Posted: Tuesday April 29, 2003 11:38 AM
Updated: Tuesday April 29, 2003 11:38 AM
SI.com's Luke Winn breaks down the Top 10.
7
AUBURN TIGERS
Dontarrious Thomas Auburn Athletics
State of the Team:
For a team coming off a 9-4 season, these Tigers are warranting a substantial amount of hype. Much of it is focused on the defense, which excelled in the spring and is anchored by a duo of linebackers, Dontarrius Thomas and Karlos Dansby, who are already coveted NFL prospects. Although they both sat out on A-Day, Auburn's spring game, Thomas is expected to lead the team in tackles once again, while Dansby is an exceptional athlete capable of making big plays. Auburn is set at D-line -- all four starters are back -- but coach Tommy Tuberville is still unsure of his inexperienced secondary. He experimented with moving Junior Rosegreen, a safety in 2002, to cornerback in the spring, but won't decide on Rosegreen's final position until the fall. Run-happy Auburn fans are salivating over their loaded backfield. While they may not be the Four Horsemen, Carnell "Cadillac" Williams, Ronnie Brown, Brandon Jacobs and Tre Smith (in that order on the depth chart) are all legit Division I starters. Figuring out a way to use them all will be another story. Smith scored three TDs in the spring game and was named MVP, while bruising juco transfer Jacobs ran for 122 yards -- but the Cadillac and Brown intentionally saw limited action.
Up-and-Comer:
Thomas and Dansby, the Tigers' two established LBs, had little to prove in the spring and watched A-Day from the sideline. In their absence, Lemarcus Rowell, a sophomore vying to fill Mark Brown's vacated post at middle linebacker, led the team in tackles with seven. Rowell, a former Parade All-American, could very well be the next big linebacker at Auburn.
Lingering Questions:
There is such a thing as too many running backs. Are the three-back sets new offensive coordinator Hugh Nall spoke of in the spring realistic? Can they really keep all of these backs happy? ... Quarterback Jason Campbell has the job to himself, now that Daniel Cobb is gone. But can Campbell improve enough to be the consistent offensive weapon the Tigers need to take heat off the run? ... Additionally, how will Campbell -- and the whole Auburn offense, for that matter -- deal with playing under their third offensive coordinator in three years?
Dontarrious Thomas
