The threat of inclement weather postponed Tuesday's practice to Wednesday evening, but we still got to speak with players beforehand.

Here are the highlights:

• Quarterback Kodi Burns is learning his third offense in as many years. Here's what he had to say about it: "It does kind of get confusing. You kind of revert to your old habits a little bit, not thinking right, and that's what coach (Gus) Malzahn said that he wants to get all the old stuff out of us if he can, if there's any left, he just wants to program us to run his offense, and then after he programs us to do that, then we can be ourselves and I can do what I do best to run the offense."

• We got some more insight about the numbers associated with the offensive numbers in Malzahn's system. Receiver Quindarius Carr was nice enough to inform us the numbers 9 and 2 are basically the X and Z receivers (outside receivers). The 5 is the slot receiver (formerly the Y). The 3 is an H-back position (think Mario Fannin) and the 4 is as close to a regular running back as there is (think Ben Tate).

• I wrote an Eltoro Freeman story for tomorrow's paper, but here's a sneak peek: Stevens likened him to Tray Blackmon, which is a good thing considering he was praising The Bull's aggressiveness and willingness to smack someone. Bynes likes the sophomore's enthusiasm, even if he has to tell him to slow down on occasion. "He's fired up every day," Bynes said. "He said, 'That's how I am.' I say, 'I ain't gonna knock your hustle down.' Anyway you got to have a good day at practice, you do it. No matter if you've got to do backflips out here or something. Anyway for him to have a good day at practice, I'm all in for it."

• Linebacker Craig Stevens has earned some early distinction this spring, being recognized by defensive coordinator Ted Roof on a couple of occasions. "I’ve just been going out trying to work hard every day – doing drills full speed, try not to take a play off and just get better every day," Stevens said. "I guess he just noticed that."

• Stevens said he can tell Roof is a linebackers guy. "Oh yeah," Stevens said. "When he gets out there and is teaching us those drills, it’s like he forgot he was coaching out there. He tries to go full speed out there – he’s out there jamming us and stuff. He’s about to hurt us."

• Bynes had similar thoughts: "Look at him. He looks like a linebacker. He's got the big legs, big upper body. From working with him, he's been a very very good coach and he's doing the things possible to get us better on defense as linebackers. He wants us more physical and get us instead of just being there and being a guy getting blocked. It's about us making an impression on the offense that 'Yeah, we're going to come at you hard and come at you fast and come at you physical on every play.'"

• Some sad news to report: Paul Davis, who was an assistant coach at Auburn from 1967-80 and 1987-89, died at the age of 87 on Tuesday. Davis was Shug Jordan’s defensive coordinator and assistant head coach from 1967-75. He later served on the staffs of Doug Barfield and Pat Dye. In 17 years with Auburn, Davis coached seven All-Americans and participated in nine bowl games.

• Converted tight end Vance Smith is enjoying life on the offensive line, working at both tackle positions to give Auburn some much-needed depth. Smith decided to make the switch in the offseason (he says it was his choice). After playing last year at 240 pounds, he's up to 260 right now, with a goal of gaining two pounds a week to be at 290 by the end of fall camp. Happy eating, Vance!

• One offensive line member who is not gaining weight is Mike "Big Snacks" Berry, the heaviest of the linemen at 313 pounds. Berry says he's "just staying" at his current weight, trying to keep in that 310-to-315-pound range.

• Berry is working at left guard and center as a backup to Ryan Pugh. Byron Isom has been working at right guard.

• Berry said offensive line coach Jeff Grimes has a calmer approach to instructing his linemen than former coach Hugh Nall, a longtime Tommy Tuberville assistant who is now the CEO of a trucking business in Albany, Ga. "He’s a lot more supportive," Berry said of Grimes. "Nall was going to get after you. That’s just the type of guy he was. You gotta love that. Grimes, I would say, is more balanced. He’s a pretty easy-going guy. He’s going to coach you hard but he knows how far to go." Has Berry seen Grimes chew anyone out? "Not for real," he said. "Not the Nall way. Having Hugh Nall for three years, I’ve not seen him do that."