Auburn just 'hiding in the weeds'

You expect several things from Auburn football under coach Tommy Tuberville.

You expect it to run the football with efficiency. You expect it to rush the passer with a vengeance.

And, of course, you expect it to beat Alabama.

The Tigers have won five consecutive games against their arch-rival, which explains, in part, why Alabama fired coach Mike Shula after last season and agreed to pay Nick Saban $4 million a year to leave the Miami Dolphins.

Rejuvenated by the hire, Alabama fans sense a quick turnaround for the SEC’s once-marquee program. But the Tigers will have a say in that.

In the meantime, they don’t seem slighted by all the hoopla suddenly surrounding their rival.

“It’s good (that Alabama is getting so much attention),” Auburn All-SEC defensive end Quentin Groves said with a smile at the SEC media days. “It takes the pressure off us. … We’re hiding in the weeds.

“While your eyes are on Alabama, we’ll be over here doing what we have to do to get bigger, faster and stronger. We’ll take our crowd of 18,000 at our little spring game.”

Groves is well aware Alabama drew a national-record 92,000 fans to its spring game. And he knows that Saban signed a record-setting contract for a college football coach.

But he also knows Auburn has Alabama’s number. It’s faring rather well against everyone else, too.

Auburn has won 50 games in the last five years, including 13 in a perfect 2004 season. It went 11-2 last year with victories over two top-five teams, No. 1 Florida and No. 3 LSU.

While Saban prepares to overhaul Alabama football, the Tigers have no reason to alter their approach. They have won consistently by running the football on offense, and playing with speed and passion on defense.

“We’re a running team,” Tuberville said. “I feel very good about (running backs) Brad Lester, Ben Tate, Carl Stewart, Mario Fannin and Tristan Davis. I think they can all play in this league.”

Lester, who has been hampered by injuries, rushed for 849 yards the last two seasons as a back-up to Kenny Irons. Tate rushed for 392 yards last season as a freshman.

“Kenny was a great player, but we’re loaded in the backfield,” Auburn senior quarterback Brandon Cox said.

That loaded backfield will be running behind a revamped offensive line, led by 6-foot-8, 308-pound senior tackle King Dunlap. The new line will lack experience but not talent, according to Tuberville.

“It probably won’t be the strength of our team going into the season,” Tuberville said. “By mid-season, it could be one of the best strengths we have because we have so much talent there. Hugh Nall has done a great job for me for 13 years as an offensive line coach.”

Tuberville regards Cox as another big plus for the offense, despite his sub-par season in 2006.

“He was a little beat up last year,” Tuberville said. “He’ll be a good quarterback, but he’s got to stay healthy.

“He’ll play on the next level (in the NFL). He has the ability, the mentality and the smarts to get that done.”

Like the offense, Auburn’s defense lost several key players, including two NFL draft picks. But the front four might be second only to LSU’s, and the secondary — led by senior cornerbacks Patrick Lee and Jonathan Wilhite — could be another team strength.

“Quentin Groves will be the guy we build our defense around,” Tuberville said. “We’re a little bit shy (of depth) at linebacker, but the other places look pretty good.”

The biggest question on defense is star linebacker Tray Blackmon, whom Tuberville compares to NFL-great Ray Lewis, a player he coached at the University of Miami. Blackmon was suspended for the bowl game and spring practice by Tuberville.

“He got into a little problem with me,” Tuberville said. “I make sure we play as a team. If you do something different, then you’re going to pay the price for us.

“He came back (to the team) in the middle of May He’s done well. I have not decided (on his status for the fall).

“We’re going to win games whether he plays or not.”

Sports editor John Adams may be reached at 865-342-6284 or adamsj@knews.com.

© 2007, Knoxville News Sentinel Co.
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