2009 Auburn Tigers Football Preview
2009 Auburn Tigers season preview from Maddux Sports. Below you can find our official Auburn Tigers football preview as well as the 2009 Auburn Tigers Football Schedule. We also offer a free odds comparison service of lines and totals on the NCAA football odds page.
Coach: Gene Chizik (1st year at Auburn)
Team Name: Tigers
2008 Overall Record: 5-7
Returning Starters: 15
For the Auburn Tigers (5- 7 overall, 2- 6 SEC) 2008 was a huge disappointment. For the first time in four years, the team finished out of the nation’s top 25. They also missed the bowl season and for the first time since 1999 posted a losing SEC mark. In 2007, the club, which was ranked 22nd nationally, played the 15th ranked Clemson Tigers in the Chick-fil-A Bowl, winning 23- 20. This year, Auburn hopes to make it back to the post-season.
The Auburn offense was anemic last season, tying for 110th in average points per game with 17.3. The passing attack was ranked 99th. Gus Malzahn has been brought in as the team’s new offensive coordinator. He’ll put together a fast-paced scheme in which the quarterback must react quickly, move easily and pass with accuracy. Either Kodi Burns 179 ATT, 94 COMP, 1,050 YDs, 7 INTs, 2 TDs) or Chris Todd (156 ATT, 86 COMP, 903 YDs, 6 INTs, 5 TDs) will get the nod. Burns looks to be in the lead for the job. In the area of wideout, the team has no go-to guy at this time. RB Ben Tate (159 ATT, 664 YDs, 3 TDs) and Burns (98 ATT, 411 YDs, 5 TDs) are both rushing threats. The Tigers are looking for Tate to have a 1,000-yard season this year. The frontline has bulked up. They are experienced and dependable but there is a lack of depth.
Auburn’s 14th nationally ranked defense proved to be the team’s strength as they held opponents to 18.0 PPG. At DE, senior Antonio Coleman (46 TKLs, 6 SKs, 4.5 TFL) is a tenacious player and solid performer. The linebacking unit is thin. Junior Josh Bynes (53 TKLs, 3 TFL, 3 INTs) is the best of the group. Injuries to the secondary last season caused the insertion of many untested players into starting spots. That experience should prove to be invaluable this year. There’s depth as three starters—corner Walter McFadden, safety Mike McNeil and safety Zac Etheridge—return.
On special teams, corner McFadden is likely to get the nod on punt returns, while Mario Fannin, who averaged 22.5 yards per kick return, will handle kickoffs. Junior field goal kicker Wes Bynum (22- 23 Extra Pts, 11- 19 FG) must be more accurate or he may lose his job. Punter Clinton Durst, a junior, averaged 42.1 yards per punt, placing 18-of-70 within the 20-yard line.
Head coach Gene Chizik is in his first season as the helmsman of
the Tigers. He comes in with the sketchy coaching record of 5- 19,
which he earned at Iowa State. There’s good news in the recruiting
ranks as Auburn welcomes versatile QB Tyrik Rollison, gifted RB
Onterio McCalebb and talented WR DeAngelo Benton. Auburn has a tough
schedule that includes non-conference games against Louisiana Tech
(September 5) and West Virginia (September 19). Winning the road
game versus Georgia (November 14) or the final game of the season
against Alabama (November 27) would be big. This year expect the
Tigers to finish fifth and to get a lower tier bowl invite.
Auburn Tigers Football Schedule
| Date | Team | Opponent | Site | Line | Total | Points | Opp Points |
| 9/5/2009 | Auburn | Louisiana Tech | home | ||||
| 9/12/2009 | Auburn | Mississippi St. | home | ||||
| 9/19/2009 | Auburn | West Virginia | home | ||||
| 9/26/2009 | Auburn | Ball St. | home | ||||
| 10/3/2009 | Auburn | Tennessee | away | ||||
| 10/10/2009 | Auburn | Arkansas | away | ||||
| 10/17/2009 | Auburn | Kentucky | home | ||||
| 10/24/2009 | Auburn | LSU | away | ||||
| 10/31/2009 | Auburn | Mississippi | home | ||||
| 11/7/2009 | Auburn | Furman | home | ||||
| 11/14/2009 | Auburn | Georgia | away | ||||
| 11/27/2009 | Auburn | Alabama | home |
For more info on the 2009 Auburn Tigers football program, view the Tigers official website or scroll down below to read up on the rest of the SEC competition.
