Over the course of the next several weeks, the SoBros Network crew will be going around the landscape of the SEC, team by team, previewing the upcoming American tackle football season. Up next, our 2022 Auburn preview!
2022 AUBURN PREVIEW
I don’t know how often a head coach in the SEC is the subject of an overall review of the program and comes out with his job intact. But, that’s exactly where we’re at with Bryan Harsin and the Auburn Tigers in what has clearly been the weirdest offseason in the SEC this year. Perhaps no coach in the SEC is on a hotter seat than Harsin, and frankly, I’m not sure why Auburn didn’t go ahead and pull the plug on his tenure. It seems like he has a couple of things going for him – one, his no nonsense approach seems to be seen as a bit of a stabilizing force for a program that has been seen as lax in the past. And namely, the Tigers would’ve been on the hook for a boat load of cash to Harsin and Gus Malzahn, and NOT had a head coach in 2022 had they elected to move on from him. So, we seem to have a bit of a lame duck situation on our hands down on The Plains.
All of this uncertainty has Auburn stock at a low it hasn’t been at in several seasons. Starting with the offense, there are some major questions about where the explosiveness is going to come from. The Tigers aren’t exactly well-equipped for a potent passing attack, or so it would seem heading into the season given what the unproven receiving corps looks like. On top of that, the quarterback battle is unsettled between transfers TJ Finley (LSU), Zach Calzada (Texas A&M), and Robby Ashford (Oregon). All of which look like safe floor players, but I’m not sure how high this offense’s ceiling is with any of this group. What’s more likely, at least early on, is for this offense to find its success by leaning on its four returning starters on the offensive line and ground and pound with their All-SEC caliber running back, Tank Bigsby.
The defense has a different question, but one that is just as crucial to the success of this year’s team: how can Auburn restock the pantry? This unit is projected to only return a few starters. Roger McCreary is a Tennessee Titan. Smoke Monday is a New Orleans Saint. Zakoby McClain is a Baltimore Raven. There’s plenty of talent to be excited about, but how the depth on that side of the ball develops is going to be integral to Auburn’s defensive success. There is work to do for Jeff Schmedding and that coaching staff, and I can’t help but wonder what the impact of losing Derek Mason to Oklahoma State will be. Auburn has all the makings of a program littered with questions, and on shaky ground.
2022 Tigers Schedule
Saturday, 9/3: vs. Mercer – The Tigers get their tune-up game to start the season. Easy enough.
Saturday, 9/10: vs. San Jose State – Actually, make it two.
Saturday, 9/17: vs. Penn State – Last year’s game was a slugfest and I don’t expect this year’s to be any different. At least this year, it’s a home game for the Tigers.
Saturday, 9/24: vs Missouri – Mizzou makes for an interesting team in 2022. They’re a real wild card – plenty of reason for optimism there, but it’s still a beatable team. In fact, I’d say this is probably Auburn’s most likely SEC win this season.
Saturday, 10/1: vs. LSU – Auburn’s first divisional game is a doozy against another team that has plenty of questions in its own right, though a lot more optimism to go with it. Given the depth of talent that this LSU team has, if they can jell quickly under Brian Kelly, they could be a tall order for Auburn in October.
Saturday, 10/8: @ Georgia – Nope.
Saturday, 10/15: @ Ole Miss – I think Ole Miss is going to come back to the pack a bit in 2022. But, this is still going to be a tricky road trip for an Auburn team that might not necessarily have the explosiveness on offense to get into a shootout with an offense like Ole Miss.
Saturday, 10/22: BYE
Saturday, 10/29: vs. Arkansas – I’m high on the Razorbacks this year, and think they’ll end up as a top 10 team. They’re built to ground and pound a defense that could struggle with depth issues, especially later in the season.
Saturday, 11/5: @ Mississippi State – See Ole Miss.
Saturday, 11/12: vs. Texas A&M – A brutal stretch of games beginning in October concludes with a team that has College Football Playoff aspirations. It’s hard for me to imagine Auburn getting through this stretch at anything better than 2-4, and I still feel like that’s being generous.
Saturday, 11/19: vs. Western Kentucky – Don’t sleep on the Hilltoppers! If that offense finds success, they can score some points, and like I said with the two Mississippi schools, that could pose a problem for Auburn this season.
Saturday, 11/26: @ Alabama – I would’ve dropped a “nope” here as well, but hey – look at last year’s Iron Bowl. Crazier things have happened.
Crystal Ball
There’s a lot of talent at Auburn, and they have won of the conference’s best players in Bigsby. But, it’s hard to read the tea leaves and feel confident about this team’s chances in 2022. I don’t know how dynamic this offense is going to be. I don’t know how the quality of depth on defense will shape up. And, there’s some legitimate turmoil going on with the head coach. I would be shocked if Auburn fielded a legitimate contender in the SEC West in 2022. My official gun-to-my-head prediction as things sit here in July is 4-8.
MORE 2022 SEC SEASON PREVIEWS
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Stoney Keeley is the Editor in Chief of The SoBros Network, and a Dogs Playing Poker on velvet connoisseur. He is a strong supporter of Team GSD, #BeBetter, and ‘Minds right, asses tight.’ “Big Natural” covers the Tennessee Titans, Nashville, Yankee Candle, and a whole wealth of nonsense. Follow on Twitter @StoneyKeeley
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