Auburn Football: 5 Players Ready for a Breakout Season

The Auburn Tigers kick off the 2011 season this Saturday against Utah State. Despite coming off of an undefeated season, the Tigers enter 2011 with plenty of questions and plenty of new faces in the lineup.

Auburn enters Saturday’s game with 19 new starters. With so much inexperience in the depth chart heading into the season, there are plenty of opportunities for players to break out and play big roles for the Tigers. The Utah State game will be our first chance to see who can emerge as part of the next generation of stars.

Here are five players that are primed for a breakout season heading into 2011.

Barrett Trotter, Quarterback

Trotter gets the keys to Gus Malzahn’s offense after winning the battle for starting quarterback in training camp. He probably won’t come close to matching Cam Newton’s numbers, but Trotter is knowledgeable about the offense and has displayed consistency in practice.

“He knows the offense as well as I do,” Malzahn said to ESPN.com on Thursday. “He’s mentally tough, and he’s physically tough.”

Trotter enters the season with three years of experience in the Auburn system, but starting on Saturday, he will finally be put to the test in game situations. How he fares will be a good barometer on Auburn's record in 2011.

Corey Lemonier, Defensive End

A highly-touted recruit last season, Lemonier saw some time as a reserve during his freshman campaign. He’s now earned the open starting job at defensive end and will be a big pass rushing threat for the Tigers in 2011.

Lemonier will be one of the SEC’s leaders in sacks if all goes well in 2011.

Reese Dismukes, Center

Dismukes has already proven his talent by becoming the only true freshman to crack Auburn’s starting lineup heading into Saturday’s game.

One of the top center recruits in the nation, Dismukes beat out veteran Blake Burgess for the starting spot and should be a mainstay on the Auburn line for the next four years.

He will be thrown right into the fire on an offensive line that returns only one starter from the 2010 season.

T’Sharvan Bell, Cornerback

Bell, a junior, has seen playing time over the first two years of his career and has displayed a knack for big plays, with four career interceptions and a crucial sack in the Iron Bowl.

Now he gets the chance to hold down one of the cornerback spots full-time and is also listed as the starter at Auburn’s nickel back spot.

Expect Bell to step up and emerge as a leader for a talented but very young secondary.

Philip Lutzenkirchen, Tight End/H-back

Auburn fans know all about Lutzenkirchen, but this year he will play a much bigger role in the offense. The versatile junior could line up at tight end, H-back, and even wide receiver for the Tigers.

Lutzenkirchen should see a lot more passes thrown his way than the 15 receptions he hauled in last season.

"He'll be all over," running backs coach Curtis Luper told the Birmingham News in August. "One of the focal points of the offense will be Philip Lutzenkirchen."