CatsPause.com - Scouting Report: Kentucky at Auburn

October 17, 2009

Matt May
CatsPause.com Senior Writer

KENTUCKY at AUBURN
When: 7:30 p.m.; Saturday, Oct. 10
Where: Jordan-Hare Stadium; Auburn, Ala.
TV: ESPNU
Radio: Big Blue Radio Network
Last Meeting: Nov. 5, 2005 - Auburn 49, @UK 27
Records: UK (2-3, 0-3); Auburn (5-1, 2-1)

Auburn 2009 Schedule/Results
Sept. 5 - LOUISIANA TECH (W, 37-13)
Sept. 12 - MISSISSIPPI STATE (W, 49-24)
Sept. 19 - WEST VIRGINIA (W, 41-30)
Sept. 26 - BALL STATE (W, 54-30)
Oct. 3 - at Tennessee (W, 26-22)
Oct. 10 - at Arkansas (L, 23-44)
Oct. 17 - KENTUCKY
Oct. 24 - at LSU
Oct. 31 - OLE MISS
Nov. 7 - FURMAN
Nov. 14 - at Georgia
Nov. 28 - ALABAMA

Notes: Auburn leads the all-time series 24-5-1, including 12-1 in Auburn...UK has not won in Auburn since 1961, a 14-12 victory...Auburn has scored at least 41 points in each of the past four meetings with the margin of victory being 25.5 in those four wins...This will be only the third meeting between the two since 1995 (2004 and 2005)...This will mark UK's third TV appearance on ESPNU this season...Auburn coach Gene Chizik is in his first season as head coach at Auburn, but struggled mightily at his previous stop, going 5-19 in two seasons at Iowa State.

SCOUTING THE TIGERS

CENTER OF ATTENTION
Chris Todd, Quarterback
2009 Statistics: 96-166, 1,366 yards, 12 TD, 1 INT
Bio Buzz: Todd's career path has been anything but linear in getting to the point where he is one of the Southeastern Conference's most efficient quarterbacks. Todd originally landed at Texas Tech hoping to thrive in Mike Leach's wild offensive passing system but lost the position battle to Graham Harrell and transferred to junior college. After a successful stint there he committed to Troy and former offensive coordinator Tony Franklin, but when Franklin went to Auburn in 2008 Todd followed.

The Kentucky native see-sawed with Kodi Burns last season before winning the job under new offensive coordinator Gus Malzahn this fall and hasn't looked back. It will also certainly be an emotional game for Todd as he returns to his home state for the first, and only, time.

SUPPORTING CAST
Ben Tate, Running Back
2009 Statistics: 119 rushes, 724 yards, 4 TD; 11 catches, 66 yards
Bio Buzz: Tate leads the Southeastern Conference in rushing yards per game, racking up 121 yards per game on the ground despite splitting carries with Onterio McCalebb in the Auburn backfield. Tate is a gamebreaker who has found his stride in Malzahn's balanced offensive attack and is also capable of catching the ball in space if need be.

Darvin Adams, Wide Receiver
2009 Statistics: 25 receptions, 387 yards, 5 TD
Bio Buzz: Auburn's receivers really struggled to make plays last season but have shown significant improvement under Malzahn's guidance. Adams led the Tigers in receptions, yards and touchdown receptions entering their game at Arkansas and has shown big play ability in churning out nearly 17 yards per receptions.

Antonio Coleman, Defensive End
2009 Statistics: 19 tackles, 4.5 tackles for loss, 2.5 sacks, INT, fumble recovered
Bio Buzz: Coleman was voted All-SEC First Team by the coaches last season and is now finding life as a marked man can be much more difficult in the SEC. Still, few defensive ends are as disruptive off the edge as Coleman, as his 17 career sacks and 35 tackles for loss indicate. There is a lot more attention on the 261-pound senior this season but he's still getting to the quarterback (five quarterback hits).

Craig Stevens, Outside Linebacker
2009 Statistics: 55 tackles, 5.0 tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks, INT, forced fumble
Bio Buzz: Stevens has slowly grown into his role as the Tigers' top playmaker in the linebacker corps, starting 12 games as a sophomore in 2008 before blossoming so far this season. Stevens flies around the field and typically has his hand in just about everything the Tigers do on the defensive side of the football.

Matt May is the football beat reporter for The Cats' Pause. If you have questions or comments about the Cats e-mail him here.

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