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Auburn linebacker Jeff Holland is playing at both the Buck and Sam positions. (Photo: 247Sports)
Jeff Holland made a good first impression with the Auburn coaching staff, but the question of how early the true freshman pass rusher will contribute remains unsettled.
The raw talent and skill set of the 6-foot-2 240 pound Holland makes him a viable option at both the Buck and Sam linebacker positions. However, as is the case with most freshmen, Holland still has to learn more of the playbook before being called upon in critical situations.
"He's got some natural pass rush skills that we knew about a long time ago, but he's guy that can do some different things for us," defensive coordinator Will Muschamp said. "We just got to, again, being a new player, how much is he going to be able to handle in a relatively short time to get ready for Sept. 5 and the season? But he's certainly a guy that athletically can help us."
Holland got to take first-team reps at the Buck position during Saturday's scrimmage due to Carl Lawson being held out for precautionary reasons.
"Anytime you give those young guys reps, specifically with the ones or the twos, they get a chance to really show what they can do when there are solid guys around them and see if they can work within the system," Auburn coach Gus Malzahn said. "I know Will has his eye on a few of those guys and feels like a few of those freshmen are definitely going to help us."
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Defensive tackle Montravius Adams has seen enough from Holland, including a credited sack during Saturday's scrimmage, to know he can help boost the Tigers pass rush this season.
"Jeff's problem is he brings the effort," Adams said, "he just hasn't learned all the plays."
Outside linebackers coach Lance Thompson also likes what he sees from Holland from an energy and toughness standpoint, but is stressing he "needs to be patient," learn the fundamentals and improve on his technique.
Thompson didn't want to put any sort of timetable or expectation for how soon Holland could put it all together and be a force on the field.
"There's a lot of expectations put on young guys and it's kind of like, in performance-oriented stuff let them take their time to get ready and if you have to play them, you have to play them," Thompson said. "I want to make sure he feels good about it, don't have any anxiety, so that he can go out there and do the best he can do.
"If you put a guy out there before he's ready in this league that's a recipe for disaster."