Auburn’s players and coaches are set to gather in Nashville later today after a brief Christmas break, marking the beginning of the Music City Bowl week against Big Ten adversary Maryland.
Leading up to the game at Nissan Stadium on Saturday, the Tigers will undergo multiple practice sessions at Vanderbilt.
The Music City Bowl serves as an opportunity for Auburn to conclude the 2023 season positively and avoid a third consecutive losing season, a rare occurrence for the program not seen since the mid-1970s.
Given the impact of opt-outs and transfers on both team rosters, the bowl game also offers a chance for players to set the stage for 2024, particularly those who may step into new and more significant roles in the upcoming season.
In this edition of the Observer newsletter, our focus is on these players. Here are 11 Tigers that we’ll be closely monitoring during bowl week and as we transition into the true offseason phase of the college football calendar.
Among the 11 Tigers we’re closely observing during bowl week and the ensuing offseason, there’s a mix of potential starters, players vying to establish their roles, and intriguing names on the roster. To kick things off, we’ll begin with arguably the most discussed player during the bowl practices thus far.
Tyler Johnson, the offensive tackle, is emerging as a potential standout during the bowl practices, capturing the attention of both teammates and observers alike. Each year, there’s typically a player who quietly makes a significant impact either during bowl preparations or at the beginning of spring ball, and Johnson is currently the leading candidate for that distinction. His recent performance has earned him praise from teammates on both offense and defense, with Jack linebacker Jalen McLeod expressing astonishment at Johnson’s remarkable improvement since the fall camp.
According to McLeod, “Man, he’s gotten like 10 times better I literally mean it, 10 times better—since he came in from fall camp. We’ve been having some good one-on-ones, and I’m like, ‘Wow. This is not the same Tyler that I was going up against a few weeks ago.’ That’s how crazy it is.” Johnson’s progress is turning heads and placing him in a promising position as a player to watch during the bowl week and beyond.
