Tigers wrap up home practices

After three days off, team heads to Tampa for bowl festivities

By ANDY BITTER

abitter@ledger- enquirer.com

AUBURN, Ala. — Once Auburn finished its final pre-holiday workout Tuesday, several seniors were hoisted up on their teammates’ shoulders and carried off the practice field, a school tradition.

Well, most of them.

“I don’t know if they all did it,” Auburn coach Gene Chizik said. “I know there were some. Some of them might be a little too heavy to carry off.”

The Tigers finished up their eighth practice in 11 days, using Tuesday’s short session in shells to game plan for Outback Bowl opponent Northwestern while devoting a good chunk of time to special teams, red-zone work and third-down situations.

“It was very productive, as far as the whole eight days of practice,” Chizik said. “Finished on a very good note today. I thought the last day being today, the focus was there. They did a nice job. Very productive two weeks.”

Auburn’s players get the next three days off, free to travel home for the holidays before convening in Tampa on Dec. 26 for the Outback Steakhouse welcome dinner.

“They’re all ready,” Chizik said. “We’ve been practicing, school’s been out, no one’s been around. They’re ready to get home and be with their families. It’s going to be a great break for the coaches and their players.”

There were few issues for Auburn as it wrapped up practice. The Tigers come out of this stretch mostly healthy, except for a few nagging injuries that Chizik considered minor.

The only position question is H-back, where Auburn is light on bodies after recent events. Sophomore Eric Smith was ruled academically ineligible for the bowl and backups John Douglas, a sophomore, and Jason King, a junior walk-on, will not make the trip after being charged with DUIs in separate incidents this month.

Chizik remained tight-lipped about what Auburn will do to replace those players. Possible candidates to fill the H-back’s variety of roles include Mario Fannin as more of an offensive threat and Philip Lutzenkirchen and Tommy Trott as blockers.

“Like I said earlier, we’ve got a really good plan without going into the details of it,” Chizik said. “We’re not changing anything. We’ve got a good plan of who’s going to do what. The next guy always steps up to the plate. We’re used to it. It’s happened all year.”

The Tigers will not practice again until Sunday, the beginning of a weeklong buildup to the bowl that will feature regular practices and a host of organized bowl events, including a Tampa Bay Lightning hockey game, a trip to the St Joseph’s Children’s Hospital, a beach trip and a Busch Gardens outing.

“Busch Gardens is as good as it gets,” said Chizik, a native of nearby Clearwater, Fla.

As is always the case with bowl games, the Tigers will have to balance work and leisure on the trip, knowing that the bowl is a reward for a successful season but keeping in the front of their minds what the ultimate goal is.

“Our team knows that our goal is to go down there and win the game,” Chizik said. “They know we have to prepare and practice like we’ve always practiced. They want to end this season on a winning note. We’re going to prepare well down there. I think they’re locked in and focused on that idea. We also want to have it be a reward and some of the functions that they’re able to do, it is a reward.

“There’s a fine line in there. I hope we can find it. I feel good about the focus of our team. That’s where it all starts.”