Quotes of note from 20 players

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What I Can't Wait For This College Football Season (Late Kick Cut)

 

After Saturday's open practice in Jordan-Hare Stadium, Auburn will officially enter its first game week of the Bryan Harsin era. The head coach will return to the facility Monday after isolating at home due to a positive COVID-19 result last Thursday.

In all, 20 different players have spoken to reporters this spring about the new schemes on offense and defense, incoming transfers, the quarterback battle, offensive-line shuffling and more.

In position order, here's one standout quote from each Auburn player the media has had the chance to chat with this preseason.

On quarterback competition: "Having a room full of talented guys, it's always important because you're just trying to make yourself better, and you're trying to improve each and every day. And no matter what day it is, all of us are trying our hardest to have the best day and to try to go out there and get as many reps as we can and to grow within those reps as we become better. I feel like as a group, we've all done a good job of challenging each other. Like you said, competition brings out the best. In me specifically, I feel like I've always been at my best when I'm competing."

On preseason recognition: "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. I never really paid attention to it growing up, even when it was all that ranking stuff 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."

On his bond with Bigsby: "Our relationship, it's just grown real close. This is how Ronnie (Brown) and Coach (Cadillac Williams) was — they told us how they did things. We kind of went through the same. Even the other guys, make them come along as well. I could say that me and Tank, we're not really focusing on trying to beat out Coach 'Lac and Ronnie. We're just trying to move through this fall camp and then when the season hits, just rock."

On pressure from coaching staff to execute in receivers room: "I think we’ve taken that challenge. People have made plays, but it’s not only on the field; it’s off the field too in the film room. We get together, we watch film because we understand we have to learn defenses and see the same thing that Bo (Nix) is seeing. That helps out the whole offense and makes it run more smoothly.”

On the new offense: "Change is always good, if you take it that way. I think the new coaching staff has brought a new energy to the team than we've had in the past. But at the end of the day, football is football. You've got to complete your Xs and Os. That's what it comes down to. The tight ends have grown really close with Coach Bedell. We love what he's doing with us and the offense. We're really excited for the future."

On the various skill sets Auburn has at tight end: "Like Coach Bedell has said before, he doesn’t like designating certain roles for certain people. There are definitely different attributes that each one of these guys, including myself, brings to the table. It’s real interesting to see all of the different personnel that we can come out and be able to try to dominate the defense with. I love it. I think we’ve got so much unique talent across the board, unique skill set. I’m really enjoying what this room is doing.”

On return from injury: "I plan to dominate and finish the season healthy. That would be the biggest thing for me is finishing the season healthy, but also don’t have that injury in the back of my mind when I’m playing this year and don’t worry about my knee. Just focus on the game.”

On cross-training positions on the offensive line: "Just learning what the guy next to me has to do helps me understand my game better. In the long run, I might have to play guard, tackle. Just knowing both roles will help me and the team a lot."

On offensive line criticisms: "We know what we’ve done and how much work we’ve put in in the springtime and summertime. I think a lot of people don’t realize that. We work hard all year long for these kinds of opportunities to play football in the fall. We try to block out the noise. We don’t really listen to people because at the end of the day we’re the ones on the field and we’re the ones blocking people. We’ll just do that to the best of our ability and get the job done anyway we can. That’s our mindset. We’re going to be tough guys and lead this football team.”

On UAB defensive tackle transfer Tony Fair: "I love playing alongside a guy like him because he's guaranteed to take up two (blockers). He moves better than what he looks like, which was a surprise to me. He doesn't ask for much. He's going to give you his all."

On progression at defensive tackle: "Once I got to Auburn, I knew that I could do both (tight end and defensive tackle) and really just prepared myself for both knowing if I got overweight or not a tight end standard or whatever. I'm loving the D-line right now. I feel like I have a future in it. I've got a great coach, Coach Eason, who is just buying into me. One day, hopefully, I can make it to the next level."

On new edge rusher position: "I love it. I love the scheme, I love the new position. I think it's been very beneficial for me and some of the other edge guys that haven't had a chance to put as much other stuff on film yet, people haven't seen yet. So just being able to do that and have the opportunities is tremendous."

On Auburn's touted linebacker trio of him, Zakoby McClain and Chandler Wooten: “I’m going to take us over anybody. I think we have the best linebacker room in the country.”

On personal goals for the season: "How many tackles did I have last year? I'm making more than that. I didn't even start the first two games, so I'm going to dominate. My goal is to make more plays, get my team hyped up to make more plays, win my awards and just be a better leader and win more games and get better every day, 100%."

On his 9-month-old son, Chance: "He'll be at all the home games. He comes to practice all the time. Just want to be around as much as I can, just so he can experience this last ride with me. He might not remember it but I'll remember for sure. ... He's watching, and he knows exactly who's out there. He knows 31, that's dad."

On Auburn's 0ff-man defense: "With the off-man, it's all about with the eyes and feet and all of that stuff and recognizing, like, what's going on with the offense like FBI — football IQ and all of that stuff. So, it gives us more time to think playing off when you see everything from the offense."

On the 2021 secondary: "It's so much talent on the back end. Coach Mason has been doing the best job he can at putting the best people in the best spots."

On sophomore nickel Ladarius Tennison: "I feel like his game improved a lot from last year to this year because he's been more in the playbook. Just getting an understanding of the scheme, because in high school he played manly linebacker. So being able to play a lot of nickel is helping him learn more."

On how he's grown as a person at Auburn: "Man, I changed a lot. There are a lot of things that I did as a freshman that I can't do now because I know there are a lot of eyes on me now. A lot of guys are watching me. I've just got to make sure that I'm doing everything right, as much as I can. Everybody's not perfect, but I'm trying to be perfect."

6COMMENTS

On what he's worked on this preseason: "Yeah, I’ve been improving every day. That’s my goal to get 1% better each and every day and sometimes it’s hard to measure when you’re just stacking days on days. But so far I’ve had a great camp."

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