Too Early Depth Chart Discussion

[Zeek 16,657]

https://247sports.com/college/auburn/LongFormArticle/auburn-spring-depth-chart-2021-bryan-harsin-bo-nix-tank-bigsby--162379130/#162379130_1

Quote

Projecting Auburn's spring depth chart on offense
ByNATHAN KING Mar 14, 7:00 AM
Spring practice is almost here on the Plains, and Auburn — plus every other program in college football — won't take this time for granted ever again.

After spring ball was nixed in 2020 thanks to the pandemic, the Tigers are ready to roll this week and kick off the first practices of the Bryan Harsin era. Starting this week, the Tigers will practice on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays, Harsin said. After the first two weeks, the team will scrimmage, then get a week off as to replicate a spring break. Then the Tigers return for the final two weeks, culminating with annual A-Day spring game April 17.

“I think the 15 practices in spring are maybe the most valuable practices you get in an entire year," Harsin said last week. "It sets the stage for your whole entire summer because in the summertime, that’s where the greatest development comes for a particular player — their strength, their speed, their football intelligence. All the things they’re preparing to execute during a season happens in the summer. You fine-tune that in fall camp, but where does it all come from? It comes from the spring.”

There are plenty of familiar faces returning to both sides of the ball, and a handful of interesting newcomers, too. So how do they all fit into the equation under new leadership?

Auburn Undercover will preview a different facet of Auburn's upcoming spring practices every day until things get rolling on Monday, from wild-card players to freshman fits to position battles to depth charts.

To wrap things up, we'll predict the Tigers' pre-spring depth chart — starting with the offense. Defense and special teams will be tomorrow.

QUARTERBACK
• Bo Nix (junior)

Nix is once again in a position to be one of the most experienced returning quarterbacks in the conference — and now he's probably one of the most seasoned passers in college football. Can Auburn's new offensive coaching staff help him to finally turn the corner and become an upper-echelon passer? It will start this spring with Harsin and Mike Bobo working on solving some of Nix's issues from the past couple seasons and tapping into his strong suits.

• Dematrius Davis (early enrollee freshman)

Auburn figures to have one of the better backup quarterbacks in the SEC this coming season in Davis, who just wrapped up the winningest season in Texas high-school football history. He's a nimble runner who's capable of making big-time throws from inside and outside the pocket. Davis has the tools to beat out the other two QBs for the backup spot.

• Grant Loy (redshirt senior) OR Chayil Garnett (redshirt freshman)

It wasn't clear for a month or so whether Loy would return for a second senior season, but Auburn is certainly glad that he will. He's the most experienced quarterback on the roster in terms of years played. The former Bowling Green transfer should give Davis a good run for QB2.

Call it a hunch, but Garnett seems primed to take a step forward in his first full offseason with the program. He's a gifted athlete who looks to also benefit from a new, more quarterback-friendly offensive system.

 

RUNNING BACK
• Tank Bigsby (sophomore)

After an SEC Freshman of the Year campaign, Bigsby is unquestionably the centerpiece of this offense moving forward, and he may just be the most talented player on the whole team. It looked like early this winter he may have to take on a huge load in terms of carries, but Auburn made a couple smart moves in the running backs room to help Bigsby out. He should still be touching the ball 20-25 times a game, at least, especially after a full offseason training and bulking up in the strength program.

• Shaun Shivers (senior)

Look for Shivers to create some separation as a true No. 2 running back. He and D.J. Williams, who transferred to Florida State, where mostly neck-and-neck last season while they both dealt with injuries. But when healthy, Shivers was an impressive runner, and he also caught 10 passes out of the backfield. His leadership on offense as a returning team captain is vital, too.

• Devan Barrett (senior) 

Making a return to the position he started his Auburn career at, Barrett gives Cadillac Williams' group some intriguing versatility as a longer athlete who can catch passes and make an impact going side to side, too. He showed good flashes during his true freshman season at tailback in 2017, and Auburn will likely stand to benefit from giving him a few touches a game.

• Freshman Jarquez Hunter will arrive in the summer

WIDE RECEIVER
9/SPLIT END

• Elijah Canion (redshirt freshman)

• J.J. Evans (redshirt freshman)

Canion appeared in only two games, but he's a player the staff was high on all season as a big playmaker and one of the more athletically gifted young weapons on the offense. He proved as much in the Citrus Bowl, when he displayed some impressive route-running and a propensity to stretch a defense downfield with three catches for more than 80 yards and a long touchdown.

Evans didn't play at all in his freshman campaign but is long, fast option at 6-foot-3. 

5/BIG SLOT

• Ze'Vian Capers (sophomore)

• Shedrick Jackson (senior)

• Caylin Newton (senior)

Capers is Auburn's top returning receiver in terms of snaps played in 2020, and he should develop into a go-to option once fully healed from a foot injury sustained in the bowl game. After catching seven passes for 77 yards and a touchdown in his true freshman year, Capers underwent surgery in early January. He can be an outside threat, as well, but he showed a knack for creating space in the middle of the field and is a big target at 6-foot-4.

If Capers isn't available this spring, Auburn has Jackson, who is less of a pass-catcher and more of a blocker but still brings an experienced presence to the table. Newton played sparingly in 2020 as primarily a blocking receiver, too.

2/FLANKER

• Kobe Hudson (sophomore)

• Malcolm Johnson Jr. (redshirt freshman)

• Ja'Varrius Johnson (redshirt sophomore)

Auburn will need to replace the highly productive Eli Stove at this position, and it could do so by committee. Hudson showed some strong route-running skills as a true freshman, while the two Johnsons are fast, speed-sweep options who can stretch defenses out moving side-to-side.

• Freshmen Tar'Varish Dawson and Hal Presley will arrive in the summer

TIGHT END
• John Samuel Shenker (senior) OR J.J. Pegues (sophomore)

Shenker has been a reliable target for years now, and Pegues was a useful utility player as a true freshman.

• Luke Deal (redshirt sophomore) 

Deal filled in Auburn's H-back and tight end hybrid role in 2020 and was an effective blocker. He logged the most snaps of any returning player on this list.

• Brandon Fraizer (sophomore)

Frazier, a 6-foot-7 monster of a target, only played in a handful of games at the end of the season after an injury but Nix targeted him often when he checked in.

• Tyler Fromm (redshirt sophomore) OR Landen King (early enrollee freshman)

Fromm fell behind in the rotation last season and should be bringing up the bottom of the pecking order with the true freshman King, who is an able pass-catcher with some skills, like Frazier, to make plays for big yardage in the middle of a defense.

OFFENSIVE LINE
LEFT TACKLE

• Austin Troxell (redshirt senior)

• Alec Jackson (senior)

• Killian Zierer (redshirt junior)

Troxell had Jackson beat after the Georgia game and was set to take over as the starter at left tackle before he suffered a concussion in practice. When Jackson suffered a hand injury toward the end of the season, Troxell started Auburn's final three games and held up well.

Zierer, a JUCO transfer, didn't play at all in 2020 coming off a knee injury, but former head coach Gus Malzahn said toward the end of the season that he was a full participant in practice. He'll likely be a strong backup at either tackle spot in 2021.

LEFT GUARD

• Brandon Council (senior)

• Tashawn Manning (senior)

• Garner Langlo (early enrollee freshman)

It's likely Auburn's best guard pairing will be Council and Keiondre Jones, since those two were the most consistent interior lineman all last season. Council probably won't be ready to go this spring, though, after his knee injury, so it will be interesting to see how the new staff manages the position battles here once he makes his return.

An Akron transfer who joined the program last April, Council blew out his knee in the Ole Miss game. But Auburn has worked magic on similar knee injuries in recent years, with receivers like Stove and Will Hastings returning to the field the very next season after their injuries.

Langlo is listed on the roster as a tackle but has more experience at guard, though the versatility won't at all be a negative for the Tigers. At 6-foot-7 and 280 pounds, Langlo can be molded by Auburn's staff for a couple years, and his early start within the program as a spring enrollee should help that development along.

CENTER

• Nick Brahms (senior) 

• Jalil Irvin (junior)

• Avery Jernigan (redshirt freshman)

Brahms has been inconsistent at best, but his 21 career starts and experience working alongside Nix for two full seasons should prove valuable for new position coach Will Friend.
Council's versatility could come into play here, as well, since he stepped in as the first-team center last fall camp when Brahms was out for a while. Could he take over as the starting center in order to allow a player like Troxell or Brodarious Hamm to shift over to guard? We probably won't get many answers about Council until he's healthier in fall camp.

Irvin was Brahms' immediate backup in game action last season, while Jernigan can play anywhere on the interior of the line.

RIGHT GUARD

• Keiondre Jones (redshirt sophomore)

• Brandon Council (senior)

• Kam Stutts (redshirt sophomore)

• Tate Johnson (redshirt freshman)

Especially considering he was a redshirt freshman being thrown into the fire, Jones performed at a high level filling in for Council after his injury. Again, the guard spots could come down to which pairing between Jones, Council and Manning — and possibly Troxell — yields the most success for Auburn at the line of scrimmage.

RIGHT TACKLE

• Brodarious Hamm (senior)

• Brenden Coffey (senior)

• Austin Troxell (redshirt senior)

Hamm was the starter for most of the season before a knee injury, after which Coffey stepped in and performed respectably. This job should be Hamm's to lose unless he's slid to a guard spot.

• Freshman OT Colby Smith will arrive in the summer

https://247sports.com/college/auburn/LongFormArticle/auburn-spring-depth-chart-defense-2021-spring-practice-bryan-harsin-162442592/

Quote

Projecting Auburn's spring depth chart on defense, special teams
ByNATHAN KING Mar 15, 7:00 AM
 

Spring practice is almost here on the Plains, and Auburn — plus every other program in college football — won't take this time for granted ever again.

After spring ball was nixed in 2020 thanks to the pandemic, the Tigers are ready to roll this week and kick off the first practices of the Bryan Harsin era. Starting this week, the Tigers will practice on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays, Harsin said. After the first two weeks, the team will scrimmage, then get a week off as to replicate a spring break. Then the Tigers return for the final two weeks, culminating with annual A-Day spring game April 17.

“I think the 15 practices in spring are maybe the most valuable practices you get in an entire year," Harsin said last week. "It sets the stage for your whole entire summer because in the summertime, that’s where the greatest development comes for a particular player — their strength, their speed, their football intelligence. All the things they’re preparing to execute during a season happens in the summer. You fine-tune that in fall camp, but where does it all come from? It comes from the spring.”

There are plenty of familiar faces returning to both sides of the ball, and a handful of interesting newcomers, too. So how do they all fit into the equation under new leadership?

Auburn Undercover will preview a different facet of Auburn's upcoming spring practices every day until things get rolling on Monday, from wild-card players to freshman fits to position battles to depth charts.

We'll conclude with a defense and special-teams depth chart projection entering spring ball.

 

DEFENSIVE END
• Colby Wooden (sophomore)

• Dre Butler (senior) OR Jaren Handy (junior)

• Daniel Foster-Allen (redshirt freshman)

This should be as deep a group as Auburn's got on defense, helped in large part by the versatility of players like Butler, who can play inside and outside on the line. There are a few others like him, too. 

After leading the team in tackles for loss in 2020, Wooden might be Auburn's best returning player on the front lines, and he's certainly a piece new defensive coordinator Derek Mason will lean on.

DEFENSIVE TACKLE

• Zykeivous Walker (sophomore)

• Jay Hardy (redshirt freshman) OR Dre Butler (senior) OR Marquis Burks (senior)

NOSE TACKLE

• Tyrone Truesdell (senior)

• Lee Hunter (freshman) OR Marquis Burks (senior)

• Jeremiah Wright (redshirt freshman)

Walker and Butler seemed to make the D-line better whenever they were in the game, while Hardy, who was only able to appear in two games after an early season injury, is hoped by Auburn to be a future starter on the interior. Burks looked strong in his appearances, too.

At the other DT spot, Mason is capable of utilizing a nose tackle when he deploys a 3-4 defense, and Truesdell perfectly fits that bill at 6-foot-2 and 326 pounds.

• Freshmen Ian Mathews and Marquis Robinson and transfer Eku Leota will arrive in the summer

EDGE
• Derick Hall (junior)

• Caleb Johnson (junior) OR Romello Height (redshirt freshman) OR Jaren Handy (junior)

After a slow — and admittedly frustrating — start last season, Hall turned in a pair of multi-sack performances in two of Auburn's last five games. Behind him, Johnson was a pleasant surprise for Auburn last season, emerging from the bottom of the depth chart to contribute in all 11 games. 

OUTSIDE LINEBACKER

• Cam Riley (sophomore)

• T.D. Moultry (senior)

When Auburn goes to four 'backers, Riley and Moultry could benefit from their longer frames and more versatile skill sets. Riley played the most last season out of Auburn's three freshman linebackers, and Moultry moved back from the D-line to a traditional linebacker this offseason.

INSIDE LINEBACKER

• Owen Pappoe (junior)

• Cam Riley (sophomore) OR Wesley Steiner (sophomore) OR T.D. Moultry (senior)

• Kameron Brown (redshirt sophomore)

INSIDE LINEBACKER

• Zakoby McClain (senior)

• Chandler Wooten (senior)

• Cam Riley (sophomore)

• Desmond Tisdol (sophomore)

Pappoe and McClain finished the season with 206 combined tackles, and McClain's 113 stops tied for the most in college football.

Riley and Wooten, who's back after opting out of the 2020 season, could round out the primary four-linebacker rotation in the box.

• Freshmen Dylan Brooks and Tobechi Okoli and JUCO transfer Joko Willis will arrive in the summer

CORNERBACK
• Roger McCreary (senior)

• Marco Domio (senior)

• Eric Reed Jr. (redshirt freshman) OR Traivon Leonard (senior)

CORNERBACK

• Nehemiah Pritchett (junior) OR Jaylin Simpson (sophomore)

• Kamal Hadden (junior)

McCreary ended the season as one of the SEC's top cornerbacks in terms of pure coverage grade, and he's got the top spot locked up. Stepping in for Simpson, who was injured most of the season, Pritchett was a solid player in his own right who rarely got beat in coverage down the field and made plenty of pass breakups along the sideline. Simpson won the starting job last fall camp, but it's more likely he and Pritchett are in a tie heading into spring practices after Pritchett's big season.

Leonard is back with the team after opting out of the 2020 season, but Reed and Domio are probably ahead of him after playing a bit last season.

The corner competition should become all the more interesting once West Virginia transfer Dreshun Miller arrives later in the year.

NICKEL/STAR

• Ladarius Tennison (sophomore)

• Zion Puckett (redshirt sophomore)

Tennison is one of Auburn's most exciting young defenders on the roster, should Mason choose to use a true nickel on his defense. If not, Tennison has been preparing to play some safety, too.

• Freshman A.D. Diamond and transfer Dreshun Miller will arrive in the summer

SAFETY
• Chris Thompson Jr. (redshirt freshman)

• Ahmari Harvey (freshman)

SAFETY

• Smoke Monday (senior)

• Ladarius Tennison (sophomore) OR Jaylin Simpson (sophomore)

The depth here will be thin until a couple more players come to campus in the summer, so the four-star freshman Harvey should have a good chance to show his stuff to the new coaching staff.

Thompson played the most out of any youngster at the position in 2020, so he'll likely fall in as the starter alongside Monday on Day 1 of spring ball. Tennison creates a wild card element, too, should he make the move to safety. Even if he doesn't, he can probably still slide back and play the position in a pinch, as can Simpson.

• Freshmen Juwon Gaston and Cayden Bridges will arrive in the summer

KICKER
• Anders Carlson (senior)

• Ben Patton (redshirt sophomore)

• Evan McGuire (sophomore)

With a solid senior year, Carlson is set up to enter the SEC's top 10 in terms of all-time point scoring. This past season, he tied Miami's Jose Borregales for the nation's best field-goal percentage (91%) among kickers with at least 20 attempts on the year.

PUNTER
• Oscar Chapman (sophomore) OR Aidan Marshall (senior)

Especially with the new staff, this battle will probably still rage into 2021. Chapman was the more utilized player in 2020, with 28 punts to Marshall's 16, but Marshall had a higher average (42.3 to 41.1)

LONG SNAPPER
• Bill Taylor (senior)

• Jacob Quattlebaum (senior)

HOLDER
• Ben Patton (redshirt sophomore)

• Grant Loy (senior) OR Dematrius Davis (freshman)

Taylor, who's been the team's long snapper since the 2018 season, did participate in senior day festivities last year, but for now we'll assume he used his free year of eligibility and is returning for another season. He's an underrated piece for this squad on special teams.

At holder, Patton will occupy most of the snaps, but Auburn in the past has liked to use its backup quarterback here, too, for fake field goals and 2-point conversion attempts.

PUNT RETURN
• Ladarius Tennison (sophomore)

• Malcolm Johnson Jr. (redshirt freshman)

KICK RETURN
• Tank Bigsby (sophomore)

• Shaun Shivers (senior)

• Malcolm Johnson Jr. (redshirt freshman)

• Ladarius Tennison (sophomore)

The role of punt returner is all speculation, since both Christian Tutt and Eli Stove are gone after being the only players to return punts for Auburn in 2020. Bigsby and Shivers probably don't need the extra hits, so the speed of Johnson, who may be the fastest player on the team, and the athleticism of Tennison seemed to be good fits.

 

[Zeek 16,657]

Some quick thoughts:

• Grant Loy being out with an injury likely opens the door for Dee to take the QB2 mantle (not that he wouldn't have anyways). Some of the people at the practice did mention that Chayil looked very natural and comfortable throwing the ball.
• Tank is an All-American level RB he should get the bulk of the carries for sure. I think DJ Williams will benefit the most from this different offense and, hopefully, a legitimate rotation of the RBs. I also think BH will do a much better job of getting Worm in space.
• How the Tight-Ends are going to be utilized is incredibly fascinating. Freshman Landon King is built more like a WR, we've heard Brandon Frazier is a legit pass catcher, Shenker and Deal are great blockers, and Pegues is Pegues.
• I really like our young group of WR's we could have a starting group of 6'4" / 6'4" / 6'1" all of which are at or above 200 lbs. That's a mismatch waiting to happen somewhere. Especially if the RBs are really going to be utilized as pass catchers. The backups listed are equally likely to contribute in a major way; a lot of people are high on the two Johnsons.
• Offensive Line is concerning with so many Seniors and it's looking like we might have the same starting five. Hoping Friend can be a huge difference maker here. We need some big OL classes in the next 2-3 recruiting classes to re-stock the cupboard. 
• Defense will be really interesting. I think we'll see a lot of dudes since we'll be a little more multiple. We'll see a 3-4, 4-2-5, and 4-3 combos depending on the scenario. I really hope to see more 3+ linebacker type sets where they're all off the line. It has driven me nuts over the years seeing only 2 LBs in the box and usually no one defending the middle of the field.
• Tennison is supposedly getting a look at safety opposite of Smoke. That would be two hammers sitting back there.
• IF we're going to have Chapman starting at Punter please lord make/let him do a Rugby-style punt otherwise what's the point in getting an Aussie? I've been a little disappointed with him and Marshall has actually averaged better than him. I know that we trade distance for hang time but I'd like to see us be good enough in punt coverage we can have both.

Really hoping we get Dematrius Davis legitimate reps and playing time for the future; really believe he's a DUDE with huge upside. I'm hoping, in general, coach BH does a much better job of utilizing the 4-game-redshirt rule. Too many times we've had Freshmen just rot on the bench and redshirting when they should be able to get reps in lesser games (though we haven't been getting big enough leads against minor opponents to do that either).

[Barnacle 9,064]

@Zeek

Don't forget DJ Williams transferred. 

[Tigerpro2a 5,650]

10 minutes ago, Zeek said:

Some quick thoughts:

• Grant Loy being out with an injury likely opens the door for Dee to take the QB2 mantle (not that he wouldn't have anyways). Some of the people at the practice did mention that Chayil looked very natural and comfortable throwing the ball.
• Tank is an All-American level RB he should get the bulk of the carries for sure. I think DJ Williams will benefit the most from this different offense and, hopefully, a legitimate rotation of the RBs. I also think BH will do a much better job of getting Worm in space.
• How the Tight-Ends are going to be utilized is incredibly fascinating. Freshman Landon King is built more like a WR, we've heard Brandon Frazier is a legit pass catcher, Shenker and Deal are great blockers, and Pegues is Pegues.
• I really like our young group of WR's we could have a starting group of 6'4" / 6'4" / 6'1" all of which are at or above 200 lbs. That's a mismatch waiting to happen somewhere. Especially if the RBs are really going to be utilized as pass catchers. The backups listed are equally likely to contribute in a major way; a lot of people are high on the two Johnsons.
• Offensive Line is concerning with so many Seniors and it's looking like we might have the same starting five. Hoping Friend can be a huge difference maker here. We need some big OL classes in the next 2-3 recruiting classes to re-stock the cupboard. 
• Defense will be really interesting. I think we'll see a lot of dudes since we'll be a little more multiple. We'll see a 3-4, 4-2-5, and 4-3 combos depending on the scenario. I really hope to see more 3+ linebacker type sets where they're all off the line. It has driven me nuts over the years seeing only 2 LBs in the box and usually no one defending the middle of the field.
• Tennison is supposedly getting a look at safety opposite of Smoke. That would be two hammers sitting back there.
• IF we're going to have Chapman starting at Punter please lord make/let him do a Rugby-style punt otherwise what's the point in getting an Aussie? I've been a little disappointed with him and Marshall has actually averaged better than him. I know that we trade distance for hang time but I'd like to see us be good enough in punt coverage we can have both.

Really hoping we get Dematrius Davis legitimate reps and playing time for the future; really believe he's a DUDE with huge upside. I'm hoping, in general, coach BH does a much better job of utilizing the 4-game-redshirt rule. Too many times we've had Freshmen just rot on the bench and redshirting when they should be able to get reps in lesser games (though we haven't been getting big enough leads against minor opponents to do that either).

I certainly hope DJW doesn't benefits the most from this offense lol.

I think Defense is going to be busy good. after seeing them in practice I am a believer. The gains in the weight room are definitely noticeable.

Derick Hall is a grown man and it's going to eat at the Edge Olb spot

Lee Hunter appears as advertised

Tank is Tank but even better Tank and shivers looks like a different back with the added weight.

J Johnson may be too good to keep off the field even with his size. looks very good getting off the line and will be hard to contain in a phone booth. 

WR group has a ton of potential. good combination of size and speed.

bo nix looks bigger. he even looks taller to me. his foot work looks good. cbh working with him 1 on 1 a lot

 

 

 

 

 

[Zeek 16,657]

6 minutes ago, Barnacle said:

@Zeek

Don't forget DJ Williams transferred. 

Dang, I had forgotten  just replace my statement with Devan Barrett

4 minutes ago, Tigerpro2a said:

I certainly hope DJW doesn't benefits the most from this offense lol

See what happens when I'm away from the board for too long? 

[toddc 13,194]

😂 I’m really excited to see this kid play!

[AUpreacherman22 3,888]

8 hours ago, Tigerpro2a said:

I think Defense is going to be busy good. after seeing them in practice I am a believer. The gains in the weight room are definitely noticeable.

Derick Hall is a grown man and it's going to eat at the Edge Olb spot

Lee Hunter appears as advertised

Tank is Tank but even better Tank and shivers looks like a different back with the added weight.

J Johnson may be too good to keep off the field even with his size. looks very good getting off the line and will be hard to contain in a phone booth. 

WR group has a ton of potential. good combination of size and speed.

bo nix looks bigger. he even looks taller to me. his foot work looks good. cbh working with him 1 on 1 a lot

I am excited about where we’re headed!  The new staff has a lot of talent to work with!   But they have a lot of work to do, too.  
Only 2 major concerns with the defense:  How quickly can they learn the new schemes to the point they can play fast and loose?   And secondly, do we have enough DL who fit the right mold for the 3-4 to have good depth?

On O, I am much more reserved.  Their learning curve is even bigger!  Our OL has a long way to go!!!  Nix has got some things he really needs to work on!  All of our WRs are young.  Our top 2 RBs are really good, but after them we have a guy who hasn’t played RB in 3 years and a TF.   RBs rarely go through a season without missing at least a little bit of time.  I think we’re set at TE/HB!  Although we’ve never actually seen these guys catch a pass in an actual game.  😁

[Zeek 16,657]

14 hours ago, toddc said:

😂 I’m really excited to see this kid play!

The #ThickMarshall stuff cracks me up

[dilligas 581]

14 hours ago, toddc said:

😂 I’m really excited to see this kid play!

I also gleaned from Bobo’s presser comments that D Davis’ head is spinning right now, that he doesn’t understand a lot of what Nix, Bobo and others are talking about.  Bobo talked of helping him build confidence and get him ready by end of Fall camp.  Seems like he has quite a learning curve to climb from where he’s at right now.  Not that he can’t learn it.  Bobo was impressed with his arm strength and mechanics and how strong he was running with the ball and defenders bouncing off him.

[steeleagle 2,945]

1 hour ago, dilligas said:

I also gleaned from Bobo’s presser comments that D Davis’ head is spinning right now, that he doesn’t understand a lot of what Nix, Bobo and others are talking about.  Bobo talked of helping him build confidence and get him ready by end of Fall camp.  Seems like he has quite a learning curve to climb from where he’s at right now.  Not that he can’t learn it.  Bobo was impressed with his arm strength and mechanics and how strong he was running with the ball and defenders bouncing off him.

That's what I took from his PC. 

Davis has a long way to go mentally to contribute on the field,with a much more sophisticated offense to learn. Bobo hesitated to complement him on Davis other than his basic throwing skills and he can stand a hit. 

Bobo was impressed with Javaris Johnson and in the last 2 practices stood out a lot making plays. Seems like they may feel he has the ability to use him bc he can make plays and create separation easily.

Bobo also like JJ Pegues, and perked up in describing his ability to play TE. Only thing he needs is to get in football shape to stay on the field, bc it seems Bobo want's the ability to throw to him down the field and other parts of his offense.

[McLoofus 35,182]

1 hour ago, steeleagle said:

Bobo was impressed with Javaris Johnson and in the last 2 practices stood out a lot making plays.

Somebody dial up that Daniel Bryan YES gif!

1 hour ago, steeleagle said:

Bobo also like JJ Pegues, and perked up in describing his ability to play TE. Only thing he needs is to get in football shape

Point to @W.E.D

1 hour ago, steeleagle said:

it seems Bobo want's the ability to throw to him down the field and other parts of his offense.

Point to Loof

[W.E.D 11,070]

6 minutes ago, McLoofus said:

 

Point to @W.E.D

 

Get him to 280 and he'll be amazing.

[steeleagle 2,945]

3 hours ago, W.E.D said:

Get him to 280 and he'll be amazing.

You or Pegues? 

but I agree with your comment. Getting to there could make him an elite TE for the NFL...

[W.E.D 11,070]

35 minutes ago, steeleagle said:

You or Pegues? 

but I agree with your comment. Getting to there could make him an elite TE for the NFL...

I am amazing and below 280

[Dual-Threat Rigby 8,679]

You eventually get starter level play of Chayil and you may have the QB position somewhat figured out for the next half decade

[AUApostle 7,651]

When they ran pace drills on Saturday, I believe Chayil was the 2nd man up.  He definitely looked comfortable.  Had a decent throw over the middle before 2 overthrows.

Chapman had the strongest leg of the punters that I saw, by far.

[Tigerpro2a 5,650]

On 3/22/2021 at 10:23 AM, Zeek said:

Some quick thoughts:

• Grant Loy being out with an injury likely opens the door for Dee to take the QB2 mantle (not that he wouldn't have anyways). Some of the people at the practice did mention that Chayil looked very natural and comfortable throwing the ball.
• Tank is an All-American level RB he should get the bulk of the carries for sure. I think DJ Williams will benefit the most from this different offense and, hopefully, a legitimate rotation of the RBs. I also think BH will do a much better job of getting Worm in space.
• How the Tight-Ends are going to be utilized is incredibly fascinating. Freshman Landon King is built more like a WR, we've heard Brandon Frazier is a legit pass catcher, Shenker and Deal are great blockers, and Pegues is Pegues.
• I really like our young group of WR's we could have a starting group of 6'4" / 6'4" / 6'1" all of which are at or above 200 lbs. That's a mismatch waiting to happen somewhere. Especially if the RBs are really going to be utilized as pass catchers. The backups listed are equally likely to contribute in a major way; a lot of people are high on the two Johnsons.
• Offensive Line is concerning with so many Seniors and it's looking like we might have the same starting five. Hoping Friend can be a huge difference maker here. We need some big OL classes in the next 2-3 recruiting classes to re-stock the cupboard. 
• Defense will be really interesting. I think we'll see a lot of dudes since we'll be a little more multiple. We'll see a 3-4, 4-2-5, and 4-3 combos depending on the scenario. I really hope to see more 3+ linebacker type sets where they're all off the line. It has driven me nuts over the years seeing only 2 LBs in the box and usually no one defending the middle of the field.
• Tennison is supposedly getting a look at safety opposite of Smoke. That would be two hammers sitting back there.
• IF we're going to have Chapman starting at Punter please lord make/let him do a Rugby-style punt otherwise what's the point in getting an Aussie? I've been a little disappointed with him and Marshall has actually averaged better than him. I know that we trade distance for hang time but I'd like to see us be good enough in punt coverage we can have both.

Really hoping we get Dematrius Davis legitimate reps and playing time for the future; really believe he's a DUDE with huge upside. I'm hoping, in general, coach BH does a much better job of utilizing the 4-game-redshirt rule. Too many times we've had Freshmen just rot on the bench and redshirting when they should be able to get reps in lesser games (though we haven't been getting big enough leads against minor opponents to do that either).

I am a huge DD fan but I have a concern. DD was really Gus' recruit.  Assuming he doesn't beat out Bo this year which I think is a fair assumption, is there a chance he may never start a down? Hars and Bobo have went out and targeted the QBs they want for the future. I believe Bo will be here for the 22 season unless he just absolutely does a 180 and balls out this year (which if he does then all bets are off!!) so then by 2023 we would have Holden G here along with probably another 22 QB that Harsin wants and who knows what 23 guys could come in to compete with. I could see a situation where he is a career back up just due to timing.

I like to think he is too good to stay on the bench that long, but I have seen it with plenty of other players over the years.

[Malcolm_FleX48 1,869]

6 hours ago, AUDevil said:

When they ran pace drills on Saturday, I believe Chayil was the 2nd man up.  He definitely looked comfortable.  Had a decent throw over the middle before 2 overthrows.

Chapman had the strongest leg of the punters that I saw, by far.

Going to go on record saying I wouldn't doubt Chayil ending up getting the nod as the starter by the time fall rolls around.

There seems to be a fair amount of intrigue and the kid seems to be able to sling the ball. If he has really good mobility, then there may be the same upside w/ Bo, but with none of the bad programming. I heard Bo looked good in some spaces, but kept doing Bo things that we saw to be an issue last year.

Seems like w/ the QB depth we SHOULD have, there would be no reason to waste DD's 1st year. Especially given that this offense won't be a high school offense by any stretch. He would probably be best served being able to sit, develop, learn the pace, see the mistakes, and not burn a year doing so. Still, if Auburn ends up being best served by him playing, that'll be a sign of bad possibly.
 

[McLoofus 35,182]

1 hour ago, Tigerpro2a said:

is there a chance he may never start a down?

Yup! Also a huge DD fan but fully prepared for this possibility. I'll embrace it. If Davis doesn't win the job, then that likely means QB1 is pretty damned good. These are the good problems. LFG!

[Tigerpro2a 5,650]

11 minutes ago, Malcolm_FleX48 said:

Going to go on record saying I wouldn't doubt Chayil ending up getting the nod as the starter by the time fall rolls around.

I am not going that far, but kid looks good. Good size. Good strong arm. I Like it. 

[DAG 33,997]

12 minutes ago, Malcolm_FleX48 said:

Going to go on record saying

People forgot about this young man. Going big with that prediction 

[Malcolm_FleX48 1,869]

2 minutes ago, Tigerpro2a said:

I am not going that far, but kid looks good. Good size. Good strong arm. I Like it. 

He definitely did. In open competitions, all it takes is one day to catch the coaches' eyes then they want to see more and that amounts to more time, reps, and eventually starting.

Just now, DAG said:

People forgot about this young man. Going big with that prediction 

Right, that makes for a HUGE Chip on the shoulder. Plus the redshirt year during Gus saves him from a lot of bad habits being formed through playing that way.

[AUApostle 7,651]

33 minutes ago, Malcolm_FleX48 said:

. I heard Bo looked good in some spaces, but kept doing Bo things that we saw to be an issue last year.

 

Those same pace drills, Bo was cooking, getting good yardage on keepers and check-downs...then ended with a really bad miss to a wide open Kobe on the sidelines.  Kobe should have caught it, but the throw was way too short.

[Zeek 16,657]

2 hours ago, Tigerpro2a said:

I am a huge DD fan but I have a concern. DD was really Gus' recruit.  Assuming he doesn't beat out Bo this year which I think is a fair assumption, is there a chance he may never start a down? Hars and Bobo have went out and targeted the QBs they want for the future. I believe Bo will be here for the 22 season unless he just absolutely does a 180 and balls out this year (which if he does then all bets are off!!) so then by 2023 we would have Holden G here along with probably another 22 QB that Harsin wants and who knows what 23 guys could come in to compete with. I could see a situation where he is a career back up just due to timing.

I like to think he is too good to stay on the bench that long, but I have seen it with plenty of other players over the years.

He's shorter but his high school accuracy is really impressive. I'm pretty high on him personally. We'll see... as of now I trust Hars as a talent evaluator.

[au302 2,669]

I just hope Harsin and Bobo find someone, whether Bo or someone on the roster, or even a transfer, that will simply be a good, fundamentally sound Quarterback. Bo makes some exciting plays with his legs, but we don't need him to constantly bail the pocket early and play hero ball with our new offense. I still think as of now Bo will be the guy, but I hope the new staff is willing to give DD, Garnett, or a transfer a shot if Bo cannot clean up some of his stuff.