Igbinoghene expected to spend time back at receiver

[aubiefifty 16,761]

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Noah Igbinoghene expected to spend time back at wide receiver this week

Updated Mar 25, 10:34 AM; Posted Mar 25, 10:40 AM

Auburn's Noah Igbinoghene (4) has spent the first three weeks of spring practice working at defensive back but should see time at receiver this week. (Julie Bennett/jbennett@al.com)(Julie Bennett)

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By Tom Green

tgreen@al.com

Noah Igbinoghene has had three weeks to adjust to playing cornerback, but when Auburn returns to the practice field on Tuesday the sophomore will likely get back to his roots.

After spending the first half of spring, including Saturday's scrimmage, on the defensive side of the ball, Igbinoghene is expected to see time back on offense this week as the Tigers try to settle on his role for the 2018 season.

"He'll probably be with the offense a day or so and we'll see how everything goes," Malzahn said.

Igbinoghene signed with Auburn as a four-star receiver out of Hewitt-Trussville and spent his freshman season on offense, totaling six receptions for 24 yards and one 11-yard carry while also serving as the Tigers' primary kickoff returner and averaging 23.79 yards per return.

At the start of spring, Malzahn announced that Igbinoghene would move to cornerback to help provide depth in the secondary but didn't rule out the 5-foot-11, 186-pounder being a two-way player come fall.

While the first few weeks of spring have been a learning process for Igbinoghene, he has worked his way up the depth chart at defensive back. On Thursday during the portion of practice open to the media, Igbinoghene was seen working with the first-team defense at cornerback opposite Jamel Dean during pace drills.

"He's really done a great job so far," Malzahn said. "He's a tough guys; he's a very smart guy, really picked up things very quick and he's enjoying it."

Igbinoghene looks 'natural' at cornerback after moving to defense

The Auburn sophomore, who is also a member of the track and field team, has made a seamless transition from receiver to cornerback

Added receiver Nate Craig-Myers: "He looks natural at DB. He has good hips."

Still, the sophomore will have a chance to see time on offense this spring, especially following knee injuries to Eli Stove and Will Hastings. Stove tore his ACL in the final practice before spring break and underwent surgery. He is expected to be out until at least the fall, though Malzahn was optimistic Stove would return during the season. Hastings injured his knee during Saturday's scrimmage, and while the extent of the injury is not yet known, it dealt another blow to the Tigers' receiving corps, leaving them thinner at receiver this spring.

"I don't mess with him (about switching sides)" Craig-Myers said of Igbinoghene, "because I feel like whatever he do to get on the field and help the team, that's cool."

Tom Green is an Auburn beat reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter @Tomas_Verde.

 

[bigbird 60,509]

And so Tristan Davis pt 2 is underway. 

[McLoofus 35,182]

34 minutes ago, bigbird said:

And so Tristan Davis pt 2 is underway. 

Forgot about that guy. Hell of a kick returner. 

[corchjay 5,311]

Do not like the move at all.  He could easily move to the offense in the fall for 2-3 practices when freshman report to get acclimated back to the offensive flow again if needed.  He needs these defensive reps and scrimmages more then thhe offensive reps this spring.  Spring is when you can really get after it and learn a position.

[aujeff11 6,243]

That is one great hyperlink.

[DAG 33,979]

I have always been a fan of the quote “if you have two starting QBs, you actually have none.” This applies to positions as well.

[AUpreacherman22 3,885]

After Stove and Will have gone down they may think he is now more likely to see the field on O.  ?‍♂️

It’s very rare to see a guy actually contribute on O and D, so I have mixed feelings about what they’re doing with Noah.  

[McLoofus 35,182]

15 hours ago, AUpreacherman22 said:

After Stove and Will have gone down they may think he is now more likely to see the field on O.  ?‍♂️

It’s very rare to see a guy actually contribute on O and D, so I have mixed feelings about what they’re doing with Noah.  

I'm curious how much different the situation would be if Shivers and Schwartz were already on campus.

Stove carried it 30 times for 10.5 per last season. Those guys seem like the other candidates to back him up in that role, but they're not here and those sweeps- crucial to opening up other pieces of the offense, too- aren't going away. Also, our options behind Hastings (and Ryan Davis) are walk-ons and true freshmen. Seems like Iggy is probably a better candidate to be ready against Washington than, say, Shed Jackson. And it's not like he already has loads of experience at WR or our offense is a well-oiled machine that we can put on autopilot. 

I understand folks not being happy about this, but I can see Gus's logic here.