Tuesday Wrap-Up

Having posted my notes I took from practice earlier, here is everything else I can find including recruiting and post-practice interviews:

• Gus Malzahn confirmed that the quarterback battle has been narrowed. Kodi and Caudle will get the majority of the reps. Malzahn also noted that Barrett Trotter is not out of the "race" but he just will not receive as many reps. He made sure to note that no quarterback has been named starter or co-starter.
• Safety Mike McNeil underwent surgery to repair his broken shin on Saturday. Rivals is reporting 6-8 weeks until he has recovered but teammate Mike Slade said 8-10 weeks, being 100% by August camps.
• I noted that Montez Billings was not in pads. He was at practice in sweats and his jersey. Coach Gene Chizik has attributed this to an academic issue that they are "trying to clear up". I'll try to find out more.
• The offensive line remains a problem. There are currently only seven healthy scholarship o-linemen which is not many with the pace that our offense runs at.
• Another thing I noticed were many drops by the receivers today. I counted three drops by Mario Fannin alone, only one of which was contested. Trooper Taylor seems to be good at actually COACHING the receivers and I feel confident in his ability to help this group.
• Walk-on kicker Chandler Brooks has been hampered by some sort of injury and Wes Byrum has been consistent and has taken back the number one job according to Coach Boulware. In the opening special teams of practice I did not see a missed field goal but Boulware said Byrum was 7 for 8 Tuesday.
• Boulware noted that Clinton Durst is the leading punter.
• Coach Gene Chizik has said that Auburn's scoring system for A-Day will be released later this week. The defense can score various points for turnovers, sacks, etc.
• I know I said recruiting would be in this but I will include recruiting updates in tomorrow's notes.

Thursday Notes

• I know for a fact two signees out of the 2008 recruiting class will visit this week/weekend. Ken Adams and Reggie Hunt are both in attendance. I believe they arrived for Thursday's practice. Hunt is at Copiah-Lincoln Community College and I'm not sure where Adams currently is.
• The biggest news out of practice is that Harry Adams has moved back from cornerback to wide receiver, hoping to exploit his speed.
• Montez Billings is not likely to return to playing this spring due to injury.
• Eric Smith is day to day after injurying his leg Tuesday. Possibly a bruised bone?
• Onterio McCalebb is also day to day with a hamstring injury.
• Practice was 90 minutes on Thursday with a scrimmage coming again Saturday at Jordan Hare Stadium at 10:30 am which is closed.
• Kodi and Neil Caudle still were splitting reps with the ones. Sorry you had to read that possibly expecting something different.
• Second string safety Mike Slade reportedly had "nearly" 10 tackles in Saturday's scrimmage. Zac Etheridge and Mike McNeil remain starters at the safeties.
• The only running backs not banged up right now that are considered to receive playing time are Ben Tate, walk-on Justin Albert and Mario Fannin, although Fannin is taking a lot of reps running and catching the ball.
• Jay Boulware says he no longer considers Chandler Brooks the number one kicker but I am about to stop writing about this because it changes every day.
• Boulware did say we will run a "spread punt" with six or seven gunners and a small group of blockers to protect the punter.
• 2010 linebacker prospect Tyrone Cornileus made his first visit to the Plains on Thursday. He was "very impressed". He currently holds offers from Auburn, Boston College, Ole Miss, Miami, Georgia Tech, South Carolina, Tennessee, Vanderbilt and Western Kentucky. Miami is believed to lead right now.
• More to come if I find more.