5 reasons Auburn makes the 2019 College Football Playoff

ATLANTA, GA - DECEMBER 02: Auburn Tigers quarterback Jarrett Stidham (8) lines up in the wide receiver position during the SEC Championship game of the Georgia Bulldogs v Auburn Tigers at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, GA. The Georgia Bulldogs won the game 28-7. (Photo by Todd Kirkland/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /

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AUBURN, AL – SEPTEMBER 2: Running back Kam Martin #9 of the Auburn Tigers breaks free for a touchdown against the Georgia Southern Eagles during the second quarter of an NCAA college football game at Jordan Hare Stadium on Saturday, September 2, 2017 in Auburn, Alabama. (Photo by Butch Dill/Getty Images) /

4. The emergence of Kam Martin

The departure of Kerryon Johnson to the NFL leaves a massive opening for a new running back to take a leading role in Malzahn’s offense. Expect Martin to be that guy.

He ran the ball 74 times last season and racked up an impressive total of 453 yards on the ground. That comes out to 6.1 yards per carry. The coaching staff doesn’t expect him to maintain that prolific average this season, but it’s possible he could touch the ball a lot more. He may not eat up all of Johnson’s carries, but expect him to easily triple his number of carries.

He isn’t the tallest back in the SEC at 5-foot-10, but his 193 pound frame should position him well to take the beating he’ll need to endure as the feature back. Martin would do well to seek advice from his cousin, former Chiefs great Jamaal Charles, on how to take a pounding and continue to grind out yards.

There’s a misconception out there that Malzahn’s offense is predicated on throwing the ball down the field. At its core, his offense is really predicated on running the football and putting pressure on the edges of the opposing defense. Martin is the type of slashing back who can be really effective in that kind of scheme.

Don’t be surprised to see him put up big numbers and emerge as a legitimate NFL prospect as the year progresses. Martin won’t be the biggest name on this Tigers’ offense, but he may be one of their most important weapons.

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