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AUBURN, Alabama ā Auburnās A=Day game was not a clinic in crisp football execution, nor should anyone have expected it to be. Neither was it an exercise in futility. As spring games go, there was some good and some bad.
Auburnās football team, with new offenses and defenses and a new coaching staff, practiced together for just the 14th time Saturday. Many of those practices, as required by NCAA rules, did not include full-speed contact.
You can look at quarterback Bo Nix going 12-for-21 and believe he wasnāt particularly sharp. Or you can listen to head coach Bryan Harsin talk about the times when players around him didnāt do what they were supposed to do or didnāt catch balls they should have caught.
You had to like the way Tank Bigsby and Shaun Shivers ran with the ball unless you choose to fret that the defense didnāt stop them. You can worry that the offense only scored 17 points or you can like that the defense held the offense to 17 points. Thatās the way of spring games. Both sides of the ball canāt look good at the same time.
It was a good day on lots of ways. The largest crowd since the 2019 Iron Bowl was on hand. Players played with enthusiasm. Big plays were made on both sides of the ball.
For what they are worth, here are some impressions:
-- Nix is, without any question or debate, the starting quarterback. Taking into account the circumstances, I thought he had a good day.
-- Bigsby is a horse, whether itās a spring game, a real game or a practice.
--If Shaun Shivers gets the opportunity heās never really had, I look for him to be a productive and important part of Auburnās offense.
--Defensive lineman Colby Wooden came charging from out of almost nowhere last season. He looked good to me Saturday.
--I often heard about wide receiver Elijah Cannon last season, though he didnāt really surface until the bowl game. He looks to be a guy with great potential.
--Harsin does a good job of fielding questions about individual players. He doesnāt get carried with praise and doesnāt get carried away with criticism.
--I thought Auburnās defense did a good job of swarming, getting lots of people to the ball.
--He surely has much to learn, but JJ Pegues looks at home on the defensive line.
--The Auburn football team is athletic and talented. Of course, lots of other SEC teams are also athletic and talented.
--I liked what I saw of the Mike Bobo/Harsin offensive scheme, especially ability to change the tempo.
--I will be surprised if Auburnās defense isnāt really in the coming season.
--With much more experience than last season, I believe the offensive line woes are overstated.
--I saw a good number of receivers either making blocks or trying hard to make blocks. That is important.
OVERVIEW
I believe this Auburn football team has a real chance for success next season? The question is how quickly players will be able to negotiate the learning curves in new offenses and defenses.
Itās difficult to find anything to this point that Harsin hasnāt done well. Heās established who he is and the kind of program he intends to have. The question, as always, will be if he can get enough of the kinds of players it takes to challenge and beat the SECās best. For now, itās difficult to imagine a better start
Auburnās football team, with new offenses and defenses and a new coaching staff, practiced together for just the 14th time Saturday. Many of those practices, as required by NCAA rules, did not include full-speed contact.
You can look at quarterback Bo Nix going 12-for-21 and believe he wasnāt particularly sharp. Or you can listen to head coach Bryan Harsin talk about the times when players around him didnāt do what they were supposed to do or didnāt catch balls they should have caught.
You had to like the way Tank Bigsby and Shaun Shivers ran with the ball unless you choose to fret that the defense didnāt stop them. You can worry that the offense only scored 17 points or you can like that the defense held the offense to 17 points. Thatās the way of spring games. Both sides of the ball canāt look good at the same time.
It was a good day on lots of ways. The largest crowd since the 2019 Iron Bowl was on hand. Players played with enthusiasm. Big plays were made on both sides of the ball.
For what they are worth, here are some impressions:
-- Nix is, without any question or debate, the starting quarterback. Taking into account the circumstances, I thought he had a good day.
-- Bigsby is a horse, whether itās a spring game, a real game or a practice.
--If Shaun Shivers gets the opportunity heās never really had, I look for him to be a productive and important part of Auburnās offense.
--Defensive lineman Colby Wooden came charging from out of almost nowhere last season. He looked good to me Saturday.
--I often heard about wide receiver Elijah Cannon last season, though he didnāt really surface until the bowl game. He looks to be a guy with great potential.
--Harsin does a good job of fielding questions about individual players. He doesnāt get carried with praise and doesnāt get carried away with criticism.
--I thought Auburnās defense did a good job of swarming, getting lots of people to the ball.
--He surely has much to learn, but JJ Pegues looks at home on the defensive line.
--The Auburn football team is athletic and talented. Of course, lots of other SEC teams are also athletic and talented.
--I liked what I saw of the Mike Bobo/Harsin offensive scheme, especially ability to change the tempo.
--I will be surprised if Auburnās defense isnāt really in the coming season.
--With much more experience than last season, I believe the offensive line woes are overstated.
--I saw a good number of receivers either making blocks or trying hard to make blocks. That is important.
OVERVIEW
I believe this Auburn football team has a real chance for success next season? The question is how quickly players will be able to negotiate the learning curves in new offenses and defenses.
Itās difficult to find anything to this point that Harsin hasnāt done well. Heās established who he is and the kind of program he intends to have. The question, as always, will be if he can get enough of the kinds of players it takes to challenge and beat the SECās best. For now, itās difficult to imagine a better start
