Breakdown from local personality
Records: Auburn is 3-0 on the season with wins over UL-M 34-0, Southern Mississippi 27-13 and Mississippi State 3-2. LSU is 2-0 on the season with wins over Appalachian State 41-13 and North Texas 41-3. I give Auburn a slight edge on strength of schedule because of playing three games and the fact that they have played one SEC opponent on the road and went home with a win.
Coaching: Auburn is coached by Tommy Tuberville who has a 108-53 record as a head coach. LSU is coached by Les Miles who has a 64-27 record as a head coach. I think that Tuberville and Miles are two of the best coaches in the SEC and I will say that coaching is even.
Quarterbacks: Redshirt sophomore Andrew Hatch and redshirt freshman Jarret Lee have split time in the first two games for the Tigers and both quarterbacks have struggled a bit to make good decisions. Hatch has had a tendency to under-throw receivers, while Lee has had a tendency to overthrow receivers. Auburn quarterbacks have also had their problems in the early goings. Kodi Burns, who started one game in 2007, started the first two games this season for new offensive coordinator Tony Franklin and had his good and bad moments. Chris Todd, a 6'4" junior college transfer started the MSU game and was not very affective. Auburn has gone to the spread offense this season and I believe Burns who has 4.4 speed will start against LSU. Because of playing at home and the fact that Burns played in several games as a freshman, I give Auburn a slight edge at the quarterback position.
RBs: LSU is led by Charles Scott (5'11", 215, sophomore) who is having a great season. Trindon Holliday (5'5", 160, junior), Richard Murphy (6'1", 198, sophomore), Keiland Williams (5'11", 223, junior) and Stevan Ridley (5'11", 210, redshirt freshman) are very capable backup running backs. Auburn is also very deep at the running back position. Ben Tate (5'11", 215, junior) will likely start in place of senior Brad Lester (5'11", 205) who has an upper shoulder/neck injury. Mario Fannin (5'11", 210, sophomore) is also a quality back. Slight advantage LSU.
WRs: As a rule, Auburn has great wide receivers in the 6'3" to 6'4" range with great speed, but that is not the case this season. Robert Dunn (6'0", 180), Roderigus Smith (6'0", 180) and Montez Billings (6'3", 190) are the starters and they have great speed. LSU starting wide receivers are Brandon LaFell (6'3", 195, junior), Demetrius Byrd (6'2", 195, senior) and Chris Mitchell (6'2", 190, sophomore). I like LSU's receivers. Advantage LSU.
TEs: Auburn has two of the best TEs in the South in Tommy Trott (6'5", 250) and Gabe McKenzie (6'4", 255). LSU recruited both players and was in the final three. LSU starting tight end Richard Dickson (6'3", 240, junior) is as good as they come but there is a depth problem for the Tigers. Mitch Joseph (6'3", 245, freshman) is LSU's backup tight end. Advantage Auburn.
OL: LSU returns four starters, Brett Helms (6'2", 285, senior), Lyle Hitt (6'2", 285, junior), Herman Johnson (6'7", 351, senior) and Ciron Black (6'5", 315, junior) from the 2007 BCS national championship team. Joseph Barksdale is the lone new starter. Auburn started three freshmen linemen in 2007 in Lee Zimeba, Chaz Ramsey, and Ryan Pugh. Seniors Tyrone Green and Jason Bosley will be the other two starters this sason. The Auburn offensive line is very athletic and quick but they are still learning the blocking assignments in the spread offense. Advantage LSU.
Defensive line: LSU lost All-American Glenn Dorsey and he will be missed. Tyson Jackson, Ricky Jean Francois, Charles Alexander and Kirston Pittman return from the 2007 BCS national championship team and will be the starting four. LSU has great depth in Marlon Favorite, Tremaine Johnson, Rahim Alem and Al Woods as backup replacements. LSU might have the deepest defensive line in the nation. Auburn lost three starters off the 2007 team but the three new starters might be better than what they lost. Antonio Coleman (6'2", 250, junior) and Raven Gray (6'5", 250, junior) will be the starting defensive ends. Jake Ricks (6'4", 305, junior) and Derrick Marks (6'1", 290) are the two starting defensive tackles. Auburn's defensive line might be the quickest in the SEC. Advantage LSU.
Linebackers: From the 2007 BCS national championship team, LSU lost two starters in Luke Sanders and Ali Highsmith. Darry Beckwith was the only returning starter and a preseason All-SEC selection. Beckwith with down early in the first half last week against North Texas with a knee injury that will sideline the senior for several games. Jacob Cutrera will replace Beckwith and will be joined in the starting lineup by Kelvin Sheppard (6'3", 230, sophomore) and Perry Riley (6'1", 220, sophomore). Auburn has a great history of producing big, fast and physical linebackers. Tray Blackman (6'0", 220) Craig Steven (6'2", 220, sophomore) and Chris Evans (6'0", 220, senior) will be the three starters. Blackman is the real deal and makes tackles sideline to sideline. Advantage Auburn.
DBs: LSU returns starting safety Curtis Taylor from the 2007 BCS champion team but had to replace cornerbacks Chevis Jackson and Jonathan Zenon and FS Craig Steltz. Chris Hawkins (6'1", 180, junior) and Jai Eugene (5'11", 185, sophomore) are the starting cornerbacks. Harry Coleman will start at strong safety. Chad Jones and Danny McCray will play nickel back. Jones and Coleman are very physical players. Patrick Peterson will also see playing time at cornerback. Auburn lost their best cover cornerback in Patrick Lee and Aairon Savage will replace him. Jerraud Power, a two-year starter, will be the other starting cornerback. Zac Etheridge will start at SS and superstar Mike McNeil will start at FS. Auburn has more experience than LSU in the defensive backfield, but LSU has the best talent. Even.
Special teams: LSU returns field goal kicker Colt David who made 26 of 33 FGs and 63 of 63 extra points. Auburn returns Wes Byrum who made 17-23 FGs and 33-34 extra points. Auburn returns punter Ryan Shoemaker who averages 42.4 yards per punt. LSU is searching for a replacement for All- SEC punter Patrick Fisher. Auburn returns Robert Dunn to return punts and kicks. Trindon Holliday is LSU's new punt returner and will be deep on kick returns with Keiland Williams. Slight edge LSU because of Colt David and Trindon Holliday.
