Aug. 26, 2008

AUBURN - The Auburn football team continued its preparations for the season opener against Louisiana-Monroe with a 90-minute workout Tuesday morning at the practice fields behind the Athletics Complex.

The Tigers continued to focus on scout team preparation for the Warhawks during the workout. The practice also featured several individual and position drills before the Tigers came together to work as a team.

Following practice, head coach Tommy Tuberville held his weekly press conference to preview the game and the start of the 2008 season.

"It has been a good, hard, long camp and our guys are ready to play," said head coach Tommy Tuberville. "We need to play and need to find out where we're at. We've taken a little bit different approach this year with two new coordinators. We obviously have had a lot of new things to work on."

Tuberville also noted that the Tigers will have a challenge against Louisiana-Monroe on Saturday.

"Louisiana-Monroe is a football team that's gotten much better over the years," said Tuberville. "They run a little bit of the spread. I don't think they run as much fast-tempo as we run. But they've got a quarterback that's athletic, they have a lot of starters back and they have a very fast player on their football team that they move and put in certain situations. And I'm sure they're coming in here knowing that they've played in this league before, and they've been successful, and they're coming in to play as well as they possibly can, and we're going to do the same thing. So it should be a good game."

Auburn will return to the practice fields Wednesday with a 4:45 p.m. CT workout.

Auburn's season opener is Saturday when the Tigers host Louisiana-Monroe at 6 p.m. at Jordan-Hare Stadium. Tickets remain and are $35. Visit www.auburntigers.com or call 800-AUB-1957 to purchase. In addition, the ticket office at the coliseum will be open from 2:00 pm - 3:45 on Saturday, and the Stadium Box Office located on the West side of Jordan-Hare will open at 4 pm on Saturday.

The game will be available on a pay-per-view basis in the states of Alabama and Louisiana to cable subscribers and small dish owners who subscribe to DirecTV or Dish Network. Fans should contact their local cable provider or small dish provider to order the game. Other home dish owners should contact 1-800-TV-STARS to order the game. Commercial establishments should contact their local cable company or dial 1-800-TV-STARS for feed information.

Quotes From Tommy Tuberville Press Conference

"I know we're all anxious to play a game, but no more than our football team and coaching staff. It has been a good, hard, long camp and our guys are ready to play, and we need to play and need to find out where we're at. We've taken a little bit different approach this year with two new coordinators. We obviously have had a lot of new things to work on, but the thing we wanted to do going into this first game, into this season, as looking back to last year where we got off to a very poor start, losing two of the first three and both of those being at home.

"We felt like we needed to go back and look at the little things that we were doing. And I think a lot of times you look at your inexperienced players and you work with them a lot and you look at some of the possible weaknesses you might have and you don't work enough on your strengths, because they can always get better. And that's really what we've done these last two weeks.

"After we got everybody in camp and got everybody in their right positions, we've really worked hard on trying to make our experienced players better and the guys that have been around, and trying to make the football team better. I think that we even got a lot of room for improvement there, but it's very important that we all, as a team, play well. But we do understand that we've got some younger players we're going to be playing; you see that on the depth chart I just handed out.

"We also have a lot of older players that are playing - good leadership. So what we wanted to do is, we wanted to reiterate to all of our team, "Hey, let's get going, let's play from the beginning and let's don't start in the middle of the season." And that's coaching, too. That's myself. So we put a big emphasis on being better out of the shoot and don't worry about who you're playing because that'll take care of itself.

"Just worry about playing your game. And last year we just had a poor start on execution and coaching and turnovers, but this year it's going to be different. We're going to play much better and we're going to play much more consistent because I think because we've worked at it. We're going to talk about some things but there are some things that we've really emphasized and put forth to play in these first few games starting the season.

"You've got the depth chart, first time that we've handed one out, and there are obviously some noticeable things on here that you're going to see. Of course, running backs Brad Lester and Ben Tate will alternate and Tristan Davis is ready to come back. And Eric Smith being one of our, I think, eight or nine freshmen that we will play. He had an excellent camp for a young guy at running back. One guy that probably played the best and really improved himself is James Swinton. I think that what he's done in this offense has made himself better, and plus he's really been a lot more consistent.

"The area there [at H] you see Robert Dunn playing fourth team, and he's in the doghouse. What else can I say? On offense he hasn't performed to his abilities and we've got a lot of players there in that position. We've even got a true freshman on second team that has played awfully well. He's going to be a heck of a football player. So the older players can find out very quickly how important it is to be consistent. And that's what I was talking about earlier. You can't rest on experience, you can't rest on `Hey, I've been here'. You better play and you better perform. So that's what we're trying to do going into this first game.

"Of course, you have Mario Fannin there who will play several positions during the season, and that's just one of them where we have him listed. The strength of our team on offense, we all know, and I think we should know, is our offensive line. I'm really proud of those guys, Coach Nall and what they've done this fall. They've gotten better. With the emergence of Byron Isom, I mean, he's done an excellent job going through spring practice and making himself better. It's been fun to watch these guys work together.

"We don't have a lot of depth, but we do have a two-deep. We've had some guys beat up and they've struggled at times but it's been a very physical camp. But these guys have really earned kudos in terms of how they've done things and making themselves better. Two freshmen down at the bottom, we've decided to play Derek Winter and Vance Smith. Vance moving over because of Gabe McKenzie moving to the defensive line, but both of those guys have really played well and really played hard. And another guy that I skipped over, Philip Pierre-Louis, better known as Frenchy, will also play, and he'll also play several positions.

"On the defensive side of the ball, the strength of this team on defense is going to be the defensive line. We know that, we knew it going in. I'm really proud of Tez Doolittle who has come back for his sixth year coming off a very tough surgery, an Achilles operation and I'm proud of his leadership in coming back. And he's got his degree and he could have gone on and went to other places and been doing different things but he's come back to play for the Auburn Tigers for his one last year.

"Michael Goggans is another guy I'll point out that has really been playing well for us, again he has not ever been a starter in a game, and I think that his emergence is really going to make this defensive line even better.

"In our secondary, we know that there are some areas for some guys to make some plays and to get some playing experience. And you have three true freshman defensive backs. We don't have any freshmen starting, but we do have some that will play important roles. These guys, obviously, will play important roles and they're going to have to get better as the year goes on for us to have success. But again, it all starts up front on both the offense and defensive line.

"And I'm proud of what those guys have done, how they've worked. It's been tough, after a very tough surgery, to Aairon Savage. These guys saw him go down on the field, one of our leaders, a guy that's been around with us for awhile and a big enthusiastic guy that can help these young players, but I think now even in his role he's come back and he's been around practice and he's helped these young guys improve.

"And of course, we're going to have a game-time decision in terms of punter. Clinton Durst and Ryan Shoemaker both, I know Ryan has gotten a bunch of accolades, he did excellent last year. He was a little inconsistent at times, but this is not anything that Ryan has not done, this is what Clinton Durst has done in terms of really playing well in the spring, really punting well in our camp, and it's been a battle and that's one area that you can pretty much tell who the best guy is going through your camp, and right now it's pretty close and Coach Gran will make that decision at game time.

"We probably won't announce the starting quarterback until the game. Everybody is fired up about trying to find who that guy is. We sit down and Coach Franklin and I visit along with the other offensive coaches and sometimes even the defensive coaches and get their input on what they think. What I'm looking for is leadership, a guy that can control the football team and who guys will look up to. And if that's both of them then it'll be both of them.

"But I think it'll eventually work its way out. But we have two good guys that are so close and sometimes when you have a quarterback battle with two people, a lot of people say `You must not have one'. And I think this is totally different. Both these guys have earned the right to play some, I think the next couple of practices will decide, pretty much our first ten, 12 plays what we're going to do and which one ever fits those few plays the best is who we'll start and then we'll go from there. It's a situation, though, that I think is great for us, especially in a new offense.

"If we were running an offense where the quarterbacks were going to drop back and hand it off or drop back and throw it out of the pocket, I think pretty much, you'd probably say one of these guys would probably be better. But there are a lot of things in this offense that you ask a quarterback to do. And there are some of them that you can't judge in a scrimmage or in a practice; there's a lot of intangibles.

"Those will be looked at as we go through these first two non-conference games and by the time we get to Mississippi State this thing could be worked out, or it could be the same. Either way I think we're going to be in good shape. But the team has worked hard. We have gotten more reps in this two-a-days and camp than I've ever been around. Some people say `Well how can you work two quarterbacks?' Well with all the repetitions in this offense, I promise you, you need two quarterbacks to take all these reps. One guy can't take 75%.

"So it's been a good learning experience, not only I think for the players, but for the coaches. Again, it's all new to us. And we've even had to sit down and talk about game management, the coordinators and everybody putting their two cents worth in of how fast this game is going to go, how we're going to sub, not just offense but defense to keep guys fresh, what to look at in terms of long-yardage situations, whether it be fourth and five on the field, do we go for it or do we punt.

"There are a lot of weapons that you can use with what we're getting ready to do. And again, it all comes down to one thing, and it's execution and being consistent. And that's what I'm looking for going into this weekend.

"Louisiana-Monroe is a football team that's gotten much better over the years. They run a little bit of the spread. I don't think they run as much fast-tempo as we run. But they've got a quarterback that's athletic and they got a lot of starters back and they have a very fast player on their football team that they move and put in certain situations. And they've been doing this a little longer than we have. So they've got the experience of their offense and the type of what they want out of their football team. And I'm sure they're coming in here knowing that they've played in this league before and they've been successful and they're coming in to play as well as they possibly can and we're going to do the same thing. So it should be a good game.

"Again, I can't tell you how excited we are going into this game and just seeing how this unfolds. We're just hoping that we do play well. Let the game happen as it may, but go out and execute well and have fun and let these guys understand that what they've done in practice is going to take them through a game, a very tough game."

During SEC Media Days you said it would be 10 days to announcing a quarterback. Obviously that hasn't happened yet. Can you talk about that point until now?

"You don't know what is going to happen. I'm one of those that I like definite things. I like to, as a coach, know where our hat is going to be hung, so to speak, and this is pretty unique to all of us, even Coach Franklin. He probably told you the same thing. Usually you can look and point and say `Hey, this is the guy we can look at and feel can do a much better job for us'. That hasn't been there and it hasn't been that both have done badly or both have done great. It's just that both have done well and been very consistent. All the players rally around them. They both get a tremendous amount of reps in practice so sometimes it's kind of like going to this offense.

"I had to change. I had to change my personality and coaching style pretty much over night. It's the same thing with this situation. I think it's a great situation for us. Both will be hungry to play, and I want it that way. I want them both to be very competitive, but I also want both of them to know that hey we're on the same team now. You know they are not competing against each other. When we go out there on Saturdays, you've got to learn from the other guys' repetition and what he saw and what he did, communicate on the sideline. I think that is very important. Again, I think it is a very good situation."

Is this the first time this has happened to you, Coach, where you haven't had a starter?

"Yeah, I tried to think back especially in my heading career even back over the years being number 30 I think, I've never been in this situation but I've never run this offense either. I was familiar with several option teams over the years that did this where they had several different quarterbacks. This is not an option offense but it is an offense where quarterbacks have to do a lot more than hand it off or drop back and chunk it down the field. I mean you have to be athletic, you have to be smart and you have to be prepared. You've got to be very competitive in this offense to be a quarterback."

How different does this offense look with Kodi vs. Chris running it?

"It really doesn't. We go back and we've looked at everything, anytime in our camp where our quarterbacks went against competition. In other words, where it was what we call skelly where is just defensive backs and linebackers versus receivers or whether it's half-line where there's a d-line and offensive line and quarterback and a running back or a full team practice at the end of just a regular practice or a scrimmage, it has been pretty much the same. There have been some better plays, some better throws, some better runs, and some better decisions.

"In this offense, sometimes you have to ad-lib and those have been good, too, when they have just had to make a play out of a play not being there. They have been going against a pretty good defense. I think that is an advantage to them. They have been going against a front-seven that might be as good as they'll see here all year long for the last 30 practices or so. It has been challenging. Both of them will tell you. Now neither one of them has been hit, we all know that most of us don't hit quarterbacks in two-a-days and so that could make a difference as we go through but I'm sure that both are prepared for that."

Is it easier to see leadership in quarterbacks during games versus in practice?

"Yes, and you can try to be a leader in two-a-days, but you are trying to survive yourself as a player. Quarterbacks have a little bit better attitude towards two-a-days because they are out there throwing it around, they don't run as much as the defensive linemen, but the leadership quality on both sides has been pretty good.

"The thing about Kodi is that he is still in the learning mode and Chris has been in this offense since diapers. Kodi has had to play catch, but Chris has been a big part of that, helping him learn and telling him what he has learned of the years. Coach Franklin has done a good job with both of them, he handles all the quarterbacks the same as anyone else on the offense. They get screamed at, hollered at, they get criticized in front of the rest of the team. I have been on teams were quarterbacks were off limits to be screamed at in practice, you had to wait to get them in the meeting room, but that doesn't happen here. I think by both of them being able to accept that, I think it has made them better."

With so many young players, do you tell them what you expect on Saturdays or do you let the older players handle that?

"I leave it to our players, we will meet on Thursday night and let the seniors talk and the big emphasis for the first couple of them is about talking to the younger players about what to expect, how to handle themselves from the time we leave here on Friday until we arrive at the stadium, how to get mentally ready, because the younger guys are going to walk in and look around and see 85,000 people for the first time in their life - from the field and not from the stands and so you can image the change in the experience.

"But they grow up pretty quick and I have been pleased with all the freshman and how they have handled themselves. A lot of guys don't know how to handle the speed of the game and the contact and all eight or none of these guys are going to play, because they obviously passed the test or they would not be on there, I can grantee that. We are not going to put someone out there that we feel could cost us a ball game intentionally, but sometimes they do panic but they end up getting the job done. Especially, defensive backs have played very well."

On defense there is only one senior starter. Is the defense that young or are they seasoned?

"We are not overly experienced by any stretch of the imagination. We have no fifth year seniors. Next year if this group is intact you will say we are going to be in pretty good shape with all the younger players coming up, but we don't look for next year, we look for today and we are excited.

"We have a chance to have a good football team and a lot of it depends on how we grow mentally as we start this season. We had a good football team last year and I will be the first to tell you that lost four games, three of them basically on the last play of the game and we just didn't finish. That started with me and worked on down. We are doing everything we possibly can this year to build our team better the first month of the season because the games we are going to be playing are really going to decide how go we are going to be for the rest of the year. It's just about getting to that good start.

On Mario Fannin being listed as an inside receiver...

"That has a lot to do with Frenchy and what he has done out there. We want to get the ball in to Mario's hands; he is one of the better players on this football team. Again we have protected him, he has got hit a couple of times when he wasn't supposed to but those things happen in practice, but he has come around. You will see a lot of him. We have at a lot of positions; you could just call him an athlete, because he will play more than just running back. He will play outside and inside and in the back field. Depending on how his health holds up through the first month is going to determine which position we put him at. He can be a great running back but we have got to understand that seven months ago he had major shoulder surgery and we want to bring him along a little slower than if he was totally healthy."

Are you pleased with Mario's progress in the areas he has struggled?

"He has done great. The thing is that Mario had a little set back when he hurt his hamstring or ankle and it slowed him down a little bit. He is an exciting player. We could put him at linebacker and he could probably play good, he is that kind of player. He is fast and loves contact but unfortunately he got bit by the injury bug last year and slowed a bit. He is a big-play guy and over the years we have been looking for one and I think we have several now.

"I think this offense has brought the best of not just him but the other guys on the other side. In the past we have struggled with big plays from our X and Z receiver. Now on Saturday you are going to have a hard time keeping track of who's in the game and by the time you write down who just was in we will be on the second or third play. It is going to be that fast it going to be interesting on how the writers are going to handle it as well as us."

Will Bart Eddins be ready to play?

"Yes, he practiced today he looked pretty good. Darrel Roseman practiced today but the only one that didn't practice was Montez Billings. Jamarcus Savage also practiced full speed Sunday. We are in pretty good shape getting guys back and now we are getting ready for game scenarios were we don't have as much contact, which makes the guys feel a little fresher, and of course every one is excited about the first game and we have had some time off. I made it a true intention. I told the players that they felt a little tired going through the month of September. We have no excuses this year. We have taken a couple of days off, cut practice back a little bit. We are still getting the same amount of reps but our time is down out on the field and we are going to be as fresh as we have ever been and they are ready to go."

On Gabe McKenzie and his progression...

"He is a great story this year. This young man basically wants to play and help the team. He has been a tight end for three years now and he wanted more playing time and asked me that. That just goes to show the type of person he is and I felt he would end up like this. He has done very well. He is not the defensive end he wants to be but he will play Saturday. He's got great explosion off the ball and the body strength, he has great coordination and he will just have to learn the little things as he goes along. He is obviously behind because he has not practiced much there but we are excited because of how far he has come in just a week's time. Now instead of just fifteen plays on offense he can get thirty to forty on defense."

When did Clinton Durst first get your attention?

"We saw him last fall and he did a good job, it was just that his technique and fundamentals just were not there and we let him play in warm ups and stuff. He has a tremendously strong leg. And in spring practice he just came out and got his timing down. For us you can see a good punter or kicker. Ryan (Shoemaker) got slowed by a hamstring injury which might hurt his situation here because he is not quite one hundred percent. Clinton has done a tremendous job, the hang time and strength of his leg is good. It has not been on overnight thing but it is pretty encouraging to go out there and see him hit fifty and sixty yard punts with four second hang time."

Have you had a chance to reflect on your career at auburn going into your tenth season?

"Not really. It is a long time at one school, but I am proud I made it. I am also proud of a lot of my assistants that have been with us for the same length of time. We have made a lot of progress. There have been a couple of ups and downs. There have been a couple of years that I wish we could get a couple of plays back. But the program is in good shape. When I go home at night I think about that a lot, especially what we can do to make the program better, and I feel we are doing the right things - just keep doing what we are doing and make sure we are doing things the right way. I'm excited to have been here for 10 years. I hope I can make it 10 more and I think we're going to be even stronger as we go. It's a tough conference and it gets tougher every year. Everyone looks at their schedule this year it's a little scary that you will be playing a good team. I like where our program is. It is sound, built on the right things. I am proud of all the players that we have and the ones that have graduated. They are the ones that have made it - we just led them along in the right direction. It has been a fun ride and I would love to finish it all out here."