Well, when you finish the regular season 7-5 it leaves a lot to be desired for the future of the program. But our purpose here is not to get greedy during the holiday season, so we’ll just narrow it down to five things on Auburn’s wish list.

Five things the War Eagles need to change their course and get back on track to competing for championships. Five things that will ease concerns of the doubters. Five things that can put Auburn football back on the map.

Your list may vary, but here’s ours.

1. Quarterback

Thank you Jarrett Stidham for two seasons of top quality football. Well, at least one, anyway. Thanks for being there when War Eagle Nation desperately needed you.

But now that you’ve decided to leave The Plains and dip your toe into the professional waters, the Tigers are desperate again for a quality signal-caller. One who can fit more seamlessly into Gus Malzahn’s system. One who makes things happen with his legs as well as his arm.

Granted the Cam Newtons and Nick Marshalls of the world don’t come around every year, but is it too much to ask to bring in a quarterback that can make Auburn’s system hum like it did in 2010 and 2013?

Is Bo Nix the answer? The nation’s top-rated dual threat quarterback, according to 247Sports.com, soon will be on campus to begin providing answers. Georgia’s Justin Fields is looking to find a new campus to call his own. Did someone say Jalen Hurts?

2. An effective offense

Bringing in untested OC Kenny Dillingham doesn’t offer much in the way of instilling confidence that the Auburn offense can return to form.

But Malzahn will again be calling the plays and perhaps that’s the answer. After all, two of the four most productive offenses in SEC history were under Malzahn’s tutelage, both in 2013 (7,018 total yards) and 2010 (6,989 total yards).

And in seven seasons, Malzahn’s teams have reached 50 points 21 times. That’s the kind of production War Eagle Nation wishes for, guiding 16 1,000-yard rushers in 12 seasons as a college head coach/offensive coordinator, and four 3,000-yard passers. That’s the direction Malzahn must lead the Tigers towards.

3. Maturity

The Tigers were relatively young this season. Here’s hoping the year of growing pains will pay off sooner rather than later. Freshmen accounted for 206 of Auburn’s 339 points scored this season, including 21 of 40 touchdowns.

In all, 50 players saw their first game experience in an Auburn uniform, including 21 true freshmen and 15 more redshirt freshmen. A total of 17 got their first start.

Here’s to wishing that the experience helps the team mature as a group heading towards next season.

4. A fresh new set of linebackers

Auburn must replace three senior linebackers. Deshaun Davis led the team with in tackles (107) for the second consecutive season. He’ll be tough enough to replace, but the Tigers also must find a suitable replacement for Darrell Williams, who finished third on the team in tackles (71) for a second consecutive season as well. And senior Montavious Atkinson will be leaving a void also.

A handful of young players saw action at the position this season and will need to mature in a hurry if they hope to step into those roles. Sophomores K.J. Britt and Big Cat Bryant proved capable of playing the position in a small sample size. Our wish is that they can step up their games beginning next season and prove worthy of becoming leaders of the team.

5. Program stability

Our wish is that we get off the roller-coaster ride the program has taken the past few years. Playing for national championships and then falling off the map in a matter of months has given War Eagle Nation a nagging case of whiplash.

Malzahn had 35 victories in his first four seasons, second-most in program history over that span. His 20-7 start was surpassed only by Terry Bowden, who went 20-1-1 in 1993-94.

But aside from the standout 2013 and 2017 seasons, Malzahn is 30-21 overall and just 14-18 in SEC games.

Another shakeup is in the midst with OC Chip Lindsey headed to Kansas to be a part of Les Miles’ first year as head coach of the Jayhawks.

Malzahn must stabilize the program or sink with it.