Going old school

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AUBURN, Ala. | Tuesday's practice wasn't about check downs, route adjustments, coverage assignments or gap responsibilities.

No, it was about blocking and tackling, lowering your shoulder and delivering a blow. Auburn went old school for its first full-scale workout of the off-week.

"Had a very spirited practice today," Gus Malzahn said. "It was really focused on just us getting better. We went a little bit old school and did some one-on-one drills and just tried to get better. We let our guys compete a little bit, too, which I thought was very good."

Most players wouldn't describe a practice as fun. It's most often called a grind. But that wasn't the case for senior All-SEC cornerback Jonathan Jones Tuesday.

"We definitely came out physical today, kind of put concepts to the side and just focus on basic football - tackling, effort, you know the simple things in football, backyard football, some one-on-one stuff and got after it," Jones said.

"Just playing ball, kinda like you grew up playing, running around and hitting. It's definitely fun to be able to do that. It's fundamental. It helps and you'll be able to see that in people's everyday game."

Malzahn said this week's practices are about getting back to the basics and competition.

"Right now this week, we decided all positions have opened up with competition," Malzahn said. "We really think that's good, especially in an off week. We're just letting them play.

"You put them in opportunities to prove themselves and as a coach our job is to get our guys better … and that's what we're committed to doing."

The open competition and return to old school practices was a welcome one for senior wide receiver Jonathan Wallace.

"We need to have fun playing this game and enjoy each and every day, each practice that we have, and I feel like we did that today," Wallace said. "A lot of guys are excited about the second half of this season and that's our focus right now, just concentrating on us and getting better each and every day and it's been a good start."

MORE FROM MALZAHN

On the status of Jalen Harris after weekend accident…

"He's physically OK. I think emotionally that was a tough deal. That was a very scary deal. We're counting our blessings for him. He'll be back. He wasn't out there with us today, but I feel like he'll probably be back before the week is out. We're just letting him heal up emotionally. That's a scary deal."

On the status of Stanton Truitt…

"He did a few things today. There's that fine line this week of getting our guys better, but then the guys who have been a little banged up, getting them healthy. It's kinda one of those things that some of the guys are doing some things this week but our main goal is to get them healthy for the stretch run. Stanton is one of those guys."

On injuries to the offensive and defensive lines…

"I think we're OK. As far as Carl Lawson, obviously, with him, but everybody else this week is good that we can get some good work in but we can heal some of the guys up. There's nothing major, to put it that way."

On linebacker Tre Williams…

"He was out there today, he was in that category, did some things. We feel pretty confident that all of the guys will be back for next Thursday game other than Carl Lawson."

On the status of cornerback T.J. Davis…

"He's back out there. We're hoping that he has a chance to come back on Thursday. We'll probably more by the end of the week but he's a guy that's been practicing now I think for three weeks and just trying to get that confidence back on him."

On the offense…

"There's no doubt we need to open it up more and we need more explosive plays and we need to throw the ball down the field a little bit more. It's kinda of all of the above and like I said the other day: when you get to catch your breath in the open week, you get to evaluate everything and the bottom line is the offense needs to have more explosive plays. He's getting better rhythm, needs to score more points. That's what we're doing this week, getting a plan together. You're exactly right, we have to start making plays down the field."