The 2012 Auburn Tigers football team represented Auburn University in the 2012 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The team was coached by Gene Chizik, who was in his fourth season with Auburn. The Tigers played their home games at Jordan–Hare Stadium in Auburn, Alabama, and competed in the Western Division of the Southeastern Conference (SEC).
On November 25, 2012, Auburn athletic director Jay Jacobs fired head coach Chizik and all of the assistant coaches after finishing the season 3–9 overall with a 0–8 record in SEC play, the program's worst season in 60 years.
Forthcoming season A shooting at an off campus party killed former players Ed Christian and LaDarius Phillips on June 9 after they had planned to transfer. Current Offensive Guard Eric Mack was also shot but survived, he remains on the team, but has not participated in summer drills. Freshman QB Zeke Pike was arrested for public intoxication and was dismissed from the team. Pike will transfer to Louisville. Other transfers included CB Jonathan Rose and OG Thomas O'Reilly. DE Joel Bonomolo quit the team and linebacker Jawara White suffered a career ending neck injury. Transfers Corey Grant, Mike Blakely and Melvin Ray were not eligible to play that upcoming season.
New coordinators The Tigers played the 2012 season with new coordinators on both offense and defense. On offense, Scot Loeffler took control. Loeffler was previously the offensive coordinator at Temple University, and had served stints as an assistant coach at Michigan, Florida and the Detroit Lions. While serving as a graduate assistant coach at Michigan, Loeffler tutored future New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady.
The new Auburn defensive coordinator was Brian VanGorder, who most recently served in a similar capacity with the Atlanta Falcons. Also new to the Tigers defensive coaching staff was Willie Martinez, who coached defensive backs. Martinez was previously an assistant coach at Oklahoma. VanGorder and Martinez previously coached together at Georgia in the early 2000s. The Tigers switched to a more aggressive blitzing scheme on defense. The presence of VanGorder on the Tigers’ coaching staff paid dividends in recruiting, as they secured commitments from several high-profile recruits for the 2013 class.
Coaching staff Name Position Alma mater Year entering Gene Chizik Head coach Florida 4th Scot Loeffler Offensive coordinator/quarterbacks Michigan 1st Brian VanGorder Defensive coordinator Wayne State 1st Trooper Taylor Assistant head coach/wide receivers Baylor 4th Curtis Luper Running backs/recruiting coordinator Stephen F. Austin 4th Jeff Grimes Offensive line UTEP 4th Jay Boulware Special teams Coordinator/Tight ends Texas 4th Mike Pelton Defensive line Auburn 2nd Willie Martinez Secondary Miami 1st Tommy Thigpen Linebackers North Carolina 4th Kevin Yoxall Head Strength and Conditioning Coach TCU 13th
Returning starters
Offense Player Class Position Kiehl Frazier Sophomore Quarterback Tre Mason Sophomore Running Back Onterio McCalebb Senior Running Back Emory Blake Senior Wide Receiver Quan Bray Sophomore Wide Receiver Travante Stallworth Senior Wide Receiver Trovon Reed Sophomore Slot Receiver Philip Lutzenkirchen Senior Tight End Reese Dismukes Sophomore Center John Sullen Senior Left Guard Chad Slade Sophomore Right Tackle
Defense Player Class Position Corey Lemonier Junior Defensive End Dee Ford Junior Defensive End Jeff Whitaker Junior Defensive Tackle Gabe Wright Sophomore Defensive Tackle Daren Bates Senior Weak Side Linebacker T'Sharvin Bell Senior Cornerback Chris Davis Junior Cornerback Demetruce McNeal Junior Strong Safety Enrique Florence Sophomore Free Safety Jermaine Whitehead Sophomore Nickelback Robenson Therezie Sophomore Nickelback
Special teams Player Class Position Jason Lembke Sophomore Long Snapper Steven Clark Junior Punter Cody Parkey Junior Kicker Ryan White Junior Holder Tre Mason Sophomore Kick returner Onterio McCalebb Senior Kick returner Quan Bray Sophomore Punt returner
Key losses Coaches AHC/OC Gus Malzahn DC Ted Roof
Players QB Barrett Trotter RB Michael Dyer WR Quindarrius Carr LT A.J. Greene RT Brandon Mosely LB Eltoro Freeman FS Neiko Thorpe
Key returners
QB Kiehl Frazier QB Clint Moseley RB Onterio McCalebb RB Tre Mason WR Emory Blake TE Philip Lutzenkirchen C Reese Dismukes LE Corey Lemonier LE Craig Sanders LE LaDarius Owens RE Dee Ford RE Nosa Equae DT Jeff Whitaker LB Daren Bates CB Chris Davis CB T'Sharvin Bell P Steven Clark K Cody Parkey
Depth chart
Offense
Quarterbacks
10 Kiehl Frazier So 6'2 228 15 Clint Moseley Jr 6'4 233 12 Jonathan Wallace Fr 6'2 205
Running backs
23 Onterio McCalebb Sr 5'11 168 21 Tre Mason So 5'10 205 20 Corey Grant So 5'9 203 22 Mike Blakely RFr 5'9 206
Fullbacks
35 Jay Prosch Jr 6'0 253 48 Blake Burgess Jr 6'2 255
Slot receivers
1 Trovon Reed So 6'0 188 4 Quan Bray So 5'10 175 8 Anthony Morgan Sr 5'9 204
Wide Receiver
80 Emory Blake Sr 6'2 197 13 Sammie Coates RFr 6'3 210 89 Jaylon Denson So 6'3 208 6 Ricardo Louis Fr 6'2 210
Wide receiver
85 Travante Stallworth Sr 5'9 195 82 Melvin Ray Fr 6'4 205 87 JaQuay Williams Fr 6'4 201
Tight end
43 Philip Lutzenkirchen Sr 6'4 260 11 Brandon Fulse So 6'5 250 81 C. J. Uzomah So 6'4 246 (was the wildcat last year) 46 Ricky Parks Fr 6'3 237 84 Darrien Hutcherson Fr 6'8 272
Left Tackle
73 Greg Robinson RFr 6'4 312 72 Shon Coleman RFR 6'6 295 77 Shane Callahan Fr 6'6 285
Left Guard
71 John Sullen Sr 6'6 336 63 Alex Kozan Fr 6'4 295 76 Jordan Diamond Fr 6'5 295
Center
50 Reese Dismukes So 6'3 305 65 Tunde Fariyike So 6'3 302
Right Guard
75 Christian Westerman RFr 6'3 310 60 Eric Mack So 6'3 315 70 Robert Leff Fr 6'7 275
Right Tackle
62 Chad Slade So 6'5 325 51 Patrick Miller Fr 6'7 275 56 Avery Young Fr 6'6 275 74 Will Adams Fr 6'8 285
Defense
Left End
55 Corey Lemonier Jr 6'4 250 13 Craig Sanders Jr 6'4 266 10 Ladarius Owens So 6'2 257 42 Gimel President Fr 6'4 245
Defensive tackle
54 Jeff Whitaker Jr 6'5 305 92 Ken Carter Jr 6'4 297 74 Jamar Travis Sr 6'0 294 91 Tyler Nero Fr 6'2 291
Defensive tackle
90 Gabe Wright So 6'3 305 98 Angelo Blackson So 6'5 325 95 Devaunte Singler So 6'5 295 93 JaBrain Niles RFr 6'2 297
Right End
95 Dee Ford Jr 6'2 245 94 Nosa Equae Jr 6'3 263 52 Justin Delaine So 6'5 250 45 Keymiya Harrell RFr 6'5 260
Strong Side Linebacker
17 Kris Frost RFr 6'2 233 35 Jonathan Evans 5'11 230 44 Anthony Swain 6'2 245
Middle Linebacker
5 Jake Holland Jr 6'1 238 33 Chris Landrum RFr 6'3 233 30 Cassanova McKinzy Fr 6'4 237
Weak Side Linebacker
25 Daren Bates Sr 5'11 225 26 Justin Garrett So 6'2 206 58 Ashton Richardson Sr 6'1 218 18 Javiere Mitchell Fr 6'2 197
Left Corner Back
11 Chris Davis Jr 5'10 184 6 Jonathan Mincy So 5'10 188 1 Josh Hoseley Fr 5'9 175 21 Jonathan Jones Fr 5'10 185
Free Safety
14 Enrique Florence So 6'1 185 9 Jermaine Whitehead So 5'11 195 31 Trent Fisher So 6'1 187
Strong Safety
12 DeMutruce McNeal Jr 6'2 193 24 Ryan Smith Jr 6'2 208 16 Ikeem Means Sr 6'0 205
Right Corner Back
22 T'Sharvin Bell Sr 6'0 182 27 Robensen Theirize So 5'8 203 19 Ryan White Jr 5'11 195 28 TJ Davis Fr 6'1 190
Special Teams
K 36 Cody Parkey Jr 6'1 175 P 30 Steven Clarke Jr 6'5 228 LS 59 Jason Lembke Jr 6'2 242 H 19 Ryan White Jr 5'11 195 LS 61 C.T. Moorman Fr 6'1 220 PR 20 Corey Grant So 5'9 203 KR 20 Corey Grant So 5'9 203 KR 4 Quan Bray So 5'10 175
Team Captains
Emory Blake Philip Lutzenkirchen Corey Lemonier
Award Finalists
Maxwell Award- Onterio McCalebb Doak Walker Award- Onterio McCalebb Paul Hornung Award-Onterio McCalebb Johnny Rodgers Award-Onterio McCalebb Fred Biletnikoff Award- Emory Blake John Mackey Award-Philip Lutzenkirchen Dave Rimington Trophy- Reese Dismukes Chuck Bednarik Award- Corey Lemonier Bronko Nagurski Trophy-Corey Lemonier Ted Hendricks Award-Corey Lemonier Lombardi Award-Corey Lemonier Butkus Award-Daren Bates Lou Groza Award-Cody Parkey Ray Guy Award- Steven Clarke (was finalist last year)
Recruiting class The main focus in offseason recruiting was adding new offensive linemen. The Tigers signed seven, led by tackles Avery Young and Jordan Diamond, who were both rated five stars by Scouts.com. Parade All-American Shane Callahan and Patrick Miller, both rated as four star recruits, also highlight the recruiting class, as do tackle Will Adams and guard Robert Leff. The final signee to Auburn's impressive class of offensive linemen is Alex Kozan, who signed with the Tigers three weeks after the National Signing Day. In addition, 2010 signee Shon Coleman has been cleared to play after being cured of acute leukemia. He will have four years of eligibility remaining.
The only high school running back signed was Jovon Robinson; however, he was unable to practice until potential irregularities in his high school transcripts are resolved. Three running backs transferred to the Tigers from other programs: Mike Blakely (Florida), Corey Grant (Alabama) and fullback Jay Prosch (Illinois).
The Tigers added two four-star recruits at wide receiver. Ricardo Louis signed with Auburn, picking the Tigers over Florida State; also, the Tigers beat out Georgia Tech for the services of JaQuay Williams. In addition, Melvin Ray transferred from Alabama. The Tigers also signed two tight ends: highly regarded Ricky Parks and Darrien Hutchinson.
On defense, Auburn concentrated on the secondary, picking up four-star recruit Josh Hosely as well as T.J. Davis and Jonathan Jones. Defensive line signees include Parade All-American Gimel President and four-star recruit Tyler Nero, who has been timed running a 40-yard dash in 4.62 seconds. Linebackers Cassanova McKinzy and Javier Mitchell round out the class.
Schedule
Schedule source:
Game summaries
#14 Clemson
Mississippi State
Louisiana-Monroe
#2 LSU
Arkansas
Ole Miss
Vanderbilt
#20 Texas A&M
New Mexico State
#7 Georgia
Alabama A&M
Alabama
Sources:
In the 2012 edition of the Iron Bowl, Alabama shutout the Auburn Tigers 49–0 at Tuscaloosa. The Crimson Tide opened the game with a 10-play, 75-yard drive that culminated in a two-yard Eddie Lacy touchdown run and a 7–0 lead. After the Alabama defense held Auburn to a three-and-out on their first possession, their offense responded with their second touchdown of the afternoon on a two-yard T. J. Yeldon touchdown run for a 14–0 lead. The Crimson Tide then forced a Tigers' punt on their second possession, and then scored their third touchdown in as many possessions when A. J. McCarron threw a 37-yard pass to Amari Cooper for a 21–0 lead early in the second quarter.
On the Auburn possession that ensued, the Alabama defense collected their first turnover of the game when Robert Lester intercepted a Jonathan Wallace pass at the Tigers' 29-yard line. Five plays later the Crimson Tide led 28–0 after McCarron threw a seven-yard touchdown pass to Kevin Norwood. The Alabama defense held Auburn to their second three-and-out of the game, and then the Crimson Tide scored their fifth touchdown of the game on a one-yard Lacy run for a 35–0 lead. Auburn then committed their second turnover of the game when Nico Johnson forced a Tre Mason fumble that Dee Milliner recovered and returned to the Tigers' 35-yard line. Alabama then took a 42–0 halftime lead when McCarron threw a 29-yard touchdown pass to Cooper.