AUBURN Head Coach: Gus Malzahn
2012 Record: 3-9 (0-8) Auburn, Ala.
Off Coord: Rhett Lashlee Founded: 1856
OFFENSE: This will be the first season as Auburn’s
head coach for Gus Malzahn. Many of Auburn’s players were recruited for his offensive scheme meaning the offense should be much better than the abysmal unit last year. Tre Mason, Auburn’s leading rusher last season, will return this year to fuel the running game. JUCO transfer, Cameron Artis-Payne, will also receive his share of the carries and will be a big complement to the speedy Mason. Neither Kiehl Frazier nor Jonathan Wallace wowed coaches last season when they split time at quarterback. Ideally JUCO transfer Nick Marshall would have a strong enough showing in workouts to win the job outright. Auburn lost both Emory Blake and Philip Lutzenkirchen the team’s leading receivers. Quan Bray and Trovon Reed will need to step up their play and become leaders for the team’s younger receivers. Due to strong recruiting over the years, the offensive line will be able to hold its own against the defensive lines of the SEC. DEFENSE: Auburn had a tough time with its defense during the Gene Chizik. New defensive coordinator Ellis Johnson will look to turn that around and bring some fire back to the defense. He will employ a 4-2-5 defense which should work well against spread offenses, but he will also make changes and work with a 4-3 and a 3-4 against pro-style offenses. Cassanova McKinzy and Demetruce McNeal, who were both four star recruits, will anchor the defense. McNeal will return after being the second leading tackler last season for the Tigers, and he will be joined by Jermaine Whitehead who finished third in tackles last season. The defensive backfield will need to be much better than the past few years and is the biggest question mark. Justin Garrett could have an impact as a hybrid linebacker / safety. New defensive line coach Rodney Garner will have Auburn’s sack leader from last season on his defensive line in senior Dee Ford. 2013 SCHEDULE Aug 31 Washington St. Sep 7 Arkansas St. Sep 14 Mississippi St. Sep 21 @LSU Oct 5 Ole Miss Oct 12 Western Carolina Oct 19 @Texas A&M Oct 26 FAU Nov 2 @Arkansas Nov 9 @Tennessee Nov 16 Georgia Nov 30 Alabama
NEWCOMERS DT Montravius Adams, One of the top defensive prospects, Adams will be a force to be reckoned with. RB Cameron Artis-Payne, the nation’s top JUCO running back will bring dynamic play to this anemic offense. DE Carl Lawson, Lawson recorded an astounding 27 sacks as a senior in high school and will play right away.
Def Coord: Ellis Johnson Stadium: Jordan-Hare
Capacity: 86,603
Depth Chart Offense NO 10 21 89 1 4 81 73 63 50 51 62
PLAYER Kiehl Frazier Tre Mason Jaylon Denson Trovon Reed Quan Bray C.J. Uzomah Greg Robinson Alex Kozan Reese Dismukes Patrick Miller Chad Slade
12 Jonathan Wallace 44 Cameron Artis-Payne 18 Sammie Coates 6 Ricardo Louis 20 Corey Grant 11 Brandon Fulse 72 Shon Coleman 53 Devonte Danzey 65 Tunde Fariyike 56 Avery Young 76 Jordan Diamond Special Teams 36 Cody Parkey 30 Steven Clark
POS QB RB WR WR WR TE LT LG C RG RT
HT 6/2 5/10 6/3 6/1 5/10 6/4 6/5 6/4 6/3 6/7 6/5
WT 224 205 219 190 186 258 320 297 297 283 313
CLASS JR JR JR JR JR JR SO FR JR SO JR
QB RB WR WR WR TE LT LG C RG RT
6/2 5/11 6/2 6/2 5/11 6/4 6/6 6/4 6/2 6/6 6/6
206 210 201 215 205 263 299 282 305 304 315
SO Jr SO SO JR JR FR SO JR FR FR
PK P
6/1 6/5
190 230
SR SR
POS DE DT DT DE LB LB CB S S S CB
HT 6/2 6/4 6/3 6/4 6/3 6/2 5/11 5/11 6/1 6/2 5/10
WT 240 310 296 280 246 238 200 201 218 197 200
CLASS SR SR JR SR SO SO SR JR JR SR JR
DE DT DT DE LB LB CB S S S CB
6/4 6/4 6/1 6/3 6/2 6/1 5/11 6/2 5/9 5/11 5/10
245 310 295 269 205 240 197 194 204 200 180
SR JR SO SR FR SR SO SR JR SO SO
KR PR
5/11 205 5/10 186
JR JR
Depth Chart Defense NO 95 54 90 92 30 17 11 9 26 12 6
PLAYER Dee Ford Jeffrey Whitaker Gabe Wright Kenneth Carter Cassanova McKinzy Kris Frost Chris Davis Jermaine Whitehead Justin Garrett Demetruce McNeal Jonathon Mincy
13 Craig Sanders 98 Angelo Blackson 50 Ben Bradley 94 Nosa Eguae 18 JaViere Mitchell 5 Jake Holland 15 Joshua Holsey 24 Ryan Smith 27 Robenson Therezie 31 Josh Holsey 21 Jonathan Jones Special Teams 20 Corey Grant 4 Quan Bray