AUBURN | After two days on shorts and helmets, Auburn put on the pads for the first time Sunday. The difference was quite noticeable.

“Oh yeah, it was intense,” Auburn coach Gus Malzahn said. “Our guys, our first units on both sides, it was intense. They compete. Sometimes you got to say, ‘whoa,’ but I think that’s a good characteristic.”

“Yeah, they’re pretty aggressive,” he added.

Another big change was holding a full practice instead of splitting the team into veterans and newcomers for two separate workouts. That gave Malzahn and his staff the opportunity to do a lot of team drills.

“Yeah, we, first day in pads you’re going to do the blocking and getting off blocks and all the drills that you do with pads,” Malzahn explained. “The early part of practice was some individual and hook-ups and releases and protection drills and things like that, but the second half was really team-oriented with a lot of 11-on-11 with, really, all three groups, you know, our ones, twos and threes, and trying to give them all a chance to show what they can do.

“And, probably more than anything is the freshmen; you get a chance to see their mistakes on film, and the ones that correct and can get better, that’s usually the guys that can have a chance to help you.”

FRESHMEN STANDOUTS

Two young guys that stood out — at least to a couple of veteran players — were freshman defensive end Jaren Handy and freshman offensive guard Keiondre Jones.

“(Handy) reminds me so much of myself coming in: The fight, the want to be better, the want to be great. You don't have certain kids like that,” senior defensive end Marlon Davidson said. “But that kid there, he reminds me so much of myself. And every day he just keeps doing it, every day he's getting better. I see a bright future for him, for sure."

“Keiondre doing real good. He’s a real strong guy, real nasty, so I like that,” senior offensive guard Mike Horton said.

FIRST SCRIMMAGE COMING UP

The Tigers will hold two more practices, including going full pads for the first time Tuesday, before taking off a day and then holding the team’s first scrimmage of preseason practice Thursday.

Malzahn emphasized the importance of that first scrimmage for the freshmen including both Bo Nix and Joey Gatewood, who are battling for the starting quarterback position.

“The scrimmages are more important in evaluation than practices,” Malzahn said. “Like I said at first, it's going to be one of those deals where we're putting them through as many situations as we can. When we know for sure the guy that gives us the best chance of going against Oregon, we'll name. It's still kind of no timetable, but I'm looking forward to the first scrimmage.”

Auburn opens the season Aug. 31 against Oregon in Arlington, Texas. Kickoff at AT&T Stadium is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. CT on ABC.