Auburn Football: There Are Plenty of Positives This Season

While every major pundit has chosen to throw Auburn and this years football season under the bus, I choose to look for the silver lining in the worn blanket. There are many positives going on all around the Auburn Football Program.

Ben Tate has 923 yards rushing this season. After only eight games this reflects the kind of hart and effort put forth every week by this great senior running back.

Antoine Carter is back from knee surgery and looks to pick up right where he left off. He turned in a great first performance this year at Baton Rouge. He brings strength and leadership at a time when it is sorely needed. This junior should be a leader on the team and anchor to bridge Auburn over to next year as well.

Ontario McCalebb has proven to be a valuable asset in his first season and has 486 yards rushing this season. While a nagging ankle injury has limited his effectiveness in the last three games, he has proven a dangerous weapon on offense as well as kick off returns.

Mario Fannin returned from off season shoulder surgery and has contributed more and more as the season goes on. This junior should provide leadership and a dangerous weapon for the Auburn offense for the rest of this season as well as next.

Barret Trotter a red shirt freshman has returned from knee surgery. Before being injured in the spring he was showing promise as a quarterback. He should be back next year to compete for the starting quarterback spot. 

ElToro Freeman had his first really good performance at Baton Rouge. He was a four star recruit for Auburn in 2007 but failed to meet academic requirements. He spent 1.5 years at Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College where he played one season and red shirted to keep three years of eligibility. This young man should contribute big for Auburn the rest of this season and for as much as two more years. This linebacker has game changing talent and is a welcome addition to the thin line backer position on the team.

It looks like Mario Fannin will pick up much of the role the injured Ontario McCalebb has been attempting. This should give McCalebb some time to heal up a nagging ankle injury. Fannin has 4.5 speed at 215 lbs. and has been waiting to burst onto the scene with some run time this year. He is a hard runner to bring down and only gives up .2 seconds to a healthy McCalebb at 170 lbs. Bo Jackson ran a 4.16 forty.

A healthy Fannin at 215 running the corners and Ben Tate at 204 lbs running up the middle with his 4.4 forty speed should give the Rebels fits. This is the one two punch that many Auburn fans have been waiting for this year. There is no more punishing duo in the SEC. 

Gus Malzhan said no team has figured out the Auburn offense. He said some are even going to a simpler scheme against the Tigers. With a replacement in place for the injured McCalebb it should put some pep back into the offense. Malzhan was impressed with Fannin's work at running back. He had been primarily used as an H Back this season.

Auburn's defense appears to be improving even with the 8 game string wit no breaks. The defensive line seems to be improving exponentially with Coleman and Carter anchoring. This should help the defensive backs and safety in Auburn's defense. Jevan Snead has been interception prone when faced with pressure. Look for Auburn to capitalize on this Saturday.

Ole Miss's biggest running threat is Dexter McCluster. He is a 167lb H back/ Receiver that runs a 4.4 40. He actually plays much faster and is illusive much like Mario Fannin. In fact he plays and is used much like Mario Fannin and has comparable speed. Of Course he is not nearly as heavy. McCluster has 23 receptions for 335 yards and 2 touchdowns this year. He has rushed for 287 yards this year. He rushed for over 120 yards last week against Arkansas. McCluster is 5'8" and can be denied on pass coverage. He has great hands and a penchant for making yards after the catch.

Jevan Snead has thrown for 1440 yards this year and 14 touchdowns. He has been sacked 8 times and thrown 11 interceptions in their first seven games. He is completing 52.6 percent of his passes.

Shay Hodge is Ole Miss's favorite receiver at 6'1 and runs a 4.6 40. He has 459 yds of receiving and averages over 17 yards per catch. 

Auburn matches up to this team favorably in most offensive and defensive positions. Auburn is a 3.5 point underdog at home against the Rebels after the three game slide coming into this game.

The Coaching Staff has put an emphasis on physical rest and film study this week. They were hoping to point out areas for each player to improve while giving time to rest and recover. All outward indicators are that this approach succeeded. The team is upbeat and spirits are high especially with the defensive unit. In Thursdays workout the team executed with precision and seemed to have pep in their step once more. This is a very positive development for Saturday's game.