|
CB
Jerraud Powers |
|
|
2007
Statistics |
Coach:
Tommy Tuberville
80-33,
9 years |
2007
Record: 9-4 |
|
KANSAS
STATE |
WON
23-13 |
SOUTH
FLORIDA |
LOST
23-26 (OT) |
MISSISSIPPI
STATE |
LOST
14-19 |
NEW
MEXICO ST |
WON
55-20 |
at
Florida |
WON
20-17 |
VANDERBILT |
WON
35-7 |
at
Arkansas |
WON
9-7 |
at
Louisiana State |
LOST
24-30 |
MISSISSIPPI |
WON
17-3 |
TENNESSEE
TECH |
WON
35-3 |
at
Georgia |
LOST
20-45 |
ALABAMA |
WON
17-10 |
CHICK-FIL-A
BOWL |
Clemson |
WON
23-20 (OT) |
|
2007
Final Rankings
AP-15, Coaches-14, BCS-23
|
2008
Outlook |
Apparently,
results weren't
good enough for
Tommy Tuberville
and the Auburn brass,
who sent out the
effective but "old
school" offensive
coordinator Al Borges
in return for Tony
Franklin, who brings
something Auburn
fans aren't used
to in a fast-paced,
modern spread attack.
Franklin knows how
to run his version
of offense with
amazing impact (came
from Troy). When
things will be at
their peak, it dominates,
but uncertainties
at the quarterback
position will put
a lot of pressure
on the defense and
first-year coordinator
Paul Rhoads. Talent
is there at the
helm, but a new
signal caller is
always a challenge,
even when the offense
is being revamped.
How well the offense
blends will eventually
impact how well
the defense does.
The defense has
plenty of talent,
but even it will
struggle if it's
spending extra time
due to the offense
moving either too
ineffectively or
too fast. Time of
possession is bound
to lean on the D,
regardless of which
is true.
So,
the big question
centers on how effective
the offense will
be — not just
at scoring points,
but also at controlling
the clock, which
the offense in previous
years was so good
at. The last time
this specific offense
was on display in
the SEC was in the
late 1990s when
Hal Mumme was the
head coach at Kentucky.
That's where Franklin
learned the offense
as an assistant
coach and he had
his Troy teams at
the top of the Sun
Belt in his two
years with it. The
special teams unit
has all the pieces
in place to be among
the best in the
country.
The
Tigers get some
breaks in the SEC
schedule because
the toughest games
— Arkansas,
LSU, Tennessee and
Georgia —
are all at Jordan-Hare
Stadium. It doesn't
get much easier
than having to go
to Vanderbilt, Ole
Miss and Mississippi
State. And the Gators
can't attempt revenge
for their last two
losses at the hands
of the Tigers...another
boon. A road trip
to West Virginia
on Oct. 23 will
be the toughest
test away from home,
but the Tigers have
an advantage in
that Rhoads spent
the last eight years
preparing for the
Mountaineers, beating
them four times
in that span (which
is tied for the
most of any team
since 2000, an exclusive
club he is in with
only Miami and Virginia
Tech).
Tuberville
and most of his
coaches have been
together since he
was at Ole Miss,
and the expectations
for a SEC West championship
have been here every
year…and for
good reason. He
demands the best
from his players,
his staff and himself.
It won't be any
different this year.
Even if it isn't
a championship and/or
BCS year, the ground
work will be set
with so many young
faces sure to learn
tough lessons in
the nation's toughest
college football
conference, lessons
that will then pay
off in 2009. Tuberville
has done more with
less, so the range
of where this team
lands is wider than
usual. Nevertheless,
this will be an
exciting team again
soon, a team worth
following from the
beginning to see
if/how this much
talent can re-adjust
and truly bring
an old classic like
Auburn into the
21st century.
Projected
2008 record: 9-3
|
|
AUBURN
*POWER RATINGS |
Offense |
Defense |
QB
- 3 |
DL
- 3.5 |
RB
- 3.5 |
LB
- 4.5 |
WR
- 3.5 |
DB
- 4 |
OL
- 4 |
.. |
|
AUBURN
2007 Statistical
Rankings |
OFFENSE |
|
National |
Conf. |
Rushing: |
53 |
5 |
Passing: |
103 |
9 |
Total
Off: |
97 |
10 |
Sacks
Allow: |
51 |
7 |
|
DEFENSE |
|
National |
Conf. |
Rushing: |
29 |
5 |
Passing: |
6 |
2 |
Total
Def: |
6 |
2 |
Sacks: |
84 |
10 |
|
|
RETURNING
LEADERS |
Passing:
Kodi Burns, 10-26-1,
145 yds., 2 TD
Rushing:
Ben Tate, 202 att.,
903 yds., 8 TD
Receiving:
Rodgeriqus Smith,
52 rec., 705 yds.,
5 TD
Scoring:
Wes Byrum, 17-23
FG, 33-34 PAT, 84
pts.
Punting:
Ryan Shoemaker,
49 punts, 42.4 avg.
Kicking:
Wes Byrum, 17-23
FG, 33-34 PAT, 84
pts.
Tackles:
Zac Etheridge, 65
tot., 37 solo
Sacks: Antonio
Coleman, 8.5 sacks
Interceptions:
Jerraud Powers,
4 for 35 yds.
Kickoff Returns:
Mario Fannin, 19
ret., 21.0 avg.,
0 TD
Punt Returns:
Robert Dunn, 32
ret., 9.4 avg.,
0 TD
|
|
|
WR
Rodgeriqus Smith |
|
|
|
AUBURN |
|
|
OFFENSE
-
8 |
----RETURNING
STARTERS---- |
DEFENSE
- 8 |
|
KEY
LOSSES |
OFFENSE:
Brandon Cox-QB, Carl
Stewart-FB, Prechae
Rodriguez-WR, Cole
Bennett-TE, King Dunlap-OT,
Blake Field-QB (transferred) |
DEFENSE:
Quentin
Groves-DE, Josh Thompson-DT,
Patrick Lee-CB, Jonathan
Wilhite-CB, Eric Brock-FS,
Patrick Sims-DT (NFL) |
|
|
2008
OFFENSE |
written
by Drew Champlin
This
isn't the Auburn offense
of old. The Tigers were
successful with its smashmouth,
grind-it-out style that
wore on defenses, but
head coach Tommy Tuberville
decided a change was need.
It wasn't surprising to
see Al Borges go, but
it was surprising to see
Tuberville go just down
the road to hire Tony
Franklin, the mastermind
of Troy University's offensive
success over the past
two years (No.16 total
offense at Troy in '07)
and one of the leading
innovators of the no-huddle,
spread offense. In the
recent years before his
time in Troy, he ran a
consultation business
where he taught high schools
all over the country his
version of the spread
offense. He likes to run
and pass it equally, spreading
the rock to anyone and
everyone who has the ability
to produce yards. The
offense has the potential
to put plenty of points
on the board especially
if a quarterback can develop
and perform at an SEC
level.
QUARTERBACK
Franklin didn't just bring
a new style of play with
him; he also brings a
quarterback in junior
college transfer Chris
Todd. The big gunslinger's
start has been rough,
as Todd has battled shoulder
problems. He is getting
better and if he's healthy,
his arm strength and knowledge
of this (kind of) offense
(his high school in Elizabethtown,
Ky., was a client of Franklin
and ran this offense;
he has known Franklin
since those days) gives
him a leg up on the competition.
However, after two years
at Texas Tech, he transferred
to Hutchinson (Kan.) Community
College where he put up
less-than-stellar numbers
in a non-spread offense
on a 2-8 team and suffered
a dislocated shoulder.
An MRI revealed no structural
damage and Todd is back
throwing it well again.
When healthy, he's got
a better arm than sophomore
Kodi Burns, but Burns
will be a change-of-pace
guy who can hurt defenses
with his feet. However,
Burns has gotten by so
far on his athleticism
and has yet to master
the throwing aspect of
the college game. If Todd
can't fully recover, Burns
has the best chance to
become the starter as
he has held off returning
junior Neil Caudle and
true freshman DeRon Furr,
who enrolled in January.
RUNNING
BACK
Auburn is set at running
back with junior Ben Tate
and senior Brad Lester,
who caught Franklin's
eye early. Both will rotate
in the one-back set and
while the carries may
go down, the chance to
catch the ball out of
the backfield and make
plays won't. There is
no true fullback in this
system. The injury bug
has hit the tailback unit
this spring, but none
has been too serious.
Senior Tristan Davis is
a speed demon who can
help anywhere, but missed
nearly all of last season
with a toe injury.
RECEIVER
/ TIGHT END
Sophomore Mario Fannin
has stepped into a playmaker's
role as a slot receiver
and should see most of
his time there instead
of at running back, where
he struggled with fumbles
last year. This aspect
will work well in the
new system. Several options
are there at receiver,
but it's going to take
all of them (and then
some) to run the offense
successfully, as players
sub in and out on nearly
every play. Leading receiver
Rod Smith returns as does
emerging junior Montez
Billings. The biggest
surprise should be Tommy
Trott, who has dropped
20 pounds and is thriving
as a tight end in the
new offense. Trott and
Gabe McKenzie were considered
some of the best young
talents in the SEC last
year, but the tight end
position (14 catches)
was rarely utilized –
one of the reasons Borges
is no longer Auburn's
offensive coordinator.
Both will have chances
to catch and block as
Y-receivers (inside receivers)
and other crazy H-Back
roles. Terrell Zachery
and Robert Dunn will also
have to be consistent
or move aside for those
who grasp the new look.
Chris Slaughter, James
Swinton and Tim Hawthorne
will get their chances
as well.
OFFENSIVE
LINE
The offensive line was
moved around a lot last
year and eventually started
three true freshmen in
Lee Ziemba, Chaz Ramsey
and Ryan Pugh, but the
most attention it got
was for two separate "chop
block" incidents,
one when Ziemba was engaged
with LSU star defensive
tackle Glenn Dorsey and
Ramsey rolled into him
and another incident with
Pugh in the Peach Bowl
against Clemson. The perceived
dirtiness didn't help
matters when Ziemba and
teammate Antonio Coleman
got into a skirmish this
spring, an on-field scare
that stopped a scrimmage
and sent Coleman to the
hospital where he was
treated for a cervical
sprain. Dirty or not,
fans have reason to be
optimistic because the
three sophomore have nowhere
to go but up in talent.
The line did have to make
a new adjustment and get
in better shape with the
pace of the offense. No
longer are the 330-pounders
required, but ones who
can run and protect the
passer. With the new offense,
the offensive line shifts
from being mostly bullish
to being more finesse.
Iambi and Pugh will be
the tackles and Jason
Bosley the center. Ramsey
is trying to hold off
Byron Isom at guard and
Tyronne Green is the other
returning starter at guard.
|
|
RB
Ben Tate
|
|
|
AUBURN
2008 DEPTH CHART
Returning
Starters/Key
Players |
OFFENSE |
QB |
Kodi
Burns-So (6-1, 205) |
Chris
Todd-Jr (6-2, 212) |
TB |
Ben
Tate-Jr (5-11, 215) |
Brad
Lester-Sr (5-11, 198)
Tristan
Davis-Sr (5-10, 211) |
WR |
Rodgeriqus
Smith-Sr (6-0, 192) |
James
Swinton-Sr (6-0, 178) |
WR |
Montez
Billings-Jr (6-2,
188) |
Robert
Dunn-Sr (5-11, 178) |
WR |
Chris
Slaughter-So (6-3,
179) |
Mario
Fannin-So (5-11, 217) |
TE |
Tommy
Trott-Jr (6-5, 251) |
Gabe
McKenzie-Jr (6-4,
253)
Tim Hawthorne-So (6-3,
209) |
OT |
Lee
Ziemba-So (6-8, 290) |
Jared
Cooper-Fr (6-4, 297) |
OG |
Tyronne
Green-Sr (6-2, 307) |
Kyle
Coulahan-Fr (6-4,
309) |
C |
Jason
Bosley-Sr (6-4, 281) |
Mike
Berry-So (6-3, 313) |
OG |
Byron
Isom-So (6-3, 291) |
Chaz
Ramsey-So (6-4, 290) |
OT |
Ryan
Pugh-So (6-4, 284) |
Andrew
McCain-Jr (6-6, 301) |
K |
Wes
Byrum-So (6-1, 220) |
Morgan
Hull-So (6-2, 187) |
|
|
2008
DEFENSE |
written
by Drew Champlin
Not
long after Franklin was
hired at Auburn, Will
Muschamp, one of the top
defensive minds in the
country, left for a similar
position at Texas. Who
can blame him? With Auburn's
offense spending less
time on the field, the
defensive statistics will
be tough to maintain.
New coordinator Paul Rhoads
comes over after spending
eight years at Pittsburgh.
Rhoads' defenses at Pitt
were always tough, but
inconsistent — from
87th in 2006 to fifth
overall last season, though
his defense did end West
Virginia's title hopes
in a 13-9 Panther win
in the regular season
finale. With the A-list
recruits here, Rhoads'
approach will excel. Plenty
of great players return
on this defense, but more
depth will have to be
established as the Tiger
defenders will likely
be on the field longer
if the offense is as quick
as advertised.
DEFENSIVE
LINE
A pair of juniors —
Sen’Derrick Marks
and Antonio Coleman —
is amongst the SEC's best
up front. Marks has moved
back inside to offset
the losses there, clearing
the way for either Antoine
Carter or Michael Goggans
to have a breakout season
at defensive end. Carter
has been a pleasant surprise
in the spring after Coleman's
injury. Jake Ricks should
man the other tackle spot
beside Marks. Otherwise,
the depth is unproven.
Top JUCO product Raven
Gray has the speed and
experience to have an
immediate impact. The
backups are young but
broken in, eliminating
injuries as a possible
derailing factor for the
stopping efforts.
LINEBACKER
All three starting linebackers
return, with junior Tray
Blackmon, provided he
stays out of the doghouse
and remains healthy, as
one of the nation's best.
Craig Stevens has a world
of potential and three
more years to show it.
Senior Chris Evans emerged
last year as a starter
and he's battling fellow
senior Merrill Johnson
for a starting spot this
year. This corps plays
light and fast, ready
for branching out and
matching up on extra receivers
instead of needing to
be rotated for with extra
DBs so often.
DEFENSIVE
BACK
Sophomore strong safety
Zac Etheridge had a banner
first season and corners
Jerraud Powers and Aairon
Savage are two physical
cover guys Rhoads will
love. Rhoads prides in
his cornerbacks being
good in man-to-man coverage;
he has produced quite
a few that are now in
the NFL. Savage moved
over from safety and he's
battling with Walter McFadden
for a spot alongside Powers.
Savage missed six games
last season with a knee
injury and the move from
safety to cornerback should
help the 190-pounder take
less of a pounding, though
his man cover skills will
be on display. Before
Powers was bitten by a
police dog late in the
Iron Bowl, his interception
in the end zone ended
a first-half scoring drive
in Auburn's sixth straight
win over Alabama. Sophomore
Mike McNeil, one of the
highest-rated recruits
in the 2007 class, will
likely man the free safety
spot.
|
|
DE
Antonio Coleman
|
|
|
AUBURN
2008 DEPTH CHART
Returning
Starters/Key
Players |
DEFENSE |
DE |
Antonio
Coleman-Jr (6-2, 250) |
Antoine
Carter-So (6-4, 253) |
DT |
Sen'Derrick
Marks-Jr (6-1, 288) |
Mike
Blanc-So (6-4, 287) |
DT |
Jake
Ricks-Jr (6-4, 302) |
Zach
Clayton-So (6-3, 286) |
DE |
Michael
Goggans-So (6-3, 254) |
A.J.
Greene-Fr (6-5, 269) |
LB |
Craig
Stevens-So (6-2, 219) |
Da'Shaun
Barnes-Fr (6-2, 221) |
LB |
Tray
Blackmon-Jr (6-0,
220) |
Josh
Bynes-So (6-2, 234) |
LB |
Merrill
Johnson-Sr (6-0, 209) |
Chris
Evans-Sr (6-0, 221) |
CB |
Jerraud
Powers-Jr (5-9, 188) |
Ryan
Williams-So (5-11,
204) |
CB |
Aairon
Savage-Jr (5-11, 190) |
Walter
McFadden-Jr (6-0,
180) |
SS |
Zac
Etheridge-So (5-11,
206) |
Mike
Slade-Fr (6-2, 189) |
FS |
Mike
McNeil-So (6-2, 201) |
Jonathan
Vickers-Sr (6-2, 216) |
P |
Ryan
Shoemaker-So (6-0,
192) |
Clinton
Durst-Fr (6-2, 190) |
|
|
|
2008
SPECIAL TEAMS |
The
image most fans have of sophomore
Wes Byrum are of him hitting
the game-winning field goal
at Florida and doing the Gator
chomp toward the Florida sideline.
It was part of a year where
Byrum hit 17-of-23 field goals,
but struggled from 40+ by going
3-for-8 from that distance.
Sophomore Ryan Shoemaker and
Patrick Tatum both punted last
year, but Shoemaker saw the
most action. The future is now
for the kicking game, and it
is bright. If Tristan Davis
is recovered from a toe injury
that sidelined him nearly all
of last season, Auburn's kick
returning unit will be among
the nation's best. Brad Lester
is another quality option. Senior
Robert Dunn (former Mr. Football,
Georgia) is back to handle punts
again.
|
|