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Arkansas St.-Auburn Preview

Aug 31, 2010 - 11:50 PM By MATT BEARDMORE STATS Writer

Arkansas State (0-0) at Auburn (0-0), 7:00 p.m. EDT

While Auburn enjoyed a successful first year under coach Gene Chizik, it would like to finish better this season.

Looking for another quick start, the 22nd-ranked Tigers will try to extend their perfect record against the Sun Belt conference Saturday when they face Arkansas State at Jordan-Hare Stadium.

Hired in December 2008 following the resignation of Tommy Tuberville, Chizik was not a popular addition to the program after posting a 5-19 record in the previous two seasons coaching Iowa State.

The former Auburn defensive coordinator, though, has received a better reception lately after leading the Tigers to an 8-5 record last season, capped by a 38-35 overtime victory over Northwestern in the Outback Bowl. While Auburn made a three-win improvement from 2008, it dropped five of seven after opening 5-0.

"We've got to finish," said senior linebacker Josh Bynes, a preseason All-SEC selection. "That's what our coaches are preaching.... We lost key games and we've got to finish on top now instead of finishing on the bottom of those."

The return of safeties Aairon Savage, Mike McNeil and Zac Etheridge could help the Tigers accomplish that goal. Savage, a sixth-year senior, missed the 2008 season with a torn knee ligament and was sidelined last season due to a torn Achilles' tendon.

McNeil missed last season with a broken leg, while Etheridge suffered a cracked vertebrae and torn neck ligaments against Mississippi on Oct. 31.

"What we've all been through, it's self-explanatory," Etheridge said. "All of us have had an injury where it could have been our last play. I think that's the motivation in itself, that we go out there and compete every day. We're all excited to be back out there together."

Daren Bates started every game at safety last season as a freshman, but he will move to linebacker this season alongside Bynes and senior Craig Stevens. Bynes and Stevens led Auburn with 104 and 95 tackles, respectively, but the defense yielded a school-record 4,863 yards in 2009.

Auburn was ranked 68th in the Football Bowl Subdivision in yards allowed per game (374.1) and 79th in scoring defense (27.5 per contest).

With the Tigers' defense on the field for a SEC-high 945 plays last season, Bynes and Stevens did not get much rest.

"We're in a position where we don't have to do that this year," said defensive coordinator and linebacker coach Ted Roof, "but they're still going to have to carry the load."

While the defense looks to improve, transfer quarterback Cameron Newton replaces Chris Todd to lead an offense that totaled a school-record 5,613 yards last season.

Newton, who led Blinn (Texas) College to the NJCAA national championship in 2009, returns to the FBS level after spending 2007 and a portion of 2008 as one of Tim Tebow's backups at Florida.

"As I've told him, as I've told everybody else, he's got to get on the field now and deliver," Chizik said.

Newton should not only benefit from one of the nation's most experienced offensive lines, led by left tackle Lee Ziemba, he will have multiple weapons in the backfield and at receiver.

Senior Mario Fannin and sophomore Onterio McCalebb should see plenty of carries for the Tigers with second-team All-SEC running back Ben Tate gone, but highly touted freshman Michael Dyer is also expected to make an impact.

"The thing about Mike is he ran for 8,000 yards in high school (at Little Rock Christian Academy in Arkansas)," said running backs coach Curtis Luper. "That's all he's ever done, is gain yards. That's just all he knows. He'll do the same thing here."

Junior wide receiver Darvin Adams, who was second in the SEC with 997 yards and 10 TDs last season, will likely be one of Newton's favorite targets, along with senior Terrell Zachery.

While Auburn is 14-0 all-time against the Sun Belt, Arkansas State will try to improve its 1-46-3 record versus current SEC members.

Coming off a 4-8 season and ranking second-to-last in the conference in rushing (135.3) and passing yards per game (193.6), Red Wolves coach Steve Roberts is looking for quarterback Ryan Aplin to run the team's new spread offense installed by first-year offensive coordinator Hugh Freeze.

"They've got a new offense that is fast-tempo," Chizik said. "It's very similar to ours in that regard with a new offensive coordinator, so we're going out and trying to win."

Auburn won 27-0 in the only meeting between the schools in 2006.