WholeHogSports
Auburn provides good storylines, offensive worries for Hogs
Posted on Tuesday, July 8, 2008
URL: http://www.wholehogsports.com/nwat/66948/
Editor’s Note: The Arkansas Razorbacks will face one of the toughest football schedules in the nation in 2008. The sports staff of the Northwest Arkansas Times ranked Arkansas ’ 12 upcoming games from least important to most important based on fan fervor, storylines and the effect a win or loss would have on the Razorbacks ’ season. This is the Hogs ’ sixth most important game and part 7 of a 12-part series profiling the Razorbacks ’ 2008 opponents. The consistent winning trend of Tommy Tuberville in his 10 seasons at Auburn has become as expected as his tendency to replace offensive and defensive coordinators.
Tuberville has won more conference games this century than any other SEC coach, and enters his 10 th season with the Tigers with his ninth and 10 th coordinators at the school. Offensive inconsistency last season prompted Tuberville to hire Spread offense guru Tony Franklin from Troy in the offseason. And Will Muschamp’s departure to Texas brought more change with the hiring of Paul Rhoads as defensive coordinator.
As often as there is change with the Tigers, it was just a matter of time before Tuberville was forced to face off against one of his former employees. Arkansas head coach Bobby Petrino, who served as Auburn’s offensive coordinator under in 2002, will take his Razorbacks into Auburn with a lot of history and drama. In November 2003, in his first season at Louisville, Petrino met secretly with Auburn officials at an airport near Louisville. The topic of discussion was the possibility of replacing Tuberville as head coach at the Alabama school. The meetings were made public, discussions ended and Tuberville remained at Auburn, where he pushed the Tigers to a 13-0 record the next season. Both coaches have gone on record to say that any bad vibes between the two have been quelled, but that won’t soften the desire to beat each other on the Plains Oct. 11.
OFFENSE After finishing last season with an offense ranked No. 97 in the nation, the Tigers are hoping to for a little more potency with the hiring of Franklin at offensive coordinator. In an almost unheard of move, Franklin came on board prior to Auburn’s bowl game last season and implemented some of his Spread offense just before the Chick-fil-A Bowl match-up with Clemson. His implementation spelled success for Auburn, which accumulated 423 yards of offense as backup quarterback Kodi Burns of Fort Smith Northside threw a touchdown pass and ran 7 yards for the game-winning touchdown in overtime. In addition to Burns, Franklin has plenty to work with on offense as eight starters return, including wide receiver Rodgeriqus Smith, who had 705 yards and 5 touchdowns on 52 receptions last season.
The fight at quarterback will be the most interesting for the Tigers. Burns and junior college transfer Chris Todd battled it out during spring practices, but neither was named the starter after the team’s spring game. Burns connected on 12-of-15 throws for 213 yards and 2 touchdowns in the intrasquad scrimmage while Todd battled a hurt shoulder in an 18-of-27 performance for 190 yards.
At running back, three return in the backfield with junior Ben Tate leading the way. Tate rushed for 903 yards and 8 touchdowns last season and will get a lot of help from senior Brad Lester (530 yards last season ) and Mario Fannin (448 yards ).
As Tuberville has done in previous years, the Tigers will use a two-running back system on offense.
“ We are going to be a little bit more physical when we get the ball at the 1-yard line, ” Tuberville said in the spring. “ We will get the entire offense in. We are just trying to teach the basics and get as much as we can in. Once we get to two-adays, you are going to see a little bit different tempo and see some things that will be a little different. ”
Sophomore Lee Ziemba of Rogers High School will start at left tackle. The Tigers return all five of their linemen, led by seniors Tyronne Green and center Jason Bosley.
Franklin’s offensive system has been a proven winner at every coaching stop in his career. He took Troy’s offense that once ranked last in the Sun Belt Conference to the 16 th best in the nation in total offense. He also took Kentucky, which went to two bowl games during his tenure as coordinator, to offensive success with Tim Couch and Jared Lorenzen at quarterback.
“ You learn about things a little more as you go along, ” Tuberville said of the new offense after Auburn’s spring game. “ The one thing in looking at this offense, some teams throw the ball just to be throwing it. Nobody in our conference does it the way we do it. ”
DEFENSE Seven starters return on a defense that ranked sixthbest in the nation last year, but the aggressive coaching personality of Muschamp is gone. Rhoads will look to fill voids at defensive tackle and defensive end while handling coaching duties in the secondary. Zac Etheridge (65 tackles ) and Antonio Coleman (8. 5 sacks ) return at strong safety and defensive end, respectively. The defensive unit is a veteran group, despite boasting zero seniors. Growing pains will be felt early on, especially on run defense as Rhoads starts his first new job for the first time in nine years. Tuberville and Rhoads, however, have a history together. Tuberville attempted to hire the former Pittsburgh defensive coordinator several years ago. The Tigers allowed 30 points in a game just once on defense (LSU, 30-24 loss ) last season and all but two starters return in a secondary that ranked No. 6 in pass defense (173. 2 yards per game ). Jerraud Powers returns at cornerback as the team’s leader in interceptions (4 ) last season.
• • • The difference-maker: Auburn quarterback Kodi Burns may get the nod at starter before the season begins and his double-threat of running and throwing the ball could prove deadly to an inexperienced Arkansas secondary. Arkansas will have to put points on the board against a defense that may only have a weak spot in the running game. Running backs Michael Smith and Brandon Barnett will need to do their best when their numbers are called by Bobby Petrino. The deal-maker: Much will be made of Bobby Petrino and Tommy Tuberville’s relationship leading up to this game, but the focus really should be on the two squads ’ variations of the Spread offense. With a tough home game the week prior against Florida, Arkansas will be looking to prove it’s more potent offensively against another exciting opponent. Defense may be optional in Auburn, Ala., for this one. The deal-breaker: This match-up may have been a bit higher on the Hogs ’ list of importance in most years, but games with Texas, Alabama and Florida precede this stiff road test Oct. 11.