Tigers begin new era under HC Harsin

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SEC Football Preview: Auburn Tigers to begin new era under HC Bryan Harsin

 

4 minutes

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AUBURN, Alabama (KBTX) - The Auburn Tigers will begin a new era in 2021 with Bryan Harsin in charge. Last season Auburn finished 6-5 and suffered a disappointing loss to Northwestern 35-19 in the Citrus Bowl.

Auburn chose to pay a hefty $21.5 million buyout rather than endure another season under Gus Malzahn. After going 69–19 in seven years at Boise State, Auburn turned to Harsin to boost the program’s prominence.

“I want to see our guys play good football everyday. I want to eliminate bad football,” said Harsin at SEC Media Days, “I want our guys to understand what that looks like and what it takes to really do that.”

Coming from Boise State, Harsin has no experience coaching in the SEC. He will face a difficult schedule this year and an early challenge with an October slate against LSU, Georgia, Arkansas and Ole Miss.

“He understands the magnitude of SEC football because, you know, it just means more down here,” said Junior Quarterback Bo Nix. “That is a legitimate saying for the league and every team is so tough to play where each and every week it better mean more to you or you will mess around and get beat.”

Nix has two solid seasons under his belt. He was better last season than his freshman year but still falls to a middle-of-the-pack SEC quarterback. The junior struggled with throwing accuracy and pocket awareness but is athletic and a threat on the run. He also lost his top three receiving targets from last year — Seth Williams, Anthony Schwartz and Eli Stove — and will have to learn a new system under the new coaching staff.

“I’ve had two good years, in my opinion. Obviously, continue to grow,” said Nix. “I think pressure is a privilege and so all the added pressure is more of an honor to be at Auburn playing quarterback.”

After two up-and-down seasons for the former five-star recruit, Harsin and new offensive coach Mike Bobo must figure out how to get more out of Nix.

Nix will have some added pressure this year with new LSU transfer T.J. Finley gunning for the starting position.

On the other side of the ball, new Defensive Coordinator and former Vanderbilt Head Coach, Derek Mason will bring change and will look to utilize both 3-4 and 4-3 defenses.

Zakoby McClain and Owen Pappoe, who combined for 206 tackles last season, may be the best linebacker combo in the SEC. The defense’s strength is having those two roaming the middle of the field.

“Gonna be able to play fast, show a lot of range. As a linebacker for me, I actually love it. Just being out there and being able to make a bunch of plays,” said Pappoe … “just be able to show a lot of versatility of defense and a lot of pressure too. It’s going to look really good.”

A formidable set of defensive lineman stands in front of McClain and Pappoe. There isn’t a well-known star in the middle as there was when Derrick Brown and Marlon Davidson anchored the line, but defensive tackle Tyrone Truesdell is as dependable as they come. The Tigers also have Two of the top defensive backs in the SEC are cornerback Roger McCreary and safety Smoke Monday.

The Tigers will be coming to Kyle Field this year to take on the Aggies November 6. Texas A&M defeated Auburn 31-20 last year.

“They bring their A game every time we play them,” Pappoe said of the Aggies. “We got to get some get back this year. We are going to their house, man, we are going to be ready when we go there.”

Auburn opens their 2021 season against Akron on September 4.

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