Auburn Football

Auburn safety Stephen Roberts was arrested in Alabama on the night of Aug. 24 and charged with two misdemeanors.

James Crepea of AL.com reported on Aug. 26 that Roberts was booked on charges of attempting to elude an officer and possessing a firearm without a license. He was released after posting bond.

The report also included a statement from an Auburn spokesperson, which read: "Coach [Gus] Malzahn is aware. He is gathering all the facts and will handle the situation appropriately."

Malzahn told reporters Tuesday that Roberts will be suspended for Auburn's season opener against Clemson on Sept. 3. Malzahn added the suspension will be week to week, and the team will see how Roberts responds to the ban.

According to the police report, Roberts had a handgun in his possession without a permit. The charges carry a potential punishment of up to one year in prison and a $6,000 fine.

Roberts, a junior, registered 26 tackles for the Tigers last season. He was expected to step into a more prominent role as a starting safety during the upcoming campaign.

In July, his former coach at Opelika High School, Brian Blackmon, talked about his progress at Auburn, per Tom Green of AL.com:

He's really focused in. You can tell there's been a lot of maturity and growth in him as a person the last year, two years. I'm a big believer that those types of things are things that show up on the field. He's always had the talent, but if he gets that part right, he's going to be a really good player at Auburn.

Tray Matthews, T.J. Davis and Markell Boston will battle for playing time in Roberts' absence.

AUBURN, Ala. — John Franklin III might have been the star of the summer Netflix hit Last Chance U, but Sean White will be the one getting another opportunity on the Plains this fall.

On Thursday evening, nine days before Auburn's season opener against No. 2 Clemson, head coach Gus Malzahn announced White would be the Tigers' starting quarterback. The sophomore beat out JUCO transfer Franklin and senior Jeremy Johnson for the job.

"We've got three guys that can run our offense, but Sean White's the first one that will be out there," Malzahn said. "We're excited for Sean. He's earned it. He's a guy that has experience in our offense last year. He's a tough guy. ... The team's going to rally around him, so I'm excited for him."

White came into fall camp as the rumored leader, and he was the safest option of the three for Malzahn. The Florida native was up and down in his six starts last season for the Tigers, as a knee injury against Arkansas heavily affected his play in the second half of the campaign.

Malzahn's decision to go with White will be a hot topic among Auburn fans between now and next Saturday's prime-time showdown with the defending national runner-up. Here are the pros and cons of White's move to the top of the depth chart for 2016.

     

Pros

Best passer on the roster

Of the three competitors in this year's battle, White was the most polished passer Auburn could have chosen.

For all his gifts as a runner, Franklin's inconsistencies through the air have been well-documented and were the biggest issue standing between him and the starting job. Johnson tossed seven interceptions last season, with six coming in Auburn's first three games.

When healthy, White was highly accurate through the air. Before his injury late in a marathon loss at Arkansas, his numbers—outside of passing touchdowns—were solid:

Opponent	Comp-Att	Comp %	Yards	TD	INT
Mississippi State	20-of-28	71.4	188	0	1
San Jose State	6-of-10	60.0	108	0	0
Kentucky	17-of-27	63.0	255	0	0
Arkansas*	19-of-32	59.4	254	0	0
Ole Miss	12-of-28	42.9	258	1	1
Georgia	1-of-5	20.0	1	0	0
Memphis	8-of-13	61.5	103	0	2
Before injury	62-of-97	63.9	805	0	1
After injury	21-of-46	45.7	362	1	3

"The fact that he competed at a high level last year and then he battled through some injuries, he had a very good spring," Malzahn said. "He's a smart guy that understands the offense. He battled. He battled hard in fall camp."

Passing has been White's calling card since Auburn started recruiting him to play quarterback. He was the No. 8 pro-style quarterback in the class of 2014 and the MVP of the famed Elite 11 quarterback camp in 2013.

White's emergence as Auburn's top option at quarterback could be coming at the best time for the offense. With the dismissal of Jovon Robinson, the Tigers are lacking depth and experience at running back.

However, Auburn reloaded its wide receiver corps this offseason with the signing of three 4-star wideouts: Nate Craig-Myers, Kyle Davis and Eli Stove. Those freshmen are expected to play key roles in the rotation this fall with returning weapons such as Marcus Davis, Jason Smith and Tony Stevens.

"[The receivers are] real confident in what we've got going on," Marcus Davis said. "Now that we've got that one guy, we can just continue to build that chemistry with him, and I think that was the biggest thing. We got a lot of reps with Sean White, and I think that everybody is just ready to play."

With Franklin's questionable passing game and Johnson's 2015 struggles, a healthy White is the most dependable option to get the ball to those receivers this fall. It could be an extra boost in Auburn's upset bid against Clemson, as the visiting Tigers only return one starter in their secondary.

     

Experience as a starter

Another advantage White had over Franklin in this battle is his experience as a starter. While Franklin has never taken a snap at the FBS level, White started almost half a season as a redshirt freshman. He already knows the pressure of big games at Jordan-Hare Stadium.

That's a big positive in his favor as Auburn plays a pair of Top Five teams and an additional SEC West foe in Texas A&M during the first month of the season.

"I think probably just more than anything is the progressions of understanding the offense," Malzahn said. "Any time you have experience in something, you can go to your checkdowns or go to the other side of the field and just probably the overall experience factor of knowing, being in the situations, knowing what to expect, knowing what to do or what not to do."

White showed as a freshman last season that he wouldn't get rattled in tough situations, whether it was his first career start against Mississippi State or a nationally televised Thursday night road game against Kentucky.

Nathan Deal of the Auburn Plainsman, the school newspaper, tweeted:

Sean White says entering the season with starting experience is a "night-and-day" difference from last season.

— Nathan Deal (@NattyD13) August 25, 2016

That attitude extended into 2016 for White, and it made a big impact on some of his teammates.

"Sean's got a little mean streak to him," running back Kerryon Johnson said. "He's not going to back down from anybody. He's a spicy player. He loves competition. I think that's the thing that people really get out of playing with him. They really get that attitude that you can really feed off of as a team."

White's past experience will be huge in preparing to attack the 2016 season as Auburn's starting quarterback. He knows the challenges ahead of him and what the coaching staff expects of him.

"That's been a huge difference as far as timing with the receivers and just being able to go out there and run the plays, not think, and being able to lead everybody," White said. "[It was] hard for me to get on [veteran receivers] like, 'Hey man. Do this. Do this.' Now I feel comfortable out there where I feel like I can lead the offense, lead the team."

    

Cons

Lack of an established running threat

Malzahn made it clear earlier in fall camp that Auburn needed more running production out of its quarterbacks in 2016.

"Our quarterback has to be more of a runner this year. We've talked about that—I don't care who it is," Malzahn said August 15, per Charles Goldberg of the Auburn website. "It's good that we've got that depth right now."

Does White fit that description? It's not looking likely based on his numbers a season ago. White was credited with 30 carries last season for 35 rushing yards. According to Auburn's website, 10 of those carries were sacks, and his longest run of the season was a 31-yarder against Mississippi State.

Needless to say, White's rushing production is a far cry from the quarterbacks who have run Malzahn's offense the best at Auburn—Cam Newton and Nick Marshall. Being that type of read-option quarterback hasn't been White's game so far in his football career.

However, he did play several games on an injured knee. At complete health, can White run enough to make Malzahn's offense perform at a higher level than 2015? Malzahn sounds confident.

"I mean he can run; he had a long run against Mississippi State," Malzahn said. "He's got the ability to tuck it and run. He's a 4.6 [seconds in the 40-yard dash] guy. But after he hurt his knee and hurt his foot, he wasn't the same guy. That limited him on his mobility, but he's a mobile guy."

JUCO transfers don't come onto campus to sit on the bench, and there's still a good chance Franklin might play quarterback for the Tigers in certain packages this season. Franklin could use his speed to provide that rushing threat from the signal-caller spot that White might not be able to provide in full.

Greg Ostendorf of ESPN.com concurred:

As @ClowESPN said, expect to see some packages with John Franklin III against Clemson even though White is the starter.

— Greg Ostendorf (@greg_ostendorf) August 26, 2016

But there's an inherent danger in that type of system: It could become far too predictable. Even if Franklin plays as a Wildcat-type quarterback this fall, White will still need to prove he can run. And Franklin will have to be a threat as a passer.

Predictability doomed the Tigers last year in Malzahn's worst offensive season as a collegiate coach. White doesn't have to be Nick Marshall, as he referenced Thursday evening in Auburn's press conference.

The lack of a true dual-threat starter could create more headaches for the under-pressure offense in 2016.

   

Injury history

White's knee injury cost him his mobility last season, and it will be in the back of Auburn fans' minds everywhere whenever he steps onto the field.

The new starting quarterback acknowledged the knee injury played a role on how his season finished last fall. His top priority in 2016: getting through all of it as a healthy starter.

"It bothered me. That's no excuse. I should've played better at the end of the season," White said. "If you're going to play, you have to go in there and play well. That's the object. If you're going to play, you've got to play well. My focus this year is to stay healthy and build momentum on what I did in the first half of the season last year, and I still don't believe I played as well as I could—not even close.

"So I feel like I'm ready to go. I'm 100 percent healthy. It's a huge credit to these guys down in the medical training staff...for me to get back 100 percent and not even have to worry about any injuries from last season."

Malzahn is confident in the quality depth Auburn has at quarterback following this lengthy position battle. That might come into good use if injuries haunt White in 2016.

"Like I've said all along, it was a very good race," Malzahn said. "All three guys competed at a very high level. I just felt like it was time to name a starter, and Sean won the job."

There's some risk in putting your chips behind a quarterback who struggled with a serious knee injury last season. If he's ruled out, Auburn will have to turn to a backup who either has no FBS experience or one who was always looked at as the longest shot in the three-way battle.

White's injury history isn't a major con right now, but it's something that could play into how the 2016 season goes for the Tigers.

    

All quotes obtained firsthand, unless otherwise noted. Stats are courtesy of CFBStats.com. Recruiting rankings are courtesy of 247Sports.

Justin Ferguson is a National College Football Analyst at Bleacher Report. You can follow him on Twitter @JFergusonBR.

AUBURN, Ala. — Auburn's offense had few sure things heading into 2016. Jovon Robinson was one of those—until Wednesday, that is.

On the first day of a fall camp that will lead into a make-or-break season for Gus Malzahn, the Auburn head coach announced he had dismissed his No. 1 running back.

"[Robinson] did not meet my standards or expectations of what it takes to be an Auburn Tiger football player," Malzahn said. "We're going to have zero distractions on this team this year. I've given him his release and we wish him the best."

According to Brett McMurphy of ESPN.com, Auburn dismissed Robinson for "missing classes and meetings and 'continued inattention to detail in everything.'" Robinson denied those claims by McMurphy in a message to James Crepea of AL.com, and Malzahn declined to release any details of why he was dismissed.

What is known about the dismissal is that it erased Malzahn's most established offensive weapon from the roster. It also makes it tougher for him to stay on the Plains past 2016.

After a 7-6 campaign in 2015 that featured some of the worst offensive production of his coaching career, Malzahn was set to go back to the basics in 2016. The Tigers would use more of the run-first scheme from 2013 and 2014, when they had one of the most feared offenses in college football.

Robinson, who rushed for 90 or more yards in five of Auburn's final six games of 2015, was going to be the cornerstone of that attack. The former No. 1 JUCO recruit was an every-down back who could beat defenses with strength and speed.

A better offense and an improved record would cool off any hot-seat talk surrounding Malzahn's future at Auburn.

But now Malzahn's offense has a major question mark at quarterback, a lack of established receivers and a running game that lost its three top running backs in terms of yardage this offseason. Sports on Earth's Matt Brown summarized Auburn's disarray:

So Auburn had to dismiss its star wide receiver last year and its top running back this year. And we have no idea who's playing QB.

— Matt Brown (@MattBrownCFB) August 3, 2016

That's a recipe for a potential meltdown in 2016—one that could cost Malzahn his job.

No. 1 running back Peyton Barber left school early with two years of eligibility left to go to the NFL, where he signed with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers as an undrafted free agent. No. 3 rusher Roc Thomas, a former 5-star recruit, decided to transfer to FCS program Jacksonville State in June.

Now No. 2 is gone.

Name	Carries	Yards	TDs	Still at Auburn for 2016?
Peyton Barber	237	1,016	13	No (declared for NFL draft)
Jovon Robinson	117	639	3	No (dismissed Wednesday)
Roc Thomas	43	261	1	No (transferred in June)
Kerryon Johnson	52	208	3	Yes

The only running back on Auburn's roster who recorded a carry last season is Kerryon Johnson, a sophomore who played multiple roles as an offensive reserve and missed all of spring practices following shoulder surgery.

Johnson, who is listed by Auburn at 6'0" and 211 pounds, wasn't an every-down running back in high school at Madison Academy in Alabama. But he's now set to be one at Auburn, and Malzahn said he's ready to make the transition.

"He's a guy that we've recruited to be a marquee back," Malzahn said. "He's got a great opportunity now. He's in a good spot. ... We recruited him expecting him to be a feature back. We're very confident he can do that."

The depth behind Johnson is made up of converted fullbacks Kamryn Pettway and Chandler Cox, true freshman Malik Miller and Baylor transfer Kameron Martin. None of them have recorded a carry for Auburn.

The Tigers, of course, are all saying they're still confident in the running game.

"I mean, Jovon was a great player, but we have a lot of great running backs that I feel like are going to do a job, and they're going to be ready to step up," wide receiver Marcus Davis said. "You have [Johnson]. Kamryn Pettway is a guy that's really been eye-opening since the springtime, and we just have a lot of different guys that are willing to step up."

However, there's no denying a program that's known for producing effective running backs year in and year out is in a tough spot heading into 2016, as Bleacher Report's Barrett Sallee noted:

Gus has had at least one 1,000-yard rusher (13 total) in each of his 10 years as a college HC or asst. Extending that will be a challenge.

— Barrett Sallee 🇺🇸 (@BarrettSallee) August 3, 2016

In all seriousness...Kerryon Johnson is a solid RB. A true No. 1? Eh, that remains to be seen.

— Barrett Sallee 🇺🇸 (@BarrettSallee) August 3, 2016

Malzahn's decision to dismiss Robinson won't necessarily make his seat any hotter. If Robinson was a potential distraction to the team because of his reported issues, then Malzahn made the right decision to send him away.

He made it clear he didn't want another situation like he had with former wide receiver Duke Williams in 2015. Williams missed part of fall camp for an undisclosed disciplinary issue and was kicked off the team in October following an incident in which he broke the jaw of teammate Xavier Dampeer.

The decision to dismiss Robinson, much like the one involving Williams last year, has the backing of Auburn's veteran leaders.

"We all support Coach's decision," left tackle Austin Golson said. "No one player is going to be able to take down our team. I believe that we're going to respond well and just keep practicing. We have plenty of other options that will be able to help us out. I think we're all going to be fine."

But on paper, getting from where Auburn's offense is right now to "fine" will take an incredible amount of progress.

Malzahn's chances of finding his mojo again on offense will be more difficult without an established running back to lead the way. The Tigers' issues in the passing game last year remain, and they face a dilemma in choosing between quarterbacks John Franklin III, Jeremy Johnson and Sean White.

Combine all that with a tough schedule, and Auburn's outlook for 2016 looks even more bleak. The Tigers will need Kerryon Johnson to emerge as a breakout star and get solid production out of its inexperienced depth.

Robinson's dismissal won't hurt Malzahn's job security if it was indeed the right thing to do for team chemistry. But the effects it might have on offense could send him out the door by the end of the year.

Inconsistency on offense doomed Auburn in 2015. Now it has lost a big part of its continuity.

For Malzahn to stay in Auburn past this fall, he will have to pull off his best coaching job yet.

    

All quotes obtained firsthand unless otherwise noted. Stats are courtesy of cfbstats.com. Recruiting rankings are courtesy of 247Sports.

Justin Ferguson is a National College Football Analyst at Bleacher Report. You can follow him on Twitter @JFergusonBR.

The Auburn Tigers dismissed running back Jovon Robinson from the team on Wednesday.

Per John Zenor of the Associated Press, Auburn head coach Gus Malzahn did not specify why Robinson was dismissed, only saying Robinson "did not meet [his] standards or expectations of what it takes to be an Auburn Tiger football player."

Malzahn did go on to say that the Tigers will have "zero distractions on this team this year." Four Auburn football players were arrested in May for possession of marijuana, although Robinson was not one of them.

Robinson responded to his dismissal on Thursday, speaking with James Crepea of AL.com:

"Everything about [the] Auburn coaching staff is not what it seems," Robinson said, per Crepea. "Just because I don't walk around with [a] fake smile, they feel like they [can] say or try to force anything."

"I was stereotyped and disrespected. The football players are not happy with this."

On Friday, Crepea reported Robinson was dismissed due to multiple incidents, one involving a teammate and one involving a young woman.

He was the Tigers' top returning rusher in 2016. Peyton Barber led last year's squad with 1,016 rushing yards and 13 touchdowns, but he left for the NFL after his sophomore season. 

Compounding the problems for Malzahn in the backfield—with exactly one month before the season begins—is that Roc Thomas, who was third on the Tigers with 261 rushing yards last year, transferred to Jacksonville State in June. 

In just eight games in 2015, Robinson ran for 639 yards on 117 carries. He had a career-high 159 yards in a 26-10 win over Texas A&M on November 7. 

As things stand, Kam Martin could emerge as the top running back for Auburn this season. He signed with the Tigers after being released from his scholarship to Baylor. There's not a lot of experience in the Tigers backfield right now, but Malzahn's spread-option attack has a knack for churning out running backs. 

Tom Fornelli of CBS Sports broke down the running back situation in Auburn with Robinson gone:

That leaves sophomore Kerryon Johnson -- whom Malzahn had working with the first team in practice in Robinson's absence -- and freshman Malik Miller. Kameron Martin, a four-star member of Auburn's latest recruiting class, just joined the team this summer, though it's possible he could take on a bigger role than Auburn had been planning to give him.

Of that trio, only Johnson has seen time in a game, rushing for 208 yards on 52 carries last season. An injury to any of them -- and running backs take a lot of hits -- would leave Auburn awful thin at one of its most important positions.

Auburn also has a quarterback quandary to work through after Jeremy Johnson struggled in 2015 and split playing time with Sean White. Things are not looking good for the Tigers this season, especially coming off a disappointing 7-6 campaign. 

Widely expected to become a Gator throughout his recruiting process, 4-star running back Devan Barrett stunned Florida fans on Thursday, committing instead to SEC adversary Auburn. 

In an announcement on Twitter, Barrett showed himself wearing a Tigers jersey and explained his decision:

It's official! #WDE  pic.twitter.com/X1cX8GZvUX

— Dev (@Devan_Barrett5) July 28, 2016

Barrett, who is heading into his senior season at Tampa Catholic, is the 17th-ranked running back in the class of 2017, per 247Sports. He's No. 222 nationally and No. 35 in the state of Florida.

For most of his recruitment, Barrett was expected to attend Florida. At one point, 247Sports' "crystal ball" gave him a 100 percent chance of landing in Gainesville. South Carolina and Auburn were also among the early favorites. 

Listed at 6'1" and 190 pounds, Barrett busted out with a huge junior season. He rushed for 1,891 yards and 21 touchdowns and hauled in 15 receptions for 218 yards. Deceptive with his quick feet and upfield burst, Barrett makes most of his moves with his vision and home run skills.

"It's nothing really to it, if I see it, I'm just going to take it," Barrett said, per Anthony Brown of the Left Bench. "I don't really have power in me. With my elusiveness, speed and vision, I try to get in and out of there."

The next level will be a transition, mostly because Barrett needs to add weight. He's not going to dominate SEC play with his current body type. If Auburn is looking for him to play as a freshman, it'll probably be in a limited third-down role.

Luckily, Barrett is a bit of a late bloomer. He wasn't a full-time starter at running back until last season and may rocket up recruiting boards with a big senior season. As it stands, coach Gus Malzahn has another young talent to add to his stable and an early piece to his recruiting class in 2017.

Malzahn is the mastermind of a run-heavy, uptempo Tigers offense, which should be in good hands with improved quarterback play and a steady influx of ball-carriers like Barrett.

Tray Bishop is the proverbial jack-of-all-trades, and he'll be taking his diverse skill set to Auburn after committing to the Tigers on Monday, per Chad Simmons of Scout. 

"My final decision was made last week, and it came down to the relationship with the coaches and the atmosphere at Auburn," Bishop said to Simmons. "The offense they run made it easier for me to make my decision because it is similar to ours."

According to 247Sports' composite rankings, Bishop is the No. 3 athlete and the No. 148 player overall in the 2017 recruiting class. He's also the 18th-best player in Georgia.

The scholarship offers have been pouring in for Bishop, with seven SEC schools and a variety of other major programs taking the step, per 247Sports. Auburn head coach Gus Malzahn attempted to go the extra mile, both figuratively and literally, driving Bishop around in his BMW, per Wesley Sinor of AL.com:

Auburn's Gus Malzahn takes recruit for a spin in new BMW sports car https://t.co/f0un4Zsujt @_TrayBishop pic.twitter.com/sAG1dFYqJW

— Wesley Sinor (@WesleySinor) February 21, 2016

Bishop may be listed as an athlete, but he might already have a position in mind for when he eventually heads to Auburn.

"Right now, how they're talking, it's [to play] the quarterback position," he said of the Tigers coaching staff in February, per Drew Champlin of AL.com. "Most schools have offered me as an athlete, but with Auburn, I can see myself playing quarterback at their school for the simple fact that the offense they run is similar to the offense we run."

Not only has Malzahn showed an affinity for mobile quarterbacks, but he has also used them to great success at the school. He was Auburn's offensive coordinator when the team won the national championship with Cam Newton in the 2010 season, and he helped get the Tigers to a national title game with Nick Marshall at quarterback in the 2013 season.

While watching highlights of Bishop, one could easily see him moving seamlessly into the Auburn offense:

At most schools, Bishop probably wouldn't work as a quarterback. Malzahn did a great job of masking Marshall's failings as a passer, and he could easily do the same for Bishop. Accuracy will obviously be a key factor in his potential success, but Marshall was a 60.2 percent passer in his two years with the Tigers.

Positioning Bishop at quarterback in the depth chart would also make sense since Sean White is heading into his sophomore season. White was the No. 8 pro-style quarterback in the 2014 recruiting class, per 247Sports' composite rankings. He also threw for 1,167 yards, one touchdown and four interceptions as a freshman.

By the time White is preparing to leave Auburn, Bishop will have had time to work on some of his issues as a passer and ideally improved to an extent he can help the Tigers.

Having White will also be a nice luxury in that the staff will have time to determine whether Bishop's future lies at quarterback. Considering his combination of speed and athleticism, he could easily transition to wide receiver or a role in the secondary.

As long as Auburn can settle on one position for Bishop relatively early, thus ensuring he gets the coaching specialization he needs as soon as possible, he should become an impact player for the Tigers in a few years.

Player discipline will be a constant topic at this week's SEC media days as several programs across the league prepare to answer questions about suspensions—or the lack thereof.

So it came as no real surprise Monday when Auburn head coach Gus Malzahn opened his time in Hoover, Alabama, by announcing four of his players would not miss any playing time in 2016 for their marijuana-related arrests during the spring.

Before taking the podium at the Hyatt Regency hotel, Malzahn told reporters cornerback Carlton Davis, defensive end Byron Cowart, cornerback Jeremiah Dinson and wide receiver Ryan Davis would not be suspended for their May arrests on misdemeanor marijuana charges:

Gus Malzahn says 4 Auburn players arrested on misdemeanor drug charges in May have been punished and won't miss playing time.

— John Zenor (@jzenor) July 11, 2016

Gus on off-season issues: "Those 4 young men made a mistake. We punished them, and they won't miss any time. That's behind us." #SECMD16

— Jeff Shearer (@jeff_shearer) July 11, 2016

The situation Malzahn faced entering SEC media days wasn't new to him. In 2014, former quarterback Nick Marshall was not allowed to attend the event after being cited for marijuana possession days before.

A few weeks later, Malzahn announced Marshall would not start in the 2014 season opener against Arkansas. Cornerback Jonathon Mincy—who was arrested for marijuana possession in June of that year—missed the opening series of the contest. 

Two years later, though, Malzahn is going a different direction with the discipline for marijuana charges.

Carlton Davis will be able to return as a key starter at cornerback September 3 against defending national runner-up Clemson. The other three players are expected to be important reserves when the season opens.

During his main time with the media Monday, Malzahn was asked by Bruce Feldman of Fox Sports if the caliber of Clemson played a role in determining the punishment for the players who got in offseason trouble.

Malzahn said it did not.

"We have the same expectations regardless of the opener," Malzahn said on the SEC Network broadcast. "It just so happens we're playing one of the best teams in college football, a team that almost won it all last year. ... We have high expectations from our players, no matter who we're playing the first game."

While the news of no suspensions for the four Tigers was by far the biggest highlight of Malzahn's fourth time at the event as Auburn's head coach, he also provided some insight on how he's heading into what will be a crucial 2016 season for him and his program.

Here are some more key takeaways from Malzahn and the Tigers' time in Hoover.

    

Get ready for a "hands-on" Malzahn in 2016 

Auburn is coming off the worst year of offense for a Malzahn-coached team—one filled with quarterback issues, poor execution and questionable play-calling in crucial situations.

On Monday, Malzahn was particularly candid about his responsibility in a season in which the Tigers ranked 86th nationally in yards per play and 74th in points per game.

"From an offensive standpoint, [2015] really was the first time since I've been coaching college that we didn't execute at, what I say, a high level consistently," Malzahn said. "And that goes back on me."

Malzahn sounded like a head coach who knows he's under great pressure to fix the once-stellar offense that got him hired at Auburn in the first place:

Year	Yards Per Play	Points Per Game	Red-Zone TD %	3rd Down %
2013	6.92 (8th in FBS)	39.5 (12th)	72.13% (13th)	46.52% (24th)
2014	6.71 (10th)	35.5 (27th)	65.52% (40th)	52.51% (2nd)
2015	5.39 (86th)	27.5 (74th)	62.75% (52nd)	41.01% (52nd)

In order to prevent a repeat of those offensive woes, Malzahn said he plans to go back to his roots as a coach this season. He said he was too much like a CEO of the team in 2015.

"One thing that really hit me pretty hard is that I got to be more active with the daily X's and O's and coaching that goes with that," Malzahn said. "And that's what I look at as my strength. ... I'm looking forward to getting back in the middle of things and enjoying the actual coaching on the field."

If Malzahn was indeed more hands-on with the offense in 2013 and 2014 than he was in 2015, then a turnaround on that side of the ball should be on its way for the Tigers.

The most crucial aspect of a potential bounce-back season on offense will be selecting the right starting quarterback. 

Malzahn, who was more hands-on with the quarterbacks during drills this spring, said Monday the battle continues to be open among JUCO transfer John Franklin III and former starters Jeremy Johnson and Sean White.

"The positive is we have three guys that we feel like can execute our offense," Malzahn said. "The challenge we have is defining and figuring out who that guy is that gives us the best chance to win games. The good thing is we do have experience in this."

Malzahn's focus on the three-way battle among Franklin, Johnson and White means true freshman quarterback Woody Barrett, who enrolled at Auburn late last month after some academic issues, will not compete for the starting job in fall camp.

"I think every player has a shot, but realistic right now the three older guys are going to be ahead," Malzahn said, per Michael Niziolek of the Columbus Ledger-Enquirer. "The fact that he just showed up two weeks ago, we are going to focus our attention on those three guys trying to win the position, and we will bring Woody along."

     

Great confidence in defense, despite coaching changes

It's been a while since Auburn has entered a season with more known qualities on defense than on offense.

But that's where the Tigers are right now in 2016. With so many questions about quarterbacks, play-calling and wide receivers on offense, the defense has the potential to be a strength again for Auburn. 

"We do have a lot of experience back, which I think is very important, we played well in the second half of the season," Malzahn said. "There's a lot of carryover, as far as our defense last year and defense this year, which I think is important. And I think we got a chance to have one of the best, if not the best, defenses we've had at my time at Auburn, which I think is very important."

A lot of Auburn's defensive success in 2016 will come down to one of the players he brought with him on the plane to Hoover on Monday—defensive end Carl Lawson.

Since he arrived at Auburn as a freshman in 2013, the Tigers defense has been better in almost every major stat category with him on the field. He missed all of 2014 and half of 2015 with injuries, so keeping him healthy will be vital, because he has elite talent.

"He's a game-changer. When you have a guy like that, it changes everything," Malzahn said. "And it really makes people better than maybe they are, or it hides some of your deficiencies. He's got that ability. ... He's at his fastest and quickest and strongest he's ever been."

Lawson will lead a defensive line that is so deep, 6'8" redshirt freshman defensive end Prince Tega Wanogho has moved over to the offensive line:

Prince Tega Wanogho changing from DL to OL for @FootballAU . @CoachGusMalzahn says no other position changes to announce at this time.

— Jeff Shearer (@jeff_shearer) July 11, 2016

Auburn will be able to rely on the likes of returning starters such as defensive tackle Montravius Adams, safety Johnathan "Rudy" Ford, cornerback Carlton Davis, safety Tray Matthews and defensive tackle Dontavius Russell. 

But they'll still have to adjust to a new defensive coordinator, linebackers coach and defensive backs coach after the exodus of Auburn assistants to South Carolina this offseason. 

Still, with the changes to former LSU defensive coordinator Kevin Steele, former Auburn linebacker Travis Williams and former NFL defensive backs coach Wesley McGriff, Malzahn remains confident in his defense.

"Our defenses responded extremely well," Malzahn said. "Our players were flying around during the spring. They were having fun with our defensive staff. You can just sense it when you go on the defensive staff room. They are all on the same page. It's a great feeling."

If Malzahn and his new-look staff can keep those good feelings going on both sides of the ball through the fall, then he'll be under a lot less pressure the next time he lands in Hoover for media days.

          

All quotes obtained from SEC Network's broadcast unless otherwise noted. Stats are courtesy of CFBStats.com. Recruiting rankings are courtesy of 247Sports.

Justin Ferguson is a National College Football Analyst at Bleacher Report. You can follow him on Twitter @JFergusonBR.

Nick Brahms, a 4-star offensive guard prospect from Navarre High School in Florida, announced his commitment to play college football for Auburn Saturday.

Keith Niebuhr of 247Sports had the news of Brahms' decision and included comments from the standout blocker:

One of them is his bond with Tigers offensive line coach Herb Hand, who joined the staff earlier this year.

“Me and him have been talking a lot lately,” Brahms said. “We have a good relationship. He’s intense and he’s full of energy. He’s the right guy.”

The vibe at Auburn was another plus, Brahms noted.

“Just the family — how close they are,” Brahms said. “The players, I’ve talked to them, too, and I like them.”

Brahms is the class of 2017's ninth-ranked offensive guard, the 30th-best player from Florida and the No. 153 overall recruit in the country, according to 247Sports' composite rankings.

After not really being on the recruiting radar following his junior high school season, Brahms burst onto the scene with a strong performance at the New Orleans Nike Opening Regional. He earned an invitation to The Opening's national showcase and promptly went from a 0- to a 4-star recruit.

"We feel he's a top-20 guy, and we don't pay a ton of attention to the ratings," said The Opening director Todd Huber of Brahms in April, per Bleacher Report's Sanjay Kirpalani. "The guys that do it are smart guys, but I think you will see that [his] rating will catch up to reflect how good of a player he is."

The near-overnight stock boost Brahms received wasn't without merit. His blend of size, athleticism and technical brilliance earned him the distinction as one of the nation's premier offensive line prospects.

Although he lined up at right tackle most often during his junior year, Brahms projects well to guard in college. The 6'4", 285-pounder already has a sturdy frame and doesn't carry a lot of excess weight, which bodes well for his NCAA transition.

Brahms is surprisingly agile and is therefore a big asset in pass protection. As a run-blocker, he plays with a clear fervor and aggressive streak, but he could stand to be more consistent with his pad level.

Since he has only recently begun to realize his upside, there's no telling how good Brahms can be when he receives excellent coaching from Auburn's staff at the next level. At the very least he should be a quality starter—perhaps as early as his true sophomore year.

The fact he projects well as a guard and has experience playing tackle bodes well for Brahms' bid to see the field for the Tigers sooner rather than later. With a strong showing in early practices, he could make a push to start in his first year on Auburn's campus.

     

Star rating, rankings and measurements courtesy of 247Sports.

Auburn picked up a commitment from Brandon Martin, the top JUCO wide receiver in the 2017 recruiting class, on Friday afternoon.

Martin confirmed his choice of the Tigers on social media. He's a 4-star wideout who ranks as the sixth-best junior college prospect overall and the second-best one from the state of Texas, according to 247Sports' composite rankings.

It sounds like Auburn's Big Cat Weekend last month sealed the deal. Jeffrey Lee of AuburnSports.com passed along comments from the wideout after he spent three days at the program's event with his parents and coach.

"I think they loved it, too," Martin said. "I was happy to see my mom and dad smiling and having fun. I think they would really be with (my decision) if I came to Auburn."

The Prime Prep Academy standout is already an imposing figure on the outside at 6'4" and 205 pounds, though he could benefit from adding more muscle to his frame. Otherwise, he has all the physical tools that coaches want to see from an incoming receiver.

Tigers fans will get a chance to track Martin's progress with Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College this fall. Bulldogs coach Chad Huff explained what makes him a special prospect, per Patrick Ochs of the Sun Herald.

"I think he's a big kid who can stretch the field. Long with good speed," Huff said. "We're looking for good things out of him. He'll definitely allow us to do some things down the field as well as with his ability to block on the perimeter."

He could end up make a quick impact with Auburn next year, assuming he's able to continue making positive strides at the JUCO level. Two wide receivers who are expected to see plenty of playing time for the Tigers this season, Tony Stevens and Marcus Davis, are both seniors.

Ultimately, the early Martin signing is even more impactful when you factor in Auburn's need to fill those voids after the 2016 campaign. The Tigers will probably still emphasize adding a few more top receiver targets to the class, though.

"We're going to name somebody. Hopefully sooner rather than later once we start fall camp."

Auburn head coach Gus Malzahn said in May at the College Football Hall of Fame that he was going to stay true to his roots and not let his three-man quarterback battle linger into the season.

That race—which features last season's opening day starter Jeremy Johnson, last season's backup-turned-starter and former Elite 11 MVP Sean White and former junior college backup John Franklin III—was three-wide heading into the back stretch of the offseason when spring practice ended.

Once fall camp starts, somebody needs to separate from the pack.

It needs to be Franklin.

The former Florida State and East Mississippi Community College signal-caller threw for 733 yards and seven touchdowns and rushed for 451 and nine scores in a backup role behind Wyatt Roberts for EMCC last year, and he has the jets to be a major weapon in an offense that needs a dynamic running threat from the quarterback spot.

Malzahn has had the most success as a college head or assistant coach when he gets running production from his quarterback.

Since taking over as Auburn's offensive coordinator prior to the 2009 season, Malzahn is 44-10 (.815) in seasons in which his primary starting quarterback rushes for more than 400 yards on the season. In seasons in which the primary starting quarterback doesn't top 400 rushing yards, Malzahn is 23-16 (.590).

Player	Player	School	Malzahn's Role	Rush Yds.	Team Record
2009	Chris Todd	Auburn	OC	-116	8-5
2010	Cam Newton	Auburn	OC	1,473	14-0
2011	Barrett Trotter	Auburn	OC	62	8-5
2012	Ryan Aplin	Arkansas State	HC	438	10-3
2013	Nick Marshall	Auburn	HC	1,068	12-2
2014	Nick Marshall	Auburn	HC	798	8-5
2015	Jeremy Johnson	Auburn	HC	137	7-6

Even in 2014, when Auburn finished 8-5 with a mobile quarterback in Nick Marshall taking the snaps, it was in the thick of the national title race before the wheels came off in an early November home loss to Texas A&M.

Auburn needs wheels under center, and Franklin can provide those wheels, as he showed on Twitter earlier this spring when Auburn's players ran the 40-yard dash:

4.28 LASER 🏃🏿💨💨💨💨 #FastestQBInTheNation #JF3 #WDE pic.twitter.com/fJHj9zaCAU

— John Franklin III aka Coach J5 (@jf3_5) April 28, 2016

The biggest concern with Franklin is his weight.

He's listed at 186 right now, but said after the spring game that he wants to bulk up just a bit prior to the season in order to take the pounding that comes with being a dual-threat quarterback in the SEC.

"I got here [in January], and I was 170," Franklin said after the spring game. "So I've put on about about 15 pounds. I'm going to continue to gain weight. That's not a real concern of mine. The one thing I have [that others don't] is that I can run away from people.

"I want to get within 190 to 195. This is the biggest I've ever been. As long as I keep my speed and am able to move with the weight, I'm fine. It's going to come. I'm not really worried about it too much. I've been small all of my life, and it hasn't bothered me yet."

If Franklin can get to 195 pounds and keep that 4.28 speed—which was recorded after spring practice concluded—intact, he should be the starting quarterback for the Auburn Tigers in the season opener against Clemson and beyond.

There's a massive difference between 195 pounds and 170. While Franklin's ideal weight isn't close to where Marshall was when he took the snaps on the Plains (he was a well-put-together 210), it's still big enough for Franklin to be effective as long as he learns how to protect himself when danger is closing in.

As ESPN Insider's Phil Steele told The Opening Drive on WJOX in Birmingham, Malzahn needs to roll the dice and go with Franklin—the least experienced of the trio contending for the job:

Steele: "The key to Auburn is going to be a mobile QB, and I think John Franklin III will be able to deliver that this year."

— The Jay Barker Show (@Jaybarkershow) June 9, 2016

Johnson doesn't have Franklin's wheels and isn't the bruiser that former Tiger Cam Newton was between the tackles. White is a prototypical dropback passer who, while talented, isn't a threat to take off on the ground.

What's more, it's imperative for the Tigers to get off to a great start in the opener versus Clemson and in Week 3 against Texas A&M. Auburn's offense is essentially an open book with Johnson or White at the helm. By going old-school and using a similar offense to the one Malzahn was successful with in 2013 and 2014 with a mobile quarterback, it will be difficult for the early-season opponents to properly prepare for what Franklin brings to the table.

The element of the unknown at quarterback can work in Malzahn's favor.

Franklin is Auburn's best shot to be an SEC West contender thanks to his playmaking ability on the edge, which will serve as a complement to the ability of running back Jovon Robinson to soften up defenses between the tackles. 

If he can develop just one or two aspects of his passing game and at least become a threat deep, he can help lead the program back into contention. 

If Auburn wants to make a big splash, Malzahn needs to go with Franklin.

Quotes obtained firsthand unless otherwise noted. Statistics courtesy of cfbstats.com unless otherwise noted. Recruiting information courtesy of 247Sports.

Barrett Sallee is the lead SEC college football writer and national college football video analyst for Bleacher Report as well as a host on Bleacher Report Radio on SiriusXM 83. Follow Barrett on Twitter @BarrettSallee.