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Several goals entering Saturday for the Auburn Tigers in a day. I think most of them are achievable. You are locked on Auburn, your daily podcast on the Auburn Tigers. Part of the locked on podcast network, your team every day. Yes. I'm Zach Blackerby joined by the Jake Crane of Crane and Cone, the goat himself. We're talking eight a day today. We're just a few days away, Jake. From the best spring game of them all, not televised, but it'll be a total party at Jern Hare Stadium. Alex Golis yesterday talking about needing more leadership and then also just kind of the discussion about is it okay that the defense is owning the offense? So then I want your pick for MVP this Saturday. But as far as like what you want to accomplish on a spring game, like you obviously want things to look good. There's some fanfare involved in this. And I think the previous staff probably cared more about fanfare than what this staff does. I am expecting to see some moments from Byron Brown and some of these new receivers or maybe some of these freshmen receivers that kind of are starting to steal the show late in spring. But I would guess that those are some of the goals that we may see this Saturday. Yeah. Well, the first thing is you want to come out of it healthy. That's that's the main thing. I mean, look at Bama last week, Noah Rogers goes down during the spring game, you know, big piece for them at wide receiver and he's going to miss some time during the season. So it seems like Auburn has been fortunate so far. I really don't even like talking about it, man. I'll knock on wood around three times in the bathroom, whatever. It seems like they've been somewhat fortunate. But you know, it's outside of that. What I would tell people about Byron Brown in the spring game is you have to understand his most dangerous element is really not there. Like the the when you're defending in a spring game, and you know the mobile dual threat quarterback, one of the best in the country can't run. Not that you're making him dribble with his left hand, because I think Byron throws it well enough to compliment the run game that he has to be a balanced quarterback. It may not look as beautiful and as smooth. The defense understands, you know, we got to go tag off on this side of the other, but Auburn's not going to line up and run Q power and Q counter and do some of the things that they're going to do during an actual game. But that's really good for Byron. That's great for him. That's the area he needs to improve the most in to become an elite quarterback. So this is a big spring for him. And then obviously you're going to go through summer and fall camp outside of that. You know, the fanfare is what it is. You can't worry about that. If you win, guess what? They're going to love you. If you lose, they're going to hate you regardless of what antics on the sideline or what music is playing in the stadium. It doesn't matter. Correct. Just as LSU. I mean, look who they're willing to hire just to win. That's that's what matters. Another big thing is you have these position battles and one of the best ways to flesh out who can really do it is when the lights are their brightest. You know, there's a lot of guys that are great practice players, but you go into a game in that environment and they turn into someone else. And there's other guys who may not be the best practice players who in those lights come on, they ball. So there's some guys you know about some guys you don't know about. And then obviously what I'm looking for is I almost and I say looking for I want to hear how it sounds. I want to hear the violence up front. That's what I want to hear because when you're looking at Auburn right now, I'm not worried about the wide receivers. I'm not worried about the running backs. I'm not worried about the quarterback and spend a long time since I've been able to say that. Sure. It's it's upfront really on both sides of the ball. So not that, you know, the offense going to get theirs, the defense going to get theirs. But I want to hear how it sounds. That's going to tell me a lot more about where this team is and where they can go. Yeah. Yeah. The offensive line, I think, has become my biggest question. And it's not that I don't believe in it. I just, I need to see some of it come together. And look, we knew this when Stan Ramil transferred to Auburn that he was probably going to start at one of the tackle spots and was probably going to be limited at best during the spring. And he hasn't. I mean, he's there, but he's not practicing. So it's like, all right, one of your starting tackles isn't there. Like, I don't love that, but we knew what we were getting into when he announced. And so you're starting to get some continuity and, you know, Gholish talked about it yesterday. Like, the offensive line is they've had their moments and then when it's bad, it's been really, really bad. Like, I think God, the quarterback can run like that's also a thank goodness by run Brown can run because that can hide. I know people say, well, run the ball. I mean, the whole line's not very good. How are you going to run the ball? The amount of things that that opens up to even up other places to kind of be a bandaid toward that it's a lot better than having a statue back there that you snap the ball and, you know, it just turns into a Sunday mass service. Yeah. Yeah. Byron was asked about that, like after the first practice of spring about the running backs and he's like, the threat of me is going to open up a lot of things. So yeah, there you go. Put that on a T shirt. The threat of me. No, I think, you know, the offensive line, though, both individually and as a unit, like that's a group that I think is going to have to get better over the course of the offseason. Gholish talked about it yesterday and he's like, yeah, you know, saying they're young as a cop out, Baylor's not going to care. Week one, you know, how old the guys are up front and they're going to have to figure out at some point this. I'm not saying they got to figure it out by Saturday, but we might see some signs of it, hopefully, but it does sound like this defensive front is putting it on them. Yeah. And again, you can take that in two different ways, right? Are you an optimist or are you a pessimist? Is it because the defensive line is that good or is it because the offensive line is that bad? And that's something that we just don't know. Like we're not there. I can't sit here on this podcast and you can't there anybody outside of the coaches or the people that are actually at practice watching team period, watching inside drill, watching perimeter, watching one on one and say, OK, this is why this is happening. So so we have to speculate. I will say, especially, you know, during spring and really when you get into fall camp before the game planning element starts, I never panic too much about the defense being ahead of the offense. In fact, if I had to pick one side of the ball to be ahead of the other, it would be the defense to be ahead of the offense because if the offense is ahead of the defense really at this point by a lot, you've got a lot of problems on defense because the defense knows what they're running like in weekend. I'm a defensive guy. We know what they're running and the quarterback can't run. So I wouldn't read too much into that, but I would much rather have it that way. Yeah. And it did sound like the offense finally had some moments yesterday, which I mean, you want them to have some moments, right? You wanted to look like an offense. And it did sound like they were consistently moving the change yesterday for the really for the first time this spring. So that is certainly, certainly good. One thing Golis keeps asking for, Jake, over and over and over again is leadership. We're lacking leadership. And I want to dig deeper into that in just a moment right here, unlocked on Auburn. Today's show brought to you by our friends at Turbo Tax. It's tax time, but for a lot of us, the old way of doing taxes is a lot. Trying to book an appointment. That's not the most convenient sitting in a waiting room with a stack of papers, emailing back and forth, wondering if they really get your situation. But now you're getting a major upgrade into it. Turbo Tax now has in person locations nationwide. 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And there are certain guys that he's really pushing, saying like, we'd like to see more from this guy or yeah, we're starting to get some from this guy or, you know, just leading by example, that's not actually leading. That's just doing the right thing and doing what you're asked to do. Is this as important as he's talking about or is he just kind of, is he just challenging the guys in his room because they know that it's going to get back to him? Yeah, well, I think he's challenging them publicly, knowing that they will see it. And again, I'm not saying that he's it's a facade or he's making this up, but you know, there is a reason that you say things to the media and he understands that he knows how the game is played. And that's something I'm sure he's talked to the team about. I mean, I watched a clip of him talking about, you know, finishing the week and making that decision. But yeah, again, the team stops and starts with leadership. Now, that doesn't mean he's not saying Auburn doesn't have any leadership. He wants more of it. He wants it to be contagious where guys want to be leaders. And that's look, I like the transparency of him saying that. And I understand the methodology of why he's doing it. So I don't think it's just coach speak. I think there is a rhyme for the reason and he wants more guys to lead because he understands, especially in year one, yes, some guys have come over from USF that has been there. But this is his first year with some of these Auburn players that have been here and he wants them to understand, you know, you, your leaders too. It's not just the guys that know each other. So I look, I think it's just part of the deal and he understands why he's doing it. One of the most important players on Auburn's roster going into spring and I've talked about it, of course, going into spring, it'd be best for Auburn if he stepped up. I said it going into the previous scrimmage. I said it going into yesterday's scrimmage. I've said it over and over and over again. It's the best case scenario for Auburn if Jared Smith takes over a scrimmage or takes over a practice at edge. And it does sound like he's had a really good second half of spring. Can't wait to see what he does Saturday at 8 a.m. And of course, like you said, like Byram's not live, so he can't actually like sack him. But it does seem like Jared Smith is coming on at that edge spot. Do you think that's a fair take or would you put somebody else in there? It's like, no, it would be even better if so and so took over. No, I mean, that's toward the top of the list. I mean, the edge rushers get paid right there with edge protectors and quarterbacks. And you know that that Jared has the tools to do it. I mean, even going back to some some clips from last year, you can see the freakish ability that this guy has. And look, some got and you're born with that. Like you can lift all the weights in the world. You can stretch as much as you want. But you're born with that gift. So seeing him live up to his potential, which his potential is top five pick in the NFL draft to me. And it's not that Auburn has had bad defensive ends. I mean, you know, Falk was able to move around and do some things. I don't think he played elite at the end of the day. Or I think Jared Smith can be more elite than what he is when you look at the just the natural twitch that this guy has at that size. So I don't think anybody should be upset if the headline after the spring game is Jared Smith dominates at edge. I would I would feel really, really good about that and then give him a ton of confidence, you know, moving forward into the season. So no, I don't think that's a that's a bad take at all. Man, I tell you the one guy that when I talk to people that are there, they just keep talking about Ismael Indez. Like and if you look at the way this guy was put together as a freshman, he didn't look like a freshman out there. And mentally, I thought he did some good things. His technique was pretty good. He didn't fall step a lot. But I think his potentials through that he could be a guy that that looks like one of the guys that Auburn used to have back there and being next to Xavier Atkins. If he can come along, that's a nasty, nasty couple of dudes that they're that can run. So that's another guy I'm going to have my. Roderick Cronin Yeah. And I mean, he's already just such a total pro. Right. I mean, hearing him, you know, talk about like, well, you know, I just grew up drinking nothing but water and folks on everything I put in my body and just doing things the right way, essentially his entire life and talking about how, yeah, when he got here, like, there was more of it because there's access to more. But like, I've always been aware of it. It's not like it's some radical shift. It just seems like he was raised to be a pro. And now you're seeing the fruits of that kind of come out. Roderick Cronin Well, he's, he's, it looks like one of those, those soups off the boys that took that compound V and now he just figured out he can shoot lasers through his eyes. So like, I mean, I, I, nothing, I would put in that. There's a couple of things. Roderick Cronin Not a penalty, do you think? Roderick Cronin You what? Roderick Cronin If you shoot lasers, if a Lodge and Winner starts like shooting lasers through his eyes, do you think that's a flag or do you think that's like, there's nothing against it? Roderick Cronin No, not for year one. Year one, we get away with it. Roderick Cronin Yeah. Roderick Cronin We'll give out no points. Roderick Cronin But no, I again. Roderick Cronin That would be something they would need about in the off season though, for sure. Roderick Cronin Yeah. If there's, he's, they're not the only ones. There's some other guys, some young guys that, you know, I think have a ton of potential. Like if you can just get them in the right culture and they can get a little confidence early and it goes good early for them, you could really see them elevate into some, some highly, highly drafted players. Roderick Cronin Yeah. I hope so. I hope so. I mean, we've seen talent on this roster is do we finally have a staff that can use that talent correctly and put guys in situations to succeed. Roderick Cronin And I think yes, Zach. And can I tell you why? Can I tell you why I think yes? Zach D'Amico Yes. Roderick Cronin You know, you can, you can listen to coaches talk and things like that, but you really have to listen to the players talk because a lot of them are very well media trained, but they're more inclined to tell you the truth, whether it be accidentally or on purpose. Roderick Cronin And that interview was Xavier Adkins that Tequillo Spikes did when he talks about the mentality of this team. Roderick Cronin When I heard that, that gave me a real good warm feeling inside that this staff and I want to make sure that I explain this the right way. Roderick Cronin You should want to be a good person to be a good person. You shouldn't want to just be a good person to where if you don't win a football game, it's like, okay, well, at least I'm a good person. It seems like that this staff has finally gotten through to these guys that losing is not acceptable whether you're a good person or a bad person, whether you walk old ladies across the street or not. And when you hear a guy like Xavier Adkins say, well, last year the message was kind of, if we can be in it in the fourth quarter, we're going to win. And this year he's like, be in it. We want to be smashing you by the fourth quarter. And if for some reason we're not, we're going to knock your teeth in the whole fourth quarter. That was the problem with the last staff was there. It's like, hey, I'm not okay. You're not okay, but it's okay because we're good people. Well, that's great. I want everybody to be a good person, but that's not an excuse not to go out there and make plays or want the plays running you when it matters. And that's the vibe I feel that has shifted is that these guys want the ball, run it them on fourth and one or please God give me the ball on fourth and one. I will not let us down. Last year was like, well, you know, if I don't make the play at least, least we're all good friends and good buddies. And, and, and, you know, we, we go visit the Boy Scouts once a month. Like that's not, it's again, I mean, it was on the defense too. I mean, even like when the game was on the line, it seemed like the defense would give up that exact or that big play to end the thing. And, and again, the defense is really good for most of the year, but it's a total culture thing. Right. How many times last year did, and I'm not talking about against FCS teams, I'm talking about when it mattered. How many times last year did the offense and the defense play good at the same time? First half of Georgia? Yeah, sure. That's about it to me thinking about it. I mean, Baylor was awful at the end of the day. So like, I just, it's, I think you're going to see that light switch come on that went from being scared of the moment, but it's okay to wanting the moment. And it's not okay to not make the play. That's, I think the biggest, we can talk about scheme and press conferences and this, that and the other. But I think you're going to see that on the field when we kick this thing off. Yeah. Who could win a day MVP? Who are we expecting to have a big Saturday? We'll take a stab at that in just a moment right here, unlocked on Auburn. 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What are you expecting to see Saturday at 8 a.m.? Are you expecting them to really like say, okay, offense, go cook? Are you expecting to see a battle at every single position? And then specifically, like which player do you think, okay, this is his time to really make a statement in front of the fans? Well, I think the guys are going to be fired up. They're going to be excited to play in the stadium. Yes. You're going to have a pitch count for certain guys. If it was me, certain guys don't even need to see you. But I'm always excited in spring to watch the young guys play. That's always what used to get me the most fired up because a lot of them hadn't played in that stadium before in front of other people. And you really get to kind of see their personality and stuff come out in that environment because it has a way of cutting you down to the real you real quick. You're going to have some good and bad on both sides. People are going to overreact to things. I think Auburn's going to be pretty vanilla offensively because why would I show you any cool toys? It's not even Christmas. Defensively, I'll be interested to see the packaging, how much pressuring there is and things like that because that was always the biggest argument in the staff meetings as well. You know, if we're going to be based on offense and please don't give us all these different fronts and give us all these pressures and things like that. So I'll be interested to see that. But no, in goalish, they may let the whole bag hang out. I don't know. He may say, you know, forget it and just roll. As far as MVP, it's a good question. I like some of the young wide receivers. Brian Williams, that's the tall one. That yeah, 15. That guy is a dog. Yeah, that the more I watch this kid. I'm telling you, people, they love him. Well, you just look at him getting off the bus and you believe I would say watch out for him. But I think the guy, the other true fresh. Yeah, yeah. Good. All of them give us six of them. I would say if I had to pick one. Because I don't think Cobb's going to run it that much. Give me Omar Mabson. Great pick. Omar Mabson for MVP. I think he gets a couple touchdowns. I just like watching him run around out there because he's short and stacked kind of like Michael Dyer a little bit. I'll go Omar Mabson MVP. I think that's a great one. I think that's an outstanding. I hope I'm right. Sure. Yeah. And he also could run like some with the ones then a lot. Yeah, I think he's going to get some play. They leave them in there. You know what I mean? Well, they want to see him pass pro too. They want to see him pass pro. Yeah. Yeah. Man, I think I'm going to go Brian Williams Jr. No. I love the kid. Young guy going to get a lot of reps probably. Hey, let me ask you this. How much do you think Singleton, some of those other those older guys, how long? A half? Man, I play like three or four drives and that's it. And get them out. I saw it last year. Y'all can do it. Well, you're right. It's like, I got it. I know who you are. I'm glad you know the offense. Great. Yeah. Let them and Byron play like three or four series and like that'll be that's enough for me. But like with, you know, Chas Nimrod apparently had like a minor procedure last week. And so he's going to be out. It's like, let's just get. Yeah. Like I'm not saying don't practice or care. We all need to care. But yeah, there's some other things I'm looking at. And again, I'm not saying don't practice or care. And again, you know, I will be looking at the line of scrimmage. But to be honest with you, when I watch it, however I watch it, if I've got to sneak into North Korea to watch it since they're not televised anymore, however, I probably won't even look at the ball that much. I'll just see the snap and watch the play on the line of scrimmage. I think most people should do that if you really want to feel good or bad about how it went. Now I'm going to be doing a lot more of that than watching where the ball goes. No, I think that's well said. Wilson, zero, the true freshman who has kind of been the starting right tackle over the last week and a half or so was held out yesterday. Sounds like he got a minor ankle injury. So like I wouldn't play him on Saturday either. If there was any percentage. No, why? Why? Right. Why? Why? Why? Arguably your third tackle. Like no, like because again, this could be the greatest spring game ever. And everybody just love it and they're fired up about it. And if you lose during the fall, it does not matter. Just like the other hand, I always tell the story of the 2019 Auburn basketball team lost to Barry college in an exhibition. That was Barry, Barry, bad. Yeah. And then made the final four. So again, you can get stuff out of the classroom. And the cliche when Ryan is like, well, Cam Newton didn't look that great during 8A. It's like, yeah, who cares? Yeah, you just want to get through this thing healthy. Let's just get through it healthy. Right. Right. Yeah. And some guys have been banged up. So we'll we'll see what happens with that. Jake Crane, how can people check out everything you've got going on? Well, Zach, we just had you on the other day had a big spring practice update. If people hadn't seen that, it's YouTube's easiest way. It's crane and cone Sierra and cone. You can just scroll down the videos. You'll see Zach's name in there locked on Auburn in there. It's really just a picture of goalish in the middle. But yeah, man, come hang out with us. And you you're on there too. And me and me. It's you and goalish. On the side. We unfortunately have to do that. Sorry, y'all to see that. But no, man, we're having a lot of fun over there. It's it's about to get into the dog days. But hey, Auburn baseball, come on. Hey, situational hitting situational hitting. We're starting to win some weekends. We have that one bad one. Unfortunate who was against but ever since then. Pitching there pitching is definitely there. Alvarez, man. That is a nice. I tell you, he's going to be nice next year. Cormier and his dad was a dog at Bam. He's got some swag to. I'm telling you, like some guys are just born to pitch. I remember watching his father play at Bama and he played in the bigs. This dude's going to he'll end up being 93 94. He'll get that Velo up. But he just knows how to pitch, man. You can just see it in him. Yeah. Yeah. Love his swag and moxie for sure. Hey, please like the video. Please subscribe. We'll see you next time. This has been locked on Auburn. Not every sale happens at the register. Before AT&T business wireless checking out customers on our mobile POS systems took too long. Basically a staring contest where everyone loses. It's crazy what people will say during an awkward silence. Now transactions are done before the silence takes hold. That means I can focus on the task at hand and make an extra sale or two. Sometimes I do miss the bonding time. Sometimes. AT&T business wireless. Connecting changes everything. At Etsy, every sign of spring is a reason to celebrate. Warmer weather means you can swap that parka for a handcrafted linen jacket or sip your coffee outdoors in a hand thrown mug. Shop spring pieces on the Etsy app. I like things my way, my coffee, my schedule and my treatment. So I talked to my doctor about self injecting with the Vivgard Hytruloprefilled Syringe, which contains f-guard tegamat alpha and hyaluronidase QVFC. It's injected under your skin subcutaneously. It means I can inject in my space on my time. It's my treatment my way. Visit VivgardMyWay.com. That's V-Y-V-G-A-R-T-MyWay.com. And talk to your doctor about Vivgard Hytruloprefilled. Brought to you by Arjenix.
