Auburn Football 2011: News, Notes and Updates Before the Tigers' Season-Opener

Auburn is steadily approaching its first game of the 2011 college football season. The Tigers have progressed consistently this fall and are looking to continue with the success they found a year ago.

Much has been made about the youth that is a part of the Auburn squad, but little has been said about the overall talent that will fill the Tigers' roster this fall. Speed will be the most important asset the young Tigers will bring to the game.

Auburn has a few injuries that have been battled by some expected starters and have had some surprises on the depth chart that will cause major changes in the depth expectations. The team will look to play numerous freshmen regardless of the listed starters.

Looking forward to Saturday, here are some news and notes heading into the season-opener against Utah State.

Depth Chart Released

Auburn released its official depth chart earlier this week. The biggest question most fans had was already answered when Barrett Trotter was named the starting quarterback.

The coaches still had some questions to answer, but the Tigers look set heading into their first game.

One of the moves that may surprise is the abundance of freshmen throughout the offensive side of the depth chart. It is likely to see true freshmen in the game at offensive line positions and skill spots.

Quan Bray is a true freshman who is scattered throughout the depth chart and looks to fill a very important role at kick returner and back up Trovon Reed at punt returner.

Auburn is undeniably young, but they are also talented. This team will be full of stars for the Tigers this season and beyond.

The Auburn depth chart can be found here.

Depth Chart Surprises

Even though freshmen were expected to make the cut this fall, the Tigers have a few more freshmen than most expected.

One of the biggest surprises has been the shift of Chad Slade above A.J. Greene at offensive tackle. Most expected Greene to earn the start this season.

Devaunte Sigler has been a major surprise this preseason as well and looks to be an impact freshman off the bench for the Tigers at defensive tackle.

Robernson Therezie has been another big surprise in the secondary and looks to provide some depth on the outside early this season. Add to that the impact Erique Florence is likely to make this year, and the young freshmen will play a major role in the success for the Tigers. 

Injuries

Auburn made it out of this camp better than any time in recent memory.

It seemed that in years' past the  Tigers struggled with injuries to big-time playmakers. Auburn has lost a few payers so far to injury this season, but both major losses came to true freshmen.

Auburn will go in to this new season relatively healthy. Michael Dyer had missed some time, and it drew some wandering eyes and opinions, but it appears as if there is nothing else to his minor dings.

Some injuries have come and gone, while others are lingering. A. J. Greene appeared to be a player set to make an impact, but a re-injuring of his leg during the summer ended that hope. It now looks like redshirt freshman Chad Slade will earn the start.

Outside of some minor injuries on the offensive line, such Aubrey Phillips and Greene, Auburn has had a blessed camp avoiding injuries.

Finally at Malzahn Speed

One of the noticeable changes coming for this year’s offense is the speed at which they want to move the ball. Going in to Year 3, Malzahn finally has the skill players to match up with any defender in the country.

Auburn will be noticeably faster with its play-calling and selection this season. It will be difficult for defenses to adjust since they will constantly be playing on their heels. The Tigers didn’t need to use fast snaps with Cameron Newton nearly as often, but tempo will be a focus this season. 

Uniform Changes

There appears to be some changes coming Auburn's way regarding the uniforms. The Tigers will look to wear the same colors and same basic design, but a few things were added to the jerseys.

Auburn now has two stars in the bottom flair of their jerseys. The two stars are to represent Auburn's two National Championship seasons.

The final changes are the addition of "War Eagle" to the bottom of the belt loops on the back of the pants and the possibility of some changes to the striping on the pants as well.

Other than these subtle changes, Auburn looks to be the same classic style as always.

Upgrades to Stadium Décor

Jordan-Hare Stadium earned some face-lifts this past week. The exterior banners representing special coaches, teams and seasons have all been replaced with new banners marking the same timeless points in Auburn history.

Cameron Newton and the 2010 championship banner were a major part of the upgrade to the facade, as was the Nick Fairley Lombardi Award banner.

Fans are sure to revel in the recent updates and changes to the stadium.

What the Aggies Bring Offensively

One of the major concerns for the Tigers' coaching staff is the offense the Aggies from Utah State run. Utah State runs out of a multiple-formation style and uses their own knowledge of the program's playbook to keep opposing defenses on their heels.

Just last season these same Aggies kept Oklahoma within one score. The Aggies will not be a pushover for the Tigers. They will bring a lot of offensive confusion for a young defense.

Tickets and Gametime

Tickets for the Utah State game are still available through the Auburn ticket office. The game time for Saturday’s season-opener is 11:00 a.m., and the game is also going to be televised on ESPN2. Auburn will play its first three games in the morning, and all games are on the ESPN family of networks.

Stadium Expansion Possible

Every time Auburn fans gather, there is talk about stadium expansion. With the expansion of Bryant-Denny stadium, it seems only fitting to join the crowd.

The problem for the Tigers has been that there have been zero season sellouts the last few years.

If Auburn can fill the seats this season, there may be a possibility for expansion in the future. I would expect that consistent attendance is what AD Jay Jacobs is looking for.

A winning team goes a long way to establish a need for expansion.