EDGYTIM.com previews the 2017 Auburn Knights here. For more in depth preseason coverage including state wide team coverage along with daily recruiting news and updates, make sure to subscribe to the EDGY Nation today.

School: Rockford Auburn

Mascot: Knights

Conference: NIC-10 Conference

Head Coach: Dan Appino

Assistant Coaches: John Toldo, Patrick Appino, Matt Renfro, Tyler Fagan, Chris Hawkins, Dan Brown, Jerry Lowe, Hosea Harris, Charles Kerr, Peter Schmidtknecht, Javon Oden

2016 results: 10-2 (8-1 NIC-10 Conference). The Knights qualified for the 2016 Class 7A state playoff field. Auburn defeated St. Rita and St. Charles North before losing to Plainfield North in the quarterfinal round.

2017 Rockford Auburn Knights schedule

8/25 at Freeport

9/1 vs Rockford East

9/8 vs Boylan

9/15 at Belvidere North

9/22 vs Belvidere

9/29 vs Rockford Jefferson

10/6 at Hononegah

10/13 at Harlem

10/20 vs Rockford Guilford

Returning Offensive Starters

RB Daquawn Bell 5'5" / 162 lbs / 2018

QB Quay Thompson 5'8 / 171 lbs / 2018

TE Johann Madix 5'11/ 203 lbs/ 2018

OT Keivon Walston 6'4/ 262 lbs/2018

SE Yahmir Muhammad 6'0/ 141 lbs/ 2018

Returning Defensive Starters

LB Liam Hayes 5'11 / 193 lbs/ 2018

LB Antoine Butler 5'10 / 181 lbs/ 2018

OLB Xavier Trammell 6'2/ 203 lbs/ 2018

OLB Elijah White 5'8/ 170 lbs/ 2018

DB Jamus Neal 5'11/ 160 lbs/ 2018

DE Keivon Walston 6'4/ 262 lbs/ 2018

SS Josh Cooper 5'9/ 180 lbs/ 2018

Newcomers to Watch

DB Leon Little Eagle

RB Donell Hill

DL Lance Morgan

Slot John Brent

DE Terry Purifoy

OLB Brian Lee

Listen to Auburn Head Coach Dan Appino here

20 Minutes with Auburn Head Coach Dan Appino

2017 Auburn Knights Summer Camp/7on7 plans

6/15 at Stevenson 6/17 at NIU 7/12 at Auburn

Did you know..that Auburn has made the IHSA state playoff field in four of the first five years under head coach Dan Appino. Before his arrival at Auburn, the Knights only IHSA state playoff appearance came in 1990.

Top Impact Player for Auburn in 2017? Senior running back Daquawn Bell (5-foot-5, 162 pounds) was a dangerous break away back all season long in 2016 for the Knights. Look for Bell to again be given a large load of the running game this fall.

Biggest Concern heading into 2017? Can the Knights rebuild the Wall of Auburn aka it's enormous offensive line from last season? Only senior OL Kevion Walston (6-foot-4, 262 pounds) s back from a season ago.

EDGYTIM's Way Too Early Take on the 2017 Auburn? Auburn's complete turnaround under head coach Dan Appino has been easily one of the top success stories of the past 5-6 season in the state. Look for the Knights to feature a ton of speed on both sides of the football and for Auburn to again challenge for the NIC-10 conference and beyond this fall.

EDGYTIM's Way Too Early regular season record prediction for Auburn? 8-1/7-2