Auburn Football: Why the Tigers are SEC dark-horse contenders for 2017

Alabama is considered to be the SEC favorite, but don’t overlook Auburn football as a potential dark-horse contender.

Heading into 2017, Alabama is the clear favorite to win the SEC, but which darkhorse team could surpass Alabama if the Crimson Tide falter? My educated guess is Alabama’s biggest rival, the Auburn Tigers.

Other popular choices include LSU, Florida and Georgia. Looking at last year, LSU was Alabama’s toughest opponent. However, the other Tigers (Missouri rounds out the SEC’s trifecta) don’t have a game changer at quarterback. Heck, the team hasn’t even gone as far as naming a starter.

Florida’s roster remains unsettled, but the Gators won the East in 2015 and 2016. Because of this, the team remains a favorite in the East.

Georgia did not live up to expectations in Kirby Smart’s first year as head coach, but the team didn’t lose many key contributors and Smart had a loaded 2017 recruiting class, so there is reason for optimism.

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One less popular choice that would not surprise in the least is Kevin Sumlin’s Aggies. He returns an experienced offensive line, two outstanding running backs, and John Chavis as his defensive coordinator. The team doesn’t have a game changer at quarterback—at least, not yet. Kellen Mond, while just a true freshman, was a four-star recruit in high school.

So, why is Auburn the best choice for dark horse contender?

Auburn has one of the best returning running back stables for one thing. Kamryn Pettway rushed for 1,224 yards last season, even though he sat out four games. Kerryon Johnson led the team in rushing touchdowns with 11 and tallied 895 yards. Pettway struggled with a recurring quad injury last season, but when healthy, he was one of the SEC’s most difficult running backs to bring down.

One of the biggest areas of weakness for Auburn in 2016 was at quarterback. The team tried three different options in 2016 with Sean White the most successful. White is in the competition for 2017, but he struggled to stay healthy in 2016.

One option should be a leader at another position in 2017. John Franklin III doesn’t have the strongest arm, but he is an exceptional athlete. He spent the entire spring at wide receiver, where Darius Slayton will lead a talented corps.

While Sean White is an option at quarterback, the favorite for 2017 is Baylor transfer Jarrett Stidham. Sitdham is 6-feet 3-inches with a big arm and dual-threat capabilities. In fact, Chris Johnson of Sports Illustrated chose Stidham as one of his darkhorse Heisman candidates.

Additionally, Auburn returns one of the best kickers in the SEC in Daniel Carlson.

On defense, Kevin Steele’s unit was deceptively impressive in 2016. In terms of total defense, it is no surprise Alabama, Florida, LSU, and Georgia ranked at the top (perhaps a big part of why these teams are easy choices for the top of the conference in 2017). However, Auburn ranked fifth in the conference.

Breaking out the statistical categories further, Auburn finished fourth in scoring defense in the SEC (and seventh in the nation just behind Florida at six and LSU at five). Auburn allowed just 17.1 points per game last season.

The team lost Montravius Adams (third round) and Carl Lawson (fourth round) to the NFL Draft but returns plenty of experience on both sides of the ball. Former ace recruit Byron Cowart switched from defensive end to defensive tackle. He should fill Adams’ void on the defensive line, along with Dontavius Russell and Marlon Davidson. Jeff Holland will fill Lawson’s spot as the team’s primary edge rusher.

The 2017 Auburn defense is more physical, more able to stop the run, but less pesky in terms of pass rush. In a similar vein, the secondary lost a little speed—Rudy Ford in particular—but maintains high marks in experience. Seniors Stephen Roberts and Tray Matthews will lead the unit.

With a potential Heisman-level quarterback, two strong running backs and a strong returning defense, Auburn will challenge for the SEC in 2017.

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