Auburn Running Back Tre Mason Trains By Chasing Squirrels

While other schools are using parachutes or tires as resistance to help develop their players' speed, Auburn is going a little nuts. Auburn running back Tre Mason is chasing — and catching — squirrels as part of his effort to be faster than the Tigers' SEC competition this fall.

Mason tweeted a picture of him holding a terrified squirrel after he chased the fluffy-tailed bugger through the woods of Alabama. Is this the safest of all training methods? Considering rabies and hunters, probably not, but it is unique. When you're attempting to add to the legacy of great Auburn running backs like Bo Jackson, James Brooks, Joe Cribbs and Stephen Davis, wind sprints alone won't cut it.

Let's just hope Auburn and the SEC keep PETA away from discovering Mason's training method. We can't see the animal rights group being okay with any activity that could make a squirrel feel like a punt returner.