Auburn Blog: What we know & don't know...

[Jim Johnson]

From the Huntsville Times

What we know and what we don't

Posted by Phillip Marshall, The Huntsville Times August 22, 2007 1:15 PM

It's getting close now. In just 10 days, another football season will begin when Kansas State visits Jordan-Hare Stadium.

Some questions about the 2007 Auburn team have seemingly been answered. Some won't be answered and can't be answered until we see what happens on the field. This seems like a good time to take a look at what we know and what we don't.

OFFENSE

What we know

We know senior quarterback Brandon Cox is going into his third season as a fulltime starter, the first to do that at Auburn since Stan White was a four-year starter from 1990-93. We know that not since 1976 has a returning fulltime senior starting quarterback won fewer than eight games and only once has won fewer than nine games. We know Rod Smith is a very reliable receiver. We know Carl Stewart is a terrific all-around football player. We know tight ends Cole Bennett, Tommy Trott and Gabe McKenzie have all shown they can compete at a high level. We know senior left tackle King Dunlap is a preseason All-SEC choice. [glow=yellow,2,300]We know the offensive line is very talented.[/glow]

What we don't know

We don't know who, if anyone, will make a jump and complement Smith at wide receiver. While we know there is plenty of talent at running back, we won't know if any of them can carry on Auburn's tradition of excellence until they do it. We don't know if Blake Field or any other backup would be a serviceable replacement should Cox get hurt. We don't know when Tristan Davis will be back from a broken right big toe and we don't know if he'll pick up where he left off in preseason camp.[glow=yellow,2,300] We don't know how the offensive line, with four new starters, will mesh.[/glow] We don't know how freshman right tackle Lee Ziemba and redshirt freshman right guard Mike Berry will react to starting the first college game in which they'll play.

DEFENSE

What we know

We know Will Muschamp, in his second season as coordinator, believes his players are much more comfortable with his defense and he is much more comfortable with his players.[glow=yellow,2,300] We know end Quentin Groves is one of the nation's top pass rushers.[/glow] We know sophomore middle linebacker Tray Blackmon is a difference-maker. We know the defensive front, featuring Groves, Josh Thompson, Pat Sims and Sen'Derrick Marks as starters, has the potential to be very formidable. We know cornerback Jerraud Powers has been a star in preseason camp. We know redshirt freshman Zac Etheridge is good enough that he has beaten out senior Eric Brock at safety.

What we don't know

We don't know if Merrill Johnson and/or Craig Stevens are ready to be the kind of playmakers Muschamp wants at outside linebacker.[glow=yellow,2,300] We don't know if Groves will play stronger against the run than he has in the past.[/glow] We don't know if Marks will be as comfortable at end as he was the previous two seasons at tackle. We don't know how the inexperienced players behind Sims and Thompson will react when it counts.

SPECIAL TEAMS

What we know

We don't know much. We know punter Ryan Shoemaker and kicker Wesley Byrum have strong legs. We know they've been good in preseason camp.

What we don't know

We don't know how Shoemaker and Byrum will react with 85,000-plus people in the stands. We don't know if Brad Lester, Mario Fannin and/or Pat Lee will fill in adequately for Davis, who led the nation last season, on kickoff returns. We don't know if Robert Dunn and/or Chris Slaughter will gain valuable field position on punt returns.

OVEREALL

What we know

We know Auburn has the pure talent to continue the run that has resulted in a 33-5 record over the past three seasons, but we also know numerous other SEC teams as much or more of that kind of talent. [glow=yellow,2,300]We know Auburn is frightfully inexperienced at some positions, especially among the backups.[/glow] We know Auburn has the kind of coaching it takes to win the big games and the close games because Auburn's coaches have done it so many times before. We know veteran Auburn players are ticked off because they think they are being overlooked and are determined to do something about it.

What we don't know

We don't know if inexperienced players in key roles will rise to the level of playing winning football against the better teams in the SEC. [glow=yellow,2,300]We don't know if this team has the kind of leadership and grit it takes on both sides of the ball to have a great season.[/glow] We don't know what to really expect in four Auburn road games against top 20 teams.

The truth is, we don't know more than we know. That's the way it usually is, and that's why football season is fun. I'm ready for it to start.

[BDYZR]

He forgot one - they KNOW we're coming. They DON'T know what we're bringin'!

GO BULLS!

[MarketingGuy]

He forgot one - they KNOW we're coming. They DON'T know what we're bringin'!

GO BULLS!

Nice!

[Singabull]

With 4 new o-line starters we need to blitz the hell out of them and force INTs.  Selvie needs to have a career day.

[RSSMOOTH]

With 4 new o-line starters we need to blitz the hell out of them and force INTs.  Selvie needs to have a career day.

I don't know if he can go one on one with King Dunlap, that guy is huge. We will have to run stunt after stunt to confuse their inexperienced o-line.

[SANJAY]

Our guys will need to rely on scheme, technique and speed.  Other than Clebert I do not know if any of our guys could consistently overpower the AU OL.

[Bulls 8_va]

With 4 new o-line starters we need to blitz the hell out of them and force INTs.  Selvie needs to have a career day.

I don't know if he can go one on one with King Dunlap, that guy is huge. We will have to run stunt after stunt to confuse their inexperienced o-line.

Dude, they have a guy named KING DUNLOP?!?!?! Thats ridiculous...what kind of name is that? 

I think I'll call my son DUKE GOODYEAR...or maybe Max Power! lol 

[crambone]

Selvie can do it.  I miss Josh Julmiste =/

[Bull Dozer]

With 4 new o-line starters we need to blitz the hell out of them and force INTs.  Selvie needs to have a career day.

I don't know if he can go one on one with King Dunlap, that guy is huge. We will have to run stunt after stunt to confuse their inexperienced o-line.

Dude, they have a guy named KING DUNLOP?!?!?! Thats ridiculous...what kind of name is that? 

I think I'll call my son DUKE GOODYEAR...or maybe Max Power! lol 

Seriously one of the best names ever and i hope the announcers call it all night long. 

"Selvie  got around the corner before Dunlop even got out of his stance"

" Robinson with a beautiful swim to beat Dunlop for the sack"

etc 

I

[Guest]

With 4 new o-line starters we need to blitz the hell out of them and force INTs.  Selvie needs to have a career day.

I don't know if he can go one on one with King Dunlap, that guy is huge. We will have to run stunt after stunt to confuse their inexperienced o-line.

Dude, they have a guy named KING DUNLOP?!?!?! Thats ridiculous...what kind of name is that? 

I think I'll call my son DUKE GOODYEAR...or maybe Max Power! lol 

Seriously one of the best names ever and i hope the announcers call it all night long. 

"Selvie  got around the corner before Dunlop even got out of his stance"

" Robinson with a beautiful swim to beat Dunlop for the sack"

etc 

I

"Selvie keeps getting around the line... looks like Dunlop keeps spinning his wheels...."

"Selvie burns Dunlop's rubber..."

"Selvie pushes the big tackle over... Dunlop dun lopped..."