EARLY BIRD 2006 COLLEGE FOOTBALL PREVIEW
RELEASED THANKSGIVING 2005
AUBURN TIGERS
OFFENSE - 5
------RETURNING STARTERS------
DEFENSE - 5
KEY LOSSES
OFFENSE: Jake Slaughter-FB, Ben Obomanu-WR, Devin Aromashodu-WR, Anthony Mix-WR, Cooper Wallace-TE, Marcus McNeill-OT, Troy Reddick-OT
DEFENSE: T.J. Jackson-NG, Wayne Dickens-DT, Travis Williams-LB, Antarrious Williams-LB, David Irons-CB, Stanley McClover-DE (NFL)
Defensive Back

The pass coverage will only get better for the Tigers. Led by senior Will Herring, this group has logged some serious playing time.

Receiver

The top three pass catchers are all gone. The void is filled if Courtney Taylor regains his usual dominating style after a 2005 injury.

TB Kenny Irons
 
DE Stanley McClover
 

* DEPTH CHARTS were only designed as a simplistic gauge for listing players that departed and players that received the most playing experience (consistent starters). NationalChamps.net recognizes the importance of missing personnel data not listed such as redshirts, transfers, injuries, incoming recruits, back ups and alternates. Their coverage will begin with our full 2006 Preseason Preview due out this coming spring.
AUBURN 2006 DEPTH CHART
Returning Starters/
Key Players
OFFENSE
QB Brandon Cox-Jr Blake Field-So
FB Mike McLaughlin-So ..
TB Kenny Irons-Sr Tre Smith-Sr
WR Prechae Rodriguez-Jr ..
WR Courtney Taylor-Sr ..
TE Cole Bennett-Sr ..
OT .. ..
OG Ben Grubbs-Sr ..
C Joe Cope-Sr ..
OG Tim Duckworth-Sr Jonathan Palmer-Sr
OT .. ..
K John Vaughn-Sr ..
DEFENSE
DE Marquies Gunn-Sr Quentin Groves-Jr
NG Tez Doolittle-Jr ..
DT .. ..
DE .. Chris Browder-Sr
LB Karibi Dede-Sr Kevin Sears-Sr
LB Chris Evans-So ..
LB Merrill Johnson-So ..
CB Montavis Pitts-Sr ..
CB Patrick Lee-Jr Jonathan Wilhite-Jr
SS Eric Brock-Jr Steve Gandy-Jr
FS Will Herring-Sr ..
P Kody Bliss-Sr ..
QUICK ANALYSIS

The Tigers will return so many elements of their SEC-leading (total and scoring) offense that they have to be right around the top of anyone’s West Division picks. Brandon Cox will again be the excellent “game manager” he has been proven to be, balancing the offensive eleven for 200+ in both passing and running. The most wealth is in the backfield, while new WR starters likely mean more yards. Replacing both tackles won’t put UA back one bit with the senior leadership found inside. Not boasting top conference numbers, the defense seems to go unsung for some reason. Foes overlooking the Auburn D will again learn by the end of 60 minutes how controlling they really are (just ask South Carolina or Alabama). The front seven loses faces, but replacements are at the ready for similar smothering results. You can probably figure out what losing only one DB means. Roll this all together with strong punting (but also with weak PKing) and we get another great AU team that again flies under many radar. Tommy Tuberville might be the happiest Tiger since Georgia Tech is off their slate. Accordingly, TT’s boys just have to avoid those early non-con losses and another season like they had in ’04 could easily be theirs. Ho-hum, another SEC program in the top 15 somewhere by season’s end.

 

2006 SCHEDULE

9-2 Washington State
9-9 @ Mississippi State
9-16 Temple
9-23 Tulane
9-30 @ South Carolina
10-7 Arkansas
10-14 Florida
10-21 Louisiana State
10-28 @ Mississippi
11-11 Georgia
11-18 @ Alabama
Team TBA