A-Day Notes

Collin Mickle and Tom Peavy
Staff Writers
Published: March 30, 2008

A-Day a good one for Dunn
The final spring of Robert Dunn’s Auburn career has been frustrating.

Thanks to an uncooperative class schedule, the senior wide receiver hasn’t practiced much this spring. It hasn’t been easy.

His teammates have spent the spring getting a leg up on offensive coordinator Tony Franklin’s offense, while Dunn has had to work around an 8 a.m. class that conflicts with AU’s Tuesday and Thursday practices.

“I tried to talk to Coach Tubs about changing the times of practice,” Dunn joked.

But his calendar was clear for A-Day.

Dunn made the most of his opportunities Saturday, catching two touchdown passes and finishing with a team-best five catches for 69 yards. He even managed to stay neutral in AU’s quarterback competition, catching touchdowns from both Kodi Burns and Chris Todd.

Franklin told Dunn, who had participated in just three of AU’s first 13 practices, to be ready Saturday. The senior came through.

“(Franklin) told me he wasn’t going to wait for me,” said Dunn. “I had to know what was going on. He called the plays and I made them.”

Franklin loved the results.

“He’s got some special talent,” Franklin said. “Even without a lot of practice, he’s pretty dang good. He could be a really special player.”

Saturday, Dunn led a deep group of pass-catchers that also included tight end Tommy Trott (four catches, 55 yards) and wideouts James Swinton (four for 45), Rod Smith (four for 43) and Chris Slaughter (three for 44).

A total of 10 scholarship players had at least one catch.

“Offensively, it’s the best we’ve caught the football,” head coach Tommy Tuberville said. “We’re getting better. That’s what’s going to have to happen when we throw the football.”

TE Bennett named ’07 MVP; Bosley leads spring honors
Before the start of A-Day, Auburn’s coaches presented players past and present with more than a dozen awards.

Former tight end Cole Bennett led the way, receiving the Shug Jordan Award. The Jordan Award is presented to the most outstanding senior from the previous season.

Former defensive lineman Josh Thompson earned the Mike Kolen Award, given to the previous season’s leading tackler, as well as Lineman of the Year honors.

Former quarterback Brandon Cox was named the 2007 Pat Sullivan Offensive MVP. Cornerback Jerraud Powers earned ’07 Zeke Smith Defensive MVP honors.

Offensive guard Tyronne Greene earned the Ken Rice Award as the team’s best blocking lineman in 2007.

Tuberville also handed out the 2008 spring awards, for performance during spring practice.

Senior center Jason Bosley won the Pat Dye Leadership Award, while tight end Tommy Trott and defensive tackle Sen’Derrick Marks shared the Eddie Welsh Attitude and Effort Award. Defensive end Antonio Coleman earned the offseason conditioning award.

Most-improved honors on offense went to guard Byron Isom and wideout Terrell Zachery. Defensive end Michael Goggans, linebacker Chris Evans and defensive back Walter McFadden were named the most improved defenders.

After the game, Marks was named the Mark Dorminey Defensive MVP of A-Day. Walk-on punter Clinton Durst earned Lewis Colbert Specialty MVP honors, and quarterback Kodi Burns was the Lionel James Offensive MVP.

Injury report
Defensive end A.J. Greene left with a hamstring injury in the fourth quarter. Greene was credited with two sacks.

Defensive tackle Mike Blanc (concussion) didn’t play.

AU adds second commitment
Greenville defensive lineman Jamontay Pilson was one of at least 200 prospects who watched A-Day. It didn’t take long to impress him.

The 6-foot-3, 265-pound Pilson, considered one of the state’s top prospects, verbally committed to AU before the game. He is the Tigers’ second commitment for the 2009 recruiting class.

“When I was out there on the field watching them stretch and stuff, I knew then,” Pilson told Auburnsports.com. “I walked up and told Coach Tuberville that I was committing.”

Pilson had 97 tackles and 12 sacks as a junior at Greenville. He joins Mobile defensive lineman Terrence Coleman on AU’s 2009 commitment list.

Best of the Day
Best run: Ben Tate used a strong burst of speed around the right side to score the day’s first touchdown. He went into the end zone untouched from 10 yards.

Best pass: Kodi Burns was dead on target on with a 28-yard scoring pass to Robert Dunn. Burns lofted the pass and dropped it right into Dunn’s hands in the end zone despite relatively good coverage.

Best hit: The day’s biggest lick, by far, goes to true freshman quarterback DeRon Furr. In the fourth period, Furr laid a loud, de-cleater block on defensive lineman Ryan Burse that drew the loudest cheer of the day.

Worst of the Day

Worst punts: Patrick Tatum flubbed a first-quarter punt of 33 yards that went end-over-end and with little air time. Ryan Shoemaker had a 24-yard shank into the blue bench in the third.

Worst first impression: Backup kicker Morgan Hull missed his first point-after attempt and followed by missing a 40-yard field goal.

Worst vanilla: Auburn’s defense during A-Day, by design, was — well — boring.

Even by design, though, the extremely basic scheme allowed the offense to look way more productive than it would normally and produced few big plays.