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Freshmen step up in Citrus Bowl


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Freshmen step up in Citrus Bowl

By Giana Han

Bowl practices and games are always a chance to start developing the future, but for Auburn’s freshmen, it was also a chance to get off to a good start with their new coach.

Out of all the players Bryan Harsin inherited from Gus Malzahn, the freshmen will be with him the longest. The Auburn coaching staff who coached the Citrus Bowl gave a bunch of freshmen the opportunity to gain experience as they played in front of Harsin for the first time.

“Some of them played more snaps than they played all year long, and it’s not even close,” defensive coordinator and interim coach Kevin Steele said.

Thirteen freshmen played in the 35-19 loss, and two recorded a start. Before the game, six had played in five games or less, and three hadn’t ever touched the field. That experience, especially the starting experience, is really important for them moving forward, senior defensive end Big Kat Bryant said.

“For them to actually start, man, that’s a big thing, something they’ll probably never forget throughout their life,” Bryant said. “That’s, I mean, playing, I promise you, playing and getting actual quality playing time, that’s what builds your confidence.”

And confidence is everything, Bryant said. It’s what “this college football thing” is all about. Since the freshmen are the foundation for Auburn to build on, it was encouraging for the coaches and older players to see, especially after ending the season on a loss.

“It’s going to help them for the future of this program to play in this game and play as many snaps as they did,” Steele said.

Wide receiver Elijah Canion was the biggest surprise of the game. He had played in exactly zero games before the Citrus Bowl. But he finished the game as Auburn’s leader in receiving yards and was one of two Tigers to get into the end zone. Canion showed some inexperience, like when he was called for offensive pass interference, but he also had 80 yards on three catches.

Offensively, besides Canion, there were two freshmen tight ends and two wide receivers who recorded stats for the Tigers. Two didn’t contribute as much as normal. Tight end J.J. Pegues had one rush for a loss of two yards and Ze’Vian Capers had just one catch for four yards before he went out with an injury. However, both of them have the benefit of having played a lot throughout the season with some great performances and a few spectacular plays.

Wide receiver Kobe Hudson had also played a fair amount before the Citrus Bowl. His role wasn’t as big as Capers, but over the course of the season, he showed steady improvement, especially in his pass blocking. Against Northwestern, Hudson recorded his first multi-catch game, finishing with three catches for 29 yards.

Over fall camp, tight end Brandon Frazier made a name for himself, but then he wasn’t healthy through the start of the season. He played the last four games of the season and has slowly been making his way onto the scene. He recorded one catch for seven yards, although he also got open on a number of routes.

Auburn’s defense didn’t just get more freshmen involved, it also had two record a start. Ladarius Tennison, who played in nickleback Christian Tutt’s place, had started before the Citrus Bowl, but Zykeivous Walker was a first-time starter. Both took advantage of the opportunity. Tennison finished with four tackles while Walker finished with three.

Throughout the season, it wasn’t uncommon for the defense to involve a lot of the freshmen. Many contributed on special teams while others stepped in when the starters suffered injuries. Besides the two who started, many of the others also saw an increased role.

Whereas linebackers Owen Pappoe and Zakoby McClain handled almost every snap throughout the season, in the Citrus Bowl freshmen Cam Riley and Wesley Steiner helped lighten the load. Riley made three tackles and Steiner made one.

Bryant was also impressed by Jeremiah Wright, who stepped up on the line and made three tackles. Wright had only played in five games before the season, but he “gave us some good minutes,” Bryant said.

Chris Thompson, meanwhile, had never played in a game at all. Yet he also made three tackles as he helped out a secondary that struggled to slow down the Northwestern passing game. Jay Hardy and Eric Reed also saw their first minutes.

It was great to see young guys get their feet wet, Bryant said. As an older player whose Auburn career may be done (Bryant says he still has to make his decision), all he can do is continue to cheer them on.

The freshmen represent the future, and they showed Harsin what he has to work with as he begins a new era for Auburn football. Between Bryant’s knowledge of the program and his interactions with Harsin, he has no doubt that championships are in the Tigers’ future.

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All the freshman and 2nd string that played tonight deserve credit. They all played with a purpose regardless of what the scoreboard displayed. 

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