Say what you will about Coach Malzahn, but at least his teams go and get the job done against inferior opponents. You can’t say the same about Butch Jones and Tennessee. While the Vols may be undefeated, they have struggled against two non-Power 5 schools this season — Appalachian State and Ohio. In Gus Malzahn’s three and a half years at Auburn, only one team outside of the Power 5 conferences — Jacksonville State — has come within two scores of beating the Tigers. Frankly, that’s impressive, but when will those strong performances against weaker competition transition to solid offensive showings against SEC opponents?
This year, I’ve found myself waiting for this team to get over the hump. At this point, quarterback play is not the problem. Sean White has done everything he’s been asked to do. I’m looking for the confident play calling that we saw last weekend to continue from here on out. It’s time for this coaching staff to place its faith in White to deliver in big-game situations. If this had been done from the get-go, I think we’d be looking at a 4-1 team heading into Starkville to face Mississippi State this weekend.
I am, however, still a little hesitant in the offensive line. I haven’t seen enough to indicate that Auburn can run in between the tackles effectively against SEC defenses. While Kerryon Johnson has proved to be an absolute workhorse in the backfield, the o-line has now been stuffed at the opponent’s goal line in two straight weeks. That’s unacceptable. I’m not sure if that falls on OC Rhett Lashlee’s cute, red zone play calling, or the players’ lack of execution, but something has to change. It’s troubling when the front five can’t generate enough push to gain a yard, especially in the SEC where the game is decided on the line of scrimmage.
This weekend in Starkville, I hope to see Daniel Carlson as little as possible. Extra points are fine, but I’m tired of seeing the offense trotting off and settling for three on the opponent’s side of the field. It’s like my grandfather always says, “Remember how you got down there.” And maybe, just maybe, we’ll get the chance to see John Franklin run a few jet sweeps this weekend from the slot position. I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again, JF3 is too damn talented to keep on the bench. It’s crucial for Malzahn and Lashlee to find an effective role for him in this offense that would utilize his blistering speed.
Now Auburn is not a bad football team by any means. In fact, they’re starting to become a pretty good one. Both losses were to top-10 opponents, one of which came down to a final heave to the end zone. The Tigers are one of the most interesting teams in college football, as they have a chance to turn a few heads in the latter half of this season by playing spoiler to some division foes. The SEC has been all over the place thus far, plagued with conference cannibalism and inconsistency, so it wouldn’t shock me if Auburn ends up with a 9-3 record by the year’s end.
DC Kevin Steele has coached one of the best defenses in the SEC, and the offense is quietly getting better and playing at a more consistent level each week, as the transition to Lashlee’s play calling has been smooth. I certainly still hold my doubts, but if the Tigers are able to head into Starkville and earn a win against a top-25 rushing defense, then some of my hesitations will be put at ease.
I always get anxious about these morning kickoffs, as Auburn has had some pretty bad luck over the years on the road at 11:00 am, so it will be important for the offense to come out hot and ready to throw the kitchen sink at the Bulldogs’ defense to quiet down some of the cowbells. Not to mention, a win is crucial this weekend if the Tigers want any sort of success for the rest of the season, as a loss could send Auburn on a downward spiral to the bottom of a brutal SEC West.
I want to see more from this team on Saturday, because if all the missing pieces can be filled, I know they’re capable of creating something special.
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