ScreamingTiger
10-10-2005, 11:01 AM
from the B-ham News:
He missed all of spring practice, most of fall preseason practice and didn't see the football on opening night.
But guess who's coming to dinner Saturday night in Fayetteville?
Brad Lester has been confirmed as Auburn's new starting tailback, a development that seemed to come out of the blue last week and continued on its surprising pace Sunday.
"He hasn't surprised me at what he can do, but he's surprised us he's been able to do it after being hurt so much," says Auburn coach Tommy Tuberville. "He missed every day of spring because of a hamstring injury, and just about all of two-a-days. There's no telling where he would be if he had been practicing. But we always knew he had the ability."
Ability plus speed and the willingness to block have given Lester the edge heading into Saturday's 6 p.m. game at Arkansas. The coaching staff says he has more explosiveness than last-year stars Carnell Williams and Ronnie Brown and has shown enough get-up-and-go to move past fellow tailback Kenny Irons.
"The first thing is his big-play capability," said running backs coach Eddie Gran. "He's averaging 6.7 yards per carry and I really love the way he's put it all together with the protection, the run blocking. He's just become a complete player.
He missed all of spring practice, most of fall preseason practice and didn't see the football on opening night.
But guess who's coming to dinner Saturday night in Fayetteville?
Brad Lester has been confirmed as Auburn's new starting tailback, a development that seemed to come out of the blue last week and continued on its surprising pace Sunday.
"He hasn't surprised me at what he can do, but he's surprised us he's been able to do it after being hurt so much," says Auburn coach Tommy Tuberville. "He missed every day of spring because of a hamstring injury, and just about all of two-a-days. There's no telling where he would be if he had been practicing. But we always knew he had the ability."
Ability plus speed and the willingness to block have given Lester the edge heading into Saturday's 6 p.m. game at Arkansas. The coaching staff says he has more explosiveness than last-year stars Carnell Williams and Ronnie Brown and has shown enough get-up-and-go to move past fellow tailback Kenny Irons.
"The first thing is his big-play capability," said running backs coach Eddie Gran. "He's averaging 6.7 yards per carry and I really love the way he's put it all together with the protection, the run blocking. He's just become a complete player.