HEAD COACH
Gene Chizik, second year at Auburn, 13-24; fourth year as head coach, 13-24.

MOST IMPORTANT PLAYER
OT Lee Ziemba -- The cornerstone of Auburn's veteran-heavy lineup, Ziemba passed on promising professional opportunities to return for his senior season. If he starts all 12 games this season, he'll become Auburn's all-time leading starter, but he'll be more focused on leading an offense that rarely had trouble moving the ball last year. What makes him so valuable to Auburn this season is what is -- or isn't -- behind him on the depth chart. Because the Tigers boast four senior linemen who have at least two years of starting experience, the second-team offensive line boasts few, if any, players ready to face SEC competition.

BREAKOUT STAR
QB Cameron Newton -- The junior college transfer quarterback has mountain-sized expectations on his shoulders, as Auburn fans are looking for big things from the Tim Tebow's former backup. After a falling out with Florida that sent him to Blinn (Texas) Community College for a season, Newton came to the Tigers as the top-ranked junior college prospect in the nation. After 15 spring practices, he was named the starter in an Auburn offense that is expected to recreate the video-game numbers it put up in 2009. His size (6-6, 250 pounds) and speed are what have the coaches so excited. Now, it's all a matter of what he can do under the lights in front of 87,000 fans.

NEWCOMER TO WATCH
RB Michael Dyer -- The gem of Auburn's consensus top five recruiting class, Dyer has the potential to see the field right away. Considered the prototypical back for a Gus Malzahn offense, Dyer could steal carries from Mario Fannin and Onterio McCalebb if he lives up to the potential that's already been bestowed upon him. Auburn showed little hesitancy playing McCalebb last season when he was a freshman, so certainly a player of Dyer's caliber won't be told to wait if he proves himself on the practice field.

PROJECTED STARTING LINEUP

Offense -- QB Cameron Newton, RB Mario Fannin, HB Eric Smith, WR Darvin Adams, WR Terrell Zachery, TE Philip Lutzenkirchen, OT Lee Ziemba, LG Mike Berry, C Ryan Pugh, RG Byron Isom, RT Brandon Mosley

Defense -- DE Antoine Carter, DT Mike Blanc, DT Nick Fairley, DE Michael Goggans, LB Josh Bynes, LB Craig Stevens, LB Daren Bates, CB Neiko Thorpe, CB Demond Washington, S Zac Etheridge, S Mike McNeil

ROSTER REPORT

--Safeties Zac Etheridge and Aairon Savage are hoping to make remarkable comebacks from serious injuries. Both players should be full go when the Tigers open camp, but both will have watchful eyes on them as Etheridge returns from a scary neck injury while Savage returns from a torn ACL and Achilles' tendon.

--LB Daren Bates (shoulder) and WR Philip-Pierre Louis (knee) are expected to be fully recovered from respective offseason surgeries.

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