Was there any bigger surprise in college football last year than the Auburn Tigers? They went 3-9 under Gene Chizik in 2012 including 0-8 in the SEC West. "Gutsy" Gus Malzahn turned out to be the savior of the War Eagle, returning to the team he previously was the offensive coordinator for a young Cam Newton, when they had won the National Championship over Oregon. He brought the roar back into Jordan-Hare Stadium, where the Tigers changed everything. They went 11-1 during the regular season and then defeated Missouri in the SEC Championship Game. They lost to Florida State and famous Jameis in the National Title Game, but returning there after a 3-9 season from the year before has to be considered a major success for the Tigers. Here are the results from each game of the 2013 season:
It was definitely a miracle season for the Tigers. They beat the Georgia Bulldogs at home with a miracle Hail Mary on 4th and 18. They beat the Crimson Tide in the Iron Bowl on the unforgettable field goal return for a touchdown by cornerback Chris Davis. But will any of that transfer over into the 2014 season? Has the luck of the Tigers finally run out? A closer look at the players returning to continue the dream in 2014 is now beginning.
Offense
The man that helped make miracles happen in 2013 is back at quarterback for the Auburn Tigers and his name is Nick Marshall. Everyone is curious to see if he will miss any time due to a recent charge for possession of marijuana. The fines have been paid, but Gus Malzahn has not said whether or not he will miss any games. Marshall ran for over 1,000 yards last year, getting 12 touchdowns, and threw for 1,976 yards and 14 touchdowns. If he does miss any time, expect to see Sophomore quarterback Jeremy Johnson take the field.
Senior running back Corey Grant was part of the two headed monster backfield with Tre Mason last year. Mason was the main work horse though, getting 1800 yards and 23 touchdowns, but now he is a member of the St. Louis Rams. Grant started two games and recorded 647 rushing yards and 6 touchdowns. Grant will also be joined by Cameron Artis-Payne who had 610 rushing yards and 6 touchdowns of his own. However, one thing is for certain, the Auburn Tigers will spend a lot of time running the ball down the field to wear down the defense.
If the Auburn Tigers need anyone to catch the ball, they have returning players on the outside in Sammie Coates and Ricardo Louis. Coates was the possession receiver that the Tigers needed all the time last year. He had 42 catches for 902 yards and 7 touchdowns. Coates is a junior and should continue to develop while Louis is also a Junior. Louis was the receiver that caught the now well known "prayer at Jordan-Hare." It seems like the Tigers offense always was able to find plays whenever they needed it and it will intriguing to see if they can continue their development next season. It will be interesting to see if Marshall is any better at actually passing the ball as well.
Defense
Senior Defensive lineman LaDarius Owens was not the top defensive lineman on the 2013 Auburn Tigers, because they lost Dee Ford to the NFL. Owens had 30 tackles, 5 for loss, and 2.5 sacks. Owens also had 11 quarterback hurries. He was getting near the quarterback but did not get nearly enough sacks for his effort. However, hurries can have a great impact on the game and Owens could get there more often this year.
Junior linebacker Cassanova McKinzy was the primary tackler on the 2013 Tigers. He had 75 tackles, 8 for loss, and 2 sacks. He also added 6 quarterback hurries and an interception. He started all 14 games as a sophomore and should only continue to have a greater impact as he develops as a player. At 6' 3" 249 lbs, he could end up being a great NFL prospect at the middle linebacker position or inside linebacker depending on the defense. Also, he projects to get even more tackles for him this year, which is excellent for the young man.
Senior cornerback Robenson Therezie had 57 tackles, 3 for loss, and 4 interceptions. He was a top cornerback for the Tigers in the 2013 season, starting all 14 games. His 4 interceptions were the most of anyone on the team. It is well known that Chris Davis will be sorely missed, as he was the leading tackler at cornerback with 74, and he had 15 pass breakups on the season. Therezie should take some of the leadership role that was lost by Chris Davis going to the NFL.
Special Teams
Redshirt freshman kicker Daniel Carlson and redshirt freshman punter Jimmy Hutchinson both have big shoes to fill as they need to replace Cody Parkey and Steven Clark, as both have graduated. Cody Parkey went 15-21 for field goals on the season last year, hitting only 1 for over 50 yards. Steven Clark, though, was potentially a Ray Guy candidate getting 26 punts inside the 20 yard line and only getting 4 touchbacks. However, kickers still play a key role and it will be interesting to see exactly how the specialists play in 2014.
2014 Season Outlook
The schedule for the Auburn Tigers in 2014 is going to be a difficult one. Here it is below:
The Iron Bowl is definitely still the toughest game on the schedule and they have to go on the road to Bryant-Denny Stadium. The other close game on the schedule is playing Georgia in Athens. Both of those games were won late and at home, so they will be difficult to win on the road. LSU was their regular season loss last year too, so those would be the three primary ones to look.
The main thing is though, that they Tigers are bringing back much of the talent that they have last year. They still should compete at the top level of the SEC and have a great chance at making the college football playoff. It all depends on how well they have Marshall play and how Malzahn coaches them up on the sideline.