Auburn linebacker Justin Garrett strides down the field of the Georgia Dome with the football firmly grasped in his hand. Nothing is in his path but artificial grass and a game-changing opportunity. The lone person near him is teammate Tray Matthews, who is already celebrating the inevitable score. Garrett crosses the goal line, giving the Tigers a 14-0 lead over the Louisville Cardinals.
Garrett’s 82-yard fumble return touchdown – Auburn’s longest fumble return since 1969 – served as a microcosm for Auburn’s defensive improvements in game one of the “Guschamp” era.
There are still defensive issues that must be addressed.
The perimeter defense was almost nonexistent in the second half, as speedy Louisville quarterback Lamar Jackson did his best Johnny Manziel impersonation, scrambling around and making wild passes. He ultimately led the Cardinals in rushing with 106 yards. Louisville gained 240 of its 405 yards in the second half.
Despite the issues, however, Auburn’s defense looked far superior to the 2014 edition that allowed 38 points and 488 yards per game against its final seven FBS opponents.
The Tigers’ defense was dominant for a large portion of the game. Auburn shut out Louisville for nearly 38 minutes, the longest shut-out length in Chick-Fil-A Kickoff Game history. That statistic is even more impressive when considering that Louisville is coached by offensive genius Bobby Petrino, who must be given credit for making successful halftime adjustments. By the time those adjustments came to fruition, however, his team was down 24-0.
What’s also impressive about Will Muschamp’s debut is that Auburn’s talented defense was able to demonstrate its talent, rather than be undermined by poor coaching and schematics. Nowhere was this more evident than on the defensive line, which was the most dominant unit on the field. The Tigers’ front four consistently overwhelmed the Cardinals’ young offensive line, racking up four sacks.
Carl Lawson, before his minor hip injury, picked up right where he left off after being a freshman All-American in 2013. The defensive lineman with the greatest impact was big defensive tackle Montravious Adams. The former 5-star recruit lived in Louisville’s backfield, earning 7 tackles and a sack. Adams also disrupted a handoff, leading to a fumble and Garrett’s 82-yard return that ultimately provided the scoring difference.
Linebackers Garrett, Cassanova McKinzy, Kris Frost and Tre' Williams all had nice games, and the secondary held Louisville quarterbacks to 17-33 passing for 167 yards, no touchdowns and an interception.
Issues that have plagued Auburn’s defense in years past, such as missed tackles, blown coverages and miscommunication, weren’t prevalent, if even existent, against Louisville. The most important thing to take away from Auburn’s win, however, is that the team was in firm control for most of the game, despite a lackluster offensive showing. Auburn only gained 327 yards of offense and turned the ball over three times. The Tigers were able to lean on their defense, which speaks volumes about Will Muschamp’s impact.
Is Auburn’s defense a work in progress? Yes. Are there still issues that must be addressed? Yes.
But was Muschamp’s debut a positive sign of things to come? Absolutely.
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