Auburn Football: Tigers' Most Important Players at Each Position
The Auburn Tigers will head into the 2015 college football season looking to avenge a disappointing 8-5 campaign in 2014.
A mix of new faces on the sidelines and on the field have expectations high for this year's team.
The biggest offseason move for the Tigers was the hire of new defensive coordinator Will Muschamp, who will be making his second stop on the Plains following a stint as head coach at Florida.
Muschamp is expected to improve the Auburn defense and help the Tigers climb back to SEC championship level. If the defense can improve and take some of the pressure off Gus Malzahn's high-powered offense, Auburn should be squarely in the College Football Playoff discussion come November.
But Malzahn and Muschamp both need talent to operate with, so here's a look at Auburn's most important players for the 2015 season.
A player's importance is judged by talent and potential but also by how much his performance could positively or negatively affect the team's overall success.
Quarterback: Jeremy Johnson
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After losing Nick Marshall, Auburn might have had the least suspenseful quarterback battle in the country during the spring.
Auburn has known Johnson would take over the starting spot for over a year, and the official announcement from Gus Malzahn was nothing but a formality.
As a backup, Johnson received limited opportunities the last two years but still managed to show glimpses of his potential. Consequently, there's plenty of hype surrounding Johnson leading up to the season opener.
Last season, Johnson completed 28 of his 37 pass attempts for 436 yards and three touchdowns. The majority of that production came when Johnson filled in for Marshall against Arkansas and went 12-of-16 through the air for 243 yards in just the first half.
Johnson isn't as elusive of runner as Marshall, but he gives the Tigers a better pocket presence under center and can make any throw he is asked to.
Gus Malzahn's offense might look different with Johnson leading it, but that doesn't mean it will be any less effective.
Runner-up: Sean White
Running Back: Jovon Robinson
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The battle on the Plains to see who will take over Cameron Artis-Payne's spot as the Tigers' lead running back is a steep one. Jovon Robinson, Roc Thomas and Peyton Barber weren't able to settle the matter during spring football.
While Malzahn's offense tends to include plenty of playmakers, in the last two seasons Auburn fans have become used to having one guy carry most of the load at running back.
Last year it was Artis-Payne. In 2013, Tre Mason was the bell-cow back.
In 2013, Robinson had a monster season at Georgia Military College, setting the junior college single-season rushing record with 2,387 yards and 34 touchdowns.
After being heavily recruited, Robinson chose to return to Auburn after being ruled ineligible in 2012.
Robinson bring a great combination of size (6'0", 230 lbs) and speed to the running back position and is expected to be one the top newcomers to the SEC this season.
247Sports' Jacob Benson pegged Robinson as a potential surprise in the conference for 2015.
"He is fresh out of junior college, but the coaching staff at Auburn (and they know running backs) is confident that he can come in from Day 1 and not only contribute, but start," Benson wrote. "He may be the surprise back of the year in the SEC, which is a huge accomplishment in a conference known for its dominant running games."
Of all the competitors in the backfield, Robinson has the most potential to continue the trend at running back for Auburn
Runner-up: Roc Thomas
Wide Receiver: D'haquille Williams
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D'haquille Williams was an instant difference-maker in the passing game in his first year as an Auburn Tiger.
In just 10 games, Williams led Auburn in receptions and receiving touchdowns with 45 and five, respectively. Now that Sammie Coates is in the NFL and Jeremy Johnson is taking over at quarterback, Williams should be in for a big year statistically in 2015.
Williams is a big target at 6'2" and 224 pounds. He's also a well-rounded receiver capable of using his size to be a big-play vertical threat or as a possession receiver in the intermediate passing game.
Per AL.com's Joel A. Erickson, ESPN's Mel Kiper has already touted Williams as the top receiver for the 2016 NFL draft.
The biggest hurdle for Williams in 2015 will come from playing without Coates. Defenses are sure to key in more on Duke without having to worry about Coates running by them on a fly pattern.
Still, with the offense expected to lean more on the passing game than it has in the past, the Johnson-Williams combo has potential to be the most lethal air duo in the SEC in 2015.
Runner-up: Ricardo Louis
Tight End/H-Back: Kamryn Pettway
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A strong blocking H-back is a key ingredient in Malzahn's offensive system. Unlike a fullback, the H-back is asked to open up holes in the run game but is also used all over the field.
In Kamryn Pettway, Auburn has an H-back with the size and strength (6'0", 242 lbs) to be battering ram in the running game and an above-average athlete for the position.
Pettway got his first look at H-back in last season's Outback Bowl and converted to the position full time during the spring. He's one of two players on the roster who can play the position, along with early enrollee Chandler Cox.
"I think I block well at the H-back position," Pettway told Erickson. "I think I have to learn the technique more and just get my technique down."
If Pettway can continue to progress at H-back, he'll be instrumental in opening up holes for Auburn ball-carriers in 2015.
Runner-up: Chandler Cox
Offensive Line: Alex Kozan
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Alex Kozan was a Freshman All-SEC performer on the offensive line in 2013 before missing the 2014 season because of a herniated disc in his back.
After a year of recovery, Auburn fans are eager to see if Kozan will be able to return to form in the upcoming season. Kozan is expected to climb back up the depth chart and take the starting spot at left guard.
At 6'4", 300 pounds, Kozan has a massive frame that he utilizes well to create holes on the interior for Auburn. The Tigers sometimes lacked the same push up front in Kozan's absence and would love to have it back this season.
247Sports' Travis Reier ranked Kozan as the No. 5 guard in the SEC for 2015.
"Assuming he fully recovers from the herniated disc that required surgery a year ago, there's no reason to think we won't see the same standout play Kozan produced as a Freshman All-American in 2013," Reier wrote. "Brings a nice mix of athleticism and finishing ability to an offense that needs both from its left guard."
Inserting Kozan back into the offensive line could go a long way in bringing the Auburn offensive line back to where it was in 2013.
Runner-up: Avery Young
Defensive Line: Carl Lawson
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Just like Kozan, Carl Lawson missed last season with an injury after having a stellar freshman campaign.
Lawson was held out of last season after tearing his ACL, and his absence was noticeable for Auburn's defense. As a freshman, Lawson registered four sacks with 7.5 tackles for loss and became a key member of Auburn's pressure package.
In 2014, Auburn's pass rush was practically nonexistent, ranking 12th in the SEC in sacks, and while bringing back Lawson doesn't instantly fix that problem, it certainly helps.
Lawson will be asked to play the "Buck" position, an end-linebacker hybrid, in Will Muschamp's defense this season.
Having Lawson on the defensive line with Montravius Adams and DaVonte Lambert should have the Auburn defensive line bothering quarterbacks much more in 2015 than it did a year ago.
According to AL.com's Brandon Marcello, Muschamp has had nothing but praise for his star pass-rusher since he's arrived at Auburn.
""I've been extremely pleased first of all with his leadership ability and how he positively affects the guys around him," Muschamp said. "He plays extremely hard. Football's very important to him. He's in the film room all the time, he's asking questions constantly. He's texting me all the time about questions about what we're doing within our scheme and system. He's the right guy to coach."
"
Runner-up: DaVonte Lambert
Linebacker: Kris Frost
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Kris Frost surprised some by electing to return to Auburn for his senior season. Along with Cassanova McKinzy, Frost is part of the Tigers' veteran linebacker duo for 2015.
Frost was one of the leading tacklers on Auburn's defense a year ago. He finished the season third on the team with 87 tackles, including 10 tackles for loss.
He's a speedy, rangy outside linebacker capable of making plays from sideline to sideline, which is essential in the era of spread offenses.
As a senior, Frost is also one of the team's most experienced players and serves as a veteran presence in the locker room.
Despite Frost's achievements as a player, he's been part of subpar defenses in all three seasons he' been at Auburn. However, in his press conference at SEC media days, Frost seemed confident about the new direction of the Tigers defense under Muschamp.
"It’s a different atmosphere at practice as far as our defense is concerned,” Frost. “We’re all excited. We feel like (he) has given us a new breath of life, everything’s so positive. I’ve never seen everything so positive before circling around the defense and the team as a whole."
If Auburn's defense does head in a new direction this season, Frost will be one of the key forces behind it.
Runner-up: Cassanova McKinzy
Secondary: Tray Matthews
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Tray Matthews came to Auburn after being dismissed from the Georgia program and is expected to contribute immediately for the Tigers after sitting out a season.
Matthews is an instant injection of talent and athleticism to the Auburn secondary. In his freshman season in Athens, he racked up 23 tackles and also broke up four passes with one interception.
He worked his way into the starting lineup in one season at Georgia and will likely do the same in his first season at Auburn.
Matthews is a thumper in the secondary and has the size (6'1", 213 lbs) and versatility to come up into the box and serve almost like an extra linebacker in run support.
The new defensive coordinator seemed impressed by his first impression of Matthews.
"Tray's a very physical player; I saw that in bowl practice," Muschamp told the Montgomery Adviser's James Crepea. "Enjoys contact. Football's important to him; he really enjoys the game. He's constantly in the building watching film, asking questions.
Matthews' performance in 2015 will have a big impact on the possible improvement of the Tigers secondary.
Runner-up: Jonathan Jones
Special Teams: Daniel Carlson
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Carlson was Mr. Do-It-All for Auburn's kicking unit in 2014. He handled the place-kicking, punting and kickoff duties for the Tigers, a tall task for any player, especially a freshman.
Ian Shannon will likely alleviate Carlson of his punting position this fall. The ability for Carlson to focus on place-kicking is exactly what he needs to work toward becoming an automatic kicker in 2015.
Carlson went 18-of-24 on field-goal attempts last year and was a perfect 57-of-57 on extra points. A kicker who proves to be reliable from anywhere within 50 yards is a potent weapon for any team, and Carlson has the potential to be that guy for Auburn.
Runner-up: Ian Shannon
All statistics courtesy of cfbstats.com. Recruiting info courtesy of 247Sports.
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