Auburn Football 2017 season preview, predictions and more

Offense

The primary reason for all the hype surrounding the Auburn Tigers in 2017 is their new quarterback: Jarrett Stidham. Seeking asylum from the mess at Baylor, Stidham elected to sit out last season and transfer. He heavily considered Texas A&M and Auburn before landing with the Tigers during the offseason. Not only will he be the starter for Auburn, but he very well might become the best quarterback in the SEC.

If there is a knock on Stidham, it’s the small sample size. He looked good at Baylor, but he only played in 10 games with three starts. He posted an impressive 12:2 touchdown to interception ratio and completed 68.8 percent of his passes for 1,265 yards. That sounds really nice, but it was against Big 12 defenses. Moving to a league known for its pass rush and physicality will be a challenge for Stidham, He may be up for it but only time will tell.

Who’s going to catch the ball?

Stidham will have a few young guys to throw to. Senior Tony Stevens was the leading receiver last year and is out of eligibility. That leaves Ryan David and Elite Stove as the only receivers on the entire Auburn roster with more than 15 catches in 2016. Stidham has the arm, but will there be anyone to catch it?

Answer: It might not matter too much. The brunt of the Auburn offense will still rest on the ground attack of Kamryn Pettway and Kerryon Johnson. The orange-clad duo were one of two rushing tandems to collectively top 2,000 yards on the ground, the other being Kentucky. Having two grinders has added value in the SEC. Adding an elite quarterback to a powerful running attack is how you win championships.