Dare I say It.

[guerra aguila 0]

The 2012 Auburn Tigers are going to have a good football team.

With 18 returning starters... Auburn is second in the conference only to Tennessee.

Alabama and LSU have once again garnered all of the attention, so I believe that is a plus for Auburn. LSU returns 14 starters and Alabama only returns 8. Yet both teams are picked to be back in the National spotlight.

I warn people to be cautious... Georgia is no joke, they will boast the East's best team no doubt, but a lot can be said for Derrick Dooleys Volunteers... I think his time has come to make them a contender in the East, and if that does not happen, we may finally see his demise.

We talk about the returning talent at Auburn and perhaps the upgrade in coaching on the defensive side with Brian VanGorder taking over but there is one factor I cant help but not overlook... and that is Auburns home schedule.

Auburn plays as good of football at home as any team in the country, and Ill stretch far enough to say that nobody wants to face us on our best night in Jordan Hare Stadium. Even under the Tommy Tuberville ERA, he knew that his home crowd was special... We know that we are special...

Lets break it down.

Sure, we have an obstacle to overcome in Clemson at a Neutral Site in Atlanta, Georgia... but I feel that Auburn has more talent returning than Clemson, and  Auburn will practically be in their own backyard, because the Auburn faithful travels well and we will have more fans in ATL than Clemson.

This game is winnable by all measures, even while breaking in a new offense and defense. I believe Auburn will garner national attention in this game and help expose attention to big time recruits. Auburn is already on the big time prospects list already, this can only help.

Mississippi State: If I ever thought Miss State could beat Auburn, it would have been this past year, and they couldnt do it then... Auburn was young last year, and we all know that. I hate it for Ole Miss, and I hate it for Dan Mullen, but its not going to happen again in 2012. Auburn will be superior to both teams.

ULM: I see this as the game where Hopefully Auburn is undefeated and looking to work out any final kinks before LSU rolls into town. Hopefully Loeffler will have a chance to get Auburn in the same boat Malzahn did with Newton before he faced South  Carolina in Jordan Hare and Auburn tore off a 334 yard rushing performance against the best rush defense in the SEC at the time.

Now we come to LSU... By this point, I expect Auburn to have the opportunity to be undefeated, if this case holds True, we all know that if LSU is undefeated as well, that Game Day will be on the plains. This is great for recruiting and national exposure, Auburn will be on ESPN for perhaps the second time in 4 weeks... because I think we will get plenty of attention during the Clemson game.

Auburn is tough at home, I expect Auburn to win at home. If you finish out our schedule, and most would probably still have reason for some concern with questions at quarterback and perhaps the offensive line... everywhere else, Auburn is in good shape.

Check out when the open date happens... Clemson, and LSU would already be out of the way... Auburn would have established themselves by that point. You cant help but argue that the schedule sets up nicely for our Tigers to have a dominant season. A lot of people focuse on 2013 as The Year Of The Tiger... I have to beg to differ.

I would be concerned about Auburns road schedule if they didnt face Ole Miss and Vanderbilt, both of those teams are not in good shape... and we get Arkansas at home... I like our chances in Jordan Hare against them.

Texas A&m is no pushover and they will have plenty of talent...This will be a late season test for AU. Perhaps a much needed one heading into AMEN corner.

4 of Auburns final 5 games rest in Jordan Hare Stadium with the lone road trip to Alabama... that is certainly a game we can win.

Im going to bypass the whole 2013 season can be special  and say that with the right mix of experienced players returning, and the favorable home schedule... that Auburn can be a damn good football team from the get-go. Gene Chizik knows that Auburns defense can be one of the best units in the country, and he hired the best guy available to make sure that happens.

We dont know much about Loeffler yet, but I think his style will benefit Auburn, he likes to move the chains, use various formations and attack at the line of scrimmage... how does that not  best describe Auburn football for the last 40 years?

People focus so much on the quarterback spot... but what about help around the qb?

Lutz, Blake, McCalebb, give you three big time players that have proven themselves, lets not forget about Mason, hes still a top rated player who can do so much damage in the open field, and Michael Blakely and Corey Grant are very raw and have great potential. I still believe the X factor is Jovon Robinson, hes going to be special before his freshman season is over... not much love sent his way. Im telling you now, this kid can be the next Ronnie Brown.

I do understand that Auburns chances at making a run for the Western Division hinder on how well the O-LINE  and QB play, but I think the defense will help out in categories where the offense fails.

If both units play well on a weekly basis, Loeffler will be able to keep things conservative and take less chances with turnovers, knowing that Auburns defense can be dominant... this well help AU slowly develop the offense over time.

I think Auburn will defend its turf at home, and they will have a better season than people expect. There are still a few question marks... no question about that, the same can be said about every other team in the SEC.

I happen to like Auburns more than others.

perhaps its the orange and blue glasses.

either way, Auburn is tough at home. I like our chances to still be special in 2012.

[fly757au 0]

I just knew I was going to see ORANGE FACEMASKS when I opened this thread.

Great read though. War Eagle!

[Weegle777 78]

That post is why I will always look at a thread started by GA. Always positive. Nice job bro. 14-0 baby! Also, I agree with the statement about Jovon Robinson. He already has a chip on his shoulder about the TJ Yeldon debacle and has a burning desire to prove that he is a better RB than Yeldon. This kid will be special.

[Rednilla 5,449]

I'm not about to predict that we'll be undefeated (it's almost tradition for me to predict at least one loss, not for lack of belief but because I don't like feeling as if I might have jinxed something), but I do think we'll have a great year.

I really just wanted to make a couple of comments about the competition: I agree that this is Dooley's put up or shut up year, and I wouldn't be the least bit shocked if Tyler Bray is invited to the Downtown Athletics Club at the end of the year. Also, while I don't think Richt has it in him to orchestrate a national title at UGA, South Carolina is on the verge of breaking out if Spurrier can get Connor Shaw on track. Honestly, the SEC legitimately has 7 teams, or exactly half the conference, that has the talent and coaching necessary to make a run at the national championship.

[matt138 0]

agreed, i always enjoy ga's post as well.  i could have done without "I hate it for Ole Miss, and I hate it for Dan Mullen" because i really don't.    war eagle

[redfish999991345162870 0]

Nice thoughts .....and wishes....

But i don't debate against AU....ever......

[lca4081345162963 0]

I think 2012 could be very similar to 2007, at least in terms of the makeup of the team. We return 9 defensive starters and boast an excellent defensive coordinator. I think we're due for a much improved defense, hopefully top 30 or top 25 unit - 2007 ended as the top defense in conference play, 4th overall in the country. Offensively, its a mixed bag. We have only one proven wide receiver, one good tight end, and a couple of good runningbacks but no one who has completely lit people up - similar to 2007 where we had Ben Tate, Brad Lester, and Mario Fannin to work with. The biggest difference on offense is the QB situation - though physically limited, Brandon Cox was a solid returning starter and probably one of the better QBs in the last 15 years at Auburn - compared to the uncertainty of our situation.

The biggest similarity is the offensive line. We may be starting 3 new linemen in 2012, most if not all of them being redshirt freshmen. Ziemba, Pugh, and Ramsey started on the 2007 line for most of the season. So if the comparisons are to be believed, Auburn will field a tough team that won't get blown out by opponents, but will more than likely lose a couple of close games. The difference is the home schedule as GA said earlier. Auburn could have easily finished 9-3 in 2007 rather than 8-4 if the LSU game was at home, and who knows how the Georgia game would have turned out if it was in Jordan Hare. That's what I predict for Auburn this year - 9-3

Ryan

[BPI 0]

Yeah....I was hoping for blue helmets too...

[Rednilla 5,449]

I think 2012 could be very similar to 2007, at least in terms of the makeup of the team. We return 9 defensive starters and boast an excellent defensive coordinator. I think we're due for a much improved defense, hopefully top 30 or top 25 unit - 2007 ended as the top defense in conference play, 4th overall in the country. Offensively, its a mixed bag. We have only one proven wide receiver, one good tight end, and a couple of good runningbacks but no one who has completely lit people up - similar to 2007 where we had Ben Tate, Brad Lester, and Mario Fannin to work with. The biggest difference on offense is the QB situation - though physically limited, Brandon Cox was a solid returning starter and probably one of the better QBs in the last 15 years at Auburn - compared to the uncertainty of our situation.

The biggest similarity is the offensive line. We may be starting 3 new linemen in 2012, most if not all of them being redshirt freshmen. Ziemba, Pugh, and Ramsey started on the 2007 line for most of the season. So if the comparisons are to be believed, Auburn will field a tough team that won't get blown out by opponents, but will more than likely lose a couple of close games. The difference is the home schedule as GA said earlier. Auburn could have easily finished 9-3 in 2007 rather than 8-4 if the LSU game was at home, and who knows how the Georgia game would have turned out if it was in Jordan Hare. That's what I predict for Auburn this year - 9-3

Ryan

While I agree with most of what you said, I have to point out one thing: much as I like and respect Brandon Cox, it's hard to say that he was one of the better QBs in the last 15 years, at least with regard to starters, because that includes Dameyune Craig, Jason Campbell, and Cam Newton, three of the better QBs in all of college football over that time span. Brandon should always be remembered fondly for what he accomplished and what he overcame to accomplish it, but amongst starters over the past decade and a half, he's somewhere in the middle.

Of course, being somewhere in the middle of any best QBs at Auburn conversation is pretty danged remarkable. We are definitely RBU, but when you talk about the likes of Pat Sullivan, Reggie Slack, Stan White, Craig, Campbell, Newton, etc, that's a LOT of great ones.

On that note, it absolutely amazes me how many people don't realize the rich tradition at Auburn, even amongst the fans. I'm not calling anyone out, I'm just remarking on how incredible it is that so many Auburn fans have bought this propaganda about Alabama having all the history as a program. Yeah, for a long time they liked to live in the past and talk about Bear and blah blah blah, but it isn't as if an alcoholic is the only football legacy in this state!

/rant

[keesler 5,990]

I see improvement in the W-L column for this upcoming season 10-2.  I think our possible 2 loses will be nail-biters, down to the wire games.

We got completely blown out of the water against our biggest rivals last year in some tough loses.  I felt like our team laid down for UGA last year.  IMO, we won't see performance like that ever again from an AU squad under Gene Chizik's watch.

I will be pleased to see us man up and play competive, fundamentally sound, disciplined, smash-mouth football again.  And, I feel certain we have the coaches in place to do that.

[Tigerbelle 5,299]

I think the next 2 seasons at Auburn are going to be fascinating to watch. Auburn has so much talent. I just can't wait to see what the coaches have planned for some of these big games.

[Chaotic_zx 1,070]

en fuego?

[keesler 5,990]

I think the next 2 seasons at Auburn are going to be fascinating to watch. Auburn has so much talent. I just can't wait to see what the coaches have planned for some of these big games.

I'm stocking up on my cardiac pills already.

[TheBlueVue 177]

I love the positive perspective as well and I agree that Auburn has a chance to be a very good football team. However, Auburn plays some teams who also have a chance to be mighty good. We'll see, Im just hoping for a noticeable progression in areas that we digressed in last year, most notably in the trenches and at QB. Personally, I'll be very pleasantly surprise if JR is a factor as a freshman...very few ever are!

[keesler 5,990]

I love the positive perspective as well and I agree that Auburn has a chance to be a very good football team. However, Auburn plays some teams who also have a chance to be mighty good. We'll see, Im just hoping for a noticeable progression in areas that we digressed in last year, most notably in the trenches and at QB. Personally, I'll be very pleasantly surprise if JR is a factor as a freshman...very few ever are!

Agree 100%

I will be happy to see a disciplined, fundamentally sound team that knows their assignments and can execute.  We looked lost, unprepared, just plain soft at times last year because of the youth that saw their first action on the field.  Those young guys have now been in the program and weight room long enough that I think we see a drastic difference in their performance.  They have SEC experience now and there should be no reason for lack of execution.

[Rednilla 5,449]

There are always teams in the SEC that have the potential to be mighty good. It's just that we're at the top of the pack because of the amount of youth that played last year and got experience. It's an uphill climb, to be sure, but I sincerely believe we are going to be right back as players in the national picture this year.

[Chaotic_zx 1,070]

Think of it this way: This is the second season for the core of the AU team. The next two years they will be up against players that while the same age, they will not be key players on their teams. They will be playing mostly guys(next year and the year after) that have 12-24 starts under their belts while the AU guys will have 36-48 starts. Give or take a few.

This is a rough estimate obviously.

[Budapesttiger 2]

I agree with most of this as well. As worried as we are about the QB position he isn't going to have to do it all himself. He will have some great players around him.

Great post.

[guerra aguila 0]

I certainly understand the dread of playing in the SEC.

I think that so many opposing fans remind me of Auburn's oline situation and they say quote "Yall dont have a quarterback"

I simply say back... "Yall dont think we have a quarterback"

The one thing that made Alabama so impressive last year was the fact the their quarterback never made mistakes.

The reason for that is they had a great defense along with a decent schedule and they never asked to much of Mc-Aron.

They ran the football and kept the turnovers to a minimum... Alabama only lost 5 turnovers all year... compared to Auburn's 17. I believe experience on the o-line, accompanied by experienced players around the qb helped them accomplish such a low total.

Auburn lost to many seniors at one time, I cant recall in my time as a football fan than a single team would lose 25 seniors... especially after a national title season.

I believe that Loeffler will have the tools necessary to keep Auburns offense at bay, score when we need to score, but trust the defense to get them the ball back when they need it and keep the qb from having to make extravagant plays if they arent there.

A lot of us keep referring to Auburns offensive line as young... Dismukes, Slade and Sullen all have experience. I do understand that we expect Robinson and Westerman to make a serious run at being starters... but if talent defies experience in this occasion, I am ok with that. Robinson and Westerman are no joke, they are going to be special players.

This is by far the most talented and athletic offensive line Auburn has had in a long time, and I dont just mean the starters... the entire group on the roster is going to be VERY talented.

I think Auburn will be fine, its in my gut... I guess I need to take off the glasses.

[Les81 0]

I certainly understand the dread of playing in the SEC.

I think that so many opposing fans remind me of Auburn's oline situation and they say quote "Yall dont have a quarterback"

I simply say back... "Yall dont think we have a quarterback"

The one thing that made Alabama so impressive last year was the fact the their quarterback never made mistakes.

The reason for that is they had a great defense along with a decent schedule and they never asked to much of Mc-Aron.

They ran the football and kept the turnovers to a minimum... Alabama only lost 5 turnovers all year... compared to Auburn's 17. I believe experience on the o-line, accompanied by experienced players around the qb helped them accomplish such a low total.

Auburn lost to many seniors at one time, I cant recall in my time as a football fan than a single team would lose 25 seniors... especially after a national title season.

I believe that Loeffler will have the tools necessary to keep Auburns offense at bay, score when we need to score, but trust the defense to get them the ball back when they need it and keep the qb from having to make extravagant plays if they arent there.

A lot of us keep referring to Auburns offensive line as young... Dismukes, Slade and Sullen all have experience. I do understand that we expect Robinson and Westerman to make a serious run at being starters... but if talent defies experience in this occasion, I am ok with that. Robinson and Westerman are no joke, they are going to be special players.

This is by far the most talented and athletic offensive line Auburn has had in a long time, and I dont just mean the starters... the entire group on the roster is going to be VERY talented.

I think Auburn will be fine, its in my gut... I guess I need to take off the glasses.

No. Keep them on.

[Stripe 5]

I have absolutely no worries about the Offensive line. I think they will whip in to shap real fast this year. I'm also not worried about the QB position as we have capable QB's one of them just needs to step up and be the leader.

My concern is where we were torched time after time last year, the Defense. our backfield needs to step up their game big time. Especially in the tackling department. But I think our new DC will have them working their butts off to correct the glaring issues that TR never took a look at.

Personally I feel like this season is going to be a really good season, and I think we will be in the hunt for the SEC crown. With some luck on our side, we could be looking at a possible NC run. I just don't feel the doom and gloom that others feel.

War Damn Eagle!

[guerra aguila 0]

I have absolutely no worries about the Offensive line. I think they will whip in to shap real fast this year. I'm also not worried about the QB position as we have capable QB's one of them just needs to step up and be the leader.

My concern is where we were torched time after time last year, the Defense. our backfield needs to step up their game big time. Especially in the tackling department. But I think our new DC will have them working their butts off to correct the glaring issues that TR never took a look at.

Personally I feel like this season is going to be a really good season, and I think we will be in the hunt for the SEC crown. With some luck on our side, we could be looking at a possible NC run. I just don't feel the doom and gloom that others feel.

War Damn Eagle!

I really believe Auburns secondary will be a team strength before seasons end... I think the skill players on both sides of the ball are going to be really good. If Auburn can shape up the trenches and open up lanes with the o-line and put pressure on the qb with the d-line... The secondary can do its job even better.

Sure these guys got burned a few times last year... but with Therezie, Florence, and Whitehead all being so young and new to the SEC, and having to play due to being thrown to the wolves... I thought they did quite well.

Im really looking forward to seeing how the skill players respond this year.

Especially Reed and Bray... along with Coates on the offensive side. We all know what Blake can do.

[Weegle777 78]

I think we win the west and play Georgia for the SEC title. With us winning it of course. 

[AUGoo 2,703]

Clemson will be there in mass and just as ravenous as we will be. 

I would expect the stadium to be 50/50.

[TigerWar 82]

I think this season you'll see a similar record to last season, but with improve play and not getting waxed by our top rivals.

Then I see a 10-2 season in 2013 and a BCS National Championship in '14.