Auburn’s 10th practice of preseason

[aubiefifty 17,098]

Observations from Auburn’s 10th practice of preseason

By Tom Green | tgreen@al.com

3-4 minutes

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Keiondre Jones (58) Auburn football first practice in helmets on Monday, Aug. 17, 2020 in Auburn, Ala. Todd Van Emst/AU AthleticsTodd Van Emst/AU Athletics

Auburn returned to the practice field Tuesday after taking a day off for the first day of classes this semester.

It was the team’s 10th practice of the preseason, and the media was again granted a viewing period to observe. We were out there for 20 minutes Tuesday afternoon, with the team largely doing positional work. Here’s what we learned:

-- Auburn continues to shuffle personnel and cross-train along the offensive line. During positional drills Tuesday, the first group along the line was a different one than we’ve seen at other times this fall, with Austin Troxell at left tackle, Brandon Council flipped over to left guard, Nick Brahms remaining at center, Keiondre Jones at right guard and Brenden Coffey working at right tackle.

-- At the start of the viewing period, the offensive skill players -- tight ends, receivers, running backs and quarterbacks -- were cycling through a circuit of drills that focused on balance, ball protection and finishing through contact. One station had players running through a short tunnel working on protecting the ball as several arms swatted at the carrier.

Another station had players running in a circle with one hand on the ground, clearing pads that were on the ground and then maintaining their balance before taking off running. The final station had players catching short passes and then diving into the end zone, through a pair of tackling dummies and onto a landing pad; at this station, when it was the quarterbacks’ turn, they dropped back before pulling the ball down and taking off toward the corner. At this station, wide receivers coach Cornelius Williams was throwing the passes, while tight ends coach Brad Bedell got hands-on and demonstrated to the players what they needed to do by diving through the dummies and onto the pad. The players seemed to enjoy watching that.

-- During another period, quarterbacks ran skeleton passing drills with the running backs, receivers and tight ends. We saw post routes, corner routes, short routes to the outside from the running backs, as well as intermediate passes over the middle to the tight ends.

-- Bo Nix continued to get the first reps in these drills, followed by T.J. Finley, with Grant Loy third in the rotation. Nix and Finley continue to throw some impressive passes, though there were a few errant ones, including one slightly behind Elijah Canion on a corner throw from Finley.

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

[aubiefifty 17,098]

i tell ya what. if we do not start practicing the same kids in the same positions on the line i am going to be super worried. we have less than three weeks and they are still moving them around and that does not appear to be a very long window to jell before we play. i know we have a couple patsies coming up but it is getting me nervous.

[ValleyTiger 2,894]

10 minutes ago, aubiefifty said:

-- Bo Nix continued to get the first reps in these drills, followed by T.J. Finley, with Grant Loy third in the rotation. Nix and Finley continue to throw some impressive passes, though there were a few errant ones, including one slightly behind Elijah Canion on a corner throw from Finley.

The beat writers can't say it, but D Davis was not going thru these drills at practice yesterday. 

[aubiefifty 17,098]

2 minutes ago, ValleyTiger said:

The beat writers can't say it, but D Davis was not going thru these drills at practice yesterday. 

any idea why?

[ValleyTiger 2,894]

4 minutes ago, aubiefifty said:

any idea why?

My guess would be protocol'd

[aubiefifty 17,098]

1 minute ago, ValleyTiger said:

My guess would be protocol'd

i assume that means covid. that stuff scares me. i lost a few friends.

[Howard Roark 195]

41 minutes ago, aubiefifty said:

i tell ya what. if we do not start practicing the same kids in the same positions on the line i am going to be super worried. we have less than three weeks and they are still moving them around and that does not appear to be a very long window to jell before we play. i know we have a couple patsies coming up but it is getting me nervous.

I would not be surprised if a line is settled on after the scrimmage on Friday, at least the starters for Akron.  We just need to have everyone in place by AL State.  There might still be a position or two being decided in the first game, so don't be surprised if there is some shuffling the first game.  

[gravejd 3,272]

44 minutes ago, aubiefifty said:

i tell ya what. if we do not start practicing the same kids in the same positions on the line i am going to be super worried. we have less than three weeks and they are still moving them around and that does not appear to be a very long window to jell before we play. i know we have a couple patsies coming up but it is getting me nervous.

Get worried if they are still shuffling after this week. 2 weeks prior to the season is typically when the coaches start trying to solidify a depth chart. 

[Mikey 16,777]

58 minutes ago, ValleyTiger said:

My guess would be protocol'd

That's a shame. In the meantime, the East Alabama Hospital in Opelika is overflowing with victims of the Virus, 97% of whom chose to decline the vaccination earlier in the year. (Source, nurse there who is a family friend)

[VicTree 143]

1 hour ago, aubiefifty said:

any idea why?

We're keeping him secret until PSU.  Shhhh!

[W.E.D 11,070]

2 hours ago, ValleyTiger said:

My guess would be protocol'd

This is going to happen a lot if we're still at 60% team vaccination rate.  The negative ramifications for just simple exposure between vaccinated/unvaccinated is really stark.  

Right now we have two guys Ingram & DD fighting for a lot of playing time.  Ingram didn't play in the 1st scrimmage b/c of assume covid related protocol and now Davis is another assume covid casualty.  I'd hope teammates/leadership can see this and show how beneficial it is to getting on the field and playing time.

[au302 2,669]

2 hours ago, gravejd said:

Get worried if they are still shuffling after this week. 2 weeks prior to the season is typically when the coaches start trying to solidify a depth chart. 

I'm guessing they'll sit down on Friday night after the scrimmage and try to finalize a two deep. I would also guess they are closer to having it down for defense than offense. Probably wanted it looking more clear by now, but some of the performances during the scrimmage have made them have to keep competition open. Specifically o-line, that seems to be the biggest question mark. Looks like they really shuffled things up yesterday, and I can't say I blame them

[Howard Roark 195]

24 minutes ago, au302 said:

I'm guessing they'll sit down on Friday night after the scrimmage and try to finalize a two deep. I would also guess they are closer to having it down for defense than offense. Probably wanted it looking more clear by now, but some of the performances during the scrimmage have made them have to keep competition open. Specifically o-line, that seems to be the biggest question mark. Looks like they really shuffled things up yesterday, and I can't say I blame them

Auburn Undercover podcast hinted that Hamm was absent (possibly Covid related).  That is the reason Coffey was running 1st team.  I am hoping Coffey can take the RT position and Hamm moves inside.  Hamm does not seem to have the feet for the position.  

Edited August 18, 2021 by Howard Roark
spelling

[ValleyTiger 2,894]

2 hours ago, Mikey said:

That's a shame. In the meantime, the East Alabama Hospital in Opelika is overflowing with victims of the Virus, 97% of whom chose to decline the vaccination earlier in the year. (Source, nurse there who is a family friend)

Yup, my sister is a nurse in infection control for EAMC.

Hitting us hard here in Louisiana as well. My wife's a nurse, too. She tested positive for it yesterday, but she's been vaccinated since it first was available. 

[au302 2,669]

42 minutes ago, Howard Roark said:

Auburn Undercover podcast hinted that Hamm was absent (possibly Covid related).  That is the reason Coffey was running 1st team.  I am hoping Coffey can take the RT position and Hamm moves inside.  Hamm does not seem to have the feet for the position.  

That's unfortunate. I really hate to keep harping on the guy, but I agree, he is not a tackle at all. In fact, I would say our RT is weaker than the LT options, despite LT getting most of the press. Let Hamm compete with Jones. Throw Coffey or Council out there, whatever needs to be done. I know our identity is going to be a downhill team, and Hamm is a better run blocker than Coffey, but we cannot function with constant pressure. Bo obviously does not handle pressure well, so I think we have to go with Coffey, who did well in pass pro last year. If you go with Hamm, they need to give him constant tight end help

[Howard Roark 195]

7 minutes ago, au302 said:

That's unfortunate. I really hate to keep harping on the guy, but I agree, he is not a tackle at all. In fact, I would say our RT is weaker than the LT options, despite LT getting most of the press. Let Hamm compete with Jones. Throw Coffey or Council out there, whatever needs to be done. I know our identity is going to be a downhill team, and Hamm is a better run blocker than Coffey, but we cannot function with constant pressure. Bo obviously does not handle pressure well, so I think we have to go with Coffey, who did well in pass pro last year. If you go with Hamm, they need to give him constant tight end help

I would prefer to have Hamm and Council on the inside, but that requires someone to step up at tackle.  Coffey was not terrible last year and he is bigger now, but we have not heard any scoop about him grabbing the opportunity.  Not exactly encouraging for the whole line discussion.

[Hank2020 3,224]

1 hour ago, au302 said:

That's unfortunate. I really hate to keep harping on the guy, but I agree, he is not a tackle at all. In fact, I would say our RT is weaker than the LT options, despite LT getting most of the press. Let Hamm compete with Jones. Throw Coffey or Council out there, whatever needs to be done. I know our identity is going to be a downhill team, and Hamm is a better run blocker than Coffey, but we cannot function with constant pressure. Bo obviously does not handle pressure well, so I think we have to go with Coffey, who did well in pass pro last year. If you go with Hamm, they need to give him constant tight end help

That problem seems to be consistent with both Bo/TJ.

[AubieinNC2009 79]

On 8/18/2021 at 11:16 AM, W.E.D said:

This is going to happen a lot if we're still at 60% team vaccination rate

Really wish this was higher, at least over the 85% threshold for no team testing.  Hopefully more kids will get it soon.  I saw where Bama has only 1 player not vacinated.

[homersapien 11,511]

2 hours ago, AubieinNC2009 said:

Really wish this was higher, at least over the 85% threshold for no team testing.  Hopefully more kids will get it soon.  I saw where Bama has only 1 player not vacinated.

Even if the got the first shot today, we'll be well into the season before it was fully effective. 

Edited August 19, 2021 by homersapien

[fredst 9,064]

That first group OL looks ok to me

[au302 2,669]

10 minutes ago, fredst said:

That first group OL looks ok to me

Agreed. Best group that we've publicly heard they've tried so far imo

[autigeremt 6,776]

On 8/18/2021 at 9:01 AM, Mikey said:

That's a shame. In the meantime, the East Alabama Hospital in Opelika is overflowing with victims of the Virus, 97% of whom chose to decline the vaccination earlier in the year. (Source, nurse there who is a family friend)

My wife works there.....she's about to get her 2nd shot tomorrow morning. I've had mine since April (we both had Covid in early January) but she was hesitant until a few weeks ago. 

[WarEagle1983 2,185]

12 minutes ago, autigeremt said:

My wife works there.....she's about to get her 2nd shot tomorrow morning. I've had mine since April (we both had Covid in early January) but she was hesitant until a few weeks ago. 

Thoughts and prayers to everyone who has loved ones working in healthcare. Especially the nurses. Everyone has a right to choose but it breaks my heart every time i see the frustration, exhausted and heartbroken nurses speaking about their experiences with COVID patients. Knowing that it could be prevented. I just hope the nurses are getting support mentally they'll need going forward. Sorry for going of subject but I have a few in my family and they above and beyond constantly. 

Back to AU. I'm beyond excited about our defense...especially the secondary. I just hope we don't waste this defense like we did in 2019. 

[oracle79 3,569]

 

Move or lock please.

[Tony4AU 386]

6 minutes ago, oracle79 said:

 

Move or lock please.

Why? This hasn’t gone political like others.  
 

What time is scrimmage tonight??