Things were different for running back Kerryon Johnson when he woke up in the Auburn team hotel on Saturday morning. On Saturday morning things began to set in for Johnson, as he realized his Tigers would take the field in the Mercedes-Benz Superdome in just two short days.
"It really hit me this morning," Johnson said. "I something on Twitter talking about Alabama and all those guys who are about to play today, and I was like they are playing this early? But, it's already the 31st. It came up a lot faster than I anticipated."
Although the showdown against the Sooners approached faster than Johnson expected, the sophomore running back insists that the Tigers are ready for action on Monday night.
"The bottom line is, we are ready to play the game. Practice has been great so far, but those games are what we live for. It's been a long time without playing a game, and everyone is ready to get it going."
The last weeks of the season have been trying for the Auburn offense. Injuries have plagued the Tigers' offensive unit and lackluster performance in the Georgia and Alabama games were the result. Now, it has been over a month since the Tigers have seen game action and Johnson is confident about what a healthy Auburn offense can do.
"I know we have a healthy Sean White, a healthy Kamryn Pettway," Johnson said. "All of the little nicks and bruises are healed up, I mean I have full confidence in our offense. But now, it's one thing to have confidence and another thing to go out there and do it."
Like Johnson, Auburn offensive coordinator Rhett Lashlee is also excited to see his offense that is finally 100 percent and believes that Johnson is playing like his "old self."
"In a game like this where you're playing such a high quality opponent, we're going to have to play extremely well on our end of the football," Lashlee said. "Trying to have all of your guys as close to a 100 percent is a big plus. We have had a couple of weeks here to try to regain the momentum and the form that we had during that six-game winning streak in the middle of the season."
As confident as Johnson is in his own unit, he also acknowledged the "two-headed monster" that Oklahoma has at the running back position.
Everyone, including Johnson, is aware of the Oklahoma offensive fire power, but the Tiger running back believes in his defense.
"Our defense line is very good, our linebackers are very good at stopping the run. So I leave it to them."
Johnson has already had an impressive 2016, accounting for 862 rushing yards and 11 touchdowns. With the return of Kamryn Pettway, the Auburn offense will not have to rely so heavily on Johnson, who is only 138 yards from reaching the 1,000-yard mark on the season.
Johnson and the Tigers will practice once more before the game on Saturday at the New Orleans Saints practice facility.
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