Iggy A Natural At Corner

[ellitor 33,062]

 

Quote

 

Bryan Matthews • AuburnSports.com

 

AUBURN | The early reviews for Noah Igbinoghene’s move to cornerback have been very positive.

The Auburn sophomore made the switch from wide receiver at the beginning of spring practice.

“Noah looks very natural. He’s really got off to a good start,” said Auburn coach Gus Malzahn, who is considering using Igbinoghene on both sides of the ball and special teams this fall.

 

Igbinoghene working at cornerback this spring.

Wade Rackley/Auburn athletics

The Tigers return their entire receiving corps from last season and signed four more talented wideouts in the 2018 class. The depth chart is much thinner at cornerback with very little experience behind projected starters Jamel Dean and Javaris Davis.

Dean, for one, thinks the move could benefit Igbinoghene and Auburn’s secondary.

“For him transitioning from receiver to cover, he looks better at corner to me,” Dean said. “It just looks natural for him, like he was on the corner the whole time.”

Igbinoghene, who is also a standout on Auburn’s track team, will face some physical challenges at cornerback, specially in run support. Dean doesn’t think that will be a problem.

“He's a tough guy. He's physical, he's fast, he's everything you could ask for in a corner,” Dean said.

After holding four practices the past week and a half, Auburn is taking this week off for spring break before returning on March 19. The A-Day game is April 7.

 

 

[WDE_OxPx_2010 5,287]

If true, That's GREAT news. We'll need him to be ready to go by mid season when the injuries start to nag.

[Gowebb11 9,305]

I will believe it when I see it. History says there is a cycle to position changes. Coach moves player to fill a depth issue. Coaches and players talk about how smooth the transition is and how comfortable they are at their new position. A few months later, the player gets sent back to his original position and acknowledges how happy they are to be back and how awkward going to the other position was. Iggy is an exceptional athlete and I hope for our sake, and his, that the move works out for him. 

[80Tiger 899]

10 minutes ago, Gowebb11 said:

I will believe it when I see it. History says there is a cycle to position changes. Coach moves player to fill a depth issue. Coaches and players talk about how smooth the transition is and how comfortable they are at their new position. A few months later, the player gets sent back to his original position and acknowledges how happy they are to be back and how awkward going to the other position was. Iggy is an exceptional athlete and I hope for our sake, and his, that the move works out for him. 

Gotta go with this especially in the springtime. As Webb pointed out position changes are made to fill depth AND the player does not look to crack the rotation at the original position. I understand we are deep at WR but coaches knew that when Iggy was recruited.

[McLoofus 35,182]

We didn't recruit Iggy because he was a great high school receiver. We recruited him because he's a great athlete. In 3 years, he was the first guy to take kick returns away from KJ- as a freshman- so Gus clearly likes him and trusts him; yet, he didn't really sniff the field as a receiver. 

Guys like @corchjay and @bigbird- both coaches- called this on the first page of his recruiting thread. Secondaries all over the country are well stocked with freak athletes who didn't quite have the hands to be receivers. This makes perfect sense, just like it did with Trovon Reed. Good news is it's happening early enough this time for Iggy to really make a career of it. 

[AuburnNTexas 7,127]

Iggy has always had the talent to play either WR or DB. I remember a WR a few years back (Reed)  that we waited to his Senior season to move to DB and he did ok here but went on to NFL as a DB. I am glad we did this early enough to see if it is his best position.

[AuburnNTexas 7,127]

8 minutes ago, McLoofus said:

We didn't recruit Iggy because he was a great high school receiver. We recruited him because he's a great athlete. In 3 years, he was the first guy to take kick returns away from KJ- as a freshman- so Gus clearly likes him and trusts him; yet, he didn't really sniff the field as a receiver. 

Guys like @corchjay and @bigbird- both coaches- called this on the first page of his recruiting thread. Secondaries all over the country are well stocked with freak athletes who didn't quite have the hands to be receivers. This makes perfect sense, just like it did with Trovon Reed. Good news is it's happening early enough this time for Iggy to really make a career of it. 

You beat me to it. I was typing almost same thing as you as you can see in my post.

[abw0004 10,104]

One guy who I wished made a transition like this way sooner in his Auburn career: Trovon Reed.  Struggled at WR, but as a backup DB for a season he really showed promise and it earned him a little bit of an NFL career, even picking of Cam Newton.  It just makes me wonder what could have been if he switched sooner.  I hope this is for the best with Iggy.

[lionheartkc 6,150]

29 minutes ago, McLoofus said:

We didn't recruit Iggy because he was a great high school receiver. We recruited him because he's a great athlete. In 3 years, he was the first guy to take kick returns away from KJ- as a freshman- so Gus clearly likes him and trusts him; yet, he didn't really sniff the field as a receiver. 

Guys like @corchjay and @bigbird- both coaches- called this on the first page of his recruiting thread. Secondaries all over the country are well stocked with freak athletes who didn't quite have the hands to be receivers. This makes perfect sense, just like it did with Trovon Reed. Good news is it's happening early enough this time for Iggy to really make a career of it. 

Plus, it's not like they are expecting him to come in and start. They are grooming him for a back-up role. Anything else is bonus.

[lionheartkc 6,150]

I like the move because, coming from receiver, his hands should be one of his strong points, and Woodson is know for his squads specializing in INTs. 

[McLoofus 35,182]

1 minute ago, lionheartkc said:

I like the move because, coming from receiver, his hands should be one of his strong points, and Woodson is know for his squads specializing in INTs. 

I'm so glad you reminded me of that just now. Exciting to think we might improve in that area. And if Iggy ever does haul one in, well, sometimes kick returners make good INT returners.

Basically what I'm saying is that we have Leon Sandcastle on our team.

[ellitor 33,062]

1 hour ago, Gowebb11 said:

I will believe it when I see it. History says there is a cycle to position changes. Coach moves player to fill a depth issue. Coaches and players talk about how smooth the transition is and how comfortable they are at their new position. A few months later, the player gets sent back to his original position and acknowledges how happy they are to be back and how awkward going to the other position was. Iggy is an exceptional athlete and I hope for our sake, and his, that the move works out for him. 

1st part is on point. On the last part there have been more position changes that stuck than didn't stick. The players usually don't move back but like you said in the first part they usually don't contribute much.

[ellitor 33,062]

1 hour ago, 80Tiger said:

Gotta go with this especially in the springtime. As Webb pointed out position changes are made to fill depth AND the player does not look to crack the rotation at the original position. I understand we are deep at WR but coaches knew that when Iggy was recruited.

We weren't overwhelmingly deep at WR when Iggy signed in the 2017 class.

[ellitor 33,062]

50 minutes ago, abw0004 said:

One guy who I wished made a transition like this way sooner in his Auburn career: Trovon Reed.  Struggled at WR, but as a backup DB for a season he really showed promise and it earned him a little bit of an NFL career, even picking of Cam Newton.  It just makes me wonder what could have been if he switched sooner.  I hope this is for the best with Iggy.

Most staffs wanted Trovon at CB when they recruited him. AU wanted him at WR & kept him there til it was too late.

[autigeremt 6,569]

Maybe Iggy will turn into our Miles Jack?

[80Tiger 899]

41 minutes ago, ellitor said:

We weren't overwhelmingly deep at WR when Iggy signed in the 2017 class.

I thought everyone I would consider ahead of him on the depth chart had signed before him plus Kyle Davis

[weagl1 1,781]

We need CB’s much more than we need WR’s.  If he’s capable of making the transition it’s a smart move.  

[Auburn2Eugene 2,317]

42 minutes ago, 80Tiger said:

I thought everyone I would consider ahead of him on the depth chart had signed before him plus Kyle Davis

Right, plus the stud 2018 class. This move makes sense. What doesn't is saying he is going to play both ways. He should just stick to a position in my opinion. 

I mean position changes can and do work out. Our starting LT is a prime example. 

[corchjay 5,311]

3 hours ago, McLoofus said:

We didn't recruit Iggy because he was a great high school receiver. We recruited him because he's a great athlete. In 3 years, he was the first guy to take kick returns away from KJ- as a freshman- so Gus clearly likes him and trusts him; yet, he didn't really sniff the field as a receiver. 

Guys like @corchjay and @bigbird- both coaches- called this on the first page of his recruiting thread. Secondaries all over the country are well stocked with freak athletes who didn't quite have the hands to be receivers. This makes perfect sense, just like it did with Trovon Reed. Good news is it's happening early enough this time for Iggy to really make a career of it. 

Iggy is fast.  Like football fast.  He's not elite track fast like Schwartz or Worm.  He's more rounded in track, he's a triple jump specialist that can do sprints and long jump.  Probably can do the high jump as well.  He's also a very smart kid.  He will be a contributor on the defensive side at some point.  Could possibly be a mop up duty kind of kid this year.  With his natural ability and Coach's Woodson/Brown teaching him the ropes in technique the shy is the limit.  

[WFE12 9,191]

This gonna be one of those situations where they say he'll be played on both sides but really make a full transition to cb?....Seems like it.

[corchjay 5,311]

18 minutes ago, WFE12 said:

This gonna be one of those situations where they say he'll be played on both sides but really make a full transition to cb?....Seems like it.

I think the move sticks to defense.  He will get some reps in the fall on the offense just in case an injury to R. Davis, Hastings, or Stove at the "small" slot in case they want to redshirt Schwartz or Worm.  Beyond that I think he's strictly defense.   

[DAG 33,955]

He definitely has the look of a corner . I imagine he has pretty fluid hips with him being a state triple jumper. Also , I have no doubt he can run with the WRs. He measures at 6 feet , 190 which are pretty good measurable for a corner. My only question is, is he physical off the line ? How does he tackle, especially in the SEC.

[Hopsing 572]

May be 1 of those cases where coaches want to get best player(s) on the field the most amount of snaps.

[doc4aday 1,887]

we need speed at the corner position, and Iggy fits the bill perfectly. I think he will be an excellent corner and could be a super lock down corner by the fall if all works the way it should for him. Like the move 110%.

[drsteve87 91]

Neon Deion couldn’t tackle either and he did ok at corner...

3 hours ago, DAG said:

He definitely has the look of a corner . I imagine he has pretty fluid hips with him being a state triple jumper. Also , I have no doubt he can run with the WRs. He measures at 6 feet , 190 which are pretty good measurable for a corner. My only question is, is he physical off the line ? How does he tackle, especially in the SEC.