Auburn Football: 5 reasons the Tigers will contend in 2019
As the 2019 season approaches, excitement around Auburn football is bubbling. If the Tigers are to contend, it will be based on a few key aspects of this team.
Auburn is a perennially unpredictable team. 2017 started off on a discouraging note, but finished with 10 wins, including victories over Georgia and Alabama, and a trip to the SEC Championship. They were unable to carry that momentum into 2018, and they finished with a record of 8-5.
Now entering 2019, questions still linger. Is this a title contender, or an eight-win team? They’re certainly talented enough to be in Atlanta, but they also play a tough-enough schedule to see more disappointment.
This team has the players in 2019. If the right things click, this could be a special season on the plains.
5. Elite defensive line
The Tigers are absolutely loaded up front. Many have called this the best defensive front in the SEC, and they certainly have a right to that claim.
In back-to-back offseason surprises, both Derrick Brown and Marlon Davidson decided to return for their senior seasons. Brown has been Auburn’s most impactful player up front. He has a unique combination of size and quickness, and he will once again anchor this front.
There is a question as to who will fill the hole next to him, left by four-year starter Dontavius Russell. Malzahn addressed that on the recruiting trail, signing four four-star defensive linemen in its 2019 class. Tyrone Truesdell is the favorite to take Russell’s spot, but regardless of who starts, he will certainly contribute along with T.D. Moultry, Coynis Miller and Big Kat Bryant.
The bookends will be Davidson and Nick Coe. Davidson hasn’t seen his quality as a player translate to the stat sheet, which is part of the reason he chose to return for his senior season. He’s made it very clear that he’s “all about the money”. He wants to be a first-round pick, and you have to appreciate his honesty.
Coe is an electric player in his own right, leading the team with seven sacks in 2018. He bulked up during the offseason, and will be able to play both inside and outside. This newfound versatility is another reason the loss of Russell is something this team can overcome.
If this team contends in 2019, as it is capable of, this will have to be the premier unit. With key games against Justin Herbert and Oregon, Tua Tagovailoa and Alabama, and Jake Fromm and Georgia, pressure on the quarterback will be vital to the Tigers’ success.