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There’s not another player in the SEC who’s had worse luck in the injury department than Auburn safety Aairon Savage.

Georgia offensive tackle Trinton Sturdivant would be a close second. But with Savage going down for a third straight year this past Saturday in the Tigers’ 65-43 win over Arkansas, you can’t help but hurt for the guy.

He’s been the essence of resiliency, fighting back every time he was injured.

You’re talking about a guy who had to get a waiver from the NCAA just to get a sixth season this year.

He hadn’t played in two seasons. He tore his Achilles last year and tore an ACL in 2008.

But he didn’t give up hope and started the first six games this season.

So seeing him crumple to the ground in the fourth quarter Saturday brought a hush over a Jordan-Hare Stadium crowd who knew how feverishly Savage had worked just to be able to come back and play football again.

Now, he’s out again, possibly for the season after undergoing surgery Monday for an undisclosed injury to his right leg/ankle.

As big as the win was Saturday, Auburn coach Gene Chizik was clearly shaken about Savage’s situation.

“Seeing him [Saturday night] and talking to him [Sunday], the only thing I can say is your heart goes out to him, just what he’s been through,” Chizik said. “But he's a tough guy, and he will move past this like he has all the other things.

“That one was a hard one to look at.”

Even on a team where everything has gone so right this season, it’s a reminder that there can be a very steep price sometimes for playing this game.

It’s been that kind of season so far in the SEC.

Just when you think everything might be starting to take shape, the next weekend rolls around and the landscape changes again.

This much is for sure: We’re in for one wild ride the rest of the way.

Here’s a look at what we learned in Week 7:

1. Newton for Heisman: As fate would have it, the seventh week of the season a year ago was when a player from the state of Alabama thrust his name to the top of the Heisman Trophy charts with a signature game. Alabama’s Mark Ingram had 246 yards rushing in a 20-6 win over South Carolina, a performance that announced to the college football world once and for all that Ingram was the real deal. We all know how that turned out. Fast forward to this past Saturday -- the seventh week of the 2010 season -- and it was Auburn’s Cam Newton making perhaps his strongest case yet why he’s college football’s most outstanding player with 328 yards of total offense, three rushing touchdowns and one passing. There’s nobody else in the country quite like Newton. For that matter, it’s debatable whether or not there’s ever been anybody quite like him in the SEC. You’re talking about a 6-foot-6, 250-pound quarterback with tailback speed, tailback moves and an NFL-caliber arm. But what sets him apart is his toughness. In his past two games, he’s carried the ball 53 times. Auburn offensive coordinator Gus Malzahn said following the 65-43 win over Arkansas that there was really no way of knowing just how tough Newton was in the preseason because they didn’t allow him to be hit. Well, he’s doing the hitting now. Just ask Arkansas linebacker Jerico Nelson, who was flattened by Newton on his way to his first touchdown run.

2. Passing on by the Tigers: For everything Auburn has done right this season, the Tigers still haven’t stopped anybody who can throw the football. They were shredded by Arkansas’ passing game on Saturday, and that’s something that needs to get fixed in a hurry as they turn their attention to LSU. But here’s the catch: LSU throws the ball as poorly as Auburn defends the pass. The Tigers managed all of 103 passing yards and no touchdown passes against McNeese State in a 32-10 win. Auburn, meanwhile, was busy giving up 428 passing yards and five touchdown passes to Arkansas in a 65-43 win, and most of those yards were generated by the Hogs’ backup quarterback, Tyler Wilson. Time and time again, Wilson completed passes over the middle or down the field, and there wasn’t a safety in sight. It doesn’t help the Tigers any that senior safety Aairon Savage went down in the fourth quarter with what appeared to be a significant injury. The Tigers hadn’t given up a lot of big plays on defense until the Hogs exposed them on Saturday. The other thing to consider is that Auburn won’t see another passing game as explosive as Arkansas’ the rest of the way, but you can bet that teams will be putting it in the air against the Tigers until they prove they can stop it.

3. Bulldogs believing: It’s official. Mississippi State is the SEC’s most improved team. The Bulldogs (5-2, 2-2) have won four straight games, and they’re doing it the old-fashioned way with physical, bloody-your-nose football. In taking down Florida 10-7 on Saturday, Mississippi State ran the ball 49 of its 58 plays and had 24 straight running plays at one point to finish with 212 yards on the ground. Dan Mullen has this program on the move, and a big part of that has to do with the mindset he’s instilled in Starkville and the way he’s hired. His staff has done an excellent job, highlighted by what John Hevesy has done with the offensive line and what Manny Diaz has done with the defense in his first season as the Bulldogs’ defensive coordinator. Mississippi State was third in the league in rushing offense going into the Florida game, and the Bulldogs have now held five of their seven opponents to 17 points or fewer. When you can run the ball on offense and limit teams’ scoring on defense, you’re going to win a lot of games.

4. Spread ain’t working: Something’s gotta give at Florida. That offense is wretched, and watching the Gators try to run that spread offense with John Brantley at the helm is like watching a toddler repeatedly trying to jam a square peg into a round hole. It doesn’t fit, and it’s not going to fit. Brantley simply doesn’t fit that offense, and this isn’t a pile-on-Brantley thing, either. After all, the guy’s a drop-back passer. That’s what he does and does well. Anybody who’s seen him throw it knows he can, which leads us to the most obvious question: What happened to tweaking that offense and molding it around what Brantley does best? Right now, the Gators don’t have anything to hang their hat on offensively. They can’t run the ball. They can’t throw it, and they’re asking their quarterback to do things he can’t do. And, yes, the play calling lacks the creativity we’re used to seeing out of Florida’s offense, which brings up another point. Offensive coordinator Steve Addazio is getting fleeced by the fans right now. But it’s Urban Meyer’s offense, Meyer’s team and Meyer’s responsibility to get a lot more than he’s getting right now out of a team loaded with four- and five-star prospects.

5. Least of the East: Does anybody want to win the Eastern Division? South Carolina’s 31-28 loss to Kentucky and Florida’s 10-7 loss to Mississippi State means that all six teams are mathematically alive … and we’re in the latter half of October. In the previous two seasons, Florida was on the verge of wrapping this baby up by now. The only three teams in the East that control their own destiny at this point are Florida (4-3, 2-3) South Carolina (4-2, 2-2) and Vanderbilt (2-4, 1-2), if any of those three can win out. It’s safe to say the Commodores aren’t going to win out. But at this rate, it’s probably safe to say that nobody in this division is going to win out, which would really throw things into a jumbled mess. Ultimately, South Carolina’s visit to Florida on Nov. 13 will probably determine who goes to Atlanta, but Georgia is also lurking in the shadows after being left for dead as recently as two weeks ago. Should the Bulldogs win their remaining three SEC games against Kentucky, Florida and Auburn, they could win the East if South Carolina loses two of its remaining four games to Vanderbilt, Tennessee, Arkansas and Florida. Even Kentucky, which has lost two of its three SEC games by a touchdown or less, still has some life. Should the Wildcats win out against Georgia, Mississippi State, Vanderbilt and Tennessee, they would own the head-to-head tiebreaker with South Carolina if the two of them finished deadlocked in a two-way tie. That would entail South Carolina beating Florida, but losing to either Arkansas, Tennessee or Vanderbilt. A lot to digest, for sure, but something says this is a race that’s only going to get more convoluted as we go forward.

Auburn released its depth chart Tuesday, and it was difficult to miss the two starting safeties.

Seniors Zac Etheridge and Aairon Savage will both be in the starting lineup this Saturday when the Tigers open the season against Arkansas State.

Both are coming off serious injuries. In fact, Savage has missed the last two seasons. He tore his Achilles tendon a year ago and couldn't play, and a knee injury sidelined him in 2008.

Etheridge had the scary neck injury last season against Ole Miss and missed the last four games. He tore ligaments in his neck and cracked the C5 vertebrae. He didn't go through any contact in the spring, but received medical clearance from the doctors this preseason to resume contact and is back in the starting lineup.

"You need two captains back there to direct traffic," Auburn coach Gene Chizik said. "They bring a lot to the table. The experience they bring to our defense is huge."

In other depth chart-related news, sophomore Daren Bates will start at outside linebacker after starting all 13 games at safety last season. Senior Zach Clayton played his way into one of the starting defensive tackle jobs after a stellar preseason camp.

Chizik said senior Ryan Shoemaker would do the Tigers' punting after beating out true freshman Steven Clark.

Speaking of true freshmen, there are 12 listed in the two-deep, including eight on defense. Corey Lemonier and Jeffrey Whitaker are poised to see extensive action in the defensive line. Trovon Reed is listed as an H-back, which in Gus Malzahn's offense, could be a little bit of everything.

Schedule: Practice starts Wednesday at 8:30 p.m. ET. The first day in full pads is Monday, August 9.

What’s new: Auburn was the only team in the SEC that didn’t have any turnover on its coaching staff. That doesn’t mean there won’t be a few changes. The Tigers plan to play Daren Bates some at outside linebacker after he led all SEC freshmen in tackles last season at safety. This will be his first look in his new spot. He was recovering from shoulder surgery and didn’t go through spring practice.

Sidelined: Offensive line signee Shon Coleman is battling leukemia and won’t be playing this season. Only one other player from the Tigers’ top-5 signing class didn’t make it to campus. Receiver Jeremy Richardson failed to qualify academically and will attend junior college.

Key battle: Junior college newcomers Brandon Mosley and Roszell Gaydon will resume their battle for the right tackle spot. Mosley had forged slightly ahead exiting the spring in what was a close race for the final starting spot on the Tigers’ offensive line.

New on the scene: True freshman running back Michael Dyer and true freshman receiver Trovon Reed shouldn’t have to wait long to get their hands on the ball. On defense, true freshman linebackers Jake Holland and LeDarius Owens provide depth at a position that was painfully thin a year ago. True freshman Jeffrey Whitaker is also a strong candidate to play early at defensive tackle.

Breaking out: Senior Mario Fannin is a player who has bounced around between different positions and been the consummate team guy. This is his time to step up and be the guy. Running backs coach Curtis Luper has already predicted that Fannin will be a 1,000-yard rusher as long as he stays healthy.

Don’t forget about: Aairon Savage is one of three senior safeties returning from injury, joining Zac Etheridge and Mike McNeil. Savage was granted a sixth year of eligibility by the NCAA after missing all of last season with an Achilles injury and the entire 2008 season with a knee injury.

All eyes on: Junior quarterback Cameron Newton. He won the starting job in the spring and gives the Tigers an added dimension with his ability to both run and pass. The 6-6, 250-pound Newton also gets a second chance to show what he can do after having his career cut short at Florida following off-the-field trouble.

Quoting: “Last year, we started 5-0 and finished 3-5, and that’s not going to get us anywhere. We lost key games. Coach (Gene) Chizik has talked about it in the offseason, that finishing those games is how you move from good to great.” -- Auburn linebacker Josh Bynes

If you’re looking for the SEC team with the most seniors in key spots next season, look no further than the Plains.

The team Auburn puts on the field in 2010 will easily be one of the most experienced in the league. The Tigers return 14 projected senior starters, including four returning starters in the offensive line, four starters in the front seven on defense from a year ago and both kickers.

All told, the Tigers list 24 seniors on their roster.

And while quarterback Cameron Newton will be a first-year starter, he’s projected to have five senior starters around him.

Defensively, senior safeties Zac Etheridge, Aairon Savage and Mike McNeil aren’t all necessarily projected as starters as they try to bounce back from serious injuries, but just having them on the practice field every day and in the locker room should be invaluable as the Tigers try to make their move in the Western Division next season.

Granted, a surplus of seniors doesn’t guarantee you anything in this league. But senior linebacker Josh Bynes said it’s the right kind of seniors that makes up this class, which is why he’s so eager for the fall to get here.

“It gets back to experience and leadership, having guys who’ve been there and gone through the things we have,” said Bynes, who led Auburn with 104 tackles last season. “We have a lot of seniors, a lot of guys who’ve played now on this defense. The chemistry is going to be tremendous. When we get the numbers right, and we will, I can’t wait to see what this defense can do.”

At linebacker, that means more numbers, which is where incoming freshmen LaDarius Owens and Jake Holland could come in handy in the fall. Freshman linebacker Jessel Curry is already on campus and went through spring ball, while the Tigers plan to move sophomore Daren Bates from safety to outside linebacker.

Bates missed the spring while recovering from shoulder surgery, but was a hitting machine during his freshman season as one of the best freshman safeties in the SEC.

“We’re much better equipped [to make a run for the title] for a lot of reasons,” Bynes said. “It’s our second year under coach [Gene] Chizik, and we have veteran guys who’ve done it before and know what it takes in this league.

“Our expectation level is high. The second year, a lot of guys are coming back and we’re very focused. Coach Chizik has been very demanding, but we’ve been very demanding.

“I think we’re up to the challenge.”

One thing to keep in mind is that the Tigers have to play 11 straight weeks again in 2010 before they get a bye. That grind wore on them last season, which no doubt contributed to their losing five of their last six SEC games.

But that’s where the added depth -- and a senior-laden roster -- should help when they get in the throes of that gauntlet next season.

“I know we’ll respond better, because we’ve all been through it,” Bynes said. “We know what to look for. We know how to handle it. Plus, we’re going to be fresher for that final stretch.”

AUBURN, Ala. -- Help is on the way for Auburn’s defense.

That’s the good news.

The bad news is that a ton of first-year players could be in the rotation for the Tigers next season, which is never ideal in the SEC.

“If there’s somebody who can help us in this signing class in the front seven, then I’d say there’s a very good chance they’re going to be out there this fall,” said Auburn coach Gene Chizik, whose Tigers are in their second week of spring practice.

“That’s not the way you’d choose for it to be, but that’s just where we are right now. We’ve got to build depth on defense, which means a lot of these young guys are going to be playing.”

Linebacker Jessel Curry, the son of former Atlanta Falcons linebacker Buddy Curry, is already on campus and going through the spring. The same goes for defensive end Craig Sanders.

The rest of the Tigers’ top-5 signing class won’t arrive until this summer, and there are a number of defensive linemen and linebackers in that class who will get every chance to show what they’ve got.

Neither Chizik nor defensive coordinator Ted Roof is interested in pinpointing who in this class will be the quickest to play, but they’re certainly eager to find out.

Linebackers Josh Bynes and Craig Stevens, along with cornerback Neiko Thorpe, played far too many snaps on defense last season. Then again, the Tigers didn’t have any choice. They dressed three scholarship linebackers for the Alabama game to end the regular season, and Bynes and Stevens played every defensive snap in the overtime win over Northwestern in the Outback Bowl.

“The first couple of weeks of the season, it doesn’t take its toll on you like it does at the end when those reps add up, when you’ve played 150 more plays than some other teams,” said Roof, the former head coach at Duke. “That’s two extra ballgames.

“So, yeah, some of the freshmen walking in the door … we’re counting on them being there. Obviously, you never want to count on freshmen, but we’re in a position where we’ve got to. That’s how we’re going to build this thing.”

The Tigers finished 11^th in the SEC last season in total defense. They were 10^th in rushing defense and gave up an SEC-high 25 rushing touchdowns.

It’s that facet of the game that again concerns Roof the most as he looks toward the 2010 season.

“We’ve got to get better against the run,” Roof said. “In order to win a championship in any league, you’ve got to be able to stop the run. If you can’t, it’s a headache that won’t go away.”

As much as anything, the added depth will allow the Tigers to practice more physically. They were scared to death last season that they were going to get somebody hurt in practice.

“Coach Chizik always says there’s tough and dumb tough,” Roof said. “We didn’t want to be the latter.”

With veteran defensive backs Aairon Savage, Mike McNeil and Zac Etheridge all slated to come back from injuries, Roof has moved some guys around. Daren Bates is now working at outside linebacker following a brilliant freshman season at safety, while Demond Washington has moved from safety to cornerback.

It’s still slow-go this spring with all three of the injured veterans, but Roof is optimistic that they’re going to be ready to go in the fall, at least to some degree.

“Adding guys like Aairon Savage back to our locker room is critical,” Roof said. “A lot of guys don’t feel comfortable in leadership positions when they’re not out there going through it every day and grinding every day. A guy like him coming back is really going to help us. I don’t think you can underestimate his value.”

Bynes concedes that he and several of his teammates on defense were running on fumes toward the end of last season, especially with the Tigers having to play 11 straight weeks without a bye. They face that same gauntlet next season.

“We’re going to be a lot better with the extra numbers on defense,” Bynes said. “I remember back to my sophomore year when I rotated with Tray Blackmon and how much fresher I was. In this league, you’ve got to be 100 percent on every play, and it’s hard to do that when you’re playing as many plays as a lot of us were last year.”

And while this class will help the Tigers’ numbers on defense, Roof said this is just the start.

“There is no quick fix in this league,” he said. “We needed to sign a good class, and we need to again next year and the year after. That’s what we have to get back to.”

That is, if Auburn is going to get back to playing the kind of defense that has defined this program when it’s been at its best.

As Roof correctly points out, there was a time when it seemed like every defensive lineman that played at Auburn for a 10-year stretch ended up playing in the NFL.

“The tradition and history here of defensive football and the responsibility we have to put that product on the field is certainly one we take seriously,” Roof said. “We understand it, and we get it … and we’re going to keep working toward that standard.”

One of the first things Auburn coach Gene Chizik wants to do in bolstering his defense is to put more speed on the field in 2010.

In particular, the Tigers should be faster at linebacker with sophomore Daren Bates moving over from safety, where he started all 13 games a year ago as a true freshman.

Bates' move will also give Auburn more depth at linebacker, and it sounds like Bates will play more of a hybrid role as an outside linebacker with a lot of coverage responsibilities.

Chizik termed it a "nickel mentality" and said Bates could still wind up playing both linebacker and safety.

The Tigers weren't necessarily slow on defense last season, but they did wear down toward the end of the season. Their lack of depth was a big reason, as was the 11-week gauntlet to start the season without a bye.

Bates is still recovering from shoulder surgery, so he wasn't out there Wednesday when the Tigers opened spring practice.

Getting some guys back in the secondary helped facilitate Bates' move to linebacker. Safety Mike McNeil should be healthy after missing all of last season with a broken leg, and Aairon Savage and Zac Etheridge are also former starters trying to work their way back from injuries.

It sounds like the Tigers may use a 3-4 alignment some on defense next season.

"We're trying to get as much speed as we can on the field," Chizik said. "Sometimes that involves moving guys closer to the line of scrimmage. Sometimes linebackers become defensive ends. Sometimes safeties become linebackers. We're always into the speed movement."

One change Auburn coach Gene Chizik plans to make this spring is the Tigers will practice in the mornings. They held most of their practices during his first spring in the evenings.

The tentative start date for Auburn's spring practice is now March 24.

Obviously, one of the big storylines this spring on the Plains will be the quarterback competition. Junior college newcomer Cameron Newton, who started his career at Florida, is probably the guy to beat. But Chizik said Newton would start dead even with the rest of the guys and that nobody was putting any pressure on Newton to come in and be a superstar right away.

The other junior college newcomer who could make an immediate impact is offensive tackle Roszell Gayden, who signed in December and will go through spring practice. The Tigers are pretty set right now everywhere on their offensive line but right tackle, which is where Gayden could be a factor.

Sophomore safety Daren Bates, coming off shoulder surgery, will be limited for the spring and likely held out of most of the full contact work. Aairon Savage, who was granted a sixth year of eligibility by the NCAA, will work at both cornerback and safety this spring.

Top running back signee Michael Dyer won't be on campus until the summer, which means senior Mario Fannin has a big opportunity to show this spring what he can do at running back. Fannin has moved around from slot, to receiver, to running back the last couple of years.

The guy who may replace Fannin in that multi-purpose role is redshirt freshman Dontae Aycock, who was a quarterback in high school. He rushed for 28 touchdowns his senior year, and Chizik said the Tigers want to try him out at a couple of different spots to utilize his skills in the open field.

Checking on what's making headlines around the SEC:

• Auburn's Aairon Savage fights for another chance to play football after getting a sixth year of eligibility, writes Andy Bitter of The Columbus (Ga.) Ledger-Enquirer.
• The Nick Saban Rule comes back to bite Will Muschamp, writes Kevin Scarbinsky of The Birmingham News.
• Alabama looks to add a second Kouandjio in the 2011 signing class, writes Gentry Estes of The Mobile Press-Register.
• Former Tennessee defensive back Brent Vinson is arrested as part of a murder investigation.
• Plans are in the works at Florida for three bronze life-sized statues of the Gators' Heisman Trophy winners -- Steve Spurrier, Danny Wuerffel and Tim Tebow.
• Tebow will be in Daytona to give the command for drivers to start their engines in the first of two qualifying races for the Daytona 500.
• Authorities have charged a Mississippi State student with assault for hitting another student with a cowbell after the Egg Bowl win over Ole Miss in November.
• New Georgia linebackers coach Warren Belin received a one-year contract and will earn $190,000. Belin comes to Georgia from Vanderbilt.

Posted by ESPN.com's Chris Low

Not only did Auburn get some good news on the NCAA Clearinghouse front Thursday, but it came at a position of need.

Safety Daren Bates said he's been cleared and hopes to practice with the team on Friday. Earlier this week, junior college defensive back Demond Washington was also cleared.

The only Auburn signee still in NCAA Clearinghouse limbo is junior college cornerback Taikwon Paige, who's waiting to hear something.

With defensive back signees Izauea Lanier and Reggie Taylor already heading the junior college route after failing to qualify, the Tigers will take all the secondary help they can get.

Senior safety Aairon Savage isn't expected to play this season after injuring his Achilles this summer, and junior safety Mike McNeil is still recovering from a broken leg.

Posted by ESPN.com's Chris Low

Auburn's Aairon Savage has to have the worst luck of any player in the league.

Savage

The Tigers' senior safety is hurt again, and Auburn's medical staff is still assessing the severity after Savage injured his Achilles while working out, according to a report by Phillip Marshall of AuburnUndercover.com.

It's just the latest blow for Savage, who showed so much promise during his redshirt freshman season at Auburn in 2006 when he was named to a couple of freshman All-America teams.

But he missed six games because of injury during the 2007 season and missed all of last season after wrecking his knee during preseason practice. He tore both the ACL and MCL and also dislocated his kneecap.

Auburn coach Gene Chizik has been vague about Savage's latest injury. But if it is season-ending, he would have to apply to the NCAA for a sixth year because he's already used his redshirt year.

The Auburn defensive coaches felt like Savage had the speed, size and cover ability to play both cornerback and safety. They were careful with him in the spring because he was coming off the knee injury.

With a healthy Savage, the Tigers have four players returning in the secondary with extensive starting experience. The other three are cornerback Walter McFadden and safeties Zac Etheridge and Mike McNeil.

Posted by ESPN.com's Chris Low

Auburn Tigers 2008 overall record: 5-7 2008 conference record: 2-6 Returning starters Offense: 7; Defense: 7; Kicker/punter: 2 Top returners QB Kodi Burns, RB Ben Tate, RB/WR Mario Fannin, WR Montez Billings, OT Lee Ziemba, DE Antonio Coleman, CB Aairon Savage, S Mike McNeil, S Zac Etheridge Key losses WR Rod Smith, OG Tyronne Green, DT Sen'Derrick Marks, DT Tez Doolittle, CB Jerraud Powers 2008 statistical leaders (* returners) Rushing: Ben Tate* (664 yards) Passing: Kodi Burns* (1,050 yards) Receiving: Rod Smith (332 yards) Tackles: Zac Etheridge* (75) Sacks: Antonio Coleman* (6) Interceptions: Josh Bynes* (3) Spring answers 2009 Schedule Sept. 5 Louisiana Tech Sept. 12 Mississippi State Sept. 19 West Virginia Sept. 26 Ball State Oct. 3 at Tennessee Oct. 10 at Arkansas Oct. 17 Kentucky Oct. 24 at LSU Oct. 31 Ole Miss Nov. 7 Furman Nov. 14 at Georgia Nov. 27 Alabama Two-horse race: Offensive coordinator Gus Malzahn narrowed the quarterback race to juniors Kodi Burns and Neil Caudle toward the end of spring, and they will get most of the reps when preseason practice begins. Malzahn has never been a two-quarterback guy, so it will be interesting to see who emerges. Redshirt freshman Barrett Trotter was also in the race for most of the spring. Buying into Chizik: When Gene Chizik was announced as Auburn's new coach, even some of the most loyal Tigers fans had to stop and scratch their heads. But the players quickly bought into his no-nonsense approach. The entire program needed a jolt of confidence after the way last season ended, and Chizik was able to get everybody's attention with an extremely physical spring. Getting Fannin the ball: Keep your eyes closely on Mario Fannin next fall. He's liable to line up just about anywhere. The key is getting him the ball because he's one of the most explosive playmakers on the team. Malzahn has several things in store for Fannin whether he's at receiver, running back or quarterback in the Wildcat formation. Fall questions Mastering the spread: The spread offense was a dirty word on the Plains after the way it imploded last season under Tony Franklin. But no two spreads are the same, and Malzahn insists his spread will start with a physical running game. For that to be effective, the Tigers still have to prove they can throw the ball well enough to keep defenses honest. Complementing Coleman: We know senior defensive end Antonio Coleman is one of the most accomplished big-play artists in the league. Who are going to be his running mates? Junior defensive end Michael Goggans and junior linebacker Craig Stevens are certainly candidates, while cornerback Aairon Savage also returns after missing last season with a knee injury. Benton's arrival: Without a doubt, receiver DeAngelo Benton was the Tigers' most important signee. He has everything it takes to be a go-to receiver in this league. He failed to qualify academically after initially signing with LSU out of high school, but was recently certified by the NCAA Clearinghouse, according to his hometown newspaper, and will enroll at Auburn this summer.

Posted by ESPN.com's Chris Low

Auburn could be getting some future help at cornerback.

Phelon Jones has received his release from LSU and would like to transfer to Auburn, his father told The Mobile Press-Register.

Jones, who's from Mobile, Ala., started two games last season for LSU after redshirting in 2007. He would have two years of eligibility remaining beginning with the 2010 season.

The defensive backfield is one of LSU's deepest positions on the team. Patrick Peterson, Chris Hawkins and Jai Eugene all have starting experience at cornerback, while Ron Brooks has been one of the stars of the spring. Brooks can play both cornerback and safety. LSU also returns starting safeties Chad Jones and Harry Coleman.

With Aairon Savage and Walter McFadden both entering their senior seasons, Auburn will be able to use some cornerback help in 2010. The Tigers like the way some of their younger defensive backs are progressing this spring. Sophomore Neiko Thorpe, who played some as a true freshman last season, is working with the first unit at cornerback along with McFadden. Redshirt freshman T'Sharvan Bell has also made a move at cornerback.