Anytime a program has a new head coach you are going to have some new players surface you have never seen before.
It could be an incoming freshman or it could be a veteran player that fits into the new system better than the old.
Well Auburn is no different, at every position on the offensive side of the ball Auburn fans can be expecting to see some new faces step up and take on a role in Gus Malzahn's offense.
Some of the older players you can be expecting to see have more of a role this season are junior tight end C.J. Uzomah and red shirt freshman Shon Coleman.
Coleman signed with Auburn in 2010, but had to put his football career on hold after being diagnosed with leukemia shortly after he signed with Tigers.
After beating cancer and returning to the field Coleman still had an uphill battle if he wanted to return to the star player he had been in high school.
He had to return to playing weight, get in shape and knock off the rust from not playing for so long.
But offensive line coach J.B. Grimes said on Friday that Coleman has finally returned to the player he once was.
"Shon Coleman is a really really good talented guy he just hasn't played football in a while and he's rusty," Grimes said. "He's a great kid and I really think he's got a bright future here as an offensive lineman. He is really coming on."
Uzomah, who has played a lot during his time at Auburn, has been a pleasant surprise to tight ends coach Scott Fountain so far in practice.
Malzahn's offense asks a lot of the tight end. He must be able to put his hand down and block, play h-back in the backfield and split out wide and play receiver. Uzomah is one of the few who can do all of these things. Something he could not do in the spring.
"He came back this fall and been a good surprise for me," Fountain said. "He's a better hand down blocking tight end, he's a better h-back for us in the backfield and we all know he can split out and do that type stuff. He's more of a complete guy that can do all of the things we ask to do in this offense and that's hard to find."
The young players who have impressed so far have been freshman running back Jonathan "Rudy" Ford and freshman receiver Tony Stevens.
Both were big pick-ups in last years signing class, and so far they have been as good as advertised.
"Rudy has done well, he has really good speed. I would say he's probably one of the faster players on our team," running backs coach Tim Horton said. "I can see him playing for us as a freshman and making some plays for us. Very pleased with his progress."
Stevens has impressed other players and coaches so far in practice even though he has been nursing a hamstring injury.
His hamstring is better now and if he can stay healthy this fall then Stevens should see playing time.
"Tony has been good. He has been everything that we thought he would be," receivers coach Dameyune Craig said. "We just want him healthy, so he can have a chance to compete and play full speed. He's shown flashes and he's gained about 10 pounds since he's been here so we are expecting some big things out of him."
Only time will tell if these players will be as good on game day as they have been on the practice field, but so far it seems like they will be.
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