Utah State Preview

Utah State will start a JUCO transfer at QB and return a second team All-WAC running back to....nevermind this. The outcome of this game has absolutely nothing to do with how the Utah State Aggies perform! That will be dictated by the mindset of a young Auburn Tigers football team. In other years, you may worry about your team looking beyond a no-name opponent like Utah State and on to more meaningful competition that will come calling next week from Starkville; however, when your team will be breaking in so many new faces, and guys are enormously eager to make a name for themselves...there will be no looking beyond the inferior opponent. No replay of Oklahoma/Utah State of 2010. I believe this Auburn team carries an incredible chip on it's shoulder and Utah State represents the opportunity to prove a point. The point being we're young, but we're talented! And we're intent on playing to the standard this Auburn uniform demands and expects!

I'm excited for Barrett Trotter and eager to see how he runs the Malzahn attack. I'm interested in seeing if the pace of play offensively is noticeably faster than it was last season. I want to see how the offensive line looks in it's first game together as unit and how a true freshman center calls the shots as the leader of the that group. I can't hardly wait to see Trovon Reed in open space and how he'll be utilized offensively and on special teams. And the young defensive front...can they stop the run effectively, can they create pressure with a four man rush? How will Coach Roof rotate all the defensive ends he's got? Really excited to see Demetruce McNeal at the safety position...if he's as aggressive a safety as he was a kick coverage hawk! Tre Mason...how powerful is he? Onterio hitting the corner and Dyer pounding the middle. Lots of exciting things I'm ready to see and questions to be answered.

I truly believe this team is far better than most think. I'm a realist and know the rigors this league presents to even the most mature of teams. I don't think Auburn will win every game this season! I do believe however Auburn can beat each team they'll line up against. In my opinion, for what it's worth, winning 6 conference games should be the goal, with 5 deemed a success. That would close in on 10 wins, and 10 wins would make the college football world collectively explode over Auburn's success! May even invoke a SportsbyBrooks or Thayer Evans inquiry/trash story/futher reputation destroyer for "writers" of their ilk if further destruction is even possible.

Every team develops an identity, and if this team develops one that will fist fight for four quarters...the sky's the limit! We will have our fair share of growing pains. However, it will be fun to watch these guys grow up before our very eyes!

Utah State-17
Auburn-45