Tiny Tiger has high aspirations

AUBURN — Philip Pierre-Louis isn’t very big. It’s the first thing anyone notices about him.

In fact, it’s tough to miss: Pierre-Louis stands just 5-foot-8 and weighs 156 pounds. He’s by far the smallest player on Auburn’s practice fields; punter Ryan Shoemaker, at 6-foot, 186-pounds, towers over him.

But the Auburn freshman dreams big.

When he arrived on campus in June, he didn’t let his lack of height, or his slim build, or the challenge of learning coordinator Tony Franklin’s spread offense, or anything else, hold him back. He had a simple goal: To play as a true freshman.

So far, so good.

“I definitely did come here with that in my head,” he said. “Right now, I’m doing great, so hopefully it’ll happen.”

That kind of confidence is a huge asset for Pierre-Louis. The freshman has been showing his confidence off the field — he challenged senior James Swinton to a race to determine the title of fastest player on the team — and on the field, where he’s pushing for playing time on offense and on special teams.

Pierre-Louis is currently a third-teamer at the “X” receiver position, behind James Swinton and Chris Slaughter. But he’s also getting some work at the “Z” receiver position, as Auburn’s coaches search for a way to put his play-making ability to use.

In Auburn’s first preseason scrimmage, last Saturday, he showed a glimpse of what he can do, turning a short pass into an 80-yard touchdown. The play was called back by a penalty, but the message was clear: When Pierre-Louis gets the ball, good things have a way of happening.

Despite his big-play potential on offense, special teams might be Pierre-Louis’ best chance to make an impact right away. Special teams coordinator Eddie Gran has tried him at punt returner and kickoff returner in the preseason and has been impressed with his potential at both spots.

“For sure, he has the athletic ability and the quickness that you want at those two positions,” Gran said.

When describing Pierre-Louis’ potential as a return man, Gran brings up some of the biggest names in Auburn kick-return history — and says the freshman has a chance to be even better.

“I don’t know if we’ve had one with that kind of burst,” Gran said. “You had Devin Aromashodu, you had Rod Hood and Tim Carter, who were straight-line guys. He brings straight-line and make guys miss.”

Special teams aren’t new to Pierre-Louis, who returned kicks as a high-schooler for Fort Lauderdale, Fla.’s St. Thomas Aquinas High, where he played on state champion football teams each of the last two seasons. He says returning kicks on the college level isn’t that much different from doing it in high school.

“The biggest difference is probably how quick (coverage teams) come downfield,” he said.

That’s an understatement. And that brings us back to the biggest obstacle standing between Pierre-Louis and playing time: His size.

Punt returners are among the most vulnerable players on the field, forced to stand under high, hanging punts while speedy coverage men race downfield, primed for highlight hits. For an undersized player like Pierre-Louis, handling big hits will be a challenge.

But as with every other aspect of his career, he’s confident he can handle it.

“It’s a problem,” he said of his size. “But I’m definitely going to gain weight. I’m going to get on the weights hard and gain weight.”

Then, once he’s accomplished his goal of playing as a freshman, he’ll be ready to move on to his in-season goals.

And what might those be?

“Make the great catch, make the impossible play — stuff like that,” he said with a hint of smile.

As usual, he doesn’t lack for confidence.