Some love for Tate

[vatz22au 142]

Freshman tailback shines for Auburn

By Jay G. Tate

Montgomery Advertiser

Newcomer Ben Tate rushed for 61 yards in Auburn's first scrimmage of the spring Saturday.

-- Todd J. Van Emst / Auburn University

AUBURN -- Offensive coordinator Al Borges loves being creative.

That's his thing.

It wasn't on Saturday. Auburn's offense was unusually straightforward during the team's first spring scrimmage, choosing runs over passes by a 3-to-1 margin.

The reasoning was simple.

"Today was a make-a-statement day," Borges said. "In the first scrimmage, we wanted to come out and be aggressive and take the initiative with our running game. We accomplished our purpose today in that we got some pads on some pads, had some contact and we got physical."

Newcomer Ben Tate was the offensive standout on a day that featured few notable individual performances.

Tate, a 17-year-old from Maryland who played high school ball in the fall, gained 61 yards on 13 carries and looked like a seasoned veteran with the football in his hands. His best effort came on a power sweep that he decided to ditch in favor of a cutback move.

He gained 20 yards on the play.

"There is no doubt in my mind that I can play at this level," Tate said.

His teammates agreed.

"He looks like a special kind of player," senior linebacker Karibi Dede said. "You just kind of assume that freshmen will redshirt, but he might be ready now. He's very advanced. I can't believe he's 17."

Auburn's top five tailbacks combined for 56 carries and 202 yards. Most of that was gained using the team's most common rushing plays -- the inside zone and the sweep.

Top quarterback Brandon Cox played sparingly. Coach Tommy Tuberville said he's already sold on Cox's abilities and would prefer to let backups Blake Field and Calvin Booker earn more playing time in the spring.

All three players may need work.

Cox hit 2 of 8 passes for 11 yards and was intercepted by Jonathan Wilhite on a deep pass. Field was 3-for-7 while Booker was 2-for-9. Defense played a significant role in that futility.

Freshman linebacker Tray Blackmon set the tone with some graphic hits. His best play was against starting tailback Kenny Irons, who tried to outrun Blackmon on a sweep play.

Blackmon beat Irons to the outside and made a powerful tackle.

Auburn's defense had trouble breaking free from blocks early in the day, but repeated admonitions from defensive coordinator Will Muschamp prompted quick improvement. He wasn't shy about running on the field and providing emphatic, face-to-face directives.

"The offense had the upper hand early; the defense had the upper hand late," Tuberville said. "It was a typical scrimmage."

Muschamp said he was generally satisfied with how the defense performed. Aside from the early difficulties with blocks -- one of Muschamp's pet peeves -- the Tigers' defense caused repeated problems with its speed and general aggressiveness.

"We got after it good today," Muschamp said. "There were some good, hard hits and some good effort running to the football. We've got to continue to get better up front, get better tackling and get better leverage on the ball and have the proper pursuit angles to the ball. We don't understand that yet, but we're getting there."

linky

I also love Muschamp's mentality.....he is the type of guy to get in a players face and motivate them to accomplish more. Dont know about y'all, but I have some special feelings for 2006 and 2007.

[Aubie16 1]

That hit Blackmon put on Irons was great. He is just one of those players that will always find his way to the ball. Man I can't wait for the fall!

[Guest Tigrinum Major]

Love from a National Standpoint

Sports Illustrated

Media coverage from this type of publication can do nothing but good for the program.

[WarTiger 3,910]

Love from a National Standpoint

Sports Illustrated

Media coverage from this type of publication can do nothing but good for the program.

223478[/snapback]

certainly not going to discount the publicity this may provide, but SI??

SI is to sports journalism, as Guitar Magazine is to Fashion...

[saniflush 0]

WHOOOOOOAAAAAAA NELLLIE!

No really WHOA!

I'm glad to see that Tate seems to be doing well thusfar but it is a bit premature to compare him to any of our former great backs without some gametime evaluation. I am not downing him at all just a little gun shy of "the latest and greatest". He has the tools now we will see if he has the desire and the luck to be a great one.

[jumbo 0]

He is going to be a stud! Tate for Heisman 2008! just imagine the hypeafter the next scrimmage!

[quietfan 233]

WHOOOOOOAAAAAAA NELLLIE!

No really WHOA!

I'm glad to see that Tate seems to be doing well thusfar but it is a bit premature to compare him to any of our former great backs without some gametime evaluation.  I am not downing him at all just a little gun shy of "the latest and greatest".  He has the tools now we will see if he has the desire and the luck to be a great one.

223502[/snapback]

Yeah, it's not like he signed with Bama or anything. In that case he would be an instant Heisman candidate.

[saniflush 0]

WHOOOOOOAAAAAAA NELLLIE!

No really WHOA!

I'm glad to see that Tate seems to be doing well thusfar but it is a bit premature to compare him to any of our former great backs without some gametime evaluation.  I am not downing him at all just a little gun shy of "the latest and greatest".  He has the tools now we will see if he has the desire and the luck to be a great one.

223502[/snapback]

Yeah, it's not like he signed with Bama or anything. In that case he would be an instant Heisman candidate.

223521[/snapback]

Nah...Prob would have just skipped the Crapstone all together and gone straight to the draft. Just setting foot inside Barh "I crap in the woods" museum would be enough to catapult him into being a first round pick.

[AUesquire 1]

Yea, it's good to hear how he's doing so far. When I heard Coach Gran speak the other night, he seemed a little reserved about Tate. He was talking as if this may be too good to be true. He said a couple of times that they'll just wait and see what happens when the pads go on.

Hope he's been pleasantly surprised to this point.

WAR TATE

[wesfau 0]

WHOOOOOOAAAAAAA NELLLIE!

No really WHOA!

I'm glad to see that Tate seems to be doing well thusfar but it is a bit premature to compare him to any of our former great backs without some gametime evaluation.  I am not downing him at all just a little gun shy of "the latest and greatest".  He has the tools now we will see if he has the desire and the luck to be a great one.

223502[/snapback]

Lord help me, I'm going to agree with saniflush. I'm sure the men in the white coats will soon be knocking on my door.

[saniflush 0]

WHOOOOOOAAAAAAA NELLLIE!

No really WHOA!

I'm glad to see that Tate seems to be doing well thusfar but it is a bit premature to compare him to any of our former great backs without some gametime evaluation.  I am not downing him at all just a little gun shy of "the latest and greatest".  He has the tools now we will see if he has the desire and the luck to be a great one.

223502[/snapback]

Lord help me, I'm going to agree with saniflush. I'm sure the men in the white coats will soon be knocking on my door.

223545[/snapback]

I thought they already had been knocking at your door? Oh wait.....This is off topic. I shall be punished.

[wesfau 0]

WHOOOOOOAAAAAAA NELLLIE!

No really WHOA!

I'm glad to see that Tate seems to be doing well thusfar but it is a bit premature to compare him to any of our former great backs without some gametime evaluation.  I am not downing him at all just a little gun shy of "the latest and greatest".  He has the tools now we will see if he has the desire and the luck to be a great one.

223502[/snapback]

Lord help me, I'm going to agree with saniflush. I'm sure the men in the white coats will soon be knocking on my door.

223545[/snapback]

I thought they already had been knocking at your door? Oh wait.....This is off topic. I shall be punished.

223546[/snapback]

Watch your step, Clayton Bigsby.

[Erik81 0]

WHOOOOOOAAAAAAA NELLLIE!

No really WHOA!

I'm glad to see that Tate seems to be doing well thusfar but it is a bit premature to compare him to any of our former great backs without some gametime evaluation.  I am not downing him at all just a little gun shy of "the latest and greatest".  He has the tools now we will see if he has the desire and the luck to be a great one.

223502[/snapback]

exactly

I've seen him at practice everyday and the only thing I can say right now is he is built very similar to a young Steven Davis. He doesn't look like a very strong runner or very fast in comparision to our other backs due to his not going through our weight program yet. After a year or two in the weight room he will probably be a very powerful back but he is not right now. He has good vision from what I've seen. Let's wait until he has a couple more scrimmages before we crown him the next Bo.

[saniflush 0]

WHOOOOOOAAAAAAA NELLLIE!

No really WHOA!

I'm glad to see that Tate seems to be doing well thusfar but it is a bit premature to compare him to any of our former great backs without some gametime evaluation.  I am not downing him at all just a little gun shy of "the latest and greatest".  He has the tools now we will see if he has the desire and the luck to be a great one.

223502[/snapback]

Lord help me, I'm going to agree with saniflush. I'm sure the men in the white coats will soon be knocking on my door.

223545[/snapback]

I thought they already had been knocking at your door? Oh wait.....This is off topic. I shall be punished.

223546[/snapback]

Watch your step, Clayton Bigsby.

223555[/snapback]

They better watch it or I'll take off my mask.

[Guest Tigrinum Major]

Then you'll have to divorce your wife.

[saniflush 0]

Then you'll have to divorce your wife.

223629[/snapback]

I mean Tate is one heck of a back.