Auburn football coach Gus Malzahn went out and declared that next season could be a special one. The War Eagle dishes out ten reasons why that could be.
Gus Malzahn didn’t talk about Auburn football’s upcoming rescheduled matchup with the Mississippi State Bulldogs during his Sunday press conference following the Tigers’ 31-20 loss to Texas A&M at Jordan-Hare on Saturday afternoon.
His mind was instead on next season–an interesting thought considering the turnover the team has been seeing recently…and could continue to see if things don’t improve against Mississippi State and in a potential bowl-game–and how next season could be special, per al.com:
"“I think we’ve got a chance to have a really, really special year if the majority of our guys come back,” Malzahn said. “So I’m very excited about that.”"
So just how could this be the case? The War Eagle has 10 reasons why Malzahn may be onto something:
1. Bo Nix will have a more proper spring (we think)
To say that this past spring was disruptive for the career of just about every collegiate athlete is an understatement. Bo Nix engineered five games where the offense was able to put up 48 points or more, so there is evidence the offense could hum along far better than it has this season.
Assuming we are fully adjusted to whatever this “new normal” is, Nix should have a more proper spring to get acquainted with his offensive weapons.
2. Lee Hunter will be terrorizing opposing offensive lines and quarterbacks
The six-foot-five, 292 pound Lee Hunter will be arriving in the Plains in 2021, and after sitting out his high school senior season (he has a young daughter, back off), he should be feeling fresh and healthy heading into his inaugural season with Auburn football.
It would be unfortunate and dare I say a less special season if Hunter decided to opt-out of his freshman year as well.
3. Tank Bigsby will have had another year to fill out
When your nickname is “Tank”, you are clearly a beast of a human being. Cartavious Bigsby has earned that reputation through sheer dominance in his freshman season. He has rushed for 642 yards and five touchdowns in his first nine games with Auburn football.
Bigsby has been good for 5.7 yards per carry, and another year of working out with an SEC strength and conditioning coaching staff, all of those numbers should improve in his sophomore year.
4. Bo Nix’s eventual replacement could be named to energize the fanbase
This past Saturday, four-star quarterback prospect Cade Klubnik out of Austin Westlake said he had an “awesome time” on his visit to Jordan-Hare Stadium to see the team take on Texas A&M. Sure, they could have impressed the kid more with a win, but the Plains clearly impressed the Texas kid.
Let’s hope Lee County swayed the high school stud to sign on in 2021 and ignite the fanbase.
5. Auburn football could be riding the high of a bowl win
Even though the Las Vegas Bowl was canceled, the Tigers could still find themselves in a Bowl Game off of reputation alone. Beating the defending national champions by 37 points was also a nice resume booster, though that isn’t exactly an exclusive club in 2020.
If they can somehow squeeze out a win in a bowl game against a Power 5 conference opponent like, say, Wisconsin, then Gus Malzahn’s squad could have positive momentum moving forward into next season.
6. Terrence Lewis could end up choosing Auburn after Tennessee decommitment
After seemingly locking in to join the Volunteers, Terrence Lewis is likely volunteering for greener pastures with what appears to be a decommitment from Tennessee to join Auburn football. Terrence Steele’s recruiting staff will have beaten out those from:
Alabama, Charlotte, Clemson, Florida International, Florida, Florida Atlantic, Florida State, Georgia, Georgia Tech, Indiana, Kentucky, Lousiville, LSU, Maryland, Miami, Michigan, Mississippi State, Missouri, Nebraska, ole Miss, Oregon, Penn State, Pittsburgh, Rutgers, South Carolina, Southern Miss, Syracuse, Texas A&M, Toledo, UCF, Utah, Washington State, West Virginia, and Western Kentucky.
7. Big Kat Bryant will be terrorizing NFL quarterbacks
Big Kat Bryant projects to be a mid-round draft prospect at the moment so all signs point to the Auburn defensive end being employed by an NFL team and terrorizing quarterbacks at the professional level in 2021.
That only figures to add to the team’s morale as his former teammates look to bounce back to their winning ways with him doing bigger and better things. Imagine how the Tigers would respond to a sack of former LSU quarterback Joe Burrow!
8. Anthony Schwartz should have his best season at Auburn
Anthony Schwartz will be a senior next season as he embarks on what should be his final season with Auburn football. Schwartz is an Olympic-level athlete who set a new Boy’s World Youth Best of 10.15 seconds over 100 meters in 2017.
He’s in the midst of a down season, having yet to catch a touchdown pass. That said, he should rise in 2021.
9. Owen Pappoe will be primed for a spotlight season
The beastly linebacker Owen Pappoe could be due for his best season yet in 2021, even after finishing with 49 tackles, 2.0 sacks, two pass breakups, a forced fumble and four quarterback hurries in 2019 and upping the ante with 73 tackles, and 2.0 sacks so far through just nine games in 2020.
With hopes of one day suiting up in the NFL himself, and with a semi-normal transition into next season, Pappoe could be set up to put on a showcase for all 32 NFL franchises.
10. There could be changes to the coaching staff
Look, there’s no intel here, but if you read the writing on the wall, it seems like there could be changes at some level in the Auburn coaching staff. Between the six different head coach openings sprouting up across the FBS and a certain former Auburn defensive coordinator who has since had stops elsewhere hitting the market, changes could be coming to the Auburn football coaching staff in one way or another.