College Football Countdown: 5 Things That Could Derail Auburn’s Season

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Dec 30, 2015; Birmingham, AL, USA; Auburn Tigers running back Kerryon Johnson (21) catches a pass during the game against the Memphis Tigers at the 2015 Birmingham Bowl at Legion Field. Mandatory Credit: Marvin Gentry-USA TODAY Sports /

An Injury at Running Back

Injuries at any position are devastating, but Auburn cannot afford to lose anyone else at the running back position.

I thought Auburn might have the most depth at running back in the SEC going into the 2016 season, but after Peyton Barber left early for the NFL Draft and Roc Thomas transferred to Jacksonville State the Tigers are left a little thin at the position this college football season.

Jovon Robinson is still one of the five best running backs in the SEC, so I feel mighty comfortable with what Auburn has at the position, but if he or Kerryon Johnson were to go down for any amount of time that would leave us with very little experience at running back.

Next: Is Eight Wins Enough in 2016 for Gus Malzahn to Save His Job?

Chandler Cox and Kamryn Pettway are more fullbacks than running backs, and can’t be expected to run in Malzahn’s offense. That leaves you with freshman Malik Miller who has already been dealing with an injury this spring.

It’s imperative for Auburn to have some consistency at running back while trying to figure out the quarterback situation. Robinson will likely be counted on to carry the ball 15-20 times per game this college football season for the Tigers, while Johnson will have a big role in the offense as well if Franklin is indeed the quarterback.

If Auburn loses Robinson or Johnson for a significant amount of time it’s going to be a difficult college football season for Gus Malzhan and Auburn.

Next: They Play Teams that Are Better

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