Auburn Spring Football 2011 Update: Expectations Met, Early Surprises

When Auburn dove into spring practice on Wednesday there were a lot of concerns with the depth chart and how the National Champions could start the process of rebuilding after losing 35 players from the 2010 team. Rebuilding does not seem to be the theme on the plains, however. The 2011 Tigers are looking at this as a reloading opportunity.

With so many impactful players leaving for graduation and for the NFL, it seems as if a reloading is a bit of a stretch. Make no mistake, these guys take this coming season seriously and intend on winning games. Just how many games are won will be determined by numerous factors, some that were expected and some that come as surprises.

Skill Positions

One of the glaring expectations is for Auburn to have some depth at the skill positions and for those to be somewhat of a leaning post for the Tigers. Auburn had the opportunity to see a very formidable player in Emory Blake develop last season. Guys like Quindarius Carr and DeAngelo Benton have the skills but have yet to apply them on the field like Blake has.

Depth is an issue at the running back position but with the duo of Michael Dyer and Onterio McCalebb the Tigers should be okay. Also the recent shift of Anthony Morgan to the running back position puts one more body in the backfield. Using slot types such as Trovon Reed and newcomer Quan Bray to mix in the running formations will help the Tigers stay dynamic and keep the bodies fresh in season.

Don’t be surprised to see LaDarius Phillips early and often rumbling out of the backfield for Auburn. The plan was to use him for his unique skill set last season until he fell to an injury. With his size, he is a biscuit shy of 300, and unique athleticism he may be a big impact guy for the short yardage situations that Newton was able to handle one year ago.

One of the skill positions that get overlooked for Auburn is the return game. The kickoff returns in the past few years have not seemed to be much of an issue. The special teams coverage has been really good as well. The largest glaring hole is no doubt the punt returner. The hope has to be that Bray, Reed or even Jonathan Rose will be able to take over the punt returning duties and make that skill position a weapon for the Tigers this season.

Quarterback Competition Surprise Looming?

How the quarterback competition plays out for the Tigers is going to be a big determination in how the skill players are able to make the impact that is expected. Both Barrett Trotter and Clint Moseley are guys that have the ability to pick up the reins from the departed Cam Newton, but which guy prevails in spring and gets the starting nod?

As it stands, this competition is wide open. That comes as no surprise, but the difference is that this spring, unlike last season, it does seem to be an equal chance for all. Moseley is a quarterback with a live arm and the ability to escape when need be. He has a larger frame than Trotter and may have the better set of physical tools. He also has not seen the injuries that Trotter has.

If Moseley can learn the position he may get the starting nod this season. Trotter is a guy that knows the offense extremely well but Moseley may be the surprise of the spring. If Moseley does push enough, I wouldn’t expect to see a starter named at the end of spring.

Where is Jessel Curry?

At some point last season Curry was a reserve linebacker that found his way to the Chizik dog house. No one seems to know for sure what the freshman linebacker did to disappear, but his mysterious MIA status continued this week. His name is listed on the roster, but so far has not been seen.

After contributing in a few games both Curry and Jonathan Mincy disappeared without explanation, but Mincy has been spotted in drills and Coach Lolley has given his fair share of praise for the raw talent that Mincy has. Expect Mincy to make an impact this season, if we could find Curry he might as well.

Gulley Hoping for a Flood of Yards

Anthony Morgan, formally Anthony Gulley, has made the switch from defensive back to running back this spring. A true third guy has not been found for the Tigers as of yet, but look for Morgan to take to the position well and possibly stay there through the fall.

Morgan is a player that was quite productive on both sides of the ball in high school and rushed for over 1,000 yards his junior and senior seasons at Brantley High School. He has played in different roles through his freshman and sophomore campaigns but may be a surprise at the running back position.

The move is no doubt one of necessity but Morgan has the chance to be a great role play back in the future for this offense. He has playing experience and the quickness that will more than likely be overlooked if teams aren’t careful this season.

Thorpe Move Timeless

It seemed the printing ink had barely dried from the news of Neiko Thorpe moving to safety when Mike McNeil was announced to have been removed from the Auburn football team. What perfect timing. The safety position was not expected to be a huge position of concern for the Tigers in 2011, but McNeil was expected to be a part of the defense.

Thorpe has found his role well according to Coach Ted Roof who said, “(Thorpe) is a much better safety than a corner. And I think he’s very comfortable back there. I think we’re going to see an increased level of production.”

That is a quote for the ages for the Auburn fanbase as there has always been grumbling of Thorpe not making plays. It always seemed that the big plays ended on his side of the field, but he made his fair share as well. The shift to safety could have not come at a better time for Auburn as the need is glaringly obvious with this team needing senior leadership.