Auburn Football: Does Kiehl Frazier Hold the Keys to the Tigers Future?

Kiehl Frazier came to Auburn with extremely high hopes and expectations from all corners of the Auburn fan-base.

At this point, if Auburn wants success Frazier needs to hold the keys to production, not just high hopes and expectations.

When Frazier arrived in the summer of 2011, the Tigers were coming off of the highest point in the programs history since 1957. The Tigers were riding the high of a national championship looking for a new beginning for a position that had been revolutionized overnight.

Cam Newton blasted onto the scene for Auburn against Arkansas State in 2010 passing for 186 yards and rushing for another 171, totaling five touchdowns. Newton had finally shown what the Tigers offense could do with an explosive quarterback and mind magician type coordinator on the Plains.

Newton drove Auburn through tough roads on and off the field to a very hard earned national title and the schools third Heisman Trophy.

The Tigers' fans needed another Cam.

Along came Frazier. Frazier was a stud signal caller from Arkansas in 2010, accumulating 2,975 passing yards and another 1,164 yards on the ground. He tossed 42 touchdowns as well in his senior season.

Frazier was as elite as they come from high school and Malzahn brought a natural draw to Auburn for Frazier. Much more than a coach solidified the move for Frazier however and as the 2012 season opens under the new guidance of OC Scot Loeffler, Frazier is looking to fulfill his goals as the Tigers starting quarterback.

As a rising sophomore, Frazier isn’t a complete lock to win the starting position. The Tigers also have 2011 starter Clint Moseley still on roster as well as Zeke Pike appearing on campus this spring.

This will be an open battle to the finish and Loeffler is looking for a playmaker to take the reins.

Auburn has faced quarterback controversy often in the past with Kodi Burns and Chris Todd battling in 2009 and Cam Newton earning the position in 2010. 2011 brought the hodgepodge of ridiculousness that saw Frazier, Moseley, and the recently departed Barrett Trotter all attempt to guide the offense.

At the end of the spring, Auburn needs to have a leader at quarterback as Loeffler will look to offensive leaders to carry over the spring offense implementation to summer workouts.

Scot Loeffler has talked of looking for the “it” factor in recruiting, something that Frazier displayed while he was being recruited.

Even Chris Mortensen is on camera talking about Frazier’s potential impact.

So when does Frazier’s potential turn into production for the Tigers? Last season Frazier was the Tigers third leading rusher compiling 76 total rushes for 327 yards and three touchdowns.

Frazier’s passing statistics were far less impressive as he only managed a 41.7 CMP% last season on a total of 12 throws. Two of the 12 tosses landed in the defenses hands.

Looking at Frazier’s mechanics however there doesn’t appear to be an issue, in fact, he has some great tools that could be developed well by Loeffler.

As the spring practice sessions draw near, the Tigers can’t handle another quarterback controversy.

Under the Malzahn regime it didn’t seem to be a concern and at times the lack of leadership showed.

Auburn needs a leader from the quarterback position and Kiehl Frazier looks to be the best answer at this point. Nothing against Clint Moseley’s attempt to achieve greatness last season, after all he was my choice to start from day one, but he lacked more than offensive line protection.

So does Kiehl Frazier hold the keys to Auburn’s success in 2012 and beyond?

At this point yes.

He is the only viable candidate to become an explosive playmaking quarterback under Loeffler.

Auburn needs a leader to step forward and guide this team to victory, it just may be time for Frazier to shine.

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