We’re not quite sure how this A-Day, the second under Bryan Harsin, will go, though we know that it will be anything but usual. A short scrimmage? Drills? A two-hour speech on consistency? No one knows.
If I had my druthers, though, these are five things I would like to see on Saturday as the Auburn Tigers take part in the annual spring game.
1. Consistency from a quarterback … any quarterback
Listen, this battle for QB1 won’t be solved on Saturday, nor will it likely be figured out until late into fall camp, so the chances of someone taking a huge lead in the race are the same as me running a 4.2 40. However, IF we get some live action with the quarterbacks facing pressure, it would be nice to see someone out of T.J. Finley, Robbie Ashford and Holden Geriner step up and make some plays. Anyone can look good in 7-on-7 drills, but when a big defensive lineman is bearing down on you, that’s when the nature of the job becomes real.
2. So, besides tight ends, who catches the ball?
I’m not sure I have ever seen an Auburn roster with less experience at wide receiver in all my time watching them, so that’s a problem that needs fixing in a big way. After four seasons, we know what Shedrick Jackson is capable of, but what can we expect out of Tar’Varish Dawson, Ja’Varrius Johnson, Malcolm Johnson Jr. and Ze’Vian Capers? Harsin mentioned that Malcolm had been one of the highlights of spring practice so far, so there’s hope he can take it to the next level.
And let’s not forget about Jay Fair. The freshman is still taking his lumps in his first spring practice but definitely has the talent to become an instant playmaker.
3. Caleb Wooden? Caleb Wooden
Another freshman who has been turning heads during spring practice, the younger brother of Colby has taken no time in making a case of why he should see the field this fall. It’d be nice to see the safety go up against some of the top receivers and battle it out.
4. Derick Hall doing Derick Hall things
We’ve mentioned it quite a few times in writing and on The Rundown, but Hall has taken his role of a team leader to the apex this spring. When he wasn’t talking trash with the opposing basketball team’s best player this offseason, he was most definitely refining his game to hit the ground running for his senior year. Some guys want to lead by example, and some want to voice their leadership. Hall is both.
5. Open lanes for Tank, running backs
It’s been quite some time since Auburn’s offensive line has been able to create huge holes for the running backs. Bigsby is too talented not to gain 100 yards or more a game, but that hasn’t always been the case with the running game unable to get any traction. The offensive line, once again, is a work in progress, but any downhill blocking would be a welcome sign.
