National Signing Day has come and gone, and when the day was over, a triumphant looking Gus Malzahn raved about the new pieces he added to his team.
He has a right to be happy, and while the Tigers missed out on some big players, namely linebacker Reuben Foster and cornerback Mackensie Alexander, the team got hooked up on the defensive line, receiver and quarterback positions.
I mean that defensive line is going to be ridiculously good by the 2014 season at worst. Malzahn said Montravius Adams was the most talented big man he has ever seen, and he may not even be the best player on the defensive line. For the record, I think he will be the most valuable addition to come from this year's recruiting class, but Carl Lawson will be exceptional as well.
While a huge chunk of Auburn's recruiting class talent came from the defensive line additions, there is some serious talent at wide receiver and quarterback.
And everyone knows Malzahn is a genius when it comes to developing quarterbacks and wide receivers.
Before you say "well what happened to Kiehl Frazier last year?" let me just say that Malzahn only got to coach him for his freshman year in an extremely limited roll before Scot Loeffler took over coaching the dual threat quarterback, and everyone knows how well that turned out.
Remember when Cam Newton had to use his legs to win Auburn games in the beginning of the season? Do you also remember when he turned into an exceedingly proficient passer at the end of the season?
That's quarterback development, folks.
So, at the quarterback position this year, Malzahn has five dual threat quarterbacks to work with, including the state of Alabama's Mr. Football Jeremy Johnson, former starters Kiehl Frazier and Jonathan Wallace, and new signees Nick Marshall and Jason Smith.
One of those guys is going to emerge as the starter, and while no one knows who it will be yet, I'd bet money that he's going to play well fairly early.
When you have five guys competing for a position, the true leader will emerge and reveal the phonies.
There will be more battles for starting wide receiver positions.
None of the returning receivers are guaranteed a starting spot, and newcomers such as Tony Stevens, Dominic Walker and Earnest Robinson have an excellent chance to make an immediate impact on the Tigers spread offense.
Having talented players is not everything, as proved by last season. Auburn had and still has excellent talent, but the player development was simply not on par with the upper-tier SEC programs.
I think that changes for the better this year.
Malzahn's and his staff members can coach some football.
Six members of Auburn's coaching staff have 19 or more years of college coaching experience, and that means this: they know what they're doing and they're good at it.
So, what can fans expect from a highly experienced coaching staff and a bunch of players with raw talent who need coaching?
Wins.
That's not a guarantee that Auburn will be back to top tier SEC status next year, but the Tigers are not going to be 3-9 (0-8 in the SEC).
I'd say it's likely that Auburn is a strong force that can compete with Alabama, LSU and Georgia by 2015, especially if Malzahn bags another outstanding recruiting class next year.
There's still a lot left in the air, especially with football season so far away, but one thing is a certainty: Auburn's football's worst times are past.
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