I’ve only ever been to one Auburn spring game and that was in 2001. Since then, I’ve been forced to rely on internet reporting on what went down, who looked good, and who performed beyond their ability. This year, the game was aired on ESPNU. I wasn’t able to catch it live, but thanks to my DVR, I was able to live out the experience last night.
Here’s a retro running diary of the first half (the Blue vs. White portion):
Pre-Game: We’re live (retroactively) from Jordan-Hare Stadium on ESPNU! Did you know that ESPNU wasn’t in HD? That’s good news in case the camera pans on Dakota Mosely this afternoon. We’re joined in the booth by Beth “I Should Be Paid More than Erin Andrews” Mowins, recruiting expert Tom Luginbill, and disgraced former Athletic Director and Head Coach of the University of Oregon Mike Bellotti. The latter is the newsmaker today since this is his debut telecast for the Worldwide Leader.
Luginbill (whose hair is perfect) lets us know that Auburn only had 62 scholarship athletes (85 is the max/norm) on the team last year and still won eight games. He also suggests that Auburn turned the ball over a lot. I mean, Mario Fannin is on the roster, so turnovers are a given, right?
One other interesting factoid: the Auburn coaching staff is the only staff in the SEC that stayed together from last year to this year.
Here are the rules for today’s game:
**12-minute quarters (running clock in second half)
**No contact on kickoffs and punt returns; QB wears orange jersey (no contact)
**First half: squads split into blue and white teams
**Second half: offense is blue and defense is white
Confused? Yeah, it’s a little convoluted. Basically, the score doesn’t matter and no one seems to care. Gene Chizik is roaming the field looking like he’s ready to clear out a bar room brawl. I’ll admit, he’s made a huge fan out of me.
First quarter, 12:00: Wes Byrum kicks off to Demond Washington and we’re underway. Neil Caudle will be the first quarterback to try his hand at earning the starting gunslinger spot. He gets in a quick completion to Jay Wisner on the first snap.
First quarter, 10:39: Jessel Curry breaks up a pass play by clocking Wisner. Curry is one of two true freshmen participating in spring practice.
First quarter, 9:23: Wisner drops a beauty from Caudle to end the drive. Caudle relied very heavily on the slot, which might be a mask by Offensive Coordinator Gus Malzahn. Regardless, Caudle looked unimpressive on the first drive. Ryan Shoemaker punts the ball away.
First quarter, 9:13: Cameron Newton takes the field. Big applause from the 60,000+ in attendance. Newton once backed up Tim Tebow at the University of Florida. Now, Newton is an Auburn quarterback. Related note: Tebow wears Cameron Newton pajamas. Another related noted: I hate Tebow.
First quarter, 8:25: Fannin makes an early case to be the featured tailback, darting to an 11-yard gain. Beth Mowins lets us know that he averaged over eight yards per carry last season. She neglected to mention that he fumbled 137 times.
First quarter, 7:23: Newton completes his first pass over the middle to Darvin Adams.
First quarter, 6:19: Shoemaker punts it away.
First quarter, 6:03: Barrett Trotter now in at quarterback. He starts off with a quick scamper. Now is also as good of a time as any to mention that Mike Bellotti has added virtually nothing to this telecast. Glad he’s here.
First quarter, 4:28: Trotter completes a 50-yard bomb to walk-on receiver Nathan Taylor. Coach Chizik gives Trotter a one-arm shoulder hug as a celebration. Chandler Brooks makes the extra point.
First quarter, 4:22: Apparently the score is 7-0, White Team. Whatever.
First quarter, 4:22: Kickoff fielded by Fannin. He doesn’t drop it (and I hate that I have to mention that). Caudle back in at quarterback even though he played for the opposing team earlier in the quarter.
First quarter, 3:59: Bellotti starting to spring to life. He mentions that at Oregon, they’d probably have 10 or 15 thousand for a spring game. Welcome to the SEC, Mikey.
First quarter, 3:53: Antoine Carter commits a facemask penalty. I’m getting flashbacks to that New Year’s Day fiasco of a bowl game. Not good. I’m really hoping we get stupid penalties out of our system now.
First quarter, 1:25: Caudle has hit up Onterio McCalebb and Darvin Adams for completions. Also, Mowins has let us know that Luginbill has left the booth to go and bring us some “field access,” otherwise known as “Luginbill spotted a hottie in Section 112.”
Second quarter, 11:56: Fannin busts into the end zone for a touchdown. Wes Byrum scores the extra point. I’m told the game is tied. Meanwhile, Luginbill has interviewed both Chizik and Malzahn. Both coaches offer generic, non-telling comments.
Second quarter, 11:48: Washington takes the kickoff. Newton back under center.
Second quarter, 11:40: Dontae Aycock takes a handoff and goes nowhere. He’s had a very silent spring practice. Unfortunately, that won’t bode well for him in terms of playing time.
Second quarter, 11:03: Quindarius Carr hauls in a 62-yard cannon shot from Newton. Mowins compares Newton to current Ohio State quarterback Terrelle Pryor – an overhyped underachiever – which prompts me to vomit in my mouth a little. No Pryor here, boys and girls.
Second quarter, 10:14: Chandler Brooks misses a 22-yard field goal attempt. Thank God for Cool Wes.
Second quarter, 10:00: Twitter’s favorite Tiger, Terrell Zachery, turns in a fine run on a reverse play. Shades of last year and a possible preview of this fall when soon-to-be freshman Trovon Reed joins the fray.
Second quarter, 9:15: Fannin produces another good run, this time off of a pass from Trotter.
Second quarter, 8:49: Terrell Zachery makes a great catch, breaks tackles, and dives into the end zone. Trotter the thrower. Good news for the offense, bad news for the defense.
Second quarter, 8:44: Ralph Spry takes the kickoff. Mowins and Bellotti talk Auburn D, highlighting the fact that two savvy safeties (Mike McNeil and Aairon Savage) will return in the fall after missing all of 2009. The broadcast crew has also repeatedly mentioned that the Auburn coaching staff speaks reverently of the Auburn offensive line, calling them “The strength of the offense.” I’m sorry, but when Lee Ziemba is on the roster, the O-line isn’t a strength. Why do I continue to take pot shots at Ziemba? Because he’s so oblivious to what’s going on around him that, according to a recent interview, he’s actually surprised when people interrupt him on dates/night out to ask about his bizarre penalties.
Second quarter, 8:44: Caudle tosses a screen pass to Carr who takes it 70 yards for the touchdown. I’m now starting to become horrified about the existing Auburn defense. When do freshmen report?
Second quarter, 8:37: McCalebb takes the kickoff. The score is currently 14-14. The winners here? The offense. The loser? Defensive Coordinator Ted Roof. Newton in at QB.
Second quarter, 7:19: Newton’s pass incomplete to Emory Blake. Shoemaker punts. Newton still looks like he’s feeling out the playbook and, more importantly, his teammates. He’ll need to work on timing with his wide-outs this summer.
Second quarter, 7:01: Davis Hooper carries over right tackle. He’s a walk-on. And no, I doubt we’ll hear from him again after today.
Second quarter, 4:17: A drive led by Trotter didn’t go anywhere, forcing Shoemaker to boot it to Carr. Caudle back in at quarterback.
Second quarter, 2:30: The defense is starting to catch fire, led by “Hot Boy” Antoine Carter. Besides the penalty, Carter has been electric today from the defensive end position. Caudle’s drive ends, setting up a new drive for Newton.
Second quarter, 1:15: An acrobatic catch by Wisner moves the ball for Newton and Co. Mowins harps for the second time that this coaching staff all got raises after last year. Thanks, Beth. Those below the poverty line now hate Auburn.
Halftime: Auburn runs down the clock on a fiery first half (for the offense at least).
I’ll have a Spring Practice Sum-Up next week, featuring top performers and (hopefully) a post-spring depth chart.
Until next time, War Eagle!
Interested in Auburn football, NASCAR racing, or anything else David's weird world encompasses? Follow him on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/davidsmith28
Monday, April 19, 2010
Tuesday, March 23, 2010
TJC's Top 10 Spring Practice Storylines
I was waiting for ESPN.com to run the Auburn spring practice story as a build-up to the Worldwide Leader’s coverage of A-Day on April 17. On Sunday, ESPN’s Ivan Maisel wrote about the Florida Gators. On Monday, Maisel, again, wrote about the Florida Gators. Today, I penned TJC’s Top 10 Spring Practice Storylines.
10. Big Lutz Stands Alone
If last year’s starting tight end, Tommy Trott, left the field like a broke poker player in a televised tournament, no one would have applauded his announced exit. Trott sucked. But now, a new hope at a pivotal position in the Gus Malzahn offense emerges: Philip Lutzenkirchen. The now-sophomore tight end caught his first touchdown pass in last year’s second game (vs. Mississippi State) and has since been every armchair AU QB’s favorite big target ever since. Well, Big Lutz might just have the tight end position to himself. The only other semblance of a returning tight end – Bailey Woods – recently announced his intention to transfer to Georgia State after moonlighting as an offensive lineman/long snapper. JUCO transfer Brandon Mosley, who signed with Auburn in December as a tight end, has bulked up to 295 pounds and will likely be moved to the offensive line.
9. Stand Out to Sit Down
2009 starters Darvin Adams and Terrell Zachery are back at the wide receiver position. That’s the good news. The better news is there’s about to be a four-month brawl to determine who will see the field after Darvin and T-Zach pad their stat sheet. While the likes of hyped freshmen Trovon Reed, Antonio Goodwin, and Shaun Kitchens don’t arrive on campus until the fall, the battle for second string rights (and an inflated rating in the NCAA 11 video game) starts now. Auburn returns a talented but underachieving trio in junior Quindarius Carr and sophomores DeAngelo Benton and Emory Blake, who will attempt to utilize a national television audience on April 17 to prove whether or not they belong in the receiving rotation. Also included in the battle: Wildcat QB/seldom receiver Kodi Burns, senior Jay Wisner, and sophomore Philip Pierre-Louis. Unfortunately for Auburn and wideout ringmaster Trooper Taylor, Travante Stallworth, a receiver who showed promise in his freshman outing in 2009, is likely to miss all of spring practice while recovering from knee surgery.
8. Senioritis on the Offensive Line
Four seniors will make up the 2010 offensive line (unfortunately the oft penalized Lee Ziemba is one of them), which, in theory, should be a crucial aide to a young backfield. Ziemba will return to his position at left tackle/flag attractor with Mike Berry (left guard), Ryan Pugh (center), and Byron “Lee” Isom (right guard) joining him on the upperclassmen-laden line. Auburn loses the graduating Andrew McCain at the right tackle position, but might actually upgrade with the addition of JUCO transfer Roszell Gayden. Sophomore John Sullen returns after establishing himself as a quality substitute in 2009.
7. The Others
Spring practice in Auburn always gives a chance for seldom noticed players to receive some attention. The 2001 A-Day Game (I was there!) served as the coming out party for redshirt freshman running back Ronnie Brown and sophomore linebacker Karlos Dansby. Thanks to an appalling lack of depth in 2009, our return teams featured a host of non-scholarship players and feisty walk-ons (nicknamed “The Others”). Now is the chance for these walk-ons to earn playing time, and potentially a scholarship. Which “Other” has the best chance of making a name for himself? Keep an eye out for defensive back Rodney Cofield. The Atlanta native, a standout running back at Booker T. Washington High School, was deemed Auburn’s hardest hitter by wide receiver/lead team Twitterer Terrell Zachery during an informal Q&A on the social media site.
6. Dontae Aycock
When Auburn closed its 2009 recruiting class, running back Dontae Aycock was the final nugget of goodness on an admirable first class by Gene Chizik and company. Fast forward to two days before National Signing Day 2010 and Aycock was all but forgotten, having redshirted in 2009; however, when stud high school running back Marcus Lattimore committed to South Carolina and dashed hopes of a dynamic duo (along with Auburn signee Michael Dyer) coming to the Plains, focus shifted back on Aycock, formerly a four-star prospect in his own right. Dyer won’t be on campus until the fall, but Aycock is here and it’s his opportunity to shine. Flanked by a crop of niche backs such as Onterio McCalebb, Eric Smith, and Mario Fannin, Aycock is Auburn’s best chance at having a traditional-style back (until Dyer arrives). If Aycock wants playing time in the fall, or really ever, he has 15 days to show what he can do.
5. Replacing A.C.
Every few years it’s somebody. How will we replace Stanley McClover? Quentin Groves happened. How will we replace Quentin Groves? Antonio Coleman happened. How will we now replace Antonio Coleman? Not sure just yet, but know this: the defensive line Gods love Auburn. D-line coach Tracy Rocker will make sure (starting this week) that the new-look defensive line will learn the eccentricities of “kill mode.” Seniors Michael Goggans, Antoine Carter, and Mike Blanc return along with Nick Fairley, Dee Ford, and Zach Clayton. Redshirt freshman Nosa Eguae and incoming true freshman Craig Sanders will also participate in spring practice, giving the Tigers eight possible rotation guys to mold over the next month. Signing Day prizes Corey Lemonier and Joel Bonomolo will join the Tigers in the fall. Out of that crop lies the cornerstone defensive lineman we’re seeking.
4. Throwback Defensive Backs
How do we replace future NFL cornerback Walt McFadden? Simple: with guys that have been on the team since 2002 (an exaggeration, but still). Aairon Savage – recently granted a second senior season – and Mike McNeil return to the team after missing the 2009 season due to injuries. Joining them in the battling for starting spots in Auburn's back four will be senior Demond Washington, juniors Neiko Thorpe, Mike Slade, D’Antoine Hood, and sophomore T’Sharvan Bell. Coming into spring practice, only Thorpe appears to be a guaranteed starter. Despite the quarterback job being the most talked-about position battle, this is by far the stiffest position battle.
3. Daren Bates
For a player who made his first year on the Plains a very loud one, Daren Bates's big off-season has been kept pretty quiet. The wear and tear from the sheer ferociousness of his hits has prompted him to get shoulder surgery, meaning he might just miss all of spring practice. And the fact that he’s been moved to linebacker has been rarely discussed in a public forum by any of the staff or major Auburn websites. But it’s true: “The Headhunter” is a linebacker now, joining returning starters Craig Stevens, Josh Bynes, and Eltoro Freeman. In Bates’s absence, expect young linebackers Jonathan Evans and Wade Christopher to receive some run, along with sprightly freshman Jessel Curry. Harris Gaston – impressive in a limited role last year – will definitely sit out spring practice while recovering from a broken wrist. If the linebacker corps looks weak right now, don’t fret: it will double in the fall thanks to a host of signees.
2. Cameron Newton
When former offensive coordinator Tony Franklin hyped up quarterback Chris Todd in 2008 by saying he could “throw a football through a carwash and it wouldn’t get wet,” we all got a little too giddy (the more appropriate metaphor would have been “throw a hot dog down a hall way”). Todd graduated last year, Kodi Burns was moved to wide receiver, and all of a sudden, Auburn has a quarterback with the actual ability to become the mythical gunslinger that’s eluded us: Cameron Newton. Should we again be giddy? Yes. Will our giddiness hold up? It should. "Gunslinger" almost doesn’t properly describe Newton, a modern day Doc Holliday (accurate, if ex-teammate Tim Tebow was considered to be a modern day Wyatt Earp). Let’s not pretend that there’s a battle for the quarterback position. I’ve enjoyed lifetime reserve Neil Caudle’s sparse play and admired his dedication, but this isn’t a time to reward patience. This is winning time. And Newton is a winner.
1. Live on ESPNU, it’s Mike Bellotti! (Oh, and the Auburn Tigers Spring Game)
Finally, Auburn’s always entertaining A-Day game gets televised. Will the attention be placed on the television debut of former Oregon coach turned disgraced athletic director Mike Bellotti instead of the game itself? Probably. But that’s just fine for Tiger fans who aren’t local and want to see what 15 solid days of practice can do for a talented team. If my DVR would cooperate, I would have set it to record on April 17 at 2 pm EST on ESPNU already.
Until next time, War Eagle!
Interested in Auburn football, NASCAR racing, or anything else David's weird world encompasses? Follow him on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/davidsmith28
10. Big Lutz Stands Alone
If last year’s starting tight end, Tommy Trott, left the field like a broke poker player in a televised tournament, no one would have applauded his announced exit. Trott sucked. But now, a new hope at a pivotal position in the Gus Malzahn offense emerges: Philip Lutzenkirchen. The now-sophomore tight end caught his first touchdown pass in last year’s second game (vs. Mississippi State) and has since been every armchair AU QB’s favorite big target ever since. Well, Big Lutz might just have the tight end position to himself. The only other semblance of a returning tight end – Bailey Woods – recently announced his intention to transfer to Georgia State after moonlighting as an offensive lineman/long snapper. JUCO transfer Brandon Mosley, who signed with Auburn in December as a tight end, has bulked up to 295 pounds and will likely be moved to the offensive line.
9. Stand Out to Sit Down
2009 starters Darvin Adams and Terrell Zachery are back at the wide receiver position. That’s the good news. The better news is there’s about to be a four-month brawl to determine who will see the field after Darvin and T-Zach pad their stat sheet. While the likes of hyped freshmen Trovon Reed, Antonio Goodwin, and Shaun Kitchens don’t arrive on campus until the fall, the battle for second string rights (and an inflated rating in the NCAA 11 video game) starts now. Auburn returns a talented but underachieving trio in junior Quindarius Carr and sophomores DeAngelo Benton and Emory Blake, who will attempt to utilize a national television audience on April 17 to prove whether or not they belong in the receiving rotation. Also included in the battle: Wildcat QB/seldom receiver Kodi Burns, senior Jay Wisner, and sophomore Philip Pierre-Louis. Unfortunately for Auburn and wideout ringmaster Trooper Taylor, Travante Stallworth, a receiver who showed promise in his freshman outing in 2009, is likely to miss all of spring practice while recovering from knee surgery.
8. Senioritis on the Offensive Line
Four seniors will make up the 2010 offensive line (unfortunately the oft penalized Lee Ziemba is one of them), which, in theory, should be a crucial aide to a young backfield. Ziemba will return to his position at left tackle/flag attractor with Mike Berry (left guard), Ryan Pugh (center), and Byron “Lee” Isom (right guard) joining him on the upperclassmen-laden line. Auburn loses the graduating Andrew McCain at the right tackle position, but might actually upgrade with the addition of JUCO transfer Roszell Gayden. Sophomore John Sullen returns after establishing himself as a quality substitute in 2009.
7. The Others
Spring practice in Auburn always gives a chance for seldom noticed players to receive some attention. The 2001 A-Day Game (I was there!) served as the coming out party for redshirt freshman running back Ronnie Brown and sophomore linebacker Karlos Dansby. Thanks to an appalling lack of depth in 2009, our return teams featured a host of non-scholarship players and feisty walk-ons (nicknamed “The Others”). Now is the chance for these walk-ons to earn playing time, and potentially a scholarship. Which “Other” has the best chance of making a name for himself? Keep an eye out for defensive back Rodney Cofield. The Atlanta native, a standout running back at Booker T. Washington High School, was deemed Auburn’s hardest hitter by wide receiver/lead team Twitterer Terrell Zachery during an informal Q&A on the social media site.
6. Dontae Aycock
When Auburn closed its 2009 recruiting class, running back Dontae Aycock was the final nugget of goodness on an admirable first class by Gene Chizik and company. Fast forward to two days before National Signing Day 2010 and Aycock was all but forgotten, having redshirted in 2009; however, when stud high school running back Marcus Lattimore committed to South Carolina and dashed hopes of a dynamic duo (along with Auburn signee Michael Dyer) coming to the Plains, focus shifted back on Aycock, formerly a four-star prospect in his own right. Dyer won’t be on campus until the fall, but Aycock is here and it’s his opportunity to shine. Flanked by a crop of niche backs such as Onterio McCalebb, Eric Smith, and Mario Fannin, Aycock is Auburn’s best chance at having a traditional-style back (until Dyer arrives). If Aycock wants playing time in the fall, or really ever, he has 15 days to show what he can do.
5. Replacing A.C.
Every few years it’s somebody. How will we replace Stanley McClover? Quentin Groves happened. How will we replace Quentin Groves? Antonio Coleman happened. How will we now replace Antonio Coleman? Not sure just yet, but know this: the defensive line Gods love Auburn. D-line coach Tracy Rocker will make sure (starting this week) that the new-look defensive line will learn the eccentricities of “kill mode.” Seniors Michael Goggans, Antoine Carter, and Mike Blanc return along with Nick Fairley, Dee Ford, and Zach Clayton. Redshirt freshman Nosa Eguae and incoming true freshman Craig Sanders will also participate in spring practice, giving the Tigers eight possible rotation guys to mold over the next month. Signing Day prizes Corey Lemonier and Joel Bonomolo will join the Tigers in the fall. Out of that crop lies the cornerstone defensive lineman we’re seeking.
4. Throwback Defensive Backs
How do we replace future NFL cornerback Walt McFadden? Simple: with guys that have been on the team since 2002 (an exaggeration, but still). Aairon Savage – recently granted a second senior season – and Mike McNeil return to the team after missing the 2009 season due to injuries. Joining them in the battling for starting spots in Auburn's back four will be senior Demond Washington, juniors Neiko Thorpe, Mike Slade, D’Antoine Hood, and sophomore T’Sharvan Bell. Coming into spring practice, only Thorpe appears to be a guaranteed starter. Despite the quarterback job being the most talked-about position battle, this is by far the stiffest position battle.
3. Daren Bates
For a player who made his first year on the Plains a very loud one, Daren Bates's big off-season has been kept pretty quiet. The wear and tear from the sheer ferociousness of his hits has prompted him to get shoulder surgery, meaning he might just miss all of spring practice. And the fact that he’s been moved to linebacker has been rarely discussed in a public forum by any of the staff or major Auburn websites. But it’s true: “The Headhunter” is a linebacker now, joining returning starters Craig Stevens, Josh Bynes, and Eltoro Freeman. In Bates’s absence, expect young linebackers Jonathan Evans and Wade Christopher to receive some run, along with sprightly freshman Jessel Curry. Harris Gaston – impressive in a limited role last year – will definitely sit out spring practice while recovering from a broken wrist. If the linebacker corps looks weak right now, don’t fret: it will double in the fall thanks to a host of signees.
2. Cameron Newton
When former offensive coordinator Tony Franklin hyped up quarterback Chris Todd in 2008 by saying he could “throw a football through a carwash and it wouldn’t get wet,” we all got a little too giddy (the more appropriate metaphor would have been “throw a hot dog down a hall way”). Todd graduated last year, Kodi Burns was moved to wide receiver, and all of a sudden, Auburn has a quarterback with the actual ability to become the mythical gunslinger that’s eluded us: Cameron Newton. Should we again be giddy? Yes. Will our giddiness hold up? It should. "Gunslinger" almost doesn’t properly describe Newton, a modern day Doc Holliday (accurate, if ex-teammate Tim Tebow was considered to be a modern day Wyatt Earp). Let’s not pretend that there’s a battle for the quarterback position. I’ve enjoyed lifetime reserve Neil Caudle’s sparse play and admired his dedication, but this isn’t a time to reward patience. This is winning time. And Newton is a winner.
1. Live on ESPNU, it’s Mike Bellotti! (Oh, and the Auburn Tigers Spring Game)
Finally, Auburn’s always entertaining A-Day game gets televised. Will the attention be placed on the television debut of former Oregon coach turned disgraced athletic director Mike Bellotti instead of the game itself? Probably. But that’s just fine for Tiger fans who aren’t local and want to see what 15 solid days of practice can do for a talented team. If my DVR would cooperate, I would have set it to record on April 17 at 2 pm EST on ESPNU already.
Until next time, War Eagle!
Interested in Auburn football, NASCAR racing, or anything else David's weird world encompasses? Follow him on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/davidsmith28
Tuesday, March 16, 2010
Auburn's New Website Ranked #1 in BCS Poll
The Auburn Football office quietly unveiled a new football website, that's a myriad of wonderful.
Auburn War Eagle is an in-your-face experience that provides info on every key player (introduced by Kodi Burns, Antonio Coleman, and Cool Wes Byrum), is home to relevant clips from the regional television show Auburn Everyday, and looks like a multimedia recruiting mecca.
The best thing Auburn War Eagle offers is the individual player highlights. Finally, I get to see Demond Washington's fumble recovery for a two-point conversion against Ole Miss that I missed when DirecTV decided to black out for 20 minutes.
I also learned that Neiko Thorpe's alias is "The Glove" and Daren Bates's alias is "Headhunter."
A word of warning though, if you view this at work, your productivity will decrease by roughly 82 percent.
Of note, not only is offensive lineman Byron Isom listed as "Lee Isom," but Burns digitally introduces him as "Lee Isom." A little research on my part helped discover that Byron's dad's name is Lee. A name change perhaps? As a little kid, I used to pretend that my first name was Astro. As in Astro Smith. It feels good to know that I connect on some level with my favorite Auburn big ugly.
Until next time, War Eagle!
Interested in Auburn football, NASCAR racing, or anything else David's weird world encompasses? Follow him on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/davidsmith28
Auburn War Eagle is an in-your-face experience that provides info on every key player (introduced by Kodi Burns, Antonio Coleman, and Cool Wes Byrum), is home to relevant clips from the regional television show Auburn Everyday, and looks like a multimedia recruiting mecca.
The best thing Auburn War Eagle offers is the individual player highlights. Finally, I get to see Demond Washington's fumble recovery for a two-point conversion against Ole Miss that I missed when DirecTV decided to black out for 20 minutes.
I also learned that Neiko Thorpe's alias is "The Glove" and Daren Bates's alias is "Headhunter."
A word of warning though, if you view this at work, your productivity will decrease by roughly 82 percent.
Of note, not only is offensive lineman Byron Isom listed as "Lee Isom," but Burns digitally introduces him as "Lee Isom." A little research on my part helped discover that Byron's dad's name is Lee. A name change perhaps? As a little kid, I used to pretend that my first name was Astro. As in Astro Smith. It feels good to know that I connect on some level with my favorite Auburn big ugly.
Until next time, War Eagle!
Interested in Auburn football, NASCAR racing, or anything else David's weird world encompasses? Follow him on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/davidsmith28
Tuesday, March 2, 2010
Tyrik Waves Bye to Groupies and Golddiggers
I’m not a beat writer. I’m not a recruiting insider. I’m not really even that astute of a blogger. What I am is an outside observer of Auburn football who might think a little bit differently than the rest of the online media does. So, I created The Jungle Cat (TJC) to serve as its own world, with inside jokes, entertainment, and ideas that provoke a little more thought hoping to add a little more Auburn to your day.
That said this is the first off-season for TJC. What’s a dude to write about? I’m not going to supply you with Ben Tate NFL Combine updates or breaking news about Daren Bates’s position change. If I post news, it’s already been broken, and let’s face it, in this day in age, if I’m the second to post news, I’m way too late.
So here’s my theory: it’s the OFF-season. As in, no games, no stress, no pressure. It’s time for fun. Let’s have some.
In keeping with true TJC fashion, here is my skewed post-game commentary on the biggest Auburn news of the last two weeks:
**Tyrik Rollison is transferring to Sam Houston State
Ok, let’s digest this one for a sec. Tyrik Rollison was a very popular player for Tiger fans. An up-and-coming quarterback, it was this Sulphur Springs, Texas native who was the crown jewel of our 2009 recruiting class. For fans of the recruiting process, this was a big deal and a major blow to the Tigers.
But here’s the reality: Yes, he's transferring, but Tyrik never played for us. Not even in a spring game. No one ever saw him take a snap as an Auburn Tiger. He redshirted last season (although he did travel with the team to away games – something that goes against the grain when developing redshirted freshmen) and was looked upon as the soon-to-be trigger-man in the Gus Malzahn offense. And then Cameron Newton happened. Newton will likely be next year’s starter under center. Neil Caudle, Clint Moseley, and Barrett Trotter are all serviceable backups as Auburn heads into spring practice with a dandy crop of QBs ready to uncork.
You’re probably saying to yourself, “But Tyrik was the future of this team!” That’s fine. Let me rebuttal with some insight and few subliminal messages.
Quarterbacks transfer. It’s a necessary evil which helps unclog logjams at a position in which only one player can play on the field at a time. And like quarterback prospect Deron Furr in 2008 (Furr was actually moved to safety before quitting the team), that decision comes early.
Our future is set. Kiehl Frazier. Behind Newton, who, ohbytheway was the top Junior College player in the nation in 2009 and the ONLY QUARTERBACK, JUCO OR HIGH SCHOOL, to be rated as a five-star prospect by Rivals.com, we have Caudle – a true Auburn man with a good, accurate (not explosive) arm – along with Trotter and Moseley who have studied the Gus Malzahn offense like bookworms for a solid year. I like our chances for 2010. After this season, our future could lay in the hands of Trotter or Moseley or a yet-to-be-determined recruit. Kiehl Frazier.
If you’re still not convinced: Last year Malzahn turned Chris Todd from a craptastically loathsome quarterback under the Tuberville/Franklin fiasco of a regime to our second most integral offensive cog behind Darvin Adams. I watched every game of that woeful 2008 season. There was no way in hell I would have predicted Todd would ever be THAT good in 2009. Call Malzahn “Helen Keller,” because he’s a miracle worker.
Also, be happy about the fact that there is a healthy crop of high school quarterbacks currently interested in the eccentricities of Malzahn’s offense. Kiehl Frazier. With Big Cat Weekend and The Tiger Prowl returning this summer, it’s evident that the Auburn coaching staff is gearing up for another run at a top-five recruiting class which this year will include a prime choice gunslinger. Kiehl Frazier.
Now, I’m not going to pinpoint or openly politic for a certain prospect over another (I’m done doing that). I think that at this point the coaching staff has earned our trust from a recruiting perspective, would have made a pitch to stay to Tyrik if there had been any doubt that Auburn’s quarterback battle was anything less than where it needed to be, and has us headed in the right direction in determining the on-field game manager for the 2010 season. Beyond that, we know this team is in good hands. K-i-e-h-l. F-r-a-z-i-e-r.
Until next time, War Eagle!
Interested in Auburn football, NASCAR racing, or anything else David's weird world encompasses? Follow him on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/davidsmith28
That said this is the first off-season for TJC. What’s a dude to write about? I’m not going to supply you with Ben Tate NFL Combine updates or breaking news about Daren Bates’s position change. If I post news, it’s already been broken, and let’s face it, in this day in age, if I’m the second to post news, I’m way too late.
So here’s my theory: it’s the OFF-season. As in, no games, no stress, no pressure. It’s time for fun. Let’s have some.
In keeping with true TJC fashion, here is my skewed post-game commentary on the biggest Auburn news of the last two weeks:
**Tyrik Rollison is transferring to Sam Houston State
Ok, let’s digest this one for a sec. Tyrik Rollison was a very popular player for Tiger fans. An up-and-coming quarterback, it was this Sulphur Springs, Texas native who was the crown jewel of our 2009 recruiting class. For fans of the recruiting process, this was a big deal and a major blow to the Tigers.
But here’s the reality: Yes, he's transferring, but Tyrik never played for us. Not even in a spring game. No one ever saw him take a snap as an Auburn Tiger. He redshirted last season (although he did travel with the team to away games – something that goes against the grain when developing redshirted freshmen) and was looked upon as the soon-to-be trigger-man in the Gus Malzahn offense. And then Cameron Newton happened. Newton will likely be next year’s starter under center. Neil Caudle, Clint Moseley, and Barrett Trotter are all serviceable backups as Auburn heads into spring practice with a dandy crop of QBs ready to uncork.
You’re probably saying to yourself, “But Tyrik was the future of this team!” That’s fine. Let me rebuttal with some insight and few subliminal messages.
Quarterbacks transfer. It’s a necessary evil which helps unclog logjams at a position in which only one player can play on the field at a time. And like quarterback prospect Deron Furr in 2008 (Furr was actually moved to safety before quitting the team), that decision comes early.
Our future is set. Kiehl Frazier. Behind Newton, who, ohbytheway was the top Junior College player in the nation in 2009 and the ONLY QUARTERBACK, JUCO OR HIGH SCHOOL, to be rated as a five-star prospect by Rivals.com, we have Caudle – a true Auburn man with a good, accurate (not explosive) arm – along with Trotter and Moseley who have studied the Gus Malzahn offense like bookworms for a solid year. I like our chances for 2010. After this season, our future could lay in the hands of Trotter or Moseley or a yet-to-be-determined recruit. Kiehl Frazier.
If you’re still not convinced: Last year Malzahn turned Chris Todd from a craptastically loathsome quarterback under the Tuberville/Franklin fiasco of a regime to our second most integral offensive cog behind Darvin Adams. I watched every game of that woeful 2008 season. There was no way in hell I would have predicted Todd would ever be THAT good in 2009. Call Malzahn “Helen Keller,” because he’s a miracle worker.
Also, be happy about the fact that there is a healthy crop of high school quarterbacks currently interested in the eccentricities of Malzahn’s offense. Kiehl Frazier. With Big Cat Weekend and The Tiger Prowl returning this summer, it’s evident that the Auburn coaching staff is gearing up for another run at a top-five recruiting class which this year will include a prime choice gunslinger. Kiehl Frazier.
Now, I’m not going to pinpoint or openly politic for a certain prospect over another (I’m done doing that). I think that at this point the coaching staff has earned our trust from a recruiting perspective, would have made a pitch to stay to Tyrik if there had been any doubt that Auburn’s quarterback battle was anything less than where it needed to be, and has us headed in the right direction in determining the on-field game manager for the 2010 season. Beyond that, we know this team is in good hands. K-i-e-h-l. F-r-a-z-i-e-r.
Until next time, War Eagle!
Interested in Auburn football, NASCAR racing, or anything else David's weird world encompasses? Follow him on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/davidsmith28
Sunday, February 28, 2010
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War Eagle!
Interested in Auburn football, NASCAR racing, or anything else David's weird world encompasses? Follow him on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/davidsmith28
War Eagle!
Interested in Auburn football, NASCAR racing, or anything else David's weird world encompasses? Follow him on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/davidsmith28
Thursday, February 18, 2010
Bizarre Stories in Auburn Recruiting - Part 3
A LOT has gone on behind the scenes in Auburn’s recruiting for the 2010 class and the upcoming 2011 class. To date, there’s been a lot of bizarre happenings that have taken place on the way to our top-five 2010 class. For good measure, one strange story has already shaped recruiting for next year.
This is the third of a three-part series of "Bizarre Stories in Auburn Recruiting":
Davis pulls a "Reverse Jim Brown"
Stephen Davis rushed for 92 yards against Penn State in the 1996 Outback Bowl, before an injury sat him down and ended his collegiate career. The South Carolina native went on to become a standout NFL performer before retiring in 2006.
Who would have thought that Davis would be integral in swaying the mind of another young South Carolina running back in making a college decision?
When Marcus Lattimore, one of the nation’s top overall players and who some believed really wanted to play for the Tigers, picked up an Auburn hat handed to him by Davis, tossed it aside, and announced he was staying in-state to play at South Carolina, the collective minds of Auburn recruitniks wondered what in the hell had just happened. Did Davis really do this to us? Did he pull a "Reverse Jim Brown" on Auburn?
Jim Brown was a key player in the recruitment of Ernie Davis to Syracuse University in 1958. Brown, a Syracuse football legend, insisted that Ernie – who had started being recruited by Syracuse late in the process – go and play for then-Head Coach Ben Schwartzwalder. He did, and he donned the No. 44 that Brown previously had made famous, en route to becoming the first African-American to win the Heisman Trophy.
That said, it’s clear that Stephen Davis didn’t watch The Express. Based on varying reports, Davis told Lattimore that he regretted not playing in front of his family and that he should stay close to home. Lattimore picked South Carolina, because, you know, when you think of greatness, naturally you think of the Gamecocks (that’s a Lewis Black reference for those who care).
Davis spoke about what he felt in his heart. Apparently his heart isn’t loyal to the Plains.
Should Davis be considered a traitor? Of course not, but don’t think that this doesn’t affect the way Auburn fans will think of him. He’s still a Tiger, but he didn’t do us a solid on this one.
If Marcus Lattimore becomes what he is projected to become, then this will be a black cloud that looms over Stephen Davis’s legacy. If Auburn legacies have odor, Bo Jackson’s would smell like the interior of a Cadillac Escalade. Davis’s would smell like someone farted inside of a beat-up Ford Bronco.
Of course, Davis may have knowingly tainted his legacy so that a kid could make the best decision for him. It may have been a completely selfless act. That would be the objective way of looking at it, but this website is called thejunglecat.com, not puppiesandpinwheels.com.
Until next time, War Eagle!
This is the third of a three-part series of "Bizarre Stories in Auburn Recruiting":
Davis pulls a "Reverse Jim Brown"
Stephen Davis rushed for 92 yards against Penn State in the 1996 Outback Bowl, before an injury sat him down and ended his collegiate career. The South Carolina native went on to become a standout NFL performer before retiring in 2006.
Who would have thought that Davis would be integral in swaying the mind of another young South Carolina running back in making a college decision?
When Marcus Lattimore, one of the nation’s top overall players and who some believed really wanted to play for the Tigers, picked up an Auburn hat handed to him by Davis, tossed it aside, and announced he was staying in-state to play at South Carolina, the collective minds of Auburn recruitniks wondered what in the hell had just happened. Did Davis really do this to us? Did he pull a "Reverse Jim Brown" on Auburn?
Jim Brown was a key player in the recruitment of Ernie Davis to Syracuse University in 1958. Brown, a Syracuse football legend, insisted that Ernie – who had started being recruited by Syracuse late in the process – go and play for then-Head Coach Ben Schwartzwalder. He did, and he donned the No. 44 that Brown previously had made famous, en route to becoming the first African-American to win the Heisman Trophy.
That said, it’s clear that Stephen Davis didn’t watch The Express. Based on varying reports, Davis told Lattimore that he regretted not playing in front of his family and that he should stay close to home. Lattimore picked South Carolina, because, you know, when you think of greatness, naturally you think of the Gamecocks (that’s a Lewis Black reference for those who care).
Davis spoke about what he felt in his heart. Apparently his heart isn’t loyal to the Plains.
Should Davis be considered a traitor? Of course not, but don’t think that this doesn’t affect the way Auburn fans will think of him. He’s still a Tiger, but he didn’t do us a solid on this one.
If Marcus Lattimore becomes what he is projected to become, then this will be a black cloud that looms over Stephen Davis’s legacy. If Auburn legacies have odor, Bo Jackson’s would smell like the interior of a Cadillac Escalade. Davis’s would smell like someone farted inside of a beat-up Ford Bronco.
Of course, Davis may have knowingly tainted his legacy so that a kid could make the best decision for him. It may have been a completely selfless act. That would be the objective way of looking at it, but this website is called thejunglecat.com, not puppiesandpinwheels.com.
Until next time, War Eagle!
Interested in Auburn football, NASCAR racing, or anything else David's weird world encompasses? Follow him on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/davidsmith28
Wednesday, February 10, 2010
Bizarre Stories in Auburn Recruiting - Part 2
A LOT has gone on behind the scenes in Auburn’s recruiting for the 2010 class and the upcoming 2011 class. To date, there’s been a lot of bizarre happenings that have taken place on the way to our top-five 2010 class. For good measure, one strange story has already shaped recruiting for next year.
This is the second of a three-part series of "Bizarre Stories in Auburn Recruiting":
Coleman teased the Tide
When Army All-American Shon Coleman committed to Auburn last fall, he said that he would take visits, enjoy the process, and then sign with Auburn.
Then why was it such a shock to everyone when he inked with Auburn on National Signing Day?
In the weeks closing in on Signing Day, Coleman took visits to Ole Miss and Forrest Gump University. The fans of Gump U thought they had their next big offensive lineman when Coleman arrived on campus to visit. Unbeknownst to them, he was there to grab a good meal and then bail.
Coleman was, and now is, a Tiger.
The Caucasian Tide fan base was distraught, mainly because the idea of turning down the great Nick Saban must be, in their mind, unprecedented. It’s like Spock being the first Vulcan to turn down Vulcan Academy to enlist in Star Fleet. Coleman told the Tide, “Live long and prosper,” and then threw the peace sign at Tuscaloosa.
(I only reference the new Star Trek movie. Not the old ones. I am not a nerd.)
Head Coach Gene Chizik commented on Coleman’s recruitment in his Post-Signing Day press conference:
"Since the day they committed, they've been committed to Auburn. No matter what the rumors were – in the last three weeks, I think he was going to about eight other universities than Auburn – that wasn't necessarily the case."
Score one for Chizik.
Until next time, War Eagle!
This is the second of a three-part series of "Bizarre Stories in Auburn Recruiting":
Coleman teased the Tide
When Army All-American Shon Coleman committed to Auburn last fall, he said that he would take visits, enjoy the process, and then sign with Auburn.
Then why was it such a shock to everyone when he inked with Auburn on National Signing Day?
In the weeks closing in on Signing Day, Coleman took visits to Ole Miss and Forrest Gump University. The fans of Gump U thought they had their next big offensive lineman when Coleman arrived on campus to visit. Unbeknownst to them, he was there to grab a good meal and then bail.
Coleman was, and now is, a Tiger.
The Caucasian Tide fan base was distraught, mainly because the idea of turning down the great Nick Saban must be, in their mind, unprecedented. It’s like Spock being the first Vulcan to turn down Vulcan Academy to enlist in Star Fleet. Coleman told the Tide, “Live long and prosper,” and then threw the peace sign at Tuscaloosa.
(I only reference the new Star Trek movie. Not the old ones. I am not a nerd.)
Head Coach Gene Chizik commented on Coleman’s recruitment in his Post-Signing Day press conference:
"Since the day they committed, they've been committed to Auburn. No matter what the rumors were – in the last three weeks, I think he was going to about eight other universities than Auburn – that wasn't necessarily the case."
Score one for Chizik.
Until next time, War Eagle!
Interested in Auburn football, NASCAR racing, or anything else David's weird world encompasses? Follow him on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/davidsmith28
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