Auburn Tigers Football: The Unofficial Post-Spring Depth Chart
The summer months are closing in for programs across the country. With summer comes volunteer workouts and that is when the rest of a signing class joins the team.
Summer classes are more prevalent than ever before as schools do whatever possible to get the players on campus and adjusted as soon as possible.
This summer brings hope for the Tigers at some marquee positions. Quarterback is one position that is seemingly up for grabs.
With the quarterback race extending past spring, Kiehl Frazier looks more and more likely to get his fair shake at the job when he makes it to campus.
The defensive line is another position that looks to have some improvement and depth help when the young Tigers arrive. Auburn has worked to build depth at every position and fully intends to put the most talent on the field.
After watching the A-Day game and gathering word from multiple sources, the two deep depth chart seems to be coming to a clear close.
The questions that remain will mainly fall to the offensive and defensive lines. Here is a look at an after spring depth chart.
Quarterbacks
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Going into spring this question would have hoped to have been answered.
This situation looks similar to the issue in 2009. With no definitive leader out of the gate after spring there isn’t a leader that will take the reigns and ensure guys make it to workouts.
Auburn needed Barrett Trotter or Clint Moseley to step it up this spring and walk to the front of the line. Either this is the best kept secret in college football or there is no clear cut leader at this point in time. What is the answer then? Kiehl Frazier.
I don’t think that Frazier will walk in and start from day one, but he will be a factor early and probably finish the season as number one.
Starter: Barrett Trotter
Reserve: Kiehl Frazier
Running Backs
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Michael Dyer finishing his freshman season with 1,093 rushing yards was no small task.
Dyer played in a handful of situations for the majority of the early portion of the season but came on strong in the final games and it culminated with an offensive player of the game award against the Oregon Ducks in the National Championship game.
Dyer is undoubtedly the No. 1 back in the offense and has a solid number two in Onterio McCalebb. McCalebb is no slouch to carrying the rock as he finished 2010 with 8.53 yards a carry average and 810 rushing yards.
McCalebb is the outside deep threat for the offense and Dyer is the bruiser that is shifty through the middle.
This tandem may be the best in the SEC when the season finishes. If Auburn can find a line to block for these guys it will be a long game for every team that faces the Tigers.
Starter: Michael Dyer
Reserve: Onterio McCalebb
Fullback
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This position looked to have a lot of leadership before the dismissal of Eric Smith early this spring.
In his absence Chris Humphries and Ladarious Phillips have been splitting time. Humphries is a utility type player that has been a walk on for Auburn for quite some time.
Phillips would have likely played a role in the offense a year ago if he would have not injured his ankle late into fall camp.
Phillips was rumored to have received some time at the defensive tackle position during the bowl workouts but promptly moved back to fullback after the dismissal of Smith.
Watching Phillips in the spring game it doesn’t appear that Auburn is going to miss too much however with Smith gone as Phillips is a load to bring down once he gets moving and even showed the ability to hurdle a defender.
Starter: Ladarious Phillips
Reserve: Chris Humphries
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Receiver
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The receiver position has looked very similar the past two seasons.
With the graduation of Kodi Burns and Terrell Zachary and the departure of Darvin Adams, Auburn is looking for a new set of playmakers to fill the roles left void by these Tigers.
Emory Blake is the most visible of the receivers from a year ago. Philip Lutzenkirchen is another high profile pass catcher that fans will remember from a year ago.
Outside of those two however, Auburn will be introducing a totally new group of faces to the fans.
Lutzenkirchen is moving from a traditional tight end role to a more slot type position this coming season so that will help fill the void left by Kodi Burns.
Blake will likely step into the Darvin Adams role but that leaves some reserves to be determined. Look for DeAngelo Benton and Quindarius Carr to make plays on the outside opposite of Emory Blake this season.
On the interior hybrid slot position expect to see a heavy dose of Trovon Reed and Travante Stallworth. Both guys are burners and are coming back from injuries a year ago.
The speed that they bring to the Tigers and versatility will help keep the defenses guessing constantly.
Starters: Emory Blake, DeAngelo Benton, Philip Lutzenkirchen, Trovon Reed
Reserves: Quindarius Carr, Kris Frost, C.J. Uzomah, Travante Stallworth
Offensive Line
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The offensive line is the most crucial position for the Tigers going into the 2011 season.
Quarterback is a high profile position, but the offensive line will determine if the offense can even be manageable. The line has talent that returns this season it is the experience factor that is lacking.
The starting offensive line will have three seniors and will have experience at both tackle spots. That is a great start for Jeff Grimes.
Filling out the second-string is going to be the tallest task for Grimes and the offensive coaching staff.
Another big question will be whether to start the extremely talented Reese Dismukes at center as a true freshman. That is a difficult burden to bear, especially as a freshman.
How the starters gel early will determine the comfort of the younger guys so Grimes must find continuity early in the starting five.
Starters: Brandon Moseley, Jared Cooper, Reese Dismukes, John Sullen, A.J. Greene
Reserves: Aubrey Phillips, Chad Slade, Blake Burgess, Ed Christian, Andre Harris
Defensive Line
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The defensive line is going to be a key for the Tigers defense this season.
The Tigers have a wealth of talent at the end position and using multiple sets to get the most athletic linemen on the field may be one of the strategies this season.
The hope is that Auburn will develop the depth on the interior but there has to be a contingency plan in place.
Nosa Eguae and Corey Lemonier are two names that stick out as playmakers this season from the defensive line. I would expect to see them battling in the backfield often this coming season.
The rush defense for Auburn was stellar a year ago and a lot has to be credited to Zack Clayton, Mike Blanc, and Nick Fairley.
All those guys are gone but Jeffrey Whitaker and Kenneth Carter are looking for a challenge this fall.
Starters: Nosa Eguae, Kenneth Carter, Jeffrey Whitaker, Corey Lemonier
Reserves: Craig Sanders, Derrick Lykes, Jamar Travis, Dee Ford
Linebackers
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The linebacker position for Auburn may be one of the most depth filled that the Tigers have coming into this season.
Auburn has players at every position that have had some sort of game experience before this season begins. That is a very rare opportunity for the Tigers this coming season.
The experience that Daren Bates brings to the table is unmatchable. Bates started as a freshman in the secondary and moved to the outside linebacker position a year ago.
Bulking up in the past two seasons to over 200 pounds and hoping to get to the 215 range, Bates will be a head hunter for this defense and has the speed to cover the slots.
In the middle, sophomore Jake Holland appears to have taken the reigns. Holland played in a reserve role to Josh Bynes a year ago and is now sitting atop the depth chart in the middle.
Eltoro Freeman is listed as the backup to Holland but I find it difficult to believe he will not be on the field more than just when Holland is taking a breather.
The final outside position appears to have quietly found itself in the hands of Jonathan Evans. Evans will be a junior this coming season and has earned playing time throughout his career at Auburn.
His most famous start was against Alabama in the ’09 Iron Bowl as a freshman.
Starters: Daren Bates, Jake Holland, Jonathan Evans
Reserves: LaDarius Owens, Eltoro Freeman, Harris Gaston
Defensive Secondary
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Auburn will be one of the most talented teams in the defensive secondary this season.
With veterans like T’Sharvan Bell and Neiko Thorpe returning Auburn has leadership and playmaking ability. Add in the experience gained a year ago by Chris Davis and Demetruce McNeal and the talent and experience mix is pretty solid.
Jonathon Mincy is a corner that lost time last season due to personal reasons and ending up in the Chizik dog house.
Mincy is a solid player however and I would expect to see him making some plays from day one. Mincy seeks out contact and covers extremely well.
Jonathan Rose is an impact freshman for the Tigers. He made it through the spring session and despite making some terrible plays in the A-Day game he built a good reputation.
Rose will likely play this fall as Auburn will look to put the most talent on the field as possible.
Starters: T’Sharvan Bell, Chris Davis, Neiko Thorpe, Demetruce McNeal
Reserves: Jonathon Mincy, Jonathan Rose, Erique Florence, Robenson Therezie
Special Teams
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Auburn had one of the most prolific kickers in history win the national championship for them in 2010.
Wes Byrum is gone to graduation however and finding a place kicker that is accurate and can handle the pressure has to be a focus.
At this point the leading candidate would seem to be Cody Parkey but Chandler Brooks handled the duties on A-Day. Speculation is that Parkey was battling an injury and was unable to play.
The punting position is a little less action filled as Stephen Clark is the heir apparent and had a great spring game.
The return game is where Auburn must improve this season to help field position and momentum shifts.
Finding a spark in the punt return game needs to be a focus for the Tigers in the future and Trovon Reed seems to be the man that can get them there.
The kick return duties will fall to Neiko Thorpe and Onterio McCalebb.
Starter: (K) Cody Parkey
Reserve: (K) Chandler Brooks
Starter : (P) Stephen Clark
Reserve: (P) Chandler Brooks
Punt return: Trovon Reed, Quindarius Carr
Kick return: Neiko Thorpe, Onterio McCalebb
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