Yes, this position is a matter of some importance.2. Can Auburn get through spring practice without any serious injuries?
To some extent, this is a question that could apply to every program in the country. It's not Pete Carroll is going to have a defensive lineman rupture an Achilles in a spring drill and just shrug it off.
But for this Auburn team, avoiding the kind of injuries in the spring that could be issues in the fall is critical. The Tigers might be able to weather a torn ACL at running back (where I'd like to think McCalebb could step in for Fannin without too much problem) or wide receiver (where all parts seem to be virtually interchangeable), but anywhere else? Uh, no. I don't even want to consider a loss along the offensive line, at defensive tackle, in the secondary, or even at linebacker--sure, Auburn's had LBs like they've grown on trees for years, but I keep looking at the depth chart and expecting to find someone I'm comfortable with behind Bynes or Stevens, and they're still not there. Hell, one of the names that does pop up is Adam Herring, and he was apparently already getting medical attention Tuesday night.
Turning around a situation as dire as "2-6 in the SEC, with wins via missed Bulldog FG in Starkville and fumble recovery for touchdown vs. Tennessee" odesn't just require good coaching, good players, good execution, all that stuff that actually relates to playing football. It also requires healthy doses of pure leprechaun-level luck, too. The spring injury list (and possible subsequent presence of, say, Vance Smith in the starting lineup) is a crucial indicator for whether 2009 Auburn is going to have that kind of luck, or is going to have to battle uphill every single step of the way.
1. Gee, whaddya think is the No. 1 issue confronting Auburn during the spring?
To paraphrase an old political line about the economy: It's the quarterbacks, stupid.
I'm not sure what I've got to add here that hasn't been duly covered elsewhere. If Gus Malzahn truly is going to pick one quarterback and stick with him, and the entire Spread Eagle house of cards depends on the performance of whoever that quarterback happens to be, clearly the process of choosing that quarterback is as important a process as spring practice could possibly give us. Everything else is secondary, pretty much by definition.
If I had to take a guess at how that process will play out ... well, I've already made it pretty clear I think it's Burns, and with Todd still rehabbing that shoulder and Trotter still something of an unknown I think we might see a Neil Caudle renaissance.
But the bottom line is that it doesn't really matter which of the QBs takes the reins: it's about finding one who Malzahn believes is worthy of doing so. I'd suggest, too, that the winner of this little quarterbacking derby use the spring to cement themselves in the position as firmly as he possibly can--I remain skeptical Tyrik Rollison will arrive on campus this fall as planned, but after another round of optimistic Facebook updates on his academic status, at the very least it's safe to say he's taking this qualification thing seriously.
I would not expect Rollison to come in and become the starter as a true freshman, but at the same time: was there anything Burns or Todd (or, of course, Trotter or Caudle) did last year that Rollison likely couldn't do this fall? No. I'm not sure it's enough for anyone on the current roster to just win the job this spring--it's about genuinely making that job their own in a way it never was in 2008, because if Rollison qualifies, I don't think being the starter by default will be enough.
6 comments:
dude, he is gonna qualify. he posts something about it every 3rd day. and then we when he arrives in the fall everyone will be screaming for him to get the job, much like Auburn fans were doing for Kodi after Cox struggled at the beginning of 07. the cycle repeats forever...like they say on Battlestar Galactica, "All of this has happened before, and it will all happen again."
I have a strange feeling Caudle or a healthy Todd(big if) will end up getting the job. Kodi is a decent playmaker, but his accuracy on some of the tougher throws was lacking at times last year. I recall too many passes on big 3rd downs where guys were open and he was wild. Isn't Malzahn's system more down the field throws wheras Franklin's was short passing? But of course, he may be better this year and have more confidence with the new regime. Caudle was a big time recruit and he does not seem that mobile, so he must have a big arm.
actually from watching him in the Spring game last year and in the home coming, Caudle is surprisingly athletic...he's def got better wheels than Todd or Cox and hes got a good arm, his biggest knock is that he likes to throw picks.
Why does he throw too many picks? Weak arm, bad reads, can't handle pressure, maybe he is not accurate. Or is it a combination of all of the above. Is it something Malzahn can improve upon?
no he's got a strong arm, he made two of the best throws all day during last year's ADay game...but he also threw 2 balls into coverage, one of them was picked off by Josh Bynes for a td. in the homecoming game he also threw an interception on his 1st or 2nd attempt on a bad read. I'm convinced its lack of playing time and not being a priority for the coaching staff. I mean the kid broke his leg at the beginning of his senior year so he hasn't played in almost 4 years. hopefully with more reps this spring and a coaching staff that believes in him he'll show everyone why he was an elite prospect. that's my wishful thinking anyways.
jrs, the extended layoff for Caudle is an excellent point. Jay Tate's mentioned a couple of times now how much better Caudle seems to feel, at least, under the new regime ... maybe that's all he needs.
Post a Comment