Kodi Burns vs. Chris Todd: Who Is the Best Man for the Auburn Job?

It is a rainy day at Auburn University. Tornado warnings have forced many people to stay indoors for the majority of the day. So, what do people talk about when stuck inside on an Auburn Saturday in the fall? Football.

One thing we know is certain: A week from today, college football season will be under way.

Another thing is certain: On that day, Auburn will unveil its new spread offense (the entire package, not the one learned in two weeks and used at last year's Chick-Fil-A bowl).

Yet one thing remains uncertain: Who will lead the new Auburn offense?

Will it be Kodi Burns, the highly touted sophomore that saw limited action, but played a huge role in Auburn's bowl victory last year?

Or will it be junior Chris Todd, the lesser-known junior college transfer with a live arm and a firm grasp on Tony Franklin's offense?

Or maybe it will be Neil Caudle. Okay, it won't be him, but I figured he at least deserved a mention.

Burns only attempted 26 passes in 2007, his true freshman year. Of those 26 passes, 10 were completed, two for touchdowns. That's a mediocre 38.5 percent completion rate. He also threw one interception. However, those 10 completions went for a total of 145 yards, an average of 14.5 yards per completion. All in all, his quarterback efficiency rating came out to 103.00.

This was only a small sampling of Burns' potential, and, though these aren't the most impressive numbers in the world, anyone who saw Kodi play last year saw flashes of brilliance. I, for one, cannot get the final play of last season, his game-winning touchdown run against Clemson, out of my head.

This brings me to my next point. Burns is fast. Very fast. And he is also a good runner. He ran 54 times for 203 yards last year, an average of 3.8 yards per carry, scoring three touchdowns in the process.

But what about Chris Todd?

Todd started his college career at Texas Tech, where he stayed for two years, including a redshirt freshman year, before transferring to Hutchinson Community College in Kansas. His stats at Hutchinson were less than stellar, and I'm being nice. He completed 104-of-212 passes, a 49.1 percent average, with six touchdowns and eight interceptions, leading his team to only one win last year.

However, Todd has a distinct advantage over Burns. Franklin, Auburn's offensive coordinator, taught his spread offense at Todd's high school. And he has been running it ever since.

While there must be something about Todd for Texas Tech and Auburn to sign him, I don't see it. He has a height advantage (6'4" to Burns' 6'1"), but isn't as mobile as Burns and, though he has a good arm, his strength is equal to his younger counterpart at best. In my humble opinion, just because someone has experience in a system, it doesn't mean they can run it. Todd just doesn't have the tools.

So who is the right man for the job? It has to be Kodi Burns. I wish both of these guys all the luck in the world, and I stand behind the coaches' decision one hundred percent.

Whatever happens, I think I speak for all Auburn fans when I say this season should be a hell of a ride.