SEC football preview: Auburn Taming Tigers not an easy feat

The ill-conceived purge that would have brought Bobby Petrino from Louisville came at the end of the 2003 season, as the Tigers were finishing up a third consecutive 5-3 SEC worksheet. Not bad, but not Auburn good.

Tuberville, of course, survived the botched palace coups and nobody in the SEC has been better since.

Over the past two years Auburn is 16-1 in SEC play, including the 2004 conference championship game win over Tennessee. The only loss was in overtime at LSU, last year, the fluky result of five missed field goals.

And now the Tigers are overwhelming picks to win the league in 2006.

"I like the makeup of this team,'' the usually candid Tuberville said last week at SEC Media Days.

"I think the last three years our talent level has been pretty close to the same. Again, it all goes back to experience. Been there, done that, being knocked down, get back up, improve.''

When it comes to experience, Auburn has an edge over most of the league in that most critical of positions. In a season rife with quarterback uncertainties, Auburn returns steady Brandon Cox, a left-handed junior who should only improve in his second season as a starter.

Cox has two advantages over some of his SEC colleagues. One, he has an acknowledged guru in Al Borges as his offensive coordinator.

"He's a mastermind,'' said lead receiver Courtney Taylor. "He gives everyone an opportunity to touch the ball.

"I have complete confidence in a man that takes players and makes them better.''

Two, Cox can hand the ball to Kenny Irons, an All-SEC tailback who rushed for 1,293 yards and 13 touchdowns in his first year with the Tigers.

"He doesn't look like a great running back at times,'' said Tuberville, "but all of a sudden he'll come out of the pack and still be running.

"Kenny has been a blessing for us to pick up where Carnell and Ronnie left off.''

That would be Carnell Williams and Ronnie Brown, who galloped off to the NFL after helping Auburn go 13-0 in 2004.

"We don't have a Carnell or Ronnie Brown or (2004 Jim Thorpe Award winner) Carlos Rogers this year,'' said linebacker Will Herring. "What we do have are role players, team players.''

Take Carl Stewart, for example.

The junior running back from Maryville High School has picked up weight in order to fill a void at fullback. Tuberville expects a key contribution from Stewart this year in designated scenarios.

Herring also proved he's a team player by switching from free safety to linebacker for his senior year.

"Our biggest obstacles,'' Tuberville said, "are going to be playing with a small defense. We're going to be very quick and fast.''

Finding ways to turn that from a disadvantage to a winning edge falls to Will Muschamp.

Muschamp, Auburn's third defensive coordinator in three years, spent last season with the Miami Dolphins after following Nick Saban from LSU.

"He's gives us a little bit of a new curve ball, so to speak, in the bullpen,'' said Tuberville. "He also knows a lot about the SEC.''

Then surely Muschamp understands that Tuberville is the true defensive boss at Auburn.

"I'm a defensive guy,'' said Tuberville. "Muschamp understands it.''

And the rest of the league should understand this: Auburn plays four of its five toughest games -- LSU, Florida, Georgia, Arkansas -- in Jordan-Hare Stadium.

The exception is Alabama. However, Auburn has won four in a row from its archrival, including the past two in Tuscaloosa.

"Our program,'' said Tuberville, "is as solid as it's been since I've been at Auburn.

"Somebody has to be ranked up there high. We'll take it this year.''