I know, I know, cliche blog headline. But it's here, folks. It's finally here. After months and months of waiting to see how smoothly Gene Chizik's first few weeks on the field will actually go as the Tigers install their offensive and defensive schemes ... we still won't really know.

That's because practice is closed to fans and practically shut off to the media, save for three 25-minute sessions (one of which happens to be smack dab in the middle of tonight's NIT basketball game, which I'll be attending).

So will we get some material from this spring? Yes. Will we know everything they tell us is the truth. Well, no. But it's March. Hope spring eternal on the football field in March. Everybody's undefeated. So I wouldn't expect a much different tone to the stories that come out of the spring even if we were able to watch the practices. We'd just be able to add a little more color for our readers, which as far as I can tell has never submarined a football team's ability to win on the field, even if that's what every football coach in the country thinks will happen.

But I digress.

ANYWAY, I wrote a five questions story about the spring in today's paper that I can't find online, so here it is on the blog:

AUBURN, Ala. — One hundred and one days have passed since Gene Chizik was hired to lead Auburn’s football program. Now he finally gets to coach.

The Tigers begin three and a half weeks of spring practice tonight, at last a purely football phase for Chizik, who in the last three months has dedicated the majority of his time to recruiting, assembling a staff and winning over the hearts and minds of an initially-resistant Auburn nation.

The practices are closed to the public and, with the exception of three brief, 25-minute viewing periods, shut off to the media, meaning Chizik and his staff will privately go about installing its schemes and evaluate on the field for the first time the remaining talent from the Tommy Tuberville regime.

Here are five questions Auburn will try to answer before A-Day at Jordan-Hare Stadium on April 18:

1. Who will emerge as the leading candidate to play quarterback?

That’s the $64,000 question. Auburn’s biggest shortcoming last season becomes its biggest question mark this spring, with four candidates — Chris Todd, Kodi Burns, Neil Caudle and Barrett Trotter — vying for the job.

“It’s going to be wide open,” offensive coordinator Gus Malzahn said four weeks ago. “Everybody’s starting new.”

Burns finished the season as the No. 1 quarterback, starting the final five games and flashing glimpses of his potential in an offense that showed little, if any, improvement after Tuberville fired Tony Franklin as offensive coordinator and handed the reins to tight ends coach Steve Ensminger.

Auburn hopes to have Todd back in the mix after the rising senior had surgery in December on his throwing shoulder to correct an injury that plagued him since he transferred from junior college.

Caudle, a rising junior who finished last season as the backup, and Trotter, who redshirted, should get equal reps, at least in the early going.

Malzahn would like to have a starter established by the end of spring, but he won’t force a decision.

“Ideally, that would be the best case scenario,” he said, “but at the same time you’ve got to have somebody that earns it, that separates himself from the rest of them.”

2. Who will be the offensive play-makers Malzahn needs to make his offense go?

A team already lacking at the skill positions lost its leading receiver (Rod Smith) and a three-year contributor at running back (Brad Lester) to graduation, but the Tigers have plenty of candidates who should be eager to get an opportunity in Malzahn’s fast-paced, wide-open offense.

Wide receiver Philip Pierre-Louis, who figured to be a big part of Auburn’s plans last year before tearing his ACL on the opening kickoff of the first game, should be ready for the spring. Montez Billings, Tim Hawthorne and Quindarius Carr, who were nearly invisible last season as the Tigers’ offense sputtered, will also get a chance to make an impact at receiver.
In the backfield, Onterio McCalebb, a speedy transfer from Hargrave Military Academy, will be thrown into the mix, adding a new element to the shifty Mario Fannin and powerful Ben Tate.

3. Will there be staff harmony on the offensive side of the ball?

A clash of personalities doomed the Tigers last year, with Franklin and Tuberville’s group of long-time assistants butting heads about Auburn’s offensive philosophy.
That shouldn’t be a problem with the new staff. Chizik hand-picked Malzahn, who, unlike Franklin, had input with the hiring of his offensive assistants.

Running backs coach Curtis Luper, wide receivers coach Trooper Taylor and offensive line coach Jeff Grimes all came aboard after being vetted by Malzahn and Chizik, which should mean last year’s drama shouldn’t be repeated.

4. How will Auburn cope with the early departures of defensive tackle Sen’Derrick Marks and cornerback Jerraud Powers to the NFL?

Marks’ absence, coupled with the graduation of tackle Tez Doolittle, leaves Auburn with a sizable hole up front, having to replace 60 tackles, 18 of which were for a loss.

Three players — rising senior Jake Ricks, junior Mike Blanc and sophomore Zach Clayton — played on the inside last year. Redshirts Derrick Lykes and Jomarcus Savage should be in the mix as well.

The Tigers are more prepared to replace Powers. Walt McFadden has locked down one cornerback spot and Aairon Savage is back after a knee injury cost him last season, although he might move to safety.

But Auburn has other options at corner, including Neiko Thorpe, last year’s nickelback, and D’Antoine Hood and Harry Adams, rising sophomores who were thrust into emergency action last season because of injuries.

5. Are there any more intriguing position battles than at kicker and punter?

Auburn’s special teams, or at least the players kicking the ball, will be scrutinized with a careful eye this spring.

Wes Byrum is the presumptive front-runner at place-kicker but, after a shaky sophomore season during which he missed eight of his 19 field goal attempts, is open to challengers. Walk-on Morgan Hull, who handled the kicking duties in the Iron Bowl because of a Byrum injury, is the chief competition.

Punter is a more intriguing situation. Clinton Durst finished 26th nationally in punting last year but may have lost his standing after briefly leaving the team this offseason because of a scholarship dispute.

Rising junior Ryan Shoemaker, who Durst beat out last fall, was a second-team All-SEC pick in 2007 and could take back his old job.

And finally, since we're getting prepared to watch some football, here are two items from The Onion, the best satirical news site out there in my opinion. First, a Hank Williams nod. Second, a football helmet-related disaster.