Auburn Preview

#7 Auburn



Our Dominate365 countdown to college football continues 62 days until Vandy and South Carolina! Number seven in my SEC power poll is the Auburn Tigers. Two years ago the Tiger where National Champions, but last year was a rebuilding year as most of the talent on the title team when on to play on Sundays. Now in 2012 everything is shaping up to be a transition year. Offensive coordinator Gus Malzahn took the head coaching job at Arkansas State and Defensive coordinator Ted Roof has made his way to (not so) Happy Valley to run the Penn State defense. With new coordinators comes new systems offensive coordinator Scot Loeffier who we don't know a lot about because he only has one year experience in this role, but last year as Temples OC he lead them to the 7th best rushing offence in the nation. So can a strong ground attack be on its way to the plains? On Defense Chizik hired veteran DC Brain VanGorder who has years of experience in the college and in the league. Auburn should see better defensive play once VanGorder gets his players in. 

Okay let’s look beyond the coordinators and look at the talent on the field. The million dollar question is what kind of play will Auburn get out of there QB (who ever it might be)? Kiehl Frazier looks to be the future, but last season in the bowl game when Clint Moseley got hurt the Auburn coaches elected not to go with Frazier (could be telling). Looking at the numbers Frazier was 5 out of 12 for 34 yards %41 with 2 picks. Clint Moseley who took over last season, but wasn't extremely effective 66 out of 108 for 800 yards %61 with 5 TD's and 3 picks. I don't expect Chizik or Loeffier to be in any hurry naming the starter for Clemson. The strength of this team will be in the trenches.

Returning Starters: 18

Offense: 7

Defense: 9

ST: 2

Schedule and Predictions

·  Clemson ( in ATL) ? L

· @ Mississippi State ? W

· Louisiana Monroe W

· LSU L

· Arkansas ? L

· @ Ole Miss W

· @ Vanderbilt ? W

·  Texas A&M ? W

· New Mexico State W

· Georgia L

· Alabama A&M W

· @ Alabama L

W = Win / L = Loose / ? Swing Game



The season will hinge on how players adjust to the new systems and what kind of play they get from their QB. I think they will split their first two games, but both are very losable. The Arkansas game could be a win as it is at home and coming off a bye week, but I still think Arkansas will be able to out shoot them. But perhaps the most important stretch on Auburn's 2012 schedule will be the at Vanderbilt and Texas A&M at home in back to back weeks. I think these are both losable, but both are must wins. I think Auburn will go 7-5 maybe 8-4 if they beat Arkansas coming off the bye.





-Patrick Pierce

Follow me on Twitter @Patrickp13