2018 Auburn football preview

After winning SEC Newcomer of the Year honors last season, quarterback Jarrett Stidham is once again ready to lead a fast-paced Auburn Tigers offense.

The key for Auburn will be how quickly an offense that returns only six starters – including just one full-time starter on the offensive line – can forge an identity.

“Really I think the key to our offense is going to be our offensive line and how quick they can come together,” Auburn coach Gus Malzahn said this summer at SEC Media Days. “We’ve got three guys that have started and I think a total of 20 games. So we’re very inexperienced.”

The Tigers lost star running back Kerryon Johnson and big bruiser Kamryn Pettway to professional football. Johnson, on whom Auburn relied heavily down the stretch last season, led the SEC in rushing yards with 1,391 and was second in the conference with 18 touchdowns. Johnson was injured and only managed 44 yards on 13 carries as the Auburn offense sputtered in its rematch with Georgia in the SEC Championship Game.

Stidham isn’t too worried about the Tigers’ losses.

“We have a lot of guys coming back, especially at the skills positions,” he said. “We’re going to be hitting on close to all cylinders, more so at the beginning of the season.”

2018 schedule
Sept. 2 – Washington (Atlanta)
Sept. 8 – Alabama State
Sept. 15 – LSU
Sept. 22 – Arkansas
Sept. 29 – Southern Miss
Oct. 6 – at Mississippi State
Oct. 13 – Tennessee
Oct. 20 – at Ole Miss
Nov. 3 – Texas A&M
Nov. 10 – at Georgia
Nov. 17 – Liberty
Nov. 24 – at Alabama

2017 record: 10-4 (7-1 conf./SEC West champion)
All-Time SEC championships: 8
All-time bowl appearances: 42 (23-17-2)

2017 results
Sept. 2 – Georgia Southern – W 41-7
Sept. 9 – at Clemson – L 14-6
Sept. 16 – Mercer – W 24-10
Sept. 23 – at Missouri – W 51-14
Sept. 30 – Mississippi State – W 49-10
Oct. 7 – Ole Miss – W 44-23
Oct. 14 – LSU – L 23-27
Oct. 21 – at Arkansas – W 52-20
Nov. 4 – at Texas A&M – W 42-27
Nov. 11 – Georgia – W 40-17
Nov. 18 – Louisiana-Monroe – W 42-14
Nov. 25 – Alabama – W 26-14
Dec. 2 – Georgia – L 28-7
Jan. 1 – Central Florida* – L 24-27
*Peach Bowl

Returning statistical leaders

Rushing – Att – Yards – Avg – TD
Kam Martin – 74 – 453 – 32.4 – 2
Passing – Comp-Att – Int – TD – Yards
Jarrett Stidham – 246-370 – 6 – 18 – 3158
Receiving – Rec – Yards – Avg – TD
Ryan Davis – 84 – 815 – 9.7 – 5
Tackles – Total – Int – Sacks – TFL
Deshaun Davis – 82 – 0 – 3.5 – 6.5

Starters returning: 14
Offense: 6
Defense: 7
Specialty: 1

Starters lost: 13
Offense: 6
Defense: 6
Specialty: 1

Returning offensive starters: Jarrett Stidham (QB, Jr.), Chandler Cox (FB, Sr.), Darius Slayton (WR, Jr.), Ryan Davis (WR, Sr.), Nate Craig-Meyers (WR, Jr.), Marquell Harrell (OL, Jr.)
Returning defensive starters: Dontavius Russell (DL, Sr.), Derrick Brown (DL, Jr.), Marlon Davidson (DL, Jr.), Deshaun Davis (LB, Sr.) Darrell Williams (LB, Sr.) Jeremiah Dinson (DB, Jr.), Javaris Davis (DB, Jr.)