War Eagle Extra has moved!

You should be automatically redirected in 4 seconds. If not, visit
http://www.wareagleextra.com
and update your bookmarks.

Wednesday, April 28, 2010

Spring recap: Linebackers

We're doing a position-by-position analysis of Auburn after spring practice. Click here to read the first installment about the secondary. Today, it's the linebackers' turn.


PROJECTED STARTERS
  • MLB Josh Bynes, 6-2, 239, Sr.
  • OLB Craig Stevens, 6-3, 224, Sr.
  • S/OLB Daren Bates, 5-11, 202, So.
RESERVES
  • LB Eltoro Freeman, 5-11, 223, Jr.
  • LB Jonathan Evans, 5-11, 216, So.
  • LB Harris Gaston, 6-1, 229, rFr.
  • LB Jessel Curry, 6-1, 209, Fr.
  • LB Ashton Richardson, 6-0, 202, Jr.
  • LB Wade Christopher, 6-1, 218, Jr.
OTHERS
  • LB Chase Erickson, 6-0, 203, rFr.
  • LB Joey Caldwell, 6-1, 226, So.
  • LB Watson Downs, 6-0, 213, So.
  • LB Patrick Butler, 6-0, 244, Sr.
SIGNEES
  • LB Jake Holland, 6-1, 228, Fr.
  • LB LaDarius Owens, 6-2, 225, Fr.
  • LB Jawara White, 6-2, 220, Fr.
WHAT I WROTE LAST YEAR
"(Bad things) -- Depth, depth, depth. Auburn doesn't have any. Behind Bynes, Stevens and Freeman, who have a pretty good shot at starting, the Tigers are hurting."
OVERVIEW
Yup, pretty much nailed that one, although I was perhaps a bit generous in putting Freeman in the group of reliable starters. Make no mistake: it was the Bynes and Stevens show last year at linebacker. Every other linebacker that got thrown in there was just along for the ride. The best example of the duo's ironman duties was the Outback Bowl, where neither came out for any of the 115 defensive snaps the Tigers played against Northwestern. It wasn't by choice. Nobody else stepped up as a third option. Freeman was erratic, a beast one game, a bust the next, his head never quite in the same place. Adam Herring was a decent option but never spectacular. Now his career is done with a heel injury. And while Evans had an impact in the Alabama game, he was still in over his head as a freshman, making the addition of depth the No. 1 priority this offseason.
GOOD THINGS
The spring did little to change the fact that Bynes and Stevens are the alpha dogs of the defense. There aren't two players on the defense that defensive coordinator Ted Roof praises more than those two, and from all accounts, they had a good spring. But that was a given. Where Auburn appears to have made strides is in cross training the linebackers at different positions to create a situation where the next best player, regardless of position, gets on the field in an injury situation. Stevens, a strong-side linebacker last year, worked on the weak-side this spring. Evans worked all over. Curry, a middle linebacker in high school, moved to the outside. And Freeman, a starter on the outside last year, worked behind Bynes in the middle.
BAD THINGS
While Roof was pleased with the progress of the linebackers not named Bynes or Stevens, he didn't give any of them the blessing of being the "third linebacker." Given numerous opportunities, Roof continued to say that plenty of work needed to be done, especially by Freeman, whose inconsistent play seems to mystify coaches. The most disappointing part of the spring might have been the injury situation. While Gaston lost out on a chance to advance his game, the bigger missed opportunity was with Bates, who played safety last year but will play more of a hybrid linebacker role this season in an effort to get the Tigers faster on defense. Auburn coaches made the move in the offseason, but Bates wasn't able to participate because of shoulder surgery. He sat in on linebacker meetings and has learned the playbook, but transitioning that to the field is always a concern. When the team resumes practice, Bates will only have two-a-days to get himself comfortable in his new situation. (Then again, that's all he needed last year at safety, and that worked out pretty well.)
ARRIVING SOON
Auburn certainly reinforced its ranks. After taking only two high school linebackers in 2009, the Tigers signed four in February, with Curry enrolling early to participate in spring drills. The others look like they could compete for playing time if things play out correctly. Holland and Owens are both four-star recruits who look like they have the size (228, 225 pounds, respectively) to step in right away. Holland was the No. 10 player in Alabama. Owens was No. 4. White might take a little bit longer, but Auburn can at least feel a little more comfortable about its future once Bynes and Stevens are gone.
POTENTIAL BREAKOUT
I said it last year, I'll say it again: Eltoro. He showed glimpses of what he could do last year, like his 7-tackle, 2-TFL, 1-sack performance at LSU. Of course, that came after he did next to nothing or didn't dress the previous four weeks. Such is the Eltoro dilemma. The key, as mentioned before, is consistency. Auburn doesn't need him to be Superman on every play. What it does need is for him to step up into the right gap and stop a ballcarrier when it's his turn. That was a problem last year, with Freeman roaming out of position and other teams running through the spot he vacated. But the potential is still there. And while he's still here, there's a chance he could tap into it.
BATTLE TO WATCH
Obviously it's the outside linebacker spot not filled by Stevens. I projected at the top of this post that Bates would be a starter, based on the fact that I can't imagine the coaching staff moving a freshman All-SEC performer to a new position and not playing him. But not every situation is going to be ideal for Bates. He's still not that big for a linebacker, and although he likes to throw his helmet in the pile, a more traditional outside 'backer will probably still have a role on this defense. Between Freeman, Evans, Gaston, Curry and the incoming Holland and Owens, Auburn, at the very least, has plenty of options.
THEY SAID IT
"We're making progress in that area. We're rolling a lot of guys through there ... to have our system interchange enough where we can put the next best guy in there and not get bogged down by just pigeonholing guys at this position, but to be able to put the best linebacker in there. But as far as anybody jumping out at this point, the answer is no." — Roof, on the third linebacker spot
NUMBERS GAME
89 — tackles made last year by linebackers not named Bynes and Stevens. Bynes led the team with 104 stops. Stevens, who was second, had 95.
THE END OF THE DAY
Bynes and Stevens are All-SEC candidates, so Auburn is going to be solid in this group regardless of how the others fare. But Bates is going to be the key. If he can successfully transition to linebacker -- and with the way he was willing to be a physical safety last year, there's no reason to think he won't -- that's a solid group. The backups have plenty of question marks, but there is more promise in that group this year than last. And, most important, there are plenty more bodies, giving the coaching staff at least a little flexibility. Who knows? Bynes and Stevens might actually come off the field for a few snaps this year.
Tomorrow: Defensive line

1 comment:

AUsome04 said...

Damn good assessment Andy. I remember Freeman getting out of position on several plays including games against WVU & Ole Miss. I can't wait until those new guys get here. I wonder how Bates will feel competing against those new guys for PT after coming off an injury.

I do remember Chizik using #31 AT Antarrious Williams from right there in Columbus, GA in a similar capacity as Bates. He couldn't have been any more than 210 pounds at 5'10". AT started out at safety and ended up starting at LB his last two years ('04 and '05)! War Eagle