Yeah, I’m here at Auburn’s athletic complex today.

I know, it’s crazy, right? I’ll also be here tomorrow for the scrimmage. Or at least what the media can cover, which will just be post-scrimmage interviews with a select number of players and/or coaches.

Anyway, today was the first day of “closed” practice as the Tigers prepare for their season opener against Louisiana-Monroe on Aug. 30.

AU head coach Tommy Tuberville chatted it up with the scribes after the second of two practices today. He was in a good mood. Actually, I don’t think I’ve ever seen Tuberville in a foul mood. But, then again, I’m not here every day.

Here’s what I thought was interesting from what he said today.

** Big day for freshmen, including three cornerback
It’s no secret, Auburn’s hurting at the secondary position. With the season-ending knee injury suffered by starting cornerback Aairon Savage during the first week of practice, and some others leaving or being hurt, the Tigers’ defensive backfield is struggling for experience.
True freshmen Neiko Thorpe, D’Antoine Hood and Harry Adams will be looked at really, really closely in Saturday’s scrimmage.
They “have done a real good job of trying to pick up as much as they can. Tomorrow will be a big test for those guys,” says Tuberville.

** Now that’s a kicker.
Auburn will work on its kicking game a lot in the scrimmage as well. Tuberville said about 30 to 45 minutes of the scrimmage will be devoted to special teams. They will go live (except for some kickoff returns) and there will be officials there.
If you’ve watched Auburn over, well, the Tuberville Era, you know special teams is a big deal.

** Quarterback race
The scrimmage, which will run about 100 plays or so, will also go a long way into determining a quarterback, anywhere. Obviously, Chris Todd and Kodi Burns are battling for the No. 1 job. My belief is that both will play a lot this year. And, yes, I know the coaches have been saying that since Day 1, but if you are like me, you kept waiting for one of them to make the leap into a “we HAVE to play this guy all the time” scenario. But that hasn’t happened.

So Todd and Burns will go back and forth again Saturday at the scrimmage. And so will Neil Caudle and Barrett Trotter. Those two guys are fighting for the third-string position. That should also be an interesting race.

We’ll see you guys back here tomorrow.