Brandon Fulse the lead candidate to replace Jay Prosch
ANDALUSIA – There is a front-runner for one of the three offensive personnel holes Auburn has to fill.
Brandon Fulse has emerged as the leader at the H-back position, left vacant from the departure of Jay Prosch.
"I think right now, Brandon Fulse would be a little bit ahead of everybody at the true 3-back position," tight ends and special teams coach Scott Fountain said during a speaking engagement at the Lower Alabama Auburn Club's annual meeting Thursday evening at the Andalusia Country Club.
The 6-foot-4, 272-pound Fulse, who worked as a blocking tight end last season, spent all of spring working at H-back along with Gage Batten, Prosch's backup last season. Fountain said C.J. Uzomah, who like Fulse, will be a senior in the fall, spent two weeks at H-back and the other three at tight end and split out at the "5" inside receiver spot in coach Gus Malzahn's Hurry-Up, No-Huddle offense.
"Brandon Fulse has done a really nice for us in the spring," Fountain said. "C.J. has done a great job at split-5 and tight end for us. … I think Batten's reps last year are invaluable and Brandon's reps that he got there as a freshman are invaluable."
While replacing Tre Mason and Greg Robinson might draw more attention this offseason, filling the void at what Lashlee called a "glue position" is just as important, if not more so, for a Tigers team that will continue to run the ball heavily while also throwing more, and needs a skilled blocker in the backfield for pass protection.
"Jay is going to be really hard to replace, super, one of the best I've seen play that position," Fountain said. "The great thing with that, we're able to go back and study Jay and all the good things he did and our kids have done a good job at studying him. We're going to try and put the best product we can out there doing his position."
Batten took "about 60 snaps" last season by Fountains estimation, including one of short touchdown run against Tennessee when Prosch was knocked out with a broken nose. Because of Prosch's durability and prowess and the lack of personnel at tight end, Fulse and Uzomah didn't have a chance to play in the backfield in games last year.
As Fulse, Uzomah and Batten each bring different skills to the table, they also have different weaknesses. Fountain has expressed to each of his tight ends what he wants them to improve on before preseason camp.
"I kind of gave them all specific things I wanted them to work on, their weaknesses, and they're going to focus on that all summer," Fountain said. "Hopefully we'll come back in camp, and we'll be a more solid team."