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Auburn coach Gene Chizik liked what he heard from fans during the offseason.
Now the question is, will fans like what they see when the Tigers take the field during his second season.
The first season was up and down and mostly deemed a success - partly due to uncertain expectations - with an Outback Bowl win, eight victories and a near-miss against rival Alabama.
Perception has changed somewhat.
The roster is a little deeper thanks to a top five recruiting class and several defensive backs returning from injuries. Maybe that helps explain the enthusiasm that has greeted Chizik in recent months from a fan base hungry to see signs of closing the gap with the national champion Crimson Tide.
''It's the same passion and energy and excitement at every place,'' Chizik said. ''That's really cool for me, because that was one of the things I wanted to do, is really pull the Auburn family back together.
''I feel it and I sense it when I go talk to people. It's really a neat thing.''
The Tigers stirred hope by racking up a school-record 5,613 yards last season, and raised concerns by yielding more yards than any other Auburn defense (4,863). The final two games were a nutshell version: Auburn gave up 621 yards to Northwestern in the Outback Bowl - and won.
The Tigers held Alabama to 291 yards - and lost 26-21 on a late touchdown drive.
The offense potentially has more firepower, even with the graduation of tailback Ben Tate. The defense gets a boost with safeties Zac Etheridge, Aairon Savage and Mike McNeil back from serious injuries; Savage and McNeil missed all of last season.
And linebackers Josh Bynes and Craig Stevens might get some relief from newcomers after playing virtually every snap last season.
Some of the optimism stems from new quarterback Cameron Newton, who has been praised by teammates and coaches for both his athleticism and leadership since arriving in January.
His running ability seems to make the 6-foot-6, 247-pound junior college transfer potentially a better fit for Gus Malzahn's hurry-up offense than last year's starter Chris Todd. The one-time Florida backup beat out several contenders in the spring.
Now, the hard part.
''As I've told him, as I've told everybody else, he's got to get on the field now and deliver,'' Chizik said. ''That's the last piece of the puzzle and the most critical part.
''He can do whatever he wants in practice. He's got to take that to the game field and deliver.''
He'll have a veteran offensive line and a more experienced receiving corps to help him out. Left tackle Lee Ziemba put a pro career on hold and returned for his senior season to head a line that includes four senior starters.
Darvin Adams was one of the Southeastern Conference's most productive, if unheralded, receivers last season. He and Terrell Zachery need some help from a group of young, unproven players that might include freshman Trovon Reed.
''Every receiver brings something different to the table,'' Newton said. ''There's no doubt that we have talent on this team. I think it's going to be up to me, also with Coach Malzahn, to get those guys the ball and let them do something special.''
Mario Fannin settles back in at running back after playing in a hybrid role last season and finishing as the No. 2 receiver. Running backs coach Curtis Luper has already predicted Fannin, like Tate, will gain 1,000 yards.
Onterio McCalebb had a fast start last season and gained 606 yards, but highly touted freshman Michael Dyer figures to claim some of the carries.
Defensively, the top five tacklers are back, led by Bynes, Stevens and cornerback Neiko Thorpe.
Former starters Etheridge, Savage and McNeil could give the secondary a huge boost, especially in experience.
The Tigers must replace end Antonio Coleman and tackle Jake Ricks on the line. Nick Fairley and Zach Clayton both have started in the middle, and tackle Jeffrey Whitaker was a top recruit.
Auburn has plenty of bad habits to break from 2009, from struggling to pull out close games to costly penalties.
The Tigers got off to a fast start to climb into the rankings, then struggled before the Alabama game.
''We've got to finish,'' Bynes said. ''That's what our coaches are preaching. Last year we started 5-0 and we finished 3-5, and that's not going to get us anywhere. We lost key games and we've got to finish on top now instead of finishing on the bottom of those.''
