Will the 2015 Iron Bowl have as much of an impact on college football’s national championship as it has in the last six years?
There’s a strong chance the answer is yes, though at least one of these teams will need to survive a rigorous SEC West schedule to extend that streak.
This year’s game also marks the third meeting between Nick Saban and Gus Malzahn as head coaches, giving one man a 2-1 series lead and year-round bragging rights inside the state. Will Saban remind everyone that the Tide still is strong, or will Malzahn stamp himself with some legitimacy as one of the sport’s best coaches?
It’s a game that every SEC fan — and many fans who don’t care about the conference at all — looks forward to watching. As we approach SEC Media Days, let’s take a look at five big questions for both teams in 2015 and determine where each program may have an edge.
1. WHICH TEAM FACES THE TOUGHEST OPENER?
This is a difficult question. Both teams face power-conference opponents going through major transitions at neutral sites.
Alabama gets Wisconsin post-Melvin Gordon and in the middle of a transition from Gary Andersen to Paul Chryst. Auburn gets Louisville entering the second year of the Bobby Petrino/ACC era as the Cardinals evolve from the suffocating defense of the Charlie Strong era to the pass-happy offense that allows Petrino to keep a job.
Wisconsin features a terrific secondary and punishing running game, but doesn’t have the passing attack to test a lagging Tide defensive backfield. Louisville gets a healthy Reggie Bonnafon at quarterback, but must replace its biggest playmakers in WR DeVante Parker and S Gerod Holliman.
Vegas installed Alabama as a 10-point favorite and Auburn as a 10.5-point favorite. By no means does either team get a “gimme” in the opener, but both should secure resume-building victories that will create some excitement in the state.
Answer: Push.
2. WILL THE TIDE OR TIGERS FIELD THE BETTER QB?
Offensive coordinator Lane Kiffin turned a seemingly-mediocre fifth-year senior quarterback into a borderline All-SEC player and school record-holder in 2014. Given the overflow of talent at every position on the Tide roster, it’s not a stretch to imagine Alabama’s pass offense putting up impressive numbers with either Jake Coker or David Cornwell at quarterback.
Neither player has the physical ability or the upside of Auburn’s Jeremy Johnson.
Forget comparisons to Cam Newton (more athletic, a much better runner, not as polished as a passer) and Nick Marshall (smaller, a better runner, not as equipped as a passer). Johnson is a different flavor of ice cream, so to speak, but could propel Auburn’s offense to more excellent numbers in coach Gus Malzahn’s system.
Tide fans have legitimate cause for concern at quarterback, while Tigers fans are arguing about whether Johnson is a legitimate Heisman Trophy candidate.
Answer: Advantage to the Tigers.
3. WHICH TEAM’S DEFENSE WILL PERFORM BETTER?
Auburn fans have to be thrilled with the Will Muschamp hire, regardless of the steep price tag. There’s plenty of SEC Network money to take care of that. Oh, and there’s the return of Carl Lawson, the arrival of Byron Cowart, and the continued presence of Kris Frost, Jonathan Jones and Cassanova McKinzy.
The Tigers secondary is top-heavy and the defensive line has a lot to prove, but overall the unit should make a positive leap this fall.
Alabama’s defenses have declined at a moderate rate since the all-time great 2011 group. Despite an overload of five-star defensive backs, the Tide can’t seem to stop good passing attacks or up-tempo, no-huddle offenses.
Still, Bama will field one of — if not the — best defensive front sevens in all of college football. Coach Nick Saban and coordinator Kirby Smart will step back from the secondary, allowing former Chicago Bears defensive coordinator Mel Tucker to leverage all that talent.
Don’t be surprised if Alabama’s 2015 defense improves on last year’s version for the first time in four years.
Answer: Advantage to the Tide.
4. WHICH TEAM FACES THE TOUGHER OVERALL SCHEDULE?
This one is pretty simple, as there aren’t many differences between these two SEC West giants.
Auburn gets Georgia and Alabama at home, while the Tide must travel to Sanford and Jordan-Hare Stadiums. Oh, and Bama must face up-and-coming, angry Tennessee at the end of a brutal October, while Auburn gets Kentucky after a bye week.
Answer: Advantage to the Tigers.
5. WHO IS THE BEST COORDINATOR SET TO COACH IN THE 2015 IRON BOWL?
You know your programs are big when you can collect failed head coaches, hot young recruiters and potential big-name head coaching hires.
Smart’s stock is down, but he’s been a tremendous asset for Alabama. It isn’t easy to work beneath Saban for so many consecutive years, but Smart has been professional, steady, loyal, and most of all consistent with the results.
Smart and Muschamp both have struggled at times in the last few years with the high-octane offenses that have come to dominate college football, but that doesn’t erase their value as coaches.
The Auburn defensive coordinator has a chance to make the biggest impact of the four men in ’15. And while Rhett Lashlee never will get full credit as long as he’s operating under Malzahn on The Plains, he seems like a bright offensive mind who is more than capable of absorbing the system and finding success elsewhere.
Still, for all the controversy surrounding him and all his flaws, failures and destruction as a head coach, Mr. Lane Kiffin in 2014 reminded everyone why he’s such an in-demand offensive coach. Sure, he benefitted from Amari Cooper, but he pushed receivers and quarterbacks to similar numbers as an assistant at USC.
Offense is the trump card in college football these days, and Kiffin is a major reason why the once-impenetrable, now-leaking Alabama battleship remains a force nationally.
Answer: Advantage to the Tide.
An itinerant journalist, Christopher has moved between states 11 times in seven years. Formally an injury-prone Division I 800-meter specialist, he now wanders the Rockies in search of high peaks.
