I’ll start by saying this: I’m beyond psyched about the Michael Dyer era. I said on Signing Day we was my personal choice for “Most Excited About” for the class of 2010 and repeated that yesterday. That Chizik and Co. (allegedly) made him the No. 1 prospect on their board means something. Between 1. his massive natural talent and 2. the fact that running backs (as a rule) have fewer struggles transitioning from one level of football to the next than players at any other position, it won’t surprise me a bit to see him take over as Auburn’s starting tailback as soon as this fall.
But it also won’t surprise me if that job falls to Dontae Aycock. Aycock drew nothing but compliments from Curtis Luper during his redshirt year, and those who have seen him practice say he has every bit of the Tate-like blend of power and speed Rivals said he had when they ranked him in their top 200 overall for the class of ’09. As the experiences of Darrell Scott in Colorado and Enrique Davis in Ole Miss (and, all right, Mark Ingram at Alabama) have shown us, sometimes it’s not the glittering All-Everything RB recruit that winds up the best option, especially when you’ve got a solid talent like Aycock around.
All of that said: I was very happy to read the following tidbit (available via not the article itself but a photo caption … thanks!) from AuburnUndercover’s interview with Gus Malzahn:
Mario Fannin will work at tailback in spring practice
Obviously, “will work at tailback” in the spring is a far cry from locking up “will start at tailback” in the fall. Fannin knows the H-back position well enough that he could be swapped back at a moment’s notice. But that Malzahn wants to start his preparation for the 2010 season with Fannin as his offense’s primary ballcarrier is an encouraging start.
Because when all is said and done, I believe Mario Fannin will be Auburn’s best option as their starting running back in 2010. For all of the Malzahnian Spread Eagle’s versatility, tricksyness, and wealth-spreading, last year showed us that everything it does will start in the most traditional fashion possible: identifying a bell cow in the backfield and feeding him the ball until the opponent breaks.
We believe Dyer and Aycock have that kind of potential. But we know Fannin has it. For three years, we’ve been fed tantalizing glimpses of Fannin’s immense talent: the breakout against South Florida in ’07 (undone by those fumbles), the screen pass dash to the house against Georgia in ’08, the game-changing weave through an entire damn Mountaineer defense in ’09. We’ve seen these kinds of explosions despite the fact Fannin’s only received a handful of touches a game; what happens when he starts taking a handoff 20 times a night?
What I think happens is that Fannin finally has the kind of season we’ve always known he could have, the same way Tate finally went from a “good, not great” player holding the likes of Fannin back to Auburn’s offensive MVP and an all-time great, all in the course of a year. What I think is that Auburn’s tailback position becomes even more explosive than it was last season. What I think is that Auburn never truly misses even a player as great as Tate.
Of course, that’s just what I think, and that doesn’t count for much. If Auburn’s coaches tell me this fall that Dyer or Aycock are the right choice as our starting tailback, you’re not going to hear a word of dissent here. But I’ll admit that the choice that will really get my orange-and-blue blood pumping is our fifth-year senior, the guy who’s paid his dues and looks best poised to me to reap the rewards. Why am I glad to hear that Fannin’s going to get his hands on the tailback job in the spring? Because I don’t think he’s going to give it back.
Photo via.
I’ve had a man crush on Mario since day 1. It’s only right for us fans to occasionally pick a player that’s either not fed the ball enough, doesn’t get enough praise, or get’s too much grief.
And that’s why I’ll always love Mario, Shane Wadsden, Justin Fetsko, Antoine Nolan, Hicks Poor, Fred Beasley, Ricky Neal, The Devastating Fullbacks of ’93 (TM), and Willie Gosha
LOVE LOVE LOVE me some fannin. he just has to learn to hold onto the ball. i really think that’s the only thing that has kept him from doing this job before. amazing talent, and amazing desire to win, now hold onto the friggin’ ball.
of course, having said that, i’ve never seen a single other person hold onto a football, AND remain standing, after being knocked unconscious, as fannin did in the iron bowl this past year. so maybe that’s a sign that he’s developed some autonomic ability for keepin’ it in the basket.
WAR EAGLE, mofo’s!!!!!!
if Fannin doesn’t end up getting A LOT of time at runningback this fall then he might go down with Tristan Davis as Auburn’s most misused weapons ever.
Sexy, I wanted to work that exact same point into the post somewhere–that given how hard it is to get knocked TFO and still hang onto the ball, his fumbling problems are probably done–but never found a comfortable place for it. Glad you brought it up.
Jonesy, I’m with you most of the way, but as much as I liked him I think Justin Fetsko probably received the appropriate amount of touches.
Hicks Poor. Great varsity player. But never could beat Beta in intramurals.
Just another offseason at Runningback U.
Jonesy you left out Heath Evans. I felt that he could have toted the rock 20-30+ times a game. He was by far too underutilized (IMHO.
jrsuicide:
I could not agree more.
I have always thought Davis was the most under-utilized back in recent history.
His pre-season TD run for 78 yards this past season was insanely fast.
unfortunately, the user of that video has removed it or i would have given you the link 🙁
I would have love to have seen what Dr Gus would have come up with in 2003, when we had Carnell, Ronnie, Brandon, and Tre (yeah I said Tre). I understand what Kodi means to the team and I think he’s a great athlete, but I never figured out why they didn’t use Fanin as Wildcat QB this past year. Even if he had fewer opportunities than Kodi, it would have been a great change of pace.
I remember seeing a preseason edition of “Auburn Football Preview” or something when Cadillac was back in Auburn for Spring Ball and he and Tuberville were talking. Tubby told him, of all the RB on campus Fannin was the one that he thought would be the next great one.
Say what you will about CTT and his recruiting, but the man obviously knew a quality Tailback when he saw one.
I was under the impression that the reason Fannin has never gotten a real shot as the every down back was because of an injury he suffered to his sholder. If this is true I would prefer they not give all the reps to a player that may not be able to take the beating he WILL get in the SEC as the feature back. Durability is a MUST in this league.
Great post WBE, I like Fannin too. One thing though — PLEASE stop using the phrase “Spread Eagle.” The connotation is horrific for Auburn football. If you don’t understand why, then just trust me. Stop it stop it stop it. Just stop it. I don’t know what clever “catch phrase” the coaches are using for this offense, and I don’t care, as long as it isn’t that. And it isn’t that, I assure you. I’m begging you. Stop it right now.
I think Matrio Fannin has been the best tailback at Auburn for sometime — when he holds onto the ball that is.
Unlike Jerry, I’m not so sure he is over it. I remember a play or two from this past season when he’s fumbled the ball on the way out of bounds.
But if he gets that one flaw corrected, we should be in for a real treat next year.
And Rusty, what’s so bad about the “spread eagle” name?
WDE!!
Rusty, glad you liked the post, but I’m with Alex–“horrific connotation”? No, I don’t understand why it’s that awful. I know it was the general Intarwebs nickname for Franklin’s version, but that’s why I typically either append a “2.0” or “Malzahnian” to it. I guess there’s also some mild sexual connotation to it, but I hardly think it’s so profane I’d have to drop it. I’m kind of attached to it, frankly–it strikes me a lot catchier than “Malzahn’s spread” or “the Auburn offense” or whatever. You’ll have to enlighten me as to why it’s so important that I give it up.
Hi guys. Wow, do I really have to break this down? LOL, nobody wants that. Hey, maybe I was a bit harsh, as you folks are clearly okay with it. WBE, I respect what you know and what you and others do for me and for AU on a daily basis. I rely on sites like yours for AU stories and comraderie, as I live in CA and it’s not exactly on the nightly news here. But I figured this nickname had surely been scuttled long ago. Please google the phrase and see what comes up. It’s not football, I assure you.
So far as I can tell, for most people it has only this one connotation. So let’s not be completely oblivious. Honestly, what does it sound like it means? This is not a subtle or oblique reference, it is immediately obvious to me and everyone I know.
Also it’s not just the sexual reference in general that’s the problem. For example, “Malzahn’s Hard Thrusting and Deep Penetrating Offense” would be profoundly lewd but also profoundly freakin’ awesome, and I would shout it right along with you from the rooftops on game day. Unfortunately, your particular suggestion does not connote “to conquer” so much as “to yield.” Perhaps that’s what I cannot abide: directly contradicting the fight song.
Even if you personally feel the phrase is benign WBE, just knowing that you might inadvertently help identify our offense with a (this is the most polite way I can put it) submissive feminine sexual position — I think that should give you some pause brother. You folks reside in close quarters with bammers, dawgs, corndogs, gators, rebs and vols. Why in the world would you possibly want to broadcast this? See how “catchy” it is when mullets realize they can use it to deride AU.
You guys (and, god forbid, gals) just please think it over, and either way have a great evening. WDE and thanks for all the good work WBE, no hard feelings.
I’ll have to agree on the “Spread eagle” term. Sounds like someone that’s been overpowered and is submitting.
Now that that’s over, I’d really like it if Fannin had his breakout year. There is, however, some reason that three OC’s and two completely different coaching staffs have never made him the every down RB. Whatever that reason may have been , I hope he whips it.
On the terminology for our offense, I honestly don’t care what we call it as long as it keeps breaking records and winning games.
On Fannin, I am really glad he is being given a chance at tailback. Competition always breeds the best results. Regarding his shoulder injury, I don’t know if he has any more trouble with it, but last year at A-day his delts (Yeah, I know how gay this sounds) were bigger than my head!
I don’t think Fannin’s shoulder had much to do with his move to H-back last season–think it was just more that the coaches could see what Tate had to offer there and that move got them both on the field.
Re: the offense, I’m hearing you. I dunno, the sex thing just isn’t the first thing I think of with that phrase. Maybe we’ll take Rusty’s suggestion and refer to it as the M.H.T.&D.P.O.?
hee hee – i’m gonna take rusty’s advice, google spread eagle and see “what comes up”.
DOUBLE DITTO! Its funny though cause I’ve asked a bunch of my friends who they think will be the workhorse in 2010 and they all jump straight to Dyer. My thing is I never have seen a drop off between Tate’s running and Fannin’s—except Fannin seems a bit more elusive. He’s the obvious choice for me, been- there-done-that fifth year senior, as googd a runner as Tate with never a chance to truly showcase it. I’m pullin for him, after all even if Dyer is perfectly capable of starting this year(and i believe he is) i think you’d want to go that route if there were no other options. We’re loaded with options! WAR EAGLE!!!!