Stidham, Tigers to vie for SEC West title
Auburn won 12 games and played for the national title during Gus Malzahn’s first season as head coach. During the next three years, the Tigers won no more than eight games in a season. But with the grumbling on The Plains growing to a fever pitch, Malzahn’s squad ended Alabama’s three-year run as SEC West winners in 2017. Expected by many to be on the hot seat by season’s end, Malzahn instead signed a seven-year $49 million contract extension with nearly $37 million guaranteed.
The Tigers fielded one of the nation’s top defenses and finally found a big-time quarterback, Baylor transfer Jarrett Stidham. Losses to Georgia in the SEC title game and UCF in the Peach Bowl ended the season on a down note. The future, though, looks bright.
Auburn is No. 9 in Orlando Sentinel college insider Matt Murschel’s 2018 preseason college football rankings. Murschel ranked all 129 Football Bowl Subdivision teams in the country. The Sentinel staff takes a closer look at a new team daily, counting backward from No. 129 to our projected No. 1 team. Auburn Gus Malzahn (45-22 entering sixth season, 54-25 overall)
10-4, 7-1 in Southeastern Conference; first in West Division
A 14-6 loss in Week 2 to reigning national champion Clemson made it clear Auburn had an elite defense. Gus Malzahn’s offense, though, was going to be a work in progress with Stidham. The Tigers rode a power run game led by Kerryon Johnson until Stidham found his footing. Once he did, Auburn turned in the best November in the nation, beating Georgia 40-17 and Alabama 26-14 in the span of three weeks to capture the SEC West title.
Auburn no-showed against Georgia in the SEC title game, losing 28-7. Then on New Year’s Day, Auburn fell 34-27 to unbeaten UCF, a team with SEC speed and a killer instinct the Tigers could have used down the stretch. 4 5
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RB Kerryon Johnson, DE/LB Jeff Holland, OL Austin Golson, S Tray Matthews, K Carlson Daniel
QB Jarrett Stidham, WR Ryan Davis, WR Darius Slayton, G Marquel Harrell, DT Derrick Brown, LB Deshaun Davis
Stidham, a junior, gives Auburn its best passer since Cam Newton, allowing Malzahn to open up his playbook.
Few SEC defenses are as talented and deep up front as the Tigers. Junior tackle Darrick Brown could be a top-10 NFL draft pick while senior Dontavius Russell and junior end Marlon Davidson have pro futures.
Johnson will be missed after rushing for an SEC-leading 1,391 yards and scoring 20 touchdowns last season. Auburn’s offensive line also must offset the loss of All-SEC talents Braden Smith and Austin Golson.
While Auburn’s front seven is expected to be stout, the Tigers’ secondary is a concern. The unit lacks experience and depth.
Behind Stidham and a harassing defense, Auburn could challenge again in the SEC West. The key will be establishing a running game while developing quickly on the back end of the defense.