[autotag]Bryan Harsin[/autotag]’s staff received a facelift over the offseason, as two coaches were promoted to coordinators, and two more were added to the staff.
One of those additions is former Florida wide receiver and 12-year NFL veteran, [autotag]Ike Hilliard[/autotag].
Hilliard served as a wide receivers coach for four different NFL franchises, as well as the Florida Tuskers of the United Football League after retiring from the NFL in 2008. He looks to take on a new challenge by venturing into the college ranks for the first time in his career.
What can Auburn fans expect to see from the wide receivers under Hilliard’s watch? Current SEC Network analyst and former teammate of Hilliard at Florida, Chis Doering, weighs in.
In a recent episode of the local radio show, Sportscall, Doering says that he expects to see Hilliard apply what he learned during his days at Florida to Auburn’s wide receiver room.
“(At Florida) we were very precise with the way that we ran routes, proper depth, proper footwork, and the amount of breaks,” Doering said. “You are going to see more refined play at the receiver position because of what Ike Hilliard brings in. Not only the coaching style that he learned, but his playing experience and being able to communicate what it actually takes to be successful to play that position in this league.”
What will Auburn need to do offensively to be successful in 2022? Auburn will have a few targets this season at wide receiver, but no one carried a majority of the workload last season. Doering says that Auburn will need another offensive play maker, in addition to [autotag]Tank Bigsby[/autotag], to step up and provide relief for the junior running back.
“Tank Bigsby is a monster, but he can not do it alone at the running back position,” Doering says. “Figuring out a way to become more balanced and be more dynamic in the passing game is important. Maybe it is not a bad position for Auburn. Traditionally, in the years where people have not expected much, (Auburn) has actually surprised some people.”
[autotag]Shedrick Jackson[/autotag] is Auburn’s returning receiving yards leader. In 2021, he caught 40 passes for 527 yards and a touchdown.
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