Since they began their respective auditions in March, one has gotten bigger, the other smaller.

One has learned an entirely new position, the other a slightly modified version of his old spot on the field.

Both Brandon Mosley and Roszell Gayden have gone through major transitions since they collectively arrived on campus in January. Their paths toward winning the one open spot on Auburn’s veteran-heavy offensive line, right tackle, have certainly differed, but their presence alone has set up the Tigers for the 2010 season better than it would be without them.

“Both those guys look the part,” offensive coordinator Gus Malzahn said.
When one finally emerges as a first-teamer sometime this August, his ability to develop chemistry with his fellow linemen, all of whom have played next to each other for the past two seasons, will be vital toward solidifying Auburn’s front five as one of the best in the conference.

Their resumes
By the time Auburn opened spring camp, Mosley had already gained nine pounds from his original playing weight of 285 pounds. As of Wednesday, Mosley had gained five more to put himself one shy of 300.

Mosley will hit his ideal weight when the scale reads “310.” If he proves capable playing his fourth different position in as many years before that happens, it won’t matter what his waist size is.

Mosley played tight end and linebacker in high school and tight end and defensive end at Coffeyville (Kan.) Community College.

“It’s not that much different, but there’s still some stuff I have to learn,” Mosley said in March. “It’s more technique and pass setting and all that stuff I didn’t do when I was a tight end.”

Gayden, meanwhile, was immediately sent to strength and conditioning coach Kevin Yoxall to slim down and reposition some of his weight. Gayden is now down to 315 pounds and is expectedly in better spirits than when he finished the spring.

Mosley appeared to be ahead of Gayden when spring ended, as he worked with the first-team linemen throughout April’s A-Day game. Gayden, who was hampered by a few nagging injuries during the spring, didn’t play a single snap at right tackle at A-Day, instead lining up with the second-team group at his old position, left tackle.
“(Before the injuries) I felt like I was getting in my groove, actually,” Gayden said. “I was a little nervous at first but I felt like I was coming along.”

Why they are important?
At left tackle, Lee Ziemba is considered one of the best in the nation at his position.

At left and right guard are Byron Isom and Mike Berry, who have combined to start 39 games through their first three years.

Conducting the group at center is Ryan Pugh, who, like Ziemba, has been starting since he was a freshman.

No matter who wins the job between Mosley and Gayden, there will be a big goose egg at right tackle when the season opens in September.

Defensive coordinators will scheme to exploit any weakness they can find. A disconnect at right tackle would stand out like an open wound.

Gayden or Mosley’s ability to adapt and mesh will be absolutely vital, though the elder statesmen don’t think it should be too difficult.

“It’s awesome to see how fast they’re learning and how eager they are to learn,” Ziemba said.

Who’s behind them?
There’s a reason why Gene Chizik saw it as essential to bring at least one tackle capable of starting onto the roster before spring practice.

To be safe he brought in two, because there wasn’t much confidence in the rest of the depth chart when the 2009 season ended.

Auburn’s touted class of freshman linemen took a hit when five-star Shon Coleman came down with cancer, which will keep him away from football for at least this season. In a perfect world for

Grimes, freshmen Chad Slade, Ed Christian and Eric Mack would probably all redshirt the 2010 season.

Sophomore John Sullen, though much slimmer at 312 pounds, and redshirt freshman Andre Harris still could be a year or two away from seeing real playing time with the first team.

That leaves the ball squarely in the courts of Gayden and Mosley.

May the best tackle win.

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Of all the players on Auburn’s roster this past spring, Ikeem Means might have received the most publicity.

The redshirt sophomore walk-on was hard to ignore simply because safeties coach TommyThigpen wouldn’t stop talking about him.

“He kind of reminds me of (Daren) Bates, except probably a little more burst than Bates,” Thigpen said in April. “It’ll be interesting, because if he does exactly what he’s been doing in practice and be able to execute, he’ll be competing for some starting time.”

That statement was delivered while the collective statuses of Zac Etheridge, Aairon Savage and Mike McNeil were up in the air. And while it’s still uncertain that all three players will be fully healthy and able to contribute for the season opener, Means’ road to significant playing time certainly appears to be bumpier.

That doesn’t make him any less valuable on a team that had some laughable struggles on special teams last season.

There’s a reason why special teams coordinator Jay Boulware took some sarcastic jabs at Thigpen for taking Means away from him this spring.

He’s not your everyday walk-on.

His resume
Means could be playing football for free right now. That’s what his mother, Trisha, wanted.

But Means, a Wetumpka native, saw a better opportunity as a walk-on at Auburn, passing up free rides to Alabama State and Tuskegee.

He probably saw the lack of depth on Auburn’s roster, which basically forced him into action on special teams as a true freshman.

Seeing the field on nearly every special teams formation, Means led all non-scholarship defenders with 10 tackles, six solos. When given the opportunity to play on defense against Furman in Auburn’s homecoming game, Means made the most of it, picking up six tackles. All four of his tackles on special teams were solos.

Means, though, wants more.

First, he wants some “real” playing time, an opportunity to prove his six-tackle effort against Furman wasn’t a result of poor competition. Second, he wants a scholarship, a definite possibility if Auburn has remaining scholarship slots at the end of August.

“That was my main goal,” Means said in April. “Just to help my mom out and do whatever I could because she’s always been there for me.”

Why he’s important
It’s easy to overlook just how much of an impact special teams has on a game because it’s so easy to forget just how often special teams situations arise.

Take last year’s 26-22 victory at Tennessee, an average SEC game that included a normal amount of punts, kicks, field goal attempts and touchdowns. For a player like Means, who plays on most, sometimes all, special teams formations, it’s a day at the office that doesn’t go without any significant lulls.

In that game, Auburn kicked off seven times and fielded four. The Tigers punted six times, while Tennessee was forced to punt eight times. Wes Byrum attempted five field goals and two extra points, while Tennessee kicker Daniel Lincoln attempted two apiece.

This particular game featured 156 offensive plays.

Special teams plays encompassed a little less than 19 percent of it.

Means probably wasn’t on the field for all 36 special teams plays, but he was there for the vast majority. That’s the definition of under-the-radar participation.

And Means, as Boulware said in April, was one of his best on the overlooked unit.

“He’s really looking good on teams, but he’s also looking really good on defense,” Boulware said. “There’s another guy that I’m going to have to cross off of my list if he keepsprogressing.”

Who’s behind him?
Means would love his future to be somewhere outside the world of special teams.

His battle to make real contributions on defense will be difficult if Etheridge, McNeil and Savage are fully recovered, but that remains to be seen.

If only one or two of those players can contribute, Means has a legitimate shot to see the field, at least in nickel or dime packages.

If it doesn’t come together this season, there will always be a place for Means on special teams. And with a deep class of freshmen entering the fray next month, Means’ services might not be required on all special teams formations — even though his coach remains skeptical.

“That’s where our depth is right now,” Boulware said. “We’ve got to rely on other guys coming in, so we’re still a year away where we need to be depth-wise, talking about kids being able to come in and help us out.”

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“Before I said anything, he said, ‘As of now, your duties are no longer needed,”’ Person said when contacted Wednesday. “I have no reason why he felt that way.

“I asked and was given no explanation. I know I’ve done everything by the book.

“I don’t know what happened to get to this point.”

Person, a former Auburn and NBA standout, was entering his second year as the men’s basketball coach after spending one year as an assistant women’s coach at the school.

Efforts to reach Coats on Wednesday afternoon were unsuccessful. A person answering calls for the school’s main switchboard did not confirm the firing, but did say Person would be leaving on Aug. 20.

Person said he was the one who called a meeting with the athletic director to go over plans for next season.

He said he signed 15 players this spring and already had them on campus.

“I just had gotten my players in and I wanted him (Coats) to know what my plans were,” Person said of initiating the meeting. “I wish they would have dealt with me in a professional manner. It left a sour taste in my mouth.”

Person said he took the group off campus to tell them he was no longer their coach.

“I just let them know I was done,” Person said. “They were disappointed — very emotional.”

Person said he went to Coats office again on Wednesday morning in hopes of getting an explanation, but was told Coats would not be able to see him.

Person then said Coats called him later in the day on his cell phone.

“I said, ‘Can I come into meet with you face to face?’ and he said, ‘No,’” Person said. “He said my last day is Aug. 20.”

Person stressed he was happy living in Enterprise, but does not know at this time if he’ll remain in the community.

Prompted about players, or coaches, he didn’t think deserved praise, Tate often pleaded the fifth or let his Cheshire cat grin tell you how he truly felt.

That never happened last season whenever Eric Smith’s name popped up.

Tate might have been a little biased, considering that Smith was one of his better friends on the team, but it was clear that he respected all the little things Smith did as an H-back.

“He’s a team player. He lays it on the line,” Tate said. “Some people don’t realize or actually get to see what he does for us.

“I appreciate him and I let him know it because he does a heck of a job of blocking.”

Football is loaded with stats galore, but there isn’t a truly fair way to quantify what a player like Smith brings to the offense.

What makes Smith even more valuable, though, is that he does quantify his worth by catching passes on third downs, plowing through the line on that all-important third-and-1 or taking a few carries at tailback whenever the starter needs a spell.

Smith simply is Auburn’s Mr. Everything.

His resume
Smith arrived at Auburn for Tommy Tuberville’s final season and immediately drew comparisons to former downhill runner Rudi Johnson.

It was lofty praise. And it was a projection offensive coordinator Gus Malzahn didn’t exactly agree with when he took over as offensive coordinator in 2009.

Malzahn saw a player that wasn’t going to contend with Tate and Onterio McCalebb for the traditional tailback role. He saw a player that fit in perfectly with his versatile H-Back position, especially for blocking situations.

Smith’s biggest hurdle of adversity toward embracing that role was self-inflicted. He was arrested in early August for misdemeanor disorderly conduct. He was later charged with Class A assault, another misdemeanor, and was ultimately suspended for one game.

Smith was also ruled ineligible for the Outback Bowl because of academic concerns.

Between those two incidents, though, Smith was arguably one of Auburn’s most valuable offensive players. He rushed for nearly 100 yards and a touchdown and also caught 18 passes for 226 yards — the majority of which seemingly came on crucial, third-and-longs.

Smith should be eligible when practice opens next week and the door should be open for him to assume full-time duties at H-back.

Why he’s important
Malzahn’s offense thrives on versatility and there’s no position that demands it more than H-back.

Mario Fannin, who has played more than four positions in his football career, seemed to fit the H-back mold perfectly. But, as Fannin would often admit, he wasn’t the best blocker.

That’s where Smith’s importance reigned strongest in 2009. Though by no means the runner or playmaker that Fannin is, Smith brought value on passing downs that didn’t require the H-back to go out for passes, running plays where Tate broke out to the side or, simply, the basic
running plays between the tackles.

“We move him around,” Malzahn said. “He allows us to put him in a lot of different positions and gives us a lot of flexibility.“

Who’s behind him?
It’s always tough to define what players are playing in what specific spots in Malzahn’s amorphous offense, but there are clearly fewer options at H-back this season than there were in 2009.

Gone, for the time being, is Fannin, who will get his first real crack at taking over the everyday tailback job. Gone is Dontae Aycock, whom many projected as a prototypical H-back, but is now trying to walk on at South Florida. And gone are lesser-knowns John Douglas and Jason
King, both of whom were arrested for respective DUIs last December.

That left Smith, Philip Lutzenkirchen and redshirt freshman Robert Cooper as Auburn’s H-backs this past spring. Cooper, a former quarterback, is still trying to gain weight and appears to be a work in progress. Lutzenkirchen will certainly see the field in 2010, but it could very well be in a role similar to Tommy Trott’s in 2009. Lutzenkirchen is versatile, has been receiving extra tutelage and, as of spring practice, was training to prepare for H-back duties, but his danger as a traditional tight end might be tough to overlook.

That leaves Smith to resume the role he performed so well in 2009.

“He’s a smart, smart player,” Malzahn said. “He understands football, he understands concepts. He’s tough. He’s one of our all-around guys that can give us a lot of flexibility.”

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Now, it appears the Tigers will face a much steeper climb.

Junior guard Frankie Sullivan, Auburn’s only returning starter and one of the only returning players who logged significant minutes last season, underwent successful knee surgery in Birmingham on Tuesday. There is no timetable set for his return.

“I feel for Frankie,‘’ Barbee said in a university release. “We were all looking forward to him having a big year.

“We know Frankie will use his toughness and work ethic to come back 100 percent and will rejoin the team when he is fully healthy. I am glad
the surgery was a success, and we look forward to him completing his rehab and getting back on the court and helping the team.”

Barbee, who was on the road recruiting, flew in for Sullivan’s surgery, which was performed by renowned orthopedist Dr. James Andrews at St. Vincent’s Hospital.

AU officials could not specify which knee or what type of surgery was performed.

Auburn was already going to be without more than 60 percent of its scoring and rebounding from last season. The Tigers now return next to nothing, as Sullivan averaged 12.7 points, 3.7 rebounds and 2.0 assists last season as the Tigers went 15-17.

Throughout his first two years at Auburn, Sullivan showed flashes of the same scorer who averaged 26.7 points per game as a senior at R.C. Hatch High School.

In the Tigers’ final game last season, Sullivan scored a career-high 27 points in a first-round SEC Tournament losing effort to Florida.

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Garrett, at 6-foot-2 and 185 pounds, is the second linebacker in Auburn’s class of 2011, joining Chris Landrum (Sweet Water). He’s the 12th player overall, fourth in the past 10 days.

Garrett is considered a three-star recruit by both Rivals.com and Scout.com, both of which reported the news first Tuesday.

Garrett had offers from more than 10 schools, including Alabama, Georgia, Tennessee, South Carolina, Clemson and FSU, according to AuburnSports.com.

With a lineup of matches that takes the team to Wisconsin and California and brings 2009 NCAA Women’s College quarterfinalist Florida State to the Auburn Soccer Complex along with the always tough Southeastern Conference slate, Auburn is positioning itself for another postseason appearance come November.

“The SEC is one of the best conferences in the country, and like every year, will provide a battle any time we take the field,” Auburn head coach Karen Hoppa said. “Our non-conference schedule is made to prepare us for the grind of the SEC as well as postseason play.”

The competition portion of the 2010 season gets underway Aug. 20 when Tennessee Tech comes to Auburn. The following weekend Auburn will head to Milwaukee, Wis., where it will battle Marquette (Aug. 27) and UW-Milwaukee (Aug. 29) to close out the month.

Auburn returns home Sept. 3 for a match with regional foe Florida State and follows that with a Sept. 5 meeting with Western Carolina before heading west for a weekend tournament at Southern Cal where it will face the host Women of Troy and Cal State Fullerton on Sept. 10 and 12, respectively.

“Florida State is extremely well coached, have great quality in their team and will be prepared. The last time we played FSU at home (2008) was a 1-0 loss for a chance to advance to the Sweet 16. We had a fantastic crowd that day and expect an even better one this year. We will be prepared through the necessary work, but the energy given from the home crowd is undeniable. Hopefully, it will help us change the result,” Hoppa said. “The west coast teams are very good, and this year’s trip will provide us an opportunity to test ourselves against two of the best.
It challenges our staff to prepare the team not only for their opponents, but how to manage the cross-country travel.”

A Sept. 17 home match closes out the non-conference schedule and leads into the SEC schedule, where Auburn will be trying to win a seventh SEC West title under Hoppa’s direction. Auburn will play four of its five divisional opponents in the first two weekends, hosting Mississippi State (Sept. 24) and Ole Miss (Sept. 26) and then traveling to Arkansas (Oct. 1) and three-time defending SEC West champion LSU (Oct. 3).

Auburn returns home to face last season’s top two teams out of the SEC East in South Carolina (Oct. 8) and Florida (Oct. 10), before heading to Vanderbilt (Oct. 15) and Kentucky (Oct. 17).

The final two weeks of the season has Tennessee visiting Auburn (Oct. 21) and Auburn traveling to Georgia (Oct. 24), before wrapping the regular season up with the annual Iron Bowl of Soccer matchup against Alabama on Friday, Oct. 29.

Once again the SEC Tournament will be held at the Orange Beach Soccer Complex in Orange Beach, and begins on Nov. 3.

Auburn has been selected to play on television four times this season, appearing on ESPNU in matches with Ole Miss and Florida, playing on COXTV at LSU and then on Fox Sports at Georgia.

“Any time we get to play on television once is great, let alone four times. Television games are fantastic for women’s soccer, the SEC, Auburn University, and Auburn soccer. Ole Miss, Florida, Georgia, and LSU are historically great games that will be entertaining to watch. Auburn fans everywhere get a chance to learn a little about Auburn and see us play, plus the team gets excited too,” Hoppa said.

Barber wins U.S. Amateur qualifier
Rising Auburn sophomore Blayne Barber advanced to the 2010 U.S. Amateur after claiming medalist honors Tuesday at the Sawgrass Country Club in Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla.

The Lake City, Fla., native shot 7-under through 36-holes for a three-stroke win over North Florida’s Sean Dale (140). Currently ranked 25th in the Scratch Players World Amateur Golf Rankings, Barber returns to the U.S. Amateur after competing in the 2008 edition.

“I feel like I’ve been playing well all summer and that my game is coming together,” said Barber. “These two rounds were real smooth — nothing crazy. Just solid golf. Today, I started out with three birdies after the first three holes which allowed me to settle in quickly. It was a comfortable round.

“My goal over the next two years is to make the Walker Cup. I’ve been trying to play all the big events I can. Making it to the U.S. Amateur is a big help in reaching that goal. I’m incredibly excited to have qualified.”

Barber redshirted the 2009-10 season after transferring from the University of Central Florida, was named to the 2008-09 Five-Man GCAA All-Freshman team and was a three-time Conference USA Golfer-of-the-Week.

Earning alternate status from the Wheaton, Ill., qualifier were incoming freshman Dan Stringfellow and rising junior Kyle Kopsick. The pair tied for fifth at 1-under.

Also earning alternate status from the Orlando, Fla., sectional was incoming transfer Michael Hebert at 1-under.

The 2010 U.S. Amateur is set for August 23-29 at the Chambers Bay Golf Course in Tacoma, Wash. Complete U.S. Amateur information and qualifying results can be found at http://www.USGA.com.

3 volleyball matches to be televised
The Auburn volleyball team will make three televised appearances during the 2010 season, including two matches being aired from the Student Activities Center.

“This is a big step for the Auburn volleyball program and we’re happy to be able to host televised matches here at Auburn,” head coach Wade Benson said. “I feel we’re going to have a very strong team and that they deserve this kind of attention. We hope for more televised opportunities in the future.”

Auburn will make its first-ever appearance on the ESPN family networks Wednesday, Oct. 6 when Georgia comes to the Student Activities Center. The match will be broadcast by ESPNU and is set to air at 7 p.m. The match marks the first home televised match for Auburn since 2006.

The team’s next televised match will be Sunday, Oct. 31 as the Tigers travel to Kentucky. Fox Sports Network will broadcast the noon contest between Auburn and the Wildcats.

The Tigers’ final televised match is set for Sunday, Nov. 7 on CSS (Comcast) as the Florida Gators come to Auburn for a 1 p.m. match.

Auburn opens the regular season by hosting the War Eagle Invitational, Aug. 27-28, at the Student Activities Center. The Tigers face Georgia Southern, Troy and UT Martin during the two-day tournament.

Sure, the first punter to represent his team in Media Days history is a little biased, but his coach, Mark Richt, had his back.

“It truly is a third of the game,” Butler said of special teams. “If you can win that aspect, and you can win offense or defense, you have a leg up on the competition.”

OK, so punting is probably one-sixth. And when it’s considered that field-goal kicking puts actual points on the board and can truly decide wins or losses, it might get bumped to one-eighth.

Regardless, it’s still a vital component to the game.

All indications point toward Auburn senior Ryan Shoemaker resuming his role this season as the Tigers’ point man on punts, which means his presence on the roster is as vital as any.

On a team in which the defense is still unproven, every yard is crucial. The difference between a touchback and a ball downed inside the 5 could very well be the difference between a field goal and a touchdown for the other team.

That’s where Shoemaker will score and defend points.

Filling old shoes

Shoemaker was a star in the making after redshirting his first year with the Tigers.

Filling the shoes of Kody Bliss, Shoemaker was named to the All-SEC freshman team after ranking second in the SEC (16th nationally) with a 42.4 yards-per-punt average. Heading into the 2008 season, Shoemaker was a preseason All-SEC selection as just a sophomore.

And then walk-on Clinton Durst beat him out for the job. Twice.

Shoemaker’s one appearance during the past two seasons was forgettable. While Durst nursed a fever during Auburn’s game against LSU in 2008, Shoemaker averaged just 35.4 yards per punt and helped set up a short field late with a poor 25-yarder. That one bad punt ultimately helped LSU win the game.

With Durst gone, Shoemaker was the lone punter on Auburn’s roster during the spring. His coach, special teams coordinator Jay Boulware, was impressed, saying Shoemaker was ready to seize the job.

“He has just been better each and every week,” Boulware said in April. “He’s striking the ball really, really well right now.”

Last season, Auburn won just three games when it had a worse average starting field position than its opponent. Four of its five losses came when it was worse.

The punter isn’t fully responsible for this statistic, but he certainly plays a huge part in its evolution. Just think, a punt that touches down and falls with topspin, tumbling into the end zone for a touchback, can mean a difference of as many as 19 yards of field position.

There’s a fine line, and punters like Shoemaker have to walk it. Yes, the way punts land is sometimes a matter of pure luck. But over the long haul, the good punters have more punts bounce their way than the bad ones.

Moments like the one Shoemaker faced against LSU two years ago can define a punter because it’s a position where anonymity is desired.

Punters who have their names come up after games more often than not are typically infamous, not famous.

Who’s behind him?

The starting job is by no means a lock for Shoemaker, though. It’s his to lose.

When camp opens next week, Steven Clark, one of the nation’s most touted high school punters and a player Boulware personally recruited, will join Shoemaker for what could be a down-to-the-wire competition. Clark looks like a prototypical NFL punter, Boulware said, and he’s obviously respected enough to land a full scholarship.

Boulware said Shoemaker’s intensity amplified when Clark stopped by the Auburn athletic complex for a visit shortly before Signing Day. On top of the big-time experience that Clark simply doesn’t have at this juncture, Shoemaker will have to maintain that focus if he wants to finish his Auburn career away on the field.

“He does have a big leg, and he does have the potential to be a lot better than what he is currently right now,” Boulware said of Clark. “I’m really looking forward to having a chance to coach him.”

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“Any win is a high achievement, and especially with such a good field here,” said Clanton.

“This win is amazing for me and gets my confidence booming, just to know that you are capable of winning. I hit a lot of good shots and made a lot of birdies, so this just gives me momentum heading into the U.S. Women’s Amateur.”

Clanton, a native of Concord, N.C., claims the prestigious amateur honor after finishing runner-up a year ago.

In the 2009 edition of the North & South, Clanton dropped a 3 and 2 decision to Amelia Lewis in the final.

It also marked the second year in a row for Clanton to knock McCloskey out of the tournament after she defeated the Houston native, 4 and 3, last year in the semifinal.

The match started out tight as Clanton won the first hole but was quickly evened by McCloskey on No. 2.

The pair made the turn at all square, but McCloskey won Nos. 10 and 11 to take the first significant lead of the match.

Clanton won No. 12 and McCloskey finished the first 18 with a one-hole lead.

The match remained close for the first half of the second 18, but a birdie on No. 7 to square the match quickly turned the momentum in favor of Clanton.

“I probably hit the best iron I hit all day on No. 7,” Clanton said. “I hit about as perfect of a 5-iron as I could hit. That kind of sparked a little bit of momentum, especially winning that hole and getting the match all square. I turned to my caddie and told her, ‘Now it’s my time to take control.’”

And take control she did as the birdie was the first of four over a six-hole stretch that put her firmly in the lead.

Clanton took advantage of a McCloskey bogey on No. 13 to take a four-hole lead, the largest lead by either player in the match.

McCloskey tried to rally, winning two of the next three holes, but Clanton carded her seventh birdie of the final 18 holes on No. 17 to capture the 3 and 1 win.

With the North & South as a tune-up, Clanton will remain in her home state for the U.S. Women’s Amateur, Aug. 9-15 at the Charlotte Country Club.

Auburn coach Gene Chizik took a nearly opposite stance Friday, placing the blame on the beneficiaries rather than the enablers.

“A lot of this has got to go back on the young guy,” Chizik said. “I mean, he’s got to have an allegiance to his school, he’s got to have an allegiance to his teammates, he’s got to have an allegiance to his football team and his coaches and his university.”

Chizik isn’t one of the four coaches whose players are under the crosshairs of the NCAA during its ongoing investigation. But he wasn’t alone with his opinion Friday – a day in which the tenor was drastically calmer in regards to the hot-button issue.

“You have a drug dealer, and you have a decision to buy from a drug dealer and do drugs,” Tennessee coach Derek Dooley said. “At the end of the day, it’s really no different.”

Auburn offensive tackle Lee Ziemba briefly considered departing after his junior season to test the NFL waters.

Though he wouldn’t elaborate on certain instances, Ziemba clearly faced situations where he could have made a questionable decision to benefit his bank
account.

The education he received from Auburn’s compliance department, along with a little common sense, allowed him to brush off the not-so-secretive dirty agents, he said.

“They usually introduce themselves. You know who you’re dealing with,” Ziemba said. “And you also know the rules about all them. And you’re responsible
for those rules.”

Zac attack
Chizik offered up congratulations to safety Zac Etheridge for his speedy, improbable comeback from a neck injury Friday, but was unable to offer a clear-cut timeline for his return to contact.

“We’re going to obviously be very prudent in how we proceed with him but we’re just excited he’s back,” Chizik said. “He brings a leadership element and an experience element to our team that’s hard to get.”

Etheridge donned pads for the first time Tuesday during a medical evaluation that ultimately cleared him to resume his football career.

He’s been a constant fixture on the practice fields this summer, though, performing in non-contact, seven-on-seven drills.

How has he looked?

“Just like Zac always looks,” linebacker Josh Bynes said.

Fresh and ready
Thirty-one new faces will dot the Auburn roster when practice begins Aug. 4, the result of a nearly flawless 2010 signing class that should quickly load up the depth chart at multiple positions.

Though plentiful, Chizik said there isn’t much wiggle room for under-performers. In a meeting with the group Thursday, Chizik told the freshmen he expects a number of them to see real playing time immediately.

“It was a highly ranked class on paper,” Chizik said. “But what we’re excited about is that they’re student-athletes, and we have a high expectation for them as (students) at Auburn.”

Springville wide receiver Jeremy Richardson was the lone 2010 signee not to qualify academically. Richardson, a four-star recruit, is currently enrolled East Mississippi Junior College with the expectation to enroll next season. Five-star offensive lineman Shon Coleman (Olive Branch, Miss.) is also not with the team, as he continues to battle cancer.

Seven members of Auburn’s 2009 signing class did not qualify. Two others (Tyrik Rollison and Dontae Aycock) have left the program.

Auburn played the majority of last season with 75 scholarship players, 10 below the NCAA maximum.

“Obviously to get to 85, I don’t think we’re quite there yet,” Chizik said. “But I think that really gives you a good idea of last year. And we brought in 30 and we’re still not at 85.”
Chizik said he would prefer to distribute the remaining available scholarships to certain walk-ons if the opportunity presents itself.

“That’s been a huge, huge source of pride for Auburn through the years is to take a young guy who has really earned himself a scholarship after being here for so many years,” Chizik said. “Any time I have a chance to be able to do that, we’re definitely going to do that.”

Who’s standing out?
Bynes had his scouting report ready when prompted about the incoming freshman class Friday.

Bynes’ potential successor, linebacker LaDarius Owens (Bessemer), has stood out the most, he said.

Fellow four-star Jake Holland (Pelham) is also primed and ready, he said.

In the secondary, Bynes said cornerback Jonathan Mincy “came in and understands a lot of this stuff quickly.”

On the defensive line, Jeffrey Whitaker (Warner Robins, Ga.) and Kenneth Carter (Greenville) should add size and speed to the unit.

“We do a lot of our sprint stuff and (Carter’s) up there in the front because he can run for his size,” Bynes said. “We’ve got a lot of guys that are going to contribute to this team and I look forward to playing with them this year.”

Not just yet
Mississippi State’s Dan Mullen, LSU’s Les Miles, Ole Miss’ Houston Nutt and Meyer have all been longstanding members of Twitter.

Chizik has an account and even has close to 1,500 followers, but has yet to express himself with a 140-characters-or-less message.

Asked if he planned to join the Twitter-sphere anytime soon, Chizik didn’t make any promises.

“You’ll have to stay posted on that,” he said.

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Eight ain’t it.

“Eight ain’t it because eight (wins) ain’t going to get you nowhere,” senior linebacker Josh Bynes said Friday during Auburn’s rotation on the final day of SEC Media Days. “It will get us back to the Outback Bowl or the Champs Sports Bowl, something like that. That’s not what our plan is this year.”

For the 2009 team, led by first-year coach Gene Chizik, eight wins and an Outback Bowl victory against Northwestern was a sign that Auburn, post-Tommy Tuberville, was ahead of schedule. It was a team with just 75 scholarship players, after all, and it was a team that often couldn’t afford to give its best players a snap off from time to time.

Those same variables aren’t at play this year.

A stacked, nearly 100-percent qualified freshman class promises to fill the gaps on the depth chart, especially on defense. Chizik is in his second year – a year when Nick Saban, Les Miles and Urban Meyer won at least 11 games with their respective teams — and is the only coach in the conference to retain his entire staff of assistants from 2009.
Before this season, Auburn’s five fifth-year seniors were the only players who played for the same coordinator in back-to-back seasons.

“At this time last year, we were trying to figure out who are football team was,” Chizik said. “We were trying to break the huddle.

“Now, we’re trying to really focus on being a great football team.”

That’s why the Tigers, who were projected by the media to finish third in the SEC West — two spots higher than they were slotted in 2009 – faced a significantly different array of questions Friday.

“Rebuilding” was replaced with “building off the freshly-laid foundation.”

“Reviving the Auburn fan base” was switched out for “living up to Auburn fans’ sky-high expectations.”

“Bottom line, we’re in a day and age where everybody wants to win,” Chizik said. “That’s not going to change.”

But it has, Bynes said.

Sure, Auburn’s players and coaches said winning the SEC is the goal every season, regardless of the mitigating circumstances. But when players said it before the 2009 season, they were merely repeating the default answer programmed into their competitive brains, Bynes said.

“We were more saying it than feeling it,” Bynes said. “This year, since the spring, I told coach that I’ve got a feeling this is going to be the year. It’s a great feeling, and we know what we’re capable of doing. We have the ability, the talent, players at the right position.”

Senior left tackle Lee Ziemba represented Auburn’s offense Friday, while the questionable, yet still veteran-heavy, defense was dually spoken for by Bynes and six-year senior Aairon Savage. Bynes and Savage had many more questions to answer about a 2009 unit that ranked 68th in total defense.

Bynes, who played nearly every snap in 2009 on the way to a team-high 104 tackles, has a few more friends in his position meetings these days. The influx of 31 freshmen (four linebackers) will be especially beneficial for him and Craig Stevens on a unit that truly did not have any reliable back-ups in 2009.

“We’re going to close that gap tremendously,” Bynes said. “It all starts with what we do from Day 1 at camp when we get these freshmen
involved.”

Ziemba, meanwhile, served primarily as Cameron Newton’s press agent.

With the projected starting quarterback absent from the media circus, Ziemba fielded numerous questions about Newton’s potential, the added contributions he would bring to Gus Malzahn’s fast-paced offense and everything else outside the cereal he eats for breakfast.

“There’s obviously been some big expectations,” Bynes said. “And the way he’s handling all them, the way he’s not just living by the hype but working hard, being an example to the rest of us is pretty special.“

When Auburn won the SEC and eventually finished the 2004 season undefeated, it did so after the media projected Georgia to win it all that year. When Auburn was projected to win the conference in 2003 and 2006, it didn’t make the championship game either season.

Certainly, anything can happen this season. But for one day, anything was possible in the world of Auburn football.

“I’ve been on championship teams. I’ve been on undefeated teams,” Chizik said. “And I think it’s kind of like the perfect storm.”

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