# 2009 Auburn Tigers football team

The 2009 Auburn Tigers football team represented Auburn University during the 2009 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Tigers were led by first year head coach Gene Chizik. Despite playing the 12th toughest schedule in the nation, the Tigers finished the season 8–5 (3–5 in SEC play) and won the Outback Bowl 38–35 in overtime against Northwestern.
While Auburn was unranked at the end of the season in both major polls, several BCS participating computer rating systems such as Sagarin (#22), Massey (#22), Peter Wolfe (#25), Howell (#24), David Wilson (#21), Team Rankings (#18) and the FACT Foundation (#21) included the Tigers in their final top 25 rankings.
The offense finished the season ranked 2nd in the SEC and 16th in the nation (with just under 432 yards per game), while the defense struggled with depth issues and finished 68th and 2nd worst in the SEC. The pass efficiency defense however was 3rd best in the SEC and ranked 22nd in the nation.

## Coaching change

On December 3, 2008, Auburn University announced that 10-year head coach Tommy Tuberville would not return for an eleventh season. The coaching search ended less than two weeks later when Auburn announced Iowa State's second-year head coach and former Auburn defensive coordinator Gene Chizik as the Tigers' next head coach. Auburn had interviewed at least eight coaches, including Buffalo's Turner Gill and TCU's Gary Patterson.

## Schedule

Auburn's schedule consisted of eight Southeastern Conference opponents (four home, four away) and four non-conference opponents. Auburn opened the season against Louisiana Tech. It was the twelfth matchup between the schools and the first meeting since 2004. The Tigers also hosted Mid-American Conference opponent Ball State for the third time. Also, Football Championship Subdivision foe Furman visited for the first time since 1956. Auburn began conference play in the second week, hosting Mississippi State. The following week, the Tigers hosted West Virginia, the second game in a home-and-home series between the two teams. The Tigers had previously faced all twelve regular season opponents, with Auburn holding the all-time series lead going into the season against all but Alabama (33–39–1), LSU (19–23–1), and West Virginia (0–1).
| Date | Time | Opponent | Rank | Site | TV | Result | Attendance |
| September 5 | 6:00 pm | Louisiana Tech* | | Jordan–Hare StadiumAuburn, AL | ESPNU | W 37–13 | 81,143 |
| September 12 | 6:00 pm | Mississippi State | | Jordan–Hare StadiumAuburn, AL | SECRN | W 49–24 | 85,269 |
| September 19 | 6:45 pm | West Virginia* | | Jordan–Hare StadiumAuburn, AL | ESPN2 | W 41–30 | 87,451 |
| September 26 | 6:00 pm | Ball State* | | Jordan–Hare StadiumAuburn, AL | SECRN | W 54–30 | 83,118 |
| October 3 | 6:45 pm | at Tennessee | | Neyland StadiumKnoxville, TN (rivalry) | ESPN | W 26–22 | 102,941 |
| October 10 | 11:00 am | at Arkansas | No. 17 | Donald W. Reynolds Razorback StadiumFayetteville, AR | ESPN | L 23–44 | 72,559 |
| October 17 | 6:30 pm | Kentucky | | Jordan–Hare StadiumAuburn, AL | ESPNU | L 14–21 | 86,217 |
| October 24 | 6:30 pm | at No. 9 LSU | | Tiger StadiumBaton Rouge, LA (Tiger Bowl) | ESPN2 | L 10–31 | 92,654 |
| October 31 | 11:21 am | No. 25 Ole Miss | | Jordan–Hare StadiumAuburn, AL (rivalry) | SECN | W 33–20 | 84,756 |
| November 7 | 12:30 pm | (FCS) Furman* | | Jordan–Hare StadiumAuburn, AL | PPV | W 63–31 | 81,506 |
| November 14 | 6:00 pm | at Georgia | | Sanford StadiumAthens, GA (Deep South's Oldest Rivalry) | ESPN2 | L 24–31 | 92,746 |
| November 27 | 1:30 pm | No. 2 Alabama | | Jordan–Hare StadiumAuburn, AL (Iron Bowl) | CBS | L 21–26 | 87,451 |
| January 1 | 10:00 am | vs. Northwestern* | | Raymond James StadiumTampa, FL (Outback Bowl) | ESPN | W 38–35 $^{OT}$ | 49,383 |
| *Non-conference gameHomecomingRankings from AP PollAll times are in Central time ||||||||

## Depth chart

Starters and backups.
Defense :
* FS
* Daren Bates
* Demond Washington
* Drew Cole
| WLB | MLB | SLB |
| ⋅ | Eltoro Freeman | ⋅ |
| Adam Herring | Spencer Pybus | ⋅ |
* SS
* Zac Etheridge
* Mike Slade
* CB
* Walt McFadden
* T'Sharvan Bell
| DE | DT | DT | DE |
| Antonio Coleman | Jake Ricks | Mike Blanc | Michael Goggans |
| Cameron Henderson | Derrick Lykes | Zach Clayton | Antoine Carter |
| ⋅ | ⋅ | ⋅ | Jomarcus Savage |
* CB
* Neiko Thorpe
* D'Antoine Hood
Offense :
* WR
* Anthony Durso
* Montez Billings
* John Cubelic
* WR
* Tim Hawthorne
* Quindarius Carr
* Philip Pierre-Louis
| LT | LG | C | RG | RT |
| Lee Ziemba | Byron Isom | Ryan Pugh | Mike Berry | Andrew McCain |
| A.J. Green | Bart Eddins | Mike Berry | Jared Cooper | Vance Smith |
| ⋅ | ⋅ | Bart Eddins | Rudy Odom | ⋅ |
* WR
* Mario Fannin
* Tommy Trott
* Gabe McKenzie
* WR
* Darvin Adams
* Derek Winter
* Harry Adams
* QB
* Chris Todd
* Kodi Burns
* Neil Caudle
* RB
* Ben Tate
* Onterio McCalebb
* Eric Smith
* Special teams
* PK Wes Byrum
* PK Chandler Brooks
* P Clinton Durst
* P Ryan Shoemaker
* KR Mario Fannin
* PR Mario Fannin
* LS Clayton Tooker

## Rankings

Ranking movements Legend: ██ Increase in ranking ██ Decrease in ranking — = Not ranked :
| | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week |
| Poll | Pre | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | Final |
| AP | — | — | — | — | — | 17 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Coaches | — | — | — | — | — | 19 | — | — | — | — | 25 | — | — | — | — | — |
| Harris | Not released | Not released | Not released | Not released | — | 19 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | Not released |
| BCS | Not released | Not released | Not released | Not released | Not released | Not released | Not released | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | Not released |

## Coaching staff

| Name | Position | Alma mater | Year entering |
| Gene Chizik | Head coach | Florida | 1st |
| Gus Malzahn | Offensive coordinator/quarterbacks | Henderson State | 1st |
| Ted Roof | Defensive coordinator/linebackers | Georgia Tech | 1st |
| Trooper Taylor | Assistant head coach/wide receivers | Baylor | 1st |
| Curtis Luper | Running backs/recruiting coordinator | Stephen F. Austin | 1st |
| Jeff Grimes | Offensive line | UTEP | 1st |
| Jay Boulware | Special teams coordinator/Tight ends | Texas | 1st |
| Phillip Lolley | Cornerbacks | Livingston | 1st |
| Tommy Thigpen | Safeties | North Carolina | 1st |
| Tracy Rocker | Defensive line | Auburn | 1st |
| Kevin Yoxall | Head Strength and Conditioning Coach | TCU | 10th |
*Entering season

## Game summaries
### Louisiana Tech

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Louisiana Tech | 7 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 13 |
| • Auburn | 10 | 3 | 10 | 14 | 37 |

### Mississippi State

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Mississippi State | 0 | 17 | 0 | 7 | 24 |
| • Auburn | 14 | 14 | 14 | 7 | 49 |

### West Virginia

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| West Virginia | 21 | 0 | 9 | 0 | 30 |
| • Auburn | 10 | 10 | 7 | 14 | 41 |

### Ball State

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Ball State | 7 | 3 | 7 | 13 | 30 |
| • Auburn | 7 | 26 | 14 | 7 | 54 |

### Tennessee

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| • Auburn | 6 | 7 | 3 | 10 | 26 |
| Tennessee | 0 | 6 | 0 | 16 | 22 |

### Arkansas

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| #17 Auburn | 0 | 3 | 20 | 0 | 23 |
| • Arkansas | 6 | 21 | 7 | 10 | 44 |

### Kentucky

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| • Kentucky | 0 | 7 | 0 | 14 | 21 |
| Auburn | 7 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 14 |

### LSU

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Auburn | 0 | 0 | 3 | 7 | 10 |
| • #9 LSU | 14 | 3 | 14 | 0 | 31 |

### Ole Miss

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| #24 Ole Miss | 7 | 0 | 13 | 0 | 20 |
| • Auburn | 3 | 7 | 23 | 0 | 33 |

### Furman

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Furman | 3 | 0 | 14 | 14 | 31 |
| • Auburn | 21 | 21 | 7 | 14 | 63 |

### Georgia

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Auburn | 14 | 0 | 3 | 7 | 24 |
| • Georgia | 0 | 7 | 10 | 14 | 31 |

### Alabama

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| • #2 Alabama | 0 | 14 | 6 | 6 | 26 |
| Auburn | 14 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 21 |

### Northwestern

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | OT | Total |
| Northwestern | 7 | 0 | 14 | 14 | 0 | 35 |
| • Auburn | 14 | 7 | 0 | 14 | 3 | 38 |