Quan Bray persevering through difficult summer

[Mr. Hoopah!]

Will someone please remind me again why Trooper is still on our staff? Oh, right, he's a "good recruiter." Idiot. Glad to hear Quan is doing well. I lost my father in January, I can sympathize with what he is going through.

al.com

AUBURN, Alabama -- Auburn freshman receiver Quan Bray has had bigger worries than football and school during a tumultuous summer in which his mother was murdered and his father was arrested and charged with the crime.

But assistant head coach Trooper Taylor said that makes Bray's success to this point all the more remarkable.

"I tell you, I'm proud of that kid," Taylor said earlier this week. "I'm probably breaking some rule, but the kid threw out all of (the distractions) and had a 3.5 GPA (in the summer). He has learned all his assignments and is out there busting his tail. You talk about life throwing you some curveballs. Obviously that was personal for me because I recruited him and know his family really well. That's a chance and an opportunity for us to stand up on what family really means."

Bray has not spoken to media during camp, but coaches say he is prospering at receiver.

"He's going to be something special," Taylor said. "To go through that type of an ordeal and to still come out with over 3.5 and to be able to do the things that he's doing on that football field, obviously he's got a lot of motivation. But it also tells you the type of character and the type of upbringing he had coming from that home."

CHANGING TIMES: n 13 seasons at Auburn, cornerbacks coach Phillip Lolley has seen the SEC evolve from a two-back, power-running league to more spread passing attacks.

The changes have forced defenses to adapt and put more pressure on secondaries. Nickel sets, when an extra defensive back replaces a linebacker, are now used regularly.

"I was here back when the conference was basically two backs, pound the ball, physical. It still is a very physical conference, but you don't see two backs as much as you used to," Lolley said. "Everybody's putting three or four receivers in the game. You've got to be able to match it. To always play three linebackers, you've got some match-up problems in that situation unless you play pure zone.

" ... With the packages the offenses throw at you today, running the option, threatening you horizontally and vertically, you're going to have to have some speed people in the ballgame."

NEXT: After taking Thursday off, Auburn resumes practice today with two-a-days at 10 a.m. and 5:40 p.m.

Auburn will practice and possibly scrimmage Saturday morning. Fan Day is Sunday at 2 p.m. at Auburn Arena, and the Tigers practice again that evening.

Related topics: Phillip Lolley, Quan Bray, Trooper Taylor

[Volunteer Falcon]

Trooper is a walking facepalm.

[itsjustafleshwound]

Will someone please remind me again why Trooper is still on our staff? Oh, right, he's a "good recruiter." Idiot. Glad to hear Quan is doing well. I lost my father in January, I can sympathize with what he is going through.

al.com

AUBURN, Alabama -- Auburn freshman receiver Quan Bray has had bigger worries than football and school during a tumultuous summer in which his mother was murdered and his father was arrested and charged with the crime.

But assistant head coach Trooper Taylor said that makes Bray's success to this point all the more remarkable.

"I tell you, I'm proud of that kid," Taylor said earlier this week. "I'm probably breaking some rule, but the kid threw out all of (the distractions) and had a 3.5 GPA (in the summer). He has learned all his assignments and is out there busting his tail. You talk about life throwing you some curveballs. Obviously that was personal for me because I recruited him and know his family really well. That's a chance and an opportunity for us to stand up on what family really means."

Bray has not spoken to media during camp, but coaches say he is prospering at receiver.

"He's going to be something special," Taylor said. "To go through that type of an ordeal and to still come out with over 3.5 and to be able to do the things that he's doing on that football field, obviously he's got a lot of motivation. But it also tells you the type of character and the type of upbringing he had coming from that home."

CHANGING TIMES: n 13 seasons at Auburn, cornerbacks coach Phillip Lolley has seen the SEC evolve from a two-back, power-running league to more spread passing attacks.

The changes have forced defenses to adapt and put more pressure on secondaries. Nickel sets, when an extra defensive back replaces a linebacker, are now used regularly.

"I was here back when the conference was basically two backs, pound the ball, physical. It still is a very physical conference, but you don't see two backs as much as you used to," Lolley said. "Everybody's putting three or four receivers in the game. You've got to be able to match it. To always play three linebackers, you've got some match-up problems in that situation unless you play pure zone.

" ... With the packages the offenses throw at you today, running the option, threatening you horizontally and vertically, you're going to have to have some speed people in the ballgame."

NEXT: After taking Thursday off, Auburn resumes practice today with two-a-days at 10 a.m. and 5:40 p.m.

Auburn will practice and possibly scrimmage Saturday morning. Fan Day is Sunday at 2 p.m. at Auburn Arena, and the Tigers practice again that evening.

Related topics: Phillip Lolley, Quan Bray, Trooper Taylor

That is one time where Trooper can break the rules and still not come across as a complete tool. An A and a B in the summer while dealing with that grief? I'd have to brag about him too... not to give Taylor any credit. Its good to see Bray doing well.

[ChuyDawg]

Thanks for sharing. I was wondering how Bray had been doing after that horrible incident he had to deal with. Its great to hear the kid is taking care of his business. I wish nothing but the best for this kid. I will be rooting for Quan eventhough he's at AU.