New Auburn OC Kenny Dillingham was in an awkward spot Thursday when Music City Bowl head coaches and coordinators met with the media. Dillingham is in Nashville soaking it all in, but he won’t have offensive coordinator responsibilities for the bowl game.

Though it was a bowl game press conference, Dillingham was asked for his thoughts on Auburn’s quarterback situation for 2019 with starter Jarrett Stidham leaving for the NFL. He has observed the quarterbacks during the Tigers’ bowl practices.

“I think they’re talented,” Dillingham told reporters. “Obviously, game reps is something that they’ve lacked. But they’re guys that can throw the ball, that have quick releases, are both extremely athletic. I’ve been impressed so far, but from an outsider’s perspective, it’s hard to really—from a schematic and if they execute the offense—it’s hard to see how well they have grasped or how well the execute it when I haven’t been here all year to see it installed and to see how exactly we should look. Those are the things I’m learning myself, in terms of the coaching progressions and teaching progressions that I’m trying to pick up along those lines. But from a talent perspective, I think they’re very talented.”

Dillingham also revealed that he had only met coach Gus Malzahn twice before becoming AU’s new offensive coordinator.

“The first time I met coach Malzahn was when he came up, him and Coach Lindsey came up to Memphis, where I was at and just watching our film and cut-ups and came out to watch spring ball practice, was the first time I ever met him,” he said. “And the second time I ever met him, I was interviewing for this job. Those are really the first and second times I ever met him. Obviously, our coaching trees are the same tree. I heard about him all the time in our room — you know, this is what coach would do, this is what coach would to — so I had heard about him more than I had actually met him, in a positive light. I’m excited to get to work alongside him.”

Andrew Olson

Andrew writes about sports to fund his love of live music and collection of concert posters. He strongly endorses the Hall of Fame campaigns of Fred Taylor and Andruw Jones.