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Willis, Gatewood to lead offense in scrimmage

AUBURN | A spring as the starter continues for Malik Willis.

With Jarrett Stidham still limited with a shoulder injury, Willis has taken the reins as Auburn’s starting quarterback through the first six practices of the spring and will continue to lead the first-team offense in Saturday’s scrimmage.

“Stidham did throw with our receivers today. Probably will wait until Tuesday to do 7-on-7 versus the defense and get him in team,” said Auburn coach Gus Malzahn after Thursday’s practice. “So the two young guys are still getting the majority of the reps, they’re getting all the reps as far as team goes. And they’ll get all the reps Saturday in the scrimmage.”

Willis has taken all the first-team reps at quarterback this spring.
Willis has taken all the first-team reps at quarterback this spring. (Todd Van Emst/Auburn athletics)

Willis played in seven games as a true freshman last season serving as Stidham’s backup. He completed 6-of-7 passes for 45 yards and a touchdown, but did most of his damage running with 221 yards and a touchdown on 16 carries.

“Malik, he’s been doing well. He’s been spinning it all spring,” junior wide receiver Nate Craig-Myers said. “I think he’s balanced. Probably freshman year, yeah, he was a runner but now he’s learning the offense. He’s worked on a lot of things. Now he’s finally stepping into a different guy.”

True freshman Joey Gatewood, who enrolled in January, will continue to quarterback the second-team offense.

“He’s gotten all of the blue reps, the number two reps, which is really good for him,” Malzahn said. “I would say he’s handled it pretty well, especially for a guy that just came from high school. Chip (Lindsey) has thrown everything at him along with everything else, whether it’s base downs or third downs or red zone, and I thought for the most part he’s handled it well.

“A lot of times for a young quarterback, just the communication and getting everybody lined up before the ball is snapped is a challenge. I think he’s responded well to that. He’s been a pretty quick learning.”

Malzahn is unsure if Stidham will play in the A-Day game April 7, but he thinks the junior is still benefitting from this spring. He had minor surgery on his non-throwing shoulder in January.

“I think it's been really good for him to sit back in the big picture and see things from a little bit different standpoint,” Malzahn said. “I know he's been really good for our young quarterbacks, really trying to help them and trying to coach them up on the details and everything that goes with that.

“But I know he's antsy. He's ready to get back out there. It was really good to see him throwing with the receivers today. We'll get them back out there with the 7-on-7 with the offense, I know it'll be a really good thing for him. At the same time, I think I said this earlier, he's a veteran guy, and it was good to get those young guys reps — especially Malik going with the ones a lot. And it's good for Joey to get more reps that he normally would, too. I think it's going to be a good thing as far as next year's concerned.”

Saturday morning’s scrimmage will be in Jordan-Hare Stadium and consist of 100-120 plays including live field goal and extra points. It will be important for some key position battles such as running back, offensive line and secondary.

“Really gearing up for that, give everybody a chance,” Malzahn said. “It’s one of the bigger evaluation scrimmages of the spring so we’re really looking forward to that.”

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