Analyzing Auburn’s Depth Chart for Louisville

The football feeners can take a deep breath. Auburn has now given us the two-deep depth chart (Gus’s comments) for their first game this weekend, which proves that they at least have an idea who should play what position. Calm down. They’ve got this. Trust. Just trust.

OFFENSE

QB
1. 6 JEREMY JOHNSON (6-5, 240, Jr.)
2. 13 Sean White (6-0, 200, RFr.)

Can you believe this? Jeremy Johnson won the starting spot?! I hope Gus knows what he’s doing…

RB
1. 9 ROC THOMAS (5-10, 203, So.)
2. 25 Peyton Barber (5-11, 225, So.) –OR–
2. 29 Jovon Robinson (6-0, 230, Jr.)

I’ll admit I’m a tad surprised here. I thought Jovon would be the guy with Roc being his complement, but now it looks like it could be the opposite… maybe. I guess the coaches weren’t just coachspeaking a few weeks ago when they said Jovon needed to step it up. Gus said Kerryon Johnson will play, too, although I think that will be more in a special teams role for a while.

HB
1. 36 KAMRYN PETTWAY (6-0, 242, RFr.) –OR–
1. 27 CHANDLER COX (6-1, 232, Fr.)

You gotta feel pretty good if there are only two guys listed at your spot and you are no lower than #1, right? I guess…

TE
1. 85 JALEN HARRIS (6-4, 250, Fr.)
2. 46 Chris Laye (6-4, 250, RFr.)

Auburn will start a freshman at tight end. That hasn’t happened since Philip Lutzenkirchen, who was Jalen’s coach and mentor. Pretty special.

WR
1. 5 RICARDO LOUIS (6-2, 215, Sr.)
2. 10 Stanton Truitt (5-9, 184, RFr.)

WR
1. 82 MELVIN Ray (6-3, 215, Sr.)
2. 4 Jason Smith (6-1, 180, So.)

WR
1. 1 D’HAQUILLE WILLIAMS (6-2, 224, Sr.) –OR–
1. 8 TONY STEVENS (6-4, 205, Jr.)

WR
1. 80 MARCUS DAVIS (5-9, 180, Jr.)
2. 83 Ryan Davis (5-9, 164, Fr.)

No real surprises at wide receiver unless you are surprised that Duke moved from the bottom of the depth chart to sharing the top spot with Tony Stevens in about a two week span. He’ll likely start and the OR is just one last bit of humbling.

LT
1. 72 SHON COLEMAN (6-6, 313, Jr.)
2. 70 Robert Leff (6-6, 288, Jr.)

LG
1. 63 ALEX KOZAN (6-4, 300, Jr.) –OR–
1. 53 DEVONTE DANZEY (6-2, 305, Sr.)

C
1. 73 AUSTIN GOLSON (6-5, 304, So.)
2. 52 Xavier Dampeer (6-2, 305, Sr.)

RG
1. 71 BRADEN SMITH (6-6, 286, So.)
2. 74 Will Adams (6-7, 303, Jr.)

RT
1. 56 AVERY YOUNG (6-6, 305, Jr.)
2. 64 Mike Horton (6-4, 312, Fr.)

The offensive line is exactly what I thought it would be. I guess I haven’t been paying attention, but I thought Braden Smith would be at tackle. I’m not going to argue with JB Grimes. I am kind of surprised that Kozan didn’t take the left guard spot by himself, but he did have a year off. Maybe this is letting him ease back in.

DEFENSE

DE
1. 6 DAVONTE LAMBERT (6-2, 282, Sr.)
2. 9 Byron Cowart (6-3, 277, Fr.)

DT
1. 95 DONTAVIUS RUSSELL (6-3, 295, RFr.)
2. 94 Devaroe Lawrence (6-2, 281, Jr.)

DT
1. 1 MONTRAVIUS ADAMS (6-4, 296, Jr.)
2. 90 Maurice Swain (6-5, 295, Jr.)

DE
1. 55 CARL LAWSON (6-2, 257, So.)
2. 59 Raashed Kennion (6-6, 235, So.)

Besides Carl Lawson, the defensive line is probably going to be a revolving door for most of the season. That’s how Garner does it, and that’s how deep this line is. You will see all of these guys.

LB
1. 30 TRE’ WILLIAMS (6-2, 238, So.) –OR–
1. 8 CASSANOVA McKINZY (6-3, 253, Sr.)

LB
1. 17 KRIS FROST (6-2, 240, Sr.) –OR–
1. 30 TRE’ WILLIAMS (6-2, 238, So.)

Tre Williams, everybody. Is he going to be on the field all the time? I mean technically he’s a starter at two linebacker spots, right? I don’t think this is a slap to either Cassanova or Kris. I just think Tre is that good, and he’s a Muschamp-style player.

LB
1. 26 JUSTIN GARRETT (6-1, 228, Sr.)
2. 16 JaViere Mitchell (6-2, 215, Jr.)

Good to see Justin Garrett lock down the top spot. I’ve always felt like he was one of the best LBs on the team, but he’s been hindered by weird injuries and such.

CB
1. 3 JONATHAN JONES (5-10, 181, Sr.)
2. 15 Josh Holsey (5-11, 198, Sr.) –OR–
2. 18 Carlton Davis (6-1, 190, Fr.)

S
1. 23 JOHNATHAN FORD (6-0, 203, Jr.)
2. 22 Tim Irvin (5-9, 194, Fr.)

S
1. 39 TRAY MATTHEWS (6-1, 213, So.)
2. 19 Nick Ruffin (6-0, 191, So.)

CB
1. 24 BLAKE COUNTESS (5-10, 185, Sr.)
2. 20 Jeremiah Dinson (5-11, 172, Fr.)

The starting four defensive backs are exactly what I expected it to be. I’m sort of surprised that Holsey has never really gotten in the top spot, but when you look at what’s there instead, I guess it makes sense.

NICKEL

1. 22 TIM IRVIN (5-9, 194, Fr.)
2. 24 Blake Countess (5-10, 185, Sr.) –OR–
2. 15 Josh Holsey (5-11, 198, Sr.) –OR–
2. 20 Jeremiah Dinson (5-11, 172, Fr.)

How about Michael Irvin’s nephew starting at Nickel as a freshman? I tweeted him (Michael) about it, but he didn’t respond. Oh well.

SPECIAL TEAMS

PK
1. 38 DANIEL CARLSON (6-4, 213, So.)
2. 43 Ian Shannon (6-3, 209, Fr.)

P
1. 91 KEVIN PHILLIPS (6-0, 185, Jr.)
2. 43 Ian Shannon (6-3, 209, Fr.)

Daniel Carlson will only handle place-kicking duties this year. That’s good. He apparently had no leg at the end of last season. Kevin Phillips has some hair. Look it up. He does.

H
1. 29 TYLER STOVALL (6-1, 207, So.)
2. 91 Kevin Phillips (6-0, 185, Jr.)

I would’ve paid to have been a holder during my college days. How about the punter being the backup holder? I hope he’s ready for Bang, Bang.

LS
1. 69 IKE POWELL (6-3, 244, So.)
2. 68 Zach Wade (5-10, 205, RFr.)

I had been told that brother of former Auburn pitcher Jay Wade, Zach, was going to be the long snapper. Guess not.

PR
1. 80 MARCUS DAVIS (5-9, 180, Jr.) –OR–
1. 4 JASON SMITH (6-1, 180, So.) –OR–
1. 87 GRAY KING (5-10, 170, So.)

Three punt returners at once?! I’ll be honest, I didn’t see Marcus Davis as a returner, but hey, if it’s what Gus wants.

KR
1. 23 JOHNATHAN FORD (6-0, 203, Jr.) –OR–
1. 5 RICARDO LOUIS (6-2, 215, Sr.)
2. 24 BLAKE COUNTESS (5-10, 185, Sr.) –OR–
2. 9 ROC THOMAS (5-10, 203, So.)

I also didn’t see Rudy Ford as a returner, either, but I don’t get to view practices since the restraining order is still valid.

So this is our team, at least for the first week. I’m totally good with it. You know why? Because Gus said so. What do you think? Leave your thoughts in the comments below. Please.