SEC Football Roundtable: Auburn

What are some of the major position battles going on within your team?

The biggest battle in the offseason is at the quarterback position between sophomore Kodi Burns and junior college transfer Chris Todd. Kodi made the biggest improvement of any Auburn player in the spring finishing with his best performance in the spring game. He is currently the starter, but Todd was held back with a shoulder injury.

Todd will make a run at the position in the summer and fall. It is THE battle to keep an eye on, and I'd expect both to play during the season regardless of who the starter is.

Who are some players on each side of the ball that you see emerging as stars this year?

Auburn is loaded with young talent, some of that will being to emerge this year. On the offensive side of the ball, I'd look for RB Mario Fannin to have an even bigger role in the new offense and become a real dual threat both catching and carrying the football. 

An unknown player that could make a name for himself this year is junior WR James Swinton. The fastest player on the team, he's been buried in the depth chart his first few years because of inconsistency catching the football. He looks to be rejuvenated in the new offense however and is in good position to have a really nice year.

Another player on offense that will be an emerging star is sophomore WR Chris Slaughter. At 6-4 he provides great size and he has the best hands on the team. Look for him to have a lot of catches and be a real threat in the red zone.

On defense look for DE Michael Goggans to have a solid year stepping in for SenDerrick Marks, who was moved to the inside. Another player to keep an eye on is sophomore strong safety Michael McNeil. McNeil, a highly recruited safety out of high school two years ago, takes over and has all the ability to become an All-SEC player.

Are there any injuries your team is worrying about?

On the injury front, Auburn is doing really well. Fannin, WR Tim Hawthorne, and starting DE Antonio Coleman all missed time with injury, but all are expected back for two-a-days in the summer. Starting right guard Chaz Ramsey had surgery on his back and it could take some time for him to get back totally healthy, so expect sophomore Byron Isom to start in his place for now.

Some real positive news Auburn received recently is that senior DT Tez Doolittle received a sixth year of eligibility because of an injury that sidelined him all of last season. Doolittle was pushing for a starting job last year before he was injured and will add some real quality depth to the inside and may even push for a starting spot depending on how quickly he comes back.

What do you think your team’s major strengths and weaknesses will be?

The major strength of this team will obviously be the defense. Auburn was the #1 statistical defense in the league last year and returns most of the talent, though it lost defensive coordinator Will Muschamp. Paul Rhoads looks to be a more than adequate replacement, though.

Individual strengths are the offensive and defensive lines, followed by the secondary and running backs.

What games are you most looking forward to watching this year?

The big games on Auburn's schedule are LSU at home, Tennessee at home, West Virginia in Morgantown, Georgia at home, and Alabama in Tuscaloosa. Those 5 games will decide whether this is a great season or just a good one. I'd say the one game I look forward to the most is the LSU game because that will be a pivotal game in who wins the Western division and gets to play for the SEC Championship.

What record do you think your team will end the regular season with?

Barring any major injuries, I'd say that a realistic record for Auburn to have is 10-2. They could go 9-3; they could even go 11-1 depending on how quickly the offense gels and how far it progresses. The way the schedule sets up, it could be a great season for the Tigers if they can avoid the perennial let down game that seems to plague them. Final prediction: 10-2

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