When Emory Blake and DeAngelo Benton arrived on campus last August, the expectations were set sky high — unfairly or not. Some even pegged the dual faces of Auburn’s revamped recruiting efforts under Gene Chizik as the players to beat at the open starting wide receiver slots.

Now, after a humbling first season for both of the rising sophomores, Auburn’s offensive coaches are hoping one can emerge as a reliable No. 3.

It’s been tough for offensive coordinator Gus Malzahn or wide receivers coach Trooper Taylor to envision a starting wide receiver corps without Terrell Zachery and Darvin Adams flanking the left and right sidelines. In between the two breakout players, though, it’s wide open to Malzahn and Taylor, both of whom would love to see players such as Benton or Blake thrive as a third or fourth option.

“We have an offense that we take what the defense gives you,” Malzahn said. “We just need confidence to be able to put a guy in. They know the role, they know what’s expected and need to step up with the first unit against the defense and prove they can do it in that type of setting.”

Among true wide receivers in 2009, Adams and Zachery weren’t exactly into sharing. Adams caught 60 passes for 997 yards and Zachery hauled in 26 for 477. While H-back Mario Fannin (42 catches, 413 yards) helped diversify Auburn’s offensive attack, the rest of the Tigers’ true wideouts accounted for a combined 27 catches and 364 yards.

Take out Auburn’s homecoming game against Furman, where DeAngelo Benton nabbed all six of his catches for 88 yards and Blake hauled in five of his nine passes, and the gap stretches even further.

Taylor said he didn’t see the lack of distribution as too much of a concern.

“I’ve never been a guy that likes to rotate a bunch of guys because I like the rhythm of that quarterback and that receiver,” Taylor said. “A lot of times, forget what the read said, Chris (Todd) was getting that ball to Darvin because he knew Darvin was going to make a play.

“I’ve been around a lot of receivers and quarterbacks and when they get that rapport; it just happens.”

With Todd gone and an ongoing battle at quarterback consuming this spring, it has been open season for Blake, Benton and others to get Taylor’s attention.

Benton may have been the biggest victim of bloated expectations in 2009. Once considered a five-star prospect out of Bastrop, La., Benton finally qualified three years after his high school career ended and was a surprise late addition to Chizik’s first signing class.

He was 21 years old, the same age as Zachery and one year older than Adams, but he was still a freshman – and played like it. Benton dropped a number of passes in the early part of the season and then had his opportunities evaporate, as he served primarily as a run-blocking “9” behind Adams.

“I didn’t really have a problem last season about not playing,” Benton said. “I had to have time to learn the offense. It was moving at a fast pace. I had to get used to it. Now that I’ve had a chance to go through the offseason and spring, I’ll be better.”

Blake seemingly got better as the season grew longer. The son of former NFL quarterback Jeff Blake, Blake battled through a knee injury before catching at least one pass in five of Auburn’s final six games to finish with nine catches for 66 yards.

When first mentioning potential candidates to step up as a third receiver, Malzahn first mentioned “the Emory Blakes of the world.”

Blake laughed when informed that his name received first billing.

“That’s how Malzahn works,” Blake said. “Malzahn is a big trust guy and he trusted those guys last year. That’s why they got the majority of the balls. I think if I can show him what I can do hopefully this season I’ll be able to get more balls.”