2010 Preview: The Season (Part I)

This will be part one of a three part segment previewing Auburn's opponents, how the Tiger's match up and what my predictions are for those games. The 2009 season saw Gene Chizik's first season as Head Coach get off to a hot start winning their first five games; what happened after that left a lot to be desired. A no-show in Fayetteville, an anemic offensive showing against Kentucky at home, and getting taken to the woodshed in Baton Rouge by Les Miles' worst team was the low point of the season. The team bounced back with a big win against a solid Ole Miss team but blew 14 point leads against both Georgia and Alabama in what could have been monumental wins against Auburn's biggest rivals. This year Auburn enters the season ranked 22 in the AP poll and 23 in the Coaches poll.

Arkansas State Red Wolves [Sept. 4, 2010 - Auburn, AL]

2009 Record: 4-8 (3-5)

Overview: The biggest change for the Red Wolves this off season was the hiring of offensive coordinator Hugh Freeze who is installing the Hurry-Up No-Huddle offense. He will have his work cut out for him having to break in a new starting quarterback, starting running back, and the team's top four receivers. The presumed starter at quarterback is Ryan Alpine who played well when filling in for the injured Corey Leonard at the end of the 2009 season but after missing all of spring practice due to shoulder surgery his job is far from secure and will have to fend off redshirt freshman Phillip Butterfield who showed promise in Alpine's absence. Fourth year junior Derek Lawson will get the start at running back but will share carries with fellow junior Jermaine Robertson. The leading returning receiver is junior Taylor Stockemer who finished sixth on the team with 16 receptions for 347 yards and a touchdown. The strength of the offense will be upfront where the Red Wolves return 10 lineman who started at least one game last year. The star of the bunch is right tackle Derek Newton who earned 2nd team All-Sunbelt in 2009.

The Red Wolves' defense had a stellar year in 2009 ranking 41st nationally however their best player, end Alex Carrington, was taken in the third round of the NFL draft. Defensive coordinator Kevin Corless will try to replace Carrington with a line-by-committee approach. The two players who are most solidified in their starting role are fifth year senior tackle Bryan Hall (6'1" 284), a 2nd team All-Sunbelt selection in 2009, and fourth year junior end Jeremy Gibson (6'5" 260). The strength of the defense will be with the linebackers where both starting outside linebackers return including leading tackler Demario Davis. With the addition of some players from the junior college ranks and the return of others from injury, the linebacker corp is the deepest unit on the defense. The secondary returns Kelcie McCray at safety who led the team in interceptions with four but the remainder of the spots will be filled by career backups or junior college transfers. There isn't much depth behind the starters and the players there are young and inexperienced.

Prediction: This is a perfect game for Auburn to open with. Playing against a team running the HUNH plays right into the hands of Auburn's strengths. The biggest danger when running that offense is going 3-and-out and forcing the defense back onto the field with little rest. Playing against Gus Malzahn's offense can be tiring enough without having to deal with your offense not giving you any rest either. The idea that the defense will be able to replace Alex Carrington with a bevy of players is good in theory but when Malzahn's offense doesn't allow them to substitute, how do they get their appropriate situational players into the game? Their inexperienced secondary will face the best receiving corp they will see all season in a hostile environment to kick off the season which will lead to many big plays through the air for Auburn. To defend the Red Wolves new offense Auburn will likely run a base package and force these new starters in a new offense to prove they can execute against players who are much more talented on the other side of the ball. Don't expect to see too much trickeration or too many run plays called for Cam Newton but Malzahn's offense knows only one speed and that should lead to plenty of points in week one. Look for backups to be in no later than the 4th quarter, Auburn will cruise to an easy victory.

Score: Arkansas State 10 Auburn 41

Mississippi State Bulldogs [Sept. 9, 2010 - Starkville, MS]

2009 Record: 5-7 (3-5)

Overview: Dan Mullen is now in his second season leading the Bulldogs of the West and there is little doubt that he has that program heading in the right direction. Mullen ran a two quarterback system in 2009 and used Tyson Lee to do the majority of passing and brought in Chris Relf in certain situations similar to how he used Tim Tebow during Chris Leak's senior season. With Tyson Lee graduated Mullen was looking to hand the reigns of the offense to a single quarterback but that player isn't on MSU's roster... he's on Auburn's. Cam Newton played under Mullen at Florida and strongly considered reuniting with his former position coach before settling on Auburn. That leaves junior Relf as the only returning quarterback with experience, but he's yet to solidify himself as the starter. Redshirt freshman Tyler Russell is competing with Relf for the starting nod and it is possible he takes over Tyson Lee's position in the two quarterback system while Relf remains the change of pace QB. At running back the Bulldogs will have to replace one of the school's all-time leading rushers in sixth round NFL draft pick Anthony Dixon. Dixon was the workhorse for the Bulldogs in 2009 with 257 carries for 1,391 yards and 12 touchdowns. Dixon will likely be replaced by a committee of backs including junior Robert Elliot, junior college transfer Vick Ballard, and redshirt freshman LaDarius Perkins. There is a lot of talent among the trio and each brings their own running style that Mullen can use where he best sees fit. Where this offense still has the furthest to go before being considered elite is at wide receiver. sophomore Chad Bumphis is back after a Freshman All-SEC campaign as the team's number one option. Senior Leon Berry is in his second season in Starkville after starting every game in 2009 out of junior college. Behind those two there are a few talented players but none who have proved they can get it done on Saturdays. The offensive line will be the strength of Mississippi State's offense and easily the most experienced unit. Four starters return from 2009 and the fifth spot will be filled by a player who was slated to start prior to a pre-season season ending injury. The star of the unit is senior left tackle Derek Sherrod (6'6" 305) who has drawn the eye of NFL scouts.

Mullen changed defensive coordinators in the off season bringing in Manny Diaz from Middle Tennessee State and is expecting big improvements from 2009. The defensive line is loaded with talent and size but there is a lack of experience. Tackles Josh Boyd and Fletcher Cox return after starting a combined seven games as true freshmen and they add junior college behemoth James Carmon (6'7" 345) to form a solid trio. At end senior Pernell McPhee is looking to improve with his first season out of JUCO in which he earned 2nd team All-SEC honors. The other end spot is more unsettled but sophomore Nick Bell is currently sitting atop the depth chart. The linebacker unit will have to work to replace the team's leading tackler Jamar Chaney and to do so will turn to senior veterans Chris White and K.J. Wright. White is sliding into the middle to try to fill Chaney's shoes and former safety sophomore Cameron Lawrence is moving down to linebacker to round out the starters. Depth is a concern at the linebacker position and how White steps up as a leader will be the biggest question mark for this defense. The secondary is led by junior safety Charles Mitchell and sophomore Jonathan Banks has big time potential after a freshman All-SEC season in 2009. Senior Maurice Langston and sophomore Corey Broomfield are penciled in as the starters at corner but they will likely rotate a few players through those positions.

Prediction: Starkville will be rocking ready to kick off SEC competition with a big time upset. Mullen expects his 2010 squad to go bowling and this is a game that he has circled as critical for building his team's confidence early in the season. The 2010 version of the Bulldogs will be much improved over the squad Auburn pummelled 42-24 on the Plains last year. That being said, there was a reason Mullen went hard after Cam Newton and the fact that he will be starting for Auburn in stead of MSU could be the difference. Mullen's offense still isn't ready to run stride for stride with this Auburn team and though they will come out extremely hyped up they just don't have the horses to run for four quarters. On defense State's lack of experience could lead to missed assignments and when playing against a Gus Malzahn offense that will lead to big plays. It will be critical for Auburn to take the crowd out of the game early because the longer the game is close, the louder the cowbells will get and the more MSU will believe that they can pull off the upset. Auburn won't hold anything back early on and this will be the game Cam Newton emerges onto the national scene.

Score: Auburn 34 Mississippi State 17

Clemson Tigers [Sept. 18, 2010 - Auburn, AL]

2009 Record: 9-5 (6-3)

Overview: Dabo Swinney, now in his third season as head coach at Clemson, is looking to follow up an impressive 2009 campaign which saw the Tigers in the ACC Championship game after going 6-2 in regular season conference play. The do-everything All-American and ACC Player of the Year C.J. Spiller has moved on to the NFL along with leading receiver Jacoby Ford but Clemson fans received good news in the off season when starting quarterback Kyle Parker decided to return to the football field for his sophomore season despite being drafted in the 1st round of the MLB draft by the Colorado Rockies. Parker is forgoing an $800,000 signing bonus by choosing to play football this fall and you can be sure he isn't doing that just to coast through the season before moving on with his baseball career. Parker will be drawing more attention in 2010 with the departure of Spiller and will be asked to make more plays in crunch time. Attempting to fill the shoes of Spiller will be two talented running backs, sophomore Andre Ellington and junior Jamie Harper. Both players have been waiting for their turn behind James Davis and C.J. Spiller and with the door wide open this is their opportunity to prove their worth. The situation at receiver is even more of an unknown. The leading returning receiver is senior Xavier Dye who caught 14 passes in 2009 for 236 yards and three touchdowns. There is plenty of talent to fill out the depth chart but the question is which players will get it done on Saturdays and step up as a reliable target for Parker. Tight End Michael Palmer, the second leading receiver in 2009, has also graduated but hopes are high for sophomore tight end Dwayne Allen who has more physical tools than his predecessor. For the third straight week Auburn's opponent's offensive strength is the offensive line. Four of five starters return including preseaon 1st team All-ACC selection Chris Hairston. Left guard is the lone vacancy along the line and that position battle will come down to juniors David Smith and Mason Cloy. Though this offense has a lot of production to replace between Spiller and Ford, the talent is undoubtedly there to do so and a strong offensive line, similar to Auburn's, will aid in their transition into starting roles.

Clemson's defensive strength, similar to the offense, is in the trenches. Despite the loss of Ricky Sapp, last year's team leader in sacks, the defensive line is loaded with talent, experience and depth. Three starters return including two preseason All-ACC selections, senior tackle Jarvis Jenkins and junior end Da'Quan Bowers. Junior Brandon Thompson will anchor the other tackle position and junior Andrew Branch will step up into Sapp's position opposite Bowers at end. There is plenty of talent and experience behind these starters so don't expect fatigue to be an issue for this unit as defensive line coach Dan Brooks will keep a fresh rotation on the field all game. The linebacker unit will be the biggest question mark for this defense after losing leading tackler Kavell Connor and Kevin Alexander. Junior Brandon Maye returns as a preseason All-ACC selection ready to lead a group of inexperienced underclassmen being asked to step up as starters. Defensive coordinator and linebackers coach Kevin Steele referred to his linebackers as a "work in progress," progress he's hoping they will have made by week three. The secondary is led by preseason All-American DeAndre McDaniel who led the ACC with eight interceptions. His counterpart at safety is Freshman All-American Rashard Hall who accumulated six picks and 55 tackles as a backup in 2009. Senior Marcus Gilchrist moved from safety back to corner where he played as a freshman to fill the void left by the departure of both starting corners from last year's team. Senior Byron Maxwell will start at the other corner position and has a lot of experience under his belt having played in every game in 2009 and having played on special teams and as a reserve corner in 2007 and 2008.

Prediction: This will be by far Auburn's biggest challenge of the first half of the season. The return of Kyle Parker gives Clemson an experienced leader at quarterback which will be critical coming into a hostile environment early in the season. Auburn may have 10 days to prepare for this game due to playing MSU on Thursday night the prior week but Clemson has all summer to prepare for this game with also-rans North Texas and Presbyterian in the first two weeks of their season. The biggest advantage for Auburn will be against the inexperience of Clemson's linebackers. Due to all of the misdirection and play-action, Malzahn's offense puts a lot of pressure on the linebackers and misreads lead to big plays for Auburn's offense. Clemson will try to neutralize that advantage upfront with strong defensive line play but will be doing so against one of the strongest offensive lines they will see all year. Any mistake by Cam Newton in this game will be exploited by Clemson's ball-hawking defense and winning the turnover battle will be critical in a tight match up such as this one. On the other side of the ball it will be interesting to see Clemson's approach with their skill players making their first big starts of their career. Auburn's defense struggled in 2009 and will need to make strides in 2010 to win games such as this one. In the end I expect Auburn's home field advantage to be critical in this night game to help push the SEC Tigers on to victory in a thriller.

Score: Clemson 27 Auburn 28

South Carolina Gamecocks [Sept. 25, 2010 - Auburn, AL]

2009 Record: 7-6 (3-5)

Overview: If South Carolina is going to break through the barrier in the SEC East and make their way to the SEC Championship game for the first time in their program's history, this is the year most Gamecock fans are pointing to. Juinor quarterback Stephen Garcia has received some tough love from the 'Ol Ball Coach this off season but he claims that he is more mature, focused and prepared than in prior years. Garcia has the talent to be a star in this league but has yet to put it all together and makes too many mistakes in critical situations. At running back leading rusher Kenny Miles returns for his sophomore season after accumulating just over 600 yards on 111 carries in 2009. The biggest addition to the backfield is five star All-Everything true Freshman Marcus Lattimore. The South Carolina native chose the Gamecocks after strongly considering Auburn, deciding he wanted to be the player that takes USC to the next level. If Lattimore isn't starting in week one I expect he will be by week four as all reports from camp thus far have been positive. Garcia's primary target out wide is jumbo receiver and future top NFL prospect sophomore Alshon Jeffrey (6'4" 233) who led the team with 43 receptions for 735 yards and six touchdowns as a freshman in 2009. The rest of the receiving corp is a bit of a question mark especially with preseason All-American tight end Wesley Saunders indefinitely suspended due to an ongoing NCAA investigation. For the first time this season Auburn will face an offensive line with a lot of inexperience and one which has struggled mightily in the past few years. If Garcia or Lattimore are going to make plays, they are going to need time and space to do so. Sophomore T.J. Johnson was one of the team's best linemen in 2009 at guard and will move inside to center this season. Left tackle Jarriel King comes into his senior season needing to make big strides in his pass protection in his second year at the position after playing defensive line at junior college. The other tackle spot is manned by junior Kyle Nunn who struggled at left tackle in 2009 and is hoping the switch to the right side will better suit his abilities. Senior walk-on Garret Chisolm has worked his way into a starting role at left guard and junior college transfer Rokevious Watkins will make take his first snap at the FBS level starting at right guard this season despite missing spring practice with a shoulder injury.

South Carolina's defense has been the strength of the team the past few seasons and 2010 looks to be no different. Attempting to make it three years in a row with a top 15 ranked defense the Gamecocks will have to cope with the losses of linebacker Eric Norwood, safety Darian Stewart, defensive tackle Nathan Pepper, and defensive end Clifton Geathers. Along the defensive line the star is senior defensive end Cliff Matthews who has been selected preseason All-SEC. The other returning starter on the line is senior tackle Ladi Ajiboye who, built similar to former Auburn star T.J. Jackson, is used primarily as a run stuffer at the nose. Talented junior Travian Robertson will step in to start at the three-technique after recovering from a torn ACL in 2009. Dual sport athlete Devin Taylor, who also doubles as a power forward, will step in for Geathers at end. The linebacker unit is going to struggle to replace the always disruptive Eric Norwood. Senior Rodney Paulk will step in at middle linebacker after suffering season ending injuries the past two seasons but is less than dependable having not played a full season since his Freshman year. Second year junior college transfer senior Tony Straughter got a few spot starts last year and played well on special teams and will start at weakside linebacker in USC's 4-2-5 scheme. The lone new starter in a very talented secondary is sophomore safety DeVonte Holloman who is a former four star recruit with impressive size at 6'2" 228 pounds. Sophomore Stephon Gilmore and Senior Chris Culliver form one of the better cornerback duos in the country and athletic safety Akeem Auguste is moving to safety full time for his junior season after getting time at corner his first two years in Columbia.

Prediction: In its second straight game against a team from the state of South Carolina Auburn will see which Palmeto State opponent reigns supreme in 2010. There is no doubt that Cam Newton and the Auburn receivers will have their hands full against this secondary and running the ball through the USC defensive line will prove difficult. But similar to Clemson, the Gamecocks' weakness is at linebacker which is a position that needs to be sharp when playing against Gus Malzahn's offense. This defensive line, though talented, is not as deep or experienced as Clemson's and does not have nearly as much size in the front seven. The speed of this defense may cause problems early on but I expect them to wear down as the game progresses. On offense, as strange as it is for a Steve Spurrier led team, it appears as if the struggles will continue. The loss of Saunders could prove costly as a big tight end is a quarterback's best friend, especially one as talented as Saunders. Jeffery will be a threat on the outside and will undoubtably make some plays but with more struggles on the offensive line there is no reason to expect this offense to be much better in 2010.

Score: South Carolina 13 Auburn 31

Through the first third of the season Auburn will play three very losable games against Mississippi State, Clemson and South Carolina. It could be argued that this will be the toughest four game stretch Auburn will have this year. If the Tigers can make it through this stretch undefeated than this team is in for a special season which is what I am expecting this year. One loss isn't the worst thing that could happen, espcially if it is out of conference to Clemson. Losing two games would mean we aren't quite where I thought we would be and we are going to have to fight to go bowling, which would be very disapointing. All four of these games will be televised and at least two of the four will be nationally televised in prime time which provides a great opportunity to get national recognition and move up in the polls with impressive victories.

2010 Preview: The Offense

The 2009 season saw one of the most prolific offenses in Auburn history in the first year under offensive coordinator Gus Malzahn. The leaders of that offense, Chris Todd and Ben Tate, are now gone so there is certainly a lot of production to replace. Tate had some doubters heading into the 2009 season but he silenced them on his way to over 1,200 yards and into the Auburn record books to fifth in all-time career rushing yards. The Houston Texans drafted Tate in the third round. While Todd had his share of detractors, the numbers he put up are hard to argue with: Sixty percent of passes completed, 2,612 yards and 22 touchdowns all in the regular season. That being said, Todd put up a lot of his yards against lesser competition and struggled mightily against the tougher SEC foes. In Auburn's five losses Todd averaged just 135 yards per game and through five of his six interceptions. This year the team will return a veteran offensive line and receiving corp and Malzahn has raised his expectations for the pace of play and overall execution of his offense. With more consistent play throughout the year and slight improvement across the board, the 2010 offense should rewrite the record books for the second straight season.

Quarterback
Shortly after the completion of spring practice Cameron Newton, the highly hyped five star junior college transfer, was named the starting quarterback. When Newton left Florida after his redshirt Freshman season he had gotten in trouble after some questionable off field decisions and was in danger of losing his heir-apparent role to John Brantly. Newton knew he needed a fresh start and decided to transfer to Blinn Community College where he subsequently led Blinn to the Junior College National Championship, throwing for over 2,800 yards and 22 touchdowns, while rushing for 655 yards and an additional 16 touchdowns. From the day he has stepped on campus Cam Newton has been all business. He is the first one in and the last one to leave, always ready to put in extra work with the receivers, leading voluntary workouts and spending extra time in the film room or reviewing the offense with Malzahn in his office. Few players get two chances to be QB at an SEC school and Newton is not going to let this one go to waste. Standing 6'6" and weighing in at 250 pounds with reported 4.5 second speed in the forty, Newton has all the physical tools you could ask for in a quarterback. So far this summer the practices have been closed and the reports have been limited but what has been leaked is that Newton has the arm to make all of the throws and he has spent a lot of time with Malzahn honing in on the plays that he likes the most while customizing the offense to his strengths. The 2010 version of the offense will certainly incorporate a greater rushing threat from the quarterback position which should open up more holes for the running backs and in the secondary as more eyes will be focused on Newton. Consistency will be key but the pieces are there for much greater production from the quarterback position in 2010 than we saw last year. Behind Newton are three reliable back up options who are all in their second year in the offense. Senior Neil Caudle and Sophomore Barrett Trotter would each be capable of running the offense similar to the level Todd ran it last year and redshirt Freshman Clint Mosley had shown a lot of improvement this summer.

Running back
During the spring of 2009 running backs coach Curtis Luper went on record predicting that Ben Tate would surpass 1,000 yards rushing, which he did. Luper has now made the same prediction for Senior Mario Fannin this season. Fannin started off his career at running back showing some impressive flashes of potential as a redshirt Freshman gaining 448 yards on 84 carries (5.3 ypc). Prior to his Sophomore season Fannin suffered a shoulder injury which caused the coaches to be concerned about his ability to take the consistent pounding a running back would endure. He still received some carries in 2008 but worked primarily as a slot receiver. When the new staff took over in 2009 they saw Fannin as an extremely versatile and valuable weapon. Fannin worked at fullback, running back, tight end, H-Back and receiver and compiled the second most receptions (39), third most receiving yards (403), and the third most rushing yards (271). For his career Fannin has 812 receiving yards and 971 rushing yards which puts him in the unique position to surpass 1,000 receiving yards and 2,000 rushing yards for his career. Fannin and Tate have similar measurables in both stature and speed and though their running styles are very different it would not be surprising at all to see Fannin experience an emergence similar to Tate's in 2009. Behind Fannin will be some limited but talented depth. Returning for his Sophomore season is a slightly bulked up Onterio McCalebb. McCalebb has sprinters speed but struggled with nagging injuries for most of the year and is hoping the added weight will help that. Now pushing 180 pounds McCalebb believes he may also have gotten faster in the off season which is a scary thought for the opposition and with a better grasp of the offense he should be poised to take a big step forward in 2010. The new addition to the running back corp is five star incoming Freshman Michael Dyer. Dyer had his pick of schools from across the country as a consensus top 10 overall player in the country but saw potential to continue his staggering offensive success running the ball at Auburn in Gus Malzahn's offense. Built like a bowling ball at 5'9" 215 pounds, the reports have been positive coming out of camp thus far and there is no doubt Dyer will see significant carries early and often in 2010. Should injuries force the coaches to reach deeper into the depth chart they can turn to H-Back/Fullback Eric Smith (career: 41 carries, 182 yards) or true Freshman jumbo-back LaDarious Phillips (6'0", 291) who has shown some surprising agility for a back his size. With Newton being a greater threat on bootlegs, option plays and the zone read, combined with running behind one of the best offensive lines in the SEC, there will be no excuses for the running backs not to produce at a very high level in 2010.

Tight End / H-Back
These positions are combined because they have a lot of overlap in both personnel and responsibilities in Malzahn's offense. Often times you will see Junior fullback / H-Back Eric Smith lined up in the slot and you could see Sophomore tight end Philip Lutzenkirchen lined up in the backfield. Both positions have a lot of responsibilities blocking in space and are also used in a multitude of ways in the passing game. Smith saw plenty of action in this position in 2009, primarily as a backup to Mario Fannin but also used in ways that were better suited for his skills as a blocker. Smith was extremely clutch making critical third down receptions throughout the year and his ability to clear out linebackers and safeties as a lead blocker was one of the primary reasons for last years' rushing success. Smith's 18 receptions for 226 yards made him the 4th leading receiver on the team last year and should again be a valuable and versatile weapon in 2010. Lutzenkirchen will be stepping into the starting roll vacated by Tommy Trott. Trott had some successes last year and was a solid open field blocker but he also had his share of struggles. With a lot of hard work in the off season in becoming more aggressive in his blocking and bulking up to 260 pounds on his 6'4" frame, Lutz is confident that he is ready to handle all aspects of the position. Having gotten his feet wet as a Freshman with 5 catches for 66 yards and two touchdowns he should be poised to take a big step forward in his second year in this offense. An impact newcomer to the position is true Freshman Shaun Kitchens. Kitchens has wowed the coaches since he first arrived on campus with his physical and aggressive style of play. At 6'3" 217 pounds he brings a different element to the position than Smith or Lutz have to offer and will be used in situations this fall that will highlight his skills. LaDarious Phillips was mentioned earlier under the running backs but he will also see time behind Eric Smith at H-Back this season. Providing depth behind Lutzenkirchen at tight end is redshirt Freshman Robert Cooper and true Freshman Dakota Mosley though, I believe both of those players will see only limited playing time. Smith, Lutzenkirchen, Kitchens and Phillips are four very different players, with very different body types and very different skill sets; this position gives Malzahn the most flexibility in his offense and formations.

Wide Receiver
In 2008 Auburn's two leading receivers combined for 499 yards receiving and neither was returning for the 2009 season. The players slated to start in 2009, Terrell Zachery and Darvin Adams, had combined for 5 receptions and 42 yards for their career. To say the position was a question mark would be a massive understatement; 86 receptions and 1,479 yards later those questions were laid to rest. Adams, now a Junior and a pre-season All-SEC selection, and Senior Zachery both return to form one the most formidable receiving duos in the SEC. With more experience in the offense and more time under receivers coach Trooper Taylor this should be one of the strongest units on the team. In addition to the return of Adams and Zachery, Kodi Burns, Quindarius Carr, DeAngelo Benton, Emory Blake, Travante Stallworth, Jay Wisner, and Derek Winter all return after catching passes in 2009. Carr had his breakout game against Northwestern in the bowl game and followed that up with a phenomenal spring practice. Kodi Burns was thrown into the mix at wide receiver last summer after falling out of the quarterbacks race and never really had time to refine his techniques at the position. He has now had that opportunity and that time has paid off. Cam Newton recently described Burns as the MVP of the offense saying, "He's embracing his role and being a key receiver. He's got that 'wow' factor." It seems like the coaches are mentioning Burns after every scrimmage as a standout player, and not just as a pass catcher; Burns has been the ultimate teammate excelling in his perimeter blocking and also is making contributions on the special teams. One player who will join this stacked group of receivers and still have the potential to stand out is true Freshman Trovon Reed. This former four star recruit has combined his unquestionable talent with an unmatched work ethic since arriving on campus and has supplanted Burns as the starting Wildcat quarterback and is working at 2nd string behind Zachery at receiver. With the leading receivers returning in addition to all of the 3-deep behind them and adding some supremely talented Freshmen there is no reason this unit shouldn't build on their successes in 2009 and become one of the nation's premier group of receivers.

Offensive Line
At the conclusion of the 2009 season left tackle Lee Ziemba contemplated leaving for the NFL. Fortunately for line coach Jeff Grimes and Auburn fans alike Ziemba decided to return for his Senior year on the Plains where he is on track to set the record for career starts. Ziemba has started in every game since he arrived in Auburn, at right tackle as a true Freshman and the past two years at left tackle. Though the pre-season 1st team All-SEC selection has oodles of experience, this summer he has been refining his technique and now believes he has a more complete grasp of what defenses are trying to do and believes he will be an even better player this fall. Along with the return of Ziemba at left tackle, Senior Mike Berry will be returning at left guard, Senior Byron Isom will be returning at right guard and Senior Ryan Pugh will be returning at center. Pugh is also entering his fourth year as a starter and has been selected to 2nd team pre-season All-SEC. Flanking Pugh will be two veteran guards, Berry and Isom, who have combined for 39 starts in their careers. Needless to say there is a lot of cohesiveness among this unit and with their experience in the SEC and now their second year in this offense, there is no reason why this shouldn't be one of the more dominating lines in the SEC. The biggest position battle of the summer has been to fill out the fifth spot on that line at right tackle. Originally the battle was thought to be between two four star junior college transfers Roszell Gayden and Brandon Mosley. Unfortunately Gayden has been struggling with injuries and has been unable to participate at full strength thus far and Mosley, who had out grown the tight end position he played in junior college, is still getting acclimated to playing tackle. Those developments opened the door for two current players on the roster: Sophomore John Sullen and Junior A.J. Greene. Sullen came to Auburn pushing 360 pounds on his 6'6" frame but, despite being in less than ideal shape he was able to earn playing time in a backup role as a true Freshman and in fact started one game for an injured Byron Isom at right guard. Sullen reported this summer at a much more fit 312 pounds and has a renewed sense of confidence to accompany his new found mobility and agility. This improvement allowed Sullen to work his way into the mix at the right tackle competition. Greene has been a player few Auburn fans have heard much about since his arrival on the Plains in 2007; he redshirted his first season, didn't see any playing time as a Sophomore and played mop up duty in just two games in 2009. So, what has changed? Apparently Greene had a personal situation in his life that turned around his attitude and when the door opened for him to win the starting position he asserted himself more than he ever had before. Whatever he did must have worked because with less than 10 days until kickoff against Arkansas State Greene was named the starter at right tackle. That development not only allows the full starting five to build their chemistry but it also gives Auburn some great depth. In addition to Gayden, Mosley and Sullen, the most experienced backup and the first off the bench at either guard spot is Senior Bart Eddins. Eddins has a lot of talent but has struggled with injuries in his career and never has been able to supplant the more experienced players. Though he hasn't been a regular starter, Eddins does have playing time in 26 games in his career with one start under his belt and the coaches are confident he can be counted on if called upon. Filling out the depth chart will be Junior Jared Cooper who has played in 19 games in his career and four true Freshmen: Eric Mack, Ed Christian, Chad Slade and Tunde Fariyike. With four returning starters, the emergence of a 5th at right tackle and a bevy of experienced backups and talented newcomers to fill out the depth chart there is no doubt the offensive line will be a strength of this team.

In summary the offense will have a lot of production to replace at quarterback and running back but the players stepping up to fill those voids are loaded with talent and the pieces around them will only ease their transition. With veteran, talented players throughout the receiving corp and along the offensive line Cam Newton wont have to be a superstar to make this offense work. If he grows into a superstar and lives up to his potential than this offense should be one of the best in the nation. Last year Malzahn averaged about 70 plays per game in 2009, his goal for 2010 is to push that number up to 80 plays per game. Those extra plays will come from an increased tempo and will further tire out the opposition and create more scoring opportunities for this talented offense. I wouldn't want to be a defensive coordinator preparing to face these guys.

2010 Preview: The Defense

The 2009 defense gave up more points than any team in Auburn history. On top of that, Antonio Coleman who led the SEC in sacks and tackles for loss has graduated on to the NFL along with top cornerback Walter McFadden. That being said, the biggest weakness of this unit last year was the severe lack of depth which has been addressed in the off-season with the return of three defensive backs from injury and the addition of 13 players from the 2010 recruiting class ranked #4 in the country. With the hurry-up no-huddle offense that Gus Malzahn runs on the other side of the ball the defense inherently will be on the field for a lot of plays and with little rest between series which makes it hard to be ranked high statistically. What will be critical is if this defense can hold up stronger in the 3rd and 4th quarters where the 2009 team crumbled, blowing 14 point leads against UGA and Alabama and giving up 14 4th quarter points to a mediocre Kentucky offense.

Defensive Line
In addition to losing Coleman defensive tackle Jake Ricks graduated leaving two returning starters on the defensive line. Starting on the "power end" side is Michael Goggans who is returning for his 3rd year as a starter. Goggans isn't flashy but with his experience and knowledge of the defense he will be a solid starter and a valuable mentor for the younger players stepping up behind him. The player described by D-Line coach Tracy Rocker as his "secret weapon" is Nosa Eguae. The redshirt Freshman was blowing the coaches away this time last year in his first months on campus in fact slated to start the first game of his career before suffering a season ending injury before the season started. Back in camp again and still impressing the coaches Eguae is sure to see plenty of playing time and offer Goggans some valuable time off he didn't have last year. On the "speed end" side Antoine Carter is poised to step up to be next in a long line of successful Auburn pass rushers. After battling through nagging injuries that kept him out of the first three games "Hot Boi" is hoping to finish out his career strong. Like Goggans, Carter has tons of experience playing in this league and now will be in his second year in this system which should only improve his play. Backing up Carter will be Sophomore Dee Ford who was thrust into the playing rotation last year as a true Freshman due to a lack of depth. Ford played 2009 at 215 pounds which just wont cut it in the SEC. Now that he has beefed up to a hearty 240 pounds he is much more prepared to provide quality depth and, while having to play as a true Freshman was less than ideal in Ford's situation, the experience he gained was invaluable. Rounding out the playing rotation at defensive end will be a trio of newcomers. Four star junior college transfer Joel Bonomolo is working on the "speed end" side and is working on adjusting to the speed of the game at this level and learning the defense so he can contribute as a back up pass rusher this year. Four star true Freshman Craig Sanders graduated high school early so that he could get to Auburn early and the decision is paying off. Nicknamed "The Animal" because of his dedication in the weight room, he has added 15 pounds since arriving on campus and is up to 240 pounds on his 6'4" frame. The additional time in the spring to learn the playbook and add weight has put Sanders in a great position to contribute this year as a true Freshman. The most herald true Freshman signed on the defensive side of the ball was Corey Lemonier. Through just two weeks of camp Lemonier has proved why he had such a lofty ranking and has really impressed the coaches. Weighing in at just 230 pounds on his 6'5" frame there was some who thought he may need a year to add weight before he could contribute but, with the ability he has shown thus far it will be hard to keep him off the field.

With the loss of Ricks Auburn returns just three tackles who have any significant playing time under their belt. Two fifth year Seniors slated to start on the interior are Zach Clayton at the nose and Mike Blanc at the three technique. Clayton had been progressing nicely in his career after a very promising Sophomore year but struggled with injuries throughout the entire 2009 season, missing seven games. So far Rocker has been excited by what he has seen out of Clayton so far this camp as he has been a great leader for the other players despite entering his first year as a starter. Blanc has had a very consistent, though unspectacular career so far and is now entering his third year as a starter. Similar to Goggans, Blanc is loaded with experience and should have a better grasp of the defense and his responsibilities in his second year working with coach Rocker. Perhaps the most athletic interior lineman returning is Junior Nick Fairley. While showing plenty of upside and flashes of brilliance, Fairley needs to work on being more consistent after disappearing for parts of the 2009 season. With a year of experience under his belt at this level he will be expected to make a bigger impact. Redshirt Sophomore Derrick Lykes has played sparingly so far in his career and needs to work hard to not be passed up by younger players. Lykes was an unheralded recruit as one of the many "diamonds in the rough" of the previous staff and has yet to prove he was worth that scholarship. There is still plenty of time for that to change and coach Rocker has said he has seen "spurts of life" but he needs to work on being more consistent. One player who has surprised coach Rocker with his play this summer is redshirt Freshman Jamar Travis. Travis played well in the team's first scrimmage and showed that he might be worthy of some playing time this fall. One of the biggest additions to this unit, both literally and figuratively, is incoming Freshman Jeffrey Whittaker. The 6'3" 308 pounder was rated the fifth best defensive tackle in the country coming out of high school and has shown why with his play thus far. With his size and ability there is no doubt that Whittaker will play this year and could make a significant impact. Another four star incoming Freshman is Kenneth Carter who already has proven that he too will be able to contribute some playing time this year and at 6'5" 285 pounds he has the size and athleticism to make a difference.

In 2009 Auburn played with a four man rotation at both defensive end and tackle and for the majority of the season at least one player was missing from those units due to injury which can be expected when playing in the SEC. A three or four man rotation just wont cut it and puts far too much pressure on your starters to take every snap. Coach Rocker has said he expects to see a greater effort on each play from his line this year since they now know that they can go all out for a couple of plays than get a breather as opposed to last year when they knew they had to conserve their energy. In 2010 there are now seven ends and seven tackles for coach Rocker to form his rotation from and the talent level has been significantly improved with the addition of five players rated as four star recruits.

Linebacker
As thin as the defensive line was on depth, it was nothing compared to what this linebacker unit suffered through in 2009. As hard as it is to believe, Auburn played the entire game against Alabama and Arkansas with three, yes THREE linebackers. The starters, one being a true Freshman, played every snap. With tackling machine Darren Bates moving down from safety, Eltoro Freeman becoming more comfortable with his role on this defense in year two out of junior college, and the addition of four Freshman linebackers collectively ranked the sixth best linebacker class in the country, there is no doubt the depth issues have been addressed. Auburn will return the most productive pair of linebackers in the SEC in Seniors Josh Bynes and Craig Stevens who combined for 199 tackles. Bynes returns for his third season as the starter at middle linebacker and is a pre-season 1st team All-SEC selection by the media. Stevens is making the switch from the strong side to the weakside linebacker position and was selected to the 2nd team pre-season All-SEC team by the coaches. Stevens is the most experienced player on this defense entering his fourth year as a starter and looking to build on a streak of 26 consecutive starts. Filling in on the strong side will be Darren Bates. After making the switch from safety, Bates has bulked up to 215 lbs and has shown the coaches enough through the spring and this summer to name him the starter. The reason for Stevens making the switch to weakside and the smaller Bates playing on strong side is because in Auburn's defense the responsibilities of the strong side linebacker have that player dropping back into coverage a lot more when playing over the tight end or covering the slot receiver. Bates is a perfect fit for that roll and gives the defense a lot of versatility to run the base 4-3 and nickle packages with the same personnel. Junior Eltoro Freeman had a tumultuous first year on the Plains, showing flashes of his ability but struggling most of the time with playing within the defense and understanding the playbook. His ability to cope with those struggles only exacerbated his problems, often being extremely hard on himself, letting one little mistake affect his attitude and play for the rest of the game. So far this summer Freeman has shown his coaches and his teammates that he has made great strides in both his understanding of his role in the defense and his attitude on and off the field. Playing at his more natural weakside linebacker spot, Freeman should provide quality depth behind Stevens. Sophomore Jonathan Evans was the player asked to step up last year as a true Freshman due to the lack of depth and he played admirably. Evans was one of the three linebackers who played every snap against Alabama and amassed eight solo tackles in that game. Being able to step back into a reserve role should help Evans play better on the snaps he is in there for and the experience he gained in 2009 only bolstered this unit's quality depth. Harris Gaston is currently listed at second team at middle linebacker after redshirting last season due to a season ending injury in preseason practice. Gaston has been quiet so far and it will be interesting to see how much playing time he sees this year as there are some very talented true Freshman who will be vying for that playing time. That group of Freshman includes Jessel Curry, who participated in spring practice after enrolling early, LaDarius Owens, the highest rated out of the four incoming linebackers, Jake Holland, who amassed nearly 300 tackles through his junior and senior years of High School, and Jawara "Rah Rah" White, who reported at an impressive 6'1" 243 pounds. Holland is a perfect fit at the middle linebacker spot, and Curry is best as an outside linebacker but Owens and White will likely learn all three positions and play where they are needed.

While returning all the contributors from the 2009 team and building depth through the return of players from injury/maturity and adding four talented recruits, there is no doubt that this unit should perform better than it did last year. It is nothing short of miraculous that this coaching staff was able to transform a front seven with 12 contributors in 2009 into a deep and talented team with 24 potential contributors in 2010.

Defensive Backfield
Walter McFadden was drafted in the fifth round of the NFL draft giving Auburn four cornerbacks drafted in the past three drafts and they will likely improve on that number after this season. When starting safety Zac Ethridge went down with a season ending injury during the Ole Miss game in 2009, the third cornerback and junior college transfer Demond Washington was asked to make the switch to safety, a position he had never played before in his career. Washington, while much better suited at corner due to his size (5'9" 180), excelled at safety and showed off extremely impressive speed. With McFadden now gone Washington has returned to corner to start opposite Neiko Thorpe to form one of the better cornerback duos in the SEC. Thorpe is a Junior in 2010 has started since his Freshman year and was recently named by Mel Kiper as the highest rated NFL prospect on Auburn's team this coming season. At 6'2" Thorpe has unique size for a cornerback and should be able to match up well against the taller receivers he will see this year such as A.J. Green, Julio Jones and Terrence Tolliver. Providing depth behind Thorpe and Washington will be redshirt Sophomore T'Sharvan Bell who really had a breakout game against Northwestern in the bowl game. Now as the primary backup at corner he will see an increased roll in the defense and could begin to emerge as a player who can be counted on in critical situations. Fellow Sophomore Anthony Morgan (previously Gulley) made the switch from receiver to cornerback last season and is beginning to settle into the position and get a better grasp on the technique. Rounding out the depth chart at cornerback will be true Freshmen Chris Davis and Jonathan Mincy. All the reports from camp thus far have been positive regarding the progress of the Freshmen and having the opportunity to work with Gene Chizik who has coached three Thorpe Award winners between Auburn and Texas should assure some great development of depth at this position. Also, true Freshman athlete Ryan White has been given the opportunity to try his hand at quarterback where he played in High School but most believe his future is at cornerback and that switch should come sooner than later.

No position was hit harder with injuries in 2009 than the safety position. Before the year began Auburn lost Senior Aairon Savage for the second straight year with a season ending injury and in the Spring of 2009 Junior Mike McNeil suffered a broken leg which some thought he may recover from in time for the season but the rehabilitation was much slower than anticipated and he is just now returning to full speed over a year later. In addition to losing those two players prior to the season Zac Ethridge was lost mid-season after breaking a vertebrae in a collision with teammate Antonio Coleman when converging on a ball-carrier. The good news is that all three players have reportedly made full recoveries and are on track to play in the season opener. McNeil used his redshirt year and Savage was granted a sixth year of eligibility so both players return in 2010 in the class they entered the 2009 season. The trio will likely get the majority of the playing time at the safety position but it is unclear which two will get the starting nod. Behind them are two redshirt Juniors Mike Slade and Drew Cole. Both players have a lot of playing experience in their careers though neither has emerged as a quality starting option as evidence by the move of Washington to safety last season and being passed up by true Freshman Darren Bates after just a couple months on campus. The hope is now with even more experience and a second year in this defense both of these players will make strides their Junior season towards being more complete players. In addition to Slade and Cole, two true Freshmen have joined the mix at safety. Demetruce McNeal and Ryan Smith are fighting for playing time and so far McNeal has really emerged as someone who could get some early playing time. Through the first two team scrimmages McNeal has gotten a lot of reps and has stood out in a positive way to safeties coach Tommy Thigpen. Last season Darren Bates played his way into a starting role as a true Freshman and while it doesn't appear likely McNeal will be starting this season (barring more catostrophic injuries) it seems very likely he will get some quality playing time.

Losing McFadden will hurt but it seems like this unit is well prepared to replace his production and continue reloading with NFL quality cornerbacks. With the return of three veterans with starting experience, the leadership and experience at safety will be unmatched by any other team in the SEC. If, and it is a big if, those players can return to pre-injury form and can stay out of the trainer's office for extended periods of time this season than this secondary should be even better than last year. There is more depth at safety to handle an injury here or there but losing three players from the secondary like last year would be difficult to deal with, as it would be for any team.

Overall there is a lot of room for improvement on this defense and it appears as if this coaching staff has put the pieces in place to make that improvement. Coach Chizik, a former Broyles Award winner as a Defensive Coordinator himself, has said now that he is more settled in at Head Coach he feels like he will be able to spend more time being hands on with the defense. Coordinator Ted Roof will undoubtedly love the additional depth at his disposal and should be able to incorporate more packages into his play calling. This may not turn into the defenses from the Tuberville days but it should definitely be much improved from last year and will hopefully be able to come up with some of those critical stops in the fourth quarter that could have translated into three more wins on last year's team.

AU Recruiting: How Will We Finish?

Perhaps it is only the beginning of August and most fans are focuses intently on the kickoff of fall practice, justifiably so, but today Auburn just landed their 15th commitment of this 2011 recruiting class and spots are filling up quickly. Let's take a look at what the class looks like so far...

QB - Kiehl Frazier
WR - Jaylon Denson
WR - Sammie Coates
OG - Thomas O'Reilly
C - Reese Dismukes
DE - Keymiya Harrell
DT - JaBrian Niles
DT - Angelo Blackson
LB - Chris Landrum
LB - Anthony Swain
LB - Justin Garrett
CB - Jonathan Rose
CB - Devin Gaulden
ATH - Izauae Lanier
ATH - C.J. Uzomah

Also we can add WR Jeremy Richardson to this list who is planning on resigning out of JUCO after being the lone non-qualifier from last year's class and OT Shon Coleman who will resign after being unable to report this year while fighting acute lymphocytic leukemia (and winning the fight so far! Go Shon!).

Where does that leave us? With the 17 guys I'm currently counting in our class that would leave us with only 8 or 9 spots to fill out this class. The positions we are likely finished at are quarterback, wide receiver, guard, center, and linebacker. Auburn will likely be looking to add one true running back, one H-Back or tight end, another offensive tackle, one more defensive end and tackle, one more cornerback and safety and maybe another athlete or two. So who are the likely candidates to fill out these final spots? This is where it gets exciting...

To fill out the true runningback position the number one target on our board is Mike Blakely from Bradenton, Florida. The 4-star prostect and #22 overall player in the nation has waivered between Auburn and Florida as his leader with South Carolina consistently being mentioned among the leaders. This will be a good battle for his signature down to the end but Auburn has firmly entrenched themselves as a legitimate contender to sign him in February. Some of the other running backs on the board are Javorius Allen, Andrew Buie and Demetrius Hart.

At H-Back Auburn has one primary target that is standing out far above the rest and that's Rodney Coe. The Edwardsville, Illinois product has been high on Auburn since early in the process and working in Auburn's favor is Coe's head coach who has very good things to say about Gus Malzahn's offense and Coe's potential in it. At 6'3" 230 lbs with a 40 time clocked at 4.54 Coe is an intimidating sight with the ball in his hands. He would be an ideal fit to learn under Eric Smith during his senior season in 2011 and be ready to take over that roll as a starter in 2012.

At tight end Auburn also has one prospect that seems to have distanced himself from the other prospects on the board and that's Brandon Fulse. While Auburn is still pursuing Valdosta's Jay Rome, we have not consistently be mentioned as a favorite and it may be tough to pull this one from the 'Dawgs. Fulse, a 4-star prospect who hails from Fort Meade, Florida and the same high school as Onterio McCalebb, is an impressive 6'4" 247 lbs with very impressive ball skills for a player his size, much like current Auburn tight end Philip Lutzenkirchen. Fulse just narrowed his list of favorites down to 10 but already declared that Auburn and Miami would make the next cut down to 5 as well.

With so much overlap in Malzahn's offense at the H-Back and tight end position, this spot will likely go to whichever prospect commits first but it isn't out of the question that Auburn would take both if given the opportunity.

At offensive tackle Auburn is once again looking to go into Thibodaux, Louisiana where last year they stole Louisiana'a top prospect, Tovon Reed, this time trying to get Reed's former teammate Greg Robinson. At 6'5" 296 lbs and his dominating run blocking style Robinson appears to be an ideal fit at right tackle. The 19th ranked prospect in the country has already declared that this will be a two team battle between LSU and Auburn and infact named Auburn his leader after a week long visit earlier this summer. Getting Reed out of Thibodaux last year was extremely difficult with the local pressure kids in that part of the state are under and Robinson's situation will be no different. For that reason, I don't expect Robinson to make any type of public commitment until much closer to signing day. That being said, the coaches and other commitments who communicate with Robinson are very opptimistic of our chances to land his signature. Florida lineman Terry Bell who sports offers from Clemson, FSU, UGA and others, is likely the fall back plan if things fall through with Robinson and he has already declared Auburn his current leader as well.

Possibly the most impressive looking prospect remaining on Auburn's board is Thomasville, Georgia defensive end Ray Drew. Ranked the #1 player in Georgia and 15th nationally, Drew is a qualitiy individual who may be as impressive off the field as he is on it. With offers from nearly every program across the country, Drew has yet to narrow down his list and has said he likely wont until he picks which schools he will take official visits to. By all indications Auburn is going to be one of those schools and with an impressive season on the field we will be in a great position to sign arguably the top defensive lineman in the country. This recruiting battle reminds me a lot of Corey Lemonier in that while Auburn was consistently mentioned among his favorites, few in the national media gave Auburn much of a shot despite those closest to Auburn feeling opptimistic about our chances. Landing Drew would be an enormous recruiting win. Behind Drew on the board at defensive end are 4-star prospects Xzavier Dickson and Jermauria Rasco.

On the inside of the defensive line the top prospect is Columbus, Georgia Carver's Gabriel Wright. Auburn has been among Wright's favorites from the beginning and on a visit with his family this spring his mom fell in love with what Auburn had to offer. Auburn will be in a tough battle for his signature with its to primary rivals, Alabama and Georgia. If it looks like Wright may be going in another direction look for Auburn to put more pressure on in-state prospect Devaunte Sigler. Sigler is listed as an outside line backer at 6'4" 250 lbs but is projected by this staff to grow into an interior lineman. Auburn may also look to bring in a JUCO defensive tackle and the top target is Gulf Coast C.C. tackle Jonathan Jenkins who is a massive 6'4" 340 lbs.

In the defensive backfield Auburn is in terrific shape to sign the top defensive back class in the entire country. In addition to Rose and Gaulden, Auburn is in great shape to land Marcus Roberson who is ranked the #5 cornerback in the country. Roberson's uncle is former Auburn defensive back Otis Mounds and Roberson has also already named Auburn his leader ahead of in-state Florida. Even if we get a commitment we will likely have to battle the Gators until February but we are in great shape to land two of the top five cornerbacks in the nation. If things fall through with Roberson look for Auburn to push for a commitment from Bruce Dukes who this staff sees a lot of potential in.

At safety Auburn has long been the leader for the nation's #2 safety Erique Florence. He is playing out the process and may give Auburn fans some scares with his visits to Alabama but those in the know are very confident that Florence is all Auburn. If Auburn chooses to bring in a second safety one prospect who is high on Auburn's board is 4-star Dillard safety Wayne Lyons. So far Lyons has really liked what he is hearing from this staff and has declared he will take a visit up to Auburn and would like to continue to Dillard pipeline which includes guys like Junior Rosegreen, Stanley McClover, Pat Simms, and current Tiger Antoine Carter. Lyons is looking for a family atmosphere and few schools offer that as well as Auburn. If we can get him on campus it is very likely the #4 safety prospect in the nation could join this class.

If you are keeping track that is the #2 safety (Florence), #3 cornerback (Rose), #4 safety (Lyons) and #5 cornerback (Roberson) and none of them seem like a stretch.

The top prospects Auburn is pursuing at the Athlete position are 4-stars Kris Frost and Quan Bray. Both players likely project at wide receiver at Auburn but could also play on the other side of the ball if needed. Frost made multiple trips to Auburn this spring including one for Big Cat Weekend and has mentioned Auburn among his favorites ever since. Ranked the #2 athlete in the country, the Matthews, North Carolina product has his pick of schools. Michigan might be the primary competition for Frost's signature but this one will likely carry deep into the recruiting process. Bray, who is from LaGrange, Georgia, will likely pick between Auburn, Alabama and Georgia and his recruitment will also go down to the wire.

So there it is... eight or nine spots left and as it stands now Auburn should fill every one of them with a player rated at least 4-stars. Things always do change and change quickly in recruiting but with a solid year on the field there is no reason why Auburn shouldn't land another class ranked in the top 10 and could push to out do last year's 4th ranked class.