CNNSI.com - 2000 College Football Preview - CNNSI.com's Auburn preview

	CNNSI.com
	Preview Home
	Latest College Football News
	SI Top 25
	Team Previews
	Conference Previews
	Team Pages
	Schedules
	Polls
	Stats

EVENTS
Sportsman of the Year
Heisman Trophy
Swimsuit 2001

CENTERS
Fantasy Central
Inside Game
Multimedia Central
Statitudes
Your Turn
Message Boards
Email Newsletters
Golf Guide
Cities
Work in Sports

CNNSI.com GROUP
Sports Illustrated
Life of Reilly
Television
SI Women
SI for Kids
Press Room
TBS/TNT Sports
CNN Languages

COMMERCE
SI Customer Service
SI Media Kits
Get into College
Sports Memorabilia
TeamStore

Auburn Tigers

Air attack should help revival

College Football: The New Century

'99: 5-6, 2-6 SEC

Coach

Tommy Tuberville (second season, 5-6; 30-26 overall)

Key offensive players

Ben Leard, QB, Sr.
Injury-plagued Leard is one of the league's most underrated players.

Ronney Daniels, WR, So.
Caught 56 passes last season and named SEC's top freshman.

Kendall Simmons, OT, Jr.
Simmons' development at left tackle will be critical for the Tigers.

Key defensive players

Rob Pate, Rov, Sr.
The starting rover, Pate may take on more linebacker responsibilities.

Ivan Maisel's Player of the Century: Bo Jackson, RB, 1982-85
"Combined speed and size as few before him had. Won the '85 Heisman."

Brightest Moment: Auburn finished 10-0 in 1957 to win its only national championship. The Tigers, coached by Ralph "Shug" Jordan, shut out six different teams that season.

Lowest Moment: The Tigers went 0-10 during the 1950 season and were shut out seven times. That would be Earl Brown's final year as coach and ushered in the Jordan era.

Larry Casher, CB, Sr.
Casher will team with Rodney Crayton to give the Tigers a proven cornerback duo.

Key newcomer

Rudi Johnson, TB, Jr.
Junior college transfer hopes to revive Auburn's stagnant running game.

Throwback player

His uniform is soiled two plays into the game. The rover position was made for Rob Pate.

21st century player

Rudi Johnson has the balance of a gymnast and the acceleration of a sprinter.

Fast fact

Auburn has lost 13 of its last 16 SEC games spanning the past two seasons.

Outlook

A stout defense carried the Tigers to within an eyelash of a bowl bid last season despite a long list of injuries. All four starters from that defensive line are gone, which means the offense will have to put up the points. The potential is there with the Leard-to-Daniels connection, and Johnson demonstrated in the spring why he's among the most anticipated running backs to arrive at Auburn since Bo Jackson. Entering his second season on The Plains, Tuberville will be counting on a bundle of younger players to produce.

--Chris Low