2014-15 Football Previews – (SEC) – Tigers
Head coach Gus Malzahn really cooked up a magical season in 2013. The Tigers pulled off a couple of nail-biting victories, and that’s not counting Chris Davis’s legendary “Kick Six” in the Iron Bowl versus Alabama.
Auburn Tigers
Head Coach: Gus Malzahn
2012 Record: 12-2
Auburn Gambling Odds to win 2014 BCS Championship: 9/1
Futures from sportsbook.ag
It will be tricky to re-create that good fortune, but Auburn is still a sublimely talented football team in a tough division and conference (SEC West).
Auburn will not sneak up on anybody this year, which may be the single factor playing against this team in 2014.
In addition to improvement all over the field under Malzahn and co-ordinators Rhett Lashlee (offensive) and Ellis Johnson (defensive), the Tigers return difference-maker QB Nick Marshall this year. He alone will have opponents circling their calendars for their date with Auburn.
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There’s plenty of starters that return from last year’s squad, and those positions that don’t are being filled by impactful junior college transfers and talented underclassmen.
Let’s have a look at the strengths and weaknesses of the Auburn Tigers.
Team Strengths
Pivot Marshall is a legitimate Heisman Trophy candidate. The Auburn coaching staff rave about how he’s improved his passing in the offseason, and everyone already knew what a dynamic athlete he is. He’s truly an electrifying college football player.
Last year’s Heisman finalist RB Tre Mason has moved to the NFL and he’ll be the first to tell you how talented he is (though he doesn’t like to brag, apparently) but the Tigers have plenty of tailback depth to replace him. Senior Cameron Artis-Payne will likely get the first crack at the job, although freshman RB Roc Thomas is captivating.
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The receiver corps is big and fast and highlighted by junior Sammie Coates. Also, keep an eye on JUCO transfer D’haquille Williams, who was the top junior college player in America. At tight end, the discussion begins and ends with C.J. Uzomah. His rather stocky build (6″4, 265 lbs) makes him an intriguing H-back possibility at the NFL level also.
All the skill position guys will thrive under an offensive line that returns four 2013 starters; senior C Reese Dismukes is the best of the bunch.
Junior LB Cassanova McKinzy, in addition to having a badass name, is sublimely talented and will pair with Kris Frost to make an intimidating unit. There’s plenty of competition for playing time on the defensive line, but SEC scouts are impressed with sophomore Montravius Adams, who draws comparisons to SEC legend Glenn Dorsey.
Team Weaknesses
If the Tigers themselves start to believe too much of the raving about them, it could have a negative impact on the campaign. The Tigers lose bruising FB Jay Prosch, who was an unheralded linchpin to the running attack a year ago.
The secondary will be breaking in two new starters, and the defense also loses All-SEC DE Dee Ford, who takes his 10.5 sacks with him.
Auburn will be introducing two freshman (kicker Daniel Carlson and punter Jimmy Hutchinson) into the special teams unit. They arrive as heralded high-school players, but they’re unproven.
2014-15 Auburn Football Prediction: 11-2
The Tigers are one of the nation’s most talented programs, but everyone will have them in the crosshairs in 2014. Also, Auburn plays a gnarly road schedule that includes trips to Kansas State, Mississippi State, Georgia and hated Alabama.
In any scenario, Marshall is a gifted QB and it’ll be especially fun to watch him with so many weapons at his disposal.
Auburn did everything that was asked of it and then some last season, and while there’s no reason to believe the team won’t capably handle the majority of its schedule, I don’t see everything working so perfectly this time around.
2014 Tigers Schedule
- 8/30/14 ARK
- 9/6/14 SJ ST
- 9/18/14 @ KANSAS ST
- 9/27/14 LA TECH
- 10/4/14 LSU
- 10/11/14 @ MISS. ST
- 10/25/14 S. CAROLINA
- 11/1/14 @ OLE MISS
- 11/8/14 TEX. A&M
- 11/15/14 @ UGA
- 11/22/14 SAMFORD (FCS)
- 11/29/14 @ BAMA
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