Aug. 10, 2016
By Charles Goldberg
AuburnTigers.com
AUBURN, Ala. - Deshaun Davis feels good about the new wave of Auburn linebackers who are sure to play more this season, and that's a good thing. He's one of them.
The sophomore will be in the mix to replace long-time, and now gone, linebackers Kris Frost, Cassanova McKinzy and Justin Garrett, who combined to start 76 games. Davis says new linebacker coach Travis Williams has the new group ready to go.
"Coach T-Will really believes in us and shows us a lot of love," Davis said. "He's a great teacher and he understands the game of football. He knows how to explain things because some guys can't pick up terminology, and he can level it down to where everybody can understand it. That's why I think the young guys are picking things up quickly."
Williams says his message goes beyond the playbook.
"Everyone gets caught up in the X's and O's." But he said there's more.
"That's why you go to work every day and you chop wood and get ready to prove everyone wrong," Williams said. "That's the thing about having the chip on your shoulder and never losing the chip. As a team it's just staying with the slogan of 'earning it'. Every day you go out and earn it. Coach Malzahn came up with that and I truly believe you get everything that you earn.
"Now it's time for the whole group to continue to gel together."
'We're going to let them know our linebackers are coming,' says Deshaun Davis. Video & story https://t.co/9kWBJNzlYd pic.twitter.com/usF0oXdmPM
- Auburn Gold Mine (@AUGoldMine) August 10, 2016
Tre' Williams returns with the most experience among the linebackers, at least at Auburn. He's started five games. But T.J. Neal, a graduate transfer, started 25 at Illinois and has made a favorable impression in preseason camp.
Williams is recognized as one of the team leaders. Davis said that trait comes naturally for him as well.
"At high school I was the Mike linebacker and making all of the calls, controlling the show. They've given me a lot of control and so I'm lining everybody up and making the calls so we can play fast."
Davis played in 12 games last season, and Williams says "he's picked up where he left off."
"I know for a fact he'll get 30 or 40 snaps a game, for sure. He's a guy that you really can count on. The whole group is inexperienced, so you really don't know what they'll do when the lights are on. Deshaun has been doing a really good job at practice." Williams said.
Charles Goldberg is a Senior Writer at AuburnTigers.com. Follow him on Twitter: Follow @AUGoldMine