Auburn’s first spring practice in two years plus a coaching change was the perfect formula for players who wanted to break out of their backup positions and make an impression ahead of the 2021 season.
Over the course of four weeks of spring practice, which culminated in Auburn’s annual A-Day, several players took advantage of the opportunity. Some were young players who made the sophomore jump after a year to get used to the speed of the college game. Others were players who were held back by injuries. With hard work and consistent execution, they carved out names for themselves over the last month.
While the starting lineups Saturday featured many familiar names, there were a few players out there who weren’t household names last season. Here are five guys who had strong spring performances and are in great positions ahead of the fall season:
Wide receiver Ja’Varrius Johnson, No. 6
After dealing with injuries through his first two years at Auburn, the wide receiver is finally healthy, and he’s making the most of it. Since the start of spring practice, his name has repeatedly fallen from the coaches’ lips every time they’re asked about who has stuck out. Both coach Bryan Harsin and wide receivers coach Cornelius Williams mentioned how consistent he’s been.
A-Day was the culmination of a great spring for Johnson. The player who appeared in just one game in 2020 was among the first to step out onto the field with the starting offense. Johnson made two catches for 15 yards and was one of just three wide receivers targeted in the scrimmage.
Before the scrimmage, Williams spoke about how Johnson’s speed and ability to create space for himself on the field could be very valuable to the offense next year. Harsin and offensive coordinator Mike Bobo’s offense utilizes the slot more, which has been good for Johnson’s skillset. Johnson said playing on the interior is different, but it fits him well.
Johnson made an impression early, and he maintained it through the entire spring practice. If he keeps it up over the summer, he could be in a good position when fall camp arrives.
Tight end Tyler Fromm, No. 85
The tight ends group is deep. Prior to Harsin’s arrival, Auburn went out and recruited the position hard and brought in a number of large players with great hands. Last season, John Samuel Shenker and Luke Deal played a lot of snaps while J.J. Pegues made a name for himself. Brandon Frazier was injured, but he came in as a highly touted recruit, and then 2020 recruit Landen King kept his commitment despite the coaching change.
But when the first team offense lined up for A-Day, Tyler Fromm was the tight end lined up with them. Then, after the ball was snapped, Fromm caught the first pass of the entire game. He was the only tight end with a catch, and he finished with one for 13 yards.
For a guy who played in just one game in 2020 and recorded no stats, running with the starters is a big leap, even considering that returning starter Shenker did not participate in A-Day. Since the Auburn offense showed that it can use up to three tight ends at a time, it seems there will be a place for the sophomore to make a difference this season.
Wide receiver Elijah Canion, No. 17
With the top three receiving targets off to the NFL Draft, there was a great opportunity for young wide receivers to step up. Three different former players — Anthony Schwartz, Eli Stove and Jordyn Peters – predicted Elijah Canion would be one of the guys to step up, and he’s proven them right so far.
Canion only played in two games last season, but when he got the chance to play in the Citrus Bowl, he made the most of it. The true freshman made a 57-yard play for a touchdown, which vaulted him up to sixth on the receiving list despite playing in just two games and making just three catches.
Not only did Canion go out with the first team at A-Day, but he also finished as the leading receiver – by a lot. Canion was targeted six times and made six catches, triple the number of any other player. He finished with 51 yards and a touchdown, accounting for 42 percent of the team’s receiving yards. Running back Tank Bigsby had the second-most yardage through the air with 22 receiving yards. Only two other receivers recorded catches.
Safety Ladarius Tennison, No. 13
Through 2020, Auburn players constantly mentioned Ladarius Tennison as a player to watch out for. As a true freshman, he played in all 11 games, but with a group of veterans ahead of him, he wasn’t permanently in the starting rotation until nickleback Christian Tutt suffered an injury.
With safety Jamien Sherwood’s departure for the NFL, Tennison is perfectly poised for a breakout season in 2021, and he’s already laid the groundwork, even though he changed positions.
Auburn returned all of its starters at cornerback and also brought in even more talented cornerbacks. As a nickel, Tennison was originally part of that group. However, the safety room was not as deep. Rather than fill Sherwood’s spot with someone who was already playing safety, defensive coordinator Derek Mason and cornerbacks coach Zac Etheridge made the decision to move Tennison over, showing how much they value his contributions.
At A-Day, Tennison made just one tackle. However senior Smoke Monday named him a guy to keep an eye on after the game, and linebacker Owen Pappoe said the same earlier in spring.
“I think one person in particular that y’all are going to see a lot of this year is Ladarius Tennison,” Pappoe said. “He’s been working really hard this offseason. I think he’s going to have a huge year.”
Defensive tackle Marquis Burks, No. 92
As a junior college transfer from Iowa Central CC, Marquis Burks had to put in some work to get up to SEC speed and strength in 2020. He played in five games and made just four tackles.
At A-Day, Marquis Burks was lined up with the ones, alongside returning stars like Colby Wooden, Derick Hall and Tyrone Truesdell. He finished the game tied for the second-most tackles. He, Wooden and Caleb Johnson all had two.
Defensive line coach Nick Eason had mentioned Burks’s rise ahead of the spring scrimmage, saying he’s been one of the guys “who have taken the brunt of the work with the ones.” Jeremiah Wright was another player who was doing well, but he tore his ACL, making Burks’s improvement even more important.
After the game, Pappoe mentioned how well the first team defensive line that Burks was a part of played.
“I think they can do a lot of special things this year,” Pappoe said. “So Eason has been doing a really good job, though.”
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