Advertisement
football Edit

Five Saturdays to go

Auburn will open up the 2016 season against highly-ranked Clemson on Sept. 3.

Malzahn is set to begin his fourth season as Auburn's head coach. (Zach Bland/Auburn athletics)

AUBURN | Like Auburn two years prior, Clemson came up just short in the 2015 national championship game. In five more weeks Clemson will be in Jordan-Hare Stadium to kickoff the 2016 season.

The visiting Tigers, which return eight starters to its high-octane offense led by quarterback Deshaun Watson, will be the heavy favorites.

“They're one of the top teams in the country, there's no doubt,” Auburn coach Gus Malzahn said. “They played in the national championship game and have a lot of guys coming back. They've got a very good staff and they've got one of the better players if not the best player in the country in their quarterback so it's a huge challenge.

“I know our guys are looking forward to it. They've worked hard this summer and it's been on their minds. We're playing at home but it's a huge challenge.”

Watson completed 67.8 percent of his passes for 4,104 yards and 35 touchdowns with 13 interceptions last season. He added 1,105 yards rushing and 12 touchdowns.

In the 45-40 loss to Alabama in the championship game, he accounted for 478 all-purpose yards and four touchdowns.

“He can make plays when things break down,” Malzahn said. “He's a true dual-threat guy that can throw it effectively. He can run it like a running back. He's got that big-game experience. You put all that together and that makes him one of the better players, if not the best player in the country.”

Clemson’s offense also returns 1,500-yard rusher Wayne Gallman, a talented receiving corps led by Mike Williams, one of the nation’s best tight ends in Jordan Leggett and three starters on the offensive line including left tackle Mitch Hyatt.

Clemson must replace seven starters on the other side of the ball, all taken in the 2016 NFL Draft, including defensive ends Shaq Lawson and Kevin Dodd and three of four starters in the secondary. Defensive coordinator Brent Venables successfully replaced eight starters after 2014.

Starting kicker Greg Huegel and punter Andy Teasdall return but Clemson struggled at times on special teams last season allowing three kickoff returns for touchdowns.

Clemson is more than a touchdown favorite 35 days until kickoff but Auburn has a history of knocking off highly-ranked teams at Jordan-Hare including No. 1 Alabama in 2013, No. 2 Florida in 2006, No. 1 Florida in 2001 and No. 2 Alabama in 1989.

Malzahn doesn’t mind taking on the underdog role, especially at home with an 8 p.m. CT kickoff.

“If you think back to 2010 and 2013, I can't remember exactly what the expectations were but we did have an earn it mentality,” Malzahn said. “We have that same feeling right now.”

Advertisement