Stove and Hastings cleared for full practice

[BJCrawford 1,568]

Isn’t this sooner and a big deal? (Sorry not sure how to link the AL.com article)

[AUDub 11,137]

Makes me think we might see them next week when the corndogs come calling. 

[gr82be 14,421]

5 minutes ago, BJCrawford said:

Isn’t this sooner and a big deal? (Sorry not sure how to link the AL.com article)

Here's the article. 

Tom Green

tgreen@al.com

Auburn wide receivers Eli Stove and Will Hastings have been cleared to return to practice in a full capacity, Gus Malzahn announced Tuesday.

Stove and Hastings both sustained a torn ACL in the spring and underwent surgery to repair the ligaments. The two receivers have been participating in practice since the start of fall camp in a limited capacity, but the duo is ready to take the next step -- though no target date has been set for their return to the field for a game.

Malzahn said the two have "worked extremely hard" to get to this point and continue to come along well in their recovery. Both wide receivers will be able to participate in THUD and other drills in practice, but neither will be tackled, according to Malzahn.

"Until they're 100 percent for sure and I'm 100 percent for sure, they won't be on the field," Malzahn said.

[Win4AU 4,052]

Doubt they will be back by LSU but maybe Miss State?  Hopefully wouldn’t need them for Arkansas and Southern Miss.

[Zeek 16,639]

22 minutes ago, BJCrawford said:

Isn’t this sooner and a big deal? (Sorry not sure how to link the AL.com article)

1. Yes, it would be tremendous and a lot sooner than I expected.

2. It's okay, no one here really wants to visit al.com

[Barnacle 9,064]

This seems awfully fast to return to contact. What say you @passthebiscuits?

[selias 2,398]

Wow, I didn't expect to hear that until at least mid-season. Torn ACLs and back already. The miracle of modern medicine.

[Zeek 16,639]

If they're not clear to be tackled yet then that means we likely still have some time. They'll need at least two weeks of full-contact tackling practices until I'd think they'd be comfortable enough to get back into the mix. So no Alabama State or LSU for them. I agree with @Win4AU it might be best to wait until Mississippi State. If they're miraculously ready by LSU then I'd melt down in excitement!

What an embarrassment of riches at wide receiver...

[passthebiscuits 6,844]

Yes this is a little premature. They are cleared to start cutting and playing on their knees, but it's going to be another 3-4 weeks before they would be realistically probable to play. That said, both of these guys are making incredible progress really fast. 

[BJCrawford 1,568]

3 minutes ago, passthebiscuits said:

Yes this is a little premature. They are cleared to start cutting and playing on their knees, but it's going to be another 3-4 weeks before they would be realistically probable to play. That said, both of these guys are making incredible progress really fast. 

As the time they are ready gets closer, is it likely the four game limit to red shirt will be a factor in the decision?

[oracle79 3,569]

43 minutes ago, gr82be said:

Eli Stove and Will Hastings have been cleared to return to practice in a full capacity, Gus Malzahn announced Tuesday

 

44 minutes ago, gr82be said:

Both wide receivers will be able to participate in THUD and other drills in practice, but neither will be tackled, according to Malzahn.

Gus has a different definition of "full capacity".

[Zeek 16,639]

7 minutes ago, passthebiscuits said:

Yes this is a little premature. They are cleared to start cutting and playing on their knees, but it's going to be another 3-4 weeks before they would be realistically probable to play. That said, both of these guys are making incredible progress really fast. 

Effort and modern technology are both impressive. I wonder if going through it essentially at the same time on similar time tables is helping.

[Brad_ATX 13,654]

Here's the question I have, especially with regards to Hastings:  Is there room for touches?  From what I saw Saturday, Seth Williams offers a bigger target and some amazing hands in the slot.

[aucanucktiger 1,791]

Neither player is subject to tackling in practice yet so hard to see how that qualifies as being "cleared for full practice".

[McLoofus 35,182]

3 minutes ago, Brad_ATX said:

Here's the question I have, especially with regards to Hastings:  Is there room for touches?  From what I saw Saturday, Seth Williams offers a bigger target and some amazing hands in the slot.

There were still a lot of times, though, when Stidham had trouble finding an open receiver and that seems to be where Hastings excels- running crisp routes and creating separation of his breaks. LBs can't cover him. (They might not be able to cover Williams, either, or Hill or Schwartz for that matter.) And Hastings has damned good hands, too.

Another one of these "arguments" that I love having. Good problems! 

[caleb1633 1,418]

4 hours ago, McLoofus said:

There were still a lot of times, though, when Stidham had trouble finding an open receiver and that seems to be where Hastings excels- running crisp routes and creating separation of his breaks. LBs can't cover him. (They might not be able to cover Williams, either, or Hill or Schwartz for that matter.) And Hastings has damned good hands, too.

Another one of these "arguments" that I love having. Good problems! 

This. He's quick as a cat and as long as he doesn't get immediately leveled off the line (which happened quite often during the second half of last season), he's dangerous.

[gr82be 14,421]

6 hours ago, BJCrawford said:

As the time they are ready gets closer, is it likely the four game limit to red shirt will be a factor in the decision?

That line of thinking makes good sense. There is no reason to rush them back based on the fact that we have capable receivers and the fact that if they can play in 4 games and redshirt. The tricky part is playing which 4 games because if you have a shot at the SEC Championship game and then Playoffs that's harder to plan on because nothing is certain. I didn't see anything in the rule that made exceptions for playoff games beyond the regular season. Sorry if this has been covered before. 

[Dual-Threat Rigby 8,648]

we really dont need them any time soon at all, if they would make it a point to actually use young guys more often 

[autan 737]

 

Are Hastings and Stove on the same timetable or is one of them a little ahead of the other for returning?

[passthebiscuits 6,844]

1 hour ago, autan said:

 

Are Hastings and Stove on the same timetable or is one of them a little ahead of the other for returning?

Stove has the better chance of coming back earlier. I actually think he could make a return by ga game. I still don't think hastings will be ready for contact.

[AidiAU 1,270]

5 hours ago, passthebiscuits said:

Stove has the better chance of coming back earlier. I actually think he could make a return by ga game. I still don't think hastings will be ready for contact.

I miss Stove. I hope he can return for one of the November games (not including Liberty).  

[ValleyTiger 2,894]

18 hours ago, oracle79 said:

 

Gus has a different definition of "full capacity".

 

18 hours ago, aucanucktiger said:

Neither player is subject to tackling in practice yet so hard to see how that qualifies as being "cleared for full practice".

Here's the current NCAA recommendations for contact in practice:

Inseason is defined as the period between six days prior to the first regular-season game and the final regular-season game or conference championship game (for participating institutions).  In any given week:

• Three days of practice should be non-contact/minimal contact.
• One day of live contact/tackling should be allowed.
• One day of live contact/thud should be allowed.

I doubt we full contact tackle inseason much anyways, mostly thud would be my guess.

[triangletiger 1,599]

8 hours ago, ValleyTiger said:

 

Here's the current NCAA recommendations for contact in practice:

Inseason is defined as the period between six days prior to the first regular-season game and the final regular-season game or conference championship game (for participating institutions).  In any given week:

• Three days of practice should be non-contact/minimal contact.
• One day of live contact/tackling should be allowed.
• One day of live contact/thud should be allowed.

I doubt we full contact tackle inseason much anyways, mostly thud would be my guess.

I listened to Gus' press conference Tuesday in which he discussed this and it sounded to me as if he said, in essence, that they don't full tackle during the season even with healthy players.  I took that to mean that they 'thud' (i.e., make contact and wrap up, but don't take anyone to the ground).  He sort of said it in passing, so I can see how the reporter could have misinterpreted it to be referring only to Stove and Hastings.   

[ValleyTiger 2,894]

2 hours ago, triangletiger said:

I listened to Gus' press conference Tuesday in which he discussed this and it sounded to me as if he said, in essence, that they don't full tackle during the season even with healthy players.  I took that to mean that they 'thud' (i.e., make contact and wrap up, but don't take anyone to the ground).  He sort of said it in passing, so I can see how the reporter could have misinterpreted it to be referring only to Stove and Hastings.   

That was my take as well.

[boomstick 1,315]

On 9/5/2018 at 1:39 AM, passthebiscuits said:

Stove has the better chance of coming back earlier. I actually think he could make a return by ga game. I still don't think hastings will be ready for contact.

Was about to ask about when they could return. Given the new redshirt rule, it seems like the most advantageous time for them to come back would be in November. That way they could get in a game or two to see how they're feeling and the coaches could evaluate them. Preserving a year of eligibility seems like the most important piece of this puzzle given how late in the season they could come back and actually contribute.