Corey Grant News

Auburn defensive back Ryan White and linebacker Harris Gaston wrap up receiver Quan Bray during the Auburn A-Day game at Jordan-Hare Stadium in Auburn, Ala., on Saturday, April 20, 2013.

There's a running back for the Auburn Tigers who rushed for over 1,000 yards in 2012 that is flying under the national radar this preseason.

Linebacker Harris Gaston and defensive back Jonathan Jones wrap up running back Tre Mason during the Auburn A-Day game at Jordan-Hare Stadium in Auburn, Ala., Saturday, April 20, 2013.

Auburn running back Tre Mason breaks away from defenders during the first half of Auburn's A-Day game.

Auburn running back/receiver Corey Grant runs the football during a practice Wednesday, April 17, 2013.

When Auburn head coach Gus Malzahn listed natural cornerback Joshua Holsey as his starting strong safety out of spring football practices, that was a surprise development.

Considering it was a spring football scrimmage, one of the things that stood out to me about Auburn 's A-Day Game was how smoothly things went on the field considering the team is making a transition to a new coaching staff with different ways of doing things.

Safety Demetruce McNeal missed his fourth straight practice on Tuesday and will miss his fifth on Wednesday due to what Auburn coach Gus Malzahn continued to characterize as "off-the-field issues." "Demetruce McNeal did not practice today, he will not tomorrow," Malzahn said at his Tuesday morning press conference.

With the exception of Auburn's two post-spring game practices, spring practices are in the books in the SEC.