2022 Auburn Football Season Preview
By: Ryan Lavoie
After an offseason full of distractions, the reason why we go through the madness and months of waiting is nearly here, football season is here. With it brings restored hope across the country, and for Auburn, the attention shifts back to building a program with Bryan Harsin starting his second year. Here, we’ll examine the challenges that Auburn faces, breakdown each position group, and offer a refresher on the entire Auburn coaching staff after more staff turnover, as we look forward to the 2022 Auburn football season.
Personnel:
Auburn was very involved in the transfer portal (as many teams were) but especially when it came to quarterbacks. Auburn saw their three year starter and legacy quarterback Bo Nix depart for Oregon, while gaining the services of Robby Ashford from Oregon, and Zach Calzada from Texas A&M. Auburn also lost some notable defensive starters such as Zakoby McClain, Roger McCreary and Smoke Monday, but held onto some real talent, in Derrick Hall, Owen Pappoe, and Colby Wooden. Auburn returns a mixed bag offensively, they return four of five starters off a offensive line that was just ok last year, but most notably, Auburn was able to keep its prized running back Tank Bigsby for his junior season.
Key losses: Roger McCreary, Zakoby McClain, Bo Nix, Smoke Monday, Kobe Hudson,
Chandler Wooten
Key returning players: Tank Bigsby, Derrick Hall, Owen Pappoe, Colby Wooden, Nick Brahms, Anders Carlson, John Samuel Shenker
Key additions: Zach Calzada, Eugene Asante, Camden Brown, Damari Alston, Jeffrey M’Ba
Position Grades:
Quarterbacks:
– Talent: C
– Depth: A-
– Experience: B
– Overall: C+
Quarterbacks are the talk of the town after the departure of Bo Nix has left a wide open race at the position. The group is deep, as it has legitimately three guys vying for the position. The real question is, is anyone truly good enough? The top three guys are all transfers, meaning they weren’t the first choice at the schools they left. TJ Finley was not promising in his time replacing Nix last year, while Zach Calzada had an all-world game against Alabama last year while at Texas A&M, but was underwhelming the rest of the season. Auburn doesn’t have to get elite quarterback play this year, but they can’t afford to take a step back from Nix, who was still often criticized.
Running Backs:
– Talent: A+
– Depth: A-
– Experience: A
– Overall: A
Possibly the biggest get for Auburn in the offseason was the commitment that Tank Bigsby would not transfer, and return to Auburn for his junior season. Despite some disappointment in last season’s production, there is no doubt Tank Bigsby is one of the most gifted running backs in the country. Jarquez Hunter was a welcome sight as a quality backup to Bigsby, as Hunter ran for nearly 600 yards on 6.7 yards a carry. Running back will not be a question mark for Auburn in 2022.
Wide Receivers:
– Talent: B-
– Depth: D
– Experience: C+
– Overall: C
The wide receiver position is in just as much doubt for the Tigers as is the quarterback position, the only difference is everyone likes talking quarterbacks more than any other position on the field. Auburn lost its leading receiver from last year Kobe Hudson to UCF in the transfer portal, and Hudson was still often criticized for his play at times last season. That doesn’t bode well for this core, that will desperately need Shedrick Jackson and Ja’Varrius Johnson to take a step, and for someone unforeseen to make plays if Auburn’s receivers are to not hold the passing game back.
Tight Ends:
– Talent: B+
– Depth: A
– Experience: A
– Overall: A-
Auburn very well could have the second best tight end group in the SEC behind a crazy good Georgia unit. Senior John Samuel Shenker was not far behind the team lead in receptions and yards last season, and in a system that clearly values the tight end, Shenker could see games where he is the most targeted player on the team. Behind him, Luke Deal, Tyler Fromm, and Brandon Frazier all have the opportunity to help the Tigers in various ways at the position. It would not be a surprise if the tight ends have a bigger positive impact on the team than the receivers this season.
Offensive Line:
– Talent: B
– Depth: C
– Experience: A
– Overall: B
There are varying opinions of Auburn’s offensive line entering the season. Some like Phil Steele, have it ranked as the second bast offensive line in the conference, while others aren’t sure if it’s a strength or a weakness. What is certain is there is real experience up front. Four of the five starters return, meaning if there is any improvement in that group, it will be a real win for Bryan Harsin and his offensive line coach Will Friend.
Defensive Line:
– Talent: A-
– Depth: A-
– Experience: B+
– Overall: B+
Auburn’s defensive ends could be worth a slightly higher grade than what was given based on what figures to be high impact years from Derrick Hall and Colby Wooden. The one ding on the line is some unknown in the middle. Most of Auburn’s losses came from the middle, including Tyrone Truesdell and Tony Fair. It remains to be seen if Marcus Harris or someone else can step up and be a real blocker eater in the middle to allow Wooden and Hall free reign on the edge. Regardless those two should be making plays for the Tigers all season long.
Linebackers:
– Talent: A-
– Depth: B
– Experience: B+
– Overall: B+
Auburn over the years has developed solid college linebackers. Not guys that go on to have big NFL careers, but guys that produce and win in college. Owen Pappoe is the big get for the Tigers here, as there was uncertainty after his injury last year of what he would decide to do. His talent and availability will be the key for Auburn to be good at the linebacking position this season, which also hopes to get an emergence from either Wesley Steiner or Cam Riley.
Defensive Backs:
– Talent: B+
– Depth: B
– Experience: B
– Overall: B
The defensive backs for Auburn do grade out to be the lesser of the three main position groups however, unlike the offense, that does not make them a net weakness. The Tigers are very excited about the potential of their young DB’s, in particular, Nehemiah Pritchett. Because Auburn rotated a lot of defensive backs last year, most of the key contributors in this defensive backfield will at least have seen some time in the previous campaign.
Special Teams:
– Talent: A
– Depth: A
– Experience: A+
– Overall: A
Anders Carlson returns for a fifth year at Auburn, and while there were some struggles in 2021, Carlson still has a big leg that has been mostly reliable in his career. Behind him, is highly coveted prospect Alex McPherson, who is the brother of the Cincinnati Bengals kicker and former Florida Gator Evan McPherson. Oscar Chapman figures to be one of the best punters in the conference this year, while the two main kick returners from last year Nehemiah Pritchett and Jarquez Hunter figure to return to those roles this year.
Coaching Staff:
Bryan Harsin, Head Coach (2nd Season)
Bryan Harsin enters 2022 as Auburn’s head football coach. That sentence was not certain to be written six months ago. Finally getting away from a tumultuous start to the offseason, Harsin has been working hard on the development of the program and will need to have a good year this year. While a reasonable administration would be willing to see three or four years before making another change, the boosters and those with money at Auburn seem ready to pull the trigger if Harsin does not deliver a clear improvement from last season.
Eric Kiesau, Offensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks (2nd Season at Auburn, 1st as OC)
After Mike Bobo did not go according to plan in 2021, Harsin decided to go for comfort level in both of his coordinator roles for 2022. Kiesau was Harsin’s OC at Boise State before taking on various roles in 2021 at Auburn. With this hire comes familiarity, and if Harsin already has his back up against the wall, you want to go to battle with those who you trust.
Jeff Schmedding, Defensive Coordinator (2nd Season at Auburn, 1st as DC)
As discussed above, it’s the same situation on the defensive side of the ball. While Derek Mason was not the failure that Mike Bobo was, Mason had his downfalls, especially in the blown lead against Mississippi State. That leads to him wanting to move on, and for Bryan Harsin to again turn to the familiar route of Jeff Schmedding. Schmedding had a big hand in the defense last year as its’ linebackers coach and run game coordinator.
Carnell Williams, Running Backs/Recruiting Coordinator (4th Season)
The former Auburn great is now the longest tenured coach on Auburn’s coaching staff and the only coach remaining from a Gus Malzahn staff. Williams was key in getting Tank Bigsby to Auburn and has recruited the position well. Williams was a no brainer keep for Harsin as he assembled his original staff with some SEC experience and Auburn ties.
Ike Hilliard, Wide Receivers Coach (1st season)
The hiring that is most intriguing from the offseason is no doubt Ike Hilliard. Hilliard has a lot of NFL experience and was a great wide receiver at Florida. He takes over a room that needs to progress quickly. After years of quality talent that was not being developed well, even the talent level has dropped some so Hilliard’s impact could be felt immediately if he can find a way through to the receivers.
Brad Bedell, Tight Ends Coach/Assistant Head Coach (2nd Season)
Brad Bedell enters his second season at Auburn as one of the lesser talked about assistants on Bryan Harsin’s staff. This isn’t abnormal for a tight ends coach, however, the tight ends were used at a rate not seen at Auburn in a long time. This is attributed to the difference in offensive philosophies between Malzahn and Harsin, but Bedell should get credit for having the tight ends ready to be productive immediately.
Will Friend, Offensive Line Coach (2nd Season)
Friend enters his second season at Auburn with a lot of eyes on his position group. Friend was retained this offseason after some uncertainty, but will need to make further improvements, especially in the run blocking of his unit, if people are to be impressed with his work at Auburn.
Jimmy Brumbaugh, Defensive Line Coach (1st Season)
Brumbaugh has had an extensive coaching career that has now landed him back at Auburn, where he played from 1995, to 1999. The defensive line is already projected to be good, so Brumbaugh will be one of the more difficult coaches to evaluate after just one season.
Christian Robinson, Linebackers/Defensive Run Game Coordinator (1st Season)
Robinson was previously at Florida for four seasons where he worked with a lot of talented Gator linebackers. His work with the linebackers will be interesting given the position has been a strong spot for the Tigers for a number of years. Robinson will also coordinate the run defense, which is something Jeff Schmedding did effectively last season.
Zac Etheridge, Secondary Coach/Associate Head Coach (2nd Season)
Etheridge was a well received hire when Bryan Harsin hired him to his initial staff in 2021. Since then, he has been impressive in the opinion of Harsin, who has elevated him to associate head coach. This season will be an opportunity for Etheridge to showcase his development skills, as he has a group of young, talented corners, who are all capable of being good players.
Roc Bellantoni, Special Teams Coordinator/Edge Linebackers (1st Year)
Bellantoni was technically on staff with Auburn last season but only in an analyst role. He had spent a lot of time on the defensive side of the ball in the FCS as well as some time at Washington State and Utah State before joining Auburn. His task will be more focused on the return game as it doesn’t seem his starting kicker and punter need much work.
2022 Auburn Schedule:
Mercer (Home) | Difficulty: F | Toughness Rank: 12th
Auburn will start the 2022 season in the easiest way that they could. The Tigers play their lone FCS of the opponent of the season to open, making it the obvious choice for the easiest game of the season. Some might recall the 2017 scare when turnovers kept Mercer in the game for the duration, but that was a perfect storm that won’t happen again.
Key Matchup: Auburn leaning on Mercer at both lines of scrimmage
Prediction: Auburn 59, Mercer 6
San Jose State (Home) | Difficulty: D- | Toughness Rank: 11th
After Auburn’s easiest game of the year comes their second easiest game of the year. San Jose State has made the cross country trip to Auburn before, getting beat 59-13 in 2014. San Jose Sate brings back eight starters on defense, although on offense they lose 22 nd year quarterback Nick Starkel.
Key Matchup: Auburn’s receivers making big plays against a less athletic defense
Prediction: Auburn 48, San Jose State 13
Penn State (Home) | Difficulty: B+ | Toughness Rank: 6th
The return trip for the home and home between Auburn and Penn State is set for an afternoon game inside of Jordan-Hare Stadium. Penn State handed Auburn its first loss last season, and had Auburn fans convinced the Tigers could have gotten that game in Happy Valley. This will again, be the first true test for Auburn this season, and could set the tone for a lot of the season.
Key Matchup: Auburn’s QB in his first big game as the 2022 starter
Prediction: Penn State 27, Auburn 23
Missouri (Home) | Difficulty: C | Toughness Rank: 9th
Before Auburn will see the customary visit from LSU’s Tigers, Missouri will come to Auburn for Auburn’s first SEC game of 2022. Sticking with the early season theme, it will be Auburn’s easiest conference game by far, and should help Auburn ease into its’ conference schedule, regardless of what happens the week before with Penn State.
Key Matchup: Limiting turnovers and penalties in a game you should win
Prediction: Auburn 35, Missouri 17
LSU (Home) | Difficulty: B | Toughness Rank: 8th
It is rare to have LSU ranked as one of the easier games on the schedule but that speaks to the mess that the Bengal Tigers were last year, and the difficulty of the rest of Auburn’s schedule. This game should be a case study in the development progress of Bryan Harsin. LSU will come with a team as talented as Auburn’s, if not more so. The difference here should be that Auburn is in year two of a new coach, and LSU is in the first year.
Key Matchup: Tank Bigsby versus a talented LSU front seven
Prediction: Auburn 34, LSU 24
Georgia (Away) | Difficulty: A+ | Toughness Rank: 2nd
Needless to say, playing on the road against your arch rival who is also the defending national champion will be incredibly difficult. The Tigers have not won in Athens since 2005, and is quietly becoming an LSU like losing streak away from home. After five straight home games to start the season, Auburn will get everything it could want and more in its maiden road voyage.
Key Matchup: Auburn trying to get Stetson Bennett off rhythm
Prediction: Georgia 38, Auburn 13
Ole Miss (Away) | Difficulty: A- | Toughness Rank: 4th
Ole Miss was Auburn’s highest ranked victory in 2021, and it was also its’ last. Auburn did do a very good job against the vaunted Ole Miss offense, holding a hobbled Matt Corral led offense to just 20 points. The Auburn acumen will be tested in Vaught Hemingway stadium however, where Ole Miss did not lose in 2021 and seems to have an extra boost to their up tempo offense.
Key Matchup: Auburn’s ability to get off the field against Ole Miss’s up tempo offense
Prediction: Ole Miss 35, Auburn 31
Arkansas (Home) | Difficulty: A- | Toughness Rank: 5th
Arkansas will provide another test for the Tigers, but after a much needed bye week. Auburn played a very good game in Fayetteville last year, winning 38-23. Arkansas has an experienced quarterback in KJ Jefferson, who will help deal with the road environment. Auburn for their part, can try to take advantage of an Arkansas defense that has just four returning starters.
Key Matchup: Tank Bigsby playing against the team that hosted his coming out party in 2020
Prediction: Auburn 27, Arkansas 24
Mississippi State (Away) | Difficulty: B+ | Toughness Rank: 7th
Auburn had a couple of mind-numbing losses to end 2021, but no bigger lead was blown than when Auburn blew a 28-3 lead to Mississippi State in Jordan-Hare Stadium. This year, Mississippi State returns 17 starters, including quarterback Will Rogers who had a prolific season last year. Auburn will need new defensive ideas, similar to what LSU did last year against State after their 2020 embarrassment in Death Valley.
Key Matchup: Auburn vs. the air raid
Prediction: Auburn 28, Mississippi State 23
Texas A&M (Home) | Difficulty: A | Toughness Rank: 3rd
Anytime a preseason top ten team is on the schedule, home or away, it will pose a challenge. Texas A&M has talent more in line with Alabama and Georgia than with most of the other schools in the league. For A&M, it will be about the play of transfer quarterback Max Johnson. This will be a game that Auburn will lean on the home crowd and try to make some explosive plays in order to pull off the upset.
Key Matchup: Auburn making explosive plays to swing momentum
Prediction: Texas A&M 31, Auburn, 20
Western Kentucky (Home) | Difficulty: D | Toughness Rank: 10th
Western Kentucky will be the last home game for Auburn in 2022 and will serve as a more
traditional lead up to the Iron Bowl. Western Kentucky loves to throw the ball all over the place but lost quarterback Bailey Zappe who threw 62 touchdown passes (!) to the NFL. Auburn will have seen a similar amount of passing in the Mississippi State game and should have it figured out in order to avoid a scare.
Key Matchup: Wrapping up the game quickly to rest for the Iron Bowl
Prediction: Auburn 45, Western Kentucky 13
Alabama (Home) | Difficulty: A+ | Toughness Rank: 1st
As always, the Iron Bowl will be Auburn’s greatest challenge. Auburn hasn’t won in Tuscaloosa since the 2010 Cam Newton game, and it’s not looking like that streak will be snapped this year. Alabama has the best quarterback in the country, the best defensive player in the country, and a load of talent in between. It’s very possible if not likely Alabama will enter the game undefeated and ranked first in the country.
Key Matchup: The passion and toughness involved with the best rivalry in college football
Prediction: Alabama 42, Auburn 14
Final Auburn Record: 7-5 (4-4 SEC)
2022 could be a program defining year for Auburn. As I’ve got it, 7-5 is the perfect record for no one knowing what will happen to Bryan Harsin in the offseason. 8-4 is almost certainly safe, as it will be hard to justify someone getting canned after two years and a two win improvement from year one to year two. However, 6-6 almost certainly means Harsin will not be retained. Given the shenanigans that those in power at Auburn tried to pull in the winter, 6-6 would feel like enough for the boosters to get rid of a guy they never wanted. Sometimes we can be guilty of overemphasizing things or putting too much weight on a game or a season. But this year does feel legitimately important as Auburn battles for its identity.
