Sporting New's team previews: No. 16 Auburn
There's this fan-based theory floating around The Plains: New offensive coordinator Tony Franklin needed just two weeks to implement his spread offense last bowl season, and Auburn handled a formidable defense in a Peach Bowl win over Clemson.
How good can the Tigers' offense be after 15 spring practices and a month of fall camp?
"That sounds good," Franklin says. "But it's a lot more than that."
The system, which has principles of the Hal Mumme/Mike Leach pass-happy schemes, begins and ends with quarterbacks and receivers. And here's the strength of the Auburn offense: running backs.
Coach Tommy Tuberville recruited over the years for a power running game, so it's no surprise tailbacks Ben Tate and Brad Lester are the two best players on the offense. While the new scheme won't ignore the run, there will be fewer formations with lead blockers and more with multiple receivers spreading the defense and forcing opponents to cover laterally.
To pull that off, Auburn has to throw and catch the ball with accuracy and consistency. And that wasn't necessarily the case during the 15 practices this spring. Part of the problem was the tenuous situation at quarterback, and the fact the Tigers are inexperienced at receiver.
The starting quarterback job is between junior college transfer Chris Todd and Kodi Burns, who played well in spots in the win over Clemson.
Franklin's system relies on wideouts reading defenses as much as the quarterback. Many of the routes are option routes, and if there is no cohesion between the quarterback and wideouts, the passing game suffers.
Like in the Mumme/Leach systems, Franklin likes to work the middle of the field with his offense, and that means tight ends and slot receivers will be at a premium.
Mario Fannin moved to slotback, and the one-time heir to the tailback spot looks good in his new position. The fumble problems he had at tailback weren't an issue in the spring, and he was consistently getting open and showing athletic ability after the catch. Then there's Tommy Trott, who lost 20 pounds and now plays more like an H-back or slot receiver than a tight end.
Beyond the new offense, the Tigers could make it back to the SEC championship for the first time since their undefeated season of 2004 because of their stout interior lines.
The offensive linemen all lost weight to transition to Franklin's quick-paced offense, and although three sophomores (including rising star Lee Ziemba) had some rough moments last fall, the group is very aggressive and won't have to protect as long with five- and seven-step quarterback drops a thing of the past.
The defensive front, meanwhile, has two of the league's best players in tackle/end Sen'Derrick Marks and rush end Antonio Coleman. Marks will play inside in run situations, and likely shift outside in long down-and-distance passing situations. Coleman didn't start until midway through last season, and he didn't get nearly the attention of Marks. But by the end of the season, Coleman was as disruptive as any down lineman in the SEC.
The Tigers are strong at linebacker, with undersized but fast linebackers and physical defensive backs. Tray Blackmon is as good as any linebacker in the nation when he's properly motivated, but he takes too many plays off and has had too many problems off the field.
Paul Rhoads takes over for popular Will Muschamp as defensive coordinator, and also coaches the secondary. The group is talented but became a bit thinner after cornerback Aairon Savage was knocked out for the year earlier this week with a torn ACL.
Zac Etheridge and Mike McNeil took some lumps early as freshmen, then grew into the safety positions in the second half of the season. Rhoads likes to use his safeties much like the rest of the front seven--in various pressure packages depending on the offensive formations.
Two new coordinators, two new schemes. How quickly and successfully Auburn adjusts to them will go a long way in determining how far the Tigers go this season.
