Meet Quan Bray, the Auburn Tigers' Best Special Teams Weapon

AUBURN, Ala. — One of the biggest questions for Auburn this offseason was how to replace Chris Davis, the man who ran his way into college football history with a game-winning, 100-plus-yard return against Alabama.

The Tigers might have found the answer in the man Davis replaced in 2013.

After leading the team in punt returns as a true freshman and a sophomore, Quan Bray lost the starting job to Davis in his first season under head coach Gus Malzahn.

He received a few chances as a punt returner last season, but he did little with them:

Game	Chris Davis	Quan Bray
vs. Washington State	1 return, 19 yards	0 returns, 0 yards
vs. Arkansas State	1 return, 2 yards	0 returns, 0 yards
vs. Mississippi State	DNP	3 returns, 44 yards
at LSU	DNP	5 returns, 5 yards
vs. Ole Miss	0 returns, 0 yards	0 returns, 0 yards
vs. Western Carolina	0 returns, 0 yards	3 returns, 15 yards
at Texas A&M	1 return, 10 yards	0 returns, 0 yards
vs. Florida Atlantic	4 returns, 71 yards	1 return, -3 yards
at Arkansas	1 return, 12 yards	0 returns, 0 yards
at Tennessee	2 returns, 127 yards	0 returns, 0 yards
vs. Georgia	1 return, 6 yards	0 returns, 0 yards
vs. Alabama	2 returns, 99 yards*	0 returns, 0 yards
vs. Missouri	2 returns, 36 yards	0 returns, 0 yards
vs. Florida State	3 returns, 36 yards	0 returns, 0 yards
TOTALS	18 returns, 417 yards	12 returns, 61 yards

But, two games into the 2014 season, Bray looks like a brand new player on special teams.

Following a pair of solid returns against Arkansas, the senior recorded his first career punt-return touchdown against San Jose State, a 55-yard highlight-reel play that included several broken tackles:

"When the punter kicked it, I saw one of the guys was already down," Bray said. "I knew [true freshman safety Stephen] Roberts was going to hold the other guy off of me. Once the first man missed me, it was off to the races."

The touchdown was a special moment for Bray, who had recorded only three other all-purpose touchdowns in his Auburn career before his return against San Jose State, and his teammates were proud.

"If Coach Malzahn hadn't grabbed me, I would have been the first one off the sideline, just knowing his struggles like me," senior cornerback Trovon Reed told the team's official website. "I'm so proud of him. I kissed [him] on his forehead and told him, 'I love you, man.'"

Bray and Reed, highly rated players out of high school, both lost their mothers in tragic circumstances before coming to Auburn. 

Bray's mother was murdered by his father two months before the start of his freshman season, and Reed's mother died of stomach cancer while he was a high school junior.

The two have developed a strong bond over their tough few seasons at Auburn. Last Saturday night, they both took advantage of their chances to shine.

"It’s really crazy," Bray said. "I texted him before the game. I said, ‘You know who is watching. Let’s go out and have fun and just make plays.’ God works in mysterious ways. He caught an interception and I ran a punt back. Give credit to the man above."

Both players struggled to live up to their lofty expectations as wide receivers, but they are making the most out of their final seasons away from the offense.

While Bray is still in the rotation at wideout, he is getting most of spotlight at special teams.

"When guys are seniors they raise their level...and I believe that he is definitely doing that," Malzahn said after the San Jose State game. "We have gotten a little better around all the specialists too. I’m very happy for Quan, he’s very confident right now."

Butch Dill/Associated Press

Bray didn't always have that level of confidence as a punt returner.

Before last Saturday, his best performance came in 2012 against Alabama A&M, when he had three returns for a total of 48 yards.

Now, he ranks third nationally with an average of 28.7 yards per return, and he is one of only 14 players in the country who have taken a punt back for six points.

Bray's teammates alongside him on special teams attribute that difference to being more decisive with his first step after catching the ball instead of "dancing around" like he was prone to do in seasons past.

"You know, last year, he was doing a great job catching the ball, but he was making bad decisions on the ball," senior running back and kick returner Corey Grant said Thursday night. "Coming into fall camp and through these first two weeks, he's done a great job with his decision-making."

His low level of production on returns last season—and the two seasons before—meant Bray would have to battle to get the starting job back this season, even though he was a senior with plenty of in-game experience.

In fall camp, Bray won the position over a host of athletes, young and old:

When Bray was named the starting punt returner ahead of the season opener against Arkansas, Malzahn said his experience was a factor, but he "definitely won the job" over the rest of the pack.

"I trust him with the ball," Malzahn said. "He can do a lot of different things...he’s a senior. He gives us a lot of versatility."

A cloud of mystery and suspense that once hung over the special teams unit throughout the spring and summer has now faded for Auburn.

With redshirt freshman Daniel Carlson excelling early as a do-it-all specialist and Bray picking up where Davis left off in the return game, the tradition of solid special teams play on The Plains looks like it will last, even after a year of complete turnover.

"Our special teams are very important," Bray said. "We have playmakers that will make big plays. They are contributors, especially the punt return team. We want to be the best in the nation."

All quotes were obtained firsthand unless otherwise noted. All recruiting rankings and information courtesy of 247Sports. All stats courtesy of CFBStats.com.

Justin Ferguson is Bleacher Report's lead Auburn writer. Follow him on Twitter @JFergusonAU.