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Updated: August 19, 8:17 PM ET Expectations high at Auburn By Pat Forde Special to ESPN.com |
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Auburn Tigers
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Coach: Tommy Tuberville (30-19, 5th season) 2002 overall record: 9-4 Conference record: 5-3 Returning starters Offense: 8 Defense: 8 Kicker/Punter: 0 2002 statistical leaders (* - returners) Rushing: Ronnie Brown* (1,008 yds) Passing: Jason Campbell* (1,215 yds) Receiving: Marcel Willis (417 yds) Tackles: Mark Brown (95) Sacks: Karlos Dansby* (4) Interceptions: Carlos Rogers* & T Robinson (4 each) Outlook: Tommy Tuberville has a pain in the neck. Two summer surgeries to alleviate a chronic neck problem helped, but he's been having to play hurt in the dog days of August camp. He should be fine soon. And if things really go well, lifting the Sears Trophy in early January wouldn't cause any discomfort at all. Expectations are that high on the Plain -- high as they've been since Bo Jackson was running roughshod and Pat Dye was coaching. Coming off an industrial-strength finish to last year, Auburn is a trendy top five pick. "Guess I'm on a different hot seat this year," Tuberville quipped, alluding to speculation before last season that the Tigers needed to show something big and take the heat off the head man. They did, all right, coming within a dramatic late score by Georgia of winning the West and their final six games. Even after that loss Auburn rebounded with a punishing upset of Alabama in Tuscaloosa, then shut down Penn State in a black-and-blue bowl game. That, combined with scads of returning talent on both sides of the ball, is why the Tigers are the popular choice to win the SEC and challenge for the national title. Auburn returns five seniors starters to the best front seven in the league. At linebacker, Karlos Dansby is the athletic big-play man and Dontarrious Thomas makes most of the tackles. On the line, DeMarco McNeil is the run-stopping nose tackle and Reggie Torbor is the quarterback-chasing end. If the secondary solidifies, this should be a great unit. The offense has the best tailbacks in college football in starter Carnell Williams (745 yards and 10 touchdowns in seven games before being injured), backup Ronnie Brown (1,008 yards and 13 TDs) and third-stringer Tre Smith (454 yards and three scores). That group should alleviate the pressure on junior quarterback Jason Campbell, who has slowly grown into the job over the past two years. He threw for 1,215 yards and 11 touchdowns with only five interceptions while sharing time with departed Daniel Cobb. Tuberville believes Campbell's confidence was hurt by rushing him along as a redshirt freshman, but now thinks he's ready to win big games. The target Campbell is likely to miss most is huge tight end Robert Johnson, who made several big plays late in the season. He might also miss the play-calling of departed offensive coordinator Bobby Petrino, now the head coach at Louisville, but Tuberville stayed in house with the job and gave it to Hugh Nall. Strategy isn't expected to change much. The kicking game, according to Tuberville, "should be a thrill a minute early." That's because punter-place kicker Damon Duval's wildly up-and-down career is finally over. The placements will go to Phillip Yost, who didn't perform when given a shot last season, and punting falls to redshirt freshman Michael Gibson. "His first punt might go backwards," Tuberville joked. Tuberville said he spent some offseason time consulting with former bosses Jimmy Johnson, Dennis Erickson and R.C. Slocum about handling the highest expectations of his career. "This is my ninth season as a head coach," he said. "First time we've been predicted anywhere close." Close enough to taste it, neck willing. Keep an eye on: If there's one thing the Tigers lack, it's a playmaking wide receiver. The two leading returnees at wideout, Devin Aromashodu and Ben Obomanu, each scored one touchdown last year. Enter redshirt freshman Corey Taylor, a converted high school quarterback who stood out in the spring. Key game: Any team with national title aspirations has to be ready from the opening bell, and it will ring loudly in Auburn Aug. 30. That's when Southern California, another preseason Top 10 team, comes to Dixie for the biggest game of the opening weekend nationally. Will Campbell and a new offensive coordinator be ready to beat what should be an excellent Trojans defense? It's a good year if. . .: It's a great year if Auburn is playing in New Orleans for the national title. It's a very good year if Auburn is playing in a BCS bowl. It's a good year if Auburn wins the SEC West and plays well in the league championship game. It's a bad year if Auburn wins the West and is bludgeoned by the East champ. It's a really bad year if Auburn watches LSU or Arkansas or Ole Miss steal the division and winds up in one of the league's 23 middling bowls, wondering what happened. Which will it be? That's why they play the games. Pat Forde covers college football for the Louisville Courier-Journal.
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