2010 CFN Auburn Preview

[Tiger Wench]

http://cfn.scout.com/2/985035.html

2009 was a positive year of transition for Auburn, but now head coach Gene Chizik has to show that his program has the potential to be among the elite. With a tremendous quarterback prospect in Cam Newton to build around, the Tiger attack could blow up. Check out the CFN 2010 Auburn Preview.

By Pete Fiutak

Head coach: Gene Chizik
2nd year: 8-5
4th year overall: 13-24

Returning Lettermen:
Off. 24, Def. 24, ST 2

Lettermen Lost: 20 

Ten Best Auburn Players
1. WR Darvin Adams, Jr.
2. OT Lee Ziemba, Sr.
3. C Ryan Pugh, Sr.
4. RB Onterio McCalebb, Soph.
5. RB/WR Mario Fannin, Sr.
6. LB Josh Bynes, Sr.
7. LB Craig Stevens, Sr.
8. QB Cameron Newton, Jr.
9. PK Wes Byrum, Sr.
10. S/LB Daren Bates, Soph.
 
Considering how controversial, and somewhat bizarre, the hiring of Gene Chizik was after his 5-19 stint at Iowa State (which looks a bit worse in hindsight after the Cyclones went bowling last year), and considering the second-half issues losing five of the final seven regular season games, and considering that the un-cow college on the other side of the state won the national title, the 2009 Auburn season went about as well as anyone could’ve asked for.

Now beat Alabama.

Everyone acknowledged that some rebuilding had to be done after the Tommy Tuberville era went from elite to mediocre in a hiccup, and Chizik did a strong job from Day One of getting the right people in place (most notably offensive coordinator Gus Malzahn and defensive coordinator Ted Roof), and he and his staff have been fantastic on the recruiting trail. Considering Alabama’s reemergence as a superpower, and with all the other top SEC programs reloading, to bring in the 2010 class that the Tigers did was impressive.

Now beat Alabama.

The Tide won’t go away any time soon and should be among the elite of the elite as long as Nick Saban is hanging around, but Chizik and Auburn can find a niche starting this season. The goal has to be to play the SEC’s game of musical chairs by building up the team, tweaking it, adding a few key pieces, and then pouncing in that one year when the schedule and the experience appear to align the right way. LSU has been able to take advantage of those seasons, and Georgia hasn’t, while Florida and Alabama have gotten to a level where they’re going to be in the hunt for the whole ball of wax every year no matter what. This isn’t that year for the Tigers, but things are in place to take another step forward to get to that point, while also coming up with a big season if several key parts of the puzzle come together. Auburn might not be able to reach the lofty status of the truly consistent superpowers under Chizik, but that doesn’t mean an SEC title is out of the question in the very near future.

Now beat Alabama.

With 16 starters returning, a set of running backs with as much young talent as any in the nation, a veteran offensive line that should be as good as any in the SEC, a speedy group of veteran wideouts, a nice kicking game and strong special teams, and a no-name (in a positive, something to prove sort of way) defense full of crafty veterans and excellent linebackers, there’s a very nice mix of experience, burgeoning young talent, and enough depth to rely on, there’s no reason to not be a player in the West race and there’s no reason to not expect more. Wild and crazy expectations might be the norm around the SEC, but this team really does have enough talent and potential to do big things. Maybe not SEC title things, but enough to suggest that the Chizik hiring wasn’t so batspit crazy after all.

Now beat Alabama.

While Chizik benefitted from low expectations in his first year, the demand for championship level results will soon be there; just treading water and going bowling won’t be enough. Yeah, 2009 wasn’t awful for Auburn, but the warm fuzzies quickly go away when Tiger fans have to sit idly by and groove on the sight of yappy crimson-clad fans parading through a Wal-Mart to view the BCS crystal football thingy.

Because of the recruiting class and because of the young talent already in place, Chizik will get one more year to be above-average, and in the SEC that means nine wins with a New Year’s Day bowl win. But after losing to Alabama 26-21, and with two straight Iron Bowl losses after dominating for a stretch, it really will come down to winning the big game since now, because of Bama’s status, the game means more than just 365 days of bragging rights.

Arkansas might be the X factor in the West, LSU might be some decent line play away from being a national title contender, Mississippi State is improved, and Ole Miss is going to be much, much better than it’ll get preseason credit for. It’s not going to be easy for Auburn, but this is going to be a strong team that can battle with everyone.

And that includes Alabama.

What to watch for on offense: The attempt to quicken up the pace. Almost all offense in today’s day and age want to speed things up a bit, and Auburn is no exception as offensive coordinator Gus Malzahn would like to take the training wheels off his attack. With so much experience across the board and almost everyone with a year in the system, the goal is to get everyone to quicken their pace a bit, be crisper, and be more decisive. However, that only works if the quarterback play is sharp, and that isn’t going to be a given early considering Cameron Newton (the likely starter) will need a little while to figure out what he’s doing.

What to watch for on defense: The safeties. The Tiger secondary has the potential to be fantastic if everyone is healthy, but that’s a long shot. Aairon Savage (knee), Mike McNeil (broken leg), Zac Etheridge (neck), and Drew Cole (foot) are all banged up to various degrees and all trying the secure spots at safety. Not only do the Tigers need playmakers at safety, but they also need to be healthy to provide depth for a rotation. If the position is a problem, then Daren Bates, a starter in the secondary last year, will have to move from linebacker back to the defensive backfield and then the linebacking depth becomes extremely thin.

The team will be far better if … it can consistently force interceptions. As long as the Tigers are ahead of the game in turnover margin, or even, they should be okay. Last year, they picked off 17 passes with 16 of them coming in the eight wins and just one (Arkansas) coming in a loss. Alabama, Georgia, Kentucky and LSU hardly lit it up through the air, but none of the four threw any picks and everyone but Georgia lost one fumble. The margin for error in the SEC is always going to be relatively thin, and as long as the Tigers are making big plays in the secondary, the offense can afford to take a few chances.

The schedule: If the Tigers are sharp out of the gate, there's no reason to not start the season 7-0 before dealing with the meat of the SEC West schedule. That might be asking for a lot with Clemson, South Carolina, and Arkansas to deal with, bout those three games are at home. Going to Mississippi State and Kentucky aren't going to be layups, but any team hoping to win the West should be good enough to get through those in a survive-and-move-on sort of way. The LSU game is at home, but going on the road to face Ole Miss could be the make-or-break moment in the Auburn season coming off the showdown against the Tigers. On the plus side there’s a week off before playing Alabama, but the game is on the road

Best offensive player: Junior WR Darvin Adams. Tackle Lee Ziemba could end up being the highest rated all-star on the offense, and running backs Onterio McCalebb and/or Michael Dyer are probably the most talented, but it’s Adams who brings the explosion. The 6-3, 192-pounder broke out in the new offense averaging 16.6 yards per catch with a team-leading 60 grabs with ten scores. While he was decent throughout the year, highlighted by a three-score performance against West Virginia, he blew up late with 115 yards and three scores against Furman, four catches for 138 yards and a touchdown against Alabama, and 12 catches for 142 yards against Northwestern.

Best defensive player: Senior LB Josh Bynes and/or Craig Stevens. They appeared to wear down a bit with little depth to help the cause last season, but they came up big time and again finishing 1-2 in tackles (Bynes with 104 and Stevens with 95) as the consistent playmakers who cleaned everything up. They each have good size, nice range, and make every stop that they have a chance at, and considering linebacker depth will be a bit of a concern going into the season, they need to be rocks.

Key player to a successful season: Junior QB Cameron Newton. It seems like years since Auburn has had a settled quarterback situation, and this season isn’t any different with four viable options all capable of making the attack go. But it’s the 6-6, 247-pound Newton who has the talent and upside to make the offense special. The former Florida Gator left the program after an issue with a stolen laptop, but now he appears to be a changed man with the ability and the maturity to become the face of the program. With the arm and the mobility, the skills are all in place, and now he’ll have to keep the mistakes to a minimum and be consistent.

The season will be a success if … the Tigers win nine games … and beat Alabama. The schedule couldn’t work out better with just three road dates before November 26th, no Florida, LSU and Georgia coming to Auburn, and with some nice fillers in Arkansas State, ULM, and Chattanooga. There’s no reason to not win eight of the first 11 games, which would allow for a split of some sort against Clemson, South Carolina, Arkansas, LSU, and Georgia (which are all at home), and budgeting in one road loss at either Kentucky (who’s better than you think) or Ole Miss (who’s much better than you think). Even though the Alabama game is on the road, it’s time to come up with a win again in the rivalry to make the year a true success.

Key game: Besides the Nov. 26th game at Alabama, for obvious reasons, it’s the September 9th date at Mississippi State. The Bulldogs are going to be looking to make an early home statement in the SEC race, and Auburn will be in trouble if it’s not fully jelled. If the Tigers can come up with a win, there’s a chance to go on a terrific run with three straight home games followed up by a winnable game at Kentucky. A loss would put the pressure on with Clemson coming up nine days later.

2009 Fun Stats:
- Punt return average: Opponents 12.9 – Auburn 4.5
- Penalties: Auburn 97 for 847 yards – Opponents 59 for 466 yards
- Fourth down conversions: Opponents 15-of-24 (62%) – Auburn 4-of-14 (29%)

[wesfau2]

Never would have expected to read "Bama" so much in an Auburn preview.

[Tiger Wench]

Auburn Tigers

Preview 2010 - Offense

What You Need To Know: If last year was an inconsistent step under offensive guru Gus Malzahn, then this year should be when the rewards come after the growing pains. It all starts with a line that might have a few depth issues, but returns four very good starters led by OT Lee Ziemba and C Ryan Pugh. Darvin Adams is the best receiver you’ve probably never heard of, and he’ll be deadly with a slew of good targets to take some of the heat off. The ground game that finished 13th in the nation could be even better even without 1,362-yard rusher, Ben Tate. Onterio McCalebb was 2009’s super-recruit, Michael Dyer was this year’s star, and Mario Fannin could be more explosive than both of them. It all comes down to the quarterback situation that desperately needs Florida transfer Cameron Newton to be every bit as good as he appeared to be this offseason. If he’s great, then Malzahn can speed up the play-calling and expand the offense like he wants to.

Returning Leaders

Passing: Neil Caudle
15-20, 170 yds, 1 TD, 1 INT

Rushing: Onterio McCalebb
105 carries, 565 yds, 4 TD

Receiving: Darvin Adams
60 catches, 997 yds, 10 TD
 
Star of the offense: Junior WR Darvin Adams
Player who has to step up and be a star: Junior QB Cameron Newton
Unsung star on the rise: Sophomore WR DeAngelo Benton
Best pro prospect: Senior OT Lee Ziemba
Top three all-star candidates: 1) Ziemba, 2) C Ryan Pugh, 3) Adams
Strength of the offense: Running Back, Line
Weakness of the offense: Proven Quarterback, Consistency


Quarterbacks

Projected Starter: After a major derby this offseason for the starting job, Cam Newton became everything everyone was hoping for. The 6-6, 242-pound bomber started out his career at Florida, had an incident over an alleged theft of a laptop, and ended up transferring. After spending a year leading Blinn College to the NJCAA National Championship with 2,833 yards and 22 touchdowns, with 655 rushing yards and 16 touchdowns, he was a hot prospect once again and he’s the near-perfect fit for the Tiger attack. He’s big, fast, and he knows how to handle the up-tempo style the offense is going to demand. If everything works out according to plan, he’ll become a statistical superstar.

Projected Top Reserves: Very smart and very patient, senior Neil Caudle has waited for his turn for the starting job, but he’ll have to show something truly special to be the main man. The 6-3, 198-pounder was a great recruit for the program with a good arm and the ability to run just enough to not be a stick in the mud, but he doesn’t have the skills of Cam Newton. He saw a little time over the last few years and was a key backup in 2009 completing 15-of-20 passes for 170 yards and a score, while running for 53 yards and a score, and when it all shakes out, he’ll likely be the No. 2 man in the pecking order.

Sophomore Barrett Trotter was expected to be a sleeper in the race for the starting job last year, but he suffered a torn ACL and missed the year. On the plus side, it happened early enough to give him time to heal, but now he’s way behind in the fight for playing time. The 6-2, 210-pounder has the combination of skills to run the offense well with a solid, accurate arm and good running ability, but he’ll likely have to wait his turn and will likely have to hold off until next year to be the No. 2.

Alabama’s Mr. Football of 2008, redshirt freshman Clint Moseley , is being given every shot to be a part of the quarterback derby, but he’s likely the No. 4 man in the mix. The 6-3, 215-pounder has a fantastic arm with great accuracy and touch, and he’s also a runner who can take off from time to time when needed. The leadership ability and the upside are there, but it’s going to be a fight for practice time with so many other great prospects.

Watch Out For … Newton. He’s the total package with size, arm strength, and mobility. After all the issues at Florida, he appears to have his head screwed on straight and seems to be ready to become the face of the program. He could take the offense from good to great.

Strength: Options. There was a logjam of talent last year, and now there’s really an issue for the No. 2 job. Caudle, Trotter, and Moseley have all done enough to impress the coaches in the fight to catch up to Newton.
Weakness: Actual proven production. While there are several terrific prospects, it’s not like anyone has done anything yet. Caudle has mostly been a practice star while Newton and the rest are still relatively green. There will be several mistakes along the way.

Outlook: Newton is hardly a finished product, but he’s good enough as is with the upside to be special. The temptation will be to rush his development to open up the playbook, but in a perfect world he’s allowed to work his way through the early problems until things slow down. He’s the man to beat, but Caudle, Trotter, and Moseley are hardly poor options.
Unit Rating: 7

Running Backs

Projected Starters: The superstar recruit of last year, 5-10, 165-pound sophomore Onterio McCalebb made a big splash early on finishing second on the team with 565 yards and four touchdowns, but he was kept under wraps as the season went on with the emergence of Ben Tate as a star. He ran for 148 yards and a score in the opener against Louisiana Tech and 114 yards and a touchdown against Mississippi State in the first two games, but he suffered an ankle injury and wasn’t quite right the rest of the way. Even though he’s trying to bulk up to around 180 or so, he’s not all that big and he’s not going to power over anyone, but the star that many considered to be the nation’s No. 1 running back recruit last year should put up huge numbers as part of the rotation.

Projected Top Reserves: Part running back, part receiver, senior Mario Fannin finished third on the team running for 285 yards while caching 42 passes for 413 yards and three scores. Also used as a tight end, an H-Back, and a kickoff returner, the 5-11, 227-pound jack-of-all-trades will spend most of his time in the backfield while once again being used in a variety of ways to get his phenomenal speed and quickness on the field. Always banged up early on, he stayed healthy throughout last year and showed what he can do. Now he’ll play where needed with a chance to carry the workload from time to time.

Auburn got one of the nation’s top running back recruits last year in Onterio McCalebb, and it came through again taking away Michael Dyer from Alabama, Florida, and just about everyone else in the SEC. The 5-8, 201-pounder is a thick, downhill, power runner who was the 2009 Arkansas Player of the Year running for 2,502 yards and 12 touchdowns. A phenomenal finisher, he’s not afraid to hit someone and has the speed and quickness to bounce plays to the outside and take it the distance. Even though he has workhorse potential, he’ll be used mostly for ten touches a game and he should be deadly whenever he gets his opportunities.

Junior Eric Smith might be built like a fullback at 5-10 and 240 pounds, and he’ll get plenty of carries after getting the ball 41 times for 182 yards with a touchdown over the last two years, but he’s an H-Back. He got seven starts last season making 18 catches for 226 yards and a score, and now he’ll be used like a tight end as much as a running back.

Watch Out For … Fannin. When it comes to purely running the ball, the 1-2 punch of McCalebb and Dyer should handle most of the load, but Fannin could end up being the starter, at least technically, and he’ll be on the field as much as possible and will get the ball in his hands in a variety of creative ways.
Strength: Talent. Outside of places like Alabama, Virginia Tech, and Wisconsin, good luck finding too many teams with as much superior talent. McCalebb and Dyer might not be Cadillac and Ronnie Brown quite yet, but they’re very, very promising. Now they have to …

Weakness: Prove it. Yeah, McCalebb was terrific when he had his chances, and Dyer has all the tools and skills to be special, but the main man last year was Ben Tate, who carried is 263 of the team’s 550 attempts and was the reliable star for the ground game. It’s time for everyone to play up to the prep hype.

Outlook: The potential is there for the Auburn ground game to go ballistic. Four starters are returning to the offensive front, and they should open the holes needed for McCalebb, Fannin and Dyer to crank out five-plus yards per carry. There will be an excellent rotation with plenty of carries and touches to go around for everyone.
Unit Rating: 8.5

Receivers

Projected Starters: Junior Darvin Adams was supposed to be the team’s breakout receiving star last year, and he didn’t disappoint with a team-leading 60 catches for 997 and ten touchdowns. The 6-3, 192-pound home run hitter averaged 16.6 yards per catch with four 100-yard games. However, three of his scores came against West Virginia and three more came against Furman. He didn’t disappear over the rest of the season, but he didn’t always put up the big numbers until late. And then came the fun with four catches for 138 yards and a score against Alabama and 12 catches for 142 yards against Northwestern to close out with 28 catches for 485 yards and four touchdowns over the final four games.

With Mario Fannin likely to play a bigger role in the backfield, the offense could use more from a No. 2 receiver on the other side of Darvin Adams. 6-1, 211-pound senior Terrell Zachary set the Alabama high school receiving record with 4,672 yards and was a huge recruit for the program, but he missed all of 2007 with academic issues, was a non-factor in 2008, and came up with a decent, steady 2009 catching 26 passes for 477 yards and five touchdowns. Extremely quick with excellent hands, he should flourish now that he knows what he’s doing.

It’s been an interesting career for senior Kodi Burns , who started his career as a dangerous spread quarterback option, but while he was able to run, he couldn’t throw. With a logjam at quarterback, and with the need for a more consistent, accurate passer, he spent last year at receiver making five catches for 46 yards and a touchdown while running 56 times for 175 yards and five scores. He’ll be used in a variety of ways yet again, including at quarterback despite completing just 5-of-15 passes for 75 yards with two scores and two interceptions. At 6-2 and 207 pounds, he’s a tough, dangerous matchup in three wide sets as well as in the Wildcat formation.

Is Philip Lutzenkirchen ready to be a superstar? One of the top tight ends in the 2009 recruiting class, he broke hearts at Georgia and Florida by bringing his tremendous talent to Auburn. At 6-4 and 246 pounds with wide receiver skills, he has prototype NFL H-Back skills with 4.7 speed, toughness, and next-level hands. While he made just five catches for 22 yards and two touchdowns on the year, now he’s expected to be a major part of the passing game and a matchup nightmare down the middle of the field. He could quickly become the team’s most dangerous No. 2 option helping out Darvin Adams, and he’ll also see time in the backfield as a fullback.

Projected Top Reserves: As a true freshman, DeAngelo Benton saw time in every game but only came up with catches against Furman, making six for 88 yards. At 6-2 and 205 pounds he has good size and the talent to become a key part of the attack now that he knows what he’s doing. A great recruit who got away from LSU, after leading his high school team to the Louisiana state title with 40 catches for 947 yards and 15 scores, he’s expected to become a No. 1 target sooner than later.

6-1, 186-pound junior Quindarius Carr is an extremely promising option who came up with a great spring and appears to be ready to shine in the rotation. The star of the spring game catching four passes for 152 yards, he has created a bit of an off-season buzz, but he still has to prove he can produce on a regular basis when the lights are on making just two grabs for 78 yards with a 46-yard score against Northwestern.

While Emory Blake might get lost a bit in the shuffle with so many good targets available, his time is coming soon. The 6-1, 192-pound sophomore was a decent recruit, but he wasn’t considered an elite one. However, he got a start and made nine catches for 66 yards and showed great potential to do more. He’ll start out working behind Kodi Burns, but he’ll get plenty of chances in three and four wide sets.

Watch Out For … Carr. While he’s not going to push Zachery out of a job, his spring game was explosive enough to open up some eyes, and his offseason was good enough to warrant more playing time. At the very least he’ll provide a boost for the depth.

Strength: Experience. Including RB/WR Mario Fannin, four of the top five targets from last year are back. Adams is about to get the recognition he deserves as an elite star, while Zachery is an emerging playmaker. Throw in tight end/H-Back Lutzenkirchen, and the makings are there for something special.

Weakness: Proven depth. Yeah, yeah, yeah, Carr has looked great at times, but it’s easy to find spring game superstars across the college football landscape who did nothing come gametime. Benton has promise and Blake should be good, but it would be nice if more options could emerge in a big hurry.

Outlook: The receiving corps went from mediocre and lost to explosive and promising in just one year. If Adams can step up his play a bit more and continue to be a dangerous deep threat, and if Zachery can hover around 18 yards per catch again, look out. This isn’t going to be the SEC’s best bunch of targets, but it’ll be extremely effective.

Unit Rating: 8

Offensive Line

Projected Starters: Senior Lee Ziemba has been the rock of the line for the last four years starting 38 straight games and earning all-star honors last year at left tackle. At 6-8 and 319 pounds, he’s very tall, very big, and very steady with nice feet and a long frame that’s tough to get around. While he’s built to be a key pass protector, he’s tough enough to flatten defenders in the ground game. A big-time recruit three years ago, he’s the anchor up front and the leader, and while he’s not a brick wall against the better pass rushers, he’s a great technician and wins more than his share of battles.

After working last year at right guard, senior Byron Isom will get a shot at left guard depending on the health of incumbent Mike Berry. Isom is a decent veteran with good toughness and great athleticism for his 6-3 and 302 pound size. A great fit for the Auburn style, he’s excellent on the move and buries defenders when he gets his hands on them. He can play either guard spot and will work where needed.

If senior Mike Berry is 100% healthy, he’s the left guard. The 6-3, 316-pounder is one of the team’s biggest blockers, one of the smartest, and one of the most talented, but he has knee problems and missed time this offseason. While he didn’t earn any all-star recognition, that was an oversight after dominating at times for the ground game. Versatile, he can play anywhere in the interior including at center if absolutely needed. While he’s more of a power run blocker than a spread type of lineman, he adjusted and emerged after struggling early in his career.

6-4, 297-pound senior Ryan Pugh has been a regular starter for the last three years earning Second Team All-SEC honors on the field, and he was great in the classroom earning academic all-star recognition, too. While he has seen time at right tackle, he’s far better suited for the interior where he’s a perfect quarterback for the Tiger attack. Very tough, he fights through everything and always produces.

The one open spot is at right tackle where Andrew McCain is gone. JUCO transfer Roszell Gaydon will have a fight on his hands for the job, but he’s ready to step in and be a rock. The 6-6, 315-pound junior from Minnesota went to the College of the Sequoias before finding his way to Auburn, and now he’s expected to be a major factor. One of the nation’s top JUCO prospects, he can handle himself from Day One.

Projected Top Reserves: Senior Bart Eddins has been a nice career backup and a spot starter, getting the call at right guard against Tennessee, but he’s trying to get back after suffering a knee injury to boost the depth. Able to play guard or center, the 6-4, 304-pounder will be a versatile reserve if he can come back.

6-6, 299-pound junior Brandon Mosley will be in the mix for the open right tackle job battling with Roszell Gaydon. The former tight end is extremely athletic and he was terrific this spring showing excellent feet and polished technique considering he spent most of his time at Coffeyville JC as a defensive end. In time he should be a very physical, very good option.

Junior Jared Cooper is one of the team’s most experienced backup linemen, and he’s one of the most versatile. The 6-4, 300-pounder will be the main backup at left guard and at center, at least early on, but he can play either guard spot. Very smart, he knows what he’s doing whenever he steps in.

Watch Out For … Berry’s knee. If he’s 100%, he’s the left guard and he forms a killer run blocking tandem with Ziemba. While Pugh earned the all-star honors, Berry was the team’s best run blocker at times and he should get more recognition once he’s okay.

Strength: Experience and run blocking. The Tigers finished 13th in the nation in running averaging 212 yards per game as the line adapted to the Gus Malzahn offense quicker than expected. With four starters returning and two good JUCO transfers fighting for the open spot, there should be more of the same.

Weakness: Depth. If Eddins isn’t right, the depth might not be quite as strong as the coaching staff might like, at least early on. There’s promise and potential, but there will be plenty of prayers for several young, untested players to be ready if injuries strike.

Outlook: The line turned into a positive last year and it should be one of the team’s bigger strengths. Ziemba and Pugh are All-SEC talents, Berry isn’t far off, and Isom is a strong veteran. As long as the starting combination can stay intact, and if there’s a bit more production in pass protection, this will be one of the SEC’s stronger lines.
Unit Rating: 8

[Tiger Wench]

Auburn Tigers

Preview 2010 - Defense

What You Need To Know: Defensive coordinator Ted Roof wanted the Tigers to be more aggressive and do more to get into the backfield, but it didn’t necessarily happen without the consistent production hoped for. Now there’s experience and depth to potentially do far more after giving up 20 points or more against everyone but Louisiana Tech in the opener. The problem is in the uncertainty, mainly at safety. Just about every safety option is coming off an injury of some degree, but there’s an expectation that enough pieces are in place for Daren Bates, a starting safety last year, to play a key role at linebacker to join Josh Bynes and Craig Stevens as the strength of the defense. The line needs a pass rusher to emerge to replace Antonio Coleman, but there should be a strong rotation at end, while Mike Blanc leads a decent group of tackles. If everyone is healthy, the potential is there for this to be a top 20 defense. Not everyone is going to be healthy.

Returning Leaders
Tackles: Josh Bynes, 104

Sacks: Mike Blanc, 3.5

Interceptions: Neiko Thorpe, 2

 
Star of the defense: Senior LB Josh Bynes
Player who has to step up and be a star: Junior NG Nick Fairley
Unsung star on the rise: Redshirt freshman DE Nosa Eguae
Best pro prospect: Sophomore CB T’Sharvan Bell
Top three all-star candidates: 1) Bynes, 2) LB Craig Stevens, 3) S/LB Daren Bates
Strength of the defense: Experience, Linebacker
Weakness of the defense: Safety Health, Consistent Run Defense

Defensive Line

Projected Starters: The line needs a new pass rusher to replace Antonio Coleman, and the hope is for senior Antoine Carter to kick his game up a few notches. The 6-4, 256-pounder started the second half of last year when Michael Goggans was struggling, and he showed off this offseason that he’s on the verge of blowing up after making 30 tackles with 1.5 sacks and 4.5 tackles for loss. He has bulked up over the last few years, has been a good part of the rotation, and now he’ll get his shot to shine.

After spending last year as a key back up and a spot starter who got the call in the opener against Louisiana Tech, 6-5, 298-pound junior Nick Fairley will get the first look at Jake Ricks’ spot in the middle of the line on the nose. While he’s not necessarily built for the position, he’s an athletic interior pass rusher who was dominant at the JUCO level before making 28 tackles with 1.5 sacks and 3.5 tackles for loss last year for the Tigers.

If Nosa Eguae doesn’t start, he’ll be a key factor at both end spots. The 6-2, 249-pound redshirt freshman is a great tackler with a fantastic burst from the outside with linebacker athleticism and lineman toughness. Consistency will be his key, but while he wasn’t an elite prospect, he has the look and the ability to become terrific over the next four years.

Senior Mike Blanc isn’t flashy and he isn’t going to make any all-star teams, but he’s a tough, strong interior presence who came up with 44 tackles with 3.5 sacks and 6.5 tackles for loss. He’s a hard worker and moves extremely well for a 6-4, 289-pounder, and while he’s not necessarily an anchor, he’s a good veteran who will be a key part of the puzzle. He’s far better suited to be a one-gap tackle, but he can play on the nose if needed.

Projected Top Reserves: Consider Michael Goggans a starter on the end, and he could take the job back this summer. He started over the first half of last year after starting every game as a sophomore making 23 tackles, but he didn’t do nearly enough to get into the backfield making just one sack (with just two in 37 career games and 18 starts) and 2.5 tackles for loss. He was still a part of the mix and was a key backup. While he had a great offseason, he was terrific last spring as well and it didn’t translate. At 6-3 and 261 pounds and with tremendous athleticism (he was a top tight end recruit), the tools are there, but now the senior has to come through with a consistent final year.

Senior Zach Clayton was never right last year suffering an ankle injury that wouldn’t go away, but he’s back to healthy and appears ready to become the factor on the inside he was expected to become in 2009. At 6-3 and 293 pounds he has nice size and the versatility to play on either tackle spot after making seven tackles and a tackle for loss in six games, and now he’ll push Mike Blanc for time.

Sophomore Dee Ford saw time in every game as a true freshman and he showed off why he has the potential to be one of the team’s stronger pass rushers. The 6-4, 240-pounder has a nice frame and is extremely active both as a pass rusher and a run stopper with good lateral movement. He made 12 tackles with a sack and an interception, but he was in the quarterback’s face often throughout the year. Don’t be shocked if he starts.

Watch Out For … the end rotation. Is Goggans going to start? How about Ford? It doesn’t matter much with all four top end prospects pushing for starting time, and the twos will get almost as much action as the ones.
Strength: Depth. Now that Clayton is healthy, the tackle situation is strong even after losing Jake Ricks, while there will be a terrific rotation on the outside. Fresh bodies aren’t going to be a problem.

Weakness: Getting physical. The run defense didn’t exactly get gouged last year, but it was consistently mediocre giving up over 200 yards to teams like Arkansas and Kentucky. While things improved over the final month of the year, holding Alabama to 73 yards rushing, on the season the Auburn run defense allowed 25 scores. The line has to beat more people up.

Outlook: There’s a nice mix of size, athleticism, and experience, and while there isn’t much star power with Antonio Coleman gone, the Tiger defensive front has a good rotation and should be more active at all four spots. The chances will be there for someone to step up and become a star on the end, while the tackles should be just good enough to hold up against the better running teams.

Unit Rating: 7

Linebacker

Projected Starters: Senior Josh Bynes took over the full-time job and never let it go with a team-leading 104 stops with a sack, an interception, six tackles for loss and seven broken up passes. The 6-2, 239-pounder doesn’t miss an open field stop and he’s the physical presence in the middle of the corps putting up big numbers when things are funneled his way. With great range, he can get to the ball, too, but he’s not a big playmaker in the backfield; he uses his athleticism more in pass coverage.

6-3, 224-pound senior Craig Stevens has been a great running mate and made some noise of his own last season finishing second on the team with 95 tackles with 2.5 sacks and eight tackles for loss. While not as physical as Josh Bynes, he’s tough on the outside and is allowed to be aggressive and disruptive to make big plays. He can play either outside spot, and while he spent most of his time last year on the strongside, he’ll get a look on the weakside early this fall.

Its hardly a lock that junior Eltoro Freeman will take back the starting spot he owned on the outside for most of last season, but he’ll see more than his share of time. The 5-11, 225-pound former JUCO transfer is a big time athlete who makes up for his average size with excellent quickness. Physical, he’s not bad at fighting off blockers and helping to blow up plays, and now he has stay healthy after getting banged around throughout last season. He saw time in ten games making 41 tackles with a sack, but he can do far more on the outside.

Projected Top Reserves: Sophomore Daren Bates is a safety … at least that’s how he looks at 5-11 and 203 pounds. But after stating every game as a true freshman and finishing fourth on the team with 70 tackles with an interception and three broken up passes, the coaching staff is tinkering around with the idea of putting him at linebacker. He could quickly move back to safety if injuries strike, but he has proven to be tough enough and physical enough to handle himself as an outside linebacker, even if he’s part of a rotation.

The opening is there for someone to step up and fill a void at backup linebacker, and true freshman Jessel Curry might get the job done. At 6-1 and 209 pounds he’s hardly build like a tough defender, but he’s a tackling machine with the quickness and raw speed to get around and through the trash to the ball. He enrolled early and was great this offseason, and he’ll get very shot to show what he can do.

At 5-11 and 230 pounds, sophomore Jonathan Evans has the size and the tackling ability to become a statistical star whenever he gets on the field. While he didn’t do anything to get into the backfield in his true freshman season, he made 28 tackles as a key reserve while getting the start against Northwestern. He’s a big hitter who’ll be a starter next year.

Watch Out For … Bates. He has to be on the field somewhere, and with the safety position suddenly looking deep, he should shine as a sort of hybrid safety/outside linebacker. However, he has to prove he can hold up at his size. Already with a shoulder problem that required offseason surgery, he’s going to get banged around.

Strength: The starters. Stevens has started every game over the last two seasons and Bynes was a rock last year. Throw in the experience of Freeman and Bates and four excellent starters with a ton of experience are back. The starters know what they’re doing.

Weakness: Depth. The starters wore down as games went on with little behind them to help in a rotation. The coaching staff is trying to remedy the problem by moving Bates and hoping for some newcomers to play significant roles, but if the second teamers don’t shine, the first teamers are going to look like they’re running in mud by the end of the year.

Outlook: The potential is there for this to be one of the team’s biggest strengths if Bynes and Stevens are Bynes and Stevens again, Freeman and Bates shine in the third slot, and some other options emerge to keep everyone fresh. This is a very active, smart group that isn’t the beefed up group of safeties of past Auburn linebacking corps (at least outside of Bates). This is an aggressive unit that should be a major plus.

Unit Rating: 8

Secondary

Projected Starters: In an interesting secondary situation with several unknowns, the one player who should be set and ready to fly is junior Neiko Thorpe at one corner. The 6-2, 192-pound veteran started every game last year and was terrific against the run finishing third on the team with 84 stops, but inconsistent when the ball was in the air making two picks with nine broken up passes. With the corner situation a bit thin after D’Antoine Hood decided to leave the team, Thorpe will have to be even more of a rock and he’ll have to be more of a ball hawker against No. 1 targets.

Senior Demond Washington will have to battle to hold on to his starting corner job, but he’s a hard worker, the coaching staff likes what he brings, and he appears to have improved after a strong offseason. The former JUCO transfer is only 5-9 and 182 pounds, but he moves well with elite cutting ability and is physical for his size getting two starts late in the year at strong safety. Being used in a variety of ways in the secondary, he made 36 tackles with four broken up passes, but he made his biggest mark as a kickoff returner setting the school record with a 31.1 yard average.

The hope and the plan is for junior Mike McNeil to be back to form after missing all of last year with a broken leg. The 6-2, 208-pounder made 65 tackles two years ago as the team’s second-leading tackler, and the hope was for him to become a quarterback of the secondary at one of the safety spots before getting hurt in spring ball. With more than a year to recover, he’ll be back in the mix, but he has to do more when the ball is in the air.

Senior Aairon Savage was on the verge of becoming an SEC star. The 5-11, 200-pounder was an all-star as freshman making 53 tackles with two sacks, and he was having a nice sophomore campaign before getting hurt with an ankle injury that kept him on the bench for half the year. Expected to be back and ready to roll in 2008, he suffered a horrendous knee injury just before the start of the year that cost him the last two seasons, but now the hope is that he’s finally going to be back and ready to start again. After starting out his career as a corner, he moved to safety where he’ll try to play again this year, and with his fight and high character, he could be one of the feel-good stories of the 2010 SEC season.

Projected Top Reserves: Sophomore T’Sharvan Bell might be the best athlete on the Auburn defense. The 6-0, 179-pound corner with tremendous quickness and good smarts at the corner. He only made nine tackles in his limited action, but he came up with three interceptions, the most of any returning player, with two picks coming in the bowl win over Northwestern. While he’s not going to start, he’s going to push for time and will be the first man off the bench at both corner spots.

Can Zac Etheridge make it back? He seems to think so, but it’s asking way too much for the one-time starter at strong safety to return this year after suffering a frightening, season-ending neck injury against Ole Miss. He made 65 tackles as a freshman and 75 as a sophomore, and he was on his way to a terrific season making 52 tackles in nine games before the injury.

Junior Mike Slade has to be ready in case Savage isn’t healthy and back to form. The 6-3, 190-pounder is built more like a tall corner, but he’s a decent safety prospect who made 13 tackles with a broken up pass in his limited time. He has had injury issues of his own, but when he’s right he has a great combination of smarts, size, and speed to fill in at either safety spot.

Along with seemingly everyone else at safety, junior Drew Cole was hurt missing most of the year with a foot injury. Fast enough to be considered at corner, he moved over to safety early on and made three tackles last year. Mostly a special teamer so far, the spotlight will be on with so many concerns in the secondary.

Watch Out For … the depth chart written in pencil. Who’s healthy this week? Who’s the fourth-best corner option? Who’s ready to play at safety? It could be a guess each week to figure out the starting lineup.

Strength: Experience … potentially. The only positive with all the injury issues was the experience gained by several untested players. Daren Bates, who’ll get a look at linebacker, could quickly move back to safety to solve several potential problems, and the hope will be for McNeil and Savage to be back and healthy.

Weakness: Injuries. It would be comical if it wasn’t so disappointingly sad. From Etheridge to McNeill to Savage, and to a lesser extent Slade and Cole, the secondary can’t count on anyone to last through the season.
Outlook: Because of all the injuries and all the juggling of lineups, Auburn’s secondary can be forgiven for a mediocre year. Corner depth is a big issue, safety health is a bigger problem, and finding some semblance of consistency will be an ongoing fight. If everyone is close to 100%, the pass defense should be great … but that’s a giant if.

Unit Rating: 7

Special Teams

Projected Starters: In a league of great kickers, senior Wes Byrum was among the best and didn’t get much recognition for it. After hitting 28-of-42 field goals in his first two years, he nailed 15-of-16 shots last season including a 49-yarder against Louisiana Tech. His only miss came from 46 yards away against Kentucky, and then he nailed his last seven attempts. He doesn’t have a cannon for a leg, but it’s good enough to be used on a regular basis from inside 50 yards.

Senior Ryan Shoemaker was fantastic as a freshman earning all-star honors averaging 42.4 yards per punt, but lost something off his fastball, became erratic, and didn’t even play last year. Now a senior, he has to show off his solid leg and he has to make up for the loss of Clinton Durst, who didn’t blast away but put 21 inside the 20 and forced 25 fair catches.

Defensive back Demond Washington came up with a great year setting the Auburn single-season record averaging 31.1 yards per kickoff return with a touchdown. Running back Mario Fannin wasn’t bad, averaging 21.2 yards per try, and Onterrio McCalebb averaged 24.7 yards per pop. Between the three, the kickoff return game will be more than fine, while receiver Quindarius Carr will get the first look at taking over for Philip Pierre-Louis, who averaged 4.5 yards per try, as the main punt returner.

Watch Out For … Shoemaker. The Auburn punting game has been excellent over the last few seasons, and while the net stats might not have looked pretty, finishing 64th in the nation, but that was because so many kicks were put inside the 20. Shoemaker has done it before, and he needs to be decent.

Strength: Byrum, along with the kickoff return game. Considering Auburn played five games decided by seven points or fewer, the more Byrum can do, the better. If he can build on his terrific 2009, the Tigers will win at least two games because of him. With three great options, the return game will be among the best in the SEC.
Weakness: Punt returns. The Tigers should’ve been better last year, but they couldn’t find anyone to consistently make anything happen for the punt return game. Four players combined to average 4.5 yards per shot and no one came up with anything big. It won’t take much for Carr to do more.

Outlook: The special teams were among the best in the nation in 2008 and were a mixed back last year, and now the potential is there to be excellent if Shoemaker can produce and if the punt return game improves. The coverage teams could stand to be stronger, but if everything else works, Auburn should have an advantage in most games.

Unit Rating: 7.5

[wesfau2]

Random thoughts/reactions:

McCalebb is 5'10"??

No mention of Reed in the WR rotation?  They mention Gayden helping out, so I assume they took into account the new guys.

Best pro prospect on defense is....T'Sharvan Bell???  A reserve?

No mention of Bonomolo in the DE rotation?  See above re: Gayden.

LBs: they mention Curry, but not Owens or any other new guys.

Some good in that review, some bad, and some inexplicable.

[AuburnChopper 3.0]

Random thoughts/reactions:

McCalebb is 5'10"??

No mention of Reed in the WR rotation?  They mention Gayden helping out, so I assume they took into account the new guys.

Best pro prospect on defense is....T'Sharvan Bell???  A reserve?

No mention of Bonomolo in the DE rotation?  See above re: Gayden.

LBs: they mention Curry, but not Owens or any other new guys.

Some good in that review, some bad, and some inexplicable.

Agreed.  It ready much like a kid writing a last minute book report based on Cliff's Notes.   Pretty basic, non-homework level stuff.

Oh...and my eyes exploded from the length. 

[JR4AU]

Agreed.  It ready much like a kid writing a last minute book report based on Cliff's Notes.   Pretty basic, non-homework level stuff.

Oh...and my eyes exploded from the length. 

ditto

[RWS]

No mention of Bonomolo in the DE rotation?  See above re: Gayden.

I think Bonomolo just had a recent shoulder surgery? The author might just be waiting to see if he will be good to go this season. 

[AuburnChopper 3.0]

I think Bonomolo just had a recent shoulder surgery? The author might just be waiting to see if he will be good to go this season. 

Well.  Thanks for clearing that up, Francis. 

[GH2001]

Well.  Thanks for clearing that up, Francis. 

Don't call him Francis....

[Townhallsavoy]

CFN went downhill once they joined up with Scout.  Fiutak used to be great.  He really did his homework and provided valuable insight that started a lot of football discussion amongst my friends and me.   

But now he tries to play the agenda card along with acting like he's the Know-All of college football.  He spends more time learning the names of the 2nd string quarterback for teams like Delaware State Tech Kentucky Institute than he does learning the changes on Auburn's defensive line.  And then he calls people out on their lack of DSTKI knowledge. 

[AWK]

CFN went downhill once they joined up with Scout.  Fiutak used to be great.  He really did his homework and provided valuable insight that started a lot of football discussion amongst my friends and me.   

But now he tries to play the agenda card along with acting like he's the Know-All of college football.  He spends more time learning the names of the 2nd string quarterback for teams like Delaware State Tech Kentucky Institute than he does learning the changes on Auburn's defensive line.  And then he calls people out on their lack of DSTKI knowledge. 

Does Delaware State Tech Kentucky Institute have a deep snapper on scholarship?  Snaggle wants to know.

[BZ770]

Wes Byrum a SR PK might be our best weapon on the team.  Look for his foot to win some of the close ones this year.

[Jumbo]

Does Delaware State Tech Kentucky Institute have a deep snapper on scholarship?  Snaggle wants to know.

The first cut is the deepest.

[Snaggletiger]

DSTKI does in fact have a very good deep snapper.  However, he is rumored to have been at some agents party in Miami earlier this summer and he's currently being questioned by the NCAA.  He may wind up being ineligible, which would throw their entire Fighting Parakeets season into turmoil.

[AuburnChopper 3.0]

DSTKI does in fact have a very good deep snapper.  However, he is rumored to have been at some agents party in Miami earlier this summer and he's currently being questioned by the NCAA.  He may wind up being ineligible, which would throw their entire Fighting Parakeets season into turmoil.

Damn.  Can't catch a break.