2011 Spring Football

I think you have your tennis game backwards. You served, I returned serve. Now, we're in the middle of a rally.

Hey, can you do a spell check on that for me. Thanks in advance.

Jumbo · « **Reply #169 on:** March 29, 2011, 10:34:07 PM »

Quote from: wesfau2 on March 29, 2011, 05:26:25 PM

Not until I serve him back. I'll choose my opening carefully. Call me the anti-jumbo

I like to fuck shit up.

djsimp · « **Reply #170 on:** April 02, 2011, 10:43:00 AM »

Video from Fridays practice:
http://bcove.me/ell1nd0q

http://www.al.com/sports/index.ssf/2011/04/video_gus_malzahn_looks_at_spr.html
Video: http://bcove.me/oixow764

Quote

Video: Gus Malzahn looks at spring offense, previews Saturday's scrimmage at Auburn
Published: Friday, April 01, 2011, 1:35 PM Updated: Friday, April 01, 2011, 1:36 PM
By Charles Goldberg/Auburn Bureau, The Birmingham News, Press-Register, and The Huntsville Times
Gus Malzahn looks at Auburn's spring offense

Tigers' offensive coordinator talks QBs Barrett Trotter, Clint Moseley and his plans and expectations for spring ball

AUBURN -- Auburn offensive coordinator Gus Malzahn says in this video the first full scrimmage of the spring Saturday is a big one.

"I tell the quarterbacks that we can learn so much when we're in scrimmage situations," Malzahn said after Friday's practice. "Who has the ability to get the group in the end zone, it's very important. Who will protect the football. And when those live bullets start coming around you, a lot of quarterbacks respond differently. So I'm real curious to see how they respond tomorrow."

The contenders: Barrett Trotter and Clint Moseley.

We put up a video of Friday's practice earlier.

Malzahn hits on a variety of topics in the video on this page, including the misplaced criticism, he says, of Cam Newton.

"It really shocks me big time because I know the type of person he is and the type of competitor and feel like I know him very well," Malzahn said. "He's earned my respect as a person. As a player, he's got a great future if he just keeps doing what he's done to get here."

djsimp · « **Reply #171 on:** April 03, 2011, 10:00:52 AM »

http://www.al.com/sports/index.ssf/2011/04/scrimmage_one_auburns_gus_malz.html
QB's talking srimmage: http://bcove.me/mmdk38w2
Chizik talking scrimmage: http://bcove.me/n6t9vz3o

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Scrimmage One: Auburn's Gus Malzahn grading quarterbacks Clint Moseley, Barrett TrotterPublished: Sunday, April 03, 2011, 8:10 AM Updated: Sunday, April 03, 2011, 8:16 AM
By Charles Goldberg/Auburn Bureau, The Birmingham News, Press-Register, and The Huntsville Times

AUBURN -- Gus Malzahn says he tells his offensive players how they stand after every scrimmage.

"Each position we try to evaluate to give them some kind of rank," Auburn's offensive coordinator said.

But Malzahn is pausing over one spot this spring. He's still studying quarterbacks Clint Moseley and Barrett Trotter.

"It's going to be a little harder for the quarterbacks. They both know the offense so well. And they're both fairly close going into this scrimmage," Malzahn said.

The first full-scale scrimmage of the spring was played behind closed doors Saturday, away from the media and most of the public. Auburn didn't provide statistics. But there were reports of touchdowns being thrown to Emory Blake, Philip Lutzenkirchen and Quindarius Carr, at the very least, according to players. There were two interceptions.

The coaching staff gave Moseley, Trotter and everybody else plenty of opportunities by running 100 to 120 plays in Jordan-Hare Stadium. The coaches wanted the work as they search for 18 new starters.

The offense beat the defense 55-45 in a complicated scoring system that awards points for significant plays. Cam Newton, last year's Heisman Trophy winner, scored none of them. He's headed to the NFL, and that's why much of the talk after the scrimmage focused on would-be successors Moseley and Trotter.

"I'd say we're about the same," Trotter said.

Watch and hear Clint Moseley and Barrett Trotter in this video we posted Saturday.

Moseley, entering his third year with one game and no passes on his rÃ©sumÃ©, was upbeat after the scrimmage.

"Today was the first time I really felt I was playing football instead of trying to remember everything," he said. "Today, I was actually competing. It was a lot of fun. It was different than any mindset that I had."

Moseley's breakdown: "I think Barrett and I did a pretty good job. There may have been a few snaps that may have looked pretty bad, and a few balls on the ground, but it's a little different than it seems. Overall, Barrett and I did well in the scrimmage."

Trotter, heading into his fourth season, said he didn't throw a touchdown pass or interception. He's the veteran of the two players with six games and nine passes to his credit.

"I feel really comfortable with everything we're doing," Trotter said. "I don't really feel like it's new material for me; it's just kind of re-learning and getting a foundation back again. It's not so much learning anymore, it's just getting the ball where I want it every time.

"I think," Trotter added, "we're definitely moving in the right direction, but we've still got a long way to go."

Malzahn said at the beginning of spring practice he wanted to name a starting quarterback by the end of it. He's got two weeks to go.

"It's all up to coach Malzahn," Moseley said. "He's given us even reps. You can't judge it off one day. He's going to judge it off who takes the ball the whole spring."

AU_Tiger_2000 · « **Reply #172 on:** April 03, 2011, 10:06:29 PM »

I had assumed that Trotter would be the hand downs starter after this spring. Listening to Cole Cubelic in the mornings who has been saying that Moseley would push hard. I'm starting to believe him.

djsimp · « **Reply #173 on:** April 04, 2011, 08:57:40 AM »

Quote from: AU_Tiger_2000 on April 03, 2011, 10:06:29 PM

I had assumed that Trotter would be the hand downs starter after this spring. Listening to Cole Cubelic in the mornings who has been saying that Moseley would push hard. I'm starting to believe him.

I certainly sounds way more like a QB race than what I thought it would be too. From what I gather, Moseley has a little bit better of an arm but is not mobile whatsoever. Trotter has some decent skills with his feet to go along with a pretty good arm. I still suspect Malzahn to go with Trotter. Competition is always good though, it keeps the guys pushing themselves harder.

We still have Frazier that will be on campus this summer but I just find it hard to imagine he will uproot either Trotter or Moseley for the starting job; simply because of their understanding of the playbook.

djsimp · « **Reply #174 on:** April 04, 2011, 09:36:08 AM »

http://www.al.com/sports/index.ssf/2011/04/video_and_notebook_gus_malzahn.html

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Video and notebook: Gus Malzahn, Trooper Taylor and more from Auburn's scrimmage
Published: Sunday, April 03, 2011, 11:15 AM Updated: Sunday, April 03, 2011, 11:15 AM
By Charles Goldberg/Auburn Bureau, The Birmingham News, Press-Register, and The Huntsville Times

Auburn held its first full-scale scrimmage of the spring Saturday and here, thanks to the magic of video, we have offensive coordinator Gus Malzahn and receivers coach Trooper Taylor discussing what was what. Push the button and watch.

We've already presented all sorts of stories on the scrimmage, including yesterday's video of Gene Chizik discussing the workout, quarterbacks Clint Moseley and Barrett Trotter talking about it on video and today's newspaper account of the proceedings.

Also, here is today's notebook from the al.com family of newspapers...

Gene Chizik takes in Saturday's scrimmage in Jordan-Hare Stadium (Todd Van Emst photo)
AUBURN -- Auburn coach Gene Chizik says his punt return team has "been like one our Achilles' heels since we've been here," and it's being emphasized this spring to remedy the problem.

Chizik hopes Trovon Reed, Jonathan Mincy, Demetruce McNeal or Quindarius Carr will be the answer when fall football rolls around.

"We're trying to find a punt returner right now that we think will give us a chance to be better," Chizik said after Saturday's scrimmage. "We haven't had a guy who can return punts and get some of those hidden yards that people forget about but play such a big part in terms of field position. So we went live today on our punt returners, which we will try to do every day we're in pads from here on out."

Auburn returned only 22 punts for an average of 6.2 yards per return last season.

**Chizik said finding a good pace "was a big emphasis."

"I saw a lot of things that were good and obviously a lot of things that need improvement, and we'll continue on this track," he said after the scrimmage.

He said he watched how the quarterbacks managed the offense and how they avoided turnovers.

He said the offensive and defensive lines are "banging each other around pretty good. I think they're trying to make it a physical game up inside. We're definitely not there yet, but they're really trying to understand the importance of the physicality of the game inside with our power running game."

**Receivers coach Trooper Taylor said he'd hate to label any of his receivers as first team. He said there's an "orange" and "blue" group, and they're rotated every day.

But, he said, "For us, the guys who have to make plays for us every day are DeAngelo Benton, Emory Blake, Trovon Reed and Quindarius Carr."

Taylor also mentioned H-back/tight end Philip Lutzenkirchen and said walk-on Cameron Groce of Gardendale has caught his eye.

"There's a young kid, Groce, that has really stepped up," Taylor said. "To be honest, I know his name now. Because coming into camp, I just thought he was going to be another guy on the line. But he's really stepped up."

**Defensive back T'Sharvan Bell said he had an interception and a fumble recovery Saturday. He especially got a kick out of recovering the fumble, coughed up by defensive back-turned-running back Anthony Morgan.

"He was just trying to give us a present because he was a defensive guy. I understood it," joked Bell.

**Auburn didn't provide statistics to the scrimmage, but Lutzenkirchen and running backs Mike Dyer and Onterio McCalebb got good reports from teammates. While Chizik said the scrimmage was devoted to the run, it didn't mean reliable starters Dyer and McCalebb were put in a position to be pounded.

**One-time defender Chris Humphries is working on the depth chart as a blocking back.

"He's a tough kid," Chizik said. "He played the position some toward the end of last year. And he's a senior. And he's not scared. He's a physical guy. So it seems to me like he's getting more comfortable with that position each practice."

AUTiger1 · « **Reply #175 on:** April 04, 2011, 09:38:58 AM »

Quote from: djsimp41 on April 04, 2011, 08:57:40 AM

I certainly sounds way more like a QB race than what I thought it would be too. From what I gather, Moseley has a little bit better of an arm but is not mobile whatsoever. Trotter has some decent skills with his feet to go along with a pretty good arm. I still suspect Malzahn to go with Trotter. Competition is always good though, it keeps the guys pushing themselves harder.

We still have Frazier that will be on campus this summer but I just find it hard to imagine he will uproot either Trotter or Moseley for the starting job; simply because of their understanding of the playbook.

Umm, isn't Frazier running the exact same system at the Gustav's old HS?

I still think Trotter is going to start and Frazier will RS, but I don't think that it's b/c he won't know the system.

djsimp · « **Reply #176 on:** April 04, 2011, 09:46:59 AM »

Quote from: AUTiger1 on April 04, 2011, 09:38:58 AM

Umm, isn't Frazier running the exact same system at the Gustav's old HS?

I still think Trotter is going to start and Frazier will RS, but I don't think that it's b/c he won't know the system.

I didn't say Frazier didn't know the system, I just think Trotter being in Malzahns system at Auburn for two years gives him the edge over Frazier. I'm excited about the Frazier kid though. I find it hard to imagine him coming in with only the summer under his belt and taking the starting job in fall practice.

AU_Tiger_2000 · « **Reply #177 on:** April 04, 2011, 10:22:38 AM »

Quote from: AUTiger1 on April 04, 2011, 09:38:58 AM

Umm, isn't Frazier running the exact same system at the Gustav's old HS?

I still think Trotter is going to start and Frazier will RS, but I don't think that it's b/c he won't know the system.

He may know the basics of the system but I hope to God that our playbook is thicker than GM's high school playbook was.

AUTiger1 · « **Reply #178 on:** April 04, 2011, 11:50:57 AM »

Quote from: AU_Tiger_2000 on April 04, 2011, 10:22:38 AM

He may know the basics of the system but I hope to God that our playbook is thicker than GM's high school playbook was.

Pretty sure it is, but to count him out would be foolish. I would also say that some of the same plays are in there too. He knows the basics, it's just a matter of learning the playbook. If the kid is as smart as his GPA would indicate, then I don't think he would have any issue learning enough in time to make a push in the fall.

Godfather · « **Reply #179 on:** April 04, 2011, 12:14:54 PM »

Quote from: djsimp41 on March 29, 2011, 11:25:50 AM

Its funny that you say that. Don't flatter yourself Frodo, I saw the typo.

To his credit he appears much larger in person.