Leonard Fournette was a load last year.
(Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports)
War Eagle, everybody! It’s time now for another Auburn football preview! Auburn will host the LSU Tigers on September 24th, finishing the month of a September featuring 4 consecutive home games. While Auburn lost a half dozen games last season, none was more embarrassing than the beating the team took at the hands of LSU. At LSU, the game was over before halftime, with LSU running through, over and around the Auburn defense for 411 yards on the ground. Here’s hoping for a little Tiger payback this fall!
Auburn starts this season with 5 consecutive games at home in Jordan Hare Stadium, before hitting the road to Starkville on October 8th. The Tigers open with Clemson, then regroup with Arkansas State, before the Texas A&M Aggies come calling. LSU is the next week. LSU opens the season in Green Bay, with Wisconsin in a made for TV matchup. LSU then hosts Jacksonville State, then Mississippi State before visiting Auburn. I think that scheduling definitely favors Auburn, especially given that Auburn will have faced the defending national runner up and the always dangerous Texas A&M offense by the time these two teams meet. That said, LSU does go on the road in the opener, and MSU has become a tough out in the SEC.
LSU returns 18 starters this season, and they’ll bring back most of an offense that Auburn had little success against last season. They’ll shuffle the line a big, but this team has a stable of good players there to draw from. The skill players on this offense are unbelievable! Leonard Fournette should be in early Heisman conversations at tailback, and the receiver tandem of Malachi Dupree and Travin Dural might be the best returning unit in the SEC. LSU’s main issue on offense the past couple of seasons has been quarterback play. Brandon Harris returns for his junior season, and there has been talk all around the Bayou how much he has improved in the offseason.
For the second straight year, LSU is transitioning to a new defensive coordinator. This year’s coordinator is Dave Aranda, who moves over from Wisconsin. Aranda runs an aggressive 3-4 defense, and his crew at Wisconsin gave up only 13.7 points per game last season. There are two worries with this year’s LSU defense. First, a number of players were banged up and missed a significant number of practices. That’s a worrisome thing, installing new schemes. Secondly, teams often have a transition year when settling into the 3-4 alignment. That said, last season’s coordinator Kevin Steele used some 3-4 concepts, so the change should not be as severe. LSU expects most, if not all of their wounded back by fall camp.
LSU should field at least average special teams, even losing star punter Jamie Keehn to graduation. Kicker Trent Domingue may well handle both kicking and punting this season, based on the LSU spring rotation. LSU is usually pretty dangerous on returns. Coverage has been an issue at times, during the past couple of seasons. I’d say that the reason for this is that LSU has had to play a lot of young players during that span, as the NFL has regularly poached the team for underclassmen the past few years. I look for improvement this season, and LSU has been restocking their young talent base.
Unit matchups, after the jump!
Auburn defensive line vs. LSU offensive line: Auburn brings a deep and talented defensive line into this game, a line that finally looked healthy this spring, after a couple of years of problems. Junior defensive end Carl Lawson and senior tackle Montravius Adams could have been drafted by the NFL last spring, had they gone out. Sophomore tackle Dontavius Russell really came on late last year, and was a force in Auburn’s spring game. Auburn’s end situation on the strong side is still a bit unsettled. Sophomore Byron Cowart was the heir-apparent this past spring, but it was true freshman phenom Marlon Davidson who started on A-Day, and he was impressive. Auburn has depth at both positions, and the team plans to rotate frequently up front. All eyes are on sophomore Maea Teuhema at left tackle, as he moves out after starting at left guard as a true freshman. Right tackle Toby Weathersby was a top reserve last season as a true freshman, which gives line coach Jeff Grimes a very young pair matched up against Auburn ends. In the middle, senior center Ethan Pocic and senior right guard Josh Boutte are veteran bulldozers. Left guard will likely be William Clapp, who was a redshirt freshman All-American last season. LSU has added some pace to their offense, and should really try to wear down Auburn’s line. Assuming major players such as Carl Lawson are healthy for this one, it’s a slight Advantage: Auburn.
Auburn linebackers vs. LSU backs: I think I’ll pencil junior Tre’ Williams and incoming senior transfer T. J. Neal in as starters, and I think we’ll see sophomore Deshaun Davis if Auburn uses 3 linebackers. There is talent behind those guys, although most of it is unproven. LSU has some of the best tailbacks in America. Junior Leonard Fournette needs no introduction to an Auburn defense that he embarrassed last season. Should Fournette need a rest, LSU can turn to Derrius Guice, who was impressive off the bench last season. LSU churns out brutal fullbacks every year, and should use some combination this year of junior John David Moore, and sophomore Bry’Kiethon Mouton. Mouton is one of those guys that is almost as big as a lineman. Big Advantage: LSU.
Auburn corners vs. LSU receivers: Auburn will be talented, if a bit young at corner this season. Sophomore Carlton Davis is locked in at one starting spot, after a stellar freshman campaign. A battle is still on for the other spot, between redshirt freshman Jamel Dean, senior T. J. Davis, freshman John Broussard, and redshirt freshman Javaris Davis. One could also see senior Joshua Holsey at corner, if necessary. All of these guys showed great things this spring. LSU star senior Travin Dural missed spring camp, but he’s expected back this fall. He’ll be joined by junior Malachi Dupree, who is LSU’s most complete receiver. These guys will both be playing in the NFL in a year or two. Advantage: LSU.
Auburn safeties vs. LSU secondary receivers and quarterback: I’m going to put senior starting Auburn nickelback Jonathan Ford here with the safeties, and it’s really not certain at this time who’ll be back there with him. Senior Joshua Holsey and junior Tray Matthews are veterans, but both are coming off surgery. Junior Stephen Roberts came off the bench last season to replace the fallen, and he looked good this spring. Junior Nick Ruffin held down the other safety spot this spring. Auburn should have a good bit of depth, here. LSU did go three-wide a fair amount in their spring game, and the third guy was junior D. J. Chark, who has blazing speed and can get separation on safeties. If anyone has the speed to stay with him, however, it’s Jonathan Ford. Senior tight end Colin Jeter is serviceable in the passing game, but is known more as a blocker. LSU’s leading secondary receiver a year ago was Leonard Fournette out of the backfield, with 19 catches. We’ve seen two appearances by junior LSU quarterback Brandon Harris against Auburn defenses. Harris got his first start in Auburn a couple of years ago, and had a terrible debut. Last season, he was solid running and passing, as Auburn got little pressure on him. I think Auburn will load the box this season, and try to make Harris beat them. What worries me is last year’s performance by Auburn safeties trying to tackle Leonard Fournette. Advantage: LSU.
Punting: Senior Kevin Phillips returns to punt again for Auburn, but he is being challenged by redshirt freshman Ian Shannon this summer. Phillips averaged 41.0 yards on 55 punts, with 5 touchbacks and 17 balls killed inside the 20. Auburn gave up only 7 returns all last season for a 12.4 yard average, but one of them was an average-inflating 53 yard touchdown. Senior Marcus Davis handled all Auburn punt returns last season, for a healthy 11.9 yard average. Senior kicker Trent Domingue takes over the punting role at LSU, this fall. He has a big leg, but not a single career punt. LSU gave up 18.9 yards per return on only 11 returns last season. They gave up a 72 yarder to skew that average as well. Senior Tre’Davious White is a dangerous return man, who averaged 11.4 yards per return last season. Advantage: Auburn.
Kickoffs: Daniel Carlson was very good kicking off last season, notching 49 touchbacks on 69 kickoffs. When other teams did return the ball, the Auburn coverage held them to 21.2 yards per return. Auburn was dangerous returning the ball, averaging 27.9 yards per return, despite not having one go for a touchdown. Jonathan Ford and sophomore Kerryon Johnson return, here, sporting last season averages of 28.6 and 27.6, respectively. Trent Domingue and junior Cameron Gamble split kickoff duties last season, combining for only 12 touchbacks on 75 kickoffs. That stat is deceptive, because LSU often tries to coffin-corner kickoffs, landing them inside the 5 yard line, outside the hash. Gamble is likely to handle the majority of this year’s kickoffs, since Domingue is both punting and place kicking. LSU gave up 20.4 yards per return last season. Derrius Guice was LSU’s leading return man last season, averaging 23.6 yards per return. Overall, LSU averaged just 20.4 yards per return. Advantage: Auburn.
Place kicking: Auburn junior Daniel Carlson is the man for Auburn. Carlson was 23 of 27 on field goals, and perfect on extra points last season. LSU’s Trent Domingue was 13 of 17 on field goals, and missed one extra point. Advantage: Auburn.
Auburn offensive line vs. LSU defensive line: The Tigers retool this year under new line coach Herb Hand. They’ll go with junior Austin Golson at left tackle, senior Alex Kozan at guard, senior Devonte Danzy at center, junior Braden Smith at right guart, and senior Robert Leff at right tackle. This should be a veteran, dominating bunch. The first thing that pops out from the LSU depth chart is that they do have a prototypical nose guard candidate in senior Christian LaCouture. Teamed up with senior Louis Neal and junior Davon Godchaux, LSU has a formidable starting line. There have been some nagging injuries on this unit, down the depth chart. Advantage: Even.
Auburn backs vs. LSU linebackers: Senior Jovon Robinson looks to be Auburn’s feature-back next season, after coming on strong down the stretch last season. He’ll be joined in the backfield by a brutal tandem of H-backs, in sophomores Kamryn Pettway and Chandler Cox. Both of those guys are a threat with the ball in their hands, also. Pettway and Cox may also be featured as tailbacks behind Robinson. We’ll put LSU’s version of the Buck End here, and LSU has a dangerous one in sophomore Arden Key. Teams had a tough time putting blocks on him last season. LSU has veteran starters across the rest of the unit, led by senior Kendell Beckwith. Senior Corey Thompson and junior Donnie Alexander have played a lot of college ball. Advantage: LSU.
Auburn receivers vs. LSU corners: Auburn appears set at the outside receiver spots coming out of spring, with senior Marcus Davis and junior Jason Smith as starters. The Tigers could be helped by an influx of talented true freshmen this fall. The rest of the group really didn’t impress, on A-Day. Junior Ed Paris and senior Tre’Davious White are the definition of “lock down” corners, for LSU. Advantage: LSU.
Auburn secondary receivers and quarterback vs. LSU safeties: Auburn has potential threats here, in Darius Slayton, Logan Rice, and Ryan Davis. Tight ends will likely be used more, this season, and freshman Landon Rice reportedly has good hands. Still, none of these guys has much experience. Auburn is still unsettled at quarterback, having not named a starter coming out of spring drills. Tallying up the various rumors has sophomore Sean White at the top of the heap, but this decision won’t be made till fall. Senior Ricky Jefferson and junior Jamal Adams give LSU a veteran, effective pair of safeties. Advantage: LSU.
This game will be won and lost in the trenches. Auburn will need to win the battles they lost up front last year against LSU, or this will be a very long day for the home-standing Tigers. We’ve called LSU a young team the past two seasons, but that is no longer true. I expect that they’ll come to Auburn with a grim sense of purpose, and they won’t be intimidated on the road.
In a perfect world, we’d think Auburn would have its quarterback issues resolved by late September, and could have a new defensive scheme reeling. I’m not really sure that can happen. I do believe that the defense will do a better job of slowing down the LSU juggernaut offense, this time.
Prediction: LSU is able to smother Auburn’s offense, and Auburn suffers a 27-10 loss in this one.
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