Auburn Tigers 2015 Spring Game Preview: Five things to watch for
By Logan Shaw
Sep 6, 2014; Auburn, AL, USA; Auburn Tigers running back Roc Thomas (9) gets past San Jose State Spartans cornerback Dasheon Frierson (5) during the second half at Jordan Hare Stadium. The Tigers beat the Spartans 59-13. Mandatory Credit: John Reed-USA TODAY Sports
2. Who steps up for the Tigers at RB?
Auburn loses the SEC’s leading rusher for a second straight offseason and must replace Cameron Artis-Payne who did a fine job replacing Heisman finalist Tre Mason in 2014.
However, despite losing a bulk of talented guys at the position, Auburn remains confident their holes will be filled after recruiting so well at the position.
Malzahn has proved that he can plug a running back in his system and have tremendous success, so who steps up this year and seizes the No. 1 job?
One likely candidate is sophomore running back and former Mr. Alabama Football, Roc Thomas who carried the ball 43 times in his freshman season, scoring two touchdowns and averaging five yards per carry. Thomas gained much experience his freshman season, and will be a main focal point of Malzahn’s offense in 2015.
Another guy that could, will emerge as Auburn’s next explosive back is junior running back, Jovon Robinson, who came to Auburn by way of junior college. He’s 6’0″ and 230 lbs of pure beast mode. Robinson was rated as the No. 1 JUCO running back in the country, and was a consensus five-star prospect
If you’re not convinced yet, you should be. Thomas and Robinson are going to do wonders this season in Malzahn’s offense. Watch out for these guys. It’s going to be a special year the running back position even if both split carries 50-50.
Next: Dominant Defensive Play