2009 Record: 8-5 (3-5)
Head Coach: Gene Chizik (2nd season, 8-5...13-24 overall)
Offensive Coordinator: Gus Malzahn (2nd season)
Defensive Coordinator: Ted Roof (2nd season)
2009 Bowl Game: Outback Bowl, defeated Northwestern 38-35 (OT)
Offense: Cameron Newton, who has insane size and arm strength, won the QB battle in the spring, and is expected to lead Auburn to a succesful season in 2010. TB Mario Fannin is the #1 back, but beware of the fumbles that come with him. As many as 4 other backs will fight for time at TB as well. Darvin Adams broke the Auburn single season reception record with 60 last season. Just goes to show how little Auburn has thrown the ball in their history. Terrell Zachery lines up at the other WR spot. 4 other WRs are in the mix to rotate in as needed giving the Tigers exceptional depth. 4 starters return on the line.Auburn had the 16th ranked team in total offense in 2009.
Defense: The defense was highly avergae in 2009, including the bowl win over Northwestern. Improvement should be evident at LB, where all three starters return in Craig Stevens, Josh Bynes, and Daren Bates. Bates is a former starting safety. The CB spots are strong with the return of Neiko Thorpe and Demond Washington. Aairon Savage and Mike McNeill will both be starting at safety, and both are former starters returning from significant lost time due to injury. There is plentiful depth behind them. Antoine Carter will return at one DE spot, withDee Ford and Michael Goggans fighting it out at the other spot. Mike Blanc will return at tackle, with 3 players battling to be names the second starter at DT.
Special Teams: Wes Bynum missed one FG all of last season, and returns to handle PK duties. Ryan Shoemaker is a first time starter at punter as a senior.
2010 Schedule
Wins: 9/4 Arkansas State, 9/9 @ Mississippi State, 10/2 Louisiana-Monroe, 10/9 @ Kentucky, 11/6 Tennessee-Chattanooga
Toss Up Games: 9/18 Clemson, 9/25 South Carolina, 10/30 @ Ole Miss, 11/13 Georgia
Losses: 10/16 Arkansas, 10/23 LSU, 11/26 @ Alabama
The non-conference schedule ia a complete joke. 2 Sun Belts, Clemson, and a 1-AA slouch? That's the best you can do for your fans at Auburn? I am not impressed. Auburn will not be in the upper echelon of SEC football when the season is done. Auburn will hardly be tested after playing 8 home games against mostly inferior competition, and it will show when they take on better football teams, especially when they do go on the road. It will be a hard pill to swallow when they lose to Arkansas and LSU at home.
Outlook: Auburn may end up with a solid record, but the record will be very soft. The schedule is beyond ridiculous, and the talent level at the skill sets is overrated. Cameron Newton has the tools, but has not played in a game yet at Auburn, so you don't know what you will get on game day. There will be struggles, and even though the depth will be great at most spots, Chizik and staff will have to tighten up some of these rotations to allow for some players to get into good grooves. If Auburn wants big time repect, they had better amp up that schedule some.
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