How much will the Auburn offense change if Jeremy Johnson starts against Arkansas?

AUBURN -- With an unknown punishment pending for Nick Marshall, the possibility remains that Auburn will turn to Jeremy Johnson to start the season opener against Arkansas on Aug. 30.

Going with the bigger and less mobile Johnson, who ran just seven times for 47 yards last season, would appear on paper to force the Tigers to alter their offensive strategy considerably, but coaches and players don't believe the potential change would mean a totally different looking offense.

"I don't think we'd have to adjust a whole lot," offensive coordinator Rhett Lashlee said.

Tight end C.J. Uzomah believes the playbook would remain "as wide open as it's been" if Johnson were to start in place of Marshall.

Should Marshall be held out at all against the Razorbacks, it would thrust Johnson into the biggest game of his short college career.

He's been praised for having an "NFL arm" by his coaches and showed glimpses of his abilities while going 29-for-41 for 422 yards with six touchdowns and two interceptions as a true freshman last season, starting against Western Carolina and playing three quarters against Florida Atlantic.

"We feel like Jeremy is probably as good a backup as there is in the league and he could probably start at a lot of places," Lashlee said.

The 6-foot-5 230 pound Johnson has put on 11 pounds since arriving at Auburn last summer.

The question will be how the former Carver star and Alabama's Mr. Football will handle what would be his toughest challenge to date if he has to start against an SEC opponent.

"He's not a freshman anymore," Lashlee said. "I think he's matured a little bit. I think he knows his opportunity's near at some point in the next year or so. I think he approaches it from a different standpoint than he did probably going in as a freshman when everything was brand new and he didn't know what to expect."

Auburn coach Gus Malzahn said Marshall will "suffer the consequences" following his citation for possession of marijuana during a traffic stop in Georgia on July 11, but has yet to specify if the Tigers' returning starter and preseason First Team All-SEC quarterback will miss any playing time.

"I'm not ready to go there yet," Malzahn said during SEC Media Days last week.

With this incident believed to be Marshall's first offense of Auburn's drug policy, it would not require the loss of playing time, leaving Malzahn to make a judgment call as to the punishment of his quarterback, as well as cornerback Jonathon Mincy, who was arrested for possession of marijuana in late June.

Arkansas coach Bret Bielema expects Marshall to "be there."

There's no shortage of trust in confidence in Johnson from his teammates. Uzomah referred to him as one of the "leaders" even though he's not as experienced as some other players.

"We have full faith in (Johnson) if he was to go out there for us," center Reese Dismukes said.