AUBURN | Auburn couldn’t take part in spring practices or the A-Day game, but its treating a portion of the next three weeks as spring practice light.
The coaching staff is doing installs remotely with their players via Zoom video conferencing twice a week.
“This is the first week we could do that through zoom,” Auburn coach Gus Malzahn said during a teleconference Friday. “It went very well. Probably more than anything it was great to have our players see each other and interact. I know that was a real positive. Probably bigger than the football aspect of the Xs and Os was just the camaraderie, being able to talk as a group. I know both the coordinators were very pleased with how the meeting went.”
Malzahn and his staff plan to do six installs through April 20 before the players take time off for final exams. Currently, Malzahn and his assistants are allowed two hours a week to do football-related activities with their players, the majority of which are at home due to the global coronavirus pandemic.
The installs are especially important for the offense, which has to adjust to new offensive coordinator Chad Morris.
“Just like when we start in spring, 'Day 1 install, guys. Here's the offense. Here's the defense. Here's the big picture. Here's the keys to success. Here's your responsibilities.' A lot of question and answers to engage the guys, making sure they understand,” said Malzahn of the 45 minute install sessions on Monday and Wednesdays. “And on Thursdays, it's just position meetings so they can really review that, go into a little bit more detail with their position of the big picture responsibilities of putting everything together.
“So really, it's just, 'Hey Day 1.' And the second time you meet, it's day two. Then on Thursdays, they put them together.”
The two 45-minute installs and the 30-minute meeting with their position coaches take up the allotted two-hour limit set by the NCAA. Malzahn is hoping that time will be extended.
“I think there’s a good possibility that that number as far as hours could grow by a couple of hours in the future. We’re still waiting on the NCAA but I think that could possibly happen,” he said.
Players are also working out and conditioning three times a week with guidance from strength and conditioning coach Ryan Russell and his staff, and taking their on-line classes and coordinating with the academic support staff for tutoring.
The Auburn University campus is closed through the remainder of spring semester and summer sessions 1 and 2. A decision for summer session 3 will be made by June 1. Malzahn and his coaches are planning out different scenarios for when or if the players are able to return to campus this summer.
“As a staff we’re looking at what if we get back June 1? What’s going to be our plan. What if we get back June 15? What’s going to be our plan. What if we get back July 1 and July 15,” Malzahn said. “I know that the conference offices from around the country are looking at those same scenarios, and we’ll be waiting to see what the NCAA does decide. I would assume it’s going to be some type of workouts with coaches with non-contact.”
Auburn is scheduled to open the season Sept. 5 against Alcorn State at Jordan-Hare Stadium.
UPDATE: The SEC updated the rules starting the week of April 6 to increase the amount of remote football-related activities from two to four hours per week.
