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Barkley, Ludacris and Epps headline AU basketball's Jungle Jam
(10/05/13 4:42am)
In front of a crowd that included famous alumni and celebrities, Auburn basketball's heavily publicized Jungle Jam showcased many of the team's offseason improvements through a scrimmage, three-point shooting and dunk contest.Comedian Mike Epps and rapper Ludacris headlined the event, while former Auburn basketball star Charles Barkley and former head coach Sonny Smith made appearances as celebrity dunk contest judges."I have been blessed and lucky to go all over the world," Barkley said. "Ain't no place I'd rather be than in Auburn, Alabama."Prior to the dunk contest, Barkley assured the Auburn Arena crowd that embattled head coach Tony Barbee has the program moving in the right direction."I know most of y'all came here for football, but Coach Barbee is going to turn this program around and let's turn out tonight," Barkley said.Sophomore forward Jordon Granger showed off his leaping ability during his Jungle Jam dunk contest victory. His 85 final round points edged him ahead of senior center Asauhn Dixon-Tatum in the final.Virginia transfer KT Harrell and freshman guard Dion Wade poured it in from range in the three-point shooting contest, but Harrell's 19 final round points assured victory in the contest.A scrimmage between White and Blue squads saw impressive shooting from white squad members Harrell and Wade, while senior guard Chris Denson displayed his renowned quickness for the blue squad.The White squad defeated the Blue squad 18-11.Epps' comedic commentary kept the energetic crowd laughing throughout the events, and his energy even coaxed Barkley and Coach Barbee into busting a few moves of their own."The reason why I got Mike Epps and Luda was for the students. You guys have been there every game for us," Barbee said. "You are as important to me as my team and I need you there every single night."Barbee took to the floor after the scrimmage and called the Auburn student section the very best in the nation."This team has been working their tails off," Barbee said. "They're getting after it on the defensive end of the floor and the students are going to make the difference for us this year. Our student section is the best in the country. "Though Epps and Ludacris have not been the biggest names in entertainment in recent years, Auburn students were impressed by the performance and said that it gave credibility to the basketball program."I know these kind of events help to bring out a good crowd and I know that the crowd ultimately feeds the team," said Josh Poole, a graduate student in geology. "They do little pep rallies before each athletic season starts, but a big event like this makes you think that they mean business and it gets the fans directly involved."All in all, the event seemed to create optimism amongst students and a hopefulness that some of the night's energy might transfer into the regular season."An event like this can bring energy back to a program and like Coach Barbee said he brought these guys to hype everybody up," said Reed Burchette, a junior in mechanical engineering.
https://www.theplainsman.com/article/2013/10/barkley-ludacris-and-epps-headline-au-basketballs-jungle-jam
Arigato expansion
(09/18/15 5:23am)
With the approval of a liquor license at the Auburn City Council meeting Tuesday, Sept. 17, comes the expansion of a restaurant.Upon moving to Auburn approximately one year ago from San Diego, owners Minny and Eric Jo of Arigato Sushi Boutique introduced the restaurant to the downtown area.Walk in on any day and Arigato boasts daily specials and a menu of half-priced sushi.Either one of the Jos are a sure presence, whether it be moderator of the "Sake Bomb" chant, sushi roller, or a shot pourer, sometimes out of a bottle that can be purchased during the meal the week before. Miney keeps the bottle chilling behind the bar.Despite slow days in the summer, the business managed to thrive. Part of the couple's success has been attributed to their involvement within the community."I believe that they've already been pretty active with community involvement and that they take into account every single reaction, every individual," said Annie Encinas, waitress leader at Arigato. "They're working on a children's menu just to cater to families and any time someone comes in with fliers for Auburn events, they're more than willing to put them up in the windows."According to Encinas, this trend of success showed no sign of slowing down, and the time seemed right to open a second location on South College Street."In the second location we expect an even greater response, just because there will be parking and it won't be quite so hectic," Encinas said.The second Arigato is expected to open in November.In other business:Oktoberfest also received an alcohol license.Request for amendments to Articles II, III, IV, V, VI and VII was approved, which will "broaden the scope of real estate signs" and prohibit electronic reader boards in the College Edge Overlay District.Resolution authorizing street closings for the Homecoming Parade on Friday, Oct. 11 was rescheduled.Service agreement worth $289,476 with East Alabama Healthcare Authority to provide emergency response was approved.SGA spoke of the upcoming Capitol on The Plains Oct. 8 at 5:15 p.m. in the Student Center Ballroom. State legislatures will meet in a panel to discuss issues effecting the state.Appointed one board position for the Lee County Youth Development Center.
https://www.theplainsman.com/article/2015/09/arigato-expansion
City Council approves Arigato liquor license
(09/18/15 5:23am)
With the approval of a liquor license at the Auburn City Council meeting Tuesday, Sept. 17, comes the expansion of a restaurant.
https://www.theplainsman.com/article/2015/09/city-council-approves-arigato-liquor-license
Pets offer off-campus comfort
(09/12/13 9:01pm)
Going to college, leaving behind old friends and parents, taking new classes and living in a new place can be a difficult transition.One thing makes the transition a little easier: a pet.After a stressful day of class, sometimes a big, sloppy kiss from a dog, or just petting a cat can help.No on-campus dorm allows animals in the building, but Auburn has plenty of apartments that do.Shannon Kazek, sophomore in anthropology, has an Australian shepherd/lab mix named Chance, who loves to visit Kiesel Park."Chance is about five and a half months old," Kazek said. "He is not hard to take care of at all because I live in a trailer and he can just go out in our yard. He is very obedient and he won't go anywhere. It was really difficult when he was a puppy though, because he was hard to house train, but he hasn't really been too bad about chewing or anything."Ashley Durand, sophomore in animal sciences, is the owner of a Pomeranian named Kit."I named him Kit because he looks like a baby fox, and that's what (baby foxes) are called," Durand said.Durand has been Kit's owner since Christmas and now lives in The Grove, one of the many pet-friendly apartments around campus. Kit is approximately 8 pounds. He is hypoallergenic, and he does not shed, which makes cleanup a breeze.Having a small dog, such as a Pomeranian, means having a low maintenance pet.Durand's roommates help by rotating who takes Kit out for playtime or for a bathroom break."The Grove has plenty of room for Kit to run around," Durand said. "Kit can usually go six hours without having to be let out, so he is not hard to balance with class. He is a great companion, and I recommend having a dog in college."For those who don't live in apartment complexes with ample yard space, Kiesel Park is pet-friendly and offers an off-leash dog area. It is fenced in for dogs to be able to run around and play. The dog area has a playground, obstacle course and waste receptacles to keep the area clean.Carmen Littleton, junior in marketing, owns a kitten and lives in Ross Park."The only hard part is when he runs out the door and I have to chase and find him," Littleton said.Some pet-friendly apartments near campus include The Reserve, Southern Edge, University Village, Garden District, Creekside, Eagles West and Logan Square.Auburn also has many veterinary clinics, including East University Veterinary Hospital, Village Veterinary Clinic, and South College Veterinary Clinic.Local grooming businesses include Groomingdales, For Paws Boutique, Liz's Pet Grooming Salon and many others.
https://www.theplainsman.com/article/2013/09/pets-offer-off-campus-comfort
Auburn rushing attack leads the way in rout of Arkansas State
(09/07/13 4:46pm)
Auburn's rushing attack was on full display Saturday, Sept. 7 against Arkansas State. The Tigers racked up over 300 yards on the ground and on their way to a 38-9 rout of the Red Wolves."It feels good to be 2 and 0," head coach Gus Malzahn said. "We beat a good football team and we talked about needing to be able to run the football to be successful against these guys. I felt like we were able to do that."The Tigers started the game quickly, with Marshall finding Trovon Reed on a screen play that gained 17 yards.Marshall then connected with freshman Marcus Davis for his first touchdown pass as an Auburn quarterback. It was Davis's first reception as a Tiger.Arkansas State's first drive covered 58 yards on 14 plays, but the Red Wolves settled for a 34 yard Brian Davis field goal after pressure from Montravius Adams and Craig Sanders forced an incompletion on 3rd down.Marshall was featured heavily on the Tigers' second drive as he accounted for 63 yards passing and rushing. A 17 yard jet sweep from Corey Grant put the Tigers ahead 14-3.The Tiger defense struggled to get off the field early against the Red Wolves' quick passing game, but two fourth-down stops prevented the Red Wolves from scoring any points."We had our main edge set on stopping the run and not letting them come into Jordan-Hare and run the ball on us," sophomore linebacker Cassanova Mckinzy said. "We had our nicks, but that's what practice is for and we're going to come back tomorrow and fix all of that."A 68 yard touchdown pass from Marshall to Sammie Coates broke the game open late in the second quarter, and Auburn took a 21-3 lead into the half."The big pass play was huge," Malzahn said. "That kinda gave us a sigh of relief right there. We could really open up our play."Arkansas State's offense came out of half-time clicking on all cylinders, but after moving the ball deep into Auburn territory, Kris Frost hit ASU's David Oku for a loss on consecutive plays to force a field goal. Davis's 21 yard attempt was good, and with 9:58 left in the third quarter, Auburn led 21-6.Marshall fumbled on the very next possession and gave the ball to the Red Wolves at Auburn's 17-yard line. Again, the defense held its ground and ASU tacked on another field goal to cut Auburn's lead to 21-9."That's two weeks in a row our defense stood up down there and held them to field goals," Malzahn said. "We had a fourth down stop again and that is definitely a good thing."After trading punts with Arkansas State, a series of impressive runs by Tre Mason and Cam Artis-Payne led the Auburn offense into the red zone. Mason capped the drive with an 11 yard touchdown run to stretch the lead to 28-9."We try to wear everybody down late in the game and throw fresh legs at them," junior running back Tre Mason said. "We're looking forward to winning next week and, like I said, winning is contagious."On their next possession, Auburn relied on their ground attack again to put place kicker Cody Parkey in position to extend their lead to 31-9 with 8:46 left in the game.The Tigers' defense then forced a turnover on downs and a fumble on consecutive possessions to close the door on any come-back effort from the Red Wolves. Artis-Payne strolled untouched into the endzone with 1:43 left in the game to ensure victory for the Tigers, 38-9.
https://www.theplainsman.com/article/2013/09/auburn-rushing-attack-leads-the-way-in-rout-of-arkansas-state
Hookah and cigars dominate City Council meeting
(09/04/13 3:13am)
The City Council met Tuesday, Sept. 3 to discuss Havana Dreamin' requesting an alcohol license, and Exhale's request to operate as a cigar and hookah lounge. "They died because a lack of action," said David Dorton, city director of public affairs. "The Havana Dreamin' one is two issues, even though they are both dealing with smoking. Havana Dreamin's issue was that they wanted to add alcohol to a smoking lounge."Havana Dreamin', 2328 S. College St. suite 12, sought approval for an alcoholic beverage license, but the license was denied after being granted approval to operate as a retail tobacco shop in January.Zamil Ali of Exhale, the cigar and hookah lounge, requested approval to operate as a tobacco specialty shop, or operate as a cigar or hookah lounge. Exhale is located at 221 N. College St. in the College Edge Overlay District. At the Aug. 6 meeting, both Havana Dreamin' and Exhale's requests were tabled in order for the Council to research the businesses' compliance of the City's smoking ordinances."The problem the Council saw with that was we've told bars that they can't smoke anymore," Dorton said. "So if you allow a smoking lounge to add alcohol to the smoking lounge, then that might be inconsistent with rules bars have to abide by."Three citizens approached the Council to discuss the potential harms of smoking, while Havana Dreamin' owner, Rick Payne argued for the approval of the alcohol license. "I think the hookah bar goes back to the issue of what do they want the smoking ordinance to allow, and the idea that we are going back and being consistent in how we apply all of these rules," Dorton said. "And really do they want to allow any type of smoking establishment, I think is part of the discussion."In other business:Katie Robinson from the planning department was named employee of the month.The Mayor awarded five service pins and plaques. Stephanie Spraggins with the finance department and Audrea May with the public works department were awarded pins for their five year service to the City. David Carr with the public safety department and Marty Beckwith with the public works department were honored for their 10 years of service. City Manager Charles Duggan announced vacancies in the Auburn City Public Library board, cemeteries advisory board and two vacancies in the industrial development board. The Council approved alcoholic beverage licenses to Halftime Sports Bar and Grill on 154 and 156 N. College St.The Council approved with unanimous consent the establishment of a stop sign in the Shelton Cove Subdivision.Approved closing City streets for the Historic Pine Hill Lantern Tour and the Downtown Trick or Treat in October. Approved Zazu's, 149 E. Magnolia Ave., request for an outdoor cafe permit. Approved fixed costs for cutting overgrown lots at 804 Cahaba Drive and South College Street parcels. Approved non-educational tax abatements for Pyongsan America Inc and toolCare U.S. International. Approved conditional use of an accessory road for Oly's Automotive Detailing located at 465 Opelika Road. The item originally appeared in the August 20 City Council meeting where it was tabled to ensure the correction of zoning violations.Approved Boykin Center tenants leasesApproved the purchase of 60 Motorola two-way radios at a cost of $59,145.Approved purchase of two 60-inch Exmark mowers, three weed eaters, two edgers and one backpack mower at a total cost of $21,968.25Approved drainage and utility easements at lot 2-C of the Samford Glenn Subdivision and two easements for the Northeast Parallel Outfall Sewer Project.Approved nomination of Anna Hovey on the Mental Retardation Board.
https://www.theplainsman.com/article/2013/09/hookah-and-cigars-dominate-city-council-meeting
Auburn defense preserves close win against Washington State
(08/31/13 2:44pm)
Two big-time defensive stops in the fourth quarter helped push Auburn to their first victory of the year over the Washington State Cougars."There was a lot of adversity and we made a lot of mistakes, but our guys found a way to overcome them," coach Malzahn said. "Very proud of our defense they got us three turnovers and they had two fourth down stops late."Robenson Therezie finished the game with two interceptions with one being late in the fourth quarter preventing the Cougars from tying the game."I told him big-time players make big-time plays, and that is exactly what he did tonight," said cornerback Chris Davis. "Washington State started the game fast with a 12-play 75-yard opening game touchdown drive.Auburn got off to a shaky start, but after Connor Halliday's pass was intercepted by Therezie the Tigers got going and took the lead with an 8-yard touchdown run by Tre Mason and a two-point conversion by Ryan White.Washington State got back on the board with a 7-yard touchdown pass from Halliday to Bobby Ratliff.But Auburn answered back quickly with a 100-yard kickoff return by Tre Mason.Jeremiah Laufasa added another seven points for Washington State after a 1-yard touchdown run.Corey Grant had a solid first half after rushing for 102 yards with one touchdown. His 75-yard touchdown run gave Auburn a 22-21 lead."I have to give the credit to the offensive line and the recievers they sealed the edge and it was just wide open," Grant said.Grant finished the night with 149 yards rushing on nine carries.Cody Parkey then added three more points for the Tigers before the end of the half with a 47-yard field goal.The third quarter was not as exciting as the second quarter was, but both teams did trade field goals putting the score at 28-24 going into the final quarter.Auburn did miss a couple of opportunities to score touchdowns in the third. One being a Nick Marshall touchdown run that was called back because of a holding call, and later in the third Jonathan Wallace missed a wide-open receiver on a reverse pass attempt.Heading into the fourth it looked as if the game was setting up to be a thrilling finish.Parkey added to the Tigers lead with a 42-yard field goal giving them a 31-24 lead.The Cougars then drove inside the Tigers 10-yard line before Halliday threw his third interception of the day to Therezie with a little more than four minutes to go.It looked as if the Tigers had the game in control, but a Mason fumble around the 50-yard line gave the Cougars one more chance.Washington State would pick up one first down before Auburn stopped the Cougars on fourth down giving Auburn a 31-24 victory over the Cougars."They found a way to win," Malzahn said. "Our goals are to get better each practice and to get better each game, and we've got a lot of work to do but we are committed to doing that."
https://www.theplainsman.com/article/2013/08/auburn-defense-preserves-close-win-against-washington-state
Freshman Focus: Five-star defensive end Lawson set to make early impact
(08/28/13 3:05am)
On the heels of a prolific high school career, top freshman defensive end Carl Lawson brings elite pass rushing ability to an Auburn defense that finished 74th nationally in sacks in 2012.The 6-2, 258-pound Lawson, rated the No. 1 overall defensive end and No. 4 player overall in the 2013 recruiting class by Rivals, has already impressed his new teammates with his physicality and speed."I'm looking forward to seeing him be successful and it's going to be quick," senior defensive end Dee Ford said. "Usually on defense you have to make physical changes before you can play and this guy is ready to play."New defensive coordinator Ellis Johnson has praised the quick transition Lawson and fellow newcomer Elijah Daniel had made to Division I competition."They're maybe two of our best pass rushers," Johnson said during fall camp. "I think they're coming along well enough that we're going to be able to play those guys sometimes, and hopefully early."Lawson is expected to improve Auburn's edge pass rush, an area the Tigers struggled to find consistency in during the 2012 season."Those guys have shown a good sense of rushing the passer, smoking off the ball," said senior defensive lineman Angelo Blackson. "Those guys are young, but we need them to compete this year."A native of Alpharetta, Ga., Lawson excelled at Milton High School where he tallied 42 sacks and 75 tackles for a loss in his final two seasons. Lawson was selected to the Under Armour All-American team after his senior season.This summer, ESPN recognized Lawson by naming him to their preseason freshman All-American team. He is Auburn's first since junior Reese Dismukes and former player Erique Florence were named to the CBSSports.com team in 2011.Lawson and Daniel, along with seniors Craig Sanders and Nosa Eguae, will be utilized in a rotation system to fill the defensive end spot opposite Ford this fall, according to Johnson.But with Ford out for the season opener, the newcomers could see a lot more playing time against Washington State."Those guys are talented," Eguae said. "Those guys came in with college bodies."While the athleticism Lawson brings to the field may be obvious, but teammates say the intangibles Lawson plays with are what set him apart."He just has one way of playing and that's it," Ford said. "He has one motor."By donning the No. 55 jersey, Lawson will be reminding Auburn fans of the freshman success of another well-known No. 55: All-Pro linebacker Takeo Spikes and former Auburn player.
https://www.theplainsman.com/article/2013/08/freshman-focus-five-star-defensive-end-lawson-set-to-make-early-impact
Students place in Atlanta 48 Hour Film Project
(08/25/13 1:07pm)
While most of us spent our summer weekends looking for ways to avoid working, a group of Auburn students and alumni entered Atlanta's 48 Hour Film Project with the complete opposite in mind.After a weekend filled with sleepless nights, the group, comprised of current and graduated Auburn students under the team name Love Handles, ultimately won big in a contest that featured more than 70 competitors."Sure it was stressful, and you get no sleep and you're exhausted as hell, but its nice to start something and to finish it right away, as opposed to shooting something and then letting it sit around," said Charlie Harper, senior in radio, television and film. "It feels nice to not have the option to procrastinate."The contest, now in its 11th year in Atlanta, took place from June 14-16 and ranged from high school groups to recent college graduates and experienced professionals.Each team that enters will have their film projected on the main screen of the Landmark Theater in Midtown, Atlanta, with the films blocked out in small groups over six days.Teams must draw from a hat to find out what genre their film will be, from a selection that includes operetta, western and more.Any team that exceeds the 48-hour time limit and fails to submit their film by 7:30 p.m. Sunday is automatically disqualified."I think it kind of worked to our advantage though because most of us have been in college for four years and we were used to working with no time," said Brad Zellner, senior in radio, television and film. "It's like trying to finish a paper with no time the night before. We had that kind of experience from the last few years behind us."After drawing suspense-thriller, the team worked in shifts to write and storyboard a story of a young girl's disappearance from a park and ultimate rescue from a spooky basement.The team was comprised of filmmakers who already had experience around Atlanta interning for multimedia companies such as FUGO Studios and BARK-BARK.Between shooting at multiple locations across town, editing scenes on the fly and developing characters and plot mostly on the spot, the group said it was a team effort.Love Handles' film "Butterfly" took home the viewer's choice award in its viewer block, making it one of six films competing for the grand prize.Members of the Love Handles team said they were pleased with their work and with the festival, which not only challenges upstart filmmakers to work and think in new ways, but brings together a community of like-minded individuals."It was fun because there's a competitive edge to it, but at the same time, it was a really good networking opportunity because everyone is meeting new people and talking about their strategies," said Brock Hanson, member of Auburn's media production team. "There are veterans who have done it before, and there are ones that this is their first year."For most, though, the opportunity to see their films on the same screen that plays summer blockbusters is what makes it all worthwhile."It's fun seeing your name projected bigger than yourself," Zellner said. "And the sound kind of envelops you."Love Handles is currently campaigning to enter "Butterfly" into the much larger 2014 Atlanta Film Festival.In the meantime, they said they will return to their day jobs, writing, practicing and networking in preparation for their next 48 hour project.
https://www.theplainsman.com/article/2013/08/students-place-in-atlanta-48-hour-film-project
Malzahn would like to name a starting quarterback before next Monday
(08/16/13 4:17am)
With a little more than two weeks before the first game against Washington State, head coach Gus Malzahn would prefer to name a starting quarterback no later than next Monday."It could be tomorrow, it could be the next day. Anytime before next Monday would be really good for us, but like I've said before, we're not sure," Malzahn said Thursday.Auburn will have their fourth scrimmage on Saturday at Jordan Hare Stadium, and it's possible a starter could be named before then. It's also possible that this could be the scrimmage that decides who the starter will be.Malzahn said the sooner they can name a starter the better."Well you want as much time as possible," Malzahn said. "Ideally it would have been a week ago, and you get three weeks, but the earlier the better will help." Quarterback won't be the only position that is going to get another look in Saturday's scrimmage. This scrimmage will help the coaches finalize other position battles as well."We got a lot of stuff figured out, but there are still a few question marks," Malzahn said. "Obviously that will be two weeks before the first game, and you would like to have the pieces of the puzzle in place."In other news, Dee Ford has suffered an injury and did not practice Thursday morning.Malzahn did not go into detail on the injury, but he said that he didn't feel like it would be long before he was able to return to the field.With Ford's injury Malzahn feels the veteran depth behind him will be helpful if he isn't able to play in the first game."We've got some seniors that have experience, and I think that's always very important, and we have some guys that are versatile and can move around," Malzahn said.Ford is not the only defensive player to have suffered an injury so far in practice. Safety Justin Garrett also suffered an injury, and has not practiced all week.Even with these two injuries Malzahn does not think the team is in trouble injury wise, but the team is a little banged up. "We've had a very physical camp, and we are little bit banged up but not bad banged up," Malzahn said. "I think we've been working very hard on getting our edge back and being physical, and that was the plan."Auburn will have a second practice on Thursday afternoon, and will have two practices on Friday before the scrimmage on Saturday.
https://www.theplainsman.com/article/2013/08/malzahn-would-like-to-name-a-starting-quarterback-before-next-monday
Fall Practice Day 10: Johnson surveys defense after Saturday's scrimmage
(08/11/13 8:34pm)
After losing the battle with the offense in Saturday's scrimmage, the Auburn defense went back to work on Sunday afternoon.Defensive coordinator Ellis Johnson said he gave the younger players a lot of reps in Saturday's scrimmage, and mental mistakes were their undoing against a constantly improving offense."Overall, from the young guys, I thought it was very, very iffy," Johnson said on Sunday. "Right now, we are making so many mental mistakes and not enough good plays. We need to see good execution to find out who can play defense for us."Johnson said the staff held out some key players on Saturday in an effort to find some more clarity in position battles. Although the execution was off, Johnson said there were some bright spots in the scrimmage."The effort was good, the tackling was a lot better," Johnson said. "We chart 'LOAFs,' or lack of finishes, missed assignments and any pre-snap or after the whistle penalties. And we improved on those a lot from the first scrimmage. Overall, in the big picture, we definitely improved...but we still have got a long way to go."Johnson credits some of the mental mistakes to what he called "overloading" the defense with playbook installation during the first week of fall camp. During the Tigers' first few non-contact sessions, most of the defensive work was based on introducing new sets.Because the defense has not had a chance to get reps with some of these new formations, mental mistakes abounded in Saturday's scrimmage. Johnson says the defense will focus on getting more reps and cutting down the errors during the upcoming week of practice.While some young players struggled on Saturday, others managed to grab the attention of Johnson."The two ends, Elijah (Daniel) and Carl (Lawson), continue to show that they're capable of mixing it up at this level," Johnson said. "They haven't made any big plays yet, but they are physically playing well and holding their own in the box. I think they're coming along well enough that we're going to be able to play those guys and hopefully early."Johnson also specifically mentioned cornerbacks Ryan White and Kamryn Melton as two more players who stepped up while the first teamers sat out.In addition to his duties as defensive coordinator, Johnson also coaches linebackers, and he gave an update on those two position battles in his 4-2-5 defense.Johnson said senior Jake Holland has improved since spring practice and "has an edge" over Kris Frost for the starting middle linebacker job."I feel like Jake Holland has had two really good scrimmages," Johnson said. "Everybody else has been inconsistent."At the will linebacker position, Johnson highlighted Cassanova McKinzy as a leader, but he realistically wants to be able to rotate four or five players across the long SEC season."Cassanova continues to make the best linebacker plays and do some things we really can't coach," Johnson said. "There's still some good competition at the linebacker spots, and I think some of that over-installation is what's causing those mental mistakes that we're seeing."Johnson closed his press conference with a pair of injury updates--Demetruce McNeal and Justin Garrett.McNeal, who has not participated in fall camp due to an infection and subsequent surgery, is expected to be back on the field sometime this week.Garrett, a leader in the race for Johnson's "Star" position--the extra defensive back in the 4-2-5, left Saturday's scrimmage with a walking boot on. Johnson says Garrett did not practice on Sunday, and he was unsure whether the injury could possibly be a serious one.
https://www.theplainsman.com/article/2013/08/fall-practice-day-10-johnson-surveys-defense-after-saturdays-scrimmage
Fall Scrimmage 2: Offense shines as staff focuses on "narrowing down" position battles
(08/10/13 7:05pm)
After what was described as a messy offensive performance in the first scrimmage of fall camp, the Auburn offense cut down on the turnovers and created big plays in Saturday's scrimmage at a blazing hot Jordan-Hare Stadium."We're learning a lot about our team," head coach Gus Malzahn said afterwards. "It was hot, and that was a good thing. We want to see how guys respond to the heat. And there were a lot of up and down moments, which is good to see in a scrimmage when you're evaluating guys--how they respond to big plays and adversity."Malzahn said the goal of Saturday's scrimmage was to start "narrowing it down" in positions all across the field, including quarterback.The four quarterbacks in the battle for Auburn's starting jobs did not go live like they did on Wednesday, but walk-on quarterback Tucker Tuberville did. Tuberville did not get a chance to go live in Wednesday's scrimmage, so Malzahn said they gave him an opportunity to run a few offensive series."We're to a point now where we are going to start narrowing it down," Malzahn said of the quarterback race. "I can't tell you how specific that will be narrowed down...but we can't keep rotating four guys at this point."While the quarterbacks did not go live, the special teams did for the first time in this fall camp. Malzahn said it gave the staff opportunities to see different kicking units and returners.Wide receiver Quan Bray said some of the skill players that had opportunities in the return game stood out offensively in Saturday's scrimmage."It was a good scrimmage, especially for the offense," Bray said. "The receivers made some explosive plays, the running backs ran real well and the offensive line played hard. We got better today."Bray specifically mentioned fellow receivers Ricardo Louis and Sammie Coates as players who made big plays in the passing game. According to Bray, Louis caught a deep ball touchdown pass from freshman quarterback Jeremy Johnson, and tight end Brandon Fulse hooked up with Nick Marshall for another long touchdown play."(Louis) just played fast," Bray said. "He outran the cornerbacks, something he does real well. Coach Craig is always harping on us about playing fast as receivers."When we play fast, it's going to be hard to cover us."Bray said the quarterbacks who threw the deep touchdown passes, Johnson and Marshall, showed obvious progress from Wednesday's scrimmage to the one on Saturday."They didn't have a lot of busted assignments or anything like that," Bray said. "They are getting very comfortable right now, and I've seen a lot of improvement from them."Bray said the entire offense focused on cutting down turnovers and penalties, things that plagued them in Wednesday's scrimmage. With fewer mistakes, the offense was able to create more big plays on the ground and through the air."We're coming together as a brotherhood," Bray said. "We as receivers know we have to make plays out there on the edge because we know we have some great backs. Once we get it all down, it's going to be very hard to stop us."The Tigers return to the practice field on Saturday evening for a session that is completely closed to the media. After a midday practice on Sunday, the team will take part in Fan Day at Auburn Arena, which is slated for 3:30 p.m.
https://www.theplainsman.com/article/2013/08/fall-scrimmage-2-offense-shines-as-staff-focuses-on-narrowing-down-position-battles
Auburn offense: coaches and players "extremely excited"
(08/03/13 2:36am)
Auburn's first fall practice got off to an interesting start on Friday, Aug. 2, after head coach Gus Malzahn announced that red-shirt freshman tight end Ricky Parks will no longer be on the team because of a violation of team rules."Like I've said before we have high expectations for our players on and off the field and we wish him nothing but the best," Malzahn said.Parks was expected to compete for playing time this fall even though he was playing behind junior tight ends CJ Uzomah and Brandon Fulse.While this is not the best way to start a new football season, overall Malzahn felt that his first fall practice went well. "It was really great to be out on the practice field with our players," Malzahn said "Our coaches were extremely excited and our players were too. It's something we've been looking forward to, and they've worked extremely hard to get to this point."Not all of the first practice went smoothly though. Malzahn said that the quarterbacks had some mishaps, but that it was good for them to get that out of the way early in fall camp."There's nothing like making mistakes and learning on the practice field and not in the game," Malzahn said.Right now all of the quarterbacks are getting equal opportunity to prove themselves and Malzahn says they will do that as long as it takes."The first part of practice we let the two new guys sit back and see how everything went, and the second part we let them get all the reps," Malzahn said. "Overall, I think they were pretty equal."Sophomore offensive lineman Greg Robinson felt like the rest of the team handled the first day of practice well, even though a lot of pace was thrown their way."Everybody was encouraging one another trying to push each other to make sure that nobody falls apart," Robinson said. "We had a lot of pace today, but we are trying to get our edge back."Malzahn divided practice into two sections, with the first focusing on older players and the second focusing on the younger players.Auburn will practice the same way again Saturday afternoon.
https://www.theplainsman.com/article/2013/08/auburn-offense-coaches-and-players-extremely-excited
Auburn athletics applies changes to improve national program brand
(07/24/13 9:04pm)
Auburn took another step toward improving its brand as a national program after Jay Jacobs announced several initiatives designed to improve communication and interaction with tiger fans and strengthen internal operations for the athletics department.Two of the new changes will be the addition of a chief operating officer (COO) and chief marketing officer (CMO) for the athletics department.The CMO will develop a business plan for the department that defines the brand's position, and manages and executes marketing strategies and tactical plans to achieve the department's goals and objectives.The COO will serve as a senior advisor to Jacobs and will act as the top official in the department under Jacobs."Our operating budget has grown from $47 million to $102 million annually during my time as athletics director, and we have to ensure we have the infrastructure in place to support that growth and operate efficiently and effectively in the future," Jacobs said in a press release Wednesday, July 24. "In this day and age, a good COO is a smart hire to make."Auburn also has a redesigned website and two beat writers to cover Auburn sports. The two beat writers, Charles Goldberg and Phillip Marshal, have already been hired and the search for the COO and CMO is now in progress."Our goal is to get better at telling our story, promoting our sports and developing the Auburn brand," Jacobs said. "In the rapidly changing landscape of major college athletics, we have to be cutting edge in the area of marketing and communications, while also taking steps to support the tremendous growth we have experienced and will continue to see in the coming years."Jacobs also promoted Jack Smith to senior associate athletics director for communications for the athletics department, which oversees the department's media relations, public relations and digital media efforts.Kirk Sampson will continue in his role directing Auburn football communications.Auburn will also launch a new digital magazine, Tiger Roar, which is set to launch in August.
https://www.theplainsman.com/article/2013/07/auburn-athletics-applies-changes-to-improve-national-program-brand
Defensive improvement a priority in 2013
(07/19/13 3:50pm)
Auburn head football coach Gus Malzahn's offense was the hot topic for Auburn at SEC Media Days Wednesday, July 17, but the Tigers' new defensive scheme has players excited for the season.Senior defensive end Dee Ford said the Tigers are excited about Ellis Johnson's 4-2-5 defense and want to get their edge back."He makes his system based off of our abilities; it's all about how quick you can play, and it's not just about being the pass rusher, it's stopping the run," Ford said. "Getting our edge back we have to practice that way, there's no way around it, we have to put in that work."Senior defensive back Chris Davis agrees that Johnson's defense will cause trouble for opponents this coming season."His scheme is the perfect scheme. With the 4-2-5 we get an extra defensive back on the field and the star position that everyone has been bragging about," Davis said.The star position in the 4-2-5 defense will be one of the most crucial players on the field. Designed to be a cross between a linebacker and safety, junior Justin Garrett has emerged as the leader for the position."Justin Garrett has made improvement," Davis said. "He's going to be one of the breakout players this season, it's a perfect fit for him."Practicing against the fast-paced, no-huddle offense, designed by Malzahn, has helped prepare Auburn's defense for different looks in offensive schemes."You have to get lined up; a play can be ran at any time," Davis said. "If we're out of position it can be an explosive play or a touchdown. That's something that we have to limit coming from last year."Davis said Malzahn rarely spends time on the defensive side of the ball at practice, and it motivates the defensive."We want to try to stop everything Malzahn is doing," Davis said. "If we can stop Malzahn we can stop any team we play."Ford also agreed practicing against Malzahn's two-minute drill offense will benefit the defense this year."That's why we practice with him to pick up that slack if anything is going wrong. We are expecting a fast offense," Ford said.The simplicity of the defense allows a player to make a mistake in coverage without allowing a long scoring play.Johnson's 4-2-5 defense may not have the complexity of Malzahn's offense, but it is a versatile scheme that can stop multiple offenses from making big plays.
https://www.theplainsman.com/article/2013/07/defensive-improvement-a-priority-in-2013
Prosch excited for no huddle offense
(07/19/13 3:46pm)
Senior H-back Jay Prosch has never played in a no-huddle style of offense, but he and the team are adjusting well and thoroughly enjoy it."I think the guys love (the no-huddle offense)," Prosch said. "It's completely different than anything I've ever done, because I've never done no-huddle before."Prosch said he enjoys the high-octane offense, but he also revealed the first week of spring conditioning was a sharp lesson in brutality for him and the team."The first week of spring was a tough week," Prosch said. "Not only is it hard being a player from the sideline, but conditioning wise--(the coaches) stress fast pace, and we're operating at a very fast pace. Our guys have adjusted to it, and I think it's going to be a huge advantage for us this year."Prosch went on to express that with the new, fast pace the team is going, it is hitting the weights and conditioning drills equally fast."It's extremely hard," Prosch said about the team's strength and conditioning drills. "We've been working so hard. We're probably in the best shape of our lives right now, and I can guarantee we're going to be one of the most in-shape teams on the field next year."Another aspect of play the coaches and team members want to exploit is a new outlook on football after a season with only three wins--none coming in SEC play. Coach Gus Malzahn called it a new day, and the players truly believe it is."Coach Malzahn stresses the new day, and that's what it feels like," Prosch said. "The new coaching staff came in and brought a new attitude, a new vibe and brought a fire back. And now our workouts and practices are crazy exciting. Guys have been working hard, and we're getting our edge back."Malzahn has hammered home that players need to get their edge back in this new day he has brought to Auburn, and it is definitely sinking in.As the coaches changed, so did Prosch's positional requirements at H-back. He said he will be expected to catch more passes in the open space, and for a player whose nickname is the "Juggernaut," that's not the most appealing prospect for defenders."Last year I ran routes and blocked the secondary," Prosch said. "Now it's kind of the same thing as last year, except it might be a double (work load). I'm going to be lining up in different positions, blocking different ways, different angles, and I'll be running more routes and hopefully (catching) more balls. It's going to be fun; I'm looking forward to it."When Prosch, the lone offensive player at SEC Media Days, was asked the question of the offseason: "Who is going to be the Auburn quarterback next year?" he said his guess is as good as anyone's."It's hard to say (who the quarterback will be)," Prosch said. "They're four awesome guys. They're all really football smart; they all have extremely strong arms ... They're all fast guys, level-headed, good, good football players."While Prosch said he could not tell the players apart physically, he did say he believes the ultimate decision from the coaching staff will come down to which quarterback makes the best decisions under pressure.
https://www.theplainsman.com/article/2013/07/prosch-excited-for-no-huddle-offense
Auburn football team must regain edge to succeed
(07/17/13 9:10pm)
The goal is still to get their edge back.At his National Signing Day press conference, Auburn football coach Gus Malzahn stated the main goal of the Auburn football team was to get their edge back, and at SEC Media Days Malzahn said much of the same."The number one thing that our players have to do to be successful is to get our edge back," Malzahn said. "That is the mental and physical toughness, the blue-collar, hard-nosed, hit-you-in-the-mouth Auburn style football that is what made Auburn great ... History shows that if Auburn can regain their edge, they compete for championships and win games."When the Auburn Tigers hit the practice fields August 2, regaining confidence after a three win season will be key to the future success of this team, and Malzahn said he and his coaches will be demanding of the squad until he feels they are full of confidence.Malzahn also spoke highly of his new staff, who will be with Malzahn for at least one full season."I feel like we have one of the top staffs in all of college football," Malzahn said. "They're all men of character. They're great examples for our players, which is the number one thing for me. And they're all very good coaches. Most college staffs have good recruiters and good coaches, and I can honestly say that we have nine guys who can flat out coach. And they will be very good coaches in the future."Malzahn first spoke about his offensive coordinator and protege, Rhett Lashlee, who he claimed to have the utmost confidence in."Our offensive coordinator is Rhett Lashlee, a guy that I coached since seventh grade," Malzahn said. "He knows this offense like the back of his hand. I'm going to be working with the offense and I have a lot of confidence that (Lashlee) is going to allow me to do the things that the head coach needs to do in this league."As Malzahn delved into the status of his relationship with the offensive coordinator, he spoke of how the offense itself would work."Offensively, we're a two back run-passing team that will run at a two-minute pace the entire game," Malzahn said. "Our goal is to be faster than anybody in college football and we feel like if you can execute your offense at a fast pace it's a big advantage."While the Tigers coach gave credit to the pace of his offense, he admitted that Auburn does not yet have a for sure quarterback to run it."Offensively our biggest challenge going into this year is going to be our quarterback," Malzahn said. "We don't know who our quarterback is. We've got four guys and we're going to give them an equal shot. We're going to figure out who gives us the best chance of winning. Ideally, we'll figure that out sooner rather than later in fall camp, but we will not make the decision until we are 110% sure. The positive offensively is that we've actually recruited guys specifically for this offense."Malzahn also spoke of former South Carolina defensive coordinator and Southern Miss head coach Ellis Johnson. Johnson will be changing the Auburn defense from a 3-4 to a 4-2-5 scheme- a measure he hopes will transform the Tigers for the best."Our defensive coordinator is Ellis Johnson, one of the best defensive coordinators in all of college football. He's very sound, fundamentally sound ... We'll be running a 4-2-5 defense which allows us to put three safeties on the field. It allows us to put a little more speed on the field, and a little more athleticism."Malzahn later said the team has a lot of seniors, which is obviously good for the team experience-wise. He also said there are a lot of freshmen and while they are talented, they need to grow up to contend in the ultra-competitive SEC.Malzahn ended his statement with, "we need to improve each practice, and we need to improve each game, and if we can do that we have a chance to have a successful season."
https://www.theplainsman.com/article/2013/07/auburn-football-team-must-regain-edge-to-succeed
Auburn: America's home for team handball?
(07/03/13 8:06pm)
Since track star Snitz Snider participated in the 1928 Olympic Games in Amsterdam, Netherlands Auburn University has seen more than 100 of its former athletes become Olympians.And thanks to the efforts of those Olympians and the school of kinesiology, Auburn has a chance to become the home of dozens of first-time Olympic participants at the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.Representatives from USA Team Handball will visit The Plains July 12-13 to see if the University could become the new residency program for the United States' national handball teams.The residency bid, led by former Auburn Tiger and handball Olympian Reita Clanton, could make Auburn the new home for Olympic team handball in the U.S."Essentially what they need is a gym to train in, adequate housing for their athletes and opportunities for their athletes to work or continue their education," Clanton said. "Auburn has all of these things and more. We have the infrastructure for support services like athletic training and strength and conditioning. Through the school of kinesiology and the Performance Optimization Center, we have possibilities to collaborate with the team and provide them new opportunities."One of those new Olympians living and training in Auburn could be a current University student.As part of USA Team Handball's visit, there will be an open tryout for the men's training squad for the 2016 Olympics in Brazil.Participants will be evaluated on ball handling skills, throwing ability, physical abilities and teamwork.Since team handball is a relatively unknown sport in the United States--no American national team has qualified since the 1996 Games in Atlanta--no experience with the sport is required to tryout."(The national team coaches) are always looking for great athletes," Clanton said. "Team handball combines all these skills we use in American sports--running, jumping, throwing and catching--so it could be something a really great athlete out there could play well. There might be some young people here that have what it takes to train with the national team."Clanton, the director of the new Performance Optimization Center, would know what it takes to be a member of the national team. A native of nearby Lafayette, Clanton was one of the first multi-sport athletes in Auburn's budding women's athletics program.After playing and coaching women's basketball, volleyball and softball at Auburn, Clanton received a letter from the United States Olympic Committee asking her to try out for the country's newly formed team handball program."I had no idea what team handball was--I thought I was going to go whack the little ball up against the wall," Clanton said with a chuckle. "When I got to Iowa State University and saw the sport for the first time, I was like, 'This is a gift from heaven!' It was all of my favorite sports rolled into one."Despite missing out on the 1976 Olympics in Montreal and the 1980 Olympics in Moscow, Clanton and her teammates qualified for the 1984 Olympics in Los Angeles. At those Games, the United States women's handball team placed fourth in a campaign that included an opening-round upset of No. 1-ranked China.Clanton went on to coach the national team at the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta, just 100 miles from her hometown. After her coaching days were over, Clanton continued her close ties to the program, which led to Auburn's bid for the residency program."One of my former coaches, Javier Garcia Cuesta, called me back in late April to tell me he was back in the States and that he had taken the men's national team coaching job," Clanton said. "We were just chatting, and I asked him where the national team was now. He said they were kind of in limbo at that point, and they were looking for a residency program for their men's and women's national teams."Clanton said her wheels started turning when Cuesta, who will be at the open tryout July 13, described the places the national team was looking at for the residency program. While he named off places such as Boston, Los Angeles and Colorado Springs, Clanton decided to throw Auburn's name into the hat."Auburn can offer just as much more than a regular training center because we are a university," Clanton said. "We have one of the top schools of kinesiology in the country and we have a Performance Optimization Center. We have cutting edge research, expert skills and emerging technology to help the national teams with performance enhancement."Clanton went over the plan with Mary Rudisill and David Pascoe, the head and assistant head of the school of kinesiology. They and the rest of the school thought the bid would be great for Auburn, and a date was set.During the visit, USA Team Handball will outline their vision for the national team in 2013 and beyond. Clanton believes Auburn could play a huge role in the future success of the program."I've always said that handball doesn't have to be a major sport in the United States in order to be successful," Clanton said. "It could be just a regional sport because we have enough good athletes around that if we built a culture of team handball here in the Southeast, we could gain an international level of competitive excellence."A residency program here in Auburn would be great for the game at the national team level and at a grassroots level. It's all about building awareness and developing that culture."
https://www.theplainsman.com/article/2013/07/auburn-americas-home-for-team-handball
MLB wild card game, a plague on the postseason
(06/21/13 4:37am)
The midway point of the MLB season is just around the corner, and with the All-Star Game comes the first mention of the post-season.For those of you who are uninitiated in big league baseball rules, the winning team in the All-Star Game's league gets home field advantage in the World Series.All of that was said to tie in a serious complaint I, as well as many others, have with the new MLB postseason.The ridiculous, preposterous and head scratching one shot win or be eliminated Wild Card Game.I'm not just angry because the Braves lost in the Wild Card Game last year, though that does contribute to a large percentage of my fury. I am irritated with this game because somewhere up the MLB management chain, the bosses decided that a 162 game season should rest on the edge of a knife in the format of a one-game playoff for two teams in each league.It's absurd. Baseball is the one game in American sports where any team could beat another on a given day.For instance, in college football there's no way an Alabama is going to lose to a Mississippi State (at least in this juncture in their programs).But in baseball, even the major league worst Marlins would have a chance (however slim it may be) to defeat the major league leading Cardinals.The Wild Card Game can be fixed though. The MLB just needs to turn it into a three game series. That way, it's just like a regular season series and the teams can afford to lose a game.A three game series would also get a better look at which team is actually better, because potentially three starting pitchers and lineups would be used instead of just one.In the National League Wild Card Game last year, the umpires really worked the Braves over by calling the infamous infield fly rule 30 feet into the outfield. If it had been a three game series that blunder by the men in blue would have had a chance to go unnoticed, but as it was a one-game win or go home scenario the game will live in infamy.Now, as last year was the first year of Wild Card Games, only two teams and their fan bases have cause to be upset, but if the format does not change soon enough half of the big league supporters are going to be ticked off.Braves fans, who, like it or not everyone else, make up the majority of fans around these parts, are furious about the debacle last October. There was garbage, bottles and worse things thrown onto Turner Field during the Wild Card Game last year, and it may not get better for the MLB any time soon.As long as the MLB just makes it a three game play-in, none will have any cause to complain, because after three games in baseball, the winner has won fair and square.
https://www.theplainsman.com/article/2013/06/mlb-wild-card-game-a-plague-on-the-postseason
Lee County Lake ready to lure in Auburn anglers
(06/08/13 1:30pm)
Anglers rejoice.
https://www.theplainsman.com/article/2013/06/lee-county-lake-ready-to-lure-in-auburn-anglers
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