Auburn fall practice begins on August 4, and once again the Tigers enter the season with high expectations. Junior Jeremy Johnson takes over at quarterback and has plenty of weapons to work with, including senior wide receiver Duke
Williams – one of the best players in the nation. The defense, under new coordinator Will
Muschamp, is looking for a return to past dominance. 

2015 Auburn Fall Practice Schedule

• Monday, August 3 – Players report
• Tuesday, August 4 – First practice
• Saturday, August 8 – First practice in pads
• Saturday, September 5 – Kickoff: Auburn vs. Louisville (Georgia
  Dome, Atlanta, GA)

Open Practice Dates

There’s been no official announcement on whether or not Auburn will hold open practices this year. The Tigers have not hosted open practices in the prior two years under Gus Malzahn.

Fan Day

• Sunday, August 9: 3:30 – 5:30
• Auburn Arena
• Admission is free
• Coach Malzahn and football players will be on hand to
  sign autographs. Fans are allowed to
  bring one outside item to be signed. Auburn typically provides posters and schedule cards to fans for free.

Five Things To Keep Your Eye On

1.  Who will win the starting running back spot? Auburn keeps
reloading in the backfield, and with the graduation of Cameron Artis-Payne,
someone new has to step up and take the reins. The favorite heading into fall practice is sophomore Roc Thomas, who
started two games late last season. JUCO
transfer Jovon Robinson is a big back that will push him for carries. Sophomore Peyton Barber and incoming
freshman Kerryon Johnson also look to earn some playing time.

2.  The Will Muschamp
Effect – The Tigers were horrific on defense last year, finishing ninth in the
SEC in total yards per game and committing one stupid penalty after
another. Malzahn brought in Muschamp to
fix the mess. Under Muschamp’s tutelage
in 2007, Auburn finished sixth nationally in total defense. This year’s D might not match that, but
any improvement will be welcomed on The Plains.

3.  Carl Lawson will
return after missing all of the 2014 season due to an ACL injury he sustained during spring practice. Without the 6’2, 260 lb Georgia native’s
pressure, the Tigers’ pass rush struggled all year, finishing 12th in the SEC
in sacks. Coaches will keep an eye on him
during fall practice to see how he responds to his first full contact since the
surgery.

4.  Junior Jeremy
Johnson has waited two years to become the main man in Malzahn’s uptempo
offense, and now he must deal with the pressure of being the guy. After winning the starting job in spring
practice, Johnson has been hyped as a preseason Heisman candidate by some. Will this
hype affect his focus?  Malzahn will
expect nothing but his best during each practice.

5. The curse of preseason expectations? Auburn has a history of being hyped during
the preseason and then falling flat (2003 USC game, anyone?). The coaches and players have heard the hype,
and the media picked Auburn to win the 2015 SEC Championship. With preseason rankings trickling out, the
Tigers will surely be in the top ten of every poll. Malzahn and company need to block that out
and stay focused. 

For an in-depth look at the Tigers, be sure to check out Pete Fiutak’s Auburn football preview. 

Questions? Comments? Contact Brian at bstultz@campusinsiders.com or on Twitter @brianjstultz.