It didn’t take long for Tommy Trott to make an impression on Auburn offensive coordinator Tony Franklin.

At 6-foot-5, 251 pounds, with deceptive speed and soft hands, the junior tight end is a natural fit in Franklin’s spread offense. From the start of bowl practice last December, Trott impressed Franklin, who saw the big tight end as a matchup problem for opposing defenses.

But Trott has been even more impressive in spring practice.

Trott broke out in the Tigers’ first scrimmage of the spring. Playing mostly as a slot receiver, he finished with five catches for 33 yards.

After that performance, Franklin didn’t mince words.

“Trott has a chance to be a really good player,” Franklin said.

A week later, Franklin repeated himself, in almost the same terms.

“Tommy Trott has a chance to be special, to be really special,” he said.

Trott’s performance this spring has justified such lofty expectations. He is showing the talent that made him one of the state of Alabama’s top prospects at Montgomery’s Trinity School.

As a senior at Trinity in 2004, Trott caught 52 passes for 1,031 yards and 13 touchdowns and was named the Class 4A Back of the Year. He expected to do the same when he arrived at Auburn in 2005.

But Trott’s skills and former coordinator Al Borges’ system weren’t always a good combination. After redshirting as a true freshman, Trott had 14 catches for 129 yards over the next two seasons.

Trott says he was rarely comfortable in Borges’ scheme, which required tight ends to contribute as run-blockers. His struggles as a blocker carried into the passing game; he had several high-profile drops over the past two seasons.

But that’s all in the past, according to Trott. Franklin’s system is the break he’s been waiting for.

“I feel like this is my type of offense,” he said. “I’m trying to get back to where I was in high school, right before I came here, as far as running well. Hopefully, this offense is better suited for me.”

Since that big performance in the first scrimmage, Trott has hardly slowed down. He had his best day yet in AU’s second scrimmage of the spring, when he finished with four catches for 90 yards and two touchdowns.

His second touchdown that day was one of the most impressive highlights of spring practice.

Trott broke free of coverage on a deep route, waving his hands for quarterback Neil Caudle’s attention. Caudle fired a long pass toward Trott. But with cornerback Walter McFadden bearing down, Caudle underthrew the ball.

No problem: Trott adjusted, cut past McFadden and caught the ball around the 5-yard line. Then he lowered his shoulder and dragged the 180-pound cornerback into the end zone.

Franklin was delighted. It’s exactly the kind of play he sees Trott making time and again in the spread offense.

“He’s just a good football player,” Franklin said. “He’s going to be very dynamic in this offense. He can be very special in this offense.

“I wish everybody would play the way he did every day.”

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