Auburn Football: 11 Reasons Why the Tigers Should Be Preseason Top 10

There seems to be a wealth of reasons the Auburn Tigers are barely making preseason top 25 lists, but it is more apparent why the Tigers should be a preseason top 10 selection. For every reason that is given for the Tigers to fail, there is a reason for them to succeed in 2011.  

Auburn has dodged the bullet this season, as the media has worked its magic and removed the target from the defending champions back. Surprisingly, the best team in the land just six months ago is now considered defunct by many before the season has begun.

The losses of Nick Fairley and Cameron Newton will surely be too large of a deficit to overcome. I would stand to disagree.

While the losses of major playmakers are there, as well as large amounts of attrition through graduation and early departure, the Tigers may be the most talented team that has taken the home sideline at Jordan-Hare Stadium in quite some time.

Chizik and the Tigers coaching staff have done an amazing job of bringing top level talent to the Plains. The experience gained a year ago is monumental as they take the field as starters this season. Looking ahead, here are 11 reasons why the Tigers should make every top 10 preseason list. 

Running Back Tandem

The most respected position for the Tigers is the running back spot this year. Michael Dyer and Onterio McCalebb accounted for over 1,900 yards last season. With Newton gone, the stats are sure to rise from these two.

Dyer got the benefit of being eased into the system and into college football a year ago. The coaching staff wanted to use the luxury of time that Newton afforded them with his rushing ability. Dyer came on strong during the fourth game of the year against South Carolina, rushing for 100 yards.

After that, his impact was expanded until he had a season high game against Ole Miss, accounting for 180 yards on the ground. Dyer continued to see time in the rotation and even earned the offensive player of the game award in the national title game, rushing for 143 yards.

McCalebb was utilized sparingly in his freshman season but seemed to find his way last year as a true sophomore. He carried the ball 95 times, earning 810 yards on the ground a season ago. He was most recently listed by Espn.com writer Chris Low as the number one home run threat in the SEC.( http://espn.go.com/blog/ncfnation/post/_/id/43722/secs-top-home-run-hitters) 

If any opposing defense thinks that they will be able to stop this tandem in its tracks, they may be in for a long day. It may not be if you can stop them all together, but more can you outgain and out score them. These two alone will win ball games for Auburn, further expanding on the question of how the Tigers continue to earn no respect Dangerfield style this offseason.

Defensive Secondary

The defensive secondary at Auburn is one of the ignored strengths for the upcoming season. Last year, Auburn was converting scout team quarterbacks to cornerback to help fill the void that injuries had left for the Tigers.

By season's end, Auburn was starting true freshmen in the secondary. The benefit that Auburn has from making freshman mistakes last season is obvious. When you have to play young players, you have to play them. This staff didn’t shy away a year ago, and that is to their benefit.

There is also an additional wealth of talent that is incoming for the Tigers in the defensive secondary this season. Players like Erique Florence and Jonathan Rose will likely see playing time early but from a talent standpoint alone.

T’Sharvan Bell will be a leader in the secondary, as will Ikeem Means and Demetruce McNeal. There will be no shortage of playmakers in the secondary for Auburn, which should aid there preseason rankings, not hurt them.

Malzahn’s Quarterback Wizardry

Gus Malzahn is entering his third year as the Auburn Tigers offensive coordinator. So far, it is his longest tenure in college football with one school. As his time in the program may be a new and welcomed change, the quarterback quandary is one that Malzahn knows well.

In all six seasons as an offensive coordinator at the collegiate level, Malzahn has coached a new quarterback. What makes that statistic so impressive is what his offenses have been able to do despite its lack of continuous leadership.

Malzahn turned an injured and assumed failed quarterback named Chris Todd into a record breaking eight game winner. What Malzahn will be able to do with the talent at his disposal this season should be far and away better than what was accomplished in 2009.

Don’t forget that in his short tenure at Arkansas, Malzahn coached a true freshman named Mitch Mustain to an undefeated 8-0 record as a starter. Malzahn’s wizardry is worthy of the top 10 alone.

Surprisingly Experienced Line

Much of the talk this offseason has been around the inexperience that awaits the Auburn offensive line this coming season. To the surprise of many, the Tigers return three seniors and one junior on the offensive line this year.

Two seniors, Brandon Mosley and A.J. Greene, are returning starters at the tackle spots while senior Jared Cooper and junior John Sullen will man the guard positions.

The only area of concern would be the center role, as it returns a walk-on and assumed future scholarship sophomore Blake Burgess and true freshman Reese Dismukes. Dismukes attended spring with the Tigers and battled Burgess for the starting nod, but the battle will continue into the fall.

If the Tigers can hammer out the center position early, the offensive line could turn into a major strength for the Tigers under the excellent guidance Coach Jeff Grimes.

Defensive Leadership

The Tigers are one of the youngest teams in the country this coming season, and the defensive side of the ball is no different. Leaders like Nosa Eguae and Jake Holland are merely sophomores, but there is plenty of experience to go around.

Seniors like Neiko Thorpe and Eltoro Freeman will be there to help ensure guys are in the right position defensively. T’Sharvan Bell is a rising junior as is Daren Bates; both are guys that have seen significant playing time in the past two seasons.

Despite the age and class of the defenders starting this season leadership will not be an issue. The Tigers should have a much stronger first half defense, as the depth that was missing a year ago is now available and more talented than ever before. 

Coaching Continuity

One of the major strengths of the Auburn Tigers football team this coming season is obviously the lack of coaching turnover. Only one coach was lost this past season. Going into the third year with not only the same coordinators, but also same position coaches, goes a long way for a team.

The players do not have to learn new systems or new coaches. The trust that has to be built has been established by this staff, and this staff has also led Auburn to a national championship.

Winning championships does a lot to help build the program, but it also works wonders for a team’s chemistry. These players know that the coaches have a plan and that the plan works. Keeping Chizik’s guys on staff will make a major difference this season, as the Tigers face certain adversity down the schedule.

Playmakers at Receiver

Two major names have disappeared from the roster this season. Darvin Adams and Terrell Zachery are attempting to enter their way into the professional ranks, and Auburn is looking for leaders.

Emory Blake is an obvious leader from the receiver position, as is Philip Lutzenkirchen. After those two, however, the names may be a little less recognizable. Auburn has recruited extremely well in the past two seasons, however, so there is a number of talented pass catchers in the lineup.

Players like Trovon Reed, Travante Stallworth, DeAngelo Benton and true freshman Sammie Coates are names to look for. These four will make impacts early as well as Blake and Lutzenkirchen, as they will look to ease in the newly named quarterback.

Lose Big Names, Return Playmakers

Gone are major names like Cameron Newton and Nick Fairley. In their place will be guys like Jeffery Whitaker and Clint Moseley. Big plays will need to come from numerous places this year and aren’t likely to come from just two positions.

Auburn has a wealth of players that received playing time last year and has a host of skill players that are sure to receive a spread of the carries and tackles in 2011.

The losses of big players will no doubt make a dent in the highlight reel this season, but it will also allow the Auburn coaches to showcase the wealth of talent that is found in the offensive and defensive coffers. 

4-0 Start Possible

The schedule is going to be the most difficult road to pass that any Tiger team has faced in quite some time. There is one benefit for the Tigers in this schedule despite the difficulties: the way that it starts.

With the Tigers opening against Utah State at home and then hosting a talented Mississippi State Bulldogs team, they have the chance to win a tough game before they head on the road to Clemson. If the Tigers can win the game against Clemson, they return home to face Florida Atlantic.

Through the first four games of the season, Auburn has a great chance to be undefeated. With four straight wins, the Tigers will begin to return to the talk nationally as they prepare to hit the road against South Carolina.

The chances are very high that the Tigers go 4-0, and if they do, then being slighted from the top 10, much less the top 25, will appear laughable. Assume that the preseason rankings are ditched until the first week of October; the Tigers at 4-0 would be a top 10 shoe in.

Top Five in the SEC in a Separate Class

When taking a look at the national college football landscape, it is impossible to ignore that the SEC is the strongest conference in football. Taking it further, the Western Division is by far the most talented of the divisions in the conference.

As the SEC looks to begin its march to a sixth national title in as many years, it could be argued that the top five teams in the conference are worthy of spots in the national top ten.

Is it too much to assume that the SEC is that strong of a conference? Only when they begin to fall from the top of the college football world will it be possible to argue that the SEC is not the best.

With all that being said, Auburn is undoubtedly in the top of the SEC, and furthermore, one of the top teams in the country.

15 Game Winning Streak

You can’t deny history. Auburn is running on a tremendous 15 game winning streak entering the 2011 season. That alone should garner some respect from the national college football world.

Looking at the season and its schedule, there is no doubt it is going to be a daunting task for the Tigers to overcome, but entering the 2011 season, everything that has been accomplished has to be respected. The Tigers have earned their way back to the national stage and will look to continue the tradition of winning in 2011.

No matter what the coming season holds for the Tigers, they are deserving of a national ranking come this preseason, a top 10 ranking to be specific.