AU FOOTBALL NOTEBOOK: No clear No. 1 has QBs feeling antsy

Call it patient impatience.

Auburn’s quarterbacks, while in total understanding, admitted to a growing amount of antsy-ness Tuesday. No clear frontrunner has emerged in the competition and the uncertainty could last all the way into August.

“I’d love to know today,” junior Neil Caudle said, “but that’s not the case probably.”

When prompted in their multiple meetings with the media this spring, Caudle, Barrett Trotter and Kodi Burns have seemed as clueless as anyone else as to where they stand in Malzahn’s pecking order — if there even is one.

Waiting until after spring to make a decision could have its drawbacks, the quarterbacks said Tuesday.

“If you have one guy established, you’re going to be that guy,” Burns said. “The No. 1s will go with the No. 1s all the time. It would be a lot easier if you have one guy to get your timing and your cohesiveness down.”

While it was believed last week that Caudle and Burns were splitting repetitions with the first team and Trotter was manning the second group, it now appears that all three are getting looks with the first team.

That, too, can slow down the cohesiveness, Caudle said.

“It does, but it’s a necessary evil,” he said. “You’ve got to do that to make sure that the right person’s in there. We’ve just got to keep competing and keep trying to earn that spot.”

McCain’s the man … for now
Andrew McCain started spring practice as the starting right tackle and hasn’t relinquished the spot at any point.

But he still won’t go as far to say the position is his and his alone.

“It’s still an open competition and it’s going to be until the first ballgame and maybe even after that,” McCain said. “I feel like I’m learning it well, I feel comfortable playing there, I feel I have a good grasp on everything so far and I think coach (Jeff Grimes) has been pleased with
my play to a certain extent.

“If I want to stay with the first group, I’ve got to continue to work hard and continue to improve every day.”

McCain said he has been backed up by Vance Smith and Rudy Odom.

Smith, who is looking to gain 30 more pounds by August, is making the switch from tight end and has never played on the offensive line before this spring. Odom, a walk-on, has been hindered by a sore knee and was riding a stationary bike at Sunday’s practice.

In the Rick(s) of time
Jake Ricks is one of three players vying for two starting spots in the middle of Auburn’s defensive line.

Senior end Antonio Coleman likes Ricks’ chances.

“He’s having a great spring,” Coleman said. “I’ve seen a lot of things out of him that I didn’t know he had in him. He’s stepping up big time and making plays that I’ve never seen from him before.”

Ricks played in all 12 games last season. He collected seven tackles, two of which were for a loss. He is competing against juniors Zach
Clayton and Mike Blanc for a starting spot.

“He’s out there playing at a level I’ve never seen before since I’ve been here,” Coleman said. “I think he understands now that our eyes are on him and he’s got to do something to step up and help this team.”

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