SIAP: All Time Auburn Team by Position

[tiger mark 0]

Saw this on another Auburn site and thought I would give it a shot here.  These are my all-time selections by position for Auburn (based solely on college career).

QB  Cam Newton

RB  Bo Jackson and James Brroks

FB  William Andrews

TE  Walter Reeves

WR  Lawyer Tillman, Terry Beasley, and Frank Sanders

C    Ben Tamburello

G    Ed King and Ben Grubbs

T    Steve Wallace and Marcus McNeil

DE  Aundray Bruce and Quentin Groves

DT  Tracy Rocker and Ron Stallworth (Stallworth over Fairley because not one year wonder)

LB  Kurt Crain, Takeo Spikes, and Fred Smith

CB  Carlos Rogers and Kevin Porter

S    Mike Fuller and Tucker Fredrickson

P  Terry Daniel

K  Wes Byrum (just because of all his pressure kicks in career)

PR  Mike Fuller

KR  Cadillac

Athlete  Kodi Burns (he has to be on any all time Auburn team)

Coach  Shug Jordan

[kingofhill1 2]

No big disagreements with that other than having Kurt Crain at one of the linebacker spots. I would have Mike Kolen and Ken Bernich ahead of him. Also Greg Carr. Kurt Crain was good but not that good.

[tmbuktu 0]

No big disagreements with that other than having Kurt Crain at one of the linebacker spots. I would have Mike Kolen and Ken Bernich ahead of him. Also Greg Carr. Kurt Crain was good but not that good.

Karlos Dansby?

[AuburnGrad78 0]

I would put Bernich over Freddie Smith .. Freddie was exciting, but he suffered a knee injury early in his college career (sophomore or junior year) and was never as effective again.

Hard to find all-time players over so many years (no 1957 guys, I notice), but that's part of the fun.

[kingofhill1 2]

Man, I didn't even see Smith and, no, I wouldn't have him on my all-time list. He was exciting. Part of that was, to an extent, because he played on some really crappy defenses. His speed allowed him to run down a lot of guys. I also saw it get  him into trouble on occasion when he overran a play. I saw that more than once.

Ken Bernich, Carlos Dansby, Mike Kolen, Greg Carr, Bill Cody....so many others were better than Smith or Crain. I agree, what about guys on the 1957 team. That was one of college football's all-time great defenses.

[thewhiz7 273]

No Fairley because of only one year of success but Cam still makes it?

[tmbuktu 0]

No Fairley because of only one year of success but Cam still makes it?

It does feel dirty leaving off Pat Sullivan doesn't it?

[kingofhill1 2]

Well, on my list, I'd have to have Pat. I have no greater appreciation or respect for an Auburn player than I have for him.

[mtnman 0]

I didn't realize that Tucker Frederickson played on defense too. I would have put him ahead of Andrews in the Fullback slot.  

[tiger mark 0]

I admit there are no 1957 players, but that is because I wasn't born, so my ignorance on that, though I did consider Jim Red Phillips at WR.  Not putting Kolen in was a mistake.  As for the Newton/Fairley, I included Newton because his one year was unlike any other in history, while Fairley did have a habit of taking plays off until this year.  With all the DT's available, how could you go wrong.

My toughest choices were: Newton/Sullivan, Byrum/Dyas, LB, and I also considered Tristan Davis at KR.

Anyway, just a discussion and would be interested in other opinions...not saying mine are the best, just my opinion...

[BPI 0]

I didn't realize that Tucker Frederickson played on defense too. I would have put him ahead of Andrews in the Fullback slot.  

No Heath Evans ???

[87aubie 0]

The maker of the list was obviously younger than me (and I'm only 45).  No names like:

Hitchcock, Gafford, James (Fob), or Jimmy Sidle at RB

Zeke Smith or Ken Rice on the OL

Bernich at LB (although Fast Freddie gets some consideration)

Defensive Backs McClinton, Willingham, and David King

Almost impossible to build a one deep "All Auburn" team.  Just too many great players.

[StatTiger 3,188]

I would put Bernich over Freddie Smith .. Freddie was exciting, but he suffered a knee injury early in his college career (sophomore or junior year) and was never as effective again.

Hard to find all-time players over so many years (no 1957 guys, I notice), but that's part of the fun.

I believe you are confusing Fred Smith (CB) and his knee injury with LB, Freddie Smith.

[kingofhill1 2]

I would put Bernich over Freddie Smith .. Freddie was exciting, but he suffered a knee injury early in his college career (sophomore or junior year) and was never as effective again.

Hard to find all-time players over so many years (no 1957 guys, I notice), but that's part of the fun.

I believe you are confusing Fred Smith (CB) and his knee injury with LB, Freddie Smith.

I seem to remember quite distinctly that the lb Smith did suffer a knee injury.

[auburn4ever 1,266]

I like it. 

[mtnman 0]

Jimmy Sidle at Qb/wr. Tucker Frederickson at Rb/Fb. Mike Kolen (Captain Krunch) at middle Lb. I think Cam would push Jimmy Sidle to the side as QB. What about Terry Beasley (Wr).

[DyeCampAlum 335]

Tamburello was good, but Burkett and Banks were better.

Huge William Andrews fan here, but nobody knew who he was coming out of school.  Tommy Agee. 

Larry Willingham needs to be there.

I would go with Cam, but you can argue that three great seasons trump one incredible one.

Not so sure I wouldn't go with Ed West at TE.  But we'll have a new one in a couple of years. 

[BatjacAuburn 0]

I would put Bernich over Freddie Smith .. Freddie was exciting, but he suffered a knee injury early in his college career (sophomore or junior year) and was never as effective again.

Hard to find all-time players over so many years (no 1957 guys, I notice), but that's part of the fun.

I believe you are confusing Fred Smith (CB) and his knee injury with LB, Freddie Smith.

I seem to remember quite distinctly that the lb Smith did suffer a knee injury.

He did, he even played DB a couple of games when he first came back to keep from taking the shots on his knee. He was simply the best athlete on the defense and once he was able to come back at all he had to be oon teh field,  I would keep him on this team just because he is the only defender from that era and his stats were incredible.  He still holds the single season and career tackle records at AU and played his last game over 30 years ago.

[tdtiger71 0]

Tommy Agee, Joe Frazier, Willie Anderson, Kevin Greene, Rudi Johnson, Gary Walker, Tony Richardson, Dontarrious Thomas, Willie Whitehead, Jason Campbell, Carnell Williams, Wayne Gandy, and Chris Gray.  Anyone of them could be on that list.

[kingofhill1 2]

Tom Banks played in the NFL for a number of years as did Forrest Blue. Larry Willingham played in the NFL for a number of years and was, like Mike Fuller, an outstanding punt returner. Terry Beasley is the greatest receiver in Auburn history. But for a number of concussions he would have had a very successful NFL career.

[kingofhill1 2]

Tommy Agee, Joe Frazier, Willie Anderson, Kevin Greene, Rudi Johnson, Gary Walker, Tony Richardson, Dontarrious Thomas, Willie Whitehead, Jason Campbell, Carnell Williams, Wayne Gandy, and Chris Gray.  Anyone of them could be on that list.

HOw about David Langner? He did a whole lot more than return two blocked punts.

[BatjacAuburn 0]

The Pre-Dye All time team:

Virtually all of these guys were All Americans in their day-  The exceptions are Cribbs, Brooks, Freddie Smith, and Mike Kolen mostly because they played on weaker teams.  SOme of teh two way players might not be where you expect to see them,Tucker Fredrickson for example, but played where they are shown.  I have read claims that Tucker could have been an All American at maybe five positions.

Offense-

QB- Pat Sullivan 71 Travis Tidwell 49  Jimmy Sidle 64 Jimmy Hitchcock 32

RB- Joe Cribbs 79 Fob James 55 Monk Gafford 42

FB- Ed Dyas  60 Joe Childress 55

WR- Terry Beasley 71

WR- Jimmy Phillips 57 Freddie Hyatt 67

TE- Jim Pyburn 54

OL- Walter Gilbert 37

OL- Tex Warrington 44

OL- Keith Uecker 81

OL- Ken Rice 60

OL- Jackie Burkett 58

PK- Neil O’ Donahue 76

KR- James Brooks 80

Defense

DL- David Campbell 69

DL- Jack Thornton 65

DL- Zeke Smith 59

DL- Frank D’Agostino 55

LB- Ken Bernich 74

LB- Bill Cody 65

LB- Freddie Smith 79 Honorable mention to Mike Kolen 69

DB- Buddy McClinton 69

DB- Larry Willingham 70

DB- Mike Fuller 74

DB- Tucker Fredrickson 64

P- David Beverly 73

Coach- Shug Jordan 75

[kingofhill1 2]

This is such a fun conversation to have; so much better than all the other crap.

This is, of course, a conversation to it's fun to express differing opinions. I'll offer a couple. I have to put Mike Kolen way ahead of Freddie Smith. Not only was Kolen one of the hardest hitters to ever play on the plains, he's got a couple of Super Bowl rings to back up his case. Don Shula said he was one of the hardest hitters he ever coached. Freddie Smith was great. Kolen, in my opinion, was on a completely different level. So was Bernich.

On the offensive line, There were so many good ones. I don't date back to the 40s or 30s. Those guys were great. I might like to see Banks and Forrest Blue (don't ever hear his name mentioned much but he played in the NFL for a number of years).

It's a  wonderful history and a great conversation.

[tiger mark 0]

Just remember, I was trying to base this totally on college games.  With that in mind, Kevin Greenes reputation was built once he reached the NFL.  I may be wrong, and since I was at Auburn during the same years and may have liquid induced amnesia, but I do not think his college career would rival some of those listed above him on this chat.  Just my opinion, and this is not meant to be a slap to Kevin, as you have to admire what the "walk-on" accomplished throughout his playing days.

[Auburn2004 0]

I'd add Willie Anderson, too.