Front Porch FootballAuburn 2021 Season Preview
by John Lamm
Following several years of rumors about Gus Malzahn being on the hot seat, he is finally out as head coach of the Auburn Tigers. After coming up one play short of a national championship in his inaugural 2013 season, Malzahn had his ups and downs, recording only one more double-digit winning season in his time at Auburn. In 2020, there was hope that Malzahn could build on a solid 2019 season, which included a win over Alabama, but offensive inconsistency and a 6-5 season led to his demise with the program.
Now entering as first-year head coach is Bryan Harsin from Boise State. Harsin was an interesting hire to many. Originally from Boise, he played at Boise State, and most of his coaching experience has been as an assistant or head coach with the program, where he compiled a 69-19 record as head coach over seven seasons. With the addition of offensive coordinator Mike Bobo, Harsin hopes to get Auburn back to the top-of-the-conference team Auburn fans are clamoring for. When, or even if, he can achieve it is yet to be determined, but one thing is for sure: Auburn is going to need to be more consistent in several key areas.
Offense
The Auburn offense last season did not live up to Auburn’s usual expectations. Chad Morris was brought in last season as offensive coordinator to help make Bo Nix one of the best quarterbacks in the SEC and to take this offense to the next level. Unfortunately, it just didn’t happen for the Tigers. They did average over 32 points a game in their six wins, but that point total dropped off precipitously to a mere 16 points per game in their five losses, three of which were blowouts, including a terrible 16-point loss to Northwestern in the Citrus Bowl. (Auburn should never lose by 16 points to a mediocre Big Ten team). This season, Mike Bobo will try to get this offense back on track and keep up in scoring with Alabama, Texas A&M, and Georgia.
Departing Starters
Seth Williams – NFL
Eli Stove – Graduation
Anthony Schwartz – NFL
Quarterbacks
Junior quarterback Bo Nix (6-3, 214) was the number one dual-threat quarterback in the 2019 recruiting class. The son of a ‘90s Auburn quarterback, Patrick Nix, Bo created sky-high expectations in Auburn fans when he led a 4th-quarter comeback over Justin Herbert and Oregon in his first-ever college football game in 2019. Unfortunately, Nix just has not lived up to those expectations since then. As a freshman, he threw for over 2,500 yards and 16 touchdowns, in addition to seven rushing touchdowns. While that was not a bad start to a college career, most Auburn fans thought he would take the next step in 2020. Instead, Nix did not improve in his second season, and some would argue he regressed. In 2020, with two fewer games than in 2019, Nix threw for 2,415 yards and 12 touchdowns, with 388 yards on the ground and seven touchdowns.
Nix is an outstanding athlete with a solid arm and all the talent needed to be a great quarterback, but he has struggled with his accuracy, completing fewer than 60% of his passes each season and hurting the team with turnovers. A third year and a new coaching staff, though, may help Nix unlock his potential. The word out of camp is that he is looking much better going into this season, but for Auburn to improve upon a six-win season a year ago, Nix is going to need to start playing like the 5-star recruit he was out of high school, not just make incremental improvements. I do think this will be Nix’s best season yet, and he will need it, because he has a transfer quarterback trying to beat him out of a job.
TJ Finley (6-7, 247) is transferring in from LSU for his sophomore season. A massive human being, Finley is not the runner that Nix is, but he has a rocket arm that is much stronger than Nix’s. Finley had a phenomenal game against South Carolina in his first collegiate start last season, going 17-21 with 265 yards and two touchdowns. However, after several poor games, including against Auburn, Finley was benched in favor of Max Johnson. Similar to Nix, Finley struggles with completion percentage and turnovers.
When Finley plays well, he’s really good, and when he plays poorly, he is really bad; in his brief career, there has been very little in between. He does, however, have great potential to be a productive starting quarterback in the SEC, and he very well may be the starter for Auburn once Nix is gone. Reports in camp are that, like Nix, Finley has looked much more consistent and has been very solid since his arrival. I don’t think he will beat out Nix, nor will Nix be benched this season in favor of Finley. I do believe, however, that the competition in practice will help Auburn get the best out of Nix, and if Nix is injured this season, Finley will be able to serve as a solid backup for the Tigers.
Running Backs
Of all Auburn’s question marks on offense, running back is not one of them. Tank Bigsby (6-0, 207) was SEC player of the year last season. In ten games, Bigsby rushed for 834 yards and five touchdowns on 6.0 yards per carry; in four of those games, he finished with over 110 yards on the ground. A thick, powerful runner who also has the ability to pop a long run, Bigsby is preseason First-team All-SEC, and I expect him to eclipse 1,000 yards with ease this season, barring an injury.
Senior Shaun Shivers (5-7, 189) will serve as the backup and as a great change-of-pace running back to Bigsby. Shivers is a short, muscular, and powerful runner who is not afraid to run over any linebacker in his way. Shivers also has great speed. Look for him to have a role in the passing game and in wildcat formations, as well as giving Bigsby an occasional break. Shivers ran for 276 yards on 62 carries last season and has the ability to break long runs in the open field. He will be a solid number-two RB utility man in this offense. Jarquest Hunter (5-10, 190) and Jordan Ingram (6-2, 190), a transfer from Central Michigan, are both freshmen and will compete for playing time as well this season.
Wide Receivers
There is a lot of inexperience and uncertainty in this receiving corps. The top three receivers from last season – Seth Williams, Eli Stove, and Anthony Schwartz – have departed, which leaves the door open for new players to step up and fill the role. Look for Ze’vian Capiers (6-4, 195), Demetris Robertson (6-0, 190), and Ja’varrius Johnson (5-10, 159) to begin the season as the starting receivers. Capiers saw limited action last season as a freshman, with only seven catches and a touchdown, but he is a former 4-star recruit who is a big receiver with solid speed and route-running abilities. He has the potential to be this offense’s best deep-threat this season.
Robertson enters his sixth season of college football and first with Auburn after transferring from Georgia in the off-season. Robertson had a great freshman year in 2016 at the University of California, with 765 yards and seven touchdowns, but after an injury that ended his season after two games in 2017, he transferred to Georgia, where he saw a diminished role before choosing to transfer again. Robertson is fast and was used quite a bit on reverses at Georgia; he could be used that way with Auburn as well. In a bigger role in this offense, we will see if Robertson can look more like the freshman at Cal who had over 700 yards. Ja’varrius Johnson has yet to catch a pass in college and enters his redshirt sophomore season, but he is a former 4-star recruit and should be the starting slot receiver on this offense. He is small but quick and elusive, with the ability to break plays open. He will also be a factor in the kick- and punt-returning game for the Tigers.
Two young players who will compete for starting spots and have a chance to make a big impact are sophomores Elijah Canion (6-4, 190) and Kobe Hudson (6-1, 196). Canion only had three catches as a freshman but is a solid deep threat and will push for a greater role in 2021. Hudson is a former 4-star recruit who caught seven passes in five games last season. Hudson was a highly touted player out of high school; therefore, do not be surprised if he finds his way into the starting lineup this season. There is a lot of uncertainty in the receiving corps this season, and entering the year, they will not be one of the stronger receiving groups in the SEC, but they have the potential to be decent if two or three receivers can step up and play well.
Look for John Samuel Shenker (6-4, 249) to start at tight end in 2021. Shenker had nine catches for 97 yards in 2020 and is a dependable blocker, but look for him to play a more significant role in Miki Bobo’s offense. Tyler Fromm (6-5, 240), Luke Deal (6-5, 255), and Brandon Frazier (6-7, 267) are all sophomores and will compete for playing time. Frazier, the highest recruit of the three out of high school, is a big, physical tight end and an especially good blocker. This strong group of tight ends will contribute as blockers and in the passing game when Mike Bobo’s offense calls for it.
Offensive Line
Unlike 2020, where the offensive line had only one starter returning, this season’s Auburn team has a ton of experience on the offensive line. However, even with seven returning players who saw starting time on the line last season, there are still question marks about how good this line will be. The line was great last year in the run game, helping Bigsby to seven yards-per-carry and Shivers to 4.5 yards-per-carry, but the pass blocking was inconsistent and hurt Bo Nix’s development. With more experience and a full offseason to prepare, the offensive line hopes to be consistent at both run blocking and pass blocking.
The returning linemen who had starts last season are Austin Troxell (6-7, 305), Tashawn Manning (6-4, 335), Nick Brahms (6-4, 302), Brodarious Hamm (6-6, 334), Brandon Council (6-4, 335), Alec Jackson (6-5, 323), and Keiondre Jones (6-4, 345). The most experienced lineman is senior center Nick Brahmns, who has started 21 career games and is a preseason All-SEC selection. Seniors Austin Troxell and Alec Jackson will compete for the left tackle position; both have seen first-team reps in practice in the offseason. Redshirt senior Tashawn Manning, who started every game at left guard in 2020, is set to start there again this year.
Brandon Council started five games last year at right guard and right tackle, until an injury ended his season. He is set to start at right guard in 2021, and if he can stay healthy, he has the potential to be the most talented lineman. Brodarious Hamm is slated to start at right tackle, and many experts believe he is set for a big year. He is on several pre-season Second-team SEC lists, with NFL scouts looking at him for the next level.
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Defense
Auburn’s defense last year was decent but inconsistent. On the bright side, the defense did finish fourth in the SEC in scoring defense and sixth in total defense. However, they gave up over 400 yards per game last year and were dead last in the conference in stopping teams on third down. One of the biggest problems for the defense last season was a lack of a pass rush. Kevin Steele is out as defensive coordinator, and Derek Mason, the former Vanderbilt head coach, will be this team’s new defensive coordinator. He will use both a 3-4 defense and a 4-3 defensive formation during this season and will have eight starters back from last season. This defense should be a better unit than they were in 2020, with the potential to be very good under Mason.
Departed Starters
Big Kat Williams – DE – Transfer (UCF)
Tyrone Truesdell – DT – Left Program in August 2021
Jamien Sherwood – LB – NFL
Christian Tutt – DB – Declared for Draft (Not Drafted)
Defensive Line
As mentioned previously, Auburn will run both a 3-4 and a 4-3, but Mason’s preference is the 3-4. The line received very bad news a few days ago. Three-year starter Tyrone Truesdell was set to start at defensive tackle, with the Tigers expecting a big year out of him, but it was reported last week that Truesdell is no longer with the team, without giving any additional details. To make things worse, Auburn also lost defensive end Big Kat Bryant, who followed Gus Malzahn to Central Florida earlier in the offseason. Auburn also lost Daquan Newkirk, who transferred to Florida. This means that several new guys are going to need to step up.
One player who is not new to the starting lineup is Colby Wooden (6-5, 278). Wooden is coming off a big freshman season, where he started at defensive end. Wooden made the All-SEC Freshman Team in 2020, finishing the year with 41 tackles and 9.5 tackles for loss, third in the SEC. Expect another great year from Wooden; with Truedell’s and Bryant’s departures, he should be the best player on this line. Another young player, Zykeivous Walker (6-4, 289), is set to start at defensive tackle as a sophomore. As a true freshman, Walker offered depth to the line and played well in a backup role, with 14 tackles last season.
Tyrone Truesdell was set to start at nose guard for this team, but with his departure, former JUCO transfer Marquis Burks (6-3, 314) is now the starter heading into the season. Burks is a senior who played mostly in a backup role in 2020, his first year with Auburn. He had a very strong JUCO career and was the fourth-ranked JUCO prospect by 247 Sports going into 2020. Other players who will see time up front are Caleb Johnson (6-3, 276), UAB transfer Tony Fair (6-3, 335), and former tight end JJ Pegues (6-3, 308).
Linebackers
Auburn has two of the best middle linebackers in the conference in Owen Pappoe (6-1, 226) and Zakoby McClain (6-0, 219). Pappoe had 93 tackles in 2020 and enters 2021 as a preseason Second-team All-SEC player. McClain, probably the team’s best overall defensive player, led the Tigers with 113 tackles last season and also was effective as a pass rusher up the middle, with three sacks. Do not be surprised if both players eclipse 100 tackles in 2021.
Chandler Wooten (6-3, 232) opted out of the 2020 season but enters his senior season expecting to start at outside linebacker. Big and athletic, he had 27 tackles in 2019. Derick Hall (6-3, 251), an edge rusher who mostly played on the line last season, will be lined up as a linebacker in Mason’s 3-4 defense, and will also play occasionally at defensive end in 4-3 formations. The versatile Hall had 3.5 sacks as a sophomore and will be used in the pass rush and in coverage. Another player who will get time at edge rusher this year is TD Moultry (6-2, 253).
Secondary
Three key players from last year’s secondary – Jamian Sherwood, Jordyn Peters, and Christian Tutt – are all gone, but there is quite a bit of talent returning in this secondary. Returning players who have started at least one game in the secondary are Smoke Monday (6-3, 199), Jaylin Simpson (6-1, 175), Roger McCreary (6-0, 190), and Nehemiah Pritchett (6-0, 172). The two starting corners heading into the season are set to be McCreary and Pritchett. McCreary started ten games last season and had 38 solo tackles to go along with three interceptions. That was good enough to earn him Fourth-team All-SEC last season. Pritchett had his first career start against Georgia last season and finished the year with 25 tackles and an interception. He saw a big jump in production from 2019 to 2020, and if he makes another jump, he has the chance to be an outstanding corner. Jaylin Simpson battled injuries all of last season, but when he played, he did a solid job. He will start this season as a backup at corner but will get a good amount of playing time in nickel packages.
Senior Smoke Monday is the best and most experienced player in this secondary and will start at free safety. Monday had a great season last year, finishing with 73 tackles, four tackles for loss, and two interceptions, good enough to earn Second-team All-SEC honors. Sophomore Ladarius Tennison (5-10, 198) is set to start at strong safety. He played in every game last season as a true freshman and even played some as a kickoff returner. A former 4-star recruit and a phenomenal athlete, Tennison is a bit raw at safety and has little experience compared to the rest of this secondary, but he has looked promising in camp so far.
Another player to look for this season is Vanderbilt transfer Donovan Kaufman (5-10, 197). He followed Derek Mason to Auburn after his freshman year and will compete with Tennison at strong safety. Football analyst and former Auburn Tiger Cole Cubelic named Kaufman one of the five SEC players he expects to have a breakout season. Do not be surprised if he becomes a starter soon.
Special Teams
Auburn has one of the best field goal kickers in the country in Anders Carlson (6-5, 220). Carlson, a senior, is almost automatic inside 50 yards and finished 2020 at 20-for-22 on field goals and 24-for-25 on extra points. The younger brother of his predecessor at placekicker, Daniel Carlson, Anders also handles kickoff duties. Aidan Marshall (6-0, 213) and Oscar Chapman (6-3, 197) split time last season at punter and very well may do so again this year. Marshall is a senior who had 16 punts last season with over a 42-yard per-punt average and a season-long 50-yarder. Chapman had 28 punts for an average of 41-yards per punt and a 67-yard long. With the departure of last year’s return men, Christian Tutt and Eli Stove, look for Ja’varrius Johnson and Shaun Shivers to handle most of the punt and kickoff return duties this season.
Impact Players
1. Bo Nix – QB – Nix needs a big season if Auburn is going to have success in the SEC West. This team will go as Bo goes. If he can take the next step and be one of the better quarterbacks in the SEC, Auburn has a chance at eight or nine wins. If he continues to stay stagnant and not improve, this will be a tough season for the Tigers.
2. Tank Bigsby – RB – One of the best running backs in the SEC, Bigsby will be this offense’s best player. The offense will depend on the running game (and thus Bigsby) to find offensive consistency. If he can build on an outstanding freshman season, he will help open up the passing game for Nix and the Tigers’ inexperienced receivers. Bigsby is on the Doak Walker watch list and has the potential to be an All-American.
3. Zakoby McClain – LB – Known for a 100-yard pick-6 against Alabama in 2019, this senior linebacker had 113 tackles in 2020, which was third in the SEC last season. An NFL prospect and team leader, McClain could play his way into First-team All-SEC, or even All-American, honors.
4. Smoke Monday – Safety – Not only does he have a great name, Smoke Monday had a breakout year in 2020 and should continue that success in 2021. He is on many preseason First-team All-SEC lists and will be the best player in this secondary in 2021.
5. Shaun Shivers RB – Another running back, Shivers could have a breakout senior season. With inexperienced wide receivers on this offense, look for Shivers to be used more this season than in previous years. He should be a key part of the passing game, wildcat situations, and punt and kick returns, in addition to his contributions as a running back. Expect Shivers to be a versatile contributor for Auburn in 2021.
Schedule
9/4: vs Akron
9/11: vs Alabama State
9/18: at Penn State
9/25: vs Georgia State
10/2: at LSU
10/9: vs Georgia
10/16: at Arkansas
10/30: vs Ole Miss
11/6: at Texas A&M
11/13: vs Mississippi St
11/20: at South Carolina
11/27: vs Alabama
Conclusion
Auburn enters the season unranked, with a number of people expecting a team that won only six games in 2020 to struggle in Harsin’s first year at the helm. I personally like this team better than last season’s version. Aside from the receiving corps, there is a lot of returning experience, and I expect Bo Nix to improve in year three. With that said, this is not an easy schedule for the Tigers, with the SEC West loaded this year (as usual). Penn State at night, on the road is a tough non-conference game. Auburn will be big underdogs to Texas A&M, Georgia, and Alabama. LSU will almost certainly bounce back from a poor 2020, and Ole Miss and Arkansas have improved as well.
This team could potentially have everything go right for them this season, pull off an upset or two, and be an eight- or nine-win team. They could also implode and win four or five games. I expect Auburn to be somewhere in the middle – a decent team, but not a great one, which will finish the year bowl-eligible but unranked.
