Frosh make mark

[DKW 86 7,440]

http://www.al.com/auburnfootball/mobilereg....xml&coll=3

We are very deep according to Stat's article. But the talent CTT is recruioting still provides for FR to make contributions.

Frosh make mark

Most will be redshirted but several will earn playing time right away on the Plains

Wednesday, August 16, 2006

By EVAN WOODBERY

Sports Reporter

AUBURN -- Classes start today, but Greg Smith still hasn't set foot on Auburn's campus, let alone a practice field or a classroom.

The enormous defensive tackle, one of the most sought-after junior college prospects in the country, was thwarted by academic hurdles as he attempted to complete his transfer to Auburn this summer. Smith's arrival is now so late that it's unlikely he'll be able to make a meaningful contribution for a while.

But other newcomers have used the first two weeks of preseason camp to make an important impression on coaches and teammates.

Some players, like Homewood receiver Tim Hawthorne, have come exactly as advertised. Others, such as linebacker Craig Stevens, have made a bigger impact than expected.

"(The newcomers) have been good, but they don't know what they're doing yet," Auburn coach Tommy Tuberville said. "Their minds are spinning. But we've got some good players."

The majority of freshmen will still take redshirts, as planned. But some have worked themselves into a position to play.

Hawthorne arrived at Auburn with much fanfare and had solid summer workouts. The injury to top receiver Courtney Taylor opened up more opportunities for him and fellow freshman Terrell Zachery.

"It's definitely an opportunity," said receivers coach Greg Knox. "With Courtney out, it's an opportunity for us to look at a couple of other guys a little bit closer and find out if they can make plays."

Tight end Michael Goggans, a last-second Auburn commitment, has also had a strong preseason camp, but still might redshirt because of the strength of the position.

Defensive coordinator Will Muschamp quickly names two players when conversation turns to the standout freshmen.

Linebacker Craig Stevens, a Tallahassee, Fla., native, is hands-down winner as the unexpected freshman star of camp.

"We knew he was very athletic," linebackers coach James Willis said. "What I like best about him is that he'll make mistakes, but then he'll come back and out and he'll have learned from them."

The other player, defensive back Zac Etheridge, has switched from cornerback to safety to shore up depth and increase his chances of playing as a true freshman.

"Whichever one they need me at, I can play," said Etheridge, who played at Charles Henderson High in Troy.

Tuberville said mistakes are a fact of life when dealing with freshman players, but a good supporting cast can mask the mistakes of a newcomer.

"You can hide them a bit better on defense," Tuberville said. "You can't do that on offense. One guy makes a mistake on offense and everything else crumbles in. Defensively, you can put a freshman in and if he makes mistakes, somebody else could cover it. I played Ray Lewis one year as a true freshman (at Miami), and we had to cover him up a lot."

Not everyone has an easy time advancing to a higher level of football. Linemen often have the toughest adjustment to college, and coaches prefer to redshirt almost all of them.

Offensive lineman Lee Tilley has struggled at times in the transition to college ball and has a lot of work to do in his redshirt season.

Defensive lineman Jemarcus Ricks, who came to camp a bit out of shape, was making strong progress but missed several practices due to a death in the family.

Smith, of course, is different from other linemen because he was expected to make an immediate impact at defensive tackle. But with each day he misses, it's less likely.

"We'll throw him in there and try to get him in as much shape as we can," Tuberville said. "If he looks like he can help, we'll work with him. If not, we'll put him on the scout team and redshirt him."

First, Smith has to get here.

He has graduated from Northeast Mississippi Community College after finishing classes this summer at Chattanooga State. Tuberville said Auburn is now waiting for Smith's official transcript to arrive.

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I love it. Learning to work with what you have, and top out the best product, is one of the secrets to success if life.