Auburn football: 4 players who could make an impact in 2020
Auburn was gearing up for spring practice in early March. Fans would get to see a first look at the Tigers’ offense under new offensive coordinator Chad Morris at A-Day. The baseball team already had 13 wins.
Simpler times.
That all was thrown to the wayside due to the coronavirus pandemic. But the Tigers have since resumed football practice and the university’s president said that both fall classes and football will happen on the Plains this year.
A lot has happened since the Tigers lost to Minnesota in the Outback Bowl. The roster looks different, too. With that in mind, here are five players who could make a sizable impact this year.
Tank Bigsby: Is he the answer at running back?
Arguably the biggest question the Tigers face this offseason is who will replace running back and leading rusher JaTarvious Whitlow, who entered the transfer portal in February.
Whitlow had 787 rushing yards as a freshman in 2018 and had 763 last season as a sophomore.
The Tigers return a crowded backfield in 2020, and while a Week 1 starter might be a too ambitious of an expectation for one former Chattahoochee Valley athlete, it may not be entirely out of the equation.
The player with the arguably biggest opportunity is former Callaway Cavaliers running back Tank Bigsby, who signed with Auburn in December and enrolled early.
Bigsby rushed for 700 yards in the Georgia class 2A playoffs as a junior. He rushed for 2,221 yards his senior season and had 22 touchdowns.
Since much of quarterback Bo Nix’s success in 2019 came when he had a solid run game to fall back on, it makes the job all the more important for Bigsby and the Tigers running back group.
Add in the fact that the Tigers have a new offensive coordinator, former Clemson assistant and Arkansas head coach Chad Morris, and good things could be on the horizon.
2 Big-bodied JUCO signees
Replacing defensive stars Derrick Brown and Marlon Davidson is no easy task: The two combined for more than 100 tackles and 20 tackles for loss last season. They also combined for 10 1/2 sacks.
The Tigers bringing in two JUCO defensive line signees helps.
Marquis Burks, who transferred from Iowa Central, is described by Auburn as a “disruptive college defender with plenty of upside.” He played for two years at Iowa Central.
247Sports ranks the 6-foot-3, 305-pound Burks fourth nationally among JUCO defensive tackle prospects.
Dre Butler (6-5, 275 pounds) recorded 66 tackles, 22 tackles for loss and 11 sacks in one season at Independence Community College.
Seth Williams: Nix’s go-to guy
Rising junior Seth Williams was Nix’s favorite target last year, catching 59 passes for 830 yards and eight touchdowns.
The Cottondale, Ala., native joins proven returners Anthony Schwartz and Eli Stove on the roster, while the rest of the receiver group hasn’t quite established itself. Barring any injuries, a big year for Williams could be in the cards.
Morris has produced seven 1,000 yard receivers in his career. Could Williams be the next?
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