Auburn Football: 5 Storylines Heading into Spring Ball

Auburn had a great season finishing 8-5 last year considering all of the talent they had to replace in 2010.

This year, they return 18 starters and look to compete with the top teams in the SEC. They may still have work to do before they get back to where they want to go, but things may be looking bright for Auburn. 

Although we still may be months away from college football kicking off, spring ball is right around the corner. The Mountaineers first spring practice is scheduled for March 21, and the spring game will take place on April 14.

As we get ready for everything spring has to offer, here are the top five storylines to pay attention to.

Linebacker Needs to Be Filled

Auburn has a very talented group of linebackers to choose from, but they will need to find a replacement in the middle, as Eltoro Freeman is no longer there.

Players like Jonathan Evans, Daren Bates and Jake Holland are the likely favorites to fill in the three spots, but that doesn't mean there isn't competition that will push them for the starting role.

Former 5-star recruit Kris Frost should not be taken out of the conversation. He suffered a season-ending shoulder injury last year but should be ready to contribute this season.

Chris Landrum is a big body that redshirted last year. Other players include Jawara Wright, Daren Bates and Justin Garrett.

Linebacker is a deep position for the Tigers this year; the coaching staff just needs to find out exactly who will play where.

Who Will Play Quarterback?

With Barrett Trotter now out of the picture, it now creates a three-team race for the Tigers. They can either go with the junior in Clint Moseley, the fan favorite in Kiehl Frazier or the true freshman in Zeke Pike.

Whoever becomes the quarterback of this team doesn't necessarily blow the doors off right away, but the production has to be better than 105th ranking they had last year in passing yards.

Mosely obviously has the more experience considering he threw 108 passes last season. Frazier is the dual-threat quarterback that also has a very strong arm and can kill you multiple ways. The long shot in this race would be Pike, but at 6'6", 225 pounds, you have to love his potential.

This quarterback competition won't draw as much hype as the other ones going around in college football, but it's a question that must be answered.

Can a Playmaker Emerge at WR?

Much like a lot of teams in the SEC, the wide receiver position isn't exactly the strong suite. And for Auburn, that was the case as well, as only two players caught over 30 passes last season.

Tight end Philip Lutzenkirchen and wide receiver Emory Blake will return, but whoever wins the quarterback competition will need more options.

Jaquay Williams, who has terrific size at 6'4", may step in and help contribute. As should Trovon Reed and Travante Stallworth, who should also see the field and earn quality minutes this year.

Auburn could have one of the better wide receiver corps in the SEC if just a couple of players out of this group step it up this spring.

How Will the Team Respond with Coaching Changes?

Anytime there are coaching changes, you wonder how it will affect the team.

For Auburn, there were several coaching changes as offensive coordinator Gus Malzahn left for Arkansas State and Scot Loeffler became the new offensive coordinator.

Loeffler has 14 years of coaching experience and has worked with several great quarterbacks including Tom Brady. But the key that will affect this team the most is that he will run multiple formations and shy away from the spread they Tigers were used to running under Malzahn.

On the defensive side of the ball Brian VanGorder replaces former defensive coordinator Ted Roof. He began coaching in 1981 and has held numerous positions on the defensive side of the ball in college and the NFL. 

It's going to be interesting to see just how quickly this young team can adjust to the new coaches on both sides of the ball.

Is Onterio McCalebb Ready for the Big Time?

Now that there's a new offensive coordinator in town, and he will be running a different type of offense, this means the workload will expand for McCalebb.

The senior running back has 312 touches in three years combined, but he'll likely get close to that number in this year alone.

He's averaged over five yards throughout his career and has solid speed to become a quality starter. But with his workload increasing dramatically, there are going to be questions about just how much he'll be able to handle.

This is a back that's going from a change-of-pace kind of guy to somebody who will carry the rock 20-plus times a game. Big step.

Randy Chambers is a B/R featured columnist that covers college football and the NFL. You can contact him @Randy_Chambers or [e-mail].