There is good news for Auburn football fans. The Tigers are actually going to play football this fall. That means the whole Bryan Harsin controversy can be put on the backburner.

No one needs to be reminded of the recent turmoil haunting Auburn’s football program. Harsin’s job security has been the top talking point in the SEC for most of February. As of now, that storyline seems to have passed. So, business as usual — for now at least. Time will tell if irreparable damage has been done to Harsin and Auburn’s relationship.

Despite a startling beginning to the 2021 season, Auburn ultimately struggled and finished with a 6-7 record. However, it’s not as if the train completely ran off the track. Auburn’s players still played hard for Harsin in the regular-season finale against Alabama and nearly upset the Crimson Tide. Now, Harsin needs his players to rally once again. Auburn’s players have to ignore whatever happened with Harsin in the offseason, find a quarterback they believe in and prepare for the 2022 season.

There is reason for optimism. Auburn has several key players returning. Here are the primary candidates who could provide new, more uplifting storylines for the Tigers.

RB Tank Bigsby

Bigsby was obviously not happy at times last season when he was on the bench. Television cameras caught him visibly miffed during key moments last season when Auburn’s offensive coaches decided to go in another direction. It’s somewhat surprising that Bigsby didn’t enter the transfer portal, although he did consider it. Bigsby is a powerful tailback that Auburn can lean on this season. Will Bigsby become the focal point of Auburn’s offense in 2022? We’ll see. Despite rushing for 1,099 yards last season as a sophomore, Bigsby still should have been a more significant factor for Auburn last season.

Edge Derick Hall

Hall considered forgoing the 2022 season and entering the NFL Draft. Instead, he decided to stay at Auburn. That’s good for the Tigers. Hall led Auburn with 9 sacks and 12.5 tackles for a loss last season. Hall is just one component of Auburn’s defensive front, which should be a team strength. His decision to return will be an ongoing theme as you read on. There are plenty of key players who decided to return to Auburn instead of bolting elsewhere.

LB Owen Pappoe

Like Hall, Pappoe considered an early exit to the NFL. Instead, the linebacker decided to return for another season at Auburn. Again, good news for the Tigers. Pappoe was injured for much of last season, but there’s no denying he’s a solid player. He has been a starter since he arrived on Auburn’s campus in 2019. Considering he’ll be playing for his NFL future, Pappoe has plenty to prove — and plenty on the line — this season. As long as he’s healthy, Pappoe’s future looks bright.

TE John Samuel Shenker

This should be a familiar name. Shenker has been on The Plains almost as long as Auburn fans have been screaming “War Eagle.” Shenker enrolled in Auburn in 2017 when no one even knew what a pandemic was. He’s used the time wisely. Shenker has become one of the best tight ends in the SEC. He caught 33 passes for 413 yards last season. Those were both single-season records for Auburn tight ends. He’s a key player for Harsin, who likes to utilize tight ends as much as any coach in the nation.

DE Colby Wooden

Wooden also considered transferring from Auburn and still could. However, assuming he is a Tiger in 2022, Wooden is the perfect complement to Hall. Wooden may not have the same production behind the line of scrimmage as Hall. However, Wooden is solid. He had 61 tackles last season. If everything stays intact as it looks like it will, Auburn will have one of the better defensive lines in the SEC. With the Harsin mini-saga behind, everyone needs to just take a deep breath, calm down and look forward to the 2022 season.