Oregon vs. Auburn: 10 Key Personnel to Watch
So it begins: the great debate for who will win and who will lose.
An SEC team will be pitted against a Pac-10 opponent for supremacy. Almost kind of an East Coast versus West Coast battle.
Auburn and Oregon will be led by some great players and great coaches. Who will reign supreme? Who will be hoisting the crystal trophy? Here is the key personnel for the 2011 national title.
LaMichael James
1 of 10
He is the best running back in the nation—period. No one runs and hits holes like he does. It is only fitting LaMichael James is on the fastest run offense in the nation. The 5'9" running back from Texarkana, Texas, outruns anyone who dares try to tackle him and stiff-arms anyone who dares get within range.
James has put it all on the line this season for his Oregon Ducks, running for 21 touchdowns with 1,682 yards rushing in 11 games this season.
Auburn's defense will surely be on its toes to stop him and will need Usain Bolt to catch him. James has only three games in which he has been held to fewer than two touchdowns and only one where he didn't score at all. Stopping him is the huge difference in this game.
Cameron Newton
2 of 10
Here he is: the consensus pick for this year's Heisman Trophy. No one plays like he does. He not only leads his team in passing but in rushing, too.
He doesn't run over people like his former Florida teammate Tim Tebow, but he sure plays like him. He is well deserving of the Heisman after throwing for 28 touchdowns and 2,589 yards. That's not all! He has also ran for 20 touchdowns and 1,409 yards.
He leads this team like Washington led the Continental Army in the Revolution. When he is on, there is no stopping him or the Tigers. Like LaMichael James, stopping him will be a huge part of the game plan for Oregon.
Chip Kelly
3 of 10
Without question, his offense is the best in the nation. He helps set the tone for the game on the sideline with perfect play-calling.
Kelly has recruited some of the best players in the country since he took over before last season. I love the offense he runs; it is perfect to attack the defenses he faces. By the end of the night the defense has been run ragged.
If he can throw off the Auburn defense with his savvy play-calling and get the ball off quickly and tire them out, the Ducks will win this game.
.jpg?w=256 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
Gene Chizik
4 of 10
It's funny because last year when this guy was hired everyone was criticizing the move. Not one person said it was good for the program. The call for Turner Gill was backed even by Charles Barkley. Yet, Auburn went ahead with Chizik.
He was completely unproven coming off a 5-19 record at Iowa State. Well, now Chizik is 21-5 and now has won an SEC title, with the possibility to add the crystal football to his trophy case.
Chizik has done wonders, especially since he brought in soon-to-be Heisman winner Cam Newton. He has built a good team and has done well with what predecessor Tommy Tuberville left him. If he hasn't proven himself to you yet, he surely will after the title game.
Darron Thomas
5 of 10
The counterpart to LaMichael James is a key. Auburn will zero in on James, but Thomas has had an excellent season passing that has included James.
He is dangerous with the ball in his hands and has thrown for 2,518 yards and 28 touchdowns. He has ran for 492 yards and five touchdowns. Not bad for the Oregon quarterback.
It's going to be interesting to see how the Tigers defense responds in the title game. If they zero in on James, Thomas needs to be lights out and hit everything he can in that game. Otherwise, people will be wishing they had Jeremiah Masoli back this season.
Michael Dyer
6 of 10
If Oregon shuts down Cam Newton, Dyer needs to finally be the main running back and not Newton.
Dyer has rushed for only 950 yards this season and five touchdowns. That's not exactly what you would expect out of the freshman running back, especially when the quarterback has rushed for four times as many touchdowns.
Oregon is going to zone in on Newton and that means Dyer needs to pick up the slack. He will need to dodge and run like he has never before. To win the title, Auburn needs to become multi-dimensional.
Dyer hasn't touched the ball as much as Newton, yet he is managing above six yards a touch. He is not having a bad season if you seriously consider his stats and realize Newton has virtually not dumped the ball off.
The Oregon Defense
7 of 10
The Oregon defense needs to step up and do something no one has been able to do all season: stop Cam Newton, or at least slow him down.
They have been excellent all season and have shut down everyone. They are 15th in the nation in points against and have picked the ball off 16 times. They also know how to get to the quarterback, getting to him 28 times.
This Oregon defense knows how to play and should be able to shut down Newton. But they could be in for a really, really long day.
The Auburn Defense
8 of 10
This is an obvious choice: LaMichael James needs to be stopped. The Auburn defense has played well all season but to stop LaMichael they are going to have to step up and play like they have never played before.
It won't be an easy night for them. It will honestly be a hard game against a team that will run a no-huddle and basically not give you a lot of time to breath in.
If they hone into the ability, Auburn will undoubtedly take control of the game. If they don't, it will be a long night for the defense. They might as well start preparing for a marathon after that game because they will be in GREAT running condition afterwards.
Rob Beard
9 of 10
Rob Beard is the key essential to this game. The kickers are going to decide this game. Both offenses nearly even.
If the defenses can stop the offenses, the kickers will play a major role. Beard has hit 9 of his 11 attempts this season with a long of 42. He hasn't had to kick much but he might certainly have to for this game.
Beard is a huge part of this game and very key to a win. He screws up, it could spell disaster and the end of the dream season for Oregon.
Wes Byrum
10 of 10
OK, I don't expect anyone to know who this is besides hardcore Tiger fans. This will be a very close game, and one mistake will cost either team the game.
Like we saw with Boise State, the kicker could mean the difference between a win and a loss. If he misses one kick that will cost them dearly at the end of the day.
Byrum has hit 78.9 percent of his kicks this year with a long of of 48. He is 1-for-2 on attempts beyond 50 yards, and if the Oregon defense does shut down Auburn, he might have to kick some 50-yarders.
It's going to be pressure-filled for this kicker. Let's hope he doesn't end up like Kyle Brotzman and cost Auburn the game because fans will go insane.
.jpg?w=480 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
