Following a 10-win season and an SEC West title, Auburn gets set to begin fall camp for the 2018 season on Friday. There is lots of optimism surrounding the Tigers again, who were ranked No. 10 in the preseason USA Today coaches poll released on Thursday, but there are also still some lingering concerns which have been facing the team since the end of spring practice.
Here are my biggest three to monitor as preseason camp proceeds.
1. Can anyone separate themselves in a crowded pack of running backs?
Auburn achieved its goal of becoming a more balanced offense last season, accumulating 1,064 more passing yards than it did in 2016, but the team still built its identity around what it always has under head coach Gus Malzahn: running the football.
The Tigers rushed for over 3,000 yards, including 1,391 gained by Kerryon Johnson. However, the reigning SEC Offensive Player of the Year has departed along with the team’s leading rusher from the previous season, Kamryn Pettway, leaving Auburn with loads of uncertainty in the backfield heading into fall camp.
Three players figure to be in a position to earn the starting job at running back for the season opener against Washington: junior Kam Martin, redshirt freshman JaTarvious “Boobee” Whitlow and true freshman Asa Martin.
Kam Martin is the most experienced of the trio and the team’s second-leading rusher from 2017 (453 yards), but size concerns have contributed to the 193-pound back receiving minimal carries during critical moments. Yet, Martin has been solid in nearly every opportunity he has been given to this point and would have been Auburn’s starter at the end of spring practice had the team played a game then, according to both Malzahn and running backs coach Tim Horton.
The 6-foot, 216-pound Whitlow will provide the Tigers a bulkier option closer to the build they are accustomed to having with their primary running back, while Asa Martin comes in as one of the top recruits from the 2018 class after winning Alabama’s Mr. Football award as a senior in high school. Both had nice performances in the team’s A-Day game, Whitlow going for 98 yards on 14 carries and Martin going for 66 yards with 17 carries. Kam Martin sat out the scrimmage due to a minor injury.
Devan Barrett, who has switched to receiver for the time being, Malik Miller, a physical back with some experience; and walk-on C.J. Tolbert, who was Offensive MVP of A-Day, will all be in the mix to earn playing time throughout preseason camp as well.
2. Who are the 5 best offensive linemen?
For a position group that was perceived to be one of Auburn’s strongest entering the 2017 season, the offensive line modeled inconsistency.
While there were spurts of looking like one of the better offensive lines in the nation on two November Saturdays against No. 1-ranked teams, there were also debacles of allowing 11 sacks in one game and a largely uninspired bowl game performance to finish the year.
Now, the unit is missing four players with starting experience from a season ago along with two-year offensive line coach Herb Hand.
J.B. Grimes, who coached the Tigers’ offensive line from 2013-15, has returned to lead the group with a battle going on at nearly every position.
Juniors Mike Horton and Marquel Harrell appear to give Auburn some stability up the middle as both started at guard and excelled last season, but Horton may be in a position to have to make a move over to center. The other options at center would be junior Kaleb Kim and redshirt freshman Nick Brahms, but both dealt with injuries during the spring. Brodarious Hamm and Tashawn Manning are also expected to provide some depth on the inside.
At the tackle spots, Prince Tega Wanogho could be the player with the most potential to become the dominant staple across the line. The 6-foot-7, 301-pounder certainly has the build to be plugged in as the Tigers’ permanent left tackle, but he did not look comfortable in a majority of pass-blocking situations last season. Offensive coordinator Chip Lindsey expressed strides Wanogho had taken in the spring and further demonstration of such should solidify him into one of the starting tackle spots.
The other tackles in the picture look to be UMass graduate transfer Jack Driscoll and redshirt freshmen Calvin Ashley and Austin Troxell. Driscoll could have an advantage because of experience to claim a spot opposite of Wanogho, but Troxell impressed throughout the spring and Ashley was the Tigers’ highest-rated recruit of the 2017 class. Whoever is beaten out will likely have an opportunity to move inside as well.
3. Will special teams cease to be a weakness?
Aside from Daniel Carlson, who cemented himself as one of the greatest placekickers in SEC history, Auburn’s special teams was a nightmare at times throughout the 2017 campaign.
The Tigers had multiple field goals blocked, were excessively poor covering kickoff and punt returns and were unable to generate many explosive plays in the return game on their own part.
Surely, they will have a focus on improving upon the third phase of the game this fall.
Carlson and his SEC-record 474 points are gone, but his younger brother, Anders Carlson, will be taking his place. The sophomore has the same leg strength as his brother to be able to knock the ball through the uprights from well over 50 yards, but it is difficult to know how stable the spot can remain until he experiences success with the lights on in a stadium with thousands of screaming fans.
Between Ian Shannon and walk-on Aidan Marshall, Auburn finished ranked 115th in the FBS in net punting yards last season at 35.6 yards per punt. Looking to boost the Tigers in a considerable way is Australian Football League signee Arryn Siposs. Hailing from the same program as the previous five Ray Guy Award winners, Siposs could not only help Auburn get back to winning field position battles, but also prevent plays like D.J. Chark’s punt return for a touchdown that was the difference in a loss at LSU in 2017.
Covering kickoffs is simply something Auburn will just have to put more detail and focus into this fall after so many breakdowns last season, while Noah Igbinoghene will look to carry momentum from a big return to open the second half of the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl into generating some similar plays in his sophomore season.
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