrence and Jaylin Simpson were at corner. Freshman Cayden Bridges and Trey Elston lined up deep at safety.

 

-- The third-team offense was run by freshman Dematrius Davis, with walk-on Sean Jackson at running back. The offensive line remained the same as the second unit, while Newton was still at receiver along with walk-ons Jackson Billings and Hayden Brice.

 

 

-- The viewing window opened with the offensive skill players going through a circuit that focused on ball-security drills. That included having players try to strip the ball, a drill that included trying to hold onto the ball after the catch while splitting “defenders,” and another focused on absorbing contact without losing the ball on the run.

 

 

-- Defensive coordinator Derek Mason was very hands-on with the defensive backs, as has been the case throughout fall camp. Thursday he was seen working with them on one-on-one wrap-up drills early on in practice.

 

-- As mentioned earlier, freshman quarterback Dematrius Davis got all the third-team reps at the position on Thursday.

 

 

-- Head coach Bryan Harsin continued to bounce from group to group throughout the viewing period. He spent some time throwing to receivers early on, and then he moved over to where tight ends coach Brad Bedell was working with tight ends and offensive tackles on blocking drills.

 

 

-- Cornelius Williams worked with the wide receivers on a drill that focused on high-pointing the ball and trying to catch passes over/through the outstretched arms of a defender. The defender was a team manager with pads that helped him extend his reach.

 

 

-- During position drills, assistant coach Bert Watts worked with the edge defenders on dropping into coverage and working on interceptions.

 

-- Defensive backs, meanwhile, spent some time trying to break up passes down the sideline without turning to locate the ball, instead focusing on reading the receiver’s reaction to the pass.

 

 

-- The quarterbacks again spent ample time working closely with the tight ends. Saw some post routes and others from the tight ends during this period. This offense definitely seems like it will emphasize the tight ends in the passing game.

 

 

-- During position drills with the linebackers, JUCO transfer Joko Willis got some reps alongside Chandler Wooten on the second team behind Owen Pappoe and Zakoby McClain.

 

 

-- Nix continues to work on building a rapport with Robertson, the grad transfer from Georgia. The two were paired together often in skeleton drills, and then Robertson lined up with the first-team offense in 11-on-11 work.

 

 

-- During skeleton drills, the quarterbacks spent some reps working on rollouts and throws on the run in the red zone. That period also included some dump-offs to running backs, corner routes to the end zone, and some throws over the middle of the field.

 

 

-- Finley and running back Jordon Ingram both had GoPro cameras attached to the top of their helmets, which was interesting.

 

 

-- In what was one of the stranger moments of a viewing period, at least in my seven seasons covering Auburn, Bryan Harsin took a short break before 11-on-11 work and came over to the patio area that the media was watching from. He grabbed a bunch of Auburn hats and went down the line, trying to toss them to media members. It was -- odd, to say the least, as media are not fans and are there to report on the team.

 

 

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

[gravejd 3,304]

 

9 minutes ago, aubiefifty said:

The second-team defense had Northwestern transfer Eku Leota and Romello Height on the edges, with Dre Butler and Zykeivous Walker on the interior of the line. Cam Riley, Joko Willis and Bartson Lester were at linebacker, while Ro Torrence and Jaylin Simpson were at corner. Freshman Cayden Bridges and Trey Elston lined up deep at safety.

Some interesting names on that second team defense. Looks more like a 3rd string defense. Maybe they were doing more of a rotate the 2nd string guys in with the first team guys

[McLoofus 35,182]

8 minutes ago, gravejd said:

Some interesting names on that second team defense. Looks more like a 3rd string defense. Maybe they were doing more of a rotate the 2nd string guys in with the first team guys

And all but one of the more curious names, to my way of thinking, were in the secondary. 

[aubiefifty 18,231]

8 minutes ago, gravejd said:

 

Some interesting names on that second team defense. Looks more like a 3rd string defense. Maybe they were doing more of a rotate the 2nd string guys in with the first team guys

good point. you are probably right. harsin did say every single player would get their chance.

[DAG 34,754]

Time to separate the men from the boys.

[McLoofus 35,182]

15 minutes ago, DAG said:

Time to separate the men from the boys.

That's what I say every time I log into this website. 

[fredst 9,070]

53 minutes ago, McLoofus said:

And all but one of the more curious names, to my way of thinking, were in the secondary. 

Several actually. Not sure what to think of that two deep he laid out when K. Jones, Troxell, and McClain all absent. 
Also, the whole hat thing🙄I know that we’ve discussed this in other threads but good lord, what a douche. Just don’t take the hat and move on….

[fredst 9,070]

37 minutes ago, McLoofus said:

That's what I say every time I log into this website. 

 

[McLoofus 35,182]

18 minutes ago, fredst said:

Several actually. Not sure what to think of that two deep he laid out when K. Jones, Troxell, and McClain all absent. 
Also, the whole hat thing🙄I know that we’ve discussed this in other threads but good lord, what a douche. Just don’t take the hat and move on….

It really bears repeating. Can't tolerate this nonsense from the beat anymore. 

[W.E.D 11,071]

52 minutes ago, McLoofus said:

It really bears repeating. Can't tolerate this nonsense from the beat anymore. 

Trying to really take away much from a 20-30 minute viewing session seem kind futile.  They are trying things, getting different looks, etc.  Probably really hard to gauge a true depth chart.

[TigerHorn 1,384]

1 hour ago, fredst said:

Several actually. Not sure what to think of that two deep he laid out when K. Jones, Troxell, and McClain all absent. 
Also, the whole hat thing🙄I know that we’ve discussed this in other threads but good lord, what a douche. Just don’t take the hat and move on….

I think maybe Harsin was trying to learn something about the reporters, to guide who he lets get closer to the program later on. The guy who wrote this is off the island. The guy who shrugged and took the hat is on the bubble. The guy who smiled and took the hat is someone who may get a little inside leak later on. 

[bigbird 60,939]

3 hours ago, aubiefifty said:

The wide receivers were Demetris Robertson, Malcolm Johnson Jr. and Ja’Varrius Johnson.

That's a whole lot of speed 

[AuCivilEng1 12,096]

Anyone know where Capers is? Wasn’t he like the next big thing?

[oracle79 3,569]

1 hour ago, AuCivilEng1 said:

Wasn’t he like the next big thing?

Time to put the significance of A-Day stats to rest, if we haven't already.

[CCTAU 3,536]

Enjoyed seeing Nix and Finley with quick releases.

As they both get more reps, hopefully we'll see them lead the WRs a bit more.

[AuburnNTexas 7,317]

The names I was expecting on second team were Steiner and Riley at LB so that was a surprise.

[aubiefifty 18,231]

i might be wrong but i believe capers is banged up or maybe has a lingering issue health wise.

[cole256 17,085]

3 hours ago, bigbird said:

That's a whole lot of speed 

Who is the other speedster we have? I forget

[cole256 17,085]

@bigbird I'm glad to see Zion getting reps. I remember having a discussion with you about when we signed him that we thought he could be really good....I hope he shows out

[cole256 17,085]

This is the first practices in pads so I doubt anything is set in stone yet but I think after two weeks of pads everybody will know where they stand

[The Freak 2,539]

Any report on drops today?  I hope we have some venn diagrams ready to go on this... maybe a gantt chart up in here.

[bigbird 60,939]

27 minutes ago, cole256 said:

This is the first practices in pads so I doubt anything is set in stone yet but I think after two weeks of pads everybody will know where they stand

That's what usually happens. Some are heroes in shorts, some in pads, and some just under the lights. As a coach you have to know which each are

[Tigerpro2a 5,650]

6 hours ago, McLoofus said:

That's what I say every time I log into this website. 

I kinda role more with this entrance thought......

[bigbird 60,939]

32 minutes ago, cole256 said:

Who is the other speedster we have? I forget

I can't remember exactly, but I remember JJ Evans being a freak athlete, so it may have been him.

[fishepa 2,001]

10 minutes ago, The Freak said:

Any report on drops today?  I hope we have some venn diagrams ready to go on this... maybe a gantt chart up in here.

I think there is a pie chart somewhere.  I heard a tight end dropped a ball today - Harsin immediately cut him from the team and told him to quit school and go home.  Yeesh!