Brandon Cox important cog in Auburn's success

After nearly 40 days of hitting each other, Auburn is only hours away from clashing with players in opposite colored jerseys — royal purple and silver, to be exact.

It’s a relief to some. To others, it will be a nerve-wracking experience they will never forget.

But for this writer, it will be a little of both, with a pinch
of excitement thrown in.

I haven’t anticipated a football game like this one since my high school days when I was a 6-foot-1, 155-pound fifth-string right guard (yes, it’s true) for the Mercy Cross Crusaders in Biloxi, Miss.

I thoroughly enjoyed the life of a backup’s backup’s backup.

I would stand on the sideline watching other players — who actually played — get their faces covered in spit from our coach’s many tirades.

There will be plenty of that going on Saturday night in Jordan-Hare Stadium when Auburn faces the visiting Kansas State Wildcats in both teams’ season opener, but at least I’ll be a good five stories up in the press box.

The guy Auburn needs most: For the third year in a row, it’s senior quarterback Brandon Cox. But this year may be the most critical.

Losing four starting linemen, the team’s leading rusher and leading receiver, the success of the Auburn offense hinges on Cox, specifically his left arm.

Who’s No. 10?: That would be linebacker Tray Blackmon. Head coach Tommy Tuberville has compared the sophomore to Baltimore Ravens linebacker Ray Lewis. Blackmon says his off-field issues that led to him being suspended for seven games last season are over.

He could easily finish the season as the team’s leading tackler. It won’t be hard to follow him Saturday. Just keep your eye on the ball carrier.

Why Tommy Tuberville can sleep soundly: Because no matter how badly the offense sputters, his defense looks to be as good or better than last season’s. With four seniors anchoring a squad that was ranked 19th in the nation last season, the Tiger defense shouldn’t have a problem stopping anybody.

The defensive line is probably the strongest position on the team with seniors Quentin Groves and Josh Thompson leading an experienced, talented sophomore in Sen’Derrick Marks.

Why Tommy Tuberville should stay up all night: The right side of Auburn’s offensive line has not taken one snap in a college game and the team’s starting kicker has not booted a college football.

True freshman Lee Ziemba won the starting right guard position, and redshirt freshman Mike Berry is at tackle. Berry is backed up by another true freshman.

Those two will have to protect the blind side of Cox.

That’s enough to keep any coach up at night.

True freshman Wes Byrum is the team’s field-goal kicker. He is being pushed by a walk-on Morgan Hull,
an Austin High grad, for the kickoff spot.

Neither has seen time in a college game.

Oh, by the way, starting punter Ryan Shoemaker is a redshirt freshman with no playing time. Yow.

Game that could make the season: No, it’s not Alabama; it’s LSU on Oct. 20. Like always, the winner of this one has an inside track to Atlanta for the Southeastern Conference Championship Game.

The home team has won the last seven games, so Auburn is in for a fight in Baton Rouge, La., but a win would definitely make the season.

Guaranteed to happen ... maybe: Auburn loses all four away games. It’s quite a stretch: at Florida, LSU, Arkansas and Georgia. If you combine those four teams’ records last season, you’ll come up with a 43-11 record. Ouch.

Spending the holidays in: Back in Dallas. Dust off the cowboy hat you bought last season and slip it back on because the Tigers are traveling back to Texas for the Cotton Bowl, at least that’s what I think.

A 9-3 record and a third- to fifth-place finish in the conference should put Auburn there.

Yes, that means they will win at least one of the four road games, nullifying my “guaranteed to happen” prediction above.

But I do have some wiggle room with the “maybe” tacked onto the end, and I’m wiggling.