The wait is over. After many long harsh months college football season is finally here again.

The 2009 season introduced an Auburn program with a new head coach as well as a completely new staff and style. Tiger fans as well as players had no clue what to expect on game day as Auburn kicked off against Louisiana Tech. Chris Todd ended up leading the team to an 8-5 season that was capped off with an overtime win against Northwestern in the Outback Bowl. In the second year of Head Coach Gene Chizik’s tenure, the Tigers have felt the influx of talent from a top five nationally ranked recruiting class that has many Tiger fan’s expectations on the rise as the season opener against Arkansas State quickly approaches.

A feat that is unheard of in the SEC these days, Chizik’s whole coaching staff from last season returns. Fans can expect to see more of Trooper Taylor prowling the sideline, swinging his towel and drawing intensity from everyone around him. Guz Malzahn returns with a continued demand of perfection from every part of his fast-paced high power offense.

Fifth year lineman Mike Berry said a goal of the offseason has been focusing on penalties.

“Penalties will really hurt you in a game,” Berry said. “Attention was also on executing at a faster pace than last year’s offense. That’s an area where we really didn’t do a good enough job last season. I know a lot of people may think we did, but we don’t think so.”

Coach Grimes has challenged his offensive line, that returns four experienced starters, to strive to be the toughest line in the country and fuel the now multi-faceted rushing attack.

Mario Fannin will start the season at starting tailback and he will be backed up by a beefed up Onterrio McCalebb who has spent the off-season stacking on a few pounds to absorb the brutal SEC tackles. Expect to see true freshmen Michael Dyer, the top rated recruit of the 2010 class, contributing from the backfield as well.

The announcement that Cameron Newton will be the starting quarterback for the 2010-11 season gives the Tigers a physical running threat from the quarterback position. Measuring in at 6’6 and 250 lbs., Newton has the ability to zip passes to receivers with accuracy. Newton’s already done a good job taking leadership of the offense and helping fuel the confidence of the peaking unit.

Newton said that he is striving for success.

“Coach Chizik says you don’t ever want anyone to have more want for something than you want for yourself. I don’t know anyone who has more want for success than I have for myself,” Newton said. “I just wanted to show my teammates that I’m willing to do things to gain the trust of this team.”

Newton will be backed by Barrett Trotter who has pushed Newton for the starting position up until the end this summer.

When asked what expectations were set for the Tiger’s 2010-11 season, Berry said they were already looking towards the SEC championship.

“Shooting to win championships ... that’s what we are shooting for,” Berry said. “Having depth now so when one guy goes down we have others ready to step up will be huge, especially towards the end of the season where those really come in to effect.”

On the perimeter, Auburn returns all of their top receivers from last season including break-out duo Darvin Adams (60 catches, 997 yards, 10 TDs) and Terrell Zachery (477 yards on 26 catches with five TDs) Kodi Burns (five TDs, four TDs total vs. Mississippi St) and Quindarius Carr. Add Emory Blake and DeAngelo Benton to that group who return with the benefit of another year of learning in the offense. True freshmen speedster Trovon Reed, Shaun Kitchens and Antonio Goodwin have all come in and had great showings at practice and scrimmage. Philip Pierre-Louis also looks to have recovered from last season’s knee injury and looks to contribute.

Defensively, Safeties Coach Tommy Thigpen has seen injured veterans return in Mike McNeil and Zac Etheridge. All-SEC Freshman Darren Bates has made the move to outside linebacker this off-season and Eltoro Freeman has made the move to support Craig Stevens at the weak side linebacker position. Freshmen Jessel Curry and Jake Holland look to add much needed depth to the Linebacker core.

Jeffrey Whitaker and Corey Lemonier have impressed Defensive line Coach Tracy Rocker. They will lead a group of young talent that will bolster the defensive line.

Defensive Coordinator Ted Roof said the young players have to be ready to contribute.

“With our schedule and playing 11 games without a break, we’ve got to have those players ready to contribute,” Roof said. “We’re ready to see them play hard and play physical.”

The cornerbacks lost Walt McFadden but have seen Neiko Thorpe step up in his spot while Aairon Savage and Demond Washington will play opposite of him. T’Sharvan Bell and Ikeem Means have also had great off-seasons and should see substantial game time in cornerback heavy formations.

Chizik tells the players that a focus on the team’s success and pursuit of championships will help lead them each to their individual goals.

“He tells us that if the team plays wells there is a greater chance of us all achieving our personal goals,” Berry said. “Look at the 2004 team and how many of them are still in the NFL and having great careers.”

You can expect much of the same from the Auburn game-Day experience. There will still be the same great tailgating parties, Tiger Walk, and a campus covered with orange and blue.

As the Tigers ramp up for the Sept. 4th opener against Arkansas State, expectations for this season are as high as they have ever been. What the season has in store no one can say, but Newton had a clear message.

“We’ve got a lot of warriors on this team that have been ready and waiting for the season to start,” he said. “I’m hoping to give the fans what they have been wanting to see and have been waiting for a long time. It’s time to put up or shut up. Go hard or go home. Time to seize the moment, as some coaches would say, and we’re ready to do that.”

Freshman Profiles
Expectations for the upcoming Auburn football season have been set high by the fans, coaches and players and one of those reasons is this year’s freshman class of new talent.

The new talent includes running back Michael Dyer, defensive tackle Jeffrey Whitaker and wide reciever Trovon Reed. These three were ranked high as recruits and have added to the excitement of the upcoming season.

These guys are also excited about the freshman class.

“This class has got great character,” Whitaker said. “I think we’re going to have to feed off eachother, which we already are. I think this class is a class that, on the field we don’t know yet, but I think this class will be a great part to Auburn for now and the future.”

Michael Dyer


Brad Goslin
For The Corner News

One of the gems of the Tiger’s top five nationally ranked recruiting was running back Michael Dyer of Arkansas. Born on Oct. 12, 1990, and hailing from Little Rock Ark., Dyer is one of the highest touted recruits on the plains this season after having a phenomenal high school football career where he set the record for all-time career rushing yards in the state with 8,097 yards rushing and 84 touchdowns. Dyer was ranked as a five star recruit on Rivals, Scout and ESPN, an Under Armour All-American, the number one back in ESPNU’s 150, bringing high hopes and a ton of potential to a university known for loving top-notched runningback talent.

Dyer brings a quiet natured, relentless work ethic with him to Auburn. In his short length of time he’s been on campus, Dyer has come on and already solidified a piece of the running back position. Coach Curtis Luper, assistant running backs coach, and Gus Malzahn, offensive coordinator, have both guaranteed that he will contribute to the team’s success this season.

“He’s playing, so is Onterio, so is Mario. They’ll all play,” Luper said of the three running backs. “At the end of the day, they kind of determine how much they’ll play based on the amount of success they have when they play. I don’t decide who plays, they do.”

Dyer has never aspired to play like any NFL greats or attempted to mold his play style to match other greats before him. Dyer has never focused on matching expectations.

“I’ve always just gone out and just ran and played as hard as I could,” Dyer said.

Dyer’s main challenge has been picking up the art of pass blocking which is something he wasn’t asked to do a lot in high school. But Mario Fannin and Onterio McCalebb have been steadily helping him through it.

“They’re doing a good job of teaching me how the plays go, how to line up and how to run different plays and the formations and signals,” Dyer said.

As a true freshmen in a talented backfield, Dyer will get plenty of opportunities to show off his talents and develop into his style one touch at at time. What he makes of these chances will be up to him.

“When the season starts and I first get in, people will know the reason why I came here and why I wanted to play for this team because of my abilities and the reason why I run,” Dyers said. “I think the first game, people’s eyes are going to open not just for me, but for the team because of all our abilities.”

Trovon Reed


Carla Nelson & Andrew Gribble
thecornernews.com

Freshman wide reciever Trovon Reed, considered the top recruit from Louisiana, played quarterback for his final three years at Thibodoux High.
The Auburn coaches decided to try Reed at wide reciever.

“Going from quarterback to reciever is a big change, Reed said. “You’re used to having your hand on the ball every play and now you have to work to get the ball. So, it’s kinda hard.”

Reed did make it to Auburn early, in May, and said the extra training has helped with the transition.

“I’m glad I came early because I wasn’t that strong coming out of high school,” he said. “I got stronger, faster.”

Reed’s speed is a strong asset to the team and Coach Yox tells him he needs to be first in every drill because of his speed and strength and conditioning coach Kevin Yoxall told him he needed to be first in every drill.

“I just try to be first, push myself hard,” Reed said.

Reed said that that it’s taken a little time to transition from high school to college.

“It’s different from high school,” Reed said. “My first day, I was waiting for the bell to ring. When I saw everyone walk up and get out, I was like ‘Where they going?’ “It was a big adjustment for me.”

Off the field, Reed said he might be better equipped than others to handle the homesickness that can strike a freshman, especially one that’s as far away from home as he is. Reed’s mother, Roszaina Johnson, died March 6, 2009, from stomach cancer, a life-changing event that has made him “used to being on (his) own.”

That made saying “No” to in-state LSU easier, too. Even though his high school coach, Dennis Lorio, blatantly disagreed with Reed’s decision at his own commitment ceremony, and even though he received endless hate mail from die-hard LSU fans, Reed never waffled.

“Auburn is not what I expected,” Reed said. “It’s better than what I expected.”

There’s no reason to doubt that Reed will be on the field in some way, shape or form when the Tigers open the season against Arkansas State.

Though Auburn is loaded with depth at wide receiver, there hasn’t been a player who has truly embraced the third receiver role behind Darvin Adams and Terrell Zachery. Emory Blake and DeAngelo Benton both have loads of potential, but neither performed well enough during their respective freshman seasons to guarantee breakout sophomore campaigns.

Reed said he’s working at the second receiver spot behind Zachery.

“Mentally, I think I am (ready). Physically, I think I am,” Reed said. “It’s about you won’t know until game time. If you freeze up on game day, that’s it.”
Even if Reed doesn’t win the job right away, it will be tough to keep him off the field.

Auburn is in the market for a new punt returner and could also be scoping out its options at a Wildcat quarterback — two places Reed thrived at in high school.
Whatever happens, Reed said that he plans to keep working hard this season.

“I feel like if God gives you a talent and he sees you trying to work at it, that’s when he’s going to reward you,” Reed said. “If he sees you slacking with the ability he gave you, that’s when he’s going to take it from you.”

Jeffrey Whitaker

After speculation that defensive tackle Jeffrey Whitaker would play at Georgia or Miami, the 17th best defensive tackle prospect in the country, per ESPN Scouts, chose Auburn.

The Warner Robins, Ga., native said Auburn is where he felt comfortable.

“During reqruiting I made my decision off of ... it felt like home. Home away from home,” Whitaker said.

We spoke to the 6-3, 295 lb. tackle after his first official practice with the team at the beginning of August. He described his first practice as exciting.

“I was excited,” he said. “Just trying to learn ... just trying to learn the best that I can.”

Whitaker said that summer training went well with Head Strength and Conditioning Coach Kevin Yoxall .

“We worked pretty hard and I feel good about the summer workouts,” Whitaker said.

Whitaker said that the veterans on the team like Nick Fairley, Mike Blanc and Antoine Carter, helped the younger guys during summer training.

“They’ve been a great help with learning the plays, what we need to do, time management, just everything,” he said.

Whitaker added that he has easily adjusted from high school to college.

“It was an easy transition,” he said. “Coming to college and being away from home ... it was kinda hard, but at the same time I’m just two hours away.”

Whitaker lost is mother at age 12 and said he learned to be more responsible through that experience.
“I think that kinda helped me learn how to be more responsible with the little things,” he said.

Whitaker said that he hopes to get a lot of playing time early on in the season, but it’s hard to tell how the team will play until they are all in pads.

“We’re all in shorts now ... everybody looks good right now,” he said. “You separate the men from the boys once you put on full pads.”

On the street - gameday eddition
Tripp Schlereth

Q. Are you going to the game this weekend?
A. No.

Q. What is your score prediction?
A. Auburn wins 28-12.

Q. How will you prepare for the game?
A. Buying beer and tailgating on campus.

Q. Which game are you looking forward to most this season?
A. The Iron Bowl - We have to beat them! We were so close last year!

Amanda Hazi

Q. Are you going to the game this weekend?
A. Yes.

Q. What is your score prediction?
A. Auburn wins 34-14.

Q. How will you prepare for the game?
A. Tailgating, getting super excited and pumped up!

Q. Which game are you looking forward to most this season?
A. Auburn vs. Clemson. Because I've never seen the two tigers play against each other live.