USA TODAY International Edition
AUBURN SEEKING RETURN TO THICK OF SEC RACE
Tigers expect Muschamp, new QB to help
Each weekend leading up to the July 30 release of the preseason college football Amway Coaches Poll, USA TODAY Sports will look at a team that is likely to be highly ranked. This week: Auburn.
The situation: When you’re the defending Southeastern Conference champion and just played for a national title, anything short of that is going to be viewed as a letdown. Even so, the Tigers’ 8- 5 campaign that finished with an overtime Outback Bowl loss to Wisconsin was a major disappointment, prompting changes on Gus Malzahn’s coaching staff.
Key returners and losses: Schematically, the offense should not look very different. But a lot of the guys operating the spread attack will be, starting with the triggerman. Succeeding Nick Marshall at quarterback will be Jeremy Johnson, who won’t be as much of a dual threat but possesses a big arm. He has had a couple of years to learn the playbook, so he should be able to take full advantage of two experienced receivers.
NFL- bound Sammie Coates will not be one of them, but D’haquille Williams decided to return for his senior year. He’ll be joined by classmate and fellow field stretcher Ricardo Louis to provide constant scoring threats.
The backfield will feature new faces with the departures of Cameron Artis- Payne and Corey Grant. But sophomore Roc Thomas could be ready to step in as the featured rusher. Former top recruit Jovon Robinson is also back at Auburn after a junior college stint and could be ready to contribute.
The biggest hole to fill on the offensive line is at center, where Reese Dismukes was a four- year starter. There’s better news at the tackles, where Shon Coleman and Avery Young are back.
There will be more returning starters in camp on the defensive side, but that unit was the source of most of the Tigers’ struggles in 2014. The return of Will Muschamp figures to address that issue. Though his head coaching stint at Florida didn’t work out as he’d have liked, his track record as a defensive coordinator has fans expecting immediate improvement.
The formation will look different with a three- man front, but tackle Montravius Adams should continue to anchor the interior. The linebacker group will be built around top tacklers Cassanova McKinzy and Kris Frost. Newcomer Byron Cowart, a muchsought- after rush end, could make an immediate impact. He might have to in order to compensate for a thin secondary, though help arrives there as well in cornerback Blake Countess, a transfer from Michigan.
Key number: 42. Auburn slipped to 4- 4 in SEC play last season, and one need not look far to determine the major cause. In their four league losses, the Ti- gers surrendered 168 points ( an average of 42). The low point for the defense was the 55- 44 setback against Alabama in which the Crimson Tide rushed for 227 yards and gained 539 overall.
2015 schedule: Sept. 5 vs. Louisville in Atlanta; Sept. 12 vs. Jacksonville State; Sept. 19 at LSU; Sept. 26 vs. Mississippi State; Oct. 3 vs. San Jose State; Oct. 15 at Kentucky; Oct. 24 at Arkansas; Oct. 31 vs. Mississippi; Nov. 7 at Texas A& M; Nov. 14 vs. Georgia; Nov. 21 vs. Idaho; Nov. 28 vs. Alabama.
Sandwiched between the always- anticipated SEC opener vs. LSU and the annual Iron Bowl finale are plenty of other potential hazards in the league. But even before those occur, there’s that non- conference challenge to kick things off against Louisville. The Tigers’ young starters will be tested early.
Why this is a top 25 team: The SEC West is a tough neighborhood, but there’s a lot to like about the mix of veteran talent and top recruits. If they all mesh quickly, the Tigers should be on the prowl again.