Fly War Eagle’s Auburn Round Table: Looking at Spring Practice
In the first edition of Fly War Eagle’s Round Table, the crew discusses a handful of topics surrounding Auburn athletics.
This week’s round table will include three questions and responses from the Fly War Eagle crew, Zac Blackerby, Skye Underwood, Taylor Jones, and Cameron Caldwell.
With Anfernee McClemore going down last weekend, who do you want to see step up in his absence and why?
Zac Blackerby: Chuma Okeke. I believe he has been solid off of the offensive side of the court for the Tigers this season. At times he looks like a freshman and other times he looks like he is a future star in the conference. Bruce Pearl was eager to say that Okeke was the best player from the state of Georgia. I think we see the first year player step up at the center spot.
Taylor Jones: I would like to see a little more Chuma. He has contributed quite a bit off the bench.
Cameron Caldwell: Well I think as we saw, the guy to step up has to be Chuma Okeke. We all knew he was super talented, but after a double double against Alabama, we should see a whole new side of him down the stretch.
Skye Underwood: It’s not so much of who I want to see step up, but more so who I’ve already witnessed take the bull by the horns in McLemore’s absence and that man is none other than the one, the only Horace Gilbert Spencer III or as his friends call him, “Big Homie.”
I went back and studied the South Carolina film after Anfernee’s injury and I was literally taken aback by the passion and grit that Spencer played with — he was literally affecting the game on almost every single possession whether it was diving for loose balls, blocking shots after running the length of the court, taking charges, ferociously attacking the offensive glass with one-handed dunks off of offensive rebounds, forcing turnovers, knocking down free throws, and on and on and on. Put it this way, it’s was one of the most impressive displays I’ve witnessed of one player affecting the game in a multitude of ways because of sheer hustle and determination.
And while my immediate analysis is based on just one game, if Spencer can bring that type of exciting, hard-nosed play night in and night out while staying out of foul trouble, it will be infectious to the rest of the team and the loss of McLemore may not be as detrimental to a magical season as we all initially suspected.
Auburn Football Spring practice starts soon, March 1st, which position group do you believe will have the strongest showing in the spring practices?
ZB: If you follow our content on Fly War Eagle, I make it very clear how high I am on this wide receiver core. Ryan Davis and Darius Slayton have a chance to steal the show and conversation hovering around the offense moving into the 2018 season.
TJ: I would have to say the receiving corp will have the strongest showing. So much talent coming back, and they have a full year working with Stidham under their belt. Really interested to see how well Hastings and Iggy perform.
CC: I’m personally very excited to see the running backs coming in this year. Asa Martin and Harold Joiner are two guys that I believe can contribute right away, and it will be interesting to see how they can acclimate to the college level.
SU: We all should probably go ahead and send our condolences to J.B. Grimes and the new offensive line he must assemble this spring after losing three starters to graduation. Make no mistake, we’re not sending our sympathy because of the lack of talent that JB has to work with, but because he has to do it against arguably the best defensive line in college football sans Clemson.
Defensive line coach Rodney Garner has been coaching in the SEC for 27 years between his stops at both Georgia and Auburn. He’s coached a number of monster big uglies that went on to star in the NFL, but the 2018 version of his defensive line at Auburn might be his deepest and most talented yet. Credit to both Garner and Gus Malzahn for placing an emphasis on defensive line recruiting in stockpiling talent and depth as it’s never been more evident than the current roster.
Garner has to be plain giddy about the talent that he has to work with this spring, but if anyone knows Coach G, they know that he sure as heck won’t let his group get the big head and if they do, it very well maybe the defensive line group that we should send our condolences to.
With all of the spring sports underway, which spring sports do you think has the best chance to make a run at a conference championship?
ZB: Baseball. Butch Thompson is figuring things out as he continues to build his program. We saw a glimpse of what the Tigers could do at the plate and on the mound last year. The Tigers will be competing in a tough conference but with their pitching, they have a chance to go on a run.
TJ: I believe baseball has the best chance to contend for a conference title. Pitching has gotten stronger with the addition of Tanner Burns to the rotation, the offense has improved since last season, and they have the right guy in charge, Butch Thompson. They were considered to “be ahead of schedule” last season. They have the right tools to be successful this season.
CC: I don’t think I’m going out on too much of a limb, but it has to be the softball team. This team has now become a national powerhouse, and with new coach Mickey Dean leading them to an undefeated start, it’s all about the softball team right now.
SU: I’m not sure if this is a trick question, but if basketball qualifies as a spring sport then that would be my easy answer as a regular season conference championship seems to be inches away from Auburn’s grasp.