2015 Spring Practice - Day 4

[RunInRed 16,383]

via @AUGoldMine


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via @Auburn247

Jason Smith catching punts ...


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via @JLeeAU21


@JHokanson

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Meanwhile, Pat Dye Field is looking outstanding ...

via @AuburnPix

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• mith worked hand-off drills with the quarterbacks, but was the only quarterback to do so without a non-contact orange jersey. We'll ask Gus Malzahn if that means he's working more at another position outside quarterback.
  

• Freshman defensive back Tim Irvin was spotted wearing a cast on his left hand,according to AuburnSports.com.
  

• Linebackers coach Lance Thompsonworked with the defensive line in some read drills. Defensive line coach Rodney Garner was there, too, helping out. Thompson was very hands on with the group.
  

• Auburn's first team defensive line, from left to right: Raashed Kennion, Montravius Adams, Dontavius Russell and Carl Lawson. Second-team defensive line:Justin Thornton, Maurice Swain,Devaroe Lawrence and Andrew Williams
  

• Corners coach Travaris Robinson and defensive coordinator Will Muschamp worked with linebackers and the secondary in read drills.
  

• The running backs continued to take hand offs from every quarterback, providing us our first true visible hint that they are sharing carries as the coaching staff weighs their options. Roc Thomas got the first snap at running back, for what it's worth.
  

• Center Austin Golson worked first-team snaps with the offensive line.
  

• Nick Ruffin and Markell Boston worked at safety and Josh Holsey moved around and worked some nickel.
  

• Kamryn Melton and Stephen Roberts worked cornerback.
  

• The return men remained the same with Jovon Robinson, Johnathan Ford,Stanton Truitt and Peyton Barber worker kick return. Smith worked at punt return again alongside Marcus Davis, Gray King and Stephen Roberts.
  

• Backup offensive guard Jordan Diamond worked to the side near the end of the period as he continues to battle injury.
  

http://www.al.com/auburnfootball/index.ssf/2015/03/auburn_practice_report_jason_s_1.html

[wareagleguy 1,393]

Thanks RIR! WDE!

[AUwareagle 0]

Thanks RIR!!

[AUwareagle 0]

• mith worked hand-off drills with the quarterbacks, but was the only quarterback to do so without a non-contact orange jersey. We'll ask Gus Malzahn if that means he's working more at another position outside quarterback.
  

• Freshman defensive back Tim Irvin was spotted wearing a cast on his left hand,according to AuburnSports.com.
  

• Linebackers coach Lance Thompsonworked with the defensive line in some read drills. Defensive line coach Rodney Garner was there, too, helping out. Thompson was very hands on with the group.
  

• Auburn's first team defensive line, from left to right: Raashed Kennion, Montravius Adams, Dontavius Russell and Carl Lawson. Second-team defensive line:Justin Thornton, Maurice Swain,Devaroe Lawrence and Andrew Williams
  

• Corners coach Travaris Robinson and defensive coordinator Will Muschamp worked with linebackers and the secondary in read drills.
  

• The running backs continued to take hand offs from every quarterback, providing us our first true visible hint that they are sharing carries as the coaching staff weighs their options. Roc Thomas got the first snap at running back, for what it's worth.
  

• Center Austin Golson worked first-team snaps with the offensive line.
  

• Nick Ruffin and Markell Boston worked at safety and Josh Holsey moved around and worked some nickel.
  

• Kamryn Melton and Stephen Roberts worked cornerback.
  

• The return men remained the same with Jovon Robinson, Johnathan Ford,Stanton Truitt and Peyton Barber worker kick return. Smith worked at punt return again alongside Marcus Davis, Gray King and Stephen Roberts.
  

• Backup offensive guard Jordan Diamond worked to the side near the end of the period as he continues to battle injury.
  

http://www.al.com/au..._jason_s_1.html

Is Elijah Daniel injured? Sorry if it's been posted already.

[metafour 4,968]

Kennion definitely looks more like an OLB/"Buck" than he does a DE. He looks like former Oregon OLB/DE Dion Jordan.

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Gus Malzahn's post-practice presser ...

"Good, physical practice. Offense went against defense a lot. Not a lot of individual (work) today."

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Today's practice was about trust. Like Gus said last week: Tigers trying to get their edge back.

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Gus: Jason Smith is going to play some WR, but will still work at QB. "He's the type that we definitely need him on the field."

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Auburn won't scrimmage on Thursday, but team will do some tackling.

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Gus on what has stood out so far: The players' approach. "We got to raise that bar every day as far as fighting" thru physical/mental parts

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Gus: Jeremy Johnson and Sean White are getting equal reps, both are pushing each other "and it's good"

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Gus: Tony Stevens is a guy who's ready to take the next step. For him, it's about consistency.

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Gus: Alex Kozan will be reevaluated after spring break, as far as how much physical stuff he'll be able to do this spring.

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Ricardo Louis is "trying to emerge as a guy who we can consistently throw the ball to down the field."

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Thursday (last day before spring break) will be a very similar practice to today's. Team will "keep straining" and keep pushing.

@AUBlog

Malzahn: Spring will be "very big" for Tony Stevens, who will get reps with first team offense

@JamesCrepea

Gimel President "is a little banged up" and they hope to have him back to full health once they return after spring break.

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Malzahn said Thursday won't be a scrimmage, but they will "tackle a lot." So no scrimmages before spring break.

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Malzahn said it's more important to practice and get Will Muschamp's defense installed before they start to scrimmage.

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Was the "edge" missing at the end of last year? "We didn't do that last year, so we want to focus this spring on being very physical."

@wareagleextra

Malzahn said he likes his team’s approach this spring, “straining” the team is the focus right now.

@JHokanson

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Dontavius Russell ...

Dontavius Russell on redshirt season: I learned a lot from the seniors in front of me.

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Russell: Last year I just really picked up that I need to work harder from high school to college.

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Russell's expectations for this year: Contribute as much as possible so we can be successful.

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Russell: Muschamp brings excitement. He makes football fun, how it used to be.

@AUBlog

Dontavius Russell says he's up to 295. Came in at 280

@ITATJason

Dontavius Russell felt he could have played last season, feels benefits of redshirting

@JHokanson

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Rudy Ford ...

Rudy Ford: Spring has been great, just learning the defense, working and getting better every day.

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Rudy Ford: Working with T-Rob has been great. Jokes he's "one of those ADD types" out on the field.

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Ford on Muschamp: He brings a lot of intensity, makes sure our effort is great and that all 11 guys are flying to the ball.

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Ford: We want a tough defense. Our defense is going to change this year. We want a top defense.

@AUBlog

Rudy Ford working mainly at safety, some at corner. “I just want to play.”

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Rudy Ford claims a 4.23 40 last spring. He’s really fast, that’s flying.

@JHokanson

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via @jayjacobsauad

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Braden Smith ...

Braden Smith on playing guard: It's a different experience. Any time you're at a new position it's a different world.

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Smith: Whatever gets me on the field, I'll do it. It doesn't matter to me.

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Smith: Just working on fundamentals now and getting back to basics. Have had a lot of contact last two days to get back in rhythm of things

@AUBlog

[dmoney 271]

Thanks RIR..

[Tiger 8,818]

Interesting comments from Gus regarding last spring. If I recall correctly people on here were disputing the reports of softer practices in preseason last year. I think xCEJ confirmed this at some point in the regular season also but I'm not sure.

It certainly looked like we weren't a physical team last season.

[ClaytonAU 4,606]

Interesting comments from Gus regarding last spring. If I recall correctly people on here were disputing the reports of softer practices in preseason last year. I think xCEJ confirmed this at some point in the regular season also but I'm not sure.

It certainly looked like we weren't a physical team last season.

Something about "we weren't as physical in practice" or whatever

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A few more photos (via Julie Bennett) ...

Avery Young and Jordan Diamond ...

Nick Ruffin ...

Tim Irvin ...

Jeremy Johnson ...

Kamryn Pettway ...

Kenny Flowers ...

Chandler Cox ...

Justin Thornton ...

Deshaun Davis ...

JaViere Mitchell ...

Justin Garrett ...

Tray Matthews ...

Dontavius Russell ...

Maurice Swain ...

Andrew Williams and Devaroe Lawrence ...

[WDE_OxPx_2010 5,294]

Tray Matthews and Kam Pettway are HUGE. Bigger than i thought

[alexava 6,973]

Chandler Cox looks like me.

[chimesAU 89]

Tray Matthews and Kam Pettway are HUGE. Bigger than i thought

Exactly the 2 guys I was going to post about. I knew TM was big but Pettway is built like a freakin brick sh!thouse. Dude is stacked. Cox looks like he's been eating double stacks.

[WarTim 3,456]

Thanks for the information!

[AUEngineer2016 407]

Chandler Cox looks like me.

CC = alexava confirmed.

[IronMan70 3,277]

You can' fool me. That's not Kam Pettway, that's Jay Prosch. Jay must be down there training with the boys.