2016 Spring Practice - Day 8

[RunInRed 16,360]

Gus Malzahn

100-play scrimmage today. Started at stadium, then went inside due to weather. 1s and 2s got most of reps

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Offense got a few scores in the scrimmage, but defense forced a couple turnovers.

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JF3 overthrew a couple deep balls, per Malzahn.

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Kamryn Pettway did not scrimmage while dealing with a hamstring issue.

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On Chandler Cox: "He's a load."

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Malzahn on JF3's decision making: "He's still learning the offense. He's eager to learn everything inside and out, but it's a process."

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Freshman RB Malik Miller got a lot of carries today. "Runs really hard ... had a pretty good run," ... stresses he needed protect the football a little bit better.

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Malzahn on QBs: "We learned a lot. ... We'll learn more today from a QB standpoint than we did the first seven practices."

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Gus Malzahn on the new offensive tackles: "If you can block (Carl Lawson) 1 on 1, you can block most people in this league.'

@AUBlog

Gus Malzahn said QBs went live. Said John Franklin threw the ball well, but put ball on ground on option.

@DuaneRankin

They took the non-contact jerseys off Auburn's quarterbacks. They were live in Saturday's 100-play scrimmage

@AUGoldMine

"John Franklin got quite a bit of work, but that was by design."

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Malzahn said John Franklin III got to run some options today. "Only had one ball hit the ground on an exchange, I believe."

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Auburn brought in SEC officials today for the scrimmage, and the offense put a focus on pacing with them out there.

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Malzahn on DE Byron Cowart: "You can tell he's more experienced. He's more confident."

@JFergusonBR

Jeremy Johnson and Sean White look like veterans? "They're very comfortable when they're out there."

@bmarcello

Malzahn: "Overall, I thought it was a pretty productive day.

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Malzahn: "I think it's been very good competition, and today was no different."

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Malzahn says Chandler Cox got some carries at running back today.

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Malzahn asked if QBs will go live again: "We'll see where we're at. I'm glad we did today."

@EvanMcCullers

Gus: "at times O was really in rhythm." Going fast (tempo): a point of emphasis this spring.

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Gus: JF 3 has been rotating with the 1s and 2s. All 3 took good licks. All 3 ran zone reads and ran. Good for O and D.

@Jeff_Shearer

[thaitopher 807]

Mike Horton leg a leg injury and had to be carried off the field

[RunInRed 16,360]

Jamel Dean

Jamel Dean is joining us now. First time he's meeting with the media since transferring here last fall.

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Dean says his knee is holding up well, and he feels like home here at Auburn.

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Dean on being ruled medically ineligible at Ohio State: "At first, I thought my football career was over."

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Dean says he doesn't "hold any grudges" toward Ohio State with the way everything unfolded.

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According to Jamel Dean, defense didn't pick off any passes during scrimmage -- only recovered a couple fumbles.

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Jamel Dean says John Broussard, a local product from Phenix City, has been the most imrpessive newcomer in his eyes.

@AUBlog

CB Jamel Dean is here now. "I've been waiting a long time for this. Ever since I transferred over, I just wanted to play football."

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Jamel Dean: "...I got the second opinion from Dr. Andrews, and I took advantage of the opportunity to play football again."

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Dean said he chose Auburn at first for the coaching staff (Muschamp and Robinson), but he especially wanted to be back in the South again.

@JFergusonBR

Dean on CBs being isolated in the defense: "I like being on an island."

@EvanMcCullers

Dean says he believes Kevin Steele is doing the same amount of 1-on-1 man coverage with the outside CBs as Will Muschamp

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Jamel Dean says no interceptions were thrown in this 100-play scrimmage. "Most of the plays were runs".

@matthewcstevens

[RunInRed 16,360]

Jovon Robinson

Jovon on the offense: "We did tremendously well."

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Did the offense score touchdowns today? Jovon: "Of course! Of course. That's what we do."

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Jovon says JF3 had a long run that "probably surprised everyone in the stadium," while Sean White had a 75-yard pass to Roc Thomas.

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Jovon cool w/ sharing the load w/ Roc? Grins, says: "I'm more of a workhorse-type guy. ... Roc is the same way. We're both professionals"

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Has Jovon's attitude changed in the last year? "I've changed a little bit."

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Per Jovon Robinson, JF3's long run was about 70 yards -- but didn't score on it. Rudy Ford caught him from behind.

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Jovon: "This year I think I'll be able to manipulate a whole season. ... I've still got bundles of energy."

@AUBlog

I didn't have any busts, I was pretty physical."

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Robinson: "I managed to get in the end zone today. We earned a lot of points."

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Auburn RB Jovon Robinson: "I'm looking forward starting off the season right against Clemson."

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Auburn RB Jovon Robinson: "I haven't played a full season in like 3 years or so."

@matthewcstevens

Robinson on scrimmage: "Everybody was having fun. Everybody was moving fast."

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Robinson says his longest run today was about 20 yards.

@EvanMcCullers

Auburn's RB Jovon Robinson said his big finish last year 'gave me tremendous, tremendous momentum' heading into this season

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Jovon Robinson says he wants to follow in a long line of Auburn running backs: 'I want to be the next 1,000-yard rusher.'

@AUGoldMine

[RunInRed 16,360]

Roc Thomas

Auburn RB Roc Thomas is next, coming to the podium speaking Spanish. "Hola, señores."

@JFergusonBR

Roc Thomas is here now. He said he scored today, too. Jeremy Johnson threw a 75-yard pass to him for a touchdown, not Sean White.

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Roc Thomas' touchdown came on a #WHEELROUTE, by the way. As always, wheel routes remain undefeated.

@AUBlog

Thomas on quarterback competition: "I've seen all of them do some great things."

@EvanMcCullers

Auburn RB Roc Thomas: "I was trying to gain some weight before spring to help me in the trenches."

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I asked Auburn RB Roc Thomas about Rudy Ford playing offense this season..."that's the first time I've heard of that."

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FWIW Rudy Ford also said he didn't know why Rudy Ford on offense wouldn't work with his speed.

@matthewcstevens

[WDE_OxPx_2010 5,287]

Jamel Dean says no interceptions were thrown in this 100-play scrimmage. "Most of the plays were runs".

@matthewcstevens

Well. QBs live, eh?

[RunInRed 16,360]

Stephen Roberts

Stephen Roberts said he's working on gaining weight and learning technique for multiple DB positions.

@DuaneRankin

Auburn DB Stephen Roberts at the podium now. Says Auburn has him working at 3 different positions this spring.

@matthewcstevens

Opelika's Stephen Roberts was a QB when he first went up against Central's John Broussard. "You could tell he was a really smart player."

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Stephen Roberts on facing John Broussard as a converted QB: "We tried to throw at him a lot, but that didn't work."

@JFergusonBR

[ClaytonAU 4,606]

Jovon being invited to the podium today shows me that CGM trusts him. Good sign. I really think Roc is our RB that's going to be catching a lot of passes.

[aujeff11 6,243]

Jovon being invited to the podium today shows me that CGM trusts him. Good sign. I really think Roc is our RB that's going to be catching a lot of passes.

I was thinking the same thing.

[ShocksMyBrain 9,362]

Jovon sounds confident.

[ShocksMyBrain 9,362]

Jamel Dean says no interceptions were thrown in this 100-play scrimmage. "Most of the plays were runs".

@matthewcstevens

Well. QBs live, eh?

They did this last year. Focused on runs one scrimmage, passes on another.

[Randman5000 4,224]

Jamel Dean says no interceptions were thrown in this 100-play scrimmage. "Most of the plays were runs".

@matthewcstevens

Well. QBs live, eh?

They did this last year. Focused on runs one scrimmage, passes on another.

It seems we'll possibly have a similar strategy to last year. Run heavy with timely play action or passes to keep the defense off guard.

Nothing wrong with that. We just need to execute.

I am a big fan of Roc. I really was hoping that the wheel route was from White. We need accuracy and a threat in the passing game.

[cole256 17,039]

Lol at hoping it was from white. Let's just hope we can do it in games

[AURaptor 1,121]

Jovon sounds confident.

Very. And I like that.

" That's what we do ! "

Let it be so.

[leglessdan 1,934]

Lol at hoping it was from white. Let's just hope we can do it in games

I 2nd this, lol.

[Randman5000 4,224]

Lol at hoping it was from white. Let's just hope we can do it in games

No kidding. Our practice team is phenomenal.

[RunInRed 16,360]

Unbelievable to have 500+ former Letterman at the scrimmage today! Will continue to work hard to make y'all proud. Thanks for your support!

@rhettlashlee

[aujeff11 6,243]

JJ hooked up with Roc for 51 yards and the second longest catch of the season against JSU. JS

[RunInRed 16,360]

via @FootballAU

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[RunInRed 16,360]

[ShocksMyBrain 9,362]

Jovon sounds confident.

Very. And I like that.

" That's what we do ! "

Let it be so.

Agreed. He needs to take on a leadership role this season.

[WarNole 138]

Thanks for all the photos and updates, RiR.

[ScottsboroAuburnFan 462]

What I got from today is, JF3 is the clear starter.

Pic of JJ was with second team also...

JJ and Roc are 2nd team.

Also was stated "when JJ and SW are out there" which I took as back ups.

[AUpreacherman22 3,876]

I'm really glad they had the QBs go live!

I'm sure that some of the scoring was in situational stuff like Redzone.

Sounds like the O made some plays.

So, we debate if that means the O is better than expected or the D is worse than expected.

My opinion on the starting QB at this time is:

JF3 is by far the best athlete in the group, so the coaches want him to develop as a passer well enough to win the job. This will be plan A moving forward.

White is a serviceable option but doesn't have the ceiling of either of the other 2.

JJ has the tools, but the coaches are concerned about handing him the reigns due to the 2015 meltdown.

[aujeff11 6,243]

What I got from today is, JF3 is the clear starter.

Pic of JJ was with second team also...

JJ and Roc are 2nd team.

Also was stated "when JJ and SW are out there" which I took as back ups.

I didn't get this at all.