Coach Harsin Quotes on First Practice

toddc · March 15, 2022

Quick Quotes: Bryan Harsin on Auburn's first day of spring practice

Auburn QB's get to work in spring

AUBURN, Alabama — Football is back on the Plains.

Auburn opened spring practices Monday, with the Tigers wrapping up their first session on a sunny day at the outdoor practice field — the first of 15 practices, culminating with the A-Day spring game April 9.

Bryan Harsin recapped Day 1 of spring work in the evening. Here's a rundown of what he

Harsin says spring ball "feels like it did a few years ago — just normal."

• On the first day of practice: "I thought we took advantage of it. We worked on the basics: blocking and tackling."

• Harsin was pleased with how the coaching staff hustled. He was glad for the team to get done on time."

• Harsin said the team is much stronger after winter workouts.

• Said this group is coming along quickly with the basics.

• Freshman safety Caleb Wooden had a scoop-and-score and an interception today. "Talk about a first impression."

• Donovan Kaufman had a forced fumble.

• Jeremiah Wright is now officially back on the O-line: "It was good to see him out there."

• Cornerback Nehemiah Pritchett "went really hard."

• Harsin is asked how quickly the QB battle will progress: "Probably not as quickly as everyone else wants."

• Harsin says the quarterback reps will change from day to day. Everyone will get an opportunity with the first- or second-team offense early in spring practices.

• On new defensive coordinator Jeff Schmedding, Harsin says he's a "great communicator. ... He's always searching for something to get better at."

• Harsin says he constantly has conversations with his coaching staff talking about how they've improved recently as coaches and people.

• On the fiasco when he was on vacation in Mexico, Harsin said he still tried to prioritize his family and them getting to "recharge. ... Because they go through this stuff, too."

• There's open competition at "every position," Harsin said.

• Harsin: "COVID was hard. It was hard doing things (as a staff) we normally do." Says it was difficult to build chemistry as a team when they were restricted on how they could gather, how much he could meet with families, etc.

• Harsin on Auburn's paintball trip a couple weeks ago: "That was really fun until the last game, when the team decided the coaching staff was the enemy."

• Harsin on promoted offensive coordinator Eric Kiesau: "Low ego, high output."

• Harsin is asked about the offseason drama at Auburn: "I don't really see the value, at this point, of looking back in the rearview mirror. I'm a guy that wants to move forward and get better."

• There were more positives than negatives during the offseason drama, Harsin said. "There were (players) that stepped up and led." Said players organized their own meetings, and certain players decided to come back to the team during that stretch.

• Is the "treachery" still out there in regards to Auburn's upper leadership? Harsin: "I'm not looking for it."

• Harsin on the current problems in major college football, that he says extends to far more programs than just Auburn: "Some people, they take it too far. But you know what the problem is? They have no problem with that."

• On Shedrick Jackson's return: "I wanted Shed back. I think his best football is ahead of him."

• On Ja'Varrius Johnson: "He could have been more productive last year, and he should have been." Says the coaching staff wants to do a better job of getting him involved in the offense this season.

• What did Harsin's first year in the SEC teach him? "Finish strong."

1COMMENTS

• Harsin says last season "there were plenty of things that were self-inflicted that we can get better at — that we can coach better."

• Harsin hints at more transfers additions post spring: "We're going to bring other guys in eventually, because we need to."

Please

• Harsin says spring ball "feels like it did a few years ago — just normal."