Tigers report: Notes, quotes

March 26, 2008
The Sports Xchange

Notes, quotes · Strategy and personnel · Inside slant

SPRING OBJECTIVES
Auburn is looking for answers at receiver and the secondary but no position is more important this spring than quarterback, where sophomore Kodi Burns and junior college transfer Chris Todd have emerged as the leading candidates for the starting job in the Tigers' new spread offense.

BUILDING BLOCKS
The Tigers return all five starters on the offensive line, their three best backs and key defensive players such as DL Sen'Derrick Marks, Antonio Coleman, LB Tray Blackmon and DB Aairon Savage.

SCHEDULE SITUATION
The Tigers got off to a bad start last season with a 1-2 record. This year, they better beat Louisiana-Monroe and Southern Miss in their first two games because the schedule picks up over the next three weeks with a road game at Mississippi State and home games against LSU and Tennessee. Add an Oct. 23 nonconference road game to road games at Arkansas and Alabama and a home game against Georgia and Auburn's schedule will be as tough as any in the SEC.

QUOTE TO NOTE
"This offense still amazes me how many (repetitions) you can get in practice. And it really keeps everybody -- coaches, players, managers -- everybody on their toes. I think sometimes you need that in practice because you can get a little lackadaisical. With this tempo, nobody can drop their guard. You've got to be ready to go and concentrate." -- Auburn coach Tommy Tuberville, on the spread offense.