Auburn puts youth on display

By Mike Szvetitz
Sports Editor, Opelika-Auburn News
Published: August 16, 2008

AUBURN — Auburn’s offense had its moments during Saturday’s scrimmage, head coach Tommy Tuberville said.

The 90-play event at Jordan-Hare Stadium, which was closed to the public and media, was the Tigers’ last full scrimmage of the preseason. It was a chance to put some of Auburn’s more inexperienced players in the spotlight.

“Mainly this scrimmage was for the younger guys who needed to play, needed to get tired, needed to get hit — find out what it’s going to be like,” Tuberville said.

His overall synopsis?

“Awful sluggish coming out of two-a-days, but we could expect that,” the coach said. “Looked like we were running in mud at times.”

One player who wasn’t, however, was junior running back Ben Tate.

Tate was the only returning running back with experience to participate in Saturday’s scrimmage — veterans Brad Lester and Tristan Davis, as well as wideout Mario Fannin, were held out as a precaution.

That meant Tate would get more carries. And that was fine with him.

“I went quite a bit more than I would usually go, but it’s OK,” Tate said. “I like to compete, so I was fine with it. I did OK. I had one big play. Other than that, I did OK.

“I did what I was supposed to do.”

And that big play was a “65 or 70” yard touchdown run.

“I just showed them my speed,” Tate said, smiling. “I just showed them the jets when I got on the edge. A linebacker was trying to close in on me, he just wasn’t fast enough.

‘It was a nice run. … It was an option to the left. Kodi attacked the (defensive end) like he’s supposed to, pitched me the ball, I went down the sideline and cut
back across the field and just outran everybody else.”

It was one of “five or six” touchdowns scored by the both the first- and second-team offenses, Tate said.

According to the running back, Auburn scored on its first two possessions, and made some plays early in the scrimmage. However, there were also some rough spots.

“Offense, we got to step it up a lot more than we did,” Tate said. “We had too many dropped balls and everybody was just getting tired. … We had a lot of mental mistakes. We still have a lot of work to do.

“But when the offense starts clicking it’s going to be hard to stop. It’s going to be fun for the fans and it’s going to be fun for everybody.”

QB race still going: Saturday’s scrimmage was supposed to be a chance for one of Auburn’s two top quarterbacks to separate himself.

That didn’t happen.

Junior Chris Todd and sophomore Kodi Burns are still neck-and-neck in the race for the starting job, even after the final full scrimmage of the preseason.

“I couldn’t tell,” Tuberville said when asked if one quarterback made a move. “There were probably a few more bigger plays last week. It was more of a grind today. The offense did have a little bit more consistency.

“I thought our quarterbacks did a pretty decent job throwing the ball — not anything spectacular. The biggest thing is making the right decision in these scrimmages, when you’ve got two guys vying for the starting position. And I thought both of them did about the same.”

Junior tight end Tommy Trott gets a first-hand look at both quarterbacks every day, and even he doesn’t know if there will ever be a separation.

“I don’t know if it’s ever going to happen, because they really are two different guys,” Trott said. “Chris looked real good in the pocket. He made some really good throws. Kodi made some really good throws, too. He looked really good running out of the pocket.

“We ran a few more bootlegs with him than we did with Chris. And that’s probably the way it’s going to go between the two. That’s just what they do.”

Freshman DB Adams impresses: True freshmen cornerback Harry Adams did something that even junior starter Jerraud Powers couldn’t do. He got an interception during Saturday’s scrimmage.

“I was just joking with him,” Powers said. “I’m like ‘Man, I can’t even make a play out here and you’re out here getting a picks.’

“It was good for him.”

Adams, who along with fellow true freshman corners Neiko Thorpe and D’Antoine Hood is vying for significant playing time this year, not only picked off a pass, but would have returned it for a touchdown.

That’s if the coaches didn’t stop it.

“We blew the whistle,” Tuberville said. “He probably could have run it back. When I saw him get to the sideline, we didn’t want him to embarrass the offensive linemen trying to chase him.”

AU ranked 10th in AP Poll: Rankings don’t mean much in the preseason, Tommy Tuberville will tell you. But it does give a good indication on a team’s potential.

And the Auburn Tigers are full of it, according to the Associated Press Preseason Poll, coming in at No. 10.

Auburn was ranked 11th by the USA Today Coaches Poll earlier this month.

The Tigers received 968 points in the AP poll, finishing two points ahead of No. 11 Texas. The Tigers are one of six SEC teams in the Top-25, with Georgia being ranked No. 1, Florida No. 5, LSU No. 7, Tennessee No. 18 and Alabama No. 24. South Carolina finished just out side the poll one point behind No. 25 Pittsburgh.

It marks the third time since 2003 that the Tigers enter the season ranked in the Top 10 in the Associated Press Preseason Poll. Auburn was ranked No. 6 in the initial poll in 2003 and No. 4 in the preseason poll in 2006.

Etc.: Auburn worked 30 plays of special teams during Saturday’s scrimmage. According to Tuberville, starting place-kicker Wes Byrum only missed one field goal. … True freshman defensive lineman Jomarcus Savage was injured his shoulder Saturday, Tuberville said, but should return next week to practice. Junior defensive tackle Sen’Derrick Marks was held out Saturday as a precaution, Tuberville said. Sophomore offensive lineman Bart Eddins’ injury is a bruised shoulder, Tuberville said. Eddins was held out of most of last week’s practices and Saturday’s scrimmage because of it. … Fifth-year senior walk-on defensive back Jonathan Vickers was presented with a full scholarship Saturday. “It’s pretty important every year to reward somebody for what they do,” Tuberville said of Vickers. “He’s been real instrumental to the team concept, because he’s played quarterback, defensive back and linebacker. Of course, he was excited. But I think the players were just as excited as he is. Because they know what these guys go through who aren’t on scholarship. It’s pretty tough. We’re proud he’s with us.”