Auburn returned to the practice field Monday afternoon to kick off Week 3 of spring football. It was the seventh practice overall for the Tigers under first-year head coach Hugh Freeze, as well as the team’s first day back on the field after a light situational scrimmage on Friday.
After Freeze met with the local media for his weekly press conference, reporters were afforded a viewing window that lasted nearly 50 minutes at the start of practice. We got to watch four periods of practice during that window. Here’s a rundown of everything we saw during Monday’s session:
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-- Freeze noted Monday that Auburn will be without two offensive contributors for the remainder of spring due to injury, while a handful of other players are dealing with minor nicks (less-serious hamstring issues and ankle injuries). The two players Auburn will be without: wide receiver Malcolm Johnson Jr., who injured his right collarbone and is expected out until June, and offensive lineman Tate Johnson, who dislocated his elbow. Both players were in attendance Monday, with Malcolm Johnson Jr. sporting a sling on his right shoulder and off to the side. Tate Johnson was in uniform and participated in stretch at the start of the viewing window but was otherwise sidelined.
-- Jeremiah Wright is still in a yellow non-contact jersey but was participating in practice. Auburn asks that players in non-contact jerseys not be identified, but the team has made available photos this spring of Wright in the yellow jersey, so it’s fair game.
-- Period 3 of practice included pace for the offensive units, lasting three rounds. Here’s what the lineup looked like for each round:
-- First unit: Robby Ashford at quarterback, with Jarquez Hunter in the backfield. The offensive line included Tulsa transfer Dillon Wade at left tackle, freshman Connor Lew at left guard, ECU transfer Avery Jones at center, Jeremiah Wright at right guard and WKU transfer Gunner Britton at right tackle. FIU transfer Rivaldo Fairweather was at tight end, while Auburn rotated a few guys at wide receiver: Nick Mardner on the outside, while Koy Moore, Tar’Varish Dawson Jr. and Ja’Varrius Johnson all got reps as well. The most notable development here is Lew, a true freshman early enrollee, working with the top unit.
-- Second unit: T.J. Finley at QB, with Damari Alston at RB. The offensive line had Garner Langlo at left tackle, Colby Smith at left guard, Jalil Irvin at center, E.J. Harris at right guard and Izavion Miller at right tackle. Landen King split out wide at wide receiver, while Auburn went to a two-tight end set with this group: Tyler Fromm and Luke Deal.
-- Third unit: Holden Geriner at QB, with Sean Jackson at RB. Offensive line: walk-on Evan Richards at left tackle, freshman Bradyn Joiner at left guard, Cort Bradley at center, Kam Stutts at right guard and freshman Clay Wedin at right tackle. Brandon Frazier was at tight end, with a trio of walk-ons at wide receiver: Colby Stafford, Jake Kruse and Jackson Billings.
-- During pace it was apparent why Freeze said Monday that wide receiver is one of the positions that needs to make the most progress this spring and isn’t where it needs to be, as Auburn had to rely on some walk-ons with the second and third groups. Omari Kelly and Jay Fair went through some early reps at the onset of the viewing period with T.J. Finley at quarterback in a drill but did not take part in pace.
-- During a light special teams period earlier in the viewing window, Auburn’s punt coverage got beat on a non-contact return by a walk-on wide receiver, Stafford.
-- Some names rotating at the star/nickel position during individual position drills: Donovan Kaufman, Keionte Scott, Caleb Wooden and Zion Puckett.
-- Working at safety during this period: Jaylin Simpson, Marquise Gilbert, Craig McDonald, Austin Ausberry.
-- Nehemiah Pritchett and freshman Kayin Lee were the top two corners working with Wesley McGriff during individual drills. McGriff has had high praise for Lee, a former four-star recruit who flipped from Ohio State, so far this spring.
-- Two of the rotations at linebacker saw Wesley Steiner and Austin Keys working in tandem, followed by Cam Riley and Robert Woodyard Jr.
-- Freeze spoke Monday about Auburn’s need to recruit more depth at the jack/edge spot on defense, because that unit isn’t as deep or as effective as it needs to be yet. That’s to be expected after losing both Derick Hall and Eku Leota. Working at jack right now are Vanderbilt transfer Elijah McAllister, true freshman Keldric Faulk, Dylan Brooks, freshman Brenton Williams and walk-on Hayden Brice. Freeze had some praise for Faulk, whose size (6-foot-6 and 275 pounds) is noticeable out on the field, adding that he expects the four-star freshman to play early.
-- Got to the defensive line at the very end of the viewing window while working my way around the two practice fields. Jeremy Garrett was working with a three-man front that included Jeffrey M’ba, Purdue transfer Lawrence Johnson and Maryland transfer Mosiah Nasili-Kite. That, of course, wasn’t the only group that repped up front during individual period, but it’s the only one I saw at the very end. Freeze earlier Monday spoke highly of Kentucky transfer Justin Rogers, who he said is a “handful” at nose tackle and the type of guy who will require double-teams from opposing offenses.
Tom Green is an Auburn beat reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter @Tomas_Verde.
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