As with every football season, the anxiety of the unknown works its way into the psyche and tends to dampen even the most fervent of fans. The 2019 season certainly is no exception with War Eagle Nation.

I’m sure you have your own, but here are 5 of my biggest concerns for Auburn in 2019.

1. Freshman quarterback

That’s obvious. I mean regardless of your expectations for this season, working in a new quarterback — a freshman at that — is enough to give the most ardent fan cause for pause. Talk about your unknowns.

Yes, we know that redshirt freshman Joey Gatewood has the size and ability to get the job done. At 6-5 and 233 pounds, Gatewood continues to get comparisons to Cam Newton. That’s high praise.

Gatewood gave us a taste of what we might expect with a solid performance in the A-Day game where he threw for 130 yards and 2 touchdowns while completing 8-of-12 attempts.

He has a year on incoming freshman Bo Nix (pictured above), who possesses all the tools anyone could ask for in a starting quarterback. Both Nix and Gatewood are dual threats who can extend plays with their feet and cause defenses fits.

Gus Malzahn spoke highly of both QBs during the recently completed Media Days event.

“They can extend plays. They have big arms. They’re young and inexperienced but they have a great attitude. They want to be good. They want to lead this team. I think the quarterback position is in good hands for the near future.” Malzahn said.

2. What to expect at LB?

No matter what your team looks like otherwise, replacing all 3 linebackers tends to take the wind out of your sails. It’ll be up to Chandler Wooten and K.J. Britt to pump it back up. Those juniors are the most experienced among the group.

And who knows, if Owen Pappoe, this year’s top recruit, can acclimate and get up to speed, this group could very well turn into a pleasant surprise. Wouldn’t that be an added bonus?

3. Brutal schedule

You would be hard-pressed to find a tougher road schedule than the one Auburn must encounter. Beginning with a trip to College Station to face Texas A&M, the Tigers must then visit The Swamp for a meeting with Florida, then travel to face LSU in Death Valley, where Auburn has yet to win this century.

That doesn’t even count the neutral-site opener against Oregon, or home games with Georgia and Alabama. Factor in those titanic tilts and what you have is, well the usual gauntlet a team must face as a member of the Southeastern Conference.

Oddly enough, the visiting team has had the edge in the short series with Texas A&M. The Tigers have won all 3 meetings in College Station while the Aggies have taken 3 of 4 at Jordan-Hare. So at least there’s that.

4. Who are the playmakers at WR?

Replacing your 2 top receivers is never easy. Somebody has to emerge from a group of talented but somewhat inexperienced receivers.

Perhaps it could be Eli Stove if he is fully recovered from knee surgery that sidelined him most of last season. Stove just banged up his knee in camp and sat out practice. He was making steady improvement in his first 2 years before the injury. He made 29 catches in 2017 for 265 yards and also rushed 30 times for 315 yards and 2 touchdowns. But Stove has yet to catch a touchdown pass. Could this be his breakout season?

Seth Williams is Auburn’s leading returning receiver with 534 yards and 5 touchdowns on 26 catches last season as a freshman. Speedster Anthony Schwartz also had a respectable freshman year (22 receptions, 357 yards, 2 TDs) but could miss the opener because of a hand injury, and Matthew Hill and Marquis McClain impressed during the spring.

So there’s some talent to work with, but they must play better to help the new kid under center.

5. Does Malzahn have what it takes?

As a head coach in the SEC, does Malzahn have the wherewithal to handle the play-calling duties and be a consistent winner in the most competitive conference in America? We’re about to find out. Yes, that strategy worked to perfection in the Music City Bowl. But doing it consistently against SEC defenses is what we’ll learn in 2019.

I guess you have to hand it to him, though. He’s putting it all out on the line in this make-or-break season.

Bo Nix cover photo by Adam Broach.