‘Improve each day’

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oanow.com

 

‘Improve each day’: Auburn balances bowl work with preparation for 2019 in postseason practices

Justin Lee | Auburn Reporter Opelika-Auburn Newsjlee@oanow.comFollow on Twitter @AUBlog|@ByJustinLee

4-5 minutes

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When Auburn is back out on the practice field, everything is simple again.

That’s how Mike Horton seemed to put it, anyway, speaking Monday after another one of those workouts with his Tigers teammates.

It’s been a busy few days on the Plains, with a coaching search ending with the hiring of a new offensive coordinator last week, all before this past weekend’s graduation ceremonies on campus, and this Wednesday’s upcoming signing-day opportunity for the team’s new recruits.

But the current Tigers players started its bowl practices last Thursday, and in those hours the team’s spent on the field it’s been less of a whirlwind, according to Auburn’s junior right guard.

“We’re really just trying to get better and just improve each day,” Horton said.

That’s the one goal for Auburn when the team is able to turn its focus back to on-field football — with eyes on getting set for the upcoming bowl game, and on preparing younger players for spring practice and beyond in 2019.

Auburn plays Purdue in the Music City Bowl on Dec. 28 in Nashville, Tenn.

The Tigers are practicing at the athletics complex in Auburn in the days leading up to the opening of college football’s early signing period on Wednesday, before moving bowl practices to Nashville starting Dec. 23.

Auburn senior H-back Chandler Cox said that Auburn let the team’s young players loose in the first couple of days of practice last Thursday and Friday, before moving to fine-tuning and the start of preparation for Purdue in the next several practices.

“The first couple of days, it was more of putting the ball down and letting the young guys scrimmage and go at it,” Cox said, speaking moments after Horton on Monday afternoon. “We watched them compete and play and score touchdowns, and that was fun. The last couple of days, it’s been mostly focused on the bowl game.

“It’s been good,” Cox also added. “We’ve had a really good week of practice so far. It’s been a lot of energy, it’s been physical, especially at my position.”

He said the Tigers have been going “best on best” a lot this week, pitting first-stringers against first-stringers in drills, “which has been good for us,” he said.

“I feel like everybody has been dialed in, locked in, focused,” Tigers senior linebacker Darrell Williams added. “We’re looking for a big win for this bowl game.

“I feel like everybody is on one accord as far as the main goal. We’ve been practicing pretty well.”

Auburn is looking to end the season on a higher note after a loss to rival Alabama in the regular-season finale in late November, while also using the extra time together in bowl practice to help returners get a head start on next season.

Auburn hired new offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach Kenny Dillingham on Dec. 9, and has since turned a page forward, with plans in place for Auburn head coach Gus Malzahn to take back play-calling duties for the offense moving ahead.

With that focus forward, Malzahn said after Auburn’s first bowl practice Thursday that the Tigers’ returning quarterbacks took more snaps in practice, with the team knowing it’ll have a new starter behind center next season. The bowl game is set to be Jarrett Stidham’s last with Auburn, as he plans to enter the 2019 NFL Draft.

Cox said freshman quarterback Joey Gatewood has shined in bowl practices, as has sophomore quarterback and the Tigers’ 2018 backup Malik Willis. “They’re going to have a heck of a competition next year, and I’m excited to see them compete,” Cox said.

Williams said the play of fellow linebacker Chandler Wooten has stood out to him during Auburn’s extra practices. Senior Deshaun Davis, last Friday, pointed too Gatewood, receiver Kolbi Fuqua, defensive back Roger McCreary and linebacker Zakoby McClain as players taking steps forward.

That’s the goal for Auburn, with every bowl practice, as it looks to rebound from a disappointing 7-5 regular season in 2018 — starting with every repetition and every run-through of every drill in its extra time of the practice field this postseason.

[Win4AU 4,052]

Based off this article I guess Cord isn’t lighting it up on the practice fields.  Glad to see 1s vs 1s.  Give that Oline as many live reps as it takes to get right.

Also let’s go fast!