Auburn Football: Players to Watch in Tigers' Spring Game
AUBURN, Ala. — There should be a different feeling in the air this Saturday when football returns to the Plains.
Unlike the last couple of years under head coach Gus Malzahn, the Auburn Tigers won't be entering their annual A-Day spring game as one of the SEC's preseason darlings. After a 7-6 campaign in 2015, there's more talk of hot seats than titles in Auburn.
With eyes on a turnaround 2016 campaign, Auburn will wrap up a spring camp featuring plenty of new potential starters and assistant coaches. The all-important quarterback battle, the race for the lead running back position, a new-look offensive line and the fifth defensive coordinator in six years will all be major storylines for the Saturday afternoon scrimmage.
Which players should Auburn fans keep their eyes on the most on A-Day? Here are 10 players—representing all the major offensive and defensive position groups—to watch when the Tigers unofficially open their 2016 season inside Jordan-Hare Stadium.
Which Auburn players are you most looking forward to seeing this weekend? Shout them out in the comments below.
QB John Franklin III
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Quarterback battles naturally get a lot of attention in spring games. When a newcomer is thrown into the mix, the intrigue grows. And in an offense like Gus Malzahn's—where the offense's success hinges even more on the signal-caller than the average college attack—finding a leader is paramount.
So, naturally, all eyes will be on John Franklin III when the Tigers hit the field for A-Day this Saturday. Former starters Jeremy Johnson and Sean White, who are both deeply locked in the battle with Franklin, were more so pocket passers in a scheme that has worked best with a dynamic rusher at quarterback.
If Malzahn elects to go back to the run-heavier style in 2016, Franklin has the tools of a Nick Marshall. His calling card is explosive speed. Defensive tackle Montravius Adams said Franklin was even faster than Marshall.
"That's a quick person, man," running back Jovon Robinson said of Franklin. "When you can move laterally as quick as he can, you can do special things on the field. ... In the spring game, we can make some people happy."
His biggest question mark, though, will be his passing ability, especially with Auburn's underdeveloped receiving corps. Franklin should be able to get the crowd at Jordan-Hare Stadium to "ooh" and "ahh" over his speed on designed running plays. But he can win over coaches and skeptics in the stands by having a strong showing through the air.
FB Chandler Cox and FB Kamryn Pettway
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Auburn's first-choice running back situation will consist of some sort of combination of senior Jovon Robinson and junior Roc Thomas. But with Kerryon Johnson out for the spring, the Tigers needed to look elsewhere to find depth alongside early enrollee Malik Miller.
Auburn has cross-trained fullbacks Chandler Cox and Kamryn Pettway at running back throughout the spring, giving them more opportunities to carry the ball instead of solely being used as lead blockers. While Cox was a traditional fullback in his high school days, Pettway was a power back before he arrived at Auburn.
According to running backs coach Tim Horton, the transition for the two young fullbacks has been quite successful this spring.
"Both of them have been very good," Horton said. "I think they bring a certain element of toughness to the position that we needed. They're fall-forward backs. They're going to get yards after contact. They're going to move the chains."
How Auburn divides the carries between its natural running backs will be important on Saturday, and fans could get to see Cox and Pettway log some major carries inside Jordan-Hare Stadium. If they do well enough, they could buy themselves some important touches in the regular season.
WR Ryan Davis and Darius Slayton
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Of Auburn's young receivers who have been able to play full speed this spring—early enrollee Kyle Davis has been limited in the wake of a recent surgery—the names of Ryan Davis and Darius Slayton have quickly been hot topics around the complex.
Davis played in eight games last season and only recorded two carries for the Tigers, failing to grab a single reception in his first campaign. Slayton received a redshirt. However, both have made solid strides in spring practices, according to their coaches and teammates.
"Ryan Davis...that guy, he plays full speed every play," wide receiver Marcus Davis said. "Darius Slayton as well. Those young guys are really coming along this spring. I think they can help us out."
At 5'9" and 164 pounds, Davis is more of a slot speedster who can impact the game in a number of ways for the Tigers. The 6'2" Slayton, on the other hand, has been identified as a receiver who could take the top off a defense on vertical routes.
With Auburn needing multiple wide receivers to step up and produce in the place of departed leaders this fall, Saturday's A-Day game will be the perfect time for Davis and Slayton to impress the home crowd and build momentum for the 2016 campaign.
OL Xavier Dampeer
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The center position has often been referred to as the second quarterback in Malzahn's hurry-up, no-huddle offense. And while the Tigers might be getting a new starting quarterback in 2016, that second signal-caller of sorts could have a new face as well.
Austin Golson's move to left tackle has opened up a first-team spot at center for senior Xavier Dampeer, who backed up both Reese Dismukes and Golson in the last two seasons. Dampeer missed the last two months of the 2015 season after reportedly suffering a broken jaw from a punch by former teammate Duke Williams.
But Dampeer has emerged as a potential starter for the 2016 season and has been lining up as a first-teamer in the last two weeks of practices. Thanks to new offensive line coach Herb Hand's strategy of moving established starters and reserves around in different positions, Dampeer has gotten an opportunity and taken full advantage of it.
"For Xavier, he's pretty strong, and he's pretty fast," left guard Alex Kozan said. "But for him, it's kind of been on the mental side. He's really come along mentally as a player, really gotten his calls down and done a good job of helping direct the unit."
Keep an eye on how Dampeer directs the offense in his bigger role during the A-Day game and how well he is able to get off snaps to the quarterbacks. He has plenty of experience in the system—now it's a matter of putting that into practice as a starter.
DE Marlon Davidson
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For all the talent coming back on Auburn's defensive line in 2016, a newcomer has emerged as a first-teamer in practices this spring. Marlon Davidson, a 4-star early enrollee from Montgomery, Alabama, has taken reps at strong-side defensive end opposite Carl Lawson in the most recent open practice windows.
Davidson, who is the younger brother of former Auburn defensive end Kenneth Carter, has impressed both coaches and teammates alike with how quickly he's been able to adjust to early life in the college game.
"Consistency in a young guy is really hard to find, and that's what he's been able to do," defensive end Carl Lawson said. "He's been able to be consistent and every day come out here and try to get better. He takes coaching. When [football] gets hard, [there are] a lot of young guys that don't take it very well. He's been prepped for it."
Davidson has worked at defensive end and some on the interior in straight pass-rushing situations, according to defensive coordinator Kevin Steele. The top assistant also said Davidson looks like a player who has "been around for a couple of years" because he is already "physically, mentally and emotionally mature."
Like any other early enrollee or newcomer, Davidson will definitely be one to watch in his first game in front of the Auburn faithful. But the intrigue around Davidson has been raised over the last few weeks because of how much he's stood out in camp. The true freshman is already looking like a potential impact player before the fall months even begin on the Plains.
LB Jeff Holland
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Sophomore Jeff Holland is an outside linebacker by trade, but he's worked in spring camp with defensive line coach Rodney Garner as a pass-rushing specialist. While Auburn's depth chart situation is still a major work in progress, Holland has been behind Carl Lawson as the second-team Buck.
Holland's development as a valued pass-rusher is important, considering the Tigers have fallen flat in that category the last two seasons when Lawson was injured. Last year, Holland recorded his first career sack in Auburn's Birmingham Bowl victory over Memphis.
"A good pass-rusher is a good pass-rusher," defensive coordinator Kevin Steele said. "You got to have speed, explosion, good use of hands, understand leverage. It does come natural to [Holland]. He's got speed and quickness. He enjoys it. He's creative with his stuff and really has done a nice job of it."
According to defensive tackle Montravius Adams, Holland has matured more over the offseason and "is taking the game more seriously" than he did as a freshman. That has allowed him to become more of a consistent playmaker on the edge, along with the likes of Raashed Kennion and Marlon Davidson.
Auburn has a huge need for more consistent pass-rushers outside of the injury-prone Lawson, and Holland will provide an intriguing test for any opposing offensive tackles on Saturday. The Tigers would love to see Holland break through into the backfield multiple times in his first A-Day game.
CB Jamel Dean and CB John Broussard
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As Auburn looks to improve its passing game under new assistants Kevin Steele and Wesley McGriff, a pair of new cornerbacks have received plenty of praise so far in spring ball. The first, lanky Ohio State transfer Jamel Dean, looks like a natural fit at the first-team cornerback spot opposite Carlton Davis.
"The guy I'm really excited about is Jamel Dean—what a big corner that’s explosive with speed," McGriff said. "We have some tools on the outside that's going to give us a chance to line up and be able to play man, play zone and be able to keep the football in front of us."
John Broussard, who hails from nearby Phenix City, Alabama, could provide instant depth behind Davis and Dean as he continues to get bigger and stronger in a college weight program. Both Steele and McGriff have spoken highly of Broussard's ready-made skill set, and he's shown he has been able to hold his own despite being slightly undersized.
"The best thing about a young man like that, his arrow is definitely going up," McGriff said. "Once he adds some weight, which he will—I think he's gained 10 pounds up to now—and gets stronger, he's going to be a tremendous asset for us."
The offense will get a lot of the attention at A-Day for what it does through the air, but watch out for how the Tigers are able to defend passes with the likes of Dean and Broussard. The Tigers could definitely use more playmakers in the secondary after last season, and they will get their first crack in front of their new fans Saturday.
All quotes obtained firsthand unless otherwise noted. Recruiting rankings are courtesy of 247Sports.
Justin Ferguson is a National College Football Analyst at Bleacher Report. You can follow him on Twitter @JFergusonBR.
