quote:
Everything I've read usually uses returning starters. I'm not saying he's wrong but I want some proof that the percentage of the 2 deep is more important than the percentage of starters.

It probably depends more on the team. For Auburn on defense the 2 deep is very important because of how much we substitute on defense under Ellis Johnson as DC. The guys we lost on defense as starters are pretty much interchangeable (or in the case of Holland at MLB addition by subtraction) with who we have coming back outside of Dee Ford and possibly Chris Davis at returner. Our defense should be much improved as long as Carl Lawson can get healthy by LSU game or so. If we are without him we are going to be crazy thin at DE and Ford will be tough to replace.

On offense I don't think the 2 deep means squat outside of injuries unless the backups have a fair amount of experience, which in this case will be true for Auburn at RB and possibly at LT depending on who replaces Robinson.

I think most Auburn fans really only consider us to be losing 5 true starters in Robinson at LT, Prosch at FB, Ford at DE, Chris Davis at CB/returner, and Mason at RB. Everyone else we lost was not a starter at various times during the year, and probably accounts for his comments on the 2 deep.