Looking for a breakout candidate on the defensive line? Defensive end Antonio Coleman says to look out for senior tackle Jake Ricks.“He’s stepping up big time and making plays that I’ve never seen from him before,” Coleman said.
Ricks, who has 16 career tackles, spent last year in a backup role to Sen’Derrick Marks and Tez Doolittle on the interior line. He made seven tackles, two of which were for a loss, and was fortunate enough to pounce on fumble in the end zone for a touchdown against Tennessee.
With Marks and Doolittle both NFL bound, the 6-foot-4, 296-pound Ricks is rotating with the ones at tackle with junior Mike Blanc and sophomore Zach Clayton, neither of whom have Ricks’ experience.
Teammates hope that translates to a senior breakthrough much like Doolittle, who returned for a sixth year following a devastating Achilles’ heel injury and finished with 28 tackles and eight tackles for a loss last season.
“(Jake’s) not in anyone’s shadow anymore and he understands that this is his senior year and he needs to step up and make plays,” Coleman said. “Maybe it’s an eye-opener for him.”
Some other notes from practice ...
- Auburn had a special visitor before Tuesday's practice: Pat Dye. The legendary Tigers coach addressed the team. Apparently, he's been a frequent visitor around the Auburn offices since head coach Gene Chizik was hired in December. "It was just great to have him out at practice, No. 1," Chizik said. "Those young guys, that’s kind of an eye-opener for them – having a legend like that coming in there and talked to them. He just talked about what it’s like to be an Auburn man – what it’s like to be an Auburn student, what it’s like to be an Auburn football player and at the end of the day, what it’ll mean to them down the road being an Auburn alumni. I thought it was a really neat message."
- All of the coaches seemed to have that kind of respect for Dye: "I'm locked into every single word he says, because there's so much wisdom in his words," running backs coach Curtis Luper said. "He's experienced a lot."
- Auburn went to Jordan-Hare Stadium on Tuesday for its ninth practice. "We’re just trying to do some different things, create a little more energy," Chizik said. "Kind of a pre-game atmosphere going on. They’re tired and they’re beat up so we just wanted to change the venue on them."
- Doesn't sound like DE Antoine Carter's right leg injury from Sunday was too serious. Chizik said he'll leave it up to the medical people, but added: "He’s going to be fine."
- Chizik didn't know exactly what kind of format Auburn will have for A-Day. It will mostly depend on how many people the Tigers get back from nagging injuries. It could be offense vs. defense like the scrimmage or split into two teams.
- The team will have another scrimmage this Saturday that will be the same format as last weekend.
- Interesting comment by Chizik on RT Andrew McCain. "We really believe Andrew has got to be technician in this league to be effective," he said. "He's going to have to be really good at his trade, so to speak." That doesn't sound like a glowing endorsement of McCain, but Auburn doesn't really have many more options at that spot.
- Luper said nobody has separated himself yet as the starting running back, and he's a little bummed about that. "I wish I had somebody step up and say this is my job, but not yet," he said. "When they do, I'll tell you and I'll tell them."
- Luper said H-back Mario Fannin will get some work at running back in Saturday's scrimmage.
- No change on the punter front. Special teams coach Jay Boulware said there has been no separation between Ryan Shoemaker and Clinton Durst. "It’s a pretty close battle in my opinion," Boulware said. "Shoemaker has gotten tremendously better over the last few days but I think Clinton has been the most consistent and continues to be the most consistent. I think that battle is going to go well into the fall."
- Boulware wishes he could be as positive about the kicking game, which has been in flux since he told us walk-on Chandler Brooks was leading the competition. "It just keeps going back and forth," Boulware said. "I’m just trying to find some consistency in that department right now that I’m not seeing out there right now. It’s a pick’em. One day it’s one day, another day it’s another way. I’m probably like most Auburn fans felt last year. I’m yearning for some consistency from that position right now. That’s an area of concern for me right now."
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