Early Practice Notes

Spring practice has kicked off. I can not be there today but here is what I am gathering from other sources:

• Cameron Newton will wear number 2.
• Tyrik Rollison is still with the team and focusing on academics. He will not participate in spring practice.
• Anthony Gulley has changed his name to Anthony Morgan.
• Morgan Hull, Darrell Roseman, John Douglas and Jason King are all no longer with the team. Douglas and King got DUIs and Hull and Roseman graduated and have moved on.
• Other new numbers: Gayden - 78, B Moseley - 75, Curry - 33, Sanders - 13.

True or False?

Daren Bates has moved from safety to linebacker.

• This is TRUE. Bates has moved to outside linebacker since injured players will be returning from last year.

Tyrik Rollison has told the staff he wants to transfer.

• This is also TRUE. Rollison's father told Jeffrey Lee of AuburnSports.com that Rollison plans to leave Auburn for Sam Houston State.

Tyrik Rollison has left Auburn.

• This is FALSE. Rollison has not left and there appears to be a chance that he could still stay on the Plains. Some close to the situation say Rollison may be having second thoughts about the move.

Gus Malzahn is the highest paid offensive coordinator in the SEC.

• This now is TRUE ever since Malzahn's pay raise earlier this month.

I usually only do football but: John Brady will replace Jeff Lebo next season:

• Assuming Lebo will get the ax at the end of the season, sources have told me Brady is THE MAN our administration has their eye on. The former LSU coach lead the Bayou Bengals to the Final Four in the 2005-2006 season.

QB To Transfer

Tyrik Rollison will transfer to Sam Houston State according to his Facebook and AuburnSports.com. The star quarterback was suspended at the end of last season, in which he was redshirting. His father says he wanted to be closer to his home in Sulphur Springs, TX. This cuts the quarterback race down to Cameron Newton, Neil Caudle, Barrett Trotter and Clint Moseley.

QB Suspended

Freshman quarterback Tyrik Rollison has been suspended for a violation of team rules. No reason was given by Gene Chizik nor was a time-frame of return set.

BREAKING NEWS

Neil Caudle has been named the number two quarterback. No word yet on whether or not Tyrik Rollison will redshirt.

Know A Signee: Tyrik Rollison

• Number 17
• Four star, ranked the 2nd best dual threat quarterback in the nation by Rivals. Ranked the most accurate quarterback in the nation by Rivals. Ranked the 9th best prospect from Texas by Rivals. Four star, ranked the number 11 overall quarterback in the nation by Scout. Rated a 79/100 by ESPN.com and ranked the 19th QB.
• Sulphur Springs, Texas (Sulphur Springs High School)
• Born: September 4, 1991
• Committed: 1/27/2009
• 6'2", 195 lbs, runs a 4.55 sec 40 yard dash
• 2008 stats: Completed 315-428 passes for 4,728 yards and 51 touchdowns. Also rushed for 1,094 yards. Had 398 yards and four touchdowns through the air in the class 4A state championship win. He also rushed for 127 yards and three touchdowns in that game. 2007 stats: 296-423 for 3,691 yards and 37 touchdowns while rushing for 554 yards.
• Named a Parade All-American. Named the fourth best quarterback in the nation and All-American by SuperPrep. Named to the 2008 EA Sports All-American Team. Named to the Orlando Sentinel's All Southern Football team. Named to the Army All-American Game.
• Had offers from Auburn, Arizona, Baylor, Kansas State, Oregon, Texas A&M and Oklahoma State.
• Took official visits to Auburn and Oklahoma State.
• Says Curtis Luper played a huge role in signing him. Oklahoma State was his number one school while Luper was there. It came down to Auburn and Kansas State for his signature.
• Looks to compete for the second string quarterback job and could see the field this season if he does not redshirt. Fits in perfectly with this offense and could very well be the quarterback of the future for the Tigers.

Practice Notes

Will be coming out slowly...

• Tyrik Rollison was back practicing today. He missed yesterday due to flu-like symptoms.

More Notes

• Tyrik Rollison has a touch of the flu. NThe H1N1 has hit Auburn pretty hard but there is nothing that makes me think it is swine flu, just pointing it out...
• News on Montez Billings' status will come this week according to Gene Chizik.
• A depth chart should also come out this week.
• Aairon Savage was at practice watching from the sidelines.

Notes

• Eltoro Freeman was back in full pads and no longer has a cast on his wrist but it was taped.
• Adam Herring was back today after not practicing since spring.
• Tyrik Rollison was not at practice today,
• In 11 on 11's, Harry Adams had an interception off of Neil Caudle (the ball went through the receiver's hands).
• Jonathan Evans (I have heard conflicting reports regarding him), T'Sharvan Bell and Byron Isom were all back in full pads today.
• Spencer Pybus was not wearing full pads.
• Daren Bates, Wade Christopher and John Sullen all worked with the first team.
• Coleman, Ricks, Blanc and Fairley were the front four on defense.

A Few Notes

• Tyrik Rollison continues to get a ton more snaps than Neil Caudle.
• Malzahn says he is not ready to name the backup and the race is ongoing.
• Terrell Zachary will be back soon.
• Ted Roof is confident we will have most linebackers back for the first game.
• More to come hopefully.

Practice Notes

• Practice was in full pads.
• Dee Ford is back at defensive line.
• Philip Pierre-Louis cannot participate in full contact until later this week due to NCAA rules.
• Chizik said the Tigers could have a third scrimmage this Saturday.
• Daren Bates did indeed work with the first team opposite of Zac Etheridge.
• Aubrey Phillips is rehabbing but Chizik is confident Phillips will play.
• Tyrik Rollison will continue to get a ton of reps with the second team.
• Eltoro Freeman missed practice due to a hamstring injury.
• Spencer Pybus is out with a concussion.

A Few More Scrimmage Notes

• Mario Fannin returned a punt for a 70 yard touchdown.
• Anthony Gulley returned one punt for about 20 yards.
• Tyrik Rollison's touchdown to Stallworth was approximately 65 yards with the ball traveling about 62 yards in the air.
• Daren Bates received a ton of praise and has been getting a lot of help from Mike McNeil.
• Dontae Aycock was impressive.

Early Scrimmage Notes

• Kodi Burns reportedly scored a touchdown in the Wildcat. I have heard a 70 yard TD run but that is not confirmed.
• Chris Todd threw a touchdown pass for over 20 yards to Montez Billings.
• Emory Blake was a starting receiver.
• There were no offensive turnovers.
• Jonathan Evans was first team weakside linebacker due to Eltoro Freeman's injury.
• Tyrik Rollison took the most snaps at quarterback.
• Rollison was the second string quarterback and reportedly threw a touchdown pass to Travante Stallworth.

More

• Kodi Burns will play slot receiver.
• They have not decided whether Caudle or Rollison will be second string.
• Chizik says Eltoro Freeman's injury is not serious and he will be back.
• Burns did address the entire team about his move to receiver. No word of exactly what was said but Chizik praised him for his unselfish move.
• Dee Ford could make a move to linebacker.
• Bo Jackson was at practice today.

Practice Notes... BREAKING NEWS...Burns A WR

• Kodi Burns worked as a wide receiver all practice.
• Caudle, Todd, Moseley and Rollison had bright spots but were inconsistent overall.
• I did not see Burns drop any passes.
• Eltoro Freeman missed yesterday and today's practices. He is reportedly wearing a cast on his hand. More to come on that.
• I see Kodi Burns transferring....more to come on that also...

More Notes

• Eric Smith has earned a ton of praise from Gene Chizik. I did not have this blog until January but I have said Smith will do big things for a while.
• Chizik says they are getting very close to deciding a starting quarterback.
• Nick Fairley has been getting reps at first team.
• Michael Goggans says he has been taking some reps at DT.
• A scrimmage is planned for Saturday at Jordan Hare.
• Tyrik Rollison made a note that his name is pronounced TIE-rick, not tie-REEK.

Scrimmage Wrap Up

• Offense won 41-32
• No real word on the quarterback battle.
• Tyrik Rollison and Clint Moseley took the most reps at quarterback with Burns, Caudle and Todd only participating in two series.
• Emory Blake caught a 40 yard touchdown pass from Moseley.
• Onterio McCalebb had a 30 yard touchdown run.
• Others scoring include Philip Lutzenkirchen, Eric Smith and Anthony Gulley. Lutz's was a 15 yard pass and Gulley's was on a reverse.
• Demond Washington and Harry Adams picked off passes.
• The biggest hits came from Antonio Coleman, Demond Washington and Daren Bates.
• D'Antoine Hood did not play due to an ankle injury.
• Coleman says the number one defense played better against the number one offense and the number two offense played better than the number two defense.
• Ted Roof said there were some good things and some bad things. He apparently seemed very angry afterwards.
• Gene Chizik says it was a little sloppy and there were many turnovers.
• Chizik says there will be two more scrimmages before the season opener.
• More likely to come.

Morning Practice Notes

I know this is slacking today but it has been a busy day for me. This is basically just the big points from today:

• The Tigers wore full pads Monday morning.
• Trooper Taylor praised Neiko Thorpe today on defense.
• D'Antoine Hood has moved from safety to cornerback.
• Tim Hawthorne seems to be tutoring DeAngelo Benton.
• Tyrik Rollison seemed to be off to a slow start with the offense but now appears to be learning it quickly.
• Trooper Taylor named the top 3 wide receivers as Terrell Zachary, Darvin Adams and Montez Billings, in no order.

More Notes From Practice

• Tyrik Rollison has reportedly had very impresses practices in the last two days. Many believe he is still legitimately in the running for back-up quarterback, if not starter. I think Rollison will redshirt, personally.
• A quote from Chizik on Chris Todd: "You can tell he has experience at the position, and there's no substitute for that...Being out in the spring, his experience certainly helps him learn it at probably a more rapid rate."
• Walt McFadden says the secondary is growing small beards together.
• Chizik says the team may practice in full pads tomorrow.

More

• Coach Malzahn says there will not be a two quarterback system this season. There will be one quarterback except in the Wildcat formation.
• Tyrik Rollison and Chris Todd impressed today.
• Gabe McKenzie was working with tight ends.
• Coach Malzahn says all of the quarterbacks have made improvements since spring.
• Malzahn seems to want to make a decision soon. Right now, Todd could be leading believe it or not.