Percy Lewis already feeling 'comfortable' at left tackle after transferring to Auburn
AUBURN — Percy Lewis is fitting right in at Auburn after transferring from Mississippi State.
“It’s been good. It’s moving fast. I was here yesterday and I’m ready to get spring started,” Lewis said on Tuesday as Auburn continues spring camp after taking off for spring break.
Last offseason, when Mississippi State fired Zach Arnett and was going to go through another coaching change, Lewis decided it was time for a change of scenery. Auburn seemed like a good place to land.
“It’s been good. It’s moving fast. I was here yesterday and I’m ready to get spring started. When I was at State, I had different coaches every year. By them coming in with a new coach, I might as well go somewhere and start fresh,” Lewis said.
“(Auburn) has Dom (Dominic Studzinski, Auburn strength coach) here and that’l help me getting better in my strengths and weaknesses, and he’s been helping me. He’s been helping me the last three months I’ve been here. I left State, so I wouldn’t say this was the next place closest to home, but Dom, they were telling me all the people he was training and that caught my eye. I get to train with those guys and it would help me out in the long run.”
Lewis already has a close connection with offensive line coach Jake Thornton and is working on some specifics to help his game.
“He’s helping me learn the plays, learn the offense and defense, schemes and all that. I’m getting better each and every day we’re on the field,” Lewis said. “My pass set. I have a problem where I want to turn a little bit too early sometimes, but that’s what I’m working on. Everything else, I about have it polished up.”
Another factor in Lewis’ development is having played in the Air Raid when Mike Leach was in charge, Lewis’ hasn’t spent a ton of time in an offense that focuses on running the football the way Hugh Freeze and Co. will. Despite that fact, Lewis feels like he’s adjusting well.
“It’s not too bad. I was in the Air Raid my first year, then my second year they took it away,” Lewis said. “Only thing different is I have to work on the play action, but I really have that down pat now. It’s nothing major. I adjusted to it well. I’m just glad we can do al to of run blocking now. You get to hit somebody. I love to see somebody fall, you can hit somebody and they fall on the ground. It’s exciting.”
Lewis is working with the first team at left tackle, alongside Dillon Wade who is playing left guard. Redshirt freshman Tyler Johnson is working behind Lewis at left tackle. Connor Lew is working with the first team at center, while Jeremiah Wright is working first team at right guard and Izavion Miller is first team at right tackle. Lewis feels a great connection already with the whole group, and thinks the group has great potential.
“Those jokers like to eat,” Lewis said laughing. “They like to go out to eat every other day. I have to lose weight, I can’t keep going out to eat. The team bonding, they are good. We’ve come together as a team and are like brothers. They want to go out to eat all the time and I can’t do that. But every time I go, it’s a good time. We talk, bond, have fun, laugh, stuff teams do.
“I’m comfortable now. I feel like we’re going to be real good. We’re coming together, bond, and that won’t be no problem. We’re going to be good. We’re good. You’re going to see when that camera comes in that first game.”
