Auburn has been a team of many transitions since 2007, and are undergoing another one this season. The spread offense of Gus Malzahn is no more, replaced by a move to a pro-set attack. Defensive coordinator Brian Van Gorder tries to straighten out the mess Ted Roof made. There is a quarterback battle afoot, and question marks at running back, as a collection of spread backs tries to make the transition to a physical offensive style. Auburn might be the most unpredictable team in the SEC in 2012.
Returning Offensive Starters: 5 (SE, FL, TE, C, LG)
Returning Defensive Starters: 9 (RDE, RDT, LDT, LDE, ROLB, LOLB, RCB, LCB, SS)
Returning Specialists: 2 (P, PK)
Projected Overall Record: 7-5 (UA, Ark, Clem, LSU, UGA)
Projected SEC Record: 4-4 (UA, Ark, LSU, UGA)
Projected SEC West Record: 3-3 (UA, Ark, LSU)
Ratings (Ex, Vg, Av, Fr, Pr)
Quarterbacks: Fr Defensive Line: Vg
Running Backs: Fr Linebackers: Fr
Wide Receivers: Vg Defensive Backs: Fr
Offensive Line: Fr Special Teams: Vg
OFFENSE
Auburn’s move from a pure spread look to something more resembling a pro-style attack will take some time. The Tigers don’t have a real fullback on campus, so they’ll be forced to either concoct one, or concentrate their efforts on a one-back offensive style similar to what Alabama runs. The Tigers also need to rebuild an offensive line that wasn’t the most physical unit under the Malzahn scheme. The biggest issue is quarterback, where injuries and a steep learning curve figure to cause some problems.
QUARTERBACKS (rating: Fr; 6th SEC West, 12th overall)
Auburn allegedly has a quarterback battle going between Kiehl Frazier and Clint Moseley, but the battle might have been over before it started. Moseley is battling a recurring shoulder issue that might take him out of the running before the end of camp. Moseley, even when healthy, has below-average arm strength and was generally a non-factor in 2011. Frazier is a mobile quarterback with good running skills, but was erratic as a passer last year. With the offense moving away from Frazier’s natural strengths and towards more of a pocket-based offense, he’ll really have to improve to become a weapon for the Tigers. If Moseley can’t go and Frazier struggles, the options behind them are limited. The best of the rest is headed probably by true freshman Jonathan Wallace, who ideally needs a couple of seasons on the bench while he adjusts to the speed of college play.
RUNNING BACKS (rating: Fr; 6th SEC West, 11th overall)
How good this unit is or isn’t depends on one’s opinion of how good Onterio McCalebb is going to be in a non-spread offense. McCalebb has elite speed, but is a small running back who just last season began to show he wasn’t afraid of contact. McCalebb’s best work is as an outside runner, or on draw-action plays where he isn’t asked to take on a defender head-on. While he hits home runs with the best of them, durability will be an issue over the course of a long season. Auburn’s plight got worse when Jovon Robinson was declared ineligible after an investigation into his high school transcript produced evidence of malfeasance, and with Robinson’s departure goes the one running back cut out for a pro-style attack. Tre Mason, Corey Grant and Mike Blakely remain, with Blakely the beefiest of the three. Mason is the most experienced and has shown flashes of next-level talent, but needs to be more consistent and not disappear for stretches of the game. Grant, formerly of Alabama, is a pure scatback. Auburn didn’t have a fullback on the roster prior to this season, so converted linebacker/tight end Chris Landrum was moved there early in fall camp. Jay Prosch is also working there.
WIDE RECEIVERS (rating: Vg; 3rd SEC West, 5th overall)
This should be a position of strength for Auburn in 2012 and help lessen the pressure on the quarterback group. Tight end Philip Lutzenkirchen may be the best at his position in the conference, and certainly is the best H-back and/or slot receiver of the SEC’s tight ends. He’s also an underrated blocker and can play fullback in a pinch. If Auburn decides to go to a two-tight-end set, however, he’ll need some help. There is a quality drop-off from Lutzenkirchen back to Brandon Fulse and C.J. Uzomah, and none of the three have ideal size to play on the line in the Y position. At receiver, Emory Blake has emerged as one of the conference’s best deep threats and big-play receivers. He returned for his senior season and will head up an experienced group that includes Travante Stallworth and Trovon Reed. Quan Bray has speed and athleticism, but lacks size. Two freshmen, redshirt Sammie Coates and true freshman Ricardo Louis, figure to round out the top group. DeAngelo Benton is entering now-or-never land, while Jaylon Denson needs to begin to live up to his prep hype.
OFFENSIVE LINE (rating: Fr, 6th SEC West, 13th overall)
This is a major problem spot for Auburn across the board. Reese Dismukes gives Auburn experience at center, but after that it’s a free-for-all. John Sullen is steady and has the most experience of anyone else, but injuries have kept him off the field in fall camp. If he can get healthy, he’ll probably start at either left guard or right tackle. He’d be much more effective inside than outside, but the tackle positions are in a total state of flux. Greg Robinson, a freshman, figures to win one of them, with either Chad Slade or freshman Patrick Miller getting the other. If Miller takes right tackle, look for Slade to move to the guard position opposite Sullen, or that could go to another freshman, Alex Kozan. If Sullen can’t go, Christian Westerman may be forced into duty despite not being ready for it. Tunde Fariyike will be the top backup at center and guard, but he hasn’t progressed as fast as hoped. For a team making the transition from spread to power offense, having a line this unsettled is not a good sign.
DEFENSE
Auburn fired Ted Roof and hired Brian Van Gorder, formerly of Georgia, to rework not just the defensive scheme, but the defensive attitude. The defense was soft under Roof despite having a defensive line that boasts solid talent. Auburn returns nine starters and will work from the same 4-3 alignment as last year, so the transition doesn’t figure to be as abrupt as it could have been. The key will be selecting the right linebackers, and getting an underachieving secondary under control.
DEFENSIVE LINE (rating: Vg; 3rd SEC West, 4th overall)
This group will shoulder most of the load during the rebuilding process, absolutely. Auburn has good depth inside and out, and is led at end by Corey Lemonier, one of the most feared pass rushers in the SEC. Nosa Eguae starts opposite him, but needs to get more consistent or Dee Ford, another pass-rushing specialist, will eventually pass him on the depth chart. LaDarius Owens and Craig Sanders will battle for the other reserve end position. Inside, Jeffrey Whitaker will start at one tackle position opposite either Kenneth Carter or Gabe Wright. Angelo Blackson and Devaunte Sigler provide depth. Jamar Travis is also available, and Auburn recruited several talented players at tackle during the offseason. There should be no problems here.
LINEBACKERS (rating: Fr, 6th SEC West, 11th overall)
There may not be issues at defensive line, but there are definitely issues at linebacker. Aside from Daren Bates, Auburn has nothing but questions. Bates, however, is underrated, thanks mostly to his aggressive style of play. He forces opposing offensive players to be aware of his location, lest they be beheaded on a tough lick. Essentially, he is the football equivalent to former Kentucky basketball enforcer Gimel Martinez. Bates also has good speed and can cover a back out of the backfield. The rest of the group, though, are either upperclassmen without top-end speed or athleticism (Jonathan Evans, Jake Holland) or newcomers with unknown abilities (Kris Frost, Justin Garrett, Cassanova McKenzy). Look for Holland to start in the middle with Evans at the weakside position for now, but the youngsters will get plenty of work.
DEFENSIVE BACKS (rating: Fr, 5th SEC West, 10th overall)
This is a veteran unit, but one that needs to get a lot better if Auburn is to make any noise in the SEC West. The problem comes primarily from the cornerback position, where neither Chris Davis nor T’Sharvan Bell have been able to hold down SEC receivers consistently. Bell’s position likely will go to Robenson Therezie, while Jonathon Mincy will challenge Davis. At safety, Demetruce McNeal and Erique Florence are in battles at safety with Ryan Smith and Jermaine Whitehead. There is plenty of experience to be had in this group, but effectiveness has been a sore spot. The safeties will be especially pressured given the situation at linebacker.
SPECIAL TEAMS (rating: Vg, 3rd SEC West, 3rd overall)
Finally, a position group with few question marks. The kicking situation is in fine hands with Cody Parkey at kicker and Steven Clark at punter. The only potential question mark is in the return game, where Auburn needs to solidify the return specialists and coverage units. Quan Bray figures to get a long look at both punt and kickoff returner. Trovon Reed and Onterio McCalebb are also in the mix, but with McCalebb set to be the starting running back, how much work he gets on special teams is yet to be determined.