2011-2012 Football Previews – SEC – Auburn Tigers
Auburn had its whirlwind dream season last year, coming back to beat nemesis Alabama, winning the SEC title and the National Championship and yielding a Heisman Trophy-winning QB in Cam Newton.
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SEC 2011-12 Football Previews: Auburn Tigers
Coach: Gene Chizik
2010 Record: 14-0
Auburn Gambling Odds from Bodog.eu to win BCS: +10000
Auburn Team Page – Players Stats – Roster – 2011 Schedule –>
Any encore would seem like a disappointment, but this year’s version could be particularly sobering.
Many chuckled when Chizik – the former Iowa State head coach – got hired on at Auburn, but the stars aligned in just his second year with Newton, a typical aggressive defense anchored by departed DT Nick Fairley and a veteran offensive line. All these elements are gone in 2011, and the Tigers field a green squad from top to bottom.
Auburn fans will always have 2010 to remember – especially when their team’s success came also during an Alabama Crimson Tide power zenith, but it is something they must be content with as a memory, at least this year.
Team Strengths
The running game is in good shape behind powerful sophomore Michael Dyer and the speedy Onterio McCalebb. Whomever starts under center will at least be assisted by two good backs and up-and-coming TE Philip Lutzenkirchen, who seems to be coming into his own as a pass-catcher.
Defensively, the only players of true note that return are S Neiko Thorpe and CB T’Sharvan Bell.
Auburn fans can also take heart that the rebuilding phase shouldn’t last long, as many talented players are coming down the pipes thanks to a bountiful harvest on the recruiting trail.
Team Weaknesses
On the 2011 Tigers team, attrition is heavy, and everywhere. Quarterback will be fought over by junior Barrett Trotter, soph Clint Moseley and talented freshman Kiehl Frazier.
The offense also loses its top two receivers from ’10 and a glut of NFL-calibre offensive lineman, such as Ryan Pugh and Lee Ziemba.
On “D”, Fairley is gone as well as six of the top seven leading tacklers from last year. Auburn tends to have a talented depth chart, so the drop-offs won’t be as glaring as some other teams, but no team can slide that many new starters in seamlessly. On special teams, the kicker, punter and kick return man are all new. [soliloquy id=”82219″]
Last but totally not least, Newton is gone.
He was the special piece that did everything for the Tigers last year and he was as close to a once-in-a-generation college football talent that you will see.
2011-12 Auburn Football Prediction: 5-7
Despite being unbeaten last year, Auburn tip-toed its way out of many close calls, and that was with all the aforementioned 2010 assets. This fresh-faced group will almost certainly see a National Title-hangover.
There is talent on this team, but there is talent and experience on every other team in the West division.
Road games at Clemson, South Carolina, LSU, Arkansas and Georgia don’t make the prospects any brighter. Texas had a sobering 2010 after a 2009 title appearance and it looks like the same recipe is in the making for the Auburn Tigers.
Yet, Chizik has shown he can recruit and has proven his doubters wrong now in his third season, so don’t expect Auburn to be on the outs forever.
2011 Auburn Tigers Schedule
9/3/11 12:00 PM ET UTAST
9/10/11 12:21 PM ET MISST
9/17/11 12:00 PM ET @CLEM
9/24/11 12:00 PM ET FLATL
10/1/11 12:00 PM ET @SOCAR
10/8/11 12:00 PM ET @ARK
10/15/11 12:00 PM ET FLA
10/22/11 8:00 PM ET @LSU
10/29/11 12:00 PM ET MISS
11/12/11 12:00 PM ET @GEO
11/19/11 12:00 PM ET SAFRD
11/26/11 12:00 PM ET ALAB
