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Tolbert and Hastings


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Jason Caldwell's Monday Morning Quarterback column.

It’s A-Day Time

Last year around this time we told you about walk-on running back C.J. Tolbert as a guy to keep an eye on in the Auburn A-Day game and while he didn’t win MVP honors he probably should have. This time around Tolbert has garnered much more attention in spring practice and through two scrimmages he may be the guy to beat for the third running back spot.

Physical and able to consistently get to the second level of the defense, Tolbert’s play this spring hasn’t surprised Coach Tim Horton, who thought a lot of Tolbert’s play following last spring. Had the former Dadeville High School quarterback been eligible last season after transferring from Harding (Ark.) University there is a good chance he would have been on the field against Georgia and given the Tigers a much better shot of beating the Bulldogs.

Another under-the-radar guy to watch on Saturday is wide receiver Will Hastings. Even though he made a few plays last season, the former kicker wasn’t thought to be a serious contender for major playing time before the spring started,but that has changed with a strong few weeks of practice. A top target for quarterback Jarrett Stidham because of his route running and quickness off the line of scrimmage, Hastings has become a threat in the middle of the field and that’s something that was missing a season ago.

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ledger-enquirer.com
 

Surprising name in contention for Auburn’s third string running back job

By Michael Niziolekmniziolek@ledger-enquirer.com

AUBURN, Ala. — Auburn running back C.J. Tolbert isn’t a name many expected in the mix for playing time this spring, but the unheralded walk-on is keeping pace in the competition at running back behind Kamryn Pettway and Kerryon Johnson.

“He’s a really gifted ball carrier,” Auburn running backs coach Tim Horton said of Tolbert.

Tolbert is competing for the third-string job alongside Malik Miller and Kam Martin. The junior had the strongest performance of the three backs during Auburn’s first scrimmage of the spring.

Horton decided to rest Pettway and limit Johnson’s carries to get a better look at the other running backs.

“It’s been a very good competition that will continue all the way until the opener,” Horton said.

Horton expects incoming freshman Devan Barrett to come in and jump into the competition this fall as well, a running back out of Tampa Catholic the coaching staff thinks highly of.

“He was the No. 1 running back on our board from the get-go, he was the one that we wanted,” Auburn coach Gus Malzahn said on national signing day.

One advantage Miller and Martin have is experience. While Miller’s season was cut short, they both played as true freshman.

Miller had 16 carries for 69 yards with a touchdown before he suffered a knee injury against ULM in Week 5, which sidelined him for the rest of the season.

Martin had 44 carries for 320 yards with three touchdowns, including a 176-yard breakout performance against Alabama A&M.

“It’s just the beginning,” Martin said of the breakout performance.

Horton wants to establish a pecking order but stressed the importance of additional depth behind the No. 3 running back.

Auburn had to turn to Rudy Ford last year in the Alabama A&M game when both Kamryn Pettway and Stanton Truitt had to sit out with injuries. Kerryon Johnson started the game but was questionable throughout the week.

“That was a tough month,” Horton said of last November. “If Kerryon wouldn’t have started against A&M, then Kam Martin would’ve had to start. A year earlier he would have been our ninth running back.”

It’s made the task of preparing the entire group of backs a top priority for Horton in case the team has similar injury issues in the fall.

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Thanks for posting 

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Thanks for the info on Tolbert.  Did not know he was a transfer, thus had to sit out last season.  I was wondering why he didn't play...

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I believe that Hastings can be what Hunter Renfrow was for Clemson..solid dependable slot receiver.

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  • WarTiger changed the title to Tolbert and Hastings
2 hours ago, WFE12 said:

I believe that Hastings can be what Hunter Renfrow was for Clemson..solid dependable slot receiver.

better...trust me

 

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2 hours ago, WFE12 said:

I believe that Hastings can be what Hunter Renfrow was for Clemson..solid dependable slot receiver.

If the coaches put him in the right position then yes .

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3 hours ago, WFE12 said:

I believe that Hastings can be what Hunter Renfrow was for Clemson..solid dependable slot receiver.

Amen, said this for awhile now! Renfrow was a fierce blocker though, I hope Hastings can match that 

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Tried google but couldn't find stats on Hunter Renfroe at NFL combine.  Anyone got a link to those or his pro day at Clemson if he didn't go to the combine? Where is he projected in the draft?

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1 minute ago, oracle79 said:

Tried google but couldn't find stats on Hunter Renfroe at NFL combine.  Anyone got a link to those or his pro day at Clemson if he didn't go to the combine? Where is he projected in the draft?

I believe he'll be back at Clemson next year. 

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2 minutes ago, WarEagle2423 said:

I believe he'll be back at Clemson next year. 

He will be a redshirt junior in 2017,

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Just now, passthebiscuits said:

I think we should be at least a little nervous that a former walkon is our most talked-about wide receiver thus far. 

Am I on an island on this one?

Not at all, and no disrespect to Hastings.  Someone either missed on his eval, or missed on our scholarship eval receivers, or we aren't recruiting to what we are looking to play on the field (i.e. the guy picking the starting receivers is looking for different talents/strengths than the guy recruiting receivers).

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1 minute ago, aufan57 said:

He will be a redshirt junior in 2017,

So he decided not to declare for the draft even though he was eligible?

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26 minutes ago, passthebiscuits said:

I think we should be at least a little nervous that a former walkon is our most talked-about wide receiver thus far. 

Am I on an island on this one?

Nope. WDE has said our WRs have been awful this Spring.

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1 hour ago, oracle79 said:

Not at all, and no disrespect to Hastings.  Someone either missed on his eval, or missed on our scholarship eval receivers, or we aren't recruiting to what we are looking to play on the field (i.e. the guy picking the starting receivers is looking for different talents/strengths than the guy recruiting receivers).

Guys like Hastings are always underestimated.

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10 minutes ago, TexasTiger said:

Then how has Stidham looked good?

A QB can make all the proper reads and throws even with poor WR play. Obviously poor WR play lower production but that doesn't necessarily mean the QB did his job poorly.

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1 hour ago, passthebiscuits said:

I think we should be at least a little nervous that a former walkon is our most talked-about wide receiver thus far. 

Am I on an island on this one?

Nope. We heard the same thing last year too. He had all of these speed skills and what not that separated him from the pack. 

No disrespect to either of them, I'd love to see them both have the seasons of their lives but I hope we have others separate themselves from the pack earlier than we did last year. Or whatever the problem may have been.

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4 hours ago, Maverick.AU said:

Amen, said this for awhile now! Renfrow was a fierce blocker though, I hope Hastings can match that 

I hope he gains more weight so he can be that a solid blocker. I checked and Hastings is 5'10 167, while Hunter is 5'11 180. He's been hard on himself a lot from even dropping one pass he said in one of the past interviews...i think somebody posted it on here somewhere. As long as he keeps running those crisp routes and securing that ball more pt for him! Definitely gonna need it..Besides him who's our next guy with the best hands?...Kyle Davis?

Just checked the interview...says he's at 170 now and plans to get to 185.

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6 hours ago, ellitor said:

A QB can make all the proper reads and throws even with poor WR play. Obviously poor WR play lower production but that doesn't necessarily mean the QB did his job poorly.

I know, just seems odd.

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"Hastings has become a threat in the middle of the field and that’s something that was missing a season ago."

 

... Been missing for the last 10 seasons. But I'm glad to see this!!

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10 hours ago, passthebiscuits said:

I think we should be at least a little nervous that a former walkon is our most talked-about wide receiver thus far. 

Am I on an island on this one?

Kevin Green was a walkon,if he turns out to be as good as KG he will be pretty damn good.

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10 hours ago, TexasTiger said:

Then how has Stidham looked good?

How are these mutually inclusive? Philip Rivers has crap receivers around him for the last two years but is still considered a premier QB in the league. It is not unheard of.

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