This Monday was supposed to have been the start of SEC Media Days, a time where The Plainsman brings you content to get you ready for Auburn’s upcoming season. This year is different with the annual media event currently postponed. The Plainsman wanted to continue providing our readers content similar to Media Days; to prepare our readers if there is a football season, we interviewed other SEC sports editors and their staff.
As the week progresses, be on the lookout for similar interviews from around the SEC. Don't worry if you miss one; the bottom of each story will be updated with links to previous "State of the SEC's."
Jake: Who do you think will be a breakout player for Alabama on offense this year?
Alexander: “I definitely think that Najee Harris is going to be the focal point of the offense. Mac Jones reminds me a lot of AJ McCarron and I think the focal point of those AJ McCarron offenses weren’t his passing ability, it was Eddie Lacy, T.J. Yeldon."
"Just being able to run the ball, I think a lot of defenses against that offense stack the box because they respect the run so much. That ends up opening up the passing game.”
“So, this year first and second down, we’re going to be a run-first team which means Najee Harris is going to get a lot more up-the-gut touches than he usually gets because usually he is more of a screen back and an outside zone back. Hopefully, Steve Sarkisian decides to run it up the middle.”
Jake: Who do you think will be a breakout player for Alabama on defense this year?
Alexander: “I actually predicted this in one of my articles a few days ago but really I hope that Patrick Surtain takes over as the do-it-all guy for the defensive backs. I think he has a lot of potential to command the defense from the secondary position.”
“Obviously, Dylan Moses is coming back and he is going to be the signal-caller and the main leader, but the DB’s are kind of their own animal when it comes to the defense. So, I think Patrick Surtain being the most experienced player on that defensive back unit will allow him to show some leadership skills.”
Jake: What are the overall expectations for Alabama this season?
“Well usually it’s National Championship but with the season being on such short notice in terms of what our scheduling is going to look like, I think SEC Championship is more of in the lines of what Alabama is shooting for this year. With conferences canceling out of conference play, I don’t know how long our season is going to last.”
“And I don’t know if we’re going to do any kind of bowl games but if we do have those, Alabama will obviously be in contention just based off their talent from last year coming back and their recruiting classes being in the top ten for like the last 10 years.”
Jake: What is one big storyline for the Crimson Tide this season?
“I think the storyline is going to be that Alabama is going to return to a defense-first team. I think ever since Jalen Hurts took over in 2016, I think the offense has been the focal point of the team.”
“I definitely think that we’re going to go back to like a chew clock kind of offense with the defense spending as little time on the field as possible. With Dylan Moses coming back, I definitely think that we’ll be able to communicate properly unlike last year and get off the field pretty quick.”
Chad Morris speaks at a press conference on Dec. 10, 2019, in Auburn, Ala.
Christian Clemente is the assistant sports editor at The Auburn Plainsman.
Who do you think will be a breakout player for Auburn on offense this year?
Christian: “I’m gonna go with my running back X-Factor Mark-Antony Richards. When he first arrived at Auburn, the bar was set high with comparisons to Kerryon Johnson from Gus Malzahn and Cadillac Williams. But Richards ended up injuring his leg and didn’t see the field once his freshman season.”
“Now, with the running back room a little more cleared out following the departure of Boobee Whitlow and Malik Miller, the path to being a starter is much clearer for Richards.”
“Recent Doak Walker Award watch list back D.J. Williams will undoubtedly start the season as running back one, and could very well end the season that way. However, Richards is a very balanced back with the ability to run, catch and block, and do all three of them at a high level.”
“Under a Chad Morris led offense, with an added emphasis on running backs that can go out and catch, Richards should quickly find his way back onto the field.”
Who do you think will be a breakout player for Auburn on defense this year?
Christian: “On the defensive side of the ball, someone needs to step up and replicate the production that was lost on the defensive line with Derrick Brown, Marlon Davidson and Nick Coe all in the NFL.”
“It’s going to be impossible to replace the defensive presence Brown had on the field, it just is. But with Tyrone Truesdell, Coynis Miller Jr, Daquan Newkirk, Jaren Handy and signees Marquis Burks and Dre Butler all on the roster, they should be able to at least combine to create a strong defensive tackle group.”
“For my actual breakout player, though, it’s going to have to be Derick Hall coming off the edge or at the buck position, wherever he ends up at. Big Kat Bryant is someone people will look at to replace Davidson, and I think he can, but people might not be quite as ready for Hall to break onto the scene.”
“Hall could be in line for a very strong sophomore season. His freshman year stats don’t necessarily jump off the page with just 13 total tackles and 1.5 for loss, but he dealt with injuries, and once he found his way into the rotation, he felt like a consistent threat to get in the backfield.”
What are your expectations for the Tigers this season?
Christian: “My expectations for this team are kind of all over this place. The one phrase I keep going back to is “a lot hangs in the balance.” The talent on this team is there, there’s no questioning that. But there’s also a ton of question marks on this team.”
“Will Bo Nix take a step forward in his sophomore campaign? Who fills the void left by Boobee Whitlow’s departure? Without spring practice, will the four new offensive linemen, whoever they are, be able to protect Nix? Can the defensive line sustain the massive losses? Can the secondary, a very young and inexperienced secondary, step up?”
“If all those questions are answered in a positive way for Auburn, the Tigers could compete for the SEC title. But if Nix doesn’t take a step forward, can the Tigers travel to Tuscaloosa and take down Alabama or go to Athens and defeat the Dawgs? I personally don’t think so.”
“And with home games against tough opponents in Texas A&M and LSU, Auburn will need these questions to be answered, and answered quickly.”
What’s one big storyline for Auburn this season?
“I definitely think the inexperience of this team is a big storyline. But for me, the biggest storyline is how will the offense change under Chad Morris.”
“Now obviously Morris and Gus Malzahn run a similar style offense, but with an increase in the passing game under Morris, how will that impact Nix? Nix flashed potential towards the end of the season but crumbled on the road against LSU and Florida.”
“If Morris is able to help Nix take that next step forward along with continuing to improve the offense as a whole, this could be a whole new Auburn team that fans aren’t used to seeing.”
Alabama defensive back Jordan Battle (9). Photo courtesy: Hannah Saad/The Crimson White.
James Ogletree is the former sports editor of The Crimson White.
Jake: Who do you think will be a breakout player for Alabama on offense this year?
James: "Two young players stand out: sophomore wide receiver John Metchie III and redshirt freshman running back Trey Sanders."
"Metchie was the fifth receiver last year, only catching four passes, but he has the inside track to be the third option behind Smith and Waddle in 2020."
"Sanders was the top running back recruit in the 2019 class, but he missed all of last season with a broken foot. His high school coach at IMG Academy, Kevin Wright, told me last summer that he felt Sanders was ready to contribute to Alabama's offense in multiple ways."
Jake: Who do you think will be a breakout player for Alabama on defense this year?
James: "Redshirt sophomore defensive lineman Christian Barmore is a popular breakout candidate among Alabama fans and media, and I agree, but I'll go a different route and say sophomore safety Jordan Battle."
"He was Alabama's sixth defensive back in 2019, usually only coming on the field in sub-package situations, but he's slated for a full-time role in 2020 with both of last year's starting safeties now in the NFL. After Battle intercepted a pass in his Alabama debut against Duke, coach Nick Saban said the then-freshman was "a really good player." Later in the season, Saban complimented Battle's instincts and said he doesn't make a lot of mental errors."
"It's rare to hear Saban gush about an individual player like this, especially a freshman. My other breakout candidate on defense would be sophomore inside linebacker Christian Harris, a high-upside athlete who had never played linebacker before last season."
Jake: What are your expectations for the Tide this year?
James: "I expect Alabama to be a top-five team in college football and reach the SEC Championship Game. Last year's two-loss season could be seen as a crack in the program's armor, but I think it was an anomaly due to several injuries to key players."
"Redshirt junior inside linebacker Dylan Moses was one of the country's best linebackers in 2018; having him back from an ACL tear is huge for the defense. Having Smith, Waddle, Najee Harris, and four starters on the offensive line return will make life easier for whomever wins the quarterback job."
Jake: What's one big storyline for Alabama this season?
James: "The top storyline will be the quarterback battle between redshirt junior Mac Jones, who started the final four games last season, and incoming 5-star freshman Bryce Young."
"Jones was thought to have the upper hand even before spring football was canceled, but coaches could turn to Young's unflappable demeanor and athletic upside if the offense stalls early in the season."
Schwartz runs the ball during Auburn vs. Mississippi State, on Saturday, Sept. 28, 2019, in Auburn, Ala.
Jake Weese is the sports editor at The Auburn Plainsman.
Who do you think will be a breakout player for Auburn on offense this year?
Jake: “While they both played some last year and might not be considered breakout players, I’m excited to see what Anthony Schwartz and D.J. Williams bring to the table this season. Schwartz played through a thumb injury last season, but still finished as the No. 2 receiver with 440 yards.”
“In Williams’ case, he didn’t find his place in the backfield until Boobee Whitlow was sidelined with an injury. He was still able to finish second on the team in rushing attempts and yardage with 84 attempts and 400 yards.”
“Now that Whitlow has entered the transfer portal, we’ll have to wait and see who wins the starting job if there is a season, but Williams might have an early head start.”
Who do you think will be a breakout player for Auburn on defense this year?
Jake: “Defensively, Kevin Steele and the rest of the defensive staff have done a good job of reloading instead of rebuilding the last few seasons. This season could be more of a challenge in that regard simply because they did not have spring practices.”
“A young player on Auburn’s defense that I am excited to watch is Derick Hall. Hall might not be super well known to fans, but he did help in a reserve role on the defensive line last season appearing in 11 games.”
“After Auburn lost Derrick Brown, Marlon Davidson and Nick Coe to the NFL, Hall is one of the players tasked with filling the shoes of those three on the defensive line. I think the coaching staff is confident in Hall as he started against Ole Miss last season in place of the injured Davidson.”
What are the overall expectations for the Tigers this season?
Jake: “I think that if there is a college football season, Auburn’s going to struggle at first. I think many teams will struggle to start the year, though, since every team has had to deal with the challenges brought on by COVID-19.”
“Auburn’s an interesting team for me this season because the offense is an experienced one at every position except at offensive line. While on the defensive side, Auburn lost a lot of veteran guys on the defensive line and in the secondary.”
“I think if there is a full regular season, the Tigers are in the hunt for at least eight wins, but things might be tough.”
What is one big storyline for Auburn this season?
Jake: “A big storyline for me is how is Auburn’s defense going to perform this season. Auburn will have to reload in both the secondary and on the defensive line, which might take some adjusting for fans as the past few seasons have been defensive centric.”
“The defense still has plenty of talent, especially at the linebacker position which is arguably Auburn’s strongest position group on defense this season.”
“The SEC is full of talented offenses, and with a lot of teams potentially trotting out new quarterbacks, Auburn’s defense might be going up against even more talented offenses than last year. For a younger defense like Auburn’s, I’m excited to see how they answer the call.”
Catch up on the other State of the SEC's here:
Monday: LSU, Florida and Missouri
Tuesday: Kentucky, Georgia and Vanderbilt
Wednesday: Ole Miss, Tennessee and Mississippi State
Thursday: Texas A&M, South Carolina and Arkansas
Do you like this story? The Plainsman doesn't accept money from tuition or student fees, and we don't charge a subscription fee. But you can donate to support The Plainsman.
Jake Weese, senior in journalism with a minor in history, is The Plainsman's sports editor.
