Auburn practices, Dyer's back

AUBURN – Auburn practiced Wednesday night with an emphasis on goal line situations and third and long.

“I thought we had a really good up-tempo practice tonight,” said Auburn coach Gene Chizik. “Worked a lot of third and long, worked some red zone. Got some good work in those two phases of the game. But I was really pleased with the tempo and the level of focus. We’ve got a lot of work to do, but day-by-day we’re chopping wood and getting better at some things.”

Dyer back at practice

Auburn tailback Mike Dyer was back at practice Wednesday after being out for more than a week.

“It was good to have him back,” Chizik said. “He’s got to get in shape, but he practiced hard, he ran hard. I thought he practiced well.”
Next scrimmage undetermined

Auburn may scrimmage again on Saturday, but Chizik said nothing is definite at this point.

“We’re going to wait and see exactly how Saturday will unfold, based on the health of our team,” Chizik said. “We’re starting to slowly but surely get some guys back, so that will help. Again, we’ll evaluate that as we get closer.”

H-back competition stepping up

Starting tight end/H-back Philip Lutzenkirchen says it’s been interesting watching the competition behind him, both at tight end and H-back.

“They’ve been good,” Lutzenkirchen said. “Brandon’s (Fulse) head is spinning a little bit with all the stuff we’re throwing at him. He’s done a great job. He just needs to continue to make strides if he wants to get on the field. Chris Humphries, another guy who has been working hard, has been doing well. Ladarious (Phillips) has been a little banged up, but he’s back full-go now. Hopefully, he can get caught up on what we’ve been doing.”

Lutzenkirchen said Fulse has been working behind him at tight end also.

Frazier closing the gap

Auburn freshman quarterback Kiehl Frazier says he feels confident he has closed the gap on upperclassmen Barrett Trotter and Clint Moseley, whether it’s enough to win the starting job is a different story.

“Yeah definitely,” Frazier said. “I think that comes with the territory of coming in and not really knowing and having a clean slate and being here as long as I’ve been here I think I’m definitely a lot closer to those guys than I was.

“I definitely feel more comfortable and it has definitely slowed down a lot just because instead of going out there and having to think about the checks and reads and stuff, I kind of already know it, already programmed. So I just go out there and play, so that helps.”

Back to class

Auburn defensive end Nosa Egua says the return to class has brought a welcome break to the football routine.
“I like the change-up,” he said. “The two weeks of straight football, football, football, just to go to class and study halls and all that type of stuff. Everybody’s back in town. I like the change up. But when you step inside this complex, it’s all football. There’s nothing changed about that.”