08/25 at 11:00 PM

Jay Boulware and Gene Chizik go way back — relatively, of course — to their two years together at Iowa State.

Their love for special teams appears equal, as both have shown a passion to get hands-on with their players during the drills that others may view as tedious and unimportant.

When he first arrived at Auburn, Boulware recalled a story about the time he and Chizik first met, when they spent hours “talking ball” in a hotel while the Super Bowl went ignored on the television.

All that time together, though, probably didn’t prepare them for the meetings they went through earlier this week.

With a deep influx of young talent, Boulware and Chizik have been faced with a promising problem. Talent, speed and scholarship players are in full supply this year for Boulware, who said he has spent a day and a half with Chizik finalizing who would play where on Auburn’s four special teams units.

And there’s still more to discuss.

“Last year,” Boulware said, “that talk was about two hours long.”

Only one position is set, Boulware said. Senior Wes Byrum, a Lou Groza Award watch list member, will resume his duties as Auburn’s field goal kicker in 2010.

But even Byrum is sweating out a position battle with freshman Cody Parkey, as both vie to handle kickoff duties.

On paper, it might seem like a better decision to redshirt a player like Parkey instead of playing him sparingly on special teams. That’s just not how Boulware sees it for any of his positions on special teams.

“Just like any other position, we bring them in here with the aspirations of starting,” Boulware said. “We want those guys to come in and want to be the guy.”

Steven Clark certainly fits into that category.

If anything, Clark is doing his best to bring the best out of senior punter Ryan Shoemaker. Boulware said Tuesday that he wished one of the two would do something to separate themselves from each other, but each brings something different to the table. Shoemaker has had better distance on his punts, Boulware said, but Clark has a quicker release and better hangtime.

“It’s neck and neck,” Boulware said. “How they do this week is probably going to determine who ends up starting for us in the first game.”

The reason why Boulware and Chizik have had such thorough discussions goes well beyond the specialists.

Auburn’s depth issues hampered every facet of the team in 2009, but none felt the burn worse than Boulware’s special teams units. At one point, he sent six walk-ons out for kickoff duties, only to see that group surrender gobs of kickoff return yards to Arkansas’ Dennis Johnson in one of the ugliest games of the season.

From that point forward, a number of Auburn’s regulars saw action on special teams units. Never mind that those players were already taking every snap at their respective positions; there was no other choice.

This year promises to be different. Workhorse linebacker Josh Bynes was even able to admit that he’s retired from special teams work, a telling sign that Boulware’s units will be bolstered by a bevy of young talent.

“There’s a bunch of young kids that don’t really know how to play college football, but there are some guys that are extremely talented, more talented than they were last year,” Boulware said. “We’re a faster football team, and hopefully that translates over to the field.”

The results can’t get much worse than last year.

The Tigers were strongest on kick returns, ranking 27th nationally thanks to the big-play potential from Demond Washington and Onterio McCalebb. Both of those players will serve as “lead returners” this season and will receive help from veterans Terrell Zachery, Neiko Thorpe and Mario Fannin and freshman Trovon Reed.

On punt returns, an area where Auburn was absolutely miserable in 2009, junior wide receiver Quindarius Carr is the leader for now, but there isn’t a job with less security than his. Darvin Adams, Johnathon Mincy and Reed all could easily see the field if Carr doesn’t hold onto the ball.

Where the Tigers might most benefit from a boost of speed and talent are on punt and kick return defense. Auburn ranked 106th in punt return defense and 97th on kick returns last season.

Tryouts are still apparently ongoing for key positions on both units. Even the players who were named to the offensive and defensive scout teams Tuesday are still in a position to join an unheralded phase of the team Chizik calls “The Big Four.”

“We worked really hard this offseason to do as best as we could and make sure our phase of the game was at its best,” Byrum said. “I think it will shell out when we get out there.”

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