Hang on to the ball Super Mario
One fumble won’t spell disaster for Auburn’s No. 1 tailback.
Not this week, at least.
Mario Fannin, though he carried the ball just three times Saturday against Arkansas State, is still Auburn’s No. 1 option in the backfield, running backs coach Curtis Luper said. His third-quarter fumble led to a brief benching, Luper said, but it’s nothing permanent.
“It was the reason he didn’t go in on the next series,” Luper said. “Then the game got out of hand, and it moved on.”
Michael Dyer was the one doing all the moving while Fannin stood on the sidelines during most of Saturday’s second half. Dyer finished the game with 14 carries for 95 yards, second only to quarterback Cameron Newton in both categories, and his first career touchdown.
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140 something days till the start of the season...can you dig it?
More than four months separate today from Sept. 4, when Auburn opens its 2010 season with Arkansas State.
Fifteen spring practices certainly made what many expect to be a much-improved season seem closer, but any answers that may have arisen from those practices could very well be wiped away with what transpires in August.
Alas, the Opelika-Auburn News posed five burning questions before the spring, and now it’s time to attempt to answer them.
1. Who will be the quarterback?
On the surface, Auburn is no closer toward answering this question than it was ever since Cameron Newton signed with the Tigers one day before the Outback Bowl.
From what transpired over 15 critical practices, though, there’s no reason to expect anyone but Newton under center when the season starts.
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Jobs aren’t necessarily won during spring football, but a strong first impression certainly doesn’t hurt.
Last year, for instance, Andrew McCain basically wrapped up the starting role at right tackle when he arrived to camp with a fresh outlook and something to prove. Linebacker Eltoro Freeman went from second-team to first in a matter of days.
Sure, the quarterback job wasn’t settled after 15 practices, but the lack of separation between Kodi Burns and Neil Caudle may have had a direct impact on where Gus Malzahn honed his focus in August.
With that in mind, here are 10 players to hone your focus on when the Tigers open spring practice Wednesday morning.
10. Jessel Curry — LB — freshman
* He’s one of the lowest-touted prospects in Auburn’s banner recruiting class, but he is already on campus and has a legitimate shot of receiving real playing time this season. Auburn’s linebacking corps is still razor thin on depth, and Curry, a Ted Roof favorite, will have the chance to make a strong first impression.
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So I am a little late on my SEC preview part II, but good things come to those who wait, so I guess you’ll just have to keep waiting.
In my SEC East preview, I said that the SEC Champion and Potential BCS Champion would come from the Eastern Division (if you didn’t read part 1 or have been in a coma for the last few weeks, it’s the Florida Gators). However, from top to bottom, the tougher division will likely be the Western Division, where all 3 of the top teams have a legitimate shot at facing Florida in the SEC championship game.
Ole Miss Rebels: (7-1 SEC; 11-1 Overall)
2009 Predicted Finish
