Week 9 (Auburn vs. South Carolina) - Sunday Updates

[RunInRed 16,360]

It's game week again (finally) ...

DC Ellis Johnson

Phillip Marshall/247Sports (via YouTube)

DC Ellis Johnson on bye week: "I think we got a lot of good fundamental work. … Our kids needed a break. … They needed some physical rest."

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Johnson on South Carolina: "They don't have a weakness on their offense."

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Johnson on USC RB Mike Davis: "He's obviously having a great year. … They're very productive."

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Johnson on USC QB Dylan Thompson: "Just consistency, he knows the offense he knows where to go with the football."

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Johnson on Garrett: "He's a natural inside LB, … now he's back. … You can't have Justin Garrett sitting on the sidelines for 55 plays."

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Johnson on Spurrier & Malzahn: "The one thing have in common, both of them invented their offense. … Both have such a command for it."

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Johnson on DB Brandon King working some at DE: "He's no question he's the fastest off the edge we've got."

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Johnson on fr. DB Stephen Roberts: "He's a little behind in the learning curve, but he's coming along. … Physically we think he can play."

@AUBlog

Auburn D-coordinator Ellis Johnson sees Cassanova McKinzy, Kris Frost and Justin Garrett in a three-man rotation for two linebacker spots

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Auburn's Ellis Johnson still looking for pass rush from defensive line. "We're trying to get some guys in there to get more speed on field."

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Auburn's Ellis Johnson says Elijah Daniel moving from defensive end to an inside position.

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Auburn D- coordinator Ellis Johnson says practice will be devoted to "more fundamentals" and more "good-on-good" and less scout team work

@AUGoldMine

Quan Bray

Bray said the offense will be "flying around a lot more" on Saturday against USC but "it takes all 11" playing together to do that.

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Bray on being the nation's top punt returner (he's No. 2 now): "We'll just have to wait and see … we still have a couple more games."

@AUBlog

Bray said a lot of the players feel refreshed after the bye week. He said the offense will be "flying around a lot more" this weekend.

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Bray said the team practiced a lot of "good on good" during the off week. "Not a lot of teams are doing that, but we did. It'll help us."

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Bray on the Auburn secondary: "They've stepped up their game times 10, and that gets me hyped up over on the sidelines."

@JFergusonAU

Jeff Whitaker

Jeff Whitaker on the pass rush: "I think we came along great. With all the moving parts, … it was awesome. 3 solids practices."

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Whitaker: "Everyone has to step their game up. … Our mindset is just to keep working."

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Whitaker on DB Brandon King at DE: He looks fast. … He's still learning. … It's a little weird (seeing a DB at DE), … he's doing his thing.

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Whitaker on looking beyond lack of stats: The thing for us is just looking back & seeing Frost go off for 12 tackles & thinking: that's me.

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Whitaker on Lawson: "He's a workaholic. … So we just want him to really rehab & do whatever he can do.… (He's) going to be a special guy."

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Whitaker on LT Braden Smith, who's worked at guard the last week: "He's just a good looking guy — wow. I call him the Russian Sensation."

@AUBlog

More work for Auburn DT Jeff Whitaker vs. South Carolina? "Everybody knows Coach Spurrier is legendary…he wants to run the ball" this season

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Auburn DT Jeff Whitaker on playing time: "I know what Jeff Whitaker can do… There is no hostility, no jealousy."

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Auburn's Jeff Whitaker on if hurt Carl Lawson can return: "I don't know. I'm going to stay away from that one. That was a good one, though."

@AUGoldMine

Whitaker: "We're looking at this second half as 0-0."

@JFergusonAU

[WFE12 9,191]

Brandon King at DE are you kidding me!?!!

[cooltigger21 0]

Well I know the coaches have to try to build up the opponent, but even so. I couldn't help but chuckle at CEJ saying they had no weakness on offense.

[Maverick.AU 13,279]

Brandon King at DE are you kidding me!?!!

I hope we see more Therezie up the middle like we saw against Arkansas, It'll be interesting to see how the King move works out as well

[aubearcat 2,132]

King at DE on passing situations = awesome. King at DE on a running play to his side = dicey. I, however, trust in the coaches and the plan they've devised.

[alexava 6,973]

reminds me of the Oklahoma DE that sacked mccarron about a half dozen times. 3rd and long; i like it.

[RunInRed 16,360]

Video added to OP ...

[around4ever 4,139]

Interesting move for King, from Safety to Defensive End. CEJ has never been one to follow the norm.

[younggun 14]

I think the King move is a risky move but to me its a simple high risk, high reward move. He may have enough speed to get around the edge and cause havoc on passing downs. My only concern is on a passing down if they run at him, he may get bull rushed. The coaches know more than i ever will, so they obviously see something that will work, at a time it will work.

[gman87 398]

Well, the move for Nosa to the inside worked much better than I expected so I'll go with what coach thinks.

[3rdgeneration 6,469]

I just hate that they have to keep moving kids around. I am taking that as a negative if it is a necessity, but since I don't really know, I will admit that I may be 100% wrong on how it works out and how the kids feel about it.

Doesn't it just keep the kids on the learning curve and not comfortable with a new position?

[AUwingsfan 1]

I'm glad they took the off week to try some guys in new spots, especially getting some speed on the end. We've missed Dee and Carl this season. Defense has been much improved from past few years, so I trust Coach Johnson. Also good to hear they focused on fundamentals; we had a few sloppy tackle attempts last game.

War Eagle!

[Mikey 16,550]

Brandon King at DE are you kidding me!?!!

Well if somebody doesn't change things, nothing changes. We have GOT to get a pass rush from somewhere and this may be the answer. I'm not of the school that thinks a DE must be a physical monster to be successful at the position. King is listed at 6' 1", 213. That may be enough if he's agile and can avoid blocks.

Moving Garrett to LB is another good move. Therezie has the star position well in hand.

[mikeymac 8]

Did he say King was moving to end full time or just will rush the passer?

[CR 2,427]

I'm ready to see anyone with some speed lined up at DE at this point. The defense is playing much better than last year, but the lack of a pass rusher is the one glaring weak spot thats been there all year. I would think he will only be there in very obvious passing downs. Also glad to see Daniel being moved inside for good hopefully. He is obviously an inside guy at this point not a DE.

[Mikey 16,550]

Did he say King was moving to end full time or just will rush the passer?

Since King was doing little else except riding the pine, I expect he'll be a DE full time. How many snaps he gets and under what conditions he gets those snaps is another question.

[mcgufcm 4,096]

I'm with Mikey on that. It's a low risk move. King was out of the rotation at Safety, then giving a few snaps per game at LB. If Garrett is moving inside to LB, King is probably out there. Why not give him a shot to contribute in an area of need ?

I was more interested in Daniel shifting back inside. Are we running a three-man DE rotation now?

[cole256 17,039]

Daniel probably will only be playing on pass downs

[WarEagle1983 2,185]

Well I know the coaches have to try to build up the opponent, but even so. I couldn't help but chuckle at CEJ saying they had no weakness on offense.

Yea I laughed at that a little as well.

[NoALtiger 3,849]

Whatever gets us a pass rush thanks.

[rbrigby 0]

Did he say King was moving to end full time or just will rush the passer?

Since King was doing little else except riding the pine, I expect he'll be a DE full time. How many snaps he gets and under what conditions he gets those snaps is another question.

He has been playing LB in the Cinco Package 3-3-5 and primarily rushing the QB and has been somewhat effective in this role. I am assuming CEJ is planning to expand this package somewhat, especially on passing downs. Essentially trading a DL for a speedy, physical LB on passing situations. I like the move personnally. King is fast enough (played safety until the "cinco" change) to cover the flat if asked (none of our other DL can do that) but is physical enough to pressure the QB while providing a speed rush to our D that has been sorely lacking that component this year.

[mcgufcm 4,096]

cole, I definitely think Daniel will see most of his snaps at DT in pass rush situations. My point was, that means we're playing Lambert, Owens, and President as our only non-situational DEs. King will apparently give us some snaps there. Wright could shift out for a few snaps (although he played fewer snaps against MSU than any game this season), but it's obvious that we're comfortable with a three-man rotation at DE.

[SumterAubie 3,031]

And let King get one sack off the edge and opposing coaches will have to take the rush end into account again.

[WarTim 3,456]

BINGO!! CEJ is attempting to get a far better pass rush. A work in progress.

[alexava 6,973]

Brandon King at DE are you kidding me!?!! :blink:/>

Well if somebody doesn't change things, nothing changes. We have GOT to get a pass rush from somewhere and this may be the answer. I'm not of the school that thinks a DE must be a physical monster to be successful at the position. King is listed at 6' 1", 213. That may be enough if he's agile and can avoid blocks.

Moving Garrett to LB is another good move. Therezie has the star position well in hand.

i called the Garrett to lb a long time ago. Therezie has to play every snap.