WRs back to full health is 'morale-booster' for Auburn offense

Will Hastings hasn't participated in standard contact football in over a year.

The practices before he tore his ACL spring 2018, Hastings says, is the last time he's been permitted to go full contact.

The senior slot receiver was held out of practices during this fall camp for "precautionary" reasons, but now with just over a week until the No. 16 Tigers' season opener, he and Eli Stove, whose knee also gave him problems last year, are a "full go" in practice.

"Truthfully, I feel very confident," Hastings said Wednesday of his health. "Usually I’m not a very confident guy, but I feel really, really confident about my body. ... I felt like my old self, so I know I still have the quickness and I still have the speed. So, I’m not really all that worried. Coach Malzahn wanted to play it smart with Eli (Stove) and I, and I know for a fact he feels good and I feel great. So, we’re both ready to get going and we’re full-go for practice, and it feels really good. I’m ready."

With Stove and Hastings unable to fulfill their presumed roles last season, doors opened for freshmen Seth Williams and Anthony Schwartz to make up for the lost production. Williams was named freshman All-SEC after averaging over 20 yards a catch, while Schwartz accounted for seven touchdowns from scrimmage.

Williams was held out at times during camp with back pain, but the Tigers' assumed No. 1 receiver is no longer limited in any capacity. Schwartz (hand) is still in his sling, but Malzahn is "hopeful" he'll have the speedster back for the opener.

"You definitely can (sense it)," Hastings said. "It feels good being back out there with everyone and just having Eli and myself, Seth, Sal (Cannella) , Matthew (Hill), Anthony, it feels good having all of us out there. I think you can definitely tell a difference in practice because we bring that next level. It helps everyone bring up that next level."

Malzahn said Tuesday that naming a starter — in this case, true freshman Bo Nix — prior to the first game is important for the new QB to grasp the offense with the starters. When Hastings, Stove and Williams were limited in scrimmage settings midway through camp, the backup receivers didn't step up in the way Auburn hoped, with dropped passes and inconsistent showings forcing Malzahn to play H-back Jay Jay Wilson and tight end Tyler Fromm some at wideout.

“Having those guys back has really been a morale-booster for us," center Kaleb Kim said. "Because, you know, we know what those guys can do. They’ve shown it the past however many years. We know what we’re going to get out of those guys come game time. So we’re all excited to have those guys back."

The Tigers open 2019 on Aug. 31 against Oregon. Auburn is currently a 3-point favorite over the No. 11 team in the nation.

"Everybody together when nobody's hurt — we'll go a long way," Stove said.