Auburn wore full pads in the blistering evening heat Monday. We reporters braved the scorching temperatures for a half hour to bring you these observations:

• Zac Etheridge (neck), Aairon Savage (ACL, Achilles') and Mike McNeil (leg) were all in pads and white jerseys, meaning they should be full-go for contact. We didn't get to see any actual offense vs. defense drills, but they looked they were ready to go.

• The only players in orange non-contact jerseys were the quarterbacks. That group included Ryan White.
  

• Didn't notice this myself, but eagle-eyed O-A News reporter Andrew Gribble saw DT Nick Fairley with a plaster cast on his right thumb. Fairley had trainers look at it the other day during one of our viewing periods. He was still in pads practicing, though.

• A couple of non-participants over at Muscle Beach: WR DeAngelo Benton, whose hand is still in a cast, and TE Dakota Mosley, who had his practice jersey on but wasn't in pads.

• A couple of players who graduated Monday weren't in attendance. That included RB Mario Fannin, OG Byron Isom, DT Mike Blanc, P Ryan Shoemaker and WR Terrell Zachery.

• Today's offensive line, from left to right: Lee Ziemba, Mike Berry, Ryan Pugh, John Sullen and Roszell Gayden.

• Wes Byrum wasn't in pads but still did some kicking at the beginning of practice. I believe there's some rule that requires players to have participated in a certain number of practices before donning pads. Byrum was in street clothes the other day. Not sure why.

• Byrum pelted the camera guy in the scaffolding behind the upright with most of his kicks.

• DT Jamar Travis was also not in pads, although he was participating.

• GA Travis Williams did stretching drills off to the side as the players did them, running and high stepping like everyone else. "Still got it!" he said after one sequence.

• Uni update: Auburn wore white shoes. (Photo courtesy of the HABOTN) It seems like something they always wear. Just thought I'd pass the info along anyway. Some players had white shoes with blue trim. Some had white shoes with orange trim that the team wore in the Ouback Bowl last year.

• A lot of special teams work again. This time is was the punt formation. Freshman Ladarious Phillips was part of the person protection package one time when special teams coordinator Jay Boulware yanked him out. "You're out," he said. "You're not ready yet."

• Steven Clark got some booming punts off as Byrum and the other kickers yelled encouragement. Also saw him shank one at the end, so it wasn't a perfect day.

• Chris Davis and Jonathan Mincy were back fielding punts with Quindarius Carr during the punting drill.

• Got a glance at WR Kodi Burns, who looks skinnier than he did last year, sleeker. Makes sense now that he's had a full year to condition himself as a receiver. He's still listed at 207 pounds. I'm guessing he repositioned some of that weight.