This year, head coach Hugh Freeze is changing up the way that Auburn football handles the spring season.
The first change came in the form of the Tigers' later start. Auburn didn't start spring practices until last week, waiting until after the university's spring break to get started on their 15-practice allotment. Freeze believed having to pause for spring break meant that the first few days were wasted because they wouldn't be retained well.
Instead, the team spent more time working with the strength staff and working through film, which is something Freeze plans to implement more during spring training. More time will be spent studying and learning before seeing if it translates on the practice field. After the first few practices, Freeze believes that this work is already paying off for his team.
"It was three of the better first practices I've experienced in spring ball," said Freeze in his press conference on Tuesday. "I think that has to do with the work that we put in in February. We dedicated a lot more time to making sure our kids were good on install and individual stuff. Really thought it paid dividends in our first three (practices)."
Another change this year is the format of Auburn's spring A-Day game. Rather than a more formal scrimmage, the Tigers will utilize the A-day game as an hour-long practice that is open to the public free of cost. It will not be televised.
"The days of a spring game where you're televising that — and the portal opens the next week — that doesn't make much sense," Freeze said, per Auburn Undercover. "I think those days are kind of over. We went down the list of all the injured guys for us trying to divide up and have some kind of spring game — just doesn't make as much sense as us doing what we did today. We'll have some live periods (on A-Day), but it'll be more of a practice format."