10 Big Questions for Auburn in 2010

After an up and down 8-5 campaign that was capped by a wild ride win in the Outback Bowl over Northwester, the Auburn Tigers look to build towards being a championship caliber program.  There are reasons to believe that Gene Chizik and his staff are on the right path, but there are also some questions that need to be answered before we know how far along they are. How good can Auburn be?  If the following 10 questions are answered the right way, it can be playing the Iron Bowl with a chance at Atlanta on the line. 

A look at the 10 most pressing questions as the season approaches.

#10 Defensive Line play

Can Auburn find game changing players along the defensive line.  Last year the Tiger defense was poor against the run and rarely made outstanding plays.  Junior Nick Fairley seems to have the athletic ability to be an elite interior lineman in the SEC.  Senior Antoine Carter tries to fill the shoes of the other "AC" who was a force for Auburn when healthy.  There are new faces from the signing class that also will be in play.  Jeffrey Whitaker could be a run stopping force inside.  Corey Lemonier and Craig Sanders have made impressions during camp that would lead you to believe they'll see the field.  Are they game changing rush ends that can contribute big this year or will they serve as role players who give starters a breather?  One name not to forget about is Dee Ford.  He has gained weight this offseason and has the speed and quickness to be a problem for tackles around the league. 

A big key to the success of Auburn's hopeful improvement on defense is the play of the line.  If they can get guys like Fairley and Carter to play to the potential they've flashed and get some help from the signing class it could be a very good year on a side of the ball that was historically bad a year ago.  If they can't get that help, expect to see more of the same in terms of yardage given up and points allowed.

#9 - Gus Malzahn and his play calling

Auburn fans love Gus Malzahn and his creative offense.  Count me in the group that considers him one of the nations best and brightest offensive minds.  That said, you could find some room to be critical of his 3rd down calls in key games last year.  It seemed to get a bit "tricky" when AU needed only a couple of yards.  Now if those plays work, you are a genius and nobody ever asks the questions.  However, when they fail on the big stage everyone starts to wonder what you were thinking.  I don't know how smart it is to run jet sweeps and throw the ball deep on a one man route on 3rd and 2.  It may have better odds than running up the gut, I don't know.  I do know that when it doesn't work the entire stadium looks confused. 

My guess is that with a veteran offensive line and a full year of calling plays in the SEC, Gus will look a little more consistent and stable in 2010 and we'll see less trickery on 3rd and short.   Tiger fans are used to seeing a stud RB take the ball downhill and get what we need.  I don't think we care how it gets done, but that 3rd and short conversion rate needs to improve for Auburn to have a special season.

#8 The Linebackers

Can Daren Bates be a big time contributor at linebacker?  This question may be the key to how the group improves this year.  Bates was a shock to most as a freshman.  A 2 star recruit whom nobody really noticed that started right out of the gate.  He was very effective against the run and even though he's undersized, he's made the move to linebacker this year.

Gene Chizik has a history of using smaller linebackers with good speed and instincts.  Auburn fans will fondly remember two guys with the last name Williams in the magical 2004 season that were excellent on a very underrated defense.  Bates seems to fit this mold well.  His ability to be used as a linebacker, a nickel back or an extra safety should allow Ted Roof and Chizik to get more creative on defense. 

Also key is the play of Eltoro Freeman.  A very raw talent who struggled with assignments a year ago and even missed the trip to Arkansas without being injured.  Freeman is a kid that can be a difference maker if his head is on straight and he understands his role.  The two returning starters, Craig Stevens and Josh Bynes need to stay healthy.  Both are leaders and undervalued by most fans.  They will get more rest this year with a crop of young recruits and I expect they'll be even more effective because of it.

#7 No more sputtering offense

When Auburn's offense went bad in 2010, it really went bad.  The Tigers had 14 point leads over Kentucky, Georgia and Alabama and couldn't close the door on any of those teams.  They also let a 14 point lead turn into near defeat in their bowl game.  Most of this was due to the offense pulling a great disappearing act.  Suddenly, the Gus Bus was locked in neutral (or sometimes even reverse).

Running a fast paced offense opens the door to wear out your defense if you are not getting first downs.  3 quick snaps and a punt is a thin defensive units worst enemy at times.  In the second half of the season, Auburn really struggled to move the ball.  There were big plays hit, but the consistency of a drive was missing.  The points that came so easy in the first half of the year seemed so hard to come by even against teams like Georgia whose defense was among the worst in the SEC. 

For Auburn to improve on their 8-5 mark, they must be more consistent on offense.  The defense got a hefty load of the blame from critics a year ago, but the attentive fans noticed that the offense really put Auburn in some holes as well.  This years team will want to avoid the quick 3 and outs and quarters spent punting the ball away without doing anything other than losing field positions.

# 6 Is there a punt game in the house?

Special teams coach Jay Boulware must find some improved play in every aspect of the punt game.  Ryan Shoemaker is in a battle with true freshman Steven Clark and whoever wins the job must improve on the mediocre punting from a year ago.  Field position often was in favor of Auburn's opponents and many times it was due to a less than stellar effort by the punter. 

The really sad part is that the poor punting was probably not what angered most Tiger fans.  The punt return game was much, much worse.  Auburn had the worst season fielding punts that I've witnessed.  They struggled to find anyone that could even call for a fair catch and complete the job.  I can't even begin to list the players that were given a shot to win the job that failed.  It seemed every week a new guy was putting the ball on the ground.  When your opponent is getting shanked punts and getting 10 yard returns and you are hoping to just complete a fair catch you are losing more than the average fans understand.  Over the course of a few possessions you have flipped field position the wrong way. 

It sounds like Quindarious Carr and Trovon Reed are the guys most likely to be on punt return right now.  The word is that the Tigers haven't had the same issues with the "catching the ball" thing so far.  Here's to hoping we see drastic improvement this season.  I recall many AU fans telling me they'd rather see nobody back and just let the ball come to rest and lose the yardage than risk another drop.

#5 Depth

When your middle linebacker plays something like 115 snaps in the bowl game, you know you have depth issues.  Craig Stevens and Josh Bynes played every snap in a few games in 2009 because....well, there was nobody else.  Early in the year Auburn had tried some young guys out at linebacker and most had gotten banged up.  Depth had already been a concern when Auburn lost two major secondary players before the season and then lost Zac Etheridge in the Ole Miss game.  By the time the final few games rolled around, Auburn was a mash unit.  Especially on the defensive side. 

The Tiger staff signed one of the most impressive classes in the nation in the spring.  Ranked #4 on Rivals.com, this class is expected to provide immediate help on the depth chart.  Auburn also gets some key guys back.  Etheridge is expected to overcome a scary neck injury to be a starter and Mike McNeil and Aairon Savage return from injuries at the same position.  You can already see new faces in the 2 deep and that is encouraging.  However, you can't really count on freshmen until you see what they've got in a game.  Auburn will need these young kids to be ready and able for SEC play as they go on the road to Starkville in week 2. 

#4 Right Tackle

The offensive line is the most set and most experienced position on the Auburn depth chart.  4 starters return, 2 of which are sure NFL prospects in Lee Ziemba at left tackle and center Ryan Push.  Mike Berry could easily be a guard that NFL teams will draft as well.  Yet one of the most interesting position battles left at this point is the important right tackle spot. 

The Auburn staff brought in two junior college prospects to fight for the job.  Rozell Gayden has been banged up and struggled to adjust to the right side after always playing the left.  Brandon Moseley is a good prospect, but has never played tackle before.  It looks like both are out of the competition and vet AJ Green may hold a slight lead over sophomore John Sullen.  To be totally honest, neither player has been forced into action against great teams when the game was in question.  Auburn fans won't really know what we have here until a few games are under our belt.  You can't win big games with a huge weak link on your offensive line.  Ask Brodie Croyle how Chris Capps helped him get destroyed in the Iron Bowl a few years back.  The experience of the rest of the line will help whoever wins this job, but they'll need to be able to get the job done for Auburn to dream of Atlanta.

#3 Returning players at Safety

In a very unique situation, Auburn returns 3 quality players at one position who spent the end or the entire 2009 season with major injuries.  Mike McNeil, Aairon Savage and Zac Etheridge all return to the secondary with a lot of experience. If these three guys can be as good as they have been at times, Auburn could have one of the best groups in the nation. 

Etheridge could be a great story by the time it's over.  He has returned from what looked like a career ending neck injury against Ole Miss and seems to be on track to grab his starting spot again.  Zac was pretty high on Mel Kiper's early boards for the safety position prior to the injury.  He was solid for the Tigers a year ago, is a great leader and plays every snap like the game is on the line. 

Savage was a freshman All American and looked like a guy who would be a nationally recognized for years to come.  Instead he's been plagued by injuries and is set to return for one last run.  Savage looks and talks like a 6th year senior and he has played in some huge games for Auburn in the past.  The coaches selected him as one of three players to attend SEC media days despite the fact that we haven't seen Savage on the field in what feels like a decade.  He was a difference maker early in his career and has a very high football IQ.  Savage could help the Tigers out a lot if he can stay healthy.

McNeil was one of the higher ranked recruits in Tuberville's last few classes.  He hasn't quite lived up to some huge hype, but he's not been bad either.  My guess right now is that he's behind the other two guys and might not start.  While some fans have been letdown by his performances so far, having a backup safety on the level of McNeil is something many college programs would welcome. 

#2 The Running Backs

Auburn has an envious tradition of great running backs.  Recently names like Carnell "Cadillac" Williams, Ronnie Brown and Rudy Johnson have drawn national attention from both college and pro fans.  Other backs like Ben Tate and Kenny Irons have had enough success at Auburn to be drafted in good spots and have left some marks on the SEC as well.  "Running Back U" hasn't failed to produce the last decade.

2010 starts with some questions in the backfield.  The talent is there, but there isn't a solid returning starter.  Mario Fannin leads the way and has shown flashes of being an elite back.  His yards per carry over his career is impressive, he just doesn't have the high number of carries that signifies a workhorse, starting back.  Fannin has played a bit of wide receiver and split back the last two years while also getting a few carries.  He has the tools....he's fast enough, strong enough at 230 pounds and he seems to have a knack for big plays.  There are questions about his ability to stay healthy with a shoulder that has been a bit of an issue.  There are concerns about ball security as well.  Super Mario is in need of a great senior year to convince the scouts that he can play at the next level.  A freak athlete, he needs to show that he can play this position game after game.

Auburn also added Michael Dyer, a consensus 5 star running back and one of the nations truly elite players.  Dyer is a bowling ball and looks almost NFL ready getting off the bus.  Odds are that Dyer will be a big contributor in year one.  He's got everything you want in an SEC back coming in.  The question is the same as it always is with a freshman, can he adapt to the college game that fast.  Dyer is used to being the only or one of the few elite athletes on the field.  Most Saturdays in this league he'll be one of many.  Can he make that jump.  Auburn needs both Dyer and Fannin to step up to have success. 

1# The Shoulders of Cameron Newton

I know, the top two spots are offensive questions and Auburn had a serious defensive problem last season.  This isn't a Pat Dye or even a Tommy Tuberville team.  This team isn't going to win games with a mediocre offense this year.  That's why the biggest questions I have and the most important ones are on the offensive side of the ball.  To win big, Auburn has to improve on defense, but be elite on offense.  If you are going to be elite on offense, you need to have very good to great quarterback play in this league.

Enter 6'6", 250 pounds of sheer talent.  Cameron Newton was brought to Auburn to run an offense that should be tailor made for his skills.  There are very, very few guys that combine the skill set that Newton has.  I'm not saying he's going to be Vince Young, but Young is one of the few guys that you can compare to Newton physically.  Ohio State's Terrell Pryor is another.  You just don't see guys that look like this playing this position very often.  Heck, you don't see guys that can do what these guys can do athletically at that size often.  The mix of size, speed and power isn't walking down every high school hallway in the United States.  It's very, very rare.

The question for Newton this year is how fast he can "get it" or if he'll get it at all.  Vince Young struggled for 2 years.  Pryor had some real nasty looking games in year one.  Both seemed to flip a switch at some point.  Young's senior year was special and the results showed.  Pryor was excellent at the end of 2009 and Ohio State looked like an elite team when he played well. 

Newton is not a typical newcomer.  He's been around the block.  He was behind one of the best quarterbacks to play college ball at Florida before going to win a Junior College national title.  This isn't a fresh faced kid from high school.  The guy understands that he has to be elite soon if he wants to make a career of the game. 

Now, I have no idea if Newton will be Vince Young, of it he'll go down as another one of those guys that never lived up to the hype. I do know that the difference in the answer to the question is huge for Auburn.  If Newton looks like a confident, experienced Vince Young by the time the Tigers get to game 5 or 6 nobody will want to play Auburn and they'll be in the hunt for a trip to Atlanta.  If he can't get it done, it will look more like last year with losses to teams that should be easy prey for the Tigers and an offense that sputters and fails at key moments.