AU FOOTBALL: 5 questions the Tigers must answer this spring

Spring football is finally here, and all the uncertainty that comes with it has arrived as well.

Compared to last year, when Gene Chizik and his newly hired staff were prepared to oversee their first spring practice at Auburn, there are far fewer questions when it comes to the overall vibe and feel of a Chizik-led spring. And with a bevy of returning starters on both sides of the ball, there are certainly fewer jobs up for grabs.

Yet there is still plenty to ponder starting today when the Tigers host their first of 15 important practices at the Auburn Athletic Complex.

Here are the five biggest questions heading into it.

1. Who will be the quarterback?
It’s not Auburn these days without this question popping up at this time of the year.

The Tigers didn’t answer this question at the end of last spring. Neil Caudle and Kodi Burns battled to a draw, which opened the door for Chris Todd, who missed the spring while recovering from shoulder surgery but seized the job within 10 days in August.

A similar situation is not expected to unfold in 2010.

The arrival of junior-college transfer Cameron Newton and the departure of redshirt freshman Tyrik Rollison have certainly shaken things up since the Iron Bowl. Newton, considered the nation’s No. 1 junior-college prospect by Rivals.com, has just two years to play, and it’s not expected he came to Auburn to sit on the bench. And though Auburn’s coaches say Newton is just like everyone else in this battle, it’s likely they gave him a strong indication of his chances of playing right away — or else he would have ended up with his former offensive coordinator, Dan Mullen — at Mississippi State.

His biggest source of competition should come from Caudle, who has hung tough and stuck with Auburn, even though he’s lost the quarterback battle three consecutive seasons and had ample opportunities elsewhere in college football to be a starting quarterback. This will be his final chance.

Barrett Trotter and Clint Moseley will be the long-shot candidates of the group, though both have received nothing but praise from Auburn’s coaches. Trotter is returning from a torn ACL, an injury he sustained at the end of spring ball last year, while Moseley is coming off a freshman season spent on the scout team.

2. Is Mario Fannin the starting running back, or is he just keeping the seat warm for Michael Dyer?
The finer details of this question won’t be answered until Dyer comes to camp in August, but Fannin can certainly make a case for himself this spring.

Fannin came to Auburn to play running back, and, aside from some fumbling issues as a freshman, has thrived when given the chances. His versatility, though, has been valued and utilized by two sets of Auburn coaches, who have had Fannin line up in the flat as a wide receiver more often than the backfield.

Fannin caught the third-most passes of any Auburn player last season, as he truly embraced the role of H-back. Eric Smith proved as a viable backup to Fannin and was a better blocker, which should make Gus Malzahn comfortable enough to at least give Fannin a fair shot at tailback.

Dyer’s arrival in the fall, though, could eliminate any clarity that appears to be established in the next month.

3. Where will the five new guys fill in?
Nothing makes for better stories than the introduction of new players to the team, especially when they have the capability to see real action from the get-go.

Including Newton, Auburn will have five new faces in camp. That’s up three from last year’s two — Eltoro Freeman and Onterio McCalebb — both of whom had great stories and an immediate impact.

The spotlight will shine brightest on Newton, of course, but Roszell Gayden and Brandon Mosley won’t be far behind. Gayden is the odds-on favorite to take over for Andrew McCain at right tackle. Mosley, who played tight end in junior college, will also be in the mix. Gayden is a true tackle, though, and definitely has the body, making the position battle his to lose at the moment.

Freshmen Jessel Curry and Craig Sanders won’t get nearly as much attention, but both will get a chance to make an early first impression at their respective positions.

Curry will get his cracks at linebacker, which is still low on depth, while Sanders will get all-important repetitions at defensive end.

4. How much will Auburn’s injured defensive backs be able to do?
Aairon Savage, Mike McNeil, Daren Bates and Zac Etheridge all could be on the field when the Tigers open the season in September against Arkansas State.

They just might not see much of it during the spring.

Savage, who tore his ACL in 2008 and his Achilles’ tendon in 2009, said he’s 100 percent healthy, but Auburn coaches might see it wise to go slow with the sixth-year senior. Same with McNeil, who missed all of 2009 with a broken leg.

Bates, Auburn’s standout freshman safety who has switched to linebacker, is expected to miss the majority of the spring because of offseason shoulder surgery. Etheridge has reportedly made major progress from his scary neck injury, but likely won’t be ready for contact until August.

That leaves coaches Phillip Lolley and Tommy Thigpen with quite the jumbled-up secondary to sort through. Like last spring, when Drew Cole and Mike Slade received significant playing time with the first team, don’t expect what happens in March and April to be a direct replica of what to expect in the fall.

5. Will DeAngelo Benton and Emory Blake make a push at wide receiver?
Both players were considered the gems of Auburn’s signing class, but neither lived up to his, perhaps unfair, expectations.

Blake found a niche in certain formations, but only caught nine passes for 66 yards. Benton struggled early, dropped a number of passes and finished with six catches for 88 yards, but all of those came against Furman in the homecoming game.

Darvin Adams and Terrell Zachery both had breakout seasons in 2009 and both appear in line to carry the load in 2010. Still, wide receivers coach Trooper Taylor has said repeatedly that no one’s job is safe week by week, which may open the door for two players many thought would be starters from the start.

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