With Tre Mason skipping his senior season to enter the NFL Draft, and fullback Jay Prosch graduating, Auburn's running game saw a lot of competition in the spring and the battle to win the starting job will likely heat up when fall camp begins in August.
Replacing the SEC Offensive Player of the Year and Heisman finalist will be a tough task for position coach Tim Horton. Mason's remarkable 2013 season saw him rack up a school record 1,816 yards and tie the SEC single-season record with 23 rushing touchdowns. In nine SEC games, he gashed stingy SEC defenses for 1,289 yards and 17 touchdowns.
With head coach Gus Malzahn predicting Auburn's offense will be more balanced in 2014, coming close to the numbers Mason put up isn't likely. But with Horton's history of producing 1,000-yard rushers and the talent returning in the backfield, the Tigers' rushing attack could provide a spark if the passing game were to struggle.
Corey Grant
(Photo courtesy of AUTigers.com)Spring practice ended without a starter being named at tailback. Seniors Corey Grant and Cameron Artis-Payne will have a chance to win the job in August, with Artis-Payne having a shot at getting the bulk of the carries in the fall. Last year, Artis-Payne had 91 carries for 610 yards and six touchdowns.
Grant will have to prove he can handle the load as an every-down back after being known as a speedster during his time on the Plains. Grant led all rushers during A-Day with 128 yards and a touchdown.
Last season, Grant rushed for 647 yards on 66 carries, found the endzone six times, and led the SEC in yards per carry (9.8).
Redshirt freshman Peyton Barber is also in the mix to see playing time in the fall. After being redshirted last season, Barber is ready to prove he deserves playing time after sharing the load with Artis-Payne and Grant in the spring. He had one carry for 13 yards during A-Day because of an injury to his ankle on the play.
Freshmen Roc Thomas and Kamryn Pettway are set to participate in fall camp in August. While Pettway is likely headed for a redshirt, Thomas has been told he will compete immediately for playing time. Last season at Oxford High, Thomas ran for 2,211 yards and 32 touchdowns.
Finding a replacement for Prosch will also be key if the Tigers want to be successful on the ground. Prosch opened up huge holes for Mason and didn't get enough credit for the job he did at the often overlooked position of fullback.
Senior Brandon Fulse and sophomore Ricky Parks will battle it out to replace Prosch. Fulse has played in the backfield before, so it wouldn't be surprising to see him land the starting job.
Phil MarionComing July 7: Offensive Line
Update: Ricky Parks is no longer on the team.
