Tate, Lester need to be dual-threats for Auburn

By Lee Roberts  |   Wednesday, July 02, 2008  |  Comments( 0 )

Auburn Tigers
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Thanks to the presence of new offensive coordinator Tony Franklin, Auburn has shifted its scheme to the spread, which has become all the rage in college football. The Tigers' change in philosophy should bring new life to the Auburn offense, but it may take some time to adjust. How rapidly that adjustment is made will go a long way toward determining how successful the Tigers can be this season.

The key to the spread is the quarterback, and Auburn’s QB debate is well-documented. Regardless of whether Chris Todd or Kodi Burns is at the helm, he will have a stable of running backs to ease the transition. The question for Auburn is: Which running back should get the bulk of the carries?

The spread isn’t run-focused, but having an effective ground game is essential to its success. The most successful spread teams last season were able to create openings in the passing game because of the threat of the big run. At Oregon, Dennis Dixon had Jonathan Stewart. At West Virginia, Pat White had Steve Slaton and Noel Devine.

Fortunately for Auburn, it has enough depth at running back that it moved potential starter Mario Fannin to wide receiver in the spring. The two prime candidates to lead the Tigers’ rushing attack are Ben Tate and Brad Lester.

Tate finished last season with 903 rushing yards and eight touchdowns. Lester only played in seven of 13 games, but he still ran for 530 yards and three scores. The similar production makes the coaches’ decision to pick a starter extremely difficult.

The key for the starter, whether it be Tate or Lester, will be the ability to also make plays in the passing game. At this point, Tate appears to have an edge in that regard. He showed a greater ability to catch the ball out of the backfield last season than Lester. The running back is a vital outlet for the quarterback in this system -- especially for an inexperienced QB, which Auburn will have.

Both tailbacks should see plenty of time this season, but the one who can differentiate himself in the passing game will get his number called when it matters. Look for Tate to develop into the primary running back as the season progress for that reason. With a bevy of talented receivers and Franklin’s penchant for passing, it will be rare for both backs to follow in the footsteps of previous Auburn greats Cadillac Williams and Ronnie Brown and be on the field at the same time.

Although, Franklin might want to give his predecessor, Al Borges, a call for some pointers, considering that duo seemed to work pretty well for Auburn.
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About Lee Roberts

Born in Richmond, Va, I moved south to UNC-Chapel Hill for college and received a degree in Journalism and Mass Communication. I currently live in Charlotte, NC and cover Auburn, LSU and the ...
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