An early look at Auburn football's 2022 roster, strengths, weaknesses: The offense

AUBURN — A new offensive coordinator brings mystery to Auburn football's future.

That sentence would have been an applicable way to introduce a story about Auburn's offense any of the last three years, and such is the case again in 2022. Austin Davis is the latest brave newcomer to oversee the offense, with head coach Bryan Harsin expected to engineer the playbook more closely.

It's a new approach, and it brings a new roster overhaul. Here's an early breakdown of next season's potential depth chart, examining the Tigers' strengths and weaknesses on offense as of January.

Quarterback

The starter: T.J. Finley

The backups: Dematrius Davis, Holden Geriner, Zach Calzada, Robby Ashford

The departed: Bo Nix, Grant Loy

The outlook: Is a quarterback competition inevitable? If (when?) Auburn can somehow snatch a third from the transfer portal, there might be a new projected starter, but if Calzada (Texas A&M) and Ashford (Oregon) are the only additions, it seems to be anyone's ballgame. Finley holds the title for now, but only by default after replacing an injured Nix in November 2021. He started Auburn's last three games. Davis didn't play as a freshman but took second-team reps during bowl prep, and Geriner is a four-star earning a lot of buzz as he joins the room. Hard to say who new quarterbacks coach Austin Davis eyeing as a starter at this point.

Running back

The starter: Tank Bigsby

The backups: Jarquez Hunter, Jordon Ingram, Damari Alston

The departed: Shaun Shivers

The outlook: Bigsby can be one of the best running backs in the SEC — maybe in the country — as a junior. It's a matter of whether he'll get more carries in the restructured offense, and whether Auburn bolsters its run blocking. Hunter showed promise as a freshman in 2021, and the four-star signee Alston adds more talent to the position group.

Receiver

The starters: Shedrick Jackson, Ja'Varrius Johnson, Malcolm Johnson Jr.

The backups: Tar'Varish Dawson, Ze'Vian Capers, Camden Brown, Jay Fair, Omari Kelly, J.J. Evans

The departed: Demetris Robertson, Elijah Canion, Kobe Hudson, Caylin Newton

The outlook: If senior Shedrick Jackson hadn't elected to return for his extra year of eligibility, Auburn would have been left with a combined 487 career receiving yards returning to its roster in 2022. The shocking loss of Hudson (team-leading 580 yards last season) leaves this position group in rather dire footing. Brown, Fair and Kelly all signed in December, but landing an experienced transfer now feels like a requirement to remedy the receivers' 2021 inconsistencies. Jackson's return is a plus.

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Tight end

The starter: John Samuel Shenker

The backups: Landen King, Luke Deal, Tyler Fromm, Micah Riley-Ducker

The departed: None

The outlook: Shenker's return for an extra year of eligibility is a major win. He broke the single-season school records for catches and receiving yards by a tight end. That passing game involvement is sure to continue next season with a deep room. King was one of Auburn's only freshmen to play significant game reps. Riley-Ducker is a solid three-star addition.

Offensive line

The starters: Austin Troxell, Alec Jackson, Nick Brahms, Keiondre Jones, Kilian Zierer

The backups: Brenden Coffey, Kameron Stutts, Jalil Irvin, Colby Smith, Tate Johnson, Garner Langlo, Avery Jernigan, Jeremiah Wright, Eston Harris Jr.

The departed: Tashawn Manning, Brodarious Hamm

The unknown: Brandon Council

The outlook: Messy. Even with a surprising number of seniors (Troxell, Jackson, Brahms) returning, there's a sense that Auburn needs an upgrade. It needs someone new. It needs more competition in the room. Manning (transfer) and Hamm (draft) are considerable losses, and the only newcomer as of Jan. 18 is Harris, a three-star signee from Auburn High School. Wright, a defensive lineman who missed last season with a knee injury, practiced with the offensive line during bowl prep. But the reality is Auburn desperately needs to mine the transfer portal. This offense's success hinges on rebuilding the line. In the meantime, the projected starters are five returners.

This article originally appeared on Montgomery Advertiser: A way-too-early look at Auburn football's 2022 roster: The offense