Game plan includes more playing time for freshmen

[aubiefifty 18,248]

Harsin: San Jose State game plan includes more playing time for freshmen

Mark Murphy

3-4 minutes

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AUBURN, Alabama–Auburn football coach Bryan Harsin said Thursday that fans who watch his team’s Saturday night home football game against San Jose State should expect to see more action from some of the team’s youngest players.

“I do like where we are," Harsin said as his first-year Tigers learn the routine of a game week with the team. The schedule includes practices on Sunday, Tuesday, Wednesday Thursday and Friday in preparation for this week’s visitors from California. This game is scheduled for a 6:30 p.m. CDT start at Jordan-Hare Stadium and will be televised on ESPNU.

“Some of these young guys we are going to get in the mix a little more,” Harsin said. “You saw some of them in the Mercer game. Some of those true freshmen are going to have a chance to play a little more in this game.”

The Tigers signed 14 players in their 2022 recruiting class who are true freshmen, Six of those saw action in Auburn’s 42-16 victory over Mercer on opening night

Five of those newcomers who played in Week 1 lined up on offense. That group included running back Damari Alston, wide receivers Omari Kelly, Camden Brown and Jay Fair plus tight end Micah Riley-Ducker. Defensive back JaDarian Rhym also played against Mercer.

“They got a handful of plays, which will be good for them,” Harsin said. “Hopefully, they will have success with that and we can building on that throughout the season.”

Players can play in up to four games over the course of a season and still retain redshirt status. True freshmen who watched the action from the sidelines in game one include defensive backs Austin Ausberry and Caleb Wooden, defensive lineman Enyce Sledge, linebackers Powell Gordon and Robert Woodyard, quarterback Holden Geriner and offensive lineman Eston Harris along with kicker Alex McPherson.

The Tigers are favored by more than three touchdowns to improve to 2-0 this week against San Jose State, an opponent Harsin knows quite well. His 2020 Boise State team was upset by the Spartans in the Mountain West Conference Championship Game.

“We had probably six guys out in that game due to COVID, all of them starters and three were NFL guys,” Harsin said. “That is why it didn’t go well for us, but San Jose State is a good football team.”

2COMMENTS

Harsin said that he has respect for this week’s opponent. “One thing you are going to get from San Jose State, those guys they don’t quit,” he said. “They play hard every single play. I believe Coach (Brent) Brennan has done a really good job of creating that environment at San Jose State, because they were not a very good team for a long time until he got there.”

Brennan, who is in his sixth season at San Jose State, was not the coach when the Spartans last played the Tigers, a 35-21 victory for Auburn at Jordan-Hare Stadium in 2015. A year earlier in the first meeting between the programs Auburn won 59-13.

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[Sizzle 3,948]

I hope they see some playing time tomorrow. Most of those guys won’t see too much playing time in their true freshman year 

[Swamp Eagle 5,269]

That’s bulletin board material for an opponent IYAM…not that it should matter. But I cringed a little bit when I read that.

[WDE_OxPx_2010 5,473]

5 minutes ago, Swamp Eagle said:

That’s bulletin board material for an opponent IYAM…not that it should matter. But I cringed a little bit when I read that.

Guess I won't ask you then

[sevenlee36 1,708]

Alright! this is the week Holden wins the job

[woodford 3,732]

9 hours ago, Swamp Eagle said:

That’s bulletin board material for an opponent IYAM…not that it should matter. But I cringed a little bit when I read that.

It’s probably for recruiting/retaining talent. We’re thin at some places so if it’s over at half time starters shouldn’t be playing. 

[bigbird 60,939]

29 minutes ago, woodford said:

It’s probably for recruiting/retaining talent. We’re thin at some places so if it’s over at half time starters shouldn’t be playing. 

"Just watch" can mean a lot of things...

[Swamp Eagle 5,269]

42 minutes ago, woodford said:

It’s probably for recruiting/retaining talent. We’re thin at some places so if it’s over at half time starters shouldn’t be playing. 

Of course, but a coach doesn’t usually share those assumptions pre-game no matter the competition. I was just a little surprised by it. He may not have meant it in that vein, but I bet SJSU feels like he did. Like I said, not that the outcome will be changed, but it could be construed by the opponent as disrespectful.

Edited September 10, 2022 by Swamp Eagle