Tiger Trek in Montgomery

Auburn head coach Gus Malzahn signs autographs a homemade "Gus Bus" for Lori McClellan of Millbrook Thursday, May 1, 2014, during a Tiger Trek stop in Montgomery, Ala. (Julie Bennett/jbennett@al.com)

(JULIE BENNETT)

-- At this time last season,

Gus Malzahn

and the rest of his coaching staff weren't sure exactly what they had on their hands.

Nick Marshall

hadn't arrived on campus yet, the defense was still looking for big-time playmakers and Auburn, as constructed, wasn't the kind of team that could contend right away in August.

But by the time the season ended, Auburn was one of the nation's best, and Malzahn's challenge, with a schedule that includes a season-opener against an SEC West opponent and a September road trip to Kansas State, is to get the Tigers to that level right away in his second season.

"Last year, we did sneak up on some people early. We didn't play great. We got better each game, and we were playing our best football at the end of the year," Malzahn said. "This year, we've got to be consistent and get off to a better start."

Auburn has the pieces in place to pick up where the Tigers left off last season. With Marshall back, returning starters all over the field and a good influx of new blood, the Tigers are

by most publications.

Malzahn and his team isn't fazed by the expectations.

In the SEC, expectations are always high.

"If you're at Auburn, Auburn expects to win championships," Malzahn said. "You know that when you come here, and that's good. That's what makes Auburn special."

The schedule, though, is tougher. In addition to the SEC opener at home and the road trip to Kansas State, Auburn's rotating SEC East opponent is South Carolina instead of Tennessee, and the Tigers have to travel to both Athens and Tuscaloosa in the middle of Amen Corner in November.

"You look at our schedule, we've got one of the toughest schedules in all of college football," Malzahn said. "We're going to have to play very good football, especially early in the year."

Auburn has attacked the offseason and spring practice, motivated by the memory of coming up short in an instant-classic BCS title game.

All offseason long, that heartbreak has driven the players in much the same way that the embarrassment of 2012 drove the team last season.

"We got close. We got 13 seconds away from winning the whole thing," Malzahn said. "Right now, I'd say our players and coaches are extremely motivated. When you get that close, it's tough."

Auburn head coach Gus Malzahn signs an autograph Thursday, May 1, 2014, during a Tiger Trek stop in Montgomery, Ala. (Julie Bennett/jbennett@al.com)

The key is to take Auburn's play to the next level. With the way Auburn was able to improve week to week last season, a Tigers team that starts out as one of the top teams in the nation has the potential to go even higher by the end.

Malzahn has let his players know what to expect.

And that he expects the Tigers to take it to the next level.

"You've just got to be honest with people," Malzahn said. "Last year, we snuck up on some people. This year, they're going to have us circled, and that's exactly what I told our players. We're going to have to be better in every area."