Second preseason scrimmage gets Auburn 'a little closer' to setting depth chart

Gus Malzahn isn’t yet ready to make any final calls about what Auburn’s depth chart will look Sept. 1 against Washington. But after Wednesday’s scrimmage — the team’s second of the fall — the head coach and his staff are a little closer.

The Tigers ran more than 100 plays Wednesday morning, with about 40 each going to the first- and second-team offenses and defenses, and the rest going to the third team. There were also sessions of live punt and punt return, field goal and two-minute situations.

Malzahn said close to 75 or 80 percent of those plays were runs. Third- and fourth-string quarterbacks Joey Gatewood and Cord Sandberg went live, but the focus of Wednesday’s scrimmage was to see who can hold onto the football and block on offense, as well as to see who could tackle and get off blocks on defense.

Running back and offensive line are two of the biggest battles taking place in Auburn’s camp, and Wednesday might have gone a long way toward settling them.

“Offensively, I think we’re a little closer to figuring out our plan up front. We’re not ready to make a call right now exactly who’s starting, but we have some really good information,” Malzahn said. “And then our running backs, today was a big day. We’ll evaluate the running backs on film, as far as that goes.

“Overall, I thought it was a good day, great information that I think our coaches can gather for the season.”

Here’s a look what we learned on Wednesday:

Auburn still trying to find its identity in the run game

The fact that Wednesday’s scrimmage was so run-heavy was by design, Malzahn said. It’s the same reason that the team’s first last Thursday was so focused on the pass.

“You’re just trying to give your guys a chance to show what they can do for your depth chart and all that,” the head coach said. “But then there’s times you’re trying to create an attitude, trying to create an identity.”

That means more than settling on the actual running backs who replace departed 1,000-yard rushers Kerryon Johnson and Kamryn Pettway — Auburn has to also figure out the offensive line that will pave the way for them and the wide receivers best suited to block for them on the perimeter.

As for the players actually carrying the ball, Malzahn said there was an even rotation. All the young players fighting to climb a depth chart topped by junior Kam Martin got around 10 touches. Harold Joiner and Devan Barrett also received some carries out of the backfield, though both continue to practice in dual roles — the former as a hybrid H-back/tight end, and the latter as a running back/wide receiver.

Two running backs fumbled — Malzahn didn’t say who — and one of those lost balls was returned for a touchdown by walk-on linebacker Sam Sherrod. Two more, JaTarvious Whitlow and Shaun Shivers, scored touchdowns on the ground. Chandler Cox said Kam Martin and true freshman Asa Martin also had good days.

“All the backs did something very well,” the senior H-back said. “A lot of downhill running. That was the emphasis today, just to run the ball downhill and be tough. That’s what the coaches told us before practice was going to happen, and that’s what we did. It was very physical, very good for our team. All of us needed it, and I think it was very productive.”

Kam Martin continues to be the player coaches point to as the favorite to record the first carry against Washington in Atlanta, but Whitlow and Asa Martin appear to be right behind him with Shivers, Joiner and Barrett preparing for more specialized roles behind them.

Offensive line appears all but finalized

On Monday, Mike Horton said he felt comfortable playing center in a game if Auburn needed to, even though he has never played that position before at any level of his football career.

During Wednesday’s scrimmage, Malzahn said the junior played exclusively at right guard, which might mean that experiment is over.

If that is the case, that could mean Auburn has settled on four-fifths of its starting offensive line: Prince Tega Wanogho at left tackle, Marquel Harrell at left guard, Kaleb Kim at center and Horton at right guard.

Nick Brahms, the third option at center, is still working his way back from a broken leg suffered during the spring, and Kim has performed well of late. He also has a bond with guards Horton and Harrell, as all three came in together in 2015.

“I feel like we’ve both worked with Kaleb before so it’s not even like we’ve been there and he doesn’t know,” Horton said Monday. “Even though he hasn’t played with us in a game, he has before is what I’m saying. We’ve already worked with him. So it’s not going to be a problem. he knows what he’s doing; he’s good.”

That would leave right tackle as the final battle left to decide. It appeared that the veteran at that position, UMass graduate transfer Jack Driscoll, took the lead over redshirt freshman Austin Troxell on Monday, but Malzahn said Wednesday that both have gotten equal opportunities to work with the first team.

The runner-up in that battle would join a likely reserve group of Brahms, Calvin Ashley, Tashawn Manning, Brodarious Hamm and Bailey Sharp.

“I think, right now, it’s more one of those things where you say, how many guys do you have that can help this first game?” Malzahn said. “I think we’re getting real close to saying who can play the very first game. If this guy goes down, who’s the next guy? I think we’re close to that. As far as the starters, there’ll be some discussion. (Offensive coordinator Chip Lindsey and offensive line coach J.B. Grimes) will communicate. This scrimmage was very important. I think it’ll give us some good information.”

Nearly everyone is healthy

The only players who did not participate in Wednesday’s scrimmage were Brahms, defensive lineman Daquan Newkirk and linebacker Richard McBryde, and wide receivers Eli Stove and Will Hastings.

McBryde has been sidelined with an undisclosed injury, but the rest of those four players have progressed far enough from their spring injuries — a broken leg for Brahms, Achilles tear for Newkirk and ACL tears for Stove and Hastings — that they are able to do individual drills.

Noah Igbinoghene, an expected starter at cornerback who did not participate in Auburn’s first scrimmage last Thursday, wore an orange, non-contact jersey on Wednesday but otherwise participated in full.

“No major injuries,” Malzahn said. “You always worry as it gets closer to the season that, especially a very physical scrimmage. That was a blessing as far as that goes.”