AUBURN NOTEBOOK: Freshman LB pushing for playing time

When Auburn started preseason practice, linebackers coach James Willis had a simple goal. He wanted to identify six linebackers who could be counted on to play this season.

Through 12 preseason practices, finding six hasn’t been a problem. In fact, according to Willis, the list could be longer.

That’s thanks in part to true freshman linebacker Spencer Pybus, who is making a strong push for playing time. And he’s not just catching Willis’ eye.

Head coach Tommy Tuberville singled Pybus out after last Saturday’s scrimmage, and defensive tackle Sen’Derrick Marks said the youngster had 11 tackles in the session.

Not bad for a lightly recruited player who had all of two scholarship offers on National Signing Day in February: One from Auburn and one from Duke.

And Auburn came late to the party, offering Pybus a scholarship one day before Signing Day.

Willis, who had coached Pybus in AU summer camps for two years, loved the decision.

“He can run fast, he can jump high and he can cover — things like that kind of show up,” he said. “Plus, he loves Auburn.

“He was loyal: He came to camp every time we had a camp, and that’s something that means a lot to us.”

Now that he’s officially an Auburn player, Pybus is making the most of his opportunity. Willis says he first realized Pybus could make an
impact this year when he watched the true freshman in AU’s second full-pads practice of the preseason.

“The first day the pads came on, I think he kind of hit a wall,” Willis said. “We gave him a challenge as far as coming out and seeing if he could push past that wall, and he did.

“He came out and made plays. That was very good to see.”

The 6-foot, 207-pound Pybus has hardly slowed down since. And if he keeps it up, he could force his way into what might have to be a seven-man rotation.

“We don’t recruit guys to redshirt,” Willis said. “He came in, and he has a chance to play if he can come out and keep getting better.”

QB Caudle gets special-teams look
While Kodi Burns and Chris Todd continue to compete for Auburn’s No. 1 quarterback job, there is another battle being waged farther down the depth chart.

Sophomore Neil Caudle and true freshman Barrett Trotter are competing for the No. 3 quarterback job. Monday morning, the competition took a strange turn.

While Trotter practiced alongside Burns and Todd during passing drills, Caudle spent the second half of practice with Auburn’s special-teamers. The sophomore worked as a holder for field goals and extra points while the other quarterbacks threw passes to the wide receivers and running backs.

But Tuberville said that move didn’t have any bearing on the No. 3 quarterback competition. Instead, he said the move was made out of concern for the size of the travel roster.

Teams are allowed to take 70 players on the road in the Southeastern Conference, forcing coaches to make occasional tough decisions about which backups to leave behind.

“We are trying to work a scenario where we do not have to take another (holder), so we wanted Neil to be our backup holder, and he will travel,” he said. “Especially when you play as many freshmen as we will this year.”

Walk-on Clayton Crofoot won the holding job in spring practice and appears to remain the No. 1 holder.

The special-teamers were given Monday afternoon off. Caudle worked with the quarterbacks during Monday afternoon’s practice.

Injury report
Center Jason Bosley (back) worked out on the sideline with trainers during both of Monday’s practices. Bosley has been held out of seven consecutive practices. Sophomore Ryan Pugh worked at center with the first-team offense; Mike Berry replaced Pugh at right tackle.

Freshman defensive back Marcus Jemison had surgery Monday morning to repair a broken leg, Tuberville said. Jemison is expected to miss the remainder of the season.

Another rookie defensive back, cornerback Harry Adams, missed both practices Monday. Adams was taken off the practice field in an ambulance Sunday; Tuberville said he “got the breath knocked out of him.”

Monday, Tuberville said Adams was being held out of practice as a precaution.

“He’s real sore,” Tuberville said.

cmickle@oanow.com | 737-2561